Eric Nam reveals unseen chaos behind ‘The Traitors’ season 4 banquet
Eric Nam says viewers only saw a softened version of one of the wildest moments in season four of ‘The Traitors’. Speaking days after the episode aired, the singer and reality TV contestant revealed that editors reined in the chaos of the now-infamous banquet scene because it crossed the line from dramatic to overwhelming. The result, he said, was still intense television, just not the full storm that unfolded inside Alan Cumming’s castle in Scotland.
Behind the scenes of the murderous banquet
Eric shared the details while speaking with Entertainment Tonight at the 2026 MusiCares Person of the Year event honoring Mariah Carey on Jan. 30. He said the banquet in which Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho was eliminated ran much hotter in real life than it appeared on Peacock.“I will say, there’s a lot you don’t see,” Eric told the outlet. “They’ve toned down a little bit of the craziness ‘cause it might’ve been a little too crazy.”According to Eric, the room was filled with raised voices and raw emotion. “There was a lot more screaming,” he said. “There were potentially some tears that were welling up. I just remember being like, ‘Holy crap, this is insane.’”He added that one moment in particular was edited for volume. “When Yam Yam was murdered and taken away,” Eric said, “his natural volume is a lot louder than it came off on TV.”Eric admitted he was genuinely confused during filming, especially while sitting alongside castmates Lisa Rinna, Tara Lipinski, and Rob Rausch. Even so, he said the final cut still delivered. “It was a fun episode,” he said. “It’s dramatic, a little traumatic, but hopefully fun for everyone at home.”
Rules, secrets, and how the game really works
Over four seasons, more secrets about ‘The Traitors’ have surfaced through interviews with cast and producers. As Variety previously reported, contestants do not choose whether they are Traitors or Faithfuls. Executive producer Mike Cotton explained that producers make the call based on personality tests and last-minute conversations with host Alan Cumming.Cumming himself told the Daily Beast that his flamboyant, villain-like hosting style evolved on the fly, sometimes with lines fed to him via earpiece. Other rules are strict. Players cannot discuss the game off camera, share hotel rooms, or even bring personal glam teams, as Chrishell Stause told Us Weekly.Despite the intensity, Eric said the experience is worth it. He also noted he was sad to see Donna Kelce voted out earlier in the season, even if it was necessary. “She was also a Traitor,” he said. “We did our job. We had to get her out, but we love Donna.”
