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Another summer, another season of homophobia and racism from the "Big Brother" feeds
Sadly, homophobic and racist slurs are an expected part of CBS' summer reality staple Big Brother — or, at least, it's expected for the fans who follow the show on the online feeds and on Big Brother After Dark. On CBS, such appalling comments usually get left on the cutting room floor and the producers' characterizations have to be reconsidered. You've probably heard already about how this season's hunk (we know because of the Diary Room footage swooning over his looks) has casually thrown around homophobic slurs but only if you follow the internet chatter. Unfortunately, that's not the only appalling incident to happen on the Big Brother set. But don't venture further if you don't want to run into SPOILERS about last night's episode or an event that happens later on. From what I've been following of the live feed discussion, Jeff has been throwing around anti-gay slurs, often in reference to his clique-mates Russell and Jesse. One such incident, a confrontation between Russell and Jeff where Jeff frequently calls Russell a "fag", aired as part of Tuesday night's episode. The fight even saw Russell call Jeff out on the slur, "What do you have against gay people? If you want to call me a bitch, call me a bitch." (I'm not sure if that would be an improvement, but cheers to Russell for calling that out.) However, Big Brother viewers who don't want to spend more than three hours a week on the show wouldn't realize Jeff's use of such hateful language, as that language was all edited out. Similarly, another incident captured from Big Brother After Dark showed Jeff using a variety of anti-gay slurs in talking about Russel and Jeff. That moment is featured on CBS' website as a live feed highlight, but CBS' version also edits out Jeff's slurs.
That, unfortunately, wasn't the only incident of bigoted speech. After Braden was nominated for eviction, he demonstrated a need for a (to paraphrase Margaret Cho) racist-to-English dictionary by calling gay housemate Kevin a "beaner" and telling him to "go back to Mexico". Bad enough to use a racist word like that, but since Kevin's biracial heritage doesn't not include being Latino it also shows an extra level of ignorance for Braden. If Braden signed up for Big Brother hoping it'd help his acting career, I don't think it'll have that effect after this. These incidents stand in sharp contrast to the way houseguests on the UK Big Brother have been quickly evicted for using slurs. However, the way CBS lets that kind of language be broadcast in the uncensored formats sends a bad message. There's a slight difference in how CBS handles slurs and swearing — CBS will silence swear words but will leave slurs on the metaphorical cutting room floor — but it doesn't communicate much of a message about the difference between an impolite f-word and an f-word that demeans an entire group of people. Previously, the voice of Big Brother has stepped in to express disapproval when houseguests were on the verge of a fight or when they talked about the Big Brother producers. Words like "fag", "homo" or "beaner" don't get the kind of criticism that comparing diary room sessions does. I guess the "integrity" of the game is the important thing. Worse, this kind of talk comes up every season, which leaves the impression that Big Brother doesn't try to avoid people with bigoted attitudes. I guess if it adds to the drama and gets people to talk about the show, it's okay. Submitted by on Thu, 2009-07-16 08:25. |
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Big Brother
surprised?
i have a question. is ANYONE really surprised or shocked by this? I think its safe to say reality tv purposefully 'hires' these people for their shows because look....coverage! viewers! RATINGS! MONEY!
i had to chuckle when i read this, because it's just so pathetic. i also chuckled because look....he is allowed to say this and nobody from the higher up has put him in his place...its like "oh, ok...another person getting away with hatred...and the sky is blue..."
I have to disagree.
Agreed
Never watched passed Season 1
How singularly innocent I look this morning.
I'd like that to be the case...
but, unfortunately, ratings (for now, at least) are up from last season and the premiere won the time slot. The ratings aren't good enough to get it promoted to the fall schedule but its a solid performer for CBS, especially since it has an additional revenue stream (since they make money selling the live feeds as well as advertising). It doesn't look like this show is going away anytime soon.
Big Brother is the only reality show with "live feeds"
You're right...
As I recall, Shii-Anne of Survivor's Thailand and All-Star seasons said as much (though from what she said, she saw people making racist comments about groups not within earshot, she wasn't called any slurs).
The thing about the live feeds, though, is that CBS makes money off of them which, IMO, undermines the argument that they're being responsible by taking them out of the broadcast. When the show maintains a houseguest's likable characterization (like portraying Braden as a lovable goof) I think they're being even more irresponsible because the show is still reminding us how likable they are even as there's this footage of them using this kind of hateful language to be found.
I have faith
Racism wasn't ever a major problem on Big Brother in the UK - except when it was an absolutely, vast, incredible problem that resulted in questions in Parliament, ambassadors furiously trying to head off a crisis and the Prime Minister of the UK publicly apologising to the President of India.
Of course, that was the result of a series of Celebrity Big Brother. The victim of the bullying - a Bollywood actress called Shilpa Shetty - went on to win the series and garner massive name-recognition in the UK. Mind you she was a class act and it was impossible not to be impressed with her intelligence, beauty and dignity.
Of the three women accused of racism, one literally had to die to get back into the public's affection. One of the others retreated into anonymity and the third - who was dumped by her high-powered white footballing boyfriend - almost immediately took up with a high-powered black footballer to make a point... If you look at the pictures of the Harry Potter premiere, she's there in the pics. Her name is Daniella Lloyd.
Like you said, Lyle, when it's an ordinary Jo/Joe Schmoe who makes even the slightest racist comment they're oiked out of the programme at speed. Not only do the programme producers have the camera pointed at the individuals as they explain that racism isn't nice or acceptable, they also inform them that it could be a criminal offence and the police might want to have a word with them fairly soon.
I have faith in the UK producers that if someone started uttering homophobic comments, they would be treated similarly to the racists.
But the really weird thing is that while in the US the casual homophobia is ignored or condoned, in the UK the show seems to be working towards the first-ever same-sex hump on reality TV. What's more, the viewing public seems actively annoyed that the two guys dancing around each other haven't got it on yet.
Hell, even the show's presenter asked one of the evictees what it'd take to get one of the boys to do the dirty and when she was told it'd just take more beer, she joked that she'd see what she could do - to massive cheers from the audience (in the UK, the evictions are voted for by the public and the evictions are live events with a big, rowdy audience).
I look at the US Big Brother and the UK Big Brother and realise that there's something a hell of a lot bigger than the Atlantic Ocean separating us.
I will watch it tonight
Jeff, Catholic school boy with issues. Braden? Just a douche.
Lyle, great post. Braden sure likes the gay money that comes from Here! TV, but gay people themselves? Apparently not so much.
I'm the guy who blogs at http://IAmATVJunkie.com, and I would love for you to visit.
wow.....
http://tvwatch.people.com/2009/07/17/big-brothers-braden-defends-his-verbal-attack-on-lydia/
Kevin ran up to defend Lydia and you threw water on him. Do you regret that?
No. He’s flamboyantly gay and you can’t punch a gay guy, let alone push him. I just wanted him to get out of my face. It was like saying, “Shoo, button.”
LMAO, WHAT? this man is insane