Big Brother Universe: Fashion, Casting, Comps, etc.

[choclatechip45]

Speaking of juries I wished they would go back to not having the final 3 last until finale night. I understand why the producers did it for BB11 because of how popular Jordan was, but I really hate it. I wish the juries could ask better questions like they did in the past and sometimes a house guest does not even get to ask a question.

Edited August 19, 2014 by choclatechip45

[dolphincorn]

I like the summer of paranoia idea: no twists, but the threat of "the biggest twist ever" hanging over their heads.  Let the jury out into the real world to do all the interviews and listen to all the fans and watch the feeds, and then bring them back on finale night to crucify the assholes who couldn't stop bashing the people who were already evicted.  The fans would get the jury riled up, and through our influence we might actually get a winner that we don't want to kill ourselves (providing there's someone left to root for among the finalists).

[Ananayel]

I don't think it's such a big deal anymore for jurors to at least be allowed to watch the aired episodes. They're so tightly edited now, and the DRs are so scripted as to be almost useless as far as riling up people who aren't in the house anymore.

 

I also thought that maybe the key to having people no longer play for second place (because even after taxes, $50K is a decent paycheck for a couple months"work") is to drop the second place prize money down to the weekly stipend plus some crazy low amount, like $5k. Play for first place or don't play at all, monkeys.

[Wax Lion]

 

I'd like to see them go back, just for one season, to letting the public evict. I know in the past the public evicted the most interesting HGs, but I think most people have watched long enough to know that the hamsters are supposed to be entertaining us, damn it, and now we would keep in people who are giving us something to watch.

 

Eh, I think media pundits who stick to this bit of common wisdom need to acknowledge that BB1 was over a decade ago. I think if given a chance we'd match the British pattern (or at least the BBUK Channel 4 pattern) where a couple annoying people get eliminated first before people start picking a couple big drama HGs to stand behind and the boring ones start getting voted off.

 

That said, I'm not sure I'd be happy with letting the audience vote people out on a show still edited by AG. I'm still bitter at the way "America" voted the way her editors told them to every time in BB8, especially the way the show went from "Kail said something ignorant about gay people, hate her!" to "Here are acceptable slurs to use againstl a gay man, providing you're doing it for your daughter."

[Nashville]

Moving from Live Feed discussion to here:

The most exciting twist of this season was that Zach's pink hat actually belonged to Victoria.

THAT gets into a whole other dynamic of the House I don't even pretend to understand - that of personal clothing and property.

Under such circumstances (crowded into a single house with a dozen strangers for an extended period of time, no easily accessible means of escape, being recorded by cameras 24/7, etc.), I would think a normal response would be to:

1. Establish some degree of a personal private space "bubble" around oneself.

2. Expect others to do the same.

3. Respect the personal space of others.

4. Expect the same respect in return.

I also think it would be reasonable to expect this respect for personal boundaries to extend to the few personal possessions a HG is permitted to bring to the House, including clothing; however, this is apparently not the case. HGs frequently borrow(?) clothing from each other - often without asking first, and for extended periods of time:

1. Amber's bunny slippers. No other word for it - these were stolen, and in a particularly brazen fashion (Caleb incessantly boasting about it afterwards).

2. Donny's overalls. Not sure what the deal was here. Donny's girlfriend sent him a new pair of overalls as part of his HOH basket; I don't think Donny even got the chance to try them on before they were appropriated by Caleb, however, and Caleb appears to wear them exclusively now. Did Donny give them to Caleb, or did Caleb just take them?

3. The pink hat. Originally Victoria's, but Zach has been wearing it exclusively since about Week 2, with nary a word of protest from Victoria - until now.

4. Hayden's hats. The first episode made a point of showing Hayden packing little else besides his hats; I think very few of them followed him out the House, however. Isn't the blue hat Cody wears constantly one of Hayden's?

And so forth. When more women were in the House there were innumerable squabbles over who was wearing who's clothes or using who's toiletries - too many times to count.

My point (and I do have one) being: is there some rule or custom in the House of which I'm unaware, that everything brought into the House is common property and fair game? Or are these folks - some of them, anyway - simply atrocious at respecting personal boundaries, and taking advantage of those who are too polite to speak up or unwilling to create additional friction within this enclosed environment?

ETA: spoiler tags - in case

Edited August 19, 2014 by Nashville

[Kromm]

I think the people in question (not the original owners, but the people who wound up stealing/wearing these items) are just dipshits, and the show isn't all that good about punishing dipshits.

 

After all they let Caleb sexually harass Amber for weeks on end.  Several Hamsters appropriating items from other Hamsters seems almost tame in comparison.

 

Really, personal property is not respected much on the show and probably is legally covered ahead of time by the overall waiver(s) they sign.  It's not just the US show either--I recall other international Big Brothers using their Hamsters clothes and other belongings as bribes/incentives, or even destroying them (or giving them to other Hamsters, who might keep them, or destroy them) as punishments.  

[choclatechip45]

Someone speculated earlier in the season that most of the clothes were bought at target right before they went in the house because of clearance issues so no one feels real ownership of there clothes. I think as long as they have permission from someone its okay if they wear each others clothes. When I was in sleep away camp and we couldn't go and buy new clothes we would wear each others clothes because we were bored of our own clothing.

[Nashville]

Someone speculated earlier in the season that most of the clothes were bought at target right before they went in the house because of clearance issues so no one feels real ownership of there clothes. I think as long as they have permission from someone its okay if they wear each others clothes.

That was one of the only things I could come up with as well - if they had no personal attachment to the stuff. I long ago concluded one of the cardinal rules of the House was (or SHOULD be) don't take in anything you actually care about.

Can't help but think, though - if Donny's lady actually sent him those overalls, it must make her heart sink a little every time she sees this big piece of... Kentucky walking around in the clothes she bought her man.

[choclatechip45]

Yeah I agree, I remember Judd's bear shirt from last year it was speculated that it was bought for him before the season at target.

[dolphincorn]

The bear shirt was from Walmart.  I remember Judd saying that.

[stacylynnrs]

Did BB ban smoking or just no one smokes?!

[Nashville]

Just worked out that way this season - no smokers. Donny dips; I don't think he's the only one, but I can't remember who else.

[ParadoxLost]

They will never do this, but they need to put a bigger gulf between the live feeds and the aired show.  I'll accept that they are going to make everyone less vile in the aired show because of standards and practices and just generally not wanting the entire audience to turn off the TV in disgust.

 

But they've got to give the people that bother with the live feeds and updates something because its a hugely frustrating situation as it stands when what is going on gets sanitized to this degree.

 

I think for the sake of the feeds that they should cut back on going to fishes and cutting off talk of production.  I don't think they need to maintain the pretense that this is not a TV show as much as they do.  If they are worried that this is all they want to talk about and won't get any good footage, make it like the darts.  You can talk about production every 3rd day for one hour.  Then cut to fishes and yell at them the rest of the time.

[Ananayel]

You know how some reality shows, like RPDR, Project Runway, ANTM,  have "non-elimination" episodes? Sometimes it's by accident - someone withdraws for another reason and they need to keep on schedule, or there's one built into the schedule than can be executed when it will have maximum dramatic effect. I'd like to see one in BB - let them get all the way done casting votes, have Julie read the total, and say something like, "by a vote of ___ to ___, X, you would have been evicted tonight, however, this is a non-elimination week in the Big Brother house." And then let the pissed off houseguests stay and try to wreak havoc. Or, have a 90 minute episode, and do a triple eviction. That'll blow their tiny little minds. Don't tell them at all, until after the second one. Expect the unexpected, right?

[Jesse]

"Expect the unexpected" is hilarious when the people who really follow BB can predict each competition before it happens. 

[ParadoxLost]

Let's merge "Expect the unexpected" and @Ananayel's idea and once at random through the season:

 

Evicted houseguest is made HoH instead. 

Winner of veto competition is evicted

Winner of HoH is nominated for eviction.

Winner that gets to leave the house gets to film an episode of 'Beyond Scared Straight'

 

The outrage on the feeds would be awesome.  Well that or turned off after constant demands to stop talking about production.

[HighHopes]

I think it would be fun for one week (picked at random) that the nominated houseguest who was not evicted should automatically become the new HOH. 

Edited August 22, 2014 by HighHopes

[Wax Lion]

@HighHopes, I actually think that would be an amazing twist for a season. That would require strategic adjustments and there would be reason for someone to offer themselves as a pawn (or for a betrayal where John convinces Bob to go up as a pawn to enact a certain plan when Bob is HoH, only for John to betray Bob and it's a secret plan to get rid of Bob).

[Wings]

1. Have a very limited pantry of food items (rice, beans) and comps for them to win good stuff, like steak, pizza delivery, sweets, or anything you hear them craving.
2. Get rid of slop and have nots. Boring.
3. Viewers get punished with fish when they sing.  Punish the singer.  PB&J for a week.
4.  Eliminate the full week with only 3 HGs.  Speed that up.
5. Give them games like Tabu and Gestures that are interesting for viewers to watch.  Or lift ideas from Game Night the TV show.
6. 90 minute TV show exposing bad behavior from the feeds.  No more white washing; viewers without feeds vote for their favorite so inform them!
 

Julie, be tougher in your exit interivews.  You did a great job with Aaryn because the topic was so loaded.  Don't let the others get away with less abhorrant behavior.

[choclatechip45]

I was re watching BB4 and I completely forgot that they had done the POV before nominations some weeks. I think they should bring that back.

[Nashville]

Extend the POV "winner protection" so if a nominee on the block wins POV, s/he is automatically taken off the block solely by virtue of winning the POV; then, the PoV winner has the option whether or not to use the POV on the other nominee.

You could make it even more interesting: the HoH has to select a nominee to replace the POV winner, then the POV winner decides whether or not to use the POV, and if so, which of the two nominees to use it on. This approach would incorporate an extra round of replacement nomination, which should make for some really interesting dynamics in terms of how backdoors could be implemented.

[Wings]

Extend the POV "winner protection" so if a nominee on the block wins POV, s/he is automatically taken off the block solely by virtue of winning the POV; then, the PoV winner has the option whether or not to use the POV on the other nominee.

You could make it even more interesting: the HoH has to select a nominee to replace the POV winner, then the POV winner decides whether or not to use the POV, and if so, which of the two nominees to use it on. This approach would incorporate an extra round of replacement nomination, which should make for some really interesting dynamics in terms of how backdoors could be implemented.

 

 

The first part has a lot of real possibilities and puts emphasis on keeping your alliance secret or at least not in everyone's face.   And would create the need to hone your social skills.   I like this!  

[Maverick]

 You could have the HOH have to pick two potential replacements when they do nominations and if the POV winner is on the block they get to pick between the two.  Or because the HOH may have a big enough pool to pick from to keep the POV from shaking things up, have the HOH pick one potential and America pick one potential.  There's so many ways you can mix up the POV alone that it should never be the same from year to year.  Force people to adapt.  

[Eolivet]

Moved to live feed thread. Sorry for the confusion!

Edited August 26, 2014 by Eolivet

[jbrecken]

Make the HOH nominate three people, and require the Veto winner to use it.  HOH doesn't play in the Veto - just the three nominees plus three others.  That should make the HOH stop acting like they're in charge all week, since after noms their only job would be tie-breaker.

[Ananayel]

I like that idea, but I'd make it HOH noms 2, America noms 1. Grodner wants us involved really really badly, and there's no way feed watchers would have let Christine, Frankie or Derrick slide as long as they did without their backsides tasting the nominee chairs.

[AndreaK1041]

These last 2 suggestions with the 3 people nominated are good. Didn't they try to do something like that last year?  I can't remember the structure of the America's vote thing that switched over from Immunity (??) to getting nominated.  It was not as described above though.  I like the 3 noms and the required use of the Veto to have 2 noms voted on.  HoH is too much power... simple immunity and initial noms (plus tiebreak voting) is quite sufficient.

[dolphincorn]

They should limit the "folds" in the "Hold or Fold" competition to one-per-player.

[choclatechip45]

Next time they do an Xs type twist or Enemies twist it should be for all house guests not select ones.

[Nashville]

They should limit the "folds" in the "Hold or Fold" competition to one-per-player.

 

That, or two nonconsecutive holds.

[dolphincorn]

And they should wait until the contestants decide to fix the competition and then drop the bomb on them right at the beginning.

[Nashville]

And they should wait until the contestants decide to fix the competition and then drop the bomb on them right at the beginning.

 

Tommy likee.

[Wings]

Whoever cast this season did a poor job.  Jocosta had a sign on her forehead saying, "I am first out."  And Donny wore one that said "outcast."  Why make such extreme choices?  Add a few more odd balls to the mix and not just 2 who stand out.  And some who have never seen BB mixed with fans does not make things interesting.  The playing field has to be reasonably even to get any interesting action.  An even distribution of ages rather that one older person with 20 somethings would be much more interesting. 

 

All people who know nothing about the game, superfans who are feed watchers or All Stars.   Those would work well, I think.

[choclatechip45]

If they do another All-stars with the same format. America voting in 8. Production choosing 8. They should  bring in one of the "not chose" during the pre-jury phase. I don't think it will matter since it seems like most Big Brother Alumni know each other.

[Thalia]

I just emailed CBS asking them to consider revealing America's Favorite Player earlier in the program.  I would love it if they did it after the vote, but before they revealed the winner, so that Frankie will know it isn't him and is (probably) Donny, and have to sit there with America watching him try and keep his cool.  

 

Although I can't remember.  Is the #2 player eligible for AFP?  Is that why they wait? 

[larrybear]

i've not ever seen a rule that says 1st and 2nd place are excluded from an America's favorite prize, although that could be the case. 

 

My improvement idea is showing the first and second parts of the final HOH in the second to last episode, so during the finale they have more time to spend with the evicted houseguests and get better reactions to what's going on. This year especially with the Team America tasks and revealing Derrick is a cop.

[AndreaK1041]

I would love to have longer interviews. Does the winner even talk? They just run out in confetti, right? Would prefer more like Survivor.

Also, Part 3 of the HoH has to change. Why make the most important comp of the season a virtual crapshoot?

Edited August 31, 2014 by AndreaK1041

[Wings]

I think F2 should be included in the favorite HG vote.  And I like the idea of announcing fan favorite before the final vote.  The winner of FF gets lost in the confettii and hoopla. 

 

There has GOT to be a way to speed up the end. 

 

Do not ever say "expect the unexpected" ever again unless you mean it. 

 

The TV shows lag way too far behind real time.  Certainly you can do better.   If you don't subscribe to the feeds you keep abreast of things on twitter.  Your viewers are not all 'TV only' by any stretch of the imagination.

[Wings]

I would like to see 90 minute TV shows toward the end to accomodate footage from the jury house.   I don't mean a camera man catching them all eating or relaxing together.  I would like to see DR type footage of them all telling us what their experience is like with the other members, what it was like when so and so arrived, etc.

[Cherry Cola]

I would love to have longer interviews. Does the winner even talk? They just run out in confetti, right? Would prefer more like Survivor.

Also, Part 3 of the HoH has to change. Why make the most important comp of the season a virtual crapshI 

I would love to see Julie sit and talk with the winner after it is announced. I always think, That's it? After they announce it and it's done, no talking etc.

[dolphincorn]

There are always so many comments about what the house guests are wearing in the other threads that I decided we should have a dedicated thread to discuss them.

 

First on the agenda: Frankie's sassy, blue booty shorts from the Target junior girls' section paired with a douchey white belt.

[Nashville]

First on the agenda: Frankie's sassy, blue booty shorts from the Target junior girls' section paired with a douchey white belt.

A. You should call runway.

B. Frankie looked like he was dressed for a kindergarten graduation.

C. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[dolphincorn]

I'm actually quite impressed by Caleb's bold fashion choices.  The way he steals the other house guests' clothes and appropriates them into his own wardrobe is inspiring.

[Nashville]

Last night, I found the Chenbot's svelte black power suit particularly... striking.

I felt it made a statement. Not one I can go into on a PG-13 forum, however - or an R, even.

While the look may not have suited (no pun intended*) the tastes of many, I thought it commanded an immediate presence.

Of course, my first true love was Carolyn Jones as Morticia Addams - which probably explains a lot.

* Who are we kidding?

[Cosmocrush]

I liked the Chenbot's black suit and red lipstick too.  Not so sure about that ten pounds of hair molded into a Marge Simpson beehive though. 

 

And speaking of ten pounds of hair [extentions] I posted in the episode thread I thought Victoria dressed herself using a Disney princess as a model.  The too tight, too short dress tugging didn't help  matters either.  It cracks me up that she spends hours a day on that look and I'd bet a paycheck she has the same habits outside the house too. 

 

I think Cody really only looks good with his shirt off.  The dinosaur costume just didn't do it for me. 

[dolphincorn]

I go to Vegas a few times a year and I usually stay at the MGM.  I like to play the machines near Hakkasan, the big nightclub at the front of the hotel.  Every night there is an endless parade of girls on their way to the club who wear short, cheap, ill-fitting strapless dresses for their night out, going "step, step, tug, step, step, tug" over and over again.  It's so unattractive.

 

I have a lot of really nice clothes and I wonder what would happen if I went into the BB Canada house.  Would other people try to borrow them?  I suppose I would let them, but only if I got to wear them first.  I also would insist that no one but me was allowed to do my laundry.  Most people I know are terrible at doing their own and I wouldn't want them to wreck my stuff.

[RealityGal]

There are always so many comments about what the house guests are wearing in the other threads that I decided we should have a dedicated thread to discuss them.

 

First on the agenda: Frankie's sassy, blue booty shorts from the Target junior girls' section paired with a douchey white belt.

I'm just wondering where he found a sequined neck tie?  Was a Cabaret going out of business?

[RealityGal]

I go to Vegas a few times a year and I usually stay at the MGM.  I like to play the machines near Hakkasan, the big nightclub at the front of the hotel.  Every night there is an endless parade of girls on their way to the club who wear short, cheap, ill-fitting strapless dresses for their night out, going "step, step, tug, step, step, tug" over and over again.  It's so unattractive.

 

I have a lot of really nice clothes and I wonder what would happen if I went into the BB Canada house.  Would other people try to borrow them?  I suppose I would let them, but only if I got to wear them first.  I also would insist that no one but me was allowed to do my laundry.  Most people I know are terrible at doing their own and I wouldn't want them to wreck my stuff.

 

I'm confused by girls above a B cup wearing strapless dresses.  It just seems like a recipe for disaster, I've only seen one strapless dress that I had to have, but it was an adorable day dress from Anthropologie, which I wear with a bra and a shrug over it.  For the most part though, if I'm going out on the town, and I'm gonna dance, I don't want to be worried about a nip slip so I make sure my dresses have a strap or a sleeve.

 

Do you think you would bring really nice clothing into the BB house?  They mostly seem to wear their nice clothing when their on the block and are about to be evicted so they look nice talking to Julie Chen.

Last night, I found the Chenbot's svelte black power suit particularly... striking.

 

I was all about her outfit, but I think she was wearing pantyhose with those peep toe shoes, and that is so much of a no no in my book it ruins the entire outfit.  

 

Pantyhose with peep toe shoes is striking...for all the wrong reasons.

 

If it is later proven that she was not wearing pantyhose with those shoes, I will amend my opinion.  

[Pixiebomb]

Get rid of the reset button and make it a Flipped Button. Upon pushing the button everyone in the Jury House is back in the BB House and everyone in the BB House goes straight to Jury. That would be so awesome this year!

[dolphincorn]

I'd like to nominate Frankie's jorts from last night's episode for the worst outfit of the season.  Why would someone make a two-tone denim garment with the darker blue section surrounding the crotch like a pee stain?

Edited September 10, 2014 by dolphincorn