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

[MrHufflepuff]

 I wonder the strategy for picking teams... you could pick enemies and then try to throw it.  You could pick your allies and try to win. I like the team idea. 

 

There's also the possibility that the two HOH's think the same people are in an alliance with each of them, so they try to pick the same people.  That's more drama potential.

[Kris117]

I hated that mesh top Meg was sort of wearing for Thursday's eviction ceremony. It's the type of thing that would look perfectly fine on someone less bosomy but just looks as if one is trying too hard if she has Meg's dimensions.

I wonder if Liz and Julia have the same taste in clothes? If they don't, I could see that driving me nuts after a few weeks.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Kris117

[Kris117]

There have actually been some transphobic remarks.

And I don't think it's as clear cut as it was in BB15 but I believe some of the targeting of Day is motivated by race.

I don't think her being perceived as a threat was because of her race, although I do think that might have been underlying Clay's difficulties with her. His two spectacularly bad non-apology apologies, for example, sounded quite condescending. On the other hand, he's been condescending to people who have twice the IQ he does, which would include anyone smarter than Austin's hair. It's possible that some felt threatened by her temper and slotted her into the Angry Black Woman stereotype on that alone, except that I got the feeling that most everyone loved her.

But sadly, Da'Vonne put both feet in her mouth and then shot herself in the foot. I can see some racism in BB going to the Sassy Black Woman well once again. Too bad Candice wasn't playing this year instead of two years ago.

Somewhere Aaryn is wearing black this week because people are being mean to the Confederate flag.

Edited July 12, 2015 by Kris117

[slasherboy]

I have a burning question.  How do the houseguests determine who sleeps where?  Thank!

[Nashville]

I hated that mesh top Meg was sort of wearing for Thursday's eviction ceremony. It's the type of thing that would look perfectly fine on someone less bosomy but just looks as if one is trying too hard if she has Meg's dimensions.

 

Swear to god - I'm moderately OK with Meg as a player (back and forth), but when I saw that outfit on her in Thursday's episode I turned to my wife and said, "How is she wearing that if she know her parents are watching the show?"

 

Yeah I'm that old, I guess.

[Kris117]

I have a burning question.  How do the houseguests determine who sleeps where?  Thank!

First come, first served is the usual method. Some years there have been definite differences in the comfort level of the bedrooms, so the group who got in last got the worst bedroom. One year they kept one of the regular bedrooms locked until after some competition or other. I can't remember where the leftovers slept, but I do remember they weren't very happy about it. I'm sure there are other posters who recall the details better.

This year they didn't spend a lot of time showing them picking rooms on the broadcast. The only thing I remember being shown is from the first episode. One subset of the first people in found themselves in one of the bedrooms and agreed to camp out there. I don't remember seeing anything else regarding sleeping arrangements.

[Hanahope]

It looks fairly random, but people do share beds.  I've heard on the feeds production saying they can't sleep in other places (on sofa, for example).  I have to imagine that there must have been some arguments or drama in the past about who got to share whose bed, if that's the only place people were allowed to sleep.

[peachmangosteen]

In terms of this season, there was bit of drama over

Steve not wanting to share a bed with a woman because he was afraid of 'rumors.' And then Meg suggesting he share a bed with Audrey and giggling about it.

(Spoilered because it's feed talk, but it is not game related in any way.)

Edited July 15, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[LoneHaranguer]

 

2.  The two HOH's pick teams, like in middle school.  We get a potential for drama and seeing alliances.

Hopefully not quite like middle school. Unless you want to give the person with first pick a big advantage, which person gets to pick first in each round should alternate. The middle school way is quick and easy, but you don't want to do it with a lot of money at stake without good reason.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Is Julie backing away from the show? She's only appearing once a week out of three episodes. Maybe CBS should consider getting a new host who'll be more involved.

[SnideAsides]

She's always appeared only once a week, even in the first season when there were six weekly episodes.

 

As much as Gronktoberfest was a hilarious failure, if they're going to insist on trying to make fetch Battle of the Block a thing they need to do something like it to handle the Have Nots. There just isn't enough room in the episodes to have four separate challenges (HoH, Have Not, Block, Veto) plus the voting and eviction and still give us enough to care about the characters (especially in endurance-HoH weeks), but you could alleviate it somewhat by going back to just playing for food and stealing some of the better shopping task ideas from the non-North-American versions of BB.

[Kris117]

I miss the food challenges, I liked them playing for what they can eat better than I do having a Have-Not group.

This is an idea I found interesting.

How I'd solve BOTB: Individualize the comp, top two are safe, winner gets their choice as to which HOH to dethrone? Is it that hard?

At least it would be different, and give the nominees a bit of power.

[Petunia13]

She borrowed it from Jun?

[ladyrott]

Vanessa's stupid ass hats must go.

[Nashville]

Vanessa's stupid ass hats must go.

You got a problem with the entire Grunge Decade? :D

[Callaphera]

Vanessa's stupid ass hats must go.

 

I don't suppose anyone knows where Vanessa's tuque (or Audrey's bright red one) are from? Audrey's especially used to catch my eye and I was trying to figure out the stitch pattern so I could knit myself one but I could never get a good look at it on the show or on the feeds. 

[Guest]

I liked Meg's green top with the mesh.  My daughter said it's from Urban Outfitters.  

[Nashville]

Didn't say I didn't like it; I *am* a functional male. ;)

Given the angles of the camerawork (ceiling-mounted camera shooting sharp-angle down onto the two Hot Seats), though, I think ANY kind of open-neck or semi-open-neck top might lend itself to certain... exaggerations....

[ladyrott]

I really loved Jason's "out the door" outfit.  He looked dapper as hell.  Way to go out with class, Jason!

[Kris117]

Dear BB,

May we have a competition specially designed to be thrown to Jackie, Vanessa, and Austin, with the prize being a complete makeover? Jackie and Vanessa are locked into retro looks that do nothing for them (Vanessa especially). Vanessa is also drawn to clothing, hair, and makeup colors that are all wrong for her. Austin is…well, I don't have time to spend an hour listing what he needs to make over. Oh, and the makeover definitely needs to include Judas as well.

[Kromm]

This isn't (specifically) about differences between the live version and broadcast show, although it may include material from the live feeds. We have another topic for that which serves that purpose well. And some of the suggestions here might NOT rely on live content (and some might).

 

This isn't a fix the show topic--because not only do we have such a topic already, but sometimes suggestions are just about something that might be funny or briefly enlightening, and not about fixing the whole formula.

 

Okay, for example:

 

By the end of the season I want a big "Blood on My Hands" montage to air.

 

 

[DAngelus]

Can we talk about Meg's matching tank/romper thing?  I like the plum color, and Meg has a nice body so I don't mind that it shows skin, but it's so formless, apart from the belt, that it looks like a damn potato sack.  Ugh.  At first I thought it was a tank top and matching gym shorts combination, but the more I see it, the more it looks like a one-piece.  With pockets in the shorts.  Definitely not a fan.

 

Jason definitely rocked his eviction outfit and I liked that he changed up the collar tabs that he hung that little chain from, replacing the previous triangular tabs with that deer head on one side.  I wonder if this means that Austin, who owns the deer-head t-shirt we saw at the Outback reward, is now convinced that he and Jason are soulmates and is thinking about leaving the house to go after Jason and (possibly) invite him to a Milwaukee Bucks game.  Okay, probably not.

[Turtle]

They sleep in whatever bed they want to, with the exception of have-nots. Usually by the time the feeds come on, they've already been on the house for several days and have sorted it out, but it changes over time. When someone is HoH or a have-not, their usual bed space is open and there might be jostling around, where the former HoH and have-nots find a space to sleep. the HGs figure out who they want to share a bed with early on, but it's not always the same bed and sometimes it changes. So, basically, it's a total free for all.

They're not allowed to sleep anywhere except the beds, so especially early on it forces them to negotiate their own sleeping arrangements. I don't recall seeing it being a major issue but I remember Victoria got her feelings hurt last year because no one wanted to share a bed with her. She was apparently a bit high maintenance. Shocker, I know.

[peachmangosteen]

I don't recall seeing it being a major issue but I remember Victoria got her feelings hurt last year because no one wanted to share a bed with her. She was apparently a bit high maintenance. Shocker, I know.

 

The same thing happened this season with Audrey. Not a huge issue, but it was a thing for a bit.

[Kris117]

Yes, he really looked sharp! Austin should be so lucky as to take advice on his appearance from Jason.

[Kris117]

I would love to see what finally convinced Audrey to leave her Gray Hoodie of Silence and Doom and join the rest of the house. What did production say to her during all that time in the DR? Was it production who got her to agree to pull herself together, or did getting a lot of sleep and restorative meds help her to bring herself out of her funk?

I also wish the feeds would start before the broadcast starts. Often houseguests have impressions of others based on something a houseguest said pre-feeds, and I'd like to see for myself.

[Nashville]

What did production say to her during all that time in the DR? Was it production who got her to agree to pull herself together, or did getting a lot of sleep and restorative meds help her to bring herself out of her funk?

"Get with the program if you want to get paid", maybe? ;)

[dolphincorn]

I have a question for you guys. People seem to share clothes quite liberally on these shows (maybe even a little more on BB Canada). Are you guys possessive with your clothing? I have a lot of really nice stuff and I'm not sure I'd want to see it featured on anyone else. At the same time, I wouldn't want to be perceived as the jerk who never learned how to share.

[Nashville]

For the most part, no; I generally don't care much for clothes period, and I abhor the con game called 'fashion' that gets foisted off on the public twice a year. That being said, I do have a few clothing items of personal significance - I'd probably regard as more souvenirs of particular places or events than simple clothing - which I'd be loath to pass around for general consumption.

There's an inherent catch here with regards to BB, though; if my understanding of the show's pre-production is correct, much of what the HGs are wearing didn't come out of their personal wardrobe. First thing TPTB do when the HGs-to-be initially arrive is to ransack their baggage, remove anything which presents filming issues for Production (corporate logos, professional sports teams, bad colors/patterns, etc.), then take the HGs on a shopping trip to Target to replace the extractions. So in this context, much of what we're seeing on-camera may be clothing to which the HGs have little or no personal attachment - and in THAT context, I could see how the clothing mix-and-match between HGs could become a thing.

[MMLEsq]

I think the movie/tv show stuff is just a framing device to create a theme for each week's "takeover."  

Not sure what other thread this could go in, so I'm posing my question here:  What ever happened to the BB "Takeover" this season?  Have they abandoned the whole idea?  

[Way Wes Jr]

Up until the point AG decides she wants to save someone and gives us the "Reset Button" takeover.

[peachmangosteen]

Not sure what other thread this could go in, so I'm posing my question here:  What ever happened to the BB "Takeover" this season?  Have they abandoned the whole idea?

 

Here's what Julie had to say about it.

[Kris117]

I'm still in mourning. It died so young.

[Nashville]

I'm still in mourning. It died so young.

Yes, it did.

Now pardon me while I dance an Irish jig upon its diminutive little grave.

And whoops - there goes that tricky bladder condition acting up again.

One of the perils of advancing age, donchaknow....

[Hanahope]

So I guess there's no 'feed' or otherwise of the Jury House?  I assume such since there's no forum about it.  One thing I like with Survivor are the Ponderosa videos with the jury members.  There used to be more of them, now we only get one, but its still nice to see the jury members talk about what went on inside the game once they are mostly out of it, and knowledge that such things sometimes affect their votes later.

[peachmangosteen]

Big Brother Canada puts up exclusive clips on the website of the Jury House. I wish the US version would do that.

[Jesse]

There will be segments from the Jury House in future episodes, but that's it.

[Nashville]

It occurred to me we didn't have a thread to discuss Big Brother stratagems - what works, what doesn't, and why. So I fixed that. :)

Strategy styles past, present and future (hence the Spoilers warning) are fair game. So - discuss!

[Nashville]

I remember reading pre-season that Robyn Kass said they did it purposefully - cast men who would be less likely to team up so we wouldn't get the snorefest of last season.

A couple weeks ago, Becky was talking about how all women are catty and that's why they never work in their own bro-lliance. I was like...well, with that attitude, it's no wonder it never works.

ETA: I know she's not the only one who thinks like that, but it's just the example that stuck with me.

LOL Becky also put up two women for eviction when she was HOH.

These posts are what prompted me to create this thread, because I thought some of us might want to discuss the implications in a forum outside a day's live feed chatter or a single episode.

So - there's a definite pattern here:

• If a dominant male alliance starts up, its immediate perceived threat - and therefore it's first casualties - are strong females.
• For whatever reason(s) (which we can definitely discuss in more detail), dominant females generally don't form strong, durable alliances with other strong females.
• If a strong female is in power, her primary targets are frequently other strong females.

So - why is this?

• An example of societal misogyny being carried forth into the House?
• A tacit admission, either consciously or unconsciously, that the format of this game somehow makes strong women the most formidable opponents - and therefore the targets which should be most immediately eliminated?

[Ceeg]

Also, remember how Shelli was the one who the ADC wanted out when Clelli were on the block. The 6S realized that Clay was a bigger threat to their long-term game, because he had made connections with the other side. Even poor dumb Meg said she wouldn't be able to put Clay on the block, if she won HOH, despite the fact that Clay lied to her just as much as Shelli did. 

 

Then there's Vanessa, who must have masterminded Steve's HOH. Vanessa is somehow blamed for Jackie going home, even though that was all on Steve. But if Vanessa had truly gotten her way, Steve would have nominated and evicted Becky.

 

I think it's a pretty accurate commentary on society, at large. Dudes are more trustworthy and lovable, while women are backstabbing and manipulative bitches. 

[mooses]

So - why is this?

• An example of societal misogyny being carried forth into the House?
• A tacit admission, either consciously or unconsciously, that the format of this game somehow makes strong women the most formidable opponents - and therefore the targets which should be most immediately eliminated?

 

In terms of women not working together - It's definitely a preconceived notion that is brought into the house. During the thing where Becky was talking about female alliances not working, she also talked about her time at Victoria's Secret and how she left because everyone was catty. It was basically her saying, I've seen it in the real world and that's why it never works in Big Brother.

I actually really liked Vanessa and Shelli's dynamic. Shelli went a little icky with the showmance, but they still had each other's backs until Shelli left, and Shelli never just took Clay's word without questioning things herself. And now, of course, she'll be going after Vanessa when she comes in - but it was a cool relationship while it lasted.

Regarding the Bro Strategy - it's pretty clear that if you don't have a bunch of handsome males in the House the Bro Force is not quite as strong. John and Clay had some weirdo connection, apparently, but we mostly got a mishmash of people working together. 

[LoneHaranguer]

 

In terms of women not working together - It's definitely a preconceived notion that is brought into the house.

A study of how people in business compete came to the conclusion that men will generally try to outperform their competition, while women tend to backstab and undermine them. You could actually see that play out on The Apprentice before it switched to casting celebrities (who have other interests driving how they act on the show).

[DAngelus]

I'm still in mourning. It died so young.

 

Sing it!

 

"Get ready for a taaaake-o…oh, never mind."

[Nashville]

So - the BB microcosm simply reflects a deeply ingrained, basic human dynamic?  On a certain level I'm curious as to whether such a dynamic is a societal reflection, or something deeper.  Perhaps a reflection of prehistoric society; men gradually becoming "wired" for cooperative competition (the hunt), while women were conditioned to excel in uncooperative competition (vying for eligible mates).

 

And people wonder why I'm an insomniac.

[Nashville]

Almost missed the obvious follow-up:

 

IF this is ingrained conditioning of some degree, what's the likelihood a group of women could overcome the conditioning to engage in effective cooperative gameplay?  Or do we simply accept the premise which BB has - consciously or unwittingly - presented us year after year: the personality types of women who would be attracted to play BB are, by definition, hardwired against long-term cooperative strategic gameplay?

[LoneHaranguer]

The women who are cast on this show are not necessarily representative of those attracted to play. The strategies we're seeing could have a correlation with whatever attributes appeal to the casting director.

[Nashville]

The women who are cast on this show are not necessarily representative of those attracted to play. The strategies we're seeing could have a correlation with whatever attributes appeal to the casting director.

Good point. I wonder what a hardcore breakdown of the show's demographics (beyond the usual 18-49 crap) would look like? If TPTB want to up the number of women in BB's primary audience, for example, wouldn't it behoove them to select women more inclined toward cooperative competition - and increase the odds of successful all-female alliances?

[Sayla Vee]

Does BB staff make housemates aware of any behaviors, actions, whatever that are making the rounds on the internet?  I'm thinking of last year, for example, with Christine and Cody.  Was she made aware before her release that her husband was even questioned abolut the C&C coziness, or did she have to find out when her husband hit her over the head with it.

 

I'm specifically wondering this year, will Liz.......and perhaps, Julia....be told that Austin's newest form of...uh....affection is being discussed. 

 

 

 

 

[DAngelus]

I know I give Basic Becky plenty of crap, and I'm probably not the best to judge fashion, given that I'm currently wearing a pair of gym shorts and one of Alec Beall's "Only Will Can Judge Me" tees, but that '80s-retro denim vest, which I tend to side-eye when Meg wears it, really didn't work on Becky tonight.  And the choice to pair it with the peach maxi-skirt?  Not her best decision, I'll just say.

 

(Can we post pictures in here?  Just wondering.)

[SnideAsides]

The official line is "no contact with the outside world", but each player picks something like 5 events beforehand (for example, a relative dying) and will be told if any of them happen. Something like that example, no.