Truthfully, I am not a huge fan of summer. I hate the heat and where I live (Oklahoma) the humidity can often make summer damn near unbearable. But, I get through summer because of baseball and my summer love, Big Brother.
Yes, I said Big Brother! The CBS reality show that airs every summer.
Anyone who knows me knows I'll watch some "trash tv". Reality shows are most certainly apart of that. Now, I will note some folks erroneously think it's all I watch. However, I love well written and thought provoking tv shows as well as comedies, sports and news. My tastes are eclectic.
However, I don't see Big Brother as "trash tv". It's undoubtedly my biggest guilty pleasure. I often bristle at it being called "junk" or "trashy". I discover people who label it that have either only watched a miniscule amount of episodes or have never watched it at all. They assume what it is without knowing what it is. Generally, people who watch "trash tv" will gleefully tell you it's trashy television. I venture to say most Big Brother fans (same with Survivor) would never label BB "trashy".
I am sure those previous statements sound a bit defensive. They are. Yes, there are trashy elements to the show. The producers make sure to sprinkle a few trashy houseguests (participants) into the show's cast. Drama always abound. It's a television show. But, if you really watch the show, it's a reflection of real life.
The premise of the show is to place people of various backgrounds and personalities into a house without any access to the outside world for an extended period of time. The houseguests are on camera and can be viewed by the audience literally 24 hours a day, which means unique compared to other reality shows. The houseguests along with no contact from the outside world have no movies to watch, music to listen and no books to read other than the Bible. They literally have no privacy because none of the bedrooms have locks. The bedrooms usually have three or four people to a room except the "Head of Household" room which houses the week's head of household. That person nominates two people for eviction from the house along with getting a room to themselves with all of their preferred amenities sans tv, radio, internet and newspapers, of course. The HOH has all the power for that week and is exempt from being HOH the following week.
Big Brother is actually way more a game than a typical reality show. To survive week to week a strategy must be employed. Houseguests must get into alliances, asses "threats" and compete in events that employ the use of physical or mental attributes. In some cases both are required.
And, ultimately, the biggest key to success or failure in the game is how one is able to socially interact with the other houseguests. If you look at almost every winner of Big Brother they either had a great social game or they knew how to read people. Knowing how to read people is essential when it comes down to final two or three contestants because securing jury votes or knowing who to sway determines victory and defeat. The jury is made up of evicted houseguests so that whole social interaction thing comes into play.
I said earlier Big Brother is real life. What I find fascinating about it is the way the game reveals who people are. It reveals that people have multiple layers to them. It reveals what people are truly about when under stress and adversity.
I think anyone who works (or has worked) in an office or a work environment with a moderate number of people should be able to relate to Big Brother because they basically live it everyday. They basically have one or two people they trust explicitly. They have one or two people they don't trust. Everyone else is in the middle and the relationships are fluid. People tend to get into cliques even if they rant against them. People who don't get into cliques are usually called floaters, which sometimes works in their favor and sometimes don't. Some people befriend or tolerate someone not because they actually think highly of them, but because they feel they need that person for whatever reason. And, this may all seem cynical and even cutthroat. But, it's how life works.
Big Brother is awesome to me because I'm into sociology and psychology. I am an admitted people watcher. While people can infuriate me I find them fascinating. I am also big into strategy and competition which is partly why I'm into sports and politics. For someone like me Big Brother is the ultimate drug. And, I am an unapologetic addict.
I have watched Big Brother since season one. I always find myself saying I hate most of the houseguests initially only to find a few I love and getting hooked. Like sports, I find myself rooting for certain people whether it's because I feel a connection to them or I feel sorry for them or simply because they're the enemy of an alliance I don't like. And, it's weird because when you watch these people daily for three months you do feel like you know them. For instance, last year's winner, Josh Martinez. I hated that dude the first two weeks but as time went on I started liking him. I always look at each houseguest in the perspective of how would I get along with them if I were in the house with them. I began seeing Josh differently, empathized with him and ultimately rooting for him. And, every fan knows you get your favorites. I loved Dr. Will, Danielle (season 3), Donny (season 16), Derrick (season 16) and of course the queens Da'Vonne (season 17 and 18) and the goddess Janelle.
I would love to be on the show; not because I'm looking for fame or to be seen. But, because I love the show, the gameplay, the social interaction and because I think I could win. You Big Brother fans already know my diary rooms would be the shit!
Big Brother is more than my guilty pleasure. It's my summer love! I love being in the discussion groups. I have some friends who watch it religiously like I do, which makes it even better.
I am still feeling out this year's cast. I already have a couple of folks I can't stand but that could always change. I am looking forward to next three months!
I love Big Brother! And, for that I do not apologize or feel shame. You may call it "trash tv"; I call it summer's best addiction.
