Big Brother 11 Blog

Zach had been pretty transparent in terms of who he planned to nominate in his first stint as HoH, and on Friday, he fulfilled that plan by putting Jessica and Jameka on the block.

Jess’ reaction? She apparently was peeved because she told Zach to be a man and look her in the eye when he nominated her. Little do they know, the real plan is to back-door Eric.

And little do they know that Dani is workin’ Zach something fierce, trying to work out a deal to save her and her father this week.

Could be an interesting 24 hours in the Big Brother house!

The plan was for Jessica, Eric, Dick and Daniele to go to the Final Four together.

But, what can we say? Zach happens.

After Amber was bounced from the Big Brother 8 house Thursday night by a 3 to 1 vote, the houseguests embarked on a tortuous little game of fill-the-giant-bowl-with-liquid-a-teacup-at-a-time until a ball floating atop the water could be picked out of a small orifice covering the bowl.

Zach didn’t dominate, but he did win, and we’re left to wonder whether the houseguests regret ousting Amber given that she would have sucked at this. C’mon. Top models aren’t good with endurance challenges.

Top that with the knowledge that next Thursday is a double live eviction, and I’m almost certain the Little Julie Chens are blown up this week. First and foremost, I am pretty sure Zach nominates Jessica for sure.

He might go after Eric right off the bat, or he might try to backdoor him. We could be in for another instance of a PoV winner using the PoV on somebody but himself if Jess and Eric were to go on the block and Eric were to win the PoV. Seriously, those kids are a bit goo-goo for each other.

If you asked me, I say Zach has to go after Dick and Daniele. We are facing the very real possibility that Dick and Daniele are the two finalists, which I think is a wet dream for CBS in terms of drama. But, me? I’m not a fan of either, although I recognize that if somebody doesn’t do something soon to split them up, they will be impossible to beat in the final stages.

My hunch also is that the interest level on the feeds will go up dramatically as the level of not knowing also rises. Zach’s a wildcard, and this could get very interesting if he opens himself up to the strategic maneuverings of a desperate house.

Well, if you watched the on-air episode tonight, you know that Amber and Zach will remain on the block come Thursday. No backdoor, baby, and the Jeddi Alliance, as natvtxn tabbed them, or the Little Julie Chens, as they tabbed themselves, still live on.

BTW, big thanks to all you guys for the daytime updates.

Jessica and Eric are still ga-ga over each other, even though we know now that he does in fact have a real-life girlfriend named Cheryl, who happens to be quite cute. Stunning. Hey, don’t hate the playa, hate the game I always say.

A buddy of mine at work and I discussed this, and I think we’re pretty certain. We can speculate about rumors, hope that there is something else big coming up, but practically, it’s just not likely — not with only 21 days left in the game.

I still think it would have been the greatest twist of all time if Carol had been this unseen Internet love of Eric’s. But then again, I’m twisted.

Zach’s doing his best to campaign for his survival in an almost pathetic manner, like I actually feel a bit sorry for him. I’m twisted, but I do have somewhat of a soul. However, Amber has God on her side, meaning she can rely on spiritual strength and predestination for her survival.

This is a done deal, right?

I mean, Amber does have bigger and better things in store for her outside the house, like a career in modeling? Perhaps to be on the next season of America’s Next Top Model?

Personally, I’ve been clear about not liking Amber’s weepy personality. However, this season of Big Brother has been all about extreme personalities. Joe. Nick (c’mon, he had to have a psyche eval). Jen. Dick. Jameka. And Amber.

I’ll say it now. The strongest, most entertaining personalities the show has produced. Sure, it’s born out of insanity to a certain extent, but I’m looking for entertainment, not utopia.

But dear Amber is clearly suffering still from the meth addiction, methinks. However, as this video I found so aptly communicates, Amber has managed to entertain the BB community this season by the sheer grandeur of her delusions. That she has an equally wacky prayer partner in Jameka makes her survival this week, for the sake of OUR entertainment, an absolute must.

Long live crazy Amber!

I just added this to the comments but had to get this to a post before I hit the sack.

Right now, there are as many as three significant rumors buzzing cyberspace regarding the Big Brother house. Surely there are rumors daily, but given that we all expect another twist of some sort and that this twist would have to come soon, I wanted to make sure the big-brother-blog.com community was aware of these.

First rumor: Eric’s long-distance girlfriend? It’s Carol. Eric doesn’t know it (he has never met this other woman). But the producers know it, and that’s why they cast her and Jessica. They plan to reintroduce Carol Journey to the house in some fashion soon. This comes from an ex-CBS employee posting on another site. Their detail was pretty darned good, and likely so was their imagination.

However, how great would that be? I mean, I don’t wish Eric or Jessica anything but the best, but we’re collectively in this together for the great television, the drama, etc. What better drama could we have than this? Please, please, please let this be true.

Second rumor: Dick doesn’t have just one daughter in the house. He has two. And it’s Jen.

The rumor spreader on this one says that Jen knows Dick is her biological father and that the main reason she moved her mom’s photos out of the way when she won HoH is that she didn’t want Dick to recognize her. Word is that Jen’s mother is so distraught over Dick’s behavior toward Jen that she has literally begged CBS not to reveal this.

Third rumor: Jen knows all about America’s Player and has for weeks.

This stems from a diary room discovery in which Jen spotted the card producers leave for Eric every few days. Big Brother producers scrambled to offer an explanation, and this is why she refers to him as “Mr. America.” The rumor suggests that Jen doesn’t know the specifics of what America’s Player does just that he’s part of the twist.

Hey, don’t blame me if they’re wrong … but, what do you think? Possible? Are you hoping for one of these (particularly the first two) to be true?

I still say we’re in for a surprise before this season is done.

Wow, what a couple of days for Eric. Not only does he WIN the PoV in his first try, he also works up enough courage to kiss Jessica after a bunch of wine.

OK, enough of that. I still need to eat today. It’s not that I’m not proud of my boy Eric (he should have done this weeks ago), it’s just that the sound of people making out literally makes me queasy.

BTW, we did not add “ferret face” to that video. Funny though.

The big question today, “strategically,” is whether America will ask Eric to use the PoV. And how awkward would THAT be if he uses the PoV against Jessica’s wishes 24 hours after making out with her.

Could be a tense 48 hours in the Big Brother house …

Does anybody else feel like we’re starting into the home stretch of BB8? Do you realize we have only 24 days left this season?

If you don’t know by now, Amber and Zach were nominated for eviction by new HoH Jessica. This upset Zach a bit, but he really believes he’s not the target this week.

If you’re asking me, I don’t think Jess really has a “target.” Nevertheless, Zach said he wasn’t mad about the nom, but why would he declare his rage, if he had any, this soon into the week?

In lieu of a food competition this week, the houseguests played a luxury comp that involved nudity. I’m scouring for video; I’m good like that. We’ll see.

We know that some of the women won clothes. I know nothing about any of the guys winning anything, but I could be wrong. What I have been able to figure out is that Amber’s breasts apparently look like pyramids.

This came from Eric, whose relationship with Jessica took a turn for the serious on Friday. We also know now why Eric said what he said to Jen on the way out the door during the live eviction Thursday night. The skinny is that Jen started telling people that Eric has a girlfriend back home.

We know at this point that there was a pregnancy scare in one of his relationships a couple years ago.

We also know that he has had a long-distance relationship with somebody, although I heard that second-hand.

But for as much as I came to Jen’s defense, insomuch as I declared how amusing she could be, I have to say that this annoys me somewhat. In the HoH room, Eric did the typical nerdy guy thing where he notes the obvious — that he’s nerdy and she’s hot.

Jess said that, for her, it’s way more about personality, adding that she’s seen his boyz, meaning that she knows “what she’s getting herself into.” She added that she never would have thought she would develop feelings for anybody in the house, one of the first times she’s acknowledged to Eric verbally what she’s said for weeks now non-verbally.

In terms of strategy, there is some buzz heating up that the D&D/J&E alliance could come to a crashing halt if either Amber or Zach gets pulled off via Saturday’s PoV. Why? Jessica ain’t putting up Jameka. Not a chance.

She’ll put up Dick, and Dick will go home. Promise.

Here’s why I think this. Based on the conversations and posts and your discussions and the videos I’ve seen, I’m not 100 percent sure that right now, in this stage of the game, that Dick would even have his daughter’s vote.

It’s not a matter that she now “hates” her dad, even though they have bickered the past couple of days. It’s that Daniele seems to have a clearer and clearer vision of the end. Of winning. And, I don’t think she wants it to come down to a jury picking between her and E.D.

***

On a side note, before BB8 totally winds down, we want to invite you to our new Web venture: must-read-tv.com. It’s a blog devoted to information and conversation among tv geeks — those of us who like reality television, those of us who like scripted shows, those of us who watch game shows, TV news, soap operas, whatever.

We want your comments, and we want your participation. If you have a show or subject you’re passionate about, and you can assemble a sentence, let us know. Truth is, this blog is nothin’ without you guys commenting and arguing and speculating and laughing about a show that eats up two months of boob-tube (and beyond) viewing each year.

So, if you just want to check us out, that’s cool. We’re just getting started.

However, we’re open to written participation. Heck, maybe you have a YouTube account and want to do a video blog each week about your favorite show. Cool. Seriously, like the houseguests say, “whatev!”

***

My questions to you guys this fine Saturday:

1. Do you think Dick will get backdoored?

2. Who do you think the houseguests would evict between Amber and Zach?

3. Do you think that once the show is over and Jessica is watching it back … do you think she’ll still “like” Eric the way she does now? Will she like him more? Or, will she want nothing to do with him?

For the first time this season, a unanimous vote sent a Big Brother houseguest packing, but also for the first time this season, we heard a nominated houseguest pretty much plead to leave.

Jen Johnson began her BB experience by weeping at her photo, which was neither good nor bad. I dunno; it looked like a photo to me. However, to the twentysomething nanny from L.A., it was the freakin’ end of the world.

With a body built for a bikini, Jen actually begged for the chance to wear a unitard for a week. She withstood Dick’s ranting and raving, even taking a glass of tea over the head with grace not typically seen on reality television. Lastly, she became the first Big Brother houseguest in American series history to violate the terms of her food agreement, that in fact she had been relegated to slop for 30 days.

In her speech, Jen described herself as positive and honest, “unlike the people in this house,” and I’m merely paraphrasing. She added that as happy as she was to enter the house, she would be just as happy to leave — and this week’s events left no doubt. As the other houseguests unanimously kicked her to the curb, a colleague of mine and I watching the festivities were left to wonder if the house would actually be as entertaining with Jen gone.

Truth is, while most on this board say Dick is the reason to watch this season, I’d say that every ying needs its yang, and Jen was the yang to Dick’s ying, or something like that.

Jen was a free spirit with a genuine positive energy, and in my opinion an absolute delight. Sure, she was self-absorbed, but that’s part of her charm. Also part of that charm is the rage she brought out in other people; it was baffling how much people hated her.

So, with Jen gone, who will everybody focus their vitriol toward?

I’m thinking Amber.

It sets up well for the D&D/J&E alliance this week as Jessica earned her second reign as HoH, part of a competition in which houseguests had to answer questions related to statements from evicted houseguests.

Thursday night’s show focused a ton on Dani and Amber’s trip to New York City to play in the Power of 10, too. It also featured a moment in which I thought the producers would divulge the secret about America’s Player. When Julie told Eric that he had some explaining to do, did you notice his heart jump out of his chest?

Nevertheless, a Jessica HoH means it should be an uneventful week again, really. She’s a fool to nominate Dick, Daniele or Eric. Daniele could have easily turned on the agreement she and Dick had made with Jess and Eric. Now’s not the time for Jess to turn her back on them.

The safe move is to nominate Amber and Jameka again, and backdoor Zach.

But, hey, that’s just my take. What’s yours?

Really, I thought this would go the other way. However, big-brother-blog.com visitors decided that Jen Johnson should be sent to the sequester house on Thursday night.

If she goes.

Right now, it seems to be up in the air whether she even stays in the house up to the live show. She’s made mention of a discussion with her agent before sitting in a jury house with Dustin, and the idea that she wouldn’t get much face time between now and Sept. 18 might just make her co-existence with the Big Brother franchise too personally unfruitful for her to bear.

Nevertheless, just about 35 posters, out of 134 posts — about 60 to 70 percent of which had actual votes on them — said Jameka should be sent packing. Many BB fans have tired of her apparently pious ways, her sow-like eating habits and her way with the words, “Hmmm. Mmmm and Mmmmkay.”

However, many more posters found Jen to be the bigger threat, and many referred to the fact that Jameka is not able to play for the HoH for three more weeks. Not even Jen’s wackiness this week was enough to save her.

So, by the power of Greyskull or whoever runs this joint, in the name of all that’s Big Brother Holy, we evict Jen Johnson from the Big Brother house and banish her to stay with Dustin. Alone. For a whole week.

It’s been a crazy week in the Big Brother 8 house with Jen going nuts, Dani and Amber playing “Power of 10,” etc. etc.

So, let’s open up the online diary room. Do you evict Jen, or do you evict Jameka?

Spell out your strategic reasons why you choose the way you do, and we’ll count up the votes tonight at 9 p.m. BBT (11 p.m. CDT). We’re 2 for 2 in picking who will be evicted, so let’s see if we can make it 3 for 3!

Voting is open …

So, have you been away from our blog for awhile? Don’t have the live feeds, you say? Oh, you just watch the TV show part of Big Brother 8?

Holy moly. Where have you been?

Where to start. First, Jen douses Dick’s cigs in Clorox and eats, a violation of her previous PoV agreement to chow on slop the rest of the show, while Dick gets pissed and nearly in a fistfight with Jen moments before the California nanny got a penalty nomination for violating the rules, a decision from producers that affects Jameka greatly given Jen’s newly found lame-duck status …

< coming up for breath >

The day that Dani and Amber, who won 1st and 2nd place in this week’s PoV, earned a trip to New York, not for some day at the spa or something relaxing but to appear on the new CBS game show “The Power of 10,” in which one or both of them could win millions of dollars (seriously), throwing other parts of this game into limbo unbeknownst to the rest of the house, who find out early Tuesday afternoon that Jen only got a penalty vote not a nomination, something producers decided to rectify so as not to unjustly affect Jameka …

< take a big breath >

Dani and Amber leave the house for 24 hours, and insanity ensues.

For about 18 hours, it did look like Jameka was a goner given Jen’s new strategy to break every rule imaginable. However, given the decision of Big Brother to do right by Jameka, it looks like Jen will be evicted sooner rather than later.

We’ll open up the diary room tomorrow for your say in the matter, and I have a feeling you’ll disagree with Thursday’s outcome. However, to say things can change on a dime in the Big Brother house is an understatement.

My question to the community is this: Has Big Brother gone to far with the tinkering this year? We’ve heard countless times about DR sessions in which producers make recommendations, and then today BB gets way involved, changing its mind on the fly.

My take is this: I agree with one poster who said this is probably the most entertaining cast yet on Big Brother, but at the same time, it’s the most maddening, the most crass and the most vulgar. However, I’m not ashamed to admit my guilty pleasure, and I like a lot of the tweaks Big Brother has done this year. However, I would advise them to tighten up their rulebook next season so houseguests won’t be able to take advantage so easily.

Now, it’s your turn … Your thoughts?