Does It Pay For Houseguests To Be Emotional?

by soonerryan on July 18, 2007

In the words of a broken heart it’s just emotions
Taking me over
Tied up in sorrows
Lost in my soul

Only three weeks into the Big Brother 8 season, and houseguests are preparing for a vote as emotional as I could remember from the entire breadth of Season 7 votes.

As of Wednesday night, it seems as if Dick has enough support to survive, meaning both he and his daughter Daniele would still be in the house just days after that seemed virtually impossible. In terms of their relationship, evel Dick has been much more the emotional of the two.

According to accounts of livefeeds I’ve read, Dick spilled his heart out to his daughter, offering what seemed to be a heartfelt “I Love You,” only to have Daniele say, “Alright then.”

On the other hand, Daniele had a breakdown of her own this week. After three weeks in a house away from your boyfriend and dog and two weeks on slop — poor girl — how could you not have been on the verge?

There is no question that emotions and being emotional at times play a role on the show and as part of a strategy. However, is being emotional and being so emotional right now, so early, a good thing for these houseguests?

In Daniele’s case, I’d suggest it’s a minor cry for help. She might win HoH next week and suddenly be rejuvenated, but she might also end up on slop again, at which point all of America will really start to feel for her.

However, Daniele’s aches and tears are nothing compared to the waterworks of Season 8, Amber. Her outbursts of emotion, I would argue, have seemed to be genuine expressions of friendship, with regard to Daniele and Dick, as well as of self-doubt, last week, as if her crying was a way to get it all out in preparation for a bounce-back.

In a sense, I think tears will help Amber and not help Daniele.

The only time we’ve seen America’s Player break down so far this season, it was part of a task in which he had to divulge a secret from his past to Kail. Eric even used some Visine, I believe, to get the tears a-flowing. In his case, oddly enough, America’s task might have secured him a place in Kail’s favor, given that she seems to enjoy being all motherly.

On the other hand, the rate at which Nick seems to be falling for Daniele is alarming, particularly since it doesn’t seem to be strictly tied to game-play. At one point this week, he said, “I think I’m about to cry.”

Really?

In Eric’s case, we know where he’s coming from because he’s working for us. Sure, it might end up making the other houseguests think he’s nuts, but he’s our nut. Conversely, I’m a bit concerned for Nick — that he might have lost a bit of his grip on reality.

No offense, but he’s a big, buff dude, and all the women love him (some of the guys, too). You mean to tell me that after 20 days he’s ready to get weepy over a California Hooters’ waitress? Not that Daniele isn’t sweet and pretty and bubbly, but I think Nick is genuine in his pursuit, and his emotions won’t help his game-play.

If one examines the history of Chilltown, the greatest alliance in Big Brother history, one finds a strategy based on stoicism and an outward appearance of apathy. Play the game outwardly as if you could not care less about winning. If you can’t do that, at least stay detached for the time-being.

Each year has a new successful strategy, it seems. The most interesting candidates in Season 8 thus far have been those tied to their worst enemies, producing some very emotional results. However, the irony could be that Big Brother’s attempt at boosting ratings by bringing these enemies on board gets thumped by actual game-play as the stoic and detached among the houseguests start picking off the emotional one by one.

Visit me at ryanwelton.com for a regular look at TV, music, pop culture and life.

Comments on this entry are closed.

Previous post:

Next post: