Julie Chen Moonves is not only speaking out about what’s to come on Big Brother this season, but she’s also reacting to the treatment of houseguest Taylor HaleThis has caused quite a stir on social media.
52-year-old host addresses fans who feel that their personal stylist is unfairly being targeted by her competitors.
“I am not obsessed with the live feeds, so I haven’t seen every single thing that people are talking about,” she exclusively tells Us. “I can say that if you were to talk to Taylor, I’m not so sure she would feel what everyone is saying, because a lot of things have happened behind her back, which is classic Big Brother.”
Julie Chen Moonves CBS
Julie speaks out about microaggressions in the house, which have prompted ex-houseguests to speak out and members of Big Brother 23’s Cookout alliance to speak out in support of Taylor.
“I will say that microaggressions are real and they happen every day,” the CBS personality says. “When they happen, typically the person who is the offender, a lot of times that is not their intention. I will tell you the Big BrotherHouse is no exception. When you’re put in this house and everyone is your competitor and you see people as a threat, sometimes in playing the game, people will play it so hard and start launching a campaign of, you know, ‘let me trash talk someone behind his or her back.’”
Julie compares the house to high school and “not in a good way” with the “petty jealousies and the game,” adding, “Who is anyone to judge anyone else? We are not qualified to make judgments. We haven’t walked in that person’s shoes. We have never been to the Big BrotherHouse competition. I believe that we all have flaws. We all need to practice forgiveness and compassion and mercy and grace.”
As far as the live eviction on Thursday, July 14, Julie can’t reveal whether the rumors of Paloma AguilarThe reasons for leaving the game are real, but the episode will address them.
More details on this summer’s twist will also be introduced. “We are going to reveal more angles of the ‘Backstage Boss’ twist on tonight’s show and we have a new twist coming for the houseguests next week,” she explains. “[The houseguests]You will have been together for a few weeks and you get to know each other. The house guests will have to have “Big Brother bestie.”
Julie adds, “We will have a live competition that is only part one of a multipart competition that will determine power in the house and that’ll play out in the Sunday night show.”
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Click the image above to see Julie Chen Moonves’ interview or scroll down to read.
Taylor Hale CBS
Us WeeklyHi Julie. The feeds are down. What can you tell us at this hour about what’s going on in the house? There’s been some rumors…
Julie Chen Moonves: I cannot address the rumors that are floating around here, however, those rumors will be addressed on tonight’s live eviction show. It was something I said to you when we first spoke before we launched the season. That our first live-eviction night would be unlike any other ever in the history the game. It is true! It is going to be a show that is constantly … as I’m talking to you right now, I’m getting texts from Big Brother saying, “OK, the script we sent you late last night is completely changing.” I don’t even know what to expect right now. I can’t wait to get into the office. So yeah, questions will be answered on tonight’s live eviction show.
Use: Is there still a live eviction happening or we don’t even know?
JCM: That is something I am unable to address right now.
Use: What can you say about the twist and how that’s going to affect things?
JCM: We are going to reveal more angles of the “Backstage Boss” twist on tonight’s show and we have a new twist coming for the houseguests next week. All I can tell you is that I love my houseguests. [that]The houseguests will have been together for a few weeks, 24 hours a day. This allows you to get to know each other. The houseguests will have to have “Big Brother bestie.”
Use: Will there be another competition like a Sunday night contest?
JCM:Yes. That’s going to happen. Tonight, we will have a live competition that is only part one of a multipart competition that will determine power in the house and that’ll play out in the Sunday night show.
Use: I have to ask because there’s been some uproar on social media, rightfully so, about how Taylor’s being treated in the house. There’s also been an outpouring of support for her from former houseguests – the Cookout alliance spoke out about it too. What have your thoughts been?
JCM: I am not obsessed with the live feeds, so I haven’t seen every single thing that people are talking about. I can say that if you were to talk to Taylor, I’m not so sure she would feel what everyone is saying, because a lot of things have happened behind her back, which is classic Big Brother. Microaggressions happen every day, I will tell you that. They are often not the intention of the offender when they occur. I will tell you the Big BrotherHouse is no exception. You know, when you’re put in this house and everyone is your competitor and you see people as a threat, sometimes in playing the game, people will play it so hard and start launching a campaign of, you know, “let me trash talk, someone behind his or her back.”
Big BrotherIn many ways, it’s like high school multiplied by 10,000. But not in a good way. Even if you are able to watch every second of live feeds and judge others, I think that none of us is perfect. We are not qualified to judge. We haven’t walked in that person’s shoes. We have never been to the Big Brotherhouse competition. I think that at the end of it all, we are all flawed. We all need forgiveness, compassion, mercy and grace. And I do feel that when people come out of the house and they see and hear what they did in the house, if they can learn something from it and be humbled by it, then let’s lift each other. Let’s edify one another. Let’s lift each other up to be better.
Us: Houseguests are subject to sensitivity training. Before they enter the house, they learn about microaggressions. Do you think there’s more nuance to it that should be taught and explained, with colorism, for example? Because it doesn’t seem like some people are aware of what they’re doing. How can we stop that?
JCM: That’s a great question. It’s one thing to be lectured on it. No one walks in life thinking that they’re offensive. We all think that we’re normal or that, you know, we’re good people. Then you find yourself in the Big BrotherYou get many things thrown at you, including your house. It’s draining to be in there. It’s very hard. It’s challenging on every level and you don’t have any privacy. You can’t just kind of tear off and just decompress and you don’t have your support system. At the end of it all, I believe that you can learn something by watching yourself. And I would say, don’t pay attention so much to what the chatter is on the on the internet. But, have some self-reflection after you’ve been in the house and see, you know, what do I like that I presented? Who am I aiming to be when I go out into the world? And pivot and adapt from there.
Use: We’ve definitely seen examples of racism before and racially motivated comments in the Big Brother house. I know you’re not a producer, but at what point do you think production should maybe get involved? Is there anything that can be done to make sure she’s OK and she’s safe, and maybe not give a platform to some of the people who are causing this?
JCM: You know, again, I think Taylor, isn’t privy to a lot of the things, the way that people feel about her. It’s hard. You can’t get in there and tell someone not to be themselves. You can’t interfere with the game. You can remind them to be compassionate as a human being. This has nothing to do the game, because you can expect what you give back to you. You don’t wanna start telling people how to behave. You’re in there to watch this social experiment and to watch human nature unfold. I don’t think the person, [in this case] Taylor, who, a lot of people who are becoming fans of hers and trying to stick up for her, I don’t think she’s even aware of what’s happening. If you asked Taylor, would you say that you are being treated unfairly by other houseguests. I’m not so sure she would see eye to eye with what the chatter is on on the internet.
Use: I would like to ask about Paloma. She started this “girl’s girls” alliance but she left Taylor out of it and then proceeded to say bad things about her, a little bit of which we saw in last night’s episode. Is that a girls’ girl?
JCM:This is a very good point. What is a girls’ girl? I think a girls’ girl is hopefully someone who no matter what will stick up for another female just based on gender, right? Someone who is going to say, like, “Yep, I’ve been there, I’ve done that. I’m flawed.” Or, “I haven’t been there. I haven’t done that. I’m not gonna judge, but I’m going to have an open heart for you and be sympathetic just because it’s hard in a man’s world being a girl.” So that’s a very good point. You know, you can’t out of one side of your mouth say “I support all women” and then out of the other side, trash talk someone.
Use: Anything else you can tease before you go about the twist, the festival or what’s coming up?
JCM: I would say stay tuned for the festival I can’t wait for, which is the Zing Fest. Zing Bot deserves his own festival. We have many more twists and turns to come. Stay tuned.
