Big Brother Shenanigans: BB14: The Hours Before

Thursday, July 12, 2012

BB14: The Hours Before

It's finally arrived! July 12th is here and in just a few long hours of anticipation the show will air at 9 PM EST and a few hours after that, the feeds will go live!!!

As we perform our premiere day rituals, stocking up on snacks, getting in some naps, going to the gym to strengthen our core, taking a few hours to enjoy the outside world before we go into BB hibernation, saying goodbye to our friends and families, I'd like to take a moment.

Let us remember that above all else we love this game and all its flavors: the elation, the dread, the anticipation, the frustration, the glee, the sadness, the disappointment, the victory.

Let us remember that it is a game of people stuck in house for 3 months with each other, undergoing extreme homesickness, loneliness, frustration, confusion, elation, disappointment, grief and glee.

Let us remember that though we will have our favorites, though we will be sorely disappointed or angry or even disgusted by some actions, that these people are just that. Human beings with families, friends, loved ones, rivals, colleagues, neighbors, dreams, goals, expectations, fears, hang-ups, quirks, talents and faults. They are no different from us, just in a different situation than us.

So as Big Brother 14 begins, let us have the fortitude to keep all this in mind and not shatter ourselves, each other or them in the process.

This is my BB prayer. :)

Stay tuned.

Big Brother Lexicon

There are certain terms that have been used in the course of this show that should be clarified. Here is a list:

Team America: Yet Another tool for production to manipulate the game. Three players will be placed in alliance by "America" and will be given tasks that apparently will change the game. So far, it didn't change Joey's game, first member of Team America slated to be evicted first.

Battle of the Block: The 2 nominees of each of the 2 HoHs will battle each other. The winner duo save themselves and dethrone the HoH who nominated them, throwing them back out of power at risk of being a renom.

AGP: Allison Grodner of Fly on the Wall Productions which is the company that has been hired by CBS to produce the show.

PoV: Power of Veto. This allows the holder to save one of the nominations for eviction. The last PoV of the game is the most powerful, as it determines who will be evicted.

HoH: Head of Household. Along with getting a primo suite, a letter from home, pictures and treats, this person decides who will be nominated and renominated should the veto be used.

Floater: This term is often misused. A "floaters" strategy is legitimate way to get through and win the game. A prime example of this is Jun Song (BB4). This strategy allows the player to switch alliances when necessary, win when necessary, but always work under the wire. It doesn't mean just going with the power in the house (let's call those floppers). It means manipulating the house, ergo having the power. In later years, the term has been misused for players who do not make any moves in the game but work for whoever has the power.

Backdoor: This strategy is used when the true target for eviction is not initially nominated, does not get a chance to play PoV, is subsequently nominated and evicted.

Blindside: When a player is evicted without even suspecting that he/she is the target.

Pawn: This is a person who is nominated but is part of the HoH's alliance and is used as a decoy, to ensure that the other person nominated gets evicted. It has often happened that the pawn has been blindsided.

America's Player: This is a player in the game, chosen by the viewing public, who is told how to act and vote in the house. They do this for a separate monetary reward.

Fast Forward: When there are two evictions in one week. Typically they tape an eviction on Tuesday followed by a quickie HoH. They have nominations later that night, followed by a PoV competition and PoV ceremony the next day. The second eviction and HoH comp for that week happens live on Thursday.

Double Eviction: On the live show on Thursday, there is an eviction (sometimes pre-taped), followed by a quick HoH comp, immediate nominations, a PoV competition, PoV Ceremony, followed by another Eviction, culminating in the second HoH comp which is usually a physical skill or Endurance.