I am at the point of no return with this mishandling of this show that I used to love. It's been all but ruined by the inept production and, as importantly, by the tumorous hatred that his show has engendered among some of its followers. Like Dementors, they are sucking the very life out of this, once fabulous and absorbing, show for me and for many others.
I haven't really turned on my feeds in over a week except to see the results of competitions etc. What's the point? We know it will come to its increasingly inevitable conclusion. I know a lot of people who have already cancelled the feeds, many with the intention of not renewing them next year. Others say they are done with this show altogether. It happens every year at this time, but not on such a massive scale. Will people regenerate interest by next year and come back? I don't know. I can only speak for myself.
I'm done with this formula. It's like watching reruns of the same show with a different cast. Last year, a vet won. It was a bittersweet win because it was a victory of redemption, yet it was a hollow win because it was so blatantly guided by production (the pairs twist). This year, there has been so much manipulation (twists) to ensure that a coach make it to the end that it's been almost sickening. Dan's victory is all but ensured at this point. It won't be a victory of redemption, making it even more hollow because he will be winning against a group of people who are too naive, too star-struck or too inept to even give him a run for his money. Will he deserve the win? Sure. Is it a victory? Meh, because he's been playing several leagues above almost everyone else.
This has nothing to do with whether I like Dan or not. I happen to like Dan a lot. It has nothing to do with the fact that he's played a "dirty" game. Tell me one person who's won playing a "clean" game. I don't judge the players' actions or words on a personal level because I know this isn't real life. This is a contrived situation that they are in. In fact, other than Mike's and Frank's contemptuous remarks, I have liked pretty much everyone this season. My beef is with the producers of this show and the network that keeps them employed. My beef is that they have killed my enjoyment of the show, as a fan. My beef is on behalf of all the new players that have entered the BB house doors not standing a chance because they were picked to be the puppets, the pawns and the road kill of the season. My beef is with the monstrous hatred this show spawns and encourages.
A faction of the BB community has left an ugly taste in my mouth. It's been invaded by a bunch of mean-spirited, judgmentally petty people whose sole entertainment has been to tear apart players on very vicious and personal level, excusing themselves with the fallacy that the BB HGs have "signed up" for this. I've never seen the actual contract and I sure as hell know these jerks haven't either; but I can surmise that if the contract said "be prepared to have your life ripped apart by an amoral band of Internet thugs", the players might be more wary to sign. To add insult to slander, CBS and AGP have gleefully fed into a lot of this hatred with their edits, making them not only reprehensible but also irresponsibly vicious.
I have been told, directly and indirectly, that I have made people feel like "douche bags" because I stood up for those being ripped apart. My answer to that is if some feel that way, it's not me who's doing it, it's their words. I find it hypocritical to judge someone because he swore on the bible or has exaggerated a personal story, in the house, calling them out, when people sit behind the relative anonymity of the Internet to attack others in an often blood-thirsty manner. I find it beyond ridiculously ironic that people get on their moral high horses about what the players do or say in a confined and stress-filled situation while at the same time demolishing their personal lives, on the outside.
And the online punks haven't stopped at the players either. There have been attacks on the personal lives of players' families, friends and other fans as well. There have been systematic attempts to hijack, steal, impersonate identities in an attempt to tear them down. Personal records and information have been published on the web with the sole purpose of terrorizing and harassing its owners. All in the name of a reality TV show. Really? Massive therapy is needed as well as an extended, maybe permanent, black-out from the Internet, if not some jail time. This behaviour is not only sinister, it's mentally unbalanced.
Not everyone in the BB community is like that, however; there are many people out there who have voiced their displeasure at these attacks; there are many who have wanted to talk about the game, the players' decisions, the competition, the unfair tampering. But their voices are constantly drowned out by the anger and ugliness. They are told not to look, not to disagree, not to care. They are told that everyone has the right to voice their opinions. Sure. Does this hold also true for people who have bigoted and criminal opinions towards people of other races, cultures, sexual orientations, religion beliefs, political tenets and socioeconomic backgrounds? Do we have to be subjected to their poisonous tirades? Is our only choice to walk away from the whole thing? For my sanity, maybe so.
I love a good challenge. I appreciate a good power move and a blindside in a competition. I have the objectivity to see it for what it is. Game. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt because we are all human. We all have weaknesses, faults, fears and breaking points. We all have achievements, hopes, dreams and passions. This game is not meant to be a personal Armageddon; and frankly, I want nothing to do with people who think it is.
So in terms of Big Brother 14, the game is over. Dan has swindled Danielle from winning the first of the three-part HoH because he's that good and she's that naively trusting. The second part is due to happen today. Dan has been encouraging Danielle to get Ian to throw it. How successful she will be is irrelevant, because Dan will be masterminding one of Ian's or Danielle's demise to make it to the Final 2. He will succeed. The third part of the HoH will happen live on the Finale Show, Wednesday. Then it's all up to the jury and their motivations for voting.
I will update the results of Part 2 HoH under the banner as usual, but that's it for my blogging this season of Big Brother.
Stay tuned for the future or this blog. Namaste :)
