I'm sorry I haven't written in a while, but I've been busy. I've been playing on Facebook, sure, Twitter....not as much as I used to...Big Brother...not on for a couple months yet.
No, the object of my obsession is..*drumroll*: TWILIGHT, specifically: EDWARD CULLEN.
Ok, I know what you're thinking..."where's she been, under a rock somewhere?"
No...not quite that out of the loop...but, I just don't do vampires. I have a strict policy (actually, my discerning spirit has it's way with me)...I don't DO vampires/evil/torture/horror movies. I've been known to literally run from the room or theater when these movies are on.
I once tried (actually 3 times) to read "Interview with a Vampire" ..Anne Rice's vampire book that was made into a movie. I couldn't even hold it in my hands it so unsettled my SPIRIT...Finally, after the 3rd try reading it, I threw the new, unread paperback in my kitchen trash can..that wasn't far enough away..I had to DIG IT OUT and take it OUTSIDE to the big trashcans near the street!!!! It SO COMPLETELY unnerved me.
So, what, 15 years or so later??..enter: Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
*sigh* Mercy...just another movie I won't watch. Well, I don't know what happened..I'm not sure what lured my 'discernment' away for a few minutes (probably the fact that I have been in soooo much pain and stuck in my house with only the internet and the regular tv shows that I watch)..but, Twilight came on Showtime and BAM! I was THERE!!
I waded in...I'll give it 5 minutes...no...I don't feel any evil twinges coming from it...ok 10 minutes..still nothing...before I knew it, I was falling head over heels for a VAMPIRE!!!
A half-century of resolve to NEVER watch any evil content just evaporated as these two kids(I use the term loosely in Edward's case), Edward & Bella were finding themselves in a love affair that simply would NOT be denied. To say they are 'starcrossed lovers' really doesn't define their particular situation: She's a human girl, an extraordinary one, but human..and he's a Vampire. Think of that age-old adage: A fish and a bird can fall in love but, where would they LIVE?
Over the last couple of years, as my health has gotten worse, I lost most of my earthly possessions waiting on disability (house, car, etc.), I lost my boyfriend (his last words to me "I'll call you tomorrow"..it'll be 2 years in October..lol...human men *rolls eyes*), and just general disappointment in all things 'true love' had described, and promised, killed any feelings that I might have of a romantic nature...or so I thought!!!
Imagine my surprise when from within me PASSION re-emerged...my heart would quicken along with Bella's..tears fell...chills covered my body...and, when at the end of the 2nd movie of the series "New Moon" Edward says to Bella "..and then forever...marry me" I swear, you'd have thought Edward was on his knees in front of me!!! I squealed...I felt the electric shock to my TOES, I kid you not.
I have certainly done hours of introspection on this completely new, to me, passion, obsession, hunger to know MORE and MORE about these characters and WHY did I have such a strong reaction to them. Now, NOBODY would have ever accused me of having no passion...no emotions...no heart...honey, it's the stuff I'm made of instead of blood, skin, and bones!!! But, for a VAMPIRE!!
OK, so let's be practical..vampires are fictional characters..Stephenie Meyer's vampires are extremely GOOD people (forgive the term)...they have chosen to accept their lot in 'life' and attempt to do GOOD..not just GOOD, the GREATER GOOD. Now, THAT's MY THING!!
I believe the other main draw for me..and what SURPRISINGLY had both my sons gagging at their mother's choice of OBSESSION..is the fact that EDWARD IS THE PERFECT MAN.
I expected my sons to be thrilled that their mother actually broke down her wall and enjoyed a 'supernatural' (if you will) movie. But no, they were actually VERY condescending about my choice. My oldest son (25) simply can't get past the part where Edward sparkles in the sun..fine..whatever..I'm not sure exactly why my youngest (15) doesn't care for him..but I have a theory. You might want to get a drink here, this might take a minute or two...lol.
As I stated above, Edward IS the perfect man (if you can get past the un-dead part). He's spent enough time learning, looking, becoming an ADULT for heaven's sake! He KNOWS what he doesn't want, if still being in the shadows on what he DOES want. But when he sees, meets, gets to know Bella..EDWARD KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS. That's extremely important!
Next, EDWARD KNOWS THE VALUE OF LOVE (he's lived for decades with 3 perfectly-matched pair of lovers..the outsider..the only one without a mate. He's seen the joy of love, the value of a partner, companion, commitment, a plus-one.
EDWARD KNOWS HOW LUCKY HE IS to have FOUND someone who by all rights has been made just for him by some creator: she's his FAVORITE smell ("my own personal brand of heroin" to use HIS words), she's FEARLESS (he IS a monster after all), she's trustworthy, loyal, and devoted (all things a woman would HAVE to be to be in a relationship with someone from his world). Miraculously, he's found the ONE PERSON who was made JUST FOR HIM.
EDWARD IS WILLING TO FIGHT FOR AND PROTECT BELLA, from rapist/murderers, from other boys at the school who would love to have her for themselves, from HIS OWN FAMILY, and even from HIMSELF at times.
As a couple Edward and Bella are extremely powerful: He's their MIGHT...She's their SOUL...together, they are their HEART.
My mother says I'm drawn to the Protector in Edward and I have to agree that could be it, for a large part..but, I KNOW I'm drawn to Edward because he's a HERO, he's devoted, he's true...EDWARD IS THE MAN THAT ALL WOMEN WANT THEIR MEN TO BE...and WOMEN (including the girls my youngest goes to school with) have GONE WILD!
Let's face it...in books, magazines, tv, music, and especially movies...over the last 3 decades or so...women have been told what we are supposed to LOOK like (we've had so many boobs thrown in our faces, on the screen, that we can't even work up the embarrassment to blush anymore...our righteous indignation has laid down it's sword and just accepted it ... and, the plastic surgeons, diet-food companies/gyms, and, cosmetic companies are making a killing. We've tried so hard not to get old that some of my favorite actresses look like they are standing in wind tunnels (their faces pulled and cut and sewn back so far), their lips look like trouts they have been shot so full of fillers, hair extensions, thin to the point of looking like the suffer from malnutrition..their breasts look like cantaloupes sewn under their skin..it's RIDICULOUS! But it's done now..that's just the way it is.
Enter Edward Cullen...finally...after 30 years of hearing WHAT WOMEN ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE TO BE DESIRABLE...Edward is telling MEN HOW TO ACT.
...and THEY HATE IT!! lmbo...women, go ahead and have one of those HUGE belly-laughs that shakes your whole body and produces those endorphins!!
Yes, men...EDWARD CULLEN is YOUR wake-up call! It's time for chivalry...remember how to open a door and pick up a check?? It's time for COMMITMENT...no more of this "what I don't do for my man some other woman will" attitude...make some money (we're tired of supporting you)...and, you better find that girl and be true to her. Men, KNOW YOUR MIND...if you say it you better mean it...if you ask for it, be grateful for receiving it...and, if you want her, deserve her!!
Ultimately, I LOVE EDWARD CULLEN for being THAT GUY...no, he's not perfect..no woman ever expects her man to be perfect (it's your imperfections that endear you to us)...but be OUR OWN brand of heroin...be addicted to us...be obsessed with us...love us...tell us you love us and mean it...see ONLY us (no, you're not blind but that is certainly NO EXCUSE for ogling and then comparing us to some other woman. AND, last but certainly not least...FIGHT TO KEEP US...keep us safe, keep us happy, keep us in your heart and mind...you will NOT regret it.
Men, TWILIGHT and EDWARD CULLEN are YOUR goal...it's your map to a woman's head and heart...it's your mission statement...it's your example of what your woman wants. But, as usual, (and believe me, women are used to being disappointed..our expectations have fallen so low they barely have a heartbeat) it's YOUR choice.
Be THAT GUY, please? We'll be THAT GIRL..it's in our nature, we're hard-wired to please you when we aren't having to spend all our time, energy, attention, and money surviving you.
Thank you Stephenie Meyer, Bella, but most of all: THANK YOU EDWARD CULLEN for waking up the girl in me and reminding me that love still exists.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Friday, December 11, 2009
An excellent way to say "Thank you and Merry Christmas" to our SOLDIERS overseas!
Please use the widget to the right to send a free Christmas card to our Soldiers overseas. No matter how you feel about the war, please support our TROOPS..thanks! If the widget is 'unclickable' the link is: http://www.letssaythanks.com
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
I Recognized His Smile Right Away
1977 was a rough year for me. Many things in my life were turned completely upside down. The world I had inhabited for the previous 18 years turned out to be a sham; and, to be honest, I didn't handle it very well.
Earlier, in the summer of 1976, I was working for Opryland USA. I have shared, previously, that I was among a very lucky group of 16-18 year olds who were hired by the most unique theme park in the USA.
When school started, my senior year was divided into 25% school, 25% band (rifle team) and 50% work. My home life which had always been tumultuous suddenly became a minefield. My parents' (my mother and my adopted father) relationship, which had always balanced on a razor's edge, began to fall completely apart. The happenings are not really mine to share, but as someone who survived it I feel I do have a right to share how it affected me.
I had always known that my 'daddy' was not my REAL father. He and my mother married when I was only 6 months old. Daddy adopted me when I was in the 2nd grade and I took his last name. If ever it even occurred to me to ask about my REAL father, I was told that it was my mother's first husband. Case closed...
During the fall of 1976 it seemed that nearly every night brought a new argument. Anything could set him off. These arguments started with loud screaming, verbal abuse, escalating into violence. Dad would scream and mom or I would try to defend ourselves. He'd push mom, she'd bounce of the refrigerator. He'd come at me and I'd try to cover myself. Mom would try to protect me from Daddy's rages that I could never fully understand. If I tried to protect Mom he'd get even more enraged. They'd throw things and scream so loud that a neighbor-friend of the family actually tried to intervene to quieten them. When I was 11, I was diagnosed with an ulcer. Supper-time at my house was a tense situation..I could barely eat for fear of dropping my fork or spilling my milk. I learned to stay in my room with the door closed in an attempt to keep Daddy from going off. Of course, a couple of hours after these explosions Daddy would call me to him (taking me on his lap when I was younger). He'd be crying..."Daddy's sorry, you love Daddy don't you? Daddy loves you."
It seemed I couldn't do anything right. I began to have anxiety attacks in health class when we'd study First Aid. The pseudo-catastrophe-filled films they would show in class..people laying around bleeding and injured were more than my sensitive, over-stressed psyche could take. I would start to hyperventilate...my arms and hands to tingle, my lips to feel like they were being drawn together and the feeling to flee the room was overwhelming. The Dr. prescribed valium but I was terrified of taking pills. Yes, it was the late 70's and I was a teenager, but I did not do any drugs. I had always preferred being the one in control, the designated driver, the clear thinker in my group of friends.
I missed a lot of classes that came after 1st period (eg. biology, geometry, shorthand) because I would end up being sent home by the school nurse. My body and mind were freaking out because of the war at home. I wasn't built for that shit.
One day, after a particularly harsh confrontation with Daddy I screamed "I'm going to go find my REAL Daddy, because I KNOW he loves me!" Keep in mind that I didn't even have a picture of the man, but no matter what, I figured HE had to be better than this.
My mother, having the foresight that our life there was coming to an end and we'd be going out on our own, dropped the bombshell that blew my teens into oblivion and pushed me into an emotional purgatory..neither child or adult..was I even who I thought I was? Apparently my mother had met a man, a radio DJ, in the late 50's when all those sentimental love songs filled the airwaves..."is that your little girl? She looks a lot like me". My mom and the DJ had fallen in love and Mom got pregnant. Mom showed a picture to me. I had seen it before but never suspected the significance of it. It was me as an infant, laying on a white cotton bead spread, 45's laid around me in a circle. Those records were THEIR songs. The DJ, had a son and twin daughters from his 1st marriage as well. I was not only the child of a man I never knew existed but I also have siblings! As an only child I was often lonely and had dreamed of an older brother.
Selfishly, I supposed, I wished for someone to turn to when things got scary, a witness to the insanity of my life, and someone to watch over me.
Unfortunately, Mom and the DJ fell apart soon after my birth. Mom, finding herself in a desperate situation, divorced, new baby, married the man I call Daddy. This other man, the DJ, had a son and twin daughters from his 1st marriage as well. To find out that I was not only the child of a man I had never known existed until this confusing night in the fall of 1976 but I also have siblings!
Meanwhile, being a member of the high school rifle corp, I marched my heart out! I loved twirling my rifle, throwing it into the air, performing with determination. The honor of traveling with our winning football team, marching at half-time, holding hands with my boyfriend (a trumpet player) as we sat on the bleachers cheering our team to victory, was a Godsend! I threw myself into practice, twirling and tossing that rifle for hours. I believe it helped me to focus on something completely outside of the turmoil that had become my family life.
Later in that school year, I met my biological father for the only time. We chatted across a restaurant table...my mother sitting beside me for support. He promised to take me to visit his family, to introduce me to my half-brother and sisters, to make me a part of his life..he promised many things.
As the football season came to an end so did the romance with my trumpet player but he always held a special place in my heart. He had helped me through a tumultuous time in my life and he NEVER KNEW anything was going on. I presented a happy, fun-loving, "let's go roll (t.p.) someones house after the football game" facade. I was very adept at putting on a mask, even at that tender age.
On March 11, 1977 I turned 18 and began my last summer at Opryland USA. On August 16, 1977 I worked my first day of my first full-time job..that was the day The King, Elvis Presley died.
My parents divorced about that time. The end of their marriage was marked by a huge bruise on my thigh from being stomped as I slid to the floor, deflecting the last of the physical blows 'Daddy' would ever land on me. I was limping and bruised as my mother and I signed the lease on an apartment.
On the morning of my birthday, March 11, 1978 as my mother and I were driving to work we tuned into the DJ's radio station. "Hi you beautiful ladies out there on your way to work..Happy Birthday Baby, Daddy loves you...here's a song just for you." As he played the song I had told him was my favorite at that time, Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night"...I dreamed of what my future might hold. Hopes and dreams that would never be realized. Left to melt with the snow banks on the sides of the road. I never heard from him again.
Both 'daddies' have passed on. I sometimes wonder if they are sitting in lounge chairs together in my idea of Heaven. Are they watching me? Did I finally make them proud and happy?
You might be wondering what brought up these memories. Well, I found my trumpet player on Facebook and had a wonderful lunch with him today...31 years since the last time we had seen each other. I recognized his SMILE right away. The conversation was fun as we recounted memories...the fun we had had together as teenagers. As we brought up the names of our school friends we compared notes on who we had kept up with. When we talked about those who have passed we became quiet, reflecting on the last memory we had of each of them. We each talked about our lives in the last three decades..excitedly trying to tell EVERYTHING..but hitting the highlights and some low ones...things we had happily experienced and a few things we were lucky to live through ourselves.
Even though the things I have written about today are not necessarily happy ones..words like "tragic" and "disappointing" mostly fit the bill. The fact that I did live through it and that there is the possibility that I may find my siblings before this dance of life comes to an end are enough to get me out of bed in the morning.
The ageless feeling of connecting with an old friend and the possibility of seeing him again and even MORE of our friends has left me with a smile that I just can't wipe off my face. How cool is that?
Earlier, in the summer of 1976, I was working for Opryland USA. I have shared, previously, that I was among a very lucky group of 16-18 year olds who were hired by the most unique theme park in the USA.
When school started, my senior year was divided into 25% school, 25% band (rifle team) and 50% work. My home life which had always been tumultuous suddenly became a minefield. My parents' (my mother and my adopted father) relationship, which had always balanced on a razor's edge, began to fall completely apart. The happenings are not really mine to share, but as someone who survived it I feel I do have a right to share how it affected me.
I had always known that my 'daddy' was not my REAL father. He and my mother married when I was only 6 months old. Daddy adopted me when I was in the 2nd grade and I took his last name. If ever it even occurred to me to ask about my REAL father, I was told that it was my mother's first husband. Case closed...
During the fall of 1976 it seemed that nearly every night brought a new argument. Anything could set him off. These arguments started with loud screaming, verbal abuse, escalating into violence. Dad would scream and mom or I would try to defend ourselves. He'd push mom, she'd bounce of the refrigerator. He'd come at me and I'd try to cover myself. Mom would try to protect me from Daddy's rages that I could never fully understand. If I tried to protect Mom he'd get even more enraged. They'd throw things and scream so loud that a neighbor-friend of the family actually tried to intervene to quieten them. When I was 11, I was diagnosed with an ulcer. Supper-time at my house was a tense situation..I could barely eat for fear of dropping my fork or spilling my milk. I learned to stay in my room with the door closed in an attempt to keep Daddy from going off. Of course, a couple of hours after these explosions Daddy would call me to him (taking me on his lap when I was younger). He'd be crying..."Daddy's sorry, you love Daddy don't you? Daddy loves you."
It seemed I couldn't do anything right. I began to have anxiety attacks in health class when we'd study First Aid. The pseudo-catastrophe-filled films they would show in class..people laying around bleeding and injured were more than my sensitive, over-stressed psyche could take. I would start to hyperventilate...my arms and hands to tingle, my lips to feel like they were being drawn together and the feeling to flee the room was overwhelming. The Dr. prescribed valium but I was terrified of taking pills. Yes, it was the late 70's and I was a teenager, but I did not do any drugs. I had always preferred being the one in control, the designated driver, the clear thinker in my group of friends.
I missed a lot of classes that came after 1st period (eg. biology, geometry, shorthand) because I would end up being sent home by the school nurse. My body and mind were freaking out because of the war at home. I wasn't built for that shit.
One day, after a particularly harsh confrontation with Daddy I screamed "I'm going to go find my REAL Daddy, because I KNOW he loves me!" Keep in mind that I didn't even have a picture of the man, but no matter what, I figured HE had to be better than this.
My mother, having the foresight that our life there was coming to an end and we'd be going out on our own, dropped the bombshell that blew my teens into oblivion and pushed me into an emotional purgatory..neither child or adult..was I even who I thought I was? Apparently my mother had met a man, a radio DJ, in the late 50's when all those sentimental love songs filled the airwaves..."is that your little girl? She looks a lot like me". My mom and the DJ had fallen in love and Mom got pregnant. Mom showed a picture to me. I had seen it before but never suspected the significance of it. It was me as an infant, laying on a white cotton bead spread, 45's laid around me in a circle. Those records were THEIR songs. The DJ, had a son and twin daughters from his 1st marriage as well. I was not only the child of a man I never knew existed but I also have siblings! As an only child I was often lonely and had dreamed of an older brother.
Selfishly, I supposed, I wished for someone to turn to when things got scary, a witness to the insanity of my life, and someone to watch over me.
Unfortunately, Mom and the DJ fell apart soon after my birth. Mom, finding herself in a desperate situation, divorced, new baby, married the man I call Daddy. This other man, the DJ, had a son and twin daughters from his 1st marriage as well. To find out that I was not only the child of a man I had never known existed until this confusing night in the fall of 1976 but I also have siblings!
Meanwhile, being a member of the high school rifle corp, I marched my heart out! I loved twirling my rifle, throwing it into the air, performing with determination. The honor of traveling with our winning football team, marching at half-time, holding hands with my boyfriend (a trumpet player) as we sat on the bleachers cheering our team to victory, was a Godsend! I threw myself into practice, twirling and tossing that rifle for hours. I believe it helped me to focus on something completely outside of the turmoil that had become my family life.
Later in that school year, I met my biological father for the only time. We chatted across a restaurant table...my mother sitting beside me for support. He promised to take me to visit his family, to introduce me to my half-brother and sisters, to make me a part of his life..he promised many things.
As the football season came to an end so did the romance with my trumpet player but he always held a special place in my heart. He had helped me through a tumultuous time in my life and he NEVER KNEW anything was going on. I presented a happy, fun-loving, "let's go roll (t.p.) someones house after the football game" facade. I was very adept at putting on a mask, even at that tender age.
On March 11, 1977 I turned 18 and began my last summer at Opryland USA. On August 16, 1977 I worked my first day of my first full-time job..that was the day The King, Elvis Presley died.
My parents divorced about that time. The end of their marriage was marked by a huge bruise on my thigh from being stomped as I slid to the floor, deflecting the last of the physical blows 'Daddy' would ever land on me. I was limping and bruised as my mother and I signed the lease on an apartment.
On the morning of my birthday, March 11, 1978 as my mother and I were driving to work we tuned into the DJ's radio station. "Hi you beautiful ladies out there on your way to work..Happy Birthday Baby, Daddy loves you...here's a song just for you." As he played the song I had told him was my favorite at that time, Rod Stewart's "Tonight's the Night"...I dreamed of what my future might hold. Hopes and dreams that would never be realized. Left to melt with the snow banks on the sides of the road. I never heard from him again.
Both 'daddies' have passed on. I sometimes wonder if they are sitting in lounge chairs together in my idea of Heaven. Are they watching me? Did I finally make them proud and happy?
You might be wondering what brought up these memories. Well, I found my trumpet player on Facebook and had a wonderful lunch with him today...31 years since the last time we had seen each other. I recognized his SMILE right away. The conversation was fun as we recounted memories...the fun we had had together as teenagers. As we brought up the names of our school friends we compared notes on who we had kept up with. When we talked about those who have passed we became quiet, reflecting on the last memory we had of each of them. We each talked about our lives in the last three decades..excitedly trying to tell EVERYTHING..but hitting the highlights and some low ones...things we had happily experienced and a few things we were lucky to live through ourselves.
Even though the things I have written about today are not necessarily happy ones..words like "tragic" and "disappointing" mostly fit the bill. The fact that I did live through it and that there is the possibility that I may find my siblings before this dance of life comes to an end are enough to get me out of bed in the morning.
The ageless feeling of connecting with an old friend and the possibility of seeing him again and even MORE of our friends has left me with a smile that I just can't wipe off my face. How cool is that?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Taylor Swift wins Best Female Video at VMA's...but,
Kanye West jumped on the stage, took the mic away from Taylor and said: "Beyonce had one of the best videos of ALL TIME".
Taylor had only begun her speech, saying: "I used to dream that I'd have a chance to win a VMA, but I sing Country music...". That was all she got out before Kanye appears beside her and takes the mic right out of her hand. This move by Kanye was horrifying...who the hell does he think he is? The camera cuts to a horrified Beyonce just in time to see her mouth the words "no, Kanye" and Taylor Swift (remember, she's only 17) stood there in silence, showing a grace and maturity far beyond her age.
Not five minutes later, Taylor performed her song, 'You Belong With Me', live, in a subway station, on the subway train, ending on a stage in front of the Radio City Music Hall. She was fabulous!
Beyonce performed her song, 'Single Ladies', later in the show, and she was also amazing! When Beyonce won the big award of the night, Best Video, I loved what she said, and did: "I remember being at the VMA's the first time with Destiny's Child, I was 17 myself and I was thrilled!" Then she invited Taylor out to give her original 'thank you' speech, which Taylor did, gracefully thanking many people, and the fans, of course. She was obviously moved both by receiving the award and Beyonce's generous and self-less gesture.
Very classy move by Beyonce! Way-to-go to BOTH ladies and 'boo hiss' to Kayne...nobody cares what you think anyway.
Taylor had only begun her speech, saying: "I used to dream that I'd have a chance to win a VMA, but I sing Country music...". That was all she got out before Kanye appears beside her and takes the mic right out of her hand. This move by Kanye was horrifying...who the hell does he think he is? The camera cuts to a horrified Beyonce just in time to see her mouth the words "no, Kanye" and Taylor Swift (remember, she's only 17) stood there in silence, showing a grace and maturity far beyond her age.
Not five minutes later, Taylor performed her song, 'You Belong With Me', live, in a subway station, on the subway train, ending on a stage in front of the Radio City Music Hall. She was fabulous!
Beyonce performed her song, 'Single Ladies', later in the show, and she was also amazing! When Beyonce won the big award of the night, Best Video, I loved what she said, and did: "I remember being at the VMA's the first time with Destiny's Child, I was 17 myself and I was thrilled!" Then she invited Taylor out to give her original 'thank you' speech, which Taylor did, gracefully thanking many people, and the fans, of course. She was obviously moved both by receiving the award and Beyonce's generous and self-less gesture.
Very classy move by Beyonce! Way-to-go to BOTH ladies and 'boo hiss' to Kayne...nobody cares what you think anyway.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Team Jordan Twibbon
I have added the link to get your Team Jordan Twibbon, the little pic of Jordan with the words 'Team Jordan' for your Twitter avatar, >> over there just under the little bird inviting you to 'Follow Me on Twitter'. If you don't watch Big Brother 11, then you won't know Jordan, but she's the sweetest thing and she has made it to the Final 3! The winner of BB11 will be crowned Tuesday night along with the winner of America's Choice for players who are in the Jury (they are in sequester, and they vote for the winner, sort of like Survivor). I hope that Jordan wins the $500K 1st place prize and that Jeff, her gorgeous romantic interest (notice I didn't say 'showmance'..I hate that word), wins the America's Choice prize of $25K.
I have met so many smart, funny, kind, and informative people on Twitter that I would suggest joining Twitter to anyone who has a computer. Right now, of course, I am really involved in the Big Brother 11 group (big shocker, right? LOL)..but there is also a Fibromyalgia group, a group for The Closer TV show, writers, all the major and local news sources, movie, television & music celebrities and so much more! Any subject that you can think of, any interest that you may have, there are people with the same interests on Twitter. Please let me know if you follow me and I'll follow you back.
Lots of love, Cindy
I have met so many smart, funny, kind, and informative people on Twitter that I would suggest joining Twitter to anyone who has a computer. Right now, of course, I am really involved in the Big Brother 11 group (big shocker, right? LOL)..but there is also a Fibromyalgia group, a group for The Closer TV show, writers, all the major and local news sources, movie, television & music celebrities and so much more! Any subject that you can think of, any interest that you may have, there are people with the same interests on Twitter. Please let me know if you follow me and I'll follow you back.
Lots of love, Cindy
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Complaint Letter to CBS Concerning Cheating on Big Brother
I am writing with two purposes:
1) To complain that Big Brother 11 is fixed in favor of Natalie and Kevin.
2) To let you know that I am walking away from the live feeds, Big Brother fan sites, chats, and anything that supports Big Brother even if it survives this controversy. But first, I want to see how this mess is handled, what restitution you will make to those who have been cheated out of winning $500K. Finally, how you secure public apologies and any remedies necessary to those whose reputations were damaged by two of the most malicious liars and perpetrators of character assassination, outside the realms of anything considered "game play", ever on Reality TV.
Because you handled the 'Chima situation' it's not necessary for me to discuss her considerable part in killing the reputation of Big Brother, as a whole.
I MUST cover the blatant and, thus far, unapologetic betrayal of all Big Brother fans by fixing the game in favor of Natalie and Kevin.
SOME instances of bias will offend SOME people.
MOST occurrences of cheating will enrage MOST people.
All cases of theft, if proven, should be handled by law enforcement.
Generally, honest, moral and ethical people will appreciate players with those same qualities...and vice-versa.
Finally, the small group of 'fans' who, when faced with a complaint about a player (i.e. "Kevin and Natalie made a calendar, which in the past has been a BB violation"), will reply with an argumentative counter-complaint (i.e. "well, Michelle has a calendar in her birth control pills"). I call these people 'instigators' -- they just want to fight, would argue with a fencepost, but don't really add any substance to the discussion.
Below is a list of issues I believe to be the reason that this season of Big Brother has generated such an enormous number of complaints. So many complaints that possibly you, and the rest of the production crew, should consider moving on to let a less-jaded crew take over. Also included are instances of outright cheating, bullying and theft that MUST BE ADDRESSED.
1. First competition was structured so that Jessie would be the ex-houseguest returning. What were you thinking? Jessie was voted OUT of the house by AMERICA last season. He is very unpopular.
Then you put him in the physically-strongest clique which gives his clique one more member than any other clique. Plus you hand him the first HOH. Another advantage of the clique theme was that members of the same clique couldn't nominate or vote against their own members. I smelled the FIX that first night. So did most people.
2. To give Jessie a platform to be Jessie for a week was a REAL mistake. Although we didn't like her, we didn't know THEN about that fork-tongued viper that lay on top of him, under him, never left his side, and yap yap yapped at anyone who dared to say anything against Jessie. We didn't know that 'lap dog' would turn out to be the horror of a human being that is Natalie, but we knew she wasn't GOOD.
3. Those first few weeks, Jessie HOH, Braden vs. Chima and the 'beaner' incident, Chima's speech at the eviction (my God, she called Julie a WHORE)..And because of Ronnie the Rat, Chima stayed. But the unfortunate byproduct of that eviction was Ronnie dividing the house and setting up the 'good' side to unwittingly vote against the side of the house in power, thus setting up a string of evictions of GOOD people.
4. Ronnie gets HOH, puts up Jeff, sets up Laura, Jeff bonds with Jordan (where you SHOULD have put your money. If you were going to fix the show, why not fix to make 95% of the viewers happy?) Jeff saves himself, Ronnie spitefully puts up Jordan. Pitiful, set-up Laura goes home. Ronnie wins the battle but loses the war. All agree whoever gets next HOH puts up Ronnie, no question.
5. Horror of horrors, Jessie gets HOH again (most threw it to him I suspect, after all, he'd agreed with them all to get Ronnie the Rat out). Instead, when asked if he's keeping the deal, Jessie ends his own game, as far as America is concerned, because he goes back on the deal by saying "oh..well..I'm gonna do what's BEST FOR ME". Casey (another fan-favorite and my pick from the first) logically discusses with the Jessie's lapdog the assumption that Jessie will put up Ronnie, as he had promised the house. That's all it took, Casey's backdoored.
Later in the season, the week that Lydiot left, I believe, when Gnat is starting to lay claim to all moves she considers good. but mostly, just laying claim to Jessie (all the while protesting that she HAS a boyfriend and only thinks of Jessie as a friend...the subtext, of course, he's mine, he's always been mine, he never was yours, you never had any special moments with him Lydiot, he told me everything, he healed my shoulder, he backdoored Casey for me). THIS was my first hint that Gnat was not only a habitual liar and an instigator, but she just might be crazy. God is omnipotent and omnipresent. Not Gnat.
[[I'm going to go ahead and believe that the Coup d’état was already planned for this season and although the INSTIGATORS will say that CBS/Alison Grodner awarded it to Jeff...I know better. I have been visiting most of the BBfan sites, chat rooms, Twitter, and at least 80% of the people saying that they were voting, were voting for Jeff. Whew! The game is FINALLY FAIR!! (Or so we thought)]]
Two strange things happened here, though: Kevin voted for Jessie to LEAVE yet stayed with the girls during 'Jessie's wake' and from then on, rather than be with the people who wanted Jessie gone. He was, no doubt, encouraged by the D.R. to stay with the explosively emotional women who would draw fire away from him.
Russell voted to keep Jessie not 5 minutes after Jeff had just saved him from sure eviction. When Russell said "I vote to evict Natalie." I screamed at the TV "oh no Russell! That's YOUR game!"
6. Here's where CHIMAGATE happens. Michele gets HOH, does exactly what she should have done, nominates Gnat (who threatened her with revenge IN THE HOUSE if Russell wasn't put on the block beside her OR IN THE JURY HOUSE because she would NOT VOTE for Michelle and was certain that Jessie would do what Gnat said and also NOT VOTE for Michelle.
Chima gets nominated, too...freaks out...we've covered that.
Michelle's HOH ends; Jordan wins next HOH and HERE IS WHERE YOU REALLY WENT WRONG:
A. Right after that Golf HOH, feeds come back on and we see an undeniably drunk Lydiot on a tear in the house. Her drunken rampage is being fueled completely by Natalie. Gnat reminds Lydiot of all the bad names they have called Michelle (bi-polar, takes pills in the Diary Room, needs a straight-jacket) to which Lydiot adds 'claims she's bi-sexual and a scientist whose husband only SAYS he loves her. Well, she was drunk. Lydiot runs and slams the green room door open, where ironically Jordan & Michele were saying they were HAPPY FOR GNAT because she got the phone call home in the competition.
B. Each time that drunken Lydiot would run back to the red room beds to tell Gnat what she'd done, Gnat would load her up with some more insults and racial epithets. This time reminding Lydiot that Russell is a terrorist amongst other things. Lydiot had already called Jordan a 'ho' a 'puppet' and a 'ho puppet' on national TV. She also called her 'fat'.
C. When Jeff confronts Gnat and Kevin about how Lydiot is acting and that instead of encouraging her, maybe pull her back from the ledge, we get a real glimpse of just how vile Gnat & Kev REALLY are. Gnat says she has no control over Lydiot, that she's NOT encouraging her, but she can't make her stop either. Gnat says that Michele is the one she's mad at, because she nominated Chima. Also, Gnat uses that opportunity to push the 'green room lie'. That's the lie that Gnat made up having to do with a conversation at 4:00 am in the green room where supposedly Michele tried to convince Jessie and Gnat to KEEP RONNIE. Complete fabrication. But that would be against the wishes of the GOOD side of the house, therefore making Michele suspect in her new alliance's eyes. This is where Kevin also says he is powerless over Lydiot, that he's been a therapist for these women the entire season, and Jeff shouldn't be mad at HIM.
This is where the production tampering got too heavy-handed. Gnat/Kev/Lyd are frantic to figure out something. They are suddenly without power and without the numbers. They were desperately whispering trying to come up with a LIE (of course) that would break up the foursome of Jeff/Jordan/Michele/Russell. THEN LYDIOT COMES SKIPPING OUT OF THE DIARY ROOM AND SAYS: "THEY ARE GOING TO HELP US BECAUSE THEY THINK WE ARE FUN!" That's enough said right there. Over a couple days they fashioned this lie that Russell was overheard saying he wanted Jeff out 'next week'. It was completely obvious that the Diary Room was supporting that lie with scenarios to Jeff, Jordan, Michele AND Russell. They were all suddenly paranoid, irritated with each other, distrusting of each other. Kevin tells Jeff the lie. It took quite a bit of convincing, prodding, Diary Room manipulating before Jeff finally believed Kevin. At the same time, Jordan couldn't talk about anything BUT Russell and how she didn't trust him--obviously the D.R. was working on her, too. When you showed the confrontation between Jeff/Jordan and Russell/Michelle all of those conversations took place during Jordan's HOH but you didn't show them until Jeff's HOH week. Jordan also complained that the Diary Room had tried to make her say and do something she didn't want to do, just prior to her nominations. They wanted her to nominate Russell.
We know how all that played out, but the way it has been twisted is unconscionable.
1. Russell voted to keep Jessie, directly betraying Jeff.
2. Russell had told Jeff that he'd stab Jeff in the back for $500,000 one night when he got drunk.
3. Alison, you yourself said, on one of these short, written interviews that if Russell could AT THAT MOMENT put Jeff up, would he...you said YES. This was also during Jordan's week. However, since then you have said you just have NO IDEA why Jeff trusted Kevin/Gnat. How do you sleep at night?
4. Michele was up to her elbows in Russell's eviction, because she would run and tell Jeff everything that Russell said, throwing Russell under the bus with both hands and a shovel. She even said she remembered the conversation where Russell said "NEXT WEEK", which never happened.
5. It angers me that Julie Chen even asked Jeff THREE TIMES if backdooring Russell, trusting Gnat/Kev was the reason Jeff got evicted...finally he said, well, I guess it MUST have been. Every interview since has asked the SAME QUESTION or worse, blaming it on him 'carrying JORDAN'..Ridiculous..and totally untrue.
Now..to more cheating:
1. The HOH that Gnat won..As you know, Jordan was WAY ahead..Then Gnat tied both girls, there was a tie-breaker. But, when the HG's came back in from that comp and the feeds came back on, both Michele & Jordan were talking about a plane going over during the comp and they didn't hear one of the questions. As someone who has the feeds, and watches the HG's in the backyard and in the pool, day after day, when a plane goes over you can't hear anything in the backyard...even from the couches to the Hot Tub they'll have to wait until the plane goes over. I bet if it was Gnat that had missed a question, at least one question would have been done over.
2. Gnat and Kevin made a calendar, first out of the chess board, and candy to mark the dates of comps/evictions, etc.; BB told them they'd have to put it back, but they'd had a couple days to study it already. Then they made the one out of paper, with playdoh balls in different colors marking the dates...most any bb-fan site has a screen cap close-up of the calendar. In past seasons, any kind of calendar or study notes have been taken away from the HG's. After the POV that Kevin won, he couldn't wait to tell Gnat that studying that calendar (and the extra time because of technical difficulties) helped him win the POV.
*Instigators will say real quickly "Michele has a calendar in her birth control pills. But anybody with sense knows that birth control pills, although they are to be taken daily and are packaged that way, are not laid out like a calendar. Gnat and Kevin used Michele's birth control pills as JUSTIFICATION for their calendar. But, they are known liars and cheaters, would you expect anything different?
3. During the 1st part of the HOH last night, Kevin stayed turned to his right the ENTIRE 4 hours, watching the gears or mechanisms, although they had been told to face the pool at all times.
4. Gnat took her hand OFF the key and held onto the rope. Both of them should have been disqualified, leaving Jordan as the winner. Pictures of both Kevin turned to the side and Gnat's hand holding the rope, not the Key, are available on most bb-fan sites by now.
One final bit of tampering to not only AID Gnat, but to try to change public opinion of her because 95% of viewers are incensed that she is being allowed to lie and cheat and steal like she is. Everyone is crying foul this morning. However. the 2nd Pandora's Box..the commercials that were played said that on "Sunday night Pandora's Box would come into play again, and the Jury would pack the punch"! Uh...no jury house packing anything in sight. Instead, Gnat was given a deal she was SURE to take..It was NO risk to her..she gave up playing in the VETO comp, she was HOH and safe. Breaking all previous BB rules stating that the HG's would not spend any time with their family and friends while in the BB house, suddenly there's Gnat's on-again-off-again boyfriend. In a pseudo-Bachelorette type scenario, he proposes, with a trash bag tie for the ring. Gnat's reaction was that of a cold fish. Sure, she accepted. Then she told a huge lie to the other HG's. She was called immediately to the Diary Room where she was told, and I quote her "we won't support THAT lie”. Obviously they have supported many of her other lies. Unfortunately, even your heavy-handed tampering backfired on you....the public wasn't warmed by the engagement rather they were incensed that the Pandora's Box had obviously been altered for HER and then she lied about it. Gnat also told Kevin that she asked her boyf-- FIANCE if she did the right thing evicting Jeff. He said YES. Then BB told them they couldn't discuss the game. Her fiancé told her that she has a lot of haters out here, on blogs. She decided it's because America hated Jessie, therefore she is hated, too. They are NOT supposed to get outside info.
Lastly, stealing: In past seasons, HG's have taken other HG's belongings, always with the understanding they couldn't DESTROY anything and they had to GIVE EVERYTHING BACK before that HG is EVICTED. Gnat stole Michele's competition gloves out of her drawer in the Splish Splash room. Using Gnat-logic she said "Well, I lost my gloves, so I stole Michele's...an eye for an eye, y'know?" Michele frantically looked for them for 2 hours yesterday before the live show...it was possible she was staying and would need her competition gloves. She asked the D.R. Well, you know if WE knew where her gloves were (in the HOH) then the Diary Room knew where they were, but they didn't tell her and didn't tell Gnat she had to give them back.
The fact Big Brother is a "tv show" -- "remember, it's a TV SHOW, it's all about the ratings" (when you want to explain away production manipulation, by saying said manipulation was done to cause a 'shake-up' or 'drama' or 'conflict between players') or that Big Brother is a "game"-- "it's JUST A GAME" (when you want to explain away a horrendous character defect or disgusting actions by a player) does not excuse these things. Neither made-up/stirred-up conflict nor horrible people and their disgusting actions cause me to tune in/guarantee that I'll keep tuning in to Big Brother.
Instead, I guarantee you that I will NEVER watch another season of Big Brother...I am disgusted at what I have seen on this season of Big Brother and embarrassed that I have been such a big fan until now. After I have watched the last several episodes of Big Brother 11 I have felt the need to take a shower because the show has turned sleazy and immoral, degrading and unethical, dishonest and unapologetic.
I called you, along with many other people from CBS's own Big Brother fan forum, other BB-fan sites and Twitter. We really needed you to let us know what you planned to do about the POV competition where Kevin was, in his own words, helped by the forbidden calendar and the extra time for the technical difficulties. There wasn't so much as a return call or a mention on the episode. How can you just ignore the complaints of such a large percentage of your viewers? Your Nielsen ratings have fallen, as predicted. People are tuning out. People are calling sponsors.
Now I hear that the ONLY semi-saving grace for the season, the two-hour finale has been restructured. We had so hoped for plenty of time to call Gnat out on all of her lies. You couldn't have that so the actual Jury Questions of the Final Two won't happen until finale night. Which means the Jury won't have much time, if any, to confer. The last HG will not even be able to confer with the rest of the jurors because they will not be voted out until the finale which looks like an attempt to control the Jury Votes, too. Have you no shame?
Alison, I believe that you should go on over to Sony, develop something new. With BBUK having announced it's final season next year, it's looking like BBUS is not far behind. 11 seasons is a good run, I'll give you that. I believe that you have fallen into a zone where you think you can get away with ANYTHING and that the viewers will just accept it. "Expect the unexpected", right? If NOTHING else that you hear is true...believe me, this time, your viewers, your core, always returning, solid fan base is NOT ACCEPTING what has happened THIS SEASON. Even if you go ahead and hand the money to either Kevin or Gnat, it will NOT be the end of the questions that we viewers have.
I doubt you expected Jeff to be such a HUGE hit. And that Jeff & Jordan's romance would cause such strong feelings. And NOBODY could ever predict the absolute horror of a human being that is Natalie. You ended up with the Most Loved BB HG ever in the same season with the Most Hated Reality Person EVER. She's even hated in Canada, as reported by Canada TV Guide. Why in the world you decided to favor her, aid her, support her b.s. in the diary room, have production yield to her will? You better come up with a good answer, because somebody higher up and with more clout than just a fan out there on the internet is bound to ask you the same thing. Alison, you have to be held accountable for this clusterfuck that is BB11.
Your fans would like an explanation, too.
1) To complain that Big Brother 11 is fixed in favor of Natalie and Kevin.
2) To let you know that I am walking away from the live feeds, Big Brother fan sites, chats, and anything that supports Big Brother even if it survives this controversy. But first, I want to see how this mess is handled, what restitution you will make to those who have been cheated out of winning $500K. Finally, how you secure public apologies and any remedies necessary to those whose reputations were damaged by two of the most malicious liars and perpetrators of character assassination, outside the realms of anything considered "game play", ever on Reality TV.
Because you handled the 'Chima situation' it's not necessary for me to discuss her considerable part in killing the reputation of Big Brother, as a whole.
I MUST cover the blatant and, thus far, unapologetic betrayal of all Big Brother fans by fixing the game in favor of Natalie and Kevin.
SOME instances of bias will offend SOME people.
MOST occurrences of cheating will enrage MOST people.
All cases of theft, if proven, should be handled by law enforcement.
Generally, honest, moral and ethical people will appreciate players with those same qualities...and vice-versa.
Finally, the small group of 'fans' who, when faced with a complaint about a player (i.e. "Kevin and Natalie made a calendar, which in the past has been a BB violation"), will reply with an argumentative counter-complaint (i.e. "well, Michelle has a calendar in her birth control pills"). I call these people 'instigators' -- they just want to fight, would argue with a fencepost, but don't really add any substance to the discussion.
Below is a list of issues I believe to be the reason that this season of Big Brother has generated such an enormous number of complaints. So many complaints that possibly you, and the rest of the production crew, should consider moving on to let a less-jaded crew take over. Also included are instances of outright cheating, bullying and theft that MUST BE ADDRESSED.
1. First competition was structured so that Jessie would be the ex-houseguest returning. What were you thinking? Jessie was voted OUT of the house by AMERICA last season. He is very unpopular.
Then you put him in the physically-strongest clique which gives his clique one more member than any other clique. Plus you hand him the first HOH. Another advantage of the clique theme was that members of the same clique couldn't nominate or vote against their own members. I smelled the FIX that first night. So did most people.
2. To give Jessie a platform to be Jessie for a week was a REAL mistake. Although we didn't like her, we didn't know THEN about that fork-tongued viper that lay on top of him, under him, never left his side, and yap yap yapped at anyone who dared to say anything against Jessie. We didn't know that 'lap dog' would turn out to be the horror of a human being that is Natalie, but we knew she wasn't GOOD.
3. Those first few weeks, Jessie HOH, Braden vs. Chima and the 'beaner' incident, Chima's speech at the eviction (my God, she called Julie a WHORE)..And because of Ronnie the Rat, Chima stayed. But the unfortunate byproduct of that eviction was Ronnie dividing the house and setting up the 'good' side to unwittingly vote against the side of the house in power, thus setting up a string of evictions of GOOD people.
4. Ronnie gets HOH, puts up Jeff, sets up Laura, Jeff bonds with Jordan (where you SHOULD have put your money. If you were going to fix the show, why not fix to make 95% of the viewers happy?) Jeff saves himself, Ronnie spitefully puts up Jordan. Pitiful, set-up Laura goes home. Ronnie wins the battle but loses the war. All agree whoever gets next HOH puts up Ronnie, no question.
5. Horror of horrors, Jessie gets HOH again (most threw it to him I suspect, after all, he'd agreed with them all to get Ronnie the Rat out). Instead, when asked if he's keeping the deal, Jessie ends his own game, as far as America is concerned, because he goes back on the deal by saying "oh..well..I'm gonna do what's BEST FOR ME". Casey (another fan-favorite and my pick from the first) logically discusses with the Jessie's lapdog the assumption that Jessie will put up Ronnie, as he had promised the house. That's all it took, Casey's backdoored.
Later in the season, the week that Lydiot left, I believe, when Gnat is starting to lay claim to all moves she considers good. but mostly, just laying claim to Jessie (all the while protesting that she HAS a boyfriend and only thinks of Jessie as a friend...the subtext, of course, he's mine, he's always been mine, he never was yours, you never had any special moments with him Lydiot, he told me everything, he healed my shoulder, he backdoored Casey for me). THIS was my first hint that Gnat was not only a habitual liar and an instigator, but she just might be crazy. God is omnipotent and omnipresent. Not Gnat.
[[I'm going to go ahead and believe that the Coup d’état was already planned for this season and although the INSTIGATORS will say that CBS/Alison Grodner awarded it to Jeff...I know better. I have been visiting most of the BBfan sites, chat rooms, Twitter, and at least 80% of the people saying that they were voting, were voting for Jeff. Whew! The game is FINALLY FAIR!! (Or so we thought)]]
Two strange things happened here, though: Kevin voted for Jessie to LEAVE yet stayed with the girls during 'Jessie's wake' and from then on, rather than be with the people who wanted Jessie gone. He was, no doubt, encouraged by the D.R. to stay with the explosively emotional women who would draw fire away from him.
Russell voted to keep Jessie not 5 minutes after Jeff had just saved him from sure eviction. When Russell said "I vote to evict Natalie." I screamed at the TV "oh no Russell! That's YOUR game!"
6. Here's where CHIMAGATE happens. Michele gets HOH, does exactly what she should have done, nominates Gnat (who threatened her with revenge IN THE HOUSE if Russell wasn't put on the block beside her OR IN THE JURY HOUSE because she would NOT VOTE for Michelle and was certain that Jessie would do what Gnat said and also NOT VOTE for Michelle.
Chima gets nominated, too...freaks out...we've covered that.
Michelle's HOH ends; Jordan wins next HOH and HERE IS WHERE YOU REALLY WENT WRONG:
A. Right after that Golf HOH, feeds come back on and we see an undeniably drunk Lydiot on a tear in the house. Her drunken rampage is being fueled completely by Natalie. Gnat reminds Lydiot of all the bad names they have called Michelle (bi-polar, takes pills in the Diary Room, needs a straight-jacket) to which Lydiot adds 'claims she's bi-sexual and a scientist whose husband only SAYS he loves her. Well, she was drunk. Lydiot runs and slams the green room door open, where ironically Jordan & Michele were saying they were HAPPY FOR GNAT because she got the phone call home in the competition.
B. Each time that drunken Lydiot would run back to the red room beds to tell Gnat what she'd done, Gnat would load her up with some more insults and racial epithets. This time reminding Lydiot that Russell is a terrorist amongst other things. Lydiot had already called Jordan a 'ho' a 'puppet' and a 'ho puppet' on national TV. She also called her 'fat'.
C. When Jeff confronts Gnat and Kevin about how Lydiot is acting and that instead of encouraging her, maybe pull her back from the ledge, we get a real glimpse of just how vile Gnat & Kev REALLY are. Gnat says she has no control over Lydiot, that she's NOT encouraging her, but she can't make her stop either. Gnat says that Michele is the one she's mad at, because she nominated Chima. Also, Gnat uses that opportunity to push the 'green room lie'. That's the lie that Gnat made up having to do with a conversation at 4:00 am in the green room where supposedly Michele tried to convince Jessie and Gnat to KEEP RONNIE. Complete fabrication. But that would be against the wishes of the GOOD side of the house, therefore making Michele suspect in her new alliance's eyes. This is where Kevin also says he is powerless over Lydiot, that he's been a therapist for these women the entire season, and Jeff shouldn't be mad at HIM.
This is where the production tampering got too heavy-handed. Gnat/Kev/Lyd are frantic to figure out something. They are suddenly without power and without the numbers. They were desperately whispering trying to come up with a LIE (of course) that would break up the foursome of Jeff/Jordan/Michele/Russell. THEN LYDIOT COMES SKIPPING OUT OF THE DIARY ROOM AND SAYS: "THEY ARE GOING TO HELP US BECAUSE THEY THINK WE ARE FUN!" That's enough said right there. Over a couple days they fashioned this lie that Russell was overheard saying he wanted Jeff out 'next week'. It was completely obvious that the Diary Room was supporting that lie with scenarios to Jeff, Jordan, Michele AND Russell. They were all suddenly paranoid, irritated with each other, distrusting of each other. Kevin tells Jeff the lie. It took quite a bit of convincing, prodding, Diary Room manipulating before Jeff finally believed Kevin. At the same time, Jordan couldn't talk about anything BUT Russell and how she didn't trust him--obviously the D.R. was working on her, too. When you showed the confrontation between Jeff/Jordan and Russell/Michelle all of those conversations took place during Jordan's HOH but you didn't show them until Jeff's HOH week. Jordan also complained that the Diary Room had tried to make her say and do something she didn't want to do, just prior to her nominations. They wanted her to nominate Russell.
We know how all that played out, but the way it has been twisted is unconscionable.
1. Russell voted to keep Jessie, directly betraying Jeff.
2. Russell had told Jeff that he'd stab Jeff in the back for $500,000 one night when he got drunk.
3. Alison, you yourself said, on one of these short, written interviews that if Russell could AT THAT MOMENT put Jeff up, would he...you said YES. This was also during Jordan's week. However, since then you have said you just have NO IDEA why Jeff trusted Kevin/Gnat. How do you sleep at night?
4. Michele was up to her elbows in Russell's eviction, because she would run and tell Jeff everything that Russell said, throwing Russell under the bus with both hands and a shovel. She even said she remembered the conversation where Russell said "NEXT WEEK", which never happened.
5. It angers me that Julie Chen even asked Jeff THREE TIMES if backdooring Russell, trusting Gnat/Kev was the reason Jeff got evicted...finally he said, well, I guess it MUST have been. Every interview since has asked the SAME QUESTION or worse, blaming it on him 'carrying JORDAN'..Ridiculous..and totally untrue.
Now..to more cheating:
1. The HOH that Gnat won..As you know, Jordan was WAY ahead..Then Gnat tied both girls, there was a tie-breaker. But, when the HG's came back in from that comp and the feeds came back on, both Michele & Jordan were talking about a plane going over during the comp and they didn't hear one of the questions. As someone who has the feeds, and watches the HG's in the backyard and in the pool, day after day, when a plane goes over you can't hear anything in the backyard...even from the couches to the Hot Tub they'll have to wait until the plane goes over. I bet if it was Gnat that had missed a question, at least one question would have been done over.
2. Gnat and Kevin made a calendar, first out of the chess board, and candy to mark the dates of comps/evictions, etc.; BB told them they'd have to put it back, but they'd had a couple days to study it already. Then they made the one out of paper, with playdoh balls in different colors marking the dates...most any bb-fan site has a screen cap close-up of the calendar. In past seasons, any kind of calendar or study notes have been taken away from the HG's. After the POV that Kevin won, he couldn't wait to tell Gnat that studying that calendar (and the extra time because of technical difficulties) helped him win the POV.
*Instigators will say real quickly "Michele has a calendar in her birth control pills. But anybody with sense knows that birth control pills, although they are to be taken daily and are packaged that way, are not laid out like a calendar. Gnat and Kevin used Michele's birth control pills as JUSTIFICATION for their calendar. But, they are known liars and cheaters, would you expect anything different?
3. During the 1st part of the HOH last night, Kevin stayed turned to his right the ENTIRE 4 hours, watching the gears or mechanisms, although they had been told to face the pool at all times.
4. Gnat took her hand OFF the key and held onto the rope. Both of them should have been disqualified, leaving Jordan as the winner. Pictures of both Kevin turned to the side and Gnat's hand holding the rope, not the Key, are available on most bb-fan sites by now.
One final bit of tampering to not only AID Gnat, but to try to change public opinion of her because 95% of viewers are incensed that she is being allowed to lie and cheat and steal like she is. Everyone is crying foul this morning. However. the 2nd Pandora's Box..the commercials that were played said that on "Sunday night Pandora's Box would come into play again, and the Jury would pack the punch"! Uh...no jury house packing anything in sight. Instead, Gnat was given a deal she was SURE to take..It was NO risk to her..she gave up playing in the VETO comp, she was HOH and safe. Breaking all previous BB rules stating that the HG's would not spend any time with their family and friends while in the BB house, suddenly there's Gnat's on-again-off-again boyfriend. In a pseudo-Bachelorette type scenario, he proposes, with a trash bag tie for the ring. Gnat's reaction was that of a cold fish. Sure, she accepted. Then she told a huge lie to the other HG's. She was called immediately to the Diary Room where she was told, and I quote her "we won't support THAT lie”. Obviously they have supported many of her other lies. Unfortunately, even your heavy-handed tampering backfired on you....the public wasn't warmed by the engagement rather they were incensed that the Pandora's Box had obviously been altered for HER and then she lied about it. Gnat also told Kevin that she asked her boyf-- FIANCE if she did the right thing evicting Jeff. He said YES. Then BB told them they couldn't discuss the game. Her fiancé told her that she has a lot of haters out here, on blogs. She decided it's because America hated Jessie, therefore she is hated, too. They are NOT supposed to get outside info.
Lastly, stealing: In past seasons, HG's have taken other HG's belongings, always with the understanding they couldn't DESTROY anything and they had to GIVE EVERYTHING BACK before that HG is EVICTED. Gnat stole Michele's competition gloves out of her drawer in the Splish Splash room. Using Gnat-logic she said "Well, I lost my gloves, so I stole Michele's...an eye for an eye, y'know?" Michele frantically looked for them for 2 hours yesterday before the live show...it was possible she was staying and would need her competition gloves. She asked the D.R. Well, you know if WE knew where her gloves were (in the HOH) then the Diary Room knew where they were, but they didn't tell her and didn't tell Gnat she had to give them back.
The fact Big Brother is a "tv show" -- "remember, it's a TV SHOW, it's all about the ratings" (when you want to explain away production manipulation, by saying said manipulation was done to cause a 'shake-up' or 'drama' or 'conflict between players') or that Big Brother is a "game"-- "it's JUST A GAME" (when you want to explain away a horrendous character defect or disgusting actions by a player) does not excuse these things. Neither made-up/stirred-up conflict nor horrible people and their disgusting actions cause me to tune in/guarantee that I'll keep tuning in to Big Brother.
Instead, I guarantee you that I will NEVER watch another season of Big Brother...I am disgusted at what I have seen on this season of Big Brother and embarrassed that I have been such a big fan until now. After I have watched the last several episodes of Big Brother 11 I have felt the need to take a shower because the show has turned sleazy and immoral, degrading and unethical, dishonest and unapologetic.
I called you, along with many other people from CBS's own Big Brother fan forum, other BB-fan sites and Twitter. We really needed you to let us know what you planned to do about the POV competition where Kevin was, in his own words, helped by the forbidden calendar and the extra time for the technical difficulties. There wasn't so much as a return call or a mention on the episode. How can you just ignore the complaints of such a large percentage of your viewers? Your Nielsen ratings have fallen, as predicted. People are tuning out. People are calling sponsors.
Now I hear that the ONLY semi-saving grace for the season, the two-hour finale has been restructured. We had so hoped for plenty of time to call Gnat out on all of her lies. You couldn't have that so the actual Jury Questions of the Final Two won't happen until finale night. Which means the Jury won't have much time, if any, to confer. The last HG will not even be able to confer with the rest of the jurors because they will not be voted out until the finale which looks like an attempt to control the Jury Votes, too. Have you no shame?
Alison, I believe that you should go on over to Sony, develop something new. With BBUK having announced it's final season next year, it's looking like BBUS is not far behind. 11 seasons is a good run, I'll give you that. I believe that you have fallen into a zone where you think you can get away with ANYTHING and that the viewers will just accept it. "Expect the unexpected", right? If NOTHING else that you hear is true...believe me, this time, your viewers, your core, always returning, solid fan base is NOT ACCEPTING what has happened THIS SEASON. Even if you go ahead and hand the money to either Kevin or Gnat, it will NOT be the end of the questions that we viewers have.
I doubt you expected Jeff to be such a HUGE hit. And that Jeff & Jordan's romance would cause such strong feelings. And NOBODY could ever predict the absolute horror of a human being that is Natalie. You ended up with the Most Loved BB HG ever in the same season with the Most Hated Reality Person EVER. She's even hated in Canada, as reported by Canada TV Guide. Why in the world you decided to favor her, aid her, support her b.s. in the diary room, have production yield to her will? You better come up with a good answer, because somebody higher up and with more clout than just a fan out there on the internet is bound to ask you the same thing. Alison, you have to be held accountable for this clusterfuck that is BB11.
Your fans would like an explanation, too.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Inside Dish with Ross Mathews at The Insider
Inside Dish with Ross Mathews at The Insider
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I had the pleasure to call into Ross Mathew's show and talk with him. His guest was Memphis Garrett (BB10). It was an honor and a whole lot of fun. Enjoy!
Shared via AddThis
I had the pleasure to call into Ross Mathew's show and talk with him. His guest was Memphis Garrett (BB10). It was an honor and a whole lot of fun. Enjoy!
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