CBS is distancing itself from statements made by several Big Brother 15 houseguests.
Though there has been no indication of racial, homophobic and misogynistic slurs in the two episodes that have been broadcast on CBS, subscribers to the 24-hour live feeds on CBS.com have been privy to such remarks — prompting viewer outrage and even online petitions. (Reality TV website Reality Blurred has compiled a list of the houseguests' statements since feeds went up June 26.)
Former Big Brother competitor Ragan Fox (season 12) penned an open letter to CBS asking the network to show the houseguests' true colors on the televised episodes. "Big Brother, I LOVE you, but, if you really want to provide a groundbreaking twist, SHOW CBS VIEWERS HOW SOME STRAIGHT, WHITE PEOPLE talk about gays, Asian Americans, and African Americans," he wrote.
PHOTOS: 'Big Brother 15': Meet the 16 Houseguests
In response to the controversy, CBS released a statement to The Hollywood Reporter addressing the houseguests' comments: "Big Brother is a reality show about watching a group of people who have no privacy 24/7 — and seeing every moment of their lives. At times, the Houseguests reveal prejudices and other beliefs that we do not condone. We certainly find the statements made by several of the Houseguests on the live Internet feed to be offensive. Any views or opinions expressed in personal commentary by a Houseguest appearing on Big Brother, either on any live feed from the House or during the broadcast, are those of the individual(s) speaking and do not represent the views or opinions of CBS or the producers of the program."
It is unclear at this moment if CBS will address the statements on a future episode of Big Brother. The July 2 broadcast will likely show the results of the first MVP, the POV competition and the veto meeting, with the July 3 episode marking the season's first eviction.
The new development comes on the same day the network announced schedule changes for the summer reality show. Beginning July 11, Big Brother evictions will air live at 8 p.m. Thursdays.
Big Brother airs 9 p.m. Tuesday and 8 p.m. Wednesday on CBS. (The show airs three times a week.)
E-mail: Philiana.Ng@THR.com
Twitter: @insidethetube
