Paramount Plus Trial

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Does CBS Condone Abusive Behavior?

I'm no fan of Big Brother Canada, but they have had a feature each of their two seasons that livened up the slower days of the week. Various people were given top secret tasks, and if they succeeded they (or the whole house) were given a reward. 


Team America was clearly created as the US version of this concept, and it's been a failure from the beginning. The tasks have been stupid, and unlike the Canadian counterparts they have possibly compromised a house guest's game. Zach has been the Team America whipping boy, and while some of the antics have been entertaining, it really hasn't been in his best interests.


On paper, this week's Team America task could have been as harmless as the Canadian concept, but not when there is a vile creature such as Frankie in the house. To recap, Team America needed to steal an article of clothing from each of the cast and hide them. They were then to start a "Neighborhood Watch" to prevent more thefts in a 24 hour period. With the right people, this could have been fun, particularly since Team America was NOT supposed to assign the blame to anybody.


Over the last two days, the trio has been quietly grabbing items, and earlier today finished that part of the mission. The plan was to institute the second part later tonight, but unfortunately various people discovered the "thefts".


Almost immediately, the fun disappeared. A house meeting was called, and chaos erupted. Caleb was especially upset over his stolen cowboy boots, and the attention went to Victoria as the culprit. Caleb got in her face and began screaming at her. 


The blame quickly moved to Zach, egged on by Frankie. It's ugly. It's hard to watch. I turned it off multiple times. It's the worst thing I've ever seen on Big Brother. Take Aaryn's bed-tossing incident times ten. Even when he's in a room alone with Zach, Frankie eggs it on, and adds sexual overtones to the action. 


This is not a "I love Zach" post that says he's never allowed to be nominated or evicted. I have stated many times that I don't care who wins, but I don't like when production turns a blind eye to their own interference being used as justification for an eviction. The fact that Frankie continues to cross that boundary of taste could be described as sexual harassment. Imagine the uproar if it was one of the guy's pushing for oral sex from Nicole or Amber. That would not fly, but somehow Frankie is allowed to do it.


It's disgusting, and Frankie is easily the worst human being to ever be cast on the show.


31 comments:

  1. I so agree with this post. It seems that it will go on no matter what because as long as CBS makes money nothing else really matters. Even good taste goes out the window.
    I feel the sexual harassment on Frankie's part has been unacceptable and you are correct if it were directed to a woman from a man it would be tended to promptly.
    Zack is his own worse enemy but he didn't deserve any one else to sabotage his game.
    The blame game was not on the choice that I voted on.
    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  2. I don't know you at all, but it seems possible that there is a tinge of homophobia to your posts about Frankie. Just sayin'...

    ReplyDelete
  3. You don't have to be homophoic to dislike Frankie, I agree with the post, too bad they do this to the fans

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree with this 100%. This was not in any way fun for the HGS, especially Zach, and it wasn't fun for us to watch.

    And DougieD, there was nothing even slightly homophobic about this article. He was merely commenting on the obvious double standard regarding sexual harassment. Since it's Frankie, it's allowed to happen. As a gay man, that's disgusting for me to hear on the feeds. Am I homophobic now, too?

    ReplyDelete
  5. He's not writing about homophobia. He's commenting on the double standard. I can personally speak on what it feels like to be the victim of homophobic verbal abuse and sexual harassment. Neither are a feeling anyone should have to experience. Frankie is an abuser. Plain and simple. Yes, he is gay, but you're naive to think harassment cannot exist in LGBT relationships. I can't speak for Zach's orientation, but it doesn't matter at this point. Frankie is emotionally abusing Zach, and he shouldn't be given a free pass because this is occurring between two men.

    ReplyDelete
  6. His sexual preference has nothing to do with my dislike of him. Let's cast aside that silliness right now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I so totally agree with this post. I had to turn off the live feeds due to the screaming and yelling and Caleb in Victoria's face was so typical of Caleb, he is so condescending and disrespectful to the women in the house. This TA is a horrible idea. Frankie needs to be told to tone it down a bit. I am not homophobic at all but Frankie is inappropriate in the house.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I so agree with the post. I believe what big brother has done to zak is terrible, this is supposed to be a game not a defamation of character on zak.
    Very disappointment in big brother production. You have taken the fun out of the game.

    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  9. I will simply say that Zach is probably going
    out because he is being accused of
    being saboteur. Big Brotheris making
    Zach the scape-goat at a huge cost.
    I've said before these Team America
    tasks are pathetic. They are not funny, nor
    amusing or entertaining in any way. Such
    a travesty.

    ReplyDelete
  10. This is nothing compared to season 8, did you write a blog about that too? I doubt it. but I hope you did. I'm not a fan of Frankie AT ALL but if the roles were reversed Zach would be in on it too, so don't feel too sorry for him. He also likes to attach the women constantly, but that's not in your blog about abusive behavior? Out of everyone that was calling Zach out, he chose to retaliate and yell at Victoria, who is the quietest amongst the houseguests. He would never yell like that to Caleb or Cody, who have done much worse damage to Zach's game. So your blog attempts to paint Zach as some victim, which he is not.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am way gay, and I totally agree with the post - there is a double standard at work here. Frankie is harassing Zach - and Caleb and Cody. The nomination speech about their "buttocks" and abs and whatnot would not have gone over if it was straight guy talking about two females T & A,
    Whenever Frankie appears on screen, I cringe. As soon as he opens his mouth my eyes roll (Does he think he's Joan Crawford in that diary room or something?!?)
    There was nothing homophobic about this post - just the calling out of a horrible human being, The way he is torpedoing Zach's game is beyond the bounds of fair play.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yes, CBS encourages abuse. I believe it to be abusive to put 15 heterosexual houseguests in a house with one token gay person. Why has CBS never put two gay men women in the house? Why not make the entire house bisexual for all kinds of possibilities?

    So I can only conclude that its because CBS is prudish and doesn't want to expose its audience to a gay showmance. Well, even though it falls just short of actual penetration, Frankie and Zach's relationship has been very touchy-feely-and-showmancy, complete with a backstabbing, abusive, duplicitous, disloyal houseguest and an emotionally transparent, attention-seeking, loyal yet betrayed partner. And so if CBS was trying to avoid something, they got something else instead. Something a lot darker than a light-hearted flirtation or attraction, or airing men kissing would've been.

    No means no, and Frankie's incessant pestering - even in jest (more like wishful, hopeful thinking) fails to respect Zach's boundaries. Frankie is a poor model of a human being for anyone dating - be they gay or straight - to emulate. Pointing this out does not make Scott homophobic - afraid of homosexuals? No - the behavior called into question is not that of homosexuality, but that of respecting the boundaries of another. That transcends sexual orientation. Who cares what the harasser's sexual orientation: unwanted sexual advances are not restricted to those who are hetero.

    Zach has been deflated. I think he was playing for America's favorite player money until he realized he could never compete with Frankie and wilted away. I'm so hoping that TWO players return to the game and not just one - and that they have two weeks of immunity from eviction.

    ReplyDelete
  13. 6:08 pm per joker's: "Derrick says he's not sleeping until his stuff is found. He says they must take shifts"

    Derrick best watch it, lest he give away his law enforcement background.

    Oh, ha ha. They are too busy looking for lost belongings to care about game strategy or to second guess Derrick. How short-sighted. Where are the fans of the game? They would know that whoever took their stuff would be caught on camera and that production wouldn't permit another houseguest to destroy (and if did destroy, would order either replacement or compensation at aggrieved party's choice).

    ReplyDelete
  14. Zach encourages Frankie's behaviour and vice versa. "If I were straight, I would be all over you, dude." He even made a rather graphic comment about performing oral sex on Frankie. Do I agree with what either side is doing or saying? No, but I think they are both willing participants.

    ReplyDelete
  15. How is this worst than the bed thing? Or what Zach helped do to Amber. It's gross, sure but it's not anything compared to those two.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I want to start out by saying I do feel sorry for Zach since he has become the scapegoat for the TA task but it is part of the BB game. TA was given a task and yes I agree that it got out of control with blaming Victoria and Zach. I also don't condone Caleb yelling in Victoria's face like that. I didn't see it happen but it sounds horrible. As far as Frankie's comments Zach has also joked back with Frankie about sucking his dick so lets not make this one sided. I disagree completely that Frankie is the worst person to be cast on the show. How about Chima who disrespected production and got expelled? How about the way Evel Dick treated Jen and other houseguests Season 8? How about Ollie from Season 10 going on a rampage through the house after Michelle was backdoored? How about Willie from BB 14? How about Justin from BB2 putting a knife to Krysta's throat while drunk? Or Shannon taking Hardy's toothbrush to the toilet? How about the way Russell treated Ronnie BB11? How about Amanda trying to make Elissas life a living hell when Elissa was HOH last year and nominated McCrae? These would also have been valid points to bring up in your article as well to support your argument that CBS condones abuse. Frankie is pretty much just the flavor of the season as far as bad people go...I am pretty sure people will have someone new to hate next year and that person will be the worst.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I am not condoning anything done to Zack, but I agree that his behavior toward the women has been atrocious. Two wrongs however, do not make a right. But I don't think Zack is as much of a victim as some have made him. He chose to make his character unpredictable and erratic. He took twisted delight in being mean to other HGs just to entertain himself. He painted himself as the one most likely to be guilty of this latest TA stunt. He is reaping what he has sowed, so to speak. I don't like it or think it's right, but let's not gloss over his part in all of this.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Also...Zach was going to be evicted even before the TA stuff went down so I fail to see how this became the sole justification for Zach being evicted. I mean Cody vs. Zach on the block is pretty much no brainer who goes home. Zach has been the one going home pretty much since Frankie won Veto..and it wasn't Frankie himself that decided to do it. Initially I believe he was going to nominate Victoria but was convinced to put Zach up because Derrick said it would be a waste of an HOH to get rid of Victoria and also since Derrick has Victoria wrapped around his finger. If people in the alliance would have said to nominate Victoria..then Frankie most likely would have done it...

    ReplyDelete
  19. I completely agree with everything you said in your blog. Frankie has shown himself to be a vile human being, and his constant badgering of Zach for sexual favors does cross the line, even if he is joking. I hate to say it, but the political correct police are going to say you can't hate him because he is gay, but it's obvious that we hate him because he is a despicable man-child. Speaking as a gay guy, I would never act the way he does around the men because it is disrespectful to them and just fulfills outdated stereotypes. I hope they cast a different type of gay character next year, a la bbcan2.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This was a very thought provoking post. I think Frankie's behavior has less to do with him being a gay man, and more to do with the fact that he is a spoiled brat with an inflated ego, courtesy of the reflected glory of his (temporarily) famous sister. He has a real sense of entitlement. I believe that's why he provokes Zach- he feels as though BB production will never call him out, and unfortunately I don't think they will as he is the golden boy this season. Keep up the good work Mike, I read a lot of BB sites and I think yours is the most realistic.

    ReplyDelete
  21. OOOPS sorry, I meant Scott!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Of course they are cool with it. They set that precedent way back with Evil Dick. I think they live for these moments, especially after people complain about nothing happening in the house. I love Zach, but he made himself the easy (e)scape goat. And as much as I hate the Team America concept, I have no qualms with players turning it into a game advantage. Use what you have to win. Simple as that. I don't expect, or really want, any thing they are tasked to do to be some cutesy little prank. Turn it to your advantage. Having said that, I hate some of the players behavior. But like I said earlier, BB was fine with Evil Dick, so there you go.

    And all this shit about the renom rule going around last night, come on, people. The renom rule is dumb, and the only reason people are bringing it up is because the horrible Frankie told the fan favorite Zach he was going up. If it were the other way around no one would have said a thing. Well, Big Brother may have, but that is for Conspiracy Corner.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Zack is certainly getting hosed by the team america bs but Frankie by no means is the lone culprit.

    ReplyDelete
  24. One thing I forgot to mention in the previous post. I hate the behavior, but it really doesn't piss me off anymore. People stuck in a house together for that long are eventually going to get cabin fever and have their moments where they snap, jump on the gang mentality wagon and get all Lord of the Flies. What DOES piss me off, though, is the fact that they will edit out any bad Frankie behavior from the CBS show to protect his precious reputation. These big corporations are all about money, and they don't want a certain houseguest's bad behavior to possibly negatively impact the release of of a mega-ultra-super-sayan pop-star's album. Fuck that shit.

    ReplyDelete
  25. And the abuse continues even now. Frankie is a pompous elitist asswipe and I cannot wait for him to get his in this game. Zach was the best friend and the best protection he had in this game despite all the shite he is now saying about him. Please please Zach come back in this game and wipe Frankie and Christine off the premises.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I will also add that I have been the victim of homophobia and sexual harassment by other gay males, which intensifies my dislike of Frankie. He makes me very uncomfortable and I am not the one living with him. Zach is.

    There is an obvious double standard in place because Frankie is the "pet" of BB16.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Funnily, I think Frankie annoys the shit out of Julie Chen.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I keep hoping "this year is going to be better" but nope, CBS has once again found vile human beings to occupy the house. Arrogance, ignorance, zero intelligence and a whole raft of young people with absolutely no class. This game used to be fun to watch. It has become just an open display of nastiness. Except for their one token good guy, Donny. As Donny once said "can't there be a Big Brother for grown ups?" I think that every time a see Frankie's 31 year old self acting like a 14 year old girl or Victoria staring out into space with absolutely nothing going on upstairs or Caleb and Cody who don't quite realize their not game players, they're just pretty little things to look at. CBS should be ashamed of this show all around but especially for putting someone of Donny's good character in a house full of disgusting pigs. .

    I think it's time to finally give up hope that Big Brother is ever going to be what it once was, you know, fun and entertaining. CBS can keep it's revolting sorry excuse for entertainment, there's always a Modern Family rerun to be watched!

    ReplyDelete
  29. I watched the 'After Dark' from Monday night/Tuesday morning. I couldn't help but smile as I watched 5 people huddled together. Victoria was stroking Cody's hair, christine was stroking his leg, Frankie was stroking Cody's arm and Cody was stroking Frankie's arm. Donny was sitting by watching with vague interest.
    Right away I compared this scene to primates. All the gorilla's huddled together 'grooming' each other as they chat. Some picking off dust from the other's skin, some laughing some listening. This bunch has formed an odd 'primate family' LOL

    ReplyDelete
  30. You forgot to mention a couple things, first this was premeditated by Frankie, he said he wanted to "use" Zach for one last thing before he gets rid of him. Second, he accused him of being the Saboteur (and blamed nearly every bad thing on the game on him), which is not only against the rules, but killed ANY chance that Zach had left in the game (even if he comes back from the jury, or even makes it into the final two). Big Brother should have announced to all the houseguests that there is no Saboteur. The way they were CHASING him around the house as an angry mob was frightening and disturbing to watch. And then Victoria was scared of and hating Zach so much that she took revenge on him, even though Caleb was by far the most frightening one. This was a low point in a season of increasingly disturbing and disgusting game play.

    ReplyDelete

Mastodon