‘Big Brother’ Controversies Through the Years
Controversies are nothing new for Big Brother. Since the show’s U.S. debut in 2000, the reality series has made headlines for an array of topics. With each season, the disputes behind the scenes only grow.
Over the past 20 years, the show has been criticized for racism and discrimination, specifically beginning with an incident that occurred in season 15. In 2013, Aaryn Gries referred to Asian people as “squinty-eyed,” called her Black roommate Candice Stewart “Aunt Jemima” and asked her Korean houseguest, Helen Kim, to “go make some rice.”
GinaMarie Zimmerman and Spencer Clawson were also accused of insensitive comments during the season, so much so that host Julie Chen spoke about it on The Talk.
“It stung,” the host said at the time. “I took it personally. The really sad part was it took me back to the ’70s when I was growing up in Queens, when I was 7, being bullied and being called a chink … the year is 2013! Then I felt ignorant. There are still people who feel that way? Yes, there is.”
However, claims of discrimination only continued. Moments before being crowned the season 21 winner in 2019, Jackson Michie was shocked when Chen informed him that his houseguests had expressed concerns about his behavior, making choices based on race or age — something he adamantly denied.
Additionally, season 21 contestant Kemi Fakunle spoke out, revealing she was “disgusted” about what was happening inside the Big Brother house, seemingly alluding to aggressive comments made by Jack Matthews during the live feeds.
“The audience is able to view the show during the multiple weekly broadcasts as well as on the 24/7 live, online stream, which captures unedited content of the contestants’ unfiltered moments in the house,” the network and the show’s producers said in a statement in July 2019. “At times, the houseguests say things that we do not condone. We share some of the viewers’ concerns about inappropriate behavior and offensive comments, and producers have addressed specific incidents with the houseguests involved. However, there is absolutely no truth that the casting of the show is racially motivated, that the houseguests’ behavior is predetermined or that the outcome is controlled in any way.”
Scroll through the gallery below for some of the biggest controversies from the show.
Matthews came under fire for making comments that live-feed viewers deemed racist and aggressive. He told his alliance members that he wanted to “stomp a mud hole through [Kemi Fakunle’s] chest.” The fitness trainer also called Fakunle “disgusting” and a “maggot,” in addition to reprimanding her for leaving her shaker bottle in the fridge. Later in the season, he referred to Isabella Wang, who is Asian-American, as “rice pudding.” In a statement to Us, CBS and Big Brother producers said, “There is absolutely no truth that the casting of the show is racially motivated, that the houseguests’ behavior is predetermined or that the outcome is controlled in any way.” Chen grilled Matthews about his comments after his eviction later in the season. He apologized to Fakunle and denied his “rice pudding” remark had anything “to do with [Wang’s] ethnicity.”
Monty Brinton/CBS
Monduix was accused of sexual harassment on social media after he used an ice cream scooper on the genitals of fellow houseguests including Kaitlyn Herman. He also instructed Kaycee Clark to “open up” her vagina, saying it “feels good.” Later in the season, he created controversy again when he used the N-word during a conversation with Bayleigh Dayton and asked Rachel Swindler if she is transgender. He made headlines again when he made light of the #MeToo movement, prompting his housemates to call him out. He was accused of misconduct again after he was spotted on the live feeds lying in bed with Tyler Crispin, touching his face and arms and kissing his armpit while Tyler was asleep.
CBS
Swindler and Rummans made controversial comments about their skin tones. Swindler compared her tan to her black roommate Bayleigh Dayton (“My stomach is as dark as Bay”), to which Rummans replied, “I’m looking ghetto here with the skin coloration.” CBS said in a statement to Us Weekly that “those involved have been warned about their inappropriate behavior and offensive comments, as well as future consequences.”
CBS
Herman faced backlash for two separate incidents: using the N-word while quoting Drake’s “0 to 100” and flirting with Tyler Crispen, Brett Robinson and Faysal Shafaat. Her boyfriend back home, Joe Pincus (a.k.a. Aire Atlantica), later tweeted that he asked CBS to pull his “show release,” meaning he could no longer be mentioned on air. The network also blurred a framed photo of Pincus in Herman’s HOH bedroom. In response, CBS released a statement that said in part: “Big Brother is a reality show about watching a group of people who have no privacy 24/7 — and capturing every unfiltered moment and conversation in their lives. At times, the houseguests reveal prejudices and exhibit behavior that we do not condone.”
CBS
Abrahamian applied black facial cosmetics while targeting his black housemate Dominique Cooper for eviction. He referred to his makeup as “blackface.” His mom later told TMZ that he is not racist and was simply poking fun at Cooper.
CBS
Dent made a disturbing joke about raping the wife of his housemate Kevin Schlehuber after tying up “all your daughters” and making them “f--king watch.” Kevin’s wife, Deborah, told TMZ that the comments were “the worst thing” she’s ever heard. Dent also joked about raping women at a nursing home.
CBS
Eudy groped Da’Vonne Rogers’ butt without consent and called her a “slut.” She broke down in tears in the diary room and responded: “I don't want my daughter to see that and think it's OK for guys to hit girls on their butts and guys to call girls sluts.”
CBS
Gries was condemned by viewers and host Julie Chen for her racist and homophobic remarks. She referred to Asian people as “squinty-eyed,” called her black housemate Candice Stewart “Aunt Jemima” and told Korean houseguest Helen Kim to “go make some rice.” Zimmerman and Clawson also came under fire for their bigoted comments, with Clawson once praising Adolf Hitler’s speaking abilities. Chen spoke out against the racism in the house on her CBS show The Talk: “I took it personally. The really sad part was it took me back to the ‘70s when I was growing up in Queens, when I was 7 being bullied and being called a ‘chink.’”
CBS
Hartz was expelled from the house for throwing food at houseguests, calling them names and head-butting Joe Arvin.
CBS
Schroeder was appalled when his fellow houseguests told him that Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling considered Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore to be gay. “I don’t think it’s the right thing to have a little kids’ book and have the headmaster that you’re locked away with in a magical land be gay,” he said. Schroeder then accused housemate Kalia Booker of being politically correct for TV when she defended the fictional character.
CBS
Bacha made multiple racist and derogatory comments toward houseguests Kevin Campbell and Lydia Tavera during an argument that CBS edited during the first live-eviction show. He later told Reality TV World, “It was out of no malice whatsoever.”
CBS
Jasinski told his fellow houseguests that he worked for an autism foundation and planned to spend his potential winnings on a hair salon “so retards can get it together and get their hair done.” After winning the season, Jasinski pledged to donate $100,000 to Autism United. He was subsequently fired from his job.
CBS
Siyavus faced widespread backlash for calling Jewish people “bad” and claiming, “You can tell by their last name, you can tell by their nose.”
CBS
Sebik was expelled from the game for holding a knife to his intoxicated housemate Krista Stegall’s throat.
CBS
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