Big Brother 5

Written by Justene Adamec
Published July 10, 2004

Another summer, another round of Big Brother. We're up to Big rother 5 already. Amazing. CBS promised another twist this summer in Project DNA, Do Not Assume. They delivered.

Two of the houseguests are related and didn't know it upon arriving. The related guests are Michael, a 23 year old cowboy-garbed young man who appears to be a redneck and Jennifer, a 21-year-old heavily tattooed woman with blue hair. They share a father.

Michael's mother told him the name of his father and stories about the man she knew. She never told Michael's father she was pregnant. Michael's father did not know he had another son and therefore, could not share the information with his five known children, including his daughter, Jennifer.

Sitting around introducing themselves, the houseguests shared last names. Michael started asking questions and quickly figured out that this is indeed his half-sister. Despite what is a watershed moment for him, he kept calm and did not say anything to anyone else right away.

What followed is a series of poignent vignettes in which Michael asks Jennifer questions and learns about his father and learns that she has always wished for an older brother. This is not a Lifetime movie, or a reenactment or a moment staged for some TV newsmagazine. By this point, the awareness of the cameras has faded and we watch a young man grapple with a big moment with quiet grace.

It turned weird for a while after that. After one of the competitions and the installation of the Head of Household, Michael decides to go to the winner and the winner's ally first with the news. It's unclear why he did that. He acknowledged later that it was a mistake. My only guess is that he hoped that the newly installed leaders of the house would lead the group through this process.

The young guns in the power seat reacted by not believing Michael and suspecting him of having some very creative gameplay going on. Even after the truth is revealed by Big Brother, along with the typical tears and hugs, the young guns are suspicious. That suspicion seems to have faded, although the way the show was edited, it is unclear why.

Jennifer is now on the block for eviction. She took $10,000 and made the house eat PB & J for a week. That will get you nominated even if you have just found your long-lost brother. So it remains to be seen whether we have more story developing from this situation.

Big Brother has more "twists' ahead. Two of the houseguests have identical twins who will be switching places with their twins. It is unlikely that will produce the emotional draw that we had in the first two shows but I thought the long-lost sibling angle would disappoint so I approach the rest of it with an open mind.

Justene practices law in downtown LA. To chat about this or other topics, IM Justene.
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Big Brother 5
Published: July 10, 2004
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Section: Video
Filed Under: Video: Family, Video: Reality TV, Video: Television
Writer: Justene Adamec
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#1 — July 11, 2004 @ 12:32PM — Rodney Welch [URL]

It wasn't Jennifer who took the $10,000; that was Lori.

#2 — July 11, 2004 @ 12:38PM — Justene [URL]

I stand corrected. It was Lori. I thought it was Jennifer at the time, up to and through nomination, and until now.

#3 — July 11, 2004 @ 13:01PM — boomcrashbaby

It's been interesting to see that the 'pretty white jocks' (jase, scott, drew, etc.) have all formed an alliance to the exclusion of the african american male, the gay male, and the older guy (the one who is nominated this week). A subconscious act, I'm sure, but pretty revealing as to how groups form in society.

#4 — July 11, 2004 @ 13:36PM — Justene [URL]

I am surprised at how BB has indeed become a microcosm of society.

Here's what I wonder though. The young white boys are pretty oblivious. It seems to me that the "others," having seen their type before, are more likely to stay away.

#5 — July 11, 2004 @ 15:14PM — boomcrashbaby

Actually Justene, that is a good point. That could certainly be it in the gay guys case.

Notice also how the girl up for nomination today doesn't fit in with the giggly blondes either. Perhaps on both sides, there is a push away from an alliance.

(as an aside, the gay guy is waiting for the right moment to tell everybody else he is gay. He's only confided in Lori so far, I believe. However, is there anybody out there who can watch this guy for more than two minutes and NOT know he's gay?) I think when he reveals it, it will backfire on him.

#6 — July 11, 2004 @ 15:25PM — Dwaine AKA Scooter

CBS down. South Park and The Chappelle Show up.

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