Big Brother 13; Episode 10: Battle Lines and One Liners

This episode was a bit different from others as I attended the live show. A huge shout out to VodkaBob, Cathy and Erik for offering me the opportunity. Cathy scored the elusive tickets. So, I thought this would be a good time to explain how the operation works as we go through the recap.

Producer Don Wollman was the first to greet and warm up the crowd of about 110. Instructions were given as to proper on camera behavior like, don’t chew gum or you’ll look dumb, don’t read along with Julie Chen from the teleprompters, don’t wave to your mother, and the like. He then went on to do a few cute contests, winners receiving a “Big Brother Audience” tee shirt. Now for those who don’t know this bit of trivia, Don is the voice of BB live feeds. Every time you hear, “Daniele, please put on your microphone,” it’s Don. They tape various scenarios and push a button to make announcements, since it’s obvious he isn’t there 24/7.

With instructions understood, the show begins with applause on cue. We watch from monitors and see pretty much what we normally do at home. You can tell when we are going live because the lighting changes in the studio, fading up or down as needed.

Ok, onto the episode and it was a wild one. During the week a huge fight broke out between Jeff and Dom, as well as Kalia and Brendon. Dom had been promised a pawnship if he threw the POV competition, which he did. He’s put all his trust in HOH Rachel and POV Brendon. Aha, but there is trouble brewing as Daniele continues to campaign to keep Dom around and eliminate Jeff. She goes as far as to try to woo Shelly and Kalia to vote Adam out, thereby breaking the alliance she had with the vets. Word gets back to the oldies and while Jeff is still reeling from Dani trying to backdoor him, Dom takes it upon himself to clear the air with Brenchel in a last ditch effort to avoid being voted off the show now that Brendon refused to use his veto power.

Before Dom gets his chance, Dani heads to the HOH room and declares she’s going to be furious if Dom is eliminated. Brendon claims she is turning on the group and Dani denies the charge. She’s not going to stand for Brendon talking down to her, solidifying her resolve to break away from the group.

Kalia lies to Jordan, telling her she had no idea anyone was trying to backdoor Jeff.

Jeff decides to get the truth out of Dom as to who masterminded the plan to get him booted. They sit in the Tarot room and go at it.  Dom flat out lies, swearing he has no idea who is the culprit, infuriating Jeff, who comes just short of losing his cool. Instead, he tosses out some funny one liners including, “so it magically appeared like Kazoo from the Flinstones in his ear?” Jeff isn’t buying what Dom is selling and Dom is ticked off that he’s taking the blame for Dani’s plot. Both men end up in the HOH room with Brenchel and the argument continues.

“So you are telling me that because I didn’t come and tell you someone was out to get you I’m being sent home?” asks Dom. “Yeah,” replies Jeff. The using the analogy of one who goes with a buddy who plans to murder someone, he continues with, “You are an accessory to effing backdooring me.” Brendon advises Dom to get off this sinking ship.

“To go where?” cries the frustrated part time model. Dom has been off the charts uncomfortable because Jeff has been giving him dirty looks all week long. “Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, that’s true,” admits Jeff with a smirk.

In a DR moment, Brendon agrees Dom was eaten up by “the Venus Fly Trap Donato” and feels for him. Does he feel badly enough to keep him in the house?

Later, Kalia heads to the BY to chat it up with Brendon. She’s been feeling left out of the loop lately and wants to insure she’s safe. Jordan has told her people thinks she’s sketchy. Now kalia realizes it’s time to figure out where she stands in the picking off order. She made her alliance week one, but now feels she’s twisting is the breeze. Brendon comes out swinging calling he “an all time floater, 100%.” He’s also studied rocket science and it’s much harder than figuring out what Kalia is up to. As she storms off, Brendon takes a last shot and suggests she do her own dishes. This sends Kalia over the edge and she spews that he thinks she’s such a sweet, lovely and wonderful girl, blah blah blah, but he’s not seen the ninja come out yet. Brendon nonchalantly replies, “No, I’ve never thought that.” ZING!

Kalia steams back to the candy land bedroom, talking to herself while frantically pacing until the flooring is to the point of mandatory replacement. She’s gunning for Brendon now and it should be easy for Dani to convert her.

Jordan pushes for a house meeting, so everyone will know the truth. It’s a risky move, as the vets have a few skeletons in their closets as well. Shelly and Dani are the last to saunter in, realizing not showing up won’t bode well. Jeff slams Dom, Brendon accuses Kalia of running to Boss Daniele every time they discuss game with her. Kalia makes a valid point in that no one in the room has clean hands.

Rachel reminds Kalia that her “friend” Dani will stab her in the back as soon as it is convenient. Dani calls Rachel and idiot and Brendon jumps to her defense. You got busted Dani, just admit it and stop letting your minions take the fall. Dani claims she feels Jeff is her biggest competition, but no one is buying this line. Jeff realizes if he doesn’t get Dani out, he’s toast. Dani, in turn is determined to get Jeff sent to hell, complete with hand basket.

We go to break and the crew switches the set around. Move the big monitor so now the audience is in the background, rearrange the plants, etc. The elimination vote comes up after Julie has a few questions for the HGs. As far as Brendon is concerned, there are no hard feelings. Jeff says one doesn’t need to play the backstabbing game. Dani didn’t come here to be part of a dictatorship, but it’s not personal. She’s here to win, the dig at Brendon, notwithstanding.

Adam gives a love you all speech and wishes them all peace of mind. Dominic stands up and lambasts the group. “Some of you guys are spineless jellyfish,” an apparent reference to Kalia, Shelly, Porsche and Lawon. He finishes with I think everyone sucks at playing this game. Meanwhile, he’s the one headed home and he knows it. The players vote and oddly enough Kalia is crying as she pushes the knife deeper into Dom. Is she sad, or upset he called her a jellyfish? In a 7-1 vote, with Dani his only pity supporter, Dom grabs his gear and says goodbye.

At this point, the goodbye is strategic on the part of the production crew. They need to quickly set up the sofas and rearrange the florals. They quietly scamper about and finish up just as Dom appears on stage. As Julie says hello, we break back to the house, again a production issue. Dom needs to be fitted with a studio mic – just some backstage trivia for ya.

In his adios interview, Dom believes if the newbies had stuck together from week one, he wouldn’t be in the position he is now. Why did he throw the POV comp? He believed it was all about gaining an advantage through trust. He admits to playing all sides of the house. Why did he target Jeff? “Because Jordan is a sweetheart and I didn’t feel like she was going to come after me. If you get Brendon or Rachel out, the other one is going to go psycho and come after you AND come after your dog and your cat.”

They listen to the goodbye messages. Lawon professes faithfulness in the form of a pimple that keeps resurfacing, but the stand out is Jeff and Jordan’s. Jordan quotes Rachel in that, “Nobody comes in between me and MY MAN!” At the break, Dom waves goodbye to us, follows a staffer and disappears behind the set. Poof, gone.

The remaining HGs now move on with no more duos, no more golden keys and are set up in the BY suspended on foam skis with hand grips planted into the mountain of Big Brother Slalom.  The HGs, feet swoosh left to right as the mountain dips forward and back. The first five to fall, must take a giant snowball from a table and open it, not knowing what is inside. It could be good or bad, although one snowball is guaranteed to contain $10K. Heavy snow spray is added to the mix as we leave the HGs for the evening.

The audience files out after some VIP pictures are taken with the audience used as background props. Julie waves goodbye and it’s a wrap. As we leave the sound stage, we hear a huge, “Ohhhhhhhh!” from the BY. Someone has already taken a fall. As endurance challenges go, this one may be over before I even get home.

All in all, the experience was a hoot. To illustrate how close is this band of fans, I ran into two guys I’ve met before. Jeremy A., an avid BB fan and all around cool dude and Dennis “Lefty” Luciani from “Average Joe.” If you look slightly to the left of Julie, about three rows back, you can’t miss Dennis’s bright orange shirt and Jeremy in blue, who has the whitest teeth in the room by far. Didn’t you read the rules Jeremy? No white! Dennis has the most precious facial expressions on camera. For that alone, I thoroughly enjoyed watching the episode at home. It was great to see them and we’ll be hooking up again soon. There remain so many events to attend, including the BB Vegas Bash in September.

Any production questions, let me know. I’ll answer what I can. For those who want to see the show live, put in a request, but expect to be waitlisted. The ticket I got was a year in the making. It was worth the wait.