In her first TV appearance since Les Moonves was removed from CBS, Julie Chen found a subtle tone of defiance as the live double-eviction finally cracked the Level 6 alliance.
Julie Chen didn't directly address the latest sexual allegationsagainst her husband and former boss Les Moonves during "Big Brother's" live double eviction, but she still got in a subtle note of defiance.
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View StoryMore significantly for fans of the show, "Double Eviction" proved once again that absolutely anything can happen on this crazy and chaotic night. Or was it crazy and chaotic at all?
We're going to run this season like you'd run a department store. Each product, or Houseguest, may have come in with equal value, but pretty quickly you start to see that certain ones aren't working. First, you try discounting them to see if they can turn things around and become solid performers again. But if that doesn't work, it's time to put them on clearance so you can sell them out (the door). With that said, let's take a look at our inventory, ranked from our strongest performer to our weakest. But first, let's take a look at a couple of spotlight items in stock this week.
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View StorySPOTLIGHT ITEM: Chen Moonves
No mention was made of the scandal as Julie Chen introduced herself at the top of the show and proceeded to deliver her usual Chenbot routine. It certainly helped that the only people she had to interview on the night were two people who've been sequestered in the "Big Brother" house for 85 days, so they know nothing about any of it. Chen has been notably absent from "The Talk" all week.
At the end, though, she took a split second to make a statement that can perhaps be interpreted in several ways, but seems mostly like it is one of solidarity and support for her husband. "From outside the 'Big Brother' house, I'm Julie Chen Moonves," she said, using her married last name for the first time this season and one of the very few times in her professional career since their union.
The former CEO of CBS has denied the 12 published allegations of sexual assault and harassment levied against him. As part of his exit from the network, Moonves and CBS said they will donate $20 million to "one or more organizations that support the #MeToo movement and equality for women in the workplace."
"Untrue allegations from decades ago are now being made against me that are not consistent with who I am," he said in a statement. "I am deeply saddened to be leaving the company. I wish nothing but the best for the organization, the newly comprised board of directors and all of its employees."
SPOTLIGHT ITEM: Level 3
The truth of the matter is that Level 6 has been a trio for a long time. JC has long been loyal but on the outside, unaware even of its existence. Brett, meanwhile, has been a part of it since its inception, but he's been on the outside looking in to the power structure of Tyler, Kaycee and Angela for weeks.
Weirdly enough, Brett has known and been told multiple times (mostly by JC) that he is fourth out of four in that alliance, but Brett was really hoping his loyalty would carry him through. We are in Veto season on the show, where it is the most important competition to guarantee your safety each week, but Brett doesn't win competitions, so he really needed to be solid with someone to advance, and he picked the wrong guy.
The problem for him, and probably several other people as the next couple of weeks play out, is that he was most solid and loyal to Tyler and Tyler is solid and loyal with only Tyler (maybe Kaycee, but we're not sure he can beat her in the end at this point). He's even said he'd vote out Angela if it gave him the top prize, but his burgeoning love has yet to be put to that test.
So when Brett opened up to Tyler about their need to vote out the two girls in the alliance, Tyler immediately ran to Kaycee and told her, solidifying the backdoor plan that played out to perfection this week. The only thing that could have messed it up would have been Brett winning POV, and then they just would have booted JC. But, of course, Brett doesn't win.
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View StoryREGULAR PRICE
Kaycee (even) stays at the top of the heap because she got no blood on her hands with the eviction of Brett, which just worked out really well in her favor. Sure, she was totally in on the plan, but it was Tyler and Angela who executed it, making her look just a little cleaner in the eyes of a potentially bitter jury.
Tyler (even) just made an enemy out of Brett, who admitted he might be an emotional juror. That's one alliance broken, and one trust broken. If this is how he's going to betray the rest of the house, that could really hurt him in the end. He set himself up like this, but it doesn't look like he found the best way to get out of it. And as he took the shot directly at Brett, his loyalty will be brought into question.
Angela (up 1) came out looking like she was a soldier in Tyler's army with their "cute" speeches to put Brett on the block. That gives Tyler more credit for the move than he maybe deserves, but perception is everything. This looks like Tyler orchestrated the move to get Brett voted out, when it was the rest of L6 that did that. How will this move be seen? Will any of them be able to tout loyalty now?
DISCOUNT PRICE
JC (up 1) has a chance, now, if ever so slight. It doesn't look like L3 is going to turn on one another at all until the end, but if anyone can weasel their way into the crack left behind by Brett's elimination, it's Brett.
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View StoryCLEARANCE PRICE
Sam (up 1) would be sitting prettier in some other seasons, as she's the obvious choice to take to the end for anyone seeking an easy victory. But the competitors of Level 6 seem determined to fight it out at the end. We could see Tyler making a crazy move if given power again, because his eye is more on the prize than his alliance. In fact, a bitter and angry jury might still give him the money over Sam because she just didn't do anything all season.
SOLD OUT
Brett (down 3) was victim to his loyalty to Tyler, and he knew it in the end. It was a risk, though he wasn't wrong in saying they'd have been better off to boot Angela and Kaycee. The problem was Tyler was more loyal to them than him. Brett had too much trust and not enough ability to win comps so he could control his own fate.
Haleigh (even) was dead Houseguest walking coming into this hour, and she barely lasted ten minutes into it. She outlasted her side of the house, so kudos for that, but it's small consolation as she now joins most of them in the Jury House.
"Big Brother" continues with a new episode Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, and then it's back-to-back eviction episodes on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET and Thursday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS. Only two weeks until the finale!
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