Houseguests sometimes get into hot water on Big Brother. The dedicated fan base can watch them in real-time on live feeds, or watch the three edited episodes weekly of the reality series. So the public can dissect every move and word, and the houseguests have little to no clue how they’re being received. The one person who has watched many houseguests fall from grace on the CBS show is host, Julie Chen Moonves.
She made it clear in the past that she doesn’t like when one houseguest gets a lot of hate. She gave advice to fans on how they should react if a houseguest offends them ahead of Big Brother 26. She also reveals that she might relate more to passionate fans than you’d think.
Julie Chen Moonves Wants ‘Big Brother 26’ Viewers to Wait Before Reacting
CBS provided Collider with a taped interview with Moonves. She addressed the complex feelings about houseguests every season. “I love hosting this show because it’s gotten to the point where I feel like all these houseguests are my children,” she claimed in the interview. “You know my tag line is, ‘Love one another.’ And I know as fans love to love some people and hate on others. I like to put on my Jesus glasses and say, ‘Look, God created us all. And we all have a good side and a bad side, and it depends, who triggers what side to come out, right?'”
The host later asked viewers to do one thing while watching the show. “Give them a chance at redemption,” she said. “Give them a chance to see themselves the way America saw them and give them a chance to explain and change.” Moonves addressed how casting each season aims for diversity. That includes someone who has never left their hometown to a person who might be from another country. Big Brother 25 was the first season to cast a foreigner with Australian DJ Bowie Jane, who broke a record on the show. “They learn so much from each other,” Moonves said about new houseguests. “So to me, you don’t want two of the same person.”
The host claimed she is sometimes rubbed the wrong way by houseguests too. “I like to see if I can keep that love the whole season,” she said while laughing. “Because look, I’m human too, right? I know they call me the Chenbot, but I’m human too. There are times where I’m like, ‘I can’t believe that person did that.'” The host said in those moments she puts on her “Jesus glass,” and remembers to give that person a chance.
Moonves interviews every houseguest live after their eviction. Some of those interviews were serious as she confronted houseguests for inappropriate behavior throughout the season. She tries to figure out who the houseguest believes is responsible for her or his eviction most of the time. Big Brother 26’s two-night premiere is on Wednesday, July 17, and Thursday, July 18, at 9 p.m. EST on CBS and Paramount+.