Yes, I know that I still owe you the rest of the Ika ET Canada videos and my commentary on them. Yes, I know I need to post an informative post on how this blog works with the show, the feeds and stuff like the show scheduling. But first … this stuff here keeps going through my mind as I watch the cast interviews and such.
I've been actually blogging about BB since BB5 -- unfortunately those entries were on the now long ago sunsetted AOL Journals blogging platform and this BlogSpot blog kicks in with BB7. Due to the AOL blogging, I got a paid freelance gig following the show for Weblogs, Inc./TV Squad/AOL Television for a number of years. That brought about the changes to this blog with the live show parties, etc.
Before blogging became a "thing" I was a part of the AOL team monitoring chats and message boards for the show since Season ONE -- a season in which Julie Chen was not well known at all, not to even mention Julie Chen-Moonves! AOL was the platform for the live feeds and practically ran the show environment. I recall things like 70k comments during an aired show at the time. Incredible! As time went on and the BB online community grew, I followed other sites like Joker's and Hamsterwatch. I lost my paying gig writing about the show and feeds when AOL TV was taken over by HuffPost. Sigh.
With all that said, I guess I would qualify as some sort of super-super-fan, even more so than some of the largely followed sites since I've been actively involved since even before the first show of the first season even aired! Yes, setting up the message boards and stuff like that. But, no. I would never be in that house and, if I was, I'd truly suck at it. I don't do surrounded by people and chaos well.
So … why all this history? Well, in looking at this cast, I see recruits, some that have watched the show for a few years, some "big" fans who may have watched for ten years or so and only one who mentioned the live feeds. Say WHAT?!?! The online fan community for BB is tremendous and may be the forefather of various online fan communities for other shows -- both reality and scripted --since its inception. Yep, that's what I think.
There are distinct differences between regular show fans, live feeders and the hamsters themselves and here are my thoughts:
Aired Show Fans
This category of fans seem to be who the producers think they want to impress with showmances, twists, house themes and more. But they're the least knowledgeable about the show of all the fans. They see edited versions of "reality." They don't see the downtimes (or doldrums as I often refer to them). They only see edited versions of brouhahas or kerfuffles, often not with a full story of what led to such chaos. They see so little of the day to day happenings and interactions of the house that it disturbs me that so many new hamsters never see anything but the aired shows. They're being robbed!
The Hamsters Themselves
Once in the house, obviously their experience is different from other fans, aired show or feeders. No matter super fan or newbie, we cannot know what it's like to actually be in there. I think I might safely assume it's a mix of Highway to Hell or an Amazing Life Experience. But I don't know. I do know that even the hamsters themselves don't see the big picture of what's happening within the house. They only see part of it through their own confidants and allies. That ends up giving them each a skewed version of things. Thankfully after Danielle Reyes lost in her season due to the others seeing her Diary Room interviews, hamsters don't see them until after the season ends. So, while they have an insight into the show that no just fan will ever have, they aren't as knowledgeable about what's going on as are my last category --
Live Feeders and Online Community Fans
Yep, we practically know it all! We are privy to conversations that neither the show fans hear, nor all of the hamsters themselves. We get to see them pop their pimples and have wardrobe malfunctions. The only things we don't see are the first week in the house because they delay the live feeds until after the premiere. By that time the hamsters have already a week under their belts. We also don't get to see the Diary Room sessions although on some rare occasions there have been an audio leak or two. I doubt we'll ever get to see them because the producers won't allow us to see prompting, leading questions or retakes. Also, as live feeders and involved with the online community, we tend to get all the dirt from internet sleuths who track down the backgrounds and lives of the hamsters. All in all, we know it all … except what it's like to actually be a house hamster.
What are your thoughts?
11 comments:
Excellent breakdown Jackie.
It's hard to believe Aired-show people can consider themselves true fans because they have nearly zero information. On the other hand, doing it "the Aired-Show way" certainly isn't as time-consuming. lol
IMO, there have been very few 'new' Hamsters that could actually quality as 'real fans' of the show. Heck, several on this blog would be able to count them... probably on 1 hand.
I only had the live-feeds one summer, but religiously follow your site and a few others. So guess I qualify in the Online Community group, with an extremely small smattering of Live Feedster experience. Now and then I'm tempted to get the life-feeds again, but then think about the amount of time involved and the cost (though relatively minimal). Following the Online Community and then watching the Aired-Show to see how much production 'adjusts' will have to do.
Sharon - The online BB community certainly has one up over the aired show fans. You read the sites which cover the feeds, so you do have the information. I just have a problem with any of these newbie hamsters claiming to be huge fans of the show (even for many seasons) if they aren't a part of the online presence or live feeds. They're bit a step above those who don't watch the show at all. They're oblivious!
Jackie you are right about your descriptions of the different groups. I was part of your AOl community in Season One and onward. You did a great job starting that and then running your current site. Until 3 years ago I just watched the show and talked in your chatroom or on this site and read your updates. Then after my Mom died 3 years ago I got the live feeds and can tell a big difference. Live feeders know everything except what it is like to be in the house and when they cut the live feeds. After watching live feeds it would be tough to go back to just watching the TV show only.
Jackie on Friday there was a Audio leak on the live feeds according to Jokers and I am going there now to listen. This was posted on Jokers.
10:08 AM Audio switches back to BB theme music. Audio (Ed.: Leak?) from 9:38 AM to 10:08 AM. Shortly another audio sound but very quickly back to music. Video remains on the countdown screen - 5 days, 10 hours plus until Live Feeds. -
I thought there was a Julie in S1? Didn't she introduce the show at the very beginning, talking about what it was, why it was and how it worked? I mean, she wasn't like she is now but it seems she was there when they sent them in the house, too. Maybe I"m wrong.
You're absolutely right, Michelle. She did host it. I was thinking of all of the during the show AOL spokesperson (Regina something?) spots that were done. You know, the first thing you lose is your mind.
Listening to the leaked Audio it sounds like some kind of twist was was already done. That 4 people volunteered and they promised each other they would not choose each other if One of them won something. It sounds like from the conversation that the winner broke his word and nominated the other 3 for something. It sounds like they were expecting nominations to be Saturday or Sunday.
I don't think there is much of a chance of one of these hamsters saying to visit Jackie's BB Blog this year. lol
I have watched the show from season 1. I am not sure when I found Jackie's Blog, but I know it was here on blogger, so after AOL times. I just kept up with it for a couple of seasons without saying anything in the comments, probably like a lot of people. I have had the live feeds a couple seasons ago when CBS gave us a free month of all access, but found I did not have the time to watch much and just used it to see mentioned major happenings.
I do watch (I should say more listen than watch) BBAD while doing other things, mostly work. So I guess I am only half a super fan, but compared to these new hamsters, I would be a super-super-super fan. lol Speaking of BBAD, it goes live Wed. Night at midnight est.
I have not seen you mention how you are doing Jackie. I hope you are back to 100% and are doing good.
Hope to see everyone in the comments. Bring on the new Season.!!!
I started casually watching BB in season 2 when my grandmother had it on the tv.
became hard core by season 6. totally hooked once I saw Janelle.
I have always said there are two shows.
I happen to watch both- the edited and live feed version.
I do totally agree with what you said in your post today.
I found you in season 8 i believe. It took me years to comment.
I have the feeds running most of the time, check in on jokers but have found some really good twitter feeds that had better updates last season.
I started watching Big Brother during season 2 because I had an ACL tear and surgery. My husband and I had just moved into a new house and had not yet connected directv. We only had antenna tv so our choices of viewing were limited. I couldn't do anything else so I watched whatever was available. I found your blog around 2003-2004ish. I also found Jokers and Hamsterwatch at the same time. I enjoyed all the different choices and opinions for getting information, but was always partial to your writing style. You have a very unique way of looking at a situation and putting a funny spin on whatever happens to be going on in the house at the time. I can't remember at what point the other blog went away and I found this blog, but I know that I'm always glad that I did. I tell all my friends that Jackie's blog is the best. Kim
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