Big Brother fans have accused the show’s production team of altering the game to contestant Jackson Michie’s advantage, following strategic editing during a blowout fight between Michie and houseguest Tommy Bracco. And needless to say, fans aren’t happy about it.
With the finale of Big Brother season 21 fast approaching, this is hardly the first time that Michie has been involved in a controversy. Throughout the season fans have felt that Michie was receiving preferential treatment from the show’s producers when it came to him not obeying the rules of being a Have Not. In past years, if contestants were ‘have nots’ for the week, they were required to sleep in the Have Not room, take cold showers, and they’re only allowed to eat slop. If you were caught disobeying the rules you could face punishment such as a penalty vote or more time as a have not. Despite the rules, Michie was seen on the live feeds sneaking food into the shower numerous times while he was a have not, and received no penalty for it. Michie and fellow contestant Jack Matthews also made a number of derogatory or racist comments about other houseguests such as Ovi Kabir, Isabella Wang, and Kemi Fakunle, to the point that fans were calling for Michie and Matthews to be kicked off the show, and yet, here we are. If you’re a fan who only watches the episodes on TV, you might have forgotten that you disliked Michie at the beginning of the season, but the live feed-watchers aren’t here for the “nice guy” edit Michie is receiving.
On Thursday night’s live eviction episode, host Julie Chen hinted at a blowout fight that had occurred earlier in the day between Michie and Bracco, which houseguests Cliff Hogg, Holly Allen, and Nicole Anthony all witnessed. Live feed watchers, however, were angry (via CheatSheet) with the production team because they conveniently cut the feeds while the fight was happening. Chen teased that the footage of the fight would be aired during the upcoming episode on Sunday, but viewers are upset because producers will now have the chance to edit the footage in order to maintain the positive image they’d been building for Michie.
The fight between Michie and Bracco was the result of a private conversation Michie overheard between Bracco, Hogg, and Anthony where Bracco promised numerous things in exchange for his safety, which Michie then spun against Bracco so he could save his in-house girlfriend Allen from elimination. Even though viewers haven’t seen the full fight yet, Michie using that information against Bracco created enough distrust between Bracco, Hogg, and Anthony that they chose to keep Allen and evict the Broadway dancer. The events of last week have sparked debate among former contestants and fans about whether this is a terrible move on Michie’s part, or whether its a move that just won him $500,000. Despite his negative social game, Michie has consistently proven he is a mental and physical threat.
Big Brother season 15 winner Andy Herren has been anti-Michie all season but admitted on Twitter that he believed Michie was playing a stronger game strategically than the other players, which, when it comes down to it, is what Big Brother is all about. It’s meant to be a game of strategy. Though he certainly won’t be winning the title of America’s Favorite Houseguest, Michie seems to have a decent shot at becoming the winner of Big Brother season 21 if he can spin all his stories into the perfect web.
Big Brother airs Sundays and Wednesdays at 8pm EST and Thursdays at 9pm EST on CBS.
