“Big Brother” becomes a Racism Lab
“Big Brother” is a reality show created almost thirteen years ago. It is a CBS competition where a number of young adults from all over America are thrown into a house to live together. They are completely isolated from the rest of the world, but are being watched carefully by cameras in the house. The goal is to remain the last one in the house, by avoiding eviction by vote each week. Thirteen years ago on the first season William Collins, an intensely political black man, was opposed in the house for his confrontational talk about race. Since then “Big Brother” has been very careful about maintaining a diverse cast but avoiding any racial vocalization, until this season. This season’s cast consists of a group of seemingly privileged white candidates who have not so subtly made racist remarks and aggressions towards one of the black cast members. The cast members racism at first was not aired by producers. But after online streaming revealed the comments, producers were criticized for not including them. “Big Brother” also recently began including the disclaimer that “the houseguests may reveal prejudices and other beliefs that CBS does not condone”. The show has suddenly become a means of revealing a truly hateful and unfortunate culture that still exists in society. And it seems to have taken thirteen years for the show to finally become comfortable facing this narrative.
The revelation of racial tensions in “Big Brother” were heightened after unfolding only moments after the Trayvon Martin case was closed. Viewers commented on the similarities between a seemingly racist juror and the jarring opinions of the white cast member. “Big Brother” has as the article states, become “a laboratory experiment in what happens” when racism is finally being exposed “blatant and overt” instead of it hiding in the shadows where its “accountability has been nil”
-Manna
