By Domenica Flores
For those of you who are as obsessed with reality television as I am, then you have probably heard of the social experiment competition show, “Big Brother.” Having aired on TV for over 20 years, this show combines physical, mental, and emotional strength, as well as social strategy. The show starts, at the beginning of every summer, with 16 houseguests entering the “house” (which is really just a studio in the CBS lot) and are completely cut off to the outside world. This means they have no computers, cellphones, or TVs, yet viewers at home get to watch their every move. They compete weekly to win powers, and every Thursday, one houseguest is sent home (and we get to watch it live)! The goal is to be the last houseguest standing and to win a cash prize of $500,000.
This season of “Big Brother” has been the best one in a while – and not only for the incredible gameplay that is occurring inside the house. At the beginning of the season, 6 black contestants teamed up to form an alliance, called “The Cookout.” Alliances are always formed in this game, as a way for people to have your back and protect you if necessary. This isn’t new. However, there was something about this alliance being formed that felt so special and empowering, and now, it is evident that it will forever change the course of the show.
In the past, there has been a pattern of all-white houseguests forming alliances and immediately targeting people of color. It was unfortunate to see the obvious racism and segregation that was going on inside the house. These all-white alliances were able to succeed in doing this almost every summer because they had the majority. The casting crew for big brother would typically only cast three to four minorities, so they were outnumbered the second the game began. However, this current season is the most diverse it’s ever been, which made viewers like myself extremely hopeful for the outcome. The end goal of “The Cookout” was to make it to the final six with one another and ensure a black houseguest comes out on top as the winner. Fortunately, “The Cookout” was able to succeed in their goal! They are the only six players left, and they are officially making “Big Brother” history, as this has never happened before. In 23 seasons and 20+ years, there has never been a final six with only people of color. If you look at all the show’s previous winners, there is a clear lack of diversity that needs to be fixed. Representation matters. Seeing people win who look like you matters.
As disheartening as this is, I feel hopeful and encouraged that this is only the beginning of a new era of “Big Brother” – one where the game is played and alliances are formed because of skill and gameplay and not by trying to pick apart the minority. Personally, I have been a super fan of this show for many years now, and it is my goal to go on the show myself. Seeing people of color, and specifically women of color, doing so well in the game makes me hopeful that I can go on this show and also make it far. I know many other people feel the same way. “The Cookout” is more than just a game-show alliance, but it is a promise for people of color to look out for each other and end the continuing cycle of white-favored gameplay.