Hey everyone! Seeing as Survivor and Big Brother Canada just ended, I figured I would give The Genius a shot since I see a lot of game show bloggers/live Tweeters talk about it. (FYI I am also one of these people hahaha so if you would like to follow me: @ericaefff).
The Genius is a Korean TV show that can be watched subtitled in English. The first season is available on YouTube, and subsequent seasons are available thanks to an anonymous Genius god named "Bumdidlyumptious" who uploads the episodes on Daily Motion (Google it, lol). At first it's a little difficult to wrap your head around the concepts and the characters because you have to be reading the subtitles, but if you like strategy games, I can assure you that it's well worth it.
The basic concept of the show is that 12 (I believe - something along this number) people are cast, and they have to win strategy games to move on to further episodes. Each episode comprises of a "main match" and a "death match". Every player competes in the main match, and the loser of the main match enters the death match. The loser of the death match is then eliminated from the show. Simple enough.
The strategy games are very, very interesting. I definitely wish that Big Brother, and to some extent Survivor, would adjust themselves with a few cues from The Genius. The games do involve a certain degree of intellect. Sometimes basic math and logic is involved, but, moreso, the games favor those with political and social prowess. A lot of the games cannot be won solo, and require forming alliances with other players. It would be strategically beneficial, therefore, for someone who struggles with mathematical concepts but who can be a good social liaison to team up with someone who can do the calculations/probabilities.
Another cool concept that The Genius introduces is the use of in-game currency. Each player has the opportunity to accumulate "garnets" - little red, cubical gems - worth 1,000,000 of real Korean money, which amounts to roughly $1000/garnet. The players go through the game amassing garnets, and the ultimate winner collects all of the garnets happen to be in play during the finale episode which are then exchanged for real money. Garnets can also be used to bribe other players, as well as purchase advantages during competitions. I love the idea that the gameplay throughout the season affects the final amount in the pot - it adds an element of accountability and pressure to perform well.
This is the element that I think would work well for Big Brother. Having tokens worth real $$ that can be put in play during the season adds an extra bit of thrill with possible gambles during comps, and it has the power to flip the social game on its head because people would definitely be motivated by money.
Back to The Genius. One thing I love about the show is the casting. Actually, I have one gripe about the casting which I'll put out there first: there is a highly disproportionate amount of men cast versus women, which sucks. That said, the men and women that are cast are entertaining, charismatic, and brilliant. Some of them truly are geniuses: sky-high IQs, MENSA members, Harvard grads. Some of them are pro-gamers: videogamers, professional pool, and poker players. That said, the majority of the cast are other public figures like pop stars, broadcasters, and actors. You get a really satisfying mix of intellect and charisma.
Nearly none of the characters are boring, and all are eager to get involved in the gameplay. I believe this is a product of good casting and game dynamics. The games are set up so that there is a definitive winner and a definitive loser - the fact that there is a definitive loser who is in danger every episode is what differentiates the competition gameplay from that of Big Brother and Survivor. Imagine if the first off the pole in a Survivor immunity challenge would be automatically up for elimination? That adds an entirely new degree of strategy and will to survive. Big Brother-wise, the chances of "floating" being a viable strategy would greatly diminish. I think both shows would become exponentially more entertaining if losing a competition put you in some kind of danger.
In terms of the games on The Genius, they are wildly entertaining and strategic. One of my favorites so far has been the Zombie Game, in which all 12 or so players pick cards out of a hat that assign them the role of "human" or "zombie". At the beginning of the game there are 2 zombies. There are 10 rounds, and each round a player must "touch" another player by both placing their hands on a glowing orb in the center of the room. If a zombie touches with a human, the human becomes a zombie. If a human touches with a human, they both remain safe and win a garnet each. If a zombie touches a zombie, nothing happens. The catch is that they must touch with a different player each round at least once, but they can touch multiple times too. Also, they each get one vial of antidote which they can consume within 10 minutes of touching another player if they believe they've accidentally touched with a zombie. They can also purchase additional vials with garnets if necessary. If, by the end of the game, every player has turned into a zombie, the 2 original zombies share a joint win. If there are humans left over, the human with the highest number of garnets wins and the human with the lowest number of garnets loses. If the number of garnets are equal amongst the humans, they share a joint win and pick a zombie for elimination. Watching the players scramble to figure out who's a zombie and who isn't is so much fun.
As you can probably tell, the opportunity for strategizing, lying, bribing, and forming beneficial alliances is pretty immense, which opens the show up to some pretty fantastic gaming. I'm about halfway through season 2 and I can't wait to see who wins!
Since Big Brother 17 is right around the corner, I thought it would be a good time to post this essay I wrote last year. It's important to keep in mind how minority groups are represented on reality TV, that way we can mitigate our sometimes harsh, visceral reactions to contestants we dislike.
Gay Representation on CBS’s
Big Brother:
The Case of Frankie Grande
CBS walks a precarious line with Big Brother. On one hand, the show is
the epitome of cheap reality television, chock-full of tacky challenges, where
one contestant gets evicted each week and the last houseguest standing wins
$500,000. On the other hand, the show can be considered a microcosm of American
society. This gives the producers a certain degree of social responsibility. What
CBS chooses to air (and not to air) is important because it shapes the worldview
of those who watch the show. As Sears and Goddaris argue in “Roar like a Tiger
on TV?” reality TV programs reproduce contemporary society, and they “provide
the viewing audience members with cues about ways of acting in the real world”
(Sears & Goddaris 184).
As I watched the season 16 contestants’
pre-season interviews, I found out that Frankie Grande was cast as the season’s
gay male contestant. I was pleased about this casting choice because I was
familiar with Frankie’s YouTube videos,
in which he comes across as friendly, outgoing, and sociable—a great
combination of attributes for a contestant to have. Additionally, Frankie went
into the Big Brother house with a
relatively large fan base already built-in because he is Ariana Grande’s
brother. Right off the bat, Big Brother
puritans were annoyed because Frankie’s fame was bound to give him an unfair
advantage in the game.
As such, he was entering the house with a certain degree of stigma attached to
his name.
At the season’s one-week mark, fans began
to turn on Frankie for various reasons. In the following essay, I will attempt
to determine why this fan hatred came to be, and at whose fault: Frankie’s or
CBS’s? I believe CBS’s penchant for heteronormativity made it difficult for him
to operate authentically, and Frankie, by no fault of his own, played right
into the negative tropes the show often employs. I will address heteronormativity
on reality TV, the damaging effects of gay tropes, and the unrealistically high
standard to which gay reality show contestants are held, using Frankie Grande’s
experience as the vehicle for exemplifying my arguments.
I should begin this analysis by, first
and foremost, situating myself as a white, heterosexual, feminist woman, and I
acknowledge my subjectivity as such. I reconcile my difference from Frankie
Grande by approaching this topic from an academic queer & gender studies
standpoint, and I by no means wish to speak on behalf of the gay community. My
goal is to rationalize Grande’s experience on Big Brother by using the experience of others in the LGBTQ+
community as a framework to guide my investigation. I am also invested in the representation
of oppressed minorities in media, particularly given the profound potential for
audience mimesis and validation (Silberman 449).
Heteronormativity on Big Brother
Season after season, only one gay man is
cast on Big Brother. The imbalance of
gay-to-straight characters on season 16 was a whopping 1:16, which places a gay
man in a house full of heterosexuals. This heteronormative context is
drastically different from the setting in which gay males perhaps find
themselves outside the Big Brother
house. Frankie Grande performs on Broadway, which is a notoriously safe space
for individuals who identify as queer (Clum 247). Grande himself expressed how
fond he is of the inclusive nature of theatre, given the camaraderie between
straight and gay colleagues. He says, “There’s no faux pas with us being
lovey-dovey and touching each other in theater” (Schultz). His public image is
also very closely tied to his sister Ariana, who recently denounced Catholicism
in favor of supporting her gay brother, which paves the way for an inclusive
and tolerant milieu for Frankie and his Grandtourage (Ehrlich).
Grande on the set of Rock of Ages
The Big
Brother house is very different. I imagine, for a gay contestant, the
compulsory heterosexuality of the show can be staggering. Compulsory
heterosexuality is defined as “the accumulative effect of the repetition of the
narrative of heterosexuality as an ideal coupling” (Ahmed 145). Much of Big Brother’s appeal is the hope that
two of the houseguests will couple up, or to borrow one of the show’s many colloquialisms,
become a “showmance”. The gay male contestant, of course, has no potential to
engage in a showmance since he is the only homosexual man there. In “‘You are
not Allowed to Talk About Production”: Narratization on (and off) the Set of
CBS’s Big Brother” Ragan Fox reflects
on his time in Big Brother 12 as the season’s
gay male. He notes the particular moments in which he felt isolated from the
other contestants due to his sexuality, particularly at times when houseguests
were discussing the possibility for showmances: “Early in the game, I felt left
out when my roommates discussed potential romantic pairings among the houseguests”
(Fox 193). These casual conversations constituted his “othering” by putting him
on the periphery of the pre-established Big
Brother rhetoric (Butler 133).
Frankie Grande tried to conform to the
heteronormativity of his male peers on Big
Brother. He mentioned that his strategy going into the house was to
“infiltrate the jock alliance” because he has a “fraternal way of relating to
[straight guys]” (Schultz). I believe Grande’s way of interacting with the
other men on the show was problematic. He found himself in hot water when
mentioning to the guys that they should “double team [Victoria]” and “take all
of her virginities in one night”, in reference to raping another houseguest
(Goddard). In another instance, Frankie and Cody Calafiore were discussing a
rape scene in the movie Showgirls,
and Frankie thought the scene is hilarious, while Cody maintained that rape
scenes do not belong in movies (Grodner).
As such, Grande appealed to the other contestants’ heterosexual masculinity in
a way that was degrading and unacceptable, by repeatedly perpetuating the belief that rape is amusing.
The Gay Villain & the
Problem of “Zankie”
Fox also explains that “gay characters
are marked by their failure to achieve intimacy” and so the show’s producers,
fans, and LGBTQ+ contestants must find “other ways to performatively render gay
sexuality” (Fox 193). One of the ways in which gay characters are typified is
by enacting various tropes, which are “stereotypical, repetitious
representations” of the gay persona (193).
The trouble with these tropes is that they preserve “negative and limited
portrayals of homosexuals”, which thwarts the efforts of the LGBTQ+ community, since,
as I previously argued, what is portrayed on reality TV shapes the worldview of
its audiences (193). In the case of Frankie Grande, I would like to particularly
focus on the tropes of the villain motif and the gay-by-association
heterosexual character.
It is quite often that, in
competition-based reality TV shows like Big
Brother, the homosexual contestant is characterized as the gay villain. This
is unsurprising, given that the gay villain motif has been documented in media
many times before, be it in “Disney movies, witches and psychos in canonical
films, and perverts and child molesters in the news” (198). Fox suggests that the
gay villain trope is born out of the stereotype of the gay contagion (202),
which I believe is associated to Judith Butler’s understanding of Simon
Watney’s concept of “gay disease”, explicated in his “Policing Desire: AIDS,
Pornography, and the Media” (Butler 132). The stereotype of the gay contagion
is rooted in the longstanding, homophobic response to AIDS; which is directly
related to the notion that gayness can be spread, and even worse, that it is life-threatening
(132). So, when a gay male participant on Big
Brother aligns with a heterosexual male, the public reaction is both
complex and outrageous.
“Zankie” refers to the homo-hetero relationship
between Frankie Grande and Zach Rance, another male houseguest on Big Brother season 16 (O’Keeffe). Zach
and Frankie got very close in the competition. Their relationship was quite
physical; they hugged and touched and cuddled constantly. This could have been
the brink of Big Brother’s first homosexual
showmance, however producers were quick to dismantle that possibility. On July
6th, CBS exposed Zankie’s relationship and answered the question
fans were wondering: We know Frankie is gay, but is Zach? His answer: “I am not
gay, but the bond that Frankie and I have is so genuine and sincere, that I
truly feel like he is my boyfriend” (Grodner). This mixed response is exactly
what CBS was hoping for: Zach Rance is straight and there is no possibility of
Zankie becoming a veritable showmance. On the other hand, CBS must have realized
how many Zankie supporters there were, because the second half of Zach’s
statement was enough for fans to go wild with excitement. Many “Zankie” fan accounts sprouted on Twitter, Tumblr, and YouTube around this time, which further solidified and arguably fetishized Zach & Frankie’s relationship. Essentially, the producers gave fans just enough information for them to be excited about the
possibility of Zankie, but sanitized the response by having Zach confirm that
he is not homosexual. Later on in the episode Zach says once more, “I’m
straight and I only date women, but Frankie is just one of the best people I’ve
ever met” (Grodner).
The problem with Zankie is the
following. Zach confirms he is straight, but continues to show affection
towards Frankie… So how does this paint Frankie? It brings us back to the gay
villain motif, which is perhaps best iterated with Zach’s own words to Frankie,
as heard on the live feeds on August 3rd: “You try to turn me gay
every single day. I feel like you get closer and closer every time but it ain’t
going to happen […] Frankie’s the horniest guy in the world.” (Grodner). The “straight-mistaken-for-gay” trope that Zach enacts is
“commonplace” in television, and it “derives much of its humor from the
audience’s knowledge that the character is not, in fact, gay” (Fox 202). The
problem is that this kind of behavior cites and reproduces the myth that gay men
are predators, especially in their relationships with heterosexual men (202).
While Fox, on his season of Big Brother,
was particularly careful not to come off as a sex-starved gay predator, Frankie
embraced this trope by taking Zach’s comment as a compliment to his virility (Grodner).
In his autoethnographic essay, Fox reveals that CBS prodded him to talk about
hetero-male cast members in a sexual way, which confirms the producers’ desire
to perpetuate the trope of the gay villain as sexual predator (Fox 204).
In an article from The Wire entitled
“Breaking Down How Frankie Grande Became the Most Hated ‘Big Brother’ Contestant”, author Kevin O’Keeffe cites the
“destruction of Zankie” as one of Frankie’s pitfalls. Later on in the season, Frankie
contributed to a plan to have his showmantic partner Zach evicted. This move further
entrenched Frankie into the villain motif because it proved to fans that
Frankie did not care about Zach for anything beyond companionship, and was
willing to cut him whenever he needed to. Breaking ties with allies at
strategic points in the competition is generally seen as a strong move (Hayden Moss cutting ties with his showmance Kristen to benefit his alliance in season 12 is the example that comes to mind),
but the backlash Frankie received proved that he was being held to a different
standard than that of a heterosexual man playing Big Brother.
The fact of the matter is that Frankie Grande was not placed in this competition to win. He was simply there to contribute
his gay storyline. This is perhaps why Andy Herren, gay male and winner of
season 15 of Big Brother, is one of
the most-hated houseguests in the show’s history. He was not there to win, but
he did anyway. Alas, the role of the gay male is a typecast on Big Brother. “Type” is defined as “any
simple, vivid, memorable, easily-grasped and widely recognized
characterization” that has “no complexity of character or multiplicity of
traits” (Wojcik 226). Frankie was not expected to excel in this competition; he
was not meant to be the lead role, but rather, a supporting role (243). The gay
male is therefore subordinate to his heterosexual competitors. Any time he
transgressed this boundary by succeeding in the game, Grande was vilified even
further. For example, Frankie was chosen to be part of Team America, and every week he had to carry out pranks in order to sabotage his houseguests (Grodner). Every time Frankie completed a prank successfully, he received $5K, and every prank he carried out solidified him as a villain.
Catch-22 for Gay
Contestants
It is my assertion that the gay man
is set up for failure when he is cast on Big
Brother. Frankie fell victim to the villain motif (among other tropes), but
even if he actively resisted this kind of stereotyping, he would not have been
able to escape these representations. Fox went into the Big Brother house fully cognizant of the negative ways in which he
might be portrayed, and he worked very hard to combat them. Even so, CBS
portrayed him as an oversensitive villain, and he found himself “ensnared in a
web of gay representation” (Fox 204).
Fox addresses the fact that he was held
to an impossibly high standard on the show. When Hayden Moss, his fellow
housemate told him: “You are an awesome representative of the gay community”,
Ragan appreciated his compliment but also acknowledged the unfairness (204). No
one tells heterosexuals that they are “awesome representations of the hetero
community”. As such, gay competitors have to “serve as an exemplar of a
historically marginalized group and
play a game known for cheating and backstabbing” (205). Anyone can see that it
is extremely difficult, and perhaps impossible, to operate under such rigid
expectations.
Still, Zankie’s hetero-homo relationship
is being hyped as progressive in the LGBTQ+ community. In his article entitled
“Frankie Grande on Big Brother and
the Hetero-Homo ‘Zankie’ Showmance That Had Everyone Talking”, Brandon Schultz
claims that “this is one of the first times
we’re seeing a serious, strong love between a straight man and a gay man that
goes far beyond tolerance—and it's on network television” (Schultz). While I can definitely see how Zankie’s
relationship might be considered progressive, I feel like this speaks volumes
to the need for a homosexual relationship between two men to be seen carried
out on a normative reality TV show like Big
Brother. Zankie, as loving as it may have been on the surface, was
extremely tumultuous and problematic, particularly because it vilified Frankie
as a gay man and conserved the myth of the “gay contagion”. Perhaps after
acknowledging how much the public was rooting for Zankie, CBS might see that
fans are eager to see relationships alternative to heterosexual ones. In
breaking the show’s heteronormativity, a door of possibility would open for Big Brother’s homosexual contestants by
allowing them a fighting chance to excel in the game, and it would also
ameliorate the way homosexuality is perceived on a macro level.
Works Cited
Ahmed, Sara. “Queer Feeling.” The Cultural Politics of Emotion. New York: Routledge,
2004: 144-167.
Butler, Judith. “Part iv: Bodily Inscriptions, Performative Subversions” in “Subversive
Bodily Acts.” Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York: Routledge, 1990: 128-141.
Clum, John M. Something for the Boys: Musical Theater and Gay Culture. New York: St.
Martin's, 1999. Print.
Ehrlich, Brenna. "Ariana Grande Reveals Love For Gay Brother Frankie Made Her
(OMGGG I wrote this a week ago but forgot to hit post... Please excuse my stupidityyyy!)
We're more than halfway through the season and I haven't written a blog post about BBCAN3. I think it's because the season has been so up-and-down in terms of which side of the house gets power, and there are so many game-changing twists that make it really hard to keep track and form a solid opinion about what's going on. It's way different than season 2 where about mid-way, the "evil" side of the house lost power and basically fizzled out from there. This time it's a bit more of a ping pong match.
Last night was a TRIPLE EVICTION, which is absolutely nuts. In the end, I really enjoyed the concept because it proved where everyone's head is at, and it forced them to start playing more strategically. (Spoiler alerts ahead)
Brittnee won HoH (yay!) and nominated Zach, Kevin and Pili. I really think she should've nominated Bruno. I know her goal was to split up the couples, but Bruno, individually, is a much bigger threat than a couple at this point. He's so sneaky, he manages to get in everyone's ear, and he has a way better understanding of the game's mechanics than, say, Zach or Pili or Ashleigh. Bruno is playing a game almost identical to Derrick's, just slightly worse, and it's really frustrating to watch because everyone falls for him. To see Bruno win would be a huge bummer.
So then, as it goes, Bruno wins POV. It was a Big Brother gift for Brittnee to win HoH, so naturally Bruno had to win POV to balance out the good. I guess with this season you can't have too much of a good thing. But it wasn't all bad - Bruno's goal is also to eliminate the couples (as he made clear for the past couple weeks), so it didn't make sense for him to use the POV. The vote would be simple. Everyone would save Pili and the biggest physical and social threats, Zach and Kevin, would be evicted. Except Bruno DID decide to use the POV.... On Zach?! On his number one target? WHY!!!
These are the things that annoy me about this game now. Everything is so fast-paced that you don't have a chance to see if/when allegiances shift. Everyone's a flip-flopper. I miss the Big Brother seasons where it was simpler and clearcut as to who was working with who, and who everyone's enemies were. Remember when Janelle literally could not care less about the majority, stuck to her guns, and worked closely with Kaysar knowing full well he was public enemy #1? Those were the BB days!
Alright so Bruno uses the POV on Zach, and Brittnee decides to nominate Willow in his place. Another head-scratcher. Why Willow? We discovered prior to the nominations that Brittnee didn't trust Willow. Fine, but Sarah trusted Willow and Willow trusted Sarah, so presumably Brittnee could use Willow to her advantage and they could work together to eliminate the rest of the house, right? Wrong, I guess. Nominating Willow wasn't a BAD idea, it just wasn't the BEST idea. She should've nominated Ashleigh to further diminish the numbers on the other side of the house.
Then, as if the episode needed one last confusing move, Sarah chose to save Pili instead of Willow, one of her closest allies. I think this was a case of over-analyzing the game to be honest. She figured Zach and Bruno would save Kevin (since they presumably had a bro thing going on) and that God and Ash would save Pili, so she saved Pili to ensure a girl would stay over Kevin. Little did she know that Zach and Bruno saved Willow instead of Kevin, and had she just voted the way she wanted to, Willow would still be there. Even if it came out to a tie, at least Brittnee would have to break it and she would be somewhat in the clear for Willow leaving.
In the end I would consider this triple eviction a half-win. Kevin leaving is just... incredible. So good. But Willow leaving is a little underwhelming. Overall, the season isn't shaping up to be so bad. It's no BBCAN2 but it's certainly better than the past couple seasons of BBUS. Some things are going well, like the fact that Brittnee, a plus-sized WOC, is doing really well in a game that typically favours white men. At this point, I would be pleased to see some combination of Brittnee, Sarah, or God in F2. That would be ideal.
Finally, Big Brother season 16 has come to its anticlimactic end. In light of this terribly boring season, CBS needs to pump out All Stars 2 for BB17. It's time.
This season I was very hopeful for a cast of newbies, and although there were some great personalities in there, the lack of strategic gameplay took away from the season. It seems like the only remedy to this would be to bring in the vets. I decided to make a little "dream" All Stars cast. I kept the candidates to recent seasons only and left out houseguests who have been on more than one season.
cast
Kathy BB12
Ian BB14
Derrick BB16
Russel BB11
Elissa BB15
Ronnie BB11
Dominic BB13
Shelly BB13
Nicole BB16
Cassi BB13
Natalie BB11
Jessie BB15
Hayden BB12
Donny BB16
Kalia BB13
Zach BB16
I think this is a good mix of beloved and hated houseguests. I'm really not okay with letting vile houseguests return, which is why I omitted Andy and Amanda and Aaryn and Frankie and others that do not deserve another chance to be on TV in my opinion (no matter how well they played or how much drama they caused).
In hindsight I would probably switch out Hayden Moss for Lane or Enzo, because having 3 male winners in a season might be a bit excessive. I just really wanted to have the Brigade represented in one way or another because I felt like the Brigade was a 15x better Bomb Squad.
I specifically wanted to bring back Cassi and Dom from BB13 because I thought they left way too early and they had so much potential and were essentially just victims of Rachel's drama.
Honestly it was really difficult to make this list because the best Big Brother houseguests have already played this game twice or more before. So, if I were to make my true All Stars cast, it would go like this...
Dan BB10/14
Will BB2/7
Derrick BB16
Zach BB16
Donny BB16
Hayden BB12
Ian BB14
Frank BB14
Dani BB8/13
Rachel BB11/13
Janelle BB6/7/14
Elissa BB15
Jordan BB11/13
Kalia BB13
Britney BB12/14
Nicole BB16
This list includes 7 past winners so I think it's safe to say that it would be a freakin' showdown. I also put in some personal favorites like Kalia and Elissa. Let me know who you think should be asked back for All Stars (repeats or non-repeats) :)
I haven't done a favourites post in SO long which is a shame because I love making them and since I have some time off work/school, I thought I'd write one up. Let's get started!
My first favorite is the Tarte Lip Surgence in "Energy". This has been one of the only lip colors I wore throughout July. It's supposed to adapt to every person's lips differently, but from what I've noticed it usually turns into a bright pink color. Really pretty!
Orly Bonder base coat is a-mazing. If you have trouble with nail polish chipping, I highly recommend this base coat because it seems to glue the nail polish to your nail and it makes it last much, much longer.
White nails have always been a staple for summer, and my all-time favorite one is OPI Alpine Snow. It does need 2-3 coats to get it opaque but once it's on, it stays on for days and the color is a great, crisp white.
My next favorite is this mini version of the Kiehl's "aromatic blend" in the scent Fig leaf & sage. I think it blends really well with my natural scent and I catch myself getting whiffs of it throughout the day so I know it lasts a while. It came in the above package with another 4 assorted minis.
Next I have an amazing neon/rose gold chain necklace from Persunmall that I got a little while back. It adds a pop of color to basically any outfit and I've found myself wearing it a lot.
My book favorite of the month is Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. I was originally reading the Hunger Games series as Collins was releasing the books, but when Mockingjay was finally released, I read the first ten pages and was instantly confused because I couldn't remember what had happened in Catching Fire. BUT since the Catching Fire movie has been released, I thought I could finally read Mockingjay and understand it. I have to say I really liked it. I thought it was gripping and interesting to read, and it got me really pumped up for the movie which I believe comes out in November.
Annabelle Big Show mascara has been my favorite mascara not only for July, but for the past like, 6 months. I just think it's absolutely great. It reminds me of Benefit BadGal without the ridiculously huge brush.
EOS lip balms have always been a hit/miss for me, but I've found a way to love them. I think they work most effectively if you apply it consistently/every day. My lips have been super smooth lately and it's thanks to this! I keep one in my makeup drawer and one in my bag. My favorite is the green one (I think it's melon flavor?).
Marc Jacobs "Gatsby" is a really beautiful nail polish. It's a coppery-rose gold color and I think it's super unique and fun to wear.
I love wearing bright necklaces in the summer (and year-round too but mostly in the summer), and this is one I have loved for ages. I got it in 2009 at For Love 21 in Los Angeles and have worn it non-stop since. It makes any outfit instantly more exciting.
My favourite summer blush (and it has been for many summers prior) is Mac Pinch 'o' Peach. It's a peachy pink blush that I find really flattering and I would recommend it for anyone with a light-medium skintone.
Because I'm such a sucker for iPhone games, I have to admit that my favorite app of the month is Kim Kardashian Hollywood. It's just so much fun!!! I love any kind of Sims-esque game, and all you have to do is complete photoshoots and other career opportunities in order to gain fans. Above is an event I'm working on at the moment, and you might notice my arch nemesis Willow Pape is there (ugh).
My number one television show of the month is hands down Orphan Black. It's a sci-fi thriller which admittedly is not my favorite genre, but it's just. so. good. All the friends I've made watch it have loved it as well. It keeps you on your toes, and the main actress Tatiana Maslany is brilliant. There are two seasons out already and you can find them online and on Norway Netflix. If you start it, be sure to watch all the way until the final episode of season 2 because your mind will be blown.
Of course, Orange is the New Black season 2 came out on Netflix and you know I loved it. I thought it was just as great as the first season and I can't wait for season 3. I'm really pleased with Piper's character development because it seems as though she's becoming less flippant and more well-rounded (or is it just me?). Anyway, love it.
That concludes my July favorites! Let me know in the comments what you've been loving :)
Hey everyone! So last night was the finale of Big Brother season 15, and I've got lots to say so I thought I'd write up a post :) If you haven't watched this season and plan to, or just haven't watched the finale, brace yourselves for spoilers.
I've been watching the entire season episode by episode, and keeping up with the live feeds on occasion. If you follow me on my personal Twitter account you'll know that I livetweeted the life out of this show - sorry if that annoyed you! - so I think it's safe to say I was pretty invested.
I guess the first thing we should talk about is the final three: Andy, Spencer and GinaMarie. Suffice it to say this trio made for a really lacklustre finale episode. Andy, the described "rat-floater" of the season, weasled his way into being the final HoH of the season, allowing him to have full control over the final 2. He chose to bring along GinaMarie, which was, at first, a surprising move. We all thought Spencer was his bud & the easiest to beat, but choosing GinaMarie proved to be a smart choice overall. Her speaking skills are subpar, to say the least, and in a test of eloquent question-answering skills, she basically bumbled and fumbled into oblivion. (Ragan Fox, former Big Brother contestant put it best in his tweet: "I'm just Ginuh Muh-ree. That's me. It's who I yam. Ginuh Muh-ree. Me. I yam Ginuh Muh-ree.")
But back to Andy - I have mixed feelings about the kid. On one hand, he played a tactical social game, making sure his every move was calculated, and he won competitions when he needed to (despite the fact that he found himself competing against two competition weaklings towards the end). On the other hand, he made tons of distasteful comments during his stay in the Big Brother house, many about gamemate Elissa and her family. Totally uncalled for and disrespectful. So, on a game level, he was a forerunner in comparison to his competition, but on a personal level, I have nothing but extreme dislike for the guy.
Spencer runs along the same lines as Andy. He was the floater of the season and never really made his mark, but he played a decent social game given his initial weakness as a social player. His original alliance, The Moving Company, tanked big time, and all its players were being picked off one by one, but somehow Spencer managed to gain the good graces of the houseguests and was able to save himself every week. He acquired the title of #1 houseguest in the history of Big Brother to escape the block so many times. While I do think there's some merit in that, it's mostly because he was viewed as extremely disposable, which is kind of sad. Similar to Andy, he made a lot of hurtful comments in the house - mostly sarcastic jabs at other players, referring to their race, sexuality, etc. And he threw around the word "cunt" like it ain't no thang. Although CBS did not portray him this way, there is no doubt that Spencer was highly misogynist and bigoted.
And finally, GinaMarie. The only credit I can give her is for when she split up McCranda during her HoH. She made the move that no one else was willing to make. If she had played this up in her final speech she might have won 500K. She proved to be strong during endurance competitions but was one of the weakest during puzzles/quizzes, and her only redeeming asset was her assertiveness and composure during her HoHs. Aside from these secluded moments, GinaMarie's outspoken nature is what sank her. Very clearly lacking education, GinaMarie was, in my opinion, second-worst in terms of spewing racial slurs and hateful comments. Most of these comments can be attributed to her ignorance, but it made her absolutely unbearable. Even her creepy obsession with Nick was eclipsed by her incessant diatribes against Candice (although, again, none were aired on TV).
To recap: Andy won the final HoH and took GinaMarie to the final 2, evicting Spencer. During crunch time, Andy (a public speaking professor) slayed GinaMarie in the question/answer period, and went on to win $500,000 on a 7-2 jury vote. GinaMarie came in second place, meaning she won $50,000 - a little saddening given she won't truly experience the blow of losing her job due to her racial bs. Additionally, Elissa won $25,000 and the title of America's Favorite Houseguest. I think her win was totally merited despite her relation to Rachel Reilly. Her composure and strong sense of self was a breath of fresh air.
One last point I'd like to discuss is about the post-game comments made by the houseguests in regards to them being called out on the crappy comments they made during the game. A lot of them got really defensive about it - retorting with phrases such as "I'm sorry if anyone was offended", "The comments were taken out of context", and my personal favorite thanks to Spencer: "I'm sorry if we gave Big Brother bad publicity". Basically, I think all the houseguests need a lesson on how to apologize. Diverting the blame to the affected party "I'm sorry if YOU were upset" does not offer up any remorse/regret whatsoever. I would love for just ONE of these sad, pathetic houseguests to take the onus for their behavior. In case anyone would like a more in-depth explanation of what I'm trying to say, check out this great and highly relevant video by YouTuber ChescaLeigh:
All in all, this season was bittersweet. I love watching Big Brother and will continue to do so, but many of the contestants were horrible people. That said, I'm sure CBS will assume the responsibility of engaging in a more rigorous casting period for future seasons. But for now, I'm glad this season is over. I found myself wishing we were back in season 11 watching Jessie Godderz. That's when you know it's bad.
I'm on summer break and I don't currently have a full-time job, which means I'm basically always watching TV or reading a book or watching movies to pass the time. Also, I'm curious about what TV shows everyone's watching so I thought I'd discuss some of the summer shows I'm loving, and you guys can let me know what you're watching in the comments & if we watch the same stuff, I'd love to chat about it :)
I figured I'd get the show I'm least excited about out the way first: Pretty Little Liars. Ugh, this shoooow. I'm going to be honest... I'm not into it anymore, but it's on its fourth season and I feel like I'm in too deep to back away now. I hate-watch it now (kinda like how you hate-read Twilight or Fifty Shades of Grey). It frustrates me to no end, but somehow, I'm stuck on it. I have major issues with this show, not because of the mediocre acting, but because of the writers. Mysteries from seasons past are left unsolved, and I feel like they constantly bring up new elements instead of tying loose ends. Overall, really unsatisfying. Would not recommend. If you watch it too, please tell me you feel the same way?! I think I have hopes that they'll somehow revive it and make it worthwhile... Sigh.
Canadians, you can catch up on episodes at MuchMusic.com.
Big Brother: I'm not by any means a BB superfan like most of this show's viewers, but I've definitely enjoyed watching the past couple seasons. My only problem with it is that it's difficult to keep up with because it airs Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday. Other than that, it's really interesting to watch! I love seeing who befriends who, who wins what competition, which alliances are strong and which ones die... It's a lot of fun. Admittedly, most of the contestants are shallow and unidimensional, but Big Brother makes for the best "guilty pleasure TV show". I'm not absolutely loving anyone right from the start this season, but my favorites so far are Amanda and Nick.
Canadians, you can catch up on episodes at GlobalTV.ca.
Skins (!!!!!!!!) I recently re-watched seasons 1 through 4 of Skins on Netflix so I'm really excited about the 7th season. If you are unaware, this will be the last season of the show and will only be 6 episodes long, highlighting the lives of Effy Stonem, Cassie Ainsworth, and James Cook (all past characters). So far, only the first episode has aired and personally I think it's still too early to decide whether or not this is a good idea. I'm already sad about what they did to Naomi's character, but we'll have to see how everything pans out in the next episode. I'm excited for it!
Torrent this to catch up!
My Netflix summer pick is Psych, a hilarious and smart detective show. I happened to catch an episode of this on TV one day, never having heard of it before, and to my delight the first six seasons happened to be on Netflix! I'm not that big on violence and suspense which my only issue with detective shows like CSI, but Psych has that super satisfying crime-solving element mixed in with a humorous main character - keeping it light but still mysterious at all times. Plus, I'm a sucker for classic Holmesian problem-solving. Overall, really entertaining and sustains the waits between my other TV shows lol!
You'll need American Netflix to watch this. Just do a quick search on how to get it if you're Canadian.
There you have it! If you have any other recommendations for me (preferably on Netflix) please let me know :)
