Of assault and “fantastic housemates”
I think this might be a world first to see us comment (albeit briefly) on big bogan. For those that aren’t living in Australia, or who have been under a rock for the last week, two housemates were evicted from the house of Australian Big Brother on the weekend for a breach of “house rules” which occurred in the early hours of the morning on the weekend, witnessed only by those people mad enough to pay for the live internet feed.
Specifically “John” and “Ashley” allegedly treated one of the girls in the house, over her objections, to what is euphemistically referred to as “turkey slapping” (if you, like me, didn’t know what this was, you can google it). Subsequently clips of the captured feed were made available on Youtube, so you can see for yourselves exactly what happened.
This has sparked some interesting reactions. First, every politician in the country has called for the series to be axed. This includes a nice little commentary from John Howard about his personal views on big brother (he having undoubtedly watched it avidly since series one). This post isn’t going to be about the attempt to pressure Channel Ten into axing a peurile and not very interesting reality show. Except for this - if we have descended to a point where big brother is discussed in parliament, then our elected representatives aren’t really putting their best foot forward.
And I am not going to spend time talking about the apparently contradictory manner in which the issue has been handled by the producers. The housemates were ejected, the police were called and interviewed the victim who declined to press the matter, confidential counselling was offered to the victim and so on. All reflective of a show which considers the issue to be a serious matter to be dealt with seriously. But publically, the ejected housemates have been described as “fantastic housemates”, who will be “greatly missed” and provided with a forum in which to put their side of the story (essentially that it was all a joke). They didn’t apologise, they never expressed remorse for what they had done (only for the fact that the matter had prompted the response that it had), and they explained themselves in such a way so as to intimate that so long as they didn’t mean any offence, none should be taken. They weren’t challenged on any of this. On the contrary, much talk was made about exaggerated media reports which should be taken with a grain of salt.
I know this because I was forced to watch this unscheduled 15 minute apologetic whilst I was waiting for Numb3rs to start. The presenter, Gretel Kileen is someone who in the past has excoriated a housemate for daring to suggest that it was unfair that footage was edited in such a way as to indicate (wrongly) he had been involved in a homosexual pash with another housemate. She has blown her top and called someone aggressive who chose to make a political statement against the treatment of refugees during an eviction show (by taping over his mouth). But people who have been ejected from the house on the basis that they have carried out a serious breach of the rules are treated with kid gloves. But I am not going to talk about that.
What I do want to address is a question that appears to have gone unnoticed by all but members of our household. Why on earth are the big brother contestants operating in the house under pseudonyms? Are they all fake names? And if so, doesn’t it make you wonder why they chose their particular monikers?
July 4th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
I’ve been inundated by talk of this rubbish (the ‘incident’ on BB) over the past few days on Triple M. Despite actions to the contrary, Channel Ten’s executive must be rubbing their hands in glee. Anyone want to finish this phrase? “Any publicity is…”
July 4th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
I’d love to point out the tack that Hack on JJJ took last night (a current affairs program on the national youth radio station, one of those alternative places that things like BB are always critisised). They were deploring the politicians for asking for it to be axed because it is one of the few places for topic of this nature to get any real disscussion in the media.
July 4th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
I wandered about the name thing too. I think it might be because both of them were called Michael, and there was another guy called Michael who was evicted from the house a number of weeks ago. Three Michaels would have been too confusing. On the other hand, maybe they are all using pseudonyms, in which case I suppose it would stop future employers from googling them and finding out everything they revealed about their sex lives while they were on big brother. For example, one of the intruders a few weeks ago announced that she was bisexual within minutes of arriving in the house- something her mother was very interested to hear for the first time on national tv. I watched big brother a bit in the first or second seasons, but from the bits and pieces that I’ve caught of it this year (hard to miss being on six nights a week) it seems to have become more boring then ever. If they axe it, I think it will be because it has become so crap they have to promise big ‘first time on tv’ surprises every week.
July 4th, 2006 at 5:27 pm
As a turkey, I’d object to being Human Slapped.
July 5th, 2006 at 6:41 pm
my favourite moment was when “Camilla” apologised to all the remaining housemates, because, obviously, the whole thing was her fault…
July 6th, 2006 at 3:19 pm
I heard on the radio this morning that apparently Camilla had been saying that she wanted to be turkey slapped, but that that wasn’t screened on tv.
July 6th, 2006 at 4:06 pm
i’d be really hesitant to believe the radio report, Laura…
July 6th, 2006 at 5:36 pm
In a related issue, while flipping over from forensic investigators last night, I noticed that they were bleeping out some of the conversation on big bogan uplate. But they were letting the f-word through. I assume it was the C-word. Do they still censor that on BB?
July 7th, 2006 at 10:18 am
Well, it’s obviously all rumour and hearsay at the moment and I was just repeating what I had heard on the radio- not claiming it as absolute truth.
I thought Camilla looked uncomfortable on the video, but although I’m not an avid watcher of big brother, I’ve seen enough to know that she has no problem openly criticising others in the house. I wouldn’t consider her to be someone who has difficulty standing up for herself. Yet, on the Sunday when the boys were kicked out, she was clearly upset that they had gone, said she wasn’t offended and she knew it was meant in fun. She also said that they stopped when she told them to stop.
I’m not sure what they censor on BB, Dan.
July 7th, 2006 at 11:57 am
There’s every chance that they may be editing out references to outside people’s names & stories. We don’t get ‘uplate’ ‘darn ‘ere in cuhntreh (down here in the country…) but there have been bleeps on other segments of the show where I couldn’t imagine swearing being an issue.
But on the whole issue of BB - people say they want to know how young(ish) people live - this is how they live! If you want to know, watch. If you don’t want to (or think it’s ’stupid’ - like it’s the only ’stupid’ show on TV!) then don’t watch.
Not hard…
July 7th, 2006 at 12:49 pm
hi laura… i saw the bit where camilla was talkling in the room on her own with big brother. she talked about how she felt very uncomfortable when it happened, that they took it too far, and they stopped it when she asked.
from what i saw on sunday night (and i didn’t see much), her behaviour wasn’t out of character for someone who has had an unwanted sexual experience with someone you really like. you’re confused, you wonder how you got into that situation, you wish it would all just disappear and return to normal etc. etc.
i think the comment you heard on the radio makes me feel sick because i hear it so often in situations like this… “she was asking for it”… “she really wanted it to happen”…
to the boys credit, they stopped when she asked.
July 10th, 2006 at 10:16 am
Yes, I agree with your analysis of her behaviour…
“her behaviour wasn’t out of character for someone who has had an unwanted sexual experience with someone you really like. you’re confused, you wonder how you got into that situation, you wish it would all just disappear and return to normal etc. etc.”
And I don’t think “she was asking for it” just by jumping into bed with them- that is pretty common on big brother. The claims on radio were from ‘John’s father, who is angry about the allegations of sexual abuse toward his son. He said his son had told him that she had talked about how she wanted to be turkey slapped and that it had been kind of an ongoing joke in the house, but none of the context was aired on tv. If she did make those comments, I don’t think it was very bright, even if she just meant it as a joke. If she didn’t make those comments, then John is probably trying to clear his name by lying to his family.
July 10th, 2006 at 9:27 pm
they stopped when asked?
oh good for them!
as I saw it,
it went…
lay down
you’re not going to turkey slap me are you
no
-she lays down-
don’t
now, having seen this on ‘the news’ I know it was probably the edited dance remix version of events, but “you’re not going to turkey slap me are you” is a fairly clear indication that if that was in fact your plan it is time to change the plan. Any turkey slapping after this point is unwanted and you can no longer claim you were unaware of the unwantedness therein.
Perhaps a wet willy could have been substituted so you could claim that was your plan all along? It has the advantage of not involving a willy.
My high point was hearing the father of the one they call John defending his son, because “he didn’t do anything, he just held her down”. (or words to that effect)
I hate to use it but that was a real WTF moment. I understand (as a parent) you wouldn’t want to go on TV and say “My Son Was a Twat” but rather than clutching at ways to defend twatdom he could have said “this is out of character and I will be standing by my son even though he was a total plonker on this one occasion”
or (the best option) he could have not given a TV interview and just gone round to his son’s house and smacked him across the back of the head and said “WTF were you thinking”.
July 11th, 2006 at 4:33 pm
My impression of the incident was similar to Cheryls. [insert disclaimer here about how I don’t know any of the housemates or what they are like]. She seemed to me to be someone who was very uncomfortable about the situation but feeling like she had to “go along”. The soundtrack makes it clear that all of the housemates were in the room at the same time, talking and joking.
July 12th, 2006 at 10:38 am
My take on the whole thing in cartoon version:
http://www.mattglover.com/Images/Cartoons/BB2006.gif
July 12th, 2006 at 11:15 am
“you’re not going to turkey slap me are you” is a fairly clear indication that if that was in fact your plan it is time to change the plan.
If you watch it on youtube:
First she says
“I’d like you to put your naughty arrow near me” She tells a story about a hot PE teacher who used to keep her back after class. They call her over to the bed. She walks over accusing them of farting. John says “lie down and close your eyes” Camilla says “you’re not going to turkey slap me are you. You are, you liars. Let me in.” She was laughing as she said it, and then still got into bed with them. “I’ll hurt you if you do. I’ll bite it” Camilla laughs and wriggles while John holds her down and Ashley turkey slaps her. Camilla yells to the room. “I just got turkey slapped. that was so mean” and gropes John in the crotch.
Talk about mixed messages….
July 12th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
like your work matt!