Last time we talked, the houseguests had yet to move in or even be introduced. It feels like so much has happened since that time. What have been your thoughts on Week 1 of BB24?We always tell the house guests to expect the unexpected. I don’t even know what to expect tonight! I’m checking texts in between interviews that say, “Oh, forget that script we just sent you. It’s changing right now.” When we talked before, I told you that the first eviction night was going to be a night like never before in the history of the game. And, boy, is that true! (Laughs.) It’s not even necessarily everything we planned for it to be. So we have surprises in store for us who work on it.To that point, there have been rumors that Paloma has left the house after seeing her mental health deteriorate over the past few days. Can you say anything about the situation that’s happening now?I can’t address any rumors right now. But you will have answers on tonight’s live show.This week has prompted a large amount of controversy over actions and comments against Taylor by her fellow houseguests, which have produced an understandable outcry from fans and alumni alike. What are your thoughts on the way the season 24 houseguests have treated Taylor this past week?What I think has been a little bit surprising is how Twitter and the internet has exploded in really jumping on someone. Which I never like. I don’t think any of us are in any position to judge any other human being. What you have to remember is that yes, microaggressions are real and they happen every day. When you’re playing the Big Brother house, it’s a pressure cooker in there. And you might say or do things that you think is going to advance your position in the house. But you won’t always do it in a way that makes yourself look your best. What I think Taylor has experienced in the house and what we’ve seen on the live feeds are separate from each other. A lot of it has been classic Big Brother trash talk behind someone’s back because you feel threatened by them. In many ways, Big Brother is like high school on steroids. And if you were to ask Taylor, you know, prior to becoming a replacement nominee, she simply was not aware of how much jealousy there was. So I would say, let’s all take a pause. Let’s try not to judge. Please leave the judging to the judge: Father God. And let’s exercise some compassion for one another. We don’t know what it’s like to go through that Big Brother house. Have some mercy and some grace and some forgiveness. And if someone can come out of the house, sees what their actions were in the house, and learn something from it, and is humbled by the whole experience, then hallelujah! That’s a beautiful thing. So I think people need to just open up their hearts a little bit more, and show some kindness and some forgiveness. Give someone a chance to change, to see their actions, and learn and grow from it.So then to that point, let’s talk about the Taylor side of things. Because it’s been tough to see her feel so much isolation by the other houseguests during just the first week of the season to the point where she’s been reduced to tears. What are your thoughts about her reaction to what some call a mob mentality building in the house?It’s so interesting that you use the term “mob mentality.” Because isn’t that what Twitter has done? Aren’t you all being hypocrites? There has been this mob mentality created against people in the house, who viewers feel have not been kind to Taylor. I think anytime you’re nominated, it’ll bring you to tears. Because at the end of the day, you want to be liked. And when you get named as a nominee, you get the sense, “Oh, they want me out. The majority wants me out.” But I feel for Taylor, who’s been told that she has rubbed some people the wrong way. We all walk through life thinking that we’re good, decent people. You don’t set out to be unlikable. It hurts. It hurts and I have sympathy for her. I have sympathy for everyone in that house. It’s not easy.Tonight should hopefully see the Backstage twist from the premiere come into play. Can you preview what we should expect, and what’s to come from Week 2?I would say that with this backstage twist. We’re going to reveal all the beats of it. How much of it actually plays out to the extent that is intended, we’ll have to all wait and see. But next week, with the new twist, all I will say is that it involves something I would describe as a “BB Bestie.“Next, read our Big Brother 24 preseason interview with Julie Chen Moonves.
