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Big Brother 2006

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22:27 / 06.06.06

Pete's dislike of confrontation does seem to be doing him the world of good, though, doesn't it?

If "good" = popularity with the GBP, yes. Although I think at least 50% of that good may be down to his having Tourette's.

Sezer LOVED confrontation. Look where it got him.

I think Shahbaz was more of a confrontation-junkie. Sezer loved asserting himself. Luckily, there are shades of grey here.

See, I'm not convinced this "spinelessness" is necessarily such a bad thing.

The 'spineless' stuff is fairly flippant - but there's a grain of truth to the joke. Avoiding confrontation is all very well (if a little selfish sometimes - never stick your neck out for anybody being a great survival trait an' all) but can lead to problems in relationships. Of course, if one avoids relationships, then that source of conflict can be sidestepped too.

If one is adept at ignoring 'bad things' around oneself (situations in which one could intervene on behalf of a good friend, say, but would rather not) then yes, conflict-avoidance is fine and dandy. One's ability to help others is always going to be limited to a consoling role, however.

22:30 / 06.06.06

Ganesh, is there perhaps some psychological reasoning for Nikki's expressive speaking (facial stretching/contorting rather than hand movements) other than wanting to state her point more clearly?
It seems like a very distinct personal feature?

Also, Lisa reminds me of someone I pretty much despise it's painful to watch her.

Regrettable Juvenilia

22:37 / 06.06.06

Oh, is Pete dressed as Jonny Depp in Benny & Joon again?

Anyway, Ganesh, my theory is that Lea probably turned against Richard the moment he said "you're a 38 year-old woman", when she had earlier that day been loudly declaiming "I'm a 36 year-old woman!". The funny, tragic thing is that I would put good money on two facts being true: a) that Lea is older than 38, b) that Richard said that number because she told it him previously, and she cannot keep the figure the same (her Channel 4 website profile says she's 35).

22:39 / 06.06.06

Well, I would entirely agree that people who think football fans are more scary and unpleasant than radioactive waste deserve to live in close proximity to radioactive waste.

Having lived in close proximity to both Windscale power station and the Arsenal football ground, I can confirm that the shameful human leakage from one of those things seemed more immediately life-threatening than it did from the other.

Regrettable Juvenilia

22:44 / 06.06.06

Glyn has been made House Chef.

"What's the hob?" asked Glyn.

GLYN TO WIN!

22:44 / 06.06.06

Away and bob on a dead dog's chopper, mate.

Lea is actually 35 according to Closer/Reveal/Now/whichever one it was I read today.

22:52 / 06.06.06

Ganesh, is there perhaps some psychological reasoning for Nikki's expressive speaking (facial stretching/contorting rather than hand movements) other than wanting to state her point more clearly?

Habit.

In this case, it's just a cigar.

22:57 / 06.06.06

Anyway, Ganesh, my theory is that Lea probably turned against Richard the moment he said "you're a 38 year-old woman"

I think that sealed it. As someone due to hit 36 this year, I find my brane unable to compute the idea of Lea being the same age as me. Even allowing for self-delusion on my part, she has to be older than that.

*thoughtfully cups nascent man-breasts*

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

00:05 / 07.06.06

If one is adept at ignoring 'bad things' around oneself (situations in which one could intervene on behalf of a good friend, say, but would rather not) then yes, conflict-avoidance is fine and dandy. One's ability to help others is always going to be limited to a consoling role, however

That makes complete sense in real life. On a TV game show, however, hmm...

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

00:11 / 07.06.06

Or, to expand, can one actually be said to have a "good friend" on the strength of a) two weeks, and b) everyone you're likely to have trusted changing their tune every 48 hours or so?

In a situation like that, I'd say standing back was the best thing you could possibly do.

06:42 / 07.06.06

Well yes, I actually would say that it's possible to establish a good friend within a hothouse living-cheek-to-jowl environment like Big Brother, if one allows oneself to get 'sucked into' things like friendship. Pete's a reasonable judge of character and the people he seems to like haven't changed their tune every 48 hours; certainly not where he's concerned. Naturally, it's perfectly possibly to avoid any sort of bonding which involves more than onlooking or occasional hand-stroking, however, if avoiding all social risk is one's tendency.

The "best thing"? The dullest thing, certainly. I suspect that if Pete didn't have his wicky-wacky neurological disorder to provide colour and definition, we'd be considering him nice in a non-committal way but a bit pointless and voting him out.

08:57 / 07.06.06

I am waiting for the internet to be hooked up at my new flat and the hardest thing about it is missing the BB thread! Still watching faithfully but missing Barbecommentary. I'm actually spending my 20-minute teaching break catching up.

Poor Sam eh? But yeah she's outta there..

That's all I got time for now!

11:00 / 07.06.06

cherie - I'm in the same boat. My PC blew up last night, and now the only place I can catch up on the BB thread is at work... oh well, those kids don't really need to sit their exams, do they?

14:33 / 07.06.06

Grace is scary. She leaves no trace.

14:44 / 07.06.06

She's the Impossible Missions Force of shit-stirring.

15:52 / 07.06.06

The spoonman on the grassy nowhere.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

16:08 / 07.06.06

Well yes, I actually would say that it's possible to establish a good friend within a hothouse living-cheek-to-jowl environment like Big Brother, if one allows oneself to get 'sucked into' things like friendship. Pete's a reasonable judge of character and the people he seems to like haven't changed their tune every 48 hours; certainly not where he's concerned. Naturally, it's perfectly possibly to avoid any sort of bonding which involves more than onlooking or occasional hand-stroking, however, if avoiding all social risk is one's tendency.

Fair point, but given that pretty much anyone who has thus far allowed themselves to trust and form relationship with others has either been betrayed or otherwise ended up in tears... I'm not saying this is a good strategy for life, but in confinement with this crowd it seems to make sense.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

16:09 / 07.06.06

(I think I'm starting to realise that I have "issues" of some kind).

18:27 / 07.06.06

Lea is actually 35 according to Closer/Reveal/Now/whichever one it was I read today.

No she isn't.

18:56 / 07.06.06

Fair point, but given that pretty much anyone who has thus far allowed themselves to trust and form relationship with others has either been betrayed or otherwise ended up in tears... I'm not saying this is a good strategy for life, but in confinement with this crowd it seems to make sense.

That sort of reminds me of a friend's paintballing story, which I'm going to dust off and buff up into an analogy:

Friend of mine at University (who did indeed look a bit like Mike from Spaced) would regularly go paintballing with a bunch of chums. One weekend, a friend of a friend tagged along. They got togged up and enjoyed the usual Saturday blastfest - but this friend of a friend was nowhere to be seen. Finally, paint-splattered and happy, getting ready to go, this guy appeared from nowhere, almost immaculate. He proudly explained that he'd been lying in a ditch for the previous three hours, covered in leaves. He hadn't fired a shot, but no-one had fired a shot at him. He was extremely proud of himself: "you'd all be dead and I'd still be alive".

Do you see? (And no, neither one of them = Jesus.)

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:10 / 07.06.06

Yeah, that's a decent analogy. Except that with paintball the objective is to have fun. With a gameshow the objective (apparently... I don't watch many, so I could be wrong) is to win the big prize.

I'm aware that this puts Pete in the "g*m*pl*n" camp, and therefore contradicts everything I've thus far said about him. I'm actually quite confused now.

19:14 / 07.06.06

You reckon Pete's in there primarily for the big prize, rather than the experience itself?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:20 / 07.06.06

No. That's why I'm being all self-contradictory and confused. My chain of logic has led me into a currently-being-painted corner.

I'm still thinking about this one.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:22 / 07.06.06

Ah, but Nikki's in the diary room. That's the kind of shit that makes TV worthwhile.

"I wouldn't WIPE my ARSE with Lea........ (pause)..... I'd RATHER use TOILET PAPER".

It's her punchlines that really get me.

19:31 / 07.06.06

Pete clinging to Lea makes me think of Harlow's baby monkey hanging from Soft Terrycloth Mother.

Nikki's extraordinary "I wouldn't wipe my arse on Richard and Lea... I'd rather use toilet paper" Diary Room rant was symptomatic of the bizarre and malignant paranoia that's gripped the (female) Housemates. Noting that Pete hasn't put Lisa down as one of his 'references', Nikki assumes (because Pete, being the House Dog, couldn't possibly have made his own decision) that someone has told him who he can and can't associate with - and obviously that someone must be Lea, and obviously that implicates Richard too, and probably Aisleyne. Cue fury with "that clan".

19:44 / 07.06.06

Ok, I'm watching the show and reading the thread, and I am just LOST. Richard, as ever, seems like the only vaguely sane person there except, perhaps, Aiselyne and Pete. The back and forth is just so confusing. Would it really clear up if the arch-manipulator went? I hope so. Someone, please notice what Grace is really like. Anyway, if I was voting this week it'd be Nikki all the way. She may be some kind of innocent pixie but by god, does she grate. Like a fucking Magimix.

19:46 / 07.06.06

The Dickie-hate is really stunning me. I can only assume it's industrial strength paranoid projection at work. Lea and Sam both visit the Diary Room to curse his name, Sam swearing blind that she knows "100%" that he's nominated her. He nominated neither.

I'd love to think that'll be pointed up in the Davina interview, but I can't see it happening.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:46 / 07.06.06

Must disagree. Nikki must stay. Even though she's utterly horrid. Those diary room monologues are what's making the show for me.

Though were she actually to win, it would be proof of a Godless universe.

19:54 / 07.06.06

Would it really clear up if the arch-manipulator went? I hope so. Someone, please notice what Grace is really like.

I'm not sure. Lisa is currently a tumour-like contraction of pure, malevolent insecurity, beady eyes constantly darting here and there for fresh suspects. Perhaps if she and Grace were gone, Nikki and Imogen might unclench a little. I dunno.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:57 / 07.06.06

I'm too angry with Lisa for disappointing me so spectacularly after a first week spent having her as my favourite HM to actually have an objective opinion on her right now.

19:59 / 07.06.06

Liking Lea's horse.

Tryphena Absent

20:15 / 07.06.06

I'm too angry with Lisa for disappointing me so spectacularly after a first week spent having her as my favourite HM to actually have an objective opinion on her right now

Spot on.

20:23 / 07.06.06

I agree, although credit where credit is due. She is still good at what she's good at - handling Pete. The conversation in the pool really did seem to clear the air, and she managed it (managed Pete) really artfully. She didn't make it feel like a confrontation - even though it was - and she conceded something she knew would really make Pete feel that the interaction was worthwhile (the pledge never to kill an insect again). She converted a negative experience into a positive one. It was cleverly flirty and impressive, I thought.

I warm to Glyn more and more. At the moment, I think I'd like him to win.

20:27 / 07.06.06

She didn't make it feel like a confrontation - even though it was - and she conceded something she knew would really make Pete feel that the interaction was worthwhile (the pledge never to kill an insect again).

Hmm. I wasn't sure whether the "I'll never kill an insect again" was meant as sarcasm or not. It was quite hard to tell.

I do wonder to what extent her rampant paranoia is fuelled by the early rejection from Pete. Perhaps a bit of positive contact - or the threat of him withdrawing positive contact a la moving to a single bed - might curb her scattergun insecurity.

20:34 / 07.06.06

Oh I took it to be sincere (or at least meant sincerely). Could be wrong though.
I think she has genuine respect for him, and since he has been the only one to express any doubt about Grace's behaviour (and shown no distrust of Richard's), I hope more people start listening to - ideally soliciting - his views.

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