Why are older Big Brother players targeted early?

Why are older Big Brother players targeted early?

As a seasoned gamer who has watched Big Brother since its inception, I can confidently say that age is not always just a number in this game. The departure of Kenney, a seasoned player and the oldest houseguest, serves as another reminder that Big Brother seems to favor the young guns.


Historical evidence from Big Brother indicates that the competition tends to favor younger participants, and the latest elimination in BB26 seems to support this trend.

Leaving the show “Big Brother” by ex-secret agent Kenney won’t dispel the belief among viewers that older contestants aren’t given a level playing field. Could it be that age alone contributes to their downfall, or is there a deeper narrative at play here?

Exploring some of the early evictions on Big Brother

Contestants who are older than 35 on the show Big Brother sometimes do quite well, but they’re frequently perceived as potential early eliminations due to their higher vulnerability to being voted off.

In the last three series of American Big Brother, only one contestant over 40 years old has been the first to be eliminated. This unfortunate distinction fell on returnee Keesha Smith (age 42) during the second All-Stars edition in 2020. Remarkably, Keesha had previously made it to the final four in season 10 when Dan Gheesling, who many consider the best player ever on Big Brother, dominated with a landslide victory. Coincidentally, this was also the season where Jerry MacDonald placed third at the impressive age of 75.

Following the end of season 10, only two contestants over the age of 40 have been the initial evictees due to a standard house vote: Keesha and Steve (from season 20). However, there were others like Jodi (season 14) and Glenn (season 18) who were also the first out, but their circumstances were due to Big Brother twists, so I’m excluding them from this observation.

The reason older people are targets

Why are older Big Brother players targeted early?

The last thing you want to do in Big Brother is stand out like a sore thumb early on.

Unfortunately, it’s a factor that most of the senior participants can’t influence, but it’s crucial for them to be aware of this detail before entering the house.

In Season 21 and Big Brother 25, Cliff and Hisam are among several mature contestants being closely watched early in the game. Cliff managed to survive initial impressions and reached the final four, whereas Hisam exited in 14th place. Additionally, Donny Thompson, known as America’s Favorite Houseguest from Season 16, found himself on the block several times but kept escaping due to his repeated wins in competitions. This season, Angela has been nominated and seemed destined to leave, while Kenney, the oldest contestant, has now been eliminated.

In the world of Big Brother, what people see is what truly matters, and it’s often the older contestants like Cliff, Donny, Kenney, and Angela who grab attention from the outside. Yet, there’s more to it than just their visibility that leads older contestants such as Kenney to be among the first to leave. The reality is that older contestants struggle to connect with younger generations, a fact they sometimes use as an explanation for their early exit. However, this isn’t always the whole story.

It’s uncommon for elderly contestants to join in on the playful activities that the house organizes. Instead, they often feel excluded or left out, not knowing why they aren’t included. However, it’s important to note that being an older contestant in a game primarily consisting of 20-year-olds can be challenging. Yet, those who participate after their mid-30s rarely make the effort to fit in and engage more with the group.

How older contestants can flourish?

At this point, everyone should understand that Big Brother is fundamentally a social game. Given this knowledge, there’s no justification for contestants not engaging in group activities within the house. It’s not necessary to be the entertainer or chatty all the time, but showing up and demonstrating an interest in participating is crucial. If you’re not feeling it initially, pretending until you genuinely become involved can work too.

Individuals who actively participate and make efforts to engage socially, such as Cirie, Evel Dick, and Kevin (season 19), generally performed well. It’s worth noting that Chicken George, known for his poor strategic gameplay during BB7 All-Stars, had numerous humorous and childish moments in the first season of Big Brother, as well as in his second appearance. Conversely, Donny was initially an outsider due to his distinctiveness, and he didn’t make significant attempts to socialize throughout, which explains why he was consistently targeted.

In contrast to “Survivor,” where the pace is incredibly fast, “Big Brother” moves more like a marathon, providing ample opportunity for players to immerse themselves into the game. Consequently, there’s no room for older contestants to shy away from contributing and becoming part of the game.

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2024-08-14 17:32

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