“Big Brother” is no stranger to controversy.
The hit CBS reality series, which returns for Season 26 tonight, has made headlines at times for the wrong reasons since it started airing in 2000.
The show follows a group of people living in a house that is under constant surveillance. Being that they’re recorded 24/7, the houseguests, as they’re called, sometimes do and say offensive things that infuriates viewers at home.
In some cases, host Julie Chen Moonves takes the contestants to task for their behavior after they’ve been evicted.
Season 26 of the show will feature 16 new players competing against each other to win the $750,000 grand prize.
And they very well may create controversy along the way.
Here are the biggest controversies in Big Brother US history
Justin Sebik holds a knife to another contestant’s throat (Season 2)
Season 2 contestant Justin Sebik was expelled from the show for holding a knife at Krista Stegall’s throat.
Producer Arnold Shaprio told the New York Times that production didn’t intervene because the incident only lasted a second. He also said Sebik was previously warned twice about his behavior in the house.
Scott Weintraub gets violent (Season 4)
Season 4 contestant Scott Weintraub was kicked out of the house for being violent. He was upset that his ex-fiancée, Amanda Craig, who was in the house with him as part of the “X-Factor” twist, got nominated for eviction during week one.
Weintraub started throwing chairs around the house, resulting in his ejection.
Amber Siyavus makes anti-Semitic remarks (Season 8)
During Season 8, Amber Siyavus made a number of anti-Semitic comments. She called Jewish people “bad” and “selfish.”
She also said, “You can tell by their last name, you can tell by their nose.”
Siyavus was not punished on the show for her remarks.
Adam Jasinski uses the R-word (Season 9)
Season 9 winner Adam Jasinski used the R-word during a conversation in the house.
He said he wanted to start a hair salon “so r—-ds can get it together and get their hair done.”
After winning the $500,000 grand prize, Jasinski promised to donate $100,000 to Autism United.
The year after the show, he was arrested for possession of oxycodone pills. He went to prison for four years.
Braden Bacha makes racist comments (Season 11)
Season 11 contestant Braden Bacha used a racist slur while arguing with fellow houseguests Kevin Campbell and Lydia Tavera. CBS edited the word out of the TV episode.
He was the first person evicted that season.
Jeff Schroeder rants about Dumbledore (Season 13)
Jeff Schroeder from Season 11 stirred up controversy when he returned for Season 13. He went on a rant about Dumbledore from “Harry Potter” being a gay schoolteacher.
“I don’t think it’s the right thing to have a little kids’ book and have the headmaster that you’re locked away with in a magical land be gay,” Schroeder said in argument with Kalia Booker.
Despite his comments, Schroeder was voted America’s Favorite Player at the end of the season.
He addressed the controversy in a 2021 interview with Heavy.
“I’ve apologized and again, I am sorry, and I’ll continue to apologize and I don’t ever want to make excuses for what I said. I want to take full responsibility for what I said and have it as a learning experience,” he said.
Willie Hantz gets expelled (Season 14)
Willie Hantz was expelled during the second week of Season 14. He got upset with the other houseguests and head butted Joe Arvin.
Hantz, the brother of “Survivor” player Russell Hantz, was immediately kicked out of the house by producers.
Aaryn Gries’ offensive comments (Season 15)
Season 15 is by far the most controversial season of “Big Brother.” Contestant Aaryn Gries was responsible for most of the controversy due to offensive remarks she made specifically at the start of the season.
Gries called Black contestant Candice Stewart “Aunt Jemima” and said that Korean contestant Helen Kim should “go make some rice.” She also flipped Stewart’s mattress over during a heated fight.
Chen Moonves confronted Gries about her behavior after her eviction.
“Being Southern, it is a stereotype and I have said some things that have been taken completely out of context and wrong,” Gries said in the interview. “I do not mean to ever come off racist. That is not me and I apologize to anyone I have offended for that.”
GinaMarie Zimmerman and Spencer Clawson also caused controversy during Season 15.
Zimmerman asked Stewart (who is biracial) when her “Black” was going to come out.
Clawson, meanwhile, complimented Adolf Hitler’s speaking skills and used homophobic slurs.
They both apologized for their comments after the season.
Jason Dent jokes about rape (Season 19)
During Season 19, Jason Dent joked about raping houseguest Kevin Schlehuber’s wife. He laughed when making the comment.
Speaking to TMZ, Deborah Schlehuber said that Dent’s remarks were the worst thing she’s ever seen.
Paul Abrahamian’s behavior towards houseguests (Season 19)
“Big Brother 19.” CBS via Getty Images
Paul Abrahamian was accused of mistreating numerous fellow houseguests on Season 19.
Abrahamian (who now uses they/they pronouns) concocted a plan to wear Blackface at a veto ceremony to confront Black houseguest Dominique Cooper. They didn’t go through with the plan.
Abrahamian was also accused of rallying the house to bully and ostracize houseguests Cody Nickson and Jessica Graf.
They addressed the controversy in an Instagram post after the season. Abrahamian denied they tried “to mock a houseguest with racism” and apologized to anyone offended.
JC Mounduix acts inappropriately (Season 20)
Season 20 contestant JC Mounduix committed several controversial acts in the house.
He tried to place an ice cream scooper on one of his housemate’s genitals, and kissed another houseguest’s armpit when they were sleeping.
CBS warned Mounduix about his behavior. The network also said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter that the contestants affected by Mounduix told producers “that they in no way felt threatened, unsafe, or sexually harassed.”
Jack Matthews and Jackson Michie’s racist undertones (Season 21)
During Season 21, Jack Matthews and Jackson Michie came under fire for how they treated the minority contestants in the house.
Matthews called Black contestant Kemi Fakunle “disgusting” and a “maggot.” He also referred to Asian contestant Bella Wang as “rice pudding.”
He apologized for his remarks in his interview with Chen Moonves and after the season.
Michie called Black contestant David Alexander the “cancer” of the house. He was also accused of targeting the minorities for eviction and being condescending to the women.
He was asked about his behavior on finale night, but denied he meant to be offensive.
After winning the season, Michie told Entertainment Weekly he doesn’t “see race or gender.”
Ian Terry is mocked for having autism (Season 22)
Season 22 contestants Memphis Garrett, Nicole Franzel, Christmas Abbott and Daniele Briones were slammed online for mocking contestant Ian Terry’s behavior. Terry is autistic.
“I can’t even look at him sometimes because [of] his constant movement. It stresses me out,” said Briones. “I feel mean saying that, but I’ll literally have to move to a point where I can’t see him.”
The foursome all individually apologized after the season.
Taylor Hale is ostracized (Season 24)
Taylor Hale was ostracized by the other houseguests when Season 24 began.
Hale, who is Black, was specifically referred to as “aggressive.”
Many of the show’s alumni defended her online at the time.
An anonymous casting producer for the show told Variety that the treatment of Hale was “really disappointing.”
Against all odds, Hale won the season and was also voted America’s Favorite Player by the fans.
Kyle Capener fears an all-Black alliance (Season 24)
During Season 24, Capener feared there was an all-Black alliance forming, which there wasn’t.
The season prior, an all-Black alliance called “The Cookout” dominated the season.
All of the houseguests learned about Capener’s concerns and they evicted him.
“It didn’t click in my mind. … I now realize how terrible that was, and I should have realized it from the start,” he told Chen Moonves in his eviction interview.
“I apologize to everyone watching, and everyone in the house,” he added.
Luke Valentine uses the N-word (Season 25)
Luke Valentine was ejected from Season 25 by producers for using the N-word.
He said the derogatory term to two other houseguests on the live feeds prior to the first eviction.
“Luke violated the ‘Big Brother’ code of conduct and there is zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur,” CBS and the show’s producers said in a statement.
“He has been removed from the house.”
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