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Big Brother 9

by Krista and Adam
Read Q&A With Big Brother Winner Adam
Hey guys!

One last piece of Big Brother 9 for you! My interview with Adam moments after Sunday's finale is now live. Below is an excerpt, as well as the link to the full Q&A. Share your thoughts below! — Adam

TVGuide.com: You told the jury you would be giving some of the money to help disabled children. Do you plan to honor that statement?
Adam:
Ultimately the money is mine, and it's my decision. Being out of the house, I have to take time and see what was going on in the outside world without me there. I've heard there have been some instances that I was unaware of, but yes, I plan on doing the right thing with the money — what's true to my heart and fulfills my word to the jury. I want to help out children in need, bottom line. That's why I came into this house in the first place.

TVGuide.com: Do you have any special plans to celebrate your win?
Adam:
I'm ready to paint the town and take my victory laps. I'm stoked. There are so many simple things you really miss out on being inside that house, like music or really just quality conversation with other people you care about. But I'm Big Baller, and Big Baller's ready to go out and do it big!

TVGuide.com: What was the point in the game when you thought you really had a shot to go the distance?
Adam:
The turning point was definitely when we went to singles. Being partnered with Sheila may have benefited me for a few weeks, but when I split from her, I could play for myself. I could do a bunch of diverse maneuvers and make bonds in the house because it became more of a one-on-one game at that point. When we split, that's when I knew I had a run at the $500,000.

TVGuide.com: If you had won the final head of household, would you have taken Sheila?
Adam:
Like I said, it's all in theory. I don't like to put words in my mouth when they're not my bond. I'm pretty much a man of my word. It would've been the hardest decision I would've had to make in Big Brother. And I'm still 50-50 on that. Sheila could use the money, but Ryan did do a lot more for me in the game. I'm just glad I was able to win the game without having to make that decision.

TVGuide.com: Did you throw the last competition to avoid making that decision?
Adam:
Absolutely not. I wanted to win it for myself.

Read the full interview here!
Read Episode Recap: April 27, 2008 (Finale)
With tonight's crowning of Adam as Big Brother 9 champion, that just about wraps up our coverage of the season. But below is a conversation between Krista and I about tonight's show and some overall thoughts about the season. We've enjoyed bringing you this blog, and look forward to doing it again when the next season begins in July. Happy reading, and, as always, share your thoughts as well! — Adam

Krista: 6-1!. I'm so shocked!
Adam: Yeah, me too. I'm disappointed, but I sort of expected it to be a landslide.
Krista: Did you? Wow, I didn't at all. I thought for sure his demeanor at the round table was going to shoot him in the foot.
Adam: Well, I should say before tonight I expected a landslide, but after the round table I did have second thoughts. But he played the charity card, which I think won some people over.
Krista: Well, I hope he makes good on his promise.
Adam: Me too.
Krista: He's going to feel really dumb when he finds out he was fired for a comment about autistic kids and all along he's been pledging to take care of them with the money. Hopefully he'll get some redemption!
Adam: Yeah, let's hope. I honestly did come to like Adam throughout the season. Despite the rocky start, seemed like a pretty good guy. I don't think the rest of the jury felt the same about Ryan.
Krista: That surprises me. I think Adam did a lot more promise breaking. For me, Ryan seemed to be able to get away with going back on his word because he wasn't over the top about being in an alliance with someone. He wasn't swearing up and down and then stabbing them in the back like Adam did to Sheila. But I think Adam is a good guy at heart, despite my constant comments otherwise. His face mystified me all year, but that's a pretty shallow reason to not like someone!
Adam: Haha. It's no secret that I was pulling for Ryan all year long, and we all know how you feel about Jen. Do you think she hindered from winning in the end? Chelsia was pretty vocal about her in the roundtable.
Krista: I like Ryan myself, and I wouldn't have been sad to see him win despite Jen, that vile woman. I wish I could say for sure she ruined it for him, but I don't know. Maybe it hindered Chelsia's vote, but I don't think anyone else cared. When I look back on it, however, I'll definitely blame her just for fun!
Adam: I was most surprised by James' vote. I thought he, above all, would vote for gameplay, which perhaps he did in his mind. I personally think Ryan played a better game than Adam, but James did say he "hated" what Ryan stood for when he was evicted. Were you surprised by any of the votes in particular?
Krista: I agree that Ryan played a better game, but I think the jury did vote for who they thought played the best game, so I'm not surprised by anyone's vote. Remember, they have not seen what we've seen — they voted blind. If I had to pick one surprise vote, it would be Sheila. Even as she cast her vote she seemed to be incredibly angry at Adam.
Adam: Speaking of bitter, I think Sharon gave Adam her vote because she was still mad at Ryan.
Krista: No doubt, and she kind of should be. When he answered her round table question, you could tell he had no other answer for her other than that he never truly had her back. I think if he were a bit more honest at the round table he may have gotten a few more votes.
Adam: Maybe. I was disappointed that the entire segment with the other non-jury evictees was dominated by Jen and Allison, though it was kind of juicy. I just wished the others had been able to tell the jury members things that might've made them second guess their votes.
Krista: Yes! Didn't the jury used to see the season before they voted? I could be wrong about that, but that was always my impression. There is never enough time in the finale episode. All I want to hear is the reactions from the jury members on things they didn't know, and we only get to see bits and pieces. I'm glad Adam was outed for what he said to Natalie and they addressed what a scum bag Matt is, though. They didn't talk to Amanda, Alex or Parker. And where was Neil? I think he died.
Adam: I think he wasn't there because he left voluntarily, and no longer became a part of the game. Who knows?
Krista: I think they at least could have brought him back. He's like the dog on The Brady Bunch who all of the sudden was never seen or heard from again and no one ever talked about.
Krista: But what about James winning the jury prize?
Adam: I had him pegged to take the prize. I would have voted him for, but I had to keep my journalistic objectivity.
Krista: I agree. I would have voted for him, too. I have no journalistic objectivity. I was just lazy and didn't get up off the couch.
.Adam:Yeah, and it's Big Brother. There's no need for credibility or integrity!
Krista: Sheila of course, came in second like in everything else. Second is last, as we've learned this season on Big Brother.
Krista: What wasn't addressed that you wish got some air time tonight?
Adam: Hmmm, that's a good one. I guess I don't have any lingering questions, understanding that the jury didn't see all the footage. I was wondering why Eric from Season 8 was there without Jessica. Do you think they have parted ways?
Krista: Hahaha! If she knows what's good for her! I love seeing old house guests in the audience. Danielle, Dick, Janelle, Erica, Eric — it's nice to know CBS doesn't forget that they embarrassed themselves on TV for their ratings.
Adam: Don't forget about Whaaaamber!
Krista: I didn't see her!! Was she crying?
Adam: Surprisingly no. She was a couple rows in front of Eric. Sorry for getting off topic! I'll put your question back to you. What do you wish had been addressed that was not?
Krista: I wanted a couple more lies outed. I wish we had more time and a post- show after the houseguests have seen the whole season so we can see them fight again. We have to wait for them to do interviews.
Adam: Speaking of which...I am interviewing Adam in a couple hours!
Krista: Lucky you!
Adam: I hope I can understand what he says. We know how he gets wound up and loses control of his tongue.
Krista: Yeah, we saw that in the jury round table. Please let us all know how that interview goes and where we can read it.
Adam: Well, I am actually hoping that the readers here will post their burning questions! I'll be more than happy to ask him a few of them. (Shameless plug alert!) There will be a piece in this week's newsstand copy of TV Guide, and the full interview will be published on TVGuide.com sometime this week!
Krista: I guess that's a rap for Big Brother 9. But you know what? Big Brother 10 starts in just over two months! And where would I be but right here with my immature comments and generally strange observations?
Adam: That's right! We might be the only team that made it through this season. And we'll be back in July!!
Krista: We should totally be on BB 10 as the secret twist. Not!
Adam: Any parting thoughts on this season?
Krista: I think this season started horribly and ended on a higher note. After the couples split, we got to see some interesting strategy and game play. I look forward to next season and hope the twist is a lot better. Thanks to all the posters who put up with us, post such great comments and appreciate that this blog is a labor of love!
Adam: I couldn't agree more. Just watching tonight's show-opening recap, I was shocked at how much I actually ended up liking this season when it started out as such a dud. But I'm a sucker for Big Brother. It shall remain my guiltiest of pleasures. I, too, appreciated all the comments and hope a few of our loyal readers will post some questions before the interview. So, let the Season 10 predictions begin!
Krista: Yes, and let's keep it going all the way to July 13th. See you all then!
Read Episode Recap: April 23, 2008 (Final Eviction)
So we're down to the final three and my first thought was how big of a disappointment Sharon turned out to be. I admit I was certain she would bust out and win a bunch of competitions when it counted, but she fell flat. Granted, she was a question off on a few HOH comps, but she never won a POV and was nominated 6 times. Was she holding back? At first I thought so, but now I'm not so sure. Then we learned that she lied about her back being the reason she dropped in the glass house endurance comp. Her game play has mystified me. It's almost as if she wanted to do nothing and just try to weasel her way off the block. Maybe she wouldn't have won the jury votes after all!

The first part of the HOH comp continued with Sheila admitting she's afraid of the water. Then Adam decided to start torturing her like he always does. In general I find her to be a weak player and a bit of a whiny cry baby, but sometimes I feel bad that Adam torments her. What's worse? She seems to think they are friends. Adam is just making it easier for me to root for Ryan. Yet, Sheila ended up dropping after about 40 minutes and that's when I stopped feeling bad for her. She really has won nothing and done nothing all season. Adam then dropped off and gave the first part of the HOH to Ryan. What an uneventful competition!

The second part of the HOH comp combined physical and mental. Adam and Sheila not only had to remember the order of every person who held HOH in the house, but they had to work a hamster wheel to get balls with the names of the house guests on it out of a maze and onto the podium in the correct order. Of course Sheila complained through it all and fell quite a few times, but she seemed to get the hang of it. Oddly, neither of them seemed to be rushing too much. Not that Adam needed to rush since he finished in less than half her time. That's just embarrassing.

Next the DJC, dressed in an outfit that looked like she was a Pink Lady in the final scene of Grease, talked to the final three and asked them how confident they were that the jury would vote for them on a scale of 1 to 10. Ryan and Sheila said 3 and 4, respectively, and Adam said he'd low ball it at a 5 because he has both of them beaten. I very much wanted to find this ridiculous, but he just may be right.

Jury house footage! Big surprise (not!), Matt still hates Gnat. More of a surprise, Gnat seems to be out from under her Matt spell. That may be the smartest thing she's done all season. I loved how they caught Adam and Ryan "making faces" at each other, basically exposing their agreement on Sharon's eviction. That will really hurt Ryan. I thought these tapes weren't supposed to show anything that would expose strategy, but maybe that was unavoidable.

The third part of this HOH competition should have been the battle to win a half million dollars. Whoever won should have had the smarts to take Sheila and secure a bigger chunk of the jury votes. Usually, the jury votes on vengeance and not game play, but the way I see it Adam would have it locked up either way. He hasn't really offended anyone too much and has actually won some important comps. Ryan may have had a bit of a harder time against Sheila, but I still think he would have won. However, Ryan evicted Sheila and sadly (due to the sound cutting out) we couldn't hear the obviously nasty remarks Adam had just after she walked out the door. Even though she didn't really deserve it, I felt bad for Sheila because she took it so hard. At the end of it all, she's just a mother who wanted to help her kid. I really believe that. In my opinion, Adam turned out to be quite a two-faced jerk. I do not like the way he lied about Sharon and the bathroom deal to Ryan (then called her every name in the book) and how he'd promise Sheila the world and then tear her to shreds to anyone who would listen. I know it's a game so I can overlook the lying, but his mouth has been viscious since that little comment that lost him his job earlier this season. That's not game play, it's just mean. So I either turn a blind eye and root for Adam or forget that somewhere Vile Jen is purchasing a new wardrobe and go with Ryan. We'll find out who wins on Sunday in the exciting finale!
See you then! — Krista

For more Big Brother, check out our Online Video Guide.

P.S. Don't forget that both Adam and I will be weighing in on the finale action in a super special blog. It's guaranteed to please — so don't miss it!
Read Episode Recap: April 22, 2008 (Eviction 11)
What has Big Brother taught us once again this season? You have to win competitions to go the distance. Sharon, the ultimate mole, survived much longer than she probably should have, but aside from winning one HOH with Joshuah, she's had a dry run. I would have been spilling the same story had Sheila (and her sob stories) been sent packing. Ryan (who it's no secret I've been pulling for from the beginning) really flexed his muscle this week, winning HOH, the luxury competition with Sharon and then the most important POV of the season. That's not to say he's got the game sewn up, because in my mind, he made a few mistakes this week. But we'll get to that later.

First, how great is it that we get three doses of Julie this week? She popped up tonight for the eviction, and will be back tomorrow to determine the final three and, of course, for the finale Sunday. I never thought I'd say this early on, but I can't believe this edition is almost over. Oh well, bring on the summer! [In my best Julie Chen voice] But first…

Adam really almost messed up what has been several weeks of good, smart gameplay tonight. He was already on thin ice with Ryan after mouthing to Natalie how he voted last week, and tonight he spewed even more lies. Though I give him credit for his smarts. When he put Sharon on the spot with his "deal," he picked up that hesitation right away and correctly assumed she and Ryan might have an alliance. I'm honestly surprised that Ryan kept the decision making in Adam's hands. Based on Ryan's goodbye message to Sharon, he was shocked (perhaps a move for a vote from her in the jury house) that she was evicted. But Adam remained loyal to Sheila, evicting Sharon, which didn't seem to shock Ryan as much in the house as he let on in his message. Ryan and Adam may have reached a mutual understanding, but Adam just might've turned his back on Ryan enough that to keep himself from being taken to the final two. The way I see it, either Adam or Ryan could beat Sheila in the head-to-head vote, simply because she hasn't won any competitions, other than the one given to her. Sympathy votes won't win the game.

Similarly, Ryan probably should have kept Sharon in the house. He may have been too afraid that she would have evicted Adam, but at least it would have been two-on-one in his favor, instead of the two-on-one scenario he finds himself in now. I honestly would have no qualms with any of the remaining players winning, except maybe Sheila, who even after 72 days can't be nice to Adam. I was glad to see him getting under her skin and (literally) pulling her chain when they were shackled together. I just wonder how he's stayed loyal to her after all the trash she's talked about him, right to his face. Sorry Sheila, that's not very "deserving."

So here are my predictions, assuming the jury bases its decision on gameplay (as they should) rather than vengeance.

If Ryan wins HOH: He probably takes Adam. Sheila is maybe an easier win, but he's been closer to Adam throughout. He can probably beat them both in the end, but a battle against Adam would be much closer.

If Adam wins HOH: I think he will take Sheila. He'll probably have many unintelligible diary room thoughts about how conflicted he is, but I don't see him breaking that bond. Plus (again), Sheila is easy to beat as sympathy shouldn't win her the big prize. Ryan's still got a shot, I suppose, but if he ends up third, it will be because he let Sharon go home. And as he said tonight "second (in this case third) is still last."

If Sheila wins HOH: I might just faint. But if she does, she'll take Adam. And she might earn a little respect and make it close. At least she'll have something to take home to her son.

So what do you think about tonight's eviction. Who do you think will win HOH, and who will they bring to the final showdown? Share your thoughts, and check back tomorrow for more! — Adam

Plus: Don't miss our special Sunday post, which will feature a full analysis of the Big Brother 9 finale from both Krista and myself in a very special IM format!
Read Episode Recap: April 20, 2008
Usually I hate when they recap the eviction in its entirety, but this was by far my favorite eviction ever so reliving it was just the icing on my "Gnat is outta here" cake! The look of sheer desperation and dismay was priceless. The best part about it was that 30 seconds before Sheila put her out on her tookus, she totally screwed herself by admitting her loyalty was to the boys. Sheila was smart to take advantage of that and use it in her eviction speech. Thank God my cohort Adam did the recap for that episode because someone would have had to peel me off the ceiling for me to do it. I was on fire with glee.

Ok so Adam was a big jerk and sold out Ryan by mouthing to Gnat that he was the vote for her to stay. This was despicable. The least he could have done was not verbalize it. If he wanted to give a knowing wink or even a glance I could have overlooked it, but he said it right in front of Ryan. What a moron! I'm glad Ryan called him out on it. I can't believe Adam tried to pass it off as him saying "what do you want me to do" instead of "I voted for you." Maybe this will make Ryan turn against Adam and stick with the ladies for the final three. We'll have to wait and see what happens with the veto.

The funny (yet annoying) part of the HOH comp was the question about the existing relationship in the house. Since we knew this was the guinea pigs, the conspiracy theories by the houseguests were rather hilarious. Sheila and Adam are related, Sheila is Sharon's aunt, maybe two of the final four are related and they don't know it! All made me giggle. I'm not going to get into what a ridiculous question it was and how it pretty much threw the game to Ryan. Ultimately, Sharon tanked it on the final question so we were subjected to more pictures and even a letter from Vile Jen in the HOH room. She went on and on about how she loves Ryan and supports him and that she can't wait to get her grubby hands on his winnings. Ok she didn't say that last part, but I bet somewhere she's thinking it. Oddly, the letter didn't mention anything about calling him a racist. She is the only downside to him winning. Otherwise, Ryan has played a great game.

Finally we heard Adam give his loyalty to Sheila after weeks of her claiming they were together to the end. I don't really know if this is for real, but I kind of hope so for Sheila's sake. I don't really see her winning, but I'd feel a bit bad if she went out like Natalie. She may be a nag but she's no Gnat. If they manage to stick together to the final two, it could be the most amazing pair since…well, ok last season. But it's still amazing considering how much they hated each other in the beginning. Who would win in an Adam-Sheila finale?

I'm having the same doubts about the Sharon-Ryan alliance. I think they were smart to pair together, but would Ryan save her if he won the veto? Why are they so afraid about exposing their alliance? There is only a couple weeks left. It seems that Sharon is more committed to this alliance than Ryan, but after Adam stabbed him in the back who knows? If Ryan wins the veto and keeps the nominations the same, Sharon should see this as a betrayal. He may claim he can make Adam vote the way he wants, but he shouldn't be so sure. I'm so confused!

The luxury competition actually yielded a pretty interesting prize. The winning pair gets to go to the premiere of "What Happens in Vegas" (the new movie with Kutch and Cameron Diaz) in Vegas with tons of free accommodations, spa treatments and a shopping spree. They also got to view the movie that night. The losing pair gets chained together for 24 hours. All they had to do was smash bottles over each other's head and find dice rings in the bottles. Whoever found the most had a bigger chance of winning the grand prize. With six of the nine rings in their favor, Sharon and Ryan were the victors and Adam and Sheila got the handcuffs.

After the luxury comp, the house guests got the "final four" table and the reminder that the end is drawing near. Even though two people are going on the block, the nominations mean nothing until after the veto. Whoever wins is guaranteed the final three with the HOH. No one but Ryan is safe. In the end, Sharon and Sheila were nominated but Adam could easily be going to the jury. This is what rules about this point in the game. The feeds may be boring, but the stakes are high. The veto holder is the lone vote (unless Ryan wins) so who would Sheila evict if it's between Sharon and Adam? What would Sharon do? Adam? I think everyone is aligned with everyone at this point so it's anyone's guess. I can't wait until Tuesday. What do you think will happen based on who wins the veto? Where does Ryan's loyalty lie? Are Sheila and Adam really sticking together? Tell me your thoughts and then check back here to discuss the veto. — Krista

For more Big Brother, check out our Online Video Guide.
Read Episode Recap: April 16, 2008 (Eviction 10)
Some of the variables might've changed, but in the end, Natalie was still sent packing and was (somehow) reasonably shocked that she was evicted. Though she had a couple of inspired weeks in the house following Matt's eviction, her divine mission has come to an end. Look out Mattie, she's coming for you!

As I had feared, Adam and Ryan let their power run wild, and held a house meeting in which they called out Natalie for playing both sides. Although I liked seeing Natalie squirm, I would have been even happier to see her be completely blindsided by her eviction. This way she had a chance to explain herself, and the boys gave her a clue that perhaps she wasn't safe in the house. However, it also gave Sheila an easy way to explain her rationale for evicting Natlie.

That's right, in perhaps the smartest move of the season (or at least the week), the boys split the vote and put the responsibility back on Sheila. She had hoped the boys would do her dirty work, and while they were willing to go along with the plan to evict Natalie, they were wise enough to know that splitting the vote might keep Natalie from exacting revenge by voting against them should either of them make the final two. Plus, if Sheila wanted Natalie out so badly, she should have to stand behind her moves. I was very proud of the boys. I guess we will see if Sheila actually makes Adam's life "a living hell" as she promised she would if the vote was split.

Julie had some decent questions tonight, and in classic form, Sharon answered one of the questions in a way that perfectly explained her strategy: "I just sit back and let them say what they had to say." Additionally, I believe only Adam would actually pick a deserving player over an easier player to beat in the finals. I think everyone else just jumped on the band wagon.

Even out of the house, James continued to add a little flavor to the show, this time in the jury house. Even though I don't believe he was trying to be malicious, he told the truth about Chelsia's exit speech damaging his game, bringing her to tears. She needed someone to point out how immature and classless her actions were, and at least with the news coming from James, she probably took it to heart.

The HOH competition was intense and kept me on the edge of my seat. Sharon, after surviving her fifth straight week on the block (and still a dangerous player to have hanging around) was in the driver's seat for the entire competition, which had the houseguests whether statements Julie read were fact or fiction. Somehow, Ryan clawed his way back to within one point (Adam never really had a shot) with one final question remaining. Though the final question was a bit of a trick (that the guinea pigs were a previously existing couple still in the house) Ryan was smart (or lucky) to go against the obvious answer — which was the only way to tie Sharon since she went with fiction — and he ended up tying her. He made the closer guess in the tiebreaker to become the new HOH. Yes, Sharon was probably robbed by a tricky question, but I am very happy to see Ryan walk away with a victory.

So, Sharon and Sheila will most likely be finding a seat on the block this week. Both Sharon and Sheila will have to step up this week in order to ensure their safety, but unless Sharon wins the POV, I predict a Sheila, Adam and Ryan final three.

Who do you see making it through this week? Are you happy with Natalie's eviction? What do you think will happen when Matt and Nat are reunited in the jury house? Show some comment love and check back Sunday for the latest! — Adam
Read Episode Recap: April 15, 2008 (Veto Competition/Ceremony 9)
Oh, how I love it when a plan comes together. After last night's episode, the house is well on its way to giving the boot to Natalie. And the best part of it all, at least based on what was shown on the CBS broadcast, Natalie will most likely be blindsided. Of course, she's aware that the flip could happen, but Sheila is doing a decent job of reassuring her.

In fact, Sheila's in a pretty good spot here, and she knows it. It's easier for her to play dumb and put all the responsibility on the boys, which she made clear when she continuously threatened Adam when he suggested that they split the vote and force Sheila to cast the tie-breaking vote. I find her threats to make Adam's life "a living hell" next week if he doesn't follow through a little funny considering she can't compete in HOH. Plus, Adam has put up with Sheila's annoying ways all season long, so how much worse could it be?

Sheila and Adam's relationship continues to be intriguing. After the nomination's Adam seemed legitimately upset that he was nominated. Sheila's rationale for doing so makes sense, but I also understand that no one likes being up for eviction. I partially believe that Adam was just putting on a little bit of show to further sell the secret plan to backdoor Natalie. My opinion of Natalie has continued to sour at rapid pace over the past couple weeks. Between her annoying "premies" and ridiculous number theories (which I was happy to see the rest of the houseguests finally make fun of), she is just a lot to put up with. Plus, she's lately been so smug that it's unbearable. I really hope the boys do stick together and send her back to Matt in the jury house.

The POV competition was held at night, as a TV-inspired puzzle challenge. Although this was edited to take up lots of time (as the numbers dwindle I guess the interesting action in the house does, too), there were a few interesting moments. I found it particularly funny that Ryan and Sharon were distracted by their former significant others, while Sheila had a moment with all the pictures of Evel Dick. I'm shocked that Sharon's "furr-iends" didn’t make this competition easier for her, but ultimately she came in second behind Adam, who was ecstatic to come off the block. (Although I've been supporting Ryan, I'm really pulling for Adam to go the distance now. After all, he will need the money without a job!) I also enjoyed how the producers edited the show to play up how great Natalie is at puzzles, only to reveal that she had the second worse time. (Plus, I loved how snooty Sheila was when she told Natalie her time).

When Ryan, Sharon and Sheila were in the HOH room finalizing their plan to backdoor Natalie, I liked how the camera kept cutting to Sharon laughing. Once again, she could be laughing all the way to the bank. She has been on the block for the last month and has yet to face a real threat of going out. Although Adam seems concerned that she has the votes in the house, Ryan still wants to oust Natalie. I was glad that finally the houseguests are thinking strategically. I agree that Sharon would probably have the votes to win at the end, and I found Ryan's "take Natalie to the end because everybody hates her" theory convincing. I still think that getting rid of Natalie this week is the best move, and I hope that Adam and Ryan ultimately agree. Either way, everyone's future in the game comes down to tonight's HOH competition.

So who do you think is going home? Who do you hope wins tonight's HOH? Tell me what you're thinking and check back tomorrow for the latest! — Adam
Read Episode Recap: April 13, 2008
Pre-Blog Note: Due to a 40 minute delay on the East Coast (stupid golf), I am even more crabby than usual. Hold onto your hats!

So the house guests had some mercy on long-suffering Sheila and threw her a win in the HOH. My first surprise was that Ryan hung in there and outlasted Sharon, who had a disappointing showing due to a bad back. That must not have been an easy competition for a man of his, well, girth. But I'm rooting for him or ol' google eyes Adam, so it's good to see he has some fight in him. The hardest part of an endurance competition in that house must be dealing with Natalie's (Gnat, as some of you perfectly call her) constant yapping and shiz-talking. She's a fierce competitor though. I'm surprised she came down for Sheila. It may turn out to be her biggest mistake. Fingers crossed. Sheila was right about how telling it was that Natalie said she didn't feel safe. It's hard to trust when you're untrustworthy. Let the in-fighting begin!

I realized Sheila was desperate, but was surprised she agreed to put her loyal friend Sharon on the block. Not only that, she said Adam was the one person she's truly aligned with. What? I don't think he feels the same way and have yet to see a scene where they have confirmed their loyalties to one another. Let me know if I've missed something.

Could it be that everyone was against Natalie before this HOH comp even began? Ryan was very quick to say he'd throw it to Sheila. Maybe he doesn't want to be the one to get rid of Gnat. Also, everyone was telling her to drop. If they didn't want her gone, why would they care which one of them won? It was pretty evident Gnat knew in her gut something wasn't right since she continued to hang on regardless of the deal. She also kept asking: what would Jesus do? Well if she's going to compare her little game with, say, dying on the cross, I'd say He'd stay up in the box and never give up. Apparently Gnat thought quitting was the answer to her question. She may be safe for now, but who knows!

I was happy for Sheila when she got her HOH room. I'm not a mother, but it has to be awful being away from your child. She didn't even have a picture so I'm glad she does now. Adam cracked me up when he said he wished 25 year old Sheila was in this house "instead of this thing". Classic Adam. I give him a hard time, but he's the comic relief of the show. Wait until he sees her Penthouse photos. He's gonna go biserk! She was quite a dish. It was nice to see them bonding. They have come a long way. I still think he's voting her out next week.

Funniest part of the show: when the houseguests were talking about the features on the opposite sex that turn them on. They were throwing around face, chest etc. and then Sharon said eyes and teeth. The cameras immediately cut to Adam, sporting one of his signature goofy faces. Eyes and teeth just aren't his strong suit. He then proceeded to pick his nose. I can't make this stuff up.

What I love about this point in the game is how hard it is to predict who is going to the jury. If the wrong person wins a POV, the odds of someone unexpected going up and out are good. Also, everyone is playing all sides because there are so few sides left to play. The house may be against Natalie, but she's not really doing anything the others aren't. She's just not hiding it as well and is kind of annoying everyone. Newsflash Gnat: Team Christ no longer exists. Adam and Sharon are on the block, but the wheels are turning and she could find herself snuggling up to Mattie by the end of the week. Does she have any idea she's being plotted against? It doesn't appear so. They better hope for a mental POV competition (most likely decreasing Gnat's chances) or it could be the end for Sharon. We'll find out Tuesday. Who are you rooting for to win the veto? Who is most likely to use the veto and on who? Let's here some theories on possible scenarios! Chat below and check back here after the next exciting episode. — Krista

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Read Episode Recap: April 9, 2008 (Eviction 9)
At last, the four-week saga that's dominated the game since James' original eviction came to a close with James exiting the house for the second time this season by unanimous vote. I have to give him credit for playing one heck of a game (with a little help from the producers, of course). Regardless, he managed to find a way to survive three weeks with the target squarely on his back, which is no easy feat. In a way, I think the game will be less interesting with him gone, but at least some of the other players will have to take a more active role.

James didn't go down without a fight, though. It was funny to see him aggravating Natalie, mainly because I've really grown tired of her. He really got under her skin with the comments that made it to air (and according to some commenters of the blog, there was plenty more that CBS chose to leave out. Let's just say we would have been begging for James' tighty whiteys!) Also funny was how well he knew what she would be saying about him inside the house. More impressive than his attacks and efforts to turn the houseguests against Natalie was his convincing argument/proposition to Ryan once again to flip on his alliance and take a guys vs. girls approach. Obviously, Ryan again failed to take the bait, to his credit I believe. Again, keeping James might have mixed things up, but it was simply too much of a risk. And honestly, James said he's wanted out of the house since he came back in. Wishes can come true!

Perhaps the best thing to come out of James antics is the fact that everyone on "Team Christ" sees how Natalie is playing the game. Unfortunately, she has proven in the past to be quite a force in endurance competitions, making her a good candidate to win HOH. Even so, everyone on TC better have their eyes open for Natalie in the coming weeks. It was also interesting to see that Sheila is apparently still playing with Adam's interest. Not sure if that is just her gameplay, or if she is actually looking to take him deep with her. Even if it is her plan, she's got to start winning, because the single-mother sympathy probably wouldn't earn her enough votes from the jury house to defeat Adam.

I've made it clear on this blog that I am pulling for Ryan, but I am concerned that James said he "hates what he and Natalie stand for." I know Ryan has done his share of playing both sides, but I wonder if there are some more bold-face lies he's told that perhaps haven’t been included on the show. From where I'm sitting, everyone in the house has been shady at some point, but Ryan seems to be pretty loyal (even to his secret alliances, at least until it's beyond his control.) It's obvious James and Ryan have had beef, but I would like to know if there is a dirty side of Ryan that perhaps we really haven't seen.

The segment on Sharon's family was OK, I guess. It was shocking to learn about her car accident, and her dad has an impressive number of medals from his service in the Marines, but there wasn't anything here that blew me away. (On a similar, but mostly unrelated note, does it drive anybody else crazy how Sharon yells at the camera when she is in the diary room? It's a good thing that room is sound proofed! I keep my finger near the volume switch every time she comes on screen.

Finally, we get to some footage from the jury house. Odd as it is to say, I've missed Matt, and he cracked me up with a few of his comments. (Mostly his remarks about Joshuah and his hopes that Natalie wins so she will buy him something nice). I'm sure he's had a rough week with Joshuah and Chelsia, and it doesn't look to get any better when James arrives. At least he can take comfort that his allies are basically dominating the game.

So for the second time this year, we ended the show not knowing who will be the new HOH. As I said, the endurance favors Natalie and Sharon in my mind, though Sharon was complaining of back problems as the show went off the air. Ryan probably will stay in longer than normal out of desperation to win, but that sweat is eventually going to take its toll on him. Maybe Sheila will step it up, who knows?

I'm sure many of you are watching the feeds to find out the latest, but if not, who are you hoping will win? Who would you like to see nominated? Share your thoughts in the comments and check back Sunday! — Adam
Read Episode Recap: April 9, 2008 (Eviction 9)
It was a great run, but luck ran out for James as he was evicted from the Big Brother house by a vote of 3-0. I'm sad to see such a warrior go because he managed to stir up some strategy-related drama and general naughtiness. However, I'm anxious to see the ridiculous "Team Christ," headed by resident "angel" Natalie, start to turn on one another and show their true colors.

How could Natalie think if she got to the final two with anyone left in the house that she would win? Did she not notice Sharon is still there and no one finds her as annoying as Natalie? Or that Ryan and Adam are well-liked by many of the remaining house guests? Now that James is gone, I want to see Natalie gone next. She's getting way too confident. Add that too her constant babbles about Team Christ and the "evil-doers" and she's closing in on Amber as the most obnoxious person in Big Brother history. I'm just glad the rest of the house guests aren't buying her BS. I can't believe she tried to turn her "girl power" strategy into Sharon's and use it to gain points with Adam. What a hypocrite. Then Sheila goes to Adam and outs the strategy as Natalie's. I can only imagine how tough it must be for anyone in that house to decipher the truth.

Why didn't they take James up on his deal to stay and take out Natalie? It was a great idea and I would have loved to have seen it happen. What made it more appealing was that everyone would have been in on it so the rest of the house guests could have banned together and not have to worry about upsetting their alliance. Well except for Natalie. She most likely would have ranted about how God would avenge the betrayal and tried to perform exorcisms on everyone. Also, no one in the jury house would have cared what the others did to her so they wouldn't have had to worry about losing any votes. It was the perfect plan.

Thank God DJC (what was with that tassel belt?) asked Natalie the question we've all be dying to ask her: what does religion have to do with the game anyway? She said it kept her strong and allowed her to brainwash the others into being on her side. Ok she didn't say that second part — but I'm pretty sure she was thinking it! Does anyone else think Natalie talks different when she's talking to Julie? It's almost as if she's trying to pretend she's something she isn't — sweet, nice and innocent.

Even though she has tiny eyebrows, Sharon's segment really made me like her a lot more. She can be a bit annoying, but out of all of them she's probably the most normal. She's managed to stay likeable and non-threatening considering she's in a great position to sneak up on the others and eek by to the end and take the prize! I heard her mention the car accident on a very special episode of BBAD, but seeing that car was frightening. That must have been so scary for her. Luckily she survived and made it to BB because I'm pretty sure those guinea pigs would be dead by now if she weren't there.

Hold the phone! We got jury house footage! Ask and ye shall receive! Matt saw Chelsia and they instantly got to flirting. Then Josh came in and Matt was happy because that meant someone on his team got him out. If Matt were still in the house, would he be happy with Team Christ? Would he really vote for Natalie in the end? Would she be dumb enough to actually buy him something? What a tool. I do sympathize with him being stuck with Chelsia and Josh…wait, no I don't! He might implode when James walks in the door.

The HOH competition started and I was annoyed that it was endurance. That meant Natalie had a great shot. How long do you think Ryan will last in this one? I thought he'd be out by the time they came back from commercial, but I was wrong. He won't be winning this one! The producers are most likely hoping it's a battle between Sharon and Natalie, feeding the "good vs. evil" theme of the season. I've heard all the cries about how the producers have a bit too much say in the game and how it goes down. It's unfortunately just something we have to deal with! Natalie looked quite comfortable as the credits rolled, but who knows what deals will be made. We'll see how it all unfolds on Sunday (or online right now!) so chat below and check back here then so we can chat about who the winner nominates. — Krista

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Read Episode Recap: April 8, 2008 (Veto Competition/Ceremony 8)
My, how the mighty have fallen. Though Crazy James has repeatedly saved himself when the pressure was on, this week he fell short in a do-or-die situation, and as such, is most likely on his way to the jury house.

After Adam honored his word to James (which he later admitted was probably because he got caught up in James' sob story), Sheila went on a rampage reminiscent of her first week in the house. She felt betrayed by her ally and former partner, but she has to realize that at some point everyone has to start playing for themselves. I (and Sheila agreed later) believe that Adam's nominations were the best thing for him, and even though he regretted the move, it ultimately did give the house a chance to finally seal James' fate.

Adam really came out the best in this situation. Although he initially stirred the pot, at the end of this HOH reign, things will have basically ended up they way his alliance had wanted all along. Plus, even though James said he was playing to win, I think his "safety" diminished some of the extra fighting spirit that gets into people when they are on the block. It may have just been luck, but at this point, Adam was able to accomplish what no one else was in the past three weeks, so kudos to him.

I've flipped-flopped on my opinions of Natalie, and I am glad to see that Ryan and others are starting to get wind of her true colors. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing her join her precious Mattie very soon. True, she is playing both sides just like Ryan has been, but I feel Ryan's loyalty is still with his original alliance, as he proved again tonight by not taking James up on his offer to flip the house (more on that later.) Then again, Ryan could just be playing a numbers game rather than being truly loyal. Either way, I just hope he doesn’t let his alliance with Natalie hang him in the end, and I think he should strike first before she has a chance to betray him, Adam or Sheila.

The "Otev the rain god" Veto competition was another challenging mental competition, and I was again proud to see Adam in the final two. He's really proving himself to be a competitor down the stretch, and he is definitely one to watch as the $500,000 draws closer. James never really settled into his groove in this game, and got very lucky in the first two rounds. Ultimately, he went out early, and eventually it was Ryan and Adam. "Baller" let "Rye Bread" (seriously?) take the win, probably so that he could nominate James without having to officially veto his previous nominations personally.

Was I the only person bored to tears during the five minute heart-to-heart between James and Sharon? Yeah, they had some nice things to say about each other, but is there not better footage to show? It's times like these that I'm glad I don't watch BBAD to know what they could've shown instead of mediocre scenes. If nothing else, show a clip montage like tonight's "Mommy Sheila plays clean up" collection. I at least chuckled a little at that.

Having come around again in my opinion of James (maybe his tears got to me, too), I was intrigued by his offer to Ryan to flip the game by joining him and Sharon and taking on Adam and Natalie. Ryan would have been aligning with a strong player who I wouldn't mind see stay around a little longer, but James definitely has the power to make it to the end. In that scenario, I don't think Ryan (or anyone for that matter) could beat James head-to-head, considering how resilient he has been over the course of the game. I think he would get the votes for that reason alone at the end of the competition. Ultimately, Ryan stayed true to his team, and is still teamed with Adam, who becomes a stronger player every day. I don't think sending James home hurts Ryan very much, aside from making himself a bigger target with the other noticeable threat gone. (I say noticeable, because I think the house is still overlooking Sharon, who continues to coast through the game. I'm eager to see what happens with her as the weeks dwindle).

So can James pull off a miracle and flip the votes? Who do you think will be evicted, and who do you want to see win HOH? Check back tomorrow to find out what happens! — Adam
Read Episode Recap: April 6, 2008
I've always thought Adam was an odd individual, but I loved his nomination speech. James did an impressive job of persuading Adam to keep him off the block, but Adam spun it in such a way that he actually made a good point: If they want James out so bad, they should get him out themselves. James never did anything to Adam. It was a risky move and has upset his entire alliance, but maybe this will be good for the game. Maybe the power is shifting. Sheila is not going to be a peach for him to deal with this week, especially since she's up against eternal pawn Sharon. Maybe this will inspire both girls to get fired up enough to win something. However, if I'm Adam I'd say this would be a perfect week to flip. He should be sensing that Natalie and Ryan are more loyal to each other than to him and that he could be the odd person out. If the veto is won by someone who will use it, he could put up someone from his alliance and turn this game around. At the very least, it'd be excellent television.

Here's a question for you all: If God speaks to Natalie, how come he didn't warn her about Adam's nominations? Hmmmmm…I wonder how she would answer that. This Team Christ business is turning my stomach. I don't begrudge anyone their beliefs, but maybe she should realize that God has disease, famine, war and the general destruction of the planet to worry about than picking sides in Big Brother. I love how Adam said "I don't want to be on Team Christ". Smart choice. That may be the most sense he's ever made to me.

From what little I've seen on Showtime, Adam does seem to tease Sheila rather frequently. He likes to torture her with the possibility of going up. I guess he wasn't just teasing her. Was he ever on her side? I think he's been waiting to get rid of her. The TP incident was funny, but the flour on the face may have been a little ridiculous. If they did it to everyone it'd be different, but they are targeting her and I sort of feel bad for her. She's like the friend in the group that no one likes but they keep around to make fun of so no one else gets picked on. For some odd reason, she trusts him and I don't think that's a smart move for her. She should team up with Sharon and James.

Not sure how I feel about this "nice people" alliance of Sharon and Ryan. It's interesting in the sense that they are both intelligent people and could possibly make a run for the end. But in my opinion, it's stupid for Ryan. Everyone likes Sharon and with Chelsia and Josh on the jury, she's got 2 votes already. Most likely, James and Sheila won't last much longer and then that's the 4 votes she needs to win. He should stick with his current group and try to take Natalie or Sheila. He could easily beat either of them.

Honk! Honk! Get on the gravy train to nationally televised embarrassment. After a week on slop, I don't know if I'd be able to stop myself from eating the mashed potatoes instead of making a tunnel out of them in order to fill up a plastic cylinder with gravy. Despite much slipping, arguing and Sheila-blaming, the house guests managed to secure some decent food for the week. At least no one had to wear an asparagus suit or drink pig's blood or something.

Where does Natalie get these socks? Did she bring them all or does Big Brother give them to her? Does anyone else in America wear socks like these? Gee wiz.

Natalie and Ryan were right to double team Adam and confront him on his idea to nominate Sheila and Sharon. Why did someone have to tell him who to nominate in both of his HOH weeks. Part of me gets why they want to get rid of James, but then again I don't get why they are so hell bent on it. At this point in the game, everyone is a threat. Why him? They focus all their energy on getting rid of him but they aren't thinking of what happens when they have to start turning on one another. I was shocked that James' tears were real. At first I thought he was pulling a Josh. I still think all of this James hatred comes from his decision to put Matt on the block and so he is made to suffer for actually making a strategic move. Maybe it was too soon, but I still thought it was bold and he's doing a hell of a job staying in the game. But who knows what will happen at the Veto. Can he win 4 in a row and shift the power back to his "side"? Tune in Tuesday to find out! Until then, chat below. — Krista


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Read Episode Recap: April 2, 2008 (Eviction 8)
It was a valiant effort, but all his scheming and plotting didn't keep Josh from being evicted 3-1 from the Big Brother house. His speech was pretty impressive considering he was most likely shocked by the eviction. I've given him a hard time in this blog, but I'm sure on the outside he isn't the person we saw screaming at everyone. I enjoyed loving to hate him. As much as I think this was the right move, I can't help but wonder if keeping Sharon will eventually be a mistake for some of the house guests. She hasn't shown much drive to take control and play the game, but she could surprise everyone.

I never was a big Josh fan but I can't say I blamed him for pulling out all the stops to stay in the game. Even though he sold Sharon down the river, we shouldn't have expected him to just lie down and give up because it's the nice thing to do. His means were ruthless but I understood his ends. He had a point in making Sharon out to be a threat. Who wants to be sitting next to her in the end? She's far too likeable. However, some of the comments he made about her were just unnecessary. He's sick of babysitting her? He needs to work on those crocodile tears, but he is quite convincing. And of course, despite all of his misdeeds in the house, his mother thinks he's a good boy. At least she wasn't in complete denial and admitted being embarrassed by his behavior.

Just when I thought she lost her mind, Natalie confessed to Sharon about the deal Josh made her to stay in the game. For a second I thought she was actually on board. Good — she wasn't being bamboozled. Was letting big mouth Sheila in on it a good idea? Maybe not. She's gotten in a lot of trouble lately for opening her mouth. I give Natalie a lot of credit because she did seem to examine all angles of the deal and talk it out with everyone to make sure she did the right thing. I'm glad Ryan came around and agreed Josh would be the better person to take out. I was afraid that pesky alliance he made with him would be exposed and threaten his position in the game. It was the right move because Josh and James together is a formidable pair.

Loved how DJC (looking quite dashing in tan cat suit-like ensemble) called Natalie out on staring at Matt's picture. She even tried to stir up her jealousy by reminding her that he is alone in the jury house with Chelsia. I was interested to learn that she considers Ryan her closest ally. I think this is a smart choice. He's smart and hasn't done many untrustworthy or vulgar things in the house. I think I'm rooting for those two to be at the end. With his smarts and her competitiveness, they certainly have what it takes.

Speaking of jury house, I'm about ready for some jury house footage. How about you? I love how towards the end the jury footage becomes more entertaining than what's going on in the main house! Please show some soon!

The HOH competition was my kind of competition. I have always said it's wise for the house guests to be very observant of their surroundings in the house. Right away I thought this was a game designed for Sharon since she had such luck in the HOH where they had to match the author with verses hanging on the walls. But it was Adam who took the prize on the last question. Adam is really turning it on and, despite still being a complete enigma to me, becoming a force to be reckoned with. Will the house guests stay true to their current "sides" or split into a boy versus girl fight? I'm eager to see who he nominates. Stop back here after the Sunday show to chat about it! See you then. — Krista

For more Big Brother, check out our Online Video Guide.
Read Episode Recap: April 1, 2008 (Veto Competition/Ceremony 7)
Today may have been April Fool's Day, but there were very few laughs in tonight's episode. In fact, I don't think I've seen that many tears in the Big Brother house since Whamber was evicted last season. But before James, Joshuah, Sharon and Sheila opened up the floodgates, the show did get off to a pretty explosive start.

After Sheila gave James an inspirational pep talk (which made no sense to me at all), she then doubled back and gave Joshuah a very similar speech while also trashing James. Although I have floated back and in my opinion of James, I wasn't really sucked in by his "poor, pitiful me-against-the-world" attitude. Yes, the whole house is against him, but he created that scenario by double-crossing the person in power and continually winning important competitions.(Come on James, just deal with the fact that smart players want the threatening player out of the running.) I did, however, respect his continuing desire to call people on their two-faced play. And unlike some other attacks this season (I'm looking at you Joshuah), James war of words with Sheila had some substance. (Maybe not a lot, but some.) Then again, as he said himself, "there's no nice way to play Big Brother." If nothing else, James' meltdown proved once again that being in the house does get to you over time, but by episode's end, he seemed to back to his usual self. I guess winning the Veto helps in that area.

That's right, for the third week in a row, James won the Power of Veto and removed himself from the block. The houseguests played a glorified guessing game in which they had to identify the amount of objects in a given container based on a separate, smaller sample. After each houseguest revealed their guess, the players could fold their guess and eliminate the risk of elimination (but sacrifice points) or stay in the game in hopes of earning points, provided their guess was closest to the actual number. (Confused? I have to say that this season's competitions have had some of the most convoluted rules ever). But as James said, this game was somewhat of a "bluffing" game, which he executed well. He folded in the early rounds, letting his opponents pick themselves off. Then he made a few risky moves to stay in the game, but benefited from Ryan and Sheila's lack of confidence in their answers, earning points when they both folded. In the end, it came down to Ryan and James in a head-to-head battle, with James' guess coming closer and securing his safety for another week.

Although James resilience has earned back the respect I formerly had for him, I've got to say Ryan (who I've been pulling for ever since the couples split) disappointed me tonight. He twice had the chance to end James' game and carry out the house's plan to evict James. Don't put my vote of confidence to shame, Ryan! One other note on the POV competition: Does anybody else crack up by how excited Adam gets as the host of the competitions? Maybe he can find a new job at the Game Show Network.

With James off the block, the sob-fest began with Joshuah and Sharon lamenting the fact that she was now on the block beside her former partner, most likely sealing his fate. But it wasn't long before Joshuah's tears stopped clouding his brain, and he made a desperation deal with Natalie, which, provided he gets two votes to stay, will have her breaking the tie in his favor. Kudos for the BB producers for perfectly editing the two-faced aspect of Joshuah's game here as while he schemes in the HOH bedroom, his partner Sharon sobs with Sheila in the bathroom because she doesn't want to see him go. Although Joshuah was and is a snake, you have to give him credit for making a strong move. His alliance with Ryan could pay off after all. (Plus, Ryan now has brought Natalie into that alliance, which makes the possible revelation of Ryan's dealing with Joshuah over the past few weeks far less damaging than it would have been just a couple weeks ago.) The question remains, will Natalie honor her deal and vote Sharon out if James does come through with Joshuah's second vote?

What do you think of Joshuah's power move? Do you think Natalie will actually put out Sharon if Joshuah delivers the votes? Who should be evicted and who do you want to win HOH? Most importantly, will James ever learn to put on pants? Check back tomorrow and find out! —Adam
Read Episode Recap: March 30, 2008
And so the reign of Natalie begins. I must say that I have always believed Natalie was kind of dumb. Between the 27-letter alphabet stunt and her silly theories, I didn't give her much of chance. But she did win a mental competition in the clutch, so I am willing to give her another chance. Though she did do some bone-headed things in tonight's episode (like leaving her knee hanging out when playing HIde and Seek. Regardless, she still cracks me up. Between stalking Matt's picture and incessantly talking to herself, she's always good for some kind of laugh. I guess we will continue to see if she is indeed "playing dumb," as she suggested in the diary room.

It seems that the "Bible Buddies" have spread their holiness to their teammates, forming "Team Christ." It's a risky moniker in a game known for hypocrisy and deceit, but I'm sure after being isolated for 50+ days, something (be it faith of $500,000) has to keep you going. Maybe it was the "holy spirit" that Adam mentioned that got into him and Ryan when they created a whirlpool in the tub. That would at least make some sense of a very quirky, awkward moment in tonight's episode, which is otherwise lost on me.

Between her getting emotional as Natalie read her letter from home and asking Joshuah about how he came out to his parents, we saw a little more of Sheila's motherly side. Joshuah's story might have won over the hearts of the ladies in the house, but didn't he previously say he was outed by someone else rather than his own doing? I seem to remember that being a huge reason why he was upset with Sheila and Allison for their fake lesbian affair. (Or maybe he wasn't referring specifically to his parents in that case.)

Speaking of getting emotional, it was strange to see Crazy James letting the isolation get to him. I believe his feelings for Chelsia are real (despite however awkward a coupling they are), and his reaction to her being gone further proves that. Although I am pulling for the other side of the house, I kind of felt bad for him, mostly because I did like him early on. But his gameplay (and relationship with Chelsia) got him to this point, so it will be interesting to see what he makes of it.

The food competition again wasted some perfectly fine food, as the houseguests clobbered their individual watermelons in the revealing moments of the competition. I must admit the rules of the game made my head spin, but it was basically a test to see how greedy each house guest was, or how greedy each player thought his fellow houseguest was. At the end of the guessing game, however, all of the houseguests except Adam (and Natalie who was immune from slop as HOH) putting themselves on slop this week. The best part of this competition for me was watching some of the houseguests try (and fail) to smash their watermelon. Joshuah's little leg kicks while hammering really cracked me up.

Although James tried to cut a deal with Natalie, she ultimately is still playing this game for Matt. Ryan tried to make the argument to back door him instead of nominating him outright, but I think she made the right decision by putting him up from the beginning. If she had nominated Josh and Sharon in an attempt to back door James, he could have won the veto and saved a nominee, forcing Natalie to put up a member of her own alliance. This way, she can still guarantee that "Team Christ" remains safe this week no matter what happens in the veto competition. I couldn't be happier that Joshuah is finally on the block. He didn't seem so quick to gloat this week! I am surprised, however, that nothing was shown about how this affects Ryan and Joshuah's secret alliance (which I honestly wish Ryan would own up to with his teammates, and end all together.) I am sure if Joshuah remains on the block it will either be discovered or Ryan will betray it. I guess we'll find out after the veto competition.

Are you satisfied with Natalie's nomination of James and Joshuah? Who do you think will win the Power of Veto? Share your thoughts on tonight's episode and check back for more Tuesday! — Adam