‘Big Brother’: Julie Chen, Producers on Celebrating 25 Seasons, the Future of Live Feeds and the ‘Extensive’ Research Behind Casting (2024)

Julie Chen Moonves starts our interview with a prayer.

“Heavenly Father, thank you for this beautiful day, and thank you for providing peace and patience,” she begins, after asking if I’d like to contribute or simply listen.

I choose the latter and admit that this is a first in the decade I’ve been a journalist.

Faith has become an important part of Chen Moonves’ life, especially in the past five years — following the ousting of husband Leslie Moonves, the former CBS Corp. CEO who disappeared from the limelight after he was fired over sexual misconduct allegations in 2018. While Chen Moonves chose to leave “The Talk” in the wake of her husband’s exit from CBS, she remained at the forefront of one of the network’s biggest shows, “Big Brother,” which premieres its 25th season on Aug. 2.

Now, she and her husband watch the reality show together, along with their 13-year-old son. “We get into it. It is still appointment viewing,” Chen Moonves, 53, says of their family nights. The former news anchor, who departed CBS’ “The Early Show” in 2010 after eight years, admits that she’s too critical of her own hosting, and even leaves the room when she appears on-screen. But she is committed to the show, often watching those notorious “Big Brother” live feeds during her downtime.

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Still, it’s impossible to watch it all. Nearly 16,000 hours of “Big Brother” footage is recorded each season, with 40 hours airing on CBS. In 2022, it was the most-viewed reality series in total minutes watched, with 14.3 billion minutes seenacross CBS, Paramount+ and the CBS app.

“Big Brother” began in the Netherlands (it was created by John de Mol in 1997), with the idea of putting a group of contestants in a house, cut off from the rest of the world, with cameras recording their every interaction. Each week, the cast compete in challenges and must vote to evict one houseguest until one winner takes home the $750,000 prize. CBS debuted the U.S. version in 2000 and from the beginning took advantage of the slow summer months by airing multiple days a week. But it was the online live feeds that made the series stand apart from the rest of reality TV, allowing 24-hour access to the show.

“There’s so much that happens in the house, and it’s hard even with three hours of primetime to really tell all the stories. What the live feeds give us is another way,” executive producer Allison Grodner says. “It takes courage to put yourself out there 24/7. I don’t know if the audience always appreciates that. That’s what makes it challenging sometimes — because you’re seeing real human beings, some with more flaws than others.”

Those flawed players are often called out by viewers and former cast members. Although CBS launched an initiative to ensure 50% of its unscripted shows’ casts are BIPOC, racism and discrimination have frequently marred the series. During Season 24, for instance, many fans expressed disappointment in the network and the producers after seeing houseguests’ microaggressions against contestant Taylor Hale, who is Black.

Although the producers won’t get into confidential casting details, they say they do “extensive” research, looking into each player’s background and keeping an eye out for red flags.

‘Big Brother’: Julie Chen, Producers on Celebrating 25 Seasons, the Future of Live Feeds and the ‘Extensive’ Research Behind Casting (3)

“It’s a social experiment using a group of people with different life experiences. They all bring that in and learn from each other. They learn, they change, they grow. Hopefully, by watching that, we’re also making a positive impact on the outside world,” says Grodner.

Executive producer Rich Meehan comments on rumors, though, that the show purposely casts problematic houseguests. “That’s definitely 1,000% not true,” he says. “But we do cast a wide net of people from all different walks of life, all different upbringings, so sometimes you do get surprised along the way.”

Most of those controversies come from non-aired footage that fans monitor and recap live. Contestants have been caught using the N-word, making aggressive or racist remarks and making jokes about inappropriate topics. I ask the producers whether they’ve discussed eliminating the 24-hour live feeds.

“All the time,” Grodner admits with a laugh. “Listen, it’s tough. But it’s also what makes the show so unique.”

That, and Chen Moonves.

Over the years, the host has embraced the quirks of the show — including the knocks she has taken for her sometimes awkward tics, like her overuse of the phrase “But first.” In the beginning, she didn’t even want to be there: When Chen Moonves initially was offered the “Big Brother” job at 29, she turned it down. At the time, she was working for CBS’ New York outlet WCBS, hoping to make it to the network and “60 Minutes.”

Chen Moonves was asked to spend 10 weeks at the “Big Brother” house in Los Angeles while simultaneously anchoring the news. Concerned about how that would affect her long-term goal, she asked the president of CBS News whether she’d be able to report on hard-hitting stories in the future if she took the gig.

“He said, ‘Probably not, Julie.’ I was like, ‘Thanks for your honesty. In that case, my answer’s so crystal clear. I’m not interested in taking this job,’” Chen Moonves explains now. “And then he said, ‘Well, technically, you work for the company, and if you don’t take this job, it could be viewed as insubordination.’”

‘Big Brother’: Julie Chen, Producers on Celebrating 25 Seasons, the Future of Live Feeds and the ‘Extensive’ Research Behind Casting (4)

With that, Chen Moonves hopped on a plane to Los Angeles. She juggled that gig while continuing as an “Early Show” anchor. Although she hasn’t made it to “60 Minutes” and was “kind of forced to take” the reality hosting gig, she now says, “I should be sending him flowers.”

“Big Brother” players have turned up on other reality shows including “The Challenge,” “The Amazing Race” and “Survivor,” but it’s never gone the other way around — yet.

“It would be fascinating to see some of the greats of some of these other long-running shows come in,” says Grodner. “But ‘Big Brother’ is still one of the hardest. It’s probably harder than ‘Survivor’ because of the length of time and the psychological challenge of being locked in a house for three months cut off from the outside world. It’s apples and oranges to the other shows.”

This year, CBS is hitting tentpoles in their competition shows, with Season 25 of “Big Brother,” Season 35 of “The Amazing Race” and Season 45 of “Survivor.” The hosts — Chen Moonves, Phil Keoghan and Jeff Probst, are the longest serving reality hosts in television.

“The secret to our longevity is the players we put on the show,” says Probst of “Survivor’s” success. “Our casting team is incredibly talented and they continue to find compelling humans to take part in our ongoing social experiment about adaptation.”

For “The Amazing Race,” Keoghan notes that the group has always “strived for excellence” — and it’s always worked. “One of my favorite quotes is ‘Luck is the Residue of Design,’” he says. “’TAR’ inspires and resonates with viewers who are captivated and entertained by seeing the world in a way they’d never seen it before through the eyes of relatable captivating people … all from the comfort of their favorite chairs. The key to the show’s lasting success is ensuring that we continue to push each other to be better. The passion we all have for ‘TAR’ is infectious.”

Like “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race,” though, both of which also have been on the air for more than two decades, “Big Brother” has its creative challenges: Producers are often hard-pressed to find new ways to keep such an established franchise feeling fresh.

“It’s crazy to think that all these seasons in, there could be something new that we haven’t tried,” says Grodner of Season 25. “And yet, there is. The challenge department worked hard to do something that’s special, different and relevant for this season. I’m also really excited about our cast. These are some unique, interesting, diverse people.”

The producers are deliberately vague about anything that would give away the theme of the latest season. Not even Chen Moonves has been informed at the time of our interview, less than a month before the new episodes air — and that’s how she likes it.

“I like to be in the dark as long as possible,” she says, but notes, “I am most excited to see who from past seasons might pop up and what their role is.”

She’ll learn soon whether her prayers have been answered.

‘Big Brother’: Julie Chen, Producers on Celebrating 25 Seasons, the Future of Live Feeds and the ‘Extensive’ Research Behind Casting (2024)

FAQs

Where can I watch live feed Big Brother? ›

The "Big Brother" live feeds are included with all Paramount+ subscriptions. You need to go to the "Big Brother" show page, or on the Paramount+ app, and select "Live Feeds" to start watching. There are four different cameras and the Quad View. Reach the reporter at dina.kaur@arizonarepublic.com.

What is Julie Chen salary for Big Brother? ›

Julie's connection to Big Brother is legendary, and she even goes by “Julie Chen Moonves” on the show. Her earnings from Big Brother alone are estimated at around $75,000 for each episode. Considering that a season typically has 30-40 episodes, Julie earns approximately $3 million each season.

Is Julie Chen a producer? ›

Julie Chen Moonves is a mother, wife, television personality, and producer.

Are there producers on Big Brother? ›

Throughout each day, the program's producer, in the "Big Brother" voice, issues directives and commands to contestants. Some versions of the show allow private counselling sessions with a psychologist. These are allowed at any time and are often conducted by telephone from the Diary Room.

Do you have to pay for Big Brother live feeds? ›

Those interested in watching this season of “Big Brother” can also watch it for free by signing up for Paramount+, which offers a 7-day-long free trial. Paramount+ subscribers also gain access to the “Big Brother” 24/7 live feeds. The theme for this season is “BB AI” taking over the house, according to Paramount.

Will Paramount plus have Big Brother live feeds? ›

And no matter what your plan, you can access the Big Brother Live Feeds 24/7 by visiting paramountplus.com/shows/big_brother/ and selecting the "Live Feeds" tab. Please note that the chat function is only available on your computer at paramountplus.com/shows/big_brother/.

How much do jury members get paid on Big Brother? ›

There's great news for Big Brother Season 25 jury members — and that's that they continue to get paid until the game ends. Each player reportedly earns around $1,000 each week they're in the Big Brother house. And for houseguests who make it to the jury, they continue to earn $1,000 weekly.

Do you get paid to go on Big Brother? ›

(Except for the two finalists who will receive prize money, a weekly stipend will be provided for each participant for each week that he or she remains in the Big Brother House.) Stipend payments and prize winnings will not be paid until after the broadcast of the final episode of the show.

What does Julie Chen do besides Big Brother? ›

Before CBS News, she was a reporter and weekend anchor at WCBS-TV in New York City. Since 2000, she has also been the host of the American version of Big Brother.

Does Julie Chen have a baby? ›

Julie Chen Moonves married her husband, former CBS CEO, Les Moonves in 2004. Together they welcomed a son named Charlie on September 29, 2009. Charlie has been seen often on his mother's social media page.

Who is Julie Chen's stylist? ›

The "we" is Chen and her stylist, Carole Meltzer.

What nationality is Nancy Chen? ›

A first-generation Chinese American, Nancy Chen '13 received only tantalizing hints while growing up of her parents' challenging lives in China. “They selectively shared things they felt might benefit me,” she recalls.

Is Big Brother fake or scripted? ›

There are more filming crew and producers than there are cast members. There is nothing 'real' about this reality show. But it's not exactly scripted, either. It's a secret third thing – a familiar format that might best be described as “sculpted reality.”

How do I contact Big Brother producers? ›

Show Contacts
  1. Press. Trenise Burleson. trenise.burleson@cbs.com. Julie Holland. julie.holland@cbs.com.
  2. Photo. Aimee Santos. aimee.santos@cbs.com. Gaye Ann Bruno. gayeann.bruno@cbs.com.
  3. Producers. Allison Grodner. Executive Producer, BIG BROTHER. Rich Meehan. Executive Producer, BIG BROTHER.

Who was the fake celebrity on Big Brother? ›

Houghton had originally applied to be in Big Brother 6 and was a stand-by for that series but was never called up, however producers decided to use her for the upcoming celebrity version as a "fake celebrity". Houghton entered the house on day one and became the first non-celebrity to enter Celebrity Big Brother.

How can I watch Celebrity Big Brother live? ›

Celebrity Big Brother: Late & Live - ITVX.

Where can I watch Big Brother season 26 episode 5? ›

Watch Big Brother Season 26 Episode 5: Big Brother - Episode 5 – Full show on Paramount Plus.

What channel does Big Brother come on tonight? ›

How To Watch Big Brother Season 26. Big Brother Season 26 will air live on CBS. New episodes will also be available to stream live and on-demand on Paramount+.

Who won Hoh on Big Brother 26 tonight? ›

Who won Head of Household on 'Big Brother'? Chelsie Baham is this week's HOH.

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