Controversy has erupted on the set of Big Brother Season 25, just one week after the premiere, as houseguest Luke Valentine used a racial slur during a conversation captured on the Paramount+ live feed. As a result of this violation of the show’s code of conduct, Valentine has been removed from the house.
CBS, the network behind Big Brother, swiftly responded to the incident, stating, “There is zero tolerance in the house for using a racial slur. His departure will be addressed in Thursday night’s show.”
The offensive remark occurred during a conversation between Valentine and fellow contestants Jared Fields, Cory Wurtenberger, and Hisam Goueli. After using the racial slur, Valentine immediately realized his mistake, covered his mouth, and tried to correct himself with the word “dude.”
The incident has sparked outrage among Big Brother viewers, many of whom took to social media to express their disappointment and call for Valentine’s immediate removal from the show. Previous instances of racial controversies have led to increased scrutiny of the show’s casting process.
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In Season 22, contestant Memphis Garrett faced accusations of using the same racial slur against another houseguest, David Alexander. An online petition demanded his removal, but after a review of the footage, CBS concluded that the slur had not been used.
Last season, houseguest Kyle Carpenter’s racially insensitive remarks led to his eviction. Fans also criticized the network for micro-aggressions directed at contestant Taylor Hale, who is Black.
Despite the show’s commitment to casting a diverse range of contestants, producers maintain that they do thorough background checks and research to identify potential issues before the season begins. They deny claims that they deliberately cast problematic houseguests for entertainment value.
Executive producer Rich Meehan emphasized that the show’s goal is not to create controversy but to conduct a social experiment with participants from diverse backgrounds. “That’s definitely 1,000% not true,” Rich Meehan told Variety. “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.”
Producer Allison Grodner added that they hope the show’s viewers learn from the interactions and growth of the contestants and that the show makes a positive impact on the outside world. “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.”
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