# Big brother = mental vacuum **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 29, 2002, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313 "2002-05-29T07:23:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/1 "2002-05-29T07:23:12Z")
I made the mistake of watching (UK) big brother last night while I was tidying away the chaos left by my kids. I could feel my life force being sucked away. for some reason, it’s also rather annoying to keep hearing: “Everyone is in the garden (pause) except Adele, PJ, Sandy, Sunita, Johnny and Jade” “Everyone has gone to bed (pause) except Alex, Spencer, Sunita, Alison and Lee” Anyway, that’s my lame rant for the month, I thank you for your indulgence. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/2 "2002-05-29T07:51:06Z")
I feel exactly the same… (should that be “s-eh-m”?) And yet, I watched it all the way to the end, and probably will tonight again… I’m just a sad little voyeur… ☹ Gp ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/3 "2002-05-29T07:54:47Z")
Sleep deprived, I quickly read this as > [@](#): > > **"Everyone has gone to bed (pause) except Alex, Sphincter, Sunita, Alison and Lee"** I doubt it would be too far off, considering the type of people they usually have on these shows. ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/4 "2002-05-29T08:14:53Z")
I hated the first Big Brother but due to circumstances ended up addicted and watched it through to the end. It was SO TEDIOUS by the end (but I couldn’t give up my invested time). Managed to avoid the second one, largely on the grounds that the contestants were even more vapid and boring than in the first series. Had no interest whatsoever in the third series. And yet in the week leading up to episode one I found myself intrigued to know who they would choose this time. So I watched the first episode. Which was just enough to convince me that the people were even bigger tossers than before. Thank god - I think I’ve broken the dependency cycle for good. pan ---
**Author:** ![kabbes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e99b99/32.png) [@kabbes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kabbes)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/5 "2002-05-29T08:15:59Z")
Er… circumstances beyond my control, that is. Not just generic “circumstances”. That would be silly. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/6 "2002-05-29T08:19:17Z")
I turned on E4 first thing this morning, and drank my coffee while watching someone snoring. After about 2 minutes I came to my senses, smacked myself on the head, and said to myself “what the FUCK am I doing?!?!?!” and watched Sky News instead, which was worse. But you _know_ that when it gets down to about 5 or 6 people, you aren’t going to be able to help yourself. P.S. Jade can fuck off. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/7 "2002-05-29T10:08:42Z")
> [@](#): > > _believeth jjimm_ > But you know that when it gets down to about 5 or 6 people, you aren’t going to be able to help yourself. Nah, that’s daft. It’s when it gets down to the last three you start to get interested. ---
**Author:** ![Francesca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9fc348/32.png) [@Francesca](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francesca)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/8 "2002-05-29T10:32:49Z")
I like Big Brother. I like the mental vacuum, the endless staring at the screen wondering if these people actually have brains, the disembodied Geordie telling me that everyone in the house is in the living room, \ except Sunita who is off being a miserable cow in the bedroom. PS Sandy rules. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/9 "2002-05-29T10:38:47Z")
“Fowur oh-three PM, Tyooooosdeh. FranCHESKa is called to the daahry rum.” Sunita’d better come out of her shell damn quick. Even so, I still think they’ll vote Jade off - easier to deal with someone who’s hidden from view than someone who’s got unfiltered verbosity emanating from her intellectual void. Sandy is my favourite too. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/10 "2002-05-29T10:43:58Z")
If I were locked in a house with those people, I’d be digging an escape tunnel, and stuff the prize money. (No, I’m not watching it. I caught some of it when I turned the TV on, having forgotten which channel I’d left it on last. It’s _not_ a mistake I’m going to make twice.) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/11 "2002-05-29T11:10:23Z")
Well, to **everyone** who took the time to respond (pause) except Steve Wright, jjimm, Francesca, Gary Kumquat, kabbes, Wikkit and grimpixie, I’d like to say a big thanks for your time 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/12 "2002-05-29T11:13:50Z")
And you’re welcome too, mangetout. Actually, this year could have one bonus - with the calibre of irritating bastard they’ve assembled for this season, we could well be looking at our first televised quiz show rampage killing spree. There’s something to look forward too. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/13 "2002-05-29T11:16:25Z")
Well I suppose that it’s simpler to say “everyone is in the garden except [bla]” than to say “Adele, PJ, Sandy, Sunita, Johnny and Jade are in the garden, while [all those other plonkers] are in the house”. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/14 "2002-05-29T12:08:52Z")
Hmm… Its all mindless nonsense! I can’t believe how otherwise intelligent people (I live in a house full of Cambridge grad students…) can put themselves through that level of mental, well, torture (for lack of a better word). Its boring, pointless, mindless, and vapid. The people in it are about as interesting as watching paint dry. Sorry if I sound like an intellectual snob, but I really can’t stand Big Brother, I can’t see the point, and it is totally inane. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/15 "2002-05-29T12:32:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Well I suppose that it’s simpler to say “everyone is in the garden except [bla]” than to say “Adele, PJ, Sandy, Sunita, Johnny and Jade are in the garden, while [all those other plonkers] are in the house”. \*\* You would think so, but there are 12 people in the house and the commentator still does it when six of them are exclusions from ‘everyone’. ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/16 "2002-05-29T12:39:19Z")
I watched the very last episodes of the first and second series’, but nothing more. I have no interest in this one, and yet, like **jjimm** , I found myself watching a man in funky glasses walking round a swimming pool this morning before realising my error and switching to the news. If I was in that house, I’d be going on a crazy apeshit killing spree. Let’s see you smartarse that one, Dermot ‘What Career?’ O’Leary. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Kumquat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gary\_Kumquat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Kumquat)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/17 "2002-05-29T12:44:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > \*\*If I was in that house, I’d be going on a crazy apeshit killing spree. Let’s see you smartarse that one, Dermot ‘What Career?’ O’Leary. \*\* Chortle. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/18 "2002-05-29T17:16:43Z")
If anyone has any doubt to the the mental vacuum that is Big Brother, please read the following “news” stories available on Ananova… [Housemates Running Out Of Milk](http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_597794.html) No, really, this story is exactly what it says in the headline. [She fancies him, but he doesn’t like her.](http://www.ananova.com/entertainment/story/sm_596641.html) While he, on the other hand, likes her, but he’s already got a girlfriend, and she also fancies someone else, but she’s keeping it secret. And he says he doesn’t fancy anyone, but we think he has a crush on her. etc… etc… **What are you?!! 9 years old?!!** Meanwhile, everyone has switched off (pause) except for those with no life. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/19 "2002-05-29T17:28:20Z")
I’m a reality show whore. BB, Survivor whatever. Ya don’t like it? Grand by me. I do. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2002, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313/20 "2002-05-30T08:06:50Z")
Andy Warhol would have been proud. Wasn’t Survivor _great_? 7-0 to the cheeky copper. He shouldn’t have lost the beard, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/big-brother-mental-vacuum/111313.md?page=2)