“Let’s just say what everyone knows,” the host says.
“I was the Chenbot.
I deserved that name because I was robotic.”
Credit: Robert Voets/CBS
There is a reasonJulie Chenis beloved as the host ofBig Brother.
Now, 20 years later, on the eve of the liveBig Brother: All-StarspremiereAug.
“Season 1, I was terrible,” says Chen.
“Let’s just say what everyone knows: I was the Chenbot.
I deserved that name because I was robotic.
I’m going to prove them wrong.'
They were right, by the way.
I was never asked to do60 Minutes.
I was also told that if I didn’t take the assignment, it would be considered insubordination.
Because I was already working at CBS News doing the morning newscast.”
Chen took the job, as well as the barbs from fans that came with it.
“I finally learned how to embrace the Chenbot,” she says.
“It only took me, I don’t know, how many years?
And I think I strike the right balance between being Chenbot-y and like very, like, no personality.
The stars of the show are the ones in the house.
I’m just the conductor of this train.
Sosometimesletting my personality show.
So it’s been a journey for me.”
I’ll probably watch an episode next summer from this summer and go like, ‘Ugh!’
And then laugh."
That’s not all Chen expanded upon.
How long has this process taken?
JULIE CHEN:Well, in January, pre-quarantine, it was like, life is so simple.
I was like, “Great, thanks!
When are we going to premiere?”
We’ve never done that.
That’s kind of crazy."
Because how do you throw in 16 strangers at once?
Our poor director is going to be like, “Which camera do I take the audio person?”
And “Which microphone do I put up?
What do we take?”
It’s like an explosion of noise.
Or, if you’re high-risk, you do.
If you are essential to be on the lot, then you are.
You must wear a mask.
You must get tested every week.
You must get tested every week leading on to the first day you’re on the set ofBig Brother.
I’ve watched nine different COVID safety videos.
We are happy to be back at work.
And I truly believe we’re doing it in such a safe way.
So let’s say you’re in the orange pod and your lanyard and ID has orange on it.
you’re free to only go into the spots where orange can go into.
And we have four COVID compliance officers on campus at all times.
I’m not allowed to go there.
I’ve never gone there.
And so far everyone in my orange pod, we’re still testing negative.
We’re good."
So this was a big undertaking.
I have to say, I thinkBig Brotherdid an amazing job.
I want to protect the Chenbot!
So that’s six people.
That’s not happening anymore.
It is me by myself.
Oh, it’s time to do hair?
Let’s send in the hairdresser.
She does my hair with a mask on.
And then when she’s done, she leaves and we give like a 10-minute warning.
Then someone can come in to do makeup.
Obviously, those people have to be in close contact with me, but everybody is masked.
Obviously, I have to take the mask down when the makeup goes on.
Otherwise I’ll look like Homer Simpson, or I have a 5 o’clock shadow.
Not the look that Chenbot is going for in season 22.
So then when the houseguest gets evicted, usually I shake their hand.
Some of them ask for a hug obviously, that’s not happening.
So it’s good.
There’s not going to be the cheering.
You’re going to have to put the hands up, like “Hello, but stay back.”
It’s going to be very different, right?
But if you think about it, season 1, we had a live audience.
But when the person gets evicted, we have new music.
So maybe, you know, what’s old is new again.
I don’t know.
We always say, expect the unexpected.
I mean, truly, truly, truly this summer.
How are returning players in general different from newbies?
There’s good and bad.
By the way, newbies who are fans of the show?
They’re like, “Oh no, is this double eviction week?
You think it is going to be double eviction?”
But you have to think about the concept of the game.
They’ve never played this game with these other 15 people.
So that alone is going to have a built-in dynamic that keeps the show fresh.
That’s what I love.
People’s lives have changed.
And people change and mature.
It’s always going to be a different dynamic, and that’s what keeps it fresh.
You’re like, “Huh?
I thought I was good at this game.
I finally met my match.”
