Julie Chen, the host of the CBS reality show “Big Brother,” made her first comments today about the racial slurs uttered by some contestants on the program.
Chen’s remarks were made on her daytime talk show, the Talk.
“When I first found out that Aaryn, who is a 22-year-old girl, made anti-gay, anti-black and anti-Asian comments, I have to be honest, the Asian ones hit me the most. It stung. I took it personally. I’m a human being. The really sad part, it took me back to the ’70s when I was growing up in Queens and I was 7 years old getting bullied, being called a chink. I thought, ‘Wow I haven’t heard comments like that [in years]. The year is 2013. I felt ignorant, there are still people in the country who feel and act that way? Yes there [are]. It made me sad. She’s 22 and she’s college educated.”
Those scenes from Big Brother were finally aired last night on the program a week after the internet was a buzz about the incidents, according to the Hollywood Gossip. The remarks were originally heard during a live internet feed from the “Big Brother” house,
You can see Chen’s comments about the incident in the Inquisitr.
From Lorenzo Obi Abadinas via Facebook: RE:Big Brother Comments: Egads. 22 and college educated.
Unfortunately, I thought there would only be old middle-aged white people in a recent fascist British National Party rally. About forty about them.
Found one disabled lady joining a neo-nazi rally and several young people.
From Tommy Wasabi via Facebook: RE: Big Brother Comments: Way to go Julie!!! You are a strong Asian woman who deserves my respect.
From Margaret Chau via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: In light of the situation of Paula Deen and perhaps the moral code of such companies, I think Julie Chen may also have some influence here.
From Hoover Ng via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: No matter how successful you become, to some people you're just a "Chink". Sad world. I say off with their heads.
From Elaine Choy via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: never forget because if you do, you will be devastated and caught with your guard down…they will always see you as different – I raised my children with this type of "healthy" awareness – we're lulled into a sense of entitlement here in the bay area but it's a bigggg country with lots of red necks
From Walden Jay via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: There are a couple of members here who didn't understand what I was talking about when I said that racism is alive and going strong in the United States!…
From Aileen Tokunaga via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: What a shame people are still stuck in a negative mode. Unfortunately, like Walden stated, racism and bigotry are rampant. For a while it was covert now it's quite blatant. On national tv – really.
From Ed Jay via Facebook: I wouldn't let some stupid, ignorant 22 yr old get me upset. Besides who watches that show? And realistically, haven't we all made similar comments of different races privately?? Blondie is dumb enough to not know that everything she says is being recorded.
RE: Big Brother Comments: No, Ed. We haven't all made these comments privately. At least I hope not. Private or public, it doesn't matter. These sorts of things shouldn't be said.
From Ed Jay via Facebook: RE Big Brother Comments: I know friends that have made those comments in private, but I don't consider them racist. In many cases they were trying to make a joke. I don't deny there is and always will be racism in this country. Some people are more sensitive to it than others.
From Hoover Ng via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Got it, OK to b racist privately. Thx
From Ed Jay Via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Hoover, this is America, you can do or say whatever you want in private. Racist acts are considered a hate crime. I rarely use the word hate as I rarely use the word racism….unless it's justified.
This ignorant person offended blacks, gays and Asians. Hmmmm….I wonder if she knows the host of the show is Chinese….I'm sure she didn't know Julie Chen is married to the head of CBS. So, in effect, she offended the head of the network that this show is on.
From Betty Young via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: because i live in CA, i seldom encounter racism. so when i do encounter it (while traveling in midwest or the south), it always takes me aback. its still there–so sad.
From Hoover Ng via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: U just supported my 2 points.
1. You can do it in privately like Paula Deen.
2. No matter how big you get, to some ur still a "Chink".
From Juju Lee via Facebook RE: Big Brother comments: I used to travel alone all over California when I was working, but will be taking my first trip to the northern coast (Fort Bragg and surroundings) in a few weeks. I am already feeling apprehensive, but will go with an open mind and open heart. i'll let you all know what I experience.
From Ed Jay via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: I've met hundreds of people in the last few years, and my experience is that the vast majority of them are very nice and accommodating. The ones I don't tolerate are those who have big egos. I wouldn't be apprehensive.
From Hoover Ng via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Enjoy Fort Bragg, this is still CA. Been up & down the NoCal coast.
From Morris Lee via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Juju, i used to travel all over by myself, everywhere west of Colorado….it ain't as bad as you think. my worst experience was a client near Sacramento. i told my manager to go send someone else there to finish the training. the f*cking AH was a racist. BTW, the guy who was sent there, came back and confirmed my thinking.
12 hours ago via mobile · Edited · Like
From Aileen Tokunaga via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Ed Jay racist comments are not considered hate crimes but discriminatory in nature based on an individuals ethnicity. Having been in the discrimination law area for a good part of my career, private or public comments such as those made on the television show are inappropriate and demonstrates ignorance.
From Ed Jay via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments; Thanks, Aileen, then I wonder why CBS hasn't kicked her out yet. I wonder if she used the N word would this have been treated any different by the network. But then again, part of this might be ratings driven. I know of no one who watches this show.
From Aileen Tokunaga via Facebook Re: Big Brother Comments That's a good question, Ed. CBS shouldn't allow or tolerate behavior that is pervasive in discriminatory conduct. An outcry by the Asian public and civil rights groups always gets attention. Julie Chen's statements were also in the Sacramento Bee today, it will be interesting to see if CBS experiences a backlash.
From JuJu Lee via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Morris Lee I had the same experience with a "professional" in Fairfield (many moons ago). she practically almost threw me out of her office, told my boss to "send someone else"! It was obvious to me she was racist. all of my other clients loved me. racism is not just with words, I am a good interpreter on body language.
From Morris Lee via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: ort, I would have jacked him up…..not one bit of discount.
From Scott Nakamura via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: The idiotic comment probably raised the viewing numbers of the show. I wonder if the President of the network would rather see numbers rise than his wife get offended. Just saying, it's a cruel world and I'm sure the very intelligent Julie Chen understands that
From JuJu Lee via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Any publicity, positive or negative, will always have impact on ratings. That's show biz.
From Robt Lowe via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Juju Lee, Why are you going to Ft Bragg??? I'm going up there in Aug. For diving. They're kind of or is racists up there, not all but they're there.
From Robt Lowe via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments: Most of us are old enough to have experienced racism. It's the newer generation, whom has not or believe that there isn't any, b/c they're lucky to be from the SF Bay Area. Once they go outside, then it's a whole new ball game.
From JuJu Lee via Facebook RE: Big Brother Comments. I was invited by a good friend who is not Asian. yes, I know about that area, that's why I said I was apprehensive!
From Robt Lowe via Facebook RE Big Brother Comments: The town of Ft Bragg is a fishing town & has many tourists, that make their way there. They should be a little open up there. As for Asians, who dive up there. They are all always suspect, esp. from the SF Bay Area.