‘BB19’: Bullying Takes Center Stage As Josh Martinez, Paul Abrahamian Rock The House: Has CBS Gone Too Far?
Big Brother might need to change its name to Big Bully. The cast members of the 19th season of the CBS summertime reality show stooped to new lows over the past week, and some superfans have had enough.
At the center of the firestorm is Josh Martinez and returning Big Brother player, Paul Abrahamian. Abrahamian has had it out for Nickson for weeks, especially since Nickson called him out over last week’s Head of Household nominations. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the footage aired on CBS was heavily edited due to the profanities spewed between the two men. During the heated exchange, Cody accused Paul of treating the other houseguests like “dogs” and told him he was just “a character on a TV show” before Abrahamian ordered him out of his HOH room.
Later, after Paul became angry over the fact that Jessica Graf planned to use the Halting Hex to halt this week’s eviction (and ultimately save herself and fellow eviction nominee Cody), he orchestrated some major chaos, headed by his minion, Josh Martinez. Paul ordered Josh to kick up the annoyance factor, telling him: “Let’s go! Let’s go! Josh, go out there with the pots and pans please and let’s keep this party going.”
Josh Martinez’ signature move this season has been to grab pots and pan and loudly bang on them while singing a circus theme, and he gladly followed Paul’s orders to “turn it up to a 30.”
Josh Martinez personally attacked fellow Big Brother houseguest Cody Nickson, going much further than calling him a “meatball” as he clanged on pots and pans while parading around him.
“You are a disgusting human being,” Martinez told Nickson.
“Your personality sucks as much as everything about you sucks. So you want to call people disgusting or cowards. So are we the bullies or are you the f**king bully? You grown baby. You little man syndrome, that’s what you have.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER3efYbQHtA
Martinez’ bullying may have worked, as Jessica Graf later said she’s not sure if she can handle the pressure of being so hated by the rest of the houseguests. The animosity this week was so intense that even the usually quiet Raven got into a screaming match with Jessica, while Christmas called out Jessica and her showmance, asking her if Cody was “worth $500,000” and calling him “an expensive date.”
Several Big Brother alums have spoken out about this season’s bullies, including Big Brother 19’s Megan Lowder, who self-evicted herself from the CBS reality show earlier this season.
After watching the Big Brother houseguests’ embarrassing shenanigans this week, Lowder tweeted: “The amount of bullies in this house right now is horrible. I feel for Jess and Cody rn. I’m hoping these HGs get their sh*t together.”
Other Big Brother alums who have expressed outrage over this season’s gameplay and bullying include past winners Andy Herren, Rachel Reilly, and even Evel Dick Donato.
Paul: "Cody is a bully!"
Also Paul: "Hey everyone! Let's bully Jessica and Cody because they're not doing what I want!"#BB19
— Andy Herren (@AndyHerren) August 4, 2017
Now I'm really a #Jody fan.. can't believe they're literally all attacking them. And Josh with the pans ? ITS ENOUGH #BB19
— Liz Nolan (@_LizNolan) August 1, 2017
Bullying can be a strategy in the house…
Couldn't care less to be honest
But they did cross the line in my book, but they didn't show it https://t.co/PTClNVGAxh— EvelDick (@EvelDick) August 4, 2017
While showmances are usually fair game in the Big Brother house, even Cody and Jessica haters think Josh Martinez and Paul Abrahamian have crossed the line this season. Some fans blame Paul for being a puppet master, while others think Josh’s behavior has been so bad that he should be ejected from the Big Brother game. Some fans have also called out CBS for “promoting” bullying.
I'm disgusted by what's occurring on bb19. I'm even more disgusted that bullying and harassment is being promoted instead of stopped #bb19
— Bri? (@Brianaaa25) August 4, 2017
Big Brother is being run by a bully. Paul with his man child Josh as the one doing the bullying. #BB19 #promoting bullying.
— Kathy Paterson (@KathyPaterson7) August 4, 2017
Wow, Big Brother has really reached a new low with that vile bullying behavior. Paul is such a hypocrite & bully. @CBSBigBrother #BB19
— I Wicked Love TV (@IWickedLoveTV) August 4, 2017
In addition to Big Brother fans, several of this season’s Big Brother houseguests are turned off by how this season is playing out. Matthew Cline called Martinez’ backyard pan banging “embarrassing” for all of them. And Mark Jansen, who was recently at the center of a near-physical fight with Martinez that was so bad that producers had to order them to “opposite sides of the house,” described his nemesis’ behavior in the house as “harassment.”
“It’s pathetic. It’s bullying,” he said.
Incidentally, Josh Martinez is the new Big Brother Head of Household on a week producers have dubbed Big Brother Horror Week.
Big Brother airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays only on CBS.
[Featured Image by Sonja Flemming/CBS]
