Is the BB house a grown-up version of kid's "playing war?"


Wow! Ruthless doesn't begin to Describe Dan's Hail Mary Pass. Well, folks--I have to amend my previous post a bit.

Dan is back in the driver's seat.

For anybody watching Sunday's live feeds, when Dan began his tearful goodbye's to all the HGs, one thought that this guy is either crazy, or deluded, or feeling SO entitled to another BB win, or at the very least some coveted air time with his dramatic oratory, that it kind of made the viewer feel queasey. It was beyond corny--and a real hoot to see Frank and Jenn just staring at him during the treacly speech with complete disdain.

The Pass--in the middle of all the platitudes to the various HGs, causing THEM to each tear up, SUDDENLY, a vicious verbal punch at Danielle from Dan so over-the-top cruel, I started to write a Post with the title "The cruelest moment in 14 BB seasons". Watching this was like watching a terrible train wreck. Was he crazy? Had he REALLY lost it? How could anybody be THAT mean?

BUT--wait a minute. In the riveting minutes after that bomb went off, with Dani sobbing uncontrollably and the other HGs trying to comfort her, Dan goes up in the HOH room and methodically, craftily, totally makes Frank his bitch, ratting out Ian with perfect timing, and God knows how, getting Frank to realize that his only chance in the game is to suddenly align with him--and form a 4 person alliance -- Jenn, Danielle, he and Frank. And whaddya know? IT WORKS! And once this deal is sealed, there's Dan apologizing his head off in the AR to Dani, with a diabolical smile on his face, consoling her, telling her his very BB-public ripping apart of her was nothing more than a sham, a pure ruse to unsettle the HGs, to cover up the TRUE plan of forming this new, as yet, un-named alliance, thus keeping both Dan AND Danielle in the game! And OF COURSE, Dani falls, hook and a line and a sinker for Dan's plan, being so psychologically relieved that Dan was not mad at her, even blithely agreeing to not only be part of this new alliance, but also agreeing to help BD her new best bud, Britney, booting her all the way out to the Jury House.

Dan, Dan, Dan, Dan........you never fail to astonish us! Did you have to be so cruel to Dani? Could you have tried to convince Frank in another way? Was all the drama really that necessary???

Well, it worked. You're still a cold, steely, ruthless game player and a son-of-a-bitch! You're still smarmy......but, well, as of Sunday, August 26th, you're also still hanging in there, once again, as in BB10, running the show. And you just may be on your way to winning BB 14......maybe with another unanimous vote.

They say all is fair in love and war. Is the BB house a grown-up version of kid's "playing war?". Well, there are sides, and battles, and alliances, and banishments and "executions". In fact Sun Tzu's "The Art of War" has been referenced more than a few times by BB HGs over the years, beginning with Jaime, of all people in BB1. For some, Dan's tactics, and his psychological manipulation comes too close to true ugliness. For some, it is genius. Read all the contrasting opinions in the various BB discussion forums. This BB "social experiment" reality show is a telescope on the HGs, but it is also a telescope on the viewer's perceptions. How do we respond to ugliness and manipulation. Who do we applaud? Is winning at all costs, in today's society, all that counts? Or are their boundaries?

To.....be.....continued.