BB06: The Burning Question

No: not that burning question (which has been posed by QueerPenguin and since resolved--and let me preface this post by admitting that I have yet to view an episode of the current series, and probably won't do so for another three or four weeks, or until idle curiosity kicks in). I'm more interested in Who Will Be This Season's Token Lefty?

Much has been made of the show's propensity to use titillation to boost ratings, but I've always suspected that the famous "Merlin incident" has had a role to play in the selection process for subsequent seasons.

Merlin Luck, you may recall, was the 2004 evictee who caused something of a stir--to put it mildly--used his exit interview with host Gretel Killeen to stage a silent protest against the mandatory detention of asylum seekers.

In spite of the dressing-down Luck received on the following night's episode at the hands of a blindsided Killeen, clearly Ten relished the publicity and was looking for more. (That's my theory, anyway.)

Enter 2005's Tim Brunero. More Labor Left than Green Left, Brunero was like Merlin minus the whiny teenage angst, and plus wit and charm (if only in the context of a house full of troglodytes). Such was Brunero's popularity with the BB audience that he has own fansite, and his appeal nearly yielded him the series victory--but for the fact that, however likeable, lefties will always lose out to bogans among BB fans. It has to be said, nevertheless, that he probably did cause not a few reality-TV skeptics (like myself) to stay with the show for more than two consecutive episodes. (Even if he did look a cross between Alvin Purple and Terry Camilleri from The Cars That Ate Paris.)


So who will it be this year? The smart money (inasmuch as there is any "smart money" to be placed) is on this gentleman, "Michael." Not only does Michael (a) go to uni, he (b) studies political science. And (c) he actually describes himself on BB's official site as someone who wants to (get this)

. . . bring intelligent, articulate, analytical conversation and debate to the Big Brother house. I want to question people's social and moral integrity. I really want to push people's ideological perspectives and have them question themselves, and me, in the process. I also like to see how people deal with these situations and basically stir things up. If I have to play the devils advocate, I will.

A fair demonstration of the wankery required of a Big Brother contestant, but shall we say "case closed?" I haven't seen the show, yet, so I could be way short of the mark. Thoughts?

Read more at ausculture.

UPDATE: Here's ausculture jess' appraisal:

Meet Michael. He tells the nation in his pre-appearance clip that he's single and pays his own rent. Erm, right. Thanks for sharing. He also wants to be a political strategist. Poltics, eh? While he's grinning like a fool and trying to paint himself as a ladies man, he also rings his mother every single day. Awww. I just vomited into my mouth. Back to sex related stuff! He claims to be a swinger. According to Michael, people often tell him he's "an arrogant, selfish pig". So he's a Liberal voter then. BOOM BOOM. He gets along with men better because every woman he meets, he wants to play kiss and catch with. Oh my lord, he really is a contender for Most Deserving Of A Kick In The Crotch this series and it's eight minutes in. "I'm going to take Big Brother on" the cocky idiot declares. MBBS decide he will be out by week three at the latest.

(Fluff post ends here.)