Big Brother 17 (BBUS17) update-Austin isn't going anywhere, or is he?

It's always about the numbers. Or at least that is what I tell my fellow feeders while I am watching things unfold in front of me.  With over 30 years of Television Production experience in my back pocket it is safe to say I do know something about how these producers are controlling the game.  Let's face it, that is what got me intrigued in this show in the first place.. it is a Human Experiment. Or at least that is how it started. But of course with any Network TV show, the advertisers have a huge part in this since the idea is to be the most watched program on the air at that time so you have the most eyes watching it so that the advertisers are happy and in return the production series can charge more for the airtime.  It's basic TV.. use the SuperBowl, The Academy Awards, The President's Speech... anything the general public find important enough to stop what they are doing and tuning in to watch the show..  If you look at the numbers the very first season the show had the highest numbers and since then it has gone down hill.. the first year was the only year the general public voted each player out of the house and also voted for the winner.  Obviously now that the social networking/internet is the way that it is, this may not be quite as easy to do as it might get gamed to the point where it wasn't even close. This is where in my opinion, the CBS US series is NOT doing a good enough job of taking advantage of the social media and allowing "us" be more powerful. They seem to give the feeders absolutely no credit, yet they continue to use the comments posted everywhere in the script they give to Julie Chen each week.  BB Canada has done a stellar job of giving the live feeders and viewers more power in the game, yet still keeping full control of the production. CBS US can definitely learn from this. After all, the casting director for both series is the same person.

As much as I love the game there are times when I seriously want to throw my tv/computer out the window. Listening to these HG go on and on about getting blood on their hands and 'at the end of the day'.. Enough is enough.. you entered this game to win a half million dollars and you want to do it without getting a few people upset with your decisions when you happen to win HOH.

Vanessa is now HOH once again.. I never trusted this girl from the start.. how can you when she was a professional poker player.. check out her Wiki entry and you will see the stats for yourself. You have to hope she is loyal and just dismisses the people the lie to her.. she feels like they are gaming her and that is NOT what you want to do against a professional gamer!  But here is the thing, it is only Saturday night/Sunday morning and the power of veto ceremony doesn't happen until Monday afternoon so a lot of game talk will happen and Shelli will continue to convince Vanessa, now that her son (Clay) has won the power of veto and is safely off the block and back in her arms (excuse me--a little puke in my mouth) I'm ok now..  If the tables were turned and Becky would have won POV and Clay remained OTB then Shelli would be signing a different tune, because she would realize how important Meg, Jason, James votes would be to save Clay and she would be freaking out because there is a chance they would jump at this opportunity to get the most powerful player out of the game. After all, that is why Shelli was so paranoid when Clay was OTB in the first place.  So now that her man/son is safe, she once again turns and realizes how she can make this a win-win for HER Game.. (got to give her credit there because it is a game and you should always be thinking of Number 1 which is yourself).  For Shelli, having Austin stay means one more vote for "her side" and Becky would go so that is one less vote for the other side. The problem is, there really is no solid line in the house. 

If you look at the twin twist and how Liz and Julia now have to look at the game once they are both in, she wonders who should we trust. Right now she is counting on Vanessa, since Julia initially let the twin twist out of the bag by telling Vanessa the truth and introducing herself as Julia while they were sleeping in the same bed some time back.  The problem will be how much power Shelli has over Vanessa this week to see just where the Twins will be in the house.

So in summary, at midnight Saturday/Sunday morning, it appears Austin is still going to be the replacement nomination and will get back doored but we haven't heard the last of Shelli/Clay's arguments. Not to mention production and all the D/R sessions where they will continue to put ideas in people's minds about pros to Austin staying--if production recognizes it appears he is the one going home.  If you dont believe me, then take a look what happened last week when Audrey was sure to be going on the block and even before she was officially put up, was already shutting every other HG out and wouldn't speak to anyone followed by not even showing up for the POV ceremony and then production giving her a single penalty for having normal food due to the fact that she was also a have-not. At this point production had to make it into what it was.

It is safe to say I am happy to see the he said/she said continue to manifest throughout the house creating much needed drama which makes this Human experiment fun to watch once again.