‘Big Brother 24’: Julie Chen Moonves Responds to Controversial Treatment of Taylor

Big Brother host Julie Chen Moonves is weighing in on the controversy surrounding houseguest Taylor Hale’s treatment during the first week of Season 24. As the former Miss Michigan USA has become the subject of microaggressions and anger from her fellow Big Brother players, Chen Moonves urged viewers to “take a pause” and “try not to judge” in a new interview with Parade.

The longtime host admitted she found it “a little bit surprising” how quickly the internet has been to condemn the houseguests working against Taylor in the house. “I don’t think any of us are in any position to judge any other human being,” she told the outlet. “What you have to remember is that yes, microaggressions are real and they happen every day. When you’re playing the Big Brother house, it’s a pressure cooker in there. And you might say or do things that you think is going to advance your position in the house. But you won’t always do it in a way that makes yourself look your best.”

Chen Moonves continued that a lot of the treatment Taylor has experienced was been “classic Big Brother trash-talk behind someone’s back” because people feel threatened by her. “In many ways, Big Brother is like high school on steroids,” she continued. “And if you were to ask Taylor, you know, prior to becoming a replacement nominee, she simply was not aware of how much jealousy there was.”

“So I would say, let’s all take a pause. Let’s try not to judge. Please leave the judging to the judge: Father God,” Chen Moonves added. “And let’s exercise some compassion for one another. We don’t know what it’s like to go through that Big Brother house.” She continued that viewers need to “open up their hearts a little bit more” and allow people to change both in and out of the house, not develop the “mob mentality” that exists. 

“But I feel for Taylor, who’s been told that she has rubbed some people the wrong way,” Chen Moonves admitted. “We all walk through life thinking that we’re good, decent people. You don’t set out to be unlikable. It hurts. It hurts and I have sympathy for her. I have sympathy for everyone in that house. It’s not easy.” Big Brother airs its first live eviction ceremony Thursday, July 14 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.