‘Big Brother’: Julie Chen Get Mixed Reviews Over Grilling Jack Matthews for ‘Racist’ Comments

Big Brother host Julie Chen recently grilled houseguest Jack Matthews over “racist” comments that he made, and she is getting mixed reviews over her approach. Matthews was accused of racism after saying he wanted to “stomp a f—ing mudhole” in fellow houseguest Kemi’s chest. In response he said, “I will say that the ‘stomp the mudhole’ comment is based on something Sam said last season when she was frustrated. I don’t think there was any personal vendetta behind saying that. I think my statements were playful in a group of people.” Matthews then added, “I do apologize for what I said and that’s very sincere. I think Kemi was and is a great person. I think this game and being in 24-hour view of people and you say things. I wouldn’t say that I fully support the things that I said and the way that I said them. If I could take them back, I would. And I wish I could have articulated them in some other way possible.”

Regarding a “rice pudding” comment he made to Asian-American houseguest Bella, Matthews again chalked it up to a misunderstanding.

“I appreciate you letting me be able to voice my opinion about that,” he said to Chen, then going on to say, “We spoke earlier in the evening; there was the slop thing going on and people were making different recipes. Earlier that evening, mainly Tommy and Christie, and rice pudding was spoke about in slop pudding … It had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with her ethnicity, whatsoever.”

While speaking about incidents, Chen used to the term “gyp,” which — as one twitter user stated — is often perceived “a slur against gypsies.” This particular choice of words has not gone over well with many fans of the show.

“Pretty f—ing cute for [Julie Chen] to call someone out on problematic behaviour only to then use a derogatory term,” one person tweeted in response.

“Oh oh [Julie Chen], it works both ways,” someone else tweeted. “Can’t admonish a person for allegedly making bigoted comments then make one yourself [bb21] “GYP” is an offensive term.”

Big Brother airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET and Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

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