Big Brother All Stars Janelle Chokes and Boogie Gets Lucky!

Filed under: Big Brother All-Stars
09-08-2006

Janelle Chokes and Boogie Gets Lucky! by Roxanne McDonald

Big Brother All Stars has given us another twisty surprise on Thursday, September 7, as well as some unexpected sweetness on the part of all three final players.

In the DR, Erika expresses pride for Janelle’s move to evict Will, and is jubilant about being one of the remaining three, saying how “sometimes” she loves this game.

Boogie is of course BUMMED, but he tells the DR cam that the girls did a good job.

He changes his tune and tone, however, once Erika says to him, “checkmate.” Boogie speaks to how the showmance has become a homance and how he has – gruff gruff – used the girls for all the purposes he intended and is done with them and with Erika.

To her face Boogie says, “Smart move, Janelle,” and acknowledges that nobody here could beat Will. He understands, he says, and tells her it “took a lot of guts.” But he is questionably authentic, saying the last compliment with a choked-up throat.

Back in the DR, Boogie explains how he pulled a Richard Hatch, referring to the first SURVIVOR winner as the most hated and as one who smartly bowed out of the final competition, knowing he would inevitably get in to the final two/three.

Janelle is bummed that she lost the endurance competition (round one of the final HoH competition), having never won one of these, but as far as many of us BB fans might be oncerned has evened out her karma after cheating (?) James out of that Voodoo doll a few weeks back.

To Erika Janelle says, “Boogie – is – pissed.” And Erika responds with, “Good.” Boogie is also distraught. He says, “I’ve never been without Will … for two seasons. I’m very upset right now.” With his face in his hands he admits, “We can dish it out but we can’t take it.” And then he looks straight at the camera, obviously overwhelmed, and says that “emotions are all over the place right now.” We can only imagine, Boog. And we are, if not sympathetic, at least continually entertained by your creative maneuvering and labelling of your dastardly deeds and subsequent devastation. There there.

At the same time, Erika is reiterating how if any women have ever been wronged by a man, they will be redeemed by what Janelle did on Tuesday. We can hear the nods across the nation.

Boogie gets decisive and tough, telling Big Brother that he now has to re-set. Without Will. Then …, it’s so pitiful, really: he sits in the Diary Room and does his mock phone ring. No one is there to pick up, and wittle woogie gets this sad, defeated look on his face.

It’s time for round two of the HoH competition, called “Fly by Night.” Since Erika won last round, only Janelle and Mike can compete. They each have to climb steel girders on a scaffolding, adjust pre-set mirrors, which will send laser beams onto former BB winners’ names, and have to do so in order and the fastest. Janelle does something wrong so that plumes of steamy smoke or smoky steam rise and she gives up or is forced to stop; Boogie takes his turn, really scurrying, agile, and self-correcting, for, he says, “When you’re up against Janelle, there’s no room for error.” He proves a worthy contender and pulls down a time of 1:57 (with all correct “answers”), while Janelle trails by far with a time of 3:45.

Boogie not only wins the round but the convertible Pontiac Solstice that spins atop the game structure. In a rare sensitive moment he yells, “Yeah! That’s for you, Mom! I TOLD you I’d get you a convertible!” And all is almost forgiven him.

Janelle is bummed she now has to sit out the third and final round. Julie comes on asking if they miss Will and adding, to Mike, how the “bromance is over ….” Julie also asks why Erika and Mike aren’t sharing a bed any more, and Erika is giggly and nervous and says she doesn’t know, she really can’t say, while Mike, ever the together and knowing strategist says that while they both came in with their individual agendas, they now really have to focus on the end.

Over on Exile Isle, Will shows up to a mostly welcoming and giddy reception – save from Marcellas, who is less than thrilled Will is there. Will admits he has reaped what he has sown and says, “just wait till you see the episode.” As they watch Janelle and listen to her dedication eviction speech, Marcellas claps proudly but James says not to fall for that as she is just trying to collect votes.

Will says he will give credit where credit’s due, and adds, “They spanked my ass, both cheeks… and it still hurts.”

In the third and final round for the final HoH, Erika and Mike answer questions with either A or B answers, and get the results of which is correct by watching a very short clip of the relevant former house guest (of this season) answering. Boogie gets the round by one, and is, therefore, the final HoH!

Here we go again. Back inside, Erika is called upon to give reason as to why he should take her with him to the end, and she comments that he would probably have a better chance of winning with her in the final two, while Janelle snippily alludes to the secrets she and Erika now know about his and Will’s strategies….

Boogie very lovingly tells them both of his admiration and adoration for them both, as “incredible players,” and adds that this is the “most surreal thing in the world.” To Erika he credits Will’s eviction, but says this is not about vengeance at this point. To Janelle he says he loves her, but reminds them this is about competition, implying Janelle is way too strong a chance to take, and votes to evict Janelle.

In her really whack puffy party girl dress at the exit interview with Julie, Janelle agrees that for Mike it is strategy and not vengeance in this case. Julie notes how Janelle has made Big Brother history – winning HoH four times and making PoV hers more than any other house guest ever. Julie then recounts how Janelle had referred to having made a lot of mistakes, and asks Janelle what some of those mistakes are. Janelle says her biggest was believing [in] Boogie and Will and getting Marcellas evicted; then, trusting Chilltown. When asked what her feelings are for Will, she refuses to answer “right now” because, she says, she is “too embarrassed.”

Back at the wall of BB7 pics, Mike embraces Erika from the back, and both stand stunned and in awe of the situation and of the faces of the competitors they have outlasted. And they sit, answering Julie’s questions about how sure they feel, who they feel sure of, and who they might be concerned about. Guess whose names come up for sure? Will’s. And, argh, Howie’s.

It is fascinating and wonderful that finally a showmance couple have made it to the final two, and it is equally intriguing who will be regarded as the “best” player, as the one most truly deserving of the grand prize(s).

The Tuesday, September 5, 2006 episode of BB7 re-defines justice and redeems Janelle and Erika.

The show also continues to expose Howie for what he really is, a deluded sour sport and bully.

The show also continues to expose Howie for what he really is, a deluded sour sport and bully.At the exile house, Marcellas, Danielle, Howie, and James toast with champagne and wonder aloud who will be next to join them. George? As they say this, George walks in. He comes bearing DVDs of the latest BB house happenings. Howie, still obviously bitter about being out-smarted (which wasn’t that difficult), starts a ball-busting argument with George.

Danielle asks him if he isn’t just mad that George out-played him. George agrees this is the case and just walks away.

Back in the BB house, Will and Boogie are chatting about operation double date. While not relinquishing any cockiness, Will does admit aloud to Boog, “Who would want to date us two scumbags? I don’t know, but THEY do.”

In bed together, Will and Janelle flirt and roughhouse in the mildest of ways. Janelle says, “I hate you.” Will says, “No you don’t,” and Janelle answers, “No, I don’t.” Janelle confesses in the DR that “emotionally, Will has me.”

Then comes the final, most crucial PoV competition. Having to retrieve picture discs of the past houseguests from their individual pools of goop, each of the final four uses a special strategy. Will and Boogie use the assembly-line approach, pulling all the pics first, then moving on to figure out which face goes with which clue. Erika starts with the easy clues, working her way around to the harder ones. Janelle starts with the clue she knew the answer to first.

While Boogie keeps buzzing in incorrectly (because he has left a face in the muck), and while Erika and Will struggle, Janelle is first to get all pics lined up correctly. We remember that Janelle has won most of the PoVs, and realize that this player has been attentive, has watched, taken in, and remembered the details from day one.

Erika is going to try to appeal to Janelle’s sense of logic (which may be moot, as logic is not Janelle’s strength, but let’s see). Using his own bizarre self-serving logic, Will eavesdrops on the girls, reports back to Boogie, and says that it “just goes to show you [she/they is/are] not all that sweet.”

Basing her claims and pleas on Will’s position, Erika tells Janelle that since he is a doctor (and doesn’t NEED the dough), why not give the chance to a girl who needs money instead? Erika pleads with Janelle to take her to the final three. Janelle is skeptical. (Finally! She skeptical, but is it too late or just in time?) Erika offers to swear on her mother. Yeah, right. Janelle, remember Danielle?

Janelle says she has to think about it, as she has been lied to so many times. Erika galvanizes her argument by adding, “… we’ve already let them do this much to us.” Will of course eavesdrops more. The concerned majordomo speaks to the construct he and his diabolic duet mate have fashioned, saying that “Operation Double Date is becoming Operation Double Mistake.” Things are, he observes, not looking good for him.

Erika does more badgering, convincing Janelle to “think about the things he’s done in this game to you.” The girls exchange info, and discover that both have been told they are the honorary members of Chilltown. This makes them laugh, then straighten up toward getting rightfully pissed. Erika says, “I hate them. They said the exact same thing to me.” Janelle says, “I hate them.” And Erika clarifies: “Oh my God, they think they’ve got us!” Janelle regrets that she has totally screwed up this whole game, and Erika says so has she.

After saying how “people must have been laughing at us the whole time,” which is absolutely right, dear, Janelle gets wiser than she has been in both seasons together. First, she of course uses the PoV on herself. Then, since they are down to four and the HoH and nominees don’t vote, she is left with the bigger power. The fate of Will and Erika is in her hands, Julie reminds, and tells her it is time for her vote.

Janelle DOES it! She expresses her disappointment that while Will is the “closest” to her, she has made a lot of mistakes this summer … and those mistakes need to end, starting now. She says the most beautiful thing, next: “For Marcellas and Howie, I vote to evict you, Will.”

Janelle, I cannot speak for America, but I would bet that most would say that they are extremely proud of you! And you might not grasp yet the impact of your decision. You might not realize that you have taken down a self-proclaimed (and generally agreed-upon) superstar mastermind reality player. You might not know that that vote also honors Diane, who was jammed at the very last minute by a supposed love [interest]. And you might not have gotten the impression of how powerful you were at that moment since you have not yet seen the look on Boogie’s face. Looking as if he as aged twenty years in twenty minutes, Boogie is a deer in headlights. He is stunned, stymied, paralyzed, and pissed. He is now also scared – a first for the once untouchable prankster gangster of BB7. Or so he once thought.

I would like to push it and nudge him, asking if it isn’t time for a fake phone conversation with Will, but seeing the exit interview, I will back off. For even if it was fake, fake, fake, Will shows a dignity and humility that is only outdone by the gracious respect he says he has for you now.

Though anticlimactic, the last HoH competition is begun in the back yard, with a giant volcano that the three must climb and attach themselves to by hanging on to their BB7 keys. I don’t need to say so, but whoever stops holding on to his/her key with BOTH hands or whoever lets feet touch earth below is out. Boogie pulls a sour grapes move, though he pretends to do so in the honor of the great Richard Hatch, jumping off the volcano and then telling the girls they HAVE to take him to the final, that they are FRIENDS who CAN’T take each other. Hmmm. Booger? Were you paying attention in that living room just a few minutes ago? Nice try, though.

With the camera on the now seething Mike (or is that terror making his beady eyes bulge like that?), Janelle is caught on camera, Julie says, not having both hands on her key.

Erika will now be watched by us BB die-hards to see if she in fact keeps her word for a change – IF she makes it through the next four stages of the five-part HoH competition. Janelle is left repeating that she didn’t take her hands off the key, and Boogie is left, well, just left stewing in his own poo.

Who was it who said that when you throw dirt at someone you are doing nothing more than losing ground?

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