When a new cast enters the Big Brother house for a summer full of drama and competitions, they are also faced with a book of rules they must follow throughout their time on the show. While longtime viewers of the show are familiar with the primary rules, such as no contact with the outside world, there are numerous other rules which houseguests must follow that many fans don't actually know about.
Signing on to be part of Big Brother is no walk in the park. For the time the contestants are on the show, and for much of what they do afterward, the show's rulebook basically controls their lives. Not only do they sign away their freedom to eat what they want or interact with the outside world, but the contestants must also be careful to follow their post-show contracts to avoid any trouble after leaving the house. Take a look at some of the most interesting rules the houseguests must follow below.
Prior to The Show
While in the casting process, potential contestants must undergo numerous evaluations in order to be accepted onto the cast. According to Men's Health, applicants are required to pass a psychological evaluation and an STD test, as well as both phone and in-person interviews.
Film On Short Notice
In the premiere episodes of Big Brother, houseguests are seen receiving their keys to the house, packing, and immediately saying goodbye to loved ones to head out to the Big Brother house. While this oftentimes is perceived as being staged, potential houseguests must be ready to film on short notice should they get casted.
Must Watch The Show
Prior to being cast, applicants must watch at least one season of Big Brother. It does not matter which season they watch. However, they have to be somewhat familiar with the layout of the show and how an entire season plays out.
Food Inside The House
Live-feed viewers are familiar with the limited amount of food the houseguests receive. Each week, production stocks up the storage room with tons of groceries. However, once the food is gone, the houseguests must wait until the next week to replenish their supply. They are not allowed to do their own grocery shopping, as they are restricted to the house. Houseguests must also be willing to eat slop should they be given the food punishment.
Whispering
Despite having a microphone on them at all times of the day, houseguests are not allowed to whisper. In fact, if they are caught not speaking loud enough, production will come over the loudspeaker to advise them to speak up.
Interacting With Production
Houseguests' interactions with production are very limited. The only time houseguests have interactions with production is in the diary room. When they are in the diary room, contestants speak to producers through a wall. Therefore, they never have face-to-face interactions unless there is an emergency.
Outside Employment
When individuals sign on to be part of the Big Brother cast, they are required to quit their existing jobs. In return, they are paid a stipend for each week they spend inside the house. This stipend is increased for returning houseguests. For example, Nicole Franzel recently revealed she was paid the equivalent of a typical runner-up prize for her time on the All Stars season last summer.
Wake Up Call
Although both music and singing are forbidden inside the house, the houseguests are woken up each morning to loud music playing throughout the house.
After The Show
When a season of Big Brother comes to an end, the former contestants still have rules they must follow. The amount of information and details they share from their experience on the show is limited due to the extensive contracts they are required to sign.
Big Brother returns on Wednesday July 7 at 8pm EST on CBS.
Source: Men's Health