Julie Chen Moonves, host of Big Brother, is not surprised by the Cookout alliance’s success. Among the alliances formed, the Cookout alliance stands out for one obvious reason: the members are all Black. The groundbreaking alliance is the first of its kind in the history of the show due to a new initiative by the network. Because an alliance like this has not existed on the show before, the success of it is unpredictable and can only be speculated.
The existence of the Cookout alliance is a new situation for Big Brother. The network implemented that reality shows will have casts that consist of at least 50% people of color. Big Brother season 23 is not exempt. Of the 16 cast members, at least 50% are people of color. When the Cookout alliance became a thing on screen, fans were here for it. While the group strategized in the house, excluded from the outside world, fans watched and shared their opinions with the world. Some comments on the Big Brother Twitter page were humorous: “The irony of these alliances’ names is not lost on me. Meat goes to the SLAUGHTERHOUSE then to the BUTCHER but do you know who eats at the end? Those at the COOKOUT!”
Julie dished her thoughts on the Cookout. According to EW, Julie was not surprised by the success of the all-Black alliance. The question came about because of Derek Xiao’s remark that not one white male made the jury for the first time in Big Brother history. Julie attributed the strengths of each member of the Cookout alliance to its success. The host of Big Brother said Tiffany Mitchell is “wise and mature” while Derek Frazier has an “incredible social game.” Julie weighed in on Hannah Chaddha, saying she has “one of the highest IQ’s we’ve ever had in the house,” and added that Xavier Prather is "smart" because he did not reveal that he was a lawyer to the other houseguests. Julie said Azah Awasum is “a woman with integrity, a conscience and a pure heart” and Kyland Young is “clearly good at competitions.”
The core members of the Cookout are Derek, Azah, Xavier and Tiffany. The pact between the members of the Big Brother alliance may also contribute to their dominance so far. The Cookout’s decision to avoid being seen talking amongst each other is not a new concept on the show. However, their full-on commitment to carry out their strategy has made them successful in the house. Members of the team also strategized to befriend houseguests outside of the Cookout. Their brains, brawn and social skills may continue to secure their success. Although, as the show progresses and gets more complicated, the alliance may need to regroup.
The all-Black alliance is already proving to be dominant by looking at the jury. Their strategy has situated them in a pretty good spot in the house. If the Cookout makes it all the way to the end, Tiffany, aka “The Grill Master,” could be the last one standing. Regardless, fans also find the Cookout likable. This was apparent in Derek’s vote to get Big Brother bucks.
Big Brother airs Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8pm on CBS.
Source: EW