‘Big Brother’ Winner Xavier Prather, Cookout Alliance Speak Out About ‘Reprehensible’ Treatment of Houseguest Taylor Hale

Having her back. After Big Brother fans noticed that several season 24 houseguests had started targeting contestant Taylor Hale, fellow franchise alums have shared their support for her from outside the house.

“The treatment of Taylor in #BB24 is a prime example of why The Cookout was formed,” season 23 winner Xavier Prather tweeted on Sunday, July 10, referring to the all-Black alliance that he helped craft last year. “Members of the black community (especially black women) and other people of color stand no chance in the Big Brother House due to perpetuation of micro-aggressions and unconscious biases which plague our society.”

The Challenge: USA contestant, 28, continued: “I acknowledge my shortcomings during my time on Big Brother and can’t help but feel partially responsible for some of the reprehensible behavior I see being exhibited by current houseguests who consider me one of their ‘favorites.’ For that, I’d like to apologize for being an accessory to any ongoing issues.”

Season 24 of Big Brother premiered earlier this week as Daniel Durston was named the first Head of Household (HOH) while the rest of the group battles for their own safety ahead of the first eviction. Taylor, 27, quickly became a target for her many fellow contestants, who’ve ostracized her all week.

Several of the show participants even implied that Taylor was aggressive and would “blow up” if she goes on the block. The personal stylist was later spotted crying during a portion of the live feeds.

Xavier isn’t the only Big Brother alum to vocalize his support for the Michigan native.

“This convo with Monte [Taylor] and Terrance [Higgins] has me FUMING,” Tiffany Mitchell, another member of season 23’s Cookout, wrote via Twitter. “Two black men gossiping and tearing down another black woman who actually did NOTHING to them. Accusing her of being condesending [sic] because she actually has a personality.”

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Tiffany, 41, added: “I’m emotional today. … It’s difficult to express how I feel about our season because I am just now realizing that I’m hurt. I do forgive you because I love you and I know your intentions where [sic] not malicious and we are all learning.”

During season 23, The Cookout successfully brought all of its members to the Final 6 — and crowned the first-ever Black winner of the CBS competition.

“To be the winner of Big Brother is already a tremendous honor. So, to be not only a winner of Big Brother but now the first Black winner in BB U.S. history is an amazing feeling,” Xavier exclusively told Us Weekly in September 2021. “I came in the season having my own personal reasons to win, but I also wanted to crown a Black winner for the culture. And to be that person, that representative, for the game and the Black community is amazing. It’s a great feeling and something I’ll never forget.”

Before Taylor, for her part, went into the Big Brother house this summer, she teased her gameplay to Us and noted that she “of course” watched Tiffany and Xavier’s season.

“That’s actually what got me into Big Brother,” the beauty queen told Us ahead of the Wednesday, July 6, premiere, noting she hopes to model her strategy after Danielle Reyes and Janelle Pierzina. “I’m really obsessed with women in this game who are just bold, brazen and just unafraid to go after what they want. … I like that they never sacrificed who they actually are and still played a fabulous game.”

Scroll below to see how The Cookout have supported Taylor from outside the competition:

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“In the future, I hope it doesn’t take a ‘Cookout’ for black houseguests (or any POC houseguest) to finally escape the feeling of being ostracized within the Big Brother House for simply existing. Change is a MUST,” the attorney concluded his Twitter statement, noting he knew Taylor would continue to “keep her head high” like “the Queen that she is.”

Azah, another member of the Cookout, admitted via Twitter that she made a “cognizant effort to dial back” her personality while in the house to avoid being a target.

“CBS teaches about racial microagressions but a section on colorism would be beneficial. Taylor’s light will shine outside this house,” she wrote on Sunday.

The Challenge: USA competitor made it clear she was “fuming” to see the houseguests unnecessarily gossip about Taylor.

“I truthfully do not understand why everybody, their mom, their dad, their neighbor, their plant & their lint has taylor’s name in their mouth like it’s their full-time job it’s giving fan behavior & it’s unsettling,” the college student, a season 23 alum, tweeted on Sunday.

Derek, for his part, issued an apology to Taylor for dealing with the alleged micro-aggressions. “Just know we are all here for you and sending you love,” he wrote via Twitter on Sunday.

 

The Cookout member reposted Xavier's statement about Taylor's treatment in the house on Monday, July 11. "Until tonight, I hadn't caught up on the premiere, nor more than a few minutes of random live feed clips from #BB24. It's more than saddening to see Taylor's treatment," he tweeted. "Having played my own role in perpetuating misogynoir, I applaud & strongly echo the sentiments in X's post. During the year since my time on the show, I've expressed multiple apologies directly to people, & in interviews speaking to the general public. However, I've also continued to listen, learn, reach out, & support, enough to know acknowledgment & apologies aren't enough."