Sending a message? Julie Chen kept Big Brother fans on their toes when she invoked the Golden Rule while wrapping up the Thursday, August 13, episode.
“From outside the Big Brother house, I’m Julie Chen-Moonves and remember the golden rule,” the longtime host, 50, said at the end of the first live eviction of season 22. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Goodnight.”
The bizarre goodnight message threw viewers for a loop, as the New York native has never used the phrase on any other episode. “Why is Julie Chen Moonves so aggressively telling us the golden rule?” one fan tweeted on Thursday. “She scared the s–t outta me #BB22.”
Other fans, however, thought Chen was referencing recent headlines about the behind-the-scenes drama at the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
THIS BIG BROTHER SIGN-OFF WAS ABSOLUTELY DERANGED?!!??? pic.twitter.com/fI9px6fsvz
— Ira Madison III (@ira) August 14, 2020
“Everyone that is confused by Julie’s comments at the end of the episode. She was throwing shade at Ellen Degeneres. #BB22,” a Twitter user claimed.
Another viewer agreed, noticing a pattern from the week before. “Last week was be good to each other, and this week was golden rule,” one Tweet read. “Does Julie really hate Ellen or something? 😆 #BB22.”
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chen explained her sign-off.
“It’s totally an outside-of-the-game message. I feel fortunate that the network and the producers have been so supportive in letting me put my own personal messaging at the end of our live shows,” she said on Friday, August 14. “I mentioned the Golden Rule because I believe that if EVERYONE followed that principle we’d ALL be better off as a society, as a nation, as a world. I chose to close with those words because Black Lives Matter and now is the time to speak up. If the number of Black lives that have been taken happened to people of your heritage, you would be saying (fill-in-the-blank) Lives Matter! It’s my faith in God that is getting me through these uncertain times. We CAN be better. Why not try? It can’t hurt. It can only help. Most of all, it’ll help the person who rises to the occasion.”
During the live move-in special earlier this month, Chen put her own spin on Ellen DeGeneres‘ signature catch phrase, telling viewers to “be good to one another.” For years, the Finding Nemo star has sent a similar message of being “kind” at the end of her daytime talk show. However, recent reports by BuzzFeed News allege that the message doesn’t extend to Ellen show employees.
“That ‘be kind’ bulls–t only happens when the cameras are on. It’s all for show,” one former staffer told the publication in July as part of an exposé claiming that several employees faced racism, fear and intimidation during their time at the Emmy-winning series. A separate report weeks later also accused multiple high-ranking Ellen producers of sexual misconduct.
In the wake of the allegations, an insider told Us Weekly exclusively that many of DeGeneres’ “close friends” are “on her side.” Stars like Katy Perry and Scooter Braun have been vocal about their support for the comedian on social media, despite the claims of mistreatment.
“They know that Ellen can be tough but accept that about her and know that it takes a lot of work to run a tight ship like her show,” the source added. “Ellen’s nice to guests and fans, but with her staff and employees, she has extremely high standards.”
