‘Big Brother’ is back, but racial controversy quickly surfaces among cast

The popular CBS show returned for a new season, but the strategy for one of the contestants to win is being criticized for being racist and ageist

Season 21 of “Big Brother” premiered this week, and already, one cast member has viewers fired up over his seemingly racist strategy.

Night two of the hit CBS reality series aired Wednesday night, and the episode stirred up a lot of buzz on Twitter when the only Black male contestant, David Alexander, was banished from the house in a move that many called racist, Yahoo reports.

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Contestant Jackson Michie was voted Big Brother Camp Director on Tuesday’s episode, which gave him power to pick four people to “banish” from the house. Michie chose Alexander, Jessica Milagros, Cliff Hogg III and Kemi Faknule — who just so happen to be the two Blacks, the plus-sized Latina woman and an older male contestant.

Many Twitter users were quick to point out how Michie’s choice highlights the diversity problem the series has long had when it comes to casting. Each season, there also always seems to be that one shady cast member with racist ideology, as this is far from the first time BB contestants have been called out for offensive behavior.

Twitter user @RantGodDave wrote, “You mean to tell me….during the same episode a Black man is the 1st boot for no reason…Julie uses the phrase “Color War” & im not supposed to see how racist this season is? GTFOH #BB21.”

Several users roasted the show for nominating both Black houseguests and a Latina houseguest for early elimination, while the whites remained safe. Many viewers slammed the picks as racist, others noted ageism.

The four up for banishment were forced to compete to retain their place in the house on Wednesday night, and ultimately, Alexander was defeated and immediately eliminated from the house.

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In the diary room, he told the audience, “The reason I wanted to win, the reason I wanted to compete and be on this show, I want to be the first, like, black person to win Big Brother. I wanted to represent African-American culture in a different light. I wanted to show that. I wanted to show it.”

However, host Julie Chen Moonves seemed to suggest he could earn a chance to reenter the game.

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