‘Big Brother’ star Memphis Garrett heard saying the N-word on live feed
CBS claims producers listened to the scene using 'enhanced audio' and he never uttered the vile word.
Big Brother fans are petitioning for CBS to remove a cast member after he allegedly used the N-word while discussing a Black roommate.
The outrage stems from an off-air, but live-streamed conversation Wednesday night between Memphis Garrett and Cody Calafiore.
Viewers took to social media to call out the network after they heard Garrett say, “Dude, David’s a [N-word],” while talking about their only Black male housemate, David Alexander.
CBS responded to the online outrage by defending Garrett and denying he uttered the vile word after producers “listened to the scene using enhanced audio,” the network tells TMZ .
“Additionally, the Network’s program practices team isolated and played back the scene several different ways using professional, studio-grade audio equipment. After close examination, it has been determined a racial epithet was not said or uttered,” CBS said.
Read More: How “Big Brother” was finally forced to confront a cringeworthy racial history
In the statement, CBS also notes, “Hate speech will not be tolerated, and those who violate the policy will be removed from the Big Brother House.”
Meanwhile, Big Brother fans want Memphis Garrett off the show.
A petition on change.org has been laucnhed calling for his removal.
The petition reads:
There is an URGENT situation of RACIAL HARM and ASSAULT currently developing in the Big Brother House RIGHT NOW. A player (Memphis Garrett of Garrett Hospitality Group in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) is targeting another player (David Alexander) with VERBAL and PHYSICAL assault.
IS IT OKAY TO ALLOW ASSAULT TO CONTINUE FOR THE SAKE OF TELEVISION??? I refuse to be sitting here when this continues to blow up and David is harmed even further.
UNDOUBTEDLY, @CBSBIGBROTHER production, and specifically ALLISON GRODNER (@agrodner22 on twitter), the Executive Producer, and Rich Meehan MUST be held accountable and take SWIFT ACTION to remove Memphis from the house now.
The change.org petition goes on the make clear: “If left unchecked, we could be witnessing real life harm from a privileged white a**hole upon a black man who is ALONE in the house, after almost all the other people of color have been evicted / threatened. THIS IS NOT OKAY!!!”
So far, CBS has not addressed curbing Garrett from the show.
Big Brother is a television reality game show where 16 houseguests compete for a cash prize of $500,000 after a series of weekly evictions.
The season currently airing is the “All-Star” version with houseguests returning from previous competitions.
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