Julie Chen Moonves Talks BB28

[00:00:08] Hey everybody, what's going on? Rob Cicernino and boy, we got a good one today. We're going to talk with the host of Big Brother. Julie Chen Moonves is going to be stopping by. That CBS made her available for some press and Taryn and I are going to get the chance to talk with the host of Big Brother and ask her about her thoughts here in these early days of Big Brother 28 as we head into the first eviction of the season.

[00:00:34] And of course, you can watch this on our YouTube channel as well on the RHAP YouTube. And here is, without further ado, our interview with Julie. All right, we are here with the incredible host of Big Brother, Julie Chen Moonves. Julie, can I start by saying you look radiant today? Rob, I need to put you in the Big Brother house and not because you're a former survivor, but that's like a greeting I get, as you know, from house guests.

[00:01:01] Yes, okay, I won't do any shout outs, but I wanted to ask you about, you seem like you are having so much fun this season that in the premiere, you really were, seemed very up for all of the hijinks that Big Brother was throwing at us. What's it like for you to be part of the wild turn that the show has taken? It's been an honor and a privilege.

[00:01:30] I have learned on this show to not take myself so seriously. I'm older. I'd like to think I'm wiser. You know, when I first came to CBS, I was 29. And I was the morning news anchor working with Bryant Gumbel, for those of you old enough to know. And I had dreams of being on 60 Minutes one day. And then I was presented with hosting this reality show called Big Brother. And I didn't understand why.

[00:02:00] And I turned it down. And then I was told I wasn't allowed to turn it down because I work for the network. And here I am. And so that's why I became the Chanbot because I was still trying to be like, oh, all serious. You know, I'm going to get on 60 Minutes. I'll show them. And now it's like, I get it. Big Brother is a fun little show where we make fun of ourselves. We laugh at ourselves. And no one likes laughing more than me.

[00:02:29] So, you know, Zingbot, sometimes I cringe because I'm like a little too mean. Funny, but wrong. You should see the stuff that ends up on the editing room floor. You'd like to. I'll make some calls. I'll text. I just am, what a surprise for me. You know, expect the unexpected to the house guests. For me, Julie Chen Moonves, expect the unexpected that life and God would take me here. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.

[00:02:59] Look, pocket Jesus, everyone. Pocket Jesus. Wow. We need one. Everyone needs one. Could you ever have imagined 25 years ago that instead of people being voted out of the house, they'd be eaten by dinosaurs or pushed in volcanoes? I've been saying it. No one was listening to me. I mean, what an innovative strategy. I mean, when they told me that, I thought, hmm, Rachel Riley versus

[00:03:29] dinosaur volcano. My money might be on Rachel Riley, but expect the unexpected. Yeah. No. But don't count her out. You know. Okay. So just because you saw the wig and the skeleton, I mean. Yeah. With this time machine travel, anything can happen. Yeah. Yeah. Julie, Tara and I were just talking about how the blockbuster has really been such a great innovation for the show. I think it has added so much over these last couple of seasons.

[00:03:57] How does that change the way that you have to prepare for an eviction night? I think my live news background helps me because it's like breaking news. So I kind of go into the live show night thinking, all right, I have to have questions ready for all three people and then disassociate with the person who wins their safety on live TV and then quickly listen to the house guests,

[00:04:22] maybe strategizing, scrambling, maybe making last minute, you know, pivots and changes who they're going to vote out. And then also knowing people lie. People like to go into diary room on live show night and switch it up and say something that I didn't expect and their alliance members didn't expect. They like to be like they like to go rogue. And I love it. That just means stay alert and stay in the now, stay in the present, Julie. That's it. Yeah.

[00:04:52] I feel like your live news background also is fitting for like perfectly fitting for the show considering the live feeds. It's such a unique aspect of Big Brother. How like special is it to work on a show that is so utterly unique and how it delivers content to the viewers? It's incredible. You know, I fought doing this show in the beginning. The critics hated me. I hated me. My family was like, who do you think you are? You're terrible at that show.

[00:05:20] And now I'm realizing every step of the way, the love, the hate, the struggles, the background in live TV news, the lessons learned on the air. This show was designed for me. It sure was. And it's an honor and it's a privilege. I just feel like only God knew that my backstory would get me here and somehow help and contribute.

[00:05:48] I feel like I contribute at least 1% to why the show is still on. I give it all to God. I mean, he's sovereign in the fact that he has allowed us and the power of prayer. I have thanked him the last few seasons, I think since like 2020, since COVID, because we were the first show to kind of look normal when you saw like, you know, James Corden doing the show from his garage or Jimmy Cullen, whatever.

[00:06:18] Big Brother was kind of made for quarantine, right? You test everyone, you quarantine them for two weeks, and then they can live in the house and not be wearing masks. In that sense, you know, the way the show was structured was a blessing in disguise to be the first show to show all other productions. We can figure out a safe way to get back to work and get people employed again. And here we are.

[00:06:45] You know, someone in the lighting department who worked with me at the talk, he said, Julie, I haven't worked since the season finale last year. He's like, but I'm grateful to be here. And I needed to hear that. You know, he had hope. And he, I know he's a man of God. And I said, well, what you been doing, Kelly? And he said, I drive for Uber. I'm in a band. I have four kids. I get it. I'm a survivor. I've been in this town 40 years. And he was grateful.

[00:07:14] Gratitude and hope takes you a long way. And the power and privilege of prayer. Let me tell you. And don't take yourself so seriously. Like, just live in the now. Yeah. I know we're running out of time. Is there any house guest that has surprised you so far this season? Uh, I would say D, how much I like her. And, um, Angela. Has she surprised me?

[00:07:43] I'm not sure if that's the right word. Um, I love that she's the queen right now. Okay. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see, like, what made her controversial season 26. I do want to see a little bit of that. She's television gold. We know. Okay. And Julie, so are you. Thank you, Rob. Thank you, Taryn. Yeah. Okay. Thank you for making some time. Congratulations on all the success of Big Brother and the big ratings so far in BB28.

[00:08:12] And we can't wait to see what else is going to be both the expected and the unexpected. You and me both. And you too, Taryn. Thank you. Take care, Julie. Bye. All right, everybody. There you have it. Short but sweet interview with Julie Chen Moonves. We will be seeing her tomorrow night when we get to the live eviction. Number one, of course, you know where to find us right after the episode for the full recap of the week one eviction and everything else going on.

[00:08:41] Only on RHAP. Thanks so much for listening. Take care, everybody. Have a good one. Bye.