Big Brother is an intense game where Houseguests live side-by-side in isolation, knowing that only one of them will win the grand prize. The pressure is on to win big money and other prize money for staying in the game, but with so many days in the house, it can't always be about the competition. With not even a television or phone for when they get bored, what do Houseguests do all day?
I use my Paramount+ subscription every season to watch the live feeds, and there's a ton of stuff that doesn't make the episodes. Some of it, like the wild moments from Season 25's Pressure Cooker, is certainly worth talking about. Other moments aren't quite as thrilling, but for the curious who have never watched, here's what the Houseguests generally do while living in the Big Brother house.
They Play Games
Whether it's chess, billiards, or checkers, the few games allotted to the Big Brother Houseguests are used almost daily. Oftentimes the house will do tournaments and keep tabs on who is the "champion" of the house to take down. Houseguests also tend to play word association games as well later in the evening, perhaps in an effort to stave off boredom and stress from the game.
They Work Out .. Frequently.
Most Big Brother Houseguests are physically fit and, as a result, are working out frequently to maintain their physique. There have also been cases of Houseguests who started a workout plan in the house in an effort to get into losing weight, though few really go all-out with their regimens. After all, the last thing anyone wants is to pull a muscle ahead of a big competition!
They Come Up With Wild Theories About Other Houseguests
Brandon "Frenchie" French from Season 23 talked to CinemaBlend about watching vs. playing Big Brother, and one major difference is the level of paranoia. Houseguests are always on edge and worried about moves their fellow competitors may or may not be making. In addition, most Houseguests are often hiding a secret or two, which leads to wild theories circulating in the house. My personal favorite was Cameron Hardin in Season 25 thinking that the best Houseguest in years Felicia Cannon was related to Denzel Washington, all whilst overlooking that Cirie Fields was Jared's mother.
Some Of Them Read The Bible
Big Brother Houseguests are not even allowed to read while playing the game, with the exception of two books. They can read the rulebook and the Holy Bible. Quite a few Houseguests have opted for the latter, whether due to their religious faith or otherwise. Maybe next year they can bend the rules for host Julie Chen Moonves' audiobook But First God and learn about how the decision to leave The Talk wasn't her own.
They Find Creative Ways To Sleep Without Being Caught
If a Houseguest is scrunched up against a wall or chair and has sunglasses on, the chances are high that they are secretly napping. Big Brother fans know this tactic all too well, and it seems like the production team is willing to cut a little bit of slack to Houseguests if it isn't too obvious.
Usually, when the snoring starts they're told to wake up, as sleeping midday is actually a violation of the rules. Considering Big Brother Houseguests are paid for participating in the game, production would prefer they make that money wandering the house and not snoozing the day away.
Midday sleeping still happens though with a little effort, and can create some hilarious moments. It's times like that I wish we could improve the live feeds to include clips, just so casual viewers can see just how silly it is when Houseguests try to sleep in secret.
Big Brother Season 25 wrapped up recently, but it and all previous seasons can be binged right now over on Paramount+. There's also the spinoff I'm slightly leery of Big Brother: Reindeer Games, coming up on Monday, December 11th. Tune in and see what might be a great diversion from holiday stress and a nice appetizer before the arrival of Season 26 next year.
