Big Brother Canada 6 interview: Host Arisa Cox talks cast, early twist, live feeds, and more
She’s a host who loves Big Brother just as much as we all love Big Brother, and that’s why it’s always a thrill to speak with her. Take a look at her thoughts below on the cast for season 6, the decision to bring the show back, and also what she enjoys the most when watching live feeds.
CarterMatt – I’m happy to be speaking with you, and I’m just glad we have a new Big Brother Canada season at all after what happened last year.
Arisa Cox – It was such a strange time in Big Brother history because we were in a limbo zone. I cannot explain how thrilled I am to be back for another season. This is a season that the fans wanted, and we’re so excited to be giving it to them.
Does it feel like an additional shot of energy that so many fans out there rallied to bring the show back on the air? It’s not like you didn’t have that enthusiasm before, but is it an extra dose for this season?
Of course! We put our blood, sweat, and tears into making this the best show that we can, and that goes from the biggest jobs to the smallest jobs on our show. We take our craft so seriously, and to actually know that we are such a part of so many people’s lives and they really value what we bring to the entertainment landscape in Canada, that means something to us. I think that’s why we have fans around the world — we care. We love this game and we want to see it continue.
I’ve had a chance to speak with all of the cast and they seem like a fun group. What is your take on them this year?
First of all, I’m really excited to have an all-new cast. We haven’t done that since Big Brother Canada 3. Of course, we had Tim and Nikki playing in season 4 and season 5 had eight vets. I’m excited to see the all-new cast and that there are a lot of gamers in there. There are a lot of people comfortable with the idea of being a villain, which is always great to me. Of course, a lot of people always talk a big game, but you always see when you start playing [if that holds up]. A lot of people are coming in fearless. When people come in saying ‘I want to play an honest, clean game full of integrity’ I’m always like ‘um, you know it’s Big Brother, right?’ Not that doing that can’t help you at times. People who do really well are the ones who are adaptable.
Do you think there’s potential for some diamonds in the rough this season, people who don’t know the game really well who could become great at the game? Jon Pardy is always my go-to example of that.
Absolutely. That’s one of the most fascinating things for me about watching a player go through the game, the people who don’t know the game inside-out. I love when people are discovering it for themselves and they can be really successful with that! If the game was just getting to final two, I would say that Paul from Big Brother 18 and 19 would be a winner; but, there’s that other part of the game where you have to get people you backstabbed to actually vote for you to win.
Jon was a really interesting player just because he was so much fun to be around and his social game was on point, but also because he had very high emotional intelligence. He knew that because he was playing a game he didn’t know that well, he had to find a ride-or-die who did. In Neda, he found that partner and they were just brilliant to watch.
Do you think we’re at a change now in terms of how juries are voting? It feels more like we’re seeing more of an emphasis on ‘make me feel good while I’m in the house’ and ‘don’t make me feel like you’re talking bad about me or stabbing me in the back.’
You know, I don’t think that’s it. The press that has come out of the last few seasons has been [akin to] ‘you just have to be nice to get to the end,’ but I don’t believe that. What I do believe is that people need to understand what people want to hear, but they also need to own their game while doing it. I think one thing that drives people is that if you don’t think someone is being genuine to you. If someone can say to you ‘you were really good at this game for these reasons, and I had to get rid of you . The only way I could do it was because of X, Y, and Z, and that’s out of respect. Vote for me.’ That’s different than saying ‘Lie? What Lie?’. You see what I’m saying? There’s the jury management camp and there’s the bitter jury camp. I don’t think bitter juries are a thing, but I do believe that there are people who are better at managing people after the fact. Andy Herren is known for playing one of the best floater-rat games of all time, and he got everyone to vote for him because he was able to explain exactly what he did and how he did it. People respect that honesty.
Going back to this season, how do you compare this season’s twist with Canada’s vote to the secret room in season 2 or what was done with Tim and Nikki in season 4? Are there differences beside the public vote?
There are always differences, of course. Allison came in alone, whereas Tim and Nikki came in as strangers and now we’re going to have two other strangers coming in. I can’t tell you everything because I would have to kill you (laughs), but let’s just say that there’s something else that could kick this game into high gear [during the premiere]. It’s going to be SO interesting. I know there are going to be some people who have knee-jerk [reactions] to it, but then they’re going to think about what they would have done in the same situation. I can’t wait!
The angels / devils motif has been pretty strong in the promotional material. Is that the theme overall for this season?
That is the theme, and it is kind of going back to the building blocks of Big Brother. It is a social experiment and it looks at people and how they act/react to one another … It’s that push and pull between good and evil in all of us and I want to see somebody win who is able to tap into both of those things in themselves and others. I really want a worthy winner. I think this is a big season for us. It’s a great cast, the house is flawless, and with the challenges these are some of the best I’ve ever seen. We’re here to bring it.
As a live feed viewer, what do you like to watch the most? Are you watching the social conversations, the strategy talk, or some of the hijinks?
Obviously when plans are being hatched and plans are being flipped on their heads, that’s probably my favorite time. When someone’s on the block and they’ve just come up with this master plan to get themselves off, I love those moments. A house flip is my favorite thing.
I also love those emotional conversations and when people who weren’t previously allies become allies. It’s weird since I’m not usually a showmance fan, but when people are genuinely falling for each other there can be some incredible moments in there, as well. I do like some of those funny moments where you can tell the people in there are enjoying themselves. You don’t want to watch a bunch of miserable people! When you’re seeing them really take in this experience, because it’s one in a lifetime and thousands of people would take their place, I love it. I love seeing people embracing it and enjoying themselves. They’ll never have this moment again.
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A special thanks to Arisa for chatting with us about the new season. We can’t wait for it to begin and CarterMatt will be here once again (for the 6th straight season) bringing you reviews, previews, interviews and of course our daily live feed updates!
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