Danielle Wins Veto Power on 'BB3'

Wednesday, July 10, 2002

Danielle © CBS Television

It's Wednesday, July 24, and one of the "Big Brother 3" houseguests will win the chance to save a nominee from eviction.

Gerry continues to exercise his skill at kissing up to Marcellas. He commends the HOH on his "eloquent" nomination speech and adds, "You were very butch, but in a good masculine way."

Spending time listening to this garbage is corrupting Marcellas, who now confesses that it's becoming easier for him to become what he despised a few days ago. He makes nice with nominee Tonya right before he turns to the camera and admits that he would not be unhappy to see her gone. "She's got the heart of a ho and she wants to stay," he observes.

Hey, it's time for Josh to do something evil. Trying to win a sympathy vote, Josh explains to Jason that in his lifetime, he has endured more discrimination that Marcellas and Danielle. Why? Because being Jewish is harder than being African American.

Marcellas and Danielle might have something to say about that, but the version they hear from Josh is that they should stick together because they are minorities, and he is the one housemate who can relate to them.

In the interview room, Josh lies prostrate, overcome by the day's great strides toward racial harmony. In his piercing nasal drone, he admits, "I do feel that my communication skills are one of my fortes."

Marcellas is experiencing dementia of a different sort. He would probably be enjoying "Monk" if he could watch television, because he is an admitted "germophobe." As he swabs the house with rubbing alcohol, he shudders at the recollection of Josh borrowing his electric razor. It was for the greater good, admittedly, since Tonya shaved the "hairy subhuman beast," as Marcellas refers to him.

Alas, the brave razor's days are numbered, since Marcellas observes that not only are they contaminated by Josh's germs, but now they also have his bad karma.

The veto competition is next, and the games are really so silly it's insulting to have to watch them. After drawing numbered ping pong balls, the houseguests sit at the living room table in front of a box. Inside one of the boxes is the veto medallion. To win another person's box, the houseguest has to "make them an offer they can't refuse."

Once again, half of the houseguests do not want veto power, so they give up their boxes for offers like "a free hug." It's not quite "The Godfather," is it?

Josh offers to stop grabbing Danielle's racially empowered backside for one of the boxes, but she declines. Marcellas offers his box to Josh if he can be nice to Gerry, but Josh declines. Just when you can cut the tension with a yawn, Danielle ends up with veto power.

This worries Marcellas, because Danielle has also turned to the dark side and cannot be trusted. Case in point, Danielle suggests saving Josh and nominating Gerry instead. Marcellas refuses outright to nominate Gerry because Gerry vetoed his nomination last week. He admits that he may have to let go of his conscience to win the game, and agrees to nominate Gerry only if Danielle vetoes Tonya. Marcellas warns Danielle that he will come after her if she plays him.

Meanwhile, a catfight is brewing between Chiara and Amy. (Just as Jewish viewers must feel shame when Josh is on screen, southerners must wince when they hear Amy open her mouth.) Roddy is looking like a thick slab of cheddar, and Amy has set her sights on him.

This does not sit well with Chiara, who was basking in the glow of Roddy's dorky charms last week. Roddy proves his love of infantile games when he kisses Amy in front of Chaira and slyly announces, "I just kissed Amy. On the lips," and waits for Chiara's reaction.

Chiara has not played the being-jerked-around-by-a-needy-loser game before, and rises to the bait. When she tells him that she "totally" knew he was kidding by flirting with Amy, he accuses her of being jealous.

Bent on getting rid of Chiara, Amy explains to Josh that there are certain people she just won't associate with. She promises to campaign to keep him in the house if he will nominate this "white trash" person. Josh understands her meaning, as he has displayed an uncanny understanding of the disenfranchised.

Last week, the mysterious "Big Brother 3" voice asked viewers to vote on what they would like to see the housemates do to win exercise equipment. Human bowling won because shooting the houseguests from a cannon into a brick wall was not an option.

Danielle wins this competition also, and chooses an elliptical trainer. Why is this important? It's not, really, but as David Letterman likes to say during slow moments on his show, "This is the only thing on CBS right now."

When it is time for the veto to be announced, Danielle asks Tonya and Josh to explain why they should remain in the house. Tonya gives the scripted speech about how she is honest, has made great friends had a great time, yada yada yada. Josh tells Danielle that nothing he could say would have an effect on her. He's probably right.

Danielle chose not to veto the nominations, explaining later that she wants Marcellas to think he is still powerful. Afterward, she consoles a weepy Josh to "stay strong and stay funny."

He gets off one last zinger before the close of the show: "I'm an incredibly sensitive person." That Josh, always goofing around. We'll miss him so much.

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