Now that Paulie’s been evicted from Big Brother, what are we going to talk about? Just kidding — there’s always something else going on in that house. I’ve really loved watching Natalie rise to the top of the Big Brother schemers list (in a good way). She methodically planned Paulie’s eviction, and now she’s out for more blood. She is a great player on Big Brother and yet, I feel like all people want to do is talk about her showmance with James. It’s a showmance that’s probably not even a showmance — Natalie and James may just be Big Brother best friends.
Not every male/female relationship is romantic, guys. Natalie and James enjoy each other but also enjoy the fact that they’re each getting closer to taking home a cool $500,000. The Tuesday night/Wednesday morning feed showed Natalie and James talking about their relationship, and it was pretty eye-opening. I think I just liked how honest they were with each other (people who don’t have cameras surrounding them have a hard time with that). It was just some deep sharing. James asked Natalie how many people she’s slept with, and she told him. Natalie told James that he hurt her feelings on Day 34 when he yelled at her for asking him if he wanted her to make him something to eat, but she’s over it. It was just a good talk, and it really cemented the best friend alliance that James and Natalie have going on.
Natalie and James might snuggle a little bit, but I’m not convinced that these two are falling in love. First of all, they're calling themselves the Best Friend alliance, which speaks for itself. Then there's the fact that having a showmance when you’re on Big Brother isn't the best idea in the first place. Feelings may develop and crushes may form, but there is $500,000 at stake here. Falling in love is a liability, because you’re (whether you mean it or not) going to put another person’s feelings above your own, and you’ll lose a half-million dollars. A HALF-MILLION DOLLARS.
The better bet, which is what James and Natalie seem to be doing, is making a best friendship with the understanding that you’ll take each other as far as you can go. Get a phone number (as James asked for Natalie’s for after they got out of the house), make an alliance, and get that money, honeys. Many good romances come from friendship, so maybe something can happen after the show is over, but definitely not while Big Brother is in session.
I also hate that people assume that because two straight people of different genders are spending a lot of time with one another, they’re trying to sleep with each other. This isn’t When Harry Met Sally — men and women can be good friends! In Big Brother, it can actually work for you, because when alliances divide between the sexes, you always have someone that can watch your back (as James and Natalie do). Love in the Big Brother house? A bad idea. But you can never have enough friends.
Images: Sonja Flemming/CBS
