Joe Barber, a single 23-year-old receptionist from Chicago, IL, became the second houseguest evicted from Big Brother's eighth season during last night's live broadcast of the long-running CBS reality show.
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"I'd like to say it's been wonderful getting to know you guys," said Joe before Big Brother 8's houseguests cast their votes live. "I really enjoyed this experience a lot."
As part of Big Brother 8's "unfinished business" twist pairings, Joe had been living with ex-boyfriend Dustin Erikstrup, a single 22-year-old shoe salesman from Chicago, IL. During Big Brother 8's premiere episode, Joe alleged to the other houseguests that Dustin gave him gonorrhea but also openly admitted he did "horrible things" to Dustin to get back at him for it.
Prior to Big Brother 8's second eviction, Joe had pleaded with Dustin to vote for Dick, explaining he was finally being "honest" with his ex-boyfriend. But Dustin was having none of it.
"The way you've played the game in this house does reflect the way you've played the game of life," said Dustin to Joe. "You have slandered my name and you have gone the wrong way to try to earn my trust. During the past 16 days in this house, you have not proven to me that you are worth my vote. So your manipulation brought you to this point... I will not be voting to keep you in this house."
Joe -- a self-described Big Brother fanatic -- was asked by host Julie Chen how it felt to have Dustin remain in the house while he was evicted.
"Julie it absolutely kills me! It kills me! It makes me extremely frustrated," answered Joe. "The moment [Dustin] walked down those stairs, my entire game got thrown off. It's hard enough to deal with the whole situation of being in this house and the game. In addition to the fact I'm trying to work through emotional situations, it just really makes it difficult. I got out-strategized, I just wasn't as focused on the game as I probably should have been from the beginning."
Joe was not one of the two houseguests that Jen Johnson, Big Brother 8's second Head of Household, had originally nominated for eviction. Jen, a single 23-year-old nanny from Beverly Hills, CA, had originally nominated Dick and his estranged daughter Danielle Donato -- a single 20-year-old waitress from Huntington Beach, CA who is also only the second under-21 houseguest in American Big Brother history -- due to the "negative energy" they had supposedly been creating in the house.
However for the second week in a row, Danielle wound up winning the Power of Veto competition that followed Jen's nominations, giving her the ability to take one of Jen's nominees off the chopping block. While Danielle eventually decided not to use her Power of Veto right last week -- presumably because she wasn't nominated for eviction -- she decided to save her own skin this time.
"The decision's a lot harder for me this week than it was last week," explained Danielle at the Power of Veto meeting broadcast during Tuesday night's episode. "It's personal. Nobody knows [she and Dick's] relationship and what we've been through over our lives. It's really hard being here and it's really difficult for me. The situation is really uncomfortable being next to him right here and there's a lot riding on this decision. It's been a few days of thinking what is the best thing for me to say. I believe that whatever tears you down only builds you up stronger. Jen, personally... I thank you for that. This decision is my decision... I choose to remove myself from the block."
Since Danielle's decision to take herself of the chopping block had been widely expected, most of the other houseguests immediately began using some of their pre-Power of Veto Ceremony time to attempt to convince Jen to nominate Joe in Danielle's place.
Despite all the Joe campaigning, Jen had seemed more likely to nominate Nick Starcevic, a single 25-year-old former professional football player from Kimball, MN that -- in a move that has made Jen jealous -- has begun developing feelings for Danielle. However, when the time for the Power of Veto ceremony came, Jen caved and instead nominated the person that most of her fellow houseguests had wanted.
RELATED LINK: 'BIG BROTHER' SHOWMANCES NOW"I choose to nominate Joe," said Jen after Danielle's speech at the Power of Veto meeting. "I just think that it would be the best thing for me in the house so we don't get manipulated, so that's why I've chosen you Joe."
While Dick almost dug a hole for himself when he called out the alliance between Kail Harbick, a married 37-year-old business owner from McKenzie Bridge, OR and Mike Dutz, a single 26-year-old painting contractor from Three Lakes, WI, it was clear the other houseguests were ready to get rid of Joe. During Thursday night's live eviction voting, Kail was the only one houseguesst who voted to evict Dick.
"I campaigned very strongly for you. So much that I probably dug myself a hole," said Kail during her farewell message to Joe.
After Joe's elimination was revealed on Thursday's Big Brother 8 broadcast, the rest of the houseguests -- excluding Jen, who as the outgoing HoH was ineligible to compete -- competed in the third Head of Household competition "Getting Schooled," which saw them answering true or false questions about the houseguests. Unfortunately for Jen, Dick won the competition and became Big Brother 8's third Head of Household.
As America's Player, Eric initially started off strong by successfully completing the first two tasks given to him by home viewers. However he unsuccessfully lobbied Jen to nominate Jessica Hughbanks, a 21-year-old college student from Haysville, KS, for eviction and also failed at a sleepwalking assignment that saw him briefly climb into bed with Joe. But he did follow through -- without choice, according to Julie's comments on last night's Big Brother 8 broadcast -- with America's choice to evict Joe, meaning he's already completed three tasks. For every five tasks Eric successfully completes, he'll receive $10,000.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio
