“I think this group has played harder than the celebrities in seasons one and two,” she says in an interview with Parade.com. “It was the bumpiest wild ride than I’ve ever seen in really any season, but especially compared to the other two celebrity seasons.” No matter your thoughts on the roller coaster, it comes to an end in a matter of hours. One final Head of Household will be crowned, leaving the final two houseguests to face the jury of evicted celebs. And considering what some of these stars have been seeing was said about them by the remaining trio in the house, it should make for a dramatic finish either way. Read on for our full interview with Julie Chen Moonves, where she previews what’s to come in the finale, gives her thoughts on the games of the final three, and discusses the personal journey some houseguests went on this season. I think it’s safe to say that the season played out differently than we could have ever expected when we spoke a few weeks ago. What have been your thoughts on it? We always say, “Expect the unexpected,” and this season proved that more than ever. Even for me, and I’ve been there since the house was built. I was surprised at the turn of events that Todrick really pulled off. He threw a Hail Mary pass that connected. And it shifted the whole game. You’re referring to when Todrick and Miesha convinced Carson and Cynthia to backdoor their ally, Shanna, saying she was coming after them. Which do you credit more with the move: Todrick and Miesha for pulling the wool, or Carson and Cynthia for being naive enough to believe them? It was the perfect storm. Todrick and Miesha had an advantage in “newbies” to the game, if you will, in Carson and Cynthia. They are also, I think, by nature, very trusting people. My belief is that they would never lie and manipulate in the game or life. They don’t see that as normal behavior. So they don’t see that happening to them. And because they love Todrick outside the house, they really didn’t see someone they consider a friend do that to them. But the big thing was they didn’t understand the game the way that Shanna, Chris Kirkpatrick, or Todrick does. So Todrick was kind of given this gift, and he ran with it. He had nothing to lose. And, oh boy, did he win when they fell for it hook, line and sinker. And what didn’t help was that Shanna didn’t know how to defend herself from these people who didn’t understand the game. It was like this ganging up against her where she was just exhausted emotionally. She was done with the game and done with them and defending herself. She really threw in the towel, and Todrick just had to sit there eating his popcorn. To that point, it seems like this season, more than previous celebrity editions, had a good amount of contestants who did not know much about the game going in. It could allow them to easily get tricked, as you mentioned. And it can also make them wildcards, as we saw with houseguests like Lamar Odom and Chris Kattan. What do you make of the role these Big Brother “newbies” play in the house? I think there’s a beauty of Big Brother that we have seen not just with this celebrity group, but with other normal summer seasons. We have seen people earn their way to the win, like [Big Brother 13 winner] Rachel Reilly. She had the whole house against her, especially when her boyfriend–who is now her husband–got voted out. And it was like this heroic come from behind, “you go girl” victory. And then we had other people–I’m not going to name names–who floated to the end, not because they didn’t understand it, but they weren’t so aggressive in playing it, whether physically or socially. And then we’ve seen people like [Big Brother 2 winner] Will Kirby win by lying. He told people to their faces, “I’m going to lie.” He owned a lot of his diabolical ways, but he did it with such a charming smile. Stars, they’re just like us with this group. It didn’t matter if you didn’t know the rules. Look at Lamar. He was so charming and not a threat because he didn’t win any single competition. And people liked him, so they let him get to the final five. And then you have someone like Todd Bridges, who kind of floated along, and then showed up. And then they were like, “Oh, I see. You can win things. Now we got to say bye-bye to you.” So it all depends on the chemistry of the personalities, circumstances, and egos in the house. Anything can happen. That’s why Big Brother’s so fascinating. And this season was no different. I think this group has played harder than the celebrities in seasons one and two. It was the bumpiest wild ride that I’ve ever seen in really any season, but especially compared to the other two celebrity seasons. On the top of that bumpy ride is the duo of Miesha and Todrick. They now make up two of the final three through competition wins, loyal alliances, and that Hail Mary move you mentioned before. What’s been your take on their partnership? If we had a Mount Rushmore of power couples in the Big Brother house, Todrick and Miesha are definitely up there. They were unbelievably good together at this game. And I don’t think one could have made it this far without the other. Miesha was so good at the competitions, and so physically strong. Todrick took a while to get any wins under his belt. But he does have a great social game. I think he’s probably one of the most charming people to ever live in that house. He’s smart, and he knows the game. So when Miesha, his ride-or-die, was halfway out the door, he saved her. But in saving her, he also saved his muscle in the game. She wasn’t going anywhere without him. And he wasn’t going anywhere without her. They needed each other. It was a symbiotic relationship, and they are not to be denied. It’s interesting you mention Todrick’s social game. One of the big differences between the celebrity and civilian editions of Big Brother is that in the former, the jury gets to go home and see the episodes and live feed footage before coming back to cast a vote. And over the past few weeks, we’ve seen many of these jurors understandably get turned off by some very personal things Todrick has been saying about them during and after their time in the house. What are your thoughts on these personal attacks he’s been making? I think Todrick is probably in for a bit of a surprise when he comes out of the house and gets interviewed like this. I’m sure he’s going to go on the internet, though I would advise against it if I were him. If I were his manager, I would say, “Let’s talk, and let’s surround ourselves with people who know you. Don’t read the internet.” I think he probably is someone who is so used to being adored and getting a lot of positive attention. This is going to be new territory for him. And I feel for him, I really do. Because who’s any of us to judge another human being? We haven’t walked in his shoes. None of us have lived in the Big Brother house and competed. And we don’t know his full story, like who he was growing up. Yes, we heard him talk about it in the house, how he had to really work hard for everything he has. And this guy is so full of talent. He has too much good to offer the world that he shouldn’t get bogged down by any mistakes he may have made. I feel like we’re living in such a graceless age. I just pray for him. I do. We saw Lamar and Todd go out in the most recent episode, and both of them spoke about how Celebrity Big Brother was a life-changing experience for them. Does it surprise you to hear that, considering the stories both of them have had so far as celebrities? It is surprising, but it’s a beautiful thing. I think because they are older, and because they are celebrities, their life has been on a fast track. Todd Bridges is 56. And he was the oldest person in the house. And Lamar is 42. So whether or not you’re a superstar, you have enough years on you. And hopefully, in those years you’ve walked this earth, you have learned some life lessons along the way. But living in the house, cut off from social media and the internet, and being real with real people, you have nothing but time to talk about your upbringing, the good parts of your life, the regrets, and the dark storms you’ve lived through. It’s like a giant 27-day therapy session. How could you not change? If you do Big Brother and you don’t come out a changed person, then I don’t know how you could be human. I really don’t. If you don’t change, I think you’re just burying your head in the sand and not seeing certain sides of yourself that you don’t want to own up to. Let’s finish by previewing tonight’s finale. What are we in store for with this hour-long ending to the season? It is a live HoH competition, and it all rides on that. The big thing America is probably rooting to see happen is can Cynthia, who hasn’t won anything, win the most powerful competition of the season? Even if you’re rooting for Miesha or Todrick, it would be fascinating to watch. And then to see what decision she makes, that would be amazing programming to see. I’m not so sure that’s going to happen. But I have been wrong plenty of times working on the show. The whole jury gets to come back live, not on Zoom. Thank you, Jesus, for keeping COVID enough at bay that people can come back safely and be in the same room. So that’s very exciting. Look, it’s a jam-packed hour. Can we hammer out all the little nuances we want to, with Todrick stretching the truth to benefit his own game? (Laughs.) Things will be addressed. But I learned what we don’t want in the first season I did this. This show started in the Netherlands. And when I started, they said, “Julie, everyone who comes out must be celebrated.” And I think I was like 29 then, I was like, “Eh? Even if they did everyone so dirty?” But I’ve matured too. And I’ve realized I’m certainly not perfect and not right to judge anyone. I want it to be a celebration one way or the other. Next, read our interview with Todd Bridges, who was most recently evicted from Celebrity Big Brother 3 on Day 27.
