Why ‘Big Brother 18’ Host Julie Chen Called Paulie Calafiore A ‘Sore Loser’ — Perhaps


It was not that long ago that Julie Chen told Entertainment Weekly that Paulie Calafiore was her pick to win it all this year on Big Brother. As The Inquisitr reported at the time, Chen saw Calafiore, the younger brother of second-place finisher from Big Brother 16, Cody Calafiore, as running the entire house and saw no indication he would stop doing so.

Until last week, when the house flipped on Paulie and he was evicted. Days before the vote that sent him to jury, Calafiore appeared to be a bit of a poor sport, crying in the house and at one point refusing to perform a punishment he’d received as the result of a competition: baking pies. He also had his moments of seeming elation, such as lifting Chen up in the air as he came on to the Big Brother stage for his post-eviction interview.

Chen told Entertainment Weekly Paulie seems like someone who doesn’t take losses too well — or perhaps the sudden flip in his fortunes just created a kind of mental short-circuit.

“I think Paulie is a guy who is just not used to losing. Plus, he had his run of the house for weeks and weeks and to lose that control was like a system breakdown. Or perhaps he’s just a sore loser?!”

But as viewers know, Paulie might be back inside the Big Brother 18 house, as there is another twist on the way. In addition to the Battle Back, which saw early evictee Victor win a competition for another shot at the game, this week will see a returning juror competition. Paulie will battle this week’s evictee, plus Da’Vonne, Bridgette and his former showmance partner Zakiyah in order to get back into the game.

That returning juror, which the remaining houseguests may or may not be expecting, can put a wrench in the rest of the season. After Paulie left, seven people were left: the two showmances (Nicole and Corey as well as James and Natalie), close allies Victor and Paul, and Michelle. Michelle and Natalie share Head of Household duties this week, but whoever may go out the door may, as with all returning twists, come back in.

Chen told Entertainment Weekly that the remaining bromance, made up of strong players who seemed unlikely to get too far early in the season, are right now in a prized position in the house.

“Victor and Paul seem to be looking good right now. Victor is good at winning challenges and if he can take it to the end and sit there with Paul, he may just take the whole thing, unless Paul starts winning a lot of challenges.”

Big Brother 18 producers showed a clip of Paulie getting emotional in a conversation with James when a butterfly came around in the backyard. Although the editing seemed to emphasize that Paulie was beginning to crack inside the house, Calafiore explained his philosophy on butterflies in his exit interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“I don’t hate butterflies. Growing up, when people passed away in our family, we always said it was their spirit and if they landed on you it meant that they were watching over you. So when I saw the butterfly in the house, I just starting thinking could that be someone coming to watch over me. It was just emotional.”

Paulie lasted longer in the house than the other sibling of a former player, Tiffany Rousso. He also lasted longer than two of the season’s four veteran players: Da’Vonne and Frank. Big Brother 18 viewers will have to wait and see if he will get another shot at the $500,000 prize or best his brother’s placement last time around.

Big Brother 18 airs Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays on CBS.

[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]

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