‘Big Brother’ Blindside Blows Up, But Does Paulie Calafiore Have Any Game Left?

Paulie Calafiore seems to be a dead man walking on Big Brother. The one time BB frontrunner’s game has blown up, thanks to an unlikely nemesis, and now it could be a matter of time before he’s out of the game. Host Julie Chen teased the backstory drama during Thursday’s live double eviction episode, but what really happened to cause the house to rally against Paulie?

According to Bustle, Paulie’s first mistake was to use Zakiyah Everette as a showmance, but then flirt with – and talk smack about — the other women in the house. It didn’t take long for Natalie Negrotti to tell the other houseguests that Paulie Calafiore is playing everybody in the house. She even told Zakiyah everything Calafiore has done behind her back and that he doesn’t care about her.

#BB18 Paulie and Zakiyah pic.twitter.com/dm7LZr7Kpr

— CanadianReality (@bbcanshadow) July 31, 2016

Natalie has been the victim of some of Paulie’s most cutting comments—he has commented on her breasts and has called her a “Jersey girl” in a disparaging way. In his defense, Calafiore told now-ousted player Bridgette Dunning that he was only comparing Natalie’s “fake boobs to her fake personality,” but Bridgette said he went too far with his comments.

During a particularly big blowup caught on the live feeds, Natalie brought up the fact that Paulie has been coached by Big Brother 16 winner Derrick Levasseur, who is a close friend of his brother, Cody Calafiore. At one point Paulie said he would bury Natalie, and he accused her of playing her own showmance, James Huling. Calafiore said Negrotti is the flirt and that she flirted with Victor and Corey before “settling” for James. Paulie told James he needs to control his big-mouthed woman, and he vowed that he will target Natalie next.

According to Moviefone, Natalie rallied behind the scenes to get everyone to turn against Paulie. Even Calafiore’s Big Brother bromance, Paul Abrahamian, changed sides because he’s tired of everything in their “PP” alliance benefitting Paulie and not him.

While Paulie falsely believed that he still had total control over the house and that Zakiyah was just a pawn on the block, James’ cancellation of Paul and Corey’s votes during Thursday night’s first eviction ceremony meant her demise, despite the fact that Paulie was confident Michelle Meyer would be the one sent packing. Meyer accused Calafiore of blowing up his own game.

With Zakiyah out, the original plan for double eviction night was to nominate Corey Brooks and Nicole Franzel and then backdoor Paulie.

But the plan backfired when Corey won the quickie Head of Household competition and the Power of Veto. Paulie has already said that Corey is the only person he can trust in the house, which was an eye opener for his pal Paul. And indeed, Corey didn’t put Paulie up on the block, instead gunning for Bridgette and Michelle, with Bridgette quickly being sent out the door.

While the double eviction blindside didn’t pan out, the house is now on to Paulie Calafiore, and his only prayer may be to win the Head of Household competition this week. Corey, his puppet, can’t compete, so Paulie is really on his own now.

Big Brother jury member Da’Vonne Rogers told Us Weekly that part of Paulie’s problem is he’s getting everyone else to do his dirty work and that it’s becoming too obvious.

“Paulie and Paul’s bromance is a hot mess,” Rogers told Us. “I knew it was strategy when Paulie cut his hair, I knew it was strategy when Paulie started taking on Paul’s language and basically just acting like Paul.”

Rogers said Calafiore was using Paul Abrahamian to do all of his dirty deeds while keeping his own hands clean.

“Honestly, the only blood Paulie has on his hands right now is Tiffany’s, and she is gone,” Rogers said.

Even Paulie’s own brother questions how he’s handling his now-fractured friendships in the house. Cody Calafiore told TV Guide that he and Paulie are polar opposites.

“We look the same, sound the same, our morals are obviously the same, but Paulie would’ve never taken Derrick to the end!” Cody said, referring to his BB16 alliance partner. “He’d be like, ‘Hey bro, we’ll mend this relationship after the show. I’m going for the money.’ He would not do what I did.”

Cody told his brother to focus on his social game, while BB16 winner Derrick Levasseur said he advised Paulie to find that one person who will have his back and stick with them.

“You want to find one person. If there’s three people, you’re going to eventually have someone who is left out, the third wheel. So, choose one person. Figure out who that is and roll with it. Honestly, if you look at the formula, not just Hitmen, but the Renegades, Chilltown — it’s just the way it works. You find one other person, that’s a recipe for success.”

Now that Paulie Calafiore has lost both his showmance and his Big Brother bromance, he’ll have to be the third wheel in Nicole and Corey’s showmance. If they don’t turn on him, that is.

Take a look at the video below to see Paulie Calafiore’s big blowup with Michelle Meyer in the Big Brother house just hours before the live eviction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-XVLB8V3YQ

[Image Credit: Paulie Calafiore Facebook]