Inside the House with Kent: Honesty Is Not the Best Policy

I'll never forget as I was evicted from the Big Brother 2 house, my wife and family met me with love and warmth. I explained how I was proud that I was able to play the game in a fair and honest way. It was a source of great pride for me to be able to explain how I "told it like it is" and didn't stoop to lying and scheming. My wife was bursting with pride as she asked the burning question, "What are you, an idiot?"

The Big Brother game is about who can lie and scheme better than the 11 other liars and schemers. Telling the truth in the BB house is the kiss of death and a quick ticket to a seat beside Julie Chen. As I've said a million times since leaving the show last year, I'm either the world's most honest and honorable man, or the world's biggest dumb-ass. My wife, family, and friends vote for the latter.

It has taken me a year to figure out that little tidbit. I thought you were supposed to be there who you are on the outside. You are supposed to carry yourself in a compassionate and honorable way and all things good will come to you. NOT! I now realize that honesty is NOT the best policy.

Roddy is an immeasurably intelligent fellow who played the game in a strategic way that should have had him vying to take home the big prize. Honesty, quite honestly, did him in. Right now, his friends and family are asking him that same burning question, "What are you, an idiot?" He was asked by Amy, who had the option of taking him off the chopping block, to insure he would not vote to evict her. A reasonable, intelligent, and strategic thinker would have immediately thought to themselves, "I'm gonna say whatever the hell I have to say to get her to take me off the block." I would have promised to not only NOT vote for her to leave, but I would have thrown in backrubs and a promise to kill anyone of her choice. Instead, Roddy reached down deep inside himself to resurrect an old promise to Lisa and make the biggest "strategic faux pas" in BB history by telling the person who had his whole life in the game in her hands that, no, he could not promise not to vote to evict her. Okay, we have a new "world's biggest dumb-ass."

I realize that he was attempting to stay true to his word. He wanted to continue playing the game with honor and integrity. Well, because of that misguided belief, he'll be playing the rest of the game from the sofa in his apartment. And it's hard as hell to win from there. He could have simply told Amy what she wanted to hear and, if Lisa was nominated in his place, quietly went to Amy and told her of the previous promise to Lisa and said, sorry kid but I gotta do what I gotta do. She would have raved, called him names, and had a couple of extra cold ones, but she would have been gone and you, Roddy, would still be in the game. And you could have gone into the Diary Room and shed a tear and explained how you hated the way the game made you do things to hurt others, how you hate to lie, etc. et al. boo hoo. Your fans would have loved you for your sensitivity but would have loved you even more for having stayed. They don't get to see you much on the sofa in your apartment.

Okay, Marcellas. You proved not to be as smart as you think you are. You are on the home stretch to win fame and, more importantly, fortune as this year's winner when you decide NOT to use a Golden Veto that could take you out of nomination. At least in your case, it's not limited to your friends and family. EVERYONE is asking the burning question, "What are you, an idiot?" Even Julie asked that same question.

The reason you did it is because your arrogance led you to believe that no one would ever vote to have your fantastic, fabulous, and wonderful ass thrown out of the house. Well, guess again! I know that Danielle promised you that she "had your back." You took that to mean that she would not vote to evict you. She meant it to mean that she'd see your back as you walked out the door. Did she lie? You're damn right she did, and I say, more power to her. She is playing the game the way it's supposed to be played. Lie like hell to everyone you can get to believe you, then pick the suckers off one by one. She knew she would not have to explain anything to Marcellas, 'cause he'd be gone. Roddy wouldn't have had to explain anything to Amy either, 'cause she'd be gone. It's all about making those other folks "be gone."