Julie Chen called “Big Brother” fans “hypocrites” for attacking Season 24’s house guests who isolated their co-star Taylor Hale.
Chen made the critical remark during an interview with Parade Thursday when asked about the “crowd mentality” in the “Big Brother” house.
“It’s so interesting that you use the term ‘crowd mentality’. Because isn’t that what Twitter has done? Aren’t you all hypocrites?” responded the host of the CBS reality competition show.
“A crowd mentality has been created against people in the house, which viewers say have not been nice to Taylor.”
That said, Chen, 52, admitted she feels sorry for Hale, 27, whose roommates recently came under fire for mistreating and ostracizing her.
“We all go through life thinking that we are good, decent people. You are not meant to be unsympathetic,” the former co-host of “The Talk” said. “It hurts and I have sympathy for her. I have sympathy for everyone in that house. It is not easy.”
Chen’s “hypocritical” comment immediately sparked a debate on Twitter.
“Such a shame Julie said this, how can she not see what’s going on on her own show?” a fan wrote.
“Bad to take Julie,” agreed another.
“Ummm new host…right now,” pleaded a third viewer.
But others sided with Chen, arguing she made a valid point.
“This is why I love Julie Chen!” a defender tweeted.
“Julie Chen was right to call you hypocrites!!” another wrote.
Last weekend, several former “Big Brother” contestants took to social media to shout what they saw as micro-aggressions towards Hale, a black woman.
Xavier Prather, who became the first-ever black “Big Brother” American winner last year, tweeted that the behavior of the current cast was “reprehensible”.
Prather’s fellow Cookout alliance member Tiffany Mitchell added that she was “FUMING” about the house guests “gossiping and beating down another black woman who actually did NOTHING to them.”
Rachel Reilly, meanwhile, called on the women in the house to “strengthen and lift each other”.
“Big Brother” airs Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays on CBS.