Are these people actually smart?
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TV ClubHouse: ARCHIVES: Big Brother USA 2003 General Discussions Part 1: Are these people actually smart?

Willsbills

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:22 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I keep hearing the houseguest and people on the board say "(fill in HG name) is really, really smart and this one is really intelligent or bright." Where are those HG's? Jack's got it goin' on but where are the smarts I keep hearing about the rest? Maybe they mean in the way they play, but they couldn't mean anything else, could they?

Seanflynn2003

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
To me, intelligence is related to curiosity and inquisitiveness,
There doesn't seem to be a lot of those two things in this bunch, so it becomes sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You'd think after weeks of nothing else to do, they'd find a wide range of things to discuss, but that's not been the case
I've spent time on vacation with groups of strangers in Nepal, India and Norway among others; some of my best times was learning about their lives and experiences.
The lack of interetsing chitchat, particularly when they are so limited in other things to do, is bewildering.

Willsbills

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
That's exactly what I thought. It seems like even if you didn't talk to everybody,there would be a time you would find something to talk about besides, sex and getting drunk. I find the discussions here on the board much more interesting. Often the HG's just talk about nothing. This isn't Seinfeld!

Seanflynn2003

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
To thrown in a theory
To do something like BB requires a lot of narcissism (self-obsession)
To be successful in life you need skills in moving beyond that to draw out other people and sublimate yourself
Those skills could come in real handy as a HG, but most people with them are less likely to subject themselves to this process

Cangaroo

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Sean, good theory! Valid points all of them

Willsbills

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
That's the type of person I am. Not self-involved, but you have to be able to draw people to you, while still being focused on yourself and your goals. It's a tightrope for sure. But these people start eliminating others before they do the first toast the first night. I think people make alliances and mess things up way too early. If they didn't then they wouldn't be where they are with Dana. I can tell you one thing, I don't talk to my ex (we were engaged). But all they would have to do is tell me one of my ex's might be coming and I would know we had each other's back. No strings attached. I think in the end we might just see Robert and Erica's silent agreement work for them. If it does then that was VERY SMART playing. I don't think Jun and Jee will see their arrangement workout. Erica and Robert don't talk about it but I feel they'll watch out for each other. I would never have made an alliance like the Elite 8. These people are strangers!!! One last bit, if people didn't think that BB would do something with it why did they ever talk about certain people with them? My radar would totally have gone off when they wanted details of the ex's in my life. I ain't tellin':)

Ginlei

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Is intelligence a requirement for BB?? It seems more likely that you have to physical beauty before intelligence to get on BB... Just my opinion

Lilsisreturns

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:56 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Willsbills -

Of course you'd tell. You'd have to. It's my understanding that before you can be on this show, you have to provide a list of all those you're close to, relatives, significant others, etc., so that CBS can contact them and get releases, in case you mention them on TV. If CBS doesn't get releases, it's FOTH, FOTH, FOTH. You even have to provide addresses and phone numbers. There was no way any of the houseguests could have prevented this "X-Factor" thing from happening! :-)

Vskatefan

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:56 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I just think a lot of these HGs have limited life experience beyond their little world where most people are just like them. I think some of them have had things done for them a lot instead of having to rely on themselves. Jack appears more intelligent not only because he probably is intelligent, but he also has more life experience.

Willsbills

Saturday, August 02, 2003 - 11:57 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
You can be dumb as dirt if you're kinda cute, but I don't even find that to be true with some of the HG's. I really look at them and try to see from the producers stand point what they bring to the show. To me, this group is very lame and boring for the most part. If you just watch the show it's not really BB4, it's the Dana show starring Nate, Jun and Ali. Nobody else gets near the camera time because obviously they aren't doing anything. I heard someone say how smart and attractive some of these people are and I wonder if I'm watching the same show.

Cangaroo

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 12:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Well, my personal viewpoint is that I saw them ALL as smart and attractive to begin with, but over time I have developed the opinionthat the majority of them are no longer attractive and they most certainly are not smart. I truly did give them the benefit of the doubt to begin with and still try, but every day they say or do something that counters it.

Willsbills

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 12:04 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Lilsis, You don't have to tell them those things. Keep your mouth shut about people you wouldn't want them to contact. I would have been thinking about the game and would have watched everything I was saying during the process. I think Arnie & Co. hoped for more drama than they got with this twist.

Bastable

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 12:57 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Alison just chimed, "We are so much smarter than the people who were in here last year!"

Isn't there an ancient saying about people who think they're smart? Like: The wisest man knows he's a fool, but the foolish man thinks he's wise?

(Did I just coin that? Hey, I'm absolutely brilliant!)

Maris

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 01:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bastable you've been eating too much chinese take out. You are beginning to talk like a fortune cookie.

Willsbills

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 01:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Bastable- Yes, you are brilliant. That is so funny that Alison said that. Are we watching them or are they lurking in on us?

Ocean_Islands

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 01:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
No, Bastable, wasn't that Confuscious? Not to take way from your brilliance, of course, in bringing it up . . . . .

Twiggyish

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 01:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Jack doesn't have anyone to talk about other topics in the house. He just can't relate to their interests.

Bmh

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 01:51 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think they all have a bit of intelligence in different ways

I think the 2 most intelligent people in the house are Jack and Jun however

Sanfranjoshfan

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 03:05 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think some of them may be pretty smart in comparison to some of the other HGs, but not compared to the US population in general. Let's face facts....one or two of them *are* smarter than Cuff and Link! :)

Maris

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 03:09 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
but not much smarter than Pillar or Post.

Kappy

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 03:25 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I do think they are probably intelligent in their everyday lives. However, what they are showing us in playing this game is a side that is so shallow and superficial that it's hard to tell they're capable of thinking beyond 'what kind of bathing suit should I wear today.'.

Roddy appeared intelligent last year but it also came across as so superficial that I couldn't buy into his intelligence either. They should at least let these people read a book or something while they're in there in order to stimulate their brain cells once in awhile.

Cangaroo

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 04:39 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh, this is off topic, but I finally got it...Cuff and Link was also the names of the turtles in the movie Rocky! Doh!

Diacritical

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 05:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Truth be told -- it is hard to put together a winning strategy that also allows for displaying too much intelligence. Can you imagine the beating someone would take if s/he were to suggest interesting new topics like The role of Radbertus in formalizing the doctrine of transsubstatiation or The economics of the Pre-War South before and after the invention of the Cotton Gin? I'd be happy if the hampsters would just talk a little culture now and again. Have they seen any movies? Do they enjoy certain types of art? Are the democrats? republicans? What did they like to study? Who is a favorite author? They's just too vapid this year, they is.

Spyder

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 05:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
This is my opinion. The following has nothing to do with how much I liked/disliked each player. I may be forgetting someone, but:

Smart(est):
Curtis
Josh
Roddy
Dani

This year:
Jun
Jack

Maybe the most IQ challenged (but cute and sweet):
Michelle (who eerily reminds me of Hank Hill's niece on King of the Hill)


Ali isn't dumb, but she ain't as bright as she thinks she is. No way is this group above average intelligence. (IMVHO)

I thought last year's team was the smartest group to date. Marcellus was witty. Amy was pretty sharp. Gerry was smart too (but not the rocket scientist he imagined himself to be)

Chiara could hold her own. Lisa had a weird, intuitive intelligence. The fireman was kind of cute.

Pantageas

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 05:52 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Spyder - the one I think you forgot is Cassandra.

Spyder

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 06:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Pantageas, thanks. That is EXACTLY who I was trying to think of!!

S

Philamom

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 06:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Yes, Cassandra was very smart. As I read Spyder's list, I would have named different people as smart -- but I guess it depends on your definition of the word. I don't think Dani was smart (as in IQ), but she was "smart" at playing people. I'm not sure which Josh Spyder is referring to, but I didn't think either of them were particularly smart. And I think Mega Will was smarter than most people got to see (a side note -- Will is running for city council here in Philly).

So I guess everyone defines "smart" differently.

Spyder

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 06:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Pure IQ points, probably Roddy, Curtis and Cassandra.

Dani wasn't very educated, but she seemed to have some natural smarts. I don't think that June and Jack come even close to last year's players.

And I forgot about Will. Will was very clever.

But I agree with you. The most objective test would be IQ, but it is not always accurate. We all bring our own assumptions to the table.

Bbwannab

Sunday, August 03, 2003 - 06:27 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
BB needs to give these people something to do!!Like weekly tasks, kinda like BB1, had to do.
They do nothing! BB better watch out, they may be losing some viewers, if they keep going this rate.
I can't imagin watching these HG on the live feeds going the same thing for 2 more months.
If this years BB is a bust, that will hurt next years live feed buyers.