jcdub
31-08-2008, 09:53 PM
Hear me out here. For a long time Darnell was my favourite housemate and I think it's a real shame how his chances have been reduced, and he's been on a downward slope ever since his election as HOH.
The thing is, I'm not sure if the reasoning behind so many people turning on him is valid. It was always apparent that he was, emotionally, slightly less balanced and more complex than the rest of the house, but from an entertainment perspective I think that makes for fairly compelling viewing. Seeing everyone jump around screaming with joy can only suffice for so long, so seeing this guy battling with himself that provides a sub-plot to everything he does makes things a whole lot more dramatic.
One of the main reasons people slate him is that he wants people to feel sorry for him. I think this is debatable. He certainly feels sorry for himself at times, but I don't think he's seeing widespread pity, in fact I think he wants to be treated with quite the opposite. You have to understand that he himself hasn't come to terms with a lot of things about his life, and so naturally it's difficult for the viewing public to do so.
The inevitable paranoia and short temper that stems from this is another reason people don't like him, and I agree that at times he steps overboard with his aggression, particularly towards Sara. However, I think the one-sided view towards this whole saga is incredibly ignorant, as there is no doubting that from day one her actions have been those that were always leading towards jealousy and the actions which stem from it. Calling her an ugly bitch is out of line, but he himself knows this. I don't think it's fair to rally behind the goody two shoes who has deliberately done nothing to piss anyone off since they arrived; both Kat and Rachel fall into this category and yet for some reason the latter is infinitely the more popular of the two.
The best housemates aren't the ones that you form an impression of on day one and that doesn't change for the entire duration of the show. The best housemates provoke intruige; force you to question whether or not they are worthy of your support. Darnell has done just this, and while I feel that Rex has undoubtedly provided the most entertainment, Darnell has been consistently the most interesting. Unfortunately, in the process he has alienated some and turned many against him, but herein I have explained why I don't feel this is justified. To claim that he is not, for the most part, a genuinely nice guy, is false.
And let's face it, the guy has talent. A lot of people here likely don't appreciate the sort of music he's in to and it's by no means my favourite, but you don't need a squeaky clean image to succeed in the genre and with the recognition this has gained him, either through support or notoriety, I think Big Brother will open a lot of doors for Darnell, and he'll go on to be a success. Even Sylvia's set to appear on some R&B talent show, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Darnell take a much more high profile role within the industry than anything she could dream of.
All in all, don't hate him because you don't understand him, and don't hate me because I'm willing to attempt to. Respect that he, unlike the cartoon character image of Katreya or the bubbly pixie-esque figure that is Rachel, is a real, genuine human being, who has found his time in the house a mental strain and has done some regrettable things as a result. Does that mean he won't win? Most likely. But does it mean he shouldn't? Not at all.
The thing is, I'm not sure if the reasoning behind so many people turning on him is valid. It was always apparent that he was, emotionally, slightly less balanced and more complex than the rest of the house, but from an entertainment perspective I think that makes for fairly compelling viewing. Seeing everyone jump around screaming with joy can only suffice for so long, so seeing this guy battling with himself that provides a sub-plot to everything he does makes things a whole lot more dramatic.
One of the main reasons people slate him is that he wants people to feel sorry for him. I think this is debatable. He certainly feels sorry for himself at times, but I don't think he's seeing widespread pity, in fact I think he wants to be treated with quite the opposite. You have to understand that he himself hasn't come to terms with a lot of things about his life, and so naturally it's difficult for the viewing public to do so.
The inevitable paranoia and short temper that stems from this is another reason people don't like him, and I agree that at times he steps overboard with his aggression, particularly towards Sara. However, I think the one-sided view towards this whole saga is incredibly ignorant, as there is no doubting that from day one her actions have been those that were always leading towards jealousy and the actions which stem from it. Calling her an ugly bitch is out of line, but he himself knows this. I don't think it's fair to rally behind the goody two shoes who has deliberately done nothing to piss anyone off since they arrived; both Kat and Rachel fall into this category and yet for some reason the latter is infinitely the more popular of the two.
The best housemates aren't the ones that you form an impression of on day one and that doesn't change for the entire duration of the show. The best housemates provoke intruige; force you to question whether or not they are worthy of your support. Darnell has done just this, and while I feel that Rex has undoubtedly provided the most entertainment, Darnell has been consistently the most interesting. Unfortunately, in the process he has alienated some and turned many against him, but herein I have explained why I don't feel this is justified. To claim that he is not, for the most part, a genuinely nice guy, is false.
And let's face it, the guy has talent. A lot of people here likely don't appreciate the sort of music he's in to and it's by no means my favourite, but you don't need a squeaky clean image to succeed in the genre and with the recognition this has gained him, either through support or notoriety, I think Big Brother will open a lot of doors for Darnell, and he'll go on to be a success. Even Sylvia's set to appear on some R&B talent show, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Darnell take a much more high profile role within the industry than anything she could dream of.
All in all, don't hate him because you don't understand him, and don't hate me because I'm willing to attempt to. Respect that he, unlike the cartoon character image of Katreya or the bubbly pixie-esque figure that is Rachel, is a real, genuine human being, who has found his time in the house a mental strain and has done some regrettable things as a result. Does that mean he won't win? Most likely. But does it mean he shouldn't? Not at all.