I'll be the first to admit, I completely overlooked Vanessa on Big Brother 17 until she became a badass HoH. Vanessa first caught my eye at the end of Week 2, when the twin twist was a peak gossip topic, and Vanessa straight up asked Julia if she was Liz. Then Vanessa became HoH with Austin, and the two started to target Jeff. Another big game move that made me like her. Then, unfortunately, things got a little messy and Vanessa's target shifted. No big deal, it happens. But, on Wednesday's Veto episode, Vanessa's fight with Jeff proved just how clever she is playing this game. Other houseguests, take note.
After Austin was dethroned from HoH, Vanessa realized that James might be a bigger target for her personal game. While I think Jeff is a slightly bigger threat, James and Jeff are essentially six of one, half a dozen of another. Her alliance didn't necessarily agree, but what were they going to do? Vanessa held the power. That was until Austin realized he didn't want the Veto and let John win and take himself off the block. So, Vanessa had to nominate someone else. But, because she isn't just a normal HoH — she's a cool HoH — Vanessa wasn't going to make an enemy out of someone if she didn't need to. Enter her plan to get Jeff into a fight, so it would look like she had to put him up.
It's really a smart move that she came up with. Although Jeff already seems to have one foot out the door even before the Thursday live show, something could change, and if something changes, and Jeff stays, Vanessa would have had Jeff (and likely his alliances) coming after her. That's a big problem. So, Vanessa orchestrated this idea that she needed to get Jeff to do or say something so she has a reason to put him up. And she did just that.
On Wednesday's show, Vanessa's fight with Jeff gave her the perfect reason to nominate him. Jeff had lied about what he had said, which in turn made Vanessa look like a liar. That was all Vanessa needed for Jeff to do to put him on the block. So after a little back and forth in the bathroom, Vanessa promised Jeff he had just sealed his fate. And, she's a woman of her words, because Jeff did indeed go up on the block, next to his friend James.
Although it seems Jeff will be leaving the house on Thursday, things could change, so you'll want to keep up-to-date on what exactly is happening inside the Big Brother house. To do that, you'll need to listen to Bustle’s very own Big Brother podcast, The Diary Room. Listen to the latest episode below, and be sure to check out future episodes on Bustle’s SoundCloud page.
Want even more Big Brother? Bustle’s App has you covered. It’s THE go-to place for any BB fan looking for round-the-clock Season 17 updates. BUT FIRST, you need to download the app from iTunes.
Image: Sonja Flemming/CBS
