Reality show PBB found itself in the eye of controversy after viewers complained of inappropriate gestures by an older male housemate toward a young female housemate.
POPULAR reality show Pinoy Big Brother (PBB): Kumunity Season 10 has received a backlash from viewers who accused one of the older housemates TJ Valderrama of being too close for comfort and taking advantage of 19-year-old fellow housemate Shanaia Gomez.
The program is being aired 24/7 on platform Kumu.
In the clips that went viral on social media, viewers claimed that the 35-year-old Valderrama, was getting very physical with Gomez that borders to being malicious, making those watching PBB uncomfortable.
"FORCE EVICT TJ" and “PROTECT SHANAIA GOMEZ” were trending topics on social media, with people calling out to the producers of PBB to take action.
Netizens and viewers couldn’t help but air their frustration as they accused the comedian of taking advantage of the younger housemate.
They described it as “disturbing, alarming and malicious.”
Some netizens recalled how previous PBB housemates who were too “touchy” on the show faced consequences. They said TJ Valderrama’s actions were more severe and want him to be evicted from the house.
Women's group Gabriela Women's Party has also pointed out that such clips can be used as grounds for sexual harassment.
"We have taken note of several photos and videos related to the 'FORCE EVICT TJ' trend," read Gabriela's post. "A reminder that unsolicited touching and physical contact, even in the context of friendship or even relationship, can be a form of sexual harassment."
The complaints prompted PBB’s Big Brother to publicly address the issue.
"Big Brother" spoke to the women and men housemates separately to address the issue. He wanted to hear their opinions on their level of physical attention towards each other.
He then reminded all the housemates to be cautious about being affectionate towards each other, as viewers may misinterpret their actions, without the complete context.
“Maganda ang pagpapakita ng appreciation at affection para sa isa’t isa. Gusto ko lang sabihin na kayo ay public figures. Sana lang ay maging maingat kayo kung paano niyo pinapakita ang appreciation ninyo para sa isa’t isa. Dahil minsan, maaaring hindi ito naiintindihan, lalo na kung hindi nila alam ang buong konteksto nito,” Big Brother said.
Tags: #entertainment, #PBB #ABSCBN, #realityshow, #sexualharassment