Nobody likes being the first person out of any reality show. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to 25-year-old Roswell tech sales rep Matt Hardeman on the 26th season of “Big Brother.”
Early on, Angela Murray, a spirited 50-year-old “Big Brother” super fan and real estate agent from Utah, told him to his face that he was so good looking he was inevitably going to fall into a “showmance” with another contestant. She then won Head of Household, giving her power to put three people up on the block for potential eviction.
At first, she decided to give Matt a break despite the fact she thought he had “aggressively” verbally threatened her if she were to put him up on the block. Instead, she named 52-year-old former undercover police officer Kenney Kelley, 35-year-old Hawaiian mattress salesman Kimo Apaka and 33-year-old celebrity chef Lisa Weintraub.
But she then felt like Matt didn’t offer enough gratitude for being saved.
So the next morning, in full paranoia mode, she went off on a rant for the ages that left everyone flabbergasted. She called Matt “Crazy Eyes” and said he traumatized her by saying if she put him on the block, he’d target her next. “You can’t be pretty on the outside when you’re ugly on the in,” she proclaimed to Matt while many onlookers had their mouths agape. She then called him a “straight-up disrespectful brat.”
She ended the rant looking straight at Matt: “I’m gunning for you.”
He said he had no idea he had threatened her and said her characterization was “a lie.”
Angela’s unhinged behavior is likely to lead her to an early exit once she no longer has Head of Household immunity. “I don’t know if I can work with her anymore,” said Joseph Rodriguez, who tried to ally with her.
In the meantime, Matt tried to allay everyone’s fears while dealing with his own pain. He cried and told several castmates, “I hated that my mom had to see that.”
He was ultimately placed on the block via what is called a “backdoor” maneuver. Seen as a potential threat, he was voted out 8-3.
“I know my mom will be proud,” he told Entertainment Tonight after he was evicted. “I’m so grateful I got to play.”
Two other players with Georgia ties remain: 23-year-old T’Kor Clottey, who runs a crotchet business, and 34-year-old Brooklyn Rivera, a mom with three kids.
As of Monday, neither is on the block and both appear safe for now.
IF YOU WATCH
“Big Brother,” 9 p.m. Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. CBS, and on demand on Paramount+
