Matt Liguori ranks the players each week with his own guest(s) for the RHAP Power Rankings. This week Matt is joined by Liana Boraas, Lita Brillman, and Pooya Zand Vikili.
- Note: If reading on a cell phone, rotate your device horizontally to read the rankings side-by-side. However, this may not work for some devices with smaller screens.
RHAP Celebrity Big Brother Power Rankings
11 celebrities, varying levels of fame, all entering our beloved Big Brother house. For all we know, by the time feeds really come on, three of them will have already quit with Paul thrown back in as a last minute emergency replacement. As of now, that doesn’t appear to be the case since we were given a sneak peek inside the house with all 11 accounted for.
I’m excited about this group. Most of them are in way over their heads; they’ve done Dancing, they’ve done Apprentice, but they haven’t been locked in a house 24/7 with no communication to the outside world. Despite some being less “famous” than others, they’re all used to a life of having a phone glued to their hand to check their social medias or contact family, friends, agents, producers, etc. Taking privacy and communication away from a celebrity is going to be a lot more intense than it is with regular houseguests and I can’t wait to see how they deal with it, along with simultaneously trying to figure out how to play this sped-up version of the game.
As for a programming update, this is the only Power Rankings blog I’ll have for Celebrity Big Brother. The season is really short and evictions will happen so rapidly that it would be too complicated to try and keep up with. Over on the podcast feeds, Taran Armstrong will have you all covered with plenty of daily podcasts and episode recaps with Rob and the LFC, so be sure to tune into those all February long. I’ll be back in a few weeks for the start of Survivor: Ghost Island and, as long as it doesn’t get too messy with the scheduling, hopefully Big Brother Canada 6 as well.
Since these are the only rankings we’re doing for CBB, I wanted to bring on a couple of people to give their takes on the cast, all who you may hear covering the season in one way or another: Liana Boraas, Lita Brillman, and Pooya Zand Vikili! If you’re not already, throw myself and the gang a follow on Twitter for some fire CBB takes all season long: @mattliguori, @LianaBoraas, @LitaTweeted, @Pooyaism. And now, without further ado…
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Matt
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Liana
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1) Shannon
Shannon is a true Big Brother superfan, walking into a house mostly filled with competitors who may as well be on Celebrity The Voice, given how little they know about what they’re getting themselves into. If this was a normal season, Shannon would skate by for the first few weeks before being detected as a threat. Unlike a normal season, this one only lasts a few weeks! The game is hers to lose. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
1) Marissa
Okay so full disclosure, she’s amazing. She is going to do all the studying and has a fantastic personality to boot. I mean the gurl watched BB:OTT! She is all about female empowerment which I LOVE! That being said I hope she doesn’t get in her own way. The one knock against her is she is friends with Frankie Grande. She’s a social media mogul! [/one_half_last]
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2) Mark
Mark seems charming and generally engaging. The bigger personalities will fall early on and once there are only five or six players left, I think Mark could dominate competitions and charm America or the houseguests (whomever the jury is) enough to vote for him in the end. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
2) Ross
YAAASSSSSS QUEEEENNNNN!!!!! I can’t even tell you how excited I am for Ross Mathews to be in the house. I just want to be his best friend so it’s hard for me to say anything bad about him. Ross is a huge fan of the game but that can be either a good or a bad thing. I hope he can use his knowledge to crush the competition and at the same time not overthink the situation. Let’s take this to the mother f***ing runway! [/one_half_last]
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3) Chuck
Similar to Mark, I feel like Chuck will do just fine getting through the first half of the game. Chuck’s fate will depend on who he aligns himself with, and what his role in that alliance is. There have been comparisons made of Chuck to Dillon from BBCAN5, and if Chuck isn’t careful, he too may finish around the 5th place spot. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
3) Shannon
Shannon has a masterful understanding of herself and the social game of Big Brother. She is going to adjust her game based on who is in the house which, I believe, is crucial to winning. I hope she is able to live up to the hype. Also, she loves Janelle so I automatically love her. I can’t wait for her to disappoint me. [/one_half_last]
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4) Ariadna
Am I confident in Ariadna to play a good game of Big Brother and lock up the win? Absolutely not. But do I think she’s one of the top contenders to win? I kinda do. I can’t imagine Ariadna being evicted unless it’s a goat-goes-home situation, where the smarter players realize there’s a world where she could be a jury threat. If Ariadna does reach the final 2 and they don’t bring in Steve Harvey to reveal the results with Julie, what was the point? [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
4) Mark
Mark is a hilarious personality and I’m here for it. Not to mention his strategy chops! Put your arms around me baby! While he can rock the stage as the Sugar Ray frontman I worry about his ability to rock the social game. That being said every morning is an opportunity to right the wrong. If he can stay focused I think he has major potential in this game. Lord knows he just wants to fly. [/one_half_last]
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5) Marissa
Another superfan! Marissa says she has seen every season of Big Brother including Over The Top, which fills me with plenty of hope. We’re starting to leave the tier of players who should easily coast through to the second half of the game, but Melissa is very much in there. Her likability could take her all the way. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
5) Ariadna
She is the definition of a natural social game. How do you not love this woman!? She is so pretty and so so friendly I can’t help but love her (apart from that stupid red beret thing). When it comes to the game I can’t help but put her in the Jordan Lloyd basket. She might make it far but it’s only because no one perceives her as a threat. Side note: If I could hire her to do my makeup I would. [/one_half_last]
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6) Ross
I’m most conflicted on Ross and how I think he’ll do. He’s a big fan and a social butterfly, so on paper he sounds like a top contender. Looking at this group of 11, I just don’t think Ross will be able to get the job done. In order for Ross to win, he needs to not be the head of an alliance. I’ll be more confident in him if he can hide behind a Mark or a Chuck, but I think he’ll know he’s one of the smartest players in there and won’t hide it well enough. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
6) Chuck
I think Chuck is an amazing UFC fighter and the most intimidating person in the entire world. That being said, if he can make it a few days and show off his softer side he might be able to stay longer in the house. Sadly he will probably still be targeted because he is a strong physical competitor. I’m excited to see him in the house although I will probably be annoyed by his heavy breathing when I watch the live feeds. MUTE HIS MIC! Seriously. See his ET Canada interview. [/one_half_last]
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7) James
James isn’t making any new fans with the pre-game press and YouTube videos. James is one of the few people on this cast I know of pretty well, because I’m 12 and watched almost all of Big Time Rush (and his entire Dancing with the Stars season). I don’t have a ton of faith in him to do well, but I’m cautiously optimistic. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
7) Omarosa
I love that she’s coming into this game with so much reality TV baggage. She is just going to be herself which will serve her well considering she is an iconic reality TV star. If she starts a few fights I will be happy with the casting choice. [/one_half_last]
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8) Keshia
I’m also not as low on Keshia as everyone else seems to be… despite her being towards the bottom of my list. She may not have a clue what she’s doing in there, but if she can avoid the block for an eviction or two and get her footing, we may be pleasantly surprised. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
8) Keshia
She was the first to be eliminated on the ABC diving show Splash, she was the first to be eliminated on Celebrity Apprentice, and she was the first to be eliminated on Celebrity Big Bro… oh wait the season hasn’t happened yet. Nevermind! But do I have high hopes for Keshia? I hope she exceeds expectations but we’ll see. She is still learning the game but I think she can pick up on it quickly. You go Rudy! Sorry, I mean Keshia! [/one_half_last]
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9) Metta
I’ve flipped back and forth a lot with MWP. Ultimately, I decided to stick him towards the bottom. He’s seen about 3:36 seconds of Big Brother in his life, thanks to YouTube, and he’s nowhere near prepared for the game. I don’t imagine Metta’s social game to be anywhere near where it’ll need to be, mostly because he won’t realize he needs to have a social game at all. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
9) James
Hellloooo James! As the token good looking guy in the house I’m here for him. Unfortunately I don’t think he’s here for the game. In his pregame press he essentially talks about being in the house to promote himself and take a vacation. That being said, he is well spoken, sarcastic, and self-aware which I love and will be beneficial to his game (well maybe not the sarcastic part). I hope he stays in the house for a while, ideally with his shirt off, but we’ll see…. [/one_half_last]
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10) Brandi
Brandi can thank some last-minute casting for her not ending up last. There’s either two paths for Brandi: she walks in, makes zero friends and is out super quickly (with very high potential for a quit) or the houseguests are entertained by her ridiculousness and keep her around as a goat all the way until the end. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
10) Metta
I feel like he’s the most likely to literally stab someone in the back or at least elbow someone in the head. His explosive nature should make for some amazing TV. I don’t think he has any chance to win but I’m hoping to get a few fights out of him before he leaves. Someone get him his own set of pots and pans! Da-da-dadada-dada!!! [/one_half_last]
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11) Omarosa
I’m not a big conspiracy theorist, but if there’s anybody CBS will put extra effort in to keep around longer than the others, it’s Omarosa (hot take, right?). All eyes will be on her while she’s around, whether she’s there for the entire time or the first one out. I know the moment I say somebody has a 0% chance at winning the game, it’ll blow up in my face…. but…….. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
11) Brandi
Brandi is upfront and not a good liar which is a recipe for disaster/amazing television especially considering drama just follows her around. She has played CBBUK so she is at least somewhat familiar with the concept of Big Brother albeit still learning the lingo (ex. backdoored). Honestly, I’m just excited to hear her talk about her books “Drinking and Tweeting” and “Drinking and Dating” which are skills I’d like to master. Oh and her strategy is, “I’m just going to be myself and see what happens.” (and things like that). [/one_half_last]
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Lita
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Pooya
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1) Brandi
I am so excited to see Brandi here. Though I am not a Real Housewives watcher, Brandi is one of the women who has broken through from Housewife to celeb in her own right, at least to those of us who are deeply obsessed with celebrities. Being a fixture of celebrity goss and having appeared on RuPaul’s game show, I can see her forming a power duo with Ross, but I think Ross will be more out in front, setting up Brandi to be in a good strategic position without necessarily being targeted. She also has the competitive reality show experience, having fared well on Celebrity Apprentice on the same season as Keisha Knight Pullman, which could also form connective tissue with Omarosa should either of them choose to leverage it. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
1) Mark
I did not see this coming, but Mark McGrath is my winner pick for this season. Mark’s energy and likability were apparent the second his interview with Ika began and I was hooked. Not knowing much about Mark outside of his rage towards a fan and his band, I was pleasantly surprised with how he carried himself and how he will be approaching the game. Big Brother at its core is a social game and I do believe that Mark can be an every person type of player. He’s not a super fan, but he has willingly watched the show in his own time and has picked up elements of the game rather quickly. I think he will be able to navigate through this game with ease and will be enjoyable to watch, and When It’s Over, we will crown him the victor. [/one_half_last]
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2) Ross
My only hesitation with Ross is that he’s definitely not going to shy away from calling out bigotry, and with a former Trump administration member living with him I can see it getting messy fast and making it hard for him to fly under the radar. However, he is a legitimate superfan and is here to play. We don’t yet know if audience voting will play any role in this game, but as we’ve seen in CBBUK, the power of RuPaul’s Drag Race is mighty in these situations, so I can envision Ross taking any advantages that America might be included in. I would also put money on him being the only person to know who everyone in the house is, so he may be able to effectively stroke some egos. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
2) Shannon
Shannon Elizabeth is easily one of two contenders on every viewers list this season. Why shouldn’t she be? She has shared great insight and understanding about this game, has swerved Zach Rance’s behaviour like the rest of us and has won over the hearts of many during her time as America’s girl next door. Shannon understands that adaptability is key to win and intends on using it to her advantage. My worry for Shannon, is that in this crop of people she is maybe too perfect for her own good. Game knowledge, great personality, and physical capability to win challenges is both a blessing and a curse. If she is able to hide her fandom and passion for the game, I can definitely see Shannon as our BBCeleb/CBBUS winner. [/one_half_last]
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3) Shannon
Like Ross, I think her knowledge of the show will aid her, and I love that her strategy centers on adaptability. I admit I have no prior knowledge of this person, but she seems really genuinely excited to be there and I think will give it her all, which already puts her above several people toward the bottom of this list. Plus she has the Andy Herren seal of approval, which I basically take as gospel. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
3) Ross
I love everything Ross brings to the table. He’s my pick to give us the best DRs of the season. He lives for this game and has an amazing way of showing it. Having interviewed Houseguests in the past, I’m sure he’s aware of the dos and don’ts. He can’t wait to implement his strategic acumen into this season and show the world that he isn’t just a big fan but also a great player. I’m here for it and excited to see it. My only worry is his burning desire to show us how great he is. With this being a shorter season than the regular format we are used to I can see Ross attempting to give us as much as he can as quick as he can. If his fellow houseguests get a sense of this he will appear on radars and it can get difficult. However, I don’t doubt that if anyone has thought of all these things and how to attempt to avoid them, it’s Ross Matthews. You better work!! [/one_half_last]
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4) Marissa
Another fan of the show. My biggest concern with her originally was that she would irritate the other houseguests, however, because she’s aware of that possibility and seems to want to actively avoid it, I feel pretty good about her chances. I don’t see anyone taking her as a huge threat, especially comp-wise, and she comes off so sweet and energetic I’m not sure how much people will notice her scheming. The key will be to lay low for as long as possible before she has to do anything, just making friends and trying not to be an outsider with a lot of these jock personalities. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
4) Marissa
Marissa is all of us. She is a dedicated super fan who loves that she’s getting her chance to play this game. She watched BBOTT! As someone who digested every second of that season during SYTYCP, I respect that so much. It takes a special kind of crazy to be able to pull that off and she has. Along with every other season. Marissa is bubbly, excitable and will be fun to watch and be around for her fellow houseguests, if she is able to turn that down every once in a while. I not only think Marissa will go far, but she is a strong contender to potentially win this too. I can’t wait to watch her interact with the likes of Metta World Peace and Chuck Liddell. [/one_half_last]
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5) James
BIG TIME RUSH IN THE HOUSE! James was the cute dumb one on “hit” Nickelodeon show BTR. I never really went for him, I was more of a Logan fan. I’m a sucker for a nerd. “Lita, no one cares, why are you telling us about your preferences in boys from a second tier Nick show?” Because there’s literally nothing else to talk about. This dude is so pretty and so boring I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on the next season of Bachelor in Paradise. I can’t see why anyone would want to get rid of him first, but I don’t see him having the brains or the guts to go all the way. He and Ariadna are probably our only shot for a showmance though, so there’s always that to root for. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
5) Ariadna
“I have to apologise, this is exactly what was on the card, it’s my mistake.”
No, I’m not talking about the Miss Universe fiasco but her capability to go the distance here. I am definitely surprised by what I’ve gotten from her during this pre-season. Ariadna has everything you want outside of knowledge for the game when it comes to Big Brother. Natural charisma, likability and sense of humour galore, there is no doubt in my mind that if she is able to pick up an understanding for the game mechanics at hand, Ariadna can turn some heads. More than she definitely already does. [/one_half_last]
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6) Mark
Although we do have VERY different ideas of what makes a BB “legend” given that his go-to is Evel Dick, I’m actually not too low on his chances. He’s at least seen the show before, and didn’t come off incredibly irritating in his bio. I’m not too sure what he has going for him that could convince me that he’s a potential winner, but I can definitely see him laying low through the first couple evictions and being interested in making alliances. I’m also excited to learn who this person is because until this cast announcement I 100% thought that Sugar Ray was a person. Culture! [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
6) Chuck
Chuck is Chuck’s biggest adversary in the house. I was genuinely surprised by how keen he seems to have both picked up general understandings of the game and wanting to show his nice side in the house. I think that his UFC persona and demeanor will have him be an early target from the start. Perception is 9/10ths of reality in that house and if he is able to fight through that and make it enough days to show them he’s more than just an intimidating looking specimen I think he can put some things together. Realistically, he won’t be there at the end but watching him roll with the punches in the BB house could be a recipe for entertainment. C’mooooon Frog costume! [/one_half_last]
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7) Chuck
He does seem like he’s here to play, and actually doesn’t have a bad strategy: He knows that everyone will have the expectation that he’ll be an aggressor, so if he comes off as, as he puts it, a “decent human being,” people will be surprised and really love him compared to their perception of him. Of course, in order for that to work he actually has to follow through with it and not piss other people off, and his placement on my rankings is reflective of my lack of confidence that he can actually do that. I couldn’t even get through his fun facts list without getting bored so I’m not sure how fun he’ll actually be to have in the house. Also his face haunts my dreams. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
7) Metta
Metta is a man of a few words, but a man of many actions. I think he will show us he’s capable of more than Malice (at the Palace) and will turn up the fun side in the house. He will not win, he will not go first, he will have his redemption. Metta will pick up what’s going on before it’s too late. [/one_half_last]
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8) Metta
With all due respect to Mr. World Peace, he potentially seems a few floorboards short of a basketball court. When asked what three items he would take into the Big Brother house he used two of them on a toothbrush and toothpaste, making me wonder if he thinks he’s going to play Survivor? Or maybe the even more challenging and acclaimed I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here? Granted, I’m one of those people who only knows who this guy is because he punched someone in Detroit and I’m sure he’s a much more profound and complex person than that, but I’m not sure he’s prepared for what he’s about to step into. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
8) Omarosa
Omarosa didn’t do any pre-season press and I’m generally unfamiliar with her (I don’t know how I got away with it either) so I don’t have much to say about her. What I do know is that she is going to be bring a mess and a half into the house and that will compliment my viewing pleasure on the feeds. I would’ve had her last on my rankings five days ago. The problem is that the live feed snippet we got has her as a central figure in what I would call a very strong alliance, which shocked me. Where we go from here I don’t know but if she is still there when feeds officially start, we all win. [/one_half_last]
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9) Ariadna
As the millennials say: “Oh no baby what is you doing??” This girl will enter this house completely without her feet under her. I don’t believe she’s ever seen the show, and she’s the kind of person who makes an entire career out of being publicly embarrassed (which honestly I admire – fame by any means necessary!). She’s clearly there to promote her line of sunglasses and ride the momentum of Valentina impersonating her on season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and not necessarily there to play. Here’s hoping for that Ariadjames showmance though! [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
9) James
Grandson of Abraham Maslow, the creator of the hierarchy of needs. James Maslow will…okay, you caught me, that initial sentence is not true. I wish it was true, because it would make James Maslow a little more likable. I don’t think James is long for this world. Vacation time in the BB house? To borrow from the immortal Keith Nale; Hot tub parties are fun, bottomless mimosas are fun! He’s going to be in for a rude awakening. While he is in no Big Time Rush to make it to the top of this season as the winner, I think his laid-back and careless attitude will catapult him to an ultimately mundane exit in the middle. Also to follow his lead, you can follow me @pooyaism across all social medias and use the hashtag #PooyaismPromotion to show your support for my mediocrity. #Sarcasm [/one_half_last]
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10) Keshia
Like Ariadna, Keshia does not seem to know anything about this game, nor does she seem to have the competitive edge to fight for anything in the house. Her stint on Celebrity Apprentice demonstrates that maybe she’s not cut out for this sort of thing, and I’m confused by her continual effort to try them in spite of her obvious apathy toward competition reality shows. Sorry Rudy! I’m glad you’re out here representing the Cosbys that aren’t publicly disgraced. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
10) Brandi
Brandi is familiar with being a part of reality TV. She is my pick to completely break down during her time on the show. Admitting that she is not a good liar, having a general lack of understanding Big Brother mechanics despite being on Celebrity Big Brother UK, and feeling the need to speak her mind. These are all red flags when I look at a person about to embark on the roller coaster that is the BB house. I think she will give us entertainment and her misunderstandings will be both amusing and endearing but a long game Brandi will not have. I do not think she will get backdoored if you know what I mean. [/one_half_last]
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11) Omarosa
I just feel like she can’t possibly care about winning this game. Maybe this is an attempt at image rehab after her stint in the White House, or maybe she’s just trying to extend her 15-minutes-turned-14-years of fame, but she’s going to be all drama and no strategy and frankly I will not miss her when she’s the first evicted. The only way I see her surviving long is that the other celebs don’t want to get rid of potentially the biggest name on the season, or at least the one that’s created the most controversy, because they actually want people to watch the season. [/one_half][one_half_last padding=”0 20px 0 20px”][one_half_last]
11) Keshia
Keshia (pronounced Kuh-She-ya if you’re Taran Armstrong) is going to peter out very quickly. She seems generally unamused or interested in pursuing a win and while I would associate that with being seen as harmless and therefore would lead to you getting far, I don’t see that for Keshia. I think Keshia is here for the appearance fee and once she misses her baby or general day-to-day living she won’t fight to stay in the game. [/one_half_last]
