If anyone is following the 2015 World Series of Poker religiously this summer and wonders where in the world Vanessa Rousso is, the answer is cooped up in a house with a bunch of strangers with access to the outside world. No, she is not a hostage exactly, but rather the professional poker player is a contestant, or “houseguest” on the 17th season of CBS’s “Big Brother,” U.S. edition.
“Big Brother” is one of the longest running “reality shows” (Can we just call them “game shows” already? They have very little to do with reality.) on television, featuring 14 contestants who are forced to live in a house together with no ability to communicate with anyone not in the house. No television, no radio, no internet, nothing. Along the way, in “reality show” style, they are subject to numerous silly challenges, partially for the benefit of the viewers’ entertainment, partially to try to earn benefits that can help them emerge as the eventual winner. Cast members are jettisoned from the house one by one by virtue of a houseguest vote, thus, like other reality shows that feature eliminations, the contestants work on forming alliances with their housemates to try to make sure they are not voted off the show. Dozens of cameras are stationed throughout the property, filming every moment of the day.
Rousso’s bio on the “Big Brother” website is as follows:
Vanessa is the No. 2 female poker player in the world when it comes to online and live tournaments. She’s been pro for the past 10 years and has won $4.5 million dollars since she began. She’s a tomboy who has always been extremely competitive, whether it’s playing lacrosse in high school or beating men and women all over the world at the poker table. Being in a male-dominated industry, Vanessa isn’t easily intimidated and is used to keeping her emotions in check, which will help her keep her eye on the prize. She’s perfected the art of bluffing and knows that she can manipulate her Houseguests however she sees fit while living in the Big Brother house.
In an interview promoting the show, Rousso confessed that one of her strategies will be to hide the fact that she is a professional poker player in hopes that nobody will recognize her. Instead, she will say she is a DJ, which she is, though her primary profession is as a poker player. While she didn’t exactly explain why she was going to take this line, it is likely because a) any sort of celebrity will probably be more of a target and b) poker players are generally thought of as cunning and strategic, so the other houseguests may want to team up and vote her out quickly, thus eliminating a possibly stronger competitor.
Rousso is not the first poker player to be a contestant on a reality show. Jean-Robert Bellande participated in “Survivor: China” in 2007, finishing 9th out of 16. Tiffany Michelle and Maria Ho teamed up to compete in the 15th season of “The Amazing Race,” finishing in 6th place.
