The credo of Big Brother is “expect the unexpected,” but even bearing that in mind, who could have seen this coming? If, at any point in the season, you had said that Jordan, the unassuming waitress from North Carolina, was going to win it all, they would have put you in a padded cell with Chima.
With all of the dominating and polarizing personalities, with all its rants and raves, threats and theatrics, watching Jordan glide through those final rounds was like watching a bunny take down a pride of lions, without ever getting her fur dirty. Big Brother is supposed to be about ruthless gameplay and out of nowhere comes an underestimated, aww-shucks beauty who seemingly kills off her housemates with kindness.
“It’s a good feeling, it really is,” said producer Allison Grodner after the show. “I like all types of people to win this game, as all types have. But it’s really hard to find people like Jordan these days, people who are so genuinely nice and she did win when she needed to win.”
Most everyone can agree, it wasn’t the strongest player or the most dynamic personality that won. It was the Southern belle who knew when to keep her head down and when to rise to the occasion. Unless of course, you’re Russell. “I think, in this season, you were better off being stupid, and un-athletic, as well as having an I.Q. under ten,” he told PEOPLE after the show. “And you would probably get to the final three. I think it’s bull–, and its a travesty that the wrong person won.”
Purist may agree that Russell has a point and others may say that he’s still sore about getting knocked out after not finding a “Laura” banana.
But then again, Jordan didn’t rely entirely on the kindness of strangers. The 22-year-old was able to win when it counted most, taking the final HOH with a big assist from Lady Luck.
“Holy crap, I didn’t even know the answer to that,” she said of the tiebreak question that ultimately sent Kevin out of the money, and into the Jury. “That was a guess, I figured it was halfway to something.”
During the final eviction ceremony, even Kevin, who had worked so hard, and come so tantalizingly close to the money, couldn’t bear to hold a grudge. “Who doesn’t like Jordan?” he said, still shaking of the events of the evening. “She is exactly how she is probably portrayed by the producers and I knew when she stood up that she had picked Natalie over me, I just keep telling myself that the five-hundred thousand isn’t real.”
Natalie, who says that she “didn’t come into the house for second place,” can ease her pain with the knowledge that she has a wedding to plan. “I’m so excited,” she said later, “I have a wedding to pay for. I’m grateful for the fifty grand, but it’s going to go quick!”
But in the end, it was America’s favorite player that may have walked with the best prize of all. Jeff was reflective before walking off the BB lawn for the last (for now) time. “I came here with nothing,” he told PEOPLE, “and I got this great experience. I have some money in my pocket, a trip to Hawaii, and no matter what happens, I got a friend for life in Jordan.”
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