Big Brother 17: Vanessa Playing Matchmaker Or Game Breaker? – Update: Love Triangle Plotting Revealed

Vanessa Rousso has taken over not only the role of Head of Household this week, but now she’s also the unofficial matchmaker for Big Brother 17 when it comes to Austin Matelson. Or is she actually trying to hurt his game?

Vanessa Rousso plays a dangerous game on Big Brother
Vanessa Rousso plays a dangerous game on Big Brother – Source: CBS All Access

For the past several days we’ve watched online as Vanessa worked between Austin and his desired object of affection, Liz Nolan, to see if there was a love connection to be made. Now she’s pushing even harder and taking things for an interesting turn.

Just a few days ago we saw Austin heartbroken, feeling “dirty” and “angry” to have found Liz sharing a bed with James after he asked her to sleep upstairs with him and Vanessa. Vanessa said she’d talk with Liz to find out if she liked him “in that way.” Break out your middle school notebooks cause it’s time to draw some hearts.

Liz confided in Vanessa that she enjoyed being around Austin, but she wasn’t that in to him. This information didn’t get back to Austin who snapped a bit last night after walking in to find Liz under the covers chatting and giggling with Jeff Weldon. Austin was furious and immediately went to work shoring up the votes to make sure Jeff would be evicted.

Jeff and Liz had to run away to a different room to hang out and chat a bit more where she confirmed that she didn’t like Austin and said even back when Jace was around Austin would always show up as a third wheel. She then closes out their talk with a long hug & says she hopes he doesn’t go this week.

Flashback on your Live Feeds to 7:50PM BBT 7/14 to find Vanessa and Austin upstairs talking over this Liz situation. Vanessa, knowing Liz isn’t interested, tells Austin that not only does she think Liz is interested in him, but also her sister Julia. Good grief. Austin is very excited and goes to trim his beard so he can be ready for the kiss that Vanessa is encouraging him to go for that night. Yikes.

Jump to a few hours later at 12:55AM BBT 7/15 to get Vanessa and Steve privately sharing updates on the game. Vanessa expresses concerns over a “heating up showmance” going on between Liz and Austin. Huh? Steve is as shocked as we are.

Steve: “Are they showmancing?”
Vanessa: “Oh they’re showmancing hardcore. Like it’s bad for us. They’re not even hiding it anymore.”
Steve: “Have they kissed?”
Vanessa: “If it hasn’t happened yet it’s going to happen tonight or tomorrow. I’d give it 24 hours tops.”

Vanessa says this really concerns her and asks what they should do about it. Steve says it’s a great cover for the two of them, but agrees that it’s going to draw attention.

They continue to discuss as Vanessa adds “you can’t stop love!” She suggests it’ll just hurt their game to try and stop it from continuing. Steve doesn’t seem sure what to do. Then comes an interesting moment. Vanessa tells Steve that Julia has no interest in showmancing with Austin. Hmm, just a few hours ago she was telling Austin that Julia was interested. Oops.

So what’s going on here? Vanessa knows Liz isn’t interested but she continues to egg on Austin to try and force a situation that won’t end well for either him or Liz. It’s already not ending well for Jeff who is getting rushed out the door by a jealous Austin.

I don’t see the advantage for Vanessa to be setting up who I thought were close allies to her, but maybe she’s trying to make sure they’re all as expendable to her as possible like that other F2 deal she made the night before.

What do you think is going on here? Is Vanessa sincere in her matchmaking or is she setting Austin up for failure and to what purpose? Discuss!

Update: Oh boy. Now more of Vanessa’s plan is being revealed this morning on the Feeds. Flashback to 10:15AM BBT 7/15 as Vanessa talks with Austin. She tells Austin that Steve was “butt hurt” last night when she told him about Liz like Austin.

Vanessa says Steve told her that Liz had said she had a thing for “nerdy guys with glasses.” Steve didn’t say this. You can watch their convo at 12:55AM BBT. Austin worries about Steve doing something to get revenge. And there is Vanessa’s plan all rolled up. Now she’s got Austin worried about Steve, but not vice versa. Bye bye Steve?

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When you get your competition for the girl who doesn't like you voted out. #BB17 pic.twitter.com/uBJDqVQA56

— Big Brother Network (@bigbrothernet) July 15, 2015

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94 Comments

  1. She is a terrible game player and I’d be thrilled if she were evicted soon. It might be different if she were likable.

  2. Vanessa better watch out. She might wind up on the chopping block. Why sabotage your allies this early in the game? That is just dumb. When Liz and Austin figure out that they are being played, she will have a very big target on her back. I think it crosses the line too. It is not like Austin and Liz are adults who can make their own decisions themselves.

  3. It looks like Vanessa is slowly becoming Audrey. She’s doing this for no good reason, why would you want to divide your closest allies? It’s stupid. She’s basically jumping ship for a known liar and manipulator in the house, someone who was trying to get her booted out the house no less than 2 weeks ago. Now they’re “female Chilltown”?

    Van is making a huge mistake and I guarantee it’ll come back to bite her. The second that Steve and Austin compare notes, Van is in trouble. If this comes to fruition sooner than later, it’ll probably mean that Audrey stays in the game that much longer while Van gets booted out the door.

    It’s kind of sad too, Vanessa was in one of the best positions in the house, completely off of everyone’s radar. Now, to some, it’s her and Audrey… not good.

  4. I’m apparently in the minority when I think this is a great game move. I think that a rejection by Liz/Julia to Austin will just infuriate him and he will be so focused on evicted those two. And on the flip side, I think Liz/Julia will feel so uncomfortable with Austin in the house, that they’ll focus their attention onto him. I think she’s trying to create bigger targets for people than herself. The only way this will backfire is if they compare notes, but rejection has a way of blinding people to the obvious, and I doubt that once Liz/Julia rejects Austin, that he will lose focus of getting them evicted, even if someone tells him that Vanessa orchestrated the whole thing.

      • It’s like being 9 years old again ~ playing telephone at a birthday party. Each time the story is repeated, it changes in the telling. In the end it has no resemblance to the original story.

    • I think it’s got the potential for a great game move if she weren’t doing it inside her inner circle. She’s crapping where she sleeps. Why not get someone outside their group to be the center of a failed showmance?

      Just seems self-destructive to target your own allies instead of someone you know is against you.

    • You know how that goes when you’re stuck in a house with no escape. Boys will be boys!

      • And I don’t believe Austin is serious about having a girlfriend at home. He said he wasn’t into having a showmance in BB too! haha

      • You doubt that people get lonely and desperately need to feel connected inside the house? Why do you think showmances happen? Disconnect people from their loved ones and watch how they emotionally become more clingy, more dependent on each other, and yes, start to develop affection for one another…

      • Don’t excuse the attempts at cheating. Also, don’t chalk them up to “boys will be boys”. Makes it sound like it’s okay to act how Austin is acting. (I’m aware you’re not the OP)

      • I said boys will be boys? (and what is the OP?) Far too many slangs for me to understand what you’re trying to say…

      • One abbreviation is “far too many slangs”? lol

        You don’t know OP? Are you new to the internet? It’s used universally online. It stands for original poster. As in Joni. I know you’re not Joni but I’m using your response to explain my problem with her original post, which you later defended, in which she excused Austin’s actions.

      • Used universally and yet the first time I’ve seen it here in this forum (or any of the forums I’m on) for the 5yrs I’ve been posting? Imagine that. ;)
        No worries, I’m sure it’s probably a popular abbreviation amongst your friends (as I’m sure I probably have some that would also confuse others).
        And no, I’m not defending her post, I’m challenging your understanding of human psychology and behaviour. Seems like you might not quite understand how or why Big Brother is a social experiment turned into a popular reality show.

      • This is when I like reading your s**t Matt lol (excuse my language) OP? your Out Patient?

      • Yeah cummon Cyril, get with the times man… everyone is using OP nowadays! It’s universal! All that Opera Popcorn is important… Heck I was relieved to hear somebody knew I wasn’t the Opera Popcorn! ;) (See? I may not chirp people out with fighting or swearing, but sometimes I gotta question where they get their knowledge… that’s about as close as I come to going for the jugular and being ”mean”). ;)

      • It’s really not a circle of friends things. It’s used everywhere. Remember when you were a little kid and you learned a new word and then you started to see it everywhere? Keep a look out, my friend.

        I do. I’m not surprised by Austin “forgetting” about his “princess” back home. I’m simply disappointed and saying it’s not something that one should just accept because “boys will be boys”. You can cut back on some of the condescension in your posts if you’d like to be civil. Otherwise, I think we might be done here. Since you’re into psychology, why is it that more often than not the ones going on about social skills required in BB and Survivor are lacking those very social skills themselves? Do they simply over-think what is basically common decency?

      • We’ll keep watching for the first appearance of OP on this site… We’ll let you know when it happens. ;) Take care.

      • Big Brother in general is notorious for ruining outside relationships.

        It started with Eddie McGee and his European girfriend from the outside in BB1 and the trend only continues.

      • I know. I’ve seen every season as it aired and have re-watched every season but the first. No matter how many times it happens, it doesn’t become less slimy.

        Like I said above, I haven’t watched BB1 since it originally aired. What happened regarding Eddie and his GF? I don’t remember.

      • Eddie had a gf who was very reluctant to let Eddie into the house back in the show’s inaugural season. He had a sort of flirtmance with a fellow housemate which, according to reports, hurt the girlfriend’s feelings. After he won, the two were at odds and soon enough, they parted ways.

    • Yes he does and I remember from the cast interviews he was totally against showmance. And that he would never cheat on his girlfriend.

  5. Vanessa’s causing some waves that may come back and bite her in the butt.

  6. Vanessa is terrible at this game…bottom line! HOH has totally wrecked her strategy..if there ever was a real strategy with her. I really liked her and thought she would go far..but, not anymore.

  7. Wow are we all in Junior High…half of these houseguests need to grow up and start playing BB instead of playing “Ring around the Rosie”.

    • Only one problem… they’ve ALSO set the stage to get both Julia & Liz in the house at the same time, so having them both go after Austin (and anyone else one by one) isn’t such a hot idea.

  8. I liked Austin at first. I thought he was a down to earth type of dude who was playing a solid game up to this point. But man, this week has been a HUGE turn off.

    I’ll never understand how people let emotions and attractions blind them to why they’re actually in the house. This isn’t summer camp. It’s Big Brother. So not only is Austin acting like a middle school brat who’s crush doesn’t like him back, but dude’s got a girlfriend!!! Why does it matter if some chick likes you when you already have a girlfriend!! Pig.

    And Liz isn’t doing anything wrong morally, but flirting around and cuddling with your alliances enemy isn’t smart game play. But then again, this is what happens with Big Brother casts young, good looking people who will be “entertaining” rather than people who actually know how to play the game.

    It’s no wonder Dan and Derrick have dominated this game. They are both older, mature individuals who weren’t there to have a good time or make a name for themselves. They were students of the game who cared only about winning

    • In the pre-show interview the twin said she planned to flirt her way to the win. Looking at that bunch I’d say it could work if she’s careful. Austin, Jeff, Steve, James all fell at her feet with a little wink from her.

    • I agree… get in there and show us how it’s done Wiggy! Can’t wait for one of us experts to show how the game is really played. (Naturally I’m teasing)… But seriously Wiggy, if you don’t understand why people live with their emotions in the house, then maybe it’s not them that doesn’t understand how life works in the house. I think they’re just being themselves which is why (as you pointed out) casting picks the people they do.

  9. This seems like payback. After Shelli made her aware that Austin set himself up as to make it look like evicting Jeff was all Vanessa’s idea, keeping the attention off him, Vanessa is paying him back.

    This could be a good move BUT she is such a chatterbox, she will mess up her own plan.

  10. This actually isn’t that bad of a plan if the house flips to keep Jeff. Two of the stronger guys, going after the same girl, will ensure that they will go after each other like feral dogs. It will allow her to fall back into the shadows next week.

  11. It reminds me a bit of Caleb’s obsession over Amber and he eventually just had to get her out of the house. Will this be the downfall of Liz/Julia? I dunno but the entire thing is too juvenile for me. I have no idea what Vanessa’s plan is but I don’t think I care for the lie spreading strategy she and Audrey prefer.

  12. Vanessa is horrible and I can’t wait until it all backfires like it did with Audrey and gets evicted

    • kinda sounded wierd, i like the phrase ‘ A poker player does not make a good matchmaker.’

  13. What makes Vanessa think her lies are not going to come back and bite her in the butt?

  14. Ugh no… I liked Steve, Jeff, James and Liz/Julia. Now they’re all in this mess.

  15. OK did I miss something? I thought that Austin had a gf that he was so committed to he couldn’t even say a girl was attractive when talking with Jace in the beginning.

  16. Okay okay. I really liked Vanessa until I read this!!! I only watch the feeds when it comes on Pop so I never get to see what is happening in the morning hours. I am quite disgusted in Vanessa right now. She seemed so cool but I really don’t like how she is playing this game! She won’t last long when everyone sees shes making up things!! I love Steve and I really wish the house would treat him better. Yes he is weird sometimes, but he has a good heart and is really smart… and it doesnt hurt that he is a cutie lol

  17. I find the over zealous game players (who would be good in most circumstances) tend to outthink themselves… DaVonne was like that, Audrey is like that, and Vanessa is also like that. Good strategists, but horrible at managing self-control & relationships…

  18. Thank goodness V’s time is almost up as HoH.
    Any good will I had toward her is pretty much gone.

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