Julie Chen-Moonves gets real about 'Big Brother' Season 1: 'I wasn't good'

It's been 20 years since America started its Big Brother human experiment, putting people under the microscope for everyone to watch. Back on July 5, 2000, the boys of *NSYNC were saying "Bye, Bye, Bye" and Kirsten Dunst was getting ready to Bring It On, meanwhile 10 complete strangers had already been broughten to a secluded house on the CBS lot. There to meet them was the one and only, Julie Chen-Moonves, who recently met Yahoo Entertainment to discuss the bizarre first season of Big Brother. Julie had been a part of CBS News for years, anchoring shows like CBS This Morning and The Early Show, so hosting a reality show was like entering a whole new world for the journalist. "I remember being nervous and scared, but excited at the same time," Julie recalled, adding, "And then after we premiered, I remember reading review after review, after negative review after — and they were all terrible." Big Brother premiered about a month after Survivor, which was an instant hit, so Julie felt like there were some big shoes to fill, and apparently, so did the critics. "They didn't like the show! They didn't like me! They didn't like the house guest! They didn't like the furniture! They didn't like the lighting! Like they were mean," Julie said emphatically. "And I remember feeling like I got like punched in the gut" Looking back now, Julie admitted that they were right to be critical of her performance. She said, "To be honest, I wasn't good. I didn't feel comfortable, like it showed. I didn't own it. I didn't know how to be" Just like Julie, the contestants in the house didn't really know how to be either. Season 1 was unlike any other in so many ways. There were no Head of Household or Power of Veto competitions, there wasn't much strategy being used, and America voted people out, not the houseguests. Which meant it really was just people hanging out and talking for 88 straight days! So, to fill the time, Julie talked to specialists like Dr. Drew, which she thought was a bit much. "That just felt so overproduced, like stop trying to be such a serious show," said Julie. "It should be more fun-loving, like let's not try and break down what Dr. Drew Pinsky, like, you know, the psychology of this person, you know? That stuff kind of feels like, I can't believe we put that out." While there were a lot of things different about Season 1, there was one surprising thing that hasn't changed — cameras over the toilet and shower. Julie said that they would never broadcast someone doing their business or showering, but there is a good reason for those cameras. "If two people thought they could go in there and, like, whisper, and we don't know what they're whispering about, and you guys, as viewers on the Internet, don't know what's happening. That defeats the whole, you know, 'Big Brother' mentality," Julie explained. "So that's why we do it. Not because we're like, perverts," she said with a laugh. So after 20 years and 21 seasons, Big Brother is still rolling along. But even with all that success, the show has never been nominated for an Emmy, something that used to bother Julie until she realized there are more important things than awards. "We were always looked at as like, you know, the bastard child. So it was like, all right," Julie said, seemingly coming to terms with never being nominated. "But I'd rather not get nominated ever and still have it renewed every year. You know? Because some of these other shows got a lot of accolades and awards... but they haven't marked a 20-year anniversary." Indeed, they haven't, Julie. Congrats on 20 years, Big Brother!

Video Transcript

- What are about to see is real-- no scripts, no actors, and no second takes. "Big Brother" is about to begin.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

KYLIE MAR: It's been 20 years since America started its human experiment, putting people under the microscope for everyone to see. Back in the summer of 2000, the boys of NSYNC were saying "bye bye bye," and Kirsten Dunst was getting ready to bring it on. Meanwhile, 10 complete strangers had already been brought in to a secluded house on the "CBS" lot. There to meet them was the one and only Julie Chen-Moonves, who I recently met with to discuss the bizarre first season of 'Big Brother."

So we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of 'Big Brother." I can't believe it's been so long. But going back to season 1, which originally premiered July 5, 2000, so much has changed. What do you remember about launching and filming that first season?

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: I remember being nervous and scared, but excited at the same time. And then after we premiered, I remember reading review after review after negative review after-- and they were all terrible.

KYLIE MAR: Unlike "Survivor," "CBS's" other voyeuristic reality show that premiered just a month earlier, "Big Brother" got off to a slow start. And critics were not impressed.

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: They didn't like the show. They didn't like me. They didn't like the houseguests. They didn't like the furniture. They didn't like the lighting. Like, they were mean. And I remember feeling like I got punched in the gut. And to be honest, I wasn't good.

KYLIE MAR: [LAUGHS]

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: I didn't feel comfortable. Like, it showed, you know? Like, I just-- I didn't own it. I didn't know how to be.

KYLIE MAR: Just like Julie, the houseguests didn't really know how to be either. Season one was unlike any other in so many ways. There were no head of household or a power of veto competitions. There wasn't much strategy being used. And America voted people out, not the houseguests, which meant it really was just people hanging out and talking for 88 straight days. So to fill the time Julie talked to specialists, like Dr. Drew, which she thought was a bit much.

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: That just felt so overproduced. Like, stop trying to be such a serious show. It's just like it should be more fun loving. Like, let's not try and break down with Dr. Drew Pinsky, like, you know, the psychology of this person, you know?

KYLIE MAR: [LAUGHS]

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: That stuff kind of feels like, I can't believe we put that out.

KYLIE MAR: Are there any things about season one that you would want to see brought back?

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: No.

[LAUGHTER]

KYLIE MAR: Not even the chicken coop?

Oh, yeah. There was also a chicken coop in the backyard, which I'm sure provided some eggscellent breakfast. But there is one thing that hasn't changed, and it might surprise you.

One thing that really stood out to me was the fact that you guys-- I don't know if you guys still do this, but there were cameras in the showers and the toilets.

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: Oh, yes.

KYLIE MAR: Do you still do that?

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: We still have that. And I have to explain why we do it; why we did it then; and why we still do it; and we will always do it. Because the whole idea is you can't have any space in the house where two houseguests have a private conversation. So we would never broadcast someone doing their business or showering.

But if two people thought they could go in there and like whisper, and we don't know what they're whispering about, and you guys, as viewers on the internet, don't know what's happening, that defeats the whole, you know, big brother mentality, the concept. So that's why we do it, not because we're, like, perverts.

KYLIE MAR: So after 20 years and 21 seasons, "Big Brother" is still rolling along. But even after all that success, the show has never been nominated for an Emmy, something that used to bother Julie until she realized that there are more important things than awards.

JULIE CHEN-MOONVES: We were always looked at as, like, you know, the bastard child. So it was like, all right. But I'd rather not get nominated ever and still have it renewed every year, you know? Because some of these other shows got a lot of accolades and awards and, you know, attention, but they haven't marked a 20-year anniversary.