The “Big Brother” racism controversy has resulted in another job loss. According to TMZ, housemate GinaMarie Zimmerman has been fired from her day job after being caught using racial slurs on the show’s live feeds.
According to Huffington Post, Zimmerman has been an employee of East Coast USA Pageant, Inc. for the past five years, but TMZ reports that the company has severed ties with the pageant coordinator after she was heard insulting Asian-American houseguest Helen Kim, telling another contestant, “Andy was like, ‘I’m gonna punch her in the face,’ and I was like, ‘Maybe that’ll make her eyes straight.'” TMZ also reports that Zimmerman used the n-word on the uncensored internet feeds.
“We have never known this side of GinaMarie or have ever witnessed such acts of racism in the past,” a representative for the organization reportedly told TMZ. “We are actually thankful that this show let us see GinaMarie for who she truly is. We would never want her to be a role model to our future contestants. In a business where we are surrounded by beauty every day we are saddened to see something so ugly come from someone we put on a very high pedestal.”
Fellow houseguest Aaryn Gries was reportedly also dropped from her modeling agency, Zephyr Talent, after making bigoted comments about her competitors.
Since the houseguests aren’t allowed to communicate with anyone outside the house during their stay, Zimmerman and Gries won’t learn of their dismissals until they’re evicted or one is crowned the winner of the competition.
“Big Brother” broadcaster CBS released a statement denouncing the contestants’ behavior on Tuesday, but have yet to air any of the offensive remarks on the show:
Former “Big Brother” contestant Ragan Fox penned an open letter to the “Big Brother” producers after the contestants’ behavior came to light, urging them to air the bigoted comments on the CBS broadcast in order to illustrate how the houseguests act on a daily basis. “What’s the point of casting racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities if production’s going to edit out the racism, ethnic discrimination, and homophobia that these people encounter inside the house?” he observed.
“Big Brother” Season 15 airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.