Julie Chen Moonves Talks BB28

Summary

RHAP: We Know Big Brother
Episode: Julie Chen Moonves Talks BB28
Date: July 15, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features a special interview with Julie Chen Moonves, the iconic host of Big Brother, as the show enters its 28th season. Hosts Rob Cesternino and Taran Armstrong chat with Julie about her journey on Big Brother, her unique role in the evolution of the series, and what it’s been like to witness the show’s increasingly unpredictable twists. The conversation offers fans a behind-the-scenes look at Julie's reflections, faith, live TV expertise, and candid thoughts on this season’s most surprising houseguests.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Julie’s Evolving Role & Attitude Toward Big Brother

• Julie reflects on her initial reluctance to host Big Brother, sharing how she moved from being a hard-nosed news anchor with dreams of “60 Minutes” to embracing the lighthearted, unpredictable spirit of the show.

• She confesses that her journey has been marked by humor, learning not to take herself so seriously, and a willingness to laugh at herself and the format.

  "It's been an honor and a privilege. I have learned on this show to not take myself so seriously. I'm older. I'd like to think I'm wiser… And now it's like, I get it. Big Brother is a fun little show where we make fun of ourselves, we laugh at ourselves, and no one likes laughing more than me." – Julie Chen Moonves (02:56)

Faith, Gratitude, and Personal Growth

• Julie repeatedly credits her faith and God for the path her life and career have taken, frequently expressing gratitude and the importance of living in the present.

  "For me, Julie Chen Moonves, expect the unexpected that life and God would take me here." (04:13)
  "I give it all to God. I mean, he's sovereign and the fact that he has allowed us and the power of prayer. I have thanked him the last few seasons..." (07:12)

• She discusses the resilience required during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting that Big Brother was uniquely suited to continue production safely.

The Big Brother Twists & Live TV

• Rob and Taran ask about the increasingly wild show twists (e.g., time travel, dinosaurs, volcanoes) and how that impacts Julie’s preparations and live performance.

• Julie credits her live news background for her ability to handle rapid changes, mentioning how she prepares for multiple outcomes and loves when houseguests go rogue or surprise even her live on air.

  “People like to go into Diary room on live show night and switch it up and say something that I didn't expect and their alliance members didn't expect. They like to go rogue, and I love it. That just means: Stay in the now, stay in the present, Julie." (06:12)

• The hosts touch on the blockbuster twist that has shaken up recent seasons, and Julie explains how she adapts to the escalating stakes and unpredictability each Thursday.

The Uniqueness of Big Brother’s Live Feeds

• Julie and the hosts celebrate the uniqueness of the 24/7 live feeds, with Julie remarking on how her broadcast experience suits the intensely live, interactive nature of the show.

  "This show was designed for me. It sure was. And it's an honor and it's a privilege...only God knew that my backstory would get me here and somehow help and contribute." (06:38)

Memorable Anecdotes

• Julie recalls comments from critics and even her own family about her early days on the show, highlighting her vulnerability and growth.

• She shares a heartfelt story about a crew member named Kelly and the gratitude felt throughout the production team for being able to work together again after the pandemic.

  "And I said, well, what you been doing, Kelly? And he said, I drive for Uber. I'm in a band. I have four kids... And he was grateful. Gratitude and hope takes you a long way." (07:44)

Notable Quotes

• Julie, on her signature accessory:

  "Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Look, Pocket Jesus, everyone." (04:26)

• On the unpredictability of the show:

  “I've been saying it, no one was listening to me.” (Regarding show twists like dinosaurs and volcanoes; 04:44)

Reflections on Current Houseguests (BB28)

• Rob asks Julie which houseguests have surprised her this season:

  "I would say D—how much I like her...Angela, has she surprised me? I'm not sure that's the right word. I love that she's the queen right now...And I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see, like, what made her controversial season 26." (09:01)

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Key Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:37 – Interview intro; Rob welcomes Julie
• 02:56 – Julie discusses her journey from news anchor to BB host
• 04:13 – Reflections on life’s unexpected twists; gratitude and faith
• 05:30 – How Julie prepares for live eviction nights amid new twists
• 06:19–07:12 – Julie on the uniqueness of BB live feeds and her background
• 07:44 – Story about crew member Kelly; gratitude post-pandemic
• 09:01 – Julie shares who has surprised her in BB28
• 09:32–09:47 – Closing remarks and wrap-up by Rob and Taran

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Memorable Moments

• Julie showing “Pocket Jesus” as a sign of her faith and as a lighthearted moment.
• Banter about the increasingly wild show twists, with both hosts and Julie joking about the absurdity (dinosaurs, time travel, volcanoes).
• Honest reflections from Julie about transitioning from a news career to reality TV and embracing the joy and unpredictability of Big Brother.

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Conclusion

This interview is a concise, heartfelt window into Julie Chen Moonves’ enduring legacy as the face of Big Brother. It highlights her growth, faith, and passion for the show’s ever-evolving madness. Both long-time fans and new viewers will appreciate her candidness and the rare behind-the-scenes perspective she brings to the chaos and community of the Big Brother house.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[Julie Chen Moonves]

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[Julie Chen Moonves]

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[Julie Chen Moonves]

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[Rob Cicerone]

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[Narrator]

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[Julie Chen Moonves]

What's going on?

[Rob Cicerone]

Rob Cicerono and boy, we got a good one. Today we're gonna talk with the host of Big Brother, Julie Chen. Moonvest is going to be stopping by that CBS made her available for some press and Taryn and I gonna get the chance to talk with the host of big brother and ask her about about her thoughts here in these early days of Big Brother 28 as we head into the first eviction of the season. And of course, you could watch this on our YouTube channel as well on the RJP YouTube. And here is, without further ado, our interview with Julie. All right, we are here with the incredible host of big brother, Julie Chen Moonvest. Julie, can I start by saying you look radiant today,

[Julie Chen Moonves]

Rob. I need to put you in the big brother house and not because you're a former survivor, but that's like a greeting I get, as you know, from house guests.

[Rob Cicerone]

Yes. Okay. I won't do any shout outs, but I wanted to ask you about. You seem like you were having so much fun this season that in the premiere you really were. Seemed very up for all of the hijinks that big Brother was throwing at us. What. What's it like for you to be part of the. The wild turn that the show has taken?

[Julie Chen Moonves]

It's been an honor and a privilege. I have learned on this show to not take myself so seriously. I'm older. I'd like to think I'm wiser. You know, when I first came to CBS, I was 29 and I was the morning news anchor working with Bryant Gumbel, for those of you old enough to know. And I had dreams of being on 60 Minutes one day. And then I was presented with hosting this reality show called Big Brother. And I didn't understand why and I turned it down. And then I was told I wasn't allowed to turn it down because I work for the network and here I am. And so I. That's why I became the Chan box. I was. I was still trying to be like, oh, all serious. Yeah, I'm going to get on 60 Minutes. I'll show them. And now it's like, I get it. Big Brother is a fun little show where we make fun of ourselves, we laugh at ourselves, and no one likes laughing more than me. So. You know, Zingbot, sometimes I cringe because I'm like a little too mean. Funny but wrong. You should see the stuff that ends up on the editing room floor. I'll make some calls. I'll text. I just am. What a surprise for me, you know, expect the unexpected to the house guests. For me, Julie Chan Moonves. Expect the unexpected that life and God would take me here.

[Rob Cicerone]

Yeah.

[Julie Chen Moonves]

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Look, Pocket Jesus, everyone.

[Rob Cicerone]

Jesus loves you, Pocket Jesus. Wow. We need one, everyone.

[Julie Chen Moonves]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

Could you ever have imagined 25 years ago that instead of people being voted out of the house, they'd be eaten by dinosaurs or pushed in volcanoes?

[Julie Chen Moonves]

I've been saying it, no one was listening to me.

[Rob Cicerone]

I mean, what an.

[Taryn]

What an innovative strategy.

[Julie Chen Moonves]

I mean, when they told me that I thought Rachel Riley versus dinosaur volcano. My money might be on Rachel Riley, but unexpected. Yeah, but don't count her out, you know? Okay, Just. Cause you saw the wig and the skeleton. I mean. Yeah, with this time machine travel, anything can happen.

[Rob Cicerone]

Yeah. Julie, Tara and I were just talking about how the blockbuster has really been such a great innovation for the show. I think it has added so much over these last couple of seasons. How does that change the way that you have to prepare for an eviction night?

[Julie Chen Moonves]

I think my live news background helps me because it's like breaking news. So I kind of go into the live show night thinking, all right, I have to have questions ready for all three people and then disassociate with the person who wins their safety on live tv and then quickly listen to the house guests maybe strategizing, scrambling, maybe making last minute, you know, pivots and changes who they're going to vote out. And then also knowing people lie. People like to go into Diary room on live show night and switch it up and say something that I didn't expect and their alliance members didn't expect. They like to be.

[Taryn]

They like.

[Julie Chen Moonves]

They like to go rogue, and I love it. That just means staler and stay in the now, stay in the present. Julie, that's it.

[Rob Cicerone]

Yeah.

[Taryn]

I feel like your. Your live new news background also is fitting for, like, perfectly fitting for the show, considering the live feeds. It's such a unique aspect of Big Brother. How, like, special is it to work on a show that is so utterly unique and how it delivers content to the viewers?

[Julie Chen Moonves]

It's incredible. You know, I fought doing this show in the beginning. The critics hated me. I hated me. My family was like, who do you think you are? You're terrible at that show. And now I'm realizing every step of the way, the love, the hate, the struggles, the background in live TV news, the lessons learned on the air. This show was designed for me. It sure was. And it's an honor and it's a privilege. I just feel like only God knew that my backstory would get me here and somehow help and contribute. I feel like I contribute at least 1% to why the show is still on. I give it all to God. I mean, he's sovereign and the fact that he has allowed us and the power of prayer. I have thanked him the last few seasons, I think, since like 2020, since COVID because we were the first show to kind of look normal. When you saw, like, you know, James Corden doing the show from his garage or Jimmy, whatever. Big Brother was kind of made for quarantine, right? You test everyone, you quarantine them for two weeks, and then they can live in the house and not be wearing masks. It was a. In that sense, you know, the way the show was structured was a blessing in disguise. To be the first show to show all other productions we can figure out a safe way to get back to work and get people employed again. And here we are. Someone in the lighting department who worked with me at the talk, he said, julie, I haven't worked since the season finale last year. He's like, but I'm grateful to be here. And I needed to Hear that? You know, he had. He had hope. And he. I know he's a man of God. And I said, well, what you been doing, Kelly? And he said, I drive for Uber. I'm in a band. I have four kids. I get it. I'm a survivor. I've been in this town 40 years. And he was grateful. Gratitude and hope takes you a long way. And the power and privilege of prayer, let me tell you, Julie. And don't take yourself so seriously. Like, just live in the now.

[Rob Cicerone]

Yeah, I know. We're running out of time. Is there any house guest that has surprised you so far this season?

[Julie Chen Moonves]

I would say d how much I like her.

[Narrator]

And

[Julie Chen Moonves]

Angela, has she surprised me? I'm not sure that's the right word. I love that she's the queen right now. Okay.

[Advertiser/Host]

Okay.

[Julie Chen Moonves]

And I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see, like, what made her controversial season 26. I do want to see a little bit of that. She's telling Gold.

[Rob Cicerone]

We know. Okay. And, Julie, so are you.

[Julie Chen Moonves]

Thank you, Rob. Thank you, Taryn.

[Rob Cicerone]

Yeah. Okay. Thank you for making some time. Congratulations on all the success of big brother and the big rating so far in BB28. And we can't wait to see what. What else is going to be both the expected and the unexpected.

[Julie Chen Moonves]

You and me both. And you too, Taryn.

[Taryn]

Thank you.

[Rob Cicerone]

Take care, Julie. Bye. All right, everybody, there you have it. Short but sweet interview with Julie Chen, Moonvest. We will be seeing her tomorrow night when we get to the live eviction number one. Of course, you know where to find us right after the episode. For the full recap of the week one eviction and everything else going on, only on rhap. Thanks so much for listening. Take care, everybody. Have a good one.

[Advertiser/Host]

Bye.