Josh-Jordan-Brittany triangle hits snag

by Manuel Mendoza / The Dallas Morning News<br><br>The contestants on CBS' Big Brother may be living in a house with limited hot water, but it's the show's European producers who've had

Tuesday, August 1st 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

by Manuel Mendoza / The Dallas Morning News

The contestants on CBS' Big Brother may be living in a house with limited hot water, but it's the show's European producers who've had to take a cold shower.

That's because the Josh-Jordan-Brittany love triangle has fallen apart - just as it looked like things were about to get sexual between the house's wannabe boy toy (Josh) and one of its two most blatant attention seekers (Jordan or Brittany).

In Europe, where Netherlands-based Endemol Entertainment launched the Big Brother format last year, the ratings went up when contestants in the Dutch and German versions decided to get busy.

It seems almost inevitable on a program that purports to examine real people's reactions to being confined in a house with several strangers over a period of months. It's what the cameras want, what the Peeping Toms are waiting for.

But this isn't Amsterdam or Berlin. This is America, where there's nothing wrong with being a prude (Brittany, in fact, is a proud virgin), and talking about it - even endlessly - is sometimes more acceptable than doing it.

Complicating matters in the Studio City, Calif., house where Big Brother is entering its fourth full week are the individuals involved, particularly manipulative Jordan, a former stripper and current tease.

She has been on the make for Josh since practically Day One, most recently telling him that her sex drive was out of control. He has said all along that he was open to whatever might happen in the house, which has included an ongoing, in-the-open flirtation with motormouth Brittany.

Meanwhile, Brittany's shtick has been her so-called "Love Bed," where one and all are invited to cuddle - innocently, of course - with the pink-haired, nose-ringed Midwesterner. Josh has taken her up onher offer more than once.

Then last week, Jordan got inside Brittany's head. After discussing the various come-ons that Josh has used on them (which amount to "I'm young and virile, you're both cute, who wants to be first?"), they decided to confront him.

"I feel like you're just trying to get laid and making us all out to look like idiots," Jordan said. She's right on the first point, though Josh never seemed to make a secret of it. On the second point, neither of the show's top talkers need any help from him.

One could also hope that the gals are expressing a healthy skepticism toward their rats-in-a-maze situation, though that might be too much to ask of rats who signed up for the maze.

In the end, Josh fell on his sword, so to speak, apologizing profusely and promising it would never happen again. Exactly what he did except play into Jordan's hands is beside the point. He got caught - on camera.

And the producers took a bath.

Bye, Curtis. Nominated for eviction along with Jordan, the Asian-American lawyer is a goner, and he knows it. "How many good clips do I give, or how much interesting drama do I create?" he asked rhetorically. Too few to win a public vote against the ex-stripper, who has already survived one. Note: His departure would mean two of the show's three minority guests were the first to be banished.
The crying game. Tearing up has been raised to an art form on Big Bro. All the women except Cassandra have cried at one time or another. Jordan, Brittany and Karen came up with fresh tears last week, primarily over the love triangle with Josh, while George also gave again after receiving a letter from home. Meanwhile, Josh made his crying game debut when George read the letter aloud.

Pssssst! Some of the houseguests have started whispering, as if the mikes won't still pick up their every word. Wrong.

Drinks for all my fiends. Apparently trying to spice things up, Big Brother has been giving the housemates special meals, including beer and wine. One night, that led Josh and Jordan to climb into bed and discuss which parts of each other's bodies they were hot for. Mission almost accomplished.

Weakly challenged. To earn extra grocery money, the contestants had to set up thousands of dominoes in the form of the Big Brother logo. What's next, a puzzle? In fact, that's on the list.

Tennis, anyone? Two screenwriters tossed a tennis ball stuffed with faked news stories about the show into the Big Brother yard. And they say creativity is at a premium in Hollywood.

Early Show newscaster Julie Chen. Some say she's killing her journalism career by hosting Big Brother. See you on the Food Network, Julie.

Loveline's Dr. Drew Pinsky. He's been undoing his previously fine rep by making little sense in interviews with Ms. Chen. See you on cable, too. Oh, he's already there.