In an Instagram Live from Havana, Cuba, Big Brother contestant Luke Valentine addressed his dropping of the N-word during a broadcast that got him kicked off the CBS reality show.
Wearing a tropical shirt and puffing on a cigar, Valentine fielded questions from fans before addressing the incident, saying there was “no malice” behind his comment, which CBS says violated his Big Brother code of conduct.
“It’s pretty clear that I had no ill intent,” he said. “It was directed at Cory and it was after about … about a week of malnutrition. A week of sleep deprivation. I was getting probably 2 1/2 hours of sleep on that cheese block. And you don’t really take into account the psychological distress of being under studio lighting 24/7 and not knowing who your friends are, who your enemies are.”
Valentine later added, “I felt bad about what I said. The moment it happened — they booted me off the show and it was the most fun I ever had in my life. No lie.”
He called his ouster “genuinely devastating.”
He said he can’t bring himself to watch the show because he’s “a little sad” he’s no longer on it.
He added of the decision to boot him from the show, “I’m not upset at the production. Their hands were tied. They had to make a sacrifice. I understand why it is upsetting. I think they made the wrong decision. I think a slap on the wrist would have been much better because they’re still getting backlash.”
He also commented, “I’m sure everyone on the show … kinda have to hate me. Them’s the breaks. If they reach out, I’ll definitely talk to them … but if I’m too radioactive for them, I get it.”
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
