Lamar Dreams of Late on, One Star Wants Out

That means he could make a huge move, depending on how the Veto went, and there would be no time for anyone to scramble. The problem is he’d need to know he has the votes to pull it off. And he’d need to be sure.

This early in the game, it’s been impossible to tell where real allegiances lie. Every alliance larger than two has crumbled, and things are moving so fast already that it’s all fluid. So a big move now could blow up in your face almost immediately.

In a regular season of “Big Brother,” there is time to try and calm hurt feelings and anger, but this game is moving so fast those emotions can stay heightened right through the next eviction in just a few days’ time. The next one is already looming this Friday!

Adding another wrinkle into this week’s decision making was the shocking revelation that one of the Houseguests is actually ready to leave the House, and said as much on live television. There is precedent for people to just quit and walk away, though it never sits well with everyone.

It was a lot of “Big Brother” packed into a live television show, but the most poignant moment came outside of the game. It seems that Lamar Odom, perhaps more than anyone else in the House, is really taking advantage of this opportunity to disconnect as a chance to reflect and get in touch with himself.

Tonight, he opened up about a surprising dream he had about his late son, who passed away at six months old back in 2006. In the dream, Lamar said that his son was talking to him. His emotions in sharing that story were palpable, enough that Todd Bridges and Cynthia Bailey were really feeling it with him.

Lamar has fought many demons throughout his life, and he has a lot of regrets and pain that he still has to process and work through. As odd as it may seem, this time in the Big Brother house may actually help him find some solace, which would be wonderful.

When we say the only alliances that mean anything right now are duos, we’re referring to the power couples of Todrick Hall and Miesha Tate, Carson Cressley and Cynthia, and Chris Ki and Shanna Moakler. So when Veto players were revealed, Chris Ki was actually looking pretty good with Shanna one of those chosen. Todrick, though, was also up there and a real threat to take Mirai down if he won.

Todrick and Miesha again tried to give Chris Ki the hard sell that he should play their game, rather than his own. They desperately wanted Mirai Nagasu to stay in the house because she’s a number for them and a loyal satellite they can dispatch when they no longer need her.

That makes it prettly clear that Chris Ki is on the outside of that particular arrangement, and he’s smart enough to see it — which is driving them both crazy. Todrick forgets that he’s not the only super-fan in the House.

Of the three that we know of, Chris Ki is the one tightly aligned with another in Shanna, and no one really knows that they’re superfans or that they’re a tight duo. That’s a powerful position to be in.

It got a whole lot more powerful when Shanna pulled off a nailbiter of a victory against Todrick in the tiebreaker round. He went over the number of hours Mon-Won was in play by only 5 when he guessed 180. Shanna stayed below — way below at 75 — but them’s the rules.

This gave her and Chris Ki a huge opportunity. They wanted Mirai out to weaken Miesha and Todrick as a power duo, but why go with the satellite when you can cut off one of the heads? We’d have loved to see them take a shot at Todrick, as he’s the brains of the operation. Miesha is a little too aggressive in her social and strategic game, which is surely going to come back to bite her.

Alas, for reasons as yet unknown, they decided to go with the low-hanging fruit by keeping nominates the same.

We’re not sure anyone saw it coming, because even Julie Chen seemed surprised when Chris Kattan stood up first and did not ask to be saved at all. Instead, he asked that the house vote him out and keep Mirai in because he’s not really into the game and strategy and he’s ready to be done.

It was a very sweet gesture, but one just shy of actually quitting the game. Chris Ka made it very clear earlier in the hour that he really doesn’t have any interest in strategizing or really doing any of that nasty stuff that has to be done in the House. He’s just having fun.

Apparently, that lack of threat made Chris Ka look real enticing, because absolutely no one in the House voted to evict him. Instead, Mirai was sent packing unanimously, leaving a bewildered Chris Ka feeling even more confused — but he is sticking around. It seems he wanted to leave over seeing Mirai go, but he’s fine with continuing to play.

We can only imagine more speeches from the “SNL” alum telling his Houseguests to vote him out again but each time he’s just a pawn and the House votes out a bigger threat he has no idea about because he won’t talk strategy. We could be in for a very strange summer indeed.

And what happens if he wins HOH? What would he do then?

Todrick Hall (36) is one half of one of the three power couples that are actually playing this game. He has a slight edge over the other couples in that he’s a strong competitor himself, and he and Miesha have Lamar technically still thinking the Athlete’s alliance is still a thing. He’s totally expendable to them, but in the absence of Mirai, he’s a number. These grades, however, all depend on who comes into power next of the six people really playing this game — or a wild card if anyone else wins. Grade: A+

Chris Kirkpatrick (50) stood firm and played his game this week, which may or may not have made him a higher target for Todrick and Miesha. We think they’re still gunning for Carson, which is to his benefit. If anything else, he assured that the game is more firmly these three pairs, with Lamar floating around the periphery. He’s also proven himself a very clever strategist, currently in at least okay graces with both of the other couples. That should keep him and Shanna safe for at least the next couple of votes no matter who rises to power. Grade: A-

Miesha Tate (35) is getting a little salty already that Chris Ki doesn’t seem inclined to do her dirty work for her. If she’s not careful, being seen as needing to be this much in control from the start of the game could cause her allies to turn on her. We’re confident she’ll still have Todrick, but they could become targets sooner than later if she isn’t able to back down when she’s losing — like her drive to get Chris Ki to target Carson because she wants him out so bad. Grade: B+

Shanna Moakler (46) could have made a big move with Chris Ki and they didn’t. If they don’t arise to power again — which is all on her — it could come back to haunt them. For now, though, we see them as a strong duo that’s playing a very competitive and strategic game. They’re also not trying to strong-arm everything into going their way, which is to their benefit. Diplomacy can go a long way.. Grade: B

Carson Kressley (52) is a very good player with a real shot at winning HOH or POV. On top of that, he’s currently in good graces with Chris Ki and Shanna, which improves his odds of not being targeted right away, so long as they don’t change their minds, if one of them comes into power. Already seen as a huge threat, his strategy of laying low will only help so far, but his cleverness and great social game will really help him. Grade: B-

Cynthia Bailey (54) finds herself aligned with a great strategist and social master, but she’s definitely the easier target of that duo. If they can’t get Carson — whenever they decide to gun for him — she’s going to be that same low-hanging fruit that Mirai was this week, and that could cost her the game. The best thing that could happen for her is actually taking power herself and showing what she’s made of. Grade: C+

Lamar Odom (42) and Todd Bridges (56) are still floating, but Lamar could well be called on at any time to vote with Miesha and Todrick, strengthening their game. No one is really talking strategy with Todd, so who knows where his head is at. Grade: C-

Chris Kattan (51) said he’s ready to go home. Was that just because he wanted Mirai to stay, or is he really done with the game — not that he was really playing. The fact he’s being so open about not wanting to play, not wanting to strategize, is going to keep him forever floating around the bottom here, just waiting until the House is bored or afraid to make a bigger move and they pick him off. Grade: D

Mirai Nagasu (28) wanted to represent Asian-Americans in a way as meaningful as The Cookout did for African-Americans, but it wasn’t to be. The youngest person in the House feeling a tremendous amount of pressure, Mirai was overwhelmed from Day 1. On top of that, once she bowed down to Miesha in an attempt to save herself last week, she became a threat to Chris Ki. It’s a shame he took the safe route this week and that route was Mirai. Grade: F

• “I’m gonna just be me. Love it or leave it. I hope they don’t leave it.” –Chris Ka (about being nominated)
• “Chris is just not picking up what I’m putting down. Carson is the big target this week.” –Miesha (still thinks she’s in control)
• “I’m not here to strategize and make alliances. But that being a reason is weird.” –Chris Ka (to Carson; and it’s not weird at all — weird is not being here to strategize and make alliances)
• “You can always win the Veto, you know. I did, so anyone can.” –Carson (to Chris Ka)
• “Todrick’s so aligned with her, and Mirai is her little minion.” –Shanna (acknowledging Miesha’s power structure)
• “If Miesha takes her off the Block, there’s gonna be hell to pay.” –Chris Ki (about Mirai)
• “God has been good to me, I think I need to cry. I dreamt my son last night. He was talking.” –Lamar (to Cynthia about his son Jaden who passed away at six months old in 2006)
• “You know what that’s from? I didn’t grieve properly, I don’t think, when my son passed away.” –Lamar
• “He kept saying, ‘Snatch the rainbow, Daddy.’ But when he passed, he couldn’t talk.” –Lamar (about his son in dream)
• “I’m not an idiot. I know when I’m being manipulated. You’re trying to pitch your game on me. Why would I play your game on my HOH?” –Chris Ki
• “Last week was for you guys and your game. This week is for me and my game.” –Chris Ki (to Todrick and Miesha)
• “Chris, you were right when you said I didn’t know much about gameplay. I love you all and I think it’s time for me to move on. You’ve been very dedicated at playing the game and it’s been very important to you. I’ve seen that for a while. I think you should stay and I should move on and I will see you all on the outside. I love you all.” –Chris Ka (don’t-save-me speech)
• “She’s gonna be like, ‘Damn, he wanted to leave and they still voted me off. She ain’t gonna do well tonight.” –Lamar (after Mirai’s eviction)