How did Big Brother make the show “accessible” to Matt Klotz? Fans claim CBS show is “ableist”

CBS’s Big Brother 25 recently made history by having Matt Klotz as the show’s first-ever deaf houseguest.

The showrunners came under heavy criticism recently when Matt participated in an audio-based challenge. Klotz failed to finish in the top-3, prompting many responses on Twitter. Fans discussed the extent of accommodation the show made for Matt’s disability.

Called the “Twisted Tasks” challenge, the veto competition required participants to decode audio clues from records as quickly as possible. Klotz was obviously at a disadvantage considering the rules of the task. This led to criticism on social media, with a range of fans calling the showrunners “ableist.”

Big Brother has been labeled ableist. (Image via Danagello, Twitter)

Big Brother 25 labeled ableist after the Matt Klotz debacle

The challenge led to a swift response from fans on social media. People called the show ableist and claimed that the challenge should have accommodated Klotz. This could have been done in the form of visual clues. Regardless, as the tweets suggest, most viewers thought the show should not allow disabled participants if the proper accommodations were not made.

BB25 came under fire recently. (Image via Twitter)

Some fans talked about how Big Brother was the only show that could be accommodative and “ableist” simultaneously. While people claimed that the necessary accommodations had not been made, the show's executive producer begged to differ in a recent interview.

Big Brother 25's treatment of Matt Klotz led to much criticism. (Image via Twitter)

Big Brother 25 fans are not happy. (Image via Twitter)

In response to the backlash, the show's executive producer Allison Grodner addressed the efforts and the range of accommodations the show made to ensure Klotz was not disadvantaged. Grodner revealed that the production team tailored new audio equipment to Matt’s hearing needs.

They also added monitors to display rules and questions, further sound-proofed the Diary Room, and adjusted a range of other equipment. Grodner claimed that the amplifier was also given various enhancements to ensure Matt had no problem.

Regarding the Twisted Tasks challenge, he revealed that Matt was consulted in advance to ensure he was not at a disadvantage. The consultation led to him choosing the best voice with his limitations. Furthermore, Grodner claimed that while Matt did not ask for a lot of help, the production team always proactively ensured he was given all the assistance he needed.

While fans begged to differ, Grodner’s interview revealed that the show had made various accommodations to ensure the best experience for Matt Klotz.