Luke Valentine says Big Brother 'made the wrong decision' expelling him

In an hour-long Instagram video, expelled Big Brother contestant Luke Valentine spoke about the circumstances surrounding him being kicked out of the house for using a racist slur.

Valentine was removed from the game on August 9 for violating the show's code of conduct after using the N-word in a conversation with Cory Wurtenberger, Hisam Goueli, and Jared Fields. A week later, in a live Instagram video he said was being recorded from Havana where he works as a dishwasher, Valentine took questions while smoking a cigar. "I feel like a king without a kingdom," Valentine told those who tuned in. "But I still feel like a king."

When asked if he was upset at production for pulling him from the game, Valentine answered that he thought the penalty was too harsh. "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 a much better thing."

As for what actually happened after Valentine was called into the Diary Room for the final time, the contestant said, "They just wrapped me up and threw me in a room for seven hours. I spoke to HR and then they shipped me back home and it was genuinely... it was devastating. It was very upsetting. It was very sad. And that's why it's just… what do I say after that?"

At one point, a commenter remarked that Valentine didn't seem like he cared too much about the situation. "I care pretty deeply," he replied. "It was very upsetting. It was shocking news. I slept like a baby that night. I had beautiful dreams of being on the show. And then I woke up and they hit me with it. And it's funny because they called me into the Diary Room, which they hadn't done for a while and I said, 'It's so weird. It's like getting called to the principal's office, I feel like I'm in trouble.' And little did I know I was in the most trouble possible."

Valentine also tried to excuse his language by citing the unique living conditions of the series. "It's pretty clear that I meant no malice. I had no ill intent. It was directed at Cory, and it was after about a week of malnutrition, a week of sleep deprivation, I was getting probably two-and-a half hours of sleep on that cheese block. And you don't really take into account the psychological distress of being under studio lighting for 24-7 and not knowing who your friends and who your enemies are. So what happened happened. Do I reget it? Obviously. But I feel like it happened for a reason."

As for whether he plans to keep in touch with any of his fellow houseguests, Valentine answered that it wasn't really up to him. "I'm not sure if anyone is going to want to keep in touch with me? At this point, apparently, I'm pretty radioactive. As much as I love everybody on the show and I still do, they kind of have to hate me. Them's the breaks."

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