Julie Chen explains why she ended Big Brother Thursday by saying "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

Entertainment Weekly

Some interpreted the signoff as a thinly veiled shot at Ellen DeGeneres, who ends her shows by saying: "Be kind to one another." Chen tells EW of the signoff: "It’s totally an outside-of-the-game message. I feel fortunate that the network and the producers have been so supportive in letting me put my own personal messaging at the end of our live shows. While we are fortunate to have been able to find a way to offer Big Brother fans a much-needed break from all that is happening in our beloved country, we have taken many measures to keep everyone as safe as possible during these challenging times, including regular COVID-19 testing and requiring all personnel to wear masks. (Of course, I have to remove mine when talking on TV, but we mitigate that risk with social distancing.) Although it seems at times that wearing a mask has turned in to a political statement for some people, we believe it’s the best way to protect ourselves. Last night, I mentioned the Golden Rule because I believe that of EVERYONE followed that principle we’d ALL be better off as a society, as a nation, as a world."