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For the past 10 years, the dissing robot Zingbot has been a staple on Big Brother, with many houseguests anticipating his return and practicing “zings” of their own. Even though it seems like Zingbot delivers the hilarious one-liners himself, BB15 winner Andy Herren revealed that no audio actually comes from the popular robot.

Zingbot returns to the Big Brother house and special guest Kathy Griffin hosts the Zingervention Power of Veto competition, on Big Brother
Zingbot returns to the Big Brother house and special guest Kathy Griffin hosts the “Zingervention” Power of Veto competition, on Big Brother | Sonja Flemming

Zingbot’s start on ‘Big Brother’

Recurring character Zingbot appears every season, starting with BB12, to “zing” or deliver one-line insults to the houseguests around midway through the season. The robot then sticks around to host the upcoming Power of Veto competition.

When he visited the BB13 players the following year, Zingbot revealed he wanted to get married and challenged the houseguests to build him a wife for the POV. He returned for BB14 and had them construct a baby, Zingbot 4000, to add to his family after zinging the remaining houseguests.

A year later, the robot returned with his child to celebrate Zingbot 4000’s first birthday. During BB16, Zingbot malfunctioned halfway through zinging the houseguests. Comedian Kathy Griffin entered the house, delivered the insults on Zingbot’s behalf, and then challenged the players to fix him.

The following year, the robot, now Zingbot 9000, informed the houseguests he split from his wife and asked the players for help getting back on the dating scene.

Zingbot became President of the Planet Zing

The popular robot returned for BB18 and announced his bid to run for president. When he reappeared the following season, the robot revealed he was elected as President of Planet Zing and needed help returning to his home.

Zingbot then declared his campaign to launch a Zing Patrol for his planet and challenged the remaining houseguests to head the military branch. Last season, the president became a fugitive because he committed crimes in office.

Therefore, he needed the remaining BB21 houseguests’ help to get out of jail. The well-liked robot returned for the following season with a new persona based on Joe Exotic from Netflix’s hit docuseries, Tiger King.

Andy Herren revealed Zingbot doesn’t talk to houseguests

When Zingbot enters the house, the players typically gather in the kitchen to listen to the dissing robot before heading outside to compete in the approaching POV competition.

Even though it seems as if the robot is speaking directly to the players, BB15 champ Andy Herren revealed that Zingbot himself doesn’t actually have a voice. Instead, the insults play through a speaker, and the players interact with the silent person in the robot suit as if he’s delivering the zings.

Herren also shared another unknown fact about the robot. According to the former winner, it was over 100 degrees outside when the robot duo returned to the house during BB15.

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Due to the heat, competitors Aaryn Gries and Judd Daugherty needed oxygen tanks while Zingbot and his baby overheated and had to take off their costumes and “cool off in the house.”

BB15 houseguest Amanda Zuckerman reflected with Herren, noting it was the “only comp” she ever won. Big Brother 22: All-Stars airs Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.

Follow Tamara Grant on Twitter.

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