Big Brother 27: Meet Isaiah “Zae” Frederich — Confident and Chill

Next up, we’ve got Big Brother 27 houseguest Isaiah Frederich—aka “Zae.” And let’s be honest, I’ll probably be sticking with “Zae” all season, because typing “Frederich” without second-guessing the spelling feels like a trap.

In his intro interview, Zae hit all the usual beats: he’s going to be a comp beast, a mental beast, a social beast—basically every kind of beast in the Big Brother zoo. It’s the kind of confidence we hear every season, so forgive me if I don’t exactly buy stock just yet. As the great Mike Tyson once said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.” In the BB house, that “punch” usually looks like stacking foam bricks or rolling a ball down a ramp while your alliance crumbles.

Read More: Big Brother 27 Full Cast Revealed Ahead of Premiere Week

Interestingly, Zae doesn’t have a solid game strategy going in—which can actually work in his favor. As much as we love a master plan, most first-timers quickly learn that Big Brother isn’t a game you can script from day one. Adaptability is key, and Zae claims he’s got that covered.

That said, even without a detailed plan, there are a few unwritten BB rules that help: don’t be the obvious threat, but don’t fade into the background either. Find real allies, not ones from a “forced at 3 AM” alliance made out of panic. And whatever you do, don’t win the first HoH—or at least don’t look like you’re trying.

If Zae can navigate those basics and genuinely adapt to the chaos, he might just have what it takes. But—and here’s the caveat—if he doesn’t click with the house dynamic early on, he could be out the door before he even finds the bathroom.

My prediction? He’s either going home Week 1 or making a strong jury run. There probably won’t be an in-between.

Could Zae be the dark horse of the season?