"Big Brother 1" has typically been cited as "boring" by critics and fans of the series. John Carman of "The San Francisco Chronicle" stated "Wondering 'Will Karen run out of Kleenex?' is about the most interesting thing about "Big Brother"." Comedian Kathy Griffin (who has since become a fan of the series, making guest appearances in "Big Brother 16" and "Big Brother 17") mocked the series, stating "Do you guys those 'tards on Big Brother?" Joyce Millman of "Salon.com" felt that ratings for the series dropped due to the "boring" cast. "The New York Times" later reported that CBS was disappointed with the series. Les Moonves, CBS chief, stated that the "casting sucked" for the series, leading to its disappointing run. He later stated "there were more provocative storylines that could have been followed that were dropped." John de Mol, the creator of the series and owner of Endemol, blamed not only the casting but the changes made to the show and format to suit American audiences. Executive producer Paul Romer felt that the group of HouseGuests were "too aware of the cameras" and were concerned with "how they'd look on TV." Former co-host Ian O'Malley claimed he predicted the series would be panned, stating "I knew the critics were probably going to go bananas because of the voyeuristic aspect."