BB17: Who Do We Have Here?

Thank you for the pic Michael Doyle!

Well, three more days and we'll be eyebrow deep in another season of Big Brother. The excitement, rumors, speculation and, yes, anger, have already surfaced. The HGs have been announced, the mugshots and racist tweets have been uncovered, the fake "official" and "fan" accounts have opened. The parody accounts are not far behind.

The political issues have taken hold. The term of this season is transphobia because of Audry Middleton who is transgender. Following on the heels of Caitlyn Jenner, this is suddenly a hot topic, however people are acting like a new species has been discovered. Listen. I don't care if someone is straight, gay, transgender or a football player. I will tell it like it is and I won't care. Several rabid Frankie Grande fans have tried to pull the homophobia card on me because I cannot stand the dude. I don't fear anything, certainly not nut jobs who like to haul up bronze statues of their human idols.

My assessments have to do with their strategy, knowledge of the game, their perceived personality and their responses to questions. Their personal lives are important only in how they will influence the game. If they are parents or not. I care not. If they have had a charmed or tragic life is irrelevant. Their sexuality, as stated above, is none of my concern. These assessments are based on first impressions and are about as accurate as a jello shot. As we all know, their pregame strategies often implode, their good intentions are blown and their personalities - good and bad- are magnified. Since this is a social experiment, a microcosm shut inside four walls, they will ferment and we will observe and react.

That being said, I like Audrey despite the fact she uses YOLO and calls herself a superfan. She is a strong female and I'm all about strong women. I love men but I love when women outsmart them. She got me at wanting to get blood on her hands and intending to smoke out the Derricks and Dans. She's obviously a student of the game and others' mistakes. How this will translate once she's in the house is another story. When asked by Matt Boyer about a girl's alliance, she replies,  "If I can coordinate all of our cycles in one week that would be diabolical." OMG! ADORE! She doesn't want to emulate anyone's game and I'm calling it now. She'll be changing this game.

Austin Matelson: Dan's tattooed, jacked doppelganger, names himself Judas. Coincidence? I think not! Where have you been all my life? Yes, I know in WWE arenas. A cheerleader with a Masters in medieval romantic literature? Hello? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE? Anyway, back to this show. Hopefully his plan to play up his injuries and not show too much physical strength will work because I want him in the game for a long time. Audrey, please don't go after him. If he gets evicted before final 5, I might implode.

Next are Becky Burgess and Clay Honeycutt. We have seen them before in past seasons with different names. Becky will more than likely hook up with someone and forget all about her expertise with people. Clay, a cross between Jeremy and Caleb, will more than likely be equally annoying. Whatever.

NEXT!

Da'Vonne is a firecracker. Her first fatal flaw, though, is her intent to lie about her profession. She's a poker dealer but she's planning on saying she's a teacher. I'm sorry. Why are teachers less threatening than poker dealers or nurses? ANYWAY! She'll have to reassess that because there's a professional poker player in the house who might very well recognize her up front. She plans to take her time in making an alliance and play the middle of the house. Meh! But, she's another student of the game, with a solid plan to have only two people in her alliance. She wants a Keesha and a Memphis. We'll have to see what happens when she goes into the house. She'll likely fall into an alliance with Vanessa simply because they will know each other's secret. Da'Vonne's plan is to be a Danielle Reyes 2.0. And I'm all over that!

Jace Agolli. First words. "Awesome man." I'm out. Just call him Brahayce. He'll probably be most responsible for the feeds getting cut. Mark my words.

James Huling, the self proclaimed Hillbilly Asian, needs to lose his comparison to past players. They've been there and gone. He needs to tap into his uniqueness and run with it. His strategy is to expect the unexpected. Him referencing Derrick's strategy is giving me the hives. I do NOT want another boring-ass season of one person controlling sheep. But I know it won't happen because there's Audrey. Buddy. Be yourself. Please.

Um, HOW OLD IS Jason Roy? He seems like he's 15. He's not very good at self-editing according to him. Yes. baby. You let your boisterous side run wild. We need some life and entertainment in the house. Clown it up! And cut some unsuspecting HGs. And work the girls' alliance with your "gay glue"! *wink*

John McGuire IS A DENTIST! HE WILL BURN OUR EARDRUMS IN THE DR!! He's quirky and goofy and self-deprecating. Side-note: he's also a talented musician. If you can get past his over-the-top presentation and goofiness, John will be another one to watch because he knows his short-comings. I'll forgive him that he describes himself as a superfan. His plan to keep his mouth shut and not let others know what he knows is a good one. Will he be able to keep it up for 3 months? Hopefully!

Liz Nolan has a deep voice (the opposite of John). She met Porsche which is interesting since she reminds me of her. She's competitive and has no filter. She will definitely annoy fans with her laugh. She's a clean freak and that always goes well in the BB house... She'll have no part in a girls' alliance because she labels all women as "catty". Instead, she plans on a much more empowering strategy of attaching herself to a man. Blech.

Meg Maley IS ANOTHER LOUD ONE. Pause. Please John and Meg, do not talk to each other. On the plus side she's aware of this shortcoming and plans to keep her mouth shut. We all know that pre-season plans always work out... She seems to have a good understanding of the game but she needs to tone down a LOT.

Shelli Poole is another first time audition though it seems she's a recruit. She can't really answer quite a few of the questions. She draws a blank and so do I. She wants to lay low and she probably will as the first one evicted.

Steve Moses is this season's super nerd and he's pretty likable. The fact he's aware that the producers are into first-time applicants says a lot about his savvy of this game. He will play the young, innocent kid who is loyal. The fact that he compares himself to Caleb loses him some points in my book. Loyalty is one thing. Blindness is another. I always have high hopes for these nerdy "super fans" and the only one who has come through is Ian Terry. Come on, Steve. Make it work!

Vanessa Rousso is the one who will bust Da'Vonne's lie. She seems very level-headed and savvy about Big Brother with a solid plan going into the game. She also plans on not letting anyone know that she's a pro poker player. Refer to Da'Vonne. I like her. She seems very chill and very knowledgeable. She knows herself and what she wants. This is the one element that is crucial in the BB house.

Overall, this is a promising group. As I type it, I regret it. I've had these hopes for the past couple of years and it's been a deep disappointment. Let's hope this one isn't!


Thank you to Matthew Boyer @bigbrothernet for his amazing interviews! Awesome questions! See the interviews at Big Brother Net

BB17: Let the Madness Begin

There are 10 days until the premiere of another summer of maddening preoccupation: Big Brother. The first frustration has already begun, one that's existed since CBS took over the feeds. But this year it's worse. There is little chance I will be able to watch the feeds since CBS has packaged it as all access. Anyone outside the US is stuck with zero access at the moment.

They might be doing me a favor. 95% of the frustration, anger and aggravation comes from watching the shenanigans on the feeds, then comparing it to the pristine CBS version. That won't stop me from having opinions. I mean come on! I didn't have a personality adjustment *wink*

There have been a lot of rumours scuttling around but I don't deal with rumors. Until they actually release the identities of the HGs, there is no way to know if it will be all newbies, returnees or a combination of both. There is one guarantee though, if they follow their 16 year casting formula, there is 100% chance of fan rage throughout this season.

The casting formula has become as predictable as their so called twists. I'll attempt to populate the house now.

The Alpha Male: The good ole boy. The testosterone laden man who will more than likely attempt to form a boy alliance that will crush any girl alliance with a swift outrage of entitlement. He/they will attempt to use the bobble-headed girls (see below). Their fan base is predominantly other males and females who forget what they're watching.



The Bobblehead Girl Next Door: She will allow herself to be the Alpha's tool to get to the end. Any attempt from others to ally or help will be met with... well a blank stare. They make it to the end more often than not but have won this game only once. They will be a great source of frustration for fans which often generates scorn. They might be likable and have fans but if she or they allow themselves to be used in the game, it won't last for long.


The Superfan Nerd: We get them every year and put a lot of faith in their ability to use their brains to outwit the above two but it's not always a rewarding endeavor for the fan. Not all of them are Ian Terry (BB12). Some of them are Jordan Parhar (BBCA3) or Ronnie Talbot (BB11.) They will be a big source of aggravation because of our high hopes.



The Puppet Master: He(usually)/She(rarely) will put the others under their spell and work their way through the house. This person will hopefully be entertaining not a pill that kills all excitement for fans *coughDerrickcough*. Of course, their endgame is to win but our endgame is to be supercharged with drama!

Speaking of drama...

The Hot Mess: She (usually)/He(occasionally) will drive the other HGs and sometimes the fans crazy but will probably be the biggest source of entertainment for the fans. I mean who doesn't love a good meltdown, house meeting, tears, suspicion, yelling etc? If you say you don't you're lying. From Vegas cocktail waitresses to media moguls, we love to hate them or just flat out hate them. They serve their purpose. Ratings.



The Parent: This isn't really a category in of itself because the parent can be any of the above but 98% will use the fact that they procreated to blackmail and guilt trip the others, either effectively or not. He/she might use their parental status to lull the others into trusting them or they might annoy the hell out of everyone (certainly many fans) resulting in them being targets...


Anyway, these are my predictions. Nothing would make me happier to be wrong but I doubt it. The fans are excited now, but it will only take a couple of weeks for the revamped aggravation to set in: with the HGs, with the twists, with CBS interference, with the TV edit and with each other.

Let the fun begin!!!

Stay tuned ;-)

BB16: The hitsay has hit the anfay

The BB16 cast was announced and, already, multiple explosions have filled the BB air. It started on Thursday shortly after the cast announcement, when news of Frankie Grande being Arianna Grande's brother. The outrage spread like wildfire at his unfair advantage of having his and her fan base voting for Team America. It would be a valid point of the voting really counted. Voting results are not transparent really so without that who can prove that production isn't driving that bull cart? 

Anyway, that didn't last long. A new controversy  replaced it as Caleb Reynolds's tweet from almost a year ago surfaced. He's become the new poster child of social media dumbassery that proves the adage be careful what you put out there because it will bite you in the ass. Coming off the heels of a truly horrific season filled with infuriating racist, homophobic and sexist comments, these statements have, rightfully, rubbed people the wrong way.

But, then again, what can we expect from a butthead recruit who lives in BB and social ignorance?

He's one of many people who need to be dragged into a better state of awareness; but, unconscionable casting and a brazen grab for ratings is at the root of this shit storm. With a cast that is predominantly recruits and with a production team of social media experts, the only conclusion one can arrive at is that this is an intentional casting. In other words, they are fully aware that this is out there and not only did they cast this dude anyway, they didn't tell him to delete these horrendous tweets. Controversy is money in the bank while fandom's blood pressure is on  the rise. Cha. Ching. Those who are still shell shocked from last year are screaming foul, while others are protesting he be given a chance. People are at passionate loggerheads over this, but attacking each other is not going to change anything.

This is CBS's decision. Scream at the media beast, but be warned, every tweet, every email, every blog protesting this decision is justifying it in their minds. There is no such thing as bad publicity. Last season proved that. As we seethed in righteous indignation, as we called for the immediate removal of the foul cast that polluted our favourite show, the ratings went up. Most of the offenders went deep in game. One of them won it and the other was a finalist. We never got our comeuppance, except when Aaryn Gries got a new one ripped on every media outlet and by Julie Chen. This while a much worse Amanda Zuckerman was given the hero's edit. Why? What excuse did they give? "It didn't drive the story line."

And there we have it. It's not reality. It's TV.

I mean, they can't even cast people who have the common sense to purge their social media accounts and lock them down before going into sequester. They can't blame those who find it and expose it.

If CBS, Fly on the Wall Production and Kassting wanted to produce pure Big Brother, they  would kill recruiting, toss out their casting manifesto of stereotypes and actually put in the work to vet the applicants. They would have a zero policy against bigotry and automatically nominate anyone who utters hate speech on the feeds. But then  Cinderella would be gay and Prince Charming would be a man of color.

Stay tuned! :)

Big Brother 16 - ALL NEWBIES

Welcome back BB Addicts! It's nice to "see" you again!

After much anticipation, speculation, rumours, twitter wars and spoiler mayhem, the BB16 cast has been officially announced and I for one am thrilled it's all newbies! No offense to the BB alum, a lot of whom I would love to see in a few years time, but I'm happy it's going back to basics as much as BB casting can.

Sure, it's a TV show whose "reality" needs to amp up its curb appeal with good looking mactors, tempered by a couple of geeks and odd peeps. They are predominantly in their 20's with a couple of older house guests to "even" things out. I'm going to dive into their interviews, see what I think.

Amber Borzotra - 26
She's a model/esthetician whose agent probably told her to apply and she got in immediately. She sure is stunning. She's watched the show but says she didn't know too much about it until recently, meaning after she was cast. She wants to keep things positive and is looking forward to the competitions. She wants to ally with women. Let's see how that works out.

Brittany Martinez -29
She's an event planner and a single mother of three. She's another recruit who knew nothing about Big Brother until she was cast. Geez, really?! She plans on being herself, have fun, read people and yeah. She's not planning on holding back on competitions and flirting herself into an alliance with a "strong man player" while getting rid of people who make her life miserable. She has a mellow demeanor but we'll see how mellow she'll stay up in the hizzie. She hopes people will root for her because she's a single mother. Ask BB9 Sheila Kennedy how well that worked for her.

Caleb Reynolds - 26
He's an adventure hunting guide and ex-military. He auditioned for Amazing Race with a friend of his but was contacted by Big Brother which means he too was technically recruited. Before this he would watch BB if it was on which means hardly ever. He's a competitor and probably an early target for an alliance with bros. He will need to insulate himself with an alliance because the others will most likely gun for him whether he plans on "laying back" or not. We'll see where all the hunting aggression will come in.

Christine Brecht - 23
She's a barista and a self-proclaimed bubbly eccentric. The question remains will she be an engaging eccentric or an annoying one? She submitted a video and auditioned during an open casting. She's a BB fan who's seen every season and is looking forward to Endurance. ME TOO!! We have our first geek! She's planning on creating a secret 2 alliance and a bigger alliance. Cool it Christine! Don't overplay!... Too late. She wants to win the first HoH. Girl. Make a coffee and chill.

Cody Calafiore - 23
He is a sales executive and another recruit. Are we seeing a pattern here folks? At least he's been watching BB since season 11. He's another one who's looking forward to the competitions. I must say this is promising for the fans. At least we'll be witnessing some hardcore competitions. He wants to ally with someone he doesn't have to talk to every day. He isn't planning on going full hog in the beginning which is a good strategy.

Derrick Levasseur - 30
He's a married police officer with a 17 month old daughter. He's been watching BB for a few years and auditioned this year for the first time. He seems level-headed and is planning on using his job skills to suss the situation in the house. He wants to have one ally he can trust and blend in while operating behind the scenes and using manipulation. He should have gotten some tips from Tony Vlachos. Who knows? Maybe he did.

Donny Thompson - 40 
Psst. Kenny Brain called and he wants his beard back... He's a school grounds keeper who's watched every season of BB. His girlfriend encouraged him to audition. He wants to work his social game but try to win competitions. His plan for alliances is to wait for someone to come to him. He doesn't want to be perceived as someone trying to make deals with everyone. That's a good strategy unless no one comes to him and he's the first out. Unlike everyone else, he would go for a big threat should he win HoH.

Devin Shepherd - 26
A former pro baseball player, he is a motorcycle salesperson and single father of a 2 year old daughter. (Let's see how much criticism he'll receive for leaving a baby behind like his female counterparts have in the past and probably current seasons.)  A potential showmance with Brittany? Anyway. He has a big personality. That could be good. That could be bad. He auditioned for Amazing Race, never heard back but was recruited to play BB as a result. He says he's a huge fan and "happy to participate because it's America's game." He's planning on playing an honest and moral game. I hope it works out for Devin. Good luck with that. It didn't work well for Howard Overby; but then again, the latter was in a house with some champion crazy.

Frankie Grande - 31
He's a YouTube personality, if the hair didn't clue you in and Ariana Grande's half-brother. He's a "huge fan" of Survivor and Big Brother, having applied to the former. Then "he was given the idea to apply to BB". So a recruit. He's excited to be in the house, but is planning on bringing all his personality in the DR not in the house. Famous last words. Sounds like he's planning on being the "whisperer" behind the scenes, if he's not recognized. He wants to make an obvious alliance with a girl but a true secret alliance with a "jock" whom he'll use as a mule. He has big plans, solid ones. If he follows through, his chances are pretty good.

Hayden Voss (that rhymes with Moss) -21
He's a pedicab driver who reminds me of a cross between Casey Turner (Banana Man) and Frank Eudy. Yes, I know. Weird combo. He's yet another recruit and yeah, Kassting needs to fulfill the list of cast stereotypes that usually backfire in their faces. He's been doing his research on BB meaning he didn't watch before. He's looking forward to competitions and will go for it. He seems like a happy-go-lucky guy who will play honestly as long as he can (5 minutes) and then get cutthroat. He hopes that someone comes to him for an alliance or ally with other friendly people.

Jocasta Odom - 33
She's a minister and mother of 2 little boys. She submitted a video to BB for the first time this year. She's a big fan who's been watching the show for years. Let's pray that she doesn't go in there heavenly guns blazing, because that does not go over well with the housemates or most of the fans. She wants to form a woman's alliance knowing that they can be catty but she wants to overcome this. Preach!

Joey Van Pelt - 27
Hello blue hair. Will you be getting along with pink hair? She's a make-up artist who was recruited and has zero experience with reality TV or BB. She doesn't even have a TV. WTF? Okay. I guess they don't have enough auditions... She too wants an all-ladies alliance because she gets along well with women. As a fan of irony, what are the chances that she, Amber and Jocasta will butt heads immediately?

Nicole Franzel - 21
She's a recent nursing graduate who describes herself as flirty and nerdy. As a self-proclaimed superfan of BB, she auditioned. She too wants to have a secret alliance with a strong male (hmm, who could that be?) and be a part of a larger alliance. She's planning on winning as many competitions as she can. She better have an alliance or she will be out the door.

Paola Shae - 27
She a DJ whose strategy is not to be herself too much "haha". Well that doesn't bode well... She claims she's very special and one of a kind. Okay, now I get it. She's another recruit who sort of watches the show, but is on it to further her career. She gets my vote for the most obnoxious at first impression. She'll no doubt butt heads with others. She will go after the ones she considers most annoying. Can she nominate herself? She's another one who wants an all-girl alliance which probably means that alliance is doomed.

Victoria Rafaeli - 22
She's a photographer and a huge BB fan who's been recruited. She's another fan of the competitions. I expect LONG endurance competitions, people! You best not disappoint! She plans on being both a manipulator and a "coaster" by making an unlikely alliance. She talks the talk, will she walk the walk? That remains to be seen. If she follows through, she might go far as well.

Zach Rance - 23
He's a recent Economics graduate who went to a casting call without being a huge BB fan. He says he's not looking forward to anything in the house except bringing home the money. Can the first evicted do that? He's making me want to pre-evict him just from the interview. When he says that he will make every person in the house feel like he/she is his best friend, I cringe. He reminds me of Andy Herren which is not a good thing. And as I read his bio, that's who he admires. Someone has to.




Okay so let's recap. According to the interviews, there will be a massive girls' alliance. The competitions will either be to the death because they all say they're competitors or very quick because everyone will throw them. There are a lot of "personalities" so may the best one win. Whoever is perceived as a "jock" will have it made because a lot want to be in a secret alliance with him. It will only be a matter of time that all those secret alliances implode. The rest is routine. A showmance. A couple of bromances. The cattiness will doom some alliances. The Alpha maleness will overcome the chill tudes that they are sporting in their interviews.

I say bring it on! It cannot be worse than BB15. Although I am fond of Helen, Howard, Candice, Jessie and Elisa, the rest of that cast made me never want to watch BB again, let alone get the feeds and blog. But this cast promises a fresh start. I probably won't like all of them (Who am I kidding? I won't) but it feels like I can handle this cast. Of course, talk to me when the show and feeds start.

What am I saying? I'll be blogging. Like I wouldn't. lol

Stay tuned! :)

p.s. I don't CARE that Frankie Grande is Ariana Grande's brother. I'll judge him on his time/game play in the house not who he's related to.

Images courtesy of CBS.com ©

Bring Sexy Back!

Yup! It's me! I decided to blog BBCA 2 deep from the tundra that I and the HGs are living in. I've had a chance to read up and watch the new BBCA houseguests and here are my first impressions.

 Adel Elseri or as John Travolta would call him Idina Menzell or as he calls himself "The People's Champ". I have a feeling he will be more chump than champ and the others will be chomping at the bit to oust him. He's going to go with the boys unless they hate him, then he will go with the girls. I say he will go early.

Right away, I take a liking to Arlie Shaban or Shazam as I will probably call him. He's a die-hard fan with a laid-back vibe. But he's planning on backstabbing, showmancing and lying his way through the game. His word is 'adapt and if he does succeed in adapting he might Shazam his way to the end.

Neda Kalantra is planning on playing a social game by antagonizing everyone with her bluntness and laughing in their face. Yup, Drama Queen. She might fall victim to a showmance with "the people's champ" but she'll have to smother him in disinfectant once her OCD kicks in. She will be joy to live with but I'm sure the drama she will cause will amuse the feedsters. She has a 50/50 chance of making it to the end.

Paul Jackson, the daddy of the cast, doesn't like fake people or whiners. Don't look up Paul, cause Neda is both. That should make for fun interactions. He's got a nice solid vibe; if he can maintain his cool, his chances are good.

Heather Decksheimer's voice immediately gets on my nerves. I have to take a break after 6 seconds of her video. She's like Jordan Lloyd on Red Bull. Nope, not for me. Her bubbly "super fun" nails-on-chalkboard personality is not my thang. She will immediately latch on to some male and ride his coat-tails.

Andrew Gordon, the Canadian edition, says he can read people but doesn't like opinionated people like himself. In other words he's the only one that should have an opinion. He likes to be the center of attention. What better place for that than in the eviction chair huh?

Anick Gervais is going to try to lay low, "if that's possible" by "bartering body massages" for safety. Ask JoJo Spatafora how well the bartering system works in the BB house. She's a "spiritual 5 year old" which probably means a lot of esoteric temper tantrums.... Oy! I'm sensing a trend here folks. The women are super annoying so far.

Kenny Brain (seriously? BRAIN?) is a male model (for beards?) He's into Cougars and I'm into the nearest paper bag. Is he going to endearingly quirky or acutely creepy? He's not going to "divulge his sexuality", planning on using it later down the road. WTF does that mean? He seems shrewd and if he can dial down the odd, he might have a good chance of making it.

Ika Wong. Well this pose says it all doesn't it?  She's a mom and most identifies with Danielle Reyes. She doesn't like conservative, type A personalities, meaning she is one, meaning there will be conflict, especially since she doesn't "back down" and "it comes naturally to just insult people". Oh boy! Gotta love drama! If she can keep her mouth in check (LMAO), she will probably barrel through the competition or get flattened like the Coyote with his own inventions.

Jon Pardy is a self-proclaimed goofball who won't back down. His sense of humor and unpretentious manner will probably take him a long way as long as he forgets about his scrappiness and doesn't jump into the inevitable fray. On first impression, he's a pretty likable guy which probably means nothing, because we all know the BB house chemically changes people.

First words out of Sarah Miller's mouth is that she doesn't "get along with bitches or bullies"" (emphasis on the bitches). Oh, boy! She doesn't like when people are purposely mean or cruel, so she should get along perfectly with Ika and Neda. I think we're in for some fireworks this season of BBCA... If she can just ignore the drama, she might have a chance, but who am I kidding?

Sabrina Abbate is planning on getting to the guys through their stomach, the girls through their vanity and generally through cleaning the house.She's planning on laying low in the competitions until jury time and then go for HoHs. So if her social game pans out and she does have competition chops, this is the one to look out for!

Kyle Shore or Canada's Lane is down to earth and doesn't seem to take any shit. He's probably going to hang with the boys, flex his muscles and probably rope in a filly or two. Hopefully, he won't emulate the shower escapades...  If he doesn't get into a solid alliance, he will be one of the first to go simply because his massive physique might intimidate the less physical.

Rachelle Diamond hates girls with squeaky voices *coughHeathercough* and is planning on toning down her loud, talkative personality. Yeah right! Another person who can be very confrontational and seems quite competitive. I don't get a clear read on her yet, but so far, I'm not too hopeful...



Well, here we have it. A house full of cray cray. Happy season 2 everyone! :)

Stay tuned! :)

So, it has begun

Two more days until the Premiere airs. Two more days of speculation about who is what and what they will do. The hard core fans are like bookies at the biggest race of the summer: laying down bets, deconstructing the breed and lineage of each house guest, haggling over who has the best chances. And the horses, I mean, the house guests aren't even out of the gate.

A slew of investigators have trolled the Internet to find pictures, videos, blogs, manifestos, resumes, tweets, profiles, recipes, pins, tumbls, flcks, whatever, swarming through every bit of information to toss the kerosene into the obsessive drama that inevitably accompanies every season of Big Brother. Family, friends, neighbours, frenemies, haters, grocers, where the HGs get their avocados or tequila, have flooded the social media for their 15 minutes of fame, either promoting or trying to tear down the HGs.

And what makes it worse? This whole MVP twist which, like many previous twists, will serve to further production's agenda. People are frantically voting, tweeting their favorites, bashing the ones who are threatening their favorite, debating, arguing, scoffing, whipping themselves up into a frenzy. And why? Do we even know what this twist is? What the hell are we voting for? Production and CBS know exactly what buttons to push. They know BB fans are starved worse than those on a fad diet or imprisoned in the cargo of a pirate ship. We will DO ANYTHING for BB!

I'm excited for another season. I'm super stoked that it's all newbies! I start the season like any other with hope that there will be some crazy power struggles, big game moves, fierce competitions, fight-to-the-death Endurance comps and alliances worth rooting for. Yet, my excitement is not as it has been in other years. Why? Because of politics, ego, greed and did I mention bullshit politics? I am forbidden from buying the feeds because I live an invisible line away from the power seat of CBS.

It will make blogging the feeds, um challenging. I will have to rely on the awesome sites mentioned in the right side bar which I will update ASAP.

Until then,

Stay Tuned! :)

p.s. Go Arkansaw :-p Jim

I'm Back B*tches!

Okay, I have caved to peer pressure and I'm back for yet another, no doubt crazy, season of Big Brother.

The hamsters are safely squirreled away (wow, a double metaphor already) in sequester. The fans are chomping at the bit. The rumours are flying and the early reports about the HGs are splattered all over the Internet. I'm going to be a purist and just make my judgments based on these interviews.

This season is supposedly the 'no floater" season which is a long time coming. It will be interesting how production will pull that off. I would love to see them throw down some old-school punishment for those who try to sleep their way to the end (and I don't mean in a sexual way). Here are the complete interviews from We Love Big Brother.

Let me break this down for you: After each blurb I will be giving them a  C score of 0 to 5 of their chances of making it in this game. (0 being the lowest and 5 the highest) and an S (for Shenanigans) score of 0 to 5 for their ability to cause mayhem in the house.

1) Elissa Slater aka Rachel 3.0 is the familiar face that managed to pull off the miracle of being in Greece and in the BB15 house at the same time. *eyeroll* She has a lot in common with Rachel, making it next to impossible for her to keep this relation a secret.  She will fess up if asked directly. She says that she won't be emulating BB12 Rachel's persona and mistakes. We will see. I think the cards are stacked against her in the game and with the "fans". Rachel was a polarizing personality, making it very hard for Elissa to shake it off. C-2 S-2

2) Nick Uhas is this season's Shane Meaney. He seems like a happy-go-lucky guy who might get steam rolled into an Alpha male alliance or a showmance. He's a Yale graduate who lives in Manhattan. "I'm a mega sucker for girls". Yikes, showmance it is even though he says he will avoid it. (Famous last words). He likes girls with red hair, green eyes, petite who are nerdy. That's pretty damn specific for someone not planning a showmance! C-4 S-4

3) Andy Herren says he watches the show religiously but is not a super fan who hasn't watched the feeds. He compares himself most to Ragan Fox because he teaches and he's gay. In the game, he most wants to emulate Danielle Reyes. He wants to stir the pot but not in an obvious way and create down low alliances but befriend anyone. This might make him a big target right off the bat. C-4 S-5

4) Amanda Zuckerman is LOUD! She wants to make others think she's a floater even though she's a competitor. There is no way this chick will take a back seat in the house. Chances are she will be one of the first nominated. She's not a girl's girl. That ain't good. "If you don't like me, I don't care. If you like me, we're best friends." Yup. First nominated and possibly evicted. C-4 S-5

5) David Girton is a cross between Hayden Moss and Braden Bacha from BB11. If he's lucky enough to get into a solid alliance, he will stick around; otherwise, he will be one of the first on the block. He talks a lot about women and showmances. We all know that always bodes well for the game... C-0 S-1

6) Candice Stewart is a pediatric speech therapist from Houston and a pageant girl. She has elements of Monet Stunson's looks, Danielle Reyes' savvy and Jordan Llyod's charm.  This might very well be a winning combination. I would be surprised if she doesn't go far. And as I'm typing this, she says she identifies with Jordan. Damn, I'm good! haha C-3 S-4

7) Gina Marie Zimmerman is Italian (with not an Italian name) from Staten Island and a pageant coordinator. She's going to be popular with the guys in the out of the house. She seems to have a good balance of chill and ballistic. She has already stated that she will get HoH. C-2 S-5




Early prediction: The women this season will either annihilate the men and take control of the house (I wish) or kill each other (more likely).

8) Helen Kim is a very confident campaign consultant and mother of 2 boys from Chicago. She says she doesn't want to come off strong which will be difficult because she is very eloquent and polished. She is my early favorite. If she can maintain this open poise, she will probably go far in the game. C-5 S-5

9) Jessie Kowalski who is an unemployed U.T. graduate with acting aspirations from San Antonio. She is super bubbly and girly but seems down to earth. She is a super fan who has been compared to Britney but "not as catty". And not as funny. C-3 S-4

10)Jeremy McGuire is a part-Cherokee Houstonite who is "a captain of [his] own ship". He is planning on a showmance with a smooth smarminess that is immediately off putting. He states that it is almost impossible to win the game without a girl. (Watch for a Dr. Will copy cat.) He's a self-proclaimed "all-around package" who is "agile like a gazelle". He will either be the leader of the Alpha Male pack or he will be one of the first on the block. I don't think he will be getting a lot of MVP votes. C-4 S-5

11)Howard Overby comes in with his smooth bass voice from Mississippi. He oozes southern charm when he states that he's an unemployed youth worker. Although his physique screams Alpha male, he has a laid back confidence that will charm the others without trying. "I will surprise you... I will be the first African American to win." Git 'er done, Howard. C- 4 S- 5

12)Judd Daughtery from Tennessee reminds me immediately of a combination of Howie Gordon, Frank Eudy and Zane Knight from Survivor: Philippines. He compares himself as a mixture of Russell Kairouz and Dan Gheesling. I don't see it. Sorry. C-2 S -3

13)Kaitlin Barnaby is a bartender from Minnesota who just broke up with her boyfriend. She's open to a strategic showmance. She proceeds to talk about liking edgy and intelligent men. Sorry Kaitlin. Nothing like that in the house. She never heard about BB (gasp!) until she was recruited (ugh!) by a casting agent at her bar. She seems very personable and laid back. Her strategy is to be flexible.... We'll see. C- 3 S-5

14) Aaryn Gries is a Texan pageant girl who is now a Psychology Major. She has Cassi Colvin and Kara Monaco vibe to her. She hates mean girls and cocky guys, most identifying with Frank Eudy. (That's an interesting connection.) C-3 S-3

15)Spencer Clawson is railroad conductor from Arkansas (I still heard ArkansaW, Jim Early!) who is extremely laid-back  and confident. He compares himself to Enzo Palumbo (I don't see it.) and becomes irked when he is compared to Adam Poch (Don't be dissing the Baconmeister!)  He wants to be the girls' friend which is a non-threatening strategy that often works.  C-4 S-4

16) McCrae Olson is delivery pizza boy from Minnesota who is a fun-loving super fan. He has a vibe that's a cross between geek and rocker. He won't be on anyone's radar which gives him a big chance of making it far in the house.
C-5 S-2



Fandom is being brought in with voting for a weekly MVP. What that means and how it will impact the game is yet to be seen. The campaigning has begun in forums, groups and sites.  I can tell you right now, it's not going to be pretty.

My overall impression of this cast is a positive one but they have yet to go into the house. We all know that stepping through those doors chemically changes people and continues to do so as the days, all 100 them go by!

That's it for now! Stay tuned!