Big Brother Craze

This morning over at MySpace, Evel Dick is feeling sassy and has a whole bunch of little tidbits about Big Brother 10, HouseCalls, and even the now expected dig at Erik and Jessica. So what’s he up too?

Everyone loved his video blogs for RealPlayer last year, so we can expect more of the same on a bigger scale. (Ok, everyone except you. And maybe you. And you over there in the corner too, but we’ve been ignoring you for a long time and stop sucking your thumb already. And you over there too. LOTS of people, then - not everyone. Happy? *grin*) ANYWAY. This year while the feeds are down for the live broadcasts on Wednesdays, we’ll have something to watch instead of the screen saver and endless loop of the theme song.

Evel Dick will be broadcasting a “loosely put together show of sorts” live from the Cat Club on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. He’ll have guests, friends, random people - not just past houseguests. He says that some of the guests we’ll recognize, want to have, or want to punch. He’s going to be interviewing big fans of the show that have some type of celeb status or another.

If you don’t have the feeds, and are wondering if this is worth checking into them for, you’ll get to see the first two shows for free, available to everyone. If you like the “trainwreck in the making [he's] calling a show”, it’ll start July 16th.

The deal with Showtime for a Dick at Night show before/after Afterdark fell through due to things out of his control, but we will get more of Dick on Housecalls on Thursdays! This year Housecalls is on at Noon PST, and Evel Dick will be co-hosting with Gretchen on Thursdays where he promises he will get to speak to evicted houseguests. Of course, we’ve heard that last part before, so we’ll see what happens.

Also co-hosting Housecalls this year? Sheila from BB9 (Know that!) will be joining Gretchen on Wednesdays. Not sure who has returned for the other days just yet, but I’ll be sure to let you know as soon as I know.

One last tidbit from Evel Dick - the live eviction audiences will not include past houseguets. They want them to be different then the finale, where all past houseguests are welcomed and invited. So it’ll be all fans, all the time, watching our beloved Chenbot oust a houseguest every week!

TWO MORE WEEKS!

I think the best part of the season, of any Big Brother season, is the two weeks or so before the premiere. We’re all so giddy with anticipation that THIS season will be the BEST season. It’s that tingly feeling we get way deep inside that’s full of hope. We’re roaming the net, hoping for someone, anyone in the know to tell us what they know - even if it’s just so that we can begin the endless debate.

So what do we know? Here’s the compilation of all the rumors I’ve heard bantered around. Keep in mind that they are rumors, and we won’t know anything for sure until it happens, but some of the sources seem to be pretty reliable. However, if they turn out to be completely wrong, don’t shoot the messenger, eh?

1. 13 houseguests - source, the commercial. Could BB be lying to us? Absolutely.

2. Season Premiere July 13th - source, CBS.

3. Network broadcasts will follow BB9 structure, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday nights.

4. There will be a live audience for the live eviction shows on Wednesday nights, and our beloved Chenbot will host, as always.

5. As I reported before, a gentleman who said that he made it to the top 35 posted at jokers was given his ‘regrets’ call to say he didn’t make it, so we can assume that all the houseguests have been contacted and are en route to CA and sequester if they are not there already (We’ve also heard that they are there already… and It’s also been reported that one finalist has quit already, and another flown in to take their place.)

6. Each room is decorated as if it came from a different ere/decade - 60s, 70s, 80s. I mentioned that before as well, as it came from Crazy James. That fits with the speculation that…

7. We’ll have a wider array of ages then we’re used too - 20s, 30s 40s and even one guy in his 60s. (How cool would it be if it were 3 - 20 somethings, 3 - 30 somethings, 3 - 40 somethings, 3 - 50 somethings and that one 60s fellow being our number 13?)

8. Because of the odd number of houseguests, 13, there’s speculation that we’ll have other houseguests entering the house throughout the season - complete rumor, I’ve heard nothing to substantiate it.

9. None of the houseguests are from previous seasons, and I’ve heard it said a couple of places that none of them know each other, either. But we’ve heard that last part before, huh?

10. The Twist - it’s been held EXTREMELY close, and even the one fellow who posted anonymously over with my BB-blogging BFF, Carolyn at BBDish, even he would only toss out a tidbit for us to gnaw on. He said:

Alli Grodner was quoted on BB9 finale night as saying “you will love it” regarding the twist of BB10. I know that I can’t speak for all of you, but as a die-hard Big Brother fan, I can say with complete honesty that she was telling the truth. This twist has been held very close to the vest and as a result it’s too risky to leak it all (I know, I’m sorry!) but I can tell you this much: it twist involves mirrors and a “disappearing room.”

HOW cool does that sound? A disappearing room? Here’s hoping it’s something fantastically cool. This same person also said that the houseguests were already in sequester as of the past weekend, though he had heard no reason for it being so early. He assumes it is so more detailed promos can be filmed and ready to air.

11. Together again - just as I said to begin with, it means nothing other then Summer + Big Brother = Together again.

12. The houseguests are all “Opposites”. The Joker’s dude who got to top 35 said that each houseguest will have an opposite in the house as well. It will be some hot-button issue, like religion, hunters vs. PETA, politics, vegetarians, etc. This falls into line with the rumors during casting that members of PETA were being recruited.

And lucky number 13 (yes, I totally did that on purpose. *L*). We know that no matter what, how good or how bad it gets, that I’ll be here watching and reporting it all here at Big Brother Craze - and that’s one rumor that I can 100% confirm!

That’s right, someone at Jokers has the inside scoop, as he made it all the way to the top 35 this year! He’s pretty disappointed to have gotten the ‘regrets’ phone call, but that didn’t stop him from getting us some good info from him!

The poster, DaCoach7, says that the timeline he’d been given would see the houseguests heading off to sequester early next week, where they’ll spend 4-5 days doing photoshoots, etc. That’s about the time we’ll get to see the inside of the house, and then the houseguests identities will be released the week before the premiere. Seems it’s going to be a show of opposite opinions – DaCoach7 is a hunter, and figured he would be pit against a PETA member – there were other rumors spread earlier in casting that BB was looking for a PETA member, so that falls into line with what we’ve already heard. Other possible categories were politics, religion, vegetarians and such.

He also confirms a wide range of finalists – women in their 40s-50s, and even a man in his 60s. He heard no talk of BB11, so no clue if we’ll do another winter edition next year. He couldn’t pinpoint a certain twist – just that there were a lot of polarized personalities. He also said there would be no relatives at all.

Now this could all be utter and complete bunk, but he does seem pretty well bummed that he wasn’t chosen, and some of the things he said definitely fit in with the other rumors. Here’s hoping to a nice, well rounded, controversial, argumentative cast! Less with the booty calls, and more with the conversations!

What do you think? Is this guy for real? Who’s counting the days with me?! 17 more!

Can you believe it? There’s less then three weeks before we once again sacrifice our lives in order to watch the lives of others as they’re reduced to the isolation and craziness of the Big Brother house! I know it seems just like yesterday that Big Brother 9 ended, but I don’t know a single fan who’s not got high hopes for this Summer Season, and once again is letting the hope build that this will be a season to outdo all others…

The rumor mills have been working overtime, but there hasn’t been much of anything new until recently. We won’t see the house until after the first of July at the earliest, but during a recent interview, James revealed that he does know a bit about it. He teased us with some of the info, but did confirm that the three rooms will have a “generation theme” - 60s, 70s, 80s. This goes along with Evel Dick, and Grodner’s comments that there will be a bigger age spread among the houseguests too, so we may see houseguests in their 40s, 30s, and of course the ever present 20-something beauty queens.

Here’s an excerpt from the interview with James:

There’s also the live eviction audience, and speculation that there because there are only 13 houseguests, that there will be intruders or other houseguests joining later. That’s all speculation, of course, and we won’t hear anything about those types of twists until the houseguests are in Sequester before entering the house. I’ll be on the lookout for the first house photos, and houseguest information though, as we gear up toward another 3 months without sleep!

Who needs sleep, anyway?

This? is funny stuff! My son and all his friends are now contemplating a war of their own. James Rhine from Big Brother 6 and Allstars is in there - I had to watch it a second time to be sure which one he is - there’s lots of action, and in his own words:

This was a fun little project that I got to do recently. I was a little disappointed that you can’t see me that often especially since I don’t die till the end by Nerf gernade… but it was one of the funnest days of filming ever.

I’m pretty sure I’ve picked him out - can you?

The Great Office War

And, since my kids and their friends are jonsin’ to make a Nerf War video of their own… I just have to make sure they let ME play too!

ETA - I got an email from James Rhine yesterday (HI JAMES!) and he mentioned that he was also featured in the latest video from the Pussycat Dolls! You can see the video on his MySpace page!

TWOOOOOOOOOO BIIIIIIITS! (Pweeeeeeese, Eddie! Yes, I watched Roger Rabbit way to often when my kids were younger - why do you ask?)

All during Housecalls for season 9, and well, ever since his own season, Bunky took a lot of ribbing about his back hair. He took it in stride and joked about it as well, ever being the cute little wooly mammoth that he is. At one point during the season, Evel Dick started telling him that he’d take bits for someone to shave said back hair and rid poor Bunky of his own personal sweater.

Evel Dick apparently didn’t have enough pull. But you know who did? The Banker and Howie Mandell! That’s right, our very own Bunky was on last nights Deal or No Deal, with clippers and $100 in hand, as a contestant was asked to ’show her skill’ at her job. Check out the clip!

Original Video- More videos at TinyPic

Howie looks MORTIFIED - he is well known as a germaphobe and that kind of manscaping pushed him to his limit, I suppose. I just sat here and giggled, myself, as the contestant did exactly what Bunky asked for - just a little off the top. A back Mullet. Who’da thunk it? Nice to see the previous houseguests getting airtime, though, isn’t it? James Rhine was recently in a music video by the Pussycat Dolls, and Kaysar has a new commercial out that’s pretty funny - see?

All of which just makes us want July 13th to come all the faster, right? Right! BRING ON THE NEW HOUSEGUESTS!

That’s right, according to Audiences Unlimited, Inc. This season, Big Brother 10, will bump up the live factor for eviction nights by including live audiences! The first eviction is slated as Wednesday, July 16th, just three days after the premiere on Sunday, July 13th. The current dates available are:

July 16, 23, 30 and August 6, 13, 20. With 13 houseguests, that would bring us down to 7 remaining houseguests, leading some to speculate that the jury would start then, and there would be no more live audiences because they’d be going into sequester. Or, they just might not have dates posted yet - who knows?

Here’s the complete information:

Big Brother follows a group of strangers living together in a house outfitted with dozens of cameras and microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One by one, the HouseGuests will vote each other out of the house until at the end of three months, the last remaining HouseGuest will win the grand prize.

You are invited to be part of the studio audience for the LIVE weekly ‘elimination’ show where one HouseGuest gets voted out.

AUDIENCE INFORMATION: The studio audience at this show may appear on camera and appropriate dress is required. Business/Casual - no shorts, tshirts, ballcaps, etc. and please do not wear any clothing with large words, photographs or logos that may show up on camera. This is a LIVE show and ticketholders should plan on checking in at CBS no less than 90 minutes prior to show time. Guests will be asked to sign a ‘waiver’ prior to admission giving the production company permission to use your likeness on camera and also acknowledging that you are aware of and agree to comply with the specific rules and regulations of this show.

CBS STUDIO CENTER
4024 RADFORD AVE., STUDIO CITY, CA

Click here to get yours - and be sure to let us know if you go, and give us a full report here at Big Brother Craze! I promise not to be TOO jealous… (ok, maybe promise is a strong word…)

That’s right, boys and girls! According to the most recent commercial, we’re going to have an odd number of houseguests - 13. What could that mean? Some are already theorizing that there might be another twin twist with that number, or other houseguests coming in at some point in the season, or just it’s odd because it’s Allison Grodner. Who knows for sure? We’ve less then a month to find out though!

I’ll add the commercial as soon as it’s youtubed (it’s above!) - but in the meantime, could some of the following auditions be one of our houseguests? Time to see what kind of pain the casting directors have to go through to get us our ‘perfect mix’ cast!

All train wrecks are after the cut!

(more…)

Seems the 451press server was having a few extra hiccups this weekend and we were down for the duration. We’re back now, and hopefully they’re getting this issue taken care of before the season starts up and we really start hopping!

In the meantime - here’s some things that belong together!

27 more days to catch up on your sleep and get the snack cupboard filled with the necessary munchies before the fun begins again!

…remember that promo open call Saturday? I received an email from a reader who attended the open call - and I guess Evel Dick is losing his appeal… as of the time Fran showed up - she was the only one there! Here’s what she had to say about her experience:

Hi Lessa! Ok, well i went. this is what happened: I arrive around 1:30pm. there’s no one there but staff and a lighting and camera crew. No Evel Dick, no crowd. I’m literally the only fan there - lol.

So, basically I just show up to see if I can meet Dick. Figure it’ll be a zoo and probably just get a look at him. Didn’t really expect to be interviewed. They whisk me right back to the taping area and sit me on the directors chair in front of the lights and camera, and I’m pretty surprised and just thinking- now what…

So one person sits me down, another is powdering my face and fixing my flyaways, then a third starts interviewing me all about why i watch the show, who do i like best, favorite moments, who I disliked, what advice would I give to upcoming houseguests, etc. etc. They were so excited to have someone to interview, they were acting like I was the Queen of Sheba or something.

It was all very surreal. There was all this extra security on duty as a big crowd was expected, so everyone was just as baffled as I. It took about 15 minutes and then I left. …no one was waiting to go next.

Well, thanks for the info! We’ll see if I show up in a promo - I’m the brunette in her forties wearing the white, cap-sleeved, scoopneck blouse!

So, whatcha think!? Also, pls. let me know if you notice they start airing?

Well! At least you were treated like the royalty you are, Fran! I’ll keep an eye out for the promos to start airing, and let you know as soon as I see one! Sounds like you’ve a great shot of being the main gal, hm? Sucks that Evel Dick was a no-show, or had left already by the time you arrived. I totally would have gone with ya, if I could have!

Anyone else give that open call a try?

We all have our reasons, and now some of you can take advantage and tell the whole nation why you love the conniving, lying, backstabbing, strategizing, game play of Big Brother! With just over a month to go before the beginning of Season Ten - CBS has released a casting call for folks interested in the nationwide promo. I doubt there’s any money in it - but there IS a chance to meet and greet with the one and only Evel Dick!

Here are the official details:
You can be on National Television as part of the promotional campaign for the CBS Summer hit Big Brother. Get a chance to meet the one and only Evel Dick, Winner of Big Brother 8!

Date - Sunday, June 8th
Location - CBS Television City, 7800 Beverly BLVD. Los Angeles, CA 90036, Stage 36
Time - 12 Noon to 3pm
Parking - Enter through main gate on Beverly Blvd. Park as directed by Security
Participation - You must be 18 or older to participate. All participants will be required to sign a release form. You must have Photo ID.

Man, why can’t they have this kind of stuff while I’m visiting my friends in LA? Sheesh. If you make it out there and get in, though, be sure and let us know! We’ll be on the lookout for all of the promos that are sure to hit the air any day… right? Not that we’re addicted and eagerly awaiting it or anything. Really. Quit looking at me like that….

Of course, if you don’t make the cut, you can always go to Reality TV School and hope for better luck next time…

Here we go - Chelsia was nice enough to answer some questions for us here at Big Brother Craze recently - enjoy!

BBC: Let’s start at the beginning! How many times have you tried out for Big Brother? What did the casting process involve for you? And, of course, what advice would you give those currently trying out for the summer season, BB10?

Chelsia:I tried out for big brother 8 because I had a rival that wanted to make the show. Before that I really didn’t know anything about big brother, and I didn’t watch reality TV. Some advice I would give is… BE YOURSELF! Don’t give them what you think they want, just be
yourself.

BBC:How much of a fan of Big Brother were you prior to auditioning? How much of the previous seasons did you watch/re-watch to help prepare you before entering the house?

Chelsia:I only watched BB8

BBC:How was your reception when you got home - friends, family, work, fans? Have you been able to catch up on the show since leaving?

Chelsia:When I got back to Iowa I was very overwhelmed. This whole experience has been so surreal. My friends and family were all very proud of me and happy that I made it home. I have not watched the season, life has been hectic I’m sure I eventually will but it’s not on the top of my list.

BBC:Many previous houseguests feel like they’re not accurately portrayed by CBS on the network shows - there’s many a discussion about getting a ‘good edit’ vs. a ‘bad edit’. How do you feel you were portrayed on the show? And naturally - do you think they’re portraying the other houseguests fairly?

Chelsia:I know that I was portrayed as a bitch; I’m ok with that because it was just a game. In real life I am not heartless, and I do not judge people.

BBC:Could you describe each of the houseguests for us - both as you knew them in the house, and any changing opinions since your eviction as you watch the show and hear of the house happenings? Many interviewers say ‘in one word’ but clearly I’m as verbose as they come, so go as in depth as you like for each of them.

Chelsia:I’m not gonna sit here and bash these people, the game is over. I think everyone knows how I feel about my houseguests. I can say that outside of the house it is very different. I went out with Sheila one night and had a blast with her. I am still very close with Joshy, and I am still talking to James. Jen has been very nice to me after the game, she understands that it is… just a game. Alex is another person that has been very nice after the game.

BBC:What was your strategy going into the game?

Chelsia:Any strategy I had went out the door when we got paired up into couples.

(more…)