The Official "Big Brother 12" Discussion Thread!

[Salemite]

'Big Brother 12's' Lane wants to 'align with the guy with the brains'

Lane Elenburg, a 24-year-old oil rig salesman from Decatur, TX, is one of the new hamsters on "Big Brother 12." He tells Zap2it about his strategy and how he'll probably clash with another Alpha Male.

When asked why he wanted to do the show, Lane laughs, "Who doesn't want to go on 'Big Brother?' There are tons of people who would love to be in my position right now."

We like that attitude. He also says "Big Brother" is like his life. "I lie to people all the time ... I compete every day of my life." We aren't sure if he's kidding or not, but either way -- cheers.

Lane says his favorite player was Dan from "Big Brother 11" because Dan "had the brains." And Russell and Jessie were his least favorites, due to temper and arrogance.

And what about a strategy going into the house? "Well, your strategy changes once you get in there. For right now, all I can do is go in there and try to make friends with everyone. I do that anyways, I like talking to people and having a good relationship with people."

He feels like he'll clash with another Alpha Male or "meathead," and that for an alliance, he's going to look for "the guy with the brains." Lane says, "If you have the brains, I'll do your dirty work all you want."

Click here to watch the video interview.

 

[PATMAN]

I'm so sad that I can't watch those. Freakin' international copyrights: Get to it, CBS!

lol..... ditto here!!!!

 

[Salemite]

 

[TaggedGalaxy]

I can't wait, they should really start the feeds when they move in.

 

[Hello-Good-Bi]

I can't wait for this season to start! Can anyone tell me if the live feeds on Superpass will work on my Mac?

Edit: It looks like they should work...I just found the system requirements on the Superpass page. $29.99 for the whole season seems like a good deal to me!

 

[Callum]

I'm still in shock that it's already been a year...time is flying uncomfortably fast.

 

[Salemite]

Here's a shot of the cast all together by the pool...

 

[Callum]

So to anyone that cares...a Big Brother 2 marathon is on! Can't get over how pale Will became though in what, season seven, was it?

 

[bostonboy20]

So to anyone that cares...a Big Brother 2 marathon is on! Can't get over how pale Will became though in what, season seven, was it?

what channel runs Big Brother Marathons?!?!?!?!

 

[Callum]

Global Reality. It's a new station that just launched in Canada that plays nothing but reality television shows 24/7. It has a Big Brother marathon on at the moment before the new season starts.

 

[Salemite]

Lydia Blogs BB12

Today is the one year anniversary that I met my Big Brother 11 family! OMG, right?! How fast the time has flown by this past year.

Another summer is upon us, and this year I won’t be playing Big Brother but watching the “New Kids” (that’s what I call the new HGs) try to lie, cheat, win, lose, cry, laugh, yell and throw each other under the bus!

I have to say, since being on Big Brother I have become a huge fan of the show.

On June 30th, America learned who the new HGs for Big Brother 12 were. I woke up at 5am west coast time to see who these “New Kids’’ were. Let’s see if they have the right stuff... hahaha.

Andrew- First let me say, I think Andrew is the Saboteur. He describes himself as sneaky. Hmmm... interesting.

Intelligent, Doctor, doesn’t seem too bothered to make friends right off the bat. Saboteur qualities?! Hmmmm…

Andrew gets huge points in my book for listing going to Toys R Us as one of his favorite activities. The whole watching ESPN all the time isn’t rad, but whatever, he’s a guy. Some interesting insight Andrew gives in his Big Brother 12 CBS bio is beauty can control him. Oh snap, Andrew! The girl’s in the house will use beauty, charm, flirtation and whatever else to blindside you.

Ekk don’t fall for it Andrew, be strong!

Annie- First off, Annie, it’s no secret weapon to be a Bi-Sexual female in the game of Big Brother!

At first sight Annie looks like Laura from BB11. Long, dark hair, skinny, sassy, but without the boobs and beautiful blue eyes Laura has, of course!

Annie’s life motto is, “When life gives you lemons, say f**k the lemons and bail.” Hahaha! Try and bail out of the Big Brother 12 house, Annie, once the yelling, backstabbing and vicious rumors about you start!

I haven’t enjoyed watching Annie’s interviews so far, 'cause she trashed past HGs, which isn’t cool. In addition Annie makes the statement that if she becomes a Jury House Member that she will not be bitter towards the people or person who sent her to Jury. Hahahaha... ya sure, I think Annie has a lot to learn this summer!

Brendon- Hello, Jeff 2.0!

Seriously, did Big Brother really look for another Jeff for America to fall in love with?!

Yes, Brendon is a hot guy who seems charming but let’s see if he is gonna be sweet, funny and humble like Jeff from BB11. I predict all the girls will love that Big Brother gave them some eye candy.

Is there anything else to really say about Brendon, ugh, no! I predict he might have a showmance.

Britney- OMG Jordan 2.0! Southern, blonde, young, cute girl. Well, the one big difference I can tell between Britney and Jordan is the attitude.

Britney has many strong opinions and ideas on what Big Brother entails. Britney comes off as a stronger female among the pack but seems like her buttons could be easily pressed. Might be fun to watch her go off on another HG.

Getting along with the gays and gossiping is something Britney claims comes naturally to her. Let’s see if her and Ragan become besties!

Enzo- Meow Meow Mafia! Hahaha!

I think Enzo has the biggest personality in the Big Brother 12 house.

I love that Enzo talks about his wife and daughter in his interviews. Holding it down for the Italian’s this year!

I think some of the females in the house might not know how to take Enzo’s personality.

Unfortunately, I foresee that Enzo could become an easy target for the HGs to gang up on .

Enzo gets the Lydia BB11 seal of approval! Hope he makes it to the end!

Hayden- More eye-candy, ladies! His name sounds like Braden, and he looks like the surfer version of Nick from BB8.

Seems like a nice guy. I’m sure the BB12 girls will enjoy looking at Hayden shirtless.

One of Hayden’s pet peeves are messy people who don’t pull their own weight. Let’s see how well Hayden deals with Monet the self proclaimed “Princess.”

Kathy- Is there a new Sheriff in town?! Hehehe!

In my opinion Kathy should not tell the other HGs that she is a Sheriff.

The men will be threatened by Kathy’s strength.

I don’t see Kathy getting along with the females in the house.

Oh Kathy, btw, stop sh*t talking the BB11 HGs...

It’s not gonna make you friend’s once you get out!

Kristen- Ugh...

This girl showed love for Braden.

Hi, Kristen, did you not hear him call Julie Chen a wh(Bleep!)?!

As far as I’m concerned Kristen has some redeeming to do.

Oh... and topless photo’s of Kristen came out quick.

Gotta love the dirt the Big Brother fans find.

Lane- Hello, Hottie from Texas!

I think Lane will be the male version of Jordan BB11.

Viewed as sweet, innocent, doesn’t know any better... and fly under the radar.

The only downfall to Lane is gonna be his size.

I can see the other HGs targeting him 'cause he’s a big guy.

I really hope Lane can be laid back and not get sucked into a showmance or drama.

Matt- Congrats on getting Married recently, but dammm, Big Brother will be harder on Matt’s wife.

I find it funny that Matt thinks he can leave his emotions at the door and not let Big Brother effect him.

I believe Matt has such a great chance of going far in the game, if he doesn’t play all his cards at once...

And let’s hope Matt doesn’t make the comment, “I run this house.” Matt’s confidence, intelligence and larger than life personality could be his undoing in the BB12 house.

I have my fingers crossed that Matt makes some drama, gives great Diary Room and makes it far this summer.

Monet- “Big Brother has too many trashy bimbos on the show- it’s time they step up their standards and put a classy girl like myself in the house.”

This chick just said that! What The FRENCH TOAST?! Monet is a “Model.” Seriously, Big Brother, did you have to cast someone who is a Princess from our worst Nightmare?

I don’t find anything likeable about this girl. She needs a huge slice of Humble Pie!

I hope Britney kicks her ass... or Monet goes out week 1, 2 or 3

Rachel- Oh, I think Big Brother found a redheaded Michele Noonan 2.0... just not as smart.

I don’t like how Rachel keeps saying in interviews, “I’m hot, with big boobs, and no one ever thinks I’m smart, but I’m a chemist... (awkward laugh)”

Really? Who call’s themselves hot?!

I know Rachel will cause drama! It will be fun to see who pushes Rachel to fly off the handle.

Oh Rachel, by the way, you will never be like Janelle from BB6 and All Stars. Janelle didn’t have to say how hot she was for people to take notice.

Ragan- The one token gay HG spot has gone to Ragan.

We all know I love my gays, and I think Ragan with his bow-ties is super cute!

Love, Love, Love!

I really think Ragan has a good grasp on people and the game aspect of Big Brother.

A lot of the other male BB12 HG have stated they want to work with “the gay guy” this season, so Ragan could use that to his advantage.


Wow! So that’s all the HG from my perspective so far. This is all based on interviews and bios I have read. I hope these girls stop trash talking past HGs and realize everything they have said prior to entering the house will go out the window once the game starts.

Some predictions for this season of BB12 are... The men will run the house... Maybe a showmance between Brendon and Britney. Rachel might have a showmance or Monet, who knows?

A Lydia BB11 wish is: I want a MAN to get the UNITARD this season!

I believe that the “Saboteur” is a man.

The BB12 house look’s like a pretty hotel. I can’t wait to see the Have Not room and see how the “New Kids,” handle it.

This summer is gonna be filled with everything we love about Big Brother! Don’t forget to go to www.poptalkwebshow.com to see Kevin and I in action!

Lots of Love, Lydia

Source: BB Dish

 

[Kensei]

Yes! A man with the unitard this season, please!

How about they throw in another walk-on roll with The Young and the Restless? More cbs hunks on soaps please.

 

[Salemite]

Yay!!! The HGs are in the house and BB12 is on!

Tonights Have or Have Not Competition is a classic! @BB12 Watch it play out starting 7/8!

http://twitter.com/agrodner22

 

[Salemite]

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Meet-Big-Brother-1020187.aspx

Meet the Big Brother 12 Houseguests

Michael Logan
Jul 6, 2010 11:46 AM ET

It's getting pretty damn hard to fluster the contestants on Big Brother, so look for a huge, sneaky twist when the CBS reality hit starts its 12th season — a twist that's intended to shake up the game and create chaos and suspicion among the players. "I don't think we've ever had so many BB superfans in the house at one time," says exec producer Allison Grodner. "They have an encyclopedic knowledge of the program and know it better than we do. To throw them off, we're going to make the game harder to play than ever before."

Here's how she'll do it: On premiere night (Thursday, July 8, 8/9c) the houseguests will be told that producers have slipped a mole into the group. America will learn the impostor's identity on July 15 during the first live episode and, through an interactive online process, fans will be able to suggest ways for the impostor to sabotage the players and disrupt the game. (Visit cbs.com/bbtwist for more information.) The longer the impostor maintains anonymity, the more money he or she will take home.

So how does the Season 12 cast stack up? TV Guide Magazine interviewed each of the players right before they went into the BB house. (Paolo Aviles, a 30-year-old out-of-work real estate agent, later got cold feet and quit the show, dropping the head count to 13.) We found no shortage of Type-A show-offs and high-maintenance personalities among this year's group, but they were virtually unanimous in their dislike of Season 11 prima donna Chima Simone, who was ejected from the show when she disobeyed Grodner's repeated requests to go to the diary room and threw her pricey body mike into the swimming pool.

But opinions were split over last year's surprise champ, sweetheart waitress Jordan Lloyd, who won the $500,000 grand prize without stabbing even one back. Many in the BB12 cast admire how Jordan reinvented the game by playing it with honesty and decency, while others find her to be naïve and clueless and feel she didn't deserve the dough because she didn't really earn it.

"There will be a lot of anti-Jordan strategy coming into the house, which may or may not be wise," notes Grodner. "As we saw, the winner isn't necessarily the one who plays the best game. It could be the one who pissed off the jury the least!"

Here's our take on the BB12 players:

Kristen Bitting

Age: 24

From: Philadelphia, PA

Occupation: Shoe Store Manager

An odd bird, to say the least. Bitting is loaded with tics and mannerisms that'll either endear her to the other houseguests or annoy the holy crap out of 'em. She's prone to overstatement and self-homage: "I have put everything — my whole entire life — on the line to go into the BB house," Bitting says. "A lot of people know me in Philadelphia and they won't know where I am. This is the biggest risk of my life. It's truth or dare time." And she never met a metaphor she couldn't mangle: "I believe in Karma," she states. "It's good to not burn the bridge too hard because you never know when it's going to come back at you."

Lane Elenburg

Age: 24

From: Decatur, TX

Occupation: Oil Rig Salesman

This big, brawny bruiser is not fooling anybody, himself included. "I'm just a meat-head jock so I need a brain to work with me in the BB house," says Elenburg. "Hopefully there'll be a doctor or lawyer or financial major I can team up with — someone who will take me almost all the way to the end before I lie and stab him in the back." Living on a ranch has left Elenburg with a crazed fear of electric fences. His best friends are his brother and sister. And he won't be helping out much in the BB kitchen. "I can put dishes away but I'm not a very good cooker," he says with a sluggy drawl. "Oh, except for 90-second microwave. That I can definitely do."

Ragan Fox

Age: 34

From: West Hollywood, CA

Occupation: Professor at Cal State Long Beach

He does not plan to admit he has a doctorate in communications. "I'm obsessed with BB and I know how to talk game," says Fox. "That and a PhD would get me bounced from the house in a second — even I would evict me!" A part-time slam poet and author of two poetry collections on gay life (2005's Heterophobia and 2009's Exile in Gayville), Fox won't fret if there's homophobia in the house. "I grew up in very conservative Cypress, Texas," he says. "I know how to navigate through that sort of thing extremely well." The day Fox found out he was a BB finalist, he spotted Season 10's flamboyant Rennie at his local grocery store. A good omen?

Andrew Gordon

Age: 39

From: Miami Beach, FL

Occupation: Podiatrist

Oy vey, what a pain! "I know I'll be the smartest one in the house and I'm a triathlete — biking, swimming, running — so watch out!" says Gordon, a divorced single dad and Orthodox Jew who has already convinced the BB producers to provide him with kosher slop. He plans to shave a few years off his age, so that he'll mix better with the younger players. "I spend my day dealing with old Jewish people and their foot problems," he says. "If I can deal with them I'll have the patience to deal with anything in the house." Well, almost anything. Gordon told us he doesn't want to share space with any Arabs. States the doc: "I would have a problem with it politically."

Britney Haynes

Age: 22

From: Huntington, AR

Occupation: Hilton Hotel Sales Manager

A junior version of Dolly Parton, this tiny, saucy, gay-friendly sexpot — this season's youngest contestant — recently got engaged to a medical technologist. "My going on BB is gonna be a nice break for him because there's nothing crazier than a newly engaged girl!" Haynes says with a country cackle. "I will make it clear to the men in the house right up front that I'm not available. You get yourself in trouble when you mix business and pleasure." And she does mean business. "When it comes to the physical competitions, I'm no powerhouse who's gonna blow everyone else away. My strength lies is my ambition. And I am here to win."

Kathy Hillis

Age: 40

From: Texarkana, AR

Occupation: Deputy Sheriff Sergeant

Angie Dickinson has nothing on this policewoman. Though the bodaciously blond Hillis — a divorcee with a 22-year-old son — is this year's oldest houseguest, she's also the dishiest. And she's got an incredible back story: A self-admitted "wild child," Hillis nearly died of ovarian cancer in 1999 and — taking that as a sign to straighten up — decided to become a cop. "I'll just tell the houseguests that I pull people over for speeding and leave out my experience in criminal profiling," she says. "I can read faces. I'm an expert at body language. Will I call people out on their lies? Absolutely not. But, trust me, I will keep it all filed away in my mind!"

Matt Hoffman

Age: 32

From: Elgin, IL

Occupation: Web Designer

A computer whiz and a certified genius — yep, he's a member of MENSA — Hoffman is also quite the wise-ass. And he knows it could get him in trouble. "I have the curse of gab and the filter between my brain and my mouth doesn't always work," says Hoffman, who intends to trim his age a bit so he can have a faux 30th birthday party in the house. This is actually his second time as a BB contestant. He was picked last year, then had to drop out when he realized the finale conflicted with his wedding day. "My wife, Stacy, will be watching on the 24-hour feed so no cuddling or massages in the BB house for me," Hoffman says. "I don't want to go home and get my balls in a sling."



Hayden Moss

Age: 24

From: Tempe, AZ

Occupation: College Student

If this dude's not the mole, he's sure as hell acting like it. A jobless, over-bronzed muscleman who hopes someday to open a snowboard shop, Moss admits he's not very B&B savvy and has only seen Season 11 — and that was handed to him on DVD by the show's producers. When we ask how he came to apply for the program, he looks nervously at his handler and says, "I don't think I'm supposed to answer that question." The handler mumbles something equally fishy about Moss being "a random applicant." Whatevs. Real or fake, win or lose, BB won't interfere much with his lifestyle. Shrugs Moss: "I'd be sitting around the pool doing nothing all summer anyway."

Enzo Palumbo

Age: 32

From: Bayonne, NJ

Occupation: Car Insurance Appraiser

Guido alert! "I'm from Joizey. I got a short personality. I don't like pencil-neck geeks. I don't like stuck-up women. I'm Italian, which means I'm Catholic, but I don't like super-religious people. I'm not here for the ha-has. I'm here to take it down!" says the loud, rapid-fire Palumbo, the kind of guy who sucks up all the oxygen in the room. If he wins, he claims he won't get a chance to even smell the money "because my wife is gonna want something Cartier." His big worry going into the BB house? "I'm managing two fantasy baseball teams right now and I'm winning. My brother will have to take over and everything he touches turns to crap."

Rachel Reilly

Age: 26

From: Las Vegas, NV

Occupation: Cocktail Waitress

This voluptuous redhead gets high rollers all liquored up at the Sin City VIP club Aria — her best tip ever was $4000! — but she's also preparing for a career in science. "Most people look at me and think I'm just a hot girl with big boobs when I'm really a chemistry grad student with big boobs!" says Reilly, who dreams of some day hosting her own nerd show on the Discovery Channel. Slop? Not a problem. "I grew up on redneck liver mush in Concord, North Carolina, home of NASCAR. I can handle it," insists Reilly, who packed very lightly for the game. "Wait until the guys in the house see me in all my little Vegas bikinis. They. Are. Going. To. Freak!"

Monet Stunson

Age: 24

From: Glen Carbon, IL

Occupation: Runway and Print Model

Another Chima? We'd bet half a million on it! The gaspingly gorgeous Stunson entered a CBS talent contest in St. Louis and — without any acting experience — won a one-day role on The Young and the Restless. She then moved to L.A. to try for more jobs, but soon fled because she was annoyed by the traffic. During our interview, she was already blasé about being picked for BB, clearly bored with the press and inexplicably pouty. Does she have meltdown potential? "You might witness a few crying fits," admits the diva. And that's not her only warning. "I highly doubt I will meet the man of my dreams in the BB house," she says. "But I will have no problem leading a guy on."

Brendon Villegas

Age: 30

From: Riverside, CA

Occupation: High School Swim Coach

He's taught so many kids that he's starting to think like one. "Going into the BB house as a contestant is like stepping into a giant board game — it's every boy's dream!" says the studly Villegas, who also has a more adult dream in the works. This fall, he will begin work on his PhD at UCLA — on full scholarship — with plans to become a biophysicist and eventually enter the field of cancer treatment. He reminds us a lot of last season's popular Jeff. Will he find his own Jordan? Says Villegas: "My one weakness in the game is that I could easily fall for a sweet, genuine, down-to-earth girl. A showmance will probably be my downfall."

Annie Whittington

Age: 27

From: Tampa, FL

Occupation: Bartender

Now she toils for tips at a steakhouse, but Whittington once had aspirations to be a star on Broadway. "My problem on BB will be that I'm over-dramatic and over-expressive and you can read everything on my face — which is why I have never attempted to play poker!" says Whittington. "If I'm going to succeed in this game, I will need to dial it down and save it all for the diary room." Whittington is in a serious relationship with another woman back home in Tampa. "But initially I will keep that to myself," she says. "Whether or not I talk about it will depend on how I feel about the other houseguests and how comfortable I am."

 

[Salemite]

I'm not expecting any showmances with this cast. Kristen/Hayden maybe, but other than that... nah. Most of the attractive people are already taken.

Anyway, I'm surprised the 14th houseguest was another guy. Were they really going to have that many more guys than girls this year? This pretty much confirms that the saboteur is a male.

Edit: Nevermind. It was Paola, not Paolo. This is a picture of her.

Is Paola an Arab name?

Enzo Palumbo

Age: 32

From: Bayonne, NJ

Occupation: Car Insurance Appraiser

Guido alert! "I'm from Joizey. I got a short personality. I don't like pencil-neck geeks. I don't like stuck-up women. I'm Italian, which means I'm Catholic, but I don't like super-religious people. I'm not here for the ha-has. I'm here to take it down!" says the loud, rapid-fire Palumbo, the kind of guy who sucks up all the oxygen in the room. If he wins, he claims he won't get a chance to even smell the money "because my wife is gonna want something Cartier." His big worry going into the BB house? "I'm managing two fantasy baseball teams right now and I'm winning. My brother will have to take over and everything he touches turns to crap."

LoL @ the last line. This guy is starting to grow on me.

Rachel Reilly

Age: 26

From: Las Vegas, NV

Occupation: Cocktail Waitress

This voluptuous redhead gets high rollers all liquored up at the Sin City VIP club Aria — her best tip ever was $4000! — but she's also preparing for a career in science. "Most people look at me and think I'm just a hot girl with big boobs when I'm really a chemistry grad student with big boobs!" says Reilly, who dreams of some day hosting her own nerd show on the Discovery Channel. Slop? Not a problem. "I grew up on redneck liver mush in Concord, North Carolina, home of NASCAR. I can handle it," insists Reilly, who packed very lightly for the game. "Wait until the guys in the house see me in all my little Vegas bikinis. They. Are. Going. To. Freak!"

The show hasn't even started yet and this girl crawls under my skin. First boot please?

Monet Stunson

Age: 24

From: Glen Carbon, IL

Occupation: Runway and Print Model

Another Chima? We'd bet half a million on it! The gaspingly gorgeous Stunson entered a CBS talent contest in St. Louis and — without any acting experience — won a one-day role on The Young and the Restless. She then moved to L.A. to try for more jobs, but soon fled because she was annoyed by the traffic. During our interview, she was already blase about being picked for BB, clearly bored with the press and inexplicably pouty. Does she have meltdown potential? "You might witness a few crying fits," admits the diva. And that's not her only warning. "I highly doubt I will meet the man of my dreams in the BB house," she says. "But I will have no problem leading a guy on."

I love how entitled she is. I can just imagine her in all the pre-show interviews yawning and rolling her eyes at every question, LoL. That's what she did in her interview with Chelsia and I loved it.

She's going to get sick of the other houseguests pretty quickly. I expect a complete mental and emotional breakdown within the first two weeks.

 

[Adrock-JD]

I believe the name Paola is Italian. It means small, or humble.

 

[Salemite]

I bet after five weeks, the saboteur will be offered a chance to give up the money they've accrued to continue on for a chance at winning the game. If the saboteur takes their 50K and runs, one of the first four evictees will be brought back.

 

[Salemite]

Julie Chen was interviewed on KCTV5 last night and she revealed a few more details about the saboteur twist. Here's what she had to say...

"We have a saboteur in the house this season. One of the 13 men and women -- one of these strangers, their whole purpose of being in the house to NOT win the half million dollars. Their purpose is to wreak havoc on the other houseguests. If they can survive in the house, not get evicted and make it to the five week mark, which is halfway through the summer, they will win $50,000."

"They will decide what kind of havoc they want to wreak in the house by taking one of your suggestions. If you go to CBS.com, you can submit your ideas. The saboteur will look at the ideas and pick one to execute in the house."

"When we decided on the final cast, we looked at all the men and we looked at all the women and we said, 'Out of this group, who would be the best person to pull it off? Who is smart enough and who can keep their mouth shut?' We picked this person, and obviously the saboteur knows that they're the saboteur, but you at home won't find out until our first live eviction show on July 15th."

"The saboteur does not have a chance [at winning the $500,000 grand prize]. Well, they don't right now... let's see how it goes. We'll see if they make the $50,00 and then we'll see if they have a shot at the half million, but right now we're focusing on the five week mark."

I bet they'll let the mole choose between taking the 50K and leaving the house at week five or forfeiting the 50K and staying in the house to try and win the grand prize. If the mole leaves, a previous evictee will be brought back. That's my prediction.

 

[Salemite]

'Big Brother' Babble with Executive Producer Allison Grodner

Twenty-four hours after participating in "press day" at the "Big Brother" house, I had the unbelievable opportunity to chat with the reality show's executive producer, Allison Grodner. Needless to say, it was a total treat to talk to the woman responsible for delivering summer's most scrumptious primetime programming. After exchanging quick pleasantries, the interview (which includes insider info about this season, past seasons, and some of Allison's favorite moments) began. I hope all of you "Big Brother" fans out there enjoy it, and for those of you who've yet to become addicted to one of TV's top guilty pleasures, read on and don't forget to tune into the Season 12 premiere on Thursday at 8pm ET on CBS!

Most reality shows, even the majority of scripted primetime shows, don't survive past the pilot, let alone last for more than one season. What do you think the secret to "Big Brother's" success is?

Wow. I think a number of things have made "Big Brother" successful. One is... when it started. It's sort of the granddaddy of this kind of reality programming, and I think it has a cult following now. But the big thing is how CBS has scheduled it all these years. It's a summer event. We don't overplay it throughout the year. I think that's great for "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race," but for a show like this — that takes so much real estate on a network and such a commitment — it's really about coming back to summer camp every year. It's something to look forward to. School's out, and "Big Brother's" in. It's the primetime reality soap opera. But it's also a show that doesn't take itself too seriously. I think that's what makes it stand out from those other shows in primetime. We poke fun at ourselves. Sometimes the music's a little over the top. How can you not poke fun of yourself when you have people running around in banana suits or green unitards? It's campy fun, and I think that's what makes it a bit of a cult hit.

Do you think that's one of the reasons why, come Emmy time, "Big Brother" is continuously ignored?

Yeah. I think that people don't take us seriously. The idea that we even produce three shows a week... I think all of the sudden lessens the appeal somehow to the Emmy voters. But I also think it's because it's a bit tongue-in-cheek. It's campy fun, and it's ridiculous sometimes. And it's the soap opera, too, with all the fighting and crying. Honestly, what this closed-in atmosphere does over the summer, with this intense competition, is it sometimes brings out the worst in people. That's definitely one of the reasons why we're looked down on. We're the redheaded stepchild.

Despite the unnecessarily negative connotations associated with summer programming, do you believe that "Big Brother" was a trendsetter?

I do believe we were a trendsetter with regards to summer programming, especially event programming. I don't think there really was anything else out there. The show started in 2000; I started in 2001, and, at that time, it was all reruns. So, we became synonymous with summer, and I think that's what makes it event programming.

How has Showtime 2's "Big Brother: After Dark" changed the dynamic of the show for viewers?

I love "Big Brother: After Dark." I actually watch it myself. It's how I keep track of things when I go home. I think it really emphasizes what this is all about ... the purely voyeuristic nature of this show, that no other show has, and the live nature of this show, that no other show has. Certainly, that was apparent on the Internet, but "Big Brother: After Dark" made it accessible to so many more viewers, whose modems or Internet doesn't work that fast. [Laughs.] There's a multiplatform sort of appeal to "Big Brother" that other shows don't have. It's what makes it unique.

When you're involved with these people, you want to see everything. I think that we're seeing that more and more in general on television. When networks put their shows out there for sneak peeks on the Internet, ratings aren't ruined. These things actually help to increase ratings and awareness. It's something that I was afraid of at first — but truth is, it only helps the show.

Were you surprised to see a ratings increase last season? As a result, it got a very early pickup from CBS. That must have been incredibly encouraging.

Absolutely! The ratings increase was amazing, especially in this day and age. Are you kidding? Fabulous. We had a great season. Everyone loved Jeff and Jordan. The casting was great. There was a good ending. And we're hoping that that goodwill lends itself to the premiere this year and that we have all those people come back. We also had a lot of people become fans just last year. It's great, and we're really thrilled to have another big year.

Speaking of casting, how involved are you? A show like this must be one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, reality shows to cast.

Very involved. I'm involved from the beginning all the way through the bitter end. [Laughs.] It's all about the mix. You stir it up and throw it in the house and hope it makes for an explosive, wonderful summer. But, I'm very involved with the casting because, without that, we'd have nothing. It is all about the casting. And the truth is, it's all about the casting for any of these reality shows — but especially here because of the voyeuristic nature of the show, where there's no editing. Although I do contend that the voyeuristic nature of the show is what makes it interesting sometimes, because sometimes you'll just sit there watching someone eating a bowl of cereal, and you can't turn away. It's fascinating. It's something you never see. If you stand behind these windows and look in, it really is the human zoo. These people forget that they're being watched.

Let's talk specifically about this season.

The show will have its usual "expect the unexpected" and twists and turns. And I can give you this: I can say that this season will be one of the hardest games ever. And that's because we have to keep people on their toes. A lot of people are superfans. A lot of people scrutinize everything. And, yes, there are the old standards. Yes, slop will be back, which I know you had fun with [laughs] and the overall way that the game works. But there will be something, an element in this game, that will make it harder than ever before. And there may be some audience participation involved.

One of the reasons I love "Big Brother" is that it's about the houseguests. Yes, the audience can grant them a home gym, suggest someone be taken off slop, etc. But, do you feel pressure from the network to involve more of the audience at home, or is that up to your discretion?

Honestly, not at all. When we took over in Season 2 that was actually a big thing we took back. We took back control of the show and put it in the hands of the contestants and turned the game in on itself. It was no longer the popularity contest that that first show was. It just didn't work here. So, slowly as you've seen throughout the years, it's been a little more given back to the audience because we, of course, want to involve our viewers. We have fantastic viewers and fans on the Internet. We have such a wonderful ability with the live nature of the show and the Internet component to have the audience interact with us. And so we're always looking for ways to involve them, like we did a while back with America's Player. This year, the audience will be involved in affecting the game. I'm not saying America's Player, but something along those lines. If you're asking me if the audience will be evicting the houseguests, the answer is "No!"

When does the process of selecting a theme for the house begin?

It's an evolving process from the moment we get ideas like ... we should have done that this year and we put a pin in it and say, "Let's go back and revisit it." It's fun. It's something I really enjoy. Taking the space and doing something completely different. Last year it was very modern, minimalist. This year, we are colorful, fun, beach, Miami, pool, cabana — Copacabana! [laughs] — and it's a little whimsical. Every house has to have a little of that for me. It has to be super real, a little bit more than your average house.

By any chance, are you a "Golden Girls" fan? The first thing I thought when I walked into this season's house was, "Where's the lanai? Where's Rose?"

Are you kidding? I'd love it. Let's get Betty White in the house. Maybe we'll have her walk in because she's doing wonders for all those other shows. [Laughs.] I love "Golden Girls," but that's not the inspiration. It's summer fun, so the idea is... we've had California beach locations and that sorta thing, and we thought, "You know what? How 'bout South Beach?" The clubs and the neon and the bright colors — the palm trees and all that. It's still all about summer, but it's a different vibe.

Is there a particular season that stands out to you, or do you love all of your babies equally?

I love them all. They're all very different. For me — and I've probably repeated this many times — I loved the twist in Season 5, the twin twist. It was one of those moments that hit me. We have the only show that can do that, and it was so much fun to pull off... between that and the brother and sister who didn't know each other. Those two twists were amazing for me to see played out. But as far as seasons, Season 8 with Dick and his daughter... with one of those screenplay endings... wow! I have something I like about every season. Last year... I mean, who would have thought Jordan and Jeff? The heroes! The romance! But it was such an innocent romance that appealed to eveyone... because we've had some serious hookups on the show. We've had the stuff where you almost go, "OK, we've had enough already!" [Laughs.]

Jordan even told Jeff not to kiss her!

She was so chaste! Maybe there was a smooch under the covers, but it was about their innocence. They were made for each other. [Laughs.] That romantic thing came back into play here. We hadn't seen that in a long time on the show.

What about any particular houseguests? One that stands out to me is Dr. Will Kirby. He could possibly be the greatest villain in reality TV history. I think he is more of a villain than even "Survivor's" Richard Hatch.

I agree. But, he's also... dare I say, and yes, I'm biased, that he's more entertaining than Richard Hatch. [Laughs.] He's got the charisma, he's got the brains, and he played this game. He's the one who set the standard at the very beginning in Season 2. We could not have envisioned playing that game the way he did. It was amazing that he came in and did that... and almost did it again during the All-Star season.

Are there any challenges that you absolutely love?

We have so much fun with these challenges. We can go over the top. Was there anything funnier last season than Casey in the banana suit? It's just cheap fun. It was so much fun to see him sitting thereir with his cigarette and his cup of coffee in the morning in his banana suit. You'll obviously see us repeat some of our favorites but with different twists, like the Cutthroat Christmas we do, or what we did to win the banana suit. Those are fun. But last year... the zit popping. Could we have gotten any grosser? [Laughs.] We might have to do something like that again! Loved that. I also love our endurance competitions when the houseguests are swinging on the vines and smashing against the wall.

Will we see any former houseguests potentially hosting some games this summer?

We love our houseguests from the past, but this season, it's really about the new batch. That being said, especially from the prior season... the people that are just hot off the presses from the prior summer could very well come back to host a couple competitions.

I just want to get an idea of the magnitude of the production. How many people are constantly on the go?

It is. It absolutely is, and I appreciate [your] noticing that because I think that's something, when you talk about Emmy voters, that they overlook.

That's what I'm getting at. I think you deserve multiple Emmys!

[Laughs.] Emmy voters, come on over, and I'll give you a tour of this place! It takes over 200 people, actually somewhere up to about 250, to run this seven days a week, 24 hours a day for 3 three months. It's also the longest reality show in production, and we're in preproduction, production, and postproduction simultaneously. It's very much like a newscast, except that we're putting on three hours of primetime-quality programming, one live, every single week — and going live to Showtime — and going live to the Internet at the same time, so it takes a village. It's a huge team. I absolutely don't do this by myself. This is all about an amazing team of people that keeps coming back to summer camp. We have such a huge return rate to come back to summer camp every year to do this show. But it is unique in that way, and I do wish people would come and take a look at that, because it's a fast-moving train that cannot stop. Once we get started, once those houseguests are in this house, we go! And we are here, doing most of our cutting overnight. This house is alive and buzzing. So, thank you for noticing!

 

[Sgt Pepper]

Season 8 with Dick and his daughter... with one of those screenplay endings...

I'm glad AG and I agree: Season 8 was definitely scripted.