'Big Brother 7: All Stars' - East Coast Update - HOH Comp Update - 8/03

It is an endurance comp. The HG have to stay up in a huge spider web raised off the ground. The Comp is called "Caught in a Web." The first five who fall can take a golden egg. One egg contains a weeklong Free From Slop Pass, another can cancel someone's eviction vote, another contains $10,000, two are rotten. A new Coup D'etat will be introduced next week - can overthrow HOH.

Now silly string is raining down on them. Or whipped cream. Will's messing around.

Okay, the show ended. I'll be switching to feeds and updating as best I can through the comp.

'Big Brother 7: All Stars' - East Coast Update - Eviction - 8/03

Live voting... remember these are votes to evict:

Kaysar - Diane
Howie - Diane
Marcellas - Diane
Mike Boogie - Diane
Will - Erika
George - Diane
Danielle - Diane
James - Diane

Interesting, eh? By a vote of a 7 to 1, Diane is evicted. Will... Erika? James... Diane? YIKES!

'Big Brother 7: All Stars' - Live Feeds Update and Live Show Blogging Schedule

Well, I shouldn't have betted two days for Janelle and Kaysar's go to bed early, get up early and eat healthy plan. They were up all night once again leading into today. How do they expect to win comps? I realize they have been, but sleep deprivation will catch up to them.

What's been happening today in that Big Brother House of Rising Suspicion?

• Will's still hungry.
• Janelle thought last year was more exciting and fun because of "all the hate." [Editor's note: Well, Marcellas and James seem to find it.]
• Janelle and Will talked about James' reaction to Diane's expected eviction. They also discussed, but didn't carry out, changing all the clocks to freak the others out. [Editor's note: BB1 had no clocks. Wasn't it George who made the potato clock? Remember that?]
• The wake-up song, played by BB at about 10:15 AM PT, was The Ramones "I Want To Be Sedated." Perfect!
• Lots of morning flame/clouds. At one point a glimpse of some show staff was seen. Woo!
• Mike Boogie told Kaysar that if he or Will get HOH, the rest will want them to do their dirty work and they refuse. He indicated Marcellas might be on their nom list.
• Mike also said he thinks the HOH will be either Kaysar or Danielle. [Editor's note: I doubt Danielle. She doesn't really play to win the HOH often. Best to let others win and for herself to just be supportive of whomever needs support.]
• James fussed again about S6 and Janelle's nominations. [Editor's note: Oh, James, just knock it off.]
• It sounds like we may be in for an endurance comp. Eep.

That's about it except for small talk and Jedi playing.

We have severe thunder storms going through here, expected to last the next few hours. Power staying (please!), I will post the big breaking news from the live show -- Eviction, HOH (if not endurance past show, regular feeds update if it goes beyond the show) -- in East Coast Updates as they occur here. So, tune in to get the breaking news and tell those thunderstorms to avoid me!

'Big Brother 7: All Stars' - Live Feeds Report - Evening/Overnight Into Thursday

<-- In an ancient Jedi tradition, Jedi Warrior Howie shaves Jedi Grasshopper George's body in anticipation of tremendous battle.

Er... or Howie shaved George because all the guys were shaving. Howie claims it's so he'll be lean and mean for tonight's HOH Comp. Please note, not ALL areas were shaved.

As the houseguests gear towards today's live show and the live eviction voting, life in the house went on... as did strategies and guesses of what's to come. Here are the evening and overnight happenings in that Big Brother House of Shaved Jedi Warriors:

• Diane hasn't given up, noting she has extra time to work on people to stay in the house. She told Howie he'd be surprised how many votes she has to stay. She told him he shouldn't let anyone "mind control" him. [Editor's note: I don't think the general concensus to vote her out has really changed at all. I think Will was playing her with his maybe.]
• Will told Howie a good final four would be ChillTown, Howie and Janelle. [Editor's note: Now, there's the "mind control" master, but Howie didn't seem to be really into the idea at all.]
• While not all areas on George were shaved, I can't say the same of Howie. Yipes.
• The houseguests are all hyped for the live show -- they wonder why the vote is live so early, think it may be a double eviction, think someone evicted may return and generally are driving themselves mad with speculation.
• Apparently goodbye messages were taped for the event as Janelle mentioned hers to Erika.
• Danielle got upset because Janelle criticized her alliance in her season and called it poor judgment.
• They really think someone is coming back into the house and kept on that theme, but then wondered if money will be offered to leave the house.
• At about 8:15 PM PT they were warned a long indoor lockdown is expected to last through the night and possibly up until showtime. Some headed out to enjoy the evening air before being confined.
• Diane ranted about Janelle calling her things I won't write here. Eep. Nasty pottymouth. She said she hates Janelle.
• Before 9 PM their time, the lockdown went into effect.
• James told Diane she should really be campaigning to stay.
• BB gave the houseguests wine and three decks of cards, so there goes a lot of the evening's feed tidbits. Whenever they play games, there isn't much game talk, if you know what I mean.
• James fussed more about Janelle's nominations to Howie and tried to convince him to keep Diane. [Editor's note: Yep, he's on a campaign.]
• James and Danielle talked about CT's code for switching the vote to keep Diane instead of Erika - "don't forget your flip-flops." [Editor's note: We'll have to watch for the phrase in the show tomorrow!]
• Janelle doesn't think Danielle is a strong player because she doesn't win comps. [Editor's note: Janelle! Neither does Will! They're the two strongest players in the game! Think, girl, think!]
• Danielle and James plotted to remove Janelle from the house if either get HOH. [Editor's note: How much do you want to bet Danielle won't get it and will let others do the dirty work and suffer the consequences?]
• George worked on a costume for the live show - Slop Man.
• Janelle tried to convince Marcellas that Danielle and James are doing a lot of lying to others in the house.
• Marcellas told Janelle that Diane is resigned to going home. [Editor's note: Even though she was campaigning to stay just a few hours before?]
• Diane moaned about the state of her life and all of her woes. Will tried to make her feel better to the point of offering her a job if she needed one. I think he was serious.

And that's where we stand. Some houseguests are still up, but it's not a wild party house as they look towards tonight's show.

Exclusive! My Interview With 'Big Brother' Executive Producer Arnold Shapiro

Bringggggg...
"Hey Boogie, it's Will."
"What's up now?"
"Do you know Jackie?"
"Is she part of ChillTown?"
"I don't think so, but maybe we can take her aboard. She got herself an interview with Arnold Shapiro for her blog!"
"Oh! We definitely need to talk to her!"
"Or maybe just about her!"

Arnold Shapiro, Executive Producer of the CBS show Big Brother (together with Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan) took time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions for me. I polled some of the show fans on message boards and in this blog to see what they really wanted to know and here's the skinny directly from Mr. Shapiro:

Q: In the opening credits for the show, as well as the intro/exit to commercial breaks, there is a close-up shot of a partial face and eye with the Big Brother logo. Whose eye is that? The talk has spread from a staff member to Mike "Boogie." Please settle one of the longest lasting silly 'BB' disputes ever for us.

A: Although I was not producing BB1, it's my understanding that the partial face and eye is not the exotic story that some have surmised. In fact, they belonged to someone working at the graphics house that designed the logo opening -- "just some guy down the hall who we grabbed for the shot." That's the real story. Nothing exotic or even interesting.

Q: Live feeds watchers, in particular, often hear the phrase "penalty nomination." I've watched the show since it started and don't recall one ever being used. If a penalty nomination were to be used, how would it work? Would there be three houseguests nominated for eviction? Why aren't penalty nominations used?

A: The possibility of a penalty nomination really exists. It's an option we've yet to use. Yes, it would probably mean that there would be three nominees up for eviction. I'm glad we haven't had to use it because it would mean that a houseguest really messed up and didn't follow our rules.

Q: Have you tasted the Big Brother Slop? Is the big problem with it that it's bland? (The houseguests always seem to be spicing it up somehow.) Is it an oatmeal blend? How many consecutive weeks can a houseguest be placed on the BB Slop restriction?

A: I have not personally had the pleasure of sampling the BB slop. I'm told it's nutritious but extremely bland. The longest time a houseguest would be required to eat only slop - after losing a food competition - is one week. However, George is on slop for as long as he's in the house because of a unique offer that he agreed to in the veto competition. So George will be the "slop record holder" of BB All-Stars.

Q: Is there any word about a Season 8?

A: We usually find out about whether we're picked up for another season in the weeks after our season ends so at this point there is no word on BB8. But our ratings are strong, the shows are good (in my humble opinion), and I feel optimistic that there will be a BB8 - with an all-new cast.

Q: You've had several show twists over the years, many involving a major twist to the season itself (Ex-Factor, DNA, etc.). What major twist did you find the most difficult to achieve and/or work with from the production end of things? Have you ever had to give up on a twist idea because it just wasn't workable?

A: Every twist that was created we have been able to pull off. If a twist idea is too unrealistic, we won't try it (mainly because of the time involved that would be wasted). The most challenging twist we achieved was "Project Do Not Assume" or "DNA" where we put a half-brother and half-sister into the house ("Cowboy" and "Nakomis") as well as the identical twin sisters who switched places every few days and fooled the house guests 10 times (Adria and Natalie). In the process of interviewing identical twins we found Drew and Diane who we put into the house as individuals.

Q: The Internet audience watching the live feeds makes Big Brother a show like no other. With websites reporting every breath they take and every move they make, what challenges does that present? Do you think the show would be as successful without the feeds watching (and reporting) audience?

A: Big Brother is unique because of the Internet feeds. I'm sure it contributes to our success. The only challenge the feeds present to us is that we have to block them from time to time because of competitions or if the house guests are doing something that presents a legal problem for us. And, unfortunately, the subscribers become angry and frustrated and call us with their complaints. But I can assure everyone that we do our best to keep the feeds on as much as we possibly can. When they are not on, there is a legitimate reason.

Q: Are there any houseguests (outside of the 20 choices) that you personally would have loved to see in with the current mix of the 'All Stars' house?

A: Even with 20 choices, there were still past house guests we liked and would have liked to include, but we had agreed that 20 was our number. My biggest disappointment - personally - was one of the 20 who did not make it in: Lisa Donahue. But, again, there were reasons for everyone who is in and who is not. But I personally wish that Lisa could have been one of the chosen 14.

Q: You weren't involved with the first season. Did you know what you were getting into with Chicken George? (I'm glad he made it this season.) He's a bit off-the-wall, y'know.

A: Although I did not produce season one, I watched it. I was quite familiar with "Chicken" George. Yes, we knew what we were getting ourselves into. But I must say, in interviewing him, he is one of the nicest house guests I've ever met, and he is truly honored to be a part of All-Stars. His antics are part of his "charm" (or whatever word you might want to substitute).

Q: Are there any houseguests whose behavior truly surprised you in the house -- a total change from when they were in casting?

A: Being in the house changes everyone to one degree or another. So, no, I'm not surprised by the way anyone has acted or is acting. The house makes everyone somewhat unpredictable. I guess you have to experience it to fully understand it.

Q: I realize the most recent season is often what stays in the minds of viewers. Therefore, there are four people from last season. Do you think they have an unfair advantage? (Or will Will and Danielle just take 'em down one by one?)

A: America voted in four people from Season 6. So whether or not they have an unfair advantage, it was a situation created by the viewers, not by us. It's too soon in the season to say whether they have an unfair advantage. Things change by the week - and the hour - in the BB house, so we won't know until the end about the advantages or disadvantages of being from BB6.

Q: My favorite comps tend to be the ones like the one transforming faces and/or ones which make me laugh aloud. An example of the latter was one where the houseguests had huge sponge outfits on a few seasons ago. Do you have a favorite competition?

A: I don't have one favorite competition, but, like you, I prefer the ones that make me laugh out loud, and several have done that -- too many to mention here. Remember, it's usually not the competition itself that's funny, but rather the house guests' reaction to it or the way they play it that results in audience laughter. We've had great competitions that were suspenseful, that required coordination skills, a strong stomach, agility, courage, etc. Our goal is to try and make each competition be something different to the house guests and to the viewers.

There you go, directly from Mr. Shapiro! I want to thank him once again for his time and may the best All Star win this season!

This interview is an exclusive running solely here and in this article of mine on Blogcritics.org. If folks copy it elsewhere, it must be linked back to either here or Blogcritics. Or I will find you. I'm in NJ. I know people, y'know.

And, for those who may not have read my show blog from last year -- I interviewed Jym Buss, the Supervising Producer/Competitions, regarding his work. He's not working for the show this season after being there for more than a few years, but the interview provides a neat inside look into the comps.