Big Brother 21: Blog Pool OPENS!

It's that time of year once again -- time for our summer obsession. BB21 makes its season debut next Tuesday evening. Between now and then I'll post the proposed scheduling and definitely more about our new hamsters.

But this isn't about that. Nope. This is WHO WANTS TO JUMP INTO THE BLOG POOL?

What's it all about?

Our esteemed and accomplished Lifeguard SueGee (AKA SqueeGee) will randomly match up pool entrants with the hamsters in the habitrail. Once matched up with a hamster, you need to cheer that one on until they're evicted or win it all. Yeah, even if they're obnoxious. Deal with it!

What will I win?

Well, IF you win, you'll be pleased to know there is NO CASH PRIZE! Nuh-uh. No way. That would cheapen the whole thing, don't ya think? Instead of paltry prizes, you get BRAGGING RIGHTS. Yep! From now through all eternity YOU will be a blog pool winner here. Feel free (and I encourage it) to put your win in your sign-off signature so that everyone can oooh and ahhh. Can't you hear the crowd now?

How do I get in on this wild action?!?!

You just need to sign up in the comments of THIS POST and THIS POST ONLY. If you put your name in on another post or Facebook or Twitter, it might be missed. If you come here as anonymous, you must come up with some sort of name in you comment. Otherwise, we can't tell the anonymous folks apart. Well, except for the unruly ones, maybe. 

When is the deadline for joining the pool?

The deadline for signing up is MONDAY JUNE 24 at NOON Pacific Time (that's 3pm ET). Don't put it off! Sign up TODAY!  

Big Brother 21: Cast Revealed Today!

Once again, the internet rumors were just that -- rumors, not factual at all. I thought it would be a cast of newbies as the television promos kept saying "total strangers." I should have posted my own rumors!

So, I did the exercise in aggravation known as the CBS All Access Live Feeds Big Brother cast interviews. Sigh. We sat through a blurred guy vacuuming and waited forever with a blurred Jeff Schroeder between interviews. They started late and went on forever -- mainly in wait time. Once the Ika interviews are online, I'll post them.

While I do like the newbies, BB is still casting one older person along with a bunch of kids. While this one does seem to have a good sense of humor, they're almost always out soon. We also have a gay Broadway dancer. Oh noes! Not a Frankie! Thankfully he doesn't come across like Frankie. We have a first in a plus-size model this season. We also have a good-looking man-bun dude. Hmm.

I'll be posting more on these new hamsters soon ...

Holly Allen, age 31

Cliff Hogg, age 53

Nicole Anthony, age 24

David Alexander, age 29

Analyse Talvera, age 22

Jack Matthews, age 28

Bella Wang, age 22

Jackson Michie, age 23

Christie Murphy, age 28

Nick Maccarone, age 27

Jessica Milagros, 30 (or so)

Ovi Kahir, age 22

Kathryn Dunn, age 29

Sam Smith, age 31

Kemi Faknule, age 25 

Tommy Bracco, age 28

The Amazing Race 31: Episode 9 Blpg Party

It seems like soon all we will have remaining on the show will be all previous TAR teams. BB hung in better than did Survivor, but now we're down to one team from each on the show. 

Speaking of BB -- if you missed it, I made this announcement the other day.

I'll be live blogging the major events as the show airs here on the East Coast. Refresh this page to get the latest updates! As always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

Before we get started, here are the latest blog pool standings from SueGee --

From Big Brother
Nicole & Victor -- Jackie, Jennifer, Jenna G

From Survivor
Chris & Bret -- Paula B., Megan in NC, SueGee

From TAR
Colin & Christie -- Donna NY, Petals
Becca & Floyd -- Merrilee, Judi Sweeney, Glenn Allen
Leo & Jamal -- Kelsey NY, Indiana Jane, Cheryl in NC
Tyler & Korey -- Sharon N, Ed in Ohio

Philiminated
Art & JJ
Rupert & Laura
Corinne & Eliza
Janelle & Britney
Rachel & Elissa

Six teams remain. Who will be eliminated next? Remember. all the non-Philimination legs have been run. 

Teams are flying to Croatia and there they'll meet up with a traveling gnome on the beach. Although the gnome is such ad placement, I always enjoy its involvement in the show. 

Colin and Christie have grown so much. Well, he has anyway. They're not holding grudges over the U-Turn votes. 

It looks like teams are actually going to be split on the flights for the first time I recall this season. So far it's split between two flights, but Vic/Nic seem to be being left behind. On noes!

Wow! They got a flight and might end up ahead of some of the teams on one flight! Yay! 

Bret and Chris make it there first -- they have to serve six drinks to beachgoers and collect their Roaming Gnome to get the next clue. Then they have to help the gnome deliver a loaf of bread to local monks.

Vic/Nic get in after the first few teams. The remaining teams have a delay even making matters worse for them. 

Bret/Chris first to Detour -- race up beach memorizing a tongue-twisting poem. Or, underwater treasure hunting.

Right now it's Bret/Chris, Tyler/Korey and Vic/Nic in the lead with all three teams at the detour. 

Vic/Nic are making progress on learning the poem while riding rough waters. Tyler/Korey give up the treasure hunt and are going for the poem. The remaining teams finally arrive in Croatia. 

Wow! Nicole and Victor take over the lead! But it seems like Tyler/Korey are right on their tails. Bret/Chris switch to the poem. They find out that's really hard too, so they head back to the treasure -- they do still have the coins they found there so far. But now the other teams are getting to the Detour. 

Roadblock - Who's ready to get their marching orders? Teams must keep track of five soldiers. Tyler/Korey got there before Nic/Vic. They liken it to a shell game trying to keep track of the soldiers.

Now Bret/Chris switch back. Meanwhile the last three teams are there at the Detour. 

Vic/Nic finish the Roadblock first and are heading to the Pit Stop. Now Tyler and Korey are heading there. It's a race!

Pit Stop
1. Tyler and Korey -- won a trip to Mexico
2. Nicole and Victor
3. Becca and Floyd

Yikes! Colin and Christie have to go back for their gnome after completing the Detour. Bret/Chris still doing poorly. 

Leo worked with Christie to do the Roadblock.

4. Colin and Christie
5. Leo and Jamal
6. Bret and Chris -- Philiminated.

They handle it well.

Big Brother 21: Cast Reveal Next Monday!

The Big Brother 21 cast reveal will be on the live feeds next Monday, June 17, starting at 11am ET -- 8am PT The live feeds are/will be on CBS All Access. As always, there are rumors all over the web about whether it will be an All-Star, all new hamsters, some new and some old. Until we hear from CBS, we do not know -- no one knows. 

In other news, Jeff Schroeder is returning to his role of interviewing the cast. I know some people don't care for him, but I certainly liked him better on the finale interviews. Nothing against Ross, but …! We already know Julie Chen Moonves will be back at least for this coming season.

Here's the announcement made today on Twitter --

He's back! Meet the new Houseguests in ONE week with @jeffschroeder23. ☀️ #BB21 pic.twitter.com/A09cjCluxn

— Big Brother (@CBSBigBrother) June 10, 2019

The Amazing Race 31: Episode 8 Blog Party

Well, I think we just might be out on non-Philimination legs with the save on Nicole and Victor last week. Hey, I ended up with them in the blog pool, so I'm not complaining! I do like them and they're doing better than I had thought they would. Tonight's show, according to promos, has some kind of public voting U-Turn. Will Rachel be feeling the love (or lack thereof)? Or, will they go for a stronger team? Hmm.

As tonight's show airs here on the East Coast, I'll be updating this entry with the major events. Refresh the page to get the latest update! As always, the real party is in the comments area. I hope to see you there!

The latest from World Traveling Lifeguard SueGee and the blog pool --

From Big Brother
Rachel & Elissa -- Delee, Nickelpeed
Nicole & Victor -- Jackie, Jennifer, Jenna G

From Survivor
Chris & Bret -- Paula B., Megan in NC, SueGee

From TAR
Colin & Christie -- Donna NY, Petals
Becca & Floyd -- Merrilee, Judi Sweeney, Glenn Allen
Leo & Jamal -- Kelsey NY, Indiana Jane, Cheryl in NC
Tyler & Korey -- Sharon N, Ed in Ohio

Are we ready? Let's GO!

Seven teams remain. Who will be eliminated next? The teams seem to be remaining in Switzerland. They're driving to the next clue. Rachel is going on about making the record for the most legs on the race. Well, if they'd stop putting her on shows …!

The teams have to wait until 7am, so it will be a bunching point. Rachel tries to make amends with the Afghanimals. Heh, Elissa threw Rachel under the bus. They're telling us they were rubbed the wrong way by her, too much drama. But they don't say quite that to the Reillys.

Ah, Phil is there. He tells them everyone gets to vote. It's only fitting to have a U-Turn vote -- out loud and in front of each other. This should be good! 

Two teams will be U-Turned.

No more non-elims.

Rach/Elissa -- Colin/Christie
Nic/Vic -- Afghanimals
Colin/Christie -- Rach/Elissa
Jamal/ -- Colin/Christie
Team Fun -- Colin/Christie
Tyler/Korey -- Nic/Vic
Chris/Bret -- Rachel/Elissa

Rachel is obnoxious about it. So, Colin/Christie and Rachel/Elissa are U-Turned.

Detour
Cut a lane of grass, stack it or dress cows (flower headpiece) up for a festival.

Nic/Vic have to take down, fold 26 flags and delivery.

Tyler/Korey and Team Fun are leading the pack. Colin's cow isn't quite as broken as his ox was … yet.

Hmm. Rachel/Elissa finished the cow and are heading to the second part, but left the clue on the table. They're asking other teams to read their clues. No one wants to give them the clue. They follow what others are doing.

Roadblock --
William Tell theme shooting an apple off of a scarecrow.

BRET took over the lead by shooting the apple! It's onto the Pit Stop for him. Tyler/Korey on their tails.

Leo/Jamal are lost.

Rachel/Elissa finished the mowing. Nothing was said about losing the clue. Hmm. Will they face a penalty at the mat? Or nothing? I don't think the show would really have mentioned it if nothing is going to come of it.

Leo/Jamal just finished the apple with Rachel/Elissa on their tails.

Pit Stop
1. Tyler/Korey in a foot chase - won a cruise Vietnam/Cambodia
2. Bret/Chris
3. Colin/Christie
4. Becca/Floyd
5. Nicole/Victor
6. Leo/Jamal
7. Rachel/Elissa -- Philiminated

Rachel cries … of course. Hopefully, this is the LAST time I'll have to watch her on a show!