Big Brother 9 update from Allison Grodner
http://www.arcamax.com/thehollywoodexclusive/s-262086-503262"BIG BROTHER" IS BEING WATCHED: With CBS's "Big Brother" holding open casting calls here, there and 'most everywhere around the country, producer Allison Grodner tells us, "We're just being told to be ready -- that CBS is looking at an earlier 'Big Brother' than normal. It's usually a summer show. Now it looks like we'll be doing a winter edition."
Indeed. Thousands of hopefuls have already shown up for calls in Los Angeles, New York and South Carolina. Ahead are calls in Chicago, Kansas City, Atlanta, Oregon, Tampa, Columbus, another New York date and more, all through Saturday (Dec. 1), for a cast of "12 to 14 in the 'Big Brother' house," as Grodner says.
As the Writers Guild strike goes on, such fare is an obvious option for networks. Typically, the parts of reality shows that are scripted are written by non-union writers, so they remain unaffected by the guild's actions. Grodner is well aware many consider the writers' loss to be reality's gain, but she says, "My feeling is that a work stoppage is not good for anyone." She also says, "I have a business where I continue to develop shows, and certainly I talked to CBS about doing other shows before the strike. Reality and alternative shows are already such a big part of the television landscape that it's not so much a matter of there being new productions as of these shows being used to fill multiple time slots."
The winter edition, "Big Brother 9," will likely have some season-specific twists. "I think it would be in the show's best interests to make sure a midseason event is different from a summer event," Grodner says. "But the things people like will continue to be a part of it -- the social and psychological dynamic, the soap opera feel of it all."