Big Brother 2 (USA) starts next Thursday at 8pm

Go to http://www.bigbrother2001.com that day to see it open.. right now, the BB2 website is OPEN NOW.. read this NEW stuff for BB2 below:

--------------
pdated: Mon, May 28 9:06 PM EDT
By Josef Adalian
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "Big Brother" will return to CBS July 5 -- and its new executive producer is vowing a total
makeover of the reality show, which failed to cause much of a stir during its debut round last year.

"This is a whole new production," TV industry veteran Arnold Shapiro said in an interview with Daily Variety.

Since coming on board "Brother" in March, Shapiro has been busy remaking the show from top to bottom. While the concept
remains the same -- a group of strangers lives together in a house under constant video surveillance -- almost
everything else about the format is being tweaked.


Among the major changes to the show's format:

- The number of house guests has been upped to 12 from 10. Competition will now be an integral part of the series, with
house guests squaring off to win privileges and luxury items, as well as protection from being evicted from the house.
Players will vote each other out of the house; last season, viewers determined the fate of contestants.

"Unlike last year, the competitions will be relevant to living in the house -- not party games and things that don't
have any relation to the show," Shapiro said. "The results will affect how (players) live in the house."

- The show will now air in hourlong installments Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; the Thursday edition, in
which players are evicted, will air live. Last summer, the program aired up to six times per week, with most
episodesrunning 30 minutes.

The change will give producers more time to edit each show, thus increasing the chances for drama.

"To us, 'Big Brother' is a real-life soap opera. Last year, there wasn't enough time (between episodes) to put the show
together," Shapiro said. "We will have the opportunity now to structure shows that are more dramatic, more interesting
and have a definite story arc to them."

- The Studio City house where "Brother" is based is being completely remodeled. The utilitarian Ikea furniture is out.
In its place: eclectic, upscale digs from various Los Angeles boutiques.

"It's a place you'd actually like to live in," Shapiro said.

- While viewers will no longer vote out house guests, Shapiro is exploring interactive segments in which audiences will
determine certain elements of the game. "If a conflict comes up, the public might vote (how to resolve it)," he said.

- The oft-criticized "Big Brother" theme song used last season will be replaced; other new music and graphics are also
in the works. The number of cameras in the house has also been upped, to 37 from last year's 28.

One thing will remain the same about "Brother": Julie Chen is back as host of the Thursday live broadcast. She'll no
longer interview evictees in front of a studio audience, however.

"We are constructing a brand-new mini-compound for her in the front yard of the 'Big Brother' house," Shapiro said. "It
was strange that, before, Julie was removed from the house. Now, when house guests are evicted, they'll step outside and
walk 15 feet" to be debriefed by Chen.

Shapiro admits that one key to success for a show like "Brother" is the cast. Last year's clan was criticized for being
too dull, and at one point in the series, contestants seemed to revolt and not cooperate with producers.

With twice as many applicants for this year's edition of "Brother" -- more than 3,400 -- Shapiro is confident that this
year's cast of six men and six women will gel.

"Just looking at the (audition) tapes, I know the casting is going to be superb," he said. "We have such good candidates
to choose from. ...They're delightfully quirky, outgoing, competitive and passionate about being on this program."

"Big Brother" is expected to run for nearly 11 weeks, wrapping up its second season in mid-September.

Shapiro and CBS both declined to say whether AOL will return as the show's Internet partner.

The original U.S. run of "Big Brother" took numerous hits from critics and failed to generate Nielsen numbers anywhere
near those of CBS' other big reality show of last summer, "Survivor." Nonetheless, the program did boost the network's
overall summer performance and helped CBS hype its fall 2000 schedule.

"The biggest myth is that we were unhappy with the ratings for 'Big Brother,"' said CBS scheduling and program planning
guru Kelly Kahl. Had "Survivor" not dominated last summer, "Brother's" demo successes might have seemed more impressive,
Kahl argued.

As for this summer, "If we can do a better show, which everyone thinks we can, there's no reason the numbers can't
improve," Kahl said.

Reuters/Variety
-----------------------

Might be better now, huh?

------------------
Ziroc
Ironworks Webmaster
www.tgeweb.com/ironworks

[This message has been edited by Ziroc (edited 06-29-2001).]

[Cloudbringer]

Guess I better set up the vcr! Thanks Z!

Cloudy

------------------


Raindancer of the Laughing Hyenas Clan
Storm-Queen
StormCloud of the Black Knight: Heart Mind Soul Forever
"To sleep, perchance to dream..."

[Ramon de Ramon y Ramon]

Set up the VCR ? For Big Brother !?

------------------
So long !

R³ - proud to be the official spokesman for the most noble Lady Bilqis, Desert Rose of Ironworks

Btw, the cow is queuing in the slaughterhouse right now !

Originally posted by Cloudbringer: Guess I better set up the vcr! Thanks Z! Cloudy

The live feeds are better , and funnier.. when they get drunk that is! hehehe.



------------------
Ziroc
Ironworks Webmaster
www.tgeweb.com/ironworks

[Lord of Alcohol]

Sorry Z but I'd rather take the sledgehammer to the tv than watch that. Dont ban me!

Originally posted by Lord of Alcohol: Sorry Z but I'd rather take the sledgehammer to the tv than watch that. Dont ban me!

, naa.. If you watched the last one though, you'd have liked it.. this guy named Eddie (has 1 leg) but was the toughest mofo on there.. cussed and bitched all the time, in a funny way not rude.. and won! It was just cool.. the others were stupid..

I do see that they have a gay person on this show though.. hmm... Well, it says "in a relationship" so, what does THAT mean?!?!



------------------
Ziroc
Ironworks Webmaster
www.tgeweb.com/ironworks

[Mouse]

For Godz Sake - Ladies and Gents - avoid all "Reality TV" shows like the plague.... they are just a sinister form of mind control devised by the C.I.A.

or so my cousin Jeb tells me..

------------------
Regards



Mouse

[This message has been edited by Mouse (edited 06-29-2001).]

Originally posted by Mouse: For Godz Sake - Ladies and Gents - avoid all "Reality TV" shows like the plague.... they are just a sinister form of mind control devised by the C.I.A. or so my cousin Jeb tells me..

To each his own Mouse!!!



------------------
Ziroc
Ironworks Webmaster
www.tgeweb.com/ironworks

[Mouse]

Originally posted by Ziroc: To each his own Mouse!!!

And have you any idea just how unusual it is to have a cousin called Jeb in North-East Scotland.......

We import such people from our former colonies just for some comic relief

------------------
Regards



Mouse

[This message has been edited by Mouse (edited 06-29-2001).]

[Donut]

Originally posted by Mouse: For Godz Sake - Ladies and Gents - avoid all "Reality TV" shows like the plague.... they are just a sinister form of mind control devised by the C.I.A. or so my cousin Jeb tells me..

Anyone who watches these programmes is very sad. I can't believe Bubble was voted out in Big Brother UK tonight. He was so funny!

------------------

Save Chip - Don't let Sarah win!
Official Titterer of the Laughing Hyenas