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Updated
12/28/2007 12:08 AM
Big Brother news is breaking today as we learn first about the
twist.
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EVERY person in the house
knows another person in the house. (partner, best-friend,
co-worker, etc.)
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Each pair thinks they are the
only "couple" in the house
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The pairs are not allowed to reveal their
"secret" to other houseguests
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The pairs will be revealed on Episode 3
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If a
pair makes it to the final two, the winner gets $1,000,000 and
the partner gets $250,000.
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If two "non-partners" make the final two,
the prize remains at $500,000
Courtesy Variety:
Competition skein's jackpot
being increased to $1 mil
By JOSEF ADALIAN
CBS summer staple "Big Brother" is getting a million-dollar
facelift for 2005 -- in more ways than one.
In addition to the skein's new digs (Daily Variety, May 6), exec
producers Arnold Shapiro and Allison Grodner have engineered a
twist to the game that could result in the contest winner walking
away with $1 million. That's double the game's usual $500,000
jackpot.
Getting the coin won't be easy, however.
As part of their annual effort to reinvent the game of "Big
Brother," producers have come up with a scheme in which every cast
member of "Big Brother 6" will walk into the house with a
ready-made alliance -- a best friend, co-worker or significant
other.
However, each pair of players will be told they're the only two
participants coming into the house with a partner -- even though
there will actually be seven teams of two playing the game. Teams
also will be told to keep their alliances secret -- at least if
they want to win the big money.
"The incentive is (for partners) to get to the end of the game
sitting side by side," said Grodner. "If they do, the winner will
get $1 million and the second-place person will get $250,000. It's
in their best interests to keep it a secret."
If a twosome doesn't make it to the finals, winner will get the
usual $500,000, while the runner-up will snag a measly $50,000.
Viewers won't find out which players are partnered until the
season's third episode (skein returns July 7). But Shapiro and
Grodner already are expecting plenty of what latter calls "soap
opera stories" to emerge from a house in which everyone already
knows someone.
"These are people who already like each other, but the question
is, will (the friendships) last until the end when money's
involved?" Grodner said.
Producers are planning myriad mini-twists throughout the season as
part of what they're calling "the summer of secrets."
"Every year we do something exotic," Shapiro said. "Last year it
was a 'twin twist,' the year before it was the 'ex' factor. This
year, there are a number of secrets involving the cast, involving
the new house and involving the game. And like an onion, they'll
be peeled away week after week throughout the summer."
One early twist will come early in the game when houseguests
discover there are only 10 beds for the 14 of them. That's because
the new two-story house contains a secret bedroom.
There also have been rumblings that producers might allow each
week's "head of household" to maintain a blog, likely via
CBS.com-- a first for a network reality show. But the Eye declined
to confirm speculation about Web content related to the show,
which has traditionally included a pay-per-view Web feed
component.
Extreme makeover of the "Big Brother" house includes a
second-level master suite (complete with balcony and private
bathroom); a full-sized gym; and a new studio for host Julie Chen.
New digs were created by set designer Scott Storey ("Surreal
Life"), who was charged with making the house "a character in the
show," Grodner said.
Shapiro also credited "technical genius" Gene Crow for making sure
the new house's control rooms and edit bays worked. "The fact that
we're getting a signal (to CBS Television City) is a credit to
him," he said.
New house boasts five extra cameras (for a total of 47) and 10 new
mics (for a total of 76).
The 14 cast members are a particularly young lot: 10 are under 30,
and the oldest is just 36.
"Big Brother" is from Shapiro-Grodner and Endemol USA.
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The
Twist Revealed