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June 2018

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June 25, 2018

Hamsterwatch All-Stars, 2nd Edition

     

   
l to r, top row: Chrishell Hartley, Matt Iseman, Dana Swearingen (and friend), Andy Dehnart
bottom row: Donathan Hurley, Matthew & Benjamin Royer, Raph Korine, Jason Cochran

Let's start with introductions

How long have you been watching Big Brother, and do you watch the CBS shows, the feeds, After Dark, or a combination?

What are your general thoughts about the new cast as a whole, and are there any stand-outs you're looking forward to? Any you're dreading?

And finally, which of the many aspects of BB do you like most?

Daily and Noteworthy Events

Ratings - What Do We Have Here edition

Hooray for no vets! We haven't had a stuntcast-free season for years, and I just hope there are no surprises on that score. Whispers will be brutal this season, what with Angie/Angela, Kaycee/JC, Bayleigh/Haleigh, not to mention several starting off with two names each (Angie/Rockstar, Chris/Swaggy C, Faysal/Fessy). I'm not crazy about the BB App Store concept as it sounds similar to Care Packages and Den of Temptation, and prefer a plain old game of BB, especially one with no outside info or influence. I did like seeing the little parachutes drop in but anything more elaborate, like last year's Den, just means feeds blocks we don't need. I may have missed something but I guess I don't really understand the decor theme: it's meant to be technology and Silicon Valley, yet most of it seems retro. I mean the living room is more Mad Men era, when 'Silicon Valley' was just plain ol' San Jose. But at least they didn't carry the avocado and harvest gold theme to the kitchen appliances. I do like the pink and blue mirror bedrooms, especially the prismatic-like blended colors where they meet. If they wanted a tech-themed house, they could have picked up some tips from Spaceship Odyssey of BB Canada 5, but BBCan's decor has always been way, way beyond superb. Both the rock wall and the rolly bar seem like injury tally items waiting to happen. The cast seems rather peculiar on the whole and I can't put my finger on why, especially because each one individually doesn't seem especially unusual for BB USA. Time will tell. Bottom line, our annual summer guilty pleasure is back for another round, and I am ever hopeful for good feeds and a good season overall.
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Angela Rummans - 26 Single - recruit (applied for BB17) Playa Vista, CA - orig Hilton Head, SC Fitness model Both she and Angie have gone by both names at various times, so this is going to get tricky unless everyone in there and out here sticks with their designated nametags. With so many throwback 'types,' she seems the most familiar to me and I'm trying to stop thinking of her as Baby Christmas. Her athletic cred is legit, so she knows how to get into a competitive mindspace, which will help her during comps but might hurt her overall game if she doesn't temper it well socially. Her side business is creative paper-based keepsakes, so she might get crafty with Sam during downtimes. She's got Hilton Head in common with Tyler, and a Twitter account with her name showed location as Sam's teeny town of Stuarts Draft for awhile - I don't know. I think she's got a good shot to stick around quite a few weeks, if she doesn't end up in a cast. Most Likely To intimidate some of the guys, and girls, just by showing up	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Angie 'Rockstar' Lantry - 35 In a relationship, 3 kids - applied Columbia MD Stay at home mom See Angela re name assignments. Maybe Angie will go by Rockstar, but Johnny Mac has the dentistry and BB claims on that one. I want to think her intro look was about theater and being memorable, and that we'll see a variety of styles and looks for her as we go. She's into new age/crystals/sage like Kaitlyn, so they may have an instant bond about that - along with Steve potentially, since his wife literally wrote the book(s) on all that. But in addition to Angie's kooky/quirky/weirdo stylings, I think she seems pretty down to earth in fundamental ways, and that's a very good sign. She may bring her mom skills to the kitchen and cleaning supplies, and especially to the house kiddies, or she may let Steve play the parental role. Most Likely To have a variety of colorful clothes, accessories, and hair
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Bayleigh Dayton - 25 Single - recruit Atlanta GA - orig Lee's Summit MO Flight attendant She was first to enter on Day 1 so she's got a cursed streak of 28 seasons to break if she plans to win at the end. Between a successful pageant past and a flight attendant present, she's got a great shot to go far - on paper. Reality may prove otherwise, depending how much of her advertised feisty and sassy she actually brings. If she plays nice, like nearly all of them said they plan to do, she'll likely be just another vote until her turn comes around to sit in a nominee chair. But I'm hoping she does indeed mouth off here and there because that's obviously entertaining for us, and I hope she'll be popcorn-worthy about it. I think she'll be a fan favorite either way. Most Likely To feature on the fights tally	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Brett Robinson - 25 Single - recruit Charlestown MA - orig Oakdale CT Cyber security engineer Yes, we know he's a cyber security engineer, he doesn't have to mention it every other sentence. I really don't know what else to make of him though. He talks a lot about being loud and outrageous, but he didn't come across that way in anything I've seen. I hope he's more like he said he'd be and less how he seems to be (to me anyway), but until we see otherwise on feeds, he seems like just another relatively 'normal' bro-dude type. (Why do they always put in so many 'normal' guys while the girls they cast are nearly always unique and individualized via background, personality, or 'quirks'? Normal is highly overrated but balanced is nice.) Most Likely To land in the Who? category, at least at first
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Chris 'Swaggy C' Williams - 23 Single - applied Bridgeport CT Day trader I'm hoping he'll go by Chris because we already have enough name/whisper issues, and we don't need to add Swaggy C to JC and Kaycee in the whisper problem pot. He seems to have a good grasp of the game fundamentals and history, and a strategy that sounds pretty good, if a bit unrealistic to carry out as planned. While he says he's never watched feeds, he did say he follows my tweets to keep up with them. That should mean he knows not to make errors like say, peeing in the hot tub since I tend to highlight those along with the usual weekly events and factoids. He seems to have a big outgoing personality and you can't succeed at day trading without smarts and self-discipline, so I'm expecting good things from him. Most Likely To play smarter than expected	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Faysal Shafaat - 26 Single - recruit (applied to Survivor) Orlando FL Substitute teacher He's been on American Ninja Warrior, and he has a pre-season mugshot plus a public scolding from a photographer for being an 'unprofessional' model. He's also got a fitness app and I hope all that doesn't add up to him only being here for the sales opp. He said he refused the 2nd class status of being an alternate last year, yet he doesn't seem to blink about being told this year's finals would be April/May, then not getting the call til June. He's up to showmance and he's hinted his 'alpha male' may come out, so I'm hoping he's got something to differentiate him from the many bulked-up bro-dude hamsters past. Also, he apparently has BBAU Ed's famous 'cards' with him and is ready to play them. Sometime. When the time's right. Most Likely To crush hard on one of the girls
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Haleigh Broucher - 21 Single - recruit College Station TX - orig Village Mills TX College student I guess it's not BB USA without someone from Texas A&M anymore, so it won't be surprising if she knows the Clay/Corey+Elena crowd, and of course it's not BB USA without a cute young blonde on the roster. At 21, she's the baby of the house and yet another who began her BB life with season 16. She seems to think she knows what she's getting into, but she probably doesn't really know. It looks like she has a habit of rolling her eyes as she speaks, not sarcastically but more habitually, so screencapping her will either be a challenge or a joy, depending on perspective. Most Likely To showmance	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   JC Mounduix - 28 Single - recruit West Hollywood CA - orig Miami FL (born Cuba) Professional dancer I don't think we've EVER had someone hit the pre-season runway like this guy. If you're behind on your BB homework you might be better off, especially regarding Minions. Speaking of which, his original caption on that clip said he was joking and not really doing that, plus #heismysleepingbuddy. If true (the sleeping buddy part) or even if it's not but BB wants to really get this fanbase going, there will be a little Minion in his HOH basket. I'm always impressed with ESL/bilingual hamsters who play this game based on conversations and retells, and I wish him luck on that score. Like Faysal, he's already done another reality show, and JC's is must-see TV for cheap entertainment fans (hit CC icon for English captions). Most Likely To be both loved and hated
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Kaitlyn Herman - 24 In a relationship - applied Encino CA - orig Plainview NY Life coach I'm not so concerned about being a life coach at the tender age of 24 as I am about learning her new age/aura-seeing/sage-wafting/vibes-catching mindset and way of life is relatively new for her (three years). We all know new converts to anything tend to evangelize about it a lot, as she already has in all her press, and if she has even a semi-receptive audience, she'll pass the OKAY ENOUGH point in no time. But she's a bonafide BB fan, to the point of being super excited onstage at the premiere taping when she recognized alums in the crowd. But I'm okay with the whole vibes thing in principle, and I'm curious to see how and how often she'll present all that, along with what else she's bringing to our table. Most Likely To get a comedy/clown music edit segment, sooner or later	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Kaycee Clark - 30 Single - applied, presumably Tempe AZ - orig San Diego CA Pro football player She's another one coming in with pre-existing team competition experience. We have quite a few of those this year, and I'm hoping they'll soon get over their plans to lay low and play nice, and really start competing. She shares being a football player with Faysal and Winston, so that could be an interesting threesome if they get along. There weren't many that Ika didn't draw out beyond their job interview personas in her QAs, and Kaycee was one of them. Maybe she's just a lower key personality than we're used to on BB, and she did laugh a lot so I could be wrong, but I hope she relaxes and feels comfortable once we get underway. There's plenty of time for tension later. Most Likely To be in good standing with most of them, most of the time
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Rachel Swindler - 29 Single - recruit (appplied for BB19) Las Vegas NV - orig Myrtle Beach SC Las Vegas entertainer I know she went through the rigorous audition process at least twice so that part wasn't technically a fib, even if she was brought to production's attention by her pal BB17 Jackie (I don't know if she was or wasn't, or which of them got 'in' first, but we'll probably find out.) I have a feeling she'll showmance if there's attraction and chemistry with anyone but I'm hoping not. Partly because it'd be nice to have a 'manceless season again, and partly because I think she could cause more chaos if she's unattached. She says she'll stand up for herself and might yell if someone's 'demeaning her in a negative way' (is there any other way?) and that she'll use her feminine wiles to flirt her way out of danger, and both of those sound very promising for Team Fun Feeds. Her people out here are already selling shirts. Most Likely To vetsplain-by-proxy (via Jackie) and warn the greenhorns about us	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Sam Bledsoe - 27 Single? - recruit Stuarts Draft VA Welder She doesn't like confrontation, she's likely to misuse and overuse the dreaded 'bully' word, and her BB history isn't very thorough, but she's very cute, homey, likable, and pleasant to listen to. She claims she can get along with anyone ('I never met a stranger' is a new phrase to me, and I like it). All this adds up to a nice girl who will be well-liked by the others until you get to her plot twist: RUTHLESS. She's a maker by nature so I'm looking forward to creativity from her, either strategically or whimsically (preferably both). PS Were the overalls her idea or production's? It was a refreshing change from the usual red carpet-ready looks we tend to get on press day (especially when we see their everyday looks on feeds) but it did feel a bit contrived in Sam's case, for the whole southern charm y'all (surprise, I'm a welder!) archetype they've slotted her into. Most Likely To be a #Deathrace2018 breakout star
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Scottie Salton - 26 Single - applied Chicago IL - orig Shorewood IL Shipping manager This guy is all kinds of random and I am a big fan of that. I think some of it's probably calculated at this point but there seems to be plenty where that came from, so I'm very hopeful for good feeds potential with his dry wit and self-deprecating humor. Gamewise, he told THR that he told CBS Evel Dick's his favorite player when really it's Chicken George, because he figured Dick's name gave him a better chance to fit in with the casting formula. So he was playing the game (and well) from the get-go, before he even went through the front door. Bonus random points for claiming George when he hasn't seen BB1. That should be atop any Chicken George fan's bucket list. Most Likely To use his own material to be a Diary star rather than whatever lines they try to feed him	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Steve Arienta - 40 Married, 3 kids - applied? Wanaque NJ - orig Parsippany NJ Former undercover cop As mentioned above, he could have a good in with Angie and/or Kaitlyn because of his wife's new age interests and books, if he decides to go that route and if either of them are receptive to it. He's only got five years on Angie but he seems a lot older. I don't know why they keep putting in one token older guy lately. We could also use an older woman here and there in the mix too: just think of BBCan5 Karen or BB10 Renny for shining examples. Or how about two or three adults who are single? Not that I want to encourage showmancing, but every show has 20-somethings hooking up. Remember when BB casts had people 'from all walks of life'? I know, I know, but we used to have more 'walk of life' diversity, I think. But this is Steve's paragraph and I've veered off course, as I did when listening to his QAs. I hope he'll be amusing and have good stories to tell, and I hope he'll put his undercover skills to good BB use, but I'm afraid his soothing voice and easy way of speaking might prevent me from absorbing much when he gametalks. Apologies in advance. The big questions are will he be a one-man smokers alliance, and will he get his nightly bath? Most Likely To out his job lie(s) much sooner than he planned to
Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Tyler Crispen - 23 Single - recruit (applied for BB16? and OTT) Hilton Head SC - orig Rossford OH Lifeguard He's friendly with OTT Morgan and Alex as well as BBUK's Raph Korine, so he'll probably be a natural at the alumni game. But first he's got some hurdles to jump to get there. He seems to have a lot more upstairs than our usual Surfer Dude slot holder, and he's got better BB knowledge as well. He says he'd like to split the house while working with a secret ally on the other side, and that almost certainly guarantees a good season, though it'd be hard to orchestrate, depending how first impressions and first comps were set up and played out. He's a bonafide feedster and it's always good to see one of our own in there, even if they often don't do as well as recruits who never heard of BB. All that aside, I think he'll be fun to watch and will be liked by most in there (at least until he splits the house?), and I think a lot of folks out here will like him more than they expected to. I guarantee we'll see a lot of screencaps and gifs of him with a bug-eyed expression. Most Likely To be called Frank's Mini Me all season	Won: Nothing yet HOH 0 - Veto 0 - Noms 0   Winston Hines - 28 Single - applied? Bowling Green KY - orig Somerset KY Medical sales rep I think Winston's our designated dark horse for this season. He says he's not here to gain followers or showmance (though he didn't rule showmance out completely), and he's put six seasons under his viewing belt since his first one last summer. So that's encouraging in that he sounds better prepared homework-wise than most new arrivals, but we know from experience (even if he doesn't) that tv-onlies often tend to emulate winning strategies they've seen on the show, unaware that it's a lot harder than the streamlined edits make it look. But maybe his prep work included learning something about the real game and the finesse needed to work within it, and if not, oh well. He too has played competitive team sports, he's literate, and he seems pleasant enough without being too extreme in any direction. That's usually a very good base to start a successful game from, unless: Most Likely To overplay too soon

Lines and Links of the Day

Lines Winston: I'm not here for Twitter followers Winston: This isn't The Bachelor @CameronHeard210: I've already seen a little too much of some of these people Angela: I'm a schemer THR: Do you know what Hamster Watch is? JC: Hopefully it's not referring to me! I will call them lab rats, but I didn't know they were called hamsters. Ika: Are you going to play a social game, a physical game, mental..? Kaitlyn: It's gonna be very social and very mental, I think mental health is like extremely important.. being mentally healthy and alert and staying consistent with my meditations, that's going to help me go pretty far in this game Bayleigh: I'm gonna be one of those girls, I'm gonna be salty, it's fine Tyler: [BB]'s like an evil genius experiment with these humans, it should be with like hamsters.. I hope they have like hamster wheels for me to run on Allison Grodner: There are certainly some bros in the house		Links GET YOUR FEEDS Use my links for any Amazon shopping, anytime, at no extra cost - just start your shopping trip by clicking Amazon USA or Amazon Canada Julie's house tour THR interviews by @bbrianthelion ET Canada interviews by @theikawong BB20 Pool Join by June 26, $10 buy-in (BB19 winner got $770!) by @aaronhoff BB by the Week: cast reference guide by @aubramariebb BB alums entering the building for premiere taping by @kassting Please tweet me @hamsterwatch for extra good or extra funny things you come across thru the season - thanks in advance!

Tally Items

Extracurricular Tally Pre-season fanbase + alum dramas: Too many to list Pre-season Minion abuse events discovered: 1 JC		CBS Goofs 1 CBS site lost the cast after reveal for at least 12 hrs 2 Staff seen prepping the stage (maybe intentional) 3 Its/it's error 4 Ceiling issues in official press pics 5 Several staffers seen in Julie's house tour 6 Misspelled JC's last name on BB site & press materials 7 JC's bio mixed up Cuba with Spain 8 Allison mixed up 20 seasons with 20 years 9 Messenger Bot still needs tweaking 10 Several misspellings in move-in press photos 11 Random guy onstage in move-in press photos 12 Misspelled Brendon on premiere 13 Messenger Bot crashed upon launch

Season Stats will be posted here