CBS reveals 'Big Brother 11' cast and "high school cliques" twist

By Christopher Rocchio, 07/01/2009

CBS has announced the identities of 12 of the 13 houseguests who will be competing on Big Brother 11 and revealed the season will feature a "kickin' it old school" format twist.

Upon entering the Big Brother house, the 12 initial houseguests will learn that they will be competing as one of four familiar high school cliques -- "popular, athletes, brainiacs and off beats" -- and the teams will apply not only to food and luxury challenges but also to eviction safety.

"You may have graduated, but the truth is we never leave high school and this summer we are going to prove it," said executive producer Allison Grodner.

"From the brains to the jocks to the off-beat, everyone will be able to identify to one of these cliques, giving the viewers a group to root for and against from the very beginning. The division will cause instant drama."

"Their backgrounds are diverse, but they have two things in common: a fierce competitive spirit and a desire to win the half-million dollar prize," Big Brother host Julie Chen said during a Wednesday morning Early Show video segment that introduced the 12 houseguests.

The 12 houseguests will also be joined by a thirteenth "mystery houseguest" who will "join the game and give an advantage to one of the cliques," however the houseguest's identity won't be revealed until Big Brother 11 premieres on Thursday, July 9 at 8PM ET/PT, according to a CBS spokesperson.

Following its premiere, Big Brother's eleventh season will settle into the summer staple's regular thrice-weekly broadcast schedule, with Sunday night episodes airing at 8PM ET/PT beginning July 12 and Tuesday night episodes airing at 9PM ET/PT beginning July 14.

Similar to previous Big Brother seasons, the Thursday episodes will serve as the eleventh season's live eviction shows beginning with the July 16 broadcast.

The Big Brother house has been "transformed into a mean, green, eco-friendly living machine" for the show's eleventh season, according to CBS, which added the interior walls are covered with a reconstituted wood panel product made from re-claimed wood flakes, thus reducing the amount of lumber used to build the house.

In addition, the houseguests "will be made fully aware of the amount of waste they create" throughout the eleventh season and will be asked to recycle and place all food items in an outdoor manual compost center or indoor automatic composter.

The Head of Household room has been designed to resemble the seaside in Big Sur, CA -- complete with driftwood hanging on copper patina tinted walls and a working waterfall using recycled water.

The identities of the 12 announced Big Brother 11 houseguests are:

- Braden Bacha, a single 28-year-old surfer from Santa Monica, CA

- Casey Turner, a married 41-year-old father, fifth-grade teacher and DJ from Lakeland, FL

- Chima Simone, a single 32-year-old freelance journalist from West Hollywood, CA

- Jeff Schroeder, a single 30-year-old advertising salesman from Norridge, IL

- Jordan Lloyd, a single 22-year-old waitress from Matthews, NC

- Kevin Campbell, a single 29-year-old graphic designer from Chula Vista, CA

- Lauren Crosby, a single 21-year-old bikini model from Atlanta, GA

- Lydia Tavera, a single 24-year-old special effects make-up artist from Torrance, CA

- Michele Noonan, a married 27-year-old neuroscientist from Pasadena, CA

- Natalie Martinez, a single 24-year-old Tae Kwon Do champion from Gilbert, AZ

- Ronnie Talbott, a married 30-year-old gamer from Belpre, OH

- Russell Kairouz, a single 24-year-old mixed martial arts fighter from Walnut Creek, CA

What group did you fit into in high school? That is the question 12 strangers will face on the season premiere of BIG BROTHER, Thursday, July 9 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Twelve strangers will move into the Big Brother house and learn that they will be ‘kickin it old school' this summer, high school to be exact. The House Guests will be shocked to learn that they will be playing the game in one of four familiar high school cliques - popular, athletes, brainiacs and off beats. They will compete for food, safety from eviction and luxury prizes as part of their clique.

They will also be surprised to discover that a mystery 13th Houseguest is coming to the BIG BROTHER house, to join the game and give an advantage to one of the cliques.

The houseguests will live and compete in a house that has been transformed into a mean, green, eco-friendly living machine. The interior walls of the house are covered with a reconstituted wood panel product made from re-claimed wood flakes. This eco-friendly material reduced the amount of new lumber used to build the BIG BROTHER house.

For the first time ever, the Houseguests will be made fully aware of the amount of waste they create, and will be required to sort, recycle and place all food items in an outdoor manual compost center, as well as an indoor automatic composter. The Head of Household Suite feels like seaside in Big Sur, Calif., where actual driftwood hangs on the copper patina tinted walls while a working waterfall, using recycled water, trickles over stacked stone to serve as a headboard. Zebra wood columns (all faux wood) press into the room framing a contemporary window that overlooks the "surf."

Here's the clip of new Housecalls host Ross Mathews (from The Tonight Show) and Executive Producer Allison Grodner touring the house: http://www.theinsider.com...ss_Mathews

ernestsewell said:

What happened to Gretchen? Or is Ross going to be co-hosting?

He works for The Insider and his studio is right across the street from the Big Brother house. His show will be the official after show of Big Brother. The HG's will go to him first. Not sure if it'll be called House Calls or not, but that's basically what it is.

ernestsewell said:

When you say "after show", do you mean that he'll actually be doing a Big Brother show? Or that these'll be segments on The Insider?

I love BB however I think this sounds kind of lame. I'm hoping it will be better than it sounds.

Why so many Californians?

Ace said:

The House Calls as we know it is gone.

Yaaaay BB!! I look forward 2 it every summer!!

I'm down...

Ive never heard of the term "off beat".

lazycrockett said:

Really? It means 'differing from the usual or expected; unconventional'.

"Tonight's the niiiiight! Tonight's the ni-i-i-ght..." :neil:

You should go on Big Brother.