The Season Premiere of the first-ever US "Celebrity Big Brother" aired tonight. True to "Big Brother" form, the show handed audiences a healthy dose of drama. The UK has been successfully airing a "Celebrity Big Brother" show since 2001, and now Americans finally get their turn to watch a group of celebrities battle it out in a social experiment to claim bragging rights and a $250,000 cash prize.
The season is significantly shorter in length - only two and a half weeks long - whereas CBS's "Big Brother" that airs during the summertime runs for close to three months.
In an interview with TV Guide about the upcoming celebrity edition, "Big Brother" host Julie Chen stated, "I have no idea how this is going to go, how only being two-and-a-half weeks is going to be more of a pressure cooker." Chen further remarked that previous attempts to get a "Celebrity Big Brother" off the ground fell through because the traditional three month time commitment is too long for celebrities.
Eleven celebrity cast members
The shorter season means that the cast is smaller in number. Eleven celebrities made the cut, including: Omarosa Manigault, Shannon Elizabeth, Brandi Glanville, Metta World Peace, James Maslow, Chuck Liddell, Ariadna Gutiérrez, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Mark McGrath, Ross Matthews, and Marissa Jaret Winokur.
The first episode featured appearances by former houseguests, including last year's showmance Jody, as well as Jody, and former winner Rachel Reilly, Mr. Pectacular, and last two seasons' runner up, Paul Abrahamian, singing and dancing an opening number during the show's first ever Head of Household competition.
The episode gave fans a good dose of good old "Big Brother" paranoia and drama already.
Celebrities made themselves right at home, and got into the swing of things quick enough, dropping age-old "Big Brother" phrases like, "they will never expect us to work together," and "no blood on my hands."
Fans even have the making of another early season all-girl alliance. Generally, these all girl alliances get blown up or self-implode within the first couple weeks of the game.
However, since this season is only two and a half weeks long, one can hope that these women can stick together without the men successfully breaking them apart and show fans what we already know: women are boss at "Big Brother."
Shannon Elizabeth wins HOH
Shannon Elizabeth set things off to a positive start by securing the first HOH win of the season, even though die-hard "Big Brother" fans will question the intelligence of winning the first HOH. However, one must "expect the unexpected" with "Big Brother," and already the producers have thrown a wrench into the all-girls alliance plans with the creation of the "recast the HOH card."
For those out there who are not interested in the "Winter Olympics", or need a break from the world drama, this short season promises to provide a lot of celebrity backstabbing and drama.
Since this is only a two and a half week phenomenon, hopefully "Big Brother" can't throw too many wrenches in the houseguests way and we can settle in for some good old-fashioned "Big Brother" gameplay, celebrity edition.