The producers of BIG BROTHER 4 took the time to answer a few questions from the show's many fans. Check this space regularly, because we'll be adding more Producers Q&A as they become available.
Is there ever a chance that BIG BROTHER will have a live studio audience when the HouseGuest is evicted, like in BIG BROTHER 1?
It's unlikely. The studio Julie Chen now works from is very small, and there is no room for an audience of any size. Further, when we took over the show in season two, we completely re-tooled the format, and felt that our new format was not conducive to a live audience, even if there were room, which there isn't.
Will the HouseGuests be able to read any of the banners this year?
We've done all we can to ensure that the HouseGuests will not read any banners that might appear in the sky. Neither the producers nor the HouseGuests want outside influences to affect the game. Therefore, they don't want to see banners any more than we want them to see banners, and will avoid them by going inside. Both players and producers want the competition to be fair and devoid of unwanted outside influences.
How many more seasons of BIG BROTHER will there be?
We hope there are many more, and there is good reason to be optimistic. BIG BROTHER is the ONLY reality show that has seen an INCREASE in ratings each of the last three years. While other shows come and go, BIG BROTHER just keeps getting bigger!
Who has been your favorite HouseGuest so far (BB2 and BB3)?
Our favorites consistently are those who play the game 24/7 and play hard. Will, Nicole, Danielle and Marcellas, just to name a few. Those of us who work on the show feel it is superior when the HouseGuests vote each other out instead of the viewers voting them out, because had the viewers been voting the past two years, all of those people would have been gone in the first few weeks (based on popularity polls in the early weeks). Can you imagine BIG BROTHER without those four?
Do you think this season of BIG BROTHER will be the best?
We strongly believe that BB4 can be the best season yet. The X Factor makes this season the most unpredictable and intriguing of any surprise we've ever introduced. We also have a phenomenal group of people that could be the most competitive, charismatic and colorful group yet. And we have a few other twists and turns that promise to shake things up and deliver on our promise to "expect the unexpected." We are extremely excited about the potential for BB4.
What do you think the X Factor will do to the contestants?
The X Factor was designed to bring drama and conflict into Big Brother from the very beginning of the show. I think the contestants will be forced to rethink their strategy and their roles in the House, which will ultimately make for an exciting summer full of unpredictable twists and turns.
Do you like the newly renovated House?
We love the new design for the House. It is a retro 60s look that is very popular right now. The colors and funky furniture give the house a feeling of "summer fun."
Did the designers of the BB4 House help design in previous editions?
John Shaffner and Joe Stewart are the art directors this year, and they helped create the look of BIG BROTHER 3.
Why do you cut to the front door so often during live feeds? I understand doing so during major competitions, but any other time I have a hard time understanding why you cut all the feeds.
It is always our desire to show as little FOTH (Front of the House) as possible. In addition to the strategic competitions (which play far more dramatically on the televised show than on the feeds), periodic interruptions are necessary when the HouseGuests sing songs (which we can't let out since we don't have the rights) or make comments, which are potentially legally sensitive. The HouseGuests are schooled in these issues, but they often forget. Usually, the FOTH only lasts as long as it takes for us to remind the HouseGuests not to do whatever it is they are doing. This year, we are giving the HouseGuests a more extensive orientation on this problem so we can show less FOTH.
It seems that all of the last group of HouseGuests were all interested in pursuing a career in acting or some kind of media. Why do you tend to lean towards those more than the more realistic individual?
We quite simply want the most interesting cast we can possibly find. As it happens, many of the people who pursue a spot on a reality show have these aspirations (regardless of whether they have any experience or talent). Certainly this would be true of our more charismatic applicants. We choose not to rule people out just because they have these aspirations.
