CBS ANNOUNCES NATIONWIDE CASTING CALL FOR "BIG BROTHER 6"
Released by CBS


CBS ANNOUNCES NATIONWIDE CASTING CALL FOR "BIG BROTHER 6"

SIXTH INSTALLMENT OF "BIG BROTHER" TO BE BROADCAST DURING THE SUMMER OF 2005 ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

Oscar and Emmy Award Winner Arnold Shapiro and Emmy Award Winner Allison Grodner To Serve as Executive Producers

CBS has announced that applications are now being accepted for the sixth installment of the reality series BIG BROTHER, which will be broadcast during the summer of 2005. The series will again be produced by Oscar and Emmy Award winner Arnold Shapiro and his Emmy Award-winning partner Allison Grodner.

BIG BROTHER 6 will follow a group of strangers living together in a house outfitted with dozens of cameras and microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day. One by one, the houseguests will vote each other out of the house. At the end of three months, the last remaining houseguest will receive the grand prize.

The BIG BROTHER 6 application and instructions can be found exclusively on the CBS website, www.cbs.com. A two-minute videotape demonstrating why the applicant believes he or she will make the ultimate houseguest and two color photographs must accompany the completed forms. The deadline for applications is April 8.

“BIG BROTHER 6 has some big surprises that will soon be revealed,” says Executive Producer Arnold Shapiro. “Our goal this summer is to assemble the most colorful, competitive, and charismatic houseguests we've ever had. Right now, we're seeking the most memorable and exciting competitors we can find.”

Adds Grodner, “Coming up with the best HouseGuests and the most surprising twists are the most challenging-yet-rewarding parts of producing BIG BROTHER. This summer we look forward to delivering a terrific cast and surprising new twists.”

Shapiro has produced 28 television series, five TV movies and more than 90 primetime documentary and reality specials, including “Rescue 911,” “Break The Silence: Kids Against Child Abuse,” and “Kids Killing Kids,” all on the Network. Shapiro's other Emmy-winning programs include “Scared Straight!” and “The Teen Files.” Shapiro/Grodner just completed production on “On the Road with Missy Elliott” for UPN. Among the 150 awards Shapiro has received are an Academy Award, 16 Emmys, a Peabody Award, and three Humanitas Prizes.

Grodner has worked in documentary and reality-based programming for more than 15 years. In 2001, she partnered with Shapiro to revamp and co-executive produce the highly successful “Big Brother 2.” Since forming Shapiro/Grodner Productions in 2002, Grodner has executive produced multiple series including, “The Family,” “Family Business,” and “Blow Out” and “On the Road with Missy Elliot.” She has also created and executive produced specials and series including “Flipped,” “Dear Santa” “Small Town Ecstasy,” and “Hype and Glory: Sweeps Month.”

In 1999, Grodner was nominated for a DGA Award in children’s programming for “Smoking: Truth or Dare?” and received three Emmy Awards for producing the documentary specials, “The Teen Files.” In 2000, the entire “Teen Files” series was granted the prestigious Governor’s Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Grodner began her career as part of the original producing and directing team on the long-running CBS series, “Rescue 911.” She went on to create and produce non-fiction projects for A&E, TLC, Lifetime, and American Movie Classics. Most notably, she served as co-executive producer for the reality series, “A Wedding Story,” and both produced and directed for such network projects as “Vital Signs” and “Animal Stories.”

BIG BROTHER 6 is produced by Arnold Shapiro & Allison Grodner Productions, in association with Endemol U.S.A.

I hope to hell they have realized that they need to focus more on getting interesting houseguests and less on INCREDIBLY AMAZING MIND-BLOWING TWISTS.

Indeed, I haven't watched a full season since Will/Dr. Evil won, season 3?. That was the best one. But since then they have gone down hill.