'Big Brother: OTT' Bosses Think Alex (or Shane) May Win
"Big Brother: Over the Top" starts tonight (Wednesday, September 28 at 10 p.m.) on CBS All Access.
Unlike the main show on CBS, we the fans get to pick the winner of OTT. At this point, we don't know whether Jason Roy or Jozea Flores will enter the house as the 13th Houseguest, but the other 12 are known commodities (and many fans have already pointed out how they seem ... familiar).
Since the viewers get to pick the winner, that changes the dynamic of who has the best chance in the finals. Executive producers Allison Grodner and Rich Meehan talked to The Hollywood Reporter about which OTT HG has the best chance of winning, recognizing that last season they were WAY off with their "Big Brother 18" predictions:
THR: Every season I ask you for early predictions for who might win the game. Allison, last year you said Michelle Meyer and Paulie Calafiore. Rich, you also said Paulie. What about this season?
Grodner: We were terrible last season! Who knew, right?
Meehan: Terrible!
What are your predictions this year? It's different this time because America is voting.
Grodner: It's interesting. We were just talking about that before. I think Alex has a really good shot.
Meehan: Alex and Shane.
Grodner: Alex and Shane we hope will be popular. I mean not hope, we assume they will be because they're nice.
When I interviewed Shane he said Big Brother was like the Real World. And I told him, "No, Big Brother is not like The Real World!"
Grodner: (Laughs.) There's a mix of people who know the show and don't, just like we have every year. I would say Alex has enough knowledge of the show and has a likability factor. Shane may not know enough to get very far. But people like Paul [Abrahamian] survived to the end this summer. As far as just being gamers, Scott, Kryssie and Shelby will be.... Oh, and Neeley! That will be interesting to see them play. [It's] really hard to say.
Since Alex Willett's name came up twice, and she does have show knowledge and likability, she may be the one to watch. Then again, her sister Morgan Willett is also in the house, and if their sibling connection becomes clear, it will make them both targets.
Here's Alex's CBS bio:
Alex Willett
Age: 25
Hometown: Grandbury, TX
Current city: Dallas, TX
Occupation: Animation designerThree adjectives that describe you: Determined, creative, and perceptive.
Favorite activities: Playing The Settlers Of Catan and lifting heavy at the gym. I'm goal oriented and being fit is big to me. And playing piano; I took lessons for eight years.
What do you think will be the most difficult part about living inside the Big Brother: Over the Top house?
100-percent not having access to a "mental escape," having no books, phones, articles, or games as a means to relax. Also, no communication with family will be tough.Do you have a strategy for winning the game?
Connect with people on different "layers:"Layer 3 ("The crazies") - People I don't like (aka my main targets).
Layer 2 (4-5 people I vibe with) - Manipulate them to make moves for me.
Layer 1 (1-2 people I 90-percent deeply trust) - Who I talk crazy strategy with.Once layers are set up, I can be a strategic power player.
Fans can expect (the unexpected?) a lot of changes in this digital season, including a "Safety Ceremony" and a prize of $250,000 rather than $500,000. Read more here.
What do you think -- do Morgan Willett and Shane Chapman have the best chances of winning? What about whoever is voted into the house, since that HG should already have "America" on his side? You didn't ask, but our pre-season favorite is Danielle Lickey...
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