CBS: “Glass House” Copycat “Conversational Pool/Spa Segment”

Really, CBS? We’re going to get that detailed here? As we near the hearing tomorrow morning in the never-ending CBS v. ABC Big Brother/Glass House battle, CBS didn’t waste any time on Thursday releasing an eleven page document pointing out just how ABC has copied the CBS reality staple. Copyright expert, Jeff Rovin, reviewed Glass House footage from the past few days of live feeds and makes the case that the new ABC reality show is a copycat of CBS’s long running summer hit.

Read The Document (Provided by THR) Here

The claim mentions that everything from camera angles to “conversational pool/spa segments” to hair and set color to drapery and pillow colors is the same as Big Brother. In the document above, Rovin notes that “ABC and its creative team have introduced virtually nothing new in the way of staging, camera work, setting, narrative, wardrobe, or anything else that comprise the expression of Big Brother…Given all the possible expansions ABC could have introduced to the reality television genre, the producers clearly chose to replicate what CBS has spent more than a decade refining and perfecting.”

As we have been covering the live feeds in our YakkityYaks forums since they began two days ago, fans of Big Brother and viewers of The Glass House have been making comments on our site, Twitter and other social media sites. But the action behind the scenes has been much more provocative and entertaining that what we’re seeing on camera. While ABC has moved the cast in, started the game, continues to advertise and is set for a premiere on Monday night (at 10/9c), the ruling tomorrow might have other plans. As we previously reported, the judge is rule on whether or not a TRO will be in effect at CBS’s request.

In the document, Rovin has gone so far in comparing images of a blond woman from The Glass House and specifically Big Brother 10. “From the costuming to the hair color to the set color to the lighting, the look and feel of this clip from Big Brother ten is clearly indistinguishable from Glass House,” he noted about images taken from both shows.

Come tomorrow, we will have more concrete information regarding the fate of ABC’s The Glass House. Until then, we want to hear your thoughts on this whole case? What do you think of the moves CBS and ABC have taken in regards to this lawsuit? Are you tired of hearing about this case? Did you check out The Glass House feeds this week? Sound off below and in our FORUMS!

Big Brother 14 vs. The Glass House – The Hits Just Keep Coming

The Glass House has only aired 2 hours of the live feeds and CBS is still not budging. Earlier on Wednesday, CBS made an aggressive move in the never-ending lawsuit and demanded that ABC hand over emails, texts, and many other supporting documents for the series. Filed in the US District Court in California, CBS is asking for all documents from January 1, 2008 to present “CONCERNING ‘Big Brother’ and created in the context of or RELATING TO the development, pre-production, or production of ‘GLASS HOUSE.'” Basically, this would include all of the tweets, texts, emails, facebook posts/messages, and any other means of social media.

CBS is also asking for all series and episode outlines, training manuals, master control room manuals, pitches and other documents relating to The Glass House‘s method of production. The network is additionally asking for blueprints, plans, drawings and other documents relating to direction and set-up of the actual house itself. According to internet reports, ABC already has handed over such things as the Glass House Player Handbook, plans for approved contestant challenges, a detailed floor plan, episode structure, schematics of the master control room and a list of video equipment and media management software.

Big Brother 14 – It’s Rumors Time!

As we previously reported, Producer Kenny Rosen was recently deposed regarding his role, and CBS is now asking that he be called back to answer questions legal counsel initially advised him not to respond to. Rosen initially noted that The Glass House was inspired by The Hunger Games, but later noted similarities to Big Brother.

We’ve been covering this story since CBS filed the suit back in May. The suit asks that ABC and its show be blocked from using any information gleaned from Big Brother, as well as ordering former Big Brother staffers to pay $500,000 each for allegedly violating their previous nondisclosure agreements with CBS. ABC has countered that in explaining that staff followed Rosen from show to show and deny any breaks in previous Big Brother contracts.

CBS has given ABC 48 hours to respond to these requests. ABC of course has noted that this is unreasonable and has rebuked this request. As initially reported by The Hollywood Reporter, “This case is about a television network with a stale franchise — Big Brother — that hopes aggressive litigation tactics will disrupt the premiere of a major competitor’s new, state-of-the-art reality show,” says ABC. ABC went on to say that CBS is not entitled to “additional extremely expedited and highly onerous discovery” and that it will do no good. “This is a red herring. Big Brother has been on the air for 13 years. Everyone in America with a TV has total access to its creative expression. Even if CBS were to obtain evidence tomorrow that every employee at Glass House engaged in a massive conspiracy to copy Big Brother (which, of course, they did not), that would not provide more evidence of access beyond that which CBS already has. Nor would such a confession relieve CBS of its obligation to demonstrate substantial similarity.”

There is a hearing, per CBS’s request, for a temporary restraining order scheduled on Friday June 15 at 9 am. local time.

What do you all think of this never-ending suit? Should CBS cut the fight or keep it going? More importantly, do you think CBS will push the clock and get Glass House off air? Let us know below! We’re also discussing both shows in our FORUMS 24/7!

Details Emerge in CBS v. ABC Lawsuit, Big Brother Confidentiality Breached?

It’s like the story that never ends. With just days before The Glass House contestants move in and just over a week before the show is set to premiere on ABC, details continue to emerge on the lawsuit CBS has filed against ABC for their Big Brother-esque reality show. As we have been constantly updating fans with details of the court case, we have uncovered more details that have emerged from the deposition that took place Sunday night. Late Thursday night, CBS filed an emergency injunction for the temporary restraining order, yet another attempt to stop ABC from premiering The Glass House. As the presiding judge’s decision won’t come until close to the premiere date of June 18, this was CBS’s last ditch effort at making a big wave.

As we previously reported, former Big Brother and current The Glass House producer, Kenny Rosen, was deposed for seven hours on Sunday regarding his role in the production of the ABC show. During the deposition, Rosen admitted to using a copy of the Big Brother Guest Manual as a draft for a supporting document for The Glass House. As the Big Brother manual is property of CBS (and regarded as confidential information), it appears CBS’s claim might have more to it than initially thought. This may be in violation of the agreement Rosen signed when employed by CBS. Rosen also admitted that he “consulted” the CBS Big Brother Master Control schedule to assess how many helping hands he would need to hire in production for ABC’s The Glass House. Initially, it was believed that no more than 15 former Big Brother employees were on tap for The Glass House, but the deposition revealed that the number might be doubled, in fact.

Rosen stated that the creation of The Glass House began around the time another former Big Brother producer Corie Henson came over to work for ABC. Even further, Rosen also admitted during the deposition that he had purposefully deleted Glass House emails after the lawsuit was filed by CBS. We’ll keep you updated as details continue to emerge.

Fans will be able to peek at the hamsters in the house made of glass on Monday from 11pm – 3am EST and on Tuesdays – Thursdays from just 3pm – 4pm EST. ABC will permit LIVE voting starting June 9, while the live streaming will kick off June 11. The show will premiere on the ABC network on Monday June 18 at 10/9c! Big Brother 14 premieres on CBS on Thursday July 12 at 9/8c!

‘The Glass House’ Producer Grilled 7 Hours in ‘Big Brother’ Deposition

If you thought CBS would take a step back and leave ABC to their wits in airing The Glass House, well you thought wrong. ABC announced the cast of their inaugural season yesterday and CBS is STILL trying to put a stop to this show. Touted as a Big Brother rip-off, CBS has left threatening letters for ABC, while ABC has not stayed quiet and fired back. Less than 2 weeks before The Glass House is set to premiere, CBS has taken the aggressive route in putting an end to these shenanigans.

As we previously reported, CBS is suing ABC, arguing that the show violates trade secrets and threatens to leak production secrets, as at least 19 former Big Brother employees now work under the ABC show. ABC is vehemently denying the claims, stating that Glass House is not a rip-off and is far from the CBS summer hit. On May 31, CBS filed a motion to expedite the court’s process in preparation for a preliminary injunction. In turn, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter, ABC has fired its own complaint.

Read ABC’s Court Filing Here

Per reports, a hearing took place on Friday where ABC was demanded to turn in a number of up-to-date documents outlining their plans for the upcoming season of Glass House. According to legal papers, Kenny Rosen, Glass House producer and former Big Brother producer, was deposed for 7 hours on Sunday. During the deposition, he was grilled about Glass House and whether any Big Brother trade secrets were used in the upcoming ABC production. As CBS struggles to find out what Glass House really is (join the club), it’s been difficult for their lawyers to effectively put an end to this competing program.

Late Monday, CBS filed papers proposing an expedited schedule for the court to gather more papers from Glass House production. U.S. Discrict Court Judge Gary Fees is ironically the third judge to preside over this case, as the previous two have recused their responsibility.

According to THR, the proposed schedule argues that “CBS undeniably has an interest in stopping the irreparable harm caused by Defendants’ ongoing misappropriation of trade secrets, infringement of Big Brother’s copyright, and other unlawful activity (including spoilaiton of evidence)…For these reasons, CBS intends to seek a TRO [temporary restraining order] preventing the ongoing production and imminent airing of Glass House on June 18.”

ABC has already fired back claiming that CBS’s claims are preposterous. “…it is misleading—and frankly irrelevant to the legal claims—that Mr. Rosen said he hired more than twenty people with prior experience on Big Brother…What CBS does not tell this Court is that Mr. Rosen also testified that the vast majority of these people worked with Mr. Rosen more recently on a different reality show, Hell’s Kitchen, that has nothing to do with Big Brother. It is true that Mr. Rosen hires people with whom he has experience working on reality shows; there is nothing improper about that.” The argument stresses that “It is preposterous for CBS to argue that a one-page outdated master control room schedule from an old season of Big Brother is a trade secret.”

Now, please allow this writer a moment to editorially comment regarding the story above. This back and forth battle is becoming a little bit ridiculous. Glass House, while arguably a Big Brother knockoff, is not the first show to be spun into creation inspired by a rival network’s show. Why is NBC not firing at Fox for their upcoming dating mockery, The Choice, which clearly mimics The Voice’s format to a “T”? Would CBS be working this hard if there weren’t so many former producers working on ABC’s new show? Does this determination hint at some underlying work environment issue with Big Brother than just merely exposing “trade secrets?”

At this point, CBS needs to give it a rest. Glass House will likely air, in its entirety, no matter what. The fans will decide and the ratings will speak for themselves. At this rate, CBS is helping ABC immensely with the free publicity, since Glass House is strategically premiering almost 4 weeks before Big Brother 14. Fans will be able to peek at the hamsters in the house made of glass on Monday from 11pm – 3am EST and on Tuesdays – Thursdays from just 3pm – 4pm EST. ABC will permit LIVE voting starting June 9, while the live streaming will kick off June 11. The show will premiere on the ABC network on Monday June 18 at 10/9c! Big Brother 14 premieres on CBS on Thursday July 12 at 9/8c!

‘The Glass House’ ~ Just How Will It Work?

Ever since ABC unveiled plans for their new summer reality TV program, The Glass House, questions arose as to what the show’s format will be. How many weeks? How will America be involved? How will the Live Feeds work? Is this a Big Brother wannabe? And those are just some of the questions.

CBS Threatens ABC with Lawsuit over Reality Show

Well, we hope to clear up some of the lingering questions with the info we’ve gathered. As we previously announced, live streaming will be available during predetermined times. Fans will be able to peek at the hamsters in the house on Monday from 11pm – 3am EST and on Tuesdays – Thursdays from just 3pm – 4pm EST. ABC will permit LIVE voting starting June 9, while the live streaming will kick off June 11.

So what will we be voting on? Well, 14 houseguests will enter the house and participate in challenges, while America dips their finger in on the fun. Each week, someone will be eliminated with the sole survivor being deemed winner. The catch? The winner will be voted by America! Besides deciding who should stay and leave, America will also have a hand in affecting everything from what the houseguests wear, eat, where they sleep, and who can even re-enter the game for another chance!

ABC v. CBS: The Saga Continues

Each week, America will have a hand in choosing team captains. The two houseguests with the fewest votes from the public will be the team captains for the challenge of the week. This is where a new feature, “Limbo,” comes in. Once a team loses a challenge, the losing team’s captain enters this purgatory like stage with another member from his/her team that the house decides on. Limbo is equivalent to, if you will, Big Brother’s jury house. The difference? Someone from limbo will be allowed to re-enter the game for a second chance. From there, America will eventually decide who deserves a second chance.

Now, as for the voting, ABC notes that there will be both “daily voting” and “live stream voting.” Daily voting will likely affect the things in the house that we previously mentioned – things that will affect on-air episodes. However, America will get a shot at immediately affecting the outcome of the game during special live-stream votes. The show’s first season will air 10 episodes.

So, what do you think? Now that we know a little bit more, is this a Big Brother rip-off that fans and CBS claim? Are you now more or less likely to watch?

The Glass House premieres June 18 at 10/9c on ABC!

Big Brother Heading Up to Our Northern Neighbors!

It’s about time isn’t it? The Big Brother franchise is finally headed up to Canada. Just like the U.S. version, BB Canada will pit a diverse cast of peeps living under the BB watchful eye 24/7 in a house to win some cash.

According to the Executive Producer of Big Brother Canada, John Brunton, “The franchise presents an opportunity to make serious waves north of the border. Like Captain Kirk said, ‘Boldly go where no man has gone before.’ We’ve never produced a show that shoots 24/7. Casting this program is going to be a blast.” Isn’t that true! I don’t know how many times our Canadian fans have complained about not having access to the U.S. feeds or not having their own show. It’s about darn time.

Details, for now, are sketchy, but Shaw Media has announced that the series will be airing on the 2012/2013 season in ‘Slice’.

Now our only question is… will the U.S. have access to watching it? Will the U.S. be able to buy the Canadian feeds? I sure hope so! So Canadian fans, are you excited? U.S. fans, will you tune in if you can? Leave us a comment below!

Big Brother v. Glass House: The Saga Continues…

ABC is not taking the threats from CBS over their upcoming show ‘Glass House’ lying down. ABC, in response to the eye network claims it’s new reality show is NOT stealing any trade secrets from ‘Big Brother’ stating that nothing about ‘Big Brother’ is a secret.

ABC’s responses is official, filed in the court in response to CBS’ lawsuit, asking the judge to throw out the absurd and “over-the-top” lawsuit immediately. According to court documents, ABC calls the stealing of Big Brother “outrageous” because “there is nothing secret about editing a program with multiple feeds together or developing a narrative structure for it. That is reality TV.” They go on to say that using hidden cameras, having contestants in isolation etc. is not new and should not be considered a “trade secret” as CBS is claiming.

ABC made note in the court filing that there are many differences between the two shows. For one, ‘Glass House’ will be a team oriented game rather than a single individual game. They also say the reason so many old Big Brother employees came on board with ‘Glass House’ leaving CBS and Big Brother behind is that it is “common knowledge in the industry that low pay and the 24 hours a day/7 days a week filming schedule makes life on the Big Brother set difficult,” going on to say that “employees prefer a different show with benefits and better hours is hardly evidence of a trade secret violation.”

ABC is asking the judge to deny all demands and accusations filed from CBS so it can begin production on it’s show. No ruling has yet been made.

Who do you believe? Is ‘Glass House’ just a rip off of ‘Big Brother’ or is CBS just trying to quell any competition? Will you be watching?

CBS Lawyers Threaten ABC Over New Big Brotheresqe Show ‘Glass House’

Update: CBS has followed through on their bluff. Reports have surfaced of CBS taking it one step further with their threat on ABC’s Glass House and suing the network for their alleged Big Brother rip-off. CBS reportedly wants a judge to put an end to production on the ABC summer reality TV show, after ABC refused to back down to CBS’s cease and desist letter found below. Noted in the suit filed earlier today, “If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” the suit begins, “then CBS should take pride in ABC’s latest reality TV project. Glass House, which remarkably employs at least 19 former producers and staff from CBS’ hit reality TV series Big Brother, is a carbon copy of Big Brother and an obvious attempt by Defendants to capitalize on its unique success. CBS therefore brings this action to halt and recover its damages from Defendants’ ongoing infringement of its rights in Big Brother.” It went on to say that Glass House “replicates every key aspect of Big Brother, including, among other things, its plot, themes, mood, setting, pace, characters, sequence of events, and other concrete elements.”

Read the full lawsuit thanks to The Hollywood Reporter.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, CBS lawyers are threatening ABC over a recently announced reality show called Life in a Glass House, which CBS is alleging is a rip off of their long time running Reality Show Big Brother, currently going into it’s 14th season this summer.

CBS Executives sent a cease-and-desist letter today to ABC executives Anne Sweeney and Alan Braverman. According to CBS lawyer Scott Edelman of the Gibson Dunn firm, Glass House is “strikingly” similar to Big Brother. “In the strongest possible terms, we must admonish ABC and anyone involved in the development or production of Glass House that they will be acting at their own peril if they continue to proceed in this manner,” Edelman writes, “and that CBS has instructed us to pursue all available remedies if this course of conduct continues.”

Read the Letter Here (Courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter)

According to THR, “CBS also claims that the new ABC series is being produced by Big Brother veterans who might reveal private information about the inner workings of the show. Specifically, ABC alternative development executive Corie Henson is a Big Brother alum, and both Kenny Rosen and Mike O’Sullivan worked on the show. Those individuals also received similar cease and desist letters.”

“Even worse, CBS is informed that Glass House is being produced by a team of at least 18 former members of CBS’ Big Brother production staff — all of whom were privy to trade secrets and other confidential, proprietary information and signed broad and binding non-disclosure agreements in connection with Big Brother,” the letter reads.

The Hollywood Reporter has contacted ABC for comment but has not yet heard back. We will update you if they get a response.

What do you think? Too much like Big Brother? Will CBS win this one? Leave us a comment below!

Reality Rally Blog: The Yak Joins Forces with the Rally

Can’t attend the large gathering of reality stars and fans this April? Want to be a part of the Reality Rally and aren’t sure how? Why are participants from Big Brother, Survivor, The Amazing Race, Hell’s Kitchen, The X Factor, The Biggest Loser and more attending the Reality Rally and what does it mean to them? What can I do to help further breast cancer research and support my favorite reality stars? If you’ve asked yourselves these questions and more, we’re happy to announce that YakkityYaks is partnering with Reality Rally to provide you even more exclusive content and unparalleled access to the events of the jam-packed weekend! The Yak is launching a Yak Blog that will give you an even greater look at the inner workings of Reality Rally from the point of view of the awesome organizing team to the participants to the reality fans themselves!

Stay tuned for more details on how you can access this blog to receive content from the reality stars and fan participants at the Rally. We’ll have exclusive personal stories, video content and inside info, while you can also keep track and follow Reality Rally’s official tweets, Facebook posts and exclusive video. We’re working with the dedicated folks at Reality Rally to make this an encompassing fan experience, as we work together for a greater cause – donating and supporting the great work the people at Michelle’s Place do for Breast Cancer research. Read on below for more info on the Rally & Michelle’s place. We also encourage any and all Yakksters who are moved by this initiative to visit the Reality Rally page and donate to support a reality star and their team for their efforts. It’s never too late to make a change!

Be sure to follow the Yak on Twitter and Facebook, and keep checking our site for updates! Also, keep tabs with Reality Rally on Twitter & Facebook for all of their official updates!
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Reality Rally is a four hour “Amazing Race” kind of game, where participants will be walking (or running) throughout Temecula’s Old Town in a competition involving crazy activities and fun challenges for all ability levels, all for the coveted prize (trophy) and bragging rights but most importantly raising funds for Michelle’s Place Breast Cancer Resource Center.

”I thought my excitement could never be matched when I made it on Survivor after eight years of trying. I am equally, if not more, excited to bring back the second year of Reality Rally which after last year’s success is being touted as the Premier Reality Fundraising event in the nation,” says event founder Gillian Larson who was a contestant on Survivor:
Gabon.

Over 80 reality stars have already committed to participate in this year’s Reality Rally Temecula Valley including: Richard Hatch (Winner of the first Survivor and participant in Survivor: All-Stars), Dawn Meehan (Survivor: South Pacific), Papa Bear Caruso (Survivor: South Pacific), Adam Poch (Big Brother), Elise Wims (Hell’s Kitchen) and many others.

Teams consist of three members of the general public and a Reality Star added to make a team of four. Registration is $90.00 PER racer until April 8th or when all teams are filled whichever comes first. Only eighty teams will play and spots are filling up quickly.

Not only are all of the Reality Stars in attendance donating their time, this year they are required to raise $400 (the cost of a mammogram) minimum to be part of the event. The Reality Stars are raising “Money For Mammograms” and all the other services that Michelle’s Place offers to women suffering from breast cancer.

The three day Fun for Funds event will take place from April 13th – 15th. The Reality Rally competition is on April 14th, 2012 and the public will be able to not only watch the competitors as they complete the over 12 challenges but also have the opportunity to participate in many of the activities surrounding the event such as the Reality-Am Golf Tournament the Celebrity Reception with the Stars at Wilson Creek Winery, the Red Carpet Extravaganza and Rally Pit Party at Monte De Oro Winery, and the family Breakfast with the Stars at The Legends Golf Club at Temeku Hills.

There will also be autograph signings, “pawtograph” signings (from celebrity dog stars) and much more to enjoy. Event times, tickets and information can all be found at www.realityrally.com where updates will be posted regularly.

All proceeds of Reality Rally will go to benefit Michelle’s Place which was founded in 2001 by Marilyn and Bill Watson, parents of Michelle Watson. Michelle was diagnosed with breast cancer at the tender age of 23 after years of misdiagnosis. It was her dying wish to start a breast cancer resource center where women could go for support and information in Riverside County. For more information regarding Michelle’s Place please visit www.michellesplace.org.

Reality Casting Tips From Big Brother Champ, Dan Gheesling

With the launch of his new e-book keeping him busy, Big Brother 10 champ, Dan Gheesling, was willing to take some time of his busy schedule and answer a few questions for the Yak and our readers who would some day like end to end up on their favorite reality show. As but a supplement to his Step-By-Step Guide, How A Normal Guy Got Cast on Reality TV, is a great way for hopefuls to brush up on the characteristics those involved with casting reality TV shows are looking for. You can access your free e-copy, by clicking right here! In addition to the e-book, check out the extra bit of insight Dan provided below. The Yak thanks Dan for his time and wishes him great success with his future endeavors!

If you’re applying to an upcoming season of a reality show, be sure and let us know! We always love to know what our Yakksters are up to!
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The Yak: How does a real fan show they would be more valuable to the show more than a Jersey Shore mactor wannabe?
Dan Gheesling: Passion is something that will help you connect with a lot of people, including the Casting Producers. If you are really passionate about getting on Reality TV they will be able to see it. If you want to get on Reality TV just to be “famous” they will also see that (not a great idea). For someone trying to get on Reality TV, they have to define what is driving them to apply – this is what I call the “why-factor.”

The Yak: Any tips on how to draw the line between defining what your “why-factor” is without going overboard and over-saturating casting with that factor?

Dan Gheesling: Your why factor is defined by your passions in life. The problem with that is people have a difficult time even defining their passions let alone their why-factors (I know this first hand!). When you boil it all down there are only a handful of why-factors. In the Guide I go through in depth specifically how to determine your own personal why-factor using a set of individual Guide-sheets that are included with the guide.

The Yak: What compelled you to write this e-book?
Dan Gheesling: About a year ago I started my personal blog – www.IWouldCoach.com – and on the blog I have a form where people can contact me directly. The most asked question I got, was asking me how to get on Reality TV. After I responded to a ton of e-mails answering that question – I figured out I could help a LOT more people by writing a book about it. Back in the day I searched every corner of the Internet for information on how to improve my audition video and casting interview skills, and I couldn’t find anything. The goal of HowToGetOnRealityTV.net and both books I have written are to help someone looking for that exact information.

The Yak: Let’s be honest, you have your critics out there who think this is all a ploy to suck more money from your fans. While I don’t believe this at all, I have seen it on the internet already. I’m sure you have too. What do you have to say to the skeptics?
Dan Gheesling: Anyone who knows me knows that I truly appreciate all the support people have given me since I have been off the show. As a small way of thanking them for the support, I put a ton of time and effort into writing my story, How A Normal Guy Got Cast On Reality TV. This book is available for them for FREE. This was written specifically for my supporters but can also provide some insight for an individual interested in getting cast on Reality TV.

For people who are really serious about improving their casting game, I wrote How To Get On Reality TV: The Complete Step by Step Guide. It is a 75 page Guide that is a resource and tool to hone your casting skills. The Guide teaches readers the following: how to create a compelling casting story, the best way to develop your audition video, critical interview tips, includes a set of Guide-sheets, and much much more. My goal is to genuinely help others improve their casting process skills by using this Guide. Bottom line, I’ve put a lot of time and energy into producing this valuable tool which includes information that cannot be found anywhere else.

The Yak: So, you’ve made it known that you initially applied for Season 9 but ended up getting cast for season 10 – likely due to the twist. For hopefuls out there who have already applied and maybe been told by casting that they are wanted back next season, what advice do you have for them? Do they need to reapply or does someone in the casting department get a hold of them based on some special list they’ve been penned on?
Dan Gheesling: In How A Normal Guy Got Cast On Reality TV, you will find out I first applied for Season 6, and was rejected many times after. My advice to someone who has had some success in the casting process is to keep applying. Each audition there after you have to step it up or change something about your approach. If you continue to do the same thing time in and time out, you can’t really expect different results.

The Yak: And if you’ve made it farther than you ever imagined and casting has specifically told you that they want you back next season, does one still have to apply or can one expect a call back from casting automatically for the semi-finals rounds?
Dan Gheesling: In my story How A Normal Guy Got Cast on Reality TV, that exact same thing happened to me. I always erred on the side of caution and applied regardless of what I was told.

The Yak: Alright, so we’ve been called back. Now what? How do we keep ourselves relevant and appealing to the casting team?
Dan Gheesling: Have a story to tell. Reality TV is just an outlet to tell stories. You have to be comfortable talking about yourself and really selling your story. A lot of people walk into a casting interview winging it without any stories to tell. Some people can pull that off – I could never do that. Dynamic story telling was never my strong suit, but I found a way to make it happen. So if a normal guy like me can get on Reality TV, so can other people, if they know what to do.

The Yak: I take it your guide summarized how you found a way to make that happen. Can you briefly summarize for Yaks everywhere?
Dan Gheesling: You’re right, Building Your Story is detailed very clearly in How To Get On Reality TV: The Complete Step by Step Guide. It’s actually quite an in depth process that takes time, effort, and most importantly dedication to getting cast. Building your story is like building a house, it starts with your why factor, is stacked with your life experiences, and finished off with your compelling details. The best advice I can give to someone who hadn’t read the Guide yet is to deliberately take time before you audition to define your story. It’s the most important part of your presentation, yet a lot of people never take the time to build their own story.

The Yak: Let’s take it one step further. You’ve not only made it on the show, but you made it to the winner’s circle. Any insider advice for someone who heeded your advice to not only get on the show but home $500,000 richer?
Dan Gheesling: That’s a tough question to answer in a few short sentences. In the end its about focus and desire. How bad do you want to win? What are you willing to do to win? And most importantly, in an environment built to distract and get a rise out of you, can you stay focused long enough to make the right decisions?

The Yak: I know this is aside from the casting talk, but this past season of Big Brother has brought the fangs out of fans more than before. With the advent of social media, contestants are more easily targeted for hate related to game play or decisions. Do you have anything to say on that and how we can help combat that for incoming contestants?
Dan Gheesling: There is really not a whole lot you can do to combat it. It is sad to see when people’s real lives are influenced by negative messages via social media. That’s when it goes too far. At the same time, when you put yourself on a platform like Reality TV you need to be prepared to handle it. Incoming contestants just need to know that IF they choose to read blogs, forums, etc it is not always going to be positive and just take everything you read with a grain of salt. I would encourage them to interact with the people that connect with them but ignore the people who have negative words for them.