Big Brother Turns Eye on Fresh Meat

New cast announced for CBS show's 10th installment; cycle will utilize original strangers-living-together concept

Big Brother is rerooting itself in history.

CBS has announced the cast for the 10th edition of the voyeuristic reality show, a gimmick-free lineup of fresh faces who are purely in it to win it (and perhaps make disparaging remarks about autism, use the N-word or dump iced tea on a housemate's head).

Unlike previous recent seasons, which featured couples, exes, long-lost nemeses and Big Brother "All-Stars," this installment will hearken back to the show's original concept: 13 strangers live together and battle it out for a $500,000 prize.

"We are going old-school and returning to the original concept," said series executive producer Allison Grodner. "We are also excited to have the most diverse group we have ever assembled."

Early Show anchor Julie Chen returns as host for the 10th time. The new cycle premieres Sunday and will air three nights a week, with eviction notices handed out on Wednesdays.

Not that George Orwell is resting in peace or anything. His namesake 1984 creation is still being used to refer to the videotaped shenanigans about to occur between a Catholic school teacher, a rodeo cowboy, a bartender and 10 others at a pimped-out, isolated pad.

This year, the Big Brother house has been decorated to resemble an "all-American home with a traditional look," including a rocking chair on the front porch and a garden out back.

Not so traditional are the theme rooms within the house, including a '50s-style kitchen (hopefully with modern-day appliances), the hippie-dippy "Road to Woodstock" bedroom and the '80s-appreciating "Punk Room."

Here's a rundown of the 13 specimens offering themselves up for constant examination, all single unless otherwise specified:

• Michelle Costa, 28, Cumberland, R.I., realtor
• Steven Daigle, 35, Dallas, rodeo competitor and geographic consultant
• April Dowling, 30, Higley, Ariz., financial manager
• Memphis Garrett, 25, Los Angeles, mixologist
• Dan Gheesling, 24, Dearborn, Mich., Catholic school teacher
• Jessie Godderz, 22, Huntington Beach, Calif., professional body builder
• Brian Hart, 27, San Francisco, telecommunications account manager
• Jerry MacDonald, 75, Magnolia, Texas, retired marketing executive and former Marine (married, grandfather)
• Renny Martyn, 53, Metairie, La., beauty salon owner (married, mom)
• Bryan Ollie, 27, Bloomington, Minn., marketing sales rep
• Keesha Smith, 29, Burbank, Calif., waitress
• Angie Swindell, 29, Orlando, pharmaceutical sales rep
• Libra Thompson, 31, Spring, Texas, human resources rep (married, mom)