Big Brother Twist: One Player Is America's Puppet

The new season of CBS' Big Brother, premiering July 5, offers a twist bigger than the Alice in Wonderland-style house detailed in today's Interviews & Features. As teased there by exec producer Allison Grodner, gone is the America's Choice element, which will be replaced by a far more interactive gimmick: an "America's Player" who will have the chance to reap big bucks by executing tasks chosen by viewers via text-messaging/online voting. Example: the "AP" might be asked to get flirty with someone in particular, or vote a certain way at elimination time. Dance, monkey, dance!What sorts are in the mix this season? The 14 houseguests range in age from a ripe 20 to a creaky 44, and they include a former pro football player, a shoe salesman (whoa, Bundy!) and a singular married person, and no less than three restaurant/bar employees. In other words, the service at your local Houlihan's might be a bit slower than usual this summer.Check out TVGuide.com's exclusive gallery for a sneak...