The BBCan Grand Hotel: A Review from a Disgruntled Accidental Tourist

The new house is spectacular beyond words.

BUT...

Instead of the standard ho-hum review of the new house - where I just throw up some pics and go oooh, aaaah, I thought I might do something a little different this year. Have some fun with it. This is a review by an accidental hotel guest - and he posted pictures.

Enjoy!

Here is Your MasterChef Canada Season 3 Cast: The "TOP 14"!

Photo: CNW Group/CTV

The Top 40 have been narrowed down to the Top 14. These are the Home Chefs who will compete in the MasterChef Kitchen and face their first Mystery Box Challenge in episode 3. Strangely, there were two who we didn't even see in Episode 1. 

Big Brother Canada 4 Extras

Stuff to share. Enjoy.

Big Brother Canada 4: Changes

There have been a few changes this year.

• Twistos is NO LONGER sponsoring the show. 
• Although we will never see the phrase, "Twistos Twist", that DOES NOT mean there will be no twists this year.
• No fan points system. Remember having to watch videos and read bios just to gain votes that will multiply your voting strength? Well, there will be none of that this year. Quite frankly, I'm relieved. I just feel it would be a waste of my time. 
• Once again, this does not mean fans will not be voting for key elements of the show. We have already been tasked with voting for 2 International Wildcards. In addition, The Brick has a couple of tricks up their sleeve.

Big Brother Canada 4: House of Cards...The New House Guests (Updated)

Here are the Season 4 cast members. Official babble, bio & Twitter accounts, and my first impressions. Final impressions are pre-season as well - I've just had time to reconsider.

These initial bios are very deceiving. Pretty standard fare and they rarely - if ever, live up to their own ideals. It's almost as if once they get in there, they forget who they are and why they were there. The videos are not much better because they haven't fallen in love with the camera yet. I have also noticed the official info seems to be intentionally manufactured to remind us of past alumni, attempting to fit each Houseguest into a stereotype. Most remind me of BBCan cast, others from BBUS.  


So take my initial impressions worth a grain of salt. 

Sometimes I think I should hold off writing my impressions and predictions until I've seen the Live Feeds or until they all get hammered. Seeing them drunk is the only way to make sure.

Jared Kesler
Twitter: @JaredBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 24
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
Occupation: Pipeline Worker
Jared is the quiet "pretty boy" who is looking for a showmance and plans to dominate the physical competitions that Big Brother Canada has in store.
Strategy: My strategy is just to not get caught up in household drama. Being polite is kind of my main goal. It’s gotten me pretty far in life – people take kindly to “Yes sir. Thank you ma’am.” I don’t want to have a showmance, but I’m going to get awfully bored in that house. It’s the worst thing you can do for the purpose of winning but I’m going to run out of things to talk about with the guys. My mom would not be happy.
My First Impressions: Fan, but maybe not quite "superfan" level. He may well be a "quiet, pretty boy", but he knows Big Brother Canada.
My Final Assessment: I can easily see Jared at least making Jury, if not farther. He could get in with a group of guys in an alliance. Despite his claims to the contrary, I give it two weeks tops until he's in a showmance. If he really has seen previous seasons like he's claimed, then he knows damn well of Emmett & Jillian's showmance and whatever the hell that thing was between Jon and Neda. Or last season's Lover's Paradise. Showmances can get you far, IF you know what you're doing game-wise.

Joel Lefevre
Twitter: @JoelBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 33
Hometown: Edmonton, AB 
Occupation: Actor
Joel is a self-proclaimed late bloomer who feels he will be able to fly under the radar and swoop in to win it all.
Strategy: My strategy is to make personal connections as soon as possible with everyone in the house. I don’t plan to have a showmance – I’m skeptical of them knowing that it’s a competition for a lot of money so the intentions aren’t necessarily good. That said, I wouldn’t say no to a showmance, because I wouldn’t want someone to be suspicious that I was on to them. I’d play along for a little while.
My First Impressions: He's got that Steve Moses/Ian Terry vibe going on. Plus, he gives a shout out to Jordan Parhar. If the others see it too, he may be first out. Externally, I think he's a nerd-poser - meaning I think either he or TPTB have played up the nerd factor. One word....VEST.
My Final Assessment: Joel is still a mystery to me, but until I see otherwise I'm still sticking to my guns that nerd-persona is exaggerated. Either he came up with it or production did. There are pictures of him on the internet with no vest or glasses. If this is a personality trait he is putting on for strategy - that is, to make him look less threatening, then it's a huge mistake.

Loveita Adams
Twitter: @LoveitaBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 25
Hometown: Fort McMurray, AB
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Loveita is an outspoken and ambitious ball of fire who is sure to stir up controversy in the Big Brother Canada house.
Strategy: My strategy is to make as many promises as possible; even if I have to make promises or search for things to promise. The purpose behind this is that if you’re able to make a promise and keep it, you’ll immediately build trust. I want people to believe that I will do whatever I say. For instance, if I know I want to vote a certain person out, I might go up to someone who I know is a supporter of theirs and pretend I’m not sure what I will do. Then I’ll offer them my vote to support them. If I give them my word and keep it, they’ll believe in me. I’ve watched the show and looked at it from a statistics and psychology stand-point, and I’ve seen how valuable building trust and credibility can be.
My First Impressions: Her bio suggests she is an unknown factor and may be a floater at least in the early stages of the game. She doesn't like all-girl alliances because girls can't play a physical game. (has she even seen the show?) That may be her downfall.
My Final Assessment: Loveita's main strategy has Sabrina written all over it (it's almost identical to Sabs pre-show bio), and we all know what happened with that. It worked for Sabrina in the early stages of the game, and it can certainly work for Loveita. BUT, the whole bit about girls not having enough strength to compete against the guys in challenges sounds like a load of hooey to me. Even if she believes it, it tells me that her unwillingness to get in an alliance with a girl or girls is a major mistake.

Maddy Pavle
Twitter: @MaddyBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 21
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Occupation: Server
Maddy is a fashionable tomboy and a serial dater who is so confident in her Big Brother Canada game that she has already declared victory.
Strategy: I do not [have a strategy]. I’m going to take every day as it comes because every day could be different than what I plan for. I have watched every season of Big Brother Canada and I know what a rollercoaster I am in for so I don’t think a strategy is what works.
My First Impressions: Recognizing that an overall strategy doesn't work looks promising, but she's just to much Danielle 2.0 to me. A real live-wire.
My Final Assessment: If she is as edgy and rambunctious as her bio suggests, I can see her irritating a lot of people, especially if she goes in swinging. Remember Kat Yee? Yah, like that. Are we looking at an early eviction here? Or maybe first out? Maybe one factor in her favour is she claims to have watched previous seasons. But is she a superfan?

Paige Distranski
Twitter: @PaigeBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 19
Hometown: Thunder Bay, ON
Occupation: Vet Tech Assistant
Paige is a real outdoor type who likes to hunt, trap, and fish. Her birthday present from her parents was a trip to audition for Big Brother Canada and she's ready to make it all the way to the finale.
Strategy: Growing up in Northwestern Ontario has prepared me for this experience. I’ve grown up outside, trapping and hunting. Those things are all about anticipating an animal’s next move and strategizing to maintain the upper hand, and that IS Big Brother Canada if you think about it. Basically the Big Brother Canada house is going to be my trap line. Being in nature all the time can be harsh, and it’s made me strong and it’s made me brave.
My First Impressions: She may be the biggest fan in the house this year. A bit of a ditz. She seems to fill the Talla/Pili role, mostly because of her own, made-up doggy language. 
My Final Assessment: Despite her fan status (or superfan status) the only thing holding me back on Paige is her age. Knowing BB strategy and knowing how to carry through with it are two completely different animals. Or have we forgotten last season already? Hey who knows. Maybe Paige can form an alliance where she can shine.

Ramsey Aburaneh
Twitter: @RamseyBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 26
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Occupation: Digital Marketing Specialist
Ramsey is a charming conversationalist who has an enormous family (65 first cousins!) and knows how to handle himself in a large group and chaotic situations.
Strategy: Yes and no. I don’t have an A to Z plan because the show changes so much and you can’t get too locked to a plan. It’s safe to say that for the first half of the show I want to downplay my athleticism and just come off like a guy that just seems to be there to have fun and not really think about the competition side. Then when it’s time to, I’ll start to showcase who I really am, win some competitions, and stab people in the back. That’s my plan. Hundo P.
My First Impressions: Definite Zach type. Extremely likeable, but he has never seen the show before (another recruit?)!
My Final Assessment: If Ramsey is a recruit, then I think casting just hit the jackpot. He has a girlfriend, so no showmances for him. But his charismatic personality should win over guys and girls. His bio suggests that he has done his homework and studied up on several episodes or seasons. If he can hide his athleticism long enough, he's got a real shot at this. 

Raul Manriquez
Twitter: @RaulBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 21
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Occupation: Fashion Stylist
Raul moved from Mexico with his family for a better life. He's a Mormon who is proud of his LGBT community and is convinced he can use his Latino charm to win Big Brother Canada.
Strategy: I do not [have a strategy]. I’m really bad at making strategies. I usually just go with the flow. If I had a strategy, I’d be changing it all the time. I prefer to just go with the flow of the river. All I know is that I do not want to fall in love because when I fall in love, I forget everything except for the guy I’m in love with. I just want to be with him and do whatever he wants and I lose myself. So, not a good idea for Big Brother Canada.
My First Impressions: No. This guy screams recruit. I hate recruits. Well let's just say they have to win me over. So, I will need to see him on the live feeds before I can really get a good opinion.
My Final Assessment: Except for the bit about being versatile, I just don't understand what this guy is about. He's all over the place in his bio and vid. It just makes me wonder if he's even seen the show. Unless there is data TPTB are holding back from us, I can't see him going far.

Cassandra Shahinfar
Twitter: @CassandraBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 22
Hometown: Winnipeg, MB
Occupation: Social Media Specialist 
Cassandra is the centre of attention in her family and is set on finding a showmance in the Big Brother Canada house.
Strategy: Well Cassandra means seducer of all men so that can work for a strategy – making everyone fall in love with me! I can talk to any person at any age and get to know them. I plan to use my social skills in the house to get to know everyone, and make them feel I’m just there to have fun and be their friend, and not necessarily strategize or get into a clique. Even if someone who I’m not in an alliance with or who isn’t a key player seems to be down or having a hard day, if I see them down I will try and make them feel better. The fact that I’m helping them, they’ll remember that down the line, that I’m not just there for the game, I’m there for the people. When really, I’m just there for the game! I’m also planning to make a secret alliance with one male. Not necessarily a showmance but sort of like a Jon (BBCAN Season 2) and Neda (BBCAN Season 2) thing. I’d have him win the competitions that I can’t do myself, and I’d have him do my dirty work too. That would be ideal.
My First Impressions: One word....DIVA. Second word: Sabrina. I'll just let that sink in a bit. Cassandra better learn how to do dishes. Quick. Yah, this one spells trouble.
My Final Impressions: That kind of attitude is going to make HUGE enemies of the other girls real quick. Maybe even the guys. It's so transparent. On the other hand, she could get carried along like BB16's Victoria Rafaeli.

Christine Kelsey
Twitter: @ChristineBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 47
Hometown: Vancouver, BC
Occupation: Housekeeper
Christina is a single mother who is ready to use her maternal vibe to trick the houseguests into trusting her.
Strategy: I mean it’s all about the dynamics once you get in there, but basically I want to lay low while the big strong players duke it out, and then I’ll kick into high gear later. I’ll keep it under the radar for a while. I can be pretty loud and social but I don’t want to show that right away. I hide that side of myself all the time – people can’t handle me – so it won’t be hard to do that in the house.
My First Impressions: NO. I'm not saying that a person of that age won't stand a chance with all the younger people, but she won't stand a chance with all those younger people. It can be done, it just takes a certain personality to do so. I'm not sure she has it. 
My Final Impressions: Christine has some very good friends who are claiming she CAN fit in. I hope so. But I also believe that despite her youthful thinking, she will need someone in the cast to counter-balance the young 20-somethings. What I don't like is the fact that there was no one else cast even close to her age. The next oldest person in the house is Joel at 33. Then again, she could pull a double-cross. While the single & ready to mingle types are, as Godfrey put it - in a Lover's Paradise, she could form a nice alliance with Joel, Mitchell and/or Ramsey. Yah, I can see that.

Dallas Cormier
Official Babble:
Twitter: @DallasBBCAN
Age: 24
Hometown: Saint John, NB 
Occupation: Welder
Dallas is a hard-working, blue-collar guy who has a great sense of humour, a beaming personality, and is set to become everyone's confidante in the Big Brother Canada house.
Strategy: My strategy is to go in there and try and win that first HOH. I want everyone coming to me and trying to be my friend. After that I want to form an alliance with a male and a female houseguest. Sometimes it comes down to a bit of a gender war in there so it would be good to be covered on both sides. 
My First Impressions: A curious blend of Kenny Brain and Spenser Clawson, except his strategy is sooo wrong. Why does he want that first HoH?????
My Final Impressions: This is my favourite kind of guy. Loud, bombastic, lovable. Don't let that profile pic fool you. He looks a LOT different in some other pictures I've seen. I think he'll go far in the game, but just how far I don't know. The only thing holding me back from committing 100% (or should I say, HUNDO) is his wanting that damn first HoH. Why, Dallas, why?

Kelsey Faith
Twitter: @KelseyBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 25
Hometown: Calgary, AB
Occupation: Flight Attendant 
Kelsey is a free-spirited, girl-next-door who is single and ready to mingle Big Brother Canada-style.
Strategy: My strategy going into the house is to sort of have no strategy. I just want to have fun with it and meet some really good people and be positive about the whole experience. I don’t want to overthink everything too much. I feel like that would just make me go crazy!
My First Impressions: Her video is just too calm, cool and collected. So I would like to see her start overthinking things and go crazy. 
My Final Impressions: I'm not picking up a lot from this one. Sweet, calm, and extremely attractive. Her bio screams she is not there "for all the right reasons", which tells me she could be another recruit. Let's face it, none of the guys are voting to get rid of her anytime soon. Nope. If she plays her cards right, maintains that aura of calmness and learns along the way, she may make jury.

Mitchell Moffit
Twitter: @MitchBBCAN4
Official Babble:
Age: 27
Hometown: Guelph, ON
Occupation: YouTuber
Mitchell is a very successful scientist who has nearly five million subscribers to his YouTube channel AsapSCIENCE which he runs with his life partner. He knows the game well and is ready to strategize behind the scenes to win it all.
Strategy: I think that on a broad scale, my strategy relates to what they say in evolution, which is that it’s not the strongest or the smartest, but it’s the species who are most able to adapt who survive. I think that applies pretty strongly to Big Brother Canada. You can’t know what types of people you’re going to encounter in the house, and what kinds of connections and bonds you’ll make, or what twists will come, but you can be on your toes and go with the flow.
My First Impressions: His Youtube channel is a big deal with close to 4 million subscribers. Bill Nye even appeared in one episode. This guy could make things happen IF he can keep the science stuff in check and doesn't come out with, "I'm a Social. Media. Mogul" (ugh) Yes, I'm just joking.
My Final Impressions: Mitchell is high on my list of pre-season favourites. Not only is he intelligent, but I think he knows how to use it. Those two traits don't always go together. As some people say, there's book smarts, then there's people smarts. And I can see him in an alliance with someone totally unexpected. Maybe Christine, Sharry or Philippe. Another plus for Mitchell is he's a fan.

Double Down
Philippe & Nicholas Paquette
Twitter: @PhilBBCAN
Official Babble:
Ages: 21 (Phil) and 20 (Nick)
Hometown: Ottawa, ON 
Occupation: Students
The outspoken brothers from Ottawa will play as one houseguest, and these charmers plan to do whatever it takes to win.
Phil's Strategy: I’m going to try and stay under the radar for the first little while, and make some relationships and throw every competition possible at the beginning. And then beyond that, it’s all about the social side. I could stab anyone in the back – I know people say that but in my case it’s true. They get emotional. I don’t. To win, you have to cut ties eventually. Around day 42 I’ll be ready for a showmance. I definitely don’t want one right away. Girls are trouble in my life! They can’t be controlled. I’ll wait till it’s a bit safer.
Nick's Strategy: I will be trying to pull favours around the house and if my brother comes through with a business deal, I will have already laid the groundwork.  
My First Impressions of Phil:  He could be this season's douche. His video carried on about how distracting women are and he just can't get in a showmance. Chances are, he will at least try for one in the first week. 
My Final Impressions of Phil: He may not be quite the douche the video makes him out to be. Check out:This article Thank you video editing for making EVERYONE jump to the wrong conclusions. So tricksy! Take that douchy-sounding bit about "girls are trouble" and flip it around as if a student with good grades is saying it. Anyway, I would put Philippe way up on my list, except there is a major hurdle for him. I don't want to put spoilers in this post, so I will try to put this as unspoilery as I possibly can. Philippe will go into the house with a huge "complication". I suspect production has an agenda here. They may be trying to take the heat off the 2 Wildcards coming in. Another motive is to break the curse of the first evictees - they've been females in all 3 previous seasons. Who knows, maybe Philippe and his complication will charm his way into a protective alliance.
My final Impressions of Nick and the Double Down: Nick seems to be a bit more likeable than his brother. When the Double Down was first introduced, speculation tended towards the brothers being a massive target. However, there are some advantages for the other HGs forming an alliance with them! But most important of all, if the twist has been named the "Double Down", then u can place your bets now that eventually (and if the brothers survive) there WILL be a "Split" to complete the Blackjack reference. 

Sharry Ash
Twitter: @SharryBBCAN
Official Babble:
Age: 29
Hometown: Brampton, ON
Occupation: Customer Service Supervisor
Sharry is an intelligent, gregarious bi-sexual woman who guarantees her fierceness will help her dominate the Big Brother Canada game.
Strategy: My strategy to win is to be myself, listen more than I speak and to remain agile. By agile I mean I will take each day at a time, stay flexible and bend and manipulate my strategy as things shift. I think going in with one plan isn’t effective because I don’t know what I’m up against.
My First Impressions: Not having an overall strategy can either mean she knows what she's talking about OR she's a total newbie. But her video tells me she's highly personable and could go far. 
My Final Impressions: Her bio doesn't say as much as her video. Sharry has the same demeanor as Neda and Sarah Hanlon. Maybe a bit like Sarah Miller. I think her strength will help her stay calm, cool and collected in the worst situation.

Nikki Grahame
Official Babble:
Age: 33
Hometown: London, UK

Occupation: TV Personality
Adventurous, brave, and loyal, Nikki doesn’t play Big Brother with any sort of strategy in mind, and just enjoys the experience and people while she’s in the house.
Strategy: I haven’t even considered winning Big Brother Canada. It’s enough of a shock to me that I’m in Canada. Even if I get into the house I would just be elated to get to live that experience of Big Brother. Ten years ago, I did it for the first time and it’s like I’m doing it for the first time all over again if I go in there. That would just be so exciting!
My Final Impressions: This is a whole new ball game for Nikki, and you can see that in her bio. I think she'll take her time getting a feel for the style of game before she starts on her campaign. Do I think she'll win? No. But she may be around until just before jury or may even be an early jury member. At the very least, she'll make the show very entertaining.

Tim Dormer
Official Babble:
Age: 31
Hometown: Bondi Beach, Australia

Occupation: TV & Radio Host and Social Media Influencer
Unique and energetic, Tim's greatest challenge will be keeping himself out of mischief and off the chopping block.
Strategy: Play nice. Which is hard because I usually play mean! In Australia, it’s different. It’s all viewer voted, so even if you’re mean but you’re entertaining, you stay in the house. Whereas, here if people hate me in the house, I’m out. I’ll have to hold my tongue. My goal is to think before I speak or act. It’s going to be a challenge.
My Final Impressions: I think Tim may have a little bit better understanding of the game than Nikki, so I expect him to go a bit further. If either of the two Wildcards have a chance of winning, Tim would be my choice.

Who is your pick to get to the end?
To see my Top 5 aka, my Five-Card Draw, CLICK HERE

BBCan4 Wildcard Twist....Here's What's Going to Happen

Big Brother Canada has revealed its self-proclaimed biggest twist ever.

MasterChef Canada 3 Weekly Results

An episode-by-episode overview of the Top 14 Home Cooks.

Big Brother Canada 4 Sponsor Announcement

From the Shaw Media Press Release February 19, 2016:

The three major sponsors this season are The Brick, Oxi-Clean and shomi. No, there is no mention of Twistos nor its Twists!

The Brick:

• Full furnishings of the Big Brother Canada house.
• Fans can get their first glimpse of the NEW HOUSE at ETCanada.com on the morning of Monday, February 29th. 
• Awards this season's winner with a $25,000 gift card.
• Flip the HoH Look
• Big Brother Canada Ultimate Fan Experience: Four lucky fans plus their guests each receive a weekend in Toronto, tickets to the season finale, and 24 hours to live in the Big Brother Canada house where they will eat slop, and play in a custom challenge while living like a houseguest. Each winner will receive a video that documents the once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Brick will also be sponsoring the very first Big Brother Canada Meme Maker where fans will have the chance to meme funny moments throughout the season on BigBrotherCanada.ca.

OxiClean Laundry Detergent

• The Big Brother Canada Season 4 winner will also receive an OxiClean HD™ Laundry Detergent prize pack valued at $10,000 that includes $500 of fabric care products and a $9,500 wardrobe makeover.

shomi

• The Head of Household once again is able to watch one show or movie on shomi every week. Additionally, fans can peek inside the Head of Household's virtual PVR as each week's HOH share their favourite shomi picks.

"The upcoming season of Big Brother Canada is full of surprises and challenges. Due to the dynamic nature of the live show, sponsorship opportunities continue to be available."

Premiere Review: MasterChef Canada 3 "Yes, No, Maybe So"

Season 3 of MasterChef Canada raises the white apron. 

This year, the top 40 Home Cooks MUST score unanimous approval from Michael Bonacini, Claudio Aprile and Alvin Leung to earn their white apron and an automatic ticket to the MasterChef Canada Kitchen.

Big Brother Canada...Count-Down of Best Moments ... in GIFs

The 4th season of Big Brother Canada is set to premiere on March 2nd, 2016. I've got my Keurig ready. So to prepare, I've compiled a list of my "Best Moments" from the franchise.

Are you ready for it?

And if you are one of those people who have never seen an episode, take a look at what you've been missing.

Big Brother Canada 4 Premieres Wednesday, March 2nd

Here are the details according to the official press release:

• Wednesdays at 9 pm ET/PT, Thursdays at 8 pm ET/PT (eviction episode), and Sundays at 7 pm ET/PT
• Gary is OUT... Sarah is IN. Big Brother Canada Side Show, premieres on Friday, March 4 at 10 pm ET on Slice and will repeat on Saturday, March 5 at 8 pm ET on Global. This year Arisa Cox is joined by panellists Peter Brown (Season 1 houseguest) and Sarah Hanlon (Season 3 winner)
• Big Brother Canada After Dark begins Friday, March 4 at 3 am ET on Slice.
• Live Feeds are still FREE 
• The houseguests compete for a grand prize of $100,000, a $25,000 gift card from The Brick, and an OxiCleanTM prize pack valued at $10,000 that includes $500 of fabric care products and a $9,500 wardrobe makeover.
• The house has been "overhauled" 

"Additional details on new season of Big Brother Canada will be announced soon."

All of the above is as per Shaw Media  Press Release

Sooo...

• Expect S4 cast reveal during week of February 22. Last year's cast was announced over a 3 day period: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, so I expect the same this year. Whether or not the fact that this season premieres on Wednesday and not Monday will be a factor is anyone's guess. Hey, it's only a two day difference.
• Expect S4 cast to move into the house on or about February 25 or 26. S3 Cast moved in on or about March 19 (this should correspond to the official house reveal, which is what happened last year)
• The first S4 Eviction Thursday, March 3 at 8 PM. Live Feeds SHOULD begin immediately after.