On Thursday, August 7, I witnessed one of the most genuine acts I have ever seen on Big Brother as Derrick saw Donny’s distress following the POV on the live show and reached out to help him. Cody followed suit and the two, with Donny in tow, practically carried him into the BB house. It’s not the first time this summer has shown a kinder version of BB… a BB where game might get a little dirty but the people have hearts. When Frankie's grandfather died, no one snickered in the corner thinking he deserved it. When Derrick's grandfather died, the sadness was genuine as houseguests shed tears over Derrick's quiet pain. And, during Jeff's CBS interview with Amber the morning after she was kicked out, she teared up and said she was really going to miss these great people... You know,, the ones who blind-sided her.

It's a new year and I am feeling something I haven't felt in several years... this year, there is basically no one in the BB house I can’t stand. And I like it! Of course, some characters I enjoy more, some personalities I like better than others and there are some whose game just make me want to spit nails, but overall, it's like going to camp and finding out your cabin, this year, is a really good one to be in!

The casting this year reminds me of a cross section of America… a few colorful characters, a couple of boring middle-classers and some loud and obnoxious personalities that are found in any lunchroom across any company in America. In other words, this year’s BB has sort of cast most of us! Welcome to Camp Big Brother!

For Derrick’s good cop, there’s Zack’s loud “bad cop.” For Donny’s home spun country charm, there is also Nicole’s country girl shy but never say die personality. For Frankie’s New York Broadway, there’s Victoria’s Fifth Avenue New York. And Caleb the cowboy’s California twin is Hayden the beach dude.

So, when people say the new cast is boring, I find myself defending this group of human beings who are just a cross section of America. Remember the last few years when it was a cross section of American circuses and drama clubs... Ugh. This year’s cast, I imagine, have facebook pages that download those “What Book Are You Like, What Animal is You, What Fish Were You In Another Life” kinds of apps instead of posting nude pictures and invoking their own particular “Nipplegates” and “Weinergates.” This year's cast, when they hurt someone in real life, seem to be the kind of people who want to do better and perhaps head into the confessional. This year's cast I could live with... they are a bunch of good campers!

So what if there isn’t the high drama constant screaming previous seasons had or (God forbid) the stupid mock wedding? So what if there isn’t the sex we had to endure from some of these monkeys in heat? So what if there isn't is a group of smokers who hang out all night trashing the weakest among them? I just love this cast of characters and, while I have the same problem I had last year —- who am I rooting for? —- it’s for an entirely different reason. I am rooting for a number of these cast members and find each one of them has their own certain charm… even Zack who likes to play Dr. Will Jr. but feels bad afterwards such as when he threw that comic book only to cringe and say "Sorry." Made me love that dingus whatchamacallit all over again... just like my brother who got on my nerves growing up but I would never have traded him for the world! Zack may be annoying... but he is also the good camper who knows all three verses of the camp theme song. And, yes, Zack will remind you he sang the song best, but, in real life, isn't there always someone who does?

Come on, we've been asking for it... we'd gotten sick of those "play it for the camera, good tv actor-wannabes" that have crowded out normal folks for the past 5 years. This summer we have real people who actually would bleed if I cut them or cry if I hurt them and aren't ready to expose their dirty secrets and sex lives the first 72 hours of the show. I love this cast and their own certain charm is sure to make choosing “Audience Favorite” just a little harder this year. And, I think this year's cast will pretty much stay in touch... even if it is only Christmas cards once a year... like decent people do. And just like Derrick said "Zack might be a snake but he's our snake ..." that's how I feel about this cast... ... and that's good enough for me.

Let's here it for Camp BB... where the food sucks, the Popsicles might be six feet high, and the campers need to get in trouble for a dirty cabin but, at the end of the day, it's a great summer and I wouldn't mind going to this camp again next year!