Hundreds turn out for 'Big Brother' auditions at Port

PORT CANAVERAL – Hundreds of reality TV hopefuls filled the terminal at Victory Casino Cruises on Sunday for a shot at fame.

In conjunction with Give Kids the World and heartsofreality.com, an open casting call generated lots of foot traffic for the 17th season of "Big Brother."

"Hopefully, somebody from Central Florida, Brevard County, can make it on to 'Big Brother' this year," said Pete Lynch, marketing manager at Victory Casino.

A self-proclaimed "Big Brother" super nerd, Josh Luschak of Orlando was the first to audition. "I know every historical fact about this show," he said. "I've watched every season. It's in my blood. It's in my DNA. I've been studying the game for half my life. I really think that I could win the next season."

Storm Johnson admitted he was nervous but excited about the process. "I want to use this as a projectile for my career and what I want to do later," said the 21-year-old production coordinator from Jacksonville. "I know that I want to work in the world of television."

Robert Long, 73, of Melbourne, auditioned for "Big Brother" because his wife and son, Mark Long, dared him to. Mark Long, a Satellite High grad, is considered one of the original reality TV stars, thanks to his appearance on MTV's "Road Rules" in the 1990s.

"Basically, I came up here because I thought there may be a booby prize for the oldest contestant," Robert joked. "I'd last about a day or two in the house, probably."

The show typically takes 16 housemates/ contestants, isolating them from the outside world for about three months — no electronic devices and life under constant TV and audio surveillance. There's a weekly eviction, and the last contestant to survive the evictions wins some cool cash — $500,000.

Rashon Forbes of Orlando, sporting a gray half tank top that read "75% single," showing off his toned physique and belly button, shared his audition strategy: "I could try to be fake. I could try to put on a mask, but everyone that I know tells me that I should be on TV, that I should do standup, or something with entertaining, so I think the best strategy is to go in and be me. I hope that works."

The 28-year-old already has a plan for the prize money. "This is going to sound a little cheesy," he said, "but the first thing I would do is help my mom pay off all her debts."

While it would be nice to win the money, Ashley Nealis of Orlando has other reasons for auditioning: "I think it's time for a girl to win the show. I'm a huge superfan, so I would love to just see myself on TV."

Several auditioners stood in line for about 90 minutes, got headshots and mingled with reality stars from past seasons.

"Evel Dick" Donato (winner of "Big Brother 8"), Victoria Rafaeli ("Big Brother 16"), Kara Monaco ("The Girls Next Door," "Big Brother 14"), and Tanya Vance of "Survivor: Thailand" offered tips to those in line about the audition process and what to expect during filming.

"These casting directors see millions and millions of people in videos, and they can tell in an instant when someone's putting on an act or when it's really their personality," said Rafaeli. "Just be yourself and have fun with it."

Reality TV personality Bella Chartrand of Dunellon, near Ocala, who starred in Fox's short-lived reality show "Utopia" last year, also auditioned for #BB17.

If she makes the cut, she has a plan to win: play blonde like a fox. "You play dumb, but you have a strategy in mind," she said. "I'm a Southern belle. We're sweet and loving, and we do genuinely care about people. However, when we need to have a strategy for something, we know what time it is. We didn't fall off that charm truck yesterday. A lot of people like to think we did."

Donato, who also appeared on "Big Brother 13" with his daughter, is a household name in "Big Brother" conversations. On Sunday, he took lots of selfies with fans and arrived in a Parker Brothers custom car to lots of fanfare.

"There's just a very, very, very small percentage of people that will always be related to the show, so I'm fortunate, or unfortunate enough, to be in that category," he said. "It's opened up a lot of doors. I've had a lot of different opportunities."

Filming takes place over the summer.

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