David Kronke: Further diminution of the word "star"

I think the only reason CBS continues to air “Big Brother� over the summer is it hacks off TV critics. It’s certainly not much of a hit, and the network has gone out of its way to keep viewers from caring – first, it tried to prevent the “houseguests� from receiving messages those who watched the show sent them (via airplane banners, etc.) and then it ceased allowing viewers to vote on who they wanted ousted.

And now: CBS announced today that this summer’s version of the lowest-impact game show in TV history (contestants sit around a house and kvetch and deludedly wonder if they're huge celebrities yet while cameras obsessively follow their every move) will be called “Big Brother: All-Stars.� But before visions of Kelly Monaco and Todd Bridges and other C-list celebrities kicking back and enjoying some rent-free digs fill your head, let me tell you: It’s even worse than that.

Yes, the “all-stars� in question are contestants from previous seasons of the show. Honestly, can you even name one of them? (If you can, then you’re probably one of the poor, demented souls that paid to watch their zany antics online, and this post isn’t aimed at you.)

Viewers will be allowed to vote contestants into the house, from a pool of 20 past participants. CBS thoughtfully declined to say who those participants might be, except that they were “some of the most memorable, entertaining and controversial houseguests� of the past. I’ll grant you there were some controversial people on the show – say, for example, the unhinged loon with a police record that CBS didn’t know about who brandished a knife against a woman’s throat and pretended to smash in her face with a floor sweeper – but “memorable� or, perish the though, “entertaining?� Sorry; not buying it.

“Once again,� the press release gushes, “America will be able to see the people they love… and the people they love to hate!� And the people that left them wondering why they even bothered with the show in the first place.

Julie Chen returns as host. Honestly, if you’re married to the COO/CEO of the network, shouldn’t you be able to get out of said network’s worst gig?