Otev and Zingbot 9000 remind us, Big Brother is not just about houseguests

Big Brother debuted in the United States on July 5, 2000, and it quickly became a hit. The reality show shows that takes a group of everyday people and leaves them inside a house to compete for money took a bit of time to catch on. It wasn't the first season people caught on, but as more people tuned in to watch the series, it began to rocket in ratings. However, the series would welcome two new additions along the way who became mainstays.

Every season of Big Brother is filled with drama, controversial houseguests, and intense competitions. This is what makes Big Brother popular — the unknown. As Julie Chen Moonves says: "Expect the unexpected." The show began to adopt that saying on a full-time basis and it quickly became the saying for new twists and turns to the show. Aside from Chen Moonves staying on as the host, the game has improved quite a bit, even adding new characters.

With that said, new characters were brought into the show, starting in 2007 with the addition of Otev. He is currently a robot that has appeared in both the United States and Canadian versions. Appearing in every United States season since 2007, he has been on the Quebec version (season 1) and the celebrity Quebec version (season 1).

Otev, which is spelled Veto backward, is regularly seen in the Power of Veto competitions and would either recite a poem of his choosing or sing a comedic song that is about something related to one of the houseguests during that season. He first appeared in season 7, week 7 on "Voo Doo Dolls," which is a competition that was won by Janelle Pierzina. He became a staple of Big Brother after the first season.

Another staple in the Big Brother house is Zingbot. Formally known as Zingbot 3000, he is now known as Zingbot 9000 and has appeared in every season since 2010. He is a robot that provides comedy when he appears, zinging the houseguests for something embarrassing that happened to them during the season. He first appeared in Big Brother 12 as part of the veto competition. Needless to say, Zingbot 9000 is quite popular with both the fans and houseguests.

Zingbot 9000 and Otev are much needed in the Big Brother house. As many know, the house can be tense and full of drama, so when these two appear they get a comedic break from things for a moment. While they are not on any particular episode long, their lasting impressions make a statement. Nobody knows exactly when they will show up, so when they do it is always a pleasant surprise.