Forget about the World Cup, the oil spill, the economy and the Supreme Court confirmation hearings, because today CBS's 'The Early Show' revealed the biggest news story of the summer: the cast of 'Big Brother.'

 season 12 of 'Big Brother' is finally (almost) here, and Julie Chen herself was on hand in the wee hours to unveil the line-up to a breathless television world. Over the past 10 years, 'Big Brother' has slowly morphed from 'Survivor's' ugly step-sister into a major player in its own right, with last year's 'Big Brother 11' experiencing a bit of a rating renaissance thanks in part to the show's unique around the clock live cable feed.

So what will viewers and voyeurs get to see on that eye in the sky this season? From the looks of it: plenty. This year's cast features an impressive mix of self-confident (and self-centered) folks, many of whom are all too happy to brag about their ability to lie, cheat and backstab their way to "success." Add in a couple of hunky athletes, an orthodox Jew and a professor who appears to be a gay Doctor Who, and you have a mix for surefire television combustion.