'Big Brother' new season includes Long Island native Amanda Zuckerman

When the "Big Brother" house opens its doors for its 15th season at 8 p.m. Wednesday, a little bit of Long Island will walk in: Port Washington native Amanda Zuckerman, now a Realtor in Boynton Beach, Fla.

Zuckerman, 28, lived here until seventh grade, when her real-estate agent father expanded his business to Boca Raton, Fla., and the family moved first there, and then to Austin, Texas. She went to high school there, then attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in Manhattan.

Her grandmother had been in real estate in the 1980s, and Zuckerman became the third generation of her family in that field, starting in Los Angeles in 2008. After two years working for Coldwell Banker in Sherman Oaks, she moved to South Florida to join Prudential Florida Realty.

Zuckerman -- who was not made available to Newsday -- says she's "a huge fan of 'Big Brother,' " telling Zap2it.com at a CBS press event announcing the cast, "I love the real reality element of "Big Brother." There are so many reality shows out there that are so contrived. I love how the show is just raw and real."

Her strategy, she told the site, was to befriend the women before the men, to try to curtail cattiness, and to use the listening skills she's developed in her career.

"I really find that I'm able to relate to people really well and have people open up to me," she said. "In the beginning, I'm not going to be too aggressive. I am an aggressive person, but I'm definitely going to relax that a little bit and really listen to everyone in the house and let them just talk, talk, talk and dig their own grave."

Like the rest of the housemates vying for the $500,000 prize, she may have to adapt her strategy to account for new twists this season. Three -- rather than just two -- people will be nominated for eviction each week, and viewers will vote on a weekly "MVP," the perks for which haven't been revealed.

But whatever happens, hey, when they're one, if CBS needs a real-estate agent to sell the house ...