If you've been following my analysis of the Big Brother 8 house on big-brother-blog.com, then you might have gathered I'm a fan of America's Player, Eric Stein.

The 27-year-old talent management executive from New York has played the BB8 game with a significant handicap -- having to do what America tells him to do via inane questions posed to the BB8 viewing community by CBS.

Whose shirt do you want Eric to vandalize, America?

Who do you want America's Player, Eric, to vote out?

Eric has played the best he could to this point, but the rest of the house believes him to be an utter scumbag now -- not knowing that he was merely carrying out orders. They don't know he's the twist, and what's wild is that much of the BB8 community won't cut him a lick of slack for it.

What bothers me is the underlying anti-Semitism in a lot of the comments about this guy. Just a couple of days ago, TMZ.com and big-brother-blog.com reported about Amber's rant, in which she noted that her mother always told them that you could spot a Jew by his last name and his nose, adding that she thought New York Jews were selfish and greedy.

Honestly, that type of blatant language doesn't bug me a bit. It outs the perpetrator as a bigot immediately. What bugs me is to read people say things like, "I don't like Eric. He's got weasely little eyes, a big nose and he's soooo deceitful."

I've read The Merchant of Venice. I know what they're saying, and I really, truly feel like this kid has gotten a bad deal on Big Brother 8. Rumor has it that he might actually work for CBS or be a hired actor, hired to lay down his BB existence in the name of a "twist".

I hope so because from all accounts, participating in this game was really important to the guy. He's a better man than I am because, frankly, the last three days for him have been utter hell. He didn't deserve it, and I think it shuts the door on what I think was terrible idea from CBS, a gimmick I hope they completely put to bed.

But for those of you who want to take the opportunity to make veiled comments about the guy's ethnicity, any reasonable person can see from a mile away that it's nothing but cheap anti-Semitism.

***

We're a week away from the finale on America's Got Talent, and I now have two favorites. They're both from Dallas, too!

I've bragged on Arlington's Cas Haley for weeks, and this week he didn't disappoint, breaking out a reggae version of The Commodores' "Easy." However, while he might be my favorite contestant this season, he might not actually be the most talented.

Ventriloquist Terry Fator hearkens back to the days of the variety show. Rich Little. Edgar Bergen. The 1970s. The Dallas resident sings and banters with a puppet, impersonating celebrities and singers along the way.

His act is funny, charming, and he is seriously talented. Born in the wrong era, Fator might not end up winning the show or becoming a big deal nationally. However, if ever there was an ultra-successful Vegas act to be had, it's this guy.

Those two, I think, are shoo-ins for the finale next week. Only four get to go.

Beatboxing pianist Butterscotch, I think, joins them next week for one last shot at $1 million. And somehow, I think the annoying karate act, Side Swipe, makes into the mix. They used a bunch of kids last week in their act, and Piers Morgan ripped them for it, all but assuring that sympathetic people would vote for them.

It worked with that quick-change couple last year. Why not again?

Nevertheless, I think your winner comes from Haley, Fator or Butterscotch. Oddsmakers might favor the teen girl right now, but I say watch out for Fator. He can win this thing.