The Votes Are In: The Best of 2012 Are …

best_2012_smOther sites have been making lists based on their preference, telling you what they believe made up 2012. We here at the Yak like to do it another way … put you in command. You nominated, you voted, and now it’s time to reveal who YOU chose as the Best of 2012. 2013 just got underway, so we figured it’s time to take you down memory lane as we reminisce about what made these people, TV shows, songs, albums, and celebrities the best (or in some cases the worst) of 2012. There were some EXTREMELY tight races this year, but fans came out in full force to make sure their favorites got to the top. No more yakking, let’s just get right to it. What are we waiting for? Check out the gallery below and see who and what made YOUR list of favorites in television, music, movies and more in 2012. Check out the honorable mentions below … some of these races were just too tight, so we had to throw them in!

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Song of the Year:

Favorite Live Performance of the Year:

http://youtu.be/VPY6QL2Q5C4

Most Viral Video of the Year:

Big Brother 14: The Yak Chats with Runner-Up Dan Gheesling

Winner Ian Terry, Host Julie Chen, and Runner-Up Dan Gheesling

The mastermind of Big Brother, Dan Gheesling, ALMOST took the win for the second time on Big Brother Wednesday night… almost. Dan, who easily won season 10, receiving all seven jury votes in his season over his pal (that we got to hear a lot about this season, Memphis), was just not able to scrape out the win over Ian Terry this year. Dan did however play the game much more ruthless this year which cost him the jury in the long run. Had Dan won that final HOH and taken Danielle with him to the end, this may have ended much differently, but alas, that wasn’t meant to be. The Yak got the chance to chat with Dan this morning on his almost victory to see what he thought of the season, becoming the runner up and his fellow house guests. Keep reading to see what he had to say!

Dan admits that he knew the jury had already made up their mind and he had no chance of winning this season. Had he won that final Head of Household and took Danielle, things may have turned out different… however, even if he had won, he planned on taking Ian anyway. He said both Ian and himself believed that Danielle had too many friends on the jury and that neither had a chance to win against her. In hindsight however, that may not have been true, considering what Britney said on the live show, that she hopes Danielle is the last one evicted so the two that “deserve” to be the final two, are.

On his “Funeral” Dan said he knew he could get away with it once he saw how the people in the house treated him when he came out of solitary, claiming that he felt ill. Everyone hovered over him, worried about what that room had done to him. He knew then that his “funeral” plan would work. He played a ruthless backstabbing game this season for sure, but says that if you are going to play the ruthless game, then you have to go all the way through. He said when he turned that corner (into a ruthless game) you can’t just stab half the people, you have to stab them all. He had to go all the way! Anything he does, he says he does it 110% and he was hoping the jury would see that.

Instead, he admits that he believes the jury voted emotionally. Not to take anything away from Ian, who Dan thinks played a solid game, he just believes his game was better. He knew that he would have a hard time convincing the jury but still blames himself and his speech. Had he said something different maybe in that last 90 seconds, maybe he could have changed their minds… but again, he thinks the jury had their minds made up. In fact, he overheard Britney in a backyard interview after the show say that anyone up against Dan would have won the game. If he had his dream final two, he would have hoped to be able to take Jenn with him, thinking he could beat her.

Dan Gheesling with Danielle after her eviction

About scum bagging Shane, he knew that he had to get rid of him at that point in the game. Had the final three at that point been himself, Shane and Danielle, he knew for sure that Shane would take Danielle to the final two. He contradicted himself about Danielle at one point in the interview however, saying that Danielle would never have done anything against him in the game and taken him. He then stated that he knew she would take Shane, so my feeling from the conversation was he was just unsure what she would have ended up doing so he got rid of Shane to remove any doubt if she had won. He did regret about deceiving Danielle throughout the game, but still noted that he had to do what he had to do to get to the end.

When called out on his over-the-top grandfather’s necklace and Bible use, again he mentioned that because he had played a ruthless game up to that point, he had to follow through. He couldn’t just play a half ruthless game and get by. It was all or nothing.

In his season, the final time with the jury played out differently. The final two house guests had a lot more time to make their case to the jury and have the jury ask questions. Dan admits that this season was a lot harder because of that. Now, you get 90 seconds to prove your case. He believes that had he had the extra time to “mist” the jury, he could have won the game. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

The Big Brother 14 Final 3

Dan is hoping to be able to re-connect with his former house guests now that the show is over. Even Jodi, who he says he cut because he didn’t believe she gave the 110% he was looking for in that first competition and that somehow, in that 8 hours she was in there, she stirred a lot of emotions from other house guests and they wanted her out. (Not sure we buy that, but ok.) He says it’s hard getting back into the real world and was hoping he can help his fellow contestants with the transition. He has no harsh feelings against a single one of them, and hopes they can all separate game play from real life. He loved being able to play against some major competitors from past seasons and thought Britney played a great game. He did say though that he enjoyed his season, Season 10, much better than this one, saying he didn’t have the need to play such a hard core game then.

Our good friends at Big Brother Network mentioned to Dan that they had posted a poll after the show asking “Who Should Have Won? Ian or Dan?” and with over 5000 votes, Dan took it with 58% of the vote at the time of this interview. Dan responded that at least that is a moral victory, but at the end of the day, Ian played a solid game and deserved to win. He is happy for Ian and believes he will do good things with the money.

All in all, Dan seemed satisfied with his runner-up status. He would have loved the win, of course, but still, a one time winner making it into the final 2 a second time is not too shabby. From a fan’s perspective, I for one am so glad that Dan was in the house this season. Had he not been, this season would have been really boring for me. All his scum bagging aside, he played a hard, entertaining game and many of us here at the Yak are so glad he agreed to go back. Would he do it again? You bet. Dan has a love for this game and we love him for it. Of course, Dan is writing yet another book, so be on the look out! We thank Dan for taking the time to talk to us!

Next Up: Click over for a partial transcript of our reporter Jarrod and other outlets time with Dan

Big Brother 14: Interview with 3rd Place Finisher Danielle Murphree

Danielle Murphree, the final Big Brother 14 Juror

Before Big Brother 14 could reveal the Final 2, there was one more eviction and one more Houseguest to add to the Jury. That eviction happened to Danielle Murphree, who was ousted by Ian after his win during Part 3 of the Final HOH competition. Danielle took some time out of her busy post-Big Brother life and held an interview session with the Yak and other press to answer some burning questions from the fans about Shane, her regrets in the game and, of course, putting all her trust in Dan. Here is a what Danielle had to say to all the questions posed! Let us know your thoughts below!

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Q: Hey, Danielle, thanks for talking with us! You sound like you’re doing much better today?
Danielle: Thanks! Yeah, I wasn’t doing too hot last night or this morning either.

Q: Shane didn’t seem to return your affection a whole lot until the very last week when you won the HOH and Veto. Knowing what you know now, do you think his feelings were to secure his safety or do you think they were genuine?
Danielle: I think Shane’s feelings are genuine and I think he was so afraid of having a showmance because of exactly what happened.

Q: Everything that Dan did and said this summer, the one thing that got me the most was when he told Shane that you were playing him (Shane) all along. Have you had a chance to discuss that win Dan and how did you feel about that final lie?
Danielle: When I found that out, I was livid. I’m still mad about it. Why would Dan even do that to me? I talked to Shane about it and I said it was totally, one hundred percent not true. I was never playing him. Dan was just trying to run me under the bus for whatever reason. Dan and I haven’t talked about it. Dan and I are not on speaking terms.

Q: Do you think that will change in the future?
Danielle: I don’t know. I found out a lot of stuff last night after the finale that I’m just really not happy with at all. Right now, I can really answer that question. I’m too mad.

Q: One thing that a lot of your neigh Sayers wanted to know about was when you were telling stories about yourself; you embellished your life resume a lot, including talking about your breasts and being Miss Alabama.
Danielle: I never said I was Miss Alabama. My best friend was Miss Alabama. When we talked about Miss Alabama, it was a joke. They were making fun of my Memory Wall picture because they said it looked like Miss Alabama, like a pageant photo. They knew I was never Miss Alabama. I said I did pageant back in high school. About my boobs, I do have a capsule on my right breast, like a scar tissue mass, and I do have to have it removed. It’s nothing serious, but it does need to be changed.

Q: As the season unfolded, it seems like people underestimated you, so are you underestimated in your daily life?
Danielle: I guess people underestimate me because some people might think I’m too sweet or naïve, where I don’t really know what’s going on. It doesn’t really bother me because I know who I am.

Big Brother 14’s Dan Gheesling & Danielle Murphree

Q: Going back to Dan, you said you’re not talking to him right now, but how long do you think it’ll take you to get over it?
Danielle: I have no idea. Some of the comments he’s made during the interviews since the show ended are worse then some of the things that actually happened on the show.

Q: What did he say? What have you heard?
Danielle: I didn’t hear this directly from his mouth, but that he was really going to take Ian into the Final 2 and that the last speech at the finale was all for show. Whether it’s true or not, I’ll have to wait to see.

Q: As you now know, Dan used you during the whole game to further himself. Even towards the end when you used your Veto to save Dan and put Shane on the block, which compromised your position in the game. Did you know that Shane would possibly be evicted?
Danielle: I truly believed that Dan was going to save Shane. Dan had made a Final 3 with Shane and I. Dan swore to me, and even said to me in my HOH room, “I’ll do whatever you want if you’re HOH.” He was getting a little paranoid and I didn’t want him to pull any more antics on me. I didn’t want Shane to be the one to evict Ian to where Ian wouldn’t vote for Shane [to win]. I regret that decision wholeheartedly.

Q: Did you not think that this could have been another antic of his?
Danielle: He swore up and down to me, and I laugh about it now, about how he would never, ever do it again. His antics were over. He swore on everything, like 5 minutes before we had to sit down for that live show, that Shane was safe. I had no idea about him and Ian.

Q: With that being said, do you agree with what Wil had said during the Finale about how you should take responsibility for believing in Dan’s lies?
Danielle: Yeah, it’s my fault. He fooled me several times. It’s definitely my fault.

Q: After you sat down with the Jury, you appeared to lean over to say something to someone off camera, but the microphones didn’t pick up what you said. What were you trying to tell the Jury at that point?
Danielle: I was just asking Jenn what was going on. I wanted to know what the feeling was because when I sat down there was just a very awkward vibe in the Jury. Plus, I had just heard Britney’s comment before [about hoping she was the last Jury member], so I was just confused.

Q: Going back to some of the stories you told the other Houseguests that didn’t really seem accurate, was that a strategy you had or were you just playing with the other Houseguests? For example, when you came back and said that Janelle was yelling at you when we saw it was a very calm conversation or you said you made Ian cry.
Danielle: Ian did tear up. I did make him cry. I guess I exaggerated that a little bit. Yeah, Janelle didn’t yell at me. Janelle was very sweet with me. I guess it was more game play because I was more trying to test the waters with Dan to see, since I thought that him and Janelle might have some kind of deal. I exaggerated it a bit. It was poor game play. I shouldn’t have. I do apologize, but it wasn’t to maliciously hurt anybody.

Q: Despite everything that Dan kept doing to you, you kept going back to him. Why were you so willing to forgive him and try again?
Danielle: Dan would make the comment that he hadn’t done anything to hurt me in the game. When I would try to recall, he hadn’t hurt my game and he had never voted to evict me. I wanted to believe that he was a good person because I kept thinking back to season 10 and how he was a good guy. I was completely mystified by him.

Danielle sits with host Julie Chen

Q: Talking about Part 1 of the final HOH competition where you threw it to Dan after he proved his point with Ian jumping off, do you regret doing that now and if you hadn’t thrown it, do you think you could have outlasted him?
Danielle: I knew I had to make a decision up there. I knew if I hung on longer, I would lose his trust, and then even if I threw it, it wouldn’t matter since he’d be upset with me. Looking back, yes, I regret it. Yes, I wish I would have hung on. He said that he would have beat me in that competition, but I don’t know. I had a lot of will power and I was so mad that Shane walked out that door.

Q: With all the anger you feel toward Dan, if it had been you, Dan and Shane in the Final 3 and you had the choice, who were you going to take to the Final 2?
Danielle: I would have gone with my heart and could have never wronged Shane since he never wronged me, I would have taken Shane. However, I wouldn’t have let myself get into that position to have to decide. I did not want to decide. I probably would have just let the guys duke it out.

Q: Why do you think you were the only one that voted for Dan?
Danielle: Because I think everyone in the Jury talked about how Dan treated people and what Dan had said to everybody. I think the way you treat people is really important in this game and I think that they were just so mad at how it all went down and how everybody left. I don’t blame them.

Q: Do you think it was that or were they jealous that he might be a 2-time winner? That’s part of the game of Big Brother.
Danielle: Since I wasn’t sitting in Jury, I have no idea. After the show, I only hung out with Wil, Kara, Janelle and Shane. Jojo and I didn’t talk. Dan waved at me from afar.

Q: If you had been able to get into the Final 2, how good do you think your chances were to win?
Danielle: If I would have been against Dan, I think I would have won. I think if I was against Ian, he still would have won cause Ian deserved to win.

Q: You didn’t get to hear this because you were still in the House last night, but the Jury got together to discuss the Final 3 and what they thought of each of you. When she was still in the House, you were pretty close with Britney and you developed a great friendship, but when it came to discussing you with the Jury, she sided with Ian and said that she thought you really didn’t deserve to win. Do you take that personally or are you able to separate the personal from the game?
Danielle: I did take it personal. It did hurt my feelings, but it doesn’t change my outlook on Britney. I didn’t get to defend myself. I didn’t get to say anything, so she’s just going off of he-said/she-said stuff in the Jury. I don’t take it personally, and I still love her to death.

Q: If Big Brother decided to do another twist in the future where player’s return, which obviously is quite common, would you ever be interested in playing again?
Danielle: I wouldn’t say I would never go back, but I’m not going to say it’s a definite possibility. It all depends on who’s playing. At this moment, I really don’t think that I would ever want to play with Dan again because emotionally I can’t go through that stress. I think that if Dan wasn’t coming back with all his antics, I might do it again.

Q: What was your favorite moment of the summer?
Danielle: I loved the Wil impersonations! I loved when Wil would look at the Memory Wall and joke around. Wil definitely made the House more fun!

Q: Will you be going to the Wrap Party in Vegas or the one tonight?
Danielle: I will not be going to the party in Vegas, but it’s possible I’ll attend the one tonight.

Q: Will you be going on Twitter any time soon?
Danielle: Maybe. I don’t know. I really don’t like the negative stuff. It gets to me, so I try not to look at it.

Q: What’s in the future for Danielle? What do you plan on doing now – going back to nursing, staying in Alabama, moving to Hollywood?
Danielle: I’m not moving to Hollywood. I’ll definitely stay in Alabama. I will go back to nursing as soon as some of this stuff dies down.

Q: As it worked out, you ended up being the last woman in the House. Was this part of your strategy or was it just how things worked out?
Danielle: It was just how things worked out. It was never my intention to be the last woman. I’m very proud and flattered to be the last woman, but it would have been nice to have another female presence in the House.

Final 3 – Danielle, Ian, and Dan

Q: You mentioned that it’ll take some time to work up to being friends with Dan again, but looking at how Ian and Dan played the game, do you regret your vote for Dan?
Danielle: I don’t like to play the “Would of/Could of/Should of” or the “What if?” game, but I am glad that Ian won. I think it would have been nice for Ian to win 7-0 because I think he does deserve it, but I did give my word to Dan. I did say I would vote for him, so in that sense, I didn’t want to break my word. I just wish I never would have told Dan that I would have voted for him.

Q: When you first got out of the House and sat down with Julie, it looked like there was a crowd reaction that maybe you saw something going on between Dan and Ian in the House. Did you see anything?
Danielle: Yeah, I saw them jump around and I saw Dan was laughing and giggling when he did the “Suck It” move. I was thinking, “Are you serious?”

Q: For a long time, Dan was going to take you to the Final 2. It was near the end where he panicked and thought he was going to lose to you, so he switched to Ian, so don’t feel too bad.
Danielle: He switched to never take me, even after he got rid of Shane?

Q: It was after he realized that Ian was not going to throw the final part of the HOH.
Danielle: It’s just kind of disappointing, when he did say over and over again that his goal the whole game was to get him and his player to the end and he didn’t have any intention of doing that.

Q: So, what’s the future hold between you and Shane?
Danielle: I guess just to see what happens, but I’m definitely not going to not pursue something. We’re definitely hanging out later today. I think we can make it work, for sure. I know we’re both going to pursue something and try it out. We’ll hope for the best.

Q: What are the obstacles for the two of you?
Danielle: The distance. Alabama and Vermont are a long way away, but he is such a great guy and an amazing, amazing person, that I’m not going to let the distance get between us.

Q: Do you think that you’re in love with him?
Danielle: Mm-hmmm. I could be.

Thanks for taking time to talk with us today, Danielle.
Danielle: Thank you!

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What do you think about what Danielle had to say? Leave us a comment below, then come on in and join us in the forum!

Big Brother 14: The Yak Chats with Shane Meaney

HOH & POV winner Danielle Murphree after Shane’s eviction

Last night on Big Brother 14, Dan Gheesling, Big Brother 10’s champ and this season’s only remaining vet, spread his mist over the house once again with another shocking blindside. Never did Danielle Murphree envision she’d be sending her in-house boyfriend, Shane Meaney, packing when she used the Power of Veto to save her ex-coach, Dan. Saving Dan gave him the sole evicting vote this week, which he cast to Shane, sending the house flipper to the jury house and sending Danielle and Ian to the Final 3 by his side. Check out what Shane had to say after this shocking blindside, including what he really thinks about Danielle and who he would have taken to the finals.

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The Yak: When Danielle told you that she was going to use the veto to save Dan, did you fight for her not to do that or did you trust that Dan would keep you? If so, why would you trust Dan after what he was able to pull off following the “Funeral” of his? And looking back, was there something more you could have done to solidify that Danielle kept the nominations the same?
Shane Meaney: I didn’t want Danni to use the veto initially, but I did want to let her know if it was an option that we could all give each others word and move forward with our final three deal. I did trust Dan after what he pulled off at the funeral. He didn’t really do anything wrong at the funeral except save his butt. He didn’t lie.

Shane talks to host Julie Chen after his blindside

The Yak: We have heard you say on the feeds that you really aren’t that attracted to Danielle. Will you be trying to date her once you are out in the real world? Were you just using her attraction to you to get further in the game?
Shane: No – I was never using her to further advance me in the game. I had a true final two deal with her. I held up my end but I don’t know if she held up her end.

The Yak: If the roles were reversed and somehow Danielle was evicted tonight, who would you have taken to the end with you and why?
Shane: I would have taken Dan because I knew I could beat him in the Jury votes.

The Yak: We never really got to see you get into the strategy aspect of the game. Was winning competitions the corner stone of your strategy? If not, how would you best define your strategy?
Shane: Winning comps was definitely part of my strategy but also I wanted to lay low and stay under the radar to prevent a big target on my head.

The Yak: If Kara had stayed longer in the house, do you think things may have shaped up differently for you?
Shane: Yeah – I do. Kara and I hit it off just as well as Danielle and I did.

Big Brother 14: Dan’s Shocking Speech, Plus Draw Something Preview

CBS has released two separate previews of Big Brother “must-see” moments, according to fans. Without spoiling the events of the house, catch a sneak peek of the shocking speech Dan held after being put on the block. How did that affect the Power of Veto? Find out tonight as the Houseguests participate in a Draw Something themed POV competition!

For full details about the events in the Big Brother 14 house this week, click HERE. Please note, this will contains spoilers of all of the events after the HOH made his nominations at the end of Sunday’s episode.



The Yak’s Interview with BB14 Wil Heuser

Wil, the latest evictee from Big Brother sat down to chat with the Yak today to let us know his feelings on the season. Keep reading to see what he had to say!

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Wil was extremely animated this morning, probably more animated than we have seen him this entire season. Last night, Julie had mentioned to him about a large alliance in the house called the “Silent Six.” We asked him who he thought might be in that alliance and Wil knew exactly who it was. “If I had to make an educated guess on the not so Silent Six, that would be Britney, Shane, Dan, Danielle, Mike and Frank.” Wil was more astute than he appeared to be on television.

When asked about his own alliance, “Team Tits”, he is not so hopeful. “Unless the house flips, Team Tits will be having drinks together in a couple of weeks” he said. Had he stayed and won HOH this week, he was really hoping to make a bigger move in the game. His choice for nominations would have been Dan and Mike, with his target directed straight on Dan. Had one of them been removed from the block, his replacement would have either been Shane or Frank. “Removing Frank would disable Mike and removing Mike would disable Frank.” He would have tried to align with Danielle and Shane, which he says he started that ball rolling in week two.

When made aware that the ‘Silent Six’ may be ready to nominate Frank and Boogie via Shane’s HOH win last night, Wil said “If that’s true I think you can kiss Frank’s butt goodbye. My gut says they will go after Frank.” Wil agrees that the coaches need to sit next to boogie in order to win. In fact, he believes anyone sitting next to Boogie at the end will fair well for them.

He truly believes that if these newbies don’t wake up, that Dan will be the most deserving to win the game. “Dan is playing just like he did in his season, making his moves through Danielle, and in a great position in the house. If he makes it to the end, he should win the whole thing again.”

As for regrets, Wil says he doesn’t have many. If there were one thing he could take back, it would be lying to Frank and Boogie in week three about who he was going to vote out. “I consider myself to be a pretty good liar” he said, but “I think I gave away all my cards in that move and It inevitably hurt me and got me on the block and out the door.”

What about the Janelle eviction? What was the advantage of evicting Janelle who was truly on your side this whole game? Wil responded that there was no advantage. “I got myself off the block and she (Janelle) just happened to go up. If Ashley and I were to have voted to keep her, it would have just put a bigger target on our back. She was not real liked by many of the HGs. She was definitely one of the most disliked people in the house.” He said. When he was informed that Janelle was hurt by some of the things he said about her in the house, he replied that he hopes he and Janelle can bond outside of the game. “It was an equal two way street with her and I. I voted her out because I didn’t want that target on my back. She was leaving regardless of how Ashley and I voted. The problem Janelle had in the house was that she didn’t take any interest in getting to know other houseguests on a personal level and when you talked to her it was all about Janelle.” He believes a part of her needs to take responsibility for her own eviction and how she played. It can’t all be him and Ashley for the reason she left the game.

After Frank won HOH, why did Wil not tell Frank and Boogie what they wanted to hear in their discussion to keep himself safe? “It was frustrating because I knew there was a big alliance that I wasn’t a part of, so I didn’t want to to say something that would make me a bigger target. If I was going out, I wanted to go out with my dignity in tact. After the Veto, Frank could have made the biggest move and gotten Dan out… one of the best players in BB history, but he made a mistake.”

Did Wil really want to be evicted before Jury? “Once I knew there was a large alliance in the house, once I knew for certain I was going home, just to go to sequester to give someone else 500k… it wasn’t very tasty to my palette so to speak.”

What was Wil’s take on the supposed homophobic slurs slung by Willie? Wil says he knew they were a fabrication by Frank and made out to be more than what they were. “I don’t know if they showed this on TV or the feeds or not, but I actually took Joe in the storage room and said I would play it up to get sympathy card. I know that sounds horrible.”

Many people expected Wil to last longer in the Pirate Ship Endurance Competition. Asked how much longer he thinks he could have lasted, he said “I could have gone maybe 15 minutes more. It’s a lot harder than it looks! If you were over 5’7” it was going to be a hard Competition. Danielle looked like she was about to pull a cigarette out and smoke it… So I looked at Danielle and asked if I was safe, she said yeah (obviously that wasn’t true) and then looked at Shane who was struggling and said “you jump, I jump.”  I don’t regret jumping when I did. Danielle was going to hang on there all night if she could.”

We asked Wil what he thought his biggest move in the game was to date. “I didn’t get a chance to make one. I had Mike and Frank eating out of the palm of my hand at one point, but then the coaches came in… my big move was yet to come.” Too late.

Now, we know what’s on the mind of many of our readers… His extensions. Yes, it was asked… why does he constantly pick at them? Are they itchy? Why did he decide to get them before he came into the house? He says that he had a “Britney” (Spears) moment back in the Spring and chopped all his locks off. He regretted it as he had always had long hair, so he had decided then to get extensions. About the constant playing with it? “It’s a habit of mine to twirl my hair… when I was doing it i was strategizing and thinking.” (He must have been strategizing and thinking A LOT!)

We pressed Wil about what he thought about some of his former Houseguests… But he says that was the best part of coming into the house, all the different personalities and unique bunch of people. “They are all standup guys and gals. Hopefully friends for life.”

We heard him say once that he thought Jenn was really subdued, but what about Wil? He seemed pretty subdued as well to some. Was it strategic? Wil says yes.  “It was calculated. I’m usually very emotional but I didn’t want to come off as a loose cannon. I wanted to play this level headed and as someone you could trust in the house.”

What are his thoughts on the Shane/Danielle showmance that BB is trying to portray? “I think it’s the most un-genuine thing in the house. He is nasty to Danielle, sure he plants those kisses on her when the time is right or when necessary, but says a lot of hurtful comments to her. I think she just genuinely wants to be his friend and he sort of leads it on for the camera but he will go around and be a total jerk to her.”

How about Wil? Was he tempted for a Showmance with anyone in the house? No, he says. There was no one of his “taste” in there apparently.

How about Ian? What does he think of him? “Coming from viewers perspective i would say Ian is probably well liked. In the first couple of weeks he wasn’t well liked in the house… he did weird things. I think in the end he came out of his shell and I was happy that happened. I think he is a very special person and I hope him and I can be friends after this.”

Who has the best chance of winning this game? Wil thinks Dan has a good chance, stating again that if these newbies don’t wake up and get him out, that he deserves it… But who will set next to Dan? “Call me crazy, but my money is on Ashley” he says. “If Ashley doesn’t get voted out in the next couple of weeks, she will be in one of the two chairs at the end.” He at one point thought Frank could take it all, but thinks that Frank has fallen into the pits of Boogie with no chance to recover.

What’s next for Wil? He is hoping to do another video for the “Wil Show” on Youtube this Friday, and may try in the future to revive his singing career. He says for 10 years it has been all about music for him. He has worked with Producers in the past and hopes that maybe he can again in the future, but he is going to take that one day at a time.

As for the Louisville Cards or the Kentucky Wildcats? He says Cards all the way!

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So, what do you think? Are you going to miss Wil in the game? Do you wish he stayed and followed through on his Dan/Boogie nominations? Let us know below, and be sure to come join us in the forum HERE for all things Big Brother!

Reality Casting Tips From Big Brother Champ, Dan Gheesling

With the launch of his new e-book keeping him busy, Big Brother 10 champ, Dan Gheesling, was willing to take some time of his busy schedule and answer a few questions for the Yak and our readers who would some day like end to end up on their favorite reality show. As but a supplement to his Step-By-Step Guide, How A Normal Guy Got Cast on Reality TV, is a great way for hopefuls to brush up on the characteristics those involved with casting reality TV shows are looking for. You can access your free e-copy, by clicking right here! In addition to the e-book, check out the extra bit of insight Dan provided below. The Yak thanks Dan for his time and wishes him great success with his future endeavors!

If you’re applying to an upcoming season of a reality show, be sure and let us know! We always love to know what our Yakksters are up to!
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The Yak: How does a real fan show they would be more valuable to the show more than a Jersey Shore mactor wannabe?
Dan Gheesling: Passion is something that will help you connect with a lot of people, including the Casting Producers. If you are really passionate about getting on Reality TV they will be able to see it. If you want to get on Reality TV just to be “famous” they will also see that (not a great idea). For someone trying to get on Reality TV, they have to define what is driving them to apply – this is what I call the “why-factor.”

The Yak: Any tips on how to draw the line between defining what your “why-factor” is without going overboard and over-saturating casting with that factor?

Dan Gheesling: Your why factor is defined by your passions in life. The problem with that is people have a difficult time even defining their passions let alone their why-factors (I know this first hand!). When you boil it all down there are only a handful of why-factors. In the Guide I go through in depth specifically how to determine your own personal why-factor using a set of individual Guide-sheets that are included with the guide.

The Yak: What compelled you to write this e-book?
Dan Gheesling: About a year ago I started my personal blog – www.IWouldCoach.com – and on the blog I have a form where people can contact me directly. The most asked question I got, was asking me how to get on Reality TV. After I responded to a ton of e-mails answering that question – I figured out I could help a LOT more people by writing a book about it. Back in the day I searched every corner of the Internet for information on how to improve my audition video and casting interview skills, and I couldn’t find anything. The goal of HowToGetOnRealityTV.net and both books I have written are to help someone looking for that exact information.

The Yak: Let’s be honest, you have your critics out there who think this is all a ploy to suck more money from your fans. While I don’t believe this at all, I have seen it on the internet already. I’m sure you have too. What do you have to say to the skeptics?
Dan Gheesling: Anyone who knows me knows that I truly appreciate all the support people have given me since I have been off the show. As a small way of thanking them for the support, I put a ton of time and effort into writing my story, How A Normal Guy Got Cast On Reality TV. This book is available for them for FREE. This was written specifically for my supporters but can also provide some insight for an individual interested in getting cast on Reality TV.

For people who are really serious about improving their casting game, I wrote How To Get On Reality TV: The Complete Step by Step Guide. It is a 75 page Guide that is a resource and tool to hone your casting skills. The Guide teaches readers the following: how to create a compelling casting story, the best way to develop your audition video, critical interview tips, includes a set of Guide-sheets, and much much more. My goal is to genuinely help others improve their casting process skills by using this Guide. Bottom line, I’ve put a lot of time and energy into producing this valuable tool which includes information that cannot be found anywhere else.

The Yak: So, you’ve made it known that you initially applied for Season 9 but ended up getting cast for season 10 – likely due to the twist. For hopefuls out there who have already applied and maybe been told by casting that they are wanted back next season, what advice do you have for them? Do they need to reapply or does someone in the casting department get a hold of them based on some special list they’ve been penned on?
Dan Gheesling: In How A Normal Guy Got Cast On Reality TV, you will find out I first applied for Season 6, and was rejected many times after. My advice to someone who has had some success in the casting process is to keep applying. Each audition there after you have to step it up or change something about your approach. If you continue to do the same thing time in and time out, you can’t really expect different results.

The Yak: And if you’ve made it farther than you ever imagined and casting has specifically told you that they want you back next season, does one still have to apply or can one expect a call back from casting automatically for the semi-finals rounds?
Dan Gheesling: In my story How A Normal Guy Got Cast on Reality TV, that exact same thing happened to me. I always erred on the side of caution and applied regardless of what I was told.

The Yak: Alright, so we’ve been called back. Now what? How do we keep ourselves relevant and appealing to the casting team?
Dan Gheesling: Have a story to tell. Reality TV is just an outlet to tell stories. You have to be comfortable talking about yourself and really selling your story. A lot of people walk into a casting interview winging it without any stories to tell. Some people can pull that off – I could never do that. Dynamic story telling was never my strong suit, but I found a way to make it happen. So if a normal guy like me can get on Reality TV, so can other people, if they know what to do.

The Yak: I take it your guide summarized how you found a way to make that happen. Can you briefly summarize for Yaks everywhere?
Dan Gheesling: You’re right, Building Your Story is detailed very clearly in How To Get On Reality TV: The Complete Step by Step Guide. It’s actually quite an in depth process that takes time, effort, and most importantly dedication to getting cast. Building your story is like building a house, it starts with your why factor, is stacked with your life experiences, and finished off with your compelling details. The best advice I can give to someone who hadn’t read the Guide yet is to deliberately take time before you audition to define your story. It’s the most important part of your presentation, yet a lot of people never take the time to build their own story.

The Yak: Let’s take it one step further. You’ve not only made it on the show, but you made it to the winner’s circle. Any insider advice for someone who heeded your advice to not only get on the show but home $500,000 richer?
Dan Gheesling: That’s a tough question to answer in a few short sentences. In the end its about focus and desire. How bad do you want to win? What are you willing to do to win? And most importantly, in an environment built to distract and get a rise out of you, can you stay focused long enough to make the right decisions?

The Yak: I know this is aside from the casting talk, but this past season of Big Brother has brought the fangs out of fans more than before. With the advent of social media, contestants are more easily targeted for hate related to game play or decisions. Do you have anything to say on that and how we can help combat that for incoming contestants?
Dan Gheesling: There is really not a whole lot you can do to combat it. It is sad to see when people’s real lives are influenced by negative messages via social media. That’s when it goes too far. At the same time, when you put yourself on a platform like Reality TV you need to be prepared to handle it. Incoming contestants just need to know that IF they choose to read blogs, forums, etc it is not always going to be positive and just take everything you read with a grain of salt. I would encourage them to interact with the people that connect with them but ignore the people who have negative words for them.