Dan Gheesling, the winner of the Big Brother 10 talks to our gal Yana.

Since last December, Yana has been collecting questions from Dan's fans (and detractors, if any) to ask the Big Brother winner.  The questions were asked in the order of the gameplay,  starting with his initial impressions.

King123: What surprised you most about being on BB? Or was it what you expected it to be?

Dan:  I was surprised most by two things, the first being how used to the house you get. I really enjoyed every minute I was in the house, and it kind of grows on you. It is a really unique thing in the fact that no matter what happens, you can never go back to that place. I initially thought I would not get used to all of the cameras and what not, but you really forget about them and it becomes your new home. The second thing that surprised me was the response I have received since being out of the house. I thought I would be lucky to get out of the house with my family still liking me, but all of the fans have been really great to me as well. I tried to play the game like I was a fan of the show, basically because I still am a fan of the show.

ElleNaturelle: Clearly you were influenced by Will Kirby with the role you took on in the house, but what other previous HGs did you draw inspiration from?

Dan:  Sometimes there is no need to reinvent the wheel, especially since there was nine seasons prior. The game has of evolved into what football is today. Every team in the NFL runs the exact same plays. After so many years of football there are not many new plays. You may see a team "borrow" a few plays from another and put their own twist on it, but to be successful you have to still execute the play. That is how I approached Big Brother. I borrowed plays from others that fit my scheme and did my best to execute them. I looked back to those who had WON the game, studied what they did right and wrong, and kept those things in mind while I was in the house. Some worked, some didn't, but in the end, it all worked out for me. The game comes down to how well you adapt when things go wrong and making decisions to put you in the best possible position.

DURING THE SHOW

Laladoopiedu: For all the times that Jerry and Ollie accused you of betrayal, why didn't you remind them that they betrayed him and Brian back in week one?

Dan: There was no reason for me to bring up that they had done the exact same thing to me. Why? It served no purpose for me as it would not have moved me forward in the game. All that would have done was made it seem like the moves I made were based on revenge, which would have angered them further. There was no need to bring up the past. The moves were not for revenge, they were to win the game. Also, I was trying to work them back over for the end vote, revenge does not bode well for anyone who is going to have to award you $500,000.

I found it funny and ironic how April promised Michelle during the first endurance competition that her and Jessie would be safe, and Jessie ended up leaving. Same thing happened when you and Ollie were hanging up on the vine and you promised him and Michelle safety, with Michelle going home. Why not ask Ollie why he wasn't mad at April for Jessie leaving and her word being broken, similar to your situation?

I could have asked Ollie anything about April and it would not have mattered. I tried to focus all of my energy and planning on the future, a few moves a head of everyone else. I did not spend a lot of time thinking about how to use old information to my advantage because no one cares about what you DID for them in the game, they only care what you can DO for them in the future. At least that is how I thought.

Laladoopiedu:  Did you think you were going to win (let alone winning 7-0) against Memphis? Were you worried at all?

Dan:  I thought it was going to be a close vote 4-3 either way. When you get in that position you try not to think about the votes because you can drive yourself crazy.  In my head, the night before the finale, I decided that if I had convinced the jury to vote on game play I had a shot.  If I did not get that done in my jury speech, I had no shot to win.  The other thing they did not show in the jury speech was how I incorporated the fake veto I made into my final speech.  I got a lot of laughs out of it, but I think it opened some eyes to the fact that I was always playing the game, even while others were sleeping and I was up until 4 AM making a veto out of tin foil and plastic.

Laladoopiedu:  Who else do you think you could have won against?

Dan:  Good question, not sure, a lot of it comes down to the final speech.

DAnnCoulter:  Would you have evicted Jessie or Memphis week 4 had he not been forced by America?

Dan:   I remember talking to America in the backyard on the hammock, trying to convince them to vote out Jessie. I felt Memphis would be a better ally because he kept his cool under pressure and I was essentially the swing vote to save him. I knew he would trust me after that (when at the time no one would trust me).

Fuskie: What were your plans for the fake Power of Veto, or was that just something to do to keep from dying of boredom?

Dan:  The fake veto was my emergency plan. If I got into some trouble in the house, where it looked like I was going to get voted out, I wanted to have a Hail Mary or desperation play. I was going to say that I found it in the house and I could use it to take myself off the block or override a veto, whichever was more beneficial. It was going to be used to threaten whoever the HoH was at the time, so that I could save myself from going home. Would it have worked? I guess we'll never know...

ElleNaturelle: What was your initial impression of each HG and how has it changed? Yes, I really want you to go through the cast. Sorry..but thank you.

Dan:  (HG) - (First) - (After)

Brian - influential - eager.
Stephen - funny - wild.
Angie - cold - hilarious.
Jessie - driven - means well.
Libra - very smart - very smart and emotional.
April - ambitious - kind.
Michelle - strong willed - strong willed.
Ollie - competitor - good guy.
Renny - funny - funny.
Keesha - quiet - caring.
Jerry - tough - tough but cares about others.
Memphis - hilarious - loyal.

Jersey721:  How surprised were you that you survived the "Brian Cooties" unlike Steven and Angie? How'd that happen?

Dan:   I knew I had a chance to survive longer then Stephen because he was a physical presence who would compete hard. At this point in the game I had a lot stacked against me, so I had to gamble. I was gambling by throwing the competition and betting that Stephen did not win the veto, lucky for me I won the bet. Outlasting Angie was a little bit easier because of Keesha's agenda. At that point all I had to do was build a relationship with Keesha and I'd be fine.

Jersey721:  Other than the last day when you won, if you could re-live one day in the BB house, which day would it be and why?

Dan:   I had such a blast in the house, it would be tough to pick just one day. There was one night where Angie, Memphis, Jerry and I told the first never ending story before we went to bed. I think we made each other cry because we were laughing so hard. Jerry chimed in on the story through the wall of the bedroom but he made it that much more funny. Other then that, the last few days with Memphis were a lot of fun because we could just hang out and mess around without worrying about the game.

After the Show

Laladoopiedu (This question was also asked by SugarB):  What was the reaction from your students once you got home?

Dan:   At first my previous students were all fired up and excited for me.  They had a million questions for me, mostly regarding the females in the house (go figure). My new students were a little cautious, they were not sure what to expect.  I think a lot of them were disappointed because I am not as goofy in the classroom as I was on the show.  I am very strict in the classroom so I think they were shocked.  The students always try to ask questions about Big Brother in the middle of class or lecture,  but I often tell them to check out the message boards if they have any questions.

ElleNaturelle, and Joyami ask:  Do you still talk/hangout with any of the HGs?

Dan:  Yes, I still talk and hangout with some of my house guests. Which ones? I'm sure you already know...

King123: Would you ever do an All-Stars?

Dan: I had a great time on my season, but All-Stars would be a different ballgame...

Joyami: Did you enjoy your visit with Keesha when she was there?

Joyami:  Any wedding plans on the horizon? 

[No Response]

Joyami:  Dan, when are you going to begin your lecture tour? Is it still a go?

The motivation speaking has been going well, there is a trailer on my website from one of the speeches at: www.dangheesling.com

Yana: Any truth to the rumors that you and Keesha are now dating?

Dan:   Is there any truth to rumors in general?

SugarB:  I want to know if all is well with Dan's job at the Catholic school (I don't see why it wouldn't be but since he was worried about it...)

Dan:   My job at Orchard Lake St. Mary's is great. I feel lucky everyday to have a job that I love. There is never a dull moment in my job, I would not trade it for the world. I get to teach and coach great kids everyday. I have a chance to make a positive impact on the lives of those who may need it. What more can anyone ask for?

ElleNaturelle & King123:  How is your relationship with Jerry now?

Dan:  Jerry is one of the few house guests that I talk to regularly.  He calls to check in on me and vice versa.  I never had a problem with Jerry or anyone else in the house.  To me it was all just a game of monopoly, but maybe on steroids.

ElleNaturelle:  Has he come to like you after learning that you were influenced by America to "flip sides"?

Dan:   Yes, the first time I saw him after the finale, he said "Well why didn't you just tell me Dan?" We both laughed about it.

Jersey721:  What have you done with your winnings?

Dan:  I've invested some of the money, did a few things for my family, and am saving the rest for now. I did buy a PS3 and a LCD TV for myself. The rest I will use for a house at some point.

Jersey721: Have you gone to confession?

Dan:  I sure did.

Jersey721: What was your favorite memory of being in the house? And your least favorite?

Dan:   Some of my favorite memories were just hanging out with my friends in the house. Staying up late on the outdoor couches, scheming and talking about the day. All of the 'normal' things, like playing chess with Memphis, feeding Ted and Debbie, scaring Keesha and Renny, and one of the coolest things was right before a challenge, waiting by the back door, watching the blast door rise, not knowing what to expect on the other side. I don't have any least favorite moments in the house, there was always tension when the votes were being read, but even that was fun. The moment of anticipation on the Week 4 eviction, sitting there knowing how the vote was going to come out, was very unique...

Jersey721:  Would you ever be in another reality series? If so, (other than BB) which one?  Has your ordinary life changed since being on BB? If so, how? Obviously initially it would, but now that some time passed and the hype has died down, what's it like?

Dan:   My life has definitely changed, especially around my hometown.  Wherever I am someone always will pop up and say hello, or "are you that guy who won Big Brother?"  It's fun for me but I don't take it to seriously.  I still get a lot of e-mails and mail from fans,  I'm not sure when it is going to die down,  but I'm just enjoying it while it lasts.

Jersey721: Who are you most thankful for having met by being in the BB house?

Dan:  I would have never thought I would have been friends with Memphis initially, coming from such different walks of life. We developed a great friendship in the house and more so since we have been out.  I'm sure we'll be friends until the day we die.

Can you give us a little hint about the movie you and Kelly are rumored to be in?

[No Response]