Daniel "Dan" Robert Gheesling is the winner of Big Brother 10 (US) and the runner-up of Big Brother 14 (US).
Dan first played in Big Brother 10 (US). When his close ally Brian Hart became evicted in Week 1, Dan appeared to be on the outs, but he managed to get off the others' radar by giving them the perception that he was not a threat by throwing early competitions. During Week 4, he was voted by the viewers to be America's Player for the week, both he and Memphis Garrett formed The Renegades, and he successfully completed the America's player task by casting the deciding vote against Jessie Godderz, resulting in his elimination. With Memphis allowing for him to stay in control, Dan would make bold moves, such as convincing Bryan Ollie to throw an HOH competition to him, only to betray him and get his ally Michelle Costa evicted. The Renegades would dominate the rest of the game and made it to the final 2, where Dan would win in a unanimous 7-0 jury vote. With his consistent victory, he became the first of three winners, and first US winner to succeed in a unanimous vote, and play a Perfect Game (having no eviction votes but all jury votes).
He returned in Big Brother 14 (US) as a coach, but he along with the other coaches returned to the game at the end of Week 3. He was known for making one of the best strategic moves in the show's history by hosting his game's own "funeral," which resulted in him getting vetoed off the block when he was the target. After controlling most of the second half of the game and outlasting all other coaches, he would manage to convince his teammate Danielle Murphree to use the Power of Veto on him at the final 4, which enabled him to blindside her showmance Shane Meaney, and Dan would soon reach the final 2 once again, still without any votes against him. However, his cutthroat game-play and the jury's reluctance towards voting for a veteran player would cost him the win against Ian Terry in a 6-1 vote.
In two appearances, he finished 1st and 2nd, which is tied (with Cody Calafiore) for the best result in two appearances in the history of the game, in addition to being the first player to reach the final 2 twice. Due to this, he has become widely regarded as one of the best players of all time, typically alongside Will Kirby, and since Dan's performance in BB14, there have been numerous debates on who the greatest Big Brother player is between the two.
Biography[]
Retrieved from CBS.com
Dan attended Michigan State University and earned a Master's Degree in Kinesiology. He is currently working as a teacher in an all-boys Catholic school.
He is conservative and not a fan of liberals. He doesn't think that America would have been ready for a female president and if Hillary Clinton had won the presidency, he would have moved out of the country. He describes vegans as weird tree-huggers and believes that religion is important and that it helps to establish basic values. He thinks it becomes more important as you get older.
His ideal romantic partner will be caring, hot, have dark hair and skin and be exotic looking. He prefers someone who is not into parties. He likes to eat sushi, turkey cutlets, Mediterranean food, and Cheez-Its. He enjoys alternative and rap music and also likes to listen to Frank Sinatra. His favorite movies include "The Godfather," "Good Will Hunting" and "The Karate Kid, Parts I and II." He likes the color black and thinks he wears it well. His favorite activities include running, coaching football, and going out with friends.
He once worked as a college football coach and claims he was the youngest person to do so. He also enjoys watching football. He thinks tattoos are trashy and that piercings are for freaks.
His birth date is September 1, 1983.[1]
Retrieved from CBS.com
Player History - Big Brother 10 (US)[]
Competition History[]
Week 1 | HOH | Not Chosen |
Food | Win | |
POV | Not Picked | |
Week 2 | HOH | Loss |
Food | Win | |
POV | Loss | |
Week 3 | HOH | Loss |
Food | Win | |
POV | Not Picked | |
Week 4 | HOH | Loss |
POV | Not Picked | |
Week 5 | HOH | Loss |
Food | Win | |
POV | Not Picked | |
Week 6 | HOH | Loss |
Food | Win | |
POV | Win | |
Week 7 | HOH | Win |
POV | Loss | |
HOH | Previous HOH | |
POV | Win | |
Week 8 | HOH | Loss |
POV | Loss | |
Week 9 | HOH | Win |
Luxury | Win | |
POV | Loss | |
HOH Part 1 | Win | |
HOH Part 2 | Unable to Play | |
HOH Part 3 | Win |
Voting History[]
Week | Position | Voted for | With Majority? |
---|---|---|---|
1 | – | Renny Martyn | No |
2 | Nominated | – | – |
3 | – | Angie Swindell | Yes |
4 | – | Jessie Godderz | Yes |
5 | – | Libra Thompson | Yes |
6 | POV Holder | April Dowling | Yes |
7 | HOH | – | – |
POV Holder | Bryan Ollie | Yes | |
8 | Vetoed | Renny Martyn | Yes |
9 | HOH | – | – |
HOH | Jerry MacDonald | Sole Vote | |
Finale | Winner | – | – |
- Note: As he was America's Player during Week 4, the public controlled Dan's vote.
HOH History[]
Original Nominees | Post-Veto Nominees | Intended Target | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Week 7 | |||||
Week 9 | |||||
Day 71 | N/A |
Player History - Big Brother 14 (US)[]
Competition History[]
Week 1 | HOH/HTR | Coach |
Coaches Competition | Loss | |
POV | Coach | |
Week 2 | HOH | Coach |
Coaches Competition | Loss | |
POV | Coach | |
Week 3 | HOH | Coach |
Coaches Competition | Loss | |
POV | Coach | |
Week 4 | HOH | Loss |
POV | Not Picked | |
Week 5 | HOH | Loss |
Have/Have-Not | Have | |
POV | Not Picked | |
Week 6 | HOH | Loss |
POV | Not Picked | |
HOH | Loss | |
POV | Not Picked | |
Week 7 | HOH | Loss |
GBOV | Loss | |
POV | Loss | |
Week 8 | HOH | Loss |
POV | Win | |
HOH | Win | |
POV | Loss | |
Week 9 | HOH | Previous HOH |
POV | Loss | |
HOH | Loss | |
POV | Loss | |
Week 10 | HOH Part 1 | Win |
HOH Part 2 | Unable to Play | |
HOH Part 3 | Loss |
Have/Have-Not History[]
Week 1 | Coach Phase |
Week 2 | |
Week 3 | |
Week 4 | Have |
Week 5 | Have |
Week 6 | Have |
Week 7 | Have-Not |
Week 8 | Have/Have-Not Phase Over |
Week 9 | |
Week 10 |
Voting History[]
Week | Position | Voted for | With Majority? |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Coach | Jodi Rollins | Sole Vote |
2 | Ineligible | ||
3 | Reset | Yes | |
4 | – | Janelle Pierzina | Yes |
5 | – | Wil Heuser | Yes |
6 | – | Mike Malin | Yes |
– | Ashley I | Yes | |
7 | Vetoed | Britney Haynes | Yes |
8 | POV Holder | Frank Eudy | Yes |
HOH | – | – | |
9 | – | Jenn Arroyo | Yes |
Vetoed | Shane Meaney | Sole Vote | |
10 | Nominated | – | – |
Finale | Runner-Up | – | – |
HOH History[]
Original Nominees | Post-Veto Nominees | Intended Target | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Day 62 | THEN |
Post Big Brother[]
- Dan married Chelsea Niemiec on July 2, 2011. Memphis Garrett served as a groomsman. Angie Swindell and Jerry MacDonald also attended the ceremony.[3]
- Dan attended Memphis's wedding in 2012.
- Dan attended the Big Brother Canada 1 finale.
- On February 14, 2016, Dan announced that he and Chelsea are expecting their first baby. His wife eventually gave birth to their son, Desmond Daniel Gheesling on July 3, 2016.[4]
- On March 13, 2018, Chelsea gave birth to her and Dan's second son, Miles Glen Gheesling.[5]
- Dan continued his career on YouTube, then later on, on Twitch.
- On June 15, 2019, Dan appeared on The Taran Show to talk about his gameplay, his Twitch career, and being a father.[6]
- Dan was called to compete on Big Brother 22 (US), but ultimately declined the offer for reasons unknown.
- Despite declining an opportunity to compete on Big Brother 22, Dan was featured prominently alongside other iconic houseguests such as Danielle Reyes, Will Kirby, Rachel Reilly and Kaycee Clark on a mural in the kitchen, specifically highlighting his 'Funeral' from Big Brother 14.
- Dan competed on the second season of Peacock's The Traitors with fellow Big Brother 14 houseguest Janelle Pierzina and Celebrity Big Brother 23 (UK) housemate Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. He was selected to be a Traitor in Episode 1 alongside Phaedra Parks of The Real Housewives. They then recruited Survivor's Parvati Shallow to be their third Traitor. He was correctly suspected of being a Traitor and banished in Episode 6, finishing in 13th place.
- In the 10th episode of MTV's The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion, former Big Brother 23 (US) houseguest Kyland Young quoted Dan's famous funeral speech during the nomination deliberation.
Trivia[]
- Dan previously applied for Big Brother US for four years prior to getting cast on Big Brother 10. Among his attempts, Dan made to the casting finals of Big Brother 6 and was also close to being cast on Big Brother 9.[7]
- All three times Dan was Head of Household in Season 10, the initial nominees were Jerry and Memphis.
- Coincidentally, they all made the final three together.
- Dan was only a Have-Not once when we was chosen as one by the HOH. He has never lost a food or Have/Have-Not Competition.
- Dan is the first houseguest to win multiple Power of Veto competitions in a single season and later win the season.
- Dan is the first winner to receive every jury vote. He was followed by Kevin Martin in Big Brother Canada 5, Tamar Braxton in Celebrity Big Brother 2, Dane Rupert in Big Brother Canada 7, Cody Calafiore in Big Brother 22 (US), Jean-Thomas Jobin in Big Brother Célébrités 1, and Xavier Prather in Big Brother 23 (US).
- Dan is the first winner to play a Perfect Game. He was followed by Kevin, Dane, Jean-Thomas, and Cody.
- Dan's game in Big Brother 10 was regarded by many as similar to Big Brother 2 winner Will Kirby's game.
- Dan is the only returning player on Big Brother 14 to win a Head of Household competition.
- In Big Brother 14, Dan was the only Coach to outlast all their players.
- Dan is the first player in Big Brother US to make it to the Final 2 both times he played, followed by Paul Abrahamian, Cody Calafiore, Nicole Franzel (on her second/fourth seasons), Taylor Hale and Anthony Douglas.
- Coincidentally, during their second respective finales, both Dan and Paul repeated the outfits they wore the first time.
- Dan is the second houseguest to play Big Brother twice and not be evicted, following Dick Donato. However, because Dick walked during Week 1 of Season 13 for personal reasons, making Dan the first to make to the finals without being evicted. They would be followed by Paul Abrahamian and Cody Calafiore.
- Dan is the first contestant on the American version of Big Brother to go on in another Big Brother house (BBCAN1) besides that of the American show, this was also later done by Rachel Reilly who went into the BBCAN2 house.
- Dan and Cody Calafiore are the only returnees to never receive an eviction vote against them over the course of their career.
- Dan is the first former winner to be a runner-up in a subsequent attempt of playing Big Brother. He would be followed by Taylor Hale.
- Dan shares many stats and feats with fellow winner Cody Calafiore:
- They are the only two men to win Big Brother (US) with unanimous Jury votes and Perfect Games.
- They both played two seasons and placed 1st and 2nd each. Because of this, they are tied for highest average placement of 1.5.
- They both only faced eviction twice across their four seasons played.
- They have both never received eviction votes across their four seasons played, and are the only Returning Players to hold this distinction.
- They have both only voted in the minority once across their four seasons played.
- They both were the HOH to evict Keesha Smith on their winning season.
- They both had a Final Two deal with Memphis Garrett on their winning season.
- They both won three HOHs on their first seasons, including the Final HOH. They both won Parts 1 and 3 respectively.
- They both played with Ian Terry and Janelle Pierzina on their second seasons, and both successfully voted to evict Janelle.
- They both won OTEV on their second seasons and were the only winners to also win OTEV until Jag Bains.
- They were both half of the most successful Final Two alliances in Big Brother history, The Renegades and The Hitmen.
- They both went on to compete on The Traitors and were selected to be Traitors on their respective seasons. They also ended up being the first Traitors to be correctly guessed and banished on their seasons.
- Janelle Pierzina, Dan Gheesling, Paul Abrahamian, Enzo Palumbo, Cody Calafiore and Nicole Franzel are the only people to make it to the Final Three twice. Excluding Janelle, all of them made it to finale night twice as well. They would be followed by Xavier Prather, Taylor Hale and Anthony Douglas.
- On the season 14 live feeds, Dan confirmed that he and Memphis were set to compete on Big Brother 13 (US) as a Dynamic Duo, but pulled out at the last minute due to conflicts with his wedding date. They were ultimately replaced by Evel Dick and Daniele Donato.
- Dan and fellow Renegade member Memphis are the only people to place lower on their second season than their first but play more days than their first season.
- On season 14, Dan was the third houseguest to be taken off the block by someone else twice, following Diane Henry in Big Brother 5 (US) and Sheila Kennedy. They would be followed by Christie Murphy, Cliff Hogg III, Xavier Prather, Alyssa Snider, Felicia Cannon, Angela Murray, and Kimo Apaka.
- Dan is the fourth consecutive male to win Big Brother US, the longest gender streak in the franchise’s history. This streak would later be matched by Steve Moses.
- Dan is the only Coach from BB14 who has not played three or more times.
References[]
- ↑ http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_brother/cast/15598/
- ↑ http://www.cbs.com/shows/big_brother/cast/119850/
- ↑ EXCLUSIVE: 'Big Brother' Winner Gets Married -- See the Photos!. Too Fab (7 July 2011). Retrieved on 25 October 2018.
- ↑ https://twitter.com/dangheesling/status/749581783935684608?lang=en
- ↑ Mizoguchi, Karen (13 March 2018). Big Brother Winner Dan Gheesling Welcomes Second Son with Wife Chelsea: 'We Are Very Happy!'. People. Retrieved on 25 October 2018.
- ↑ Armstrong, Taran (15 June 2019). Taran Show 55. Rob Has A Website. Retrieved on 18 June 2019.
- ↑ Jacobs, Matthews (13 August 2015). [big-brother-oral-history_n_55c511cee4b0f1cbf1e51830 But First: An Oral History Of 'Big Brother']. Huffington Post. Retrieved on 6 August 2020.
Preceded by Season 9 Adam Jasinski |
Winner Season 10 Dan Gheesling |
Succeeded by Season 11 Jordan Lloyd |
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