Big Brother Winners: Where are They Now?

Big Brother Winners: Where are They Now? by Roxanne McDonald

They won the big money and some even won our hearts (or our hatred). But are they [still] living in winning ways?

Eddie McGee, the first U.S. Big Brother winner, was the one we loved for his strategy, his continued stamina (after having lost a leg in childhood to cancer), and his sizzling tongue (which the bold and blunt New Yorker used to speak the truth and to establish Big Brother gaming technique as of yet unmatched).

According to writers at Wikipedia, Eddie was in the band Fozzy’s video, “Enemy”; and had a small speaking part on the “Profiteer” episode of “Law and Order.”

According to writers at IMDB, after his 2000 win, Eddie also went into other TV and movie roles, such as that of Jason in Drop Dead Roses; Sal in Parnassus; Mal in episode 1 of “Mutant X”; Pimp Diddy (or Daddy?) in Rose Woes and Joes; Justin in Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe; Jimmy in The Signs of the Cross; Crawford in Eddie Monroe; Sgt. Hayes in a 2006 episode of “Law and Order;” and as Hal in an episode of “The Guiding Light.”

Besides working on the film crew of The Magdalene Sisters, and according to BigBTV, during the filming of such films as Drop Dead Roses (2001), Eddie did a naked bathtub interview with u8tv, a visit experience which was so “horrible that Eddie wrote on a wall and got in an

arguement [sic] with everyone… which turned his visit into a disaster, and a gaurantee [sic] that he [wouldn’t] be back.”Besides all the drama, though, the Big Brother winner to make history sticks to loving his life, his [at that time] new car, an ‘87 black Grand National with a t-top, and continues to get acclaim through such sites as the q&a fansite, “Eddie’s Angels.”

Will Kirby, a.k.a. Dr. Evil, continues to be the antithesis of who he was in the BB house 2, which he won (and 7), working, according to writers at Wikipedia, as a successful (and likely more well-known) dermatologist, investing in Mike “Boogie” Malin’s Dolce Group restaurants, clubs, and bars; and also issuing a line of Big Brother-themed clothing.

Will has made a few minor TV appearances, including, according to writers at IMDB, a host gig on “Love Shack” in 2002; the role of Dr. Will Kirby on a 2004 episode of “Cold Turkey;” another Will Kirby role in one episode of “The Young and the Restless;” and an appearance as presenter (and winner) at the 2006 Reality Remix Awards ceremony.

According to IMDB fans, however, the bigger news is that Will was seen sitting with Janelle at the VH1 Big in 2006 Awards; and according to BigBTV, the evil reality star really has a loving family, a loving spirit, and a subliminal desire to be more than a doc in Miami and move to L.A…where he can continue his hamming and jamming.

Lisa Donahue, a former bartender who won the third season of Big Brother, has, according to writers at Wikipedia and IMDB, taken to acting, as well. Besides taking a small part as Lauren in the 2004 version of Jekyll, Lisa did repeat performances on the acclaimed HBO series, Entourage, as Vince’s Girl, as well as a guest spot as Sondra in Dr. Vegas.

To show her seriousness, Lisa has also gone into producing…co-producing, for instance, the 2005 Reality Unleashed video. And while we didn’t have the luxury of Lisa the second time around—in the Big Brother Allstars season (7)—the quiet one who “didn’t play the game,” says BigBTV, did a stringent campaign to get back on TV for BB7, making pleas and appearances over national Television, in Rochester, NY, over the radio waves, and online in chat rooms.

Jun Song was the winner of Big Brother 4, the season wherein the exes were pitted against one another as contestants. Despite what BigBTV and others remind us was a “freak out” in response to learning her ex, Jee, would be playing against her, Jun, a shrewd player with clear ideas on strategy, came in as an investment banking manager, according to writers at Wikipedia, but afterwards also made appearances on awards and other television shows such as the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards and “Yes, Dear,” appearing in both as “herself”, according to writers at IMDB.

Drew Daniel was one of the most controversial winners— besides Dr. Will, of course—turning on Diane, whom he had played as a real love interest, and even beating by slickery the genteel and trusting Michael “Cowboy” Ellis, who was one of, along with Drew, the show’s season’s “four horsemen”. It follows, then, that Drew would show up on a daytime soap like “The Bold and the Beautiful,” where he played a reporter, says one writer at Wikipedia, and that, of course, his “relationship” with Diane Henry would end almost as soon as Big Brother 5 did.

However, other news, according to his MySpace info, reveals Drew, who is Christian (?), is now in a relationship, is into participation in services at the Bel Air Presbyterian Church and in the Settlers of Kattan Clan, and that the 500k winner is still pursuing something by way of “networking”.

Maggie Ausburn may be the only one of the BB winners to forego the dramatics…outside of Big Brother 6, that is. The registered nurse (who worked her way to the degree working as an EMT, according to writers at Wikipedia and TV.com) turned ER nurse still apparently works at Summerlin Hospital in Nevada—and has made no acting debuts, appearing only as is standard on such news/talk shows as “The Early Show” and “Live with Regis and Kathie Lee,” both in 2005.

And of course the most dramatic of all—in many senses of the term, besides Will, was Mike “Boogie” Malin, winner of Big Brother All-stars in 2006.

First, according to writers at Wikipedia, it is worth it to note that Boogie would not have been the winner had he not been included in the all-star season of Big Brother: supposedly, shomance, diabolic duo partner Will refused to participate without his “buddy from Season 2.” More than evidently, the live HoH feeds, when Will was talking to Kaysar and James about the very insistence on including Mike were cut once Will made the admission.

Next, the dastardly wheeler-dealer Will had insisted that “another one of his conditions for entering the Big Brother house was that he and Mike be given an interview with the casting director of “The Amazing Race.”

But the more dramatic of escapades and expressions—continuing throughout Boogie’s self-imposed illustrious life—include how he was “arrested for trespassing (and other misdemeanors) by going on the Warner Brothers’ lot during the filming of Batman and Robin (and how he pleaded no contest and was given probation after a day in jail and some community service time);” how after being named BB7 winner Mike appeared on “The View” and was chastised by Rosie O’Donnell for the misogyny (calling Erika a “ho,” for starters), but blew her off as not being a “serious journalist” [like Barbara Walters] and instead being “just an angry lesbian.”

Further, according to writers at IMDB and other TV news sites, Malin proposed to Krista Stegall (also a BB roommate) at the Big Brother finale, on live TV; associates with and gets the financial backing of such dramatists and Hollywood VIPs as Ashton Kutcher, Danny Masterson, Jaimie Kennedy, and Simon Rex; and had come to Big Brother (2 and 7) with “an interest in theater arts.”

All of this of course points to the logic of Mike “Boogie” Malin’s continued “performances”—in such shows as reality series and episodes, like “50 Most Outrageous TV Moments,” and “Battle of the Network Reality Stars;” on TV shows such as “The Parkers,” “Abby”, and “Yes, Dear,” in which he played Officer Taylor, an unnamed character, and Marvin, respectively; and wherein he appeared as a character/himself in movies like Hood of Horror and awards shows such as the Reality Remix Awards, where he presented (and where Will won).

Boogie has the networking skills that Drew seeks, the knack for dramatics that Lisa hopes for, and the passion that few others—again, besides Will—displayed on Big Brother. Among those other passions, according to BigBTV and the Dolce Group website, Mike Malin “has a passion for the Los Angeles nightlife scene and a love for fine food.” He and Dolce partners had earlier (before Big Brother 7) opened “L.A.’s first sexy sushi restaurant, Geisha House, in Hollywood; Dolce Enotica, in West Hollywood; Dolce Enotica e Ristorante in Reno; Bella Cucina Italiana and Les Deux, both also in Hollywood; and he and Dolce Group partner Lonnie Moore will also opening Tin Pan Alley in Atlanta and Ketchup in West Hollywood, both of which are reportedly “coming soon.”

So whether Boogie was the most loathed and at the same time most popular, or whether sweeter souls like Lisa or sharper tools like Jun deserve the attention this many seasons past, it is interesting to notice how many are now in positions which we suspected them of going on Big Brother for in the first place. Acting. In their cases, it may be bad acting or acting badly, but they gots their wishes, didn’t they?

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