away from drafts, heaters, direct sunlight and other pets.
Never put it on or near a television, radio or hi-fi or a fridge."
September 9, 2006>> daily index
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What it's really like to be the Mother of an All-Star
by Ann Pierzina-Killian (Janelle's mom)
Truly, I can only speak for myself. But I can only imagine what the other parents went through also. Many of the same things. I will start by addressing CBS: I believe we should have had the contact numbers or emails of the other parents from the get go, or at least a private chat room for venting and support. Here goes...
As an All-Star Mom, we're pro's at this now right? This is our 2nd time around. Yikes!! For four of us, it's pretty fresh.
Let's go back to round one. When I was first told by my kid, that she was going to be on a reality show, I asked; "What's that?" All she said was; "Oh Mom, just watch it on July 6. You'll see me there!" When she entered the BB house last season, it was my very first episode of Big Brother. Let's set the record straight. This is not a reality show. This is an "UN-reality show!"
And Oh Boy, Did I ever see her there! And in 15 million other places on the internet.
For the first 2 weeks I was totally stressed out! It dawned on me that 2 million people were watching every move my kid makes, and picking her apart like a rag doll.
I was shocked into reality when I browsed all the BB sites! I wasn't warned about this!
I did not want to see my child slandered, made fun of, or hurt in any way.
Being a spiritually deep woman, I gave her to God. It dawned on me real quick, she would need His love & protection in this crazy & hostile environment. I also started asking others to lift her in prayer. I started seeing a change. It was a good change.
When it was announced once again, she would be going back on the show, it was like "Oh boy, here we go again.." Get ready for the emotional roller coaster.
Watching the feeds:
(And I‘d be surprised if there was a parent who did NOT subscribe for the live feeds.)
Lou Gordon hit the nail on the head last year when he said; "It was like getting my kid back for the summer!" He was right. For me it went a bit further... it was like really getting to know my kid as an adult for the first time. You raise these children to the best of your abilities; they go off into the big bad world. You really have no idea how they truly turned out. All you can do is hope for the best.
The feeds were a bit addicting (to say the least.) It was very comforting to watch your child sleep. It was funny to see many of the same habits & characteristics they had as children surface in the house. It is very endearing to hear them talk about you, and realize you mean more to them, than you could ever of hoped for or imagine.
"Seeds planted, and tended with care, build strong roots and bear beautiful fruit."
It is agonizing to see them hurt. There is nothing you can do. When your child is hurt, scared or sad, you cannot reach into that screen and surround them. You just have to sit there and feel it too.
When your child cries. You cry.
When they are lied to and betrayed... you feel betrayed. You get angry. When they are scumbagged, you do not like that scumbagger. When they are played, you do not like that player. When they are lied to, you do not like that liar.
How many times do we have to keep telling ourselves; "It's just a game!" "It's just a game!" "It's really, just a game!"
It is with great pride, when you see the person they've become. When they are real. When they are genuine. Polite. Generous. When they are true to themselves and their alliances. When they win competitions, or help their alliances win. It brings joy to see such a competitive, winning spirit.
It is with fear & apprehension, when they might do, or say something that you do not want the rest of the world to see or hear. Including everyone in your hometown, your whole family, your co-workers and just about everyone you know. When they get too sippy (BB, you really need to watch the alcohol allotments) you want to reach right in there and say ok! You're cut off kid. Remember now... you're on National TV!
What about their hormones?? And yes, this age has more than they know what to do with! OMG! This is waaaay more than a mother ever needed to know about. Please maintain your dignity in there, oh child of mine! Wheeeew!
It can be a bit annoying, to have to talk BB with everyone you run into, and feel you have to explain to them what is going on. Like... go on the internet and figure it out! Puuuhleeze!
The Big Brother House lurks in your conscience and your sub conscience the whole time they are locked within those walls. How many times have you awoken in the middle of the night and said; "I wonder if they are all right?7quot; Or wondered what they are doing?
It has a trickle down effect in all other aspects of your life. The longer they are in there, the more power that house has over you. And I am speaking from two FULL SEASONS right down to the last 3 days. (BOTH TIMES dang it!)
When they leave that house, it is with great relief. Uh huh. It is... Your protective mode can finally come down. What an exhausting state to be in for 3 months.
It is with great surprise, and pride and joy to see the support from the million trillion fans. This show is bigger than I could ever imagine it to be. WOW!
The fans have picked me up and carried me when I've been hurt or down more than once.
The fans have celebrated with me and loved on me. Thanks be to them!
It is with fascination, as I watch the bond that these houseguests have made for life. That for the most part... it was just a game in the BB house. Outside of it, they have built many friendships for life. I find myself forgiving the other houseguests for the awful things they have said and done to my child. Especially when they are looking you in the eye and are remorseful. They don't have to ask for my forgiveness.
Again I'll say... I needed and longed for the other Mommie-Mommies of the BB All-Stars during this time. More than once...
Linkage
Daily linkage just highlights unique sites now - check the new links page for more
Aldav first to find big news, all the edgy stuff & the best mini-recaps in town (adult content)
Screencaps refresh site is back from bbfan
Houseguest Tributes videos, quotes, pics from all seasons by BB's number one fan Attw x
Househappenings in-depth Big Brother analysis by IA aka It's Aawwn
Photochops by C=Venus - also try Destroy a Hamster by Johnbb
Big Brother Keyhole peruse various BB sites in the same window, feeds too
Reality TV Links - Big Brother 7 emphasis on individual hamsters' sites
Sir LinksALot Big Brother 7 All Stars all the links
Patrick's Place One-man BB show, 20+ streaming cams including his car
Another 2 cents quasi-intellectual sleaze & radical gumbo aka blog - off for the summer
RealOne SuperPass 14 Day Free Trial
CBS Big Brother 7 the official site, plus Housecalls live weekdays 10am BB/1pm ET
CBS Innertube same-day Housecalls and next-day air show replays
Hamsterwatch Big Brother 7 Navigation tool for that dingo's daily recaps on this site
Hamsterwatch MySpace
Hamsterwatch on YouTube BB6 & BB7 videos off the feeds
BB7 Park by TD South Park-inspired versions of the goings on
No time-out feeds links Easy how-to plus Real phone numbers
Big Brother Top 100 all seasons, many countries - Hamsterwatch is #1 wow!!
Big Brother 7 All-Stars Top 50 Hamsterwatch is #2 wow! thanks for the clicks
 Click for no time-out feeds links and Real phone numbers RATINGS WATCH Tuesday's finale placed third for its time slot with a 5.3 rating/8 share. 'Dancing with the Stars' was first at 11.7/19 and 'House' was second at 9.3/15. All-stars never were top Googles  |
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It's a wrap |
   Big ups for a gutsy finale that made up for a lot and hit hard, in spite of the near-universal apathy about the finalists. Some jury Q&A were dropped but Danielle made a good foreperson and the summations were night & day between Erika's 'true puppetmaster' junk versus Boogie's 'humbly & respectfully' appeal. James needs to accept he's lost twice and get over it, Howie needs to keep on saying it like it is, Marcellas might have made it unanimous if he'd heard Boogie's 'you were all in Chilltown' before voting, and WOW Dani told Julie to 'shut up'! Ups to Kaysar & Alison for their well-placed direct hits, and kudos to production for letting Ali deliver the news: it was a bit less cruel that way as Erika could 'consider the source' at least til they went off the air. Kudos also for deleting Anna Nicole from the 'wannabe' part of the James/Janelle revelations (and sincere best wishes to ANS from here). Jase was in fine form and though Diane & Nakomis were subdued, it was good to see them both. All in all, a very satisfying finale to an up 'n down season, but in the end thanks to CBS, producers, editors & crew for delivering our summer habit again. In spite of my rants & busts about how they go about it, it's still the best game in town. |
    He won most of the prizes including the big one, and he could have won the girl but he didn't want her. Rarely have we seen such crass behavior or self-promotion without seeing much to back it up. He'll be most remembered for his nasty drunken rant about Janelle, for riding Will's coattails through the game, and for calling his bedmate 'a used-up ho' on tv. |
   She had fans for a day when she rallied Janelle against the guys that done 'em wrong, but she lost most of those in the following days when she took credit for everything that came before. She returned to Boogie over & over even though he rejected her every time, and she was about as much fun as a rock for most of the season. Marcellas was right when he called her 'Amber Alert' early on and while everyone says BB isn't a team sport, her style of floating isn't exactly impressive. Outside of bed & bath, she's best known for saying 'I'll vote however you want me to.' |
   AMERICA'S CHOICE First into the house but third place again.. but also a second year as viewers' favorite plus most HOHs and most vetos overall - all in spite of most noms overall and having them all after her. She's still a breath of badly needed fresh air and never fails to keep most of us rooting for her even as she goes up against unbeatable odds. It was wonderful to watch her wear her tiara over & over, bought by 50¢ votes that failed to deliver the game advantage promised, but reminding us she's ever the prom queen, buxom blonde bombshell, and now two-time Hamsterwatch Star of the Season. |
   He owned them all from the start and was largely (if not solely) responsible for the first 10 evictions, as well as the 11th - his own. He was mostly fun to watch with a quick wit and more than a few good tv moments, tho his self- and Boogie-promotion got old fast as did his unbridled arrogance. His chemistry with Janelle was undeniably sparkly and fun to watch: even tho we knew it was a play, there was something that felt genuine about it too, but in the end she played him back and right out the door. |
   We only got the BB1 goony guy with his Thursday night get-ups but he had his share of colorful moments and championship belly flops. He won an important veto by shaving his head & going on perma-slop, making him the most suffering but least complaining of them all. He's a very decent guy and a good friend to them all (even Howie), and I wish him only good things. |
   She said she wanted redemption but she played it too hard too often, and got played right out the door. She spent a day in solitary, and 'got personal' and nasty a few times but she did herself in by trusting the most untrustworthy: James, Erika & Willboogie. Strategy & working behind backs are her fortes but this time she'll be remembered most for excessive ding-donging. |
   He ran a self-professed 'Janelle hate campaign' when she had his back, and called her a liar, traitor & worse on tv but he hooked up with Dani on Day 2. He promised to be more fun but wasn't much until the end, when he was great. He plays the game well but too hard and personal. The Dolly Wars will follow him but he'll be ok: it's just a little harm. |
   Love him or hate him, nobody can deny he's an individual. Two years running he's stayed truer to his partners than anyone while staying on good terms with everyone on all sides, in spite of behavior that would get most arrested. His act gets old and he drops trou a lot, but he's almost always upbeat and his heart is solid gold. We'd all be lucky to have a friend as loyal as Howie. |
   He had early alliances galore but blew them all off to mope & complain instead. Editing was far from kind and didn't even give us his best but it's his own doing (like most of his problems are). Hamsterwatch Most Photogenic award winner, especially since he started posing for renaissance paintings. |
   He said his heart wasn't in it this year and that he was saving his big moves for later: both fatal in the BB house, and not kicking out Will when he could was pivotal to the season. But he shaved his head for the game and stopped twisting his hair too. Good to see him again and overnighters especially will miss him. |
   Sadly, she didn't stand a chance this year. She came in defeated & involved in a feud, and lost all her partners. Mrs. Smith didn't give us the fireworks she's capable of but she's always an all-star in my book and I wish her well. |
   His alliances and behavior were all over the map this time and both got him kicked out. He went out the back door again but it wasn't intentional this time. So long, mirror-face. |
   Not the most charismatic and she didn't start playing in time, but each side kicked her out so the other couldn't have her. Kudos to her for having the guts to return. |
   She worked out and hid in a vase but the potential for catfights & dramatics left with her. She didn't live up to her skanky rep: good for her, bad for us. |
Purchases made through sponsor links and free trials helped me keep this site going, and all donations were hugely appreciated. Paypal donations can still be made by email. Please support other BB7 fan sites that you like, too. Many thanks! This site isn't necessarily about who should win, who will win, who I'd be friends with, or who is cute. It's about watching hamsters: which ones are doing what and why, which are fun and which are dull. If they aren't entertaining, get rid of 'em! Thanks for encouraging my behavior.. that dingo  Official Howie merchandise and more  |
