Sarah Walker

When Dan’s girlfriend Monica sent him the T-Shirt bearing the word “TAKEN,” she could have had no idea how perfectly it would sum up Dan’s situation in the house. Dan was totally taken by Ollie in the deal they made at the end of the HOH competition. Coach Dan called a Hail Mary on first down in the opening play of the second half. He made a desperate play when circumstances did not warrant it. Read on to discover the details of the stupidest deal ever made in BB history.

After some rehash footage from Thursdays live show, BB opens tonight in the midst of the HOH competition with the HGs clinging to their jungle vines. It ‘ rains’ periodically as the players are swooped up and swung violently into a padded wall.

In diary room time, Memphis comments that he needs to win but will be okay if either Dan or Keesha wins; he is in an official alliance with Dan, but is comfortable that Keesha will not put him up. Ollie says this HOH competition is “do or die” for him, but he feels fairly safe if Michelle wins. Michelle comments that the game is getting to the point where you have to win HOH, but she feels safe with Ollie because they both want vengeance for April. That’s a fact she might want to keep under her hat.

Speaking of skanks, Ollie interviews that April is one of the few people he let get close to him in his entire life and it hurt to see her go. Keesha admits that she was glad to see her rival for the title of house skank evicted because she argued with April more than anyone else in the house. Renny reiterates that April was her target and she was happy that the house “respected and honored my wishes.” She sees her HOH reign as a success. Dan interviews that April tried to give him 5K (again - she never specified an amount), but “guess what, April - I’m not here for 5K, I’m here for 500K.” Make that 520K, what with America’s Player and everything.

We see some sad Ollie footage from immediately after the live eviction of his honey ho. He interviews that his plan is to go to the end to win the prize for both of them. He feels that up ’til now he hasn’t “performed up to par.” Don’t know what ‘par’ is for Ollie, but April didn’t seem to be complaining.

Back to the jungle. BB is devoting a lot of air time to this HOH comp. We’ll skip the really boring parts. Dan remarks that this is “the carnival ride from hell. It’s fun at first, but then you realize you’re not getting off anytime soon.” That pretty much sums up the whole BB experience, doesn’t it?

Several of the HGs complain that they are losing circulation to their legs. This is Jerry’s ultimate downfall. He drops at 41 minutes and lies on the tarp for awhile, unable to get up and walk right away. There are water balloons attached to the padded wall that the HGs can grab as they are slammed against it. Memphis hurls one at Ollie, misses and hits Michelle right in the face. He asks “what does it taste like?” “You’re blood!” is the retort. Memphis whines in diary room “that girl needs to take a valium. It’s a water balloon. Chill out.”

Keesha drops next at an hour and five minutes. Memphis complains in interview that “she didn’t put a decent effort into it.” He was ticked, clearly wishing he had a water balloon to throw in Keesha’s face. Me too.

Outside, Renny - who has become astutely observant since her wine cellar went dry - remarks to Keesha “Look at Dan’s face.” He has his eyes closed in serene concentration. Keesha agrees “Dan’s going to be up there awhile.” Renny goes on to observe that Michelle looks pretty beat up. It’s true; she looks like someone’s been throwing water balloons in her face. At an hour and 59 minutes, Michelle’s sneaker gets caught in a vine during a wall slam and she is pulled off. No telling how long she would have hung on from pure determination.

Michelle’s demise heightens Ollie’s sense of urgency to win. Memphis interviews that he trusted in his Renegade alliance with Dan to pull it out. Every time I hear that lame name, I think Renny-gade and it sounds even more stupid. Renny predicts it “won’t be much longer for Memphis” and she’s right. He’s out at 3 hours 19 minutes. His excuse is that after a wall slam, his body “got readjusted the wrong way and told him it was time to get off.” Unfortunately the BB mikes didn’t pick up the audio when Memphis’ body told him that, but he heard, obeyed, and dropped with a thud.

It’s down to Dan and Ollie and the battle of the diary room confessions. Dan: “If Ollie wins, I don’t feel safe. He wants vengeance for April.” Ollie: “I won’t go home. No way I’m dropping off. This is life or death for me. I’m not going to get this close and then quit.” Dan: “I’m feeling good about the rain, because every time we’re in the rain Ollie is shaking.”

Dan tells Ollie he is fighting to see a photo of Monica. Ollie replies that he “loves his peeps, too.” Dan - who is in MUCH better shape to win this over the shivering Ollie, and definitely has the upper hand, asks Ollie “What do you want?” Ollie answers “I just want to win, man. And I won’t put you up, I promise you.” Dan promises “You’re not going up man; and if someone uses the veto, you’re not going up.” He swears on Monica, his family and St. Mary’s. “You don’t believe me?” “I do.” says Ollie, “I just want to see my family, too, man.” Dan remarks that it is stupid for the two of them to keep hanging on up there. “What else can I give you? Who do you want protected?” Ollie says ‘just myself.’ At this point Keesha lets out a long, cackly laugh, saying “he says ‘just himself’.”

Dan interviews “I’m thinking to myself, ‘Is there a way I can still seem weak, and win HOH?’ Yes! Of course! What I need to do is give almost all the HOH power to Ollie, so that this week the blood will be on his hands.” Back on the vines, Dan offers Ollie a “two for one deal. You and someone else won’t be touched this week. You can protect someone, choose a nominee, and” - wait for it - “if the veto is used, then you pick the replacement.” Ollie, in understandable disbelief, reiterates the deal, and Dan again gives his word. Ollie says he wants to save Michelle. Dan says “done” and Ollie is. He drops to the tarp, but Dan lingers a bit on his vine, possibly wondering what in hell possessed him to do what he just did.

However, both guys are extremely pleased with themselves. Ollie interviews “You are looking at the HOH even though I don’t have the title or the pictures.” After Dan chooses one nominee, Ollie has all the power for the week. Dan interviews “I just made one of the worst deals in BB history (don’t be modest, Dan! It was the very worst!), and I couldn’t be more excited about it. I feel very confident that this is all going to work out for me in the end, otherwise I wouldn’t have done it.” Back in the jungle, Jerry and Michelle help Dan down. Michelle hugs him, saying “I’m so proud of you.” Renny tells Ollie “you did a great job.”

Keesha and Memphis regroup in the storage room. Keesha is worried about the deal Dan made. Memphis thinks Dan will put up Jerry and Michelle. Keesha thinks the two of them will be okay this week.

In the kitchen, Ollie tells Michelle “He made a deal with me to save one other person, and you’ve been down with me so far.” He reveals the entire deal to Michelle even though he apparently promised not to. Michelle can’t believe the “steal” Ollie got. She tells us that she and Ollie have to stick together.

In the bedroom, Dan tells Memphis that he made a s****y deal with Ollie and that it “might get sticky this week. I’ll tell you about it later.” Memphis interviews “Dan, you had the upper hand; you were supposed to be making the deal, dummy.” Easy for you to say, Memphis. Maybe you should’ve kept your ass up on that vine a little longer. Memphis runs to Keesha and Renny in the skank room to tell them what he knows of “the deal.” They are all concerned about what was promised away. Memphis comments that he is going to have to take this game into his own hands.

Time to see Dan’s HOH room. The first thing Michelle notices is the prophetic T-Shirt from Monica with “TAKEN” across the chest. Okay, were you like me when you saw that shirt? Momentarily horrified that Dan was dating a thirteen year old? Then you saw her photo and realized she’s an adult, so the shirt must have been meant as a joke, right? Right? Memphis interviews “Monica’s got Dan on a pretty tight chain there. You wouldn’t catch me dead wearing a “Taken” shirt. But I’m sure he’ll have it on before the sun goes down.” Actually, Dan waited only long enough for everyone to leave the room before donning his new tee.

While everyone was still on hand, Dan read his letter from Monica. It is short and sweet. He interviews that he wanted to shed some tears while reading it to “seem weak” and sure enough, he’s choked up by the second sentence. Renny interviews that she thinks “one of a man’s best qualities is to be sensitive and show emotion.” When everyone has finally filed out of his room, Mr. Sensitive immediately switches on his spy screen, saying “Well that was all nice and lovey dovey. Game on.”

Some of the HGs are lounging in the living room when Renny asks Dan “How many women have you dated?” Dan wonders if she means “dated” or “girlfriend.” Renny explains the term “date” and Taken-Dan comes up with a convoluted non-answer. He laughs and covers his head with a pillow. He interviews that he likes to “make fun of Renny” and enjoys getting her “really steamed” by not answering her questions. Renny tells him to “go suck an egg.”

Ollie goes up to the HOH room. We see Dan take a beer out of the fridge prior to answering the door as a little “bribery.” Ollie tells Dan that he assumes his own nominee will go up against Jerry. Dan interviews that if he does put up Jerry, no one will think it’s shady ’cause he has taken so many shots at Dan. Ollie tells Dan he wants to nominate Memphis. Dan gets an Uh Oh look on his face, even though he should have seen this coming. Dan interviews that putting up Memphis is a huge risk, ’cause not only does he risk his brother Renegade going home, he risks turning him against him. “This could backfire.” Doh!

Memphis joins Dan in the back yard. “So, was Ollie trying to get me put on the block?” When Dan doesn’t answer….”You’re putting me up!” Dan replies, “I made a deal with him, and I gave up a lot. It wasn’t smart at the time, no, but….” Memphis interrupts “He might as well be HOH. He gets to do what he wants and he gets to play next week.” Dan tells Memphis he has to trust him. Memphis retorts “I can trust you all I want, but I’m not trusting you. You have nothing to do with it!” Doh!

Keesha joins Dan in the HOH room. He asks “What do you think about us solidifying four people - us, Memphis and Renny?” Keesha replies that she doesn’t want anything to do with the other three, anyway. She can’t promise that Renny would do anything to help out Memphis. Renny comes in as if on cue. Dan again pitches the case for officialdom. Renny doesn’t trust Memphis, who she feels would “cut your throat.” Dan throws his Renegade bro under the bus, suggesting they use him and then cut him. Renny agrees to this. Maybe they can actually name this threesome the Renny-gades.

In the kitchen, Memphis tells Dan it is a ‘dumb move’ to put him up. “I would not put your ass up. I would not put the person I am in an alliance with on the block.” Even if the alliance has a really dumb name. “You don’t control it. I’ve never watched a show where in a two person alliance, one person puts the other on the block.” Dan wonders aloud in the HOH room if he should put Ollie and Michelle up. Didn’t he swear on his girlfriend, his family and St. Mary’s? Does confession cover this situation? “Do you put Ollie and Michelle up and say ’screw it?’ Whoever doesn’t go is coming at me like a beast. Or do you put Memphis and Jerry up and roll the dice?”

With nominations imminent, Memphis interviews that if Dan puts him up, he is coming after him. Ollie interviews that if Michelle goes up or if Memphis doesn’t go up, Dan will be a liar - and a snake. As we’ve learned, snakes move across the earth without arms or legs and are therefore, you know, cursed, so Ollie isn’t pulling any punches here.

In his nomination preamble, Dan talks about last night (during the HOH competition). “A deal was made. Hanging 12 feet in the air you do crazy things. I’m going to honor that deal. (Pulling the first key) Ollie, you are safe.” The rest of the keys come out in order: Renny, Keesha and Michelle. By way of explanation, Dan says “Memphis, I think a lot of people wonder, myself included, where you stand. Some people may say you’re a vagabond, some say you’re a Renegade (clever, Dan, oh so clever). We’ll find out.” He tells Jerry they’ve gotten past the ‘Judas thing,’ and that “a first down for Dan does not mean game over for Jerry. You guys both have a chance to win POV and save yourselves.”

Ollie interviews that even though Dan revealed that they had made a deal, he didn’t reveal how much power Ollie has. “I control what happens the rest of the week.” Dan tells us the nominations are “a calculated risk to give Ollie some of the power.” He “made this deal to cover the tracks of the hidden Renegade alliance, but it may blow up in my face.” As the HGs mill about after nominations, we see Dan attempt to shake Memphis’ hand, but Memphis walks past. Doh! Memphis interviews that he is very angry at Dan. “If fate lies in the hands of Father Dan, God help us all.”

So what do you think about Dan’s deal? Should he have secured a promise from Ollie for his own safety next week? Sounds like a good idea, especially since he is ineligible to play for HOH next week. Should he have made a deal to keep one other person safe? That would have outed his “secret” alliance with Memphis, but is having Memphis on the block and now “coming after him” any better? And it’s time to give up the ‘Shucks, I’m the weakest player here’ act. For one thing, the weakest player doesn’t typically outlast everyone in an endurance contest, and since that type of competition always determines the final three, that ploy is shot to hell anyway. Also, these people are going to decide who deserves half a million dollars, and reality TV juries are typically unsympathetic to “weakest” players. Plus the whole thing is backfiring, anyway.

Thursday’s double eviction might spell doom for the Dandy from Dearborn. He may well have alienated enough of the house that their anger will be fresh, and with a double eviction he won’t have time for damage control. And without a promise of security from Ollie, one of the strongest players left, he could really be in Dan-ger. He could be TAKEN out of the game. So tune in Tuesday to see what happens with the POV. And check out Jax’s latest at Media Fiends: MediaFiends.com BB10: From Bangin Ho’s to Bangin Walls; MediaFiends.com BB10 LFs: August 25th.