Jerry

Jerry MacDonald

Age: 75
Hometown: Magnolia, TX via Wilkes Barre, PA
Occupation: Great Grandfather/Retired Marketing Executive
Marital Status: Married

Jerry is a diehard Big Brother fan and hasn't missed one episode in all nine seasons. He even watches Showtime After Dark and the 24/7 feed.

Jerry left high school in the 10th grade then, at age 38, returned to college. He went to Central State, Rochester Institute of Technology and Penn State and earned a Bachelor's Degree in Marketing Management ten years later. Before then, he spent four years in the United States Marine Corps and was honorably discharged in 1954. He has been a devoted husband to the same woman for 54 years, and stays physically fit so he can take care of her as she has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's. Jerry has two children, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He feels he has an excellent marriage and attributes a good marriage to allowing your partner their own space.

Jerry worked for 38 years in a sales/marketing environment and retired as a general manager at a multi-million dollar sales and marketing organization. He describes himself as being very competitive and says that being number one has been a driving force in his life. He likes to play golf and shoot pool and watches basketball, baseball, tennis and golf. He volunteers at an abandoned animal rescue, serves as a property manager, enjoys playing cards and working out at the gym. His favorite movie is "The Ten Commandments" and he listens to big band music, rock and roll and Elvis Presley. The perfect day for him is one where he is in touch with his family.

The political office he'd most like to hold is that of President of the United States which he thinks of as the most challenging. His heroes are those who serve in the military and he believes they deserve credit for the fact that we live in a free society. He describes himself as liking to touch, being fair and considerate.

His birth date is March 13, 1933.

'Big Brother 10''s Jerry MacDonald: EW's exit interview
Sep 12, 2008, 02:01 PM | by Lynette Rice

Categories: 'Big Brother', Television

EW.com talked to Jerry MacDonald, the 75-year-old great-grandpa from Texas, about feeling lonely in the house, fighting with Dan, and how he didn’t really touch April’s boobs in the beginning of the season.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How many seasons of Big Brother have you watched? More importantly, why watch Big Brother than say, C-SPAN or The History Channel?

JERRY MACDONALD: I’ve seen every season. I like the challenge of Big Brother, the excitement of it. I like to see people go at it, people who use their brains and their hearts to play the game.

How much were you sure that Dan would take you to the final 2? Were you 50 percent sure? 100 percent sure?

None, because of his relationship with Memphis. I knew I was out because Memphis returned two shirts I had given him that my daughter had sent to me. They were a little big so to test the waters, I gave them to Memphis. He wouldn’t try them on. Just before the vote, he brought them back to me and told me to give them to my son-in-law. That was a signal that he and Dan had made a deal.

Maybe he just didn’t like the shirts.

They were nice, expensive shirts. They were brand new.

Let’s be honest, though -- for a good while in the house, you didn’t seem to like Dan at all and yelled at him constantly.

I don’t think he was friendly. He played a pretty nasty game over all, not just with me, but with other people. He’s not too well liked among the jury.

After the jump, Jerry talks about calling Dan "Judas," wearing his military hat, and touching April's boobs...


You called Dan "Judas," which means Jessie would have been Jesus. Why the biblical references? Why didn’t you just call him a miserable little putz and call it a day?

He was using religion. He kept saying if he confesses, all will be forgiven. He kept pushing the Bible thing so heavy, so I used Bible references. I think Dan’s a bright young man who is arrogant. And I think he needs to grow up. He’s like a child -- rather, I think he’s a grandchild.

You lost your temper a lot in the house. Do you usually behave that way at home or was it just these kids who set you off?

I was never as mad in the inside as I appeared on the outside. Whenever I’d walk away from a fight, you could see me smiling. I knew what I was doing.

Big Brother watchers say the Jerry we saw in primetime was much different than the Jerry we saw on the Internet. How would you describe your behavior in the house?

I was really polite to everyone. When someone won a competition I complimented them. When someone got nominated I shook their hand. I never really got nasty or mean about anything. The only time I really had a confrontation was with Dan and Memphis and when I suggested to Memphis that he was a womanizer. He told me he was going to become my biggest nightmare. I looked up to him and said, "I don’t think so." I don’t fear people.

Were you lonely? We often saw you wandering alone. Would people talk to you?

I played the game alone. It seemed like people were afraid to align to me. I had to zig-zag alone through there. Everybody I tried to make a deal with broke their word to me right up to the end. To get this far under those circumstances was quite amazing.

A lot was made out of the fact that you were the oldest person ever to play Big Brother. Why on earth would a mature man like you want to hang out with a bunch of 20-something knuckleheads?

It doesn’t matter whether they were 20 or 30. I wanted to do it for myself. I like the challenge. I was in sales and marketing for 38 years. I like games. I can carry my weight. I’m healthy and strong to mentally compete. I thought I did a pretty good job. Of course, if I had won the money I would have found something to spend it on.

You touched April’s boobs in the first week. Dude, explain yourself.

You know, that wasn’t me touching her boobs. That was her walking into my hands. That’s exactly what happened. She started walking up to me and pushed them into me to show that they were real so I put my hands up to protect myself.

That’s pretty funny, Jerry.

I meant it to be.

You talked a lot about bringing honor to the Corps. Jerry, really: How does appearing on a cheesy reality show where women run around in bikinis bring honor to the Corps?

That has nothing to do with bringing honor to the Corps. I wore my military hat and things like that to bring honor to the troops serving in our country. Because of them we remain free. The game has nothing to do with that.

Jerry you told Julie that this was your last hurrah. That’s so...depressing. If anything, shouldn’t this empower you? Why not do Survivor or The Amazing Race now?

You know, I may just try that, if I get home and get in better shape. Half the people on those shows self-destruct early. I could just lie down, act passive and probably get halfway through doing nothing. I may just do it.

http://www.ew.com/ew

TV star, Korean War vet to speak at dinner



Published: Friday, November 04, 2011









By Laura Hipshire
Press & Guide Newspapers










Dearborn native and “Big Brother 10” winner Dan
Gheesling has his tie adjusted by fellow contestant and friend, Jerry
MacDonald, at Gheesling’s recent wedding to Chelsea Niemiec.
(Photo courtesy Mark Slater)

















DEARBORN HEIGHTS — In 2008, Jerry MacDonald was a popular and
sometimes controversial contestant on the CBS reality TV show, “Big
Brother.” MacDonald was a formidable competitor and made it to the final
three along with eventual winner and Dearborn native Dan Gheesling. He
is famous for once calling Gheesling a “Judas.”

Fast forward
three years later…MacDonald and Gheesling are now friends, with
MacDonald even attending Gheesling’s recent marriage to Chelsea Niemiec
in July.

“When you’re playing for $500,000, you’re not always nice. He (Gheesling) played it the best,” MacDonald said.

Mark
and Carol Slater, friends of Gheesling and his family, hosted MacDonald
while he was in town for the wedding. The Slaters, chairmen of the
annual Dearborn Heights Kiwanis Veterans Day Appreciation Dinner, were
touched by MacDonald’s dedication to the Korean War Era, prompting them
to ask him to be their featured speaker at the event at 6:30 p.m.
Thursday at the Stitt VFW Post, 23850 Military Road in Dearborn Heights.

“We
really enjoyed our weekend with Jerry, and learned what a great
American he is. He is a proud retired Marine,” said Mark Slater.

MacDonald, 78, admittedly had a rough childhood.

“When I was 16, I was homeless, and deserted by both parents,” he said.

When he was 17, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, and served from 1950 to 1954.

“I joined to stay out of trouble…it gave me a whole new outlook on life,” he said.

MacDonald joined the Marine Corps three months before the Korean War started, and calls himself an “abled Veteran.”

“I
was fortunate enough to be sent to dispersing (payroll) school. I took
care of payroll…I was one of the lucky ones,” he said, referring to the
fact that he never had to engage in actual combat.

“The Korean
War is the forgotten war. It was the first war where troops were
integrated and helicopters were used. Ten thousand people died before
the war even started. The U.S. lost 33,686 in battle, and there were
100,000 wounded,” he said.

“The Korean War awarded 136 medals of honor…there were only two in the Afghan war,” he said.

MacDonald, now living in Pennsylvania, is looking forward to speaking at the Veteran’s Day Appreciation Dinner.

“I
think of the Korean War every day of my life. I like to honor Veterans.
I always wear my Marines hat and leather jacket,” he said.

Gheesling
describes MacDonald as “one tough individual. He’s very opinionated and
strong willed. Even though he has endured through a lot of tough things
in his life, it has not affected how compassionate he is as a man. He
is one of a kind.”

MacDonald is currently a full time caregiver
for his wife of nearly 58 years, Joanne, who suffers from Parkinson’s
Disease and Alzheimer’s.

MacDonald himself suffered a bout of cancer following his exit from the Big Brother house.

“I
ended up having cancer on my vocal cords, that’s why I was hoarse all
the time,” he said. After 33 sessions of radiation, he has been
cancer-free for three years.

MacDonald would consider someday appearing on a Big Brother All Star show, or even Survivor.

“I
still work out…I am a strong competitor. I have tree trunks for arms. I
think America would love to see an 80 year old on Survivor,” he said.

Gheesling said if MacDonald ever did Survivor he would be very fun to watch.

“I think he would do well in any survival type situation, he has done that his whole life,” Gheesling said.

MacDonald said he has no regrets about anything he did on Big Brother.

“I told the truth to everybody on that show. I’ve received mostly praise and support from any fans,” he said.

Gheesling,
still teaching and coaching football at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s,
recently started a personal development blog called “I Would Coach.”
(iwouldcoach.com).

“It is something I have always wanted to do, and gives me the opportunity to help others in the process,” he said.

Gheesling’s football team at St. Mary’s is still alive in the playoffs, so he may not be able to attend the Nov. 10 event.

“If I can’t make it, I will have someone Flip Cam Jerry’s speech so I can see how well he does,” he said.

Dearborn
Heights Mayor Dan Paletko and City Council Members will also be at the
event with MacDonald, joining citizens of the Dearborn Heights community
and members of the Dearborn Heights Kiwanis Club to salute local
Veterans.