Archive through September 25, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: An article about Alison from the Meadville Tribune: Archive through September 25, 2003

Charvie

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:04 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Former Miss Crawford County Alison Irwin ends up in second place on reality TV Show

By Jane Smith

In the end, everyone on Big Brother IV except Alison Irwin should be ashamed of themselves.

At least that's how most in a crowd of about 50 Alison supporters felt Wednesday night as they watched the hometown girl voted the second place prize of $50,000 on the last episode of the CBS reality TV show.

"I guess they (the evicted house guests who voted) hold a grudge," said Jeannie Albaugh, who was among the 50 watching the show on a huge television screen at the Italian Civic Club in downtown Meadville.

Albaugh said the former Big Brother IV houseguests voted to give Jun the top prize of $500,000 because of their personal feelings for her, feelings that blinded them to the fact that Alison played the game the best.

Playing the game, in this case, often involved manipulating other houseguests and making secret deals as the players competed to survive a group vote each week that had one houseguest evicted. Alison proved particularly adept at making alliances and convincing enemies that she was their friend.

While a successful game strategy, Alison's behavior on national television has left more than a few local folks rolling their eyes and sticking up their noses. And it's not like this is the first time Alison's found herself in the midst of an unfavorable spotlight here.

Irwin was crowned Miss Crawford County in 2000 during her second appearance at the county pageant.

However, she wasn't permitted by Miss Crawford County Scholarship Pageant officials to make any appearances from June through August 2001, when she crowned her successor at the Crawford County Fair.

Two weeks before that announcement, Irwin had been acquitted on a summary disorderly conduct charge and a parking violation charge filed for an incident in which she allegedly had an argument with a University of Pittsburgh police officer.

Pageant officials never linked the two incidents. In fact, they were mum about why the queen was benched, but the whole thing got a lot of tongues wagging.

The episode also left Alison with a lot of local supporters, including Albaugh, who was joined at the club Wednesday night by her grandchildren and daughter-in-law.

Beverage in hand and wings on the table, the guests settled down for the final show, nervous about the outcome, but optimistic.

Albaugh has been a personal friend of Alison's since she was very young and has watched her grow up.

Albaugh watched all of the Big Brother IV episodes.

"I loved it," she said of the show and how Irwin played it. Describing Alison as a "precocious" young girl, she said Alison has always been very competitive.

One thing surprised her about Alison's game. "I was surprised at the maturity level," Albaugh said, noting Alison worked hard and was intelligent in decisions she made and in the competition. "She did exactly what she had to do," Albaugh said of Alison's actions, describing them as "antics" in a personal message she had written in a book to be given to Alison when she comes home.

She didn't like some of Alison's language, but shrugged and said, "It's not how you and I would talk, but this is 2003. She didn't say anything the others didn't say. Everybody else talked that way."

Another personal friend of the family, Terry Longberry, was thrilled with the competition. He recalled that when the Big Brother camera crew came to town last spring, they were filming in his store, H. Leeon Co., where Alison was being fitted for a gown for the Miss Pennsylvania Scholarship Pageant.

He said the crew had Alison talk while wearing the gown, which was pinned to fit her. When Alison went into the dressing room, Longberry recalled she let out a scream. He said he thought a pin had stuck her.

But the scream came because her key to the Big Brother House was on the counter.

When the vote was over Wednesday and Alison lost by a 6-1 margin, both Albaugh and Longberry showed their disappointment.

"Jun played a good game," said Longberry, but added Alison won much more than the money. He said the experience of being on the show is "more valuable than anything she got."

Seanflynn2003

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for this - fills in some details, gives context.

That last line speaks volumes, just like Donnie's amazement comment.

Friktion

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:08 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
? What planet do these people live on???

Kalekona

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Perfect example of "Perspective"

Mssheila

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
WOW... is all I can say

Murph

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:21 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Did these people watch the live feeds? Oh, my gosh!

Crazydog

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:27 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
There must be something in the water in Meadville. Talk about seeing things through rose colored glasses.

Brenda1966

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:27 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think it's safe to say most people don't watch the feeds or even read about them or have a clue as to what goes on in the house that isn't shown on TV. We (those who see all) are the rare breed.

Bronxie

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It's not only the big city newspapers that put a "slant" or "spin" on a story. There surely were
some residents of this town who found her behavior unacceptable.

Badabing

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Am i reading this right ? Does that mean there are other Ali-like people in Meadville.
That would partly explain why she can't see herself as doing anything wrong if the home folk cheer that kind of behavior.

Seanflynn2003

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:31 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Reread the article. A local paper is not going to do a nasty expose on local-girl-becomes-celebrity, but this article is dripping with hints and outright statements of criticism and disfavor of Allison. She will not be happy to read it.

Coffee

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:34 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I am glad I do not live in Meadville. Something wrong there! Looks like she had 50 supporters though from her hometown. That is not many compared to how many live there and they were the ones talking. I would like to believe there are some decent people there too who prefer not even to be linked to Ali right now.

Steveh

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:35 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
The thing to remember is that Meadville has a pop. of over 13,000 and about 50 showed up for this thing. I think something like having a finalist in BB would be a big deal for a town of this size and there would typically be more in attendance? I wonder if Ali's Pitt pals held a similar event? Finally, I'm thinking the town doesn't rely on Ms. Albaugh to measure maturity? LOL

Badabing

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Albaugh has been a personal friend of Alison's since she was very young and has watched her grow up.

Albaugh watched all of the Big Brother IV episodes.

"I loved it," she said of the show and how Irwin played it. Describing Alison as a "precocious" young girl, she said Alison has always been very competitive

One thing surprised her about Alison's game. "I was surprised at the maturity level," Albaugh said, noting Alison worked hard and was intelligent in decisions she made and in the competition. "She did exactly what she had to do," Albaugh said of Alison's actions, describing them as "antics" in a personal message she had written in a book to be given to Alison when she comes home.

Sounds like cheering to me...the rest of the article is'nt as flattering i grant you.

Crazydog

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:38 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
The writer of the article seems to have some disdain but the two people that were quoted definitely seem like they are in the "Alison walks on water" club.

Coffee

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:41 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Good post Seanflynn, you are right. It did say that Ali's behaviour has left more than a few people rolling their eyes and sticking up their noses and then it goes into the problem with a police officer. It is not really a great article considering she came second. The comments for her were from two people. I wonder how she will even find Meadville.

Crossfire

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 12:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
This has echo's of last year.

People have not yet grasped that 'best game', and 'did exactly what she had to do', also includes properly influencing the jury either during the game, or in the final presentations. She did not lose, but could have done better.

Murph

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 01:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
One interesting note, people have debated on this board and others the reported problems that Ali had with the law. Often people were accused of making up the allegations, or with the example of an anonymous letter, everyone sneered at its authenticity. This article seems to validate those early reports.

Steveh

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 01:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Murph - if you dig around at Google, you can find the Pitt student newspaper (I know, I know it's not Reuters, or AP or even The Pittsburgh Post Gazette) campus blotter report of Alison getting into two altercations on the same day--about 12 hours apart--with campus police.

During the show, Justin referred to two incidents--one involving his fire escape, the other a fire--that involved Ali and maybe the police.

Ali also admitted that she'd accumulated enough points on her DL so that she was gonna lose it or had already lost it.

Or, depending on who you believe, none of this stuff ever happened. LOL

Murph

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 02:02 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Steveh, I never doubted for one minute that those reports were true. I even thought the letters sounded like they could be talking bout the "real" Ali.

I remembered that you were "poked" by other posters when you dared to reveal any of Ali's behavior prior to coming to the Big Brother house. I seem to remember people kept saying that Ali was only playing a game, not really indicitive of her true personality, etc. etc.

I pegged Ali from the beginning and nothing I hear about her will ever surprise me. I just feel that you and others are now validated. FYI, I always enjoy your posts and most of the time I am nodding right along !!

Steveh

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 02:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks Murph.

I don't know if you knew this or not but I was digging up stuff on Alison b/c I was thinking about writing a story on her for either an academic journal (wouldn't have just been about her) or a pop magazine. I am a working journalist and coll. prof. and when I answered someone's question about my odd and obsessive behavior (I had called a pageant director; I had called many people, actually) by telling them my personal, I posted several links to some pieces of mine currently appearing on the 'net.

That post w/ the links got erased but the odd and obsessive remark remained and the poster who made that remark later posted in I think more than one place that I had "claimed to be some sort of journalist." Ah, well . . .LOL

BTW, I know TONS of stuff about Ali outside the house (none good). And from all that I've gathered, Ali in the house and Ali out the house are exactly the same. My accum. of info became so depressing I thought finally what's the point of continuing . . .Sad more than anything.

Wendo

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 02:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Steveh said, "the poster who made that remark later posted in I think more than one place that I had "claimed to be some sort of journalist.""

I never wrote the words you've quoted in the paragraph above here on TVCH. Ever. You are in error Steveh. Please do not state something about me that is inaccurate.

Seamonkey

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 02:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
What made me sad last night was that while I saw that Jun was affected by the words from the other HG and seemed to take it somewhat to heart, Ali was also hurt but maintained her pageant smile, as she had been trained to do.. that wasn't the sad part.. what was sad was her parents' reaction all along, as well as people like those quoted in this article..

I wish that people who love and accept Ali could also be honest with her when she steps over lines..

I'm sure Jun's parents will give her their opinions.

Robert's father will surely let him know that he wasn't impressed with Robert's words regarding women and I think Dulce, his step mom will as well, but I think they still will love Robert.

Marcellas' mom had opinions but she loves him.

Those are the people to treasure.. those who love you but also tell you the truth and try to help you improve.. and the sad part is I don't think Ali has that in her life.

Wendo

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 02:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Seamonkey said, "I wish that people who love and accept Ali could also be honest with her when she steps over lines.."

But maybe they will; in private.

No need to do it in public, what does it serve?

I think people are assuming an awful lot that no one in Ali's life will be honest to her based on a few minutes on tv and a couple of quotes from a newspaper.

Instead of glass half empty, how about glass half full?

Seamonkey

Thursday, September 25, 2003 - 03:08 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I hope they will be honest in private, but I have my doubts when they were so over protective in public.

I don't mean when they showed up last night and hugged their baby girl.. I mean when they accused Donny of being "immature" for being upset at Ali's actions, or when they justified all actions as not just part of the game but a good thing.

And from Ali's descriptions of her parents they also live life by skirting the rules as well.

Please don't assume anything about the state of my glass.. it is mostly overflowing.

And for many hours on live feeds I never once heard Ali opine that her family would be upset.. said Dad told her to use body, everything, that uncle would be yelling "take it off", a la strip show.. and that her grandma would love it.

But I do hope someone who has Ali's respect will be honest with her. I wish her well, not ill.