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‘Amazing Race’s’ Scott & Michael: ‘We Kept Fighting, You Never Give Up’

October 15, 2014

'The Amazing Race' (CBS)

Note: XFINITY is the perfect pit stop for “Amazing Race” fans. Every Monday after an elimination leg, we’ll have an interview with the team that was sent packing and the full episode. Follow @gordonholmes on Twitter for immediate updates.

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Teams on “The Amazing Race” have come to expect almost anything. Ponies that lose their minds, compasses that are nearly impossible to work, and marker-stealing realtors are pretty much par for the course.

But something as innocent as a low curb on a poorly lit street? Nobody goes into the game expecting to get hurt. “The Amazing Race’s” Boston Strong firefighters were able to overcome a freak injury but fell victim to some bad advice.

I had a chance to speak to Michael and Scott  in the days following their elimination and asked about their wrong step, their wrong turn, and markergate…

Gordon Holmes: First and foremost; Scott, how’s the ankle?
Scott Strazzullo: My ankle’s hanging in there, Gordon. It’s been a little bit sore. It’s like a high-ankle sprain. I’ve been doing some exercises and physical therapy with it. It’s been better.
Gordon: I guess they didn’t get footage of the actual accident. What happened?
Scott: Mike and I were running down the street at a good pace. We were really on a comeback. And the area we were at had a lot of cobblestones and high curbs. We were taking a peek at the map. I played a lot of football and I never got injured, then I get injured on a curb. I stepped on it and rolled forward and my own body weight went over the ankle. It blew up very quickly.
Gordon: Michael, did you give any thought to hoisting him up on your back?
Michael Ward: (Laughs) Gordon! I’m a strong guy. But a man’s got to know his limitations. I got a good view of it all and ironically the other times we had no problem. We were running from the start line to the train station. We wanted to get their quickly because if you miss it by a few minutes it could put you hours behind. We didn’t see anybody else out there. If you miss a train, you’ve got nobody else to blame. There was not much light, and he was running sideways and reading the map trying to read the light. There was a little curb and he caught his ankle the wrong way.
Gordon: So, no fireman’s carry? I watch wrestling, I know all about that.
Scott:  (Laughs) I think he was more likely to drag me.
Michael: We were actually going to use a wheelchair at one point, but we couldn’t get it off the boat.

Gordon: It seems like you guys still ran a really solid leg. No pun intended. You were even in the lead over Tim and Te Jay before you ended up getting some bum advice with identifying the pendant.
Scott: We got out of there and we were moving at a good clip. What tied us up is we couldn’t run and go look for things like we normally would. We went to a hotel and they didn’t know what we had there. People said we shouldn’t have gone to a bar. But it was the afternoon and people weren’t drinking. We thought the locals would know what they were talking about. People ask why we didn’t go to the museum, well we didn’t find it initially.

Gordon: To rewind a little bit, I spoke to Lisa and Michelle after they were eliminated, and they claim they were at the board first and that’s why it was OK for them to heartlessly tear the marker from your hands. What’s your take on that?
Michael: We love Lisa and Michelle. They’re sweethearts. If America had gotten to see them, they would’ve had a different impression of them. Nobody wants to get knocked out early. There’s a battle to survive. It’s understandable.
Scott: We had no malice towards them at all. I think we were first at the pole. We were there first and Mike definitely had the pen in his hand. I admire their moxie. You go all out. We went all out.
Michael: We had a pen first in our hand that we brought with us, to make notes. We had the pen ready. It was a grease board so that pen wouldn’t write. I had already written an “M” and an “I.” When I was writing, I then grabbed the grease pen because I saw they were going to dive for it. They pulled it out of my hand. It was all instantaneous.
Scott: It seemed like a cheaply done thing, but we weren’t going to cry over it.

Gordon: What’s the reaction been like back home?
Scott: They know us very well. I think a lot of people thought we were going to do better. But I also think it was one of those things where they saw what happened and they saw that we kept fighting. You never give up. You never know what’s going to happen. We were in the back of the pack, and I think if some of that stuff didn’t happen, we were going to take the lead. We were a fast team, even if you didn’t get to really see that.
Michael: We actually pulled into the parking lot at the museum. We were not stupid players.
Gordon: I never got that impression.
Michael: There was one team behind us. We didn’t know if they were 10 seconds behind or what. You have to assume they’re on our tail. For Scott to get in and out of that car was a lot of work. We pulled into the lot that said, “Museum Parking” but then we saw the hotel. You have to go with locals. You have to rely on people in each area for information or you don’t succeed. The woman didn’t know. We appreciated her honestly. It’s not like we could run up these hills. We didn’t have that option. So, the next building we saw was the bar. They were locals. They gave us the history of that brooch. He knew all about it. He said they make them up at this store. The store we went to sold them. They made them there.

Gordon: You guys always seemed to be at the back of the pack. But I think you’re going to leave behind a legacy of staying positive in the face of some bad luck.
Michael: We tried to find the good in things. We work under a lot of pressure. We see a lot of bad things.
Scott: Keep moving forward no matter what.
Michael: There were several teams that don’t get along so well with each other. Scott and I, we always try to encourage each other. Negativity breeds negativity.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – Broadway Blindsider Edition

October 14, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY TV is the place to go for “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” coverage with “all the fixin’s.” We’ll have Power Rankings with “Cagayan” fave Spencer Bledsoe, every Wednesday evening we’ll bring you a recap of the most recent episode, and every Thursday you’ll be able to watch the previous night’s episode and read an interview with the eliminated contestant. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for immediate updates.

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The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Keith is voted out this week, Spencer will receive 11 points and Gordon will receive 13 points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Spencer and Gordon both had Rocker in nine. So, the current score is Team Spencer 25, Team Gordon 24.

Spencer’s Score = 25

Any questions for Spencer? Drop him a line on Twitter: @SpencerBGM

  Gordon’s Score = 24

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

 1. Josh – Once again, the official narrator of “Survivor: San Juan Del Sur” has orchestrated the vote and emerged from the fire unscathed. By the fire, I mean the Coyopa tribe currently going down in flames. Amidst the calamity, Josh is sitting back and making calculated decisions to better his game; at least that’s what I heard in one of his 6,389 confessionals.
   1. Josh – Did Josh make the right move last week by blocking Rocker to exit stage left? Maybe-ish. (How’s that for a non-committal answer!) It was good because Rocker simply couldn’t be trusted not to say or do the wrong thing at the wrong time. He just wasn’t a savvy “Survivor” player. However, the tribe that hasn’t won an immunity challenge just lost their biggest challenge threat, and Josh’s idol-wielding ally is now gone. So, Josh is safe for this week, but I’m not sure if he made the best move in the long run.
 2. Jeremy – Jeremy has now gone a couple of weeks without seeing what Tribal looks like. He’s at the head of the only Hunahpu alliance we’ve heard of. He’s physically strong. His wife (and thus part of why he is threatening) is gone. We haven’t seen things go so well for a guy just starting the game since Garrett Adels… oh. Ah well. I already wrote all this.
   2. Missy – Julie’s tribemate berates the love of her life after a challenge. The spray-tan mogul takes a moment to wander off into the Nicaraguan jungle and have herself a bit of a cry. Who was there to be a shoulder for her to cry on? Missy. That’s smart. You never know who’ll end up on the jury. You never know who you might need as an ally down the line. Well done.
 3. Jon – If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. These guys have been atop my rankings for a while now, and still seem remarkably safe. Add this pragmatic (reminding Drew who’s on his team might become a big priority as things heat up) monkey-howler to the trio and you have a group I feel very confident will be around another week.
   3. Kelley – You are a person who is on the 29th season of CBS’s “Survivor.” You are in an alliance that seems to be on wobbly legs. You have blonde hair. You’re probably safe.

 4. Natalie – Natalie took some flack for mouthing off to Rocker last week, and may have lost momentum in some peoples’ books – not mine. The twinnies are still going 50% strong, Natalie appearing to be securely entrenched in Hunahpu. Further, I think her outbursts could actually help her; she has beef with anyone in orange and has no loved one left… Why wouldn’t her tribe mates want to take her toward a swap or merge?
   4. Alec – There’s a solid little core over at Coyponda that’s going to be around for a little bit. It’s made up of Baylor, Josh, Wes, and Alec. Everyone there seems to get along, and they have two people on the outs that they can get rid of before they have to turn on each other. So, they’re mega safe for the time being.
 5. Kelley – Despite speaking as many words this season as Josh speaks before the first commercial break, or as Jeff speaks when berating a tribe for improper negotiation etiquette (oh please let there be more to come), Kelley is SOLID. I’m not compromising on this. Worst case scenario, Coyopa could be a challenge disaster after losing their only member over six feet tall in John Rocker.
  5. Wes – See Alec.
  6. Alec – If the Coyopans have a prayer in challenges, they’ll need their few athletes to perform. Alec could prove indispensable on some kind of sick Ulong-Matsing-Luzon hybrid tribe. Then again, if the tribe anticipates a swap Alec could be walking on thin ice already.
  6. Reed – How’s Reed doing? Alright, I guess. We just don’t know enough about what’s going on over at Hunahpu beach. But, if this week’s preview is to be believed, that’s all about to change.
  7. Drew – Tall. Athletic. Spacey. Lackadaisical. Longhaired. Model. White. Male. Interesting. Entertaining. Sleepy. Strong. These are all words that describe Drew more accurately than “Kingpin.” What I can count on is Drew entertaining us for another week.
  7. Jon – Probably a “no news is good news” situation for Jon last week. At least he didn’t try skipping the flint into the ocean like a stone. It’s unfortunate that due to Hunahpu’s winning streak that we know so little about what’s going on over there.
  8. Julie – I predict Gordon will rank her quite a bit lower than this, and if this is my fatal Power Ranking misstep then so be it, but I’m hitching my wagon to Julie. The now Rockerless and exceptionally competent puzzle guru has room to work.
  8. Natalie – Dude, if Rocker’s depiction of how you act in challenges is accurate, you’re going to be someone’s dream to take to the end. (That is, if someone doesn’t decide to take her out for berating their loved one.) If you don’t feel like clicking over, she was cursing out everyone. Not just Rocker. Add to that the way she called out Drew about his napping schedule, and you have the makings of a Phillip Sheppard-level social game.
  9. Baylor – Slow and steady. Baylor is edging up the food chain week by week, and now has as good a silver lining as she’s found in the game so far – Dale was on the outside of the last vote, and she wasn’t. She isn’t out of the woods just yet, but she’s well on her way to Chase Rice 2.0 status.
   9. Jeremy – I’m thinking Jeremy already has Hunahpu’s immunity idol. If Rocker could find it with the same clue, Jeremy should have no problem. The question is; can Keith be trusted? It really sounded like Keith and Jeremy weren’t seeing eye to eye when Keith was at Exile. Jeremy already has a solid core with Natalie, Missy, and Kelley. I’m sure Jon (or more likely Reed) would jump at the chance to swap into that alliance.
  10. Missy – Missy has been quiet; she hasn’t necessarily left a huge mark. Perhaps being quiet is helping her cause, however, on a tribe with Drew, Natalie and…
   10. Baylor – Baylor should be in the same boat as Alec and Wes, but I can’t really get a good grasp on how Josh feels about her. It’d make sense that she’d be his dream girl to take along to the end of the game, but he keeps treating her like a second-class alliance member. She’s probably safe for now, but she needs to stay on her toes.
  11. Keith – Don’t let our favorite mouthy southerner fool you: He has the emotional spectrum of Lisa Welchel and Dawn Meehan combined. Now that he’s bunking at Hunahpu once again, and not beside Josh on a bed of rocks, he can do what he does best – make people laugh their asses off and have no reason to can him.
   11. Jaclyn – Oh, Jaclyn. If you were on the right side of the vote, why did you almost tip Rocker off at Tribal Council? Rocker plays his idol and Baylor goes home and you’re back where you started. You’ve got to play smarter than that.
  12. Wes – He’s younger than his old man, and he might be able to whoop him in a challenge, but Wes is also on a god awful tribe, and for that he gets slotted down. He’s voted in the majority every time, but on Coyopa, anything’s possible.
   12. Julie – You had a rough week and none of it was really your fault. Fortunately, the Rocker blindside should take a lot of heat off of you. If the wheels are going to start coming off at Hunahpu, your best bet is to stand back and let whatever happens, happen.
  13. Reed – If Reed had a nickel for how many more times than him Josh spoke, he’d demand the most airtight prenup Kassandra McQuillen could write up for when the two tie the knot. Much like the quality of that hypothetical legal document, Reed’s position in the game is disastrous. He sits outside the apparent Hunahpu majority, and across from an imposing partner in Josh. Teammates have every reason to cut Reed at this stage; it would weaken Josh, and hey, they can afford to lose a few challenges without Spider-Man’s physical prowess. They’ve got the lead to do it.
   13. Keith – Why are you so determined to get the idol before Jeremy does? That made no sense to me because I was under the impression that you two were in an alliance. Well, it’s bad news for Keith if he and Jeremy are on the outs. Losing those first two key days of alliance-making could come back to haunt him.
  14. Dale – This… hurts me. Man, I really should have saved the Erik Cardona throwback for this week. I love Dale, but as the only guy who stood by Rocker on an abysmal tribe that only knows defeat, Dale’s fire making goodwill may finally run out this week.
   14. Dale – You’re done. You’re a goner. The tribe is now dominated by youngsters. With Rocker gone, challenge prowess is at a premium. And, you were the only person who voted with Johnny Rock last week. Nobody needs a tribe swap right now more than you do.
  15. Jaclyn – Consistency. It pays off, like when Tony consistently builds spy shacks, schemes and breaks the ankles of cameramen by randomly sprinting on his idol hunts. Sometimes it doesn’t pay off, like when Jaclyn’s allies consistently insist they have two idols. I’m hoping this is one of those situations where my consistency is eventually rewarded.
   15. Drew – If there’s one bad things about being on a tribe that’s dominating challenges; it’s that they’re more likely to get rid of young athletic men who annoy them.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” on Your Computer

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‘Survivor’ Castaway John Rocker: ‘I Chose to Look Like an (Expletive)’

October 9, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY TV is the place to go for “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” coverage with “all the fixin’s.” We’ll have Power Rankings with “Cagayan” fave Spencer Bledsoe, every Wednesday evening we’ll bring you a recap of the most recent episode, and every Thursday you’ll be able to watch the previous night’s episode and read an interview with the eliminated contestant. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for immediate updates.

[xfinity-record-button id=”6034085997813089112″ program_type=”series”]

No new player has ever entered the game of “Survivor” with more baggage than former MLB reliever John Rocker. His controversial “Sports Illustrated” article came into play last night during the immunity challenge and resulted in insults being lobbed back and forth between the two tribes.

Is that why John was sent home? Doubtful, Rocker’s alliance didn’t trust him due to his side deal with Jeremy and the fact that he didn’t immediately reveal that he had found an idol.

I spoke with “Johnny Rock” the morning after his elimination and had a chance to ask him about the challenge explosion, his relationship with the other players, and the article that changed his life…

Gordon Holmes: I hate to start this interview on an awkward note, but in the interest of full disclosure, I have to let you know that I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan.
John Rocker: Ooo…I was not told that. I told CBS to screen these guys.
Holmes: (Laughs)
Rocker: Nothing against the Cards. I don’t know how you did it, but you beat the Dodgers.
Holmes: I don’t know how they did it either.
Rocker: I was very impressed. I don’t know how you beat Kershaw twice.
Holmes: And they’re giving Kershaw all this grief over losing, but he was awesome through six innings each time.
Rocker: That’s October baseball. They just waited him out. I was very impressed with the way you guys played that series.
Holmes: I like how you say “you guys” like I had something to do with it.
Rocker: (Laughs) In spirit maybe.

Holmes: Alright, what the heck happened during that challenge last night? I know you were doing the “Caddyshack” thing to try to distract them. Is that what set Natalie off?
Rocker: I guess just being me, my presence. What’s so funny is I’ve actually become pretty good friends with Natalie and Nadiya and Jeremy and Val. We were all on a Skype phone call last night. I was watching them watch the program. And Natalie’s yelling at me on the TV and I said, “Really, Nat?! Really?! Look at yourself! Are you proud of yourself?”
Holmes: But, it had to start on Exile with the deal that didn’t work out with Jeremy.
Rocker: Jeremy and I made a pact. And when I couldn’t protect Val because she was so adamant that she had two idols. And I told her, “If you’ve got an idol, play it.” And I was waiting for her to tell me if she had them and she insisted that she did. When Jeremy saw Val gone it got his ire up and he spread a lot of vitriol through his tribe about me.  He probably told Natalie that I was the reason his sister was voted out. So, prior to that challenge, my name was mud in that tribe. And I know from the previous challenge, the water challenge, every time they would win, Natalie would leave the challenge field, flicking us birds, (expletive deleted) us, (expletive deleted) us.
Holmes: Wow.
Rocker: Just wearing us out, dude. They had all the wooden whatever stuff you had to crawl under. She was crawling on top of that stuff, looking at us, flicking us off saying “(expletive deleted), you guys. (expletive deleted), you (expletive deleted).” And when she got to her mat she started singling me out. And this (expletive deleted) talking went on for about a minute, minute and a half. So, I wanted to tell her, “If you were a man I’d want to knock your teeth out.” I wanted to get that little (expletive deleted) dig in there. And it may be an inappropriate comment.
Holmes: Maybe.
Rocker: Obviously I was never going to punch a woman. But to make that comment? That literally came after one-to-two minutes of verbal assault from her. And once she got to her mat, Jeremy started chirping, then Jon. At some point enough is enough. You can either sit there and look like an (expletive deleted) because people are talking (expletive deleted) and you’re not defending yourself. Or, fire back and look like an (expletive deleted). So, I chose to look like an (expletive deleted).

Holmes: (Laughs) Were you worried at all that by firing back you were going to put Julie in a bad position?
Rocker: When I was made aware of the fact that I wasn’t going to fly under the radar like I was hoping, I knew that was going to put a target on Julie’s back right then and there. And then getting voted out, I think that took the target off of her back. So, I wasn’t too disappointed to get voted out.
Holmes: What do you think of Julie so far? I think she’s playing a really solid game.
Rocker: She is. I was very proud of her. When we were talking to Lynne Spillman, she’s thinking she’s got the hair extensions and the perfect manicure and the fake boobs and yada yada, and she thinks she’s going to get eaten alive out there. Julie says, “Trust me, I’m not.” She’s a good old country girl, she grew up in Augusta, Georgia. She spent a lot of time out on the farm, riding four wheelers and getting beat up by his brothers. I  think she held her own quite nicely and tolerated it about as well as you’d expect a female to tolerate it. I was very proud of her.
Holmes: Does she still give you grief for losing to her in that challenge?
Rocker: A little bit, yeah.

Holmes: Your alliance turned on you. It seems like a lot of it had to do with the moves you were making that Josh didn’t know about. You shared info with Val. You’d found an idol.
Rocker: I thought the other players, Baylor, Jaclyn, played kind of a funky game. If someone has an idol you try to align with them or find a way to convince them that you’re not going to vote for them and get them to sit on their idol. It’s risky. But, my tribe, if they found out you had an idol, they were gunning for you. Josh was a real student of the game. When everyone was saying, we need to get rid of Val. Josh was more of a voice of reason. He came to me separately and was like, “Maybe we should take Val and her idols and align with her.” Dale, Baylor, and Jaclyn had negativity toward anyone with an idol. When I told Josh I’d found an idol, I told him I could let him use my idol. But, Josh wouldn’t extend the hand and keep me a part of the alliance…I didn’t see that one coming.
Holmes: Where’s the idol now?
Rocker: Production took it.
Holmes: They’d have to wrestle it out of my hands.
Rocker: They said they’d give it back to me after the finale.

Holmes: Alright, word association time.
Rocker: Oh no.
Holmes: Oh yeah. Let’s start with Josh.
Rocker: Ripped.
Holmes: Wes?
Rocker: Redneck.
Holmes: Dale?
Rocker: Mouthy.
Holmes: Jaclyn?
Rocker: Blonde.
Holmes: Baylor?
Rocker: Ugh…that’s my word…ugh.
Holmes: Alec?
Rocker: Spicoli.
Holmes: Jeremy?
Rocker: Good dude.
Holmes: Natalie?
Rocker: Loud.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Julie.
Rocker: My sweetie.

Holmes: People have an immediate opinion of you due to the Sports Illustrated article and other things. How have you approached that over the years?
Rocker: There’s no good answer for that. It’s like “When did you stop beating your wife?” They think you’re a wife beater. People ask me if I’ve changed.  That implies that that article is correct. I haven’t changed from 15 years ago, I was never like that to begin with. If you look at Jeff Pearlman and his writing style, that’s just what he does to everyone he writes about. He disparaged Walter Payton in an entire book. How do you disparage Walter Payton? Go out and find anyone who knows me. It could be guys I went to high school with, guys I played in the minors with, the majors with, associates. Find anyone out there who can say anything bad about me who knows me? That’s exactly what happened when this article came out. They interviewed people I went to high school with, my teachers, my parents’ friends, my friends…they left no stone unturned trying to get some kind of parallel story to go along with Jeff Pearlman’s story and nobody got anything. They got the opposite. So, when people ask if I’ve changed, I’ve never had to change. I got a hatchet job by Jeff Pearlman.
Holmes: What do you want people to know about you?
Rocker: That I’m not any of those things in that article. You see the way I was talked about by the other tribe and some of my own tribe mates prior to knowing me. Now they all know me.
Holmes: During last week’s interview with Val, she did say you were a nice guy.
Rocker: I was in New York about a month ago with Jeremy and Val and Natalie and Nadiya. We went out for dinner, had some drinks. Last night I had a Skype call with them. I was on the phone with Jeremy. Now these people know me and Jeremy and Natalie have both apologized, “Sorry, you’re actually a good guy. Sorry for the way we talked (expletive deleted) about you.” Both of them apologized for calling me, “Homophobe! Bigot! (Expletive deleted)!” We’re already planning a trip for the finale. We’ll come out to LA a few days early and hang out together. One article, can’t encompass the entirety of a person’s being. The media has allowed that to happen. That’s not me. It never has been and it never will be.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes.

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‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Episode 3 Recap: Some Lucky Fan Gets a Souvenir

October 8, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY TV is the place to go for “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” coverage with “all the fixin’s.” We’ll have Power Rankings with “Cagayan” fave Spencer Bledsoe, every Wednesday evening we’ll bring you a recap of the most recent episode, and every Thursday you’ll be able to watch the previous night’s episode and read an interview with the eliminated contestant. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for immediate updates.

[xfinity-record-button id=”6034085997813089112″ program_type=”series”]

Last Week: Missy’s killer instinct started to waver, Jeremy asked Johnny Rock for a favor, and Val’s 34 pretend idols couldn’t save her.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Hunahpu (wearing blue)

Drew – 25, Sales Rep
Jeremy – 36, Firefighter
Jon – 26, Financial Assistant
Julie – 34, Owner of Spray Tan Business
Keith – 53, Fire Captain
Kelley – 28, Marketing Manager
Missy – 47, Owner of Cheerleading Gym
Natalie – 28, Crossfit Coach
Reed – 31, Broadway Performer

The Coyopa (wearing yellow)

Alec – 22, Student
Baylor – 20, Student
Dale – 55, Farmer
Jaclyn – 25, Media Buyer
John – 39, Former MLB Pitcher
Josh – 32, Actor
Wes – 23, Firefighter

We start off back at camp where everyone is shocked…SHOCKED that Val didn’t have a six-pack of idols. There’s only one cop that was ever able to pull off that trick, and he talked like a llama.

Baylor realizes that maybe she shouldn’t be so quick to trust the dude who keeps voting for her. Makes sense.

Later, Josh tells us that he realized that Val and Jaclyn were going to vote for Baylor and that they got that idea from Johnny Rock.

The next morning, Drew is leading the charge to fix the Hunahpu roof. Well, he leads it in that it’s his idea. Rather than join in the frond weaving, he decides to take a nap.

Keith does not approve of such laziness. He says that he’d like to whoop Drew like he whoops Wes. Aww…that’s something for him and Missy to bond over.

Natalie gives Drew grief over his nap time, but he claims to have other talents. HE DOES! Didn’t you see those pushups?

Anywho, this bums Jeremy out because he was hoping to drag Drew to the end as a goat.

Quick Aside: “Survivor” 101 says, “If someone is accusing you of being lazy…stop being lazy.” Drew’s bad at this.

Next up, we’re off to Hero Stadium (Home of the Fightin’ San Juan del Sur Heroes). Jeremy is not happy to see that Val is gone. He rightly assumes that there’s a bro-liance over at Boyopa.

Rocker apologizes to Jeremy and admits that he tried to save Val. This is news to Josh.

Reward Challenge Time: Players will race across a beam and use a paddle to move squares to the other end. First person to stack six squares wins a tarp, a hammock, and pillows or fishing gear.

They rock-paper-scissors and Boyopa finally wins something. Wes decides to take on his dad. I smell a whoopin’ comin’!

Not much to describe here except for some balancin’ and paddle handlin’. It’s relatively even (no pun intended) until Keith drops one of his squares. Wes pulls ahead and wins it.

When it’s over, Wes and Keith get emotional, being all proud of each other. They hug it out.

Wes picks Josh to go to Exile with his father. Smart move. Maybe these two can finally get a cross-tribe alliance going.

Coyopa decides to take the fishing gear. As Rocker gathers it, he whispers to Jeremy that he did everything he could. Jeremy doesn’t buy it.

Gah…stop making me feel kind of bad for John Rocker.

Back at Hunahpu, Jeremy tells everyone about John Rocker’s history. Natalie doesn’t think Rocker would even care if they voted Julie out.

Missy comforts Julie, but Julie knows that John just put a major target on her back. Which is a shame, because she was doing well.

Over at Exile, Keith and Josh agree to share the clues. Keith says that he needs to get to the idol before Jeremy gets in his way. Aren’t they in an alliance?

Josh and Keith bond, but Keith assures us that there won’t be any spooning. Well yeah, Josh is in a relationship.

That night, Baylor is working hard to get Alec and Wes to partner with her and Jaclyn. It doesn’t seem to work though, they brush her off with the classic, “Let’s wait and see what happens at the challenge.”

Immunity Challenge Time: A pair from each tribe will race through an obstacle course to recover a ball. They’ll then try to shoot it into a basket. First tribe to do this three times wins immunity.

Keith will sit for Hunahpu, Dale will sit for Coyopa.

Round 1: Jon and Natalie beat Baylor and Josh. But, at least Josh managed to not vote for Baylor during the race.

Round 2: Wes and Alec defeated Missy and Julie in super-quick fashion.

Round 3: John and Jaclyn got the best of Drew and Reed.

Round 4: Jeremy and Kelley topped Baylor and Josh. Rocker tried to distract Jeremy with the classic “Caddyshack” chant, but it didn’t work.

Round 5: Jon and Natalie won the challenge by hitting the final shot against Alec and Wes.

After the challenge, Natalie starts yelling at Rocker. She accuses Coyopa of following a racist.

It then blows up with Natalie accusing him of saying racist and homophobic comments and that Coyopa should vote him out.

Quick Aside: Remember when Rudy said homophobic things and America thought it was adorable?

Dale says that Rocker is their tribe member and they have his back.

Rocker then tells Natalie that he’d knock her out if she was a guy. This does not make the situation better.

I’m assuming Rocker is probably just angling for one of those Brandon Hantz/Jeff Probst back rubs.

Back at Casa de Coyopa, Baylor wants to get rid of Rocker because she’s shocked that a professional athlete could be a bad sportsman. Well, this was filmed before the recent NFL awfulness.

Rocker doesn’t think he’s a homophobe because his closest ally is a gay man.

Later, Johnny Rock pitches getting rid of Dale to Baylor and Jaclyn because Dale’s a challenge liability. However, he’s really gunning for Baylor.

Josh and the other guys seem on board with it. Then Rocker tells Josh that if it doesn’t go his way, he has an idol…which is also news to Josh.

Rocker’s strategy is like blowing out a candle with shotgun.

Wes and Josh contemplate getting rid of Rocker. They bring Baylor in on their plan. Wes pitches this idea to Alec, but he thinks Rocker is too much of a physical asset.

That night at Tribal Council, John admits that he was trying to protect Val, but she lied to him.

Wes isn’t psyched that a member of his alliance was making side deals.

Jaclyn thinks she’ll have a target on her back at the merge because she’s on Rocker’s side. She then says that the guys might not be solid anymore.

Wes thinks his alliance is going to stick to their game plan.

Baylor thinks they need to get rid of the dark cloud that’s over their tribe. Aww…like Eeyore.

Voting Time: Rocker votes for Baylor, Baylor votes for Rocker, and the rest might be shown during the credits.

J-Pro tallies and returns and looks darn good doing it. We’ve got one vote Baylor, one vote Rocker, one vote Baylor, two votes Rocker, and the third person to be eliminated from “Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water” is…Rocker!

Fun Fact: Jimmy Johnson went out in the third episode too.

Verdict: I’m not sure if that was the smartest move, but Rocker proved he couldn’t be trusted and that he had a big mouth. That being said, I doubt that move is going to help Coyopa in challenges.

Also, poor Dale…he voted with Rocker.

As far as the season goes, I’m ready to learn more about Hunahpu. Get them to Tribal!

Who’s Going to Win? The way Keith was talking about Jeremy has me a little nervous, but Jeremy is still my guy.

Power Rankings Results: Spencer and I both had Rocker in nine. So, the current score is Team Spencer 25, Team Gordon 24.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes.

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Special Offer for XFINITY Subscribers Who Order ‘Dracula Untold’ Tickets on Fandango

October 8, 2014

'Dracula Untold' (Universal)

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‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – Countdown-to-Meltdown Edition

October 7, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY TV is the place to go for “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” coverage with “all the fixin’s.” We’ll have Power Rankings with “Cagayan” fave Spencer Bledsoe, every Wednesday evening we’ll bring you a recap of the most recent episode, and every Thursday you’ll be able to watch the previous night’s episode and read an interview with the eliminated contestant. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for immediate updates.

[xfinity-record-button id=”6034085997813089112″ program_type=”series”]

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Keith is voted out this week, Spencer will receive 11 points and Gordon will receive 3 points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Spencer had Val in spot sixteen. Gordon had her in fifteen. So, the current score is Team Spencer 16, Team Gordon 15.

Spencer’s Score = 16

Any questions for Spencer? Drop him a line on Twitter: @SpencerBGM

  Gordon’s Score = 15

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

 1. Josh – As I rank the snakes and rats of “Survivor: San Juan Del Sur” this week, Reed is still… er, that’s right – it’s Josh that’s on Coyopa. Josh is still tight with the guys as well as being ‘one of the gir’… oops. Let’s start over: While utter confusion of identity seems to surround this power player, he has shown no signs of confusion himself; Josh Canfield is running the show.
   1. Natalie – The Hunahpu tribe can do no wrong. They’re undefeated and aside from the little flint mishap, they’re in really good shape. Natalie finds herself in a great position. She’s a part of the dominant alliance and nobody has to worry about her partnering up with her loved one at the merge.
 2. Jeremy – While Jeremy may be the biggest threat on his tribe, he was just made less threatening by his wife’s ousting. He still finds himself sitting atop his tribe’s food chain, and is poised to ride his alliance mates to the merge like oxen pulling his chariot.
   2. Kelley – I was weirded out when Kelley squared off against Jaclyn last week, because I wasn’t sure that they weren’t the same person. What if it was going to be a “Same Matter Cannot Occupy the Same Space” situation like in “Timecop”? Fortunately it wasn’t. Oh yeah, and Kelley is mega safe.
 3. Jon – When he isn’t squatting 50 lbs, Jon is railroading John Rocker off platforms like the tooth-removing black mamba/king cobra beast he is. Jon walks the walk in addition to talking the howler monkey talk, and is sitting prettier than James was on China with two idols… Val was bluffing about having two idols… well, he’s just sitting pretty, okay?
   3. Keith – I’d like to congratulate Keith for not banging Jon’s head into the ground last week when he asked if flint was necessary to start a fire. That kind of restraint will serve Keith well in this game.

 4. Julie – Julie’s done absolutely nothing but impress me, and if you read between the lines, she’s telegraphing how good of a player she really is. “If it was your dude, you’d probably be like, *shrugs*, but it’s your sister,” she reassured Natalie last episode. Julie shows every sign of being willing to trounce Rocker strategically like she did physically in the last hero challenge.
   4. Jeremy – I’m dropping you a few spots on the list this week, Jeremy. You had another good week; you won immunity, you got your flint back, and you ended up with an immunity idol clue. But, I’m worried that you’re going to let Val’s elimination blind you. Val’s gone, there’s nothing that can be done. Focus on your game.
 5. Drew – Drew is polarizing in that he convinces me he’s going deep one minute, then gives me extreme doubts the next. Greed seems to fuel everything and propel everyone in this game, but does the guy who mistook Reed for Josh know how many zeroes are in $1,000,000? He seems unprepared. I want to see his water shoes. Despite nature-weathering and palm frond-weaving shortcomings, I have to stick to my guns: Drew has a ton to offer a tribe, and there’s no reason for anyone to want him gone at this stage.
  5. Missy – You’re the lowest on your alliance’s depth chart because of how you reacted to hurting Baylor. I’m sure it’s natural to feel terrible after you split your child’s lip, but it almost looked like you threw the rest of the round. If people are looking for a reason to send you home, that could be enough.
  6. Alec – You could be quick to judge this beach bum as an unemployed, uneducated leech on society, but Alec has proven he’s more than meets the eye. This college grad is playing under the radar, but it’s working. He’s sitting at the nucleus of a tribe less stable than J’Tia Taylor’s fire-tending habits, where bluffing about having two idols and bunking up with John Rocker is just “another day at Coyopa.” Maybe Alec is smart beyond his years for staying quiet. And maybe he’ll do what this 22-year-old couldn’t do last season, and seize some strategic control.
  6. Alec – The bro-liance is in full effect at CoyPond and Alec is in the perfect position. He’s not making weird moves like Josh, he’s not drawing a ton of attention like Rocker, and he’s not getting on Rocker’s bad side like Wes.
  7. Natalie – Natalie has let it all out, digested her twinnie’s boot, and puts her nose back to the grindstone with a renewed motivation to go far. If she could be any animal, she’ll need to be a chameleon – changing her colors and hardening her exterior upon Nadiya’s exit to posture herself for the game yet to come.
  7. Josh – Wait, why did he vote for Baylor? So people would think they weren’t buddies? But they were all voting for Nadiya. So, now he’s not reliable. And there’s no real way of knowing who he voted for because he didn’t sign his vote like you would an elementary school valentine. He seems like his mind is going in a zillion different direction, while the path he should go is pretty clear. That kind of sloppy play is going to catch up with him, but not this week.
  8. Kelley – Kelley is sailing smoothly through the early phases of the game, and I can’t imagine she’s made an enemy of anyone. I could see Kelley going on a deep run, being asked to describe the moment that she grappled the most with her integrity, and having little to offer. She’s played a clean game; Jeremy initiated the power alliance from which she is benefiting. Unless I am mistaken (in which case I’ll stop talking), it seems everyone wearing blue likes Kelley. Sail on.
  8. Wes – Didn’t see too much from Wes last week, but he seems tight with the rest of the gents.
  9. John – As much as I want to write “to hell with you” and leave it at that, Rocker has kept bigotry to a minimum, positioned himself in the majority and even found an immunity idol to boot. He’s exceeded expectations. Someone in the majority with an idol should be in as good shape as Tony Vlachos’s grasp of the Llama language. A player in Rocker’s position would have to really try to mess this up. But with Rocker, the sky (ground) is the limit; a few miscalculated words or moves could be right around the corner.
   9. Johnny Rock – Oh man, Johnny Rock tried to save Val, but her weird lies wouldn’t let him. You almost feel sorry for him…almost. Now it looks like he’s going to have a meltdown during the next immunity challenge. He should be fine as his team needs challenge strength and he has an immunity idol. But, you never know on this show.
  10. Baylor – Baylor’s position has been one of the most unpredictable since she planted her flag amongst the Coyopa men and betrayed Nadiya in the first vote. Perhaps it was a great move, but on the other hand, she put a price on her friendship. She threw it away. Like garbage. She basically said, “you know what? You’re not quite worth this much money.” Baylor looks secure in the majority for now, but she played the part of pawn during last week’s vote split, and has received more ballots than any other remaining orange buff-wearer.
   10. Reed – Not quite sure what to think of Reed. He’s not in the dominant alliance, but he doesn’t seem to be making any enemies. Right now he has to be hoping to stick around long enough to make it to the tribe swap/merge.
  11. Keith – Keith going home would be a tragedy of “Jeff Probst Talk Show” proportions. The man is a machine – sound bites left and right. He’s making it rain sound bites. There’s no off switch with Keith, and I don’t want there to be, so here’s to our favorite mustached Louisianan continuing to prosper. 
   11. Dale – “Awww…happy birthday, sweetheart! Now lose.” Yes, Dad-of-the-Year Dale is in the dominant Boy-opa alliance. But, they’re losing challenges right and left. If they drop another one, a strong argument can be made to send him packing in an attempt to keep challenge strength.
  12. Missy – I think Missy is either going extremely deep or is headed for a torch-snuffin’ unfortunately soon. Although you could say that in a word, her overall gameplay could be called feckless, she has friends, and as far as we know she’s still in a majority of five on her tribe. As long as Hunahpu stays strong, Missy stays strong.
   12. Jon – I’m not sure where Jon got the impression that honesty is rewarded on “Survivor,” but I’m thinking people like “Survivor” Hall of Famers “Boston” Rob Mariano, Russell Hantz, and Jonny Fairplay would beg to differ. Honestly, he seems like a super nice guy, but he might not be cut out for this game.
  13. Reed – Boyfriend Josh may be playing “The Godfather,” but Reed could be one of “The Departed” before he knows it if he sees Tribal Council. It’s counter-intuitive, but given Hunahpu’s winning streak, some big players may prioritize whacking this threat over keeping Reed as a challenge asset, confident in their tribe’s ability to win without him. Hopefully he takes his proclivity for negotiating a deal for flint and channels it toward his fate in the game.
   13. Drew – Did you see how many push-ups this dude can do? No way anybody is voting him out! Drew’s got all the tools necessary to be a real player, but he’s using them in all the wrong ways. Does anybody even like the guy? All they’re showing us is Julie hating on him.
  14. Dale – This… hurts me. Dale has played an ethical game – admittedly, played an ethical game. The crazy thing about it is, he’s sitting here (#14 in Power Rankings). Rocker’s sitting up there (#9). Did Dale get to the wrong place… by behaving the right way? I’ve never been in a situation in my entire life where that was the case. People will call him weak. People will say that he is undeserving. But you know what? Why are those characteristics any less “admirable” as lying, cheating, and stealing? If there’s one thing I learned from this game, it’s that perception is not reality. Reality is reality. But Dale is #14 in the Power Rankings, so let’s cross our fingers because I love the guy.
   14. Baylor – Ciera votes her mom out, now Missy busts open Baylor’s lip. Current score: Mothers 1, Daughters 1. Unfortunately, a busted lip is the least of Baylor’s worries. She’s the sixth person in the dominant alliance and there are only seven people left on the tribe. What happens to her if Jaclyn is sent home this week? Does Josh value her enough in an Edna Ma role to keep her around?
  15. Wes – Wes’s dad proclaimed in episode one that he has the mental toughness of a rock, but his real worry should be that a man with the mental aptitude of a rock – John Rocker – has found an immunity idol. In the premiere, Wes discovered Rocker’s secret and painted a target on his back by broaching the issue with the resident hulk himself. Flash forward two weeks, and the whole tribe has discovered who Rocker is. Rocker will blame Wes. Rocker will be angry. Wes isn’t going to like Rocker when he’s angry.
   15. Julie – It’s a shame you’re in this position, because you seem to be playing a solid game. But, how do you think Jeremy is going to react when he gets to Hero Stadium and sees that Rocker and Co. have sent Val home?
  16. Jaclyn – And this week’s Kassandra McQuillen award goes to… Jaclyn! Again. Despite being perfectly likable, Jaclyn is more firmly at the bottom of the totem pole than an Eddie Fox, Chicken Morris, and Wendy Jo combined. She’s the last straggler gasping for air on a ship Baylor and Josh sunk two votes ago, and if the losing Coyopa takes another immunity challenge plunge, former miss Michigan may become a former “Survivor” contestant.
   16. Jaclyn – What? Val didn’t have 34 immunity idols? Color me shocked. Anywho, you owe her a special hug for going the extra mile to keep you safe. Unfortunately, there’s nobody to save you now.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” on Your Computer

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‘Amazing Race’s’ Dennis & Isabelle: ‘We Didn’t Pee in the Boat and We Didn’t Quit’

October 6, 2014

'Amazing Race' (CBS)

Note: XFINITY is the perfect pit stop for “Amazing Race” fans. Every Monday after an elimination leg, we’ll have an interview with the team that was sent packing and the full episode. Follow @gordonholmes on Twitter for immediate updates.

[xfinity-record-button id=”4975744712465744112″ program_type=”series”]

“Are you crying?! There’s no crying! There’s no crying in baseball!” – Jimmy Dugan – “A League of Their Own

That might be the rule in baseball, but it certainly didn’t work like that on the most recent episode of “The Amazing Race.” Tears were flying from both teams as Dennis and Isabelle and Shelly and Nici raced for the finish line.

Unfortunately for Dennis and Isabelle, Shelly and Nici got the happy Hollywood ending.

I spoke with Dennis and Isabelle shortly after their elimination and had a chance to ask about the finer points of punt steering, Nici’s improvised bathroom break, and their emotional end…

Gordon Holmes: I’m a glass-is-half-full kind of a guy, so let me start by saying at least you didn’t have to pee on your boat on national TV.
Isabelle Du: (Laughs)
Dennis Hour: (Laughs) We didn’t pee in the boat and we didn’t quit the challenge.
Isabelle: We never quit, we just kept going.

Gordon: Walk me through the punt process. What was causing you kids so much trouble?
Dennis: It’s the current. And steering a boat with a stick in shallow water.
Isabelle: And there were parts that were deep.
Dennis: Yeah, some parts were deep. So, sometimes it would stick. And if you’re not used to punting, you don’t know where the shallow part is.
Isabelle: You’re literally taking a stick and digging it into the mud. And it’s kind of really murky. So, you couldn’t tell where it was. And the current at one point was pulling us in different ways. We were running into the rocks, we were running into the trees. All of us fell. Multiple times. Everybody. Everybody was screaming at each other.
Gordon: Was this a situation where some of the stronger players like Robbie or Keith would have more luck with it?
Isabelle: I don’t think so. If you got there early, the current wasn’t as bad. Later in the day the current got stronger. There was also a time issue. And if you have people like Bethany and Adam who are so used to the water, they’re going to know how to navigate it. Dennis and I are not always in the water. We’re not as familiar with currents. If anything, we wished we’d held onto the rocks more which is what the other teams did.
Dennis: By the time we figured out we were able to grab onto the wall, it was a little too late.

Gordon: How far ahead were Shelly and Nici by the time you finished the challenge?
Dennis: We were rolling to the docks and they had just finished. I saw them running and we grabbed our stuff and raced behind them.
Isabelle: We were very close.

Gordon: Isabelle, you got very emotional during that last sprint to the end. What was it that caused you to react so strongly?
Isabelle: (Laughs) We were so close. I don’t think people realize how far ahead we were of so many teams.
Dennis: When we got into London, we raced to the front of the pack very quickly.
Isabelle: It sucks when you’re so ahead and you fall behind in this one challenge. For us, I can’t believe I got so emotional. But, this is our dream. Can you imagine finally accomplishing your dream and being so close to it and then losing it all? It was really hard to swallow. We are huge fans of this show and we knew we were really behind. I know people made a lot of comments about me crying.
Dennis: It hurt because we knew we were that close. Our taxi driver could have driven faster or we could’ve gotten to the docks earlier.
Isabelle: There were barely any taxis around there. We were running around looking for one.

Gordon: You probably learn a lot about your partner on “Amazing Race.” Sometimes you’ll see a duo and the one of them will be like, “Babe! C’mon! Be faster!”
Isabelle: (Laughs)
Gordon: But it seemed like Dennis was super supportive. That has to be a nice takeaway.
Isabelle: It made me want to cry more.
Gordon: Oh, then you should’ve yelled at her, Dennis.
Isabelle: (Laughs)
Dennis: We fought beforehand. By the time we were in the middle of London we were working very well together.
Isabelle: We decided after that we should have fought more! We would’ve gotten it done. We were trying so hard to get along. We were trying so hard to be supportive that we lost track of the fact that there were other teams around us. And watching it, I’ve always known that I can feel Dennis’s love. I had tunnel-vision and I didn’t hear everything he said. So, to hear it again, it’s really comforting. I think it’s made us a stronger couple.

Gordon: That was actually my next question; are you still a dating couple?
Dennis: Yes, we are. Our new hashtag is #thedatingstrongcouple.
Isabelle: (Laughs) Yeah, and afterwards we really had to reevaluate our relationship together because we’d never had to work together as a team. “Amazing Race” really did bring us together. And then we started a blog together, it’s a style blog called “My Boyfriend’s Clothes” where I wear his clothes my way, and then he wears his clothes my way. It’s this project that we do together, it’s continued to glue us together.
Gordon: Any talk of you two becoming an engaged strong couple?
Isabelle: (Laughs)
Dennis: That is the #1 question I get! I’m not going to spoil anything.
Gordon: Good “Amazing Race’ partners don’t come around every day, you’ve got to lock that down.
Dennis: (Laughs)
Isabelle: Thank you! I like that.
Gordon: I’m starting to sound like my mother.
Isabelle: We’re in no rush, but we definitely talk about it.
Dennis: We know where we’re at.

Gordon: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Adam and Bethany.
Isabelle: Water savvy.
Gordon: Misty and Jim?
Dennis: White teeth.
Isabelle: Awesome.
Gordon: Kim and Alli?
Dennis: Intense.
Isabelle: Tough.
Gordon: Keith and Whitney?
Isabelle: “Survivor”? (Laughs)
Dennis: Can’t find the treasure.
Gordon: Tim and Te Jay?
Isabelle: Love them. Dynamite.
Dennis: Awesome.
Gordon: Michael and Scott?
Isabelle: Ridiculous.
Dennis: The funniest people I know.
Gordon: Brooke and Robbie?
Isabelle: Hilarious.
Dennis: Saucy.
Gordon: Amy and Maya?
Isabelle: Underdogs.
Dennis: Extremely bubbly.
Gordon: And we’ll finish with Shelly and Nici.
Dennis: Feisty.
Isabelle: I’m going to say ridiculous too.

Gordon: Did the game ruin pancakes for you?
Dennis: I’m OK with pancakes. I don’t want to ever see any kind of punting again.
Isabelle: I was pretty proud of my pancakes. I wish they’d zoomed in on my pancakes a little more.
Gordon: Maybe at the wedding reception you should have some kind of crepe station.
Isabelle: As an homage to the episode! (Laughs)

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Val – “I Think Josh Was More of a Mess”

October 2, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY TV is the place to go for “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” coverage with “all the fixin’s.” We’ll have Power Rankings with “Cagayan” fave Spencer Bledsoe, every Wednesday evening we’ll bring you a recap of the most recent episode, and every Thursday you’ll be able to watch the previous night’s episode and read an interview with the eliminated contestant. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for immediate updates.

[xfinity-record-button id=”6034085997813089112″ program_type=”series”]

How can things go so drastically different for two spouses on “Survivor”?

Jeremy started the dominant alliance on his tribe, received an immunity idol clue, and has yet to lose a challenge.

Meanwhile, Val’s game started with losing a challenge. She then missed an opportunity to start a cross-tribe alliance, got in with the losing alliance at Coyopa, and didn’t work with John Rocker when the opportunity presented itself. And to top things off, her fib about having two idols led to her being the second person voted out of the game.

I spoke with Val the morning after her elimination and had a chance to ask her about missed opportunities, bragging rights, and who’s really running the show at Coyopa…

Gordon Holmes: You were on Exile with Keith for quite a while. Why didn’t you attempt to make an alliance with him and Wes?
Val Collins: When I decided not to share the clue with Keith, it was because I wasn’t sure at that time if Keith was bitter about being sent to Exile. I didn’t know he was a firefighter at that time. I was in the mindset that I could share it with him, but then the more that I knew that Keith didn’t really understand that the clue could be used for both of us…he wasn’t that confident in his ability to work with Jeremy. So, I wasn’t going to put Jeremy in a position for Keith not to share.
Holmes: Did you and Keith discuss working together at all or were you just getting bad vibes?
Collins: We discussed Keith’s thought process on the game. I was trying to figure out who was the gamer and it was more Wes that knew “Survivor.” So, Keith didn’t have a strategy going back and he wasn’t 100% on Jeremy. He kept saying, “I don’t know about Jeremy.” He asked me why I thought Jeremy had sent him there. He seemed very apprehensive about trusting Jeremy.

Holmes: Did you recognize John Rocker?
Collins: Yes, immediately.
Holmes: When he returned from Exile he told you he was working with Jeremy. Did you believe him?
Collins: I didn’t 100% believe him, no.
Holmes: When he pitched the idea of him working with you while Jeremy worked with Julie, did you consider coming clean to him about your double-idol ruse?
Collins: I did consider working with him. All of the girls’ names had been thrown out. And he had told them to steer away from someone else. If you’re working with me, why would you say something like that? You should have been all for someone else going out. He wasn’t 100% with me. He was paranoid about his own game. He was worried about being the athlete that got voted out first. There was never any talk of, “We can share it. We can work with each other.”

Holmes: You had to square off against your husband in a challenge. Was it hard to focus or do you two compete often?
Collins: It was heated. We always have this battle of the badges because, you know, police and fire. It’s all in fun. So, I was really disappointed that I didn’t beat him. But, it was emotional for both of us. You mentally want to win, but you don’t want to win because that means you’re sending your loved one to Exile.
Holmes: Have your police buddies given you grief for losing to a firefighter?
Collins: Oh…everybody. (Laughs) “Jeremy smoked you in that challenge. You looked so old.” It’s a whole lot of trash talking.
Holmes: Does Jeremy talk trash about it, or is he smarter than that?
Collins: Jeremy’s better than that. I wouldn’t be so good. He hasn’t rubbed it in my face that much and he really can’t because he’s getting grief for crying.

Holmes: What was the vibe like at Coyopa beach when you were finally able to leave Exile?
Collins: I was initially approached by the girls. They welcomed me in. Josh was kind of in the group with us. Our tribe was a mess. They were very paranoid. We had lost both challenges, they didn’t have fire. I had fire at Exile and they didn’t. So, it was a little bit more of an alienation. They struggled and I had a fire. They had bonded over the trials they had gone through.

Holmes: Word association time. We’ll start with Alec.
Collins: Bro.
Holmes: Nadiya?
Collins: Hilarious.
Holmes: Rocker?
Collins: Good guy.
Holmes: Jaclyn.
Collins: Loyal.
Holmes: Dale?
Collins: A dad. Know it all.
Holmes: Wes?
Collins: Aloof.
Holmes: Baylor?
Collins: Annoying.
Holmes: Josh?
Collins: Flipper.
Holmes: And we’ll finish with that guy Jeremy.
Collins: Great guy.

Holmes: Let’s jump back into that. You said “Good guy” for John Rocker. “Survivor” has taken some heat for casting him due to his controversial comments. What’s the other side of that? Why’s he a good guy?
Collins: John was one of the guys that welcomed me back. I think you saw he tried to do the right thing. I think that he was paranoid about his own position. He was wondering if he was going to be on the block after Exile. I’m not excusing the things he said, but on “Survivor” he was funny. He was helpful. For him being older than the group, he jumped in and kind of vibed with everyone.

Holmes: Josh seems to be involved with everything going on at Coyopa. Did you know that when you were out there?
Collins: I think Josh was more of a mess. It’s coming across like he had all this game, but he didn’t. Josh’s reasoning on voting for Baylor? That’s wasn’t strategy. I swear he must’ve gotten confused about what they were doing. He told me that he thought he was the lowest man in the group. I don’t think he was. He was paranoid, his insecurities about Nadiya saying he was one of the girls. It wasn’t homophobic, she was saying that he was with us, not that he was a girlfriend.

Holmes: What do your daughters think of mom’s adventure?
Collins: They think it was great. They do vocalize who they don’t like on the show. I let them know it was a game. Like, I told them throwing Baylor under the bus was me trying to take the heat off of me. She was the easiest target.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes.

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‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Episode 2 Recap: ‘Johnny Rock’ Gets a Clue

October 1, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

NOTE: XFINITY TV is the place to go for “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” coverage with “all the fixin’s.” We’ll have Power Rankings with “Cagayan” fave Spencer Bledsoe, every Wednesday evening we’ll bring you a recap of the most recent episode, and every Thursday you’ll be able to watch the previous night’s episode and read an interview with the eliminated contestant. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for immediate updates.

[xfinity-record-button id=”6034085997813089112″ program_type=”series”]

Last Week: A flint was misplaced, challenges were faced, and an “Amazing Racer” was erased.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribes as they currently stand…

The Hunahpu (wearing blue)

Drew – 25, Sales Rep
Jeremy – 36, Firefighter
Jon – 26, Financial Assistant
Julie – 34, Owner of Spray Tan Business
Keith – 53, Fire Captain
Kelley – 28, Marketing Manager
Missy – 47, Owner of Cheerleading Gym
Natalie – 28, Crossfit Coach
Reed – 31, Broadway Performer

The Coyopa (wearing yellow)

Alec – 22, Student
Baylor – 20, Student
Dale – 55, Farmer
Jaclyn – 25, Media Buyer
John – 39, Former MLB Pitcher
Josh – 32, Actor
Val – 35, Police Officer
Wes – 23, Firefighter

The fun kicks off after Tribal Council, where Josh admits to voting for Baylor. He claims to have done it so people won’t think that they’re buddies. She’s not thrilled about it. He couldn’t have told her before?

The next morning at Hunahpu beach, Reed shows off his stretching skills, Jon shows off his weight-lifting skills, and Drew shows off his pushup skills. Oh man, if I was there with an air hockey table, I could show them a thing or too.

Meanwhile, Julie notices that the flint is missing. Kelley lets us know that that is not good. Also, water is wet and the right side of Ariana Grande’s face is hideous.

Jon admits to losing the flint, because “Survivor” is a game that respects honesty. Has he seen this show?

He then asks if you need the flint to start fire. Oh man, one more and he’ll complete the stupidity hat trick.

Next up, the tribes meet at the “Hero Arena.” Is that where they hang out with Ozzie Smith? Cause he’s my hero. Natalie sees that Nadiya is gone and she isn’t pleased. Apparently it’s the first time she’s truly been without her sister. She breaks down and cries.

Reward Challenge Time: One person from each tribe will balance a ball on a disc and then move it through a series of obstacles. Then they’ll roll three balls into a series of targets. First person to hit all three targets wins. The winner gets fishing gear, the loser gets an all-expense-paid trip to Exile (not an) Island.

Rocker wins rock/paper/scissors and gets to pick who gets to compete, he decides to do it himself against Julie.

John almost gets through the obstacles, but he loses the ball. Julie gets through first. She hits all three of the targets before Rocker even completes the obstacles.

Rocker isn’t happy that he lost to a girl. I’m gonna leave that one alone.

Julie decides to send Jeremy to Exile with John. So, the quasi-leaders of the two alliances will be there together…

Before Hunahpu heads back to camp, Reed offers to trade Probst the tribe’s beans for flint. Probst doesn’t go for it, he wants the fishing gear…because he’s hilarious. Make them name their first-born children “Hunahpu!”

They discuss Probst’s offer and decide to give up the fishing gear. Oh man, you know he loved that. Here’s hoping Jon doesn’t trade the flint for some magic beans.

Later at Coyopa, Alec and Dale discuss Rocker’s “Sports Illustrated” comments. Josh is happy to have Rocker on his team because he’s probably going to upset people. Josh gets it.

Over at Exile, Jeremy and Rocker smash their urns. Rocker gets nothing, Jeremy gets the clue.

Jeremy also knows who Rocker really is. He isn’t thrilled to partner with someone who he remembers made racist statements, but he does want to protect his wife. He shares the clue with John and pitches the idea of John protecting Val while Jeremy protects Julie. See, that’s how you properly use time with the opposing tribe.

Immunity Challenge Time: A player from each team will stand on a platform and try to knock the other person off. First tribe to do this five times win immunity.

Julie will sit out for Hunahblue.

Round One: Jaclyn beats Kelley. (They’re not the same person?!)

Round Two: Drew gets the best of his little brother Alec. Then he gives him a wedgie. (Not really.)

Round Three: Wes destroys Jeremy.

Round Four: Natalie goes over Val.

Round Five: Rocker and Jon have an epic battle! Amazingly, Jon was able to pull off the win. He dropped him like the only means his tribe has of starting fire.

Round Six: Missy and Baylor got off to a bad start when Baylor was popped right in the face. Baylor regrouped though and defeated her mother. I wouldn’t be too hard on Missy, though. She was just being aggressive. B-E-ing aggressive.

Round Seven: Reed bested Josh.

Round Eight: In a battle of the elders, Dale dumped Keith in the drink.

Round Nine: In a rematch, Kelley got revenge on Jaclyn to give Hunahpu they’re 30th straight victory.

Back at Coyopa Beach, everyone is mega bummed. Dale is very proud of Kelley for her performance, but isn’t psyched that it went against his tribe.

Val tells Rocker that she has two idols and that she’s going to save herself and Jaclyn. Heck, why not tell him that you’re magic.

Later, “Johnny Rock” starts digging around and…finds himself an idol. Meanwhile, the Internet is livid.

Rocker and Josh discuss strategy. They’re going to tell Val that they’re sending three votes her way and three votes Baylor’s way. Rocker passes this info on to Val, and also tells her that he made a deal with Jeremy.

That night at Tribal Council, Josh makes a Broadway/”Survivor” comparison that probably went over most people’s heads.

Val thinks Baylor is trying to play both sides of the camp.

Baylor tells everyone that Val was behind the failed female alliance.

Jaclyn is annoyed that Baylor flipped on the girls.

Val tells Baylor to own her deceit.

Everyone has heard that Val has two idols. Wes wants to vote for her to flush one out.

Voting Time: Baylor votes for Val, Rocker votes for Baylor, Wes votes for Val, Val votes for Baylor, and the rest aren’t shown.

J-Pro tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Val, one vote for Baylor, one vote for Val, one vote for Baylor, one vote for Val, two votes for Baylor, and one vote for Val. A tie!

Voting Time Part Deux: Rocker votes for Val (and he isn’t happy about breaking his deal with Jeremy) and the rest will be played over the credits. Don’t worry.

J-Pro tallies and returns yet again. We’ve got one vote for Baylor, three votes for Val, and the second person to be eliminated from “Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water” is…Val.

Oh man, now Jeremy is really gonna think Rocker is racist!

Verdict: Val really blew it when she went to Exile. She could have partnered up with Wes based on her time with Keith. Instead, she’s a goner. I had high hopes for her too.

My question is; why didn’t the Boyopa alliance target Jaclyn instead of Val? The idol lie?

As for the episode, things are going quite nicely. Looks like we’re in for some fireworks next week too.

Who’s Going to Win? Jeremy’s got the only idol clue on Hunahpu, he has the numbers, and he doesn’t have to protect Val anymore. He’s my winner.

Power Rankings Results: Spencer had Val in spot sixteen. I had her in fifteen. So, the current score is Team Spencer 16, Team Gordon 15.

Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes.

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