More Whatnot

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Gordon Holmes: Before the game, you told me you were going to tell everyone that you had a two-year old daughter named Christina. What happened to Baby Christina?
Desiree Afuye: (Laughs) I figured the Christina thing wasn’t going to work. I knew there were people out there with kids and I knew how much people love their kids. They’re so ready to talk about them and they know all these facts. And I’d have to keep that up. That wasn’t something I wanted to do.
Holmes: Probably for the best.

Holmes: Why was last night the right time to make the Malolo move?
Afuye: It would force everyone to do it now if they were with the plan, because we were just one number up on the people that I was trying to get out. It forces you to pick a side. It’s six against five.
Holmes: We’ve been seeing Donathan and Laurel ride the line between classic Malolo and Domenick and Wendell. Did you know that was going on at the time?
Afuye: I definitely knew. What I was trying to do after the merge was pull Laurel away from Wendell and get her closer to me. Every time I would talk to Laurel I’d try to say something positive about me and try to share what we have in common and really create a bond there. And, I’d also try to throw something negative out about Wendell or Dom. Just to get her to wean away from the relationship.
Holmes: So, when you approached the Malolo crew, you were confident that you had done enough to get Laurel on board?
Afuye: Right. I had conversations with Laurel about how Wendell and Dom were trying to control her. They think they have control of you, but they don’t. You should make this move with me.

Holmes: That eventually blew up when Laurel talked to Dom and Dom talked to Laurel. Did you think you had done a good enough job of patching things up before Tribal or did you think you were in trouble?
Afuye: I thought I’d patched things up and changed their minds a bit. The way I reacted, I sold it. If I really did it, I’d just be crying or, “You guys caught me.” But I was adamant that she was lying and she had made this up.

Holmes: Angela lost her vote at Ghost Island. Did she tell anybody about that?
Afuye: I thought she was still voting with the group. I had no idea that she had lost her vote.
Holmes: When Jeff reads the votes, does he read the “No Vote” or does it not come into play?
Afuye: It just doesn’t come into play. I didn’t see it.

Holmes: The initial move you were trying to make last night was to get rid of Kellyn. I was under the impression that the Naviti women were going to bide their time and then take over. Was Kellyn just too much of a threat to take to the end?
Afuye: From my perspective, after Chris was voted out I realized that the Naviti women are divided. There are some that know the situation and there are some that don’t. I can’t rely on the Naviti women. It also proved to me that Kellyn is tied to whoever wanted Chris out. And that was Dom and Wendell. I knew I didn’t have a strong alliance with the Naviti women, so I went searching outside of that.
Holmes: At the Chris vote, you voted for Libby, correct?
Afuye: Right.
Holmes: Huh…I had assumed that was a plan to split the votes in case Chris played his idol.
Afuye: I was totally in the dark.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Donathan.
Afuye: Sneaky.
Holmes: Michael?
Afuye: A champion.
Holmes: Jenna?
Afuye: My spirit animal.
Holmes: Morgan?
Afuye: Free spirited.
Holmes: Domenick?
Afuye: He’s the guy you know you shouldn’t trust, but you still do.
Holmes: Brendan?
Afuye: I still think he’s the president.
Holmes: Kellyn?
Afuye: Half innocent and half evil.
Holmes: Wendell?
Afuye: The guy everyone loves.
Holmes: Sebastian?
Afuye: He takes fun wherever he goes.
Holmes: Stephanie?
Afuye: Boss.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Afuye: Small, but mighty.
Holmes: Chris?
Afuye: He’s a lion.
Holmes: James?
Afuye: Well rounded.
Holmes: Angela?
Afuye: The most caring person out there.
Holmes: Bradley?
Afuye: He’s misunderstood.
Holmes: Libby?
Afuye: Can do no wrong.
Holmes: Laurel?
Afuye: She’s dominant.
Holmes: And let’s finish with Baby Christina.
Afuye: (Laughs) She’s amazing!

Holmes: Bradley posted on Instagram that you two would sit and roast everyone. We didn’t get to see this!
Afuye: (Laughs) We have the same sort of dark humor. A lot of things he’d say that would piss people off…I’d find it so funny. At Malolo, the first day we were there, everybody was roasted. We talked about everything and everyone. Mainly he’d talk, but I’d throw some commentary in there.
Holmes: You didn’t roast the people that were doing pre-game interviews, did you?
Afuye: No. (Laughs) We didn’t roast the press.
Holmes: Good.

Holmes: There are three idols in the game right now. How well guarded are those secrets? Did you know about any of them?
Afuye: I knew Wendell had an idol, I knew Dom had an idol. Which is another reason that I thought the plan was going to work. Idols are scary.
Holmes: We’ve only seen them tell Laurel, how did you know?
Afuye: Word got around. It went from Laurel to Michael…Michael knew…and Michael told me. So, I had my pitch together on why they had to be out of the game.

Holmes: Say your plan had worked last night. Malolo comes on board and Kellyn is a goner. What’s the plan from that point?
Afuye: After Kellyn one of the guys has to go. It’ll be Dom, Wendell, or Michael. Maybe Dom and Wendell will convince everyone to get rid of Michael because he’s been making a ton of moves. He found idols. He was a beast at challenges. You don’t want him at the end. He was a fan favorite. And after Michael, Dom and Wendell are the top of the food chain.
Holmes: And what would have been your dream final three?
Afuye: Sitting next to Laurel, Donathan, Angela, or Chelsea.

Holmes: “Survivor” tends to change people. Has it changed you?
Afuye: I think I am different. I don’t complain about anything anymore. The other day I was eating some type of lunch and it wasn’t the best. But then, I remembered what I was eating on the island and I literally devoured what was in front of me.
Holmes: I like that. I appreciate lunch more.
Afuye: (Laughs) It trickles into other things too. I can’t complain about lunch. I can’t complain about much of anything.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: Michael spoke softly and carried a (expletive deleted) stick.  So, someone else was e-Lib-inated.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Lavita Tribe (wearing black)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Chelsea, 24 – EMT/Professional Cheerleader
Desiree, 21 – Student
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Jenna, 23 – Advertising Account Executive
Kellyn, 31 – Career Counselor
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Michael, 18 – Real Estate Agent
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

Post-Tribal Shenanigans

Desiree has come to the conclusion that she’s on the bottom of the classic Naviti alliance. She approaches the remnants of Malolo with a plan to flip. She claims she can get Chelsea and Angela to go along with this. Hmm…it might be a little early because numerically the Malolos would have an advantage.

Also…Laurel is one of the Malolo folks she approaches with this plan. Dun dun dun…

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into two teams. Two members of each team will paddle out to rescue their teammates from cages. They’ll then return to the beach and complete a block puzzle. The first team to finish will win a chopper ride to a picnic. Delightful.

The winning team will also get to send someone from the losing team to Ghost Island.

The teams will be chosen by a schoolyard pick and the odd person out won’t get to go on the reward or be sent to Ghost Island. Blah…

Teams: Michael, Sebastian, Kellyn, Chelsea, and Jenna vs. Wendell, Domenick, Desiree, Laurel, and Angela. Donathan was not picked.

Result: Michael, Sebastian, Kellyn, Chelsea, and Jenna got the win. They had the losers picks rocks and…Angela will be going to Ghost Island.

Challenge Thoughts: First of all, the point of a schoolyard pick that excludes someone is that we get to see who picks who. That didn’t happen. Is Donathan annoyed at someone for excluding him? We don’t know. And second, at least let the person who sits out bet on the challenge. “Survivor” is about doing, not about sitting.

Sea Bass’s Excellent Chopper Adventure

Sebastian had an absolute blast on the helicopter ride, saying “you don’t even need food when you have highs like that.”

No jokes from me on that one, too easy.

Michael takes the opportunity to tell everyone that he’s willing to work with anyone. Also, water is wet and the sky is blue.

Nobody takes him up on the offer, much to the delight of Kellyn who wants him gone.

At Ghost Island

Angela is given the chance to play a game for an advantage. It’s another random choice with her having a two-in-three shot of winning in exchange for her vote. Unfortunately for her, she chooses incorrectly.

And…that’s all we get. No tears, no sob story, no Ghost Island second chance drawing…like a Ghost Island Redemption Island.

Idol Huntin’

Michael tries to see if he can find a third idol and makes the mistake of taking Donathan along with him. Sure enough, Donathan is able to uncover Scot’s immunity idol from “Brains vs. Beauty vs. Brawn.” However, the idol is powerless without Tai’s idol which is hidden under the tribe’s shelter.

Donathan plops down in the shelter and waits for his opportunity. He eventually retrieves it, but not before Michael, Jenna, and Laurel figure out what he was doing.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a platform and balance balls on a disc that are held up by ropes. The last person standing wins immunity.

Result: It comes down to Chelsea vs. Sebastian with Chelsea pulling off the win. JPro points out that this is the third consecutive immunity challenge this season that has been won by a woman.

Desiree’s Disarray

Given the choice between sticking with Wendell and Domenick and working with Desiree, Laurel chooses the devil she knows. She breaks the news to Domenick, even saying that Des can flip Chelsea too.

Domenick shares this info with Kellyn and she doesn’t buy it.

However, we learn that Kellyn is absolutely Desiree’s biggest target.

Sure enough, Kellyn asks Desiree what’s up and she denies everything. Then Kellyn tells Desiree that Laurel was the person who ratted her out.

Cue: Fireworks

Desiree goes back to camp and calls out Laurel for spilling the beans. But, she weirdly does it in a manner where she denies targeting a Naviti person to the Malolo people she literally suggested it to.

Kellyn confronts Desiree about this and she continues to deny things up and down.

Eventually, Domenick and Kellyn sit down to try to figure out the vote. Domenick really wants to send Desiree packing, but Kellyn says that the women have been doing exactly what the guys want and now they want Michael. And…Kellyn is not fun-loving easy-going Kellyn with this assertion. She’s really giving Domenick the business. Good for her.

Tribal Time

Laurel immediately tells everyone about Desiree’s plan to partner with Chelsea and Angela to flip the game and get rid of Kellyn. Donathan, Michael, and Jenna back her up.

Desiree vehemently denies this accusation.

Basically it seems to come down to if classic Naviti trusts Des or classic Malolo.

Voting Time: No votes are shown except for Angela’s “No Vote.” So…a no vote and no votes.

JPro tallies and returns. We’ve got four votes for Desiree, two votes for Michael, one vote for Desiree, and the tenth person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the third member of the jury is…Desiree.

On the way out, Desiree tells the women that they had better continue to win.

Also, Chelsea was the other person who voted for Michael.

Verdict: Uh…I don’t know. Does it feel like we’re all just waiting for something to happen?

Are we missing a villain? A true hero? Something? Anything?

	Donathan – We’ve got ten people left and Donathan has two potential alliances and an idol. He can make a move and have a great story to tell at final Tribal. I kind of can’t believe it.
	Michael – This guy had better be thanking his lucky stars that Desiree decided to make her move when she did. Kellyn – You learned a good lesson and it didn’t send you out of the game. Now you have to realize that anybody can be a Desiree going forward.
	Domenick – You got your way, but Kellyn let you know that she’s getting frustrated. Laurel – Ugh…I’m of two minds on this. A juror probably hates you, but you’ve super earned Domenick and Wendell’s trust.
	Angela – No harm, no foul. You didn’t need that vote anyways.
	Chelsea – It can’t be good that you were left out of this vote.
	Jenna, Wendell, and Sebastian – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

Power Rankings Results: Roark had Des in spot nine. I had her in spot ten. The current score is Team Roark 98, Team Gordon 102.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

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 players will earn. For example, if Donathan is voted out this episode, Roark will receive five points and Gordon will receive eight points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Ghost Island” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Last Week: Roark had Libby in spot eleven. Gordon had her in spot twelve. The current score is Team Roark 89, Team Gordon 92.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Roark’s Score: 89 Any questions for Roark? Drop her a line on Twitter: @roarkstweets	Gordon’s Score: 92 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Domenick: Dom had a quiet episode, which actually makes me feel more confident about him. He still has a real idol, and he has clearly made his people feel good about him.	1. Kellyn: I’m leaving you up here, although I’m worried that Des is going to blow up your spot too early. My hope is that if something happens, it happens to Dom or Wendell first.
2. Wendell: Wendell shored up his relationship with Laurel, and clearly he and Dom are two peas in a pod. He also still has an idol.	2. Angela: You ever hear that theory that everything in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” would have happened if Indiana Jones wasn’t there? Same deal here. Angela threw Michael under a bus that he was already napping under. Oh…and she ate a lot of gross stuff like in “Temple of Doom.” Perfect analogy.
3. Laurel: Laurel’s performance during the reward challenge was fantastic. I hope she gets some chances to shine in individual immunity challenges. More pertinent to the rankings: Laurel doubled down on her alliance with Wendell and Dom. Based on the storytelling at present, this seems to be a group that is going to move forward together for a bit here.	3. Chelsea: Hey, buddy.
4. Kellyn: Kellyn is the mother hen of this Naviti girls group. I don’t see the group turning on her too soon, but she could be in trouble if they start to chip away at her pawns.	4. Sea Bass: Nobody is going to view Sebastian as a threat until he starts winning some individual immunities.
5. Donathan: Producers ask you to talk through all your options, so I know why Donathan was going through each potential choice. But I can’t help but feel like its being shown to us for us to perceive Donathan as paranoid and/or “big move” obsessed. He is in a good spot and he could really upset the course of his game by striking too early.	5. Domenick: Smart move to pump the brakes last week. If I were you I’d never win a reward ever.
6. Angela: Angela still strikes me as a free agent. She definitely has strong opinions, but doesn’t seem to be solidly affixed to any one. She can probably ride the “anyone but me” strategy for a while.	6. Wendell: I hope all that guacamole was worth it, because your days under the radar are over. Fortunately you’ve got the idol and some good alliances.
7. Sea Bass: WHERE IS THE SEA BASS?!	7. Laurel: C’mon Laurel, you can’t be annoyed at someone who now wants to work with you enough to tell you their biggest secret. That means you have their full trust. Relax.
8. Chelsea: In one pithy comment from Jeff, all our feelings about her are encapsulated: “Chelsea, fulfilling her goal of participating, now heads back.”	8. Donathan: I don’t think anyone is going to target you just yet, but if your wishy-washyness gets back to Dom and Wendell, you could be in some trouble.
9. Desiree: Chelsea and Des are both dangling at the bottom of their alliance. They’ve been steady, they’ve been a number, but neither of them have been shown to the audience as driving forces. Either of them are at risk in these early votes, where dueling sides can take out pawn players.	9. Jenna: That was the quickest trip to Ghost Island I’ve ever seen. I’m surprised the entire segment wasn’t just a lone postcard showing up at Naviti beach with Jenna’s signature on it.
10. Jenna: If you go to Ghost Island and don’t cry, did you even go to Ghost Island? Jenna and Sea Bass could go the way of Michael and Libby. Hard to say what people think of them as a duo, or if it’s talked about at all.	10. Desiree: Wow…there was no subtle editing to Des’s language in the preview. She’s ready to make a move. It might be too soon.
11. Michael: The question is this – what are we going to get this week? A boring episode where they take out the heir apparent? Or they use him as a number to take out someone else?	11. Michael: Welp…the (expletive deleted) stick curse was reversed and Michael has received another three days. And, it’ll only be three days unless he finds JT’s letter to Russell or wins immunity.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

NOTE: This interview was conducted over email.

Gordon Holmes: Domenick told us that you were a “Devil in an angel’s body,” but we didn’t get to see a lot of your moves. What strategic plans were you making that we didn’t see?
Libby Vincek: So, no you didn’t get to see much of my “devilish” features, to be honest neither did I, but I took his “insult” as a huge compliment. I was working really close with Laurel and Donathan. I knew Laurel had something in her back pocket, and I wanted to find out. I had a bond with Michael and Jenna right from the get go, so hoping we’d make it to the merge and my strategy was simple really. I was thinking long term. I wanted to make sure I stayed under the radar while reading everyone and having a clue as to what was on their mind. Bonds were important to me, so what you didn’t see was all of the conversations I was having.

Holmes: What happened after the merge that made people think you were close with Michael?
Vincek: Michael and I slept together some nights, which I know is dangerous, but I was freaking cold! We knew people would assume we were working together as a power couple so we rarely ever talked. That’s why you don’t see us really working at all together. We kept it short and sweet, but people just wanted some reason to not like us. So, to me, it seems like they had an idea in their head and wanted to stick with it whether it was true or not.

Holmes: Desiree wanted to eliminate you immediately after the merge even though you two had never spent time on a tribe together. Why do you think she was targeting you?
Vincek: I think Des was targeting me because she had bonds with most everyone else, and didn’t have any with me. So I feel with that it was an easy choice for her. Also, my alliance with Jenna and Michael was something she wanted to be a part of, so I figured I was someone that was in her way and she had the numbers to do something about it.

Holmes: The Morgan vote was a big turning point for you. In hindsight, is there anything you would have done differently?
Vincek: That was the first hard decision I had to make in the game. I had to weigh my options of either being at the bottom of a brand new alliance or making a big move with my original alliance. On a personal level, Morgan is an amazing person and I know we could have worked really well together. But like I said during the last Tribal Council, I stick by my decision, because if “Survivor” was totally personal, it wouldn’t be successful. Sometimes you have to step away for a minute and remember it’s still a game.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Brendan.
Vincek: Honorable.
Holmes: James?
Vincek: Empathetic.
Holmes: Michael?
Vincek: Charismatic
Holmes: Jacob?
Vincek: Interesting.
Holmes: Donathan?
Vincek: Splashy.
Holmes: Stephanie?
Vincek: Wild.
Holmes: Gonzalez?
Vincek: Passionate.
Holmes: Jenna?
Vincek: Cool.
Holmes: Laurel?
Vincek: Calming.
Holmes: Morgan?
Vincek: Spunky.
Holmes: Domenick?
Vincek: Sly.
Holmes: Kellyn?
Vincek: Sympathetic.
Holmes: Desiree?
Vincek: Bold.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Vincek: Timid.
Holmes: Angela?
Vincek: Industrious.
Holmes: Sebastian?
Vincek: Angel of Captain Jack Sparrow.
Holmes: Wendell?
Vincek: Creative.
Holmes: Chris?
Vincek: Confident.
Holmes: And, let’s finish with Bradley.
Vincek: Argumentative.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: Chris had Tupac his bags as he was made an Outkast by his Public Enemy. Yes, I realize this recap was all just a Big Pun.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the tribe as it currently stands…

The Lavita Tribe (wearing black)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Chelsea, 24 – EMT/Professional Cheerleader
Desiree, 21 – Student
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Jenna, 23 – Advertising Account Executive
Kellyn, 31 – Career Counselor
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Libby, 24 – Social Media Strategist
Michael, 18 – Real Estate Agent
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

Post-Tribal Shenanigans

Poor Libby can’t quite figure out why people are voting for her. It’s weird, right? Domenick is saying that she’s a secret mastermind, but they aren’t showing us any examples of her acting that way.

In other news, Domenick is worried that his big Tribal performance could put a target on his back. So, he intends to pull back a bit. Good call.

Wendell Construction Company

The next morning, we learn that Wendell is building a kitchen. That’s awesome, now they’ll have somewhere to hang out during parties.

Wendell is a little worried that Laurel isn’t fully on his side, so he tells her about his idol. This concerns Laurel because she didn’t know he was keeping any secrets from her. Well…now he isn’t.

I’m not sure I get this. If you’re worried about going to the end with two big players, that’s one thing. If you’re worried that they WERE keeping secrets from you, that’s another.

Reward Challenge Time: The players will be split into two teams of six. A member from each team will run across a water obstacle toward a slingshot. They’ll use the slingshot to knock over a block. However, after a shooter hits a target, they have to run back and let another team member have a try. Every team member must shoot before a player can return to the slingshot. The first team to hit all six targets will earn a feast of Mexican food. Also, someone from the losing team will be sent to Ghost Island.

Teams: Michael, Jenna, Desiree, Sebastian, Kellyn, and Domenick  vs. Angela, Wendell, Libby, Chelsea, Laurel, and Donathan

Result: Wendell and Laurel dominated to win it for their side with Wendell really sticking out as a challenge threat. The other team pulled rocks and…Jenna is sent to Ghost Island.

At Ghost Island

Jenna does not get to play a game during her time on Ghost Island. And, she doesn’t even get to have a tearful confession. Purple Jenna.

Something to Taco Bout

Libby breaks down a little bit during the reward because she still isn’t sure why people are targeting her. Chelsea claims it was because people thought she was close to Michael. Not sure if I buy that, because they haven’t been on the same tribe since early Malolo. Is there something else they’re not showing us?

Angela Awakens

So, apparently Angela is sick of being left out of the big decisions. She reaches out to Michael to see what he’s thinking. Michael admits to wanting to split up Wendell and Domenick.

But, instead of figuring out how they can work together, Angela immediately throws Michael under the bus.

Angela tells everyone that Michael is targeting Wendell. Sooo…her plan was to put the target on someone who was already a big target?

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will have to compete in four rounds of gross eatery. The first round is fish eyes, the second round is beetle larvae, the third round is sea slugs, and the final round is meat from the mother of pearl.

Result: Ugh…I could’ve happily spent the rest of my life without seeing Angela regurgitate an entire sea slug. Anywho, she won in the finals over Michael. And, she showed a little charisma in doing so. Who knew it just took a little beetle larvae to get her to open up?

Post-Challenge Politicking

It seems like everyone is OK with going after Michael, with them splitting votes between him and Libby. But Donathan is tempted to stick with classic Malolo and vote for Wendell.

Don’t you dare, Donathan. Wendell is the best winner pick I’ve had since Malcolm in Philippines.

In other news, Domenick tells Libby to vote for Michael. Then…Donathan tells Libby that she’s the split vote target. Poor Libby.

Tribal Time

Holy cow, that Tribal was a whole lot of nothing. No shade was thrown, no definitive statements were made.

Voting Time: No votes are shown.

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…Michael does!

Alright, we’ve got seven votes for Michael, one vote for Wendell, two votes for Libby, and the ninth person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the second member of the jury is…Libby.

Aww…she thanks everyone on her way out. This is a season of class acts.

Verdict: The (expletive deleted) stick has been vindicated! Huzzah!

Also, did they recast Angela? Is this a sweeps stunt? The new one does stuff and says things. Kudos to the producers for this move.

Anywho, this episode was kind of boring compared to last week’s blockbuster. I’m ready for classic Naviti to turn on each other.

	Laurel – Two of the most dominant players in the game trust you enough with their biggest secrets. You’ve got to be doing something right.
	Domenick – You put your game into neutral after last week’s big Tribal. Good move.
	Donathan – It was probably smart to stick with the plan this week, but you’ve got to do something. Right now you’re just Laurel’s vote.
	Wendell – That immunity challenge put you on everyone’s radar, but I guess it was worth it for the guacamole. Michael – You played your idol, but you weren’t doing everything you could to cause cracks in classic Naviti.
	Angela – You feel like you orchestrated a vote, but you really just threw someone under the bus who was already headed there. Good job?
	Kellyn, Chelsea, Sebastian, Desiree, and Jenna – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

Power Rankings Results: Roark had Libby in spot eleven. I had her in spot twelve. The current score is Team Roark 89, Team Gordon 92.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

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 players will earn. For example, if Donathan is voted out this episode, Roark will receive three points and Gordon will receive nine points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Ghost Island” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Last Week: Roark and Gordon both had Chris in spot thirteen. The current score is Team Roark 78, Team Gordon 80.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Roark’s Score: 78 Any questions for Roark? Drop her a line on Twitter: @roarkstweets	Gordon’s Score: 80 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Domenick: What is there to say? Dom won that battle, and handedly. He still has an idol in his pocket and he obviously isn’t afraid to pull the trigger. Use it. You can *always* find another.	1. Kellyn: The most interesting part of last week’s show was the alliance of Naviti ladies. Everyone else has a beat-up Yugo while they’re driving a Mercedes.
2. Wendell: The dynamic duo isn’t going anywhere. This story is just beginning.	2. Angela: With Chris gone, you’re in less trouble, which is truly heaven sent. Just like A-Rod in the year 2K, you’re a big-time free agent.
3. Donathan: Donathan and Laurel seem to be the Malolos most welcomed in to the fold. I doubt he is winning, but he has a big edit and I can’t image him going home just yet.	3. Desiree: When you and Angela voted for Libby, was it an intentional split vote? If so, that move was like Thomas Brady, you ladies are the GOAT.
4. Laurel: Laurel listening from the trees while Dom and Don discussed the plan was a hilarious and delightful visual. The previews make it seem like she has the idea to #topplethepatriarchy but I don’t think that’s gonna happen just now.	4. Chelsea: They’ll target poor Wendell and Dom when they’re done with the Malolos. They’ll be left shaking their heads, like Shaq after some free throws.
5. Kellyn: I would love to hear about this vote from Kellyn’s perspective. Pre-merge she bled purple – was this just such a big clash of personalities she had to pick a side and it’ll be back to the Malolo funeral march this week? We shall see. Whatever the outcome, Kellyn isn’t the target.	5. Domenick: What happened to Mike Tyson when he was boxing’s reigning king? He was blindsided by Buster Douglas and knocked out of the ring.
6. Sea Bass: I need more Sebastian. Please.	6. Wendell: If Wendell’d played his idol last week, Chris probably would have played his too. That’s a smart move, but like Derek Jeter, the women are coming for you.
7. Angela: Angela was Chris’s BFF – which is why I have to assume she was left out of the vote (leaving Des out is truly bizarre, but we will get to that later). She’s flapping in the wind and in desperate need of a friend, so I assume she’ll be picked up as a number this week.	7. Sea Bass: You don’t hear much from Sea Bass, he’s not a big word sayer. He’s kinda like Jose Oquendo, a useful utility player.
8. Desiree: Maybe there was something we didn’t see (I mean, duh, but this one thing specifically). Was Des close with Chris and Angela? Why in God’s name was she left out of this? Whatever the reason, it doesn’t bode well.	8. Laurel: You were never on a tribe with Kellyn, and I think she’ll run this show. Much like Jeff Gordon in his car, you might be quick to go.
9. Chelsea: I sincerely wish I had the energy and fortitude to write about this person. But I don’t.	9. Donathan: You’re in the same boat as Laurel, so you’re in trouble, Don. Just like a fastball to Mike Trout you could be going, going gone.
10. Jenna: Jenna and Libby fall into similar categories for me. Original Malolos that don’t seem to have fully integrated. Jenna has integrated with Sebastian. Biblically, I assume. But that probably isn’t enough for much longer.	10. Michael: The Malolos are in danger, and Naviti can take their pick. But Mike is just like Miguel Cabrera, he can swing an important stick.
11. Libby: One day can change everything, so the target that’s been skirting Libby may have disappeared. It also may come into sharper focus. I feel her days are numbered.	11. Jenna: If Sebastian and Jenna are a couple, then nobody out there knows it. However, if she has some strategic chops, it’s high time that Bowman shows it.
12. Michael: I suspected Michael was at risk last week if the war of Dom and Chris didn’t come to fruition. I remain suspect this week.	12. Libby: She has a winning smile and made some moves, a player to remember. But she finds herself at the bottom of the list, like the Marlins in September.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Gordon Holmes: Tell me you burned that idol the first chance you got. It’s clearly cursed.
Chris Noble: A producer snatched it right away from me.
Holmes: That’s probably for the best. I’d hate for it to cause you more problems.
Noble: Oh, it’s a relic I’d hold onto forever because it was a great moment for me regardless.

Holmes: Dom plays his idol, I’m assuming based on the conversation at the water well that you thought that it’d be a split vote and Wendell would be going home. Is that correct?
Noble: What wasn’t shown was originally when I went to the water well I just wanted to talk to Angela and Des. They were two of my closest allies. And everyone else just followed. And then there was this awkward moment when everyone was looking around. So I thought, “Screw this. I didn’t come out here to not play this game.” I made the mistake, my personality, my impulsive behavior sometimes costs me. And I was like, “Alright guys, this is what we should do.” And I think the plan was a good plan. But, it was the wrong thing to do in the game of “Survivor.” I had multiple conversations with people and for the most part, people like Sebastian and other allies like Donathan all lied to me. But, that’s part of the game.
Holmes: So, if everyone had done what they had said they were going to do, what would have been the outcome of Tribal?
Noble: I thought that Dom and Wendell would vote for me and at the worst, I didn’t see how enough numbers would vote me out. Because I worked so hard to build relationships with people. And ultimately, that was my strategy to make it far in the game because the target on my back was so big. I had to play the loyal card. I had to hold onto that idol for one more Tribal to get me further in the game. I had to risk it because that would’ve bought me six, nine days. Who knows what can happen over that time? Loved ones is on day 30.

Holmes: You talk about making personal relationships and then you come home and watch the edit where there’s a lot of eye-rolling going on. I think specifically Laurel was having conversations with you, but she had to bite her tongue around you. Did you pick up on any of that while you were out there or were you experiencing it for the first time while watching the episode?
Noble: I did not pick up on any of that. It was a shame to hear her say that. What a lot of people don’t know is on day twelve she slept next to me. She’s crying at night. I go over and I give her a hug and I tell her, “Everything’s going to be alright.” Then, we had great conversations. Then at Yanuya, the night before the swimming challenge we got poured on. We didn’t sleep, it was miserable. And me, Wendell, and Laurel, we walked around the island, we held each other, we took care of each other during this horrible night. To hear her say things like that is unfortunate. Because I never felt badly about her. But, you never know whose egos are going to get hurt if you’re a confident person. And apparently, her ego was sort of fragile.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with James?
Noble: Brilliant.
Holmes: Libby?
Noble: Beautiful.
Holmes: Laurel?
Noble: Intelligent.
Holmes: Michael?
Noble: Impressive.
Holmes: Donathan?
Noble: Back-stabber.
Holmes: Jenna?
Noble: Funny.
Holmes: Bradley?
Noble: Dick.
Holmes: Sebastian?
Noble: Lovable.
Holmes: Morgan?
Noble: Charismatic.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Noble: Quiet.
Holmes: Kellyn?
Noble: Sweet.
Holmes: Wendell?
Noble: Silent assassin.
Holmes: Or rap critic.
Noble: (Laughs)
Holmes: Desiree?
Noble: Fiery.
Holmes: Angela?
Noble: Sweetheart.
Holmes: And let’s finish with Domenick.
Noble: Respect.

Holmes: You mentioned that you were close with Desiree, Angela, and Sebastian. In hindsight, were there any clues you could have picked up on that your number was up?
Noble: It’s always easier in hindsight. The only clue that I can think of that I should have picked up on was, I went to get wood with Sebastian. I asked him to go with me, and he helped, and then he left. And on the walk I asked him, “Do you think this is a good plan? Do you think people are going to go with it?” And he said, “Yeah, I think it’s a great plan.” And once we dropped the wood, he left. Looking back, that was my signal that something was wrong. It was my first lead-up to Tribal and I had nothing to base it off of. It was a disadvantage.

Holmes: It seems like Sebastian and Jenna are in a relationship outside of the show. Was that going on during the game?
Noble: There were no real clues that they were together. And I don’t think they were together like that during the game. There definitely was a sign of friendship, but for me, because Sebastian and I were bros, I thought maybe she was just an extra vote for him. That can only be a good thing for me. The funny thing is that Sebastian came up to Wendell and me when we first got to Yanuya and said we should vote for Jenna.
Holmes: That would get him into trouble today.
Noble: (Laughs) Yes.

Holmes: Did you mother get a chance to watch the season?
Noble: Yes, she did.
Holmes: What’d she think?
Noble: My mom was very proud of me. She told me I was her hero. Being mama bear, there were definitely some things she did not like. I had to calm her down. But after episode six, she called me after that tough edit I had. And she read me a note that the National MS Society had sent to her about everything I’d been doing for her and the MS community. It was nothing but good things about me. And she said, “That’s you, Christopher. Don’t let things that people say change anything.” That was one of the most beautiful things that I’ve ever had in my life. My mom came to me and she brought me up.

Holmes: Chris, I’d imagine you’re a very polarizing player. But, I think you were a blast to watch.
Noble: Thank you.
Holmes: What has the reaction been like from fans?
Noble: It’s probably similar to people in real life. You either really love me or really hate me. I’m confident. I’m comfortable in my own skin regardless of what people say or do. I know I’m going to make it wherever I want to go. The fans, there have been people who love me and have stood up for me. And there have been fans who really hate me. And, that’s awesome for entertainment.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: It was Wendell’s girlfriend’s birthday, but he received a gift, a Micronesian (expletive deleted) stick gave Michael’s game a lift, and while Bradley finally got nicer accomodations, the upgrade left him miffed. 

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

The tribes as they currently stand…

The Naviti Tribe (wearing purple)
Chelsea, 24 – EMT/Professional Cheerleader
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Libby, 24 – Social Media Strategist

The Malolo Tribe (wearing orange)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Desiree, 21 – Student
Kellyn, 31 – Career Counselor
Michael, 18 – Real Estate Agent

The Yanuya Tribe (wearing green)
Chris, 27 – Male Model
Jenna, 23 – Advertising Account Executive
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

Welcome to Mergeville – Population 13

We start off with our friends from Yanuya and Malolo as they travel toward Naviti beach for the merge. Aww…that would’ve made Bradley so happy.

Tidbits from the merge feast…

• The seats are random. Of course, one of those random spaces includes a clue. And the lucky recipient is…Chris.
• The new tribe is named “Lavita.”
• Domenick gives a speech encouraging everyone to play their hardest and get along.
• Chris gives his own toast and…well…it’s a rap. He did another rap. Another Chris rap…

A Late-Night Rendezvous

So…Chris’s advantage is that a boat will arrive at night to take him to Ghost Island to retrieve an idol. The catch is; can he sneak out without anyone noticing? Interesting. It’s like a Ghost Island booty call.

Chris decides to go for it and manages to escape without anybody seeing him.

When he arrives, he learns that the idol (which JT neglected to bring to the “Game Changers” Tribal where he was voted out) is only good for the next Tribal Council. Buuuut…he can risk his next vote to extend the power. He can gamble his vote up to five times, each time will earn him a single Tribal’s extension.

Chris again decides to go for it. He’s successful in his first attempt and unsuccessful in his second. So, he has an idol that is available for use in one of the next two Tribals, but he won’t be able to vote in the next Tribal.

Whew…got all that?

Also, that’s like the 40th “Game Changers” themed cursed item.

Naviti Reunion?

The members of classic Naviti want to get together to get rid of one more classic Malolo member, but Domenick is very wary of working with Chris. Wendell proposes mediating a peace summit between the two.

The meeting goes about as well as expected with Dom trying to extend an olive branch and Chris treating the olive branch like a microphone and spitting a battle rap in Dom’s face.

OK, it wasn’t that bad. But Chris is clearly not interested in talking strategy with Domenick. Well, they tried.

Later on, Chris tells us that he’s too “suave” to fall for their tricks. Meanwhile, thousands of “Wand-off” fans start penciling lyrics to a “Rico Suave” parody.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a balance beam while holding a pole over their head. At the end of the pole is a small statue. If a player falls off of the beam or their statue falls, they are eliminated. The last person standing wins immunity.

This would be the perfect challenge for a boom mic operator.

Result: It comes down to Libby vs. Kellyn, with Kellyn pulling off the win.

Pre-Tribal Politicking

So, Chris immediately leads ten of his closest friend to the water well so they can talk about the vote. This is as hilarious as it sounds. Once they get there, he pitches splitting the vote between Wendell and Domenick to flush Dom’s idol.

An eleven-person alliance. What could go wrong?

Everyone seems to be on board, but I can’t imagine the Laurels and Kellyns of the world are going to go along with it.

Chris assures us that this is a “foolproof” plan.

Back at camp, Wendell admits to Domenick that he has an idol and is willing to play it.

When everyone returns, Donathan immediately spills the beans to Domenick and Wendell. Domenick wants to get Jenna and Libby on their side, but Donathan warns him against it.

Meanwhile, Libby and Jenna feel pretty safe and make the point that Domenick is much more deceptive than Chris.

In other news, the women of classic Naviti are making plans of their own. Desiree throws out the idea of getting rid of Libby…for some reason.

Tribal Time

They don’t waste much time before opening up the Chris vs. Domenick debate. Domenick gives his version of the rift, saying that Chris was still mad at him for calling him out during the opening challenge and Dom showing Chris his (fake) idol couldn’t get him to trust him. Dom then produced his fake idol and started wearing it.

Chris countered by saying that he returned from Ghost Island to learn that Dom had targeted someone named Angela.

Voting Time: Domenick votes for Chris as loudly as possible, Wendell votes for “Chris the Rapper” and gives a must-see speech about how Chris should stop rapping, the rest of the votes are sooper secret.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…Domenick uses his legacy advantage for himself.

Alright, we’ve got two votes for Chris, two votes for Libby, four votes for Chris, and the eighth person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” and the first member of the jury is…Chris.

Wow…not a single person who went on Chris’s water expedition stuck to the plan.

Also, kudos to Chris for being a good sport and congratulating Domenick and Wendell on the way out.

Verdict: So…maybe JT’s idol really was cursed?

	Wendell – From peacemaker to target to sitting pretty. Wendell’s going to have a great case to make to a jury. Domenick – Hey, you tried to work with the guy. I can’t even fault you for using the legacy advantage. Better safe than sorry. The Naviti Women – Let the world burn, then you can pick up the pieces.
	Donathan and Laurel – It looks like you two are pretty solid with Wendell and Dom at this point. But…you don’t have strong jury cases yet.
	Libby – I’m assuming the votes you received were in case Chris played an idol. That’s probably not great for you.
	Sebastian, Michael, and Jenna – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

Power Rankings Results: Roark and I both had Chris in spot thirteen. The current score is Team Roark 78, Team Gordon 80.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

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 players will earn. For example, if Donathan is voted out this episode, Roark will receive five points and Gordon will receive six points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Ghost Island” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Last Week: Roark had Bradley in spot twelve, I had him in spot eleven. The current score is Team Roark 65, Team Gordon 67.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Roark’s Score: 65 Any questions for Roark? Drop her a line on Twitter: @roarkstweets	Gordon’s Score: 67 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Domenick: It’s a coinflip between Dom and Wendell being the quote unquote safest. Smart guys, in power, have idols. Good to go.	1. Wendell: Ooo…look at me…I can remember my girlfriend’s birthday. Show off. I’ll be impressed when you can find the world’s biggest immunity idol. Oh wait…nevermind.
2. Wendell: I have to assume the happy-birthday-to-my-girlfriend edit was directed at me. Sorry for making it weird, Wendell. You’re doing great.	2. Domenick: I’m still not sure if I totally understand the Bradley move. But, you do you. Anywho, you’ve got an idol, a legacy advantage, and the numbers. All Chris has are dope rhymes. (Do the kids still say “Dope”?)
3. Laurel: She’s infiltrated Naviti really nicely, and seems to be on good terms with her Malolo crew. Laurel is cruisin’	3. Laurel: Just…you’re everything. You’re just playing a masterful game. Even the Malolo reek of failure can’t hold you down.
4. Kellyn: Kellyn is obviously safe as all get out. I just wish she would say something of substance. I am really tired of hearing about her gut.	4. Kellyn: I’ll admit to being a big fan of Kellyn’s victory face. (You know the one.) If it’s that big for winning an extra vote, I imagine her whole jaw will unhinge if she wins the million.
5. Donathan: Donathan seemed very eager to play in the pre-merge – trying to play the middle, etc – I hope he’s willing to cool his jets and go with the flow in the early merge. Just be cool. Don’t be all uncool.	5. Chelsea: We’re not seeing much of you, but you sure got the best of Bradley. Nobody’s worried about you at this point, but you’re going to have to start being more visible if you’re going to win over a jury.
6. Sea Bass: More confessionals please. Because if his Instagram captions are any indication he has a lot more to say.	6. Donathan: I was worried that your little feud with Bradley was going to get you into some trouble, but you figured it out. Now that the merge is upon us, you’re going to have to make some noise if you want to win.
7. Jenna: Jenna seems to be having fun and DGAF. She seems flexible and will just go where the numbers tell her.	7. Sea Bass: Sebastian is going to find himself on the wrong side of the numbers, and people are always eager to break up couples, but he isn’t going to be anyone’s first target.
8. Desiree: Des isn’t winning any puzzle-based challenges any time soon, so she’ll likely remain an open target. At this point her best-case scenario is to hide behind bigger targets.	8. Michael: Michael didn’t get much mileage out of his first idol, he won’t make the same mistakes with the (expletive deleted) stick.
9. Michael: Based on his reading of those idol rules, I hope Michael sticks to modeling and never pivots to audio book voice recording artist. He is getting so much screen time he is definitely safe, but I don’t trust him to play this idol correctly.	9. Desiree: There’s no reason to go after Desiree anytime soon. She’s fine.
10. Libby: As previously ranked, Libby seems to be on people’s radars. I think bigger fish will prevail earlier, but she’s probably in trouble soon.	10. Jenna: Am I wrong in assuming that people know Jenna’s in a relationship with Sea Bass? If they’re just bros at this point, then she’s fine. If they’re cuddling up, she’s going to have a target on her back.
11. Chelsea: Chelsea seems to be sitting out literally all portions of this “Survivor” season.	11. Libby: TOTAL E-LIB-INATON! Libby should have been an easy vote last week, but she managed to hang around. We may be selling her short. But, the fact remains that Domenick still doesn’t trust her.
12. Angela: Libby didn’t really do too much this week, and as Chris’s main ally, I’m ranking her low. Oh I’m sorry, Angela. My bad.	12. Angela: If Chris wins immunity, you’re a goner. If he loses, you’ll probably have some opportunities to make some moves.
13. Chris: I would be a fool not to rank Chris here, although it utterly breaks my heart. It’s like watching Krystal leave “The Bachelor.” You know she’s not winning, but she’s also the lightning rod of the group. You’ll be missed, Chris. Hope your exit press is bonkers.	13. Chris: Alright stop…collaborate and listen, Chris is done for in the latest edition. Domenick has just done a better job of creating allies and he has an idol. Maybe Chris can put together an immunity run, but those early individual immunities tend to be balance and endurance based, not baseball based.

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

“Survivor: Ghost Island” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Roark Luskin, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Gordon Holmes: Were there any signs that tipped you off that you might have been in trouble?
Bradley Kleihege: Absolutely. I didn’t think I was going home, but I didn’t feel 100% whatsoever. I didn’t trust Chelsea at all. She’d been after me since day two. Luckily she told Kellyn and Kellyn came right back to me. So, I didn’t trust her. I thought I was close with Dom, but after we lost the immunity challenge I knew something was up. The problem was; I didn’t have any actionable intelligence to go off of that something was actually up. And so, do I make a big deal about it and Tribal and maybe that will save me? But, I thought in that situation the risk that nothing was up and I was just being paranoid, would then throw myself out in a way. So, you’d hear me say, “We’re one big happy family, everybody is getting along.” No, we weren’t at all. That’s what I had to go with because I didn’t have enough information and I though the risk of blowing it up was too high. I didn’t think I’d be in trouble until the merge. I knew at the merge, from a Naviti standpoint, that Chelsea or I would have to go. I knew she didn’t like me in the game at all. She thought I was completely untrustworthy. I wasn’t expecting it at that point.

Holmes: They made it look like you were voted out because you were annoying Domenick. But, ever since Redemption Island, we know that it’s smart to take annoying people to the end. Was there something else behind the vote that we didn’t see?
Kleihege: If you ask Dom or anyone else, my edit made it look like I was a lot less of threat. At that point I was not a final Tribal goat. I was perceived as a big threat in the game because I had so effectively been voting off the Malolos when I was at Malolo. And so, Dom and I got along for the most part. When we were originally at Naviti, most of the people wanted to get rid of him. Dom and I were pretty close, and a couple of times I said to him, “You’ve got to chill out. People want you out because you’re going nuts.” And he was going nuts. He wasn’t fitting in with anybody. I perceived it as, I was trying to tell him what was going on, and he perceived it as me talking down to him. That’s what he was referring to.

Holmes: You mentioned that you and Chelsea weren’t getting along. What was the catalyst for that?
Kleihege: I have hung out with Chelsea multiple times since we’ve gotten back. She’s a really great person, but in the game, she was her edit. She was quiet, fake, irrelevant. I played every day with Chelsea. And because there’s nothing else to do, we’d talk. And every day I’d say, “Nope, still haven’t had a real conversation with Chelsea.” She just wouldn’t give you her real stuff. It took me until day seventeen. We were talking about camping in the mountains because she’s from Utah and I lived there for a while. We both love camping. And I walked over to one of the producers and I said, “It took seventeen days and we finally had a real conversation.”

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Libby.
Kleihege: Simple.
Holmes: Wendell?
Kleihege: Hang on…I have these written down.
Holmes: Cheater.
Kleihege: Wendell…astute.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Kleihege: Irrelevant.
Holmes: Angela?
Kleihege: Harsh.
Holmes: Brendan?
Kleihege: I didn’t think of Brendan.
Holmes: Good.
Kleihege: Um…boring…I guess.
Holmes: Chris?
Kleihege: Ridiculous.
Holmes: Desiree?
Kleihege: Cool.
Holmes: Stephanie?
Kleihege: Larger than life.
Holmes: Michael?
Kleihege: Sauve.
Holmes: Sebastian?
Kleihege: Chill.
Holmes: Kellyn?
Kleihege: A “Survivor” producer’s dream come true.
Holmes: Morgan?
Kleihege: So congenial. Morgan is amazing.
Holmes: Jenna?
Kleihege: She’s just like no (expletive deleted) given.
Holmes: Donathan?
Kleihege: Awful.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Domenick.
Kleihege: Brash.

Holmes: Why is Donathan awful?
Kleihege: He was being built up by Jeff and some of the other contestants. In the beginning you have that water challenge where he pulled the lever. There were people on Naviti who were congratulating him. What you didn’t see was he sat there for 20 minutes telling everyone he wasn’t going to get in the water. Jeff practically berated him until he got in the water and pulled the lever. So, he becomes this big hero. But I don’t think a hero would have gotten out of the water. I think a hero would have been there with James in the water trying to encourage him. Instead, he whined that he couldn’t do it. So, I think that started to get into his head so you had someone who was so sure he could do things his own way to the point of fault, really. I was the one who cooked the rice and he would start doing stuff to the rice. And I’d be like, “Hey, I’m doing this.” And he’d say, “I can cook rice it I want to, so I’m going to do whatever I want.” It was just really insufferable. And you just don’t see that. There are a couple of people who are getting really unrealistic edits. And Donathan is 100% one of them.
Holmes: Who else is getting an unrealistic edit?
Kleihege: I think Chris is getting a softer version of himself.
Holmes: He was more abrasive?
Kleihege: Yes…maybe more ridiculous.
Holmes: (Laughs) More ridiculous? I don’t buy that.
Kleihege: He looks a little more bearable and harmless that he was in real life.

Holmes: The tribe sent Kellyn to Ghost Island becausethey didn’t want everyone knowing Ghost Island’s secrets. Was the real reason that she was on your side and you were hoping she’d score and advantage?
Kleihege: Oh 100% she was on my side. We sent her because then I’d know what happened and the two of us would be able to figure out how to play it.

Holmes: And finally, do you want to give us a Yelp review for Malolo beach?
Kleihege: (Laughs) It got so windy at night that we all froze to death. It was awful. My complaining, there was a strategic bend to it. I wasn’t complaining to complain. My strategy didn’t work, but I was trying to say, “It’s not your fault that you’ve been losing. The other place is like the Four Seasons.” They couldn’t sleep. It was so cold and windy. It was me being frustrated with the producers that it was so uneven. I was trying to complain to the producers. I’d say, “Don’t feel bad, this is why you’re losing.” And the ants are so annoying. They were always all over you. It was kind of ridiculous. It’s not as nice as Naviti, but it’s still paradise.

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