More Whatnot

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

Last Week: Jay tasted forbidden fruit, Adam’s advantage was announced, and Taylor was knocked up…er…out.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor Blog…

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

The Vinaka Tribe (wearing black)
Adam – 25, Homeless Shelter Manager
Bret – 42, Police Sergeant
Chris – 38, Trial Lawyer
David – 42, Television Writer
Hannah – 24, Barista
Jay – 27, Real Estate Agent
Jessica – 37, Assistant District Attorney
Ken – 33, Model
Sunday – 45, Youth Pastor
Will – 18, High School Student
Zeke – 28, Asset Manager

We kick things off back at Vinaka Beach where Jay smartly digs up the remaining food and returns it to tribe. (Anyone else get a flashback to Vern trying to dig up his jar of pennies?)

He lets us know that he hopes that the fact that he didn’t play an idol will lead people to believe that he doesn’t have one. I will give him that, not playing it last week was a gutsy move.

Later on, Chris and Bret decide that it’s finally time for Jessica to go home. Chris confesses that it’s 90% because she’s a good player and 10% because he owes her one. Ah…revenge is a dish best served in a jar that was buried on a beach by a surfer guy.

The next morning, Hannah admits to flirting with Ken. She doesn’t think he’s into her but she reallllly wouldn’t mind if he was. Join the club, Hannah.

Later on, Will tries to win Zeke’s trust by telling him about Jay’s idol. Will also makes sure to hammer home the point that if word gets back to Jay, he’ll know that he ratted. Zeke promises that he’ll keep it a secret.

CUT TO: Zeke tells David about Jay’s idol.

CUT TO: David tells Chris about Jay’s idol.

CUT TO: David tells Hannah about Jay’s idol.

CUT TO: Chris tells Bret about Jay’s idol.

CUT TO: David tells Ken about Jay’s idol.

CUT TO: Zeke tells Chris about Jay’s idol.

Quick Aside: I wish this had ended up like a game of telephone with everyone thinking Jay has a Billy Idol jacket pencil duck cat.

Eventually Zeke and Chris come up with a plan to make Jay think his number is up so he’ll play the idol, but they’ll really target Jessica.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into two teams of five. They’ll then stand on a raft and use a rope to pull themselves to an obstacle course. There they’ll retrieve keys. When they return to the beach, they’ll use the keys to unlock a set of colored blocks. First tribe to stack their blocks so that there are no matching colors on any side wins a visit to a floating pizzeria.

Another Quick Aside: I’ve been to that pizzeria! It’s amazing.

The teams will be chosen by picking rocks. The odd person out will not be allowed to play. (I hate that, let them bet on the winner!)

David offers to sit out because he’s a bad swimmer and doesn’t want to be blamed for a loss.

The others give David a vote of confidence and poor David breaks down a little. It might be getting dusty in my living room too.

Our teams are Ken, Jessica, David, Chris, and Will vs. Bret, Zeke, Sunday, Hannah, and Adam. No pizza for Jay.

We start off and things are pretty even with Ken’s team only having a slight lead when they get to the blocks. (And David performed adequately, yay!)

The puzzle portion is Zeke and Adam against Chris and David with Zeke and Adam managing to pull off the come-from-behind win.

During the reward, the winners are treated to letters from home. Adam immediately starts crying because it’s a letter from his mother who is battling cancer. WILL SOMEONE PLEASE DUST MY LIVING ROOM!

Back at camp, Ken and David discuss how far David has come since the start the game. Just a real nice heart-to-heart between two people who seem like they’ve bonded.

Honestly, this is great. I feel like too much time is devoted to strategy and not enough time is devoted to relationships.

Later on, David lets us know that he’s uncomfortable with the Chris/Bret/Sunday alliance. He tells Jessica and Ken that he wants to get rid of Chris. Oh, we might see that Tribal strangling yet!

Immunity Challenge Time: Players will stand on a beam while balancing a statue on a pole. At intervals they’ll move further away from the statue. Last person standing wins immunity.

We start off and Ken is annoyed because ants are crawling on him. Well, can you blame them?

Everyone survives the first round. Hannah is the first out in the second round. She’s joined by Ken.

Sunday is the first one out in the third round. We then lose Chris, Will, Kay, and Bret.

We’re down to Jessica, Adam, Zeke, and David.

Adam is the first one gone in the final round. Jessica is out next. It’s down to challenge powerhouses David and Zeke. They battle it out for a while and David eventually claims the win!

David’s afraid of death, but “Survivor” glory lives forever!

Politicking around camp has Chris, Bret, and Sunday wanting to pretend they’re going for Jay while actually voting for Jessica. Meanwhile, David pitches getting rid of Chris to Zeke.

David also clues Jessica in to the fact that Chris is gunning for her. As you’d imagine, she is not psyched about this development.

Zeke and Hannah realize that they’re the swing votes, but they don’t give an indication as to which way they’re leaning.

That night at Tribal, Jay says he was waiting for a crack to open, but he still feels like he’s on the outs.

David admits that there are different voting blocks.

Fun Fact: Stephen Fishbach gets a quarter every time someone mentions “voting blocks.”

Hannah doesn’t think it’s a voting block, she thinks it’s a “trust cluster.” Never change, Hannah.

Bret believes there are multiple trust clusters and the key word is “trust.”

Adam hints that there is a war brewing under the surface and they can’t all agree on a single threat.

Jay is still under the assumption that he’s the biggest target.

Jessica is worried that her run-ins with other Gen-Xers could get her in trouble.

Chris doesn’t think she has anything to worry about because you need to have a short memory in the game.

Jeff asks people how comfortable they are with how the vote will and everyone says, “100%.”

Voting Time: Jessica votes for Chris, Chris votes for Jessica, and no other votes are shown.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol…and…nobody does! Jay!

Alright, we’ve got one vote for Chris, one vote for Jessica, one vote for Chris, one vote for Jessica, one vote for Chris, one vote for Jessica, one vote for Chris, one vote for Jessica, one vote for Chris, and the tenth person voted out “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” is…Chris.

On the way out Chris and Zeke share a “Boomer Sooner” chant. Adorable.

Also, Jay voted with the Jessica, Chris, and Bret trust cluster.

Back at camp, Jay reveals that he didn’t play his idol because nobody was talking about him. Good read.

Bret congratulates Zeke on the move and tells him that they would have had to have done it sooner or later. (Heh, SOONER or later.)

Zeke’s glad Bret isn’t mad at him because he’s preparing for the eventual showdown with David. Nooooo! Best Friends!

Sure enough, Zeke is on David’s hit list as well. He tries to get Bret on board, but Bret has already thrown is loyalty to Zeke. Bret tells Zeke what’s up and Zeke immediately outs David’s idol.

Well, that escalated quickly.

Zeke tries to rally Hannah and Adam to his side, but Hannah is torn because she wants to work with David too.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into three teams. Each player will have their arms and feet bound together. They’ll have to slither through the sand, then put together a snake puzzle. The first team to complete their puzzle gets a helicopter tour and a picnic.

One person won’t get to compete, but they will get to go on the reward. LET THEM BET!

They pull rocks and it’s Hannah, Jessica, and Adam vs. Will, Ken, and Jay vs. Sunday, Zeke, and Bret. David automatically gets the reward.

The Survivor are ready, and they go. And…it’s hilarious. All the players have to wriggle on the ground like worms. It’s like the worst breakdance competition ever.

The Ken/Jay/Will team is the first one to the puzzle. Jessica is not doing well. Bret’s losing his shorts.

The other teams eventually make it to the puzzle team with Bret, Sunday, and Zeke managing to come from behind to win it.

After the victory, Bret screams, “I got naked on ‘Survivor!’” He wouldn’t be my first choice.

The quartet enjoys beers at the picnic. Oh man…more alcohol for Bret. He might have a problem.

When David and Sunday sneak away, Bret admits to Zeke that he’s a homosexual and they bond over it. That was a nice moment. “Survivor” can be great.

Sunday returns and it’s back to strategy talk. They want to target David, but have to be sure that he doesn’t see it coming.

Back at camp, Hannah lets us know that he has decided to target Zeke. She tells David about Bret’s betrayal and David rightfully freaks out. She tells David that Zeke still trusts her and she’ll look out for him.

Jay’s gonna sneak through again, isn’t he?

Immunity Challenge Time: Each player will stand behind a cage door and maneuver a handle through a blind maze. Once they release themselves from the cage they’ll have to complete a slide puzzle. First person to finish the puzzle wins immunity.

We start off and there isn’t much to describe except for people wiggling handles.

Jay is the first one out. And before anyone else can open their door, Jay completes the slide puzzle. Well done.

Politicking around camp starts off with David telling Jessica that Zeke is gunning for him. Both Jessica and Ken say they’ll vote with David.

Later, Zeke lets us know that he realizes that Hannah can’t be trusted. He tells her that she has to decide if she’s working with him or with David.

Zeke realizes David’s idol is bad news for him, so he tries to switch the vote to Hannah. It looks like he has Will, Jay, Bret, and Sunday on his side.

Hannah tries to get Adam to vote with her, but he isn’t sure.

Before the vote, Hannah asks David to play his idol for her.

It feels like new people are in trouble every episode. This season is crazy.

That night at Tribal, Probst again asks them how confident they are about the vote. Nobody is confident and only Jay is sure that he’s safe.

David compares himself to a fruit bat because everything looks upside-down. Good analogy.

Adam and Hannah are whispering, but we don’t know what’s being said.

David refers to it as as trust cluster-muck, which sets Bret off. Bret says it’s every man for himself.

Adam tells Jeff that the vote is still very live.

Jessica claims that she doesn’t know what’s going on.

More whispering makes it sound like Ken is in trouble.

Bret believes the whispering is all just smoke and mirrors.

Voting Time: No votes are shown, but a giant bug lands on Taylor.

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if anyone would like to play an idol…and…David does!

As he’s doing it, Hannah tells him to wait. Adam tells him that the others are whispering that they’re voting for Ken. So, David says the idol is for Ken.

We’ve got one vote for Zeke, one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke, and the final vote is for Hannah. A tie!

Wow…

Voting Time Part Deux: No votes are shown, but Hannah begs Jessica to vote for Zeke. Jessica is very worried about drawing rocks.

JPro tallies a second time (the third tonight!) We’ve got one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke, one vote for Hannah, one vote for Zeke! Another tie!

The eight non-Hannah and Zeke players have to unanimously decide who should go home. If not, it’s rock time.

Will doesn’t want to go home for Hannah or Zeke. Jessica doesn’t want to draw rocks. Everyone else can’t come to a consensus.

ROCK TIME!

Ken, Jay, Zeke, and Hannah are safe. The other six have to draw.

They reveal their hands and the eleventh person eliminated from the game is…Jessica.

Wow. Just wow.

Jessica stays true to her word and wills her legacy advantage to Ken.

Verdict: Why aren’t more people loving this season? Every episode is a roller coaster. It seems like there are two new people on the outs every week. Remember when Jay was in trouble? Or Adam? It feels like people aren’t playing just to get to the end, they’re playing to win.

Like McDonalds, I’m loving it.

(I don’t really love McDonalds.)

Power Rankings Results: Michele Fitzgerald had Chris in spot 3 and Jessica in spot 11, while Shirin Oskooi had Chris in spot 7 and Jessica in spot 11. So, the current score is Team Fitzgerald 93, Team Oskooi 86.

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

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

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.  The person with the most points at the end of the season will be declared the “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” champion.

Last Week: Michele Fitzgerald had Taylor in spot 10, Shirin Oskooi had him in spot 4. So, the current score is Team Michele 79, Team Shirin 68.

Quick Note: XFINITY “Survivor” loudmouth Gordon Holmes will be unable to participate in this season’s Power Rankings due to being more than a bit spoiled. Therefore, he has invited defending Power Rankings champion Shirin Oskooi to take his place.

Michele Fitzgerald and Shirin Oskooi’s Rankings

Team Michele’s Score = 79 Any questions for Michele? Drop her a line on Twitter: @meeshfitz	Team Shirin’s Score = 68 Any questions for Shirin? Drop her a line on Twitter: @theshirin
1. – David: “The one to fear is he who fears everything” – Michele Fitzgerald, 2016	1. – Zeke: Sat out the balancing challenge but won the balancing act back at camp.
2. – Zeke:  With food comes mental clarity. Sitting out tells me you understand your strengths and weaknesses. Keep your weapon sharp.	2. – Sunday: Sunday is stealthily carrying out Michaela’s shells and rocks plan to keep Ika Bula dominating.
3. – Chris: It’s a good sign that everyone is running the game plays by you. #thatsmyquarterback	3. – Ken: All this invisibility indicates safety for now, doom for later.
4. – Bret:  Like your drinks, your chances of staying this week are strong.	4. – David: Between his allies Zeke, Ken, Jessica, and Ken’s bud Adam, David is one vote away from controlling the game, and has an idol to help get him there.
5. – Hannah: #1 rule of “Survivor” is to play to your strengths. You’re not really the ‘team captain’ type. Go back to the science lab and work on your own formula to win.	5. – Adam:  He’ll be a soldier in the Gen X civil war and has an idol to protect him from crossfire.
6. – Ken: Like a statue. Chiseled, beautiful, silent.	6. – Hannah:  Episode 8: Hannah: Jay thinks I’m this pathetic idiot that can’t see past his pretty face and intense gameplay. Episode 9: Jay: Hannah, I’m so proud of you! Hannah: ❤ ❤ ❤ thanks
7. – Jay: You DO have an idol! Use it.	7. – Chris: Between his allies Zeke, Sunday, Bret, and Sunday’s bud Jay, Chris is one vote away from controlling the game, and Jay has an idol to help get him there.
8. – Adam: Idols and advantages are great but do you know where winners really get their power? Words. Use them wisely.	8. – Jay:  Modern Millennial about to be undone by an old fashioned (game of) telephone.
9. – Will: You are on a sinking ship. There may be room to save you and Jay short term but it makes more sense to detach and survive. #alwaysletgo	9. – Will: Milking the knowledge of Jay’s idol for all it’s worth.
10. – Sunday: Goat has 2 meanings. Someone who is brought to the end because they are easy to beat or Greatest of All Time. Be the latter.	10. – Bret: If Zeke sides with Ken Stark and the North, he’ll spare his ally Chris and Bret’s game will go south.
11. – Jessica: Blindsided once by sand, once by Sunday.	11. – Jessica: Half of Gen X hates her, and her game is out of her hands. The hidden immunity idol that saved her was shaped like a flower; the immunity necklace that eludes her is shaped a bit differently.

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

Gordon Holmes: Alright, I assume you’re going to get this question a lot today, so let’s just get it out of the way.
Taylor Stocker: Let’s do it.
Holmes: You promised me you were going to fall out of a giant tree. Why didn’t that happen?
Stocker: (Laughs) I did not fall out of a giant tree. I did climb a lot of trees, I promise.

Holmes: We got Figgy’s take on what happened to your relationship. Now it’s your turn.
Stocker: We got back and one of the first things that happened was I found out I had a son on the way. From that, I had to do what was best for my family. I talked with Jess about it and ended things. I know she was super upset about it and really hurt about everything. I know she has her own opinions on some stuff that’s outside of the game about me. And she’s not happy with me at all. I respect that if she wants to hate on me and make a bunch of allegations, then she can say whatever she wants. I’m not going to let it affect me.
Holmes: Were you in a relationship with the mother when you were on the show or was it over?
Stocker: I went in and the situation was pretty confusing. I knew that I was going on “Survivor” so I was going to keep my options open and do what I think would help me get ahead in the game. I was kind of a free agent. I know Jess has her different opinions on that. But I definitely had a girlfriend prior to casting.
Holmes: With your situation the way it is now, it must’ve been rough watching this season.
Stocker: (Laughs) Yeah, there are some episodes that I didn’t watch. It was so cringing. You could compare it to having a relationship and having a ton of pictures, and it’s on your computer, and when it’s over you’re like, “What do I do with this stuff?” There were some scenes that I watch and I’m thinking, “What was I thinking there?” Not that Jess is a bad person, but just from a game purpose. “What was I doing?” Things didn’t end super-well there, but in the game it went well.
Holmes: Well, let’s not overlook that you’re about to be a father. Congratulations on that. When is the due date?
Stocker: She should be due pretty soon. I can’t reveal a date yet. But yeah, thanks so much.
Holmes: And I hear Vinaka is a wonderful name for a boy.
Stocker: (Laughs) I think we have a name picked out, but it’s a secret.
Holmes: It’s Probst, isn’t it?
Stocker: (Laughs) Yeah.

Holmes: So, Jay called Adam an (expletive deleted) last night and Zeke and Hannah are basically like, “Yup.”
Stocker: (Laughs)
Holmes: Is there a side of Adam we’re not seeing? Because he doesn’t seem that antagonistic to me.
Stocker: I don’t think Adam is an (expletive deleted), but in certain circumstances he comes across in a unique way. Like after Jess was voted out, Adam comes to me and it’s almost like he’s apologizing, but he’s really just telling me a lot of bad things. He’s telling me a lot of things that suck for me. That’s not an apology, Adam. “I totally screwed you.” It’s like he boasting about it or something. I think he’s meaning to talk strategy, but it could come across in a totally different way.
Holmes: Does it seem like he’s constantly in game mode and can’t discuss other things?
Stocker: Yeah. I would say that’s a trait of Adam, he’s always in game. He’s a superfan. He loves “Survivor.” His heart and soul is all about this game. He loves talking about it. If he’s not talking about strategy, then he’s talking about past strategy. The fandom is off the charts. But, he is one of those useful people to keep around. “In that vote in the year of 2001, what happened is…” He’s a funny guy. I love hanging around him.

Holmes: One of the things he should’ve taught you is how badly it tends to work out for people who are caught stealing food.
Stocker: (Laughs)
Holmes: Banana etiquette, man.
Stocker: He did tell me that, too. When I was stealing it and he was with me he said, “This is the type of stuff that gets you voted out.” I said, “I don’t care, Adam. I’m hungry.”

Holmes: Why was Jay comfortable not playing his idol last night?
Stocker: I don’t think he was confident. I think he flipped a coin. He flipped a shell. I think he had no idea what was going to happen. I think in his mind, playing it and being flushed would’ve been worse.
Holmes: Did you know he had it?
Stocker: I wish he had told me so we could’ve plotted some way to use it. If we could’ve tied the vote.
Holmes: With last night’s numbers you’d have to flip some folks. Who would’ve been the best target?
Stocker: Hannah. She’s one of those people where you might not need to tell her before Tribal. You just lean over and say, “Hey, you’re on the other side of the vote.” She’ll just vote whatever you say. It’s insane.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Mari.
Stocker: Gamer.
Holmes: Jay?
Stocker: Surfer brah.
Holmes: Will?
Stocker: Duh… (Laughs) Just put in duh. Or High school.
Holmes: Zeke?
Stocker: Beer.
Holmes: Hannah?
Stocker: Sporadic.
Holmes: Adam?
Stocker: Intelligent.
Holmes: Michaela?
Stocker: Wild.
Holmes: Michelle?
Stocker: Thoughful.
Holmes: Ken?
Stocker: Hawaii.
Holmes: Bret?
Stocker: New York.
Holmes: David?
Stocker: Family Guy.
Holmes: Chris?
Stocker: Viking.
Holmes: Jessica?
Stocker: Lawyer.
Holmes: Sunday?
Stocker: Church.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Figgy.
Stocker: (Laughs) I don’t even know what to say to that one. I will say…kind.

Holmes: Having a relationship fall apart is tough. Having it fall apart in front of a national audience has got to be worse. How’ve you handled the fan backlash from that situation?
Stocker: It’s not fun. There’s a pretty good mix of people that don’t like that combo of her and I and people that do. You get these crazy people who just feel like their voice should be heard. They’d probably never say those things to my face. But behind the screen they feel like they’re safe. It’s been quite a wild trip.

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

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

Last Week: The young people were not happy with last week’s vote.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor Blog…

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

The Vinaka Tribe (wearing black)
Adam – 25, Homeless Shelter Manager
Bret – 42, Police Sergeant
Chris – 38, Trial Lawyer
David – 42, Television Writer
Hannah – 24, Barista
Jay – 27, Real Estate Agent
Jessica – 37, Assistant District Attorney
Ken – 33, Model
Sunday – 45, Youth Pastor
Taylor – 24, Ski Instructor
Will – 18, High School Student
Zeke – 28, Asset Manager

Things kick off back at Vinaka Beach after Tribal where Jay is congratulating Adam for his new placement at the bottom of Gen-X. I’m pretty sure he meant that sarcastically.

Taylor points out to Jay that you can only trust so many people in the game. Yeah, none.

Chris is psyched that his alliance is coming together, but he still doesn’t trust Adam. Well, then that’s common ground for everyone.

Later on, Taylor and Adam make a deal where Adam won’t tell anyone about Taylor’s hidden food if Taylor doesn’t tell anyone about Adam’s reward stealing advantage. This will last.

The next morning, Hannah tells Jay that she flipped on him because she was worried that she was being treated like a goat. Well, at least she’s aware.

Reward Challenge Time: The tribe will be split into teams of six. They’ll race through an obstacle course and retrieve a key. The key will be used to release a box. The team will then drag the box under a net and to the finish line. They’ll then open the box and retrieve bolos. First tribe to throw all of their bolos onto a pole will receive a cruise trip to a resort and a delicious meal.

A schoolyard pick is held to determine teams. We end up with Chris picking Bret, Ken, David, Sunday, and Taylor vs. Hannah who picked Adam, Will, Zeke, Jay, and Jessica.

The Survivors are ready…and they go. Chris’s team is the first to retrieve their key and is also the first to get their box to the finish line. Taylor and Sunday are the bolo tossers for their team.

Hannah’s team is taking foreeeeever to get under the net. And in fact, they never get out of the net as Taylor is a bolo-tossing savant. Chris’s team wins reward.

Hannah is bummed that her team lost, but she admits to us that she picked Jay and Will for strategic reasons. Well, is that strategic bonus worth more than a hamburger?

We meet up with the winners at their reward and yow…two tons of food. Taylor explains that he’s more used to food than the others because of his secret stash. I love that Taylor thinks he’s an evil genius for his hidden food stashes that everyone knows about.

And in a nod to classic “Survivor” rewards, Bret decides to get hammered. Somewhere Jonny Fairplay is watching this and smiling.

Back at camp, Jay’s looking for a way to stop his losing streak. He has a chat with Adam, but Adam is too worried about messing up his standing with his new alliance to do anything. He does, however, tell Jay that Taylor is the reason that he’s on the bottom now.

When Jay relays this message to Will, Hannah, and Zeke, he makes it sound like Adam was rubbing it in his face. It didn’t seem like that to me, but I only saw an edited version.

Better yet, when Jay calls Adam an (Expletive Deleted), Hannah and Zeke both agree with him. Yikes.

Zeke later tells us how annoyed he is with Adam for being a jerk to Jay. Which, again, I don’t think he was based on the edit. This’ll be interesting if Jay’s exaggeration gets Adam voted out.

Things aren’t all peachy with Gen-X either as Bret and Sunday are getting tired of Jessica. Sunday approaches Jay to get his thoughts, as apparently they’re tight from their time at Ikabula. He tells her he’ll do whatever she wants…and she wants Jessica gone.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a beam and balance a ball on a bow. How’s that for alliteration! At regular intervals they’ll move to a thinner beam. Last person with their ball in place wins immunity.

Before we begin, JPro offers the players a chance to sit out and enjoy sandwiches, beer, and other tasty treats. Zeke and Will take him up on the offer.

Really, Will?

We start off and Hannah is out quickly. She’s the only person to be eliminated in the first round.

Quick Aside: Probst keeps teasing Will because he’s not old enough to have a beer. But, Google tells me the drinking age is 18 in Fiji.

Bret is the only person to fail in the second round.

Sunday, Jessica, and David are immediately out as we switch to the third round. Chris goes shortly afterwards.

We’re down to Adam, Ken, Jay, and Taylor.

Adam’s first out, he’s followed by Jay.

Another Quick Aside: Of course Taylor has those toe shoes.

Taylor and Ken battle it out, with Ken eventually picking up the win.

Back at camp, David lets us know that Jay and Taylor are the main targets. They also want to split the votes in case there is an idol in play.

However, Sunday still wants to send Jessica packing. It’s nice to see Sunday making moves, but I wonder if it’s a bit too early.

Later, Taylor decides to share his stash with Jay. This may be the most innocent stash two surfer types have ever enjoyed. During the feast, Taylor spills the bean (figuratively) about Adam’s advantage while spilling the other food (literally).

Before we head to Tribal, Jay wonders if he should play his idol or save it for a rainy day. I’m not sure it gets much rainier than right now, Jay.

Meanwhile, Taylor vows to avenge the love of his life, Figgy. (Ahem.)

That night at Tribal, Michelle is introduced as the first member of the jury.

Jay admits that last episode’s blindside was a good move, but he wishes he’d been on the other side of it. Adam says that he knows how he feels.

Probst senses some animosity between the two. Jay lets him know that he’d love to vote for Adam again.

Jay knows that he, Taylor, and Will are on the bottom.

Chris has been on the wrong side of the vote before, but you can work your way back into cracks.

Taylor is psyched to know there are cracks. Soooo…he admits that he stole and hid food…and Adam helped him do it. He also says that he and Jay ate the rest of the food that afternoon.

Adam clears the air by saying that he watched him do it, he didn’t help. All he did was keep the secret.

Taylor thinks that Adam is the bigger threat because he has an advantage. Adam admits it and tells them that he can steal a reward.

Taylor keeps the heat on, saying that Adam could steal their family visit. Adam responds by saying, if the advantage is too big of a deal, to vote him out.

Jessica doesn’t think the crime is OK just because you admit it.

“I’m not a dumb surfer.” – Something Taylor Said Out Loud

Next, Adam calls Jay out for eating the stolen food.

How much are you loving this if you’re a super-fit challenge threat like Ken?

Voting Time: No votes are shown.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks if anyone would like to play an idol…and nobody does.

We’ve got one vote for Jay, one vote for Taylor, one vote for Adam, one vote for Jay, one vote for Taylor, one vote for Jay, one vote for Taylor, one vote for Jay, two votes for Taylor, and the ninth person voted out of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” is…Taylor.

During Taylor’s closing statements, he says he hopes he and Figgy will get a sailboat and go on adventures. Oh, hindsight.

Verdict: I’m loving this season, but I’m not feeling the same vibe from others. How do you feel about it?

Power Rankings Results: Michele Fitzgerald had Taylor in spot 10, Shirin Oskooi had him in spot 4. So, the current score is Team Michele 79, Team Shirin 68.

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

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

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.  The person with the most points at the end of the season will be declared the “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” champion.

Last Week: Michele Fitzgerald had Michelle in spot 11, Shirin Oskooi had her in spot 8. So, the current score is Team Michele 69, Team Shirin 64.

Quick Note: XFINITY “Survivor” loudmouth Gordon Holmes will be unable to participate in this season’s Power Rankings due to being more than a bit spoiled. Therefore, he has invited defending Power Rankings champion Shirin Oskooi to take his place.

Michele Fitzgerald and Shirin Oskooi’s Rankings

Team Michele’s Score = 69 Any questions for Michele? Drop her a line on Twitter: @meeshfitz	Team Shirin’s Score = 64 Any questions for Shirin? Drop her a line on Twitter: @theshirin
1. – Zeke: Sneaking into the #1 spot.	1. – Zeke: I am the keymaster. Are you the gatekeeper? #goatbusters
2. – Chris:  You are my dad’s favorite.	2. – Sunday: It’s like we’re only getting half a weekend because there’s just no Sunday.
3. – David: You have an idol and you have the numbers. Let someone else be paranoid this week.	3. – Chris: This Tight End is the gatekeeper.
4. – Ken:  Sit still, look pretty.	4. – Taylor: Someone is going to preserve this goat in a mason jar till final tribal council where they can feast on him.
5. – Bret: Like Florida, both parties will want your vote.	5. – David:  David is settling in and saving his best stuff for sweeps week.
6. – Sunday: Change your name to Wednesday because you are right in the middle.	6. – Ken: His edit was too quiet last week to go home this week. #keepquietcarryon
7. – Hannah: Fumbling through this game like George Bush – “Fool me once… shame on you.. fool me, and you can’t fool me again.”	7. – Adam:  All these people are trying to throw Adam under the bus, and he’s just trying to get them to come on board. Ride…or die.
8. – Jessica: For you, it was better to wear paint than the necklace last week. Flashy accessories will only draw unnecessary attention right now.	8. – Bret:  Zeke might see him as the other…gatekeeper.
9. – Adam: Paranoia is like a virus. It can infect others and leave you as the one to blame.	9. – Hannah: Hannah has flipped more than a gymnast, but she’s not going to be able to stick the landing.
10. – Taylor: Still on vacation…	10. – Jessica: Don’t play the mom card, Mrs. Ken. You’ll only get Trumped.
11. – Jay: Are you the charmer or the head of the snake? Both are dangerous but only one controls the power.	11. – Jay: The only thing in his pocket is an idol, and it might stay there.
12. – Will: Where there’s a Will, there’s a Jay.	12. – Will: He’s got a good mom, a good bro, and soon a good glass of milk at Ponderosa.

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

Gordon Holmes: It really feel like you took a bullet for Taylor last night. Why am I talking to you instead of him?
Michelle Schubert: (Laughs) I made a fatal mistake in the game; I stopped strategizing. And I did this on purpose. I heard whispers from my own alliance that Gen-Xers have heard that you’re out there being friends with everyone and strategizing. They said I need to chill and lie back. At the time, in my sleep-deprived brain I thought, “Yeah, I’ll do that.” What I didn’t realize is that now all of these people that I was building friendships with and who had said they wanted to vote with me, and I had a different vote in mind, they’re thinking, “Now Michelle’s not strategizing with me. That means she’s not voting with me.”
Holmes: You had a different vote in mind last night?
Schubert: Yeah, I had already talked to some people about getting rid of Chris. It seemed like an easy sell. Millennials want to get rid of Gen-X. All the females were like, “Dude, we’re going too quick, let’s get rid of a guy.”
Holmes: So that was noticeable out there.
Schubert: Yeah. And there were some rifts in the Gen-Xers. Some of them were already on board. I think it would’ve been a good vote. Then I thought, “Nope, there are plenty of vote to get him out.”
Holmes: What was this Gen-X rift?
Schubert: There was definitely a rift between Chris and Jessica. I played on that. I knew that Chris was gunning for Jessica. You bring that up to Jessica and she says, “Oh no, we need to get rid of Chris.” Then you have not only you, but her rallying the troops. I think it could have happened had I not made that mistake.

Holmes: Were there any clues before Tribal that you were in trouble?
Schubert: Oh yeah. When people are talking to you less and less on Tribal Council day. I sat in the hammock with Hannah and she got all weird and walked away. I asked David to take a walk with me and all of the sudden he lost his contacts or something like that. And certain people that I saw scrambling and then all of the sudden weren’t scrambling. They got comfortable. My thought was I was going to sit back and chill for this vote. Let’s just hope it doesn’t fall on me.

Holmes: Did Jay tell you that he had found an idol?
Schubert: I’m not sure. I don’t quite remember. I think he did. My mind was so…I think he did. I’m going to go with yes, but I’m not 100% sure.
Holmes: David and Adam have the other two. Where did people think the other idols were at this point?
Schubert: I think there was a small bit of suspicion that Adam did have one. But I don’t think we suspected it was from our own beach.

Holmes: If the vote had gone your direction last night and Adam had been eliminated, what was your plan from there to get to the end?
Schubert: I honestly didn’t care too much who I sat with at the end with. I was planning on getting rid of the bigger dudes. But, I’d already made moves that people respected. I’d made friends with just about everybody out there. And, they all knew I was good at challenges and puzzles. I felt pretty comfortable in my own game. My highest priority was keeping people close to me who would never vote against me.

Holmes: Alright, word association time.
Schubert: Oh no.
Holmes: Right? Let’s start with Taylor.
Schubert: Dude bro.
Holmes: Jay?
Schubert: Safety.
Holmes: Adam?
Schubert: I like Adam. We’re going to be friends in real life.
Holmes: Zeke?
Schubert: Charming, but deceptive.
Holmes: CeCe?
Schubert: She never played her own game.
Holmes: Chris?
Schubert: The Hulk
Holmes: Hannah?
Schubert: (Laughs) Sweet little Hannah. (Laughs) Bruises, scrapes, and bug bites.
Holmes: Michaela?
Schubert: Oh man…Fun, yet unpredictable.
Holmes: Mari?
Schubert: The silent beauty. She never really talked to people that much.
Holmes: Figgy?
Schubert: Taken too soon.
Holmes: Will?
Schubert: Lowest voice on the island.
Holmes: Sunday?
Schubert: Wish we would have aligned.
Holmes: Jessica?
Schubert: She told me she was a photographer. (Laughs)
Holmes: Ken?
Schubert: Dreams. Just dreams.
Holmes: And let’s finish with Bret.
Schubert: Hilarious.

Holmes: I feel like between Jessica’s photography and Bret’s mortuary, they could have quite a little booming business together.
Schubert: I know! (Laughs) Chris told me he was a football coach!
Holmes: You have to look them up in the pretend Yellow Pages.

Holmes: We didn’t see a lot of you, but when we did it seemed like you were always making smart moves. What else was going on that we didn’t see?
Schubert: What you didn’t see was I was friends with just about everybody out there. We actually liked each other and would sit and talk about things that didn’t have anything to do with strategy. My sleep deprivation…I was so cold at night. I just couldn’t sleep. If I had a coat, that would be a game changer. I would sleep three hours a night. And the rest of the time I’d be looking for firewood to keep myself warm.
Holmes: You were friends with “just about” everybody. Who didn’t you get along with?
Schubert: (Laughs) It wasn’t necessarily getting along. I feel like Chris, David, and Zeke were the only ones I couldn’t get in with. It was like a rubber wall. I’d throw something and it’d bounce right back.
Holmes: You called it. In the pre-game I asked about hunger, paranoia, and all the stuff that can get to you out there and you said sleep deprivation would be your big problem.
Schubert: Yeah. And I didn’t realize to what extent. I value sleep and I’m a slightly cold person in general. It was a perfect storm.
Holmes: When you get invited back you’ll have to sneak some Ambien.
Schubert: (Laughs) And a coat.

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

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

Last Week: Taylor vowed to get even, David and Zeke formed a couple that was odd, and Michaela was voted out because we can’t have nice things.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor Blog…

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

The Ikabula Tribe (wearing green)

Bret – 42, Police Sergeant
Hannah – 24, Barista
Jay – 27, Real Estate Agent
Sunday – 45, Youth Pastor
Will – 18, High School Student

The Takali Tribe (wearing purple)

Adam – 25, Homeless Shelter Manager
Jessica – 37, Assistant District Attorney
Ken – 33, Model
Taylor – 24, Ski Instructor

The Vanua Tribe (wearing orange)

Chris – 38, Trial Lawyer
David – 42, Television Writer
Michelle – 28, Missionary Recruiter
Zeke – 28, Asset Manager

We start off back at Ikabula Beach where Jay is pretty proud of getting rid of one of the game’s fiercest challenge competitors. Hannah swears she would have voted with them if she had known. Or, ya know, if someone had told her in the middle of Tribal with the promise of a good reason to be provided at a later time.

The next morning a boat arrives with news that they have just reached Mergeville, Population 13.

Ikabula and Takali are both taken by boat to Vanua Beach. However, Zeke’s lower third informs us that it is now Vinaka Beach. Vinaka? Still better than Nobag.

While the new tribe goes to town on the merge feast, Jay breaks down his options for us. He has Taylor and Michelle back, Will and Hannah, and hopefully Bret and Sunday. And if all else fails he has an idol.

Eventually, all of the old alliances touch base and wonder  how they can make these number schemes work in their favor. You’ve got Bret and Chris, the Tri-force (sans Figgy) and the Millennial AV Club (Adam, Zeke, and Hannah).

Once Zeke has all of the intel about last week’s Ikabula vote, he becomes very wary of Jay. He is determined to break up the bro-liance.

Adam sneaks out during the merge feast and finds a very unique advantage. This new twist will let him steal someone’s reward. Hmm…that seems like it’s just going to annoy potential jurors. That’d have to be some reward. Well, maybe if it was a challenge advantage or something.

Anywho, you have to use it right after the person wins. I’m sure Hillary supporters are wishing something like that existed last night.

(Yeah, probably too soon. Sorry about that.)

At any rate, Adam is very excited to be a part of “Survivor” history. Well, Dan Foley was probably excited to have the first extra vote too…

Later that night, Taylor decides to go all Coconut Bandit on his tribe with the merge feast rations. Unfortunately for him, he forgets the key part of Tyson and Gervase’s brilliance where you don’t let someone see you steal the food.

Bret sees Taylor’s theft and decides to hold onto the info. Adam sees the theft and sees it as an opportunity to build trust with Taylor. That might be the clearest example of passive vs. aggressive strategy I’ve ever seen.

As Taylor is chowing down, Adam lets him know about his reward-theft advantage. Adam also pitches the idea of getting rid of Jay’s new right hand, Will. Taylor pretends to go along with it, but he thinks it’s a dumb move. And he still holds a grudge over Figgy-gate.

Taylor immediately shares this info with Jay and Jay (as you’d imagine) is not pleased. They agree to target Adam. Zeke overhears this and scrambles to find a way to keep Adam safe. If only he had an idol. Ahem…

The next morning Bret outs Taylor as the food thief to the other members of Gen-X. Along with Zeke and David, it looks like Taylor is going to be sent packing.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will stand on a perch while holding a handle over their heads. The last person left standing will win immunity.

Survivors are ready, and they go. And Crystal Cox is immediately out.

Just kidding.

Sunday is the first to go. She’s followed by Chris and Bret.

Ten minutes pass and Jay, Zeke, Ken, and Hannah are out.

Twenty minutes pass and we lose Michelle, Taylor, David, and Adam.

We’re down to Jessica and Will.

An hour and a half passes and they’re still battling it out. Wow.

Finally, Jessica flinches a bit and loses it. Will wins immunity.

Back at camp, Jay and Will try to rally the Millennials around the idea of getting rid of Adam. Michelle doesn’t think it’s the best course of action.

Zeke and Hannah let Adam know that Jay is on to him. And Zeke is hopeful that they can sway sentiment to get rid of Taylor.

The Gen-Xers seem like they’re into the plan, but David is worried about idols so they can’t decide on who to target.

Soooo…Adam goes back to Taylor to try to cut a deal. Taylor hilariously chastises Adam for targeting Will because information leaks. HE LEAKED IT!

Aaaaand, David sees Adam talking with Taylor and gets nervous. Zeke and Hannah are over Adam’s shenanigans as well.

You know, Shenanigans, that restaurant with all of the goofy (expletive deleted) on the walls and mozzarella sticks.

Oh, and Will and Taylor are convinced Adam doesn’t have an idol because he’s scrambling so hard.

That night at Tribal, David immediately makes a crack about the Millennials eating more food than Gen-X. Give him a break, David. Gen-Xers grew up on Capri-Suns, Millennials have to deal with that Honest Kids organic crap.

Bret doesn’t beat around the bush, he tells everyone it was Taylor. And Taylor doesn’t deny it. He claims it wasn’t stealing because his stomach was messed up.

Probst does a quick poll and everyone is hungry. Hannah even tells J-Pro, “I could eat you.” Of course, he’s full of Pro(bs)tein.

(Wow, that’s a new low in these recaps. And I’ve been doing this for a long time. I apologize.)

Chris thinks this was a selfish move. But Taylor counters that he wasn’t hungry, his stomach was “freaking out.”

Back to the game, Adam doesn’t believe the Millennials are an alliance anymore.

David again tries to coin “the people I trust vs. the people you trust.” Much like “fetch,” it isn’t going to happen.

Michelle wonders if alliances are just who you mesh with best. Whoa…

Will has a clear objective in tonight’s vote.

Chris says lines will be drawn in the sand.

Michelle hints that trust will be broken.

Taylor looks right at Adam and says that there’s nothing that can be done at this point.

Voting Time: Taylor votes for Adam, Zeke votes for someone he has never been able to trust, and the rest of the votes are lost to the magic of editing.

JPro tallies and returns. He asks is anyone wants to play an idol…and nobody does.

We’ve got one vote for Adam, one vote for Michelle, one vote for Adam, one vote for Michelle, one vote for Adam, one vote for Michelle, one vote for Adam, three votes for Michelle, and the eighth person voted out of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” is…Michelle.

Verdict: There are about a dozen different ways this season can go from here. So many fractures, so many strong players. I’m loving it.

Power Rankings Update: Michele Fitzgerald had Michelle in spot 11, Shirin Oskooi had her in spot 8. So, the current score is Team Michele 69, Team Shirin 64.

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

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

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.  The person with the most points at the end of the season will be declared the “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” champion.

Last Week: Michele Fitzgerald had Michaela in spot 5, Shirin Oskooi had her in spot 7. So, the current score is Team Michele 58, Team Shirin 56.

Quick Note: XFINITY “Survivor” loudmouth Gordon Holmes will be unable to participate in this season’s Power Rankings due to being more than a bit spoiled. Therefore, he has invited defending Power Rankings champion Shirin Oskooi to take his place.

Michele Fitzgerald and Shirin Oskooi’s Rankings

Team Michele’s Score = 58 Any questions for Michele? Drop her a line on Twitter: @meeshfitz	Team Shirin’s Score = 56 Any questions for Shirin? Drop her a line on Twitter: @theshirin
1. – David:  Creating a bond with a Millennial shows that you are playing this game with an adaptability that will be essential in the merge.	1. – Sunday: Sunny, yesterday your life was filled with rain. Sunny, you smiled at them and really really eased their pain. Now the dark days are gone and the bright days are here…
2. – Zeke:  This game is similar to a diet. You need pace, self control, and if all else fails, just close your mouth.	2. – Zeke: He’s got a watch with a minute hand, Millennial hand and a Gen X hand. When they meet it’s a happy land. Powerful man, universe man.
3. – Ken: You had a quiet week, but you shouldn’t have trouble adapting in this merge.	3. – Adam: Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Merge with an idol, No escape from reality tv. Open your eyes, Look up to the skies and see.
4. – Jay:  This game strips you down and exposes you. What started as a sheep, may actually be a wolf.	4. – David: Do you know what Gen Xers said when they saw his first idol arrive? ‘Be careful with that one, love. He will do what it takes to survive.’ #Burn
5. – Jessica: Luckily since the infection has cleared up, you seem to be keeping your eyes open.	5. – Ken:  All I do is win win win no matter what. Got money on my mind, I can never get enough. And every time I step up in confessional All my rippling abs go, ‘wut’
6. – Will: Hear that deep voice? Will has finally hit puberty.	6. – Chris: No one fights like Gaston, Douses lights like Gaston, In a wrestling match nobody bites like Gaston! For there’s no one as burly and brawny.
7. – Adam: Comfortably in the middle of Millennials and Gen X again.	7. – Taylor:  YOLO. Say no no. Isolate yourself And just roll solo. Be care-folo. You oughta look out.
8. – Taylor: You believe Figgy was the light, but in this game, you shine brighter without her.	8. – Michelle:  This is not The Greatest Michelle in Survivor, no. This is just a tribute. Couldn’t remember The Greatest Michele in Survivor, no, no. This is a tribute.
9. – Sunday: Last week you gained a voice, and it was pure and heartfelt. I look forward to hearing more of it.	9. – Hannah: Waiting for an invitation to arrive. Going to a party where no one’s still alive.
10. – Bret: The only funeral you will be directing is your own if you continue with that lie.	10. – Will: What’s he like? It’s not important. Particle man.
11. – Michelle: Reuniting with your Millennials is your saving grace this week.	11. – Jay: Leave it to me to be holding the matches When the fire trucks show up and there’s nobody else to blame.
12. – Chris: Will your manners reappear at the merge feast?	12. – Bret: At every occasion he’ll be ready for the funeral.
13. – Hannah: It is not good when people leave you out of decisions because they can’t trust your response. Time to reassess those alliances, girl.	13. – Jessica: If I should stay, I would only be in Ken’s way. So I’ll go.

QUICK NOTE: XFINITYTV.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, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X” 

 

Gordon Holmes: A friend of mine told me her daughter was worried you were going to stab Jay last night.
Michaela Bradshaw: (Laughs)
Holmes: How close did you come to stabbing Jay?
Bradshaw: I try not to be violent in regular life. But, I was filled with emotions. I’m glad there was nothing sharp in the vicinity.
Holmes: Because I figured when you said, “My shoes” and went back…that we were seeing a ruse that would let you get close enough to clobber Jay.
Bradshaw: (Laughs) I was so shocked. They didn’t show it, but I walked up to Jeff without the torch. And he just looked at me. So I went back to get the torch and I was like, “Uh uh, I need to get my shoes.” And my shoes just happened to be right at Jay’s feet. Oh…there was so much passion. Devastation. But, these things happen. I can look at it as a compliment.
Holmes: Right, it wasn’t, “Michaela is annoying,” or “Michaela sucks in challenges.” It was “Michaela is too smart and too strong.” I get that all the time.
Bradshaw: (Laughs) That’s why we’re friends, Gordon. I take it as a compliment. In the moment it’s like, “Man, we were a team.” In regular life I play for my team. If I help the team win, we win. I like those scenarios.

Holmes: Were there any signs heading into Tribal that Jay and Will were making a move on you?
Bradshaw: I wouldn’t say there were no signs, but I would say I was willing to test it. Number one: We hadn’t talked about who Bret and Sunday are voting for. And two: Will and Jay know that I know that they have an idol. And three: I know that Jay didn’t intend for me to know that he had an idol. He didn’t invite me into the forest. So, when you put those things together the skeptical part of your brain says, “Watch out for Jay and Will.” But your heart will say, “No, we’re in this as a team.” It’s that struggle between your head and the need to be suspicious of people and your heart that wants to trust. In that game, it’s better to go with your head and not your heart.

Holmes: Why didn’t you tell everyone about Jay’s idol on your way out?
Bradshaw: In the exact moment that I saw my name pop up, my mind was like…I knew that was the last time I was going to see him. So all I was thinking was, “Why would he break up the trust that we’re building?” I play for the team, so it’d be hard for me to go from, “I’m devastated that you broke up our team,” to flipping on someone and ruining his game. I’m not a vengeful person. So, by the time I got on the boat to go to Ponderosa, I was thinking, I should’ve. But, I can respect good gameplay. That part of me isn’t going to throw salt on someone’s game.
Holmes: You say you’re not a vengeful person, but I think there’s a tree at Tribal Council that would disagree.
Bradshaw: (Laughs) The tree I hit! That wasn’t vengeance, that was just getting all of that negative energy out of my body. Sometimes you’ve got to let it go. It’s better to hit a tree than to hit a person.
Holmes: That’s true.

Holmes: Let’s go back to the Figgy vs. Mari vote. Why did you end up siding with Jay, Taylor, Figgy, and Michelle?
Bradshaw: That alliance started on the second or third day of the game. It was all I had. The first episode, nobody would talk to me. So if we lost the first challenge, I bet I would have went home. I was the outcast in the beginning. I wasn’t the cool kid and I wasn’t the nerd either. I was in the middle, you know, cute and smart. (Laughs) So, Jay and Michelle were the only two people who would actually talk to me. Everybody else kept me at arm’s length. I told them, “I’ll have your back the rest of this game.” That’s where that started. But, they never said they’d have my back the rest of the game, so I knew I could only trust them to some extent.

Holmes: During the ball puzzle, you were giving Hannah some stern advice. Do you think that hurt her feelings or did you two have the kind of relationship where that was OK?
Bradshaw: Those challenges take so long and it gets so hot the longer you stay out there. And you’ve still got things to do back at camp. So I just wanted to not lose. Me and Hannah had a great relationship. She was a person that I talked to a lot. Even more than Jay. And from Hannah’s perspective, she wanted to show that she could contribute. That’s a big thing for Hannah. I get it. My thing is; you have intrinsic value to me because you’re a person and you’re on my team. Right need I need you to fall back so I can make sure that we don’t go to Tribal. I figured out the puzzle and in my mind it took one person and the second person was there to cause conflict. So, I was telling her, “You need to hold the table and let me work the balls in the holes.” She wanted to keep helping. But I tried to explain to her nicely at first, “Helping is just standing still.” But at a certain point, you just have to get people to listen. So, I came across a little snappy and I apologized to her after.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Figgy.
Bradshaw: Attention.
Holmes: Taylor?
Bradshaw: Blonde.
Holmes: Adam?
Bradshaw: Smart.
Holmes: Will?
Bradshaw: Childlike.
Holmes: Bret?
Bradshaw: Cute cop dad.
Holmes: Sunday?
Bradshaw: Mom.
Holmes: Hannah?
Bradshaw: Goofy.
Holmes: Michelle?
Bradshaw: Sweet.
Holmes: Zeke?
Bradshaw: Genius.
Holmes: Mari?
Bradshaw: I want to say, “Underplayed.” Like, there was more…but we didn’t get it.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Jay.
Bradshaw: Bold.

Holmes: What was the dream end-game scenario if Bret had gone home last night?
Bradshaw: Now looking at it, I know it’s unrealistic. But, myself, Will, and Hannah sticking together. That was my thing with the shells. There was a clear path to the end. But, that path involves letting go of the other alliances that you have. And that includes Michelle and Taylor. For Jay and Will, that would not happen. In reality, that plan would not have worked. But, nobody wants to take me to final four because I can win immunity and get to the end. I was thinking it was the least complicated way, but that’s not how “Survivor” works.

Holmes: I think we were all excited when we saw how diverse the casting was on the women’s side. And yet, five of the first seven people out were women of color. What is your take on this outcome? Did something feel off out there or is that just how the cards fell regardless of race?
Bradshaw: It feels like America. You don’t feel it in the moment until you step back and look at it. Then you realize that we’re playing a social game. Part of making alliances is who you feel like you can trust. Part of who you feel like you can trust is who you feel familiar with. Part of who you feel familiar with is who you’re typically around. And part of who you’re around is who people look like. In a social game, what you look like can have an effect on what’s familiar to a person which can impact how quickly they trust you and how long they trust you. And so, maybe that had something to do with the boot order, maybe it was random. But I can say that I noticed.

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