Archive for the ‘General’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

‘Survivor’ Castaway Dale – Baylor Is ‘Spoiled and Lazy’

October 30, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

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

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

You’ve gotta love a player that goes down swinging.

Knowing that his head was next on the chopping block, Dale threw a Hail Mary pass in the form of a weird trinket he’d found on the water well. Was it an idol? Of course not. Did he convince Jon it was an idol? Surprisingly, yes.

Did Jon take the bait and keep Dale around? No.

Jon and company simply split the vote and sent Dale packing anyways.

I spoke to Dale the morning after his elimination and had a chance to ask about his clever ruse, his feud with Missy, and how the game affected his relationship with his daughter…

Gordon Holmes: Last night Jon told Jaclyn that he believed that the idol you showed him was real. When you were out there, did you think you had him hooked?
Dale Wentworth: I was hoping I did. I talked to Keith and I said, “I think the vote is going to be three for me and three for you and if I play my idol, you’re going home.” I was about 99% sure they were going to split the votes between us. I was hoping and praying, but I didn’t have a lot of chance of staying.
Holmes: Were you close with Keith?
Wentworth: No, Keith and Missy were…Keith was very tied to Missy. I couldn’t make any inroads with him whatsoever.
Holmes: Did you show anyone else your fake idol?
Wentworth: No, I just did it with Jon. I knew Jon was tight with Missy. We did have a conversation with Jon and Jaclyn and Keith and we agreed to vote for Missy. That was the last conversation we had before Tribal.

Holmes: Was there ever an opportunity to make peace with Missy or to work with her?
Wentworth: I didn’t get along with Missy because Baylor spoiled that one. And, Kelley and Missy didn’t get along much either. Kelley and I both brought a lot of baggage into that tribe swap. It was five-to-two from the start. We had a talk as soon as we got to the beach that there was going to have to be a miracle.
Holmes: What was the root of the problem with you and Baylor?
Wentworth: Baylor and I never hit it off. Within three or four hours of the game starting, I was walking with Baylor and said, “Look, are you interested in forming an alliance?” And she just looked at me and said, “I haven’t decided anything yet. But if I do, I’ll come talk to you.” And she walked away. She had no interest in talking to me. I don’t know what her problem was. And I never really targeted Baylor. There were times where I petitioned to keep her around for alliances and stuff.

Holmes: What was your relationship like with Josh before the swap?
Wentworth: We got along real good. We were talking on the first day. Wes, Rocker, and I…I had a lot of alliances going.
Holmes: I asked that because I can’t get a read on how Josh feels about Baylor. It seems like he’d throw votes her way that were unnecessary.
Wentworth: Josh is playing an interesting game. You usually try to build loyalty up pre-merge. You’ve got your two or three alliance guys…and you go into Tribal and you say you’re going to vote that way, then you vote that way…so they can count on you. Then if you can carry your alliance through the merge, you’ll have loyalty built up. Josh isn’t going into a merge with a lot of foundation with his people.

Holmes: You were the only person to vote with Rocker when he was blindsided. Were they able to patch things up with you afterwards or was it clear that you were the next to go?
Wentworth: We patched it up. But patching it up on “Survivor” is just words. John, I don’t know why he did it, but we’d just seen Val come in and say she had an idol and we voted her out. Then the next day, John goes to the same people and told them he had an idol. Well, what’s the first thing you’re going to do? You’re going to vote that idol out. If he’d not told people he had an idol, he probably wouldn’t have been voted out that night.

Holmes: One of the storylines has been that Hunahpu was beating Coyopa in challenges because they had been eating more. Last night Probst traded Hunahpu a bag of rice for their comfort items. As someone who was on the losing end of so many challenges, do you think that was a fair deal?
Wentworth: Knowing there was a food reward coming up the next day, I would’ve made them go 24 more hours without food.

Holmes: OK, word association time. We’ll start with Rocker.
Wentworth: Misguided.
Holmes: Jon?
Wentworth: He’s a nice guy.
Holmes: Jaclyn?
Wentworth: Very friendly. Interesting.
Holmes: Keith?
Wentworth:  Whipped.
Holmes: Missy?
Wentworth: I said enough about her on the show. You can use those words. (Laughs)
Holmes: Baylor?
Wentworth: Spoiled and lazy.
Holmes: Josh?
Wentworth: A good guy.
Holmes: Alec?
Wentworth:  Gullible.
Holmes: Wes?
Wentworth: Underrated. That challenge he did was just amazing.
Holmes: We’ll finish off with Kelley.
Wentworth: Very proud to have her as my daughter.

Holmes: Kelley and I talked last week and she seemed very happy with how “Survivor” helped your relationship. Do you second that emotion?
Wentworth: Oh yeah. It’ll be something Kelley and I can share for the rest of our lives. What it did for us is priceless.
Holmes: Is this a situation where you can brag about lasting longer in the game, or would that be a huge mistake?
Wentworth: We still have a point of contention about who got voted out and why. That’ll be one of our arguing points for a long time. So, I won’t brag about that too much. (Laughs)

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

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

Tags:, , ,
Posted in General, RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor’ Castaway Dale – Baylor Is ‘Spoiled and Lazy’

‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ Edition

October 28, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

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

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

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Keith is voted out this week, Spencer will receive 7 points and Gordon will receive 1 point. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Spencer had Kelley in spot four, Gordon had her in spot five. So, the current score is Team Spencer 36, Team Gordon 44.

Spencer’s Score = 36

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

   Gordon’s Score = 44

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

 1. Josh – Josh has put himself in a solid strategic foothold throughout the game, he has his loved one around as a buffer, and his tribe is winning. As long as Jeff’s price for rice isn’t “the most competent member of the tribe goes home,” Josh should find a way to maneuver forward.
   1. Keith – OK, I ranted about how much I hate tribe swaps last week, but I forgot to mention that it’s a pain to redo all of these graphics with the proper tribe colors. Cut me a break, CBS! Alright…Keith. He ended up on the right end of the vote last week and he’s still got an idol in his pocket. He isn’t going anywhere.
 2. Baylor – While Baylor has a remarkable double-digit number of votes cast against her without going home, she isn’t in nearly as much danger as it might have seemed at times. I see Baylor and her mother as being locked in with Jon and Jaclyn, with bodes very well for all four until the merge.
   2. Jon – As one half of last week’s swing vote and the strongest challenge competitor in a dead-in-the-water tribe, he’s got to be feeling good about his position. My only concern is that he might fall for Dale’s adorable little faux idol. Or that he might try to use the weird faux idol to barter with Probst for a karaoke machine so he can regale his tribe with his dead-on Jafar and Iago duets.
 3. Jeremy – The Grinch of San Juan Del Sur may have expressed displeasure at the tribe shake-up, but it honestly left him in a perfectly fine position. He’s surrounded by friends from his initial tribe, and continues to play better than just about anyone else.
   3. Jaclyn – So, did Jon and Jaclyn make the right choice last week? Buh… I don’t know. With Kelley gone, I can’t see this tribe winning many immunity challenges. But, it’s possible a merge is right around the corner. Missy and Baylor aren’t going to set any individual challenge victory records, so maybe that was the play? Keep the less threatening people around? I dunno…their strategy is weird. But, they’re so pretty. Pretty and weird. Pretty weird.

 4. Natalie – Natalie’s in a similar spot to Jeremy: Without a loved one and among allies. As long as she’s at peace with Julie, a savvy game player herself, no one should have a reason to target her – at least no one with the ability to do it successfully.
   4. Missy – Twenty nine seasons later and it still always comes down to food. Fortunately for Missy, Coyopa is going to have less and less mouths to feed as they get destroyed in the challenges.
 5. Missy – Keith and Dale can have all the idols (and fake idols) they want. The two couples on this tribe won’t likely split up, and can afford to split a vote for the time being.
  5. Alec – There’s a new swing vote in town, and he has sweet hair. So, what’s a little bro to do? Stick with the status quo and be the odd man out in the potential Keith/Wes/Josh/Reed post-merge alliance? Or, form a team of onesies with Natalie, Jeremy, and Julie?
  6. Julie – Since Rocker went down in flames, Julie has rebuilt her games and stood on her own two feet like she promised. The one person who’s brought her name up – Jon – is separated by the swap, leaving Julie relatively safe until the merge.
  6. Julie – If the former Coyopa bros take over new Hunahpu, Julie will probably be the least of their worries. If Jeremy and Natalie can win Alec over, they’re going to need Julie to keep the numbers. Either way, she’s making the merge.
  7. Keith – He’s got an idol. He’s yet to do “the dumbest thing in ‘Survivor’ history.” He’s seemed removed from his new tribe socially. I expect he might get votes. Frankly, I have no idea on Keith, so in the middle of my rankings he goes.
  7. Natalie – Things aren’t looking great for the last twin standing. She’s down in numbers and she’s surrounded by the former Coyopians she’s been cursing out at challenges. But, she’s got three things working for her; she may be able to flip Alec, Jeremy would probably be Team Josh’s primary target, and the merge is going to be crazytown with all of the competing pairs and alliances.
  8. Jon – For the same reasons as Missy and Baylor, he’s in a great spot. Even the howler monkeys have his back.
  8. Reed – Reed really needed the swap. He wasn’t voting with the majority, and if word got out that Josh was running the show at Coyopa, it would have put a target on his back. Now he and Josh might want to consider dialing back their challenge performances. They don’t want to come off as too much of a post-merge threat.
  9. Jaclyn – I’ve consumed my rock, made more palatable by some excellent seasoning tips from Francesca Hogi, and I’ve learned my lesson. I owe Jaclyn an enormous apology for slotting her at the bottom of my power rankings week after week. She’d been quiet. She’s still quiet; it’s working for her, though.
   9. Josh – It looks like everything is coming up Josh. He went through the swap and was not only reunited with his boyfriend, but he kept his most prominent soldiers by his side. If he can get through one vote, he should be good. It’ll prove that Alec is loyal to his Coyopa roots. But, if Alec swaps, Josh might be the first to go.
  10. Reed – Did Reed not learn his lesson from his fallen badass? You barter with Jeff, you’re going down, and you’re going out. We know remarkably little about him via confessionals, but taking him out to weaken Josh seems like a reasonable thing for a bunch of people without loved ones to do.
   10. Wes – If Jeremy can swing the vote his way, Wes could be in for a rough run. Jeremy already has a beef with Wes’s dad. And, I’d bet that Missy isn’t the only person that knows about Keith’s idol. That’d be another reason to axe Wes before the merge.
  11. Alec – Alec’s predicament grows slightly worse with each successful, calculated stroke of his ego from Jeremy. A team of Davids – the old Coyopa – may have been able to beat a team of Goliaths that were throwing a challenge two weeks ago. But I’m not sure that this David can beat the sharp Goliaths on the new Hunahpu that outnumber him.
   11. Baylor – Dale seems like a slam dunk if Coyopa loses immunity. But, voting for Baylor seems like so much fun. Everyone’s doing it! When I order coffee at Starbucks, I tell them my name is Baylor just so they can know the joy of writing her name down.
  12. Wes – Wes has the worst of more than a few worlds. His loved one is still in the game, making him a sensible target, but Keith and his idol aren’t actually on the same tribe as him and therefore can’t bail him out. He’s tight with one and exactly on person on his current tribe – Alec, who’s now found a puppeteer in Jeremy.
   12. Jeremy – Oof…my big fear this week is the deal Probst makes for the rice has something to do with the immunity challenge. I’m worried Hunahpu is going to have to give Coyopa some kind of Medallion of Power-esque advantage and they’re going to pull off the win. I’m worried that Jeremy simply won’t have enough time to get Alec on his side. I worry.
  13. Dale – It’s all falling apart for Dale. He’s once again in a minority of one on his tribe, and the only other potential outsider (Keith) has an idol. His last-ditch effort to bluff with a fake idol could prove clever, but more likely than not it will just entice everyone on Coyopa but himself and Keith to split votes and flush it. Missy and Baylor won the battle when they voted off Kelley, and are now about to win the war.
   13. Dale – Seems like a pretty obvious bottom-of-the-pile pick. He’s not well liked on his tribe, he isn’t a big help in challenges, and he’s freaking out over food. His only hope is that Jon buys his faux idol trick. I don’t like his odds, but stranger things have happened.

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

Tags:, , ,
Posted in General, RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – ‘Let’s Make a Deal’ Edition

‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – ‘Ladies First?’ Edition

September 30, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

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

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

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Keith is voted out this week, Spencer will receive 13 points and Gordon will receive 6 points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Spencer’s Score = 0

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

  Gordon’s Score = 0

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

 1. Josh – Josh not only found himself in the majority, but decided which faction of the Coyopa tribe would constitute the majority in the first vote. He recovered from a poisonous plant run-in that made his eyes water and navigated the swing vote with grace that would make Sarah Lacina’s mouth water. His position, on the other hand, is fairly cut and dry – he’s the president right now. Josh’s approachability has put him in a great spot, so let’s just hope Baylor isn’t on the warpath after he voted for her (why, Josh? WHY?!).
   1. Jeremy – Who had a better first episode than Jeremy? He won fire and whatnot for his tribe. He sent his wife to Exile in a manner that set himself up with a potential alliance member. And, he’s holding the numbers in a tribe that currently holds the numbers. He’s on fire, man. (Boy, I hate  myself for that one.)
 2. Jon – Our quintessential “Survivor” bro has more depth than we thought, and although no one labeled Jon a slouch physically, he’s surpassed already high expectations. Next stop: a Jon vs. John immunity challenge in episode two. Hope stays strong for a Rocker meltdown after getting trounced in a physical challenge, as the two go at it next week like bona-fide sumo wrestlers. In the meantime, Jon should try and get in good with…   2. Natalie – OK, so your Twinnie is gone. That’s sucks. But, the good news is that losing your loved one worked out for people the last time they did the Blood vs. Water twist. Now people see you as a potential partner for a final three. Add that to how well Natalie did in the challenge and her place in the dominant alliance and you have a twin that’s set to win.
 3. Jeremy – …The power broker of Hunahpu. Prediction: Jeremy’s going to be the first person in a while to make this aggressive role work. Normally there’s no surer sign of doom than a player making alliances with everything that moves and breathes (see Knight, Zane). However, I think Jeremy has actually set himself up well with Kelley, Natalie, Missy, and Keith. He may just have made enough sparks to form a dominant alliance, but not so many that he’ll have fires to put out when people talk.
   3. John – Yeah, yeah…I’m not happy about this either. So, Mr. Rocker was awesome in the last challenge. He was a force to be reckoned with when it came to getting his tribe up that tower. And, he’s a solid member of the bro-liance. He isn’t going anywhere anytime soon unless he says something really stupid. Oh…wait…is it too late to change this ranking?

 4. Kelley – Kelley remains as steady as they come. The daughter of legendary fire-starter Dale has aligned with savvy fire-stopper Jeremy, and should remain inconspicuous. Her tribe just has bigger personalities, bigger fish to fry, and absolutely no reason to vote Kelley out this early. Keith could pulverize the flint. Natalie could panic upon seeing her twinnie eliminated. Drew could get an urgent modeling contract. The possibilities are endless, and few of them entail Kelley going home.
   4. Missy – I…uh…don’t have a ton to say about you, Missy. You are a person. You are playing the game of “Survivor.” You didn’t do much this episode, but you’re in the big Hunahpu alliance, so I’m thinking you’re safe.
 5. Alec – If Kelley is the head of the ‘under the radar’ club, Alec is senior vice president. While that may not give him the legs he needs to win, he’s a safe bet to stick around another week. He’s fit to contribute in both challenges and camp life, he voted in the majority last week and he seems approachable. When Wes realized who John Rocker was last week, he went to Alec as his first sanity check. Alec might just be a better-disguised Josh – someone people want to approach.
  5. Kelley – See Missy.
  6. John – He still isn’t winning, but this is about risk of going home, and John is a hulking behemoth who isn’t going anywhere. So far he’s miraculously remained inoffensive, and predictably been helpful physically. Having proven his ability as a human ladder/mountain to be climbed, Coyopa has every reason to keep him. Best of all, the only person who has recognized him (Wes) also happens to be the only person with a positive view of him, idolizing Rocker as “the man.”
 6. Keith – You and Val certainly wasted a lot of time on Exile Island. Why weren’t you setting up some kind of alliance? Why else would they have Jeremy send someone from his own tribe? It really feels like that whole outing was a wasted opportunity. Anywho, I wouldn’t be too upset about it, you ended up on Jeremy’s side anyways.
  7. Drew – Don’t be too quick to judge the second coming of J’Tia Taylor – shelter-builder extraordinaire Drew. Yes, Julie calls him a “young, dumb guy” and no, I don’t think he has a shot to win. Even so, he’s the prototype of someone a tribe wants around – strategically unintimidating and physically valuable. And if you look closely, there really isn’t that much evidence of him being this supposed young, dumb guy either; all he really did was make a few goofy comments while building a shelter. Time will tell for Drew, but I think he still has way more going for him than against him.
  7. Josh – You did one thing right and one thing weird. The right thing was the way you weren’t too wishy-washy when you were the swing vote. You picked your side and stuck with it. You didn’t give anyone a chance to doubt your loyalty. But, for some reason you voted for poor Baylor. What was the point of that? She’s dying to be your Edna Ma.
  8. Natalie – As tragic as the twinnies’ split may be, the sad truth is that Nadiya’s departure probably bodes well for Natalie. In the first Blood vs. Water, those whose loved ones went home early excelled into the endgame, likely because they were no longer a threat to join an inseparable alliance of two. Natalie is now an unintimidating free agent, and it also only helps that she’s in the mix of early Hunahpu alliance formation.
  8. Dale – Thumbs up for Dale this week. It looked like he was going to be the odd man out on a young tribe. (Old man out?) He managed to turn things around with his clever fire trick and by manufacturing a reason to get rid of Nadiya. Now that he has the numbers and isn’t a threat, he should be able to coast for a while. However, if Coyopond starts dropping too many challenges, he’s going to have to watch himself.
  9. Julie – Julie’s stock may not have gone up much, but it can’t have gone down. She completed the premiere’s immunity challenge puzzle impressively fast, and has come off nothing but competent and sharp in confessionals.
   9. Alec – According to Nadiya, you’re the one who blew the puzzle for your tribe. I wouldn’t sweat it too much though, you were on the right side of the vote and can probably rest comfortably for a while.
  10. Missy – Missy says that after three divorces she’s learned to trust her gut, and so far it’s lead her straight into the fold of Hunahpu’s majority. She gets all the benefits of being theoretically “in” right off the bat, but hasn’t had to put her neck on the line to make that happen; she’s let alliances come to her. As long as she maintains solid challenge performance, there’s no good reason for anyone to target her.
   10. Baylor – Kudos to Baylor for not letting herself get sucked into a men vs. women battle where the women were already outnumbered. But, I’m still wondering about Josh voting for her. She should try to get to the bottom of that.
  11. Baylor – So far, Baylor has proven herself socially adaptable and well integrated. She successfully floated between alliances to land herself in the majority, but I am concerned that more could be at play in Coyopa social politics. I’m still bewildered as to why Josh voted for her, and given she swung between groups last week, I worry that while Baylor has a lot of allies on her tribe, few of those allies are close ones.
   11. Wes – So, Rocker knows you know who he is. Hooray, you figured it out. Now a guy who doesn’t have a great track record of thinking out his decisions has a reason to target you. You’re probably safe for a bit while the guys target the women, but you’d better hope for a tribe swap.
  12. Dale – I love Dale. Here’s a guy who knows his weaknesses – he lives on a farm and isn’t comfortable in big groups – but is so passionate about playing “Survivor” that he’ll sacrifice his vision to start a fire and win his tribe’s admiration. I’m rooting for him to keep scraping by, but I worry for him for the same reasons as before. The age disconnect is just so vast, and worse, the tribe has flint now. As others improve their survival and fire-making skills, Dale becomes more expendable by the day.
   12. Reed – Spider-Man, Spider-Man, swings under the radar like a spider can… What were you up to last week? I mean, besides not working your way into the dominant alliance? The game is already off and running and you’re hanging out at the starter’s line.
  13. Keith – Curiosity may have killed the cat, but lack of curiosity certainly did Keith no favors. Dude, didn’t you wonder a little bit what Val’s note said at exile? Keith is an absolute sound bite machine, from breaking the flint to John Rocker being an ass to Wes having the mental strength of a Rock. He just doesn’t seem that game-savvy, though, and all his eggs are in one basket – the whims of Jeremy bringing him into the fold. 
   13. Jon – Jon and Reed are in the same boat. They aren’t in the main alliance, but they’re harmless. They’ll be here next week.
  14. Reed – Reed has begun “Survivor” brimming with enthusiasm, and while he seems to have all the tools to succeed, we haven’t seen him putting them to use. If he does turn out to be on the outside of Jeremy’s newly formed power alliance, those tools for success could appear threatening and be his undoing. 
   14. Drew – Was anybody surprised when Drew was rubbing people the wrong way? The man whose claim to fame is his ability to “pull off the unthinkable with ease” doesn’t seem to have a ton of humility. And unfortunately for him, the thought of him being the first Hunahputian to go home isn’t unthinkable.
  15. Wes – Wes has been relatively quiet thus far, and aside from struggling to spell “Rocker” there isn’t much to criticize. Sometimes it only takes one thing, though: There was no good reason for Wes to approach Rocker the way he did about his baseball stardom. He could have at least chatted up the tribe’s resident hulk for a longer time and connected over baseball. Yet all Wes did was give up the exclusive information he had and foster distrust. He did vote in the majority in week one, but if the tide turns on Coyopa, it could result in Wes drowning pretty quickly.
   15. Val – Oh, Val…I really don’t think anyone had a worse episode than you. You lost the first challenge which wasn’t a big deal, but then you didn’t share the Exile clue with potential alliance-mate Keith. Keith and your husband had already kind of bonded. He could’ve found the idol with Jeremy. And, it would have set you up to have Wes as your buddy when you finally got to camp. Once you did get to camp, you partnered with the side that was down in the numbers. And you’re hinting at an idol that you don’t have. You’re in bad shape.
  16. Val – While a lot went right for her husband in the premiere, everything went wrong for Val. She missed two critical days of forming relationships while stuck at Exile Island, failed to spearhead an all-girls alliance and spent tribal bluffing about having an idol for no apparent reason. Now she’s in the minority alliance of a losing tribe, and is dangerously close to ending the blue blood hot streak on CBS reality TV.
   16. Julie – You’re getting credit for completing last week’s puzzle which is good. But missing out on joining the main alliance hurts you. Keith knows who John Rocker is, and I’m sure he’s been talking. Everybody saw him dominate the challenge and they probably don’t like the idea of him having a partner around.
  17. Jaclyn – Jaclyn is in the same boat as Val, and she doesn’t even have an idol clue to show for it. With Nadiya’s boot, “one of the girls” may be a thing of the past not only for Josh, but for the actual females as well. There’s a real risk here that Nadiya’s friends meet the same fate she did, and former Miss Michigan is in as precarious a position as anyone.     17. Jaclyn – Here’s how I see Jaclyn going home this week. If Coyopa loses, the men will continue to target the women. Baylor will be safe due to her affiliation with Josh. Val will be safe because they’re worried she might have an idol. And, poor Jaclyn will be sent pack-lyn.

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

Tags:, , ,
Posted in General, RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – ‘Ladies First?’ Edition

‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Episode 1 Recap: How Do You Spell Relief?

September 24, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

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

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

And…we’re off.

Things kick off with everyone’s favorite host, Jeffrey Montgomery Probst in a sweet chopper high above San Juan del Sur.  The pairs of new contestants are below him trying to figure out how flint works. Quick thought; if you go on this show without knowing how flint works, you probably should have signed up for “Utopia.”

More like “U-dope-ia.” Am I right?

(Crickets)

Jaclyn is worried that everyone is going to hate her and Jon because they seem perfect. So that’s why everyone hates me…

Controversial MLB pitcher John Rocker lets us know that people call him a homophobic bigot. Well, he says he isn’t a bigot. Oh, but he doesn’t dispute “homophobic”?!

Reed and Josh manage to catch some crabs right off the bat. Josh says the Reed gave him flint as a gift. See, someone gets it.

The Twinnies Nadiya and not-Nadiya say a quick prayer, then they get to work not making fire.

Keith and Wes immediately lose the striker for their flint. Sounds about right.

Finally, Jeff says something about…

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

We start off with the duos arriving at Redemption Island a random arena.

Everyone has a good laugh as Keith and Wes admit that they lost their striker. Everyone also makes a mental note not to let them near the machete.

The tribes split up and take sides. Here’s what we’re working with…

The Hunahpu (wearing blue)

Drew – 25, Sales Rep
Jeremy – 36, Firefighter
Jon – 26, Financial Assistant
Julie – 34, Owner of Spray Tan Business
Keith – 53, Fire Captain

Kelley – 28, Marketing Manager
Missy – 47, Owner of Cheerleading Gym
Natalie – 28, Crossfit Coach
Reed – 31, Broadway Performer

The Coyopa (wearing yellow)

Alec – 22, Student
Baylor – 20, Student
Dale – 55, Farmer
Jaclyn – 25, Media Buyer
John – 39, Former MLB Pitcher
Josh – 32, Actor
Nadiya – 28, Crossfit Coach
Val – 35, Police Officer
Wes – 23, Firefighter

Fun Fact: I hate the word Hunahpu sooooooo much.

John Rocker says it’s like the Civil War, brother vs. brother. Hmmm…I wonder if Johnny would be a confederate or a union soldier. Keith recognizes Rocker and hopes he isn’t an “ass” anymore.

Reward Challenge Time: One person from each tribe will race through a wooden box and untangle a rope. They’ll then unhook a ring. They’ll use the ring to lasso a platform. They’ll do this process twice. First person to retrieve both platforms wins flint and beans. The loser of the challenge will be sent to Exile Island.

The blue tribe wins a rock/paper/scissors to decide who they will have compete. They pick Jeremy. Unfortunately, that means he has to square off against his wife.

The challenge starts off and there isn’t much to describe except for two people climbing around a box. Jeremy wins it easily. Someone just earned some time sleeping on the couch time when he gets home.

Jeremy gets to send someone from his own tribe to keep Val company. He chooses Keith…you know…the dude who was part of the team that lost their striker. I’m now questioning Jeremy’s intelligence.

We meet up with the blue crew at Hunahpupu Beach and Jeremy feels terrible about beating his wife in a challenge. It’s a challenge, dude. A game. I beat my girlfriend in Yahtzee and you didn’t see me crying about it…much.

Later, Jeremy, not-Nadiya, Missy, and Kelley decide to form an alliance. Missy says as someone who’s been divorced three times, that you have to trust your gut. What was your gut telling you the first three times?

Over at Copacabana, actual-Nadiya points out that they have a young tribe. Might not be good news for Dale.

When Dale’s getting water, he notices a weird emblem on the lid. It isn’t an idol, but he keeps it in case he’s in one of those old Sierra games like “King’s Quest” where you’re supposed to pick up everything that isn’t nailed down.

Coyopa has two crews working on fire. You’ve got the young-uns doing the old scrubbing technique, and Dale alone with his glasses. He breaks the glasses in half so he can use two lens at once. Sure enough, it works. Go Dale.

Over at Exile, Val and Keith both have to pick an urn. Val’s urn has an immunity clue inside, while Keith’s note is blank. She doesn’t share the clue with him, telling him it’s just generic stuff about camp. He doesn’t seem too concerned about it.

That feels like a mistake. Why wouldn’t you try to start something with Keith? You could then have an ally in Wes when you get back to camp.

Quick Aside: Couples should have a safe word they can use when they have a secret. Like if Val got back to camp and said, “Wes, we should align. Keith told me to tell you “Apricot.”

Later, they bond over the fact that Jeremy, Keith, and Wes are all firefighters. That’s not fair. If I’m on “Survivor” what are the odds I’m out there with Dalton Ross and Dru Moorhouse?

Back at Hunahpu, Drew is really playing the martyr over the work he’s putting into the shelter. Settle down, dude.

Julie doesn’t like the fact that Drew thinks he’s in charge. She says that she’s used to it because Rocker is type-A as well. In other news, “Duh.”

Over with the yellow fellows, Wes outs Rocker as a former MLB relief pitcher. John tries deny it, but it doesn’t hold. He asks Wes to keep it to himself. Rocker says that that he might target Wes because he knows his secret.

Also, Wes thinks there are five letters in “Rocker.” He swallowed the flint striker, didn’t he?

The next morning, Josh is having some kind of issue with his eye. C’mon, if military tough guy Shamar can live with an eye issue, so can you! Oh wait, Shamar quit over a grain of sand.

Next up, Jon tells us about his father, a “Survivor” fan who has an inoperable brain tumor. That’s terrible, buddy. I hope he’s on his couch watching you right now.

Immunity Challenge Time: Teams will race to the top of a giant tower. They’ll use a rope to scale the first part, pegs to scale the second, and imagination to scale the third. On top they’ll find a puzzle. First tribe to complete the puzzle wins immunity and flint.

The Survivors are ready, and they go. Things are pretty even during the early going. John has rope duty for Coyote, while Keith will throw for Hapapupu. John gets it first and yellow has a  lead. Drew takes over with the rope and finally hooks it for the blue crew.

The yellow crew has no problem with the pegs portion, but the blue team is starting to catch up.

For the final level, Rocker literally lets people climb him like a ladder to get to the top. Finally he leaps up himself. Impressive.

Yellow starts work on the puzzle with blue only a few people behind. They eventually reach the top of the tower.

With Julie leading the way, the blue team figures out the puzzle and wins immunity.

It’s all hugs and high fives back at casa de blue. Keith’s very impressed with how well the camp came together in his absence. Jeremy brings him aside and tries to start up a firemen alliance. Here’s hoping for a better name than “Fireman R Us.”

At Coyopa, Val immediately starts looking for the immunity idol.

Meanwhile, Dale calls actual-Nadiya, “Natalie.” Who the hell is Natalie? Actually, I think I’m going to retire that joke because it’s confusing me.

Wes, Dale, and Josh all want to target Nadiya because they’ve seen her backstab people on “Amazing Race.”

Later, Nadiya tries to make an alliance with Josh. She also calls him a girl. He doesn’t like that.

Val, Jaclyn, Nadiya, and Baylor realize they need one guy to jump. Nadiya is sure that Josh is with them. They decide to target Dale because they’ll get flint at Tribal.

Baylor doesn’t care who she votes for as long as she votes with Josh.

That night at Tribal Council, fire equals life. Seriously.

Rocker is bummed that they’re at Tribal. He doesn’t think there’s an obvious obnoxious person to vote out. Is that like poker where if you can’t tell who the mark is, it’s you?

Nadiya isn’t ready to make the decision and she’s going to vote based on attitudes and what they’re bringing to the team.

She also says that “Survivor” is so different from “Amazing Race” because “Survivor” doesn’t give you a map and tell you what to do. Also, “Survivor” is totally awesome.

Val thinks it’s stressful because she hasn’t had time to form relationships. She then says that she had time to find things at Exile. Uh…that probably wasn’t smart.

Jaclyn thinks there’s a bro-lliance.

Dale points out that he sacrificed his glasses to start fire.

Wes thinks that Josh is the most liked member of the tribe.

Nadiya says that she thinks Josh is one of the girls. Probst asks if it’s because he’s gay. Nadiya says she’d never have a straight guy be her “girlfriend.” Is that reverse homophobic? heterophobic? I’m lost. Let’s move on.

Voting Time: Rocker votes for Nadiya, Nadiya votes for Dale, and the rest are sooper secret.

J-Pro leaves and shows us that he still has mad tallying skills even twenty nine season later. We’ve got one vote for Nadiya, one vote for Dale, one vote for Baylor, one vote for Dale, one vote for Nadiya, one vote for Dale, one vote for Nadiya, one vote for Nadiya, and the first person to be eliminated from “Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water” is…Nadiya.

Verdict: THANK GOODNESS! I was scared to death of having to recap after the merge with Nadiya and Natalie wearing the same color buffs. Bullet dodged.

Otherwise, first episodes tend to be a lot of getting to know eighteen people at once. Can’t wait to see where it goes.

Also, why would Josh vote for Baylor? What’d we miss?

Who’s Going to Win? My pre-season pick Jeremy’s got a solid alliance. I’m sticking with him.

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

Tags:, ,
Posted in General, RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Episode 1 Recap: How Do You Spell Relief?

‘Big Brother’ Star Jeff Schroeder to Host Two CBS Reality TV Recaps

September 24, 2014

Jeff Schroeder and Jordan Lloyd (CBS)

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

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

OK, “Big Brother” is ending tonight and “Survivor” is beginning. Also, this Friday marks the premiere of “The Amazing Race.”

Wait, “Amazing Race” isn’t on Sunday anymore? And why are “The Amazing Race’s” Twinnies on “Survivor”? And why are “Survivor’s” Keith and Whitney on “The Amazing Race”?

So confusing. Fortunately, CBS’s new reality maven (although he doesn’t like that title) Jeff Schroeder will be able to clear up all of these mysteries and more when he takes the reins of CBS.com’s “Survivor Live” and the new show “CBS Reality Remix.”

I spoke with the former “Big Brother” and “Amazing Race” contestant shortly after the announcement of the new shows and had a chance to ask him about his new gig, his hosting style, and what the “Big Brother” house really smells like…

Gordon Holmes: Now what’s this I hear about you having a big announcement today?
Jeff Schroeder: Well, I have two big announcements, actually. I’m going to be doing two shows on CBS.com, one the “Survivor Live” show which is awesome because I’m a huge fan. And then, we’re going to be doing, kind of like a best-of thing for “Survivor” and “Amazing Race,” kind of like what’s viral for that week and the hot topics. I couldn’t be more excited.
Holmes: “Survivor” Hall of Famer Parvati Shallow was the previous host of “Survivor Live,” so you’re stepping into some pretty big shoes. What new things do you bring to the table?
Schroeder: I’m definitely not trying to fill any shoes. She was a master of the game, one of the best to play ever. And she brings a different angle than I do. I’m bringing more of a fan’s perspective. I’m a fan of the show; I’ve never played that game. I have an interesting perspective having played “Big Brother” and “The Amazing Race.” I think the questions that I have are going to be closer to the fans’ questions as opposed to being inside the game. I’m going to be more of a fan, which is great because we want interaction with the fans.

Holmes: What’re your early thoughts on the return of the “Blood vs. Water” twist?
Schroeder: The first thought that goes in is the layers to the voting. I’m a recent fan to “Survivor.” I watched the last five or six seasons and “Blood vs. Water” one with Hayden (Moss) from “Big Brother” was one of them. And I was a huge fan. But the voting process from “Blood vs. Water” to regular “Survivor,” it’s a lot different to have your loved one there. I could relate to that, because every reality show I’ve done with CBS, I’ve had my loved one there. I can relate to the thinking process.
Holmes: Say you’re out there with your new fiancee Jordan…you think you could vote her out?
Schroeder: (Laughs) No matter what happens she’d make it further than me. I don’t know if I could vote her out.
Holmes: Who do you like from the new cast?
Schroeder: I was a big fan of John Rocker. I’m an older guy, so I want to see his antics. That’s the big thing I’m looking forward to. I’m hoping he stays in the game a little bit longer and gets crazy like John Rocker does.
Holmes: As a Cardinals fan, you won’t catch me supporting John Rocker.
Schroeder: (Laughs) It’s reality TV! You want to see the outbursts. And I think John Rocker is going to bring those moments. And a younger audience, who may not know who John Rocker is, hopefully this gives them a bit of a surprise.

Holmes: Now speaking of Jordan, not everyone gets to propose on national television. What was that process like?
Schroeder: It was a couple of months coming. We had this idea floating around for a while. And working with CBS, and Fly on the Wall, “Big Brother,” and CBS.com, it was a team effort for sure. We finally whittled it down to a date and that last week was just craziness. It was a total surprise. Jordan thought we were going to host a competition. I had her family fly in, my family fly in, I was juggling all that. People are texting me, it was a super stressful day. And Jordan had no clue. I had no idea how she didn’t find out. Then the day of was just amazing. The yard looked awesome. She was totally shocked. Everyone did a great job. Then we had Brett Eldredge come in and sing that song. It was just a perfect song. It was the perfect day. We’ve watched it 100 times at least. The way it happened, we were so blown away that we almost missed the moment.
Holmes: I’m picturing the biggest day of your life. You’re very nervous. You enter the house for your special moment…and you come face to face with that smell.
Schroeder: (Laughs)
Holmes: Did that almost ruin the mood?
Schroeder: They’d just made lunch and they’d been in there a long time. The smell was a combination of sandwiches and feet. I’d been in there twice, I feel their pain. Other people have told me, “When you guys leave, it stinks in there.” I was giving them a hard time. Cody was mortified. But, it lightened the mood.
Holmes: This is perfect for you. “Survivor” players are used to smelling bad.
Schroeder: Exactly! The more I grow, the more I learn.

Holmes: Alright, break out your crystal ball. “Big Brother” finale tonight. What’s going to happen?
Schroeder: Derrick’s going to win that final HOH challenge. And I don’t think he’s going to take his boy Cody. He’s going to take Victoria and they’re going to be the final two. Cody is going to be bitter, but Derrick is going to reveal his inner workings in the house. He’s going to reveal that he’s a police officer. I don’t think Victoria has a chance against Derrick…or even Cody. So, I think Derrick wins the money. Cody will be upset that he takes third. Victoria will take second. And Donny takes home America’s Favorite.
Holmes: When it’s all said and done, where do you think Derrick will rank amongst the all-time champs?
Schroeder: In my eyes, in getting to know the game and watching him play. His moves were so calculated.  He’d walk into a room and someone would be thinking one thing, and he’d make them think what he wanted them think. I’ve never seen anything like it. Maybe the closest is Dan or Dr. Will. So, I’d put Derrick definitely in the top five of game players of all time.

Holmes: So, now that you’re the go-to guy for CBS reality, do you get an official title? Like a reality maven?
Schroeder: (Laughs) Just Jeff works for me. I’m a regular guy and I think that’s why I can relate to these shows and the people who watch these shows are like me. I can speak for them and ask the questions they want to ask. And with social media I can get their exact questions. And if the people have any questions for the “Survivor” castaways they can use the hashtag “#survivorlive.”

Don’t miss the 90-minute premiere of “Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water” and the 90-minute finale of “Big Brother” starting on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at 8 p.m. ET

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

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Big Brother, General, RealityTV, survivor, The Amazing Race | Comments Off on ‘Big Brother’ Star Jeff Schroeder to Host Two CBS Reality TV Recaps

‘Big Brother’ Power Rankings – And-the-Winner-Is… Edition

September 23, 2014

'Big Brother' (CBS)

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Victoria is voted out this week, Rachel will receive 3 points and Team XFINITY will receive 2 points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Big Brother” Power Rankings Challenge Champion!

[xfinity-record-button id=”5666923899412353112″ program_type=”series”]

Last Week: Gordon and Rachel both had Frankie in spot five. So, the current score is Team Rachel 117, Team Gordon 111.

However, Gordon has decided to admit defeat, seeing as there is no way to top Rachel’s score. So, the 2014 XFINITY “Big Brother” Power Rankings Champion is Rachel Reilly!

Let’s check in with the new champ…

Gordon Holmes: You’ve dominated this whole season. I’m throwing in the towel. I’m tapping out. Do you want to be known as the XFINITY “Big Brother” Power Rankings Champion or the XFINITY “Big Brother” Power Rankings Beast Mode Cowgirl?
Rachel Reilly: I think I clearly have to be known as XFINITY’s Beast Mode Cowgirl. And Gordon, don’t you know “NOBODY COMES BETWEEN ME AND MY XFINITY DOMINATION SKILLS!” Plus you can’t take on a “Big Brother: champ, everyone that does gets evicted. 😉

Holmes: Fair enough. I’ve enjoyed this season a lot. But, it’s really my first rodeo. As someone who’s an expert, where does this season rank among the previous seasons? (With the season you won being first, of course.)
Reilly: I really like this season, it’s one of my favorites in a long time. The cast was amazing, it was hard to root for someone to go home, every week I wanted them to both stay. The cast was entertaining, even people that argue that there was no gameplay have to give it up for the personalities. There was gameplay, Derrick took control early on and people liked him and trusted him. Frankie played his lil’ heart out and we saw him killing comps and up to his eviction he was playing the game. Caleb was amazing at comps also even if he was Derrick’s pawn he stayed loyal to a fault, I think we will see Cody stay loyal to Derrick til’ the end also. I think this season will always be talked about as one of the best.

Holmes: Speaking of Derrick, do you think there was any point where someone could have stepped up and challenged his dominance?
Reilly: I think if the girls alliance would have made a move earlier in the game and actually done something they could have taken Derrick out, however NO ONE wanted too. Also to do this they would have had to have Nicole, Amber, Brittany, Christine and maybe pulled a few guys to their side. The girls just didn’t want to make a move against the boys. They were very trusting of them and assumed the boys wouldn’t go after all the girls. This wasn’t a smart game move. There was also a chance that Frankie, Zach, and Caleb could have gone up against Derrick, Cody, and Victoria and they would have taken them out most likely but Frankie didn’t feel comfortable working with Zach and Caleb never really trusted Frankie after the Amber thing. Even if this all would have played out I think we would still see Derrick in the final three, he’s just likeable and a smart gamer.

Holmes: What’s next on your agenda now that you have a Power Rankings championship under your belt?
Reilly: Well now that I am the Power Rankings champ…I plan to take over the Power Rankings world! (hehe) If only there were a Power Rankings $500k prize! 🙂
Holmes: I’ll work on that for next season.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Big Brother’ on Your Computer!

Quick Note: “Big Brother” is always going on. These Rankings were handed in Monday.

Rachel’s Score = 117

Any advice for Rachel? Drop her a line on Twitter: @RachelEReilly and follow her on Instagram: @RachelEReillyVillegas

Team XFINITY’s Score = 111

Any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Derrick – Derrick will win “Big Brother 16.” He’s really earned his place amongst the winners and I think he will be talked about as one of the best winners in “Big Brother” history. I don’t know that anyone would ever doubt his game play or his BB skills.
   1. Derrick – It’s like I said in my piece about why I’m now a “Big Brother” fan; Derrick is this season’s Richard Hatch. In Richard Hatch’s final competition, it didn’t matter who won because he was going to be taken to the end and he was going to win. The only way that doesn’t happen is if Cody realizes how much the jury loves Derrick. But, if he can’t see that while the jury is in the house, he’s not going to see it when they’re out.
 2. Cody – Cody MOST likely will be #2 and the winner of a brand new 50k! And I am OK with that! I would be disappointed if Victoria won 2nd but if Cody’s the runner up I can handle that. I thought that there was a chance that Victoria would be taken to final two and that the boys would be dumb not to take her but with Cody and Derrick in the final three I think that Cody knows Derrick will win and is OK with that. He’s loyal to the end. If Cody won the final HOH and took Victoria then he would deserve the 500k because that would be the biggest move of the season
   2. Victoria – I think Victoria has a 2/3rds chance of making it to the final two. Either she’ll become the final HOH (stop laughing), or Derrick will win and take her along. I know it’s bad form to stab your fellow Hitman in the back, but taking Victoria is a guaranteed win.
 3. Victoria – Victoria, well…I’ll actually be happy to see her go home third! This is a third placer that I wouldn’t be disappointed in going. It’s like in season 13 when Adam went home third. He didn’t play the game really all season so you only wanted him to go to the final two if the winner needed a guaranteed win. Victoria has done LESS then Adam!
   3. Cody – Like I said above, there is only one path that has Cody accepting a $500K check, and it involves sending Derrick packing. I don’t think Cody will do this because I don’t think he appreciates how much the jury likes and respects Derrick. It’s going to be a rough night for Cody, he’s gonna lose out on big bucks, and he’s going to have to avoid Christine’s husband.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Big Brother’ on Your Computer!

Tags:,
Posted in Big Brother, General, RealityTV | Comments Off on ‘Big Brother’ Power Rankings – And-the-Winner-Is… Edition

‘Survivor’ Fave Spencer Bledsoe’s ‘San Juan del Sur’ Pre-Season Rankings

September 19, 2014

Spencer Bledsoe (CBS)

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

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

Predicting “Survivor” is not a perfect art. You try to line up people who you think have the attributes necessary to make a run at the million, but there are just too many variables to account for everything.

Sometimes the honorable, potential challenge stud tries to sneak beef jerky into the game and is promptly shown the door.

Sometimes the school teacher who just wanted a CBS-funded vacation goes on a challenge streak.

And sometimes someone like Spencer Bledsoe, a person that “Survivor” host and executive producer Jeff Probst thought had a 0% chance of doing well in the game, dominates and almost wins the whole thing.

(Not that I’m making fun of Mr. Probst, I had the chess champ ranked 17th out of 18.)

So, it only seems fair that since Mr. Bledsoe proved us wrong during last season that we give him an opportunity to show us how it’s done…

  1. Jeremy – “This is a show about people from different walks of life.” Jeff Probst likes saying that more than “you’ve gotta dig deep.” He likes saying that more than he likes criticizing contestants’ challenge performances. He likes it more than screaming the last name of his newest chiseled man-crush (now taking bets on whether it’s “MISCH!” or “ROCKER!” this season). The point is that walk of life is key, and Jeremy is in an ideal walk of life to excel in “Survivor.” He is 36 years old. What’s the average age of his tribe? 34.2. He played arena football, so he will benefit from an athletic history, but now he’s a firefighter – someone stereotypically fit, community-oriented, and non-threatening. I would suspect he was engineered in a lab to be the perfect “Survivor” player if it weren’t for his completely organic likability. Maybe it’s just because I was in an alliance with someone named Jeremy, but this young lad is already aboard the bandwagon.
   2. Kelley – Nothing about Kelley jumps off the page. She’s a sociable, attractive marketing manager who’s transitioned from small farm town to big city and joins the ever-growing club of players who list Parvati as the “Survivor” they’re most like. Yet, Kelley is as well rounded as reality contestants come, and I am high on her based on a simple tenet – “Survivor” casts a lot of nut jobs. Any given season, there are enough extreme personalities that only a handful of feasible winners remain. Kelley, in my opinion, is guaranteed to be one of them: I’d bet the farm that she turns out as balanced, even-keeled and personable as her interviews suggest. I don’t necessarily think we’re going to watch episode one and realize Kelley is the second coming of Kim Spradlin, but we’re also not going to watch episode one and realize Kelley is crazy. In “Survivor,” not being crazy is more than half the battle.
 3. Val – You’ll notice a theme on my list: Pairs tend to land near the same ranking, particularly in strong “water” relationships like a decade-long marriage. Val probably informs a lot of Jeremy’s personality and approach to the game, and vice-versa. She comes off every bit as authentic and likable as her husband, and seems like someone anybody could feasibly relate to. In my eyes, Val is set up to be a ‘good-cop’ version of Tony Vlachos. One of Tony’s biggest strengths is that he sneaks up on you; he’s a loud, brash Jersey-talking personality, and it’s easy to write him off without realizing just how cunning he is underneath. (Absolutely necessary note: Gordon had Tony last in his Cagayan preseason Power Rankings). Val could be similarly underestimated. She isn’t an imposing physical force and her self-described squeaky voice won’t intimidate. But by season’s end, Val could prove herself a wolf in sheep clothing.
   4. Reed – I can see it now: John Rocker’s lips quivering as he turns to face his tribe, his eyes glistening as he fights to be strong, to quell the salty, teary streams cascading down his cheeks and to escape the image of Reed manhandling him in a physical challenge – an image now seared into his mind. What’s so tantalizing is that this could very well happen; Reed is a gay New Yorker and former Broadway “Spider-Man” physically fit enough to best anyone in a challenge, even John Rocker. He’ll be indispensable to his tribe’s challenge efforts early on, and should be able to coast to the merge without hassle. Beyond fitness, I love his energy, I love that he’s a “Survivor” diehard and I’d love to see him win.
 5. Natalie – There’s something to Nadiya and her sister. They’re more than just good television, they deserve to be taken seriously, and I think they could make a real run at “Survivor.” They might just enjoy the best of both worlds within the Blood vs. Water twist: They can call on superpowers of connectedness if and when they pair up, but also benefit from playing individually in the beginning. When Natalie says their blood runs thicker than others’, I believe her, and in an endgame situation the sisters are a lock to stay unified. Yet, they’ll get to play the early tribal phase of the game without the baggage of being attached at the hip. Split up, they promise to be both less threatening and less annoying than if they started together. Welcome to the season of the twinnies.   6. Nadiya – At first I was hard-pressed to choose one twinnie over the other, but then I realized Natalie has far more Twitter followers. Since Twitter follower count has nearly perfect correlation with “Survivor” skill, Nadiya takes the backseat to her sister.
 7. Jaclyn – What I love about this couple is their purpose. Jon and Jaclyn have a compelling reason for playing “Survivor”: The money could make a tangible, meaningful impact on their potential plans of surrogacy. Most contestants vaguely say they’re playing “for the adventure/experience/competition/to find themselves,” but Jaclyn is concrete. She’s playing for the money, and she knows what she wants to do with the money. This doesn’t necessarily mean she’s better equipped to play than others, but I believe it does mean I can trust her to play for first. When others might play conservatively and let windows of opportunity come and go, I trust Jaclyn to go for broke and take her shots. It may not ever be a good idea to imbibe the principles of Reese Bobby from “Talladega Nights,” but in “Survivor,” it’s true that “if you ain’t first, you’re last.”
   8. Jon – If you combined the three amigos from “Survivor: Caramoan,” I think the result would look a lot like Jon. He brims with positive, unassuming energy like Eddie Fox. His eyes shine with golden retriever puppy eagerness reminiscent of Reynold Toepfer. He even seems to bring the tact of former Power-Ranker Malcolm Freberg to the table, talking at length in his pregame interviews about the possibility of forming a couple’s alliance. Jon’s main hurdle could be that he seems too polished; people will fear him, both for his potential to team up with Jaclyn and for his physical and mental savvy. My unfortunate prediction is that despite having all the tools to win, Jon will quickly run out of allies willing to bro down with him post-merge.

 9. Missy – Missy strikes me as an extremely youthful 47. She’s an ‘older’ woman who spends every day with 150 to 200 little monsters in a competitive cheerleading gym, and who I’m guessing is adept at interacting with people of all ages. She seems to have accomplished a lot in opening the gym and “being ‘on’ 24/7” to run it, as she puts it. I could imagine that experience segueing perfectly into “Survivor,” another environment that calls for being ‘on’ 24/7, and for that reason Missy is a favorite of mine.
   10. Josh – I’ll preface this by saying I have no good reason for ranking Josh this low. None. But I have some bad reasons: The only thing worse than saying the “Survivor” you’re most like is Russell, Boston Rob, or Parvati is saying “there hasn’t been any one like me.” 424 people have played “Survivor” before you! Pick one!!! Despite this bio pet peeve, Josh earns forgiveness for playing Settlers of Catan, and should have a good mind for the game as the first member of his family to earn a master’s degree. His biggest weakness, ironically, could be the strength of his partner. I wouldn’t be surprised if Josh were ultimately voted out in an attempt to cut the legs out from under a threatening Reed, Baskauskas brothers style.
 
 11. Alec – What strikes me in the Christy brothers’ pregame interviews is that Drew seems to dictate the conversation. The admittedly brief clips of video we have show Alec adopting a more eased, stereotypical younger brother role. He allows Drew to interject opinions and second-guess him while articulating himself calmly throughout. That isn’t to say Alec isn’t aggressive; he defends himself and owns his strengths. With so many type-A personalities on “Survivor,” however, Alec’s ability to restrain himself and listen more than he speaks could prove invaluable, and make him a dark horse with more social backbone than your typical 22-year-old.
  12. Dale – A dogmatic advocate of hard work, I expect Dale to bring strong opinions to “Survivor”. He’s not in it for Twitter and Instagram; he seems to be playing for his relationship with his daughter, for a paycheck, and because he genuinely likes the show. You have to love a guy who goes back over a decade and references Big Tom as the player he’s most like. Dale is far older than the rest of his tribe, though, and he seems to be very no-nonsense and task-oriented. My fear is that he’ll march to the beat of his own vintage drum, and his tribe will be playing EDM. Dale’s upside is being a more likable Rupert who can provide outdoorsman skill and build a shelter that actually functions. His downside is being too set in his ways to enjoy that shelter for long.
  13. Baylor – My people. This season has few near-college-aged players and few young, hot girls. While on another season Baylor might have more company in this respect, in San Juan Del Sur she’ll have to carry her demographical torches alone, and that’s my biggest knock against her. She may just have enough life experience from living through three divorces and following her musical passions to hit the ground running and keep up anyway. Baylor’s success, though, could depend on her being aggressive enough to rally those who are nearer her walk of life – Alec, Wes, Jaclyn, and Nadiya – and get an alliance started quickly.
  14. Julie – This is a game about decision-making, and Julie is a woman who decided to date John Rocker. Being tethered to captain “speak English” can’t help her, but even so, if her cast mates give her a fair shot to integrate, I think Julie goes from thoroughly tanned dark horse to underestimated threat to win. She gets my kudos for her willingness to vote out her boyfriend; the precedent of the first Blood vs. Water suggests this is a game format much easier played individually. Add that Julie has a talent for reading people and making them feel comfortable in running her small business, and I think there’s a chance, albeit slim, that we’re looking at a breakout player.
  15. Drew – “Really what’s at stake is there’s no surf boards here. And uh… I’m missing out on some surfing and some partying back in Florida, or New York, or wherever else I’d be. What’s at stake is really nothing.” Despite being the ultimate hypocrite and knocking the guy for his pregame interview, I do like Drew. I’ll be rooting for him to figure out that there are at least one million things at stake before he finds himself searching for waves at ponderosa.
  16. Keith – Louisiana outdoorsman. Elder of the Hunahpu tribe. Long shot. I hope I’m wrong, but I get the sense this is an adventure Wes dragged his dad along for, and not one Keith has thought much about. He seems primed for a healthy father-son competition, and could be an early asset to his tribe (he mentions hunting and fishing a combined six times in his bio). Ultimately, though, I don’t envision him spearheading any strong alliances. None of his tribe mates are similar to him in age, love of cigars, or region of the country.
  17. Wes – Like his dad, Wes is a hunter, fisher, and beer drinker with a colorful personality and a knack for humorous, southern accented sound bites. There’s a lot to like about Wes, and he’s a big “Survivor” fan to boot. But then there’s his bio answer to ‘”Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like’: “Ozzy and Russell Hantz because I’ll dominate challenges and have girls under my wings making them think I will take them to the end.” Strike one, strike two, strike three and you’re out. This line shattered my faith that Wes will be skilled at the social game. On the other hand, it ignited my faith that he’ll be Zane Knight 2.0 – an entertaining early boot and fantastic “Survivor” character.
  18. John – When ranking someone last, one must ask the critical question: Will this player be worse at “Survivor” than Kassandra McQuillen? I believe this is the man who could pull it off. But even if he can’t, John Rocker will have to overcome Rocker-sized obstacles if he wants to pull off a win. He’ll have to convince a jury to award $1 million to a former professional athlete – one whose public image puts any “Survivor” villain to non-shame. To top it all off, Rocker doesn’t even seem excited to play, calling a hypothetical win a “feather in the cap.” Now it’s time to take Jeff Probst’s words and pay it forward like Mike Skupin would: John Rocker has zero chance of winning this game.

Don’t miss the 90-minute premiere of “Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water” on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at 8 p.m. ET

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

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in General, RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor’ Fave Spencer Bledsoe’s ‘San Juan del Sur’ Pre-Season Rankings

‘Big Brother’ Power Rankings – Deja-Vu Edition

September 16, 2014

'Big Brother' (CBS)

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Victoria is voted out this week, Rachel will receive 4 points and Team XFINITY will receive 3 points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Big Brother” Power Rankings Challenge Champion!

[xfinity-record-button id=”5666923899412353112″ program_type=”series”]

Last Week: Last week didn’t happen. You totally must’ve imagined it.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Big Brother’ on Your Computer!

Quick Note: “Big Brother” is always going on. These Rankings were handed in Monday.

Rachel’s Score = 112

Any advice for Rachel? Drop her a line on Twitter: @RachelEReilly and follow her on Instagram: @RachelEReillyVillegas

Team XFINITY’s Score = 106

Any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Caleb – Caleb is safest this week as HOH, however he has a week to make some deals and use his HOH to make a big move… and the smartest move for his game ISN’T to get Frankie out! Cody, Derrick, and Victoria want to be final three which leaves Caleb the last man standing next week and with him not being able to play in an HOH next week he REALLY needs to be smart! He could target Cody and try to make a deal with Frankie OR he could ensure that Victoria goes home this week and make a deal with Frankie. Basically Cody and Derrick are super close and Victoria is a great person to bring to final two…so that means Caleb needs to play this hand well or he’s out next week.
   1. Caleb – You watching, Amber? Beast Mode is over you. He’s moved on to Mila Kunis. I hope you “Heard dat!” Caleb learned from his past HOH challenge mistakes and did not repeat them. He’s livin’ large in the nest-shaped bed and he put his buddy Frankie on the block. Is that a big enough move to earn the jurors respect? We shall see.
 2. Derrick – Derrick is safe because…well…it’s Derrick. Enough said!   2. Cody – OK, let’s talk about the rewind. I thought they were going to replay the whole week during the show. I was actually really excited about that. So, to learn that we’d have to replay the whole week in real-time, the same challenges, etc. was a bit of a letdown. Having to re-do Power Rankings was also a letdown. However, Cody going back into the dinosaur costume outweighs all of that bad.
 3. Cody – Cody is safe since he is BFF with Derrick and for some reason thinks that him playing backseat all season to Derrick’s game can keep him around. Well, when Frankie’s in the house it will, but will Derrick pick Victoria over Cody next week if Caleb wins veto? These are my predictions, but the way the game is playing out it seems that Frankie will go home this week, Caleb next, and Victoria, Cody, and Derrick will be final three!
   3. Victoria – Right now I’m thinking there is no way Victoria is going home. She is a guaranteed $500,000 check for whoever takes her to the end. I’m thinking either Frankie wins the POV and saves himself or Frankie loses and the guys send him packing. Either way, the person sitting next to Victoria is in major trouble.

 4. Victoria – Victoria is safe unless Caleb wises up and realizes that she’s going to be taken to the final two so he SHOULD take her out now and make a deal.  Vic soooo shouldn’t be in the game now but since it’s “Big Brother” the person who shouldn’t be in the game at this point usually stays in the game since it’s the smartest thing for the person who wants to win
   4. Derrick – Derrick has done a really good job shielding how good of a game he’s been playing, but I don’t remember any of the jurors dissing him when they came back into the house. Someone has to pick up on how well he’s playing and how well-liked he is by the jury. A Frankie POV win could spell the end for the season’s best player.
 5. Frankie – Frankie is in a GRANDE-size SITUATION! After his gameplay last week he basically nailed his coffin for this week. He’s too competitive to not be considered a threat and too social for people to want to keep him around. Basically he’s the guy to beat right now and he’s on the block so unless he wins Veto he’s going home. 😦
  5. Frankie – Frankie’s got to see it coming, doesn’t he? There’s no reason to make Frankie a pawn when Derrick has never been on the block. If he doesn’t win POV, he’s a goner.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Big Brother’ on Your Computer!

Tags:,
Posted in Big Brother, General, RealityTV, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Big Brother’ Power Rankings – Deja-Vu Edition

‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water’ Cast Revealed

August 27, 2014

'Survivor' (CBS)

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

Last year, the crew behind the hit reality show “Survivor” took a handful of former players, paired them with a loved one, and threw 5,000 twists at them. The concept was called “Blood vs. Water” and it seemed like a disaster on paper. In reality, the mix of strong personalities, interesting strategies, and unexpected moments resulted in one of the best seasons of all time.

Now they’re rolling the dice again with a couple of  major changes. First of all, none of the castaways have ever played the game before. And second, the Redemption Island component, which had resulted in tears, arguments, and Colton Cumbie straight up quitting, has been tossed aside. When you’re voted out at Tribal Council, you’re done.

“Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water ” Premieres Wednesday, September 24, 2014 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

The cast for this upcoming season was released by CBS this afternoon and includes a controversial former MLB pitcher, like a dozen firefighters, and a duo that “Amazing Race” fans will find very familiar…

Name: Drew Christy
Age: 25
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Alec’s brother
Current Residence: Winter Park, FL
Occupation: Traveling Sales Representative in the family business
Personal Claim to Fame: I seem to pull off the unthinkable with ease.  People will ask me, “How did you do that?”
Three Words to Describe You: Adventurous, spontaneous, and goofball.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Fabio or Malcolm because they are athletic, smart bros that know how to manipulate people and situations to advance themselves.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  I have always watched and thought about what it would be like to be out there.  The experience is worth more than the million dollars to me.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I am emotionally and physically strong.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: I am likeable, manipulative, and a winner.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? It’s going to be an experience we can look back and remember forever.  Win or lose I’m proud of my brother.
Name: Alec Christy
Age: 22
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Drew’s brother
Current Residence: Winter Park, FL
Occupation: Student at Florida Gulf Coast University
Personal Claim to Fame: Going to college and excelling in school and sports.  I was very mediocre in high school as far as my performance in the classroom.
Three Words to Describe You: Athletic, outgoing, and charismatic.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  Winning the million dollars.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I have no fear.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: I am smart, determined, fit, and have skills that could help me win the game.
What Does It Mean to You to Play Survivor with Your Loved One? Playing “Survivor” with Drew is awesome because we are very competitive, so it will be exciting to see who can last longer. Sharing this experience is going to be incredible as we both compete against one another and support each other at the same time. It’s going to be interesting to play a game where it could literally go either way, and you never know who will go further in it.
Name: Keith Nale
Age: 53
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Wes’s father
Current Residence: Shreveport, LA
Occupation: Fire Captain
Personal Claim to Fame: My wife and kids.
Pet Peeves: Loafers
Three Words to Describe You: Easy going, fun loving, and hard working.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Rudy because I’m older and wiser.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  Winning the million dollars and spending time with Wes.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I’m a great swimmer, hunter, fisher and I’m a hard worker.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: I will have a good social game, I’ll be good at challenges, and I work well with others.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One?  We are both very competitive with others and with each other.  I am looking forward to sharing and living out this experience with my son. Can’t wait to show him the old man still has it!
Name: Wes Nale
Age: 23
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Keith’s son
Current Residence: Shreveport, LA
Occupation: Firefighter
Personal Claim to Fame: Becoming a firefighter like my dad.
Three Words to Describe You: Athletic, winner, and crazy.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Ozzy and Russell Hantz because I’ll dominate challenges and have girls under my wings making them think I will take them to the end.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  Winning the money so I can get out on my own and to prove to all those who said I could never get on the show, much less win it.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I can provide food for my tribe.  I can climb trees and I’m strong as an ox.  I can also start fire easily and can talk to people and lift their spirits if they’re having a bad day.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: I know how to play the game better than anybody.  My social game would get me all the way because I’m great at making friends.  I have the gift of telling people what they want to hear.What Does It Mean to You to Play Survivor with Your Loved One?  Getting to play with my loved one is going to be awesome.  I’m sure my dad will impress me with everything he does and how he will play his social game.  It will be more fun playing the game of “Survivor” with him because I will have somebody on the island that I could 100% trust when things get tough or when big moves need to be made.
Name: Josh Canfield
Age: 32
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Reed’s boyfriend
Current Residence: New York, NY
Occupation: Singer, Actor, Writer
Personal Claim to Fame:  Writing and directing my first musical in London and being the first person in my family with a Master’s degree.
Pet Peeves: Idiots, loud Americans in foreign countries, most audition waiting rooms, people who will only see one side of an argument, and many more.
“Survivor”Contestant You Are Most Like:  There hasn’t been anyone like me.  I’m going to pave my own way.
Reason for Being on “Survivor:  After each episode I watch from home, I say “I want to do that!” The challenges, the mind games, the pushing your body to its limits, it all gets me so excited!
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor:  I can make fire, I’m very organized and detail focused which would help in numerous challenges.  I’m also strong and have a lot of endurance.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor:  I have the stamina to make it through the challenges, I have the mental grit to get past the mind games and the gutsiness to make the big moves when they need to be made.  I am “Survivor.”
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? I’m so excited that I get to play with Reed!  This will be a memory that we will share for life.  Having someone to go through this with who can help you find strength when you really need it will be invaluable in this game. I’ll be stronger having Reed by my side…it also helps that he’s great to look at as well.
Name: Reed Kelly
Age: 31
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Josh’s boyfriend
Current Residence: New York, NY
Occupation: Broadway Performer/Model/Aerialist
Personal Claim to Fame: Having raised over $130,000 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to date via my personal fundraising group Team Yellow Bucket.  I also cook a really great steak and I am an experienced hugger.
Three Words to Describe You:  Perfectionist, outgoing, overachiever.
“Survivor”Contestant You Are Most Like: Yikes.  Hopefully I will be unlike anyone thus far (in a good way), but if I had to pick: Malcolm Freberg and Stephenie LaGrossa for their hyper-competitiveness and athleticism; Bob Crowley for his nerdy science knowledge and ingenuity; and Lisa Whelchel for her faith.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  I’m dying to play this game.  You can never truly know what your limits are until you push them.  I’m tired of watching others do it and I’m ready to experience it for myself firsthand.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”: I’m good at maintaining a positive mindset, I’m resourceful and I’m physically fit.  I’m not a quitter, I enjoy being outdoors plus I can make fire.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”:  I’m a people-person who is physically tough, smart, well-spoken and strong willed; that last characteristic makes me a fighter until the end.  I can lie when needed, I love to compete and I excel under pressure.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? Having the chance to participate in this adventure together, not to mention the joint lessons I’m certain we will take away from it, will not only strengthen, but help fortify our relationship for the future.  I’m really excited about getting to do such a once-in-a-lifetime thing with the guy I love.
Name: Missy Payne
Age: 47
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Baylor’s mother
Current Residence: Dallas, TX
Occupation: Owner of a Competitive Cheerleading Gym
Personal Claim to Fame: My business is a HUGE accomplishment.  I was never a cheerleader, never had taken out a loan before 1998 when I opened the doors and certainly had no idea what it would take to be “on” 24×7 with really no “off” hours.  I have a new respect for restaurant owners because my business takes blood, sweat, and tears just like that profession.
Pet Peeves: People who conform to a standard without knowing the facts, people who play the victim, snoring, poor hygiene, bad teeth, infidelity, valet parking in the Highland Park village.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  Experience a once in a lifetime opportunity with Baylor and to win the million dollars!
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I’ll bring compassion, determination, leadership, respect, athleticism, sense of humor, the ability to dispute resolution and analyzation.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One?   Playing the game with Baylor whether we are on the same tribe or not will be an unforgettable experience due to our duo determination, competitive edge, and ability to never give up.  We are a dynamic duo and have a lasting positive effect on people who we come in contact with.  Together, we can accomplish anything and usually succeed at any challenge set in front of us.
Name: Baylor Wilson
Age: 20
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Missy’s daughter
Current Residence: Nashville, TN
Occupation: Student at Belmont University
Personal Claim to Fame: I am most proud of winning the Cheerleading World Championship in 2009 in Orlando, FL with my competitive cheerleading team.
Pet Peeves: My biggest pet peeve is someone who has no passion or desire or goals.  Another is probably slow drivers.
Three Words to Describe You: Entertaining, determined and passionate.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  I want to compete with myself, first and foremost to be an all-around better me.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I am athletic, strong-willed and competitive.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”:  I believe that I am secure and confident enough in myself to not let others’ attitudes, comments, or situations affect me.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One?  It means more than anyone will ever be able to understand or grasp. The level of commitment and love my mom and I have before going into this journey is already ridiculously high, so knowing we will have each other through this game of “Survivor,” I believe our bond and trust can never be broken. Even if we’re starving, miserable, and literally fighting to survive.
Name: Natalie Anderson
Age: 28
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Nadiya’s twin sister
Current Residence: Edgewater, NJ
Occupation: Crossfit Coach and Physical Therapy Student
Personal Claim to Fame: Being on “The Amazing Race” twice! Getting kicked off first on All-Stars!
Pet Peeves: Girls who can’t do anything for themselves, lazy people and dumb people.
Three Words to Describe You: Crazy, strong, and confident.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Tony, but hopefully not as insane.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  The million dollars! Also, winning “Survivor” makes you a certified bad ass!
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I am physically, mentally, and emotionally strong.  I am very strong willed and do not give up!  I work well with people and feel like I would be a good tribemate.  I know I will pull my weight with the camp chores and not be a burden to my tribe.  Physically, I will be able to hang with the guys and be an asset in the team challenges.  Also, I love the ocean and if I had to choose one place to spend the rest of my life, it would be the beach.  I’m a true island girl!
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? Getting to be on “Survivor” with Nadiya means so much to me.  No matter what we are doing, Nadiya and I have so much fun; whether we are working together or competing against each other!  Doing something this intense and getting to share it with my twinnie is something I will never forget.
Name: Nadiya Anderson
Age: 28
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Natalie’s twin sister
Current Residence: Edgewater, NJ
Occupation: Crossfit Coach, Project Coordinator Bridge2Peace
Personal Claim to Fame: Being on “Amazing Race” twice, (woohoo) but getting kicked off first. (boooooo!)
Pet Peeves: Stupid girls that rely on boys.
Three Words to Describe You: Badass, crazy, and carefree.
“Survivor”Contestant You Are Most Like: A mixture of Sarah and Cliff
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  Show me the money, honey!
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I can thug it out!
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: I think I will be the sole “Survivor” because of my physical and mental resilience.  My ability to stay positive in situations and being a strong, resourceful and vital teammate/tribemate is going to enable me to make it through this game!
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? Playing “Survivor” with Natalie is so exciting, it’s the ultimate adventure and test to our relationship! Being separated from Natalie while playing the game is going to push us to our limits!  I can’t wait!
Name: Jeremy Collins
Age: 36
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Val’s husband
Current Residence: Foxboro, MA
Occupation: Firefighter
Personal Claim to Fame: I am proud of making it to the professional indoor football league without playing college football.
Pet Peeves: One-uppers and know-it-alls.
Three Words to Describe You: Athletic, straight forward, and smiley.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: I always liked JT and James but I think Tyson (the third time he played) is similar to how I would have played.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  The million dollars but I also feel my personality, body type and mind set is perfect for this game.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I will help out around camp gathering wood for fires or shelter and getting coconuts.  I will also be a monster at physical challenges.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”:  I believe my whole make up is prime for this game.  I don’t need to eat much, I am athletic, and I am likeable.  I also can make people feel like I like them even if I don’t which will help in blindsides.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? Playing with my loved one would be stressful and emotional.  I know it is going to be tough out there and I will worry about my wife being hungry, cold, and tired.
Name: Val Collins
Age: 35
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Jeremy’s wife
Current Residence: Foxboro, MA
Occupation: Police Officer
Personal Claim to Fame: My family.
Pet Peeves: Liars.
Three Words to Describe You: Competitive, loving, and loyal.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Monica and Taj.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  Winning!
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I have mental toughness, I’m strong and I’m patient.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: I have the mental toughness.  I respect the game.  You need to respect the game to play it.  I know how to play the social game and will pay attention to opponents’ advantages before they realize them and use them as options.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One?  I am excited to play the game with Jeremy but our game will probably be different and that will be hard because I may have to change my game and go against my gut based on his instinct. Playing with a loved one brings emotions to the game right from the beginning. You have to watch their back just as much.
Name: Jon Misch
Age: 26
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Jaclyn’s boyfriend
Current Residence: Waterford, MI
Occupation: Financial Assistant
Personal Claim to Fame: Winning a Big 10 championship at Michigan State University.
Pet Peeves: People with too many pet peeves.
Three Words to Describe You: Outgoing, unpredictable, and intuitive.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Hayden.  I feel my personality is a lot like his and he’s also an athlete that uses his head.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  The experience and the competition.  It’s unique and completely social which would be fun to experience.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I can build a fire from scratch, debone/gut a fish, catch lizards, and lift things up and put them down.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: I have very good social and physical skills.  I can read people well and I’m good at telling them what they need to hear.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? Playing with Jaclyn is an incredible opportunity.  I’ve learned in the past that experiencing adversity with others can build the relationship you have together (if you do it correctly). Since there is no experience like that of “Survivor,” there’s no telling the amount that can be gained by triumphing through the challenges that present themselves on a daily basis, let alone those found in treemail!
Name: Jaclyn Schultz
Age: 25
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Jon’s girlfriend
Current Residence: Las Vegas, NV
Occupation: Media Buyer
Personal Claim to Fame: Winning the title of Miss Michigan USA 2013, the first pageant I ever competed in and using the platform to be the first woman to ever come out with having MRKH syndrome (born without a uterus) on an international scale. MRKH syndrome affects one in approximately 4,500 women around the world.
Pet Peeves: Waiting in line.
Three Words to Describe You: Spontaneous, loyal, and versatile.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Jefra
Reason for Being on “Survivor”: To challenge myself socially, mentally, and physically.  Also, to win the million dollars to be able to adopt and have a surrogate to start a family.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I am a survivor in my everyday life because I was diagnosed with a life-altering syndrome at 16 and didn’t let it destroy me.  Being told I wasn’t “normal” and could never have kids was the last thing I wanted to hear at that age.  I’ve learned to try and turn every negative into a positive and that life will always throw hard things at you, but it’s how you handle those obstacles that matter the most.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? Jon and I get to experience something that only three or four couples ever have. Blood vs. Water seems to be so much harder than playing as an individual because we have to learn how to maneuver through this social and physical game together. Our sole purpose of being on this show is to challenge ourselves, but to also win to start a family by adoption or surrogacy.
Name: John Rocker
Age: 39
Current Residence: Atlanta, GA
Occupation: Former Major League Baseball Player
Pet Peeves: Rude, lazy, selfish people and traffic.
Three Words to Describe You: Intense, self-motivating, and responsible.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Jeff Kent because we have a similar background as an MLB player.  We have a strong understanding of teamwork but are also very driven to attain individual success though Jeff is a bit more subdued than I am.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  To have an extremely unique life experience and to immerse myself in high-level competition and like I’ve done my entire life, figure out a way to be the best.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I have world class athletic abilities and leadership skills.  I have the ability to read people and morph my personality in a way that lets me mesh with people from all walks of life.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”: A relatively significant part of “Survivor” depends on athletic ability and I spent more than a decade of my life physically competing at the highest level.  I still retain much of that physical ability as well as the mental toughness that is required.  I also possess a high quality of outdoor survival skills which will be valuable to those around me as well as leadership skills and the ability to influence people and easily make friends.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One?  To me, playing “Survivor” with my loved one means having the opportunity to engage in a very unique experience together.  Life is about creating new experiences which many times can bind individuals together on a more intimate level.  I am hoping that “Survivor” will do this for Julie and me.
Name: Julie McGee
Age: 34
Relationship to Significant Castaway: John’s girlfriend
Current Residence: Atlanta, GA
Occupation: Model/Owner of Spray Tan Business
Personal Claim to Fame: Creating my company True Glow Spray Tan.
Pet Peeves: People that take life too serious, road rage, arrogance, and super demanding people.
Three Words to Describe You: Loyal, determined and positive.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Colleen Haskell because I think we both are extremely sweet to others around and by this she was able to make allies without being manipulative.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  The experience and for the possibilities of future “Survivor” shows.  I would love to compete more than once.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I am the most observant person.  I’m told by everyone that knows me that I can figure out someone’s state of mind and intentions within minutes.  I’ll bring that strong instinct to the game to help my team win.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”:  I am super determined when I put my mind to a task.  I am not one to look for help, if I need something, I make it happen.  I believe I could be one of the last few on the show.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? The game will allow us to use the difficult nature of the experience to dig deeper into our relationship.  I know it will be challenging both physically and mentally but I’m happy to be sharing this new journey with John.
Name: Dale Wentworth
Age: 55
Relationship to Significant Castaway: Kelley’s father
Current Residence: Ephrata, WA
Occupation: Farmer
Personal Claim to Fame: Watching my kids grow to be responsible adults.  After that, being a self-employed farmer all my life and being able to support my family while doing it.
Pet Peeves: People who never return phone calls.
Three Words to Describe You: Active, outgoing, and adventurous.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like: Big Tom…I have to side with a farmer!
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  To spend time with my daughter on a new adventure and the challenge of seeing how far I can go in the game.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I’m a self-starter that can get along with most anyone.  I work hard and I am very good at using my hands.  I’ve built homes, repaired all sorts of equipment, and I am not afraid of hard work or getting dirty.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”:  All my life I have been faced with everything possible; weather, breakdowns, etc.  My family and I can usually find a way to improvise a way to survive and still be able to achieve my goals.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One?  To be given the opportunity to play this game with my daughter is almost indescribable. I am looking forward to being able to watch her in settings that I may not get to see again and hopefully watch her excel in them.  I’ll have to move past the image of her being my “little girl” to her having grown into a confident proud woman, one that can handle herself in any situation that life can throw at her, and know that she will come out on top, or at the least, throw some “mean punches” on the way as she will never quit trying, no matter what.  I think we will build a deeper and stronger bond together after playing “Survivor.”
Name: Kelley Wentworth
Age: 28
Relationship to Significant Castaway:  Dale’s daughter
Current Residence: Seattle, WA
Occupation: Marketing Manager
Personal Claim to Fame:  Moving out of a small town with very little opportunity of “making it” on my own.  I’ve never asked for money or help and moved my way up to the position I’m in now.  I’ll never stop trying!
Pet Peeves: Lazy people, overconfidence, not sticking to your word, bad drivers ,and angry people (get over it already!)
Three Words to Describe You: Competitive, reliable, and stubborn.
“Survivor” Contestant You Are Most Like:  Parvati – she’s a strong, intelligent woman who did what she had to do to get to the top.
Reason for Being on “Survivor”:  To win, of course! I’d also like to prove to myself and my dad that I can do it.  To push myself and never give up in the toughest situations.
Why You Think You’ll Survive “Survivor”:  I grew up on a farm so I’ve seen and done it all.  I’ve fed cows, cleaned up poop, driven a tractor, hauled fire wood, and the list goes on.  I’m also very competitive and would never give up in a challenge.
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole “Survivor”:  I’m competitive and I’ll never back down.  I’ll always keep trying to move to the next step and I’m not afraid to fib a little or hurt people to be at the top.  Everything I’ve ever tried to do in life I’ve succeeded so I know I can do this too.
What Does It Mean to You to Play “Survivor” with Your Loved One? There is no perfect word to describe how it would be to play “Survivor” with my Dad. We’ve had many ups and downs over the past few years and I would love for this unique opportunity to improve our Father/Daughter bond.  He is truly the only person I would want to do this with!

Tags:, ,
Posted in General, RealityTV, survivor, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur – Blood vs. Water’ Cast Revealed

‘Big Brother’ Power Rankings – Nicole’s-Revolving-Door Edition

August 26, 2014

'Big Brother' (CBS)

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Christine is voted out this week, Rachel will receive 3 points and Team XFINITY will receive 5 points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Big Brother” Power Rankings Challenge Champion!

[xfinity-record-button id=”5666923899412353112″ program_type=”series”]

Last Week: Rachel had Zach in spot six, Gordon had him in spot five. So, the current score is Team Rachel 91, Team XFINITY 86.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Big Brother’ on Your Computer!

Quick Note: “Big Brother” is always going on. These Rankings were handed in Monday.

Rachel’s Score = 91

Any advice for Rachel? Drop her a line on Twitter: @RachelEReilly and follow her on Instagram: @RachelEReillyVillegas

 Team XFINITY’s Score = 86

Any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Cody – As reigning HOH this week, Cody is the safest! He could make a big move and try to put up a strong male threat like Caleb or Frankie…but alas, he probably won’t. And it could cost him a win in the game…playing Derrick’s game.
   1. Cody – Good news: You’re the HOH in a week where the block picks are obvious and you probably won’t suffer too much for them. Bad news: You can’t win HOH next week when the Detonators could finally explode. You’d better hope for a Derrick HOH win.
 2. Derrick – Derrick is probably the second most safe! Lets just put this out there, UNLESS someone notices soon, Derrick is going to win the whole thing!
   2. Derrick – I stand by my belief that Derrick is playing the best game. He seems to have all of the angles covered.
 3. Christine – Christine is Cody’s showmance and flirtmance and basically thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread and does whatever he says.  So, she’s pretty safe this week. She will throw a comp and vote the way the boys tell her to, but will she just sit back and let them win 500k? Only time will tell.
   3. Frankie – I’m not ready to talk about you, Frankie. I’m still mourning the loss of Zankie.

 4. Victoria – AGAIN Victoria is safe since well…who wants to get her out at this point? She’s worthless at comps and has a horrible social game so anyone that brings her to final two is guaranteed a win.  Which means VICTORCIA MAY MAKE 50k this summer for being cast on the show. Uggggghhhhh!
   4. Caleb – I’m not sure how it happened, but it seems like Frankie is a bigger threat than Caleb. The Stealth-Mode Cowboy has become a bit of an afterthought. Could he sneak in and win the whole thing from the less-famous Grande sibling?
 5. Caleb – Caleb is friends with Cody and listens to what the boys say. Also Caleb is one of Derrick’s minions. So, Derrick has final say in all HOHs which means Caleb will be safe again this week. If Caleb wanted to he could use his beast mode skills to take out Derrick and Cody and make a new alliance, but I doubt this will happen. 😦
  5. Christine – Christine might be in the best spot right now. When the dominant alliance splits up you’re going to have Cody and Derrick on one side and Frankie and Caleb on the other. Victoria will go with Cody and Derrick, and she might be able to call her shot based on who’s HOH. Should be interesting.
 6. Frankie – Frankie is safe because Donny and Nicole are still in the house. But if he wants to win the game, he’s been playing all the wrong cards. He would need to take Caleb and Nicole and start now to push out Derrick, Christine, and Cody. Maybe we can hope it’ll happen?
   6. Victoria – Kathy Griffin just gift wrapped a big hint for you in a hilarious package…and it went right over your head. Sigh… You are not playing this game. You are relaxing in your cozy spot in Derrick’s pocket.
 7. Nicole – Nicole is going to be fighting a battle til’ she’s voted out of the house.  At this point, she’s too good of a player for the boys to want to keep around. Unless she can win every veto and pull Frankie and Caleb to her side, she’ll be the next to go.  No one can win every comp, sadly!
   7. Nicole – Nicole’s back in the game! She’s gonna mix things up! Look out dominant alliance! She’s come to kick butt and chew bubblegum! She…she’s the first one out of the HOH competition…and she’s on the block…and she’d be a goner if people weren’t terrified of Donny.  Welp…some twists fall flat. This seems like it’s one of them.
 8. Donny – Donny is the lowest man of the bunch and too nice to say or do anything to throw people under the bus, even if it means sacrificing his own game! 😦 Sad to say looks like the house will be a little less country next week. WE WILL MISS YOU, DONNY!
  8. Donny – Donny’s been on the block forever, and it looks like his time has finally come. He can sneak into Cody’s bedroom at the crack of dawn all he wants, but it’s a little too soon for the Detonators to turn on each other. If he can’t pull off another POV victory, he’s a goner.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Big Brother’ on Your Computer!

Tags:,
Posted in Big Brother, General, RealityTV, TV News | Comments Off on ‘Big Brother’ Power Rankings – Nicole’s-Revolving-Door Edition

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »