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‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame: ‘Survivor’ Press Names Their Top Tribal Councils

December 7, 2014

'Survivor' Hall of Fame Press Corps

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

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The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is proud to have the “Survivor” press corps as a part of the Executive Voting Committee. As members of this exclusive committee, these gentlemen (along with Host Jeff Probst and other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate their three favorite Tribal Councils.

Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote.

NOTE: All of the nominations were requested at the same time, so some Tribal Councils may be nominated more than once.

Gordon Holmes – XFINITYTV.com

Gordon Holmes is a Managing Producer at Comcast and the lead “Survivor” know-it-all for XFINITY TV. He’s been hooked on “Survivor” from the moment he first saw Jeff Probst kick sixteen strangers off a boat and into the sea back in May of 2000. Gordon has visited the set of “Survivor” on five separate occasions (“Gabon,” “Nicaragua,” “South Pacific,” “Philippines,” and “Blood vs. Water”) and boasts an Ozzy-esque 5-1 immunity challenge record.

“Survivor: Borneo” – Final Tribal Council: In my book, there’s only one MUST VOTE pick for this whole shebang, and it’s Sue Hawk’s classic “Snake vs. Rat” speech from the original “Survivor.” It’s an iconic TV moment, it helped shape reality TV, and it set a bar for jury venom that has only been approached (but not surpassed) by Corinne Kaplan.

NOTE: I know moments such as Erik coughing up his idol and Parvati’s double idol play are going to be nominated. So, my other two picks are going to be moments that I don’t think will win, but deserve some recognition…

“Survivor: Gabon – Episode 9 Tribal Council: “Payback’s a b—tch.” “You are a disgusting old, hot-headed, alcoholic.” “You need to grow up before you die alone.” “This vote is not strategic, it is strictly personal.” Those things were all said during the voting process BEFORE Crystal screamed “Forget you, go home, bye!” loud enough for everyone to hear it. That had all of the makings for a memorable Tribal Council before Randy was duped by Runaround Bob’s phony idol. I love me some Randy, but this entire Tribal was amazing.

“Survivor: Caramoan – Fans vs. Favorites” – Episode 10 Tribal Council: They billed it as the “Craziest Tribal Council ever” and it didn’t disappoint. Malcolm wanted “Fun sponge” Phillip out of the game, and he made it happen despite his alliance being down in the numbers seven amigos to three. Idols were played, an alliance had to immediately turn on itself, and bros were held up. It was awesome.

Dalton Ross – Entertainment Weekly

Dalton Ross is an Editor at Large at Entertainment Weekly. He’s also the host of EW Morning Live on Entertainment Weekly Radio (SiriusXM, channel 105). He may have written about this show once or twice over the past 14 years.

“Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 13 Tribal Council: “I wanna give individual immunity to Natalie.” And with those words, Erik Reichenbach entered “Survivor” immortality. Erik’s move was so shocking that producers did not even attempt to mask who was going home as a result — showing every single vote cast against him, and every single befuddled look from the jury along with it. “You’re crazy,” said Parvati while casting her vote. “You will officially go down as the dumbest Survivor ever in the history of “Survivor”…ever!” She’s not wrong.

“Survivor: Borneo” – Final Tribal Council: Over 54 million people watched the season 1 finale in which Richard Hatch faced off against Kelly Wigglesworth with a million dollars on the line. And 54 million mouths dropped wide open when Sue Hawk delivered her infamous “rat and snake” speech. And they dropped even wider when the show’s villain — Hatch — walked away with the loot.

“Survivor: Cook Islands” – Episode 15 Final Four Tribal Council (“We Didn’t Start the Fire”): With the votes deadlocked going down from 4 players to 3, Becky and Sundra went to a fire-making tiebreaker to see who would move on to the final 3 with Yul and Ozzy. Just one problem: Neither could make fire. After an hour of futility — and most of the jury falling asleep — Jeff Probst finally announced “We’re gonna go to matches.” But wait, it gets even better…which is to say, worse. Because then they STILL couldn’t make fire! After another 30 minutes, Sundra ran out of matches and Becky finally won. Ineptitude has never been more comical.

Tom Santilli – Examiner.com

Tom Santilli is the “Survivor Examiner,” having covered “Survivor” for Examiner.com and TheTVKing.com since 2009 and having been a rabid fan since the very beginning. He is also a film critic and appears weekly on the syndicated TV show “Movie Show Plus.” (follow him on Twitter, @tomsantilli and at TomSantilli.com). He claims to own his own “Medallion of Power” that gives him a slight advantage in writing “Survivor” recaps.

I’m assuming everyone is going to put the final Tribal Council from Season 1 (Sue Hawk’s “rat and snake” speech) as well as Parvati’s double-idol play (from “Heroes vs Villains”)…those two should be Hall of Fame moments. But to liven things up a bit, here are three of my favorite OTHER Tribal Councils

“Survivor: Marquesas” – Episode 13 Final Four Tribal Council: Who can forget the bum deal Paschal English got when he drew the purple rock that sent him home? The final four players first competed in an immunity challenge right at Tribal Council. Then future All-Star Kathy Vavrick-O’Brien pleads with immunity holder Vecepia to force a tie vote…which indeed happened, with two votes for Kathy and two for Neleh. After they couldn’t come up with a unanimous vote, they were told to pull rocks and Paschal pulled the unlucky purple rock despite not having one single vote cast against him the entire game. It’s still controversial to this day and definitely needs to be in the “Survivor” Hall of Fame.

“Survivor: Pearl Islands” – Episode 7 Tribal Council: “Per your wishes, Go home.” Those were the parting words of Jeff Probst to Osten Taylor, the first person to ever quit the game. It was a big moment because nobody had ever quit on “Survivor” prior to this, and I remember watching it, screaming at my TV, “You can’t QUIT ‘Survivor!’” Other than medical emergencies, it was the first time someone had their torch snuffed at Tribal where the famous “the tribe has spoken” line wasn’t uttered.

“Survivor: Samoa” – Episode 9 Tribal Council: “I ain’t finished playin’ just yet.” You can hate on him all you want these days, but there was nothing in “Survivor” history like watching Russell Hantz go from interesting underdog to “Survivor” Legend. In one of many amazing Tribals, his “Legend” status was solidified when he played his second immunity idol of the season during this episode, completely blindsiding the wide-eyed Galu tribe, and sending Kelly home instead. It also put an exclamation point on the “always split your votes” strategy, used meticulously to this very day by every majority alliance. It was at this precise moment that real “Survivor” history was made, and it deserves strong consideration for the “Survivor” Hall of Fame.

Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations.

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

Tags:survivor, survivor hall of fame
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‘Survivor’ Hall of Famer Parvati Shallow’s Top Tribal Councils

December 7, 2014

2010 "Survivor" Hall of Fame Inductee Parvati Shallow (CBS)

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The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is proud to have 2010 inductee Parvati Shallow as a part of the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Parvati (along with Host Jeff Probst and other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate her three favorite Tribal Councils.

Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote.

Note: All of the nominations were requested at the same time, so some Tribal Councils may be nominated more than once.

Parvati Shallow’s “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations…

“Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 13 Tribal Council: Erik gives Natalie the immunity necklace. This moment blew my mind. I was so glad I was sitting behind Erik, and he couldn’t see my face. I think if he saw how hard my jaw hit the floor he would have changed his mind and kept his necklace. Thanks to the team of superhero women I was working with in Micronesia, this became one of the most incredible Tribal Council blindsides of all time.

“Survivor: Borneo” – Final Tribal Council: Sue Hawk’s snake and rat speech. I’m throwing this one in there so they’re not all about me. 🙂 The very first season of “Survivor” rocked my world even though I didn’t see it until a week before boarding my plane to the Cook Islands. When Sue Hawk tore into the final two, describing her desire to “watch the snake eat the rat,” she spoke to the raw emotion people feel upon being voted out or betrayed. That was my first glimpse into the heavy reality of competing in the “Survivor” arena.

“Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” – Episode 6’s 1st Tribal Council: Russell gives me his idol and saves me in “Heroes vs Villains” and Tyson votes himself out. I knew I was in trouble at this Tribal Council. I also did not know that Russell was prepared to generously sacrifice his own safety in the game for me. In the moment, it was all a blur. But, when the dust settled and I was eating hot dogs on the other side, I was ecstatic. This move was a huge risk for Russell, and it paid off HUGE by granting us both the opportunity to fight all the way to the end.

Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations.

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

Tags:parvati shallow, survivor, survivor hall of fame
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‘Survivor’ Hall of Famer Kim Spradlin’s Top Tribal Councils

December 7, 2014

2013 'Survivor' Hall of Famer Kim Spradlin (CBS)

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The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is proud to have 2013 inductee Kim Spradlin as a part of the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Kim (along with Host Jeff Probst and other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate her three favorite Tribal Councils.

Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote.

Note: All of the nominations were requested at the same time, so some Tribal Councils may be nominated more than once.

Kim Spradlin’s “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations…

“Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 13 Tribal Council: Erik R. giving his idol to Natalie on “Fans vs. Favorites”…um, oh my, I know everyone balks, but it seems like he could have easily won the rest of the immunity challenges and the game if he’d just sat tight with his idol. Hard lesson learned, I guess.

“Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” – Episode 10 Tribal Council: Parvati with her two idols in “Heroes vs. Villains”…this was so amazing to me. Not only that she played them both, but neither one for herself – this move changed the game.

“Survivor: Fiji” – Episode 14 Final Four Tribal Council: Dreamz going back on the truck-for-immunity deal he made with Yau-Man. A crazy moment where you find yourself being appalled at Dreamz, but really it is a game and everyone lies like crazy so I guess that was really Yau’s own fault.

Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations.

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

Tags:kim spradlin, survivor, survivor hall of fame
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‘Survivor’ Hall of Famer Cirie Fields’ Top Three Tribal Councils

December 5, 2014

2011 "Survivor" Hall of Famer Cirie Fields (CBS)

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The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is proud to have 2011 inductee Cirie Fields as a part of the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Cirie (along with Host Jeff Probst and other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate her three favorite Tribal Councils.

Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote.

Note: All of the nominations were requested at the same time, so some Tribal Councils may be nominated more than once.

Cirie Fields’ “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations…

“Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 13 Tribal Council: So my first pick… for obvious reasons would be Erik giving his immunity necklace to Natalie at Tribal. We’re coming up on our 30th season and prior to the gazillions of idols floating around how many people gave away immunity at TRIBAL COUNCIL and were voted OUT IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS?

“Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” – Episode 10 Tribal Council: My second pick would be Parv’s amazing display of ultimate control when she did not panic and use either of her idols on herself, but used not one, but both of them for the advancement of her entire team. Bravo, Parv!

“Survivor: China” – Episode 7 Tribal Council: My third pick should at least get an honorable mention. It is Jaime Dugan playing the very first fake immunity idol. Hilarious and brilliant.

Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations.

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

Tags:cirie fields, survivor, survivor hall of fame
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‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame: Host Jeff Probst Names His Top Tribal Councils

December 5, 2014

'Survivor' Host and Executive Producer Jeff Probst (CBS)

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As members of the Executive Voting Committee, “Survivor” Host Jeff Probst (along with other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate his three favorite Tribal Councils.

Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote.

Note: All of the nominations were requested at the same time, so some Tribal Councils may be nominated more than once.

Jeff Probst’s “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations…

“Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 13 Tribal Council: Erik gave up his immunity necklace to Natalie and moments later was voted out. You can’t have a Tribal Council Hall of Fame and not include this memorable moment because it speaks to a part of “Survivor” that often gets overlooked – “Life Lessons.” I don’t remember this as Erik making a dumb move, I put it in the same category as my first girlfriend, Rhonda Smith whom I gave all my Halloween candy to simply because she said she liked me. It’s a lesson every boy has to learn: “Don’t get blinded by the breasts!” Poor Erik had all these beautiful women working him over emotionally and he just fell victim to it all. The saddest part for Erik is he really did have a legitimate shot to win the game.

“Survivor: Blood vs. Water” – Episode 12 Tribal Council: Ciera goes for broke and forces everyone to draw rocks. The drawing-rock tie breaker is so severe that it rarely happens because the risk is so high and nobody wants to go home simply because they drew the wrong colored rock! Especially when they were safe to begin with! Ciera earned the right to call herself a “big time player” by making this move because this is the kind of move winners make. You must play big. Yes, it may fail. It probably will. But you have no shot to win without going big. This moment was so shocking I literally heard the yells of crew members who were watching on a monitor thousands of yards away. I kid you not. I heard the gasp. Fortunately none of the players did.

“Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” – Episode 10 Tribal Council: Parvati plays two idols for Sandra and Jerri. She didn’t even tell her closest ally, Russell about the plan. This is number one for me because it was a massive game changer and illustrated why Parvati has been so successful on the show. Advantages are very hard to come by on “Survivor” so when you have one, or two in this case, the key is how to maximize their value. Most players would have held onto those two idols and used them to save their own hide at two different Tribal Councils. That wouldn’t be a bad move, it guarantees you to get pretty deep in the game. But Parvati wasn’t going for deep – she was going for the win. By sacrificing her own safety she flipped the game and made it to the final where she lost to “Survivor’s” only two-time winner, Sandra Diaz-Twine.

Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations.

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

Tags:jeff probst, survivor, survivor hall of fame
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‘Survivor’ Castaway Alec: ‘I Don’t Not Like Baylor’

December 5, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

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There are only about 44 minutes in an actual “Survivor” episode. Once you get through the challenges, Tribal, and Baylor hatred, there isn’t much time to show meat collecting.

But rest assured, meat collecting was happening.

I spoke to the show’s first ever meat collector the morning after his elimination and had a chance to ask him about his relationship with Baylor, his flirty ways, and the accusation that some of his actions were sexist.

Gordon Holmes: First and foremost; what’s a meat collector?
Alec Christy: (Laughs) That’s great. Me and my buddies are exactly that. Our fridge is filled with venison, tuna, mahi mahi…we kill stuff, we fillet it, we put it in our fridge. We collect it, we cook it. That’s what we do. We’re big on killing things that were once living and putting them in our fridge.

Holmes: You and Baylor…one second she’s sitting on your lap, the next you want her to smell your farts.
Christy: (Laughs) That’s great, man. Oh my gosh. It’s just tough to be out there with someone for that long. Every little tendency Baylor would have would start to frustrate me. I don’t know. But, at the same time, I like Baylor. Baylor’s a sweet girl. I’m still frustrated with her. Her running to her mom, and then she’s crying…there were a lot of factors about her that frustrated me. She’s still just a little 20-year-old girl. She’s still growing up and stuff. I don’t not like Baylor. When you’re out there and you can snap so easily because you’re hungry or tired or whatever, I think my frustration toward her just shined more.

Holmes: When Jon was away at Exile you were accused of flirting with Jaclyn. Was that part of a strategy, or was that just everyday Alec?
Christy: I think it’s a little of both. It could fall under everyday Alec. But, I needed Jaclyn and I needed Jon. I thought, “Let’s go see what you can do here.” I was being nice, trying to talk to her. It was nothing past playing the game for me.
Holmes: Your brother didn’t last long into the game. It’s got to feel good to have those bragging rights.
Christy: I think Drew knew that I was going to beat him. Drew’s a little bit more high maintenance. Drew doesn’t rough it the way that I do. I’ll get my punches in because I beat him in “Survivor.” I’ll be able to hold onto that forever. I’m proud of Drew. We’re glad we did it together. But, I’ll be able to say, “You got voted out on day nine after you threw a challenge. How does that feel?”
Holmes: The big question is; who has the more impressive meat collection?
Christy: Oh, no way. Drew is not a meat collector. Everybody loves that quote, “Meat Collector.”
Holmes: I’m thinking it’d be an outstanding title for a horror flick.
Christy: (Laughs) “Meat Collector!” Like with a chainsaw or something.

Holmes: Drew said some misogynistic things, calling people a “b—h.” There was the situation where Jaclyn thought you, Keith, and Wes were being sexist. Were these things you were cognizant of at the time or has it just come to light now that it was viewed this way?
Christy: I said it like it was. If you want to call me rude because I tell you how I really feel about you when you do nothing all day and the reason you’re surviving is because of me and the other people that are making the fire, collecting wood, getting water? I’m busting my knuckles open to get clams off of these rocks while you sit and then you eat more than me? That’s not cool. If you want to vote me out or call me rude, whatever, do it. But, I can’t live that way. I wasn’t raised that way where I can watch people work while I sit on my ass. That was not OK.
Holmes: So the accusation that your behavior was sexist…
Christy: Oh, I am not sexist. I have nothing against any of those women except that I was carrying more weight than I needed to because you’re not carrying enough.

Holmes: We didn’t get to see much of you out there due to the edit. Is there anything you were doing that you want us to know about?
Christy: I had a pretty strong gameplan with Josh, Jon, and Jaclyn. And Jon and I had a big conversation they didn’t show with Josh about getting Jeremy out when Julie was still in the game. So, that was going to be a huge move. It was going to set up a lot of things for me. After that I was still working with Jon to get Missy out or Natalie or whoever. I really was trying to play with Jon and Jaclyn because I knew Missy and Baylor were all over the board and I didn’t want to play with them. But, Jon was too hesitant to make a big move.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Jon.
Christy: A little bit naïve.
Holmes: Keith?
Christy: Man, country boy.
Holmes: Jaclyn?
Christy: Miss Michigan.
Holmes: Missy?
Christy: Conniving.
Holmes: Baylor?
Christy: Young.
Holmes: Natalie?
Christy: Natalie was a bad ass.
Holmes: Wes?
Christy: He was outgoing, he was funny, he had this awesome accent. And that kid loves “Survivor.”
Holmes: Let’s finish with Drew.
Christy: Drew was overconfident and maybe full of himself.

Holmes: If Julie hadn’t quit and you’d been able to bounce Jeremy, what would’ve been your goal for final three partners?
Christy: It would’ve been tough to go to the final three without Natalie or someone like that. But I would’ve tried to get there with Jaclyn and Baylor.

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

Tags:alec christy, jeff probst, survivor, survivor san juan del sur
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‘Survivor’ Hall of Famer Rob Cesternino’s Top Three Tribal Councils

December 4, 2014

2012 'Survivor' Hall of Famer Rob Cesternino (CBS)

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The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is proud to have 2012 inductee Rob Cesternino as a part of the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Rob (along with Host Jeff Probst, Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, and other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate his three favorite Tribal Councils.

Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote.

Editor’s Note: If you are missing out on Rob Cesternino’s “Rob Has a Podcast,” you are missing out on the best non-wrestling podcast on the Internet.

Rob Cesternino’s “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations…

It’s once again an honor to be included in this year’s proceedings for the “Survivor” Hall of Fame. While there have been a plethora of amazing Tribal Councils in the storied history of “Survivor” – I’m going to focus exclusively on moments from the first couple of seasons. I suspect you’ll get plenty of coverage from the recent seasons but I want to make sure that classic “Survivor” is well represented in the Hall of Fame.

“Survivor: Borneo” – Final Tribal Council (Snakes & Rats)

“But if I would ever pass you along in life and you are laying there, dying of thirst, I would not give you a drink of water. I would let the vultures take you and do whatever they want with you with no ill regrets”

Sue Hawk’s speech at the final Tribal Council is a transcendent moment not only in the history of “Survivor” but also in the history of television. It’s a moment where tens of millions of people could tell you where they were at the exact moment that she said it. It’s amazing, it’s insane and it’s everything that we love about “Survivor.”

When I was in college, we forgot to pay the cable bill and our TV service was shut off. I had a VHS tape of the finale of the first “Survivor” and we watched it over and over. At one point, I had Sue’s whole speech committed to memory. I got to play with Sue Hawk on “Survivor: All-Stars” and asked her about it every chance I got. In a related story, she voted me off the first chance she got, but I’d like to think she’d still give me a drink of water if I was lying on the road, dying of thirst with vultures circling.

“Survivor: The Australian Outback” – Episode 7 Tribal Council (Jeff Varner Gets Screwed)

Back in 2001, people wondered if “Survivor” could do it again when the show launched its second season “Survivor: The Australian Outback.” This time around, the players had seen the game before and both the Kucha and Okagor tribes knew they had to come in to the merge with numbers. After Mike Skupin got burned in the fire, Kucha and Okagor came in to the merge with five members each. Following an all-day immunity challenge, the merged tribe went to Tribal Council completely divided.

Each original tribe voted in unison with Kucha putting all their votes on Colby and the former Okagor members voting for Jeff Varner. At this time in “Survivor,” a tie was broken based on previous votes and Jeff had a vote cast against him at the first Tribal Council by Debb Eaton. Smartly, Tina Wesson asked Kucha member, Kimmi Kappenberg, about who Debb voted for and Kimmi revealed it was Jeff. Tina filed that piece of information in her pocket and targeted Varner for the first vote after the merge.

After the tribes got to a stalemate at five votes a piece, Jeff Probst asked Colby and Varner to reveal their previous votes. Colby had none and Jeff had one (that he knew of). It was enough and Jeff Varner became the first player voted out after the merge. This one vote sealed the game for Okagor as they controlled the numbers and picked off the rest of the Kucha tribe over the course of the season. Props to Tina, Colby, and the rest of the Okagors but it was a great loss to lose Jeff Varner, who I think is one of the great underrated players.

“Survivor: Marquesas” – Episode 13 Final Four Tribal Council (The Purple Rock)

All through “Survivor: The Australian Outback” and “Survivor: Africa,” the prospect of a tie vote loomed over the game. After this one Tribal Council, “Survivor” players would never think of tie votes in the same way. In “Survivor: Marquesas,” they were down to only four players by Day 37 with Neleh and Paschal joined as a tight two, Kathy as the third member of their alliance and Vecepia on the outside looking in. After Vecepia won immunity at Final 4, Neleh and Paschal realized the vote should be for Kathy and Kathy did too.

Kathy asked the now immune Vecepia to vote with her. With nothing to lose, Vecepia agreed to work with her. For Kathy, the strategy makes all the sense in the world. Since Vee has immunity, and Paschal and Neleh won’t vote for one another, Kathy will be voted out of the tribe. Kathy is willing to join Vee and risk her 100% chance of being voted out of the game in exchange for a 66.66% percent chance of STAYING in the game by picking a yellow rock.

For Paschal and Neleh, either of them could have guaranteed their own safety in the game by offering to join Vee and Kathy in voting the other one out. Obviously, Neleh or Paschal don’t want to do that because of their friendship so instead they will gamble on the 33% chance that Kathy pulls the purple rock out of the bag. Furthermore, if their gamble is correct and Kathy pulls the yellow rock, they’ll control the votes heading in to a final 3 vs. Vecepia.

Jeff instructed the three rock-pullers to take a rock out of the bag one at a time without looking at it. He would have them all open their palm simultaneously for the results. Neleh went first, then Kathy and finally Paschal. “That feels like Purple, Jeff”, Paschal joked as he took his rock out of the bag. However, Paschal soon found out that the purple rock was not a joke. After 37 days, Paschal was voted out by picking the wrong colored rock.

The purple rock was a transformative moment in the game that would change the way players play going forward. Sure, we’ll still have ties at the final four in a few seasons but other than the 2-2 stalemate, no vote will go to rocks again for another 23 seasons! Ultimately, the fear of getting Paschal’ed (with all due respect to Katie Collins) will usually get one of the players to flip and avoid the purple rock scenario entirely. It’s because of this, I think this Tribal Council deserves a place in the “Survivor” Hall of Fame.

Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations.

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

Tags:rob cesternino, survivor, survivor hall of fame
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‘Survivor’ Castaway Reed: ‘I Let a 20 Year Old Get My Goat’

December 4, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' ((CBS)

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Every “Survivor” fan dreams of going on the show, winning challenges, swinging votes, orchestrating a brilliant blindside, and walking away with a big, fat check.

Well, Reed will have to settle for four out of five.

I spoke to one half of the Broadway duo the morning after his elimination and asked about Keith’s blunder, Alec’s flirting, and Missy’s wrath…

Gordon Holmes: Why were you flirting with Jaclyn when her boyfriend was at Exile?
Reed Kelly: (Laughs)
Holmes: Wait, those are my questions for Alec.
Kelly: (Laughs)
Holmes: I can salvage this…why was Alec flirting with Jaclyn?
Kelly: That’s just Alec. It’s who he is. How can you not love that face? He’s trying to work his game. I give him props.

Holmes: You’re a Broadway talent. On a scale from one-to-ten, how do you rate Jon’s Disney singing ability?
Kelly: I have to say, I was really impressed. His singing I’ll give him like a six, but his character work is definitely a nine or ten, Gordon.
Holmes: That’s been a popular opinion that his character stuff is scary good.
Kelly: Within the Broadway community we have a special appreciation for people like Jon. He’s passionate about his Disney movies.

Holmes: Are you going to be watching “Peter Pan Live!” tonight?
Kelly: Absolutely. All of my friends are on it. I’m so excited for them.

Holmes: It looked like you had Jon and his idol out of the game and then Keith…uh…he had his moment.
Kelly: Stick to the plan, Gordon!
Holmes: Have four words ever been more disastrous?
Kelly: What happened was, there were so many plates spinning to make it happen. And I told Wes and Keith, “We can make this happen, this is going to be epic. Just don’t get spooked. I’m going to have to come after you at Tribal and draw attention to the fact that you guys have an idol. Don’t let this throw you. The only reason I’m doing this is I have to make the majority alliance believe that I’m really with them. Don’t freak out.” But, apparently I’m too good of an actor because I really freaked them out.
Holmes: In their defense, you are a professional actor.
Kelly: (Laughs) It was one of those moments where he said, “We need to stick to the plan” and I wanted to step outside and light myself on fire.
Holmes: There are many convenient ways to do that at Tribal.
Kelly: I know, right? But it happened, and I adore Keith and Wes. It’s just interesting when you’re working with people who aren’t huge “Survivor” fans and they don’t behave in a predictable manner.
Holmes: When Josh wants to get your goat, does he say, “Stick to the plan?”
Kelly: (Laughs) There’s so many other ways that I can get back at him, that we kind of don’t do that. When you beat someone in a sumo challenge, that’s always good material.

Holmes: I like players who appreciate good moves, even if they’re against them. And it seemed like Jon had a positive attitude after you almost sent him home.
Kelly: I think Jon is just good-natured in general. Almost to a point where it gets frustrating because you get a lot of nice things with Jon and you say, “OK, you’re very sweet. But, I need you to stand up for something right now.”

Holmes: Jon said he trusted you last night, then Natalie swung over and he was like, “You scoundrel, I can never trust you.” Did you have a chance to address that again after his fight with Jaclyn?
Kelly: No Gordon, that was it. I had to sneak off into the woods and circle around just to have that conversation with Jon and Jaclyn. Missy and Natalie were guarding Jon. They were watching him like a hawk. I feel like Jaclyn was down with the plan, but when you have two people who start fighting with each other for five-to-six hours, it doesn’t make for the best gameplay. I felt like Jon was open to the idea for a minute.
Holmes: Jon and Jaclyn always find themselves in the middle. Is this a larger strategy or do they just go where the wind takes them?
Kelly: Yes. (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs)
Kelly: They really were in the middle. It was because they were playing for opportunities which can be a strategy. But, it’s frustrating when you’re wondering where they’re going to be this time. I’m not sure if it was a strategy for them, or if it was just the circumstances they found themselves in.

Holmes: You and Missy had it out after you called Baylor a brat. I found this annoying because I’m thinking at this point you’re headed for the jury. Terrible jury management.
Kelly: Absolutely. And the moment if flew out of my mouth I thought, “Why did you do that?” You’re not only attacking Baylor, but you’re attacking her parenting style. I regretted it. But what you didn’t see is Baylor had been ragging on me all day. You’re starving, you’re exhausted. It is what it is. I knew there was no coming back from that. But, I tried to extend an olive branch after they returned from the reward. I kind of got this thing from Baylor where I’m apologizing and she said, “You know, Reed. You just really need to learn to tame your tongue.” And I was like “OK! I’m not going to go any further with this.” My mom raised me better. I’m a little frustrated that I let a 20 year old get my goat.

Holmes: Alright, let’s do some word association. We’ll start with Jon.
Kelly: Wine.
Holmes: Rocker?
Kelly: Big.
Holmes: Jaclyn?
Kelly: Pageant.
Holmes: Missy?
Kelly: She-wolf.
Holmes: Natalie?
Kelly: Hysterical.
Holmes: Baylor?
Kelly: No comment.
Holmes: Alec?
Kelly: Bro!
Holmes: Wes?
Kelly: Road house.
Holmes: Keith?
Kelly: Spit.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Josh.
Kelly: Aww…love.
Holmes: Adorable.

Holmes: So, nobody has given a positive answer for Baylor yet.
Kelly: Really? That’s unfortunate. I don’t dislike her as a human being, but it was rough out there with Missy and Baylor.

Holmes: You are a super fan. You got out there and made some major moves. What is your takeaway from the experience?
Kelly: I get really mushy about it. It really is a dream come true. You’re out there and you’re miserable, but for me I was so loving and hating it. Jeff Probst is like “Reed is doing this!” and “Reed is doing that!” and I’m thinking, “Jeff Probst is saying my name right now!” It’s so epic and beyond words and such a blessing because there are so many super fans who want to do the show. I hope we gave the super fans some hope.

Holmes: You and Josh are abstaining from sex until marriage.
Kelly: Yes, it is a daily commitment.
Holmes: Are there any plans for a marriage?
Kelly: I think at this point we would say we’re seriously dating with intent on marriage. It’s something we talk about quite frequently. I wouldn’t be surprised if that was on the very near horizon.

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

Tags:Reed Kelly, survivor, survivor san juan del sur
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‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame: Producers Name Their Top Three Tribal Councils

December 3, 2014

"Survivor" Hall of Fame

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As members of the Executive Voting Committee, “Survivor” Producers Jesse Jensen and Matt Van Wagenen (along with Host Jeff Probst, Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, and other “Survivor” luminaries) will nominate their three favorite Tribal Councils.

Then, from Monday, December 8, 2014 at 10 am ET through Friday December 12, 2014 at 5 pm ET, the top three Tribal Councils will be chosen by a fan vote.

Note: All of the nominations were requested at the same time, so some Tribal Councils may be nominated more than once.

Jesse Jensen’s “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations…

Man, it’s hard to remember them all or decide on what is the best, there have been so many great Tribals. But, if I were to pick, my three would be…

“Survivor: Borneo” – Final Tribal Council: I don’t think you can ignore Season 1’s final Tribal for a classic. That “rats and snakes” speech from Sue Hawk was amazing and the shock of Richard winning makes it one of the greatest and most memorable of all time.

“Survivor: Cook Islands” – Episode 2 Tribal Council: It may be my warped sense of humor, but for sheer entertainment value when Billy Garcia declared his true love for Candice to Jeff at Tribal…that was pretty awesome. Not a huge strategic Tribal Council but one of those great “Survivor” moments that you just don’t expect and that makes you laugh. I know from being on set that night it was really hard not to laugh out loud when it all happened.

“Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 12 Tribal Council: I think the Tribal when Amanda pulled the hidden Idol out after spending the day on Exile, busting her ass to find it was awesome. Everyone thought she was going home and she smugly pulled it out with such perfect timing, blindsiding everyone to save herself. A perfect “Survivor” moment.

Matt Van Wagenen’s “Survivor” Hall of Fame Nominations…

Okay, I’m partial to the seasons I worked on but here goes in no particular order…

“Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” – Episode 10 Tribal Council: Parvati is considered one of the best players ever and this move is one of the reasons. She played an idol for Sandra and an idol for Jerri and left herself vulnerable. She guessed correctly and shifted the power of the entire game to the villains as JT was voted out. Russell had no idea that she was going to do it and JT was sent home because of an idol that he gave away. I could watch the reactions of the jury, the Heroes and the Villains over and over and over again. Priceless.

“Survivor: Blood vs. Water” – Episode 12 Tribal Council: Normally castaways walk into Tribal Council fairly too committed to a decision. Occasionally you see someone change their vote on the spot which is always exciting, but Ciera not only switched her vote, she forced a tie and went to drawing rocks. It was a massive, bold move that could have taken Tyson, the eventual winner, out of the game but instead sent Katie packing. To witness it live is still one of my favorite moments while working on the show.

“Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs Favorites” – Episode 13 Tribal Council: Eric giving up his immunity necklace will go down as one of the dumbest moves in “Survivor” history. However, the fact that Cirie, Amanda, Parvati, and Natalie were able to bamboozle him into giving up the necklace in the first place should go down as one of the most brilliant and improbable moves of all time.

Follow the “Survivor” Hall of Fame on Twitter and Facebook for up-to-the-minute updates and Tribal Council nominations.

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

Tags:jesse jensen, matt van wagenen, survivor, survivor hall of fame
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‘Survivor: San Juan del Sur’ Power Rankings – Double Elimination Edition

December 3, 2014

'Survivor: San Juan del Sur' (CBS)

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Important Announcement: The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is honoring the show’s most iconic Tribal Councils.

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 Baylor is voted out this week, Spencer will receive three points and Gordon will receive two points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: San Juan del Sur” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Spencer and Gordon both had Wes in spot seven. So, the current score is Team Farm Guy 79, Team Corinsanity 95.

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


Team Farm Guy’s Score = 79 Any questions for Spencer? Drop him a line on Twitter: @SpencerBGM	Team Corinsanity’s Score = 95 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes

1. Jon – There looks to be trouble in paradise in this week’s “Survivor” double-header, as Jon and Jaclyn are seen fighting. They’ve both proven solid game players, though, and I trust the couple to keep their eyes on the prize even whilst hangry.	1. Jaclyn – Natalie totally saved the day last week. If she doesn’t speak up at Tribal, Jon doesn’t play his idol, he’s sent packing, and you’re probably next. Now, don’t let that move make you feel too warm and fuzzy toward your new favorite Twinnie. With the exception of possibly Reed, Natalie is the last person you want to be sitting next to at the final Tribal.

2. Jaclyn – With the numbers down to eight, Jon, Jaclyn, Missy, and Baylor have it within their power to face nothing worse than a tie at Tribal Council. If a dice roll comes, Jon and Jaclyn at least have an idol going their way.	2. Baylor – I can’t imagine a scenario where Baylor could win at this point. She could get to the end against acne on prom night and yellow snow and still not get any votes.

3. Baylor – In “Survivor,” any press is bad press, so it’s bad news that Reed is seen calling Baylor a brat. Whether he’s targeting her or trying to rustle her feathers, I felt better about Baylor when she was flying under the radar / Missy’s wing.	3. Missy – I think you’re in the same boat with your daughter. You just haven’t done enough for a jury to award you the big prize.

4. Natalie – Natalie’s in an excellent spot this week. She has an idol, and the Jon/Jaclyn/Baylor/Missy coalition need her vote. While shaking things up Ciera-style might be risky and mean a nonzero chance of going home, it could be the play she makes to have a shot at winning.	4. Natalie – “Survivor” champions Ethan Zohn, Jenna Morasca, “Boston” Rob Mariano, and Amber Mariano have all played the “Amazing Race” and lost. Are we prepared for what’ll happen if Jeff Probst has to hand over a million-dollar check to one half of the Twinnies? (Also, what convenient bookends it’d be with Nadiya being the first out.)

5. Missy – If Natalie decides to make something happen, and we end up in a gridlock, idols will become paramount. Natalie will have one. Jaclyn or Jon will have one. Missy will almost definitely not have one.	5. Jon – You dodged a major bullet, buddy. And I’m betting things will finally calm down so you can cut the excess players from the tribe. But, don’t think for a second that because Natalie doesn’t have a loved one that she’s the right person to take to the end. I feel like people respect her game more than yours.

6. Alec – “Survivor” teases that this week, contestants will willingly give up reward in the middle of a challenge. Surely they’re not talking about our beloved meat collector? Alec hasn’t made waves in a while, so hopefully two hours will be long enough to see something interesting from him.	6. Alec – Hey…weren’t you on “Survivor”?

7. Reed – You have to feel for someone who constructed a plan that was going to work – going to shake the game – and fell apart with four small words: “Stick to the plan.” Reed has fought the good fight, but he’s nearing his last lifeline, and has little hope of establishing long-term trust anywhere.	7. Keith – Wow…just wow. That was… I can’t believe… Of all the… You know, when they talk about the biggest mistakes in “Survivor” history, people lean toward the showier ones like people being voted out with idols or Erik giving up his idol. But Keith’s has to be up there. If he’d played it right, he’d have the numbers and an idol right now.

8. Keith – Talk about screwing the pooch. Keith claims not to understand “mathematics and all that mess,” and paid for it last week when he let the cat out of the bag regarding “that mess.” I’m rooting for more soundbites, but fear this is the week an idol-less Keith finally takes his last spit in San Juan Del Sur.	8. Reed – Oh, Reed. You deserve better. It’s not your fault that Keith dropped the ball…and the ball rolled into the street…and a gasoline truck ran over the ball…and the truck swerved and hit a tree…and the gasoline doused the remnants of the ball…and an errant spark ignited the ball and burned it to dust…and then a dog relieved itself on the ashes...