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Will There Ever Be a Cold-Weather ‘Survivor’ Season? Jeff Probst Answers…

October 15, 2012

'Survivor: Redemption Island' (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Monday Jeff Probst and I will tackle a wide variety of topics with the “Survivor” Question of the Week. Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player.  Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: Philippines”

This Week’s Question: Which twist are you pitched the most?

Gordon Holmes: This is another easy question. Whenever someone learns that I cover “Survivor” their follow-up response is inevitably, “Why don’t they ever shoot in a snowy climate?”
Jeff Probst: Yep, I get snowy climate a lot.
Holmes: Sorry folks, I don’t want to live in a world where “Survivor” doesn’t feature bikinis in some form.
Probst: It seems quite unlikely that will ever happen.
Holmes: What other pitches do you get?
Probst: I also get, “Why not an international version with players from all over the world?”  The reason that won’t happen is we only have the rights to do an American version.  I also get, “How ‘bout a season of only those who were voted out first?”  Huh?

Which Twist Would You Like to See? Send your answers to me on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Castaway Russell: ‘I’m Just Mad…Humiliated’

October 11, 2012

Russell Swan (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Monday Jeff Probst and I will tackle a wide variety of topics with the “Survivor” Question of the Week. Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player.  Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: Philippines”

Usually “Survivor” exit interviews involve the castaway and I discussing what went wrong with their game, who stabbed them in the back, and how tough the conditions were. We share some laughs, they do some word association. Lather, rinse, repeat.

This won’t be one of those interviews.

I spoke with Russell Swan the morning after he was eliminated from “Survivor: Philippines.” We didn’t discuss his relationship with Malcolm and Denise, his Tribal Council debate with Angie, or his brief alliance with Roxanne. In fact, no other players’ names came up. We really didn’t talk about anything other than the psychological effect a game that’s played under the worst conditions in front of millions of people can have on someone…

Gordon Holmes: I feel like if you play this game with the same people in the same place 100 different times you’ll get 100 different outcomes. Was what happened to Matsing? Just a run of bad luck?
Russell Swan: Gordon, this is going to sound weird. I’ve had some anxiety about these interviews and what I feel comfortable sharing. I will be the first confess that I’m having  a tough time. This has had a tremendous effect on me. It’s hard to focus on those type of typical questions. The only thing I can say is; this experience was very different from the first one. The impact the first time was physical. This time it’s psychological. And, it seems clear to me that the best thing for me to do is be introspective and think about if there are things I can learn about myself. Hopefully in time I’ll be able to talk about the game.
Holmes: I understand.
Swan: But right now, Russell needs to take care of Russell.

Holmes: OK, let’s go wider with this. Going into the game I spoke with you, I spoke with the other returnees. All three of you came into the game under similar circumstances with the medical evacuations. And you were unique in that your elimination in Samoa really seemed to stick with you. You said a couple of times that you kept asking yourself, ‘What if?” Now that you’ve played again and were voted out, does that make things better? Does it make it worse?
Swan: That’s a very good and interesting question. And that’s the crux of this whole thing. I have to say my short answer is that I’m not sure. And that’s all because what happened this time is so much more complex. Because, let’s face it, I’m an object of scorn and ridicule to some extent. Which is fine. If you don’t go into this thing with your eyes open that that’s within the realm of possibility, then you’re a fool. I get that. Just because you can intellectualize about that doesn’t make it easy. I’m not in an intellectual place right now. It’s having an impact, which is difficult.
Holmes: What’s the reaction been like from your family?
Swan: Last night before the show came on I told my daughter, “Look, I’m going to get voted out.” She asked me why, and the way she asked me was like, “Why would they vote you out, Daddy? You’re OK. I love you. Why don’t others want you around?” And I basically said that my tribe loses the challenge and votes me out. But she could discern that there were still other people in the tribe. And she said, “If there’s still going to be other people, why are they voting you out?” And then she started to cry. It just hit me that this is a pretty profound thing. We had a conversation that was very good, it bonded us in a very special way that I don’t want to share because it’s very personal, but it’s tough to have to see my daughter upset over this thing. So, it was one more thing that piles onto the scorn and the ridicule.
Holmes: Does it give you some solace that your real alliance, the people you’re spending your life with, care so much about you? Does that help put things in perspective?
Swan: Oh, absolutely. And Gordon, that’s the one thing I’ll say that there is always a silver lining. And one of those things was the special moment I had with my daughter. The other one is I really do appreciate my life. Not to say that before “Survivor” that I didn’t appreciate her, but when you feel like you have nothing else and no soft place to land, and you can go to this person and you know that they have your back and they want you to be better, that’s just such an amazing thing. My real tribe loves me and they have proven it. I will never have to question that.

Holmes: You mentioned “scorn and ridicule” earlier. What have you been experiencing outside of the game?
Swan: You know; Twitter, Facebook. Some of it has even been in my face walking down the street. It’s probably not unlike some of the other folks in the past have received. But I’ll be on my way to the office and the guy across the way on the train platform will say, “You suck!” Some of it’s been quite aggressive to the point where if I’d been able to get to the people it might not have ended well. It’s not easy. I’m a person, I’m a human being. Jeff’s right, I’m not Superman.
Holmes: I always say it’s easy to be on your couch and be well fed and say, “Yeah, Russell should have done this.”
Swan: That’s right. If I’m not mistaken, you’ve run a challenge or two.
Holmes: Yeah. A few times.
Swan: You know that those things are ballbusters.
Holmes: That they are.
Swan: And that’s just the physical. The physical is easy. I wanted to do well. I wanted my tribe to do well. I wanted to last longer than I did before. I wanted to make the merge. And I do wear my heart on my sleeve. What happened in Tribal a couple of times is the antithesis of what I believe. I don’t believe in tearing people down. But, that’s the nature of the game.

Holmes: You went in with a blueprint for what you wanted to do. You didn’t want to be a leader, you were going to hang back, you were going to stay hydrated. A lot of the things you said you weren’t going to do, you ended up doing. Is that part of being in the game? Is that something within yourself that you have to deal with?
Swan: I don’t know. Again, I don’t know. Right now, I’m in “Survivor” mode. I’m just mad, pissed, humiliated. That’s where I’m existing right now.

Holmes: I love “Survivor.” I’ve been watching from day one. But at the end of the day it’s just a game. We’ve spoken a few times, I don’t know you personally, but you’ve always been a nice, approachable guy.
Swan: Thank you.
Holmes: This interview has been kind of heartbreaking. I hope you’re able to find some solace in all of this. It’s not worth beating yourself up over. It seems like you have a fantastic life and a great family.
Swan: Absolutely. And I appreciate that.
Holmes: A lot of people leave the show and it’s changed their life for the better. I hope you’re able to eventually find a good place for this.
Swan: I’ll get there, Gordon. If nothing else, I don’t want people to think I’m going to jump off of a bridge.
Holmes: Do not jump off a bridge. I can’t emphasize that enough.
Swan: (Laughs)
Holmes: We’re both Philly guys, if you’re going to jump off a bridge you call me.
Swan: (Laughs) I certainly will, dude.

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

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Recap: The Little Tribe That Could

October 10, 2012

'Survivor: Philippines' (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Monday Jeff Probst and I will tackle a wide variety of topics with the “Survivor” Question of the Week. Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player.  Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: Philippines”

Last Week: Penner pitched an alliance to Jeff Kent, Abi-Maria threw RC under the bus, and Matsing tossed their cookies.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

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

The Kalabaw Tribe (wearing red)
Carter – Track Coach, 24
Dana – Cosmetologist, 32
Dawson – Insurance Sales, 28
Katie – Student, 22
Jeff Kent – Former MLB Player, 44
Penner – Writer, 50

The Matsing Tribe (wearing blue)
Denise – Sex Therapist, 41
Malcolm – Bartender, 25
Russell – Environmental Attorney, 45

The Tandang Tribe (wearing yellow)
Abi-Maria – Business Student, 32
Artis – Computer Engineer, 53
Michael – Professional Speaker, Author, and Coach, 50
Lisa – Former ‘Facts of Life’ Star, 49
Pete – Engineering Graduate, 24
RC – Investment Banker, 27

We start off with sad times on Matsing beach. The rain is pouring down and nobody is talking. Things have gotten so bad that Malcolm can’t even start up the tribe’s fire. He’s not totally down though, he thinks all it’ll take is one win to turn things around. You don’t even need a win, just don’t be last.

Russell’s plan is to mount a comeback. That’s a hell of a plan. My plan is to be good at everything and to never die. We’ll see how those turn out.

Over at Tandang, the rain can’t damper Pete’s good mood. Apparently he’s going for a Hantzian, let’s-make-some-chaos type of game. For his first trick, he plants the immunity idol clue in RC’s bag. This stratagem serves two purposes as it infuriates Abi while amusing Pete. Well played.

Meanwhile at Kalabaw, Penner, Kent, and a skinny, blonde dude decide to do some fishing. Penner and Kent eventually bring the guy into their alliance. Then the guy actually gets to speak! The lower-third graphic identifies him as “Carter.”

At camp, Katie, Dana, and Purple Dawson realize that the boys are plotting against them. Their plan is to make it to the merge, then start up some “One World” girl power with the other females.

Back at Matsing, Russell sums up the tribe’s problems as being stuck with “A smoker, a lunatic, and a beauty queen.” Sounds like a sitcom pitch to me!

Russell’s also concerned because nobody has approached him to discuss voting strategy. Realizing that his number is probably up, he starts hunting for the idol. Just now…like five days after he found the clue.

Denise catches him searching, but he denies what he’s up to. Later, her and Malcolm dig through his stuff in an attempt to find it. They have no luck.

Over at Matsing, RC tries to have a chat with Abi, but she’s not having it. It’s like a weird Springer episode. RC tries to get some info out of Pete, but he denies everything. This is pretty awesome. I kinda want Tandang to lose so we can see them at Tribal.

Immunity Challenge Time: One player from each team will put a pot of rice on each end of a yoke. They’ll then put the yoke over their shoulders and carry it over a weird obstacle. From there they’ll put the pots into holders and head back. Then, the next person will go. Once they have six pots in place, one player will swing a small demolition ball in an attempt to destroy the pots. First tribe to smash all six pots win immunity and a steak dinner. The second tribe wins immunity, veggies, a pot, and spices. The losing tribe gets a relaxing evening by the fire with talk show host Jeff Probst.

Katie, Dana, and Dawson will sit for Kalabaw, while Lisa, RC, and Abi-Maria will sit for Tandang. Soooo sexist.

The challenge starts off and Carter immediately drops a pot. No, I’m not going to make a Carter/pot joke. But, feel free to make your own.

Matsing has a bit of a lead thanks to Malcolm. Do you believe in miracles?!

Tandang eventually catches up and is the first to start swinging the demolition ball. Matsing is right behind them. Artis is swinging for Tandang while Malcolm swings for Matsing.

Kalabaw catches up and Kent, of course, is in charge of hurling the ball.

Artis does a fantastic job and the Tandangers win it.

Matsing and Kalabaw are neck and neck in the battle for second place. Both sides had several near misses, but eventually Jeff Kent managed to pull off the victory.

Quick Aside: The editing on Kent’s final hit was amazing. There was slow-motion footage of the ball knocking the pot over but it didn’t break. Then, when the ball swung back it smashed the pot. No lie, we loudly cheered in my living room. “Survivor” is the best show ever.

And true to form, Russell has another fit after the loss. The frustrated returnee walked over and smashed the remaining pot. He then started talking to God. He even slipped up and called Jeff, “Lord.” Oh c’mon, if Jeff was the Lord, “Survivor: Nicaragua” would’ve never happened.

And, as we’ve discussed before, God doesn’t care who wins “Survivor.” But if he does, he clearly isn’t a Matsing fan.

Also, Tandang and Kalabaw were greatly amused by the blow-up. This isn’t Russell’s day.

Back at camp, Malcolm seems a little torn between keeping Russell’s strength or Denise’s loyalty. I don’t believe him. No way he votes against Denise.

Denise is worried that Russell has the idol, so she and Malcolm decide to make Russell feel like he’s safe. Oddly enough, he seems to buy it.

That night at Tribal Council, Jeff Probst punches Matsing’s loyalty card. Two more visits and they get a free ice cream.

Russell thinks it’s OK to expect excellence from himself. He doesn’t say if it’s OK to freak out when you don’t get it.

Malcolm owns up to failing on the demolition ball portion of the challenge.

Denise thinks she should stay because she’s a physical player and has a strong social game.

Malcolm thinks he should stay because they can’t wait for a twist, they need to win a challenge.

Russell thinks he should stay because he’s no slouch in challenges and that he has a strong social game. Surely, the others saw Kalabaw and Tandang laughing at him, right?

Russell and Malcolm both think that Denise can’t be beat at the final Tribal. They might be right.

Voting Time: Russell votes for Malcolm, Malcolm votes for Russell, and the rest…well, there’s only like one other vote, and we don’t get to see it.

Jeff tallies three whole votes and returns. We’ve got one vote for Russell, one vote for Malcolm, and the fourth person to be voted out of “Survivor: Philippines” is…Russell.

Verdict: That challenge was awesome. I was literally on the edge of my couch. And frankly, it was fun to see a good, old-fashioned Ulonging.

That being said, a tribe of two is probably too small. Whether Denise and Malcolm are split up or there’s a full tribe reshuffle, it’ll be interesting to see how everything shakes out.

Who’s Going to Win: Could Lisa Whelchel win “Survivor”? As a non-dominant member of the dominant alliance in the show’s strongest tribe, she has to have a serious shot, right? That would totally blow my mind.

Power Rankings Results: Ooo…a tie. Kat’s getting good at this. We both pegged Mr. Swan as this week’s boot, so we both receive 15 points. So, the current score is Team Kat: 41, Team Awesome Thunder 47.

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

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Power Rankings: Round Three

October 9, 2012

'Survivor: Philippines' (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Monday Jeff Probst and I will tackle a wide variety of topics with the “Survivor” Question of the Week. Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player.  Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

The Rules: Each week Kat and Gordon 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 Artis is voted out this week, Kat will receive 11 points and Gordon will receive 8 points. The person with the most points at the end of the season will be crowned the ‘Survivor: Philippines’ Power Rankings champion!

Last Week: Kat called it. She had Angie in spot sixteen while I had her in spot fifteen. So, the current score is Team Kat: 26, Team Awesome Thunder 32.

Set Your DVR to Record ‘Survivor: Philippines

Kat’s Current Score: 26

Any advice for Kat? Drop her a line on Twitter: @KatEdorsson

Gordon’s Current Score: 32

Any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Malcolm: During the challenge this week Malcolm showed great potential. His alliance with Denise as a pair is growing stronger by the minute, and I believe if they both stay together they will take it to the end. They were the only two who completed the challenge in a tribe of four which is very impressive.
  1. Penner: An idol and a tentative alliance with the guy who seems to be the most powerful person on your tribe…everything’s coming up Penner. Why am I OK with this less-than-rock-solid alliance? Because both guys are going into it knowing what’s up. Who knows, maybe the fact that they’ll have to reevaluate it occasionally will make it stronger.
 2. Denise: Really enjoying this determined duo. Seems to be the only true pair out of all three tribes as of right now. Hopefully Denise being such a beast at challenges will keep them strong if they can make it to the merge.  2. Abi-Maria: Last week I gave Abi grief for getting a little too crazy before going to her first Tribal Council, but I may have to take that back. Her move to bring Pete in by sharing RC’s secret was smart and using RC’s clue to find the idol for herself was inspired. And by aligning with the less threatening third of her tribe (Artis and Lisa), she may have set herself up perfectly for a big post-merge run.
 3. Michael: Bleeding from the face, Skupin?! I’m really enjoying watching him play. Unfortunately, he did not find the idol, and now it looks like Peter is going to use Abi with the remaining tribe mates to blindside Skupin and RC. I still have faith, because he is one of our veterans and I feel like Peter and Abi together might be a train wreck.  3. Jeff Kent: Jeff Kent seems to be getting along with his entire tribe, he’s making sound strategic moves, and he’s a challenge beast. If all celebrities would play the game the way Kent does, then I;s be all for it. (No offense, Jimmy Johnson.)

  4. Penner: Finding the idol and telling Jeff could have increased or decreased his chances of playing in this game. Ultimately this was the only card he had to play, because like I said in the beginning, you can’t play this game alone especially before the merge. Jeff and Penner can be a strong pair, however, Jeff has a secret that could put Penner in the hot seat as the game continues.
  4. Pete: Well, the big moves train has left the station. Still seems like an early departure to me. That being said, he has Abi in a good place. After betraying RC, she can’t possibly go back to her. And, Lisa doesn’t seem to have any other options than to play Edna Ma to his Coach.

  5. RC: Still one of my favorite girls in the game. She killed it in the swimming challenge. I feel like the more the game pushes against RC and Skupin the better they will align which would be my second favorite pair in the game. Their tribe seems to be doing well, and I’m happy to see her keep her cool during her disaster of an alliance with Abi.
  5. Carter:  Oh, Carter. You are definitely a person who is on this show. A person who wears a red buff and seems to perform well in challenges. You smile when other people say things and…that’s it. I’m out of Carter stuff.
 6. Pete: I don`t believe a Rottweiler and a Chihuahua should ever be on the same team, but hey, if it works for you it makes great TV for me! Abi completely sells out RC to Pete which ultimately gives Pete great leverage in the game. Being a good competitor with options is “Survivor” GOLD.
  6. Lisa: I heard an interesting “Survivor” strategy a while ago; you need one person that you need and one person that needs you. Well, right now Pete needs Abi-Maria and Lisa needs Pete. Color me fascinated to see where this new alliance is headed.
 7. Abi-Maria: Abi is up high this week because she deserves it. Finding the idol is impressive. I hate to admit it, but she is playing the game. Her weakness is not competing in challenges, and she happens to be a loose cannon so I could be biting my tongue sooner rather than later.  Confiding in Pete and having an inside secret alliance within her alliance with RC could be completely brilliant or absolutely stupid.
  7. Dana: Man, Dana really went for it in that challenge. She dove into the water like a champ. That kind of effort had to be noticed.
 8. Jeff Kent: I enjoy watching Jeff strive. He did well in the challenges, and he seems to be the top dog over in Kalabaw. Having options in this game is so powerful and given his new side alliance with Penner just increased his odds from 0 to 10. Not to mention Penner shared the secret of his idol to prove his loyalty. So, Jeff seems to be in a great position right now.  8. Artis: Really, Artis? You’re mad because Skupin broke the mask? That seems random. (Quick Aside: The best part about Skup shattering the mask wasn’t that it was Mike’s 4th consecutive “Survivor” episode with an injury, it’s that he handed the broken mask to RC and she put it on. Hilarious.)
 9. Carter: Carter SPOKE!!! Love those pants! Looks like Kalabaw is completely well aware that Penner has the idol, so they could team together. He did great in the challenge, pretty impressive. He should be safe going into next week.  9. Malcolm: From #1 to #9…that’s quite a drop. But, he’s not down here because he’s doing anything wrong. He’s down here because there’s a very real possibility that Russell could finally find that idol. Sadly, that would make my favorite alliance go poof.
 10. Lisa: Lisa could possibly be the new Christina Cha from “One World”, (aka “The Lamb”). Being a floater, I repeat “FLOATER” is very useful in the game. Also, they make it to the end before they realize how they got there. This “go with the flow” attitude can really make an impact on this game and in “Survivor” you need all the help you can get.  10. Denise: See Malcolm.
  11. Artis: He seems to be upset with Skupin because of miscommunication about diving into the water with the mask on. But come on, in the heat of the moment people do stupid things, like jumping in the water consistently when you’re not supposed to. Anywho, I think he’ll be safe.
  11. Dawson: Gah…I still have no clue what’s going on with the non-Penner, non-Kent members of Kalabaw. All I really have to go on is challenge prowess, and you’ve been sitting out quite a bit.
 12. Dana: Poor Dana, I don’t want you on the bottom, honest! But as of now, Penner has the idol and pairing up with Jeff leaves you, Dawson, Katie, and Carter on the bottom. Hopefully you guys will come together and flush the idol out. She is consistent in challenges though which is great.  12. Katie: See Dawson.
  13. Dawson: Dawson you have the secret, USE IT! If necessary she has a backup plan that can throw Penner and Jeff’s ideal duo in the dumps!  13. Michael: Last week I introduced the Michael Skupin Injury Tracker to keep an accurate record of all of his many injuries. Here’s hoping this week’s entry doesn’t include “Stabbed In the Back.”
 14. Katie: Katie, Katie, Katie, you’re such a beautiful girl and I’m really hoping for the best for you in this game! If Penner uses his idol I believe you could be the first to go.  14. RC: Wait, what does “RC” stand for? Robbed Clue? My favorite hoop roller has definitely backed the wrong horse. Let this be a lesson to all future first-day alliance makers.
 15. Russell: Russell, it’s been fun while it lasted but I think this will be the end of your “Survivor: Philippines” experience. You are a stronger competitor than Angie, that is for sure. But, if Matsing fails to pull out the win, I don’t believe your tribe will come together to save you once again. This really is a shame, but unless you find the remaining idol in your camp this might be the end!  15. Russell: C’mon, Russell! Ever since Samoa all you’ve been asking yourself is “What if?” What if I didn’t pass out? What if I could’ve stopped Russell Hantz’s reign of terror? You need to turn that camp upside-down and find that idol.

Watch ‘Survivor: Philippines’ every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Castaway Angie: ‘Roxy Was Just Obnoxious’

October 4, 2012

Angie Layton (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Monday Jeff Probst and I will tackle a wide variety of topics with the “Survivor” Question of the Week. Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player.  Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: Philippines”

The pantheon of “Survivor” villains boasts names like Russell Hantz, Jonny “Fairplay” Dalton, and Randy Bailey. After voting off the lovely Angie Layton, the men of America might want to add Malcolm Freberg to that list.

I spoke with the latest victim of the Matsing curse the morning after her elimination to get her thoughts on last night’s vote, Jeff Probst’s Tribal Council scolding, and her favorite dessert…

Gordon Holmes: Alright, is Matsing beach cursed?
Angie Layton: Yes. (Laughs)
Holmes: Did you guys build your shelter over an ancient burial ground?
Layton: I don’t know. I think we just had bad luck from the beginning. Maybe blue is just a bad color.

Holmes: Did you know before Tribal that you were going home?
Layton: No. But, I knew there was a 50/50 chance it could be me or Russell.
Holmes: What did Denise and Malcolm tell you before you headed to Tribal?
Layton: They told me Russell was terrible in the challenge and I said my spiel about how I wanted them to go in the challenge so we were as fast as we could be. And Malcolm told me that Russell was pathetic in the challenge and he’d let me know if they were going to vote for me. But, he never let me know before we went to Tribal Council.

Holmes: How accurate was the editing’s portrayal of the challenge last night, because it looked really bad. Every time they cut back you guys were having trouble.
Layton: The water challenge wasn’t that bad, it was just that I couldn’t figure out how to pull that thing up. And for me, it shook me up. I took so long. When you feel like you’re rushed it makes you feel nervous.

Holmes: When I spoke to the contestants before the game, it seemed like a lot of people had already formed opinions about you.
Layton: Yeah, I read them all. They were funny.
Holmes: What do you think the misconceptions about you are?
Layton: That I’m a bleach-blonde bimbo. Unintelligent, dumb, you know…the typical stuff. Pageant girl, whatever.
Holmes: Now watching the show, I didn’t hear you complain about the weather. You seemed to be doing as well out there as anyone. Do you think you proved people wrong?
Layton: Yeah, I think I proved everybody wrong in the first episode. I was playing the game. My head was in the game. I was mentally there. I tried to play the game physically even though I have some disadvantages. But, I gave it my all. And I was really there to win, and some people just go out there and lay low. I didn’t lay low. In that small of a tribe you have to play the game.

Holmes: I spoke with Roxanne last week, and she still seemed annoyed with how you performed in the sled challenge. I had trouble with this because you ran two legs and she ran one…
Layton: The fact was Russell said, “Do you want to go twice?” I was like, “Not really.” And she said, “I haven’t been drinking water, so I can’t.” And they didn’t show this, but I said, “Well, I’ll go.” I stepped up to the plate and went twice. She’s eight years older than me and in the military. I model and I do pageants. I stepped up to the plate and I gave it my all. That’s why I collapsed at the end because I gave it my all.
Holmes: Roxanne also still thinks that there is something between you and Malcolm. Was that the case or are you two just BFFs.
Layton: I think there was something going on with her. I think she’s a little jealous. When you’re on “Survivor” you cuddle because you’re cold. Now obviously, he’s cute, I’m cute…whatever. But there’s nothing wrong with that.
Holmes: Nobody here is debating that you and Malcolm are cute. But are you implying that Roxanne wanted to be cuddling with Malcolm?
Layton: (Laughs) Yeah. Maybe she wanted to get in the middle. But, she was not a happy camper.
Holmes: Literally.

Holmes: What reactions have you been receiving from fans?
Layton: I’ve gotten so many good reactions. I’ve been traveling a lot, and I travel with no makeup and my hair in a bun, and people stop me and say, “Are you Angie from ‘Survivor’? We’re big fans.” It’s been really positive. And I wasn’t sure because of the pre-game stuff I wasn’t getting a lot of positive feedback. But it’s been really awesome.

Holmes: Let’s do some word association. We’ll start with Malcolm.
Layton: Strong.
Holmes: Zane?
Layton: Hilarious.
Holmes: Denise?
Layton: Intelligent.
Holmes: Russell?
Layton: Big and tall.
Holmes: Cookies?
Layton: I love them!
Holmes: And let’s finish with Roxanne.
Layton: Jealous.

Holmes: You and I have at least two things in common. One, I travel with my hair in a bun and no makeup.
Layton: Awesome. (Laughs)
Holmes: And two, we both think cookies are the bomb. Since you made your Tribal comment, have you received any cookies from friends or fans?
Layton: I have had so many people tell me they want to ship me cookies. They’re very generous.
Holmes: And your favorite cookie is…?
Layton: Oatmeal chocolate chip.
Holmes: Oatmeal?
Layton: It’s so good.
Holmes: Everyone’s welcome to their opinion, but you’re wrong.
Layton: No, oatmeal!
Holmes: Agree to disagree. Now, during the cookie incident, Jeff seemed to get a bit frustrated with you when he gave his “Wake up” speech.
Layton: Oh, he loves it. I knew that I was safe. I literally didn’t want to be there. And the fact that everyone was so serious and Roxy was just obnoxious. Everyone was freaking out and the tension was just so much. I did it as a joke; I wanted to lighten the mood. And I don’t think “cookies” is a worse answer than “do less work around camp.” I think that’s worse. And who wouldn’t want cookies?
Holmes: I believe that cookies make every situation better.
Layton: They do.
Holmes: It’s rare you see Probst at a loss for words.
Layton: Oh, it threw him off completely. I think it made him a little upset and he wanted to get more out of me. He clapped at me. But I wasn’t going to lose my composure at all.

Holmes: I liked your final confessional last night because it seemed like you learned something during your time out there. Has being in the game changed you?
Layton: Yeah. The experience was great for me. I learned so much about myself. I’m so appreciative of my life, the little things and how blessed I am. It was the best thing for me.

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

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‘Survivor’ Recap – Now Featuring the Michael Skupin Injury Tracker!

October 3, 2012

Michael Skupin (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Monday Jeff Probst and I will tackle a wide variety of topics with the “Survivor” Question of the Week. Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player.  Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: Philippines”

Last Week: Penner was better at finding idols than the Kalabaw rookies, if RC and Abi-Maria were Han Solo, then Skup and Pete would be their wookiees, Angie’s plan for improving Matsing involved some Tribal Council cookies, and anyone who picked Roxanne to win owes some money to their bookies.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

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

The Kalabaw Tribe (wearing red)
Carter – Track Coach, 24
Dana – Cosmetologist, 32
Dawson – Insurance Sales, 28
Katie – Student, 22
Jeff Kent – Former MLB Player, 44
Penner – Writer, 50

The Matsing Tribe (wearing blue)
Angie – Student, 20
Denise – Sex Therapist, 41
Malcolm – Bartender, 25
Russell – Environmental Attorney, 45

The Tandang Tribe (wearing yellow)
Abi-Maria – Business Student, 32
Artis – Computer Engineer, 53
Michael – Professional Speaker, Author, and Coach, 50
Lisa – Former ‘Facts of Life’ Star, 49
Pete – Engineering Graduate, 24
RC – Investment Banker, 27

The show starts off with Matsing after Tribal Council…wait, didn’t I see this episode before?

Anywho, Angie is annoyed that Roxanne threw her and Malcolm under the bus. But, she’s fine with it because the rest of Matsing knows that her and Malcolm are just BFFs and not totally going steady.

CUT TO: Russell doesn’t think they’re just friends.

The next morning at Tandang, RC wants to hunt for the idol while Abi-Maria wants to rest her injured knee. Also, in the understatement of the year, Abi lets us know that she trusts herself more than anyone else there. That’s good, it gets ugly when you can’t trust yourself.

The two eventually get into a weird fight where Abi won’t let RC talk. Gah…you two are winning! Settle down.

Then, Abi lets Pete know about the idol clue. Pete (complete with his knee-high argyle socks) decides that he isn’t going to trust RC because she didn’t share the clue with him.

Pete takes Lisa aside and tells her that she’s the tribe’s main target. However, he wants to keep her around. He asks if she’d be willing to get rid of Mike. Seeing that as a better alternative to going home herself, she agrees.

Lisa then lets us know that she’s had her up days and her down days in the game so far. So, you take the good, you take the bad…

At Kalabaw, Penner is telling a charming story about his posterior. While he’s doing that, Jeff Kent realizes that the logo is missing from the top of the rice box. (Called it.) Kent puts two and two together and figures out that not only was that the idol, but Penner probably now has it.

Quick Aside: I’m loving Jeff Kent. He’s good in challenges and very savvy with his tribe. That, and it seems like he’s having the time of his life.

Carter thinks the smartest move if they lose immunity is if they act like they don’t know that Penner has it. Hmm… Then wouldn’t he be more inclined to play it? Wouldn’t it be better to let him know you think he has it, in the hopes that he doesn’t play it?

At Matsing we learn that the tribe’s raft has drifted off. Of course, I’m wondering how useful that raft is considering the other tribes have turned their rafts into parts of their shelters.

Later, Malcolm makes it clear that Denise is his true alliance. If they lose immunity again they’ll have to choose between Angie and Russell. Denise is leaning toward keeping Russell because they need the challenge strength.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will dive from a platform into the ocean and release puzzle wheels from a line. Once they have all eight puzzle wheels, they’ll use them to create a word. First tribe to do so wins immunity and a fishing kit, second tribe wins immunity and a smaller fishing kit. Losers have a date with Probst at Tribal Council and no tiny fishing kit.

Abi and Lisa will sit for Tandang, Dawson and Katie will sit for Kalabaw.

We kick things off and Angie immediately has trouble releasing a wheel. Uh-oh…

Then, Skupin shatters his tribe’s scuba mask on his face! As you can see from the pic up top, he’s all kinds of bloody. I hate to see the dude hurt, but it’s a good chance to debut this…

Back in the challenge, Russell has trouble getting back on the platform. As in, he can’t climb a teeny ladder. It might be time to check to see if Matsing beach is cursed.

Dana and Denise are doing a fantastic job. RC swims so well she gets three pieces in a row.

Angie tells Denise that she doesn’t want to go back into the water. That didn’t work out well for Roxanne last week.

Russell goes out, but can’t dive deep enough to get a wheel. He returns empty-handed and still can’t get back up on the platform. Yow…

Kalabaw starts their puzzle first, Tandang is slightly behind them. Matsing finally catches up.

Kalabaw solves the puzzle first, then Tandang. Oof…poor Matsing. At least Russell didn’t freak out, that’s a step in the right direction.

After the challenge, Penner approaches Kent and tells him about the idol in an attempt to win his trust. Kent does a decent job trying to play along, but he talks about working together “for a while.” That would set off bells for me.

Also, Kent shakes on it using four fingers, which is apparently not as good as a manly five-finger handshake. What happens if you shake with four fingers and have your other fingers crossed? Do they cancel each other out?

At Tandang, Artis finally gets a chance to talk, and he is not pleased with Michael for breaking the mask. I’m not sure how that was Michael’s fault. Is that a diver thing? Anyone?

Later, when RC and Michael are looking for clams, Abi finds the Tandang immunity idol. She shares it with Pete and they bury it in the woods. Wow, has any tribe ever had this much drama and backstabbing without having ever been to Tribal Council?

Meanwhile at Matsing, Denise and Malcolm are down in the dumps about how terrible their tribe is. Well, they have a point. Angie approaches them and wants to let it be known that she never said she couldn’t participate in the challenge. She just didn’t want to because she didn’t think she was fast enough. She has a point too.

We meet up with Russell later as he’s praying…instead of looking for the immunity idol.

That night at Tribal Council, Jeff tries to turn their smiles upside down by pointing out that three of them will remain in the game. Jeff’s a glass-is-half-full kind of a host.

Denise is bummed to be away from her family. Malcolm admits that being on “Survivor” is his dream and it’s been heartbreaking so far.

Malcolm calls out Angie and Russell for performing poorly in the challenge, but admits that he and Denise should have stepped up.

Angie is worried that she could be going home tonight. But, she doesn’t think it’s fair to vote her out because Russell gave up.

Russell disagrees, saying he made a strategic decision and that Angie can’t hold a candle to him. She could if that candle was on a platform that had a teeny ladder.

Angie thinks she’s willing to fight more than Russell, but he reminds her that he almost died for the game. Touche.

From there, Angie does a solid Sugar impersonation by breaking into tears.

Voting Time: Russell votes for Angie (duh), Angie votes for Russell (equally duh), and the rest remain a secret.

J-Pro is all like, “Tally the votes? Don’t mind if I do.”

We’ve got one vote for Angie, one vote for Russell, one vote for Angie, and the third person to be voted out of “Survivor: Philippines” is…Angie.

Oh man…Malcolm’s a cookie monster.

Verdict: I’ve got to admit, they swerved me on that one. I thought they’d stick with Angie as an easy vote.

I’m still liking this season. And I’m glad we’re seeing strategy from Kalabaw and Tandang even though they haven’t lost immunity. But, here’s hoping red or yellow buffs make their Tribal debut next week.

Who’s Going to Win: What happens if Matsing loses again? Are Denise and Malcolm split between the other tribes? They’d both be goners. C’mon Matsing, get your act together.

Power Rankings Results: “Survivor: One World” fave Kat Edorsson called it. She had Angie in spot sixteen while I had her in spot fifteen. So, the current score is Team Kat: 26, Team Awesome Thunder 32.

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

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Power Rankings: Round Two

October 2, 2012

Team Cooki3s and Russell Swan (CBS)

The Rules:Each week Kat and Gordon 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 Artis is voted out this week, Kat will receive 9 points and Gordon will receive 11 points. The person with the most points at the end of the season will be crowned the ‘Survivor: Philippines’ Power Rankings champion!

Last Week: “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson had Roxanne in spot ten, while I nailed it, placing her in spot seventeen. So, the current score is Team Kat: 10, Team Awesome Thunder 17.

Before we get into this week’s rankings, let’s check in with this season’s challenger…

Gordon Holmes: Hey Kat, great job last week. I want to thank you so much for stepping up to the Power Rankings plate. What’ve you been up to since “One World”?
Kat Edorsson: I have been fantastic since “One World”! Finishing up college, last semester at UCF and just enjoying life with my girls (Kim, Chelsea, Alicia, and Sabrina). Our cast has continued to stay extremely close and we see each other pretty often so I can’t complain!

Holmes: This three-tribe format is much different from your “two tribes divided by sex living on the same beach” format. How would you have handled life with Matsing?
Edorsson: Wow, this season is going to get “weird.” I have a feeling they will not be as loving as “One World.” This season it is all about placing. I have social media skills so I highly doubt I would ever be on the “outs” of an alliance. However, with Matsing my favorite alliance of the season is Malcolm and Denise so I would probably wiggle my way in the twosome and make it a PG-13 threesome real quick!
Holmes: How about Tandang?
Edorsson: With Tandang I really enjoy watching Skupin and RC, I feel like they are dominant players.  I would team up with them until we made it to the merge.
Holmes: And Kalabaw?
Edorsson: Well, I like Dana and Katie but I haven’t seen much from them. I might have been the odd ball on this tribe, but Penner seems like he’s really playing the game. Right now it’s not just a one-man show, so these tribes are definitely different than “One World” and I wouldn’t feel as confident as I did with my five-woman alliance I had on Salani. It looks like when the merge comes there will be chaos which will be so exciting to watch!

Holmes: And finally, sometimes trash talk breaks out during the Power Rankings. It’s a shame. Do you think we can remain civil while I defeat you?
Edorsson: (Laughs) Very funny! Of course we will remain friends. I’ve never been good at reading the balls in the outfield, so don’t mind me if I get my butt kicked during Power Rankings on my own show! You would think we would be pros at this by now! Anywho let the best person win, Gordon my friend. Bring it on!

Set Your DVR to Record ‘Survivor: Philippines

Kat’s Current Score: 10

Any advice for Kat? Drop her a line on Twitter: @KatEdorsson

Gordon’s Current Score: 17

Any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Malcolm: Oh, Mr. Cuddles, don’t be alarmed! There is nothing wrong with finding warmth, for the record! Going into week three you would think Malcolm would be low on the totem pole because of the stunt they pulled last week. However seeing how Malcolm kept his composure during Tribal still keeps my faith! Also, I believe he will take his own advice and NOT be “Booty blinded” and cut those ties loose and get back into the game!  1. Malcolm: OK, I keep telling myself that Malcolm isn’t “Booty blinded,” being “Blinded by the headlights,” or in a “Booby trap.” I keep telling myself that he is sticking with Angie because she’s an easy vote. Either way, he’s safe for now. However, when they hit mergeville, his closeness to Angie could cost him.
 2. Michael: How many lives do you have, Skupin? If we can continue to keep him alive I believe he will be in great shape. Skupin is probably sitting in the best seat right now. His tribe is winning challenges and he is helpful around camp.  2. Denise: Did Denise make the smart move by sticking with Malcolm last week? Totally. Stuff like that will cement their alliance. Would she be smart to keep an eye on things and maybe distance herself if/when she makes the merge? Again, totally.
 3. RC: I’m really proud of RC. I do believe she is aligned with a loose cannon, however, she did great on the Immunity Challenge while keeping her composure. If her tribe continues to win I think she can go far. Keeping Abi in her back pocket and having Skupin and Pete in her four-person alliance, I believe she will continue to do well.
  3. Penner:  Yeah, I had Penner super low in the rankings last week, but the hidden immunity idol changes everything. I just can’t see the Kalabaw Five pulling a fast one on someone who’s played the game twice. The question is; can he make some inroads with the people on the bottom of the Kalabaw alliance? The idol can only do so much.

  4. Pete: Last week I didn’t get to hear much from Pete, but now I believe that’s a good thing. This week Pete made comments that were quite funny! With his four-person alliance and his strong tribe I believe he will go far as well.
  4. RC: The dominant alliance, the dominant tribe, and an immunity idol clue…everything was coming up RC. That is, until Abi-Maria’s unnecessary freak out. Such is the danger of a day-one alliance. RC’s next course of action should be reassuring Abi-Maria that everything’s cool while maybe figuring out a way to replace her with Lisa or Artis.

  5. Denise: I’m really enjoying Denise. I like how level-headed she is in the game, making strong decisions. Her alliance with Malcolm is still my favorite pair of the season so far, but I need Malcolm to get his head back in the game.  Plus, she is really strong in the challenges.
  5. Pete: Pete, what’s going on with you and Lisa in the preview for this week’s episode? Voting for Mike? I think it’s a little too soon for the big moves train to be leaving the station.
 6. Penner: So happy Penner found the idol! He deserves my player of the week award! It really looks like Penner could be on the outs with his tribe so he needs to focus now! PENNER, put on that smile and start showing some love to your tribe! With an idol in hand you are now sitting pretty at Tribal going forward, but be careful because there is never value to an idol when it comes to the old fashioned blindside!  6. Abi-Maria: Whoa whoa whoa there, Abi-Maria. It’s the second episode. Your tribe has yet to lose an immunity challenge. There’s no reason to go all cuckoo crazy on your main alliance.
 7. Jeff Kent: He is strong in challenges and getting along well with his tribe right now. I think he is in a good position to do well.  7. Michael: I’m hoping Pete’s little chat with Lisa in this week’s preview is some kind of editing trick or them testing her loyalty. Why? Because the only acceptable ways for Skup to leave this game is as Sole Survivor or accidentally being beheaded with a throw pillow.
 8. Abi-Maria: She needs to step her game up. Her alliance is strong but she is second guessing every move. Untimely. I’m hoping she will make it far with her tribe, but she needs to be more confident and not start drama on a winning tribe. If she refuses to follow this advice then I’m happy to watch the madness unfold.  8. Jeff Kent: With his performance in the first two immunity challenges, I think it’s safe to upgrade Jeff Kent’s knee from day-to-day to minor boo-boo. He also seems to be the top dog at Kalabaw and even looks like he’s having some fun. I like it.
 9. Artis: Pulling for Arits. His tribe is on a roll although we haven’t heard much from him. He seems to be lying low.  9. Carter: It’s still too early in this tiny tribe season to get rid of somebody who’s as good at challenges as Carter. Also, it’d be a crime to be voted out of the game before ever having a chance to speak.
 10. Dawson: Not too much out of Dawson this week, but she still has Jeff’s secret which is huge leverage in the game. Good to see Dawson creating an alliance with Carter as well.
  10. Dana: Man, it’s tough to figure out what’s going on at Kalabaw other than the five newbs against Penner and his idol. That’s what makes ranking them so difficult. If Kalabaw loses and Penner plays his idol, who goes home?
  11. Carter: I have a feeling Carter will be funny and likable. Haven’t seen much of him, but it’s nice to see him having an alliance with Dawson.
  11. Artis: I guess I need to give Artis some credit. He looked wiped out on day two, but here he is still in the game. I’m still not positive he’s super safe in Tandang though.
 12. Lisa: Pulling for Lisa, seemed to have a tough time this week. She is feeling the true meaning of solitude when it comes to “Survivor,” and it is tough. Being out there alone is the worst! Hoping she can bounce back. It is possible!  12. Lisa: Alright, Lisa…this is my last pitch. If you’re only comfortable on stage or in front of an audience it’s time to do a little full-time improv. You’re playing the role of a likeable, confident woman who can be trusted. And…action!
  13. Dana: Still have hope for Dana. I’m happy they were second place in the challenge which will keep her safe for now. This would be another player we have yet to see any form of an alliance for, but I’m hoping things will turn around. And, during the challenges she really helps. Pulling weight is important during these first few days.
  13. Dawson: It kills me to have Dawson this low in the rankings, but if Kalabaw loses Penner’s going to play that idol. The question is; who does he take out? We don’t know much about the tribe’s dynamics, but I do know Dawson sat out of the immunity challenge.
 14. Katie: Kalabaw again. I haven’t heard much from this tribe, so I have no idea what to think of this girl. She seems sweet, but if Kalabaw loses a challenge I believe she would be first because it looks like a free for all.
  14. Katie: Once again, I feel like we don’t know enough about Kalabaw to know who goes if Penner’s safe. Katie’s this low because the tribe will want to stay strong, and I don’t think Katie’s as close to everyone else as Dawson is.
 15. Russell: Sorry Russ, but it really is what it is. Matsing needs to step it up in the challenges or they are going to get wiped out!  15. Angie: Is there a single guy in Utah who isn’t walking around with a sleeve of Oreos just in case he runs into Angie? Anywho, I’m debating between Team Cooki3s or The Cookie Three for her alliance with Malcolm and Denise.
 16. Angie: Gosh do I hate this part! Little Angie is so sweet and I love cookies too, but last week the crazy Christian sealed your fate. I don’t believe Malcolm can or will save you, only because it’s a game. I hope this is false but we will see! Happy to see you step up in the challenge and go twice!  16. Russell: I like Russell a lot. He’s a nice guy. But, he’s blowing it. He knew being a leader would get him in trouble. He went out and led. He apologized up and down for taking control, then freaked out after the second immunity loss. Now, if Matsing loses again, Russell and Denise are going to have to decide between Russell’s challenge strength and Angie’s loyalty. My gut tells me loyalty will win the day.

Watch ‘Survivor: Philippines’ every Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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‘Survivor’ Host Jeff Probst Picks the Show’s Most Underrated Winner

October 1, 2012

Jeff Probst (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Monday Jeff Probst and I will tackle a wide variety of topics with the “Survivor” Question of the Week. Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player.  Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: Philippines”

This Week’s Question: Who Is the Most Underrated Winner in “Survivor” History?

Jeff Probst: I think a case can be made for Amber (Brkich) as being underrated.  I think she did a good job of playing alongside Rob (Mariano) fully aware that he didn’t have the social skill set required to get the vote and that if she’d let him be the big man on campus and take all the bullets she could come out unscathed.  And she did.  Rob clearly remedied that social problem later.  

Gordon Holmes: Clearly. Amber is someone who has definitely been tagged with the “coattail rider” label. Sophie Clarke made all the right moves in “Survivor: South Pacific” and might not get the credit she deserves. But, it might be too soon to call her underrated. So, I’m going to go with Todd Herzog from “Survivor: China” as my pick.

Todd wasn’t a challenge powerhouse, but he seemed to lead his alliance without getting into any of the regular “leader” trouble, he was never in any real danger, and he masterfully manipulated that final Tribal Council. I also loved his ability to think outside of the box with moves like hooking James up with the hidden immunity idol.

You can definitely chalk him up as someone I’d love to see make a return trip to the show.

Probst: Todd was a very solid winner and player, I agree.  Todd has been on our list to return many times it just hasn’t worked out yet.   

Holmes: Make it happen.

Probst: I also think Kim Spradlin will suffer the underrated fate.  “One World” wasn’t a great season and so Kim will not get the credit she deserves.  

Holmes: Yeah, her legacy will probably suffer from the combination of a poorly regarded season and a poorly regarded line-up of competition.

Probst: I thought she played brilliantly.  She was “on it” every single day managing those relationships.

Who Is Your Pick? Send your answers to me on Twitter: @gordonholmes

 

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Castaway Roxanne: Angie Is ‘Bubble-Minded’

September 27, 2012

Roxanne 'Roxy' Morris and Jeff Probst (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Tuesday, I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player. Also, starting October 1st, we’re bringing back the “Survivor” Question of the Week where Jeff Probst and I tackle a wide variety of “Survivor” topics. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Getting romantically involved has been a no-no on “Survivor” ever since “Boston” Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich teamed up to dominate the “All-Stars” season. For them, it resulted in a million bucks, a marriage, and some cute kids. For every couple since then? Not so much. Just ask “Survivor: South Pacific’s” Elyse Umemoto.

Roxanne Morris got that part of the strategy right when she called out Malcolm Freberg and Angie Layton for their late-night canoodling. However, she missed the part where you shouldn’t go after the guy who has a secret alliance with the swing vote.

I spoke with Roxanne the morning after her elimination to get her take on Matsing’s tribe dynamics, Russell’s loyalty, and cookiegate…

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: Philippines”

Gordon Holmes: Alright, what’s going on with Malcolm and Angie?
Roxanne Morris: I think it was obvious. They were cuddling, and I get that that’s the game and that people become allies. But, there’s a difference between people who are partnering for the sake of the game and people who are building a romantic relationship. That’s going to put a pair of blinders on and I wanted to make sure that my tribe was making the best strategic move.
Holmes: So, it wasn’t just late-night cuddling for warmth, you think there was something romantic going on?
Morris: I think that it was something romantic going on, and in the game of “Survivor” a romantic relationship naturally becomes an alliance.

Holmes: Heading into Tribal last night, did you know that your number was up?
Morris: I knew I had Russell convinced because I could foreshadow to him exactly what was going to happen to him if he decided not to support me. I told him exactly how it would go and that fear was already there. But, I knew if Denise was not on our side that Russell’s best move was to vote against me.  I was fully aware of that. I was not going into that being naïve. I was prepared that I was going home if Denise wasn’t on my side. The tribe’s destiny was in her hands.

Holmes: It seems like the weather is starting to get to everyone, but it’s hard to tell exactly what it’s like with the editing.
Morris: The first day we got there it was sunshine, but it got so rainy. At one point it was three straight days of rain. I think Russell said it best, where after a while you don’t even want to hear the sound of a raindrop. It’s like we were facing some kind of water plague.
Holmes: Malcolm said that it seemed like you’d checked out and that you weren’t doing much around camp. Was that a fair assessment?
Morris: I don’t think that’s a fair assessment. You get to a fork in the road where you have choices to make. And when you watch your tribe lose the first challenge, you have to decide what’s most important. And when you’re not eating regular meals you decide to say, “Hmm…what should I be saving my energy for?” Obviously it should be for a challenge. I’m not going to be like Angie falling on the floor.
Holmes: Russell made the argument that you were conserving energy for challenges, then you ran only one of the three sled legs because you hadn’t had enough water. As an outside observer, I think he has a point. You conserved your energy then did less than Angie.
Morris: I think that whenever you’re going down on a sinking ship everyone is looking to point fingers and put the blame on somebody. And that, to me, was a clear case of that. Everybody’s trying to point to someone else. And honestly, Russell, I’m not the person you need to be saying anything about. So, he can give me that criticism if he likes, but at the end of the day, me being there was a strength to him.

Holmes: Before the show you said that God already knows how the game is going to end. What do you think you were supposed to learn from your time out there?
Morris: I learned that as a Christian I’m not afraid to share my testimony, tell my story, and show who I really am. You saw me go through all kinds of emotions on national TV. You saw me praying in ways that I only pray when I’m absolutely alone. You saw me cry. You saw me tell people how it is. You saw me be human. And being a Christian is not about perfection. If the expectation is perfection, then I’m not one to follow. But if you’re looking for raw, real people who are working on their salvation on a daily basis, then come and talk to me.

Holmes: Let’s do some word association. We’ll start with Malcolm.
Morris: Headless chicken.
Holmes: Zane?
Morris: Joy.
Holmes: Russell?
Morris: Another headless chicken. He goes in that category too. (Laughs)
Holmes: Denise?
Morris: Sneak, sneaky, snake-ish. And when I use the word “snake” I don’t mean it in an ill-mannered way. I think there’s wisdom that goes with that. A worldly wisdom.
Holmes: Angie?
Morris: Bubble-minded. Literally, I feel like I could just look in her brain and there’d be nice, well-scented bubbles just floating around.

Holmes: Everybody’s talking about Angie’s cookie-centric plan to make the tribe better. I know you and her had your differences, but you have to admit cookies make everything better.
Morris: Yeah. Winning a challenge and gaining some cookies would definitely be awesome. Absolutely, but I honestly don’t think it was given in a very intelligent way. I think it was more like, “Oh wow, I have nothing else to say and I’m very hungry.”

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

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‘Survivor’ Recap: Lisa and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad, No Good Day

September 26, 2012

Lisa Whelchel (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Tuesday, I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player. Also, starting October 1st, we’re bringing back the “Survivor” Question of the Week where Jeff Probst and I tackle a wide variety of “Survivor” topics. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!

Last Week: Russell said he was going to avoid a leadership role and didn’t, Lisa Whelchel and Jeff Kent tried to keep their professional lives under wraps and didn’t, and Zane asked his tribe to send him home and they did.

Quick Note: Calling Jeff Kent “Jeff” on a show that has focused on one main Jeff for 30 years is throwing off my flavor. From now on, I’ll use some variation of “Jeff Kent,” “Kent,” or “Captain Motocross.”

Set Your DVR to Record ‘Survivor: Philippines’

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

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

The Kalabaw Tribe (wearing red)
Carter – Track Coach, 24
Dana – Cosmetologist, 32
Dawson – Insurance Sales, 28
Katie – Student, 22
Jeff Kent – Former MLB Player, 44
Penner – Writer, 50

The Matsing Tribe (wearing blue)
Angie – Student, 20
Denise – Sex Therapist, 41
Malcolm – Bartender, 25
Roxanne – Seminary Student, 28
Russell – Environmental Attorney, 45

The Tandang Tribe (wearing yellow)
Abi-Maria – Business Student, 32
Artis – Computer Engineer, 53
Michael – Professional Speaker, Author, and Coach, 50
Lisa – Former ‘Facts of Life’ Star, 49
Pete – Engineering Graduate, 24
RC – Investment Banker, 27

Tonight’s shindig gets started off over at Casa de Matsing where Russell is thanking his tribe mates for not voting him out. Russell decides that he’s going to let someone else lead so he won’t be on the chopping block anymore. Funny, I’ve heard Russell make that plan before…

Later that evening, Malcolm and Angie get their cuddle on. If “Survivor” Hall of Famer “Boston” Rob Mariano is to be believed, that’s a sure way to tell when someone’s in an alliance.

Roxy calls this cuddling a “Booby Trap.” A joke from Roxy! Well done.

The next morning, RC stumbles over the hidden immunity clue. She immediately shares it with Abi-Maria even though she isn’t sure she can trust her. Abi-Maria proves that she probably can’t be trusted by letting RC know that she isn’t psyched about how close she is to Mike. A little too early for the paranoia there, Abi-Maria.

Over at Kalabaw, Jeff Kent is doing his best to make sure he doesn’t strain his injured knee. He proposes a leisurely game of island checkers so he can sit back and relax. This displeases Penner because he wants everyone to clear out so he can look for the idol.

When everyone eventually runs off to the cave to get out of the rain, Penner goes to town searching for it. He finally figures out that the Kalabaw logo on the top of the rice container is the idol. Unfortunately, that logo is hard to miss, others will probably notice that it’s gone…

Back at Matsing, Malcolm and Angie are still twisted up like a pretzel. Roxanne decides that one of them has to go. She approaches Denise and Russell with her concerns.

Russell proves that he’s a master at the art of stating the obvious by letting us know that Angie has “some boob thing going on.” Well, he’s not wrong.

At Tandang Nation, Lisa’s having trouble bonding with everyone. When she goes off to spend time by herself, the others assume she’s looking for the immunity idol.

However, we learn that she’s just really upset that she isn’t meshing well with her tribe mates. In a sad bit, that makes a ton of sense in light of the recent revelation that she got a divorce shortly before traveling to the Philippines, she has a bit of breakdown. She tells us how she’s always had to take care of herself and isn’t comfortable opening up to others. C’mon, Blair! Pull yourself together! Buddy up with Skupin! Make this work!

The rain continues over at Matsing. Russell’s on fire duty, Denise and Malcolm are working on the shelter…and Roxanne has mentally checked out. That’s weird from someone who was pushing hardcore strategy earlier.

Immunity Challenge Time: Two members from each tribe will run across the course while pulling a large sled. They’ll load up their sled with Tetris-shaped puzzle pieces and return. Then another pair will go out. When they’ve received three sets of puzzle pieces, one pair will work to complete the three puzzles. One member of the tribe will stand on a tower and shout out instructions. The first tribe to complete their puzzles wins immunity, blankets, and a tarp. The second tribe will receive immunity and a tarp. The third tribe…we’ll let’s just say it’s not going to work out well for the third tribe.

Abi-Maria will sit out for Tandang, Dawson will sit out for Kalabaw.

They show the pre-game strategizing and neither Roxanne or Angie want to pull the sled twice. Also, I love that they’re showing pre-game strategizing.

Carter and Kent, Russell and Angie, and Pete and Skup are the first sled pullers. Tandang and Kalabaw get their sets back first while Matsing is having trouble maneuvering the sled.

Artis and RC and Katie and Penner go next. Roxanne and Malcolm are behind them but manage to make up some time.

In the last trip out, Kent and Carter build a lead with Skup and Pete behind them. Russell and Angie are still having problems with their sled.

We finally get all of the pieces back and RC and Pete, Malcolm and Russell, and Penner and Kent are our puzzle teams. Dana, Denise, and Lisa are our tower callers.

Tandang gets their first two sections done quickly. Matsing is just behind them. Kalabaw is having troubles. Probst blames it on them not listening to Dana’s advice.

Finally, everyone’s working on the final puzzle. Tandang completes theirs first to win immunity. Kalabaw and Matsing are neck and neck, with Kalabaw managing to pull off the win.

Russell’s ticked. He chucks one of the puzzle pieces. Probably cause it’s the second time he’s lost a tarp on this show.

Once they get back to camp, Russell apologizes for blowing up again. That’s his second apology this episode. Angie proves she’s a glass-is-half-full kind of girl by saying at least they were close.

Politicking at Matsing centers around Roxanne trying to get rid of Angie. She accuses Angie of being the weakest link…which is weird because Angie pulled the sled twice and Roxanne didn’t.

Denise sums everything up as Angie and Malcolm on one side, Russell and Roxanne on the other and her in the middle. She hopes Malcolm isn’t blinded by the headlights, which might become one of my favorite “Survivor” lines ever.

This also marks the third person who has made reference to Angie’s…assets. It’s a hat rack trick!

That night at Tribal Council, Roxanne says the one thing she’d change about the tribe is that they spend too much energy working around camp.

Denise disagrees, she thinks they need to have fire, water, and shelter to be strong at challenges.

Angie says if she could change one thing about the tribe, it would be that they could have cookies. Probst has no response but to stare. Am I the only one who’s starting to like Angie?

Malcolm tries to play it off, saying they’re all hungry. Probst doesn’t buy it. Malcolm agrees that Angie didn’t give a phenomenal answer.

Next, Roxanne says something about Angie and Malcolm sitting in a tree. Oooo…

Malcolm says that Angie is like a sister to him. Roxanne finds that statement creepy. I’m saddened by the fact that Roxanne didn’t use Christy’s “creepy” sign language from “Survivor: The Amazon.”

Probst literally tells Angie to “wake up” and realize that being in a relationship puts a big target on their backs. It’s like he’s teaching “Survivor 101” and this is a lecture from the Ozzy Lusth/”Boston” Rob chapter.

Voting Time: Roxanne votes for Angie, Angie votes for Roxanne, and the rest of the votes gots some waitin’ to do.

J-Pro takes the votes, reads them, places them in a specific order, has a drink of water, and returns. We’ve got one vote for Roxanne, one vote for Angie, one vote for Roxanne, and the second person to be voted out of “Survivor: Philippines” is…Roxanne.

Verdict: I’ve got to tell you, the hardest part about going out to “Survivor: Philippines” was coming home and having to watch “Survivor: One World.” I was dying to see this cast play the game and they haven’t disappointed so far.

However, I would like to see Kalabaw and Tandang worry about Tribal for a change.

Who’s Going to Win: Boy, it’s tough to stick to my Malcolm prediction. If Matsing keeps losing, there’s bound to be a tribe swap or something and that rarely turns out well for strong people from the smaller tribe.

Power Rankings Results: “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorrson had Roxanne in spot ten, while I nailed it, placing her in spot seventeen. So, the current score is Team Kat: 10, Team Awesome Thunder 17.

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

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