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‘One World’ Fave Kat Edorsson Accepts the ‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Challenge

September 25, 2012

Kat Edorsson (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!

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 4 points and Gordon will receive 14 points. The person with the most points at the end of the season will be crowned the ‘Survivor: Philippines’ Power Rankings champion!

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Kat’s Current Score: 0

Any advice for Kat? Drop her a line on Twitter: @KittenSWAG24

Gordon’s Current Score: 0

Any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
 1. Michael: I hope he will be our sole Survivor. I feel like his team will be very competitive in challenges and will slide their way to the merge, putting him in a good position this early in the game.  1. Malcolm:  One of the keys to successful Power Ranking is this simple bit of strategy; you’re not ranking people based on whether or not you think they’ll win. You’re ranking them based on how safe they are that week. That being said, Malcolm’s the safest guy on this show. I think Matsing is in big trouble and they can’t afford to lose any challenge strength. That, and he seems to be in the middle of whatever alliance is going on there.
 2. Malcolm: He happens to be my favorite besides Skupin. Being a new player, I feel like he’s laid back with the ladies and hopefully he goes far. The fact that he has a pair inside their alliance, and it doesn’t look fake with great potential, I believe he could be in my final three. However, will you win against my Skupin? This will be interesting!  2. Michael: It’s super risky to put Skupin this high in the rankings considering the very real possibility that he might accidentally blow himself up while setting a trap for a road runner. But, Skup actually finds himself in an awesome position. He’s comfortable in an alliance that someone else is driving. All he has to do is be useful at camp, good in challenges, and figure out a way to keep Lisa around.
 3. Denise: Denise and Malcolm are my favorite pair of the season after one episode! I love her background and what she’s about. The fact that she really wanted to get to know Zane shows her true colors and now that she is a pair with Malcolm I can only hope for domination! Also, you would have no idea how important it is to let the game play in front of you and step back. Ultimately being a sex therapist will help her with this and get her to the merge!  3. Denise: If Matsing can string together some challenge wins, Denise and Malcolm could have a nice little foursome with Roxanne and Angie. However, they’ll have a tough choice to make if they lose. Do you bounce someone as strong as Russell who could cause strategic problems later?

  4. Artis: He hasn’t been fully introduced yet, so I am hoping for the best! I feel a connection with him fighting through cancer and beating it. I have high hopes for him and he’s a “Survivor” Super Fan. He reminds me of my Silver Fox “TroyZan the Great.” I’m hoping he will go far in the game!  4. RC: If we were ranking based on who we thought was in the best position to win the whole thing, RC would be at the top of my list. She leading the dominant alliance in what I think is the dominant tribe. RC is as sharp as a tack and is somebody I’d want on my side. But, I’d be sure keep an eye on her at all times…for strategic reasons, of course.

  5. Dana: Love this girl and I hope she makes it to the end!  5. Abi-Maria: Speaking of keeping an eye on people, RC would be smart not to buy into Abi-Maria’s super-sweet façade. Those two should be interesting.
 6. Abi-Maria: I feel like she is in for a rude awakening. However, it looks like this tribe is the only one that could really make it far and play the game.  6. Pete: Hopefully Pete has learned a lesson from Zane’s exit and realizes that big moves aren’t always necessary. He’s a strong dude, on a strong tribe, in what seems like a strong alliance. Ride it out for a bit and see where it goes.
 7. RC: She might be the only one taking the game seriously on her tribe. Trust is important in this game, and who you trust is more important. I don’t believe her alliance of two is the best from the start, but we will see what happens.  7. Carter: Yes, there’s a kid on Kalabaw’s tribe name Carter. And he’s got to be the safest person on that tribe. While Kent and Penner are jockeying for position, Carter’s content to sit back and prove his worth in challenges. Right now, he seems like someone who won’t make any waves until he’s forced to.
 8. Pete: He didn’t really talk much the first episode. But, this could be a good thing!  8. Dana: Dana’s another one who might be best served letting the Kalabaw power struggle work itself out. Let the Kent/Penner showdown happen, then cozy up with the winner.
 9. Penner: As a returning player I put him higher then the others who don’t understand the game. However, he is putting a target on his back by not being a team player! I’m hoping things will turn for him and his tribe doesn’t take him out for being too sneaky! Great gameplay though!  9. Dawson: What’s the first thing someone inevitably does when they find an idol? Run off and tell someone. I’ve never understood that. It’s nice to have a little, personal, get-out-of-jail free card when you need it. That’s why I’m loving Dawson. She’s knows Jeff’s million-dollar secret and appreciates the value of it.
 10. Roxanne: Love her military background and at Tribal she held her own. I respect that.  10. Jeff: Kent’s knee has me worried. Nobody knows their bodies as well as professional athletes, and if he thinks something’s wrong, then something’s wrong. Here’s hoping the fact that he was OK pushing that boat across the sand was a sign that Mr. Kent won’t be carted off during the sixth episode.
  11. Katie: Again, too soon to know!
  11. Angie: A lot of people had Angie pegged as an easy first vote, but she seems comfortable in the Malcolm/Denise alliance. On another note, here’s hoping we learn more about these alliances this week so we can come up with sone clever alliance names.
 12. Angie: I like the scene she made. It’s good to stick up for yourself. She was right about Russell however, if she doesn’t make the merge and latch on to a boy, or someone she’s toast!  12. Katie: Miss Delaware might find herself in some trouble if Kalabaw decides to keep Penner’s puzzle ability and surviving skills around. Other than that, she’ll probably coast for a while.
  13. Dawson: She’s an under-the-radar player.  13. Russell: Russell and Penner both find themselves in a bit of a pickle. The funny thing is, both guys had plans to avoid the exact situations they now find themselves in. In Russell’s case. He swore up and down that he was going to do everything he could to avoid a leadership role. I don’t think it’s too late for him to turn things around, but he’s gotta be someone who’s hoping for a tribe swap.
 14. Carter: I didn’t see too much from him. I don’t think he’s playing the smartest game right now.  14. Artis: I like Artis, but when I was out there the weather was kicking this dude’s butt. If Team RC is going to stick together and Skup is going to play Coach to Lisa’s Edna Ma, then Artis is the one who’s going to be sent packing if Tandang loses immunity.
 15. Russell: Returning player. I love the guy, but here are my issues with him; how many times do you need to come back and play the game to understand you need to change! I’m happy his tribe gave him a second chance because like myself we all need one of those. However, Russell being so demanding and not using his experience in the game to his advantage will hurt him. Everyone knows LESS IS MORE in the beginning of “Survivor.”  15. Penner: Penner, you said the last thing you wanted to do was fall back into the “Penner and Probst Show” and yet, there you were during the marooning giving him grief. It’s too early in the game to be relying on idols. Find out who’s on the bottom of the Kent alliance and start working them.
 16. Jeff: If I made as much money as he did playing pro ball I bet it wouldn’t be easy for me to “follow the leader,” if you catch my drift! If this tribe loses I believe Jeff might be put on blast, especially after Sarah Dawson knew who he was from the start!! Come on Kent, motocross?  16. Lisa: I’m rooting for you, Lisa. Tandang is strong enough that it’s possible they could run the table between now and the merge. And if they don’t, you should be doing everything in your power to make sure Artis goes before you. And…you’ve got Michael Skupin in your corner, use him to your advantage!
 17. Lisa: It really is a shame! And it’s unfortunate I wasn’t born when “The Facts of Life” first kicked off because I am a huge Lisa fan! However, its looks like she has the case of the (Nina) from “Survivor: One World.” Jeff Probst is right, “Sometimes, it really is about luck and where you are placed.” I believe if this tribe loses she might be the first to go.  17. Roxanne: Matsing is in serious trouble. If they lose this next challenge, (which involves dragging heavy sleds) they will not be able to get rid of someone as strong as Russell. Angie and Denise are tight with Malcolm. Is Roxy? We certainly didn’t see it last week.

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

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A Sneak Peek at the Next ‘Survivor: Philippines’ Immunity Challenge

September 21, 2012

The 'Survivor' Dream Team (Gordon Holmes)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Starting next Tuesday, I’ll be squaring off against a “Survivor: One World” favorite 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!

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The three key components to success in “Survivor” are having a strong social game, a strong strategic game, and prowess in immunity challenges. We’ve already discussed how our eighteen (now seventeen) players are going to tackle the social and strategic aspects. But, now I thought it’d be fun to ask “Survivor” Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer what he has in store for our beloved castaways. Not only did John spill the beans on the rest of the season, but he also gave us a look at how “Survivor” challenges are created…

Gordon Holmes: “Survivor” fans are going to be downright giddy now that water-based challenges are finally back.
John Kirhoffer: We haven’t had open water that we can do challenges in. We’ve had beautiful islands, but the water wasn’t safe. There was waves and coral. Here in the Philippines we have good shallow water areas. We have a beautiful lagoon that’s about seventy feet. We’re not going to go all the way down.
Holmes: They might not come back up.
Kirhoffer: (Laughs) Right. But we’ll send them down a bit. One of the first things I did was watch every water season of “Survivor” and took notes. I came up with a list of about sixty challenges that I love. I tried to figure out what the mechanisms are that made them fun. It’s not exactly Chinese arithmetic. Go out, collect puzzle pieces, then solve them. But it’s how you get those pieces, the journey back and forth has to be fun and physical. And the puzzles have to be interesting. But being back in a water location has opened out mind again.

Holmes: Very excited for the water challenges. Now, you probably know which questions is coming next…
Kirhoffer: You miss people eating gross stuff.
Holmes: I love the gross stuff.
Kirhoffer: Agh…so does my aunt. No, we don’t have any plans to eat gross stuff, and I’ll tell you why; we’re not “Fear Factor”…
Holmes: Whoa whoa…”Fear Factor” is gross stuff for gross stuff’s sake. “Survivor” always pulled actual food from the location.
Kirhoffer: Exactly. I’m sure we could find something, but in the Philippines the thing that is the most exotic and different is balut (fertilized duck embryo) and we did that in China and Micronesia. China had a lot of food that was indigenous. Although, we did cross the line, because we had people eat the smoothies.
Holmes: I’m going to hold out hope that you’re in town and see something on the menu that inspires you.
Kirhoffer: (Laughs) Maybe next season. People are mixed about it. My aunt says, “John Boy, how come we haven’t seen gross food in a while?!”

Holmes: Speaking of China, you guys did a great job working Chinese culture and symbolism into the challenges. Are we going to see some of that this season?
Kirhoffer: Oh yes. One of the cornerstones of coming to a new place is highlighting the culture. The way they fish with the nets, you’re going to see that in a challenge. The rice patties, we’re going to do some challenges in the rice patties that are beautiful. We’ve drawn a lot, not just from the set architecture, but also in the things we incorporate into the challenges.

Holmes: Between immunity and reward challenges, you’re probably on the hook for 20 to 30 challenges a season.
Kirhoffer: It’s around 25.
Holmes: I’d assume you take challenge ideas from everywhere. Where’s the oddest place you’ve taken inspiration from?
Kirhoffer: The title of a challenge has to be either a pun or the name of a rock band or song. We’ve got lots of them. But in China we started coming up with a title then making a challenge to fit it.
Holmes: That sounds like the exact opposite of what you should do.
Kirhoffer: It would inspire you! We had one called “Peking Duck.” We tested it, it was like dodgeball. You come up from behind a crate, and then you have to duck. So you’re peeking and ducking. We did that thing in Tocantins where the ball goes rolling down the roller coaster. That was based on an art project that one of our guys did.

Holmes: Speaking of peeking, that rhyme was unintentional, peeking at other people’s puzzles and strategies has been happening a lot lately. Is that something you guys even care about? Seems like it’d cause ill will between the contestants which I know is encouraged.
Kirhoffer: In the early days we used to set up barriers. Now? If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. Are you smart enough to look at someone else’s strategy? When it gets down to individuals and you have stuff like mathematics, that kind of cheating can’t be tolerated. But you can only cheat so much with a puzzle.

Watch Full Episodes of ‘Survivor: Philippines’

Holmes: OK, let’s get into this sneak peek.
Kirhoffer: Let’s talk about episode two, a challenge called “Manila Folders.” The most important thing in a challenge is that you give it a cute name. And the cutest names, of course, are of rock-and-roll bands or rock-and-roll songs. Or, something that’s a pun on the area. Manila Folders. (Sarcastic Laugh) You see, Manila is a city…
Holmes: I see what you did there.
Kirhoffer: The way most challenges start is…back in September a handful of us came out here to scout the location and look for the areas and try to figure things out. Then we go back to Los Angeles. I get a few friends together and we sit together and say, “What’ve you got for puzzles?  What kind of new challenge ideas?” In the brainstorming process there’ll be five of us in the room. More of a brain breeze than a storm. Our friend Miles came up with this Tetris-like puzzle. It was Miles Tiles! But we changed it to Manila Folders. And, what we came up with is, we were looking for areas, we found this beautiful field that we can do challenges in. Miles pitches this challenge, then we all sit around and massage it together. We talk about what it could be. They’d race off into the jungle, then they’d bring back these folding pieces. You lay them down, and they all fit together.

Note: John was kind enough to share with us the sketches that were used during the planning of the challenge.

Holmes: And the sled?
Kirhoffer: We thought, we’d get one of these things that we’ve all seen out here. You’ve seen the big…buffalo, whatever they are, they pull these sleds that are for rice or grain or whatever. So we came up with our own sleds that our people would pull. We found the field, but we didn’t have a jungle. So instead of going out into a jungle we’re just going out into a field.

Holmes: OK, break this down for us.

Kirhoffer: There are three tables with all the puzzle pieces.

Kirhoffer: You race out there with your sled. You stack  ‘em up and then drag ‘em back. Then you have to go out further to the second stack.

Kirhoffer: It’s tough too, because once you load them up you have a couple hundred pounds of plywood. Then they have to go out to the farthest one.

 

 

 

Kirhoffer: With the puzzle there are three zones. The two pairs take turns completing a zone. The tribe to complete the puzzle first, wins.

From there, we watched the Dream Team (a group of young, fit production assistants whose job it is to run the challenges to make sure they’re interesting and relatively safe) put Manila Folders through its paces. Everything seemed to go as planned with the Kalabaw stand-ins taking the win.

Holmes: OK, what did we learn from the Dream Team’s test run?
Kirhoffer: We learned that having two pairs of people switching out and doing the puzzles was confusing. Jeff was up on the tower and saw it for the first time, he decided to have one pair do the puzzles. That way it’s easier for the people at home to understand and it puts more pressure on that pair.
Holmes: What about the tower? It seemed like they weren’t doing much coaching.
Kirhoffer: We learned a long time ago that having someone in a tower, that it’s good to have a bird’s-eye view on a puzzle like this. But sometimes that person just confuses the issue. Everyone feels the need to put in their two cents, when sometimes the smartest move is to have one voice do it.
Holmes: Alright, and that’s how a “Survivor” challenge goes from inspiration to immunity.
Kirhoffer: From inspiration to perspiration.
Holmes: Oh, that’s way better.

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

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Zane Knight: ‘I Thought I Had it Locked’

September 20, 2012

Zane Knight and Jeff Probst (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Starting next Tuesday, I’ll be squaring off against a “Survivor: One World” favorite 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!

There might not be a more obvious “Survivor”  case of “Woulda, coulda, shoulda” than Zane Knight. The 28-year-old tire treader was all over the map last night making alliances, planning back-stabbings, and wreaking havoc when all he really needed to do was be himself.

I talked to Zane the morning after his elimination and found out about the crazy weather, the secret alliances, and how close he came to getting Russell Swan out of the game…

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Gordon Holmes: What happened? I thought I wasn’t going to get to talk to you until December after the finale.
Zane Knight: I was looking forward to talking to you in December! (Laughs) After they wrote my check. You know, you only get one way to play this game and I feel like I played it the best I could. I was a little premature, maybe if I’d put a little more forethought into Russ’s way with the court there. I said from day one,  “No celebrities,” so I went after the celebrity. I take pride in what I did.
Holmes: I feel like you crammed 39 days of “Survivor” into one episode.
Knight: (Laughs) I’ve been watching “Survivor” for a while now. I tried to take key components from the best players. Just genuinely awesome TV. You know, in life you’re not promised tomorrow, so why would you think you were promised tomorrow on “Survivor” island? I tried to break it in as hard as I could.

Holmes: You said, “Vote for me” to the Matsing Tribe. Was that your Brandon Hantz moment where you were testing everyone’s loyalty?
Knight: Exactly, you build this rapport with people, and I was going to make them work for me. It’s a character thing. Russ’s been in this game before. He knows how to play with people’s emotions. And like he said, “You don’t know how something you say is going to affect any other person.” So who was to know that he’d play ‘em like that. And I can’t put it all on him, I was too cocky. I thought I had it locked. The rest of the day I spent gathering fire wood until we went to get rid of Russ.

Holmes: Looking back, what would you have done differently?
Knight: The only thing is I would’ve been quiet.
Holmes: (Laughs) Well played.

Holmes: They didn’t touch on this too much, but the weather was insane during those first three days. Tons of rain, I remember your hands were all pruned-up and water-logged.
Knight: Aww man, just sheets of rain pelting you. You’re sitting there trying to build a shelter or pick up firewood, and like you said, your hands are so water-logged you can’t hold onto a piece of wood. The weather always comes with “Survivor.” You’re going to have heat, or cold, or rain. So, it’s expected. It adds to the game.
Holmes: You looked miserable when we were there.
Knight: The weather always comes with “Survivor.” You’re going to have heat, or cold, or rain. So, it’s expected. It adds to the game.

Holmes: What’re the tribe dynamics right now at Matsing? Did you know Malcolm and Denise were partnering up?
Knight: No idea at all. Malcolm, you build a camaraderie with people and you think you’ve got them locked. At the end of the day, he was playing his own game. I never saw Malcolm sneaking in like he did. Like I said, I was too cocky. I gathered wood till it was time to send Russ home.
Holmes: You were convinced that Russell was going home?
Knight: I was convinced! It was locked. That’s my game. (Laughs) It was as a big a surprise to me as anybody.
Holmes: Are Roxanne and Angie a unit?
Knight: Not that I saw, but that’s the way the game works. At one moment you’re best friends, the next you hate their guts. You have to watch the season to see how they vote.
Holmes: OK, if you insist, I’ll watch the season.
Knight: (Laughs)
Holmes: But now that they’ve voted you out, why bother?
Knight: You know what, a lot of America felt the same way. And I don’t think that’s me having a big head.
Holmes: Well, I think a lot of people pre-judge you based on your appearance. But I certainly enjoyed you. I was genuinely disappointed to see you go.
Knight: Hopefully if I made my mark and Jeff appreciated me and y’all appreciated me, you might get to see me again.

Holmes: I liked seeing you and Angie getting along. It’s one of those things on the show where two people from different walks of life, once you strip them of their comforts, they can get to know each other and enjoy each other.
Knight: I can pretty much get along with anybody. Angie reminded me a lot of my sister. She seemed kind of…at home for me. She’s pretty easy to get along with.

Holmes: Alright, first word association of the year. Let’s start with Angie…
Knight: Free.
Holmes: Malcolm?
Knight: Funny.
Holmes: Denise?
Knight: Hard to get along with.
Holmes: Roxanne?
Knight: Casual.
Holmes: And Russell?
Knight: Hardcore.

Holmes: Alright, jumping back into that. You said Denise was hard to get along with, when it seemed like she was making strides to get to know you better. What am I missing?
Knight: She’s one of those people that you don’t ever know. In the back of your mind you’re always thinking, “Maybe.”  It’s not that you can’t trust her, you just can’t assess her.

Holmes: A lot of people leave “Survivor” changed people. Has your time out there affected your outlook on life?
Knight: Oh my goodness, I am proud to be an American. It changed my whole philosophy. It changes the way I sweep the floor at work, the way I shop for groceries, the way I cut my grass. There is no aspect of my life that wasn’t impacted. I don’t care if you come of 1st or 26th, if you can say anything bad about this game, you didn’t play it right.

Holmes: When you were out there, you mentioned that your wife is a fantastic cook. When you got home did she have something special waiting for you?
Knight: Oh my goodness, I come home and the first thing I had was meatloaf. Good old southern cooking. I had an awesome meal waiting for me. I couldn’t get it all in me there was so much there.
Holmes: What?! I love meatloaf and my girlfriend never cooks it.
Knight: You need to come on down here, bro.
Holmes: Deal.

Any Questions? Ask me on Twitter: @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Recap: Blair’s in Trouble, Skupin Tries to Warner

September 19, 2012

Lisa Whelchel (CBS)

XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Starting next Tuesday, I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” champ Kim Spradlin in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday (including tomorrow) 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!

Quick Note: I was on location for the first episode of “Survivor: Philippines”, so this recap features all kinds of behind-the-scenes goodies.

Another Quick Note: I am so sorry about that headline. It was between that and the possibly worse “Matsinging in the Rain.”

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39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

We kick this season off with Captain Probst aboard the S.S. Snuffer-upagus. He deftly navigates the beautiful waters surrounding the scenic Caramoan Islands.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: This can’t be emphasized enough; this place was designed to host “Survivor.” The water is amazing and there are a billion tiny little islands. I’m psyched.

J-Pro lets us know that a collection of 15 newbies are on their own boat on their way to the adventure of a lifetime.

We get to meet former National League MVP Jeff Kent, former child star Lisa Whelchel, and some dude with a Frankenstein tattoo.

What these newbies don’t know is they’ll be joined by three former players who were forced out of their previous seasons due to injuries. We’ve got Michael Skupin who famously fell into the fire in “Survivor: The Australian Outback.” Jonathan Penner who suffered a severe infection during “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and Russell Swan who passed out during an immunity challenge in “Survivor: Samoa.”

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Production went to great lengths to hide Penner, Michael, and Russell from each other. I find that odd, because they didn’t do a big on-camera reveal and other returnees (Russell and Rob, Coach and Ozzy) knew who they’d be facing in advance.

Captain Probst finally meets up with our new color-coded friends. Jeff Kent is a bit worried that only four other people are wearing the same color as him.

Zane (aka, Mr. Frankenstein tattoo) is psyched that there aren’t any returning players (or as he calls them, “celebrities”). He’s wrong on both counts.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: This marooning was pretty tame compared to most. The only questionable thing that was said was Katie dissing Angie by saying that she didn’t think she was prepared for the game.

J-Pro asks Roxanne what the worst thing she’s seen on the show is; she describes Russell’s fainting elimination. Apparently she never saw “One World.” Too soon?

Now Probsty’s psyched because he has the perfect segue way to bring in our returnees. Dawson is giddy that they’re there.

Probst assigns the returnees to their tribes. Skupin immediately recognizes Lisa but doesn’t out her. Jeff Kent had better hope Penner isn’t a Dodgers fan.

The marooning starts as the players are given a minute to salvage anything they can off of the boat. Penner immediately starts shouting out instructions to his tribe. He also gives Probst some grief. So much for his pre-game plan of avoiding the “Probst and Penner Show.”

There’s some awkwardness as Kalabaw’s raft flops into the sea, in the confusion Jeff Kent is worried that he may have blown out his knee.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: When Penner was in the water, he managed to lure a chicken off of the boat and into his waiting arms. That chicken was never seen again…

So, the tribes as we start off are…

The Kalabaw Tribe (wearing red)
Carter – Track Coach, 24
Dana – Cosmetologist, 32
Dawson – Insurance Sales, 28
Katie – Student, 22
Jeff – 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
Zane – Tire Repair, 28

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

At Matsing beach, Russell says there’s no way he’s going to let himself become the leader. He plans to pawn it off on someone else, but I’m not sure who on that tribe he can pawn it off to. Sure enough, we cut to Russell bossing everyone around.

Later on, Malcolm and Russell are able to create fire. This is important because it rained a lot during those first days. I was miserable, and I had a poncho and an umbrella. They had nothing.

Meanwhile at Kalabaw beach, Jeff Kent is having serious knee problems. He says he’s played hurt before and he’s going to do his best to tough it out. You’re a baseball player, rub some dirt on it!

Later on, Jeff Kent leads a meeting. The main topic of conversation? Not letting the returning player win. Uh oh…Penner’s got problems.

Over at Tandangia, Ani-Maria and RC hit it off immediately. However, they don’t hit it off well enough for RC to admit that she’s an investment banker. Probably smart, not the most popular occupation these days. Later, the two decide to bring Pete and Skupin on board. That was quick.

Back over at North Kalabaw, Jeff Kent is worried that he’ll be in trouble if people realize that he’s a former baseball player. Unfortunately for him, Dawson’s watched some baseball in her day. However, she probably underestimated his career earnings when she pegged it at around $30 million. She smartly decides to hold onto this information for the time being.

We meet up with the Tandang women standing in the ocean. Lisa decides to do so in her jeans. This is a person who is very aware that she is surrounded by cameras. Good for her public image. Not great for her game.

They follow this with a montage of Lisa trying to start a fire. They forget to show her getting mad at Tootie when she accidentally unplugged the alarm clock when they were cramming for an exam.

RC doesn’t trust Lisa. Skupin thinks she should admit who she is because he thinks that will impress the younger people. I think I agree with Skup. Jimmy Johnson’s time on the show has made famous people gun-shy about saying who they are. But, he was voted out because he wouldn’t align with anyone, not because he was rich.

That night, Skupin lets Lisa know that he thinks it’d be helpful to open up to the kids. She doesn’t go for it.

Over at Matsing, Zane’s trying to put an alliance together. They show him hustling with everybody. No lie, dude made alliance with all five people. Although, he claims his real alliance is with Malcolm and Russell. Yikes, that’s very messy for the first cycle. He has very Hantz-like tendencies.

Malcolm quickly rats him out to Denise. They bond over this issue. They even create a secret handshake. It’s best described as the result of Lonestar asking Barf to “Give him some paw.”

Aww…rest in peace, John Candy.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: During our visit there on day two; Malcolm and Denise were hard at work building a shelter, Russell and Roxy were working around the fire, Angie was weaving palm fronds alone, and Zane was off on testimonial interview. When Zane finally returned he looked miserable. He was visibly shaking and his hands were freakishly pruned-up.

Later at Tandang, the rain is pouring and Skupin is doing his best to injure himself again. He busted up his hand and scraped his head and foot.  The dude’s skin is made of tissue paper.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Everyone was in good spirits during my visit to the Tandang camp except for Artis. Michael, Lisa, RC, Abi-Maria, and Pete were all laughing and sharing stories while Artis kind of looked depressed in the corner. I think the weather was probably getting to him, his hands were also severely pruned.

At Kalabaw, Penner is hard at work searching for the immunity idol. Unfortunately for him, everyone knows he’s looking for it. I was there for this, and the other five members of his tribe were not pleased.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Penner broke the “Don’t speak to the press” rule when I was there when he told us that he was gathering things in case he needed to make a fake idol.

Sure enough, Penner finds the clue in the rice. He’s gonna need it.

Cut to…Russell finding the Matsing clue. Returnees on fire. Except in this case, Zane saw him find it. Zane confronts him and Russell denies it. Russell even goes so far as to say he’d target anyone he saw looking for the idol.

Immunity Challenge Time: The teams will be split up into three pairs. The first pair will sprint into the jungle while tethered together at the waist. Once they come to a clearing, they’ll have to scale a cargo net that leads to a platform. On that platform there is a box that is held closed by three sets of knots. Once the teams have untied their knots, they’ll open the box, retrieve two oars, then head back the way they came. When the players get back to the starting point, they’ll pass the oars off to the next pair.

That pair will then push their boat from the beach into the water. They’ll paddle out to a buoy, then dive down to retrieve a giant chest. From there, they’ll push the crate back to the shore.

When the crate is to the beach, all of the tribe members will help carry the chest back to the starting point.  Once it’s in its proper place, the final pair will crack open the chest and retrieve puzzle pieces. The first tribe to complete their tower-shaped puzzle wins immunity and a fire-making kit. The second place tribe wins immunity, flint, and a slight feeling of inferiority. The losing tribe gets to visit Jeff at Tribal Council.

The tribes take a minute to discuss strategy. Russell takes over and basically assigns his team roles. He then chooses a handful of magic beans over a tarp.

Our running pairs will be Russell and Zane for Matsing, RC and Artis for Tandang, and Dana and Katie for Kalabaw.

Our rowers are Denise and Malcolm, Pete and Michael, and Jeff and Carter.

And finally, our puzzle teams are Angie and Roxanne, Lisa and Abi-Maria, and Penner and Dawson.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: I started an unofficial pool before the challenge. Most people had Tandang or Matsing winning. Nobody thought Kalabaw had a chance.

Survivors are ready…and they go.

RC and Artis retrieve their paddles first. Russell and Zane are right behind them.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Poor Zane was a wreck after running through the woods, which was weird because it had to have been only 150 yards each way.

Dana and Katie finally get their oars to their rowers.

Skupin and Pete are the first ones to get to their chest, Jeff and Carter made up a lot of time and pass Matsing.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Pushing the crates back to shore took forever. It had to be exhausting.

Tandang gets their chest to the shore first. It’s full of water and too heavy to carry, so they start flipping it end over end. Kalabaw is right behind them. Matsing is finally back in the game too.

Penner and Dawson plow through the puzzle to win the first immunity, Abi-Maria and Lisa finish theirs shortly after to take the second idol. Matsing earns a date at Tribal Council.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Challenge producer John Kirhoffer claims he knew Kalabaw was going to win. I still don’t believe him.

Russell tells Probst that he isn’t too worried because there is always a next time. Probst corrects him, saying there’s a next time for five of them. Snap!

Matsing decides to have a tribe meeting once they’re back at camp. Zane confesses that he wasn’t physically prepared for the challenge and that he deserves the vote. Zane thinks this’ll show if he’s in control, Russell thinks this makes the vote very easy.

Quote of the Night: “I’m playing chess the best way I know how, and hopefully, I’m going to king me.” – Zane Knight

Yes, “king me” is a checkers term…

Angie and Roxanne aren’t sure they want Zane to go; they were not thrilled that they were assigned to be puzzle players. Angie even goes so far as to beg Zane to stay.

Malcolm could be on board with voting out Russell, but he’s worried about losing Russell’s strength and he thinks Russell might have the idol.

That night at Tribal Council, fire represents life. It tends to do that.

Denise didn’t want there to be returning players, but she thinks Russell is an asset.

Zane admits that Russell is better at the game than he is. He then breaks into an onion analogy that makes no sense. It’s like when your bishop lands on Park Place.

Russell admits that he blew it by jumping back into the chief role. Malcolm agrees with him.

Angie is upset that she didn’t get to run because she was on the track team in high school. And that was totally like three months ago.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: This is the first Tribal Council I’ve ever been to where the result was in doubt. Most of the crew at this point assumed Russell would be taking the walk of shame, but nobody was sure like with Semhar or Wendy Jo.

Voting Time: Russell votes for Zane, Zane quotes Ricky Bobby, then votes for Russell, and the rest are secret.

J-Pro tallies and returns. We’ve got one for vote for Zane, one for Russ, two more for Zane, and the first person to be voted out of “Survivor: Philippines” is…Zane.

Verdict: As always with the first episode, it was a lot of getting to know people. Now that that’s out of the way, there are at least eight people I’m genuinely excited to see play. I have high hopes for this season. I also hope Mike Skupin doesn’t die.

Who’s Going to Win: Malcolm’s my pre-season fave, but his tribe is a mess. I’ll stick with him for the time-being, but as usual, I’m prepared to change my mind at a moment’s notice.

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

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Official ‘Survivor: Philippines’ Pre-Game Rankings

September 19, 2012

'Survivor: Philippines' (CBS)

XfinityTV.com sent me deep into the wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of “Survivor” stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

Well, “Survivor” host and talk-show superstar Jeff Probst had his say as to who he thought would run away with this season of “Survivor.” Now I get my turn…

Quick Note: These rankings were done before the filming of the first episode, although a few minor things that took place in the premiere were sprinkled in later. Enjoy.

Another Note: As always, betting on my official “Survivor” pre-game rankings probably isn’t illegal, but it is frowned upon.

DVR the “Survivor” Premiere

Read Malcom’s Pre-Game Interview Read Denise’s Pre-Game Interview
1. Malcolm: Poor Malcolm is the recipient of my traditional pre-game curse. Why’d I curse Malcolm? He’s the player I’d create if I could make one in a lab. He’s good-looking, but not too good-looking. He’s fit, but not too fit. He knows how people view him. He’s a smartass, but knows when to be serious. Anywho, enjoy your early exit from the game, Malcolm. 2. Denise: I love that Denise is a sex therapist. There’s something about that occupation that seems perfect for “Survivor.” You have to deal with a wide variety of interesting folks, you can’t judge, you have to be able to keep your mouth shut. Add that to a genuinely nice person who can hold her own in challenges and you have a real contender.
   
 Read Michael’s Pre-Game Interivew Read RC’s Pre-Game Interview
3. Michael: Maybe this is wishful thinking from a “Survivor” fanboy, but I think Skup’s got a shot at taking this. I imagine he’s been watching every episode of this show for the past decade, breaking down every move and figuring out what he would’ve done in that situation. Also, if he’s going to fall into the dad role again, he has two fit kids (RC and Pete) and a confidant his age (Lisa). 4. RC: From our one-on-one chat, I found RC to be delightful. She’s quite the charmer. She also has a background as a competitive swimmer. Lucky for her, she was cast on the first season since ‘Fans vs. Favorites’ to have water challenges. I look for big things from her. She could end up with a big novelty “Survivor” check next to her hoop-rolling trophy.

Read Dawson’s Pre-Game Interview Read Carter’s Pre-Game Interview
5. Dawson: Here’s one pick where Jeff Probst and I disagree. He thinks Dawson’s an early boot because she’s going to annoy Penner. I think Kalabaw is headed for an early power struggle and she’s going to be sure to side with the winner. And besides, if she can survive nearly being given a concussion during a pre-game interview, 39 days on an island will be a piece of cake. 6. Carter: I like to think of Carter as the faux Fabio. With Fabio, what you saw was absolutely what you got. He was just a fun-loving kid who had a good time and kind of stumbled into a chance to win a million dollars. Anyone who sees Carter the same way might find themselves on the next 70-hour plane ride home.
Read Lisa’s Pre-Game Interview Read Pete’s Pre-Game Interview
7. Lisa: (Let’s see if I can write this blurb without a ‘Facts of Life’ pun.) Lisa’s tribe is such an a-team when it comes to challenges that Tandang may have a full house when they get to the merge. From there, if Lisa is bosom buddies with her alliance, she could win and join Tina Wesson and the rest of the sole surviving golden girls. However, one thing that could hurt her is if others are concerned that her kids were born with silver spoons in their mouths. (Success!) 8. Pete: You’re probably wondering why I have so many Tandangers so high in the rankings. It’s because they seem like a challenge juggernaut. You’ve got Michael, Peter, and Artis who are all jacked. And you’ve got RC who’s probably the best swimmer on this season. However, Pete has said he wants to make some big moves. Hopefully he’ll be smart enough to realize those moves aren’t always necessary. (See: Clarke, Sophie)
Read Dana’s Pre-Game Interview Read Abi-Maria’s Pre-Game Interview
9. Dana: Dana’s a bit of a wild card for me. She seems like she’s got the laid-back thing down, which is perfect for flying under the radar. However, she also said she’s just there for a vacation. Sometimes that leads to big things (See: Crowley, Bob) but usually it leads to an early exit. Here’s hoping she’s up for the game. 10. Abi-Maria: I like Abi-Maria a lot. She’s a ton of fun. She also has the advantage of being in her thirties, but looking like she’s in her mid twenties.  Mix that with her accent and people could underestimate her quite a bit.
Read Zane’s Pre-Game Interview Read Denise’s Pre-Game Interview
11. Zane: My buddy Zane’s first day on the island is going to be huge. Either people are going to accept him and enjoy him as the funny, personable guy he is, or they’re going to avoid him due to his appearance. Of course, it’s also possible he might start playing too aggressively. If he can keep his cool and find the right alliance he could make a serious run. 12. Russell: If ever there has been a tribe of misfit toys, it’s Matsing. Russell is going into this swearing up and down that he isn’t going to be a leader, but what if he has no choice? Denise is the second-best pick, but she’s probably smart enough to pass it off. Either way, as long as the dude stays hydrated, I’ll be happy.
Read Katie’s Pre-Game Interview Read Roxy’s Pre-Game Interview
13. Katie: If this was a ranking of people I’d like to go to Delaware Park Casino with, Katie would be an easy number one. However, for her “Survivor” game I have some concerns. First, she wasn’t quick on her feet when I presented her with some game scenarios. And second, she didn’t have a problem calling out Angie early in the game. And, early in the game is the best time to keep your mouth shut. Just ask Francesca Hogi from “Redemption Island.” 14. Roxy: Religion has been a huge part of “Survivor recently with Coach Wade and his Upolu tribe and Matt Elrod. This topic can be quite the lightning rod. Lisa seems to be on the right track of being mindful of what she says and who she says it to. Some people will receive it well, others won’t. Roxy doesn’t seem to have that same concern. She should be wary of how those things can be viewed in a post-“South Pacific” season.

Read Jeff’s Pre-Game Interview Read Penner’s Pre-Game Interview
15. Jeff: Why do I have a former professional athlete and probable challenge horse so low in the rankings? Because I truly believe that there will be an immediate power struggle in the Kalabaw tribe with Jeff Kent on one side and Jonathan Penner on the other. If Kent can win friends an influence people he could be on his way with a nice little alliance. If not…he’s out. 16. Penner: It kills me, KILLS ME to put Penner this low in the rankings. But like I said with Jeff Kent, I really think there is going to be a power struggle early at Kalabaw and one of them is going to be the first to go. Based on everyone’s appreciation that returning players have an advantage, Penner’s reputation as a strategist, and the fact that Penner doesn’t bring as much to the table physically as Kent means that he might be the first person in a red buff who is sent packing.
Read Angie’s Pre-Game Interview Read Artis’s Pre-Game Interview
17. Angie:  Angie was easily the most talked about person before the game started. Although, with her looks and…uh…figure…she certainly does stand out. Malcolm, Katie, and others had already made assumptions about her intelligence before she even had a chance to speak. She’s a sweet girl, but she might not have enough life experience to overcome that disadvantage. Although, if she gets in with the right group, she could surprise us. 18. Artis: What can I say about Artis? He’s a nice guy. He’s an absolute inspiration for the way he defeated stage-four cancer. But, right now I see him as the first member of Tandang tribe to go home. I think his social game is really going to be his weak point. He doesn’t seem to be very good at reading other people, which is huge in a game like “Survivor.”

Don’t miss the premiere of “Survivor: Philippines” on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET.

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Pre-Game Interview: Malcolm Freberg

September 17, 2012

Malcolm Freberg (CBS)

XfinityTV.com sent me deep into the wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of “Survivor” stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

Name: Malcolm Freberg
Age: 25
Home: Hermosa Beach, CA
Occupation: Bartender
Tribe: Matsing

Gordon Holmes: Being a bartender, you tend to have to deal with a wide variety of people. Is that going to help you in the game?
Malcolm Freberg: Oh yeah. Anybody who doesn’t think this is a social game at this point is an idiot. My job is making people feel comfortable and happy with me. If people don’t like me, I can’t pay my rent. So, that’s every day of my life. And it’s changing pace quickly too. Somebody can be at this end of the bar being loud and obnoxious and telling jokes, then there’s some discreet woman sipping some crap sauvignon blanc over here and I have to be polite. So, being able to change your attitude real quick, being the guy that everybody wants to see is definitely going to come in handy.

Holmes: It says here in your bio that you don’t like dumb people. I don’t mean to ruin Christmas, but there have been a few of those in past “Survivor” seasons.
Freberg: OK, I like dumb people when I’m sitting home watching them on TV. Don’t get me wrong. Erik Reichenbach is like my favorite guy. But, it’s when it affects you, that’s my biggest worry is that I’m going to put my trust in the wrong person to do a simple task. They’re going to screw it up or run there mouth. When somebody does something that makes no sense. If I get backstabbed, and it was in their best interest? I’ll be pissed, but I’ll get over it because they made a good move. If somebody does something idiotic and it hurts me and ruins my game? That’s when you’re going to see me flip (expletive deleted) on national television.

Holmes: It also says here, three words that describe you are charming, brilliant, and cocky. There are so few guys like us…
Freberg: (Laughs) We’re rare, aren’t we?  We’re a dying breed.
Holmes: It’s a little embarrassing to be so good at everything.
Freberg: When everything falls in your lap. When you never fail. There are no challenges left for us. Maybe that’s why I’m on “Survivor” to get away from all these people who are lavishing praise on me.
Holmes: I wouldn’t be willing to subject myself to lack of constant praise.
Freberg: Actually, I’m pretty sure I can get those 14 people in there to do it, so I’m not too worried about it.
Holmes: You’re crunching the numbers already. That’s good. What do you think of these folks?
Freberg: A lot of big guys, which is good. I’m going to be able to blend in more that I thought. Girls…a couple of cute ones. I was hoping for more from a network television show. I’m assuming everyone else has figured out there’s only six guys sitting in there. So, there’s still a variable. But it’s hard to make an assumption on how to play when there’s a big x factor out there.

Holmes: You’re a Russell Hantz fan…
Freberg: Alright, just stop. I’m not.
Holmes: It says in your bio that you love Russell Hantz. You can’t get enough of Russell Hantz.
Freberg: Don’t go putting words into my pre-game interview! Actually, that’s from the application. I put MF, my initials…hearts RH.
Holmes: That’s adorable.
Freberg: That’s why they picked me for the show. Actually, it’s tattooed on my left ass cheek. I think Russell is an idiot, you can control more than just your actions, you have to keep your hands clean and be more than just a miniature egomaniac, cracked-out (expletive deleted). If you know how to play mind games with people, you can play them against each other. Jonny Fairplay (Dalton) did it in Pearl Islands successfully.

Holmes: Guys like you and I who are cocky, charming, and brilliant can come off as villains. Is that something you’re worried about or is that something you’ll embrace?
Freberg: The only thing I care about being portrayed as is being a millionaire at the end. I don’t care what I look like. I want to play this game. I want to play it borderline sociopathically.  Emotion-free. The guy I want to play it the most like is (Brian) Heidik. He was…he’s not a nice guy (laughs) but he was liked by everyone. He was charming enough that he stabbed everyone in the back and still got the money in the end. Mr. Freeze, stone cold, that’s how I want to play.

Holmes: I know how this question is going to be answered…
Freberg: Go ahead.
Holmes: Are you prepared to lie?
Freberg: Yeah. I see it…and one of my favorites of all time (Jonathan) Penner saw it as a game of Monopoly. In my opinion it shouldn’t hurt your feelings if you land on Boardwalk and I have two hotels on it. It just sucks for you. Go watch TV while I go win the game. Do whatever it takes, lying, deceiving, manipulating, whatever other synonyms you can come up with.
Holmes: I didn’t bring my thesaurus.
Freberg:  But yeah, no problem lying.
Holmes: I agree with you. I’m a big believer that if you stab me in the back, I’ll be the first to shake your hand. But so many people have been hammered at a final Tribal over a lie.
Freberg: If it got to that point, then I haven’t played it right. You shouldn’t be hated at the final three. I read this in some essay that the entire point of “Survivor” is to create a jury that wants you to win. Sit next to a villain or sit next to someone who did nothing. Just don’t be the worst option. That’s how I’m looking at it.
Holmes: Will you flirt to get ahead?
Freberg: Oh yeah, that won’t be a problem. That little blonde’s already checking me out. What were those adjectives that described me?
Holmes: Us.
Freberg: Us, sorry.
Holmes: Cocky, charming, and brilliant.
Freberg: (Laughs) I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you out of my adjective list. We’re in this together.
Holmes: It’s missteps like that that are going to send your ass to the jury.
Freberg: (Laughs) I should’ve used the plural, I apologize. But yeah, I’ll flirt, but I’ll steal Heidik’s line; this is a business trip. I’m out here to play the game and win the game. If that helps me? Great. I’m not out here to get booty blinded.
Holmes: So for “Survivor” catchphrases, Heidik has “business trip,” you have “booty blinded.”
Freberg: There’s my term. But if I can manipulate one of these little empty heads, I will.

Holmes: Anyone who tosses around the name Heidik as often you do is probably going to be branded a super fan. Is part of your strategy highlighting that or hiding that?
Freberg: I don’t think I need to pull that out like (John) Cochran or (Stephen) Fishbach do. They’re super smart guys, they’re strategic and they can help you in that way. The idea is to downplay my strategic and super fan status, actually, never tell the super fan stuff. At some point if you’re going to play dumb, you have to change gears and take over the game. And that’s the story that needs to happen for me.  If I look dumb and get voted out, I’m going to be remembered as the dumb guy. (Laughs) I’ll need to know when to go into Machiavellian beast mode.

Holmes: I already know you love Russell Hantz, but from a strategic standpoint, if you could align with any former “Survivor” player, who would it be and why?
Freberg: Gimme a second, cause you’re going to love my answer.
Holmes: There’s that cockiness.
Freberg: Let’s say Corinne (Kaplan) from Gabon. Total bitch. I used to date a girl exactly like her from New York. I know how to deal with it. Nobody likes her, so they’re not going to vote for her in the end. And I know how to get along with a person like that.

Holmes: OK, what’s the plan for the big check Jeff Probst is going to give you in December?
Freberg: The first purchase will be completely selfish. Just grandiose and indulgent. But after that, some will go to charity. I worked with Special Olympics in college and I did volunteer work in Micronesia. A portion of the winnings would go to that.

Don’t miss the premiere of “Survivor: Philippines” – Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Pre-Game Interview: Michael Skupin

September 17, 2012

Michael Skupin (CBS)

XfinityTV.com sent me deep into the wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of “Survivor” stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

Name: Michael Skupin
Age: 50
Home: White Lake, MI
Occupation: Professional Speaker, Author, and Coach
Tribe: Tandang
Previous Season: “Survivor: The Australian Outback”

Reason for Evacuation: Michael inhaled too much smoke while trying to keep the Kucha tribe’s fire going and passed out face first into the coals.

Gordon Holmes: I met Jeff Probst for the first time in Gabon a few years ago, and the very first thing I said to him was, “When are you bringing back Michael Skupin?” What took you guys so long?
Michael Skupin: I’m not really sure. There was a series of times when I was supposed to be back and for one reason or another they decided to go in another direction. But, here I am.

Holmes: You’re best known for the accident where you passed out into the fire. What affect did that injury have on you?
Skupin: It was a pretty dramatic part of my adventure, and I think the world saw it as my biggest failure. I never saw it that way. I saw it as going out in a blaze…
Holmes: Literally.
Skupin: (Laughs) Yes…a blaze of intensity. The whole experience was so amazing. All eighteen days I was out there was amazing. Now, I’m not necessarily out here to avenge that or to prove anything to anybody. I’m out here for the love of the game.

Holmes: Before you were evacuated, you had a reputation for being a provider, a leader. You killed the pig and fed it to the Kucha tribe. Coming into this new game, do you think your reputation will help you or hurt you?
Skupin: The game’s evolved tremendously. I have the instinct to feed and to lead, but I have to be sure I keep that in check. I have to be constantly aware of how people are perceiving that.
Holmes: The game has evolved quite a bit since Australia. How are you going to deal with immunities idols, Exile Islands, Redemption Islands, or whatever else they throw your way?
Skupin: I think the core of “Survivor” is still the same. The basics will always be the same. I think I’m more aware today. I went 100mph last time without noticing what was going on on the sidelines. I think now I’ll be ultra aware of how everything I do affects everyone on the tribe. I’m a lot smarter than I was last time. But if I see something I can kill for food, I’m all over it.
Holmes: What do you think your first day will be like?
Skupin: Back in our day, it was disingenuous to start an alliance on the first day because you didn’t know that person. Today, alliances will form right away. You have to make sure you align with the right people. You have to make quick decisions. There’s no take a day to build a shelter, than figure things out.

Holmes: You haven’t seen a single other player since you’ve been out here. Care guess what’s going on?
Skupin: I think we’ll see more twists and bigger challenges. I think this is going to be one of the best games ever. I think there’s going to be a lot of warriors. They didn’t bring me out on a season that was just going to be an ordinary season…in my mind.

Holmes: You played a very straightforward game in Australia. It didn’t seem like there was a lot of (expletive deleted) in you. Do you think you’ll be able to continue to play a clean game this time around or are you going to have to lie some?
Skupin: I’m a straightforward kind of guy. And, I’ve often wondered if you can go all the way through this game to the victory stand without ever telling a single lie. I’m challenged to do that, but I’m here to win. So, I’m going to take each day as it comes. I think people can see through fake every time.
Holmes: Any early blueprints on how you’re going to play?
Skupin: I am genuinely a big huge fan of this game. And I really want to play it. I think that will be evident to everyone out there. I want to align with people who want to play this game, but that’s dangerous because those tend to be the smartest people.

Holmes: You had the most memorable moment of the highest rated season in “Survivor” history. Everybody knows who you are, but nobody knows how you’ll play. Is that an advantage?
Skupin: (Laughs) Are you talking about killing the pig or falling in the fire?
Holmes: (Laughs) Both, actually. The blood under the eyes, all of it.
Skupin: I think I can work it to my advantage because I didn’t get far enough into the game. My tribe was winning. We didn’t have to play a strategic game. So, the strategic part of my game is still a mystery. Everybody knows I can kill an animal or perform in challenges. They don’t know about my strategy.

Holmes: When you rise from the ashes, phoenix-style and return home with the million-dollar check, what are your plans?
Skupin: (Laughs) I’ve got seven kids. I’ve got two in college, cars when they turn sixteen, weddings… It’s not hard to spend a million dollars when you’ve got seven kids.

Don’t miss the premiere of “Survivor: Philippines” – Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Pre-Game Interview: Dana Lambert

September 7, 2012

Dana Lambert (CBS)

XfinityTV.com sent me deep into the wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of “Survivor” stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

Name: Dana Lambert
Age: 32
Home: Winston-Salem, NC
Occupation: Cosmetologist
Tribe: Kalabaw

Gordon Holmes: I forgot to pack hair gel for this trip. I complained about it non-stop until we found a place that had some. How’re you going to survive 39 days without any hair-care products?
Dana Lambert: I need hair gel to make my hair stick up like this! I do not wake up like this.
Holmes: So, what’s the plan?
Lambert: Salt water.
Holmes: That works?
Lambert: Yeah. I use a lot of products with salt water in it for guys. So, maybe I can go with that taut, tasseled beach look.
Holmes: Are you a “Survivor” fan?
Lambert: Yeah, I’ve watched the show for eleven years.
Holmes: Worst case, you don’t want to go out there and have your hair freak out like Marty (Piombo) from “Survivor: Nicaragua.”
Lambert: Your hair would do that.
Holmes: Yeah, it’s thick, so if it’s too short it poofs out like a Q-tip.

Holmes: It says in your bio that you spent some time in rehab. What were you working out there?
Lambert: You know, I don’t do N.A. (Narcotics Anonymous) or any of that stuff now. I was 20, and I woke up one day and I think I’d had enough. I’d lost a couple of friends and a small town breeds bored children, I guess. I woke up one day and I told my mom I wanted to go to rehab. She said, “You’ve got a problem with drugs?” (Laughs) So, I went to rehab, I spent my 21st birthday there, and I’ve been 12 years clean.
Holmes: Congratulations.
Lambert: Just another chapter.
Holmes: When I was reading your bio last night, and I was wondering if going through that process of being without something that your bodies thinks it needs will serve you well in the game.
Lambert: Yeah, well I smoked cigarettes up to five months ago to prepare for the game. But I really don’t think I have an addictive personality. I think I did that because I needed to get out of town. It wasn’t that I was afraid that I couldn’t quit them. I was just bored and wanted to do something different. But, I definitely learned from that and I do think it will help me in the game. I think I do well under stress.
Holmes: You’re facing a potential 39 days without a lot of food, without a lot of water.
Lambert: Yeah, those coping skills are going to have to be pretty good out there.

Holmes: You’ve been around the new cast for a few days…
Lambert: Yeah, and whether or not I’ve talked to these people or not, I’ve definitely noticed some of their habits.
Holmes: Are you someone who has trouble around people who annoy you or can you stand back and be cool with it?
Lambert: I’m going to stand back. I’m going to let someone else bitch about it first. And I see who makes their beds, I see who cleans up after themselves after dinners. There are some older women here. I’ll let them take on that challenge directly. And if they don’t directly, I’ll take a different approach.
Holmes: What are your first impressions of these folks?
Lambert: I definitely stand out as a girl from Arkansas with punk hair and tatted up.
Holmes: That tattoo is very cool.
Lambert: Thanks. This is a cover-up actually. I have four or five tattoos.
Holmes: What’s it covering up?
Lambert: It’s actually two cover-ups. I got one when I was really young. It was like a naked woman. She looked like she had Down syndrome in the face. It looked like a prison tat. So, I got it covered up with a Celtic knot, and then I got that covered up again.
Holmes: Back to the original question, what do you think of the cast?
Lambert: I think they’re interesting enough. It’s hard to tell without talking to people, but you get some interesting eye contact from people. A couple of the women, they look soft. Like sweet, nice women. And some of the guys look like frat boys. Probably a tad of arrogance in the younger dudes.

Holmes: Do you have any problems with lying in the game?
Lambert: I’ve been struggling with that. I didn’t originally come to this show to win a million dollars. I came to this show because I’m from Arkansas and I’ve never traveled out of the country. I thought, “Oh man, what a free trip.”
Holmes: To be honest, you did get quite the free trip.
Lambert: Yeah. No doubt. Three planes, boat ride and four buses. But now that I’m here, I’m competitive, so I want to win.
Holmes: What about flirting?
Lambert: I’m prepared to do all those things.
Holmes: Nice. Coming out guns blazing.
Lambert: But I don’t want to. I don’t want to be that person who has to put myself to the side, but it’s a game.
Holmes: I’m a big believer that you can’t give yourself rules before the game starts.
Lambert: And that’s why I hate to say how I’m going to play because it never turns out that way. I’m just not that manipulative. I used to be, but I guess I grew out of it. It’ll probably be my downfall in the game.
Holmes: Really?
Lambert: Well, maybe when I get closer to the prize it’ll kick in.

Holmes: If you could align with any former “Survivor” player, who would it be and why?
Lambert: James (Clement) because he’s strong and he wants to win. He hates to lose, which is my nature. Parvati (Shallow) because she’s a flirt and she can get what she wants out of the alpha males. “Boston” Rob (Mariano) because he stays out of the drama and picks up the leadership skills without really fighting for it.
Holmes: But what do you bring to these alliances? Everyone needs a role.
Lambert: I think what I would bring is…I fit well in pulling people together as a team. I’m level headed and can maintain them. Also, I’m pretty handy around camp.

Don’t miss the premiere of “Survivor: Philippines” – Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Pre-Game Interview: Denise Stapley

September 7, 2012

Denise Stapley (Gordon Holmes)

XfinityTV.com sent me deep into the wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of “Survivor” stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

Name: Denise Stapley
Age: 41
Home: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Occupation: Sex Therapist
Tribe: Matsing

Gordon Holmes: I live next to a sex therapist.
Denise Stapley: Seriously?
Holmes: Yup. He has the best stories. Do you intend to use awesome sex therapy stories as a way to get people to keep you around? Cause I know it gets boring around camp.
Stapley: No, surprisingly. I love what I do. I feel passionate about it. And in my public life, I’ll tell anyone. And certainly, no names because of confidentiality.
Holmes: Of course.
Stapley: But, this is a game. This is totally different. I’ll tell people I’m a therapist and the generic things I deal with. But the sex therapy part? I’ve got saved for a select few…that I’ve already picked out. I think that’s going to be my in with them to say, “Hey, safe space, ally, work with me.” But that’s for a select few. Cause I can already tell there are some that are either going to be offended by it. Because we all make those knee-jerk assumptions. I’ve been making assumptions since we got here, and I could be wrong.
Holmes: When you originally said “assumptions,” I was wondering if you were going to say you could tell what they were into.
Stapley: (Laughs) No…no.
Holmes: That would be a unique gift.
Stapley: That would be a gift, because you can never tell what people are into.
Holmes: Hey, as long as it’s between consenting adults.
Stapley: “Safe, sane, and consensual” is my motto. So, do what you want to do.

Holmes: You’ve already been checking out the cast.
Stapley: Oh yeah.
Holmes: What’ve you got?
Stapley: I think some of the women are going to just die. They’re down there painting their nails. Messing with their (expletive deleted) cuticles. That is going to do you no good. But, maybe that’s part of their strategy, but their looks aren’t going to get them to the end. So, some of the women, I don’t know why they’re here. Some of the men, there are a couple that are really guarded. They aren’t giving away anything. I’ve been trying to see what they read. There’s one, I think everyone’s going to judge him instantly. But, if you look, he’s got all the tattoos. My first instinct was (expletive deleted), do I even want to mess with this guy? But, as you look, some of the tattoos…maybe he’s been through some transitions. He’s got a Serenity Prayer tattoo. Maybe he’s found something and he’s not what he appears to be.

Holmes: Says here that you have a kiddo.
Stapley: I do, I have an eight-year-old little girl.
Holmes: How does she feel about mom’s big adventure?
Stapley: She has been one of my biggest supporters, she and my husband. They’ve been very supportive of me applying. And it wasn’t until the day before I left that it all sunk in for her and she just fell apart. And that was just like “Oh (expletive deleted).” And she’s been a part of this secret the whole time. For an eight-year-old, she’s doing extremely well.
Holmes: What’s the story? Where’s mom supposed to be?
Stapley: Oh, I’m currently in Florida doing sex therapy, training with some colleagues. I’m staying on the University of Southern Florida campus, so there will be plenty of sunshine.
Holmes: There’s no food there…
Stapley: There’s no food because my husband is the chef. They’ll know that I ate like crap for six weeks.
Holmes: And somehow you stumbled upon a million bucks.
Stapley: Absolutely a million bucks.
Holmes: Does your daughter have dibs on your buff?
Stapley: Hell no, that’s my buff.

Holmes: Says in your pet peeves that you hate laziness. Fortunately, nobody ever encounters laziness on “Survivor.”
Stapley: (Laughs) I know. It gets me because you see it every (expletive deleted) season. They sit on their (expletive deleted) asses. Truly, Gordon, that’s going to have to be something I rein in. I can’t be too type-A, because then someone’s going to see me as a threat. But that’s going to drive me nuts.

Holmes: Gameplay-wise, are you prepared to lie?
Stapley: That’s going to be the hardest part for me. It’s just not in my nature to lie. But, it is in my nature to keep things secret and confidential. I hope I can do more of that than having to lie. It’s a million bucks, and this is a game. And people get wounded all the time because they bring their own stuff in.
Holmes: How about flirting?
Stapley: I’ve never been a flirt, as far as I know. So, probably not.

Holmes: If you could partner with any past “Survivor” player, who would it be?
Stapley: Does it have to be just one?
Holmes: Go crazy, I have plenty of tape and it’s a beautiful day.
Stapley: I like Tina (Wesson), I like Stephenie (LaGrossa), I like Tom (Westman). Actually, I really love (John) Cochran. Because, you get this mix of people. I suck at puzzles, so I want to have an alignment with people who have different strengths. So, Cochran, he has the brains, he knows the game. Stephenie, she’s very physical. Socially, she’s OK. Tina, very social. And Tom was like this whole package of it. I remember this one challenge where it was the final one and they’re on this pole and he’s not moving. You might as well go take a nap cause he’s not moving. I think you really need a mixed group. We have a lot of buff guys, you can’t have just that. I definitely don’t want all women.

Don’t miss the premiere of “Survivor: Philippines” – Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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‘Survivor: Philippines’ Pre-Game Interview: Russell Swan

September 5, 2012

Russell Swan (Gordon Holmes)

XfinityTV.com sent me deep into the wilderness on a mission to bring you all kinds of “Survivor” stuff including behind-the-scenes tidbits, pre-game interviews with the cast, insights from “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, a look at the first Tribal Council, and much more. I’ll be cranking out this goodness daily, so be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates on all of this season’s “Survivor” fun.

Name: Russell Swan
Age: 45
Home: Glenside, PA
Occupation: Environmental Attorney
Tribe: Matsing
Previous Season: “Survivor: Samoa”
Reason for Evacuation: Russell fainted multiple times during a challenge in which he was blindfolded and made to push a giant ball around an obstacle course. Jeff Probst has described this as, “The scariest moment I’ve ever had on the show.”

Gordon Holmes: Last time I saw you on TV, you scared the…uh…you know what…out of me.
Russell Swan: (Laughs)
Holmes: Who the hell let you come back on this show?
Swan: (Laughs) Surprisingly, my wife! It’s funny, Gordon. It’s one of those things where I definitely got to experience just how much my wife loves me. I joke around all the time, and there are probably other husbands who say, “I’m worth more to you dead than I am alive.” But, my wife doesn’t want to hear that.
Holmes: And she doesn’t want to see it on national TV.
Swan: That is correct. So, really what this is about is a wonderful woman who supports her husband. She knows that this is extremely important to me. The what-ifs have got to stop and this is the only way they stop.
Holmes: Did you let her know who to take vengeance upon if you don’t come back?
Swan: Ah yes, I said there’s this guy named Jeff Probst. He’s recently married, so go to his wife first. And then do the wife thing and then she will probably join you in kicking his behind.

Holmes: It seemed like you hadn’t been getting enough rest or drinking enough water in Samoa. How do you make sure that doesn’t happen again?
Swan: Gosh, first point; “Survivor” is a marathon, not a sprint, Russell. So, when you come back after a challenge it’s alright to park yourself on your ample black behind and rest for a second before you start collecting firewood. Number two; the body needs water. A certain percentage of it is water. When it doesn’t have water it will fail on you. Third thing; as soon as you hit the beach you have to figure out who’s who and what’s what. This subtle thing that you’re trying to do does not work. Last, but not least; leadership kills. So, regardless of what Jeff says or the tribe says, you will not be the leader of the tribe. Period. End of story.
Holmes: My next questions was going to be about your leadership role in Samoa. You’re tossing that aside this time around?
Swan: I’m going to avoid that. In fact, here’s what happens…who should be the leader? Russell Swan?
Holmes: Didn’t he die?
Swan: (Laughs) He died, remember? Do you really want the guy who picked pillows and blankets over a tarp?
Holmes: All the women will turn on you immediately.
Swan: Do you really want that guy to lead? I’ll completely throw myself under the bus. Then I’ll find that guy. You know how there’s always that guy and he’ll be like, “Leader? That should be me!” And he has his hand on his hip and his chin will be jutted out. I’ll throw his butt under the bus.
Holmes: It’s good to see you’re learning from the past. Now you won’t be doomed to repeat it.

Holmes: Quick “Survivor” rewind question; what happens if you don’t leave the game in Samoa? Does Galu overcome Russell Hantz and the Foa Foa four?
Swan: You know, and this is speculative at best, but at the end of the day I at least convince them to keep from eating themselves before getting rid of some of those Foa Foa people. I think that other guy…with the hat, same name as me that I will not say. (Laughs)
Holmes: I don’t have a great memory, but I have a vague recollection of who you’re referring to…
Swan: I think we could dance around him and the rest of them you pick them off. I don’t think I would have let Erik (Cardona) be blindsided. Now, I didn’t know he had an idol. So, who knew, he probably would have played his idol.

Holmes: Since you’ve been on the show, there have been a bunch of changes with Redemption Island, One World, and other twists. Will you be able to adapt to whatever new, crazy thing they think up?
Swan: One of the things about “Survivor” is; if you can’t adapt, then go home. The game morphs even during the game. One twist in the beginning could be turned on its head. Redemption Island, immunity idol, two idols, five idols, the Medallion of Power? Medallion of Power…good lord, hopefully not.

Holmes: (Laughs) Now, when you go on “Survivor,” you really only prepare for three possibilities, I’m going to win, I’m going to lose to the jury, or I’m going to get voted out. Nobody prepares for a medical evacuation.
Swan: Oh no, definitely not.
Holmes: You mentioned the “What-Ifs” earlier. What did that do to you psychologically?
Swan: I hate to get all serious, Gordon, cause this has been light and fun.
Holmes: We’re on a beautiful beach in the middle of a tropical paradise!
Swan: (Laughs) But, I never thought that I would be 43 and have a situation that broke me. To have to deal with, almost like a death and all of the psychological trauma that comes with that. That day, dude, I was broken. And when I sat in that interview the next day, and but for my wife and my daughter, I wish I had died. I meant that. I could not deal with the pain of eight applications, ten years, and this is how it’s going to end? I can deal with getting voted out. I can deal with blah blah blah.
Holmes: You can deal with a million dollars.
Swan: I can deal with that! But they carried me out on my back. Worst day in my life. So, it’s been one of those things where this is an absolute blessing to be back here now. Whatever happens, it’s full circle now. I get to put some sort of closure on this thing. As an aside, I have to give a shout out to the “Survivor”fans. To a man, to a woman, the people who watch the show are phenomenal people. They reached out to me, they were positive. Any people who do what you do, they’re usually snarky.
Holmes: What?! That’s inappropriate.
Swan: (Laughs) They’re usually funny.
Holmes: This interview has gone off the rails.
Swan: But the fans were very supportive. They wouldn’t let me see myself as a failure. So I thank them.

Holmes: Why do you think you’re here? If there’s a twist, what is it?
Swan: That’s a good question. I’m not sure. The only theory that I have is, if I’m an injury and I’m here, then there’s probably other injuries here. It’s one of those things where it could be anything. My theory is it‘s “Fans vs. Favorites,” but it’s all the losers.
Holmes: “Fans vs. Losers” has a horrible ring to it.
Swan: (Laughs) All the people like me who were injured or something on one side, then a bunch of fans on the other.

Holmes: You seemed to play a pretty straight forward game in Samoa. Honestly, you were taken out before Galu really had to tear into each other. Are you comfortable lying or is that something you’re going to try to avoid?
Swan: The thing that’s clear to me, is that 2.0 Russell is going to be different. That subtlety thing ain’t going to work. I’m returning. And if there are newbies, they’re going to know that I’ve played this game. Well, some people aren’t really fans and they just kind of show up. But it’s going to get out that this dude has hit a beach before.
Holmes: We used to refer to you as “Good Russell,” should we throw that nickname out the window?
Swan: (Laughs) No, I’ve got to be who I am, dude. I like people, but if I’ve got to throw people under the bus, then hey. I want to win this thing. I don’t want to be like, “Oh, thank you, Jeff. Thank you, everybody for allowing me to come back.” I don’t want to sing ‘Kumbaya,’ I want to win this damn thing.
Holmes: I feel like if I were one of the newbies, I’d think, “Hey, Russell Swan is on my tribe. He seemed like a good, solid guy last time. Maybe someone I can trust.” Does it give you somewhat of an advantage that you got to play a relatively clean game before?
Swan: Oh, big time. I’m banking on it. You just confirmed it.
Holmes: So some people are in for a rude awakening?
Swan: That’s exactly what I’m shooting for, dude! (Laughs)

Don’t miss the premiere of “Survivor: Philippines” – Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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