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‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ Power Rankings – Round 2: Sexual Healing Edition

October 9, 2017

‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Aubry Bracco, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers”

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Ryan is voted out this episode, Aubry will receive five points and Gordon will receive three points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Aubry had Simone in spot 14. Gordon had her in spot 11. The current score is Team Aubry 14, Team Gordon 11.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.​

Aubry Says: The game is on, folks, and the beaches ripe with power couples. Here’s where our fair castaways stand after Week 2…

Aubry’s Score = 14

Any questions for Aubry? Drop her a line on Twitter: @aubrybracco

Gordon’s Score = 11

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Ali: Ali is the total “Survivor” package. She: A) understands and sees the value of people on the bottom? Check. B) is aware of emotional vampires who require attention and will sap her energy in The Game down the line? Check. C) gives a little bit of side-eye when warranted? Checkmate. 1. Ben: Thankfully, things calmed down a bit on Hero beach. And after Chrissy crunched the numbers, and had everyone complete the 250-question personality test, she decided that Ben is her perfect eHarmony partner.
2. Ben: He’s smart, savvy and a king of chaos management. Plus, he’s got the even keel charm of Tom Westman blended with the charm of Tocantins’ JT. This guy isn’t going anywhere any time soon. 2. Devon: I only smile when I’m talking strategy with you…or thinking about killer waves…or literally doing anything. It’s fine though, everybody likes Devon and he’s the strongest member of his tribe. He ain’t goin’ nowhere.
3. Devon: Devon is a Brains in Woo clothing. There’s more to this surfer dude than meets the eye. This guy could ride this wave to the end. 3. Ryan: A little bad news for Ryan as Simone was well aware that he was running the show. That shouldn’t cause any problems in the near future, but he should keep an eye on that.
4. Chrissy: She’s making a list, she’s checking it twice — Chrissy’s got her head on straight and is wisely taking stock of her observations. This kind of decision-making ability will only help down the line. 4. Ali: Well, the Gordon-picked-me-to-win curse hasn’t taken you out yet! And, you proved you’re a cool, calming operator. Question is; is Patrick too abrasive to keep around?
5. Ryan: Why is everyone so surprised when nerds are likable and have social game? Ryan, like many before him, is proving that some of “Survivor’s” brainiest brainiacs have the ability to use their less-than-threatening image as a weapon. 5. Chrissy: Scanning…scanning…scanning… Truthfully, I loved Chrissy’s breakdown of her Hero tribemates. And being Ben’s right hand seems like a great place to be.
6. Cole: We know his looks, smile and personality have Jessica swooning, but now the Second Coming Of Tony is giving him an idol clue too? Cole’s got that special “Survivor” magnetism that just draws people into his orbit. 6. Desiree: Miss Virginia, huh? That’s pretty cool. I’d love to watch you play “Survivor” sometime.
7. Jessica: She’s getting into a power couple which could spell danger. The good news? Jessica has the kind of upbeat personality that will neutralize that, and nobody seems to care. If anything, she and Cole have some hangers on. 7. Roark: Social worker, huh? That’s pretty cool. I’d love to watch you play “Survivor” sometime.
8. Mike: Mike already has his archenemy Joe admitting he’s likable. This guy will be safe if the Healers go to Tribal, and he has the chops to integrate in the event of a swap. 8. Alan: You needed a nice, calm episode after the premiere’s flaming dumpster fire that crashed into a trainwreck. And, you got it. Now, how do you build a new foundation?
9. Desi: Desi is opening up to people about her Miss Virginia past, which is good! She’s making personal connections. I’m positive we just haven’t seen what Desi has brewing yet. 9. Ashley: From “core four” to “potential power couple without benefits” is not what you want from your first few of days in the game. I think you’re smart enough to steer out of it though, even if that means cutting JP loose.
10. Roark: Roark is quiet, but she got some blur in for a sassy mouth at the challenge. What that tells me? She’s comfortable enough on her tribe to run her mouth a little bit but, smartly, lying low. 10. Joe: Did you really think the idol was buried underneath a moving item? It’s OK, we all make mistakes. Now, you have to lock Cole down. I think cutting him loose would be way too mysterious at this point.
11. Alan: Alan is a little more low-key. However, he still believes spreading suspicion is the best way to keep out of trouble. If he can spread a little chaos and paranoia without letting it get to his head, he may have a point. If Alan makes it past next week, his sins of the first 3 days may be absolved. 11. Cole: “Gee, Joe…I have no idea what that water well-shaped icon is supposed to represent. See ya later.” Rookie mistake. Hope it doesn’t cost you.
12. Ashley: Chrissy already sees Ashley as a threat, and she’s already been doomed with the title of one half of a power couple that’s been in the middle of some shenanigans. Not the greatest place to be in the “Survivor” universe. 12. JP: Are you really only talking to Ashley? Even after Alan called you two out as a couple? Poor form.
13. JP: JP doesn’t like drama and pulls lobster dinners out of the ocean. That’s great and all, but he needs to spend these early days connecting with his tribe too. The early feedback from others on JP confirms he isn’t making those lynchpin relationships. Not. Good. 13. Patrick: Everyday can’t be “The Patrick Show starring Patrick and featuring the Patrick Dancers.” Hopefully Tribal was a wakeup call for you to tone it down.
14. Patrick: Oh, Patrick, you wild banshee you! He’s got so much energy, I’m afraid he’ll start generating heat and burst into the flames. At least the tribe won’t need to trouble themselves with the flint anymore. 14. Mike: I’m not convinced you’re safe. It’s very possible that this Joe/Cole dust up is much ado about nothing. But, if you’re see signs of it, you need to stoke that fire.
15. Lauren: Lauren’s steadiness makes her an attractive ally for someone willing to put in the work. That said, she needs to be building relationships and quickly. That doesn’t seem to be her forte. 15. Lauren: I think your tribe likes you and wants to keep you around, but if they lose again they’re going to want to keep Patrick’s strength. Unless he starts with Pauly Shore impressions. Then he’s gone, buuuuuuddy.
16. Joe: Joe has an idol, which is a seemingly good thing, but there’s a whole lot here to worry about. He’s running around in the woods — never a good thing. Worse, he says he likes Dr. Mike despite wanting him out. Mike and Joe are the power couple we actually need. 16. Jessica: You don’t want to be half of a flirting power couple if Joe is worried about Cole knowing about his idol. If Joe sends a message, it’s going to be through you.


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

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Simone – ‘I Thought that Ryan Was the Biggest Threat’

October 5, 2017

‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Aubry Bracco, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

You’re on a tribe with a guy that yells at crabs, does weird accents, and is constantly screaming…and you’re the weird one?

I spoke with Simone Nguyen the morning after she was eliminated to get to the bottom of this mystery. I also had a chance to ask her about the tribe dynamics, the Ryan/Devon bromance, and her superhero alter ego…

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers”

Gordon Holmes: Alright, I hate to start this off on an awful, awkward question…
Simone Nguyen: OK, lay it on me.
Holmes: So, you’re on this tribe with a dude that does weird accents and is yelling at crabs…
Nguyen: (Laughs)
Holmes: And you’re the weird one?! How does that happen?
Nguyen: Oh my God! The yellow tribe, love them, don’t want to ever say anything bad about them. But Patrick is one of the weirdest people I have ever met in my life! Everyone had lied about their background. Lauren lied about being a fisherman, she said she was a contractor. Ali said she never went to college. Devon said he never went to college. Ryan said he dropped out of college. Here I am, I’m hiding nothing. I’m not going to let people think I’m sneaky so I didn’t lie about my background. I went to Colombia, I live in New York, I don’t know how to drive. I’ve never been camping. And I’m thinking, “Oh no! Oh no! Too open! Reel it back!” So now, somehow Patrick is the one that fits in! So yeah, I’m the weirdo. Can’t help it.

Holmes: I thought it was impressive that all of this was new to you, but you watched videos, and when it came time to step up and gut the fish, you made it happen.
Nguyen: I appreciate that. It was tough preparing. It didn’t occur to me that I should go camping before going out there. I thought, “Beginners luck, I’ll figure it out.” But, I’d read the Boy Scout manual. I knew exactly what was going to terrify me. But I had a blast. I knew I had to work hard around camp, I had to volunteer for whatever I could do. Whenever there’s work on “Survivor,” just do it.

Holmes: Ali and Patrick seemed to have some familiarity with each other before the game.
Nguyen: They went to college together. They had the same friend group, I don’t think that they were best friends. I think they just knew each other. But they’re really different people, so it’s not a friendship that you would expect. Ali is this serious, diligent, thoughtful, beautiful goddess of a woman and Patrick is a goofball and he owns it. I suspected nothing.

Holmes: Ryan and Devon seem like opposites as well. Did you know that they were partnering up?
Nguyen: I thought that sending Patrick home was my only chance to stay, but I thought that Ryan was the biggest threat right out of the gate. He’ll tell a joke, like a generic pun, and everybody laughs. Everybody is so enthralled by this short, adorable man. That person terrifies me. I can’t do a thing like that. And I felt like Ryan had Devon and Patrick in his pocket. And then you didn’t get to see it, but I witnessed the most intimate conversation between Ryan and Lauren when they were bonding over the fact that they have different types of bodies. Lauren’s a bigger girl, Ryan’s a smaller guy. How do you compete with that? They’re bonding over something they’ve had to deal with their entire lives. I didn’t have an experience that could compare. You can see yourself not fitting in as much. Ryan had a lot of control in the beginning, and kudos to him for finding the super idol.
Holmes: Don’t knock generic puns. I make my living off of those.
Nguyen: Oh my God! I love a pun. That’s why I was so scared. I have a really weird sense of humor, which is another reason why I didn’t fit in. So, Ali’s hair…you saw like three hairstyles last night. She looks really great. She would say, “Oh, my hair is a little nappy.” And Ryan would lie down and say, “I’m about to take a little nappy.” And I would die. If I wasn’t on the floor, I’d be on the floor. The fact that I was laughing that hard scared me, I should have been more aware.

Holmes: Tell me more about Lauren. She seemed very concerned that she wasn’t going to fit in because of her age.
Nguyen: I actually really liked Lauren and wanted to work with her. But, we’re so different it’s almost impenetrable. She had once voiced that, “Y’all are a bunch of kids.” I can’t do an impression of her.
Holmes: You don’t have to.
Nguyen: She’d say she feels like an old lady. And my boyfriend is a little bit older than her. So, in trying to comfort her I said, “Don’t worry about it, I haven’t dated someone younger than you in years.” And of course everybody’s’ heads turned and I thought, “No! That’s not what I wanted to say!” So, I was the weird one. But, I didn’t care that she was older. She seemed like somebody who was really hard working. She didn’t stop for a minute. I wish she had liked me more.

Holmes: You mentioned the super idol, was anyone looking for other idols?
Nguyen: Patrick was looking all day, every day. Wakes up in the morning, doesn’t help with the fire. We all know he’s out looking for the idol. Patrick goes looking for the idol in front of us. I catch Patrick looking for the idol. He says, “I’m looking for the idol. What are you doing?” I’d say, “I guess I’m gathering firewood unless you want me to come look with you.” Then he’d say, “Yeah, come look with me.” This is not a thing that I was trying to do with my life. So, that was Patrick.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Ryan.
Nguyen: Skinny Ryan. I know he’s not supposed to be the skinny Ryan on the show, but he’s way skinnier.
Holmes: The skinniest Ryan.
Nguyen: That’s a good one.
Holmes: Patrick?
Nguyen: Redhead, ginger…
Holmes: Ali?
Nguyen: Hair goals, a beautiful Grecian model…she’s not Grecian, but…she looks so good. It was insane.
Holmes: Lauren?
Nguyen: Fisherwoman with a question mark. We had all bought into the fact that she was a contractor because we weren’t eating a lot of fish those first couple of days.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Devon.
Nguyen: Did you see those abs?
Holmes: I did.
Nguyen: Do you know about the phenomenon called “Island Hotness?”
Holmes: I do.
Nguyen: It is 100% real. It is so nice to look at when you’re far from home. So, thank you Devon for that.
Holmes: Simone, you don’t think I cover this show for Jeff Probst, or the palm trees, or the challenges, do you?
Nguyen: It has to be the island hotness. In pre-game, there were gratuitous amounts of hotness. I’d look around and be giggling like a fiend. This is amazing, life is wonderful, “Survivor” is a gift.

Holmes: Last night you shared with us your super power.
Nguyen: Oh God!
Holmes: Do you have a superhero alter ego?
Nguyen: You know what? Nobody wants to go with the obvious, which is “The Aqua Dumper.” But you want to be known for something. I’m going to let the fans on Reddit come up with that one for me.
Holmes: That is a dangerous proposition. So, you’re weird, but you’re brave.
Nguyen: I certainly felt brave when I was doing my business in the ocean. But I also felt brave going out there. It was my first time out of the country, the first time camping, the first time doing so many things. I really felt like, “This is my time! If I’m going to go, I’m going to go hard!” I had a great time.

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

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‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ Episode 2 Recap: The Dawn of the Ali-Ance?

October 4, 2017

‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Aubry Bracco, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Last Week: Ryan made a firm base, Alan made a creepy face, and what’s the medal for 18th place?

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Alright, let’s take a closer look at these tribes…

The Levu Tribe (AKA: The Heroes – Wearing Blue)
Alan, 31 – NFL Player
Ashley, 26 – Lifeguard
Ben, 34 – Marine
Chrissy, 46 – Financial Analyst
JP, 28 – Firefighter

The Soko Tribe (AKA: The Healers – Wearing Yellow)
Cole, 24 – Wilderness Survival Guide
Desiree, 27 – Physical Therapist
Jessica, 29 – Nurse Practitioner
Joe, 34 – Probation Officer
Mike, 43 – Urologist
Roark, 27 – Social Worker

The Yawa Tribe (AKA: The Hustlers – Wearing Red)
Ali, 24 – Celebrity Assistant
Devon, 23 – Surf Instructor
Lauren, 35 – Fisherman
Patrick, 24 – Small Business Owner
Ryan, 23 – Bellhop
Simone, 25 – Diversity Advocate

Post-Tribal Shenanigans

We learn that Chrissy is allowed to hang onto her idol even though it is powerless. Like an infant at an “Entourage” trivia night.

Yikes, that is a terrible analogy.

Ben thinks the tribe is like old paint because it’s cracked and fractured. Also, Ben is better at analogies than I am.

Ben also lets us know that the core four is dead. Yeah, like a fish vacationing on the sun.

(Damnit.)

At Hustlers Beach…

Ryan and Devon are very comfortable in their adorable alliance. However, Devon does point out to Ryan that he doesn’t smile when he talks strategy with other people. Probably not a great idea to reveal your tell on “Survivor,” buddy.

Simone seems to be on the outs with her entire tribe. Ryan even calls her “weird.”

CUT TO: Simone bragging because she was able to pee in the ocean. She says it made her feel like a superhero.

10-Second Brainstorm for Simone’s Superhero Name: The Urine-ator…The Tinkler…Sim(Number)One…

She also says she hates the outside. C’mon, that’s like Probst hating blue button-down shirts.

(That’s better.)

Finally, Simone shows her worth to the tribe by being able to gut a fish. Go Simone!

Ali decides she wants to bring Simone onto her side because of Simone’s outcast status.

In other news, Patrick is really rubbing people the wrong way. We’re treated to an edit of Patrick screaming at crabs, doing weird accents, and breaking wind. Basically he’s driving Lauren crazy.

At Healers Beach…

Jessica and Cole continue to flirt, but Cole thinks Jessica isn’t interested because she sees him as a little kid. This makes me wonder if Cole has ever seen a little kid.

Joe and Mike are getting along, but Mike is still Joe’s biggest target. Joe finds himself in a bind because he wants to hunt for the idol, but he’s already told the tribe that Mike has it.

This doesn’t completely deter Joe. In fact, he finds the first idol clue stamped on a tree. He can’t quite figure out where it is, so he gets Cole to help him. Cole figures out that it’s by the water well. They dig around the well and Joe finds the idol.

Of course, Joe is now nervous that Cole knows his secret.

I found this whole exchange to be really interesting. My first instinct would have been to destroy the clue after I found it. Maybe you could scratch it off of the tree? But, the way Joe ended up going about it, he now shares a secret with someone who seems like he’ll be loyal.

Actually, I wonder if there was an opportunity for Cole to keep his well revelation quiet and find the idol for himself later. But, it was in the heat of the moment, so I don’t blame him for not thinking of it.

At Heroes Beach…

Chrissy breaks down the entire tribe “Terminator” style. It was truly inspiring. She thinks JP isn’t very bright, Ashley is a player, Alan is a risky person to partner with, and Ben is the best alliance for her.

Ben and Chrissy agree to work together and keep their options open for Ashley or Alan. They decide against working with JP because he doesn’t talk to anyone. Huh…

Immunity Challenge Time: Three players from each tribe will dive into the water and retrieve bags of puzzle pieces. Once they’ve all been collected, the remaining teammates will use the pieces to complete a signpost puzzle. The first tribe to finish will win immunity and a giant fishing kit, the second tribe gets immunity and a more modest fishing kit.

Sitting Out: Joe and Lauren

Challenge Result: Despite falling behind early, the Healers were able to claim first place. The Heroes took second. Ali and Simone were the losing puzzle team.

Post Challenge Politicking

It looks like it’s going to come down to Simone vs. Patrick.

Simone tries to “shape the narrative” by pointing out that Patrick and Lauren are always butting heads.

Patrick does his own narrative shaping by claiming that Simone doesn’t do much for the tribe.

Ali, Ryan, and Devon seem to be the ones making the call. They feel like Pat is unpredictable, but good at challenges and Simone is a challenge liability, but she’ll be loyal.

And as for Ali, Ryan, and Devon working together…

IT’S HAPPENING!

Tribal Time

Not much to report on here, other than everybody acting shocked when Patrick said he didn’t trust everyone in the tribe. That was odd to me because who trusts everyone on their tribe?

Also, Lauren said she hopes they don’t see Probst again anytime soon. That’s hurtful. And, he’s gonna be at the challenges, this isn’t Samoa.

Voting: We’ve got one vote for Patrick, three votes for Simone, and the second person voted out of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers” is…Simone.

Verdict: This seems like a solid decision from the Healers. When you break down the pros and cons of Patrick vs. Simone, you have someone who’s wild, but good in challenges against someone who has the potential to be strategically dangerous and is bad at challenges.

Actually, compared to last week, I think we’re going to have a lot more high grades…

  • Ali and Ryan – They’ve got a solid majority, they’ve got some potential fodder in Patrick, and they’ve got that hustle.
  • Chrissy – From potentially on the bottom to a comfortable alliance with Ben in one day? Well done.
  • Ben – Sometimes you can just sit back and everyone comes to you.
  • Devon – Sooper minor nitpick…but did your smiling comment tip Ryan off to when you’re lying?
  • Joe – I like that you’re forward-thinking with your concern for Cole, but targeting him now is going to be a mess.
  • Ashley – People are always afraid of power couples. You did the best job of becoming the power couple partner they’re most likely to keep around.
  • Cole – Someone like Joe is going to want to do all of the thinking. Let him. Otherwise he’ll turn on you quickly.
  • Patrick – “Survivor” 101…don’t be annoying early in the game. People are looking for any reason to target someone. Don’t give them a reason.
  • JP – If people think you’re in a power couple, open lines of communication with everyone, not just with your power couple partner. All the lobsters in the world can’t protect you if you’re keeping to yourself. Well, giant lobsters could protect you.
  • Lauren, Desiree, Roark, Jessica, Mike, and Alan – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

Power Rankings Results: Aubry Bracco had Simone in spot 14, I had her in spot 11. The current score is Team Bracco 14, Team Holmes 11.

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

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‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ Power Rankings – Round 1: Super Idle Edition

October 2, 2017

“Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Aubry Bracco, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers”

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the players will earn. For example, if Ryan is voted out this episode, Aubry will receive two points and Gordon will receive three points. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank the contestants based on who is the most likely to be voted out in the next episode.​

Before we head into this week’s fun, Aubry has a special message for this season’s cast…

Aubry Bracco: Congrats, “Survivor” 35 cast! Your journey has begun. My best advice? Don’t listen to the armchair quarterbacks (I guess that includes me). Remember what the experience meant to you and enjoy the ride for all its ups and downs.

Aubry’s Score = 0

Any questions for Aubry? Drop her a line on Twitter: @aubrybracco

Gordon’s Score = 0

Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Ben: I love everything about the way this guy is playing. He’s in the dominant four, but he’s not ruling out working with Chrissy. If there’s a surprise swap, this guy, who’s a proclaimed “Teddy and Grizzly Bear,” seems like he’ll be able to use both his fire and awareness of emotion to find the space in the cracks. 1. Ben: Wow…what a mess. Probst tosses your tribe six buffs, so you know you’ve got to get a majority quickly. You make it happen and then Alan…Alans. Pulls a total Alan. But, you played it the best you could and are now the person in the tribe will all of the options.
2. Ryan: This guy has already found (1.) A super idol (2.) A BFF to downplay his nerd archetype (Devon) (3.) a way to get a jump on making allies on the other tribe (Chrissy by way of gifting her the idol). Ryan’s creating a solid foundation quickly AND quietly. 2. Devon: You’re the most athletically gifted member of your tribe and you’re partnered with the dude who doesn’t have mystery crabs in his pants. Well played.
3. Devon: He’s mild-mannered in a very Woo-like way. I’d love to have him around camp — it seems like his presence would have an anti-anxiety effect on any tribe of deranged lunatics. 3. Ryan: I can’t think of a better way to play the super idol. You got the benefit of using it to make a partnership with a meat shield, it has the potential to help you after the merge, and it didn’t put any heat on you.
4. Ali: I love Ali’s mentality — she’s got the Julia Sokolowski blend of smarts and super social skills. I see her being a chess master or a sorority president depending on the day. Time will tell, but from the little I’ve seen, this girl seems to have a deep toolkit of life experience to pull from even though she’s a youngster. 4. Cole: Ugh…why did I crop these photos so high? A waste of perfectly good abs.
5. Desiree: She’s working hard to be even keeled. It’s always good to see someone who has that control early in the game. Desi seemingly has a spot with the younger members of her tribe but doesn’t seem like she’ll easily get tied up in promises she can’t keep off the bat. 5. Ali: Alright, Ali…you’re my winner pick. That means there’s no possible way you’re going to walk away with the million-dollar check. But, maybe…just maybe your considerable tools can overcome the classic Holmes curse.
6. Roark: Like Desi, Roark is in a good spot — between a budding showmance and the craziness brewing between Joe and Mike. Stay like a rock, Roark, and I think you might cruise for a bit. Easy does it. 6. Desiree: You’ve got a showmance on one side and Joe and Mike having awkward jungle throwdowns on the other. You’re going to have plenty of room to maneuver.
7. Cole: Jessica tells us Cole is working hard not to seem like the “tough guy.” It’s clear people see this guy’s heart — they see his abs too. Right now, if he’s able to keep playing down his threatening persona, which it seems he’s taking actions to diminish, he’s in a decent spot so long as a showmance doesn’t knock him down. 7. Roark: See Desiree
8. Jessica: Jessica is a “Survivor” powerhouse — she’s got the brains, brawn and the beauty. Her future could be bright. I’m worried, though, that she might be spotted as the second coming of Andrea Boehlke. Finding a Romeo to her Juliet on Day 1 won’t help either. 8. JP: A right-hand lady that you click with? Awesome! A four-person alliance full of challenge threats? Awesome! Alan freaking out over non-existent idols? Less awesome. The good news is, they’ll come for Ashley before they come for you. The bad news is, you can trust one person on your five-person tribe.
9. Ashley: Ashley has seen a lot of drama 3 days in. The good news is the dysfunction is prepping her for the harder stages of the game. In Ashley, I see Cydney — she used her crazy days of Scot and Jason vs. Alecia to silently plot out her long game. 9. Alan: Oh Alan, based on the game you played you should be so, soooooo much lower on this list. But, you’re still a former professional athlete and it seems like Ben is going to stay loyal to you.
10. JP: JP is on the wrong show. This isn’t “Naked And Afraid.” With so much chaos, I’m afraid he and Ashley could become victims of a Ben, Chrissy and Alan team-up. 10. Jessica: Yes, the pull of Cole’s dashing looks and endearing life choices are hard to resist. But, as JP and Ashley taught us, you don’t want anyone to think a showmance is going on.
11. Patrick: I’m not sure about Patrick. It’s great he has an ally lined up in Ali, but there’s something kind of big about his personality that makes him bouncy and very noticeable. It may be wise to turn it down, though that feels somewhat unfair to say considering Ryan told the lion share of the Hustlers story. 11. Simone: Hey there, buddy. Hope you had a good premiere. Were you up to anything? Starting alliances? Finding idols? Crafting a Swiss Family Robinson treehouse?
12. Chrissy: Chrissy and I are kindred spirits. Our karmic path: let’s see how many highs and lows we can experience in a premiere episode. I’m concerned Chrissy is on the outs of her tribe, but it gives me big hope someone on another tribe (Ryan) has already identified her as a potential ally. 12. Joe: Oh…Joe. I love me my Russell-esque…Vlachos-esque game manipulators. Are you one of them? Because that little get together in the woods with Mike did not go well. If you were trying to bring him under your wing, you failed. Hoping for more from you in episode two.
13. Mike: I love you Mike, but you need to chill a little bit on the wooded excursions. Between the yellow attire and the scurrying about, I’m getting major Tai vibes! Will you start kissing Cole next too? We can only hope! 13. Chrissy: I think some editing trickery made us think you were closer to Katrina than you were. That’s fine. There’s no way editing can hide the cracks in the dominant alliance. Find them and exploit them!
14. Simone: I want to hear from Simone! What concerns me is, like Lauren, the rest of her tribe is already locking in. That said, she could be playing silent but deadly, waiting for the perfect time to sneak out of the grass and attack. 14. Patrick: Hey, eating bugs worked out for Mike in “Worlds Apart.” But, be careful that you don’t come off as too-weird-to-predict. It’ll make people like Ali second guess working with you.
15. Lauren: We didn’t hear a thing from her, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing for Lauren. With the other members of her tribe hustling for numbers, Lauren better start fishing for a connection or she’ll be cast out to sea. 15. Ashley: Yeah, you and JP probably aren’t a showmance, but at this point it doesn’t matter. More often than not, breaking up a power couple involves sending the woman packing. You’re in real danger.
16. Joe: That beach must reserve some kind of ancient curse for men in law enforcement from the New York/Jersey metro area. I love you Joe, but don’t start the interrogations on Day 2! 16. Lauren: You’re the oldest person on your tribe by over ten years. That’s going to be tough to overcome, especially with everybody else making friends and influencing people.
17. Alan: In “Game Changers,” I had a paranoia so badly on Day 2, I thought I woke up in the middle of the night and people saw me idol-hunting. In reality, I hadn’t even moved from my sleeping spot on the ground. Alan has the paranoia I had times 100. If he can get himself in check, he could have a Mike Holloway level recovery, and I’m here for it. 17. Mike: Oh boy…getting caught on an idol hunt by the guy who has Hantzian or Vlachosian ambitions? Bad news. And turning him down when it looked like he was trying to bring you on board? Extra bad news. Hopefully the others aren’t fond of Joe’s aggressive gameplay.


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

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Katrina – ‘(Chrissy) Was Out to Get Me from the Moment We Got on the Boat”

September 28, 2017

Katrina Radke (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Aubry Bracco, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Sometimes “Survivor” sucks. You go through months of auditions, you get a million immunization shots, you fly halfway around the world, and then you’re arguably the weakest person on a six-person tribe that loses the first immunity challenge.

Man, if only the Heroes had a few extra days to stew in Alan’s…unique…strategy.

I spoke to Katrina the morning after her elimination and had a chance to ask her about Alan’s intensity, JP’s strip search, and Chrissy’s idle idol hands…

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers”

Gordon Holmes: It looked like the early tribe dynamics were you and Chrissy, JP and Ashley, and Alan and Ben. How accurate was that?
Katrina Radke: Not so accurate. It was how it was portrayed. I feel like there were a lot of times where it shifted. There were times where I could easily be working with Ashley and JP. There were times where Alan was talking to me about working with him and Ben. There’s a lot more than what’s seen.
Holmes: How close were you Chrissy? They portrayed you two as the “Mom Squad.”
Radke: She was out to get me from the moment we got on the boat. (Laughs)
Holmes: Really?
Radke: Yeah. I love Chrissy, she’s a great person. She admitted that she was very fearful about being the first one going home. Also, because I’m the same age as her, she was threatened by that. And I felt that. If I did something well, she’d try to negate it. Little things like that would happen. I tried to embrace the enemy and love her for who she is. This game brings out a lot of paranoia obviously, but underneath that is a real person. I said, “Why don’t we work together?” And that was very early in the game.

Holmes: That seems to answer my next question. A lot of people were wondering why Chrissy didn’t play the Super Idol® for you.
Radke: Of course.
Holmes: So on day three, she goes into her bag and finds this little surprise from Ryan…did she act differently afterward?
Radke: No, we’re doing so many confessionals at that point. We’re not all hanging out together. So, I didn’t know.

Holmes: I wanted to get your opinion on something “Survivor: Cagayan” and “Survivor: Second Chance” alum Kass McQuillen said last night on Twitter after you were eliminated.

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Holmes: Now, we have a situation where you’re an Olympic athlete, and you were still considered to be the least valuable tribe member.
Radke: You know, that’s funny. There was a moment at Tribal where Jeff asked Chrissy…he called her on the fact that she’s so stressed about being older. And he looked to me and said, “Do you feel that way?” And I said, “No.” Honestly, I know what I’m capable of, this is going to sound bad, I don’t look like I did when I was twenty, but I’m still very strong. I was not worried about what my capabilities were about physical challenges or living out there. I was actually really excited about it. What surprised me was people had perceptions, and when people have perceptions they need to feel that how they see the world is true. If they think a 47-year-old mom can’t do anything, they’re going to try to prove themselves right.
Holmes: Interesting.
Radke: I remember JP at one point saying, “Oh, let me carry that for you.” And I was just laughing. And one time we were throwing stones to open coconuts. When I opened them, they were so amazed. Am I that woman who can’t do anything? Am I that woman that sits around and creates drama? Or, am I more a 20 year old in a 47-year-old body? It was probably confusing to a lot of people.

Holmes: Did you let anyone know that you’re a former Olympian?
Radke: I did. I remember telling JP about it specifically, and Alan. It was all cool. Alan told me he was a pro. I think I told everybody. And it wasn’t so much to impress them, I wanted them to know I was a straight shooter and they could trust me.
Holmes: So, you’re on the bottom. And I’m trying to think of what arguments I’d use to get people to get me to stick around. You’re in Fiji, there are going to be swimming challenges. Olympians have next-level work ethics…
Radke: I’ve never felt like I’ve had to sell myself. I’ve always just shown it so people knew. So, it was weird to try to get my point across. That’s not my normal nature. I’ll go to bat for myself if I have to. But, I knew that the decision was already made. Alan used my name to tell JP and Ashley that they had the idol. I could’ve worked with JP and Ashley, but they didn’t trust me after that. And when you’ve lost that trust, I didn’t have time to get it back. Maybe I could’ve made a big scene, but the funny thing is, on day two…I just kind of knew and was calm about it. It’s like I had a higher knowing or an intuition. I said this in an interview, a confessional that, “I’m going home tomorrow.” The producer was like, “What?!” (Laughs) Sometimes you just kind of know. When I first saw my tribe, I knew these weren’t the people I had connected with at Ponderosa. I think energetically I was not a match with that group.

Holmes: When Alan blew up on the beach with the whole, does-JP-have-an-idol strip search…is that when he used your name?
Radke: Yeah, Alan came over to Ben and he whispered in his ear. And before that, Alan and I had gone for a walk and he shared with me how he’d like to work with me, but he wished we had gotten together earlier because he had this alliance. Ashley and I were talking together, probably for too long, and people freaked out. Alan apologized to me after the fact for using my name. It happens pretty fast as far as people getting paranoid. Ben asked me if it was true (EDIT: That Katrina had told Alan that Ashley and JP had an idol) and I said, “No, Alan just had a bad moment.” Alan’s a great guy. I love Alan. This game may have been a little bit too much for him.
Holmes: All we saw last night was super intense Alan. Katrina, you’ve got to tell me there’s another, laid-back gear to this guy.
Radke: Oh yeah, he can be very chill. I think the game brought out the paranoia in him.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Ashley.
Radke: Strong.
Holmes: Ben?
Radke: Earthy.
Holmes: JP?
Radke: Solid.
Holmes: Alan?
Radke: (Laughs) So much is coming to my head…he’s very sensitive.
Holmes: Let’s finish off with Chrissy.
Radke: Oh, she’s sensitive too.

Holmes: It’s so rough being the first one out, especially in a six-person tribe season. Was there anything that happened that you wish we had seen?
Radke: Yeah, there was this moment where I was looking for the idol and there was this crab coming out of this tree. I really wanted to see that footage. (Laughs) It was pretty funny. I’d like to have that for my own memory book. I wish they’d have shown the whole thing of what happened with Alan. And a lot of things I said at Tribal would give a different perspective of how I played the game. But, I know how I was and I feel good about how I played.

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

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‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ Premiere Recap – False Start

September 27, 2017

‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings with Aubry Bracco, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Quick Note: In the past, my recaps have kind of been a quick look at the episode’s events with limited commentary. I wanted it to seem as if we were watching the episode together. Going forward, I’m going to experiment with some new format and style choices. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Alright, let’s take a closer look at the brand-spankin’ new tribes…

The Levu Tribe (AKA: The Heroes – Wearing Blue)
Alan, 31 – NFL Player
Ashley, 26 – Lifeguard
Ben, 34 – Marine
Chrissy, 46 – Financial Analyst
JP, 28 – Firefighter
Katrina, 46 – Olympian

The Soko Tribe (AKA: The Healers – Wearing Yellow)
Cole, 24 – Wilderness Survival Guide
Desiree, 27 – Physical Therapist
Jessica, 29 – Nurse Practitioner
Joe, 34 – Probation Officer
Mike, 43 – Urologist
Roark, 27 – Social Worker

The Yawa Tribe (AKA: The Hustlers – Wearing Red)
Ali, 24 – Celebrity Assistant
Devon, 23 – Surf Instructor
Lauren, 35 – Fisherman
Patrick, 24 – Small Business Owner
Ryan, 23 – Bellhop
Simone, 25 – Diversity Advocate

First Impressions: How is a financial analyst a hero? Or a probation officer a healer? And man, I’m going to be so disappointed if I see a member of the Hustlers tribe dogging it during an immunity challenge.

The Marooning

We meet up with JPro and the eighteen newbies on a boat. He tells them that they’ve been divided based on the trait that people use to describe them. Mmm…kay.  During the course of the chat…

  • Probst speaks to Ben, Cole, Ali, and Mike.
  • In a confessional, Chrissy tells us that she feels comfortable being a hero because she left her career, raised her family, then returned to her career. Awesome and admirable…but heroic?
  • Mike introduces himself as a “Sex Doctor,” which totally sounds like a Showtime series.

From there, Probst sends them on their merry way to gather supplies and compete in the first challenge. This quickie contest involves rowing to shore and lifting a tribemate so they can light a torch. The first tribe to light their torch will receive fire and a firemaking kit. The second tribe will receive flint. The third tribe has to live with their failure.

They start off and it’s madness as usual. During the course of the fun, Ryan manages to find a secret advantage.

The challenge portion is a complete joke as the Healers claim first, the Heroes take second, and the Hustlers can’t even get their boat pointed in the right direction. However in their defense, they never stopped trying. Probst wasn’t even subtle about it, saying the Hustlers were still “trying to figure out which show they’re on.”

At Healers Beach

Jessica is immediately crushing on Cole because she’s a human being who has functioning eyes.

Mike goes on an unsuccessful idol hunt, but is confronted by Joe. Joe tries to use his lie-detecting sixth sense to figure out if Mike has an idol and it just…goes…so…badly for all parties involved. It was just poor form on both sides in what could have been an alliance-building moment. Instead, Mike feels threatened and Joe didn’t gain anything out of the situation.

At Heroes Beach

Everyone pairs off really quickly. It looks live we’ve got Ashley and JP,  Ben and Alan, and Chrissy and Katrina. In fact Chrissy and Katrina are lovingly referred to as the “Mom Squad.”

Alan is very wary of Ashley and JP becoming a power couple and he tells us that he wants to play at a full sprint out of the gate. Cause that never backfires…

Cooler heads seem to prevail though, as Alan and Ben decide to team up with Ashley and JP. This is hilarious because Ben refers to himself as a younger player as if 34 was young on “Survivor.”

In the evening, Alan accuses JP of having an idol. JP does everything in his power to prove that he doesn’t, including stripping and jumping up and down. But Alan is not convinced. Can this be a thing now? If you think someone has an idol they have to strip and jump?

Oh, and later Alan admits to us that he didn’t think JP had an idol, he just wanted to shake things up. WHY?! It’s day two, dude.

At Hustlers Beach

Patrick asks the tribe if he should eat a walking stick bug and I immediately have flashbacks to Mike in Worlds Apart. But, that did work out well for him.

Patrick decides against it and freaks out as he’s throwing the bug away. He tells everyone, “I forgot I had a crab in my pants.”

Sounds like he could use a sex doctor.

Despite all of that tomfoolery, Ali still wants to work with Patrick.

Next up, Ryan tells us that he hasn’t had a chance to look at his advantage. He says, “It’s in my pants, I’m dying to know what it is.”

Sounds like he could use a sex doctor.

Ryan learns that his advantage is a super idol.

This idol can be played after the vote, but it can only be used at the first Tribal Council. If the Hustlers don’t go to the first Tribal, he must send it to a member of the losing tribe anonymously.

Ryan leverages this advantage to get in good with Devon. So smart. And it looks like they’re a solid twosome.

Immunity Challenge Time: The tribes will climb a net, then pull a cart to the top of a tower. They’ll hop in and ride it to the bottom. From there, they’ll have to choose a table maze. The first tribe chooses from three mazes, the second tribe picks between the remaining two, and the final tribe gets what’s left. They’ll carry the table maze to the top of another tower. The first two tribes to complete the puzzle will win immunity.

Note: Before the challenge, Jeff told the tribes that tie votes are back in play this season.

Challenge Result: The Healers took first place and the Hustlers were just barely able to edge out the Heroes.

Chrissy is in bad shape after the challenge. She vomited, but she didn’t want medical to be called it. Sooo…it’s pretty safe to assume that Ryan’s going to send that idol her way.

Post-Challenge Politicking

It looks like we’re starting off with Ben, Alan, JP, and Ashley against the “Mom Squad,” but Alan immediately blows it up. He tells Katrina and Chrissy that nobody has been talking strategy with him and that they should work together.

Ben drops the classic “stick to the plan” bomb, but it looks like he’s going to stay tight with Alan.

Before they head off to Tribal, Chrissy receives a little gift from Ryan. Called it.

Tribal Time

Well, this was a mess. Ashley, JP, and Alan immediately get into it over whether or not they have an idol and whether or not JP and Ashley are a power couple.

Alan even says that he could’ve sat back and let things slide, but he wanted to let everyone know that they were a couple. Yes, you could’ve and you also probably should’ve.

Voting: Katrina was voted out five votes to one. The super idol was not played.

Verdict: Early “Survivor” is so easy, Alan. Work hard, be cool, make an alliance, vote off the weirdo. Yikes.

Anywho, there’s a lot of potential this season. People to root for, people to root against. I can’t wait. I just hope there aren’t more super idols waiting to be found.

My Winner Pick: Boy, I hate to curse her because she seems awesome, but I’m going with Ali. I think she has a good head on her shoulders.

  • Ryan – The future Cochran Award winner for best self-depreciating humor killed it this week. He found the super idol, he used it to earn the trust of his tribe’s most prominent meat shield, and he made a potential future ally out of Chrissy.
  • Ben – Sometimes the best thing you can do when your alliance is falling apart is to just let it happen and then pick up the pieces afterwards. A five-person tribe is a dangerous place to be, but he should be fine.
  • Devon – Opportunity knocked and you answered it.
  • Chrissy – I’ve got to think you had a really good reason for not saving Katrina. Hopefully it put you in a good spot with the rest of Levu.
  • JP – “Survivor” 101 states that you never make it look like you’re part of a power couple. You’re really lucky it didn’t cost you.
  • Ashley – I thought you were going to be the victim of the super idol. Regroup and regroup quickly.
  • Joe and Mike – The moment where Joe accused Mike of idol hunting was just…cringey. (Probably not a word.) What could have been an alliance-building moment seemed to have the opposite effect.
  • Alan – Wow…just wow. You can’t win the game on day one, but you can sure lose it.
  • Cole, Desiree, Jessica, Roark, Ali, Lauren, Patrick, and Simone – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.


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

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Aubry Bracco Accepts the ‘Survivor: Heroes v. Healers v. Hustlers’ Power Rankings Challenge

September 25, 2017

Aubry Bracco (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

The XFINITY “Survivor” Power Rankings committee is thrilled to announce that “Survivor: Kaoh Rong” and “Survivor: Game Changers” star Aubry Bracco has agreed to accept the Power Rankings challenge. When asked how she felt about this undertaking, she said, “I’m ready to take on the Power Rankings for Season 35 with Gordon. It’s nice to be back as a fan (FINALLY) and not a player. I promise I won’t be too much like the armchair quarterbacks I couldn’t stand during my seasons, but don’t worry, I’ll still play it straight.”

To kick things off, we’ve asked Aubry to rank the players based on how likely they are to win the game.

1. Alan: I don’t know what it is, but he had me at “Hello.” Sure, he might get hangry, but he’s aware of it. When you know your weaknesses and are vocally aware of them, that’s a “Survivor” superpower I call vulnerability, and it can nab you the win. 2. JP: Be still my heart — this man loves animals, understands the power of being yourself and has his ego in check? Ladies and gentleman, we may have met our Tom Westman Jr. I’m concerned the rest of his tribe will notice it before he gets to the end, but there’s something about this guy I believe in.
3. Roark: Someone call Beverly Cleary (yeah, she is alive and kicking at 101) — I want Roark to be a female heroine in a young adult novel. I love her pride in her intelligence and assertiveness, but I’m just not sure how that’s going to play out in the context of the game. The good news? She’s aware of how she’ll be perceived. 4. Ryan: Stop the presses, everyone. I have a new “Survivor” boyfriend, and his name is Ryan Ulrich. Physically, he reminds of an unstretched Stretch Armstrong version of Neal. But, most importantly, his personality is that perfect mix of vulnerable, self-deprecating and genuine that I love about John Cochran. His awareness that he needs to play under-the-radar for awhile will serve him well, but he has the risk of going out in David Wright style.
5. Desiree: I really like Desi. She’s authentic. She’s smart. She’s vulnerable. I hope they don’t see her as a threat too soon, because she’s got something triple-threat special about her — Brains, Brawn and Beauty. It’s almost Spradlin-like. 6. Cole: Cole is going to need to make some strong relationships and fast, because he’s going to be on the run like Harrison Ford in “The Fugitive” if he makes the merge. He’s very visibly a threat, but his flexibility and personality will help him go far, especially if he pulls a Jeremy Collins and goes for the meat-shield strategy — there are certainly plenty to choose from.
7. Jessica: Jessica definitely has a fierceness and emotionality to her that smacks of a certain player who fell in love with me on “Survivor: Game Changers” (Ahem, Andrea). I think she’ll do well, but she’ll get pinned as a threat. 8. Ali: If Ali doesn’t get swap-screwed, I see a bit of Julia Sokolowski in her. That’s good, but “sometimes the guy in the middle of the road gets run over.”
9. Mike: Mike, you’re a gem. I love how you own your oddness, and I think you’ll be able to parlay that into something for a bit. But please, for the love of all things, keep that super-fan status and those pee jokes under wraps or “urine trouble.” (I couldn’t help myself). 10. Chrissy: Awww, Chrissy — you remind me of me. I see a fellow hardworking achiever there, eyes alight with an earnestness and desire to play. I’m concerned, though, that you might be forcing it too much. Remember, “Survivor” is just as much about being easygoing as it is working hard.
11. Simone: At first glance, I’m concerned Simone is coming in a little too calculating and hot like my fellow Brains tribemate Liz Markham. Thankfully, she seems like she could be self-aware enough to adjust on the fly. But no matter what she does, this girl has “threat” written all over her. 12. Devon: I think Devon’s super-chill Ozzy-like personality and good looks will keep him safe…for a little while. When this guy gets to the merge they’ll be caring less about his looks and solid personality and more about his physical prowess. You seem like a cool dude, Devon, but I fear you’re a classic merge boot.
13. Patrick: Everytime I see Patrick, I think I’m looking at a Kennedy. Then, he talks, and I couldn’t be more off-base. He seems like a hard-working, down-to-earth dude, but he says he’s a talker. Hopefully, his personality isn’t too strong off the bat. 14. Ashley: When people meet this surfer chick I think they’ll expect the sweetness of Hali Ford or Woo and get the feistiness of Kaoh Rong Alecia. I want to see her go deep, but I’m afraid an intoxicating laid-back personality that makes people comfortable paired with fierceness will make people perceive her as a threat.
15. Ben: This guy’s got me intrigued in a Jason the Kaoh Rong bounty hunter meets Cody from “Big Brother 19” sort of way. It looks like we don’t know if he’ll be as docile as Paddington Bear or the second coming of ‘The Revenant’ grizzly. “Life is like a box of chocolates,” Forrest Gump once said, and this seems to be the case with Ben — “you never know what you’re going to get.” 16. Joe: Oh Joe, I love you, but I’m afraid your vibe is screaming “Tony.” King Spyshack The Great can only happen once, and based on the reception my lovely Mana tribe gave him, I’m not sure it’s going to go well. I hope I’m wrong.
17. Katrina: I’m concerned this Olympian will swim off into the sunset very early. A very intense personality + need for a daily time-out = imminent drowning. 18. Lauren: Lauren, I respect your hard work and unwillingness to bend to others. That said, do you know what game you signed up for?

Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers” this Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.


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

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Meet the Cast of ‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’

August 30, 2017

‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: XFINITY.com is the place to be for all of your bug-eatin’, back-stabbin’, “Survivor” coverage. During the season we’ll have insightful weekly Power Rankings, exit interviews, and full episode recaps.  So, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

The cast for the 35th season of the legendary reality show “Survivor” was revealed by CBS on Wednesday afternoon. This collection of 18 all-new players will be divided into three tribes that each exemplify a specific trait; either heroic deeds, healing talents, or a hustling spirit.

Name: Alan Ball
Age: 31
Hometown: Detroit, Michigan
Occupation:  NFL Player
Personal Claim to Fame:  Being a 7th round draft pick and grinding for 9 years in the NFL.
Three Words to Describe You:  Intelligent, athletic and clever.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? Hot sauce because it makes everything better, a picture of my wife because sometimes just looking at her changes my mood and baby wipes!
Name: Ashley Nolan
Age: 26
Hometown: Satellite Beach, Florida
Occupation:  Lifeguard
Personal Claim to Fame: Just about as well rounded as any woman could be. I’ll be just one of the guys – out saving lives, working out and cracking jokes all day and then all of the sudden I can put myself together into a well-spoken lady who can charm your socks off and still kick butt.
Three Words to Describe You:  Impressive, tough and hilarious.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? A surfboard to keep me sane, headphones to tune out other people’s complaining and a journal to secretly document everything and tactically plan how to use it against others.
Name: Ben Driebergen
Age: 34
Hometown: Boise, Idaho
Occupation:  Marine
Personal Claim to Fame:  Being a good dad and husband.
Three Words to Describe You:  Hilarious, strong willed and motivated.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? My cowboy hat, my boots and my running shoes.
Name: Chrissy Hofbeck
Age: 46
Hometown: Glen Gardner, New Jersey
Occupation:  Financial Analyst
Personal Claim to Fame:  At Penn graduation I carried the Penn flag and led the entire graduating class to the ceremony. I walked alongside Hillary Clinton.
Three Words to Describe You: Mushy, happy and efficient.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? A photo of my kids since they’d get me through the sheer difficult-ness, a blanket because I hate to be cold, and a bottle of vodka because it’s good for making friends, can trade and have fun!
Name: John “JP” Hilsabeck
Age: 28
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Firefighter
Personal Claim to Fame: Being hired as a firefighter and having a good group of friends that I can count on.
Three Words to Describe You: Outgoing, adventurous and romantic.
If You Could Have 3 Things on the Island What Would They Be?  My dog Thor because he’s my best friend, a go pro for the adventure photos and a picture of my family and friends to keep me inspired because I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.
Name: Katrina Radke
Age: 46
Hometown: Morris, Minnesota
Occupation: Olympian 
Personal Claim to Fame: Being a mother.
Three Words to Describe You: Adventurous, tenacious and charismatic.
If You Could Have 3 Things on the Island What Would They Be?  A journal so I could write, music to dance, sing and have fun, and a picture and a letter from my family to feel amazingly loved, as I also send them love daily.

Name: Cole Medders
Age: 24
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
Occupation: Wilderness Therapy Guide
Personal Claim to Fame:  I have climbed the two tallest peaks in the western hemisphere – Denali and Aconcagua.
Three Words to Describe You:  Unreserved, dauntless and flirtatious.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? Weights to work out every day, a giant box of Legos for endless possibilities of fun and a beach volleyball set because I could destroy everyone at it.
Name: Desiree “Desi” Williams
Age: 27
Current Residence: Newport News, Virginia
Occupation: Physical Therapist
Personal Claim to Fame: I became an assistant professor at the age of 26 and a program director at the age of 27.  They don’t just hand out those titles to anyone.
Three Words to Describe You: Congenial, forthright and unremitting.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be?  First would be Chapstick because there’s nothing sexy or seductive about cracked lips (arguably, this could be survival related since it would hinder my ability to seduce the opposite sex).  Second would be an unlimited supply of food because I’ve seen the show and those people get hangry quick!  Finally, a masseuse because I love being pampered.
Name: Jessica Johnston
Age: 29
Current Residence: Louisville, Kentucky
Occupation:  Nurse Practitioner
Personal Claim to Fame: Obtaining my doctorate in Nursing before the age of 28 and creating a health and wellness brand “Belovist.”
Three Words to Describe You: Tenacious, congenial and adventurous.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be?  First it would be baby powder because it makes my hair do incredible things and brightens up the face. It’s like taking a powder bath!  Next would be a Swiss army knife so I can cut things like wood, food, and clothes.  Finally, a fishing pole because this girl likes to eat!
Name: Joe Mena
Age: 34
Current Residence: Tolland, Connecticut
Occupation: Probation Officer
Personal Claim to Fame: Obtaining my degree.  This is something I’m proud of because it has given me the opportunity to secure my career and that has given me the lifestyle where I have the ability to provide my children with their wants, needs and a lovely home that they can call their own.  Without my degree, I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish this.
Three Words to Describe You: Real, confident and energetic.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? Me, myself and a picture of my children.  I don’t think I would need anything but a picture of my children.  A picture would provide me with a tangible image of them instead of just a mental image.
Name: Mike Zahalsky
Age: 43
Hometown: Parkland, Florida
Occupation: Urologist
Inspiration in Life: My wife and my children inspire me to be a better version of myself every day.
Three Words to Describe You: Intelligent, enthusiastic and determined.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be?  A photo of my kids because I love them, a deck of cards to play with and an extra pair of underwear.
Name: Roark Luskin
Age: 27
Current Residence: Santa Monica, California
Occupation: Social Worker
Personal Claim to Fame: I’ve had a photo taken of me every single day of my life.
Three Words to Describe You:  Sarcastic, focused and intelligent.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? Toilet paper, because duh, Kalteen bars, because butter isn’t a carb and moisturizer, because my skin has a tendency to get dry.

Name: Alexandrea “Ali” Elliott
Age: 24
Current Residence: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Celebrity Assistant
Personal Claim to Fame: I would say my diploma.
Three Words to Describe You:  Vivacious, ambitious and smart.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? A mirror of course to see if I was looking good and I could possibly use the reflection to help make fire, my Bible since it would help keep me sane and tampons – they never bring up periods on “Survivor” but I do believe that would be an issue I wouldn’t want to deal with.
Name: Devon Pinto
Age: 23
Current Residence: Solana Beach, California
Occupation: Surf Instructor
Personal Claim to Fame: I am most proud of the man I have become today from being on my own since graduating high school, accomplishing the things I have, and living wild experiences.
Three Words to Describe You: Confident, optimistic and joyful.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? My guitar so I can serenade everyone, my surfboard so I can pass the time riding perfect untouched waves, and champagne to celebrate all the Immunity challenges I’m going to win for my tribe.
Name: Lauren Rimmer
Age: 35
Hometown: Beaufort, North Carolina
Occupation: Fisherman
Personal Claim to Fame: My daughter.  She is determined, smart and my driving force.
Three Words to Describe You: Outgoing, adventurous and easy-going.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be?  First would be a picture of my daughter to have determination every day.  Next would be a toothbrush because I want clean teeth and finally, sunglasses, for comfort since I wear them every day.  I am in the sun all day and my eyes cannot take the constant exposure.
Name: Patrick Bolton
Age: 24
Current Residence: Auburn, Alabama
Occupation: Small Business Owner
Personal Claim to Fame: Sustaining our business, Bolt Movers, and my sanity even through its tough times. Starting and running a new business puts you through stressful situations, but my family and friends have always kept me going strong.
Three Words to Describe You:  Persistent, playful and thankful.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? Teriyaki Sauce. Everything tastes better with teriyaki sauce.  Next would be Takis (hot chili and lime flavor) because they are amazing and finally a pen and pad to document each play that made me Sole Survivor.
Name: Ryan Ulrich
Age: 23
Current Residence: North Arlington, New Jersey
Occupation: Bellhop
Personal Claim to Fame: I’ve worked a lot of jobs, but I am most proud of my internships with both houses of Congress, and the British Consulate. I also aspire to attend law school.
Three Words to Describe You: Witty, ambitious and approachable.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? First I would bring a sports visor which will block out the sun as well as allow the top of my head to get an Island breeze, a McDonald’s Shamrock Shake because they are seasonal so any opportunity I have to get one, I have to take, and a podium so I could give press conferences to pretend people care about what I have to say.
Name: Simone Nguyen
Age: 25
Current Residence: New York City, New York
Occupation: Diversity Advocate
Personal Claim to Fame:  I don’t really have one, but I’m proud of the fact that I earned full rides to Columbia, Harvard, and Tufts.
Three Words to Describe You: Expressive, loyal and ambitious.
If You Could Have Three Things on the Island What Would They Be? I would bring a journal, my red Vietnamese blanket and Chapstick.

Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers,” Wednesday September 27, 2017 at 8 p.m. ET.

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

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Castaway Cirie: “(Sarah) Is a Gangsta in a Cop Suit”

May 26, 2017

“Survivor: Game Changers” (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: We’ll have interviews with all six of the “Survivor: Game Changers” finalists. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: Aw man…
Cirie Fields: (Laughs)
Holmes: I’m sitting there…I’ve got my popcorn and my soda…I’m having a good ol’ time. And about forty minutes into it…just…damnit…and four idols later you’re gone. Why do we do this? Why do we bother?
Fields: (Laughs) You know what? It’s an amazing journey, Gordon. And you love it like you love it. That’s why we do it.
Holmes: I don’t love it when my Malcolms and my Ciries leave the game for weird reasons.
Fields: It’s just crazy. We could have never thought of this! I could have never imagined in all my years of watching. I never would have come up with this scenario. So, to have it unfold, and to have it unfold against me? It was just…wow!
Holmes: As you’re sitting there and the dominoes keep falling.
Fields: (Laughs)
Holmes: Sarah’s like, “I’ve got one.” And Troyzan’s like, “That’s funny because…blam!” What’re you thinking at that moment?
Fields: Uh oh. (Laughs) I’m thinking “What the hell is going on? Wow, did he just? Did they just?” That was literally what was going on in my head. I felt like when I was watching it I came out of my body and I was saying, “Oh my God, what is happening on ‘Survivor!’” And then I came back into my body and I thought, “Damn, I’m out!”
Holmes: This has never happened before and I was fuzzy on the rules. So, when Jeff said, “There are no votes for Cirie,” I thought, “Wait…isn’t that a tie? Don’t we go to rocks?!” But…no.
Fields: For whatever reason, I knew it meant I was out. But I was so caught up in the can’t-believe-this-is-happening fan moment that I didn’t think of any other rules. I just knew I was out. It was a crazy feeling of elation…and excitement.

Holmes: Another big moment was Brad choosing Sarah over Tai. Based on what I’ve seen, which is only an hour of every three days, that seemed like a huge mistake. As someone who was out there, did you appreciate what a big threat Sarah was?
Fields: We did and we should give Brad a pass because Brad still could have won. The night that Aubry went home, we all talked. We knew that Brad would be thinking old-school style. He’s old-school…so am I…but that’s the thing, you have to evolve with the game. But we knew Brad would be thinking, “Everyone’s pissed at Sarah. Troyzan hasn’t really played. They’re going to be too angry to see the forest for the trees so they’re going to give it to me because everyone’s mad.” So, we all planned to give Sarah a dirty look so Brad would take Sarah. And he did, so that was his fatal flaw. This game was not about people’s feelings. It was almost like a professional poker game. You don’t care about how people feel. The only thing you care about is who made the better plays. As a group, that’s what we were looking at.

Holmes: When Sarah took out Michaela, at the time it didn’t make sense to me. But, when she said she did it because Michaela was your right hand, I was blown away. That’s some next-level thinking there.
Fields: That was gangsta. I knew they were aiming for me. I knew any chance they’d get they’d get rid of Michaela because they weren’t really worried about me winning the challenges. And they knew if Michaela won a challenge that we could go for one of them. And, Sarah didn’t want anybody close to anybody she thought she was in with. I think it was a great move. That’s why most of us awarded Sarah the win. We respected her gameplay.

Holmes: If you could do one thing differently, what would it have been?
Field: Oh boy…
Holmes: Gotcha.
Fields: That’s a good one. I probably would not have tried to save Sarah with her advantage. I would have let things play out. Or, I would have went over and got the Michaela advantage instead of crying. (Laughs) I would have wiped the tears out of my eyes and been more aware of my surroundings. I could have done that too when I stepped over the advantage Sierra picked up.

Holmes: Was there anything you did out there that we didn’t see that you wished they would have shown?
Fields: I liked it just how it was. The good, the bad, the ugly…I wouldn’t change a thing. The only thing I would have changed was if I could be in the final three and win the whole thing.

Holmes: It seemed like there was a little feud brewing between you and Sandra before the game started, but you never ended up on the same tribe. What did you think of her gameplay this season?
Fields: I’ve got to give a little nod to the queen. But, I don’t know about this feud. It didn’t really include me. And when I talked to Sandra afterwards, I think there was a misinterpretation of an interview I did. I let her know how I felt. There was never any personal attack towards her. I had comments on the seasons she won. I think it was more of a fan-based feud. I don’t know how Sandra feels. But we might’ve been feuding if we were on the same tribe.
Holmes: That’d be something to see.
Fields: Yes, sir! (Laughs)

Holmes: Before the vote-steal fiasco, would you have taken Sarah to the end?
Fields: I would’ve went to the end with Sarah.
Holmes: What argument would you have used against her?
Fields: I shouldn’t have been there at all. You don’t see anybody else who’s played the games as many times as I have still sitting here. Secondly, I was responsible for Michaela staying, I was responsible for a lot of the votes. But, not aggressively and overtly because I couldn’t do that. Had I done that? If I pick up a leaf everyone’s thinking, “Oh, she’s scheming!” I had to make myself very small and very non-threatening. She did all of this, she flipped, but I did a lot too behind the scenes that most of you know about but didn’t realize that I was doing it with your help.

Holmes: Alright, word association time.
Fields: (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs) I know. It’s brand new! Let’s start off with JT.
Fields: Hater.
Holmes: Ozzy?
Fields: Nice guy.
Holmes: Brad?
Fields: (Laughs) Gordon, you’re trying to make me be bad!
Holmes: I am. Give in!
Fields: (Laughs) Culpepper is…self-centered.
Holmes: Zeke?
Fields: Amazing.
Holmes: Andrea?
Fields: Cinderella! That’s what I called her.
Holmes: Debbie?
Fields: Eccentric. And I use that in lieu of another term.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Fields: He’s everybody’s friend.
Holmes: Tai?
Fields: He’s like a little doll. I want to pick him up so bad, but I’m old enough to know that you shouldn’t walk around picking up grown men. Tai is wonderful.
Holmes: Sierra?
Fields: She’s a tall drink of water. Cowgirl.
Holmes: Hali?
Fields: Unimpactful.
Holems: Michaela?
Fields: Little sis.
Holmes: Aubry?
Fields: Aubry is village cool.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Officer Sarah.
Fields: She’s a gangsta in a cop suit.

Holmes: Where does this rank on your list of heartbreaking eliminations, because you never go out in a dull manner.
Fields: That’s the thing, you’re right! I’m usually fully heartbroken. This one was number one, but not because of heartbreaking, but the manner in which I exited. I think that’s why I didn’t feel so bad. This is my fourth time playing, of course I wanted to win. But if I had to go out, Gordon? I can’t think of a better way to go out. If this was anybody else I’d feel the same way. I know it’s bad, you didn’t want to go, you wanted to win. However, look at what happened! This will be forever in the history of “Survivor.” It added to the journey and made it special.
Holmes: You’re making me feel a little bit better about this.
Fields: (Laughs) I’m glad I could make you feel better.
Holmes: I know that was your top priority today.
Fields: (Laughs) Of course.

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

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‘Survivor: Game Changers’ Finalists Brad and Troyzan: “(We Did Not Know) That This Jury Was Not Going to Be Bitter”

May 26, 2017

‘Survivor: Game Changers’ (CBS)

QUICK NOTE: We’ll have interviews with all six of the “Survivor: Game Changers” finalists. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Game Changers”

Gordon Holmes: There’s nothing quite like having one of the biggest nights of your life and then having to get up at the crack of dawn the next morning to talk to the press.
Troyzan Robertson: Yeah, and some of those people I’ve blocked. (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs) I think I’m one of them!
Robertson: I just want you to know that I know that water is wet.
Holmes: (Laughs) Noted. Well, I hope you forgive me someday.
Robertson: You might get the unblock someday.

Holmes: With “One World” you were this big aggressive player and you didn’t get to the end. This time around you’re more subtle, you’re making moves behind the scenes and you did get to the end but you weren’t rewarded for it.
Robertson: In “One World” I had my back up against the wall. And if I’m backed up I’m going to get more aggressive. Normal-day Troyzan is the one you saw this year. I had to play a little bit under the radar. I saw big targets going home, especially men, and I thought, “I can’t do that.” I’m going to have to volunteer to sit out challenges. I’m going to act like I don’t know what I’m doing. I’m the old guy…I’ll follow along. Then, I’ll make my moves subtly. I just had to be a lot more careful. I saw so many people make a big move or a medium move and then they’d go home at the next Tribal. And I knew I had to get to day 39 to give myself a chance. If you only get to day 38 you have zero chance.

Holmes: Brad, when the call was made to take Sarah to the end, was it a case of not knowing all she had done or did you think the jury was upset with her?
Brad Culpepper: I think it was a combination of a couple things. When you’re on the island you’re not privy to a lot of the conversations. I think Troyzan and I both thought that Cirie and Andrea were the drivers of a lot of the decisions that were being made. When you watch it on television you see that Sarah is doing a lot more of it. Also, Tai was universally liked. He was a provider, he was good in challenges, and he’s a great guy. We knew he didn’t have a lot of blood on his hands. And I don’t think Troy or I knew that this jury was not going to be bitter at all. I think it was the opposite. Blood was a medal. We’d never seen Zeke play before, so we thought he’d be angry at Sarah. So, as soon as he stood up and said, “Congratulations, you’ve got my support,” immediately it was like…”Ooo…that was a bad call by Troy and I.”
Robertson: (Laughs) Yeah.

Holmes: Troyzan, when you said you could beat anyone at final three, was it because you were expecting a bitter jury and you didn’t have any blood on your hands?
Robertson: Part of it was that. The jury would come in and they’d give us these looks. I was thinking these guys are pissed off. I don’t think they’re pissed off at me. I’m an old-school player and a lot of times a bitter jury will like a person like me. But, I also felt like if someone’s going to ask me if I think I’m going to win, I’m not going to say no. The jury would hopefully see that and think, “He’s pretty confident. I like that.” And I thought they liked me already. It was a little bit of a bluff as well.
Culpepper: And I’ll tell you this, Gordon…I was surprised that Troy was ignored at the final Tribal Council. I thought there was a lot of love for Troy. I wasn’t completely comfortable taking Troy to the end either. I was thinking, “Golly, he hasn’t stepped on any toes. He’s so nice around camp. He’s got a lot of friends. He’s a provider.” It was bad jury management on my part, obviously.

Holmes: Brad, I know you felt really bad about what they showed between you and Tai last night. And I know a lot of people had a negative impression of you coming into this game based on “Blood vs. Water.” We’ve spoken on several occasions. I think you’re a nice guy. Most of this cast thinks you’re a nice guy. How important was it for you to clear the air on those moments?
Culpepper: Jeff asked me some kind of question and I had to say, “Before I answer what you asked me, I need everyone to know that I love Tai.” We had a very complicated relationship and they caught the tail end of my frustration. Tai and I were together for a long time and then we were split up because everyone was scrambling. He was instructed to vote for Sierra and I was instructed to vote Tai. We’re both trying to get a lifeline. After that vote, I went back to Tai and I said I had nothing against him and I still wanted to play with him. He agreed, but he still went against me. I was really trying to repair our relationship. He told me he had two idols, I said, “Let me hold onto one and if I win immunity I’ll give it back.” And I would’ve. I would not have voted him out. Then he goes away to think about it. And he’d say, “Let’s do it.” Then he’d say, “No, I can’t.” So, that was back and forth for three hours. So, by the end I was tired of him being wishy-washy that I said, “Tai, do this, we can build a relationship.” And that’s what they aired, they caught the tail end of my frustration. I’m not saying I was right, I was hungry, I was sleepy, maybe I need a Snickers. Even the comment I made to Troy about “Even if he gives me that thing, I’ll use it to vote him out.” That really wasn’t my intention, that was frustration. Tai and I watched it together. We were holding hands. And it looked awful, but we know how we are.

Holmes: Troyzan, Sarah had some really nice things to say about you. But…she also requested that I get some clarification on this whole “Green Monster” situation.
Robertson: (Laughs)
Holmes: I apologize in advance. But at this point I don’t think I’d be doing my job if I didn’t ask.
Robertson: It is a never-ending story. I don’t know how it started. I decided to get these Under Armour, green, they’re not even underwear, they’re compression shorts. I’m thinking, it’ll be great if I can get away with wearing these things because they’ll be great for my thighs. It’ll be good in water challenges so I can swim. But, I didn’t realize how green they were on TV. It started with Tony in Mana, I was standing behind him, he whipped around and says, “Jesus Christ, those things are so bright.” And then Aubry was the one who came up with the name “The Green Monsters,” and then somehow that turned into “The Green Monster.” Then Malcolm made your exit interview crazy comment. You know what? I just roll with it. They were hoping it would get a hashtag.
Holmes: There are worse things to be known for Troyzan.
Robertson: (Laughs) Yeah! But then it got to the point that people were asking, “Why is it green? Is something infected?” I wish I would have worn purple so I would’ve had a purple monster.

Holmes: Brad, what’s the conversation like with Monica when you come home with two more jury votes than she got?
Culpepper: Monica is the best “Survivor” player in the house. That is not an argument. She may argue the other way around. But I 100% believe that. She’s never going to play again, but if she did she would win. I’m never going to play again, but if I did I could never win. She’s a much better player than me.
Holmes: Where do you guys rank amongst the “Survivor” married couples?
Culpepper: How are you rating us? If you’re rating who loves each other the most, we win. Rob and Amber would be #1 as far as players. So, maybe we’d be below them.
Robertson: Do I get a vote? Cause I’d vote for the Culpeppers.
Culpepper: (Laughs) That’s why I brought him to the end.

Holmes: Troyzan you played with Monica in “One World,” but you two didn’t have much of a relationship before this. What’s the relationship like now?
Robertson: Brad has become like a brother.
Culpepper: 100%
Robertson: You get super close out there and I knew Brad going in. But when you start playing, I felt like I was playing “Blood vs. Water” with my brother. He’s the only person in my “Survivor” career that I trusted 100%. That’s rare. I’d never trust someone that much in the game. I wouldn’t even have to talk to him. I’d just give him a look. It was that easy.
Culpepper: If you said to me you could go to the end and win without Troyzan or go to the end with Troyzan and maybe not win? I’d choose the latter. We had a great time out there.
Robertson: And believe me, Brad could join the monster clan with his striped monster. (Laughs)
Culpepper: (Laughs) Monster junior.
Holmes: (Laughs) This is my job.

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

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