Archive for the ‘TV News’ Category

WWE’s Brodus ‘Funkasaurus’ Clay: ‘I’m More of a Wallflower’

July 18, 2012

Brodus Clay (WWE)

“Unstoppable,” “monster,” and “fall of humanity” were a few of the horrifying terms used to describe Brodus Clay before he made his re-debut last winter. What we got instead was a funky fedora-wearing, talon-bearing, dancing machine.

Who knew the fall of humanity would be so much fun?

I met up with the man from Planet Funk this past week at San Diego Comic Con. While there we discussed his debut swerve, his wrestling influences, and more…

Gordon Holmes: You kinda took the world by surprise when you debuted as the Funkasaurus a little over half a year ago. Seems like everyone was expecting you to come in as a no-nonsense, derriere kicker. What was your reaction the first time you were pitched the Funkasaurus idea?
Brodus Clay: Actually, I’m more like the Funkasaurus backstage then I was the angry dude. So, when the boss saw me like that he said, “Why don’t you just do that?” I looked at him like, “Are you crazy?” But, my biggest problem was the dancing because I don’t know where cracking jokes and smiling and being silly and stuff had anything to do with dancing. But somehow they came together. The hardest part was the dancing because I’m more of a wallflower than an actual dancer.
Holmes: And who’s responsible for the talons?
Clay: (Laughs) That was me. There was some influence on that “Teen Wolf” and “Thriller.” But I have talons where they had claws. And they are furry and I am not.

Holmes: The Funkadactyls are the nicknames for your lovely dancers, am I correct?
Clay: Yes, yes.
Holmes: Did they have any advice on any moves you should be trying out?
Clay: They do a lot of crazy stuff and I let them do their thing. And they give me a lot of hints and tips. But I tend to stick to the two things that I know that I can do well. I let them be the technicians of dance. Because Naomi used to dance for the Orlando Magic and Cameron used to dance in a lot of clubs. So between the three of us…those are dance clubs Cameron dances in. Like with her and her girlfriends.
Holmes: Gotcha. This is a family site.
Clay: Yes, let me rephrase.
Holmes: So, we’re not going to see any full-on splits from you?
Clay: If you do, you only get it once.

Holmes: Were you nervous that you weren’t giving the people what they were expecting? Because all of the previews were like, “Look out, Brodus Clay is gonna come getcha.”
Clay: We threw the old 360 on them. One of my big influences, the Road Dogg, he was in my ear quite a bit. And the waiting to debut was the toughest part. We were in Memphis and he says “It has to be here, it has to be in Memphis. You don’t want to go to Corpus Christie with this. They’re going to hate it!” And sure enough they decided not to go ahead with it. I looked at him and said, “Corpus Christie?” And he said, “They’re going to love it there!” But when I first came out, I went through that curtain and there were a lot of mouths wide open like they saw a car accident. Some fans had some choice words for me, thus coined the phrase, “My bad.” The fans yelled and me and I said, “My bad” and everyone kinda liked it. I was nervous but each week it got more and more comfortable and more and more of me started coming out.
Holmes: I was one of those people at home with my mouth open, until you said, “Shall I get him?”
Clay: (Laughs) Yeah.
Holmes: And then I was on board.
Clay: I was just feeling it out there. Nobody ever talks to the crowd. What’s wrong with that? If you’re going to trash talk, trash talk loud. Let them get involved in it. They’re great about letting you know.
Holmes: Bubba Ray Dudley used to yell at D-Von to get the tables. That kind of stuff was huge.
Clay: People would go nuts! And why not? We got away from that.
Holmes: Your character is so fun loving, is there any difficulty flipping the switch and turning up the intensity for a big match?
Clay: A perfect example is if you notice when the bell rings I become more serious and more aggressive. I think up until that point, that’s part of the confidence. Mohammed Ali used to do all that showmanship and clowning around before the bell rings. But when the bell rings it’s time to go to work.

Holmes: You mentioned the Road Dogg as someone who helps you out backstage. Who else do you look to for advice?
Clay: Double A (Arn Anderson), the American Dream Dusty Rhodes, Fit Finlay, Dean Malenko, Jamie Noble, there’s quite a few. There are so many brains back there and everyone has their expertise. If I have a question about showmanship, I go to Road Dogg. And Triple H has made himself available and even the Big V, who is about as good a dancer as I am, is there for advice.
Holmes: The Big V?
Clay: Vince McMahon, the boss.
Holmes: For some reason I thought you were talking about Viscera.
Clay: Well, he did that smooth daddy thing for a while.
Holmes: And Vince swiped your moves for a bit.
Clay: When I was banned from Raw he did the dance with the ladies. And he did a good job.
Holmes: You’re not allowed to argue with the boss when he borrows your gimmick.
Clay: No, and he dances just a little bit worse than I do, so I’m OK with that. He didn’t reinvent the dance wheel that night. So I’m safe.

Holmes: So, Mattel just unveiled a new Brodus Clay action figure complete with all of your funky gear. What goes through your head when you see something you see in the mirror every day shrunk down to about six inches?
Clay: Um…wow! No way. Wow, this is really happening? I’m very excited as an action figure collector to have one of myself. It’s very humbling. I had to take a moment when I saw it.

Holmes: Your theme music makes a repeated request for someone to call your mama. How does the real Mama Clay feel about her son’s success?
Clay: She always wanted her son to be a biologist, so this is a tough transition for her. But she’s supportive. I think she likes it. She’s always telling me things I need to work on. She said, “Next time Big Show grabs your leg, you need to move.” I say, “OK mom, I’ll do that.” But you have to understand for her, ever since I was a kid my entire existence was wrestling. So, she’s kind of up to here with it.
Holmes: Biologist?
Clay: I went to a magnet school. I was kind of a brainiac when it came to zoology and animals and stuff. And I’m still an Animal Planet, National Geographic buff to this day.
Holmes: I feel like you could make the argument for biology, archaeology, Funkasaurus…it’s all in the same ballpark.
Clay: (Laughs) It’s all connected.

Don’t miss the 1000th episode of WWE Monday Night Raw this Monday, July 23, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET.

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

WWE’s Zack Ryder: Kane and Eve ‘Basically Killed My Career’

July 17, 2012

Zack Ryder (WWE)

It was the feel-good story of 2011. In a last-ditch effort to save his job, Zack Ryder, the long-forgotten, fist-pumping bro from Long Island had turned his tiny YouTube show into an Internet sensation. He rode that wave of popularity to a thunderous ovation at the Survivor Series and a United States Title victory over Dolph Ziggler at TLC.

Then he was destroyed by Kane and dumped by Eve Torres.

Wave hits wall…feel-good story turns bad.

But things are looking up for the self-professed “Long Island Iced Z.” At the Great American Bash a few weeks ago he made Eve look foolish and ousted Kane to win a battle royal.

I recently had a chance to sit down with the Internet’s favorite Broski at San Diego Comic Con to find out what he plans to do next, the fate of his Internet Championship, and more…

Gordon Holmes: At the Great American Bash you were finally able to get revenge on both Eve and Kane. Was it nice to finally get some closure on those issues?
Zack Ryder: I needed that redemption big time. I was on such a roll at the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 and the whole Kane and Eve thing killed my momentum. Basically killed my career. So, to turn that around and get revenge on them was something I needed. Hopefully it’ll get the Ryder Revolution back on track.
Holmes: What’s next for you now that that’s behind you?
Ryder: The United States Title, I had that for a hot minute. I’d love to get that back. In 2011 I think I proved to people that I’m not a joke, I can be taken seriously in the ring. And hopefully by the end of this year I’ll have a major championship.
Holmes: A lot of guys when they make the step to the next level, they feel the need to shed some of the…I don’t want to say goofy…but some of the more fan-pleasing parts of their personas. I’m thinking of The Hurricane dropping his superhero ways and Rikishi dropping the dancing…
Ryder: Right.
Holmes: Is that a concern for you? Is that a direction you’ll head into?
Ryder: I think maybe in time, I can’t be the same old guy forever. But that doesn’t mean I’ll have to drop all of the parts of my character to get to the top. I think eventually I’ll evolve. If you’ve followed my career I was a Major Brother, then an Edge Head, now I’m Zack Ryder, I’m sure in three years I’ll be completely different.

Holmes: In coming up with these questions I thought of a merchandise idea for you.
Ryder: Sweet, let’s hear it.
Holmes: Remember the foam Steve Austin “What” voice bubbles?
Ryder: Yeah.
Holmes: We need some “Woo Woo Woo” bubbles.
Ryder: That’d be sweet! I’d take it.

Holmes: Your story is kind of amazing. You weren’t getting any attention, so you took matters into your own hands and figured out how to make social media work for you. Do they ever come to you for advice on how to make social media work for other guys?
Ryder: No. It’s funny though, now they have meetings about how to use hash tags or whatever. And I’m like, “Are you serious, bro?” All this stuff that I’ve been doing for years, not saying that I originated it, but I’ve been doing it best. It’s cool though, I’m glad WWE is finally embracing social media.

Holmes: You’re obviously a huge fan of toys and pop culture, what with all the references you make on your YouTube show, so what was it like the first time you saw a Mattel Zack Ryder action figure?
Ryder: It was great. I’ve been a wrestling fan all my life and I’ve collected wrestling figures my whole life. So, of course a dream of mine was to be in the WWE and to have my own figure. When I got my first Mattel action figure I was ecstatic. I’d always check on the Internet and try to see the new lineups. When I saw the prototype image, it was one of the best moments of my life.
Holmes: I had intended to ask you if they were ever going to make an Internet Championship for your figure, but they just announced one is on its way.
Ryder: Yeah!
Holmes: You created that. That came out of your brain.
Ryder: What’s crazy is the Internet Championship is something I created for my YouTube show and I’m not allowed to bring it out on WWE TV. Yet, it’s on this WWE t-shirt I’m wearing here. And now it’s on the action figure. So, someone’s telling you no, but you still get to do it. It’s ridiculous. I love it.
Holmes: What is the reasoning behind not allowing you to wear the title on television?
Ryder: I don’t know. As soon as I got it made I showed it to some people and they were like, “Absolutely not.” I’m not going to put up a fight about it, if they don’t want to use it, they don’t have to use it.
Holmes: Cause I’m an old-school fan, and I know for a fact that Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Title was never a sanctioned WWE championship and it was on TV all the time.
Ryder: That was my argument! It’s just like the Million Dollar Title, it’s a gimmick. Obviously I wouldn’t be defending it. Unless of course Wrestlemania 29, I don’t know if you’ve heard, but Zack Ryder against Dolph Ziggler for the Internet Title.

Holmes: The next big thing from Mattel is their Brawlin’ Buddies plush dolls. Now, when I was a kid there were Wrestling Buddies…
Ryder: Yes, Wrestling Buddies, I had those too.
Holmes: Is that the next step?  A Zack Ryder Brawlin’ Buddy?
Ryder: I don’t know if this is a spoiler…
Holmes: Oh, you’re going to get us in trouble.
Ryder: (Laughs) I recorded sayings for the Buddies so I’m hoping I’m in the next lineup. You know, the “Argh!” and “Errr!”

Holmes: Are you going to get a chance to see any of the sights here at San Diego Comic Con?
Ryder: Yeah, I definitely want to get out and see the Star Wars stuff and the Ghostbusters stuff. I’ve always wanted to come here as a kid.

Holmes: Edge had some heartfelt words for you and your former partner Curt Hawkins during his Hall of Fame speech. What did it mean for him to take the time to address you during his big moment?
Ryder: Edge, whether he knows it or not, saved my career, saved Curt Hawkins career. We were the Major Brothers at the time, doing nothing on Smackdown. And we’d pitched this idea to be Edge’s cronies. He didn’t have to say yes. But he put the green light on it and along the way we learned so much from him. And for him to retire and to talk about us and give us words of encouragement, it was very humbling. It was great.

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

‘Survivor’ Headed to the Philippines, Boasts New Twist

May 13, 2012

Hot on the heels of crowning Bridal Shop Owner Kim Spradlin the winner of “Survivor: One World,” host and executive producer Jeff Probst announced that the influential reality show would be headed to the Philippines for their 25th season.

Also announced was a twist in which three players who had previously been removed from the game for medical reasons would receive another shot at winning the million-dollar prize. Each of those players will be placed on a separate tribe, meaning the show will feature three tribes for the first time since “Survivor: All Stars.”

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: One World”

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

‘Survivor: One World’ Finale Recap – Kim for the Win?

May 13, 2012

'Survivor: One World' (CBS)

Last Wednesday: Alicia finally figured out that Kim was the one playing both sides of Tikiano. She utilized her most unlikely ally, Tarzan, to send Kim packing from the game with an idol in her pocket. How embarrassing.

Just kidding…

Kim convinced Alicia that Tarzan was trying to play her and they both sent him swinging from the game.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s take a look at the finalists…

The Tikiano Tribe (wearing black)
Alicia –  25, Special Ed Teacher
Chelsea – 26, Medical Sales
Christina – 29, Career Consultant
Kim – 29, Bridal Shop Owner
Sabrina – 33, High School Teacher

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: One World”

Quick Aside: If Kim pulls this off, she’s got to be considered the most dominant female in “Survivor” history, right?

The evening’s fun kicks off after Tribal Council, the Tikianians are proud of how the women have been able to finally eliminate all of the guys. I’ve never really understood that thinking. “Survivor” is an individual game. I wouldn’t care if I got to the end with a panda bear and a salt shaker. (Yeah, that’s random.)

Alicia, however, isn’t crazy about having to vote out her buddy Tarzan. I’m betting she’s going to be less crazy about it the next two Tribal Councils when she joins him.

The next day while gathering tree mail, Kim and Sabrina discuss who to boot next. They’d like to see Alicia go, but Kim is worried that Chelsea will receive a lot of jury votes. This caught Sabrina off guard. She worries that she might be in trouble if Chelsea wins immunity.

Immunity Challenge #1: Wow…this is an impressive structure. The players have to untie knots to open a gate. They’ll then race across a balance beam maze. Once they’re finished they’ll bounce across a rope net and untie bags of puzzle pieces. They’ll use those pieces to complete a puzzle. The completed puzzle will give clues to a combination lock. First person to open the combination lock wins immunity and a one-in-four shot at a million bucks.

It’s hard to tell who’s in the lead initially, as they all plow through the gate quickly and are wandering around the maze. Alicia and Chelsea are the first ones through with Sabrina right behind them. Alicia and Sabrina accidentally untie the wrong colored bags, giving other players an advantage. Chelsea is the first one with all of her bags, but the others are right behind her.

Kim completes the puzzle first, Alicia is right behind her. Kim goes to the lock, but her answers are incorrect. Alicia can’t figure it out either.

Kim heads down to double-check her puzzle. She still isn’t having luck. Chelsea’s taking a shot too, but can’t get it.

Finally, Kim manages to release the lock and win immunity.

I’m thinking if Kim was serious about getting rid of Chelsea, it would have made more sense to throw that challenge so Chelsea wouldn’t try to get her to hand over the idol.

Back at camp, Chelsea makes her pitch to Kim, saying that she thinks Kim is the strongest player in the game and they’ve had each others backs since day one.

Kim later admits that she wishes Chelsea didn’t know she had the hidden idol, because now Chelsea expects her to play it for her. Ooo…I was right about something for once.

Meanwhile, Alicia is confident that Kim is still on her side. She thinks it’d be foolish for Kim to want to sit next to Chelsea and Sabrina at the end. Well, she does have a point.

That night at Tribal Council, Alicia and Chelsea were shocked with the lack of scrambling after the immunity challenge.

Kim admits that it’s difficult to play the game because she enjoys all of the women in the final five.

Kim thinks loyalty is very important. Kat didn’t seem to like that comment.

Jeff gives everyone a chance to say one more thing to Kim before the vote. Alicia thinks she’s fine because she’s been with Kim from day one. Sabrina has nothing to say. Christina is confident in her vote. Chelsea thinks Kim will gain respect from the jury by sticking to her guns.

Voting Time: Chelsea votes for Alicia, Alicia votes for Chelsea, and the rest of the votes are…well…you know…

J-Pro gets his tally on and returns. He asks if anyone would like to play an idol…and nobody does.  Ooo…

We’ve got one vote for Chelsea, one vote for Alicia, one vote for Chelsea, one vote for Alicia, and the fourteenth person to leave “Survivor: One World” is…Alicia.

Fun Fact: For the second Tribal in a row, Kat has predicted who’s going home. She’s been wrong twice.

Back at camp, Kim apologizes to Christina to lying for her. To Christina’s credit, she appreciates that it’s a game and that it was a good play. Her next step is to play the I-can’t-possibly-win-this-game card. Although, if I were a jury member it would be worth it to vote for Christina just to see Colton’s reaction.

Tree mail arrives the next day and it looks like we’re getting a Fallen Comrades ceremony! Take that, Redemption Island!

Kourtney is remembered as a trooper and the sweetest girl. Also, she’s very fragile.

Nina was fierce and built the shelter.

Sabrina remembers Matt as being pretty fine. Well, we’re not debating that.

Chelsea remembers Bill as quite a character.

Sabrina aspires to be more like Monica.

Chelsea thinks the game would have gone much differently if Colton had stayed in the game. That’s an understatement.

Sabrina remembers Jonas as a sweet guy. Chelsea thinks he made the best food in the history of “Survivor.”

Ha! They don’t say anything about Michael. Poor Michael…

Chelsea admires Jay’s outlook in life.

Leif is small in stature with a giant heart. Couldn’t resist, could they?

Kim considers Troyzan to be the biggest strategic threat in the game. She might’ve misspoke, she probably meant the “only” strategic threat in the game.

Kat has a ton of heart and determination.

Kim thinks Tarzan grew on all of them. Well, his microbes surely did.

Alicia is their Puerto Rican mommy.

So wait…nobody was a “competitor”?! Have we forgotten how Fallen Comrades is supposed to work?!

Immunity Challenge #2: The players will use a pole to guide a bowl through a wire structure. Once the bowl is through, they’ll place the bowl on the top of the structure and start again with a new bowl. To make it more difficult, the structure is placed on a spring, so if you hit the structure it will wobble. The first person to stack ten bowls on top of the structure wins immunity and a spot at the final Tribal Council.

This challenge is very cool and totally different than what we’re used to. Well done.

Kim and Christina are in the lead early on. Chelsea is behind a bit and Sabrina is way out of it.

Christina and Kim are tied at eight bowls apiece when the wind starts a-blowin’. All of the structures are a-rocking.

However, Kim managed to pull ahead and win immunity yet again. The only thing that can stop her now are some bitter jurors.

Back at camp, Christina tells Kim that she’d rather not have it be a blindside. Kim fesses up and tells Christina that her number is up. I think that’s very smart. There’s no reason to lie at this point.

Christina doesn’t put up much of a fight, which on one hand I understand, but she does have an excellent point to argue in that she is not a jury threat.

That night at Tribal Council, Sabrina tells Jeff that everyone knows that Christina is the next person to go home.

Jeff is a bit disgusted that Christina didn’t scramble.

Sabrina doesn’t think Christina is there to play the game if she’s not trying her best to stay around.

Jeff makes the argument that unlikely people have won the game before.

Christina thinks breaking up an alliance that’s been together since day one wouldn’t have been possible.

Kim says that she would have done everything she could to stay around. She also thinks Christina could have made a few different arguments, but didn’t make any.

Voting Time: Christina votes for Sabrina, Sabrina votes for Christina, and I’m pretty sure everyone else voted for Christina too, but they’re going to make me wait.

Probsty does some solid tallying then returns. One vote for Sabrina, two votes for Christina, and the fifteenth person to leave “Survivor: One World” and the final member of the jury is…Christina.

The next morning, Sabrina breaks down a little as she never expected to make it this far in the game. Really? She seemed like one of the smartest people from the very beginning.

Later on, the Day 39 brunch shows up at tree mail. For those of you playing “Survivor” bingo at home, it seems like mimosas were on the menu.

Kim lets us know that she recently got out of a rough divorce and being a part of the game has helped her get her confidence back. A bridal shop owner going through a divorce? That had to make checking into work every morning kind of tough.

That night at Tribal Council, Chelsea decides to stand up for her opening statement. She claims that you can go very far in the game if you have someone you can trust, and Kim has been that person for her. Heh…a lot of people on the jury thought she was the one person they could trust.

Chelsea also claims to have checked herself out of the game emotionally so she could vote out people she liked. She’s worried that this may have cost her some jury votes as she isn’t as connected with the jurors as Kim.

Kim remains seated. She thinks the game was going to be like poker and you do whatever you can to get to the end. She didn’t expect voting people out of the game to take the toll on her that it did. However, she did it for her family and she hopes that everyone can forgive her and see it as a game.

Then, she does the one thing that I’ve been saying people should do for years when she says that she wouldn’t take back what she’s done. Jurors want you to admit when you lie, but that don’t buy it when you say you’re sorry for it.

Finally, Sabrina (also sitting) claims that her strategy was to have balance. She knew if she was too aggressive that people would put a target on her back. She also claimed to not try her hardest in immunity challenges because she knew that’d make her a threat.

Then, she drops a bomb and tells the jury that she was just laid off. Ooo…

I’m a big believer that what happens outside of the game, shouldn’t matter. But, that might’ve won her some votes that were on the fence.

Now, it’s the jury’s turn…

Jonas bats leadoff, he starts off pretending to be serious, but can’t keep it up. He says he loves Sabrina, but thinks she sucked in the challenges. Jonas thinks Chelsea is the hottest woman on the season (no argument there) but he wants to know what her biggest move was. She admits that it was her idea to take Kat out of the game.

Finally, he gives Kim grief for not taking Christina to the end.

Christina goes next. She wants to know who Kim would’ve kept if she had to choose between Chelsea and Sabrina. Kim thinks she has a better shot of winning against Sabrina.

Then, she asks Chelsea why she hates people. Ouch. Chelsea claims not to hate people, but that she was playing with her head instead of her heart.

Jay steps up next. He calls Sabrina out for taking it easy in the challenges. He also thinks that she took it easy around camp too. Sabrina thinks that it was important for her to step back. Also, she’d just learned to swim, so deep sea fishing wasn’t going to be an option for her.

Mike bats cleanup. He wants Kim to explain what a blindside is. She says it’s sending someone home who thinks they’re safe. She then explains that Michael was the only man Troyzan would send home over one of the women. Michael thinks that Kim took the blame for all of the blindsides. The question is, was that a smart move?

Tarzan goes next and thanks God for giving him such a wonderful adventure. Then he thanks the women for keeping him and allowing his wife to visit Samoa.

Before he can sit back down, Chelsea tells Tarzan that his romance has opened her eyes as to what love can truly be. Aww…

Leif has to follow that tough act. He wants to know how voting him out went down. Kim admits that she wasn’t sure if they could trust him. Sabrina says that Kim was the one calling the shots at that point and she “punked out.”

Kim is doing a fantastic job.

Alicia goes next. She realizes that she had her pawns and Kim had her pawns. She’s flattered because she didn’t’ realize she could be such a threat.

Troyzan congratulates the final three and claims not to hate their guts. He thinks that Kim played a great game, but he wants to know when Kim made the move to take him out. She thinks it was when they took Jonas out of the game.

Kat (and her eye makeup) gets to go last. She tells everyone that she had two heart surgeries when she was a kid, and if she ever wants to have children that she’ll have to have another surgery in the future. She claims that she doesn’t have time to be angry with them, she forgives them, and she’s going to vote based on who played the best game.

Voting Time: Troyzan votes for Sabrina, Kat votes for Kim, and the rest of the votes aren’t shown.

So…an eight-to-one Kim win?

J-Pro snags the votes and heads off to New York City. And…Mayim Bialik is in the audience! Random…

OK, one vote for Kim, one vote for Sabrina, one vote for Kim, one vote for Sabrina, two votes for Kim, and the winner of “Survivor: One World” is Kim!

Close, a seven-to-two Kim win.

Verdict: Well, at least this weak season had the right winner.

I really do like the “One World” twist. I hope how things turned out this season didn’t sour the producers on the concept.

Power Rankings Update: This season’s Power Rankings champion Dawn Meehan did a special finale rankings as an encore and she nailed it. She had all five of the women in the right spots. It’s probably safe to say that she is the most dominant Power Rankings player since the game’s inception during “Survivor: Tocantins.”

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

‘Survivor: One World’ Power Rankings – Dawn Meehan’s Finale Encore

May 11, 2012

Dawn Meehan (CBS)

In honor of “Survivor: One World’s” men vs. women theme, XFINITY TV’s “Survivor” guy Gordon Holmes captained a team of “Survivor: South Pacific” guys against a team of “Survivor: South Pacific” gals.

In an odd twist, the Power Rankings imitated life and the women’s team ran away with the game. In fact, the men were mathematically eliminated with three weeks still left to go.

So, the executive “Survivor” Power Rankings committee decided that the Power Rankings should continue to imitate “Survivor,” and the women were forced to compete against each other until one sole Survivor was left standing…er…ranking.

That sole Survivor, with a perfect record of four wins and no losses, was Dawn Meehan.

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: One World”

However, in one of the most controversial moments in Power Rankings history, the men pulled some strings and were allowed to randomly pull names from a “Survivor” Hall of Fame coffee mug on behalf of the women’s team. It was one of the few victories the men were able to achieve.

In an effort to right this wrong, the executive committee has offered the new champion the opportunity to ultimately defeat the coffee mug with one final rankings showdown.

We had a chance to speak with Dawn before the rankings took place…

Gordon Holmes: First of all, congratulations. How does it feel to be a Power Rankings champion along with such legendary names as Charlie Herschel, Tamara “Taj” George, Matthew “Sash” Lenahan” and Gordon “The Hurricane” Holmes”?
Dawn Meehan: I’m honored to be a Power Rankings Champion (great company). I can hardly wait for the annual luncheon!
Holmes: As you should be, it’s very luxurious. Now, you’ve had some harsh things to say about the “Survivor” Hall of Fame coffee mug in the past. Is it nice to finally get a chance to put it in its place?
Meehan: As for my attitude towards the mug … I’m not usually one to curse, but that hunk of ceramic makes me wanna swear like a sailor. What the $#%^ is up with that mug? I just hope the “Survivor” Gods are with me come Sunday night and I can put that guy back in his place (the cupboard).

The Rules: The two combatants will rank the players based on how they think they will finish the game.  (Well, Dawn will rank them, the coffee mug will just have names drawn at random.) Each correct placement is worth one point. The person with the most points will win.

Note: There is no weighting for the two finalists who don’t win. They are considered tied no matter how many jury votes they receive.

Got any advice for Dawn? Drop her a line on Twitter.

The ‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame mug still doesn’t have a Twitter account.

1. Kim’s in A League of Her Own this season. There’s no doubt in my mind: she’s taking home the million dollars. (And girl, you’ve earned it.)

 

Other Finalists: I love both Chelsea and Sabrina–and I think some members of the jury do, too. I just don’t think either one of them will earn enough votes to beat Kim.

4. I think Christina’s had an unbelievable run … but I don’t think she’s going to make Final 3. (She should be proud though—she definitely OUTLASTED her competition. Wow!)
5. Unless Alicia can win immunity, she’s definitely next to leave the game. Last week’s reward challenge confirmed it: Kim, Chelsea, and Sabrina are locked as a Final 3.

‘Survivor: One World’ Castaway Interview – Greg ‘Tarzan’ Smith

May 10, 2012

Greg 'Tarzan' Smith (CBS)

I’ve done quite a few “Survivor” exit interviews in my day. Most of them have been pleasant, a few have been contentious, and one was a complete disaster. But with all of them I had a pretty good idea of what to expect before they started.

With Greg “Tarzan” Smith I was flying blind.

Fortunately I found “Survivor: One World’s” cross-dressing enigma to be a delight. When I was able to get a word in I asked him about his hidden strategies, his feud with Chelsea, and the shocks on his now-famous jeep…

Gordon Holmes: You’ve been tough to get a handle on this season. It seems like your social game was very abrasive toward the women at times. Was that part of your game or was that Tarzan being Tarzan?
Greg “Tarzan” Smith: Actually, I’m a plastic surgeon, and 98% of my practice is women, so I understand women very well. However, I didn’t want to ingratiate myself to the females out of respect for my wife. In the beginning I felt that my best game would be to do nothing to cause any camaraderie with the women and just let the young boys do that. But my primary strategy, because it was men vs. women, was to organize the men. And I did that in a subliminal way because I realized that the smart way for the average person to advance in the game is to stay under the current so people don’t see you as a threat. And I think I deserve an Academy Award (laughs).

Holmes: You were very defensive of Colton early on. How did that work into your strategy?
Smith: The smart thing for me to do in the beginning was to coalesce all the men against the women. Which I did, and I allowed Colton to take credit for it. And in his immaturity and narcissism he was more than happy to seem to be the leader. And ironically, if it hadn’t been for me, Colton would have been one of the first people to go. I did the math, and I needed a coterie of five men to whip the girls and beat any straggling boys.

Holmes: You tried to warn Troyzan about Kim being in charge. Why didn’t you stick with him when he realized you were right?
Smith: You saw that Troyzan and I were the nucleus and we mostly stayed bonded. However, midway when I was betrayed by Troyzan he lost his compass, he thought he was part of Salani and that was his fatal error. It’s like in chess if you lose the queen early in the game you have to save as many pawns as possible, but in reality you’re probably going to lose. When I lost Troyzan, I’d been around long enough and portrayed myself well enough at that point I thought I could ingratiate myself with the women. I was able to ingratiate myself through my relationship with Alicia. And as you saw last night, Alicia ultimately betrayed me.

Holmes: Part of your strategy last night was to bow out at four and become a jury advocate. Was that something you were at all considering or was that just a way to move forward?
Smith: I’m an old guy, I’ve been successful in life, and I don’t need the money. But, I need the adventure. And, it’d been an adventure. But even with the guys I said, “When we get down to five, I’m willing to step down. But let me help you get to the five.” And I kept my word with everything, unlike Michael, if he’d kept his word he could have lasted longer.
Holmes: Why did Michael give you the middle finger after your farewell last night?
Smith: Toward the end the girls were worried that they had betrayed all the guys, but the guys didn’t know that they had done that with my help. I had kept that secret. So, the girls were worried that if I’d made it to the final three (that I’d have received votes). So, during Tribal Council I told them that I helped get rid of them. I told the guys that I helped get them eliminated. I told the Tribal Council that I’m a millionaire. And that’s the worst thing you can say in something like that because they’ll think I don’t need it. I did that on purpose. I denigrated myself in front of the Tribal Council.

Holmes: With the way the show was edited, sometimes it seemed like you were just there. Like you weren’t playing the game. What moves were you making that we didn’t see?
Smith: I told them I was a medic; I told them I was 52. But I got tired of that game, so I said, ”Even if you vote me out; I’m really a plastic surgeon and I’m really 64.” And everyone told me if I reveal I’m a plastic surgeon that I’d be the first one to be kicked out. But after 15 days, I felt like I’d been there long enough. And the Tarzan thing throws off that I’m a doctor. I’m Tarzan in the operating room.
Holmes: (Laughs) Oh really?
Smith: When a surgery goes fantastically I’ll call out the Tarzan yell in the operating room.

Holmes: Let’s do some word association. How about we start with…
Smith: Maybe I shouldn’t. I tend to be pretty frank. (Laughs)
Holmes: That’s the point of this exercise, Tarzan. Let’s start with Kat.
Smith: Young, naïve.
Holmes: Alicia?
Smith: The full complement of sexual dimorphism.
Holmes: Oh man, you’re going to make me bust out a dictionary. Chelsea?
Smith: Man hater.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Smith: Creative, intelligent, friend.
Holmes: Sabrina?
Smith: Intelligent, needs better syntax as a teacher.
Holmes: Kim?
Smith: Likable, persuasive, beautiful. First thing that came to mind is her eyes.
Holmes: Let’s finish this with Christina.
Smith: (Laughs) Sycophant.

Holmes: You and Chelsea didn’t seem to get along very well out there. What was your relationship like?
Smith: Every time the cameras were rolling I was made to look obnoxious. Admittedly for frivolity to lighten the mood, I’d done a few things that might be considered that, but she took every advantage to make me look bad. And you didn’t see what the real situation was. There were many snippets she took at me that weren’t shown…out of nowhere. And I couldn’t understand it. I hadn’t treated her bad. There are men that don’t like women and there are women that don’t like men. And my conclusion was she doesn’t like men. She needs men, and she needs them for certain things. But I think she’s a girl who’s probably abusive toward men, and she was certainly abusive toward me.

Holmes: It was touching getting to see you and your wife together at the reward challenge. Is it accurate to say that one of your main goals was lasting long enough in the game so she could visit?
Smith: Yeah. I wanted that so much. We’re a romantic couple. We have a map, and we want to set foot on the same soil wherever we are as a testimony to our soulmatedness. And we put a little pin wherever we are in the places we’ve been all over the world. And I wanted so much for her to get to set foot with me on that island. (Laughs) So we got to put our little pin on the map. I did not know how hurtful I felt not being near her, because we’ve never been separated. We’re together day and night, 24/7 for some thirty years. So, it was a poignant moment to realize that I’m addicted to her more than I realized.
Holmes: That’s amazing. Probably less important…did you ever get the shocks for your jeep?
Smith: (Laughs) The irony of this is that my wife knew I needed shocks and I was being so frugal that I hadn’t bought them for six or eight months hoping it would last. And while I was on the island she bought shocks for my car.

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

‘Survivor: One World’ Recap – Prelude to Kim’s Coronation?

May 9, 2012

'Survivor: One World' (CBS)

Last Week: Tarzan’s hopes to spend time with his wife were ignored, the wrong people were chosen to go on reward, and Kat’s elimination from the game left her floored…

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Let’s see where the tribe currently stands…

The Tikiano Tribe (wearing black)
Alicia –  25, Special Ed Teacher
Chelsea – 26, Medical Sales
Christina – 29, Career Consultant
Kim – 29, Bridal Shop Owner
Sabrina – 33, High School Teacher
Tarzan – 64, Plastic Surgeon

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: One World”

Quick Aside: Since Redemption Island is gone, is it possible we could get a fallen comrades ceremony this Sunday? Ah…classic “Survivor.”

The penultimate episode kicks off with a somber Tikiano tribe after Tribal Council. Everybody seems to feel bad about Kat’s blindside.

Tarzan lets us know that he has a plan to get into the final three, but part of that involves getting into the final four first. Mathematically, that is a sound strategy.

Later, Tarzan runs an idea by Kim where he offers to be Kim’s advocate on the jury if she keeps him until the final four. That’s actually very savvy. A lot of people think the Ponderosa set-up has too much of an affect on the jury’s votes.

The end of the discussion results in Kim giving serious thought to getting rid of Chelsea and Sabrina so she can go to the end with Alicia and Christina. Wow…who would’ve ever picked Christina in the final three?

Afterward, Tarzan makes a similar jury-advocate offer to Alicia. I’m not against this plan. If anything, he’s making it interesting.

The next morning, Chelsea offers to take Christina on the reward if she wins. Oh, c’mon. We know how this always turns out…

Chelsea does her best to get Christina to come on board, but, also claims she’s just talking out loud, (which is how most people talk.) She asks Christina to keep their conversation between them.

CUT TO: Christina telling Alicia and Kim what Chelsea just said. This, of course, concerns Kim because she’s been playing both sides.

Reward Challenge: Players will spin around a post to release a disc. They’ll then take the disc to the next station and do it again. Once they have three discs, they’ll use them to create a decoder wheel. First person to use the decoder to get a three-number combination and release their flag wins a lovely evening on a yacht.

Not a ton to describe here except for a lot of spinnin’ and disc retrievin’. This is actually hilarious as the spinning makes them all dizzy. Well done, John Kirhoffer. Should’ve made them drink beers first.

It’s all fairly even until they get to the decoder. Chelsea thinks she has the combination, but comes up short. Others join her, but aren’t able to get it to work either. Eventually, Chelsea figures it out and wins reward.

The part where she doesn’t take Christina on reward is coming in 5…4…3…2…

Probst gives her the opportunity to take someone with her, she chooses Sabrina.

Uh huh…

Probst lets her pick one more person and she goes with Kim.

BAHA! I’m a Survivor psychic! That, or I can decipher basic patterns.

We meet up with Chelsea and her buddies on the yacht. Kim lets Chelsea know that she thinks they can go all the way. Funny, she said something similar to Kat last week. I’m getting déjà vu.

Back at camp, Christina and Alicia are livid over Chelsea’s reward challenge choices. I’m getting déjà vu.

Anywho, Tarzan, Alicia, and Christina agree to vote for Chelsea if she doesn’t win immunity. They’re also going to try to bring Kim on board. If not, Alicia’s OK with pulling rocks. Does she remember that Kim has an idol?

EDIT: I was reminded by @Hugh310 that Chelsea is the only one who knows about Kim’s idol.

The next morning, Tarzan kicks back into bizarre Tarzan mode by being weird about random things. In this case, Alicia doesn’t want him to use his gross buff to filter food. He doesn’t think this is a big deal because they’ve been in the wilderness for over a month and microbes are everywhere.

Once the yachting team returns, Alicia and Kim have a discussion about how Tarzan told both of them that he’ll be their jury advocate. Dah…busted.

Alicia is not pleased that he tried to play a social game on her. She doesn’t approve because she’s the “Queen of the Social Game.” Oh boy…not sure where to even start with that comment.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will use large fish hooks to grab puzzle pieces. They’ll then use those pieces to (duh) complete a puzzle. And to make things more difficult, they’ll have to do it with one hand behind their back.

Kim and Alicia are both off to a strong start as they complete the beginning section of the puzzle first. Kim finishes the second section first and is building a big lead; Tarzan and Alicia are right behind her. Chelsea’s way in the back.

In the third and final stage, Kim has trouble with her hooks and can’t get her bags. She’s eventually passed by Alicia and Tarzan.

Kim, Alicia, and Tarzan are neck and neck in the end with Alicia finally pulling off the win by a matter of seconds.

Back at camp, there’s an uncomfortable moment where Tarzan calls Alicia a b—- for having the audacity to beat him. He was probably kidding, but it was awkward.

Politicking around camp centers around everyone going after Tarzan. However, Sabrina and Chelsea aren’t convinced that Alicia isn’t still gunning for Chelsea. Chelsea asks Kim to play the idol on her behalf, but Kim is noncommittal. (Or nonkimmittal)

In fact, Kim lets us know that if the others aren’t voting for Tarzan, that she’d rather get rid of Chelsea and use her idol to get to the final four. Dun dun dun…

Fun Fact: Everyone seems to think that Kim is super smooth, and everyone blames it on her blue eyes.

Before they head off to Tribal, Tarzan decides to wear someone’s panties as if it’s a headband. This grosses the women out. Oh jeez, they’re only microbes.

That night at Tribal Council, Tarzan thinks he’s still in the game because he helped the ladies get rid of the guys.

Sabrina thinks that the male jurors may want to give the million to a man.

Tarzan thinks he’s misunderstood and that he knows more about microbes than anyone. Also, apparently those were Kat’s panties that he was wearing on his head. Kat, as you’d imagine, was not amused. I’m assuming that’s one less jury vote for Tarzan…

Alicia thinks it wasn’t fair for Chelsea to take Kim on the reward as she’s been on like every reward ever.

Christina was frustrated that she wasn’t chosen for the reward.

Chelsea is OK with not taking Christina because she thinks Christina broke her word to her.

Voting Time: Tarzan votes for Chelsea, Chelsea votes for Tarzan, and the rest of the votes are super secret.

J-Pro tallies and returns…we’ve got one vote for Chelsea, three votes for Tarzan, and the thirteenth person to leave “Survivor: One World” is…Tarzan.

As Tarzan is leaving, he gives a very polite farewell. Michael responds by giving him the middle finger. Well, that seemed unnecessary.

Verdict: Kim deserves points for convincing Alicia that Tarzan is a threat.  Other than that…um…well…huh…

Who’s Going to Win: It certainly seems like Sunday will result in a Spradlin family celebration. However, in Gabon it was believed that there was a jury alliance made up of Randy, Charlie, Corinne, and Marcus that was going to award the million to whoever they wanted. Is it crazy to think the guys would do something similar? Just to mess with everybody? Probably not, but something to think about.

Power Rankings Update: Dawn Meehan had Tarzan in spot four while Sophie Clarke had him in spot three. Therefore, the winner of the “Survivor: One World” Power Rankings is bread-making maven Dawn Meehan!

Congratulations to Dawn and a huge thanks to Jim Rice, John Cochran, Sophie Clarke, Christine Shields Markoski, Andrea Boehlke, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, and a “Survivor” Hall of Fame coffee mug for participating in this season’s competition.

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

‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Finals – Dawn Meehan vs. Sophie Clarke

May 9, 2012

Dawn Meehan vs. Sophie Clarke (CBS)

In honor of “Survivor: One World’s” men vs. women theme, XFINITY TV’s “Survivor” guy Gordon Holmes captained a team of “Survivor: South Pacific” guys against a team of “Survivor: South Pacific” gals.

However, the Power Rankings imitated life and the women’s team ran away with the game. In fact, the men were mathematically eliminated with three weeks still left to go.

So, the executive “Survivor” Power Rankings committee decided that the Power Rankings should continue to imitate “Survivor,” and the women should be forced to compete against each other until one sole Survivor is left standing…er…ranking.

Note: The “Survivor” Hall of Fame coffee mug has filed an appeal with the “Survivor” Power Rankings committee. It has yet to be ruled upon.

Set Your DVR to Record “Survivor: One World”

The Rules: Dawn and Sophie 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 Alicia is voted out this week, Dawn will receive 3 points and Sophie will receive 5 points. The person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: One World” Power Rankings champion.

Tie Breaker: If both competitors have the eliminated Survivor in the same position, the winner will be determined by whoever has the closest answer to the tie-breaker question. The tie-breaker question is; how many times will Jeff Probst say the word “guys” in the next episode?

Dawn’s Tie-Breaker: 11

Got any advice for Dawn? Drop her a line on Twitter.

Sophie’s Tie Breaker: 3 (“Even though there are no (real) men left in the game.”)

Got any advice for Sophie? Drop her a line on Twitter.

1. I don’t see any scenario where Kim isn’t sitting at the Final 3. Here we are 30+ days into “Survivor: One World” and she’s still holding onto a hidden immunity idol! Kim’s safe this week. 1. The name of the game now is kicking out the threats (Kat last week and perhaps Alicia or Sabrina this week?) You might think this would put Kim, the biggest threat, at risk. Her dominance, however, is old news. If they haven’t gotten rid of her yet, they wont get rid of her now.
2. I think Chelsea is going to give Kim a run for the money! She’s a threat in challenges, she’s well-liked by most players, and she’s tight with Kim—who just so happens to be holding onto a hidden immunity idol. (Side note: You never hear anyone say, “Let’s get rid of Chelsea.” And clearly, Alicia and Chelsea are in some kind of alliance. I mean, they both voted Kat out last week.) So, as far as Final 3, Chelsea’s got options!  I think she is the one to watch come Sunday’s finale. 2. Kim isn’t making moves against tag-along Chelsea and Chelsea hasn’t built up a big enough resume to appear a FTC threat to Alicia or Sabrina. Unless Tarzan takes the throne and can’t stand the thought of looking at the botched (?) boobs any longer, Chelsea will survive another week.
3. Aside from the “Colton Days,” I really am impressed with Alicia’s game. When you think about it, SHE’s the one we saw negotiate the Day 1 alliance with the original Salani tribe. And she also managed to stay on good terms with Tarzan and many members of the jury post-merge.  If she can make it to final 3, I think Alicia has a solid shot at convincing a jury that she ran this game. 3. The sudden blindside of Kat last week proved that the girls have no allegiance to any kind of pecking order. This makes the never-gonna-win speedo-clad odd ball out perhaps the safest person out there.
4. I’m speechless when it comes to Tarzan. Truly. But I think he’s safe this week. (They’ve kept him around for a reason: he’s loyal to the core alliance/decision-makers.) 4. Christina is in the same boat as Tarzan. I don’t think she can win the game, but she certainly isn’t threatening enough to be targeted next.
5. I think Christina is safe this week… but only because the remaining players are focused on getting rid of Sabrina (a HUGE threat to win the game) first. 5. Every week, Alicia makes bold claims that she is in control of the game, and she actually might be! If the girls in charge get whiff of this, they will have no trouble cutting her loose.
6. Unfortunately, I think Sabrina is heading to Ponderosa this week. She barely survived last Tribal Council—and it’s clear that several remaining players see her as a threat to win the game. So, unless Sabrina wins immunity, I think she’s the next to go. 6. Sabrina only narrowly missed execution last week. Unless things get shaken up, it looks like she is next on the chopping block.

What if There’s a Tie at a ‘Survivor’ Final Tribal Council? Jeff Probst (Kinda) Explains

May 7, 2012

Jeff Probst (CBS)

There has never been a tie vote in a “Survivor” final Tribal Council. In early versions of the game, this wasn’t an issue as there were an odd number of jury members and only two final contestants. However, ever since “Survivor: Cook Islands” introduced a final three, a tie has been a very real possibility.

With the “Survivor: One World” finale right around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to get to the bottom of this long-standing “Survivor” mystery. I reached out to the guy who’d know, “Survivor” host and executive producer (and Emmy hoarder) Jeff Probst, to get all the information he was willing to reveal…

Set Your DVR to Record ‘Survivor: One World’

Gordon Holmes: What is the official plan if there’s a three-way tie at the final Tribal Council?
Jeff Probst: I can’t tell you. But we do have one.
Holmes: So, it’s a trade secret? Like the recipe to Coca-Cola?
Probst: It’s not even a big deal, but until we use it, we don’t want to give it away. We always have it, we are always ready for it. And I hope we get to use it.

Holmes: OK, but what if there’s a two-way tie where two of the finalists have four votes and the third finalist has a single vote?
Probst: We would revote again and you would have to vote for one of those two.
Holmes: A revote at the reunion or at the Tribal Council?
Probst: At the Tribal Council.

Don’t miss the “Survivor: One World Finale and Reunion Show” this Sunday, May 13, 2012 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

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

‘Survivor: One World’ Castaway Interview – Kat Edorsson

May 3, 2012

Kat Edorsson (CBS)

It’s easy to take knowledge for granted when you’re watching “Survivor.” We know Kim is running the show because she looks right into a camera lens and tells us.

Kat Edorsson didn’t have the same luxury. She thought she was in charge of things at Tikiano beach all the way up until Jeff Probst read her name four times.

I spoke with the blindsided beauty the day after her elimination and got her take on Troyzan’s inspirational aside, her quirky characteristics, and Kim’s hurtful words…

Gordon Holmes: You seemed really upset after last night’s blindside. Can you walk us through what you were feeling?
Kat Edorsson: During that moment I didn’t have words to express how upset I was. During the walk back I was babbling to myself, I was just so upset. That was the biggest blindside. I had no idea it was going to happen. I just felt so hurt.
Holmes: But I thought blindsides were fun and exciting.
Edorsson: (Laughs) They’re not fun and exciting! I want to make that completely clear. I was completely blown away. In the game you have to trust somebody and the only part that was naïve about my experience is that I trusted my alliance with my whole heart instead of keeping my eyes open. What we said always went so I thought it was completely OK.

Holmes: When you were voted out you mentioned that you would be perceived as the most naïve person to ever play, and earlier you had expressed concern that you’d be perceived as a follower. Were you more worried about the perception of the jury or of the viewing public?
Edorsson: It was more of how America was going to view me. When I came out to play “Survivor” I had all of these goals as to how I wanted to be perceived. And the entire time, I felt like I was making all the moves. I felt like it was all me, that Kim was following me. I wanted to make sure that America thought I was doing a great job and making all of these strategic alliances. I thought I was a leader. I didn’t think the jury would ever see me as not a good player.
Holmes: And how did things like, pardon my bluntness, farting on other players or crawling toward your cousin play into America’s perception of you?
Edorsson: (Laughs) That’s just me. That’s 100% Kat. I took the experience and I went with it. I was never afraid to show who I really was. I love to laugh, and the best part about me is if you’re not laughing with me, you can laugh at me.
Holmes: I think it’s very cool that you own that. What’s the reaction been like from the fans?
Edorsson: I have a lot of love. OK…from the Kim fans I’ve received a little bit of negativity and some of the Troy fans. They’re really strategic players. People that have been watching the game for 12 years, they’re very into the strategic part of the game and they didn’t think that I was very strategic. They thought I was just being ridiculous and that hurt my feelings because I was very loyal to my alliance. I made those decisions like everybody else did in my alliance.

Holmes: What do you think the motivation was behind Troyzan’s “Do it” pep talk. Were you close enough that that meant something to you, or was he trying to make a statement?
Edorsson: That meant something to me. We had a very close bond. It’s funny because my closest bond in the game was with Kim and Troy. I have a great alliance with these women, but Kim and Troy both really believed in me. They were like a part of my family. And Troy really wanted me to win. He wanted to vote for me. I know he had great intentions behind it.

Holmes: What was your relationship like with Chelsea?
Edorsson: Chelsea was always picking on me. I think she was a little threatened by the relationship that I had with Kim. And every time it was me and Kim, I think Chelsea got a whiff of that. Kim said this was her final three (with Kat and Alicia), which was the truth. We made that alliance on day three. Inside our five I always had my three. Even when Alicia went to Manono, I still protected her.

Holmes: Was it weird listening to Kim say that she wanted to take you to the end because she thought you were the kind of person who’d blow the million dollars in a year?
Edorsson: Kim said that?
Holmes: Yes, to her sister.
Edorsson: I didn’t actually see that part. When I was watching it I was having a moment to myself.  I’m pretty sure I heard it, but I didn’t want to believe it. That really does affect me. It really hurts to hear things like that. If I don’t have anything else, I have common sense. That really just bothered me. I felt I was belittled when I’d watch Kim and Alicia say stuff like that and when Chelsea said I didn’t deserve to be in the final three.

Holmes: Alright, let’s do some word association. We’ll start with Sabrina.
Edorsson: Intelligent.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Edorsson: Incredible.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Edorsson: Ugh…there are things I want to say, but I’ll say “hero.”
Holmes: Tarzan?
Edorsson: Very strange.
Holmes: Really?
Edorsson: (Laughs) Yes.
Holmes: Christina?
Edorsson: What game are you playing? Clueless.
Holmes: Alicia?
Edorsson: I want to say “margarita!” Firecracker.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Kim.
Edorsson: Genius.

Holmes: Troyzan seemed to be staring holes through you guys from the jury stand. What was going on there?
Edorsson: (Laughs) He was so angry. He looked like he was going to kill Kim.
Holmes: And of course, Kim’s an old lady, right?
Edorsson: (Laughs) I feel so bad for calling her old! Actually, I called her an “old hag.”

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