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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Episode 8 Recap: Grand Theft Flour

November 3, 2010

Last Week: Jane hosted a barbecue for one, Marty handed his immunity idol to Sash, and La Flor treated Jill to a one-way ticket home.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Here are the tribes as they currently stand…

The La Flor Tribe (wearing yellow)

Brenda – 27, Paddleboard Company Owner
Fabio – 21, Student
Kelly S. – 20, Nursing Student
Jane – 56, Dog Trainer
Marty – 48, Technology Executive
Sash – 30, Real Estate Broker

The Espada Tribe (wearing blue)

Alina – 23, Art Student
Benry – 24, Club Promoter
Chase – 24, Race Car Jackman/Country Singer
Dan – 63, Real Estate Executive
Holly – 44, Swim Coach
NaOnka – 27, P.E. Teacher

Quick Note: XFINITY TV has some very exciting “Survivor” stuff coming up in the near future. (Yes, I’m aware that’s vague.) Be sure to check back here and on my Twitter account for details.

We start off at La Flor where a poor, deceased turtle has washed up on the beach and is being picked apart by vultures. Looks like the metaphor machine is working overtime.

The irony is not lost on Marty. He realizes that he’s in deep trouble. If only he had an immunity idol.

Shortly afterward, “Uncle Fabio” (his nickname, not mine) arrives with some tree mail. The tree mail alludes to a merge. I’m not sure if I buy that though. We’ve been tricked before. Drop your buffs indeed, JPro.

Over at Espadadada, the individual players are trying to figure out how the merge will affect them. Benry wants Alina to go next. Alina, however, pitches an idea that the current Espada six sticks together and goes after Marty’s idol.

NaOnka thinks this idea is ridiculous, saying “Uncle Dan” wasn’t even into Alina’s plan. OK, seriously, we can’t have an Uncle Dan and an Uncle Fabio. I’m going to talk to the nickname committee and get a ruling.

The La Floricans eventually arrive at Espada with a large chest. They crack it open and sure enough they discover a merge feast and some sweet new red buffs.

Quick Note: No lie, those buffs are awesome. The white trim really makes them pop.

Marty is given the opportunity to name the tribe. He goes with “Libertad,” which means “Liberty.” Dude, anything’s better than “Nobag.” And “Augaracin” would be too hard to pronounce.

The new tribe is super giddy when they discover some Nicaraguan rum. Not that I blame them.

Brenda and NaOnka take a quick strategy walk. High fives are exchanged when NaOnka learns that Sash has Marty’s immunity idol. So, the dominant alliance has two immunity idols. I wonder how they’ll mess that up…

Meanwhile, Chase and Jane are bonding over their North Carolina roots. She again busts out the “Ugly Duckling” analogy to describe how she was treated by Marty and Co.

The next morning, NaOnka wakes up still beaming over the merge, the sweet new red buffs, and the news that Sash has the second immunity idol. In fact, they say NaOnka’s heart grew three sizes that day. Actually, that’s not true, she was ticked that Fabio took a big bite out of a tortilla so she started sabotaging the camp. She swiped the flour from the chest, took it into the forest, and buried it.

One problem? Holly saw her do it.

She also swiped some fruit and hid several of the cooking items. Look at NaOnka going all Hantz on everyone!

NaOnka then takes Alina to the side and tells her that everyone is gunning for her. NaOnka follows that move up by sharing her stolen oranges with her.

What the what?!

Is NaOnka setting Alina up as the thief? Is she trying to win her jury vote? Is NaOnka a genius?

Back at camp, the Libertads are realizing that things are missing. Holly asks NaOnka if she put the flour back. NaOnka responds in a rational manner. Actually, that’s not true either. She flipped out. Uncle Fabio tried to get to the bottom of it, but it turned into Sock-gate Part Deux.

Chase and Alina confront NaOnka about the theft. NaOnka admits that she took the items, but can’t confess because she already told people that she didn’t. Chase responds with an early contender for line of the night saying, “You lied? You lied in ‘Survivor’? Everyone’s lied in ‘Survivor.’”

NaOnka returns to camp and confesses. She claims she was doing it for the benefit of the tribe, but Marty isn’t buying it.

Sash sees this as an opportunity; he wants to take NaOnka to the end as he doesn’t think she’ll receive any million-dollar votes. Well played, Sash.

Immunity Challenge: The players will each hold a pair of handles. The handles are holding a small pole in place. If the handles aren’t pulled together or pushed apart, the pole will fall. The last man and woman still holding onto their pole will win immunity.

Not much to describe here, a lot of standing and pole holding.

Grow up.

Purple Kelly and Dan go first. (What?! The challenge involved standing, Dan was a certain to win.) Alina, Brenda, and Benry go next, followed by Sash and NaOnka. Holly is out next, giving immunity to Jane. However instead of stopping, Jane decides to try to beat the guys.

That’s just foolish. Why make yourself look like a threat?

Marty is the next to go, bringing it down to Fabio and Chase (and Jane, technically). Chase’s bar eventually falls, giving immunity to Fabio.

Back at camp, Jane admits to the ladies that she only stayed in the challenge to beat Marty. So, it goes without saying who her pick is to send home at Tribal Council. The tribe seems to be on board with sending Marty home first as long as Alina goes home second.

Sash, however, lobbies to keep Marty around as he promised him safety at the next Tribal Council in exchange for his immunity idol. If I were in Sash’s alliance, I’d be very concerned with him lobbying for jury votes while we’re working as a team.

Later that day, Dan actually plays the game a little as he warns Marty that Chase could try to blindside him. Marty approaches Sash and Brenda with this concern and they throw Chase under the bus. They claim to have never discussed voting for Marty with Chase.

Alina crunches the numbers and realizes she needs one more vote. She decides that Uncle Fabio is her best bet. She makes her pitch and given the choice between Marty and Alina, he chooses NaOnka. I love this kid. His favorite peanut butter is probably Sprite.

That night at Tribal Council, Marty decides to clear the air, saying that he never had a problem with Jane. However, he thinks she made bad alliances early on with players who are no longer in the game.

Jane takes exception with this statement saying that she approached him and he “Fluffed her off.” Again, what does that mean?

Marty keeps at it, saying if Jane stays in the game, she’s going to win the million dollars. He says you couldn’t write a better sob story, and that if she makes it to the end, he’ll give her his vote.

I know a lot of people are thinking, “Shut up, Marty.” But I don’t blame him or Alina. When you’re in trouble, you need to do anything you can.

JPro asks Alina if Marty just made a mistake. Alina gives a very smart answer, saying that Marty’s speech shows how strategic he can be. She also says she’s a good swing vote and only a “pawn.”

Dan then brings up the point that two people from the tribe took food from the camp. NaOnka that admits that she acted alone and Alina was only an accomplice after the fact. She says she stole from camp, then gave it back. She’s like a redundant Robin Hood.

NaOnka thinks it’s OK though, because she was punished by getting the silent treatment. Fabio doesn’t think that’s a real punishment.

Voting Time: Jane votes for Marty, Alina votes for Marty, Benry votes for Alina (calling her a “Dirt Squirrel”), Sash votes for Alina, and the rest of the votes are as unknown as the definition of “Dirt Squirrel”.

JPro gets his tally on, then returns to read some votes. Two votes for Marty, six votes for Alina, and the ninth person voted out of “Survivor: Nicaragua” and the first member of the jury is…Alina.

Verdict: Looks like things are picking up now that we’ve hit mergeville. But I’ll tell you this, if Fabio gets voted out, one of you is going to have to take over these recaps until next season. I’ll be in a corner crying.

Who’s Going to Win? It seems like there are too many players in the dominant alliance right now. Once they start turning on each other it’ll get interesting. I’m still leaning toward Brenda though. She obviously very tight with Sash, Brenda, and Chase.

Power Rankings Results: Team Dragon Slayer and Team Truth Seeker both had Alina in spot eleven. The current score is now Team Dragon Slayer 96, Team Truth Seeker 100.

Follow me on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news: @gordonholmes

What Do You Think? Should NaOnka have been booted over the flour? Would you have bounced Marty or Alina? What’s a “Dirt Squirrel”?

Tags:jeff probst, Jimmy Johnson, kelly shinn, marty piombo, survivor, survivor nicaragua
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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Power Rankings – Merge Edition

November 3, 2010

The Rules: Each week, “Survivor: Tocantins” and “Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains” star Benjamin “Coach” Wade and XFINITY TV’s “Survivor” recapper Gordon Holmes 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 Sash is voted out this week, Coach will receive 3 points and Gordon will receive 6 points. At the end of the season, the person or team with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Nicaragua” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: The La Flor youngsters decided to keep Marty around again. Good for him, not so good for his buddy Jill. Team Dragon Slayer had Jill in spot thirteen while I had her in spot eleven. The current score is now Team Dragon Slayer 85, Team Truth Seeker 89.

Special Announcement: The gauntlet has been thrown down; next week the Power Rankings will be done in haiku form. Be prepared.

And before we start this week’s rankings, let’s pay tribute to the recent booted castaway with…

Note: This week I am still on my own, with The King still MIA. APB on Randy Bailey. Someone either give him a job or contact me asap with his whereabouts!

Ode to Jill: You made all the right moves, getting a strong, smart player like Marty in the beginning on your side. You could have been one-two with Marty but alas the “Survivor” Gods would not deem it. The merge sealed your fate and the lines had been drawn. You didn’t get enough airtime to be missed, nor were you a personality that they will bring back, so parting this time is not such sweet sorrow.

Team Dragon Slayer’s Picks:

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#1: In total control. The girls are leaning on you for strength and the guys are eating out of the palm of your hand. Which way can you go? NaOnka, Chase, Sash, your options are unlimited! You go, girl.		#2: See Brenda’s entry, except that you are NOT the one in control.

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#3: See Brenda’s line but perhaps you are the one in control? Could be a future battle of backstabbing with the two of you, or an alliance that could make it to the end.		#4: This guy is the one to watch. Non threatening, funny, not making enemies. I am picking him to go to the finals.

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#5: Very competitive in last week’s challenge. This bodes ill because although you are not making enemies people will start seeing you as a threat.		#6: You are starting to get cocky, but not much of a threat. Keep working hard, keep ingratiating yourself with the young’uns and ADAPT at the merge. Do that and you will go far.

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#7: Your good looks and subtle charms are going to take you to the finals, unless you cross someone. Keep saying “yes” to everyone that comes up to you and asks for an alliance. Play dumb if your cover is blown.		#8: Still golden. Still obnoxious. Still class-less. DON’T QUIT ON US.

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#9: You have turned your game around completely. You actually look happy out there. Adaptation to the elements is the key in coaching, life, and “Survivor.” See Jane’s comments above, you could be going all the way.		#10: You think you’re on the ins but you are really on the outs. Your bitchy, indifferent, placid side will get you ousted sooner than you think.

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#11: Your throw in the challenge was pathetic. Seriously? “Survivor” training hint: Stop lifting weights and start doing stretches and running and pilates. Jeez, that was embarrassing. Ever hear the saying “You throw like a girl?”		#12: Giving the idol away was brilliant and stupid, all at the same time. My advice to you is to steal it from Sash when he is sleeping. I hope to hell you do some fancy alliance making once the merge comes this week. I’m pulling for ya, Marty! Stay strong.

Team Truth Seeker’s Picks:

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#1: The merge reunites Brenda with her BFFs NaOnka and Chase. She’s in a great slot and should really start thinking about getting on future jurors’ good sides.		#2: You’re safe for now, Chasington. But you’re going to be in a world of trouble when your alliance realizes you’re built like Triple H. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see you go before Dan does.

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#3: A lot of people are against Benry, but he’s starting to grow on me. With Marty on his way out, Benry could become my new pick to take the whole thing.		#4: Dan made a huge jump this week. Now that all the challenges are for individual immunity, I look for him to start racking up the wins. Oh wait, sarcasm doesn’t show up in text. OK, let’s just say there’s no reason to ever vote out Dan because he has the challenge prowess of a topiary plant.

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#5: “Milk your own milk!” I love this girl. Who do I talk to about getting her and Fabio a daytime talk show?		#6: I don’t think Sash’s slip at last week’s Tribal Council is going to hurt him as much as JPro seems to think it will. But I’m dropping him in the rankings because it shows he’s capable of slipping up.

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#7: He voted for Brenda in the first Tribal Council and they blamed it on Kelly B. He urinated in the pool (when there were trees everywhere!) and everyone was cool with it. Forget Teflon Dan, we’re looking at Teflon Fabs.		#8: I like Jane a bunch, but that fish thing last week was just stupid. If she was caught, she’d be a goner.

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#9: I think the merge will be fine for Holly. If I were her I’d start intentionally being terrible at immunity challenges. Then she can encourage the younger ladies to start taking out the physical threats.		#10: I never felt comfortable with the Alina/NaOnka alliance, and last week proved I was right. I think dear Alina might be in some trouble.

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#11: The previews show NaOnka gettin’ all Russell Hantz on the camp. In a post-Hantz world that’s a gutsy move. You think Fabio won’t suspect her immediately after sock-gate?		#12: You were my pick, Marty. I hope the idol play buys you some leverage with Team Sash, but I doubt it will.

Quick Note: Follow Gordon on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news and updates.

What Do You Think: Who has the edge heading into the merge? Was Marty’s idol move smart or stupid? Why is NaOnka ripping up the camp?

Tags:jeff probst, Jimmy Johnson, kelly bruno, shannon elkins, survivor, survivor nicaragua, yve rojas
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‘Survivor’ Castaway Interview – Jillian Behm

October 28, 2010

Jill was sitting pretty at Espada. She had Marty, Tyrone, Dan, Yve, and an immunity idol. Now, three episodes after the tribe swap she’s long gone (along with Tyrone, Yve, and the idol). For me, that makes Jane one of the great “Coulda Been” stories in “Survivor” history.

But, that’s how the water polo ball bounces after it’s pathetically thrown by a guy with two bad knees as he tumbles off a wall into a urine-filled pool.

I spoke with Jill the morning after her elimination to find out why Marty gave Sash the idol, if Fabio was given grief over relieving himself in the pool, and which player she finds “reprehensible.”

Gordon Holmes: Last night was kind of a weird episode in that they really focused on Marty, yet you were the one who went home. What were you doing behind the scenes to save yourself?
Jillian Behm: Yeah, there wasn’t a lot to do. Once the tribe switch happened we were down three to five. And once Jane defected there it was two to six. Marty and I tried pretty hard to try to make inroads, or crack the nut with them, but we really didn’t. They were pretty secure in their alliance and they had Jane as a disposable vote. We tried talking to Sash, he strung us along, gave us sort of a hope that maybe things will work out. But it was pretty frustrating, there was nothing we could do. Even looking back at it I still think to this day there isn’t anything I could do to save my neck.

Gordon: Last night Jane mentioned that you and Marty had made her feel like an ugly duckling, but we never really saw anything like that. Can you give us any insight on why she would feel that way?
Jill: You know, I can’t. I was shocked to see a lot of sides of Jane last night. We didn’t treat her badly at Espada. And Jane had a couple of medical things, minor, not enough to warrant medical treatment from the production staff, but minor medical issues that I helped her out with. And she kind of ran off and did her own thing. It’s not like she came to Marty and I and said, “I want to be in an alliance with you, “ and we said, “No.” She was in an alliance with Wendy Jo and Holly, she was loosely aligned with Jimmy T. She was picking bad alliances. But she never came to us. And for her to say we treated her badly, especially after I’d taken care of her was pretty shocking.
Gordon: I’d be much nicer to someone who was helping to fix me up.
Jill: I think Jane’s got a bit of a vindictive streak. I think she’s pretty easily pointing the finger at other people. She sees nothing wrong with what she’s doing by hoarding coconuts and fish. And I’ve seen people online who are like, “They’re her fish, she caught them.” And that might be, but while she’s catching fish I’m filling her canteen with water. She may be up at 5:30, but there’s someone up at 1, 3, and 5 a.m. stoking the fire. We all have our part, so it’s not like she’s the only one working. So she’s cheating, lying, and I think pretty reprehensible.
Gordon: Did you have any idea that those things were going on?
Jill: No, it wasn’t until I watched the show.
Gordon: How did that make you feel?
Jill: Honestly, I felt angry at first, but in reflecting and thinking about this person and how she abused me and Marty and how she conducts herself…I guess I feel pity for her that life has made her turn out this way.

Gordon: You and Marty were obviously very close, you were comfortable enough to give him the immunity idol. How did that all come about?
Jill: That’s something that wasn’t shown. Marty, Yve, and I were on the beach during the Medallion of Power (challenge) that was the very first hour of the very first day. We looked at each other and said, “Yes,” and we were committed. I felt really good with the two of them. Yve and I tried to keep our alliance a secret because we didn’t want people to know we were a threesome, so we went out of our way not to be seen together.
Gordon: I wanted to give you a chance to address this; Jimmy T. had alluded that he felt there was a bit of a romantic attachment between you and Marty. Any truth to that?
Jill: I can assure there was nothing romantic about it. Marty and I have a lot in common. We’re both married for many years with children, well, his children are younger. (Jimmy T.) said that to me, “It’s almost like you’re in love with him.” But, no, we just hit it off. I don’t know if Jimmy T. understands that you can have relationships with people without romance.
Gordon: Was it rough to be in an alliance with Marty when there wasn’t a thing you could do to fix his hair?
Jill: (Laughs) Yeah, he was starting to look like a little wild man. And I said, “Why’d you leave your hair so long?” He gave me some song and dance about it, but he does have an Amadeus thing going on, doesn’t he?

Gordon: How did you feel about Marty giving the idol to Sash last night?
Jill: They told Marty that they were going to do that, force the decision on him. And he asked what I wanted him to do, and we made that decision together. And I said, “Either way, I’m gone, but at least maybe you can curry favor or stay alive another day.” Cause we didn’t know that Jane was so tight with them. So, maybe they’ll pick him over Jane next time, we didn’t know. But, Marty and Sash both told me I was going home.

Gordon: We’re just now getting to see Sash in action, what are your impressions of him?
Jill: Sash is very bright, obviously. I actually realized that when we got to La Flor. It was obvious that he and Brenda were the only ones playing the game. Fabs…what you see is what you get with him. He’s not making any moves. So it was all Sash and Brenda. It was hard to watch last night with them being so cocky and vindictive. With me, it was never personal. I never took glee in voting someone out. It was like moving a pawn on a chessboard, but they’re sort of personalizing the game and doing some things that don’t sit well with me.

Gordon: Did Fabio face any kind of backlash from La Flor for peeing in the pool?
Jill: (Laughs) No, it was just Fabs. And do you know what he got away with? He voted for Brenda in the first Tribal Council, and Brenda thought it was Kelly B. That’s why Brenda wanted her out so bad. So Fabs has had some luck in this game. And nobody was too bent out of shape about him peeing in the pool.

Gordon: We have heard next to nothing from Purple Kelly. What can you tell us about her, what kind of game is she playing? What’s she like? What’s her favorite color besides purple?
Jill: I don’t know what her favorite color is besides purple, but it’s probably yellow. She’s a very sweet girl. She’s very nice. And don’t forget, she’s the youngest player out there. I actually liked her very well because she wants to go into nursing school. We talked about that. It’s a shame she’s not being shown more because she is funny…and she does have some blonde moments out there. But, she’s a really nice girl.

Gordon: OK, word association. I give you a name, you give me the first thing you think of. Let’s start with Fabio.
Jill: Fabio, Duuuude.
Gordon: Brenda?
Jill: Sexy.
Gordon: Sash?
Jill: Crafty.
Gordon: Jimmy T.?
Jill: Family man.
Gordon: Jimmy J.?
Jill: Gentleman.
Gordon: Marty?
Jill: Brother.
Gordon: Dan?
Jill: Loyal.
Gordon: Tyrone?
Jill: Athletic.
Gordon: Jane?
Jill: Pitiable.
Gordon: And let’s finish off with Holly.
Jill: Caring.

Gordon: What do you take from your time in Nicaragua that you can apply to your everyday life?
Jill: It was so much harder than I ever thought was possible. And I’m a student of the game and I’m pretty tough, I’m athletic, I have an outdoorsy background, but that place literally brought me to my knees at times. Every day now I thank God for a roof over my head, a bed under me, and food in my mouth. It is so amazing how the smallest thing like a tissue or a bar of soap or all of the little things that we take for granted, I hope I never lose that appreciation.

Gordon: When we talked in Nicaragua, you were very excited to get out there and beat some guys in the challenges. You had an opportunity to do that when you won that first individual immunity challenge. How did that feel?
Jill: That felt so good. When I applied for the show, I applied on the platform of being tired of these little girls who suck at challenges. So, I’m like, “Please, put a kick-ass woman on.” So that’s the one part of my game that I’m thrilled about. Winning the challenges felt great. Even last night with the water polo thing I scored twice on Chase and Marty and Sash didn’t score once.
Gordon: If you had gotten to the merge, it’s safe to assume you would have won all of the individual immunity challenges, right?
Jill: That is an absolute fact, Gordon.

Follow Gordon on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news and updates.

Tags:jeff probst, jillian behm, Jimmy Johnson, survivor, survivor nicaragua
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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Power Rankings – Round 6

October 27, 2010

The Rules: Each week, “Survivor: Tocantins” and “Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains” star Benjamin “Coach” Wade and XFINITY TV’s “Survivor” recapper Gordon Holmes 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 Sash is voted out this week, Coach will receive 3 points and Gordon will receive 2 points. At the end of the season, the person or team with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Nicaragua” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: NaOnka got her Christmas wish early when La Flor sent Kelly B. packing, while the youth movement at Espada proved they have no interest in keeping their tribe strong by booting Yve. Team Dragon Slayer had Yve in spot 11 and Kelly B. in spot 12 for a total of 23 points. Gordon had Yve in spot 15 and Kelly B. in spot 10 for a total of 25 points. The current score is now Team Dragon Slayer 72, Team Truth Seeker 78.

Now, let’s have a quick word with our competitors…

Benjamin “Coach” Wade: Ode to the Truth Seeker…
He started out slow with nary a chance,
And lured us in to his little dance.
With cunning and wisdom and a bit of trickery,
He put us in place with his mind full of skulduggery.
But this isn’t over, nay not by a long shot,
But the King and I had better be on our toes, or win we will not.

Gordon Holmes: I’m not going to lie. That was beautiful. No Randy this week?

Coach: This week I am all on my own, with The King MIA. I am not sure where he is and if anyone out there has heard from him let me know. He has either A.) gone to Vegas and eloped, B.) on a Smuggler drinking scotch binge or C.) back on “Survivor 23: Brains vs. Brawn.” So, for this week as I am on my own I will be giving each player an adjective: one word only. And the order isn’t changing much, and I don’t think it will until both tribes merge.

Gordon: I can’t imagine my boss letting me get away with writing only one word, so I’ll be writing in typical Truth Seeker style. I wouldn’t mind writing in haiku form one week though…

And before we start this week’s contest, let’s honor the most recent castaway…

Coach’s Requiem for Kelly B.: Something was not quite right from the start. You didn’t fit in, and were treated like a pariah. If it was because of your leg then a pox on your entire tribe for doing it to you. If it were for other reasons then, well, I guess we will never know. Sorry to see you go.

Coach’s Requiem for Yve: Sexy, smart, strong. What the heck. I think that you made that first alliance with Marty and Jill but then after that you did not change or work the second alliance. You seemed to be out of the loop in terms of the voting strategy and that was all it took. And that, my dear, is the key to “Survivor.” It is a game of evolution and change and you have to keep up.

TEAM DRAGON SLAYER

Current Score: 72

TEAM TRUTH SEEKER

Current Score: 78

#1: Machiavellian.

#1: I can’t wait for the merge so the kids can start turning on each other. I think a lot of the game is going to hinge on if Chase is going to let Brenda push him around.

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#2: Country.		#2: What’s Sash up to trying to get the immunity idol from Marty? He isn’t in any real risk of Marty turning the tables, so it’s worth a try. And this show has a history of people doing stupid things with immunity idols.

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#3: Insidious.		#3: I don’t think Brenda throwing Marty under the bus was a smart move last week. Sure, Marty’s probably not going deep into the game, but I could see him making it to the jury.

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#4: Good hearted.		#4: If I bet you $20 that Kelly Purple Kelly would say more than seven words in the next episode, would you take it? Didn’t think so.

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#5: Methodical.		#5: The show is going to be rough for a while. They’ll pick off older folks till the merge. Once the toddlers have to turn on each other, that’s when it’ll get interesting. Look for Benry to start making moves then.

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#6: Hick.		#6: NaOnka’s super safe for now. And I wouldn’t be surprised if she starts to get that Russell Hantz immunity where people want to go to the finals with her because she’s so abrasive.

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#7: Subtle.		#7: Randy’s right, he really does have that Matty vibe where he’s just going to do what he’s going to do and people are willing to accept it. And if he does win, I’ve got a couple of bridges he can buy with the million.

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#8: Chuckerish.		#8: If I had to guess, I’d say the reason Marty stuck around last week was because Brenda and Sash were worried that Kelly B. could get Fabio to vote with her if she’d stuck around. Marty’s safe the next time he goes to tribal and that’s it.

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#9: Enigmatic.		#9: I’m still not convinced that NaOnka is super fond of Alina. NaOnka’s all buddy-buddy now, but once she gets Brenda back her tune could change.

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#10: Golden.		#10: If Holly comes back and makes a run at this, it’ll be the biggest comeback since Chris Daugherty won Vanuatu after almost being voted out in the first episode. If she makes the merge, she could slide under the radar a while.

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#11: Out of his element.		#11: If the kids don’t see Jane eating that fish, then Jill’s a goner. They’ll split the vote between her and Marty to flush the idol and she’ll be on her way home.

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#12: Shrewd.		#12: What the what?! Jane, you were in a good spot in La Flor and now you’re sneaking off to eat cook a fish? That never goes well. That’s “Survivor” 101.

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#13: Outsider.		#13: Dan is the reason why I hate tribe swaps. There’s no reason for the youngins on either tribe to care about winning immunity because they have plenty of older fodder to go after. I only have Dan last because I think the kids actually like Holly.

Quick Note: Follow Gordon on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news and updates.

What Do You Think: Who’s going to win this round; Team Dragon Slayer or Team Truth Seeker? Are the older players done for? Where is Randy?

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Interviews – Kelly Bruno and Yve Rojas

October 22, 2010

Raindrops on roses, whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles, warm woolen mittens, brown paper packages tied up in strings…those are a few of my favorite things.

What don’t I like? Tribe swaps.

Why? Because they make tribal strength way less important. In China the Zhan Hu tribe threw a challenge in order to get rid of one of their strongest players, while two seasons later in Gabon, the new Kota tribe had no problem sending their strongest player to the jury. What it boils down to is it doesn’t matter if your side loses because there’s fodder from the other tribe to eliminate.

At this rate, Dan could pick up an extra million to buy himself a few extra Ferraris. Poor Yve.

Kelly’s story is a little different. She’s had a target on her back since day one. Well, maybe not on her back. At the end of the day, she was the victim of an alliance that may have been thinking way too far ahead.

Note: I spoke to both of the castaways at the same time. However, since they didn’t share many of the same experiences, it was tough to include them both in the same questions. So, I split the questions up and what we get instead are two mini interviews. The crime in all of this is there wasn’t time for word association. I know, it hurts my heart too.

Kelly Bruno’s Interview:

Gordon Holmes: Kelly, why were you so mean to NaOnka?
Kelly Bruno: (Laughs) I wish I knew! I’m still trying to figure that out. I think early on I didn’t like her attitude toward me, so I didn’t respond to her the way the other players did. I didn’t give her as much reinforcement and I think she took that very personally. I also think she came in thinking she was going to be a physical force on the team for the females and found that I was a little stronger than she expected. I think that didn’t sit well with her, because at one point she did offer to carry me on her back.
Gordon: Wow. How do you respond to something like that?
Kelly: I obviously didn’t respond agreeably to that because I didn’t need that. I didn’t want to be a charity case and that’s exactly how she was pitching that to me. So, we didn’t start off on the right foot and the rest was history.
Gordon: How well did your prosthetic leg hold up to the Nicaraguan wilderness?
Kelly: There were no problems with my prosthetic leg. It wasn’t a factor really. The only difficulty was keeping it clean. The environment was not conducive to silicone which is what my liner is made out of. It’d attract a lot of sand. It was some added stress, but I really feel like I could have gone the full 39 days and not have a problem with it.
Gordon: You performed very well in the Hay Mate challenge. How did it feel to show your tribe mates that you could really go?
Kelly: It was funny because they didn’t show that it took a while to decide who should sit out of that challenge. Na thought it should be me. And I was very adamant that I wanted to prove myself. So, I didn’t offer to sit out because I knew it was my chance to show them what I was capable of.

Gordon: Brenda seems to be calling the shots at La Florida. What was your relationship like with her?
Kelly: Before the tribe swap it was pretty distant. We didn’t really communicate at all. It was a very separate and very divided tribe. It was me and Alina, and Benry would try to go back and forth, and Fabio. So, I didn’t really interact with Brenda. After the tribe swap I didn’t have anyone left that I was close with. Fabio…was Fabio and he kind of did his own thing. So, at that point I thought Brenda was my best shot at getting back in with that group. But I was unaware that Sash was as involved as he was with running things behind the scenes. I didn’t trust Brenda, but I didn’t really have a choice.

Gordon: You were in attendance for the awesome Sash vs. Shannon showdown in the second episode. What was going through your mind during that whole blow up.
Kelly: A lot of us sitting there were just happy that the spotlight wasn’t on us. There was a lot of bad blood, and I was kind of part of it. Sash had come up to me and told me that Shannon told other people that I was going to be the second to go. And this was early in the game where you’re just starting to get to know people. It was kind of hard to know what was the truth and what wasn’t. So, I confronted Shannon and Alina and said, “This is what I’ve heard. If I’m in your alliance, I’m in your alliance, no (expletive deleted).” And I told Shannon not to say anything to Sash, and he did. And this kind of started this whole tense relationship between the two of them. And at Tribal Council when Shannon realized he was probably going to be voted out, he laid it all out there and said, “Look, I’ve never lied to anyone.” And he hadn’t. He’d been very honest and true to what he’d said. He was just trying to defend himself.

Gordon: Does it mean a lot to you to have a chance to be a role model for kids who are disabled?
Kelly: Yeah, absolutely. I think I’ve been lucky to have a lot of support in my life from my parents. It’s nice to be able to give that back to other people who may have not had that support and show them what’s possible. I think a lot of people don’t even realize that since I’ve dealt with being an amputee my entire life that I’ve tested the boundaries of what you can do and there really aren’t any. I think what I wanted to do was get to the final three, but part of it too was the process and the journey of showing what disabled people are capable of. You don’t have to look at them and assume that you have to have pity on them and pat them on the head because that’s usually not the case.

Gordon: So, who am I supposed to root for now?
Kelly: After I went out I was cheering for Alina because she’d been in my alliance. I was also rooting for Fabio, but after watching this last episode knowing he voted for me, it’s hard to continue rooting for him. But he’s the most carefree person out there and he’s fun to be around. He was always making light of the situation and you have to appreciate that.

Yve Rojas’s Interview:

Gordon Holmes: Now Yve, we didn’t get to see very much of you on the show. What moves were you making that we didn’t see?
Yve Rojas: Well out of the gate I aligned with Marty. You could see in the first episode that we had our whole conversation about joining forces. From there I brought in Jill. I don’t know why you didn’t see much of me, but I was definitely playing the game and was real comfortable with what was happening on the original Espada tribe.

Gordon: Did you have a chance to pair up with the younger people after the tribe swap, or did they completely shut you out?
Yve: Immediately after arriving back at camp, Chase made a beeline for me as well as NaOnka. And I knew where each of them stood and where the thoughts were on Alina and Benry at that point. I had a strong relationship with Chase, so it was a surprise when things changed at Tribal Council. I may have hesitated in nurturing those relationships. But hindsight is 20/20. Holly was right on it. Kind of like in life in general, you shouldn’t hesitate. I was confident I was going in the right direction, but apparently I wasn’t.

Gordon: I spoke with Tyrone last week and Jimmy T. the week before that. During the word association portion, they had a few derogatory things to say about you, with Jimmy T. saying you have a lot of baggage and Tyrone saying you hate men. We never saw anything like that on the show. Why do you think they’d say those things?
Yve: That’s a good question. I was reading those comments. And I adore men, I love men.
Gordon: As you should, as we can be adorable.
Yve: (Laughs) Yeah! Men are adorable. When I was out there in the game it was never my intent to discuss my personal life or my personal relationships. And when I was politely refraining from that or they were getting more inquisitive, they misinterpreted that as “I don’t like men” instead of “I’m here to play a game and my personal life is nobody’s business.” I thought they were both respectable, very nice gentlemen and I was kind of surprised by their comments regarding me. I was shocked and disappointed by their comments.

Gordon: If I remember correctly you have two young daughters?
Yve: Yes.
Gordon: What did they think of watching their mommy on “Survivor”?
Yve: They did enjoy watching it. My Helayna thought I was the first one voted out, so she’s been ecstatic watching me make it to seventh. My younger daughter, Savannah broke down in tears watching and was so heartbroken that I was voted out. One is older and looked at it as a fun adventure and the younger one wanted me to win.
Gordon: She wanted the million bucks, didn’t she?
Yve: (Laughs) She wanted it about half as much as I wanted it. I wanted to stay in the game though, it was more about going deeper in the game than the money.

Gordon: Who are you pulling for now that you’re out of the game?
Yve: For me, I definitely want someone in the older tribe to win. And in spite of Holly’s turning on me, I was thinking Holly till the end. And I’d like to see Marty. And I highly respect what Jane did out there. I told her I’d never write her name down unless it was for the winner, and I really meant that.

Follow Gordon on Twitter for Breaking “Survivor” News and It’ll Brighten His Day: @gordonholmes

What Do You Think: How do you feel about tribe swaps? Would Kelly have gotten sympathy votes from a jury? Can Espada afford to keep Dan around? Post your comments below.

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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Episode 6 Recap: $#*! My Fabio Says

October 20, 2010

Last Week: The old vs. young twist? Gone! The Medallion of Power? Gone! Tyrone? Gone! Dan? Inexplicably still here.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Here are the tribes as they currently stand…

The La Flor Tribe (wearing yellow)

Brenda – 27, Paddleboard Company Owner
Fabio – 21, Student
Kelly B. – 26, Medical Student
Kelly S. – 20, Nursing Student
Jane – 56, Dog Trainer
Jill – 43, E.R. Doctor
Marty – 48, Technology Executive
Sash – 30, Real Estate Broker

The Espada Tribe (wearing blue)

Alina – 23, Art Student
Benry – 24, Club Promoter
Chase – 24, Race Car Jackman/Country Singer
Dan – 63, Real Estate Executive
Holly – 44, Swim Coach
NaOnka – 27, P.E. Teacher
Yve – 41, Homemaker

We meet up with the Espadans the morning after Tribal Council and Dan is telling Holly that he’s considering calling it quits. Holly uses the lessons she learned from “Survivor” legend Jimmy Johnson to try to convince Dan to stick around.

Maybe he wouldn’t be so keen on quitting if someone hadn’t sunk his super expensive shoes.

Quick Aside: Will someone please come to my house and hide the Halloween candy? Thank you.

Later, Yve confronts Holly about not being included in the Tyrone vote. Holly thought Yve was in an alliance with Tyrone. (If you read Tyrone’s exit interview, you know that definitely wasn’t the case.)

Meanwhile at La Flor, Marty tells us that he feels like he left a serious drama and joined “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure.” I’m thinking it’s more like “Fabio and Dumber.”

Jill is very concerned with how closely knit the younger tribe is. Brenda then confirms that concern by saying it’s still young vs. old. She then corrects the confirmation of the concern and says it’s the young and Jane vs. the old. Brenda wants to pull the ol’ split vote trick the next time La Flor goes to Tribal Council to flush out Marty’s immunity idol.

Immunity Challenge: Tribal immunity is not on the line, two sweet looking La Flor and Espada-themed individual necklaces are up for grabs. That means we’re in for two Tribal Councils tonight.

In the challenge, players will race to a digging area with a paddle. With that paddle they will dig for rope hoops. Once they have the hoop on their paddle they’ll have to toss it over their shoulder and into a basket that’s attached to their backside. From there they’ll run their hoop back to the beginning and place it on a post. First person to place all three hoops on their post wins immunity. The two winners will then compete in a ring toss, the first to hit three tosses receives a feast of chicken and beef kabobs for their team.

Espada goes first and…there’s not much to describe, although watching them toss the hoops into the basket is hilarious. Holly eventually wins individual immunity. As JPro places the sword-shaped Espada immunity idol around her neck, it promptly slips down her shirt. Awkward.

The La Floricans are up next and it’s more of the same. Jill, Marty, and Kelly B. are neck and neck at the finish, with Jill eventually pulling out the win. Also, her fleur de lis-shaped necklace stays out of her shirt.

The final round can best be described as Jill and Holly throwing hoops at a set of hooks. It’s close, if not very exciting, with Jill winning it for La Flor. I can’t wait for the pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey reward challenge.

Back at La Florida, Brenda is annoyed that Jill’s immunity win has thrown off their plans. Her and BBNY (Biggest Bachelor in New York) devise a plan to split the votes between Marty and Kelly B.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo…

Hey, nowhere in my “Survivor” recap contract does it say I have to be impartial.

Meanwhile, Marty is bragging to Fabio that he is a grand master in chess. Seriously. He tells Fabio this because he claims to have the rest of the game worked out, but he needs Fabio’s help.

Shortly afterward, Marty admits to us that he isn’t a chess grand master. Well heck, if he was fibbing he should have just told Fabio he was a former head prefect at Gryffindor.

Back at Espadakota, Holly’s trying to figure out where Dan stands. Dan isn’t concerned about staying in the game because he already owns a Range Rover and a Ferrari. I’m starting to feel less bad about the destruction of his $1,600 shoes.

Benry wants to keep Dan around because he knows Dan isn’t much competition. Chase agrees with Benry, then admits to us that the only person he trusts on Espada is NaOnka. Oof…that’s rough.

NaOnka wants Dan to go home because his legs are going to snap off and “He’s going to be walking on nubs.” Apparently she’s obsessed with people who don’t have legs.

Yve then digs her own grave by telling Alina and NaOnka that she can be valuable to them because of how well she knows Marty, Jill, and Jane. Yve may have meant it as “I know the dirt on them,” but that certainly isn’t how Alina took it. She thinks they’re in an alliance.

Over at La Flor, Sash takes Fabio aside to explain the split-the-vote plan. Fabio turns to Sash with a straight face and says, “Do we want to flush the idol from Marty?”

I love you, Fabio. Seriously, never change.

Later, Sash convinces Marty that they’re going to be voting for Jane. Marty agrees to go along with that plan.

Marty tells us that he’s going to sit on the idol as it would only buy him one more Tribal Council anyways.

That night at Tribal Council, the topic of Marty’s immunity idol is brought up. Marty argues that he revealed it to show what an honest game he’s been playing. Just like his days playing seeker at the Quidditch Cup.

Brenda thinks he revealed the idol so he could appear to be noble.

Probst then kind of outs the youngsters by asking if the kids will make Marty feel safe so he won’t play it and then vote him out. Marty admits that thought has crossed his mind.

Probst asks Kelly B. how comfortable she is within the tribe. She says that she feels comfortable.

JPro asks Brenda if Jane has anything to worry about. Brenda throws the chess master under the bus by saying that Jane has to worry about Jill and Marty voting her out.

Whoa!

Marty says Jane doesn’t have to worry about them because the two of them can’t vote her out without help from the original La Flor.

Marty then mouths to Jane to vote for Brenda.

Voting Time: Jane votes Marty and advises him to never fluff off a southern woman, Marty votes for Brenda because she’s the black widow, the king cobra, and the black mamba all rolled into one, Brenda votes for Kelly B., and the rest aren’t shown.

Probst does some solid tallying then returns. He asks if anyone wants to use the hidden immunity idol and Marty…doesn’t.

Three votes for Marty, two votes for Brenda, and three votes for Kelly B…a tie!

Tie breaking rules; Marty and Kelly B. won’t vote, everyone else votes for either Marty or Kelly B.

No votes are shown, Probst tallies yet again, and here we go. One vote for Marty, three votes Kelly B., and the sixth person voted out of “Survivor: Nicaragua” is…Kelly B.

Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Espada is then brought in as La Flor sits down to a delicious feast.

Probst rubs it in, asking Espada if it bothers them that La Flor gets to eat. Dan gets the line of the night saying if it isn’t a martini then it doesn’t bother him.

Yve is fighting for her life, pointing out that Dan talking about quitting is bad for the tribe’s morale. She also thinks Dan is a liability in challenges. She must be a goner.

Dan swings back, claiming that Yve is arrogant. Yve retorts by saying she isn’t always talking about her six cars like Dan does. Yeah, I’m over the $1,600 shoes.

Alina points out that it’s getting to be that part of the game where you might not want super competitive people to stick around.

Voting Time: Dan votes for Yve, Yve votes for Dan, and the rest are sacrificed in the name of creating drama.

JPro tallies for the third time in one night (a record?) and returns. One vote for Yve, one vote for Dan, two votes for Yve, and the seventh person voted out of “Survivor: Nicaragua” is…Yve.

Verdict: Kind of a dull episode until Brenda made her move at Tribal Council. I’m not sure I understand it either. If she’d kept her mouth shut, they could have hid behind the “Well, we wanted to flush your idol” excuse, but now they’ve got a ticked off pretend chess master on their hands.

Who’s Going to Win? I wonder if Brenda’s making some unnecessary moves. Maybe someone like Chase or Sash who’re more laid back are better bets.

Power Rankings Results: Team Dragon Slayer had Yve in spot 11 and Kelly B. in spot 12 for a total of 23 points. I had Yve in spot 15 and Kelly B. in spot 10 for a total of 25 points. The current score is now Team Dragon Slayer 72, Team Truth Seeker 78.

Follow me on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news and borderline witty remarks: @gordonholmes

What Do You Think? Should Brenda have called out Marty at Tribal Council? Would you buy a book of Fabio sayings? Has Jane become your favorite player?

Tags:jeff probst, Jimmy Johnson, kelly bruno, marty piombo, survivor, survivor nicaragua
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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Power Rankings – Round 5

October 20, 2010

Last Week: Three things disappeared last week; the Medallion of Power, Tyrone, and Team Dragon Slayer’s sizable lead. Coach and “The King of Gabon” Randy Bailey had Tyrone in spot three. While Gordon called it, having Tyrone in spot sixteen.

This Week: Two people are going home as both tribes will square off in individual immunity challenges.

Now, let’s have a quick word with our competitors…

Benjamin “Coach” Wade: As the Noble Knight and the Exiled King regroup and move back to the castle and barricade the walls, fill up the moat and lick our cursed wounds after a thorough drumming last week from the “Truth” Seeker. Time to get back in the game and back to war.

Randy Bailey: No comment on last week’s results except that karma can be a bitch.

And before we start this week’s contest, let’s honor the most recent castaway…

Coach’s Requiem for Tyrone: Wow, what a shocker. It’s incredible how things can turn on a dime. Was Tyrone like that in the beginning and we just didn’t get to see that side of him, or was it the “not me” syndrome from the rest of the tribe? I can’t believe that Dan is still in there but hey, stranger things happen. As for the NaOnka/Alina alliance…politics makes strange bedfellows and boy is it political out there on the island.

Sigh, but alas, I digress. To Tyrone: Big, strong, calm, a leader, rational…hey that’s why they do the switch. And I’m not buying the chicken thing. You just reach in there and break off a piece. His relentless picking at the same bone is not fooling me. I think that’s just a decoy for the earlier soft guy that we saw.

The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Gonna miss Tyrone, but just like always we see people taking out physical threats way too early and simply ignoring the dead weight. Why should this season be different than the previous 20?

TEAM DRAGON SLAYER

Current Score: 49

TEAM TRUTH SEEKER

Current Score: 53

#1: Kickin’ ass in challenges, finding the immunity idol, flirting with the guys, I think she will start making more power moves in the future. She’s steppin’ up (and hopefully not steppin’ out).
The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Her edit showed a hint of cocky which means she will see Halloween but not Thanksgiving.

#1: He’s a cornerstone of the Minority Majority alliance, he’s the strongest guy on Espada, he’s clearly on NaOnka’s good side. He’s doing just fine.

	.
#2: See Benry’s comment below. Are you all in? The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: His emotional story to NaOnka had only one purpose…get the viewer to like him…first hint of a possible winner.		#2: I think Brenda is the most dangerous player this season. She saw right though Marty’s idol unveiling. She’s still my pick to win the whole thing. Her main problem could be her alliance realizing how smart and cunning she is.

	.
#3: You look like every episode you are chillin’ on the beach without a care in the world. A wry smile and a non-threatening posture is getting you deep into the game. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: You have been dealt a perfect hand. Now let’s see if you know how to play it.		#3: Benry finally getting some face time. Nice to see him step up, too. It looks like we’re heading into a youngster-heavy merge. It’ll be interesting to see how the dynamics work out now that they’ve been apart for a while.

	.
#4: I think you are just dumb enough to not make alliances and not be a threat. Good strategy whether it’s intentional or not. 🙂 The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: I said before this guy reminds me of Matty from Gabon. I think he will have a similar outcome…late jury.		#4: I think the swap worked out best from Alina. She went from being NaOnka’s punching bag to being her shoulder to cry on.

	.
#5: Keep it up. Just don’t go too strong in the immunity challenges to show your hand yet. You remind me of a good poker player. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: I like this guy more than I thought I would.		#5: Purple Kelly Purple, you’re the best. I don’t know what you’re the best at, cause we never see you, but I adore you.

	.
#6: Given the young ones the scoop on Marty the Mamba. Good one. That will lock in a vote or too. You might be on track to win this thing keeping in the middle like you are doing. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Saw some signs of the edit making her out to be more valuable than she really is…this means she is going deep.		#6: What’s the BBNY (Biggest Bachelor in New York) been up to? For someone who wants to be the next Russell Hantz, he sure does play under the radar.

	.
#7: Just hangin’ in the middle. I think I didn’t give you enough credit the first go around. Is this another Natalie White? The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Coach and I first fill in our list from the bottom and then from the top. We had everyone assigned a position but we were missing one. We could not think of Kelly Purple. This is a very good sign to last a long, long time.		#7: I’m not going to lie, it went against every natural instinct I’ve ever had to feel bad for NaOnka last week. I’m sure she’ll be fine, but quitting talk can raise your alliance mates’ eyebrows.

	.
#8: Strange bedfellows…hmmm. But I think you are going to snap one of these days on NaOnka when the time is right! The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: You seem way too normal for this game. How did you get by casting?		#8: Do we have any idea where Fabio allegiances lie right now? I was under the assumption that he was on the outside of the Minority Majority alliance. Have we seen him partnering with anyone?

	.
#9: “You remind me of my sons, Tyrone reminds me of my great grandfather, King reminds me of my older brother.” Not faulting you for trying that line but were Benry and Chase really buyin’ that one? The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: I liked you better when you were nuts. Again, what are they not showing us?		#9: Holly turned the swap to her advantage by becoming a swing vote. Smart move. And with Dan and Yve below her on the totem pole, she could hit the merge and coast for a while.

	.
#10: I think you are safe as long as you don’t quit. Of course Holly looked like she was going to quit when Jimmy J. was the hero for an episode. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: No squeaking noises this week, wtf?		#10: It’s my instinct to think she’s safe because NaOnka was swapped to Espada…but is she? Have we seen her buddying up to anyone besides Alina?

	.
#11: You are too quiet in this episode. Use your youthful good looks to sexify the younger guys and relate to the other girls. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Still trying to figure out the spelling of your name.		#11: I love me some Jane. I hope the youngsters see the value in her spirit and her sense of humor. But if they want to clean up the rest of the pre-merge immunity challenges, they may send her packing.

	.
#12: You seem to be even more on the outs with the new tribe. I know they aren’t showing much but you seem to be deflated since NaOnka put the beat down on you. Come on, pick your head up and get back in the game. King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Na is out of your hair now so let’s see you step up.		#12: I’d like to think that Marty would never be caught off guard with an immunity idol in his pocket. But it’s happened several times before…

	.
#13: The queen will follow the king and will not relate to the younger kids. Fabio will be the key swing vote for the vote. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Lucky you have Marty in front of you…let’s see if you can dance out of his shadow before it is too late.		#13: I give Dan all the credit in the world for being able to stay in this game, but there has to come a point where Espada needs to win some challenges.

	.
#14: You are starting to overplay things. The saying goes “too much of a good thing” can be a bad thing. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Unfortunately you were cast on a season of “Survivor” with a double-digit number (like me) you must throw away your playbook if you have any chance.		#14: The younger part of La Flor knows Marty has an immunity idol, and with Jane they have the numbers to split the vote. That’s bad news for Jill, which is a shame because I think she played a solid game.

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#15: You are like a dingleberry that just keeps clingin’ on. Let go already. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Would have liked to have seen you on a real season with real challenges.		#15: Everyone voted for Tyrone except for Yve. That can’t be good. Her only hope may be winning the individual immunity challenge.

Quick Note: Follow Gordon on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news and updates.

What Do You Think: Who’s going to win this round; Team Dragon Slayer or Team Truth Seeker? Which two players are going home next? Do you miss the Medallion of Power?

Tags:coach wade, Jimmy Johnson, Randy Bailey, survivor, survivor nicaragua
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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Episode 5 Recap: The Grossest Challenge Ever

October 13, 2010

Alternate Headlines: Spit Happens or Wheely Disgusting

Last Week: NaOnka found an idol and picked a fight, Dan stood around, and Marty added another Jimmy to his hit list by taking out Jimmy Tarantino.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Here are the tribes as they currently stand…

The La Flor Tribe aka The Young Tribe (wearing yellow)

•    Alina – 23, Art Student
•    Benry – 24, Club Promoter
•    Brenda – 27, Paddleboard Company Owner
•    Chase – 24, Race Car Jackman/Country Singer
•    Fabio – 21, Student
•    Kelly B. – 26, Medical Student
•    Kelly S. – 20, Nursing Student
•    NaOnka – 27, P.E. Teacher
•    Sash – 30, Real Estate Broker

The Espada Tribe aka The Older Tribe (wearing blue)

•    Dan – 63, Real Estate Executive
•    Holly – 44, Swim Coach
•    Jane – 56, Dog Trainer
•    Jill – 43, E.R. Doctor
•    Marty – 48, Technology Executive
•    Tyrone – 42, Fire Captain
•    Yve – 41, Homemaker

We meet up with Espada the morning after Tribal Council, and Marty is very pleased with how the game is going. By his math they’re set through at least the next three Tribal Councils. He says it’d take something extraordinary to disturb his plans now.

Over at La Flor, NaOnka tells us how happy she is with her alliance. Her hair looks good, her shoes look good, she has an idol. Nothing could possibly go wrong.

If this was the “Amazing Race” they’d cue that sound effect that tells you when someone is making a mistake.

Sure enough, we’re swept over to some kind of challenge set-up where Jeff tells the tribe to drop their buffs. (Jeff, what’d you say to me in Nicaragua about not always saying the same things?!)

Each of the players pulls a rock out of a bag to decide the new tribe captains. The winners are Brenda and Holly. That’s nice symmetry, the person playing the best game and the person playing the worst game will get to pick teams.

Brenda gets to choose three Espada players, while Holly gets to choose four La Flor players. Brenda chooses Marty, Jill, and Jane. Holly chooses Alina, Benry, Chase, and NaOnka.

Your new tribes are…

La Flor: Brenda, Kelly B., Kelly S., Fabio, Sash, Marty, Jill, Jane
Espada: Holly, Dan, Tyrone, Yve, Alina, Benry, Chase, and NaOnka

Wow, odd picks by Brenda. Is she trying to weed out who she thinks is the old Espada leadership?

Also, the Medallion of Power is no longer in play. Don’t act upset, you hated it.

NaOnka tells JPro that she’s upset that she’s losing some of her buddies. Yeah, I’m sure Fabio and Kelly B. are really upset about this.

Reward Challenge: Players will throw balls up a ramp, the balls will then roll down a Plinko-style board, hitting obstacles on the way down. Two members of the other tribe will try to catch the balls. The first side to drop a ball loses a point. First team to get three points wins a flock of chickens.

Jane gets a little ahead of herself yelling, “I’m gonna wring that neck on that chicken!” Way to make a good first impression there, Jane.

Not much to describe here. Espada wins the first point when the Biggest Bachelor in New York drops a ball. La Flor scores the next point when Tyrone drops one. Espada scores again when Marty and Marty’s amazing hair drop a ball. La Flor ties it up when Alina drops one. And finally Espada wins when Marty drops another ball.

Back at Espada camp, Tyrone is upset that his alliance is gone, but doesn’t mind that there are some lovely young ladies around camp. He also lays down the law as to how the Espada tribe does things.

NaOnka informs us that Tyrone is not a gangsta. Thanks, NaOnka.

And showing that crazy can attract crazy, NaOnka and Holly actually start to bond. Holly decides that she’s on the outs with the old Espada tribe and that she’s on board with whatever the youngsters want to do.

Over at La Flor, Fabio is “stoked” with his new tribe. He seems less stoked after Marty tells him how hard everyone worked over at Espada.

Jane then rats out Marty and Jill to the kids’ table saying, “They’re as tight as ticks, one of them humping the other one on the back.” She then uses her fingers to pantomime what tick intimate relations must look like.

This show needs more Jane and Fabio.

Next up, Fabio tells Marty about NaOnka tackling Kelly B. Marty says that’d never fly at Espada. He also claims to have not had to lie to anyone (I know a certain two-time Super Bowl champion who’d disagree with that). Then, he admits to everyone that he has an immunity idol.

Brenda doesn’t approve of this move as much as Jimmy T. did. She thinks this puts a huge target on his back.

Back at Espada, the rain is starting to pour down. NaOnka is concerned because when she gets cold and wet she starts to lose it. Too…many…jokes…

Apparently this is a big deal, she even tells Alina that she’s considering quitting. It’s nice to see Alina and NaOnka getting along. Maybe NaOnka’s hatred is specifically for people with less than two legs?

Chase joins the two of them and cheers NaOnka up by telling her a touching story about how he saw a rainbow on the day that his father passed away. It might have gotten a little dusty here at “Survivor” Central.

Immunity Challenge: Three players from each team will be strapped to a wheel. As the wheel rotates, their heads will dip into a trough. They’ll have to fill their mouths with water while they’re underwater. As they rotate to the top, they’ll spit the water into a funnel. Once the funnel is filled up with water a ball will be released. Another player on the tribe will take the ball and try to break a series of tiles. The first team to break all five tiles wins immunity.

OK, I’m going to go on record as saying I think this is the grossest challenge in “Survivor” history. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Gordon, they’ve been forced to eat bugs and drink blood on this show.” And that’s true, but all of those challenges were based on local customs and traditions. In this challenge they’re basically dunking their dirty, greasy, been-hanging-out-on-a-beach-for-two-weeks heads into a trough of water and taking a big gulp.

Fun Fact: You know the kid in every elementary school who has a weak stomach and pukes easily? At my elementary school that kid’s name was Gordon Holmes. This wasn’t an awesome challenge for me.

Maybe that wasn’t such a fun fact.

On the wheel for La Flor we’ve got Kelly B., Purple Kelly Purple, and Brenda. On the wheel for Espada we have Yve, Alina, and Holly.

La Flor’s strategy is to go as quickly as possible, while Espada’s is to go slow so they can spit more water into the funnel. Apparently Espada had the right plan as their ball is released first.

Tyrone and Benry are shooting for Espada. Jane and Fabio are shooting for La Flor. Somewhere in the distance Jimmy T. is screaming, “Put me in, Coach! I coulda beena contender!”

The tile breaking comes down to the final tile, with Fabio winning it for La Flor by hitting the final shot.

NaOnka tells us that she doesn’t want to quit and she doesn’t want her students to think she’s a quitter, but she’s thinking of quitting.

So…it’s OK for your students to think you’ll bully a one-legged woman?

Later that day, Espada is discussing whether or not to eat a chicken. Tyrone wants to keep the chickens for the eggs, everyone else wants to eat a chicken.

Tyrone says he’s not going to push the issue and isn’t going to “Gangsta it.” Which is good, cause NaOnka already told us he isn’t a gangsta.

Holly is annoyed that Tyrone stayed away during the killing and preparation of the chicken, but was first in line when it came time for eating the chicken. Benry also lets us know that Tyrone took the biggest piece of chicken.

“Survivor” always comes down to food. Every time.

That night at Tribal Council, Benry tells Jeff that he thinks Tyrone is the leader of Espada. Tyrone agrees that he is the leader and is happy to have the position.

Alina thinks that Tyrone treats the former La Flors like they’re children. She also threatens to hold her breath until he stops.

Jeff asks NaOnka to compare her time on “Survivor” with the most difficult thing to ever happen in her life. She says it’s been as rough as when she got a divorce. She thinks “Survivor” has been better because she has a support system.

Jeff tries to put Benry on the spot, asking if they’re OK with NaOnka quitting. Benry says he doesn’t know what Jeff is talking about. Jeff doesn’t believe him. Meow. Jeff can get away with that because he is gangsta.

Yve says she understands and that it’s a cause for concern when someone starts throwing around the q-word.

Voting Time: Tyrone votes for NaOnka, Benry votes for “The King of Espada” but the name he writes down isn’t shown, (he also knocks over the paperweight, which is hilarious), and the rest of the votes are super secret.

JPro gets his tally on, then returns. One vote for NaOnka, two votes for Tyrone, one vote for NaOnka, two votes for Tyrone, and the fifth person voted out of “Survivor: Nicaragua” is…Tyrone.

Verdict: First thing’s first; how is Dan still in this game?!

OK, that’s out of the way. I’m not a big fan of tribe swaps, but this season needs something to jump start it. Hopefully this will put it going in the right direction.

Who’s Going to Win? I’m sticking with Brenda until she makes a misstep.

Power Rankings Results: Yes! Coach and Randy Bailey had Tyrone in spot three while I called it, having Tyrone in spot sixteen. The current score is now Team Dragon Slayer 49, Team Truth Seeker 53.

Follow me on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news: @gordonholmes

What Do You Think? How do you feel about tribe swaps? Should NaOnka be a teacher? Is there anyone to root for?

Tags:jeff probst, Jimmy Johnson, survivor, survivor nicaragua
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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Power Rankings – Round 4

October 13, 2010

The Rules: Each week, “Survivor: Tocantins” and “Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains” star Benjamin “Coach” Wade and XFINITY TV’s “Survivor” recapper Gordon Holmes 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 Sash is voted out this week, Coach will receive 11 points and Gordon will receive 10 points. At the end of the season, the person or team with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Nicaragua” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Marty added another Jimmy to his booting collection by sending Jimmy Tarantino home. Coach and “The King of Gabon” Randy Bailey won the round, having Jimmy T. in spot 16. Gordon was only one point behind as he had him in spot 15.

Now, let’s have a quick word with our competitors…

Benjamin “Coach” Wade: Since the King and I are ahead 3 rounds to nothing, and by 9 points (and since there is a flop in the tribes this week) we are simply flipping a coin and hoping that the “Survivor” Gods smile down favorably upon us. So, if the rankings seem a bit askance, that is the reason. Since there is obviously a tribal switch this week we are simply flipping the list with a flip of a coin and a roll of the dice. And with your luck, Mr. Holmes, you will lose by a larger margin.

Gordon Holmes: With my luck, I’ll break some of my fingers typing up my picks.

Randy Bailey: We also want to give you a chance to catch up so that we are not bored out of our minds by Halloween.

Benjamin “Coach” Wade: Uh oh, I know this better than anyone. “Pride cometh before the fall.” Hope this does not bode ill against our alliance.

And before we start this week’s contest, let’s honor the most recent castaway…

Coach’s Requiem for Jimmy Tarantino: Man, I hated seein’ you go, Jimmy. Keep that mouth shut, wouldya? Whadyatalkinabout!!! BUT…you played with your heart and soul, man. If only I could have coached you out there. Told you to tone it down, let me go in front. I feel ya when you are frustrated with the current leadership. There were so many other dolts on your tribe that if you had just laid low you would have made it past the flop and past the merge. But oh, whata character. You were by far the most interesting guy in the game until now.

The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: No way I can rip another applicant like myself. You would still be in the game if your wife had sewn your lips shut.

TEAM DRAGON SLAYER

Current Score: 46

TEAM TRUTH SEEKER

Current Score: 37

#1: She’s got the idol and she’s not goin’ anywhere. And, if “Survivor” doesn’t work out she’s a MMA fighter in the making.
The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Seeing a bit of a shift in her edit…going from funny cocky to arrogant cocky…she’s got three episodes left.

#1: The people who benefit the most from tribe swaps? Swing votes from dominant tribes like Alina. She could put the former Espadas over vote wise and make a run for it Susie Smith style. (Sorry, Randy. Does that bring up bad memories?)

	.
#2: Who is this girl and when will we get a sexy confessional out of her? The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Nonexistent edit. We have to hear her speak before she gets voted out.		#2: Blah blah, Benry. What can I say about you? You’re lying low and are performing well in challenges. I’m thinking you’re safe.

	.
#3: This guy has more one-liners than Samuel L. Jackson. I replayed the shot-calling scene with my eyes closed and swore I saw flashbacks of “Pulp Fiction.” The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: He got some people.		#3: Oh, Purple Kelly Purple. You’re physically fit, you’re not threatening to throw prosthetic legs in the fire, you’re a good alliance member. You’re gonna be just fine no matter where you end up.

	.
#4: You seem in danger, therefore you are not. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: JP has been telling us for two weeks how much she is in danger. Give me a break. Mid jury at least.		#4: Hopefully the swap will give Kelly B. a chance to maneuver, cause things haven’t been good for her up to this point. But what does she do, cling to the former La Flors in her new tribe, or be a swing vote and join with the golden oldies?

	.
#5: Time to take off that leg and give NaOnka a beat down because of her mouth. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Kelly and Alina are joined at the hip (no offense, Kelly)…..going with Alina to mid jury.		#5: I’ve been petitioning the producers to allow me to grant immunity idols to players I want to stay in the game. When they finally come through, I’m sending three to Fabio. He cracks me up and is one of a handful of likable players left in this game.

	.
#6: Still lovin’ this guy. You are too likable to be going anywhere soon. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Perfect alpha male to be killed with a tribal switch, but edit says he is safe.		#6: I think Chase is going to be fine with the swap. Nobody really considers him to be the brains of his alliance, and they’ll want to keep him around for immunity strength.

	.
#7: I want more more more. What’s the edit not showing us? Smarter than we think, I think. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Sorry about the forehead comment last week.		#7: Now that Marty’s number advantage is probably shot, he’d better put that “Daddy” gimmick of his on the back burner. If the whippersnappers think he was the leader of Espada he could be in trouble. However, last week’s preview makes me think he’s safe.

	.
#8: Why weren’t you watching Chase when he went for the idol, and who is your alliance anyway? The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Your domination (or perceived domination) in last week’s challenge is concerning. Call yourself Ben and I will like you.		#8: Jane didn’t vote with the majority last week. But, lucky for her, that majority is becoming a minority with the swap. Jane’s crafty, she’ll find a way to swing this to her advantage.

	.
#9: I want to see more survival skills! The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Hope the switch puts you on a tribe with Dan.		#9: I can’t imagine NaOnka’s trademark “fly off the handle at any little thing” strategy will be good for her if she loses her numbers advantage. However, she still has an immunity idol, so she’s safe for a bit.

	.
#10: Disappointed in how you handled Chase. Gotta get someone to trust you and stick with it, don’t flop before the flop. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Keep a low profile so the attention is on Na…when she gets the boot start playing…I should have taken my own advice after Charlie was booted.		#10: The swap could be bad news for Sash. I’m assuming it’s going to be one tribe of 3 Espadas/5 La Flors and one tribe of 4 Espadas/4 La Flors. Those aren’t good numbers for him. Outsiders like Alina, Kelly B., and Fabio could team with former Espadas to get out from under Sash’s alliance.

	.
#11: When’s the player going to start playing? The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: You are safe…not sure about gay or straight though…waiting for Charlie to advise me.		#11: (See Sash)

	.
#12: At least you aren’t talking about quitting this time. King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Time to throw Daniel and Jane under the bus and you will go deep.		#12: I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Holly might be in a good position in the game. The tribe swap could give her the same swing-vote flexibility that Alina has.

	.
#13: Strong alpha males usually get weeded out before the merge. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Reminds me of Aaron from China. The switch could destroy the strongest player in the game right now.		#13: Here’s a behind-the-scenes tidbit from my time in Nicaragua: Yve doesn’t think much of Brenda. She seemed to be writing Brenda off as a ditzy cheerleader before the game began. Yve should be very wary of Brenda if they end up on the same tribe. Shannon already learned that lesson.

	.
#14: See Marty’s comments below. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: The edit has shown you as playing a great game…let’s hope this is not to show how a switch can kill the best player.		#14: I’m noticing I have mostly Espada members on the bottom of my rankings, but that’s how flops tend to work. If Jill ends up on a tribe that has former Espada members who don’t like how close she is with Marty, she could be in trouble. It’d be a shame for her game to end like that.

	.
#15: You WERE playing an incredible game. One of the smartest guys to play, initially. You are playing like an all-star. But the flop flips everyone. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: Hate to see him go, but it’s possible with the switch.		#15: If Dan doesn’t end up on Marty’s tribe, he’s done. The tribe won’t put up with him not competing in challenges. Only cuties like Courtney Yates can get away with that move.

	.
#16: See ya. The King of Gabon’s Two Cents: “Dude still got ailments.”		#16: Swaps never turn out super-well for strong guys who lose their numbers advantage. I’m thinking specifically of Marcus Lehman from Gabon and Aaron Reisberger from China. Right now Tyrone had better be hoping that the minority alliance is accepting applications.

Quick Note: Follow Gordon on Twitter for breaking “Survivor” news and updates.

What Do You Think: Who’s going to win this round; Team Dragon Slayer or Team Truth Seeker? Are tribe swaps unfair? Is there anyone left to root for this season?

Tags:jeff probst, Jimmy Johnson, jimmy tarantino, survivor, survivor nicaragua
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‘Survivor’ Castaway Interview – Jimmy ‘Jimmy T.’ Tarantino

October 7, 2010

“If CBS was ever foolish enough to cast me in ‘Survivor,’ I would make it to the merge…easily.” – Gordon Holmes

I know what you’re thinking, that’s a pretty bold statement. But it’s true. I’ve seen every episode of “Survivor” and know the basic rules by heart; don’t be annoying, don’t be a leader, and don’t call people out. If you’re someone who can be useful in challenges, those three things are basically all you need to guarantee yourself a trip to Mergetown.

So why did Jimmy Tarantino, who is such a big “Survivor” fan that he had his entire town vote him into the game in the Sears Casting Call contest, make these rookie mistakes? I spoke with Jimmy T. the morning after his quick dismissal to find out why he ignored the three “Survivor” commandments, which Espada member is in love with Marty, and what he really thinks of Jimmy Johnson.

Gordon Holmes: How’s it going, Jimmy T.?
Jimmy Tarantino: Pretty good considering I got smashed last night.
Gordon: Indeed you did. However, it seemed like you picked up on how abrasive you were being during your farewell interview last night. Why didn’t you pick up on that sooner?
Jimmy T.: Jeez, in the game I didn’t think I was doing that, but certainly on TV they’re not going to show the days and days of building the shelter, or providing the food, or the stuff that’s less drama. I’d spend three days working hard, then five minutes after a challenge expressing that, “Hey, we’re not doing too well, why don’t you give me a shot?” But it sure seems like I did a heck of a lot more complaining than I actually did. I was just looking for a chance to right the ship.
Gordon: What could you have done differently in those challenges?
Jimmy T.: There was no question that in the beanbag toss that I would’ve won. I got to throw in ten tosses once I got in there and Tyrone had thrown about fifty. He actually got called out and wouldn’t come out of the game. Then when he finally did, I got about ten tosses and they were the longest tosses. I would’ve won that challenge, that’s a fact.
Gordon: So Jimmy Johnson did call for Tyrone to come out earlier and he wouldn’t come out?
Jimmy T.: There were a couple of times he called him out. He said afterwards that he didn’t hear it. So I yelled real loud, “Tyrone, give someone else a chance!” And he said “Be quiet, Jimmy T.!” So once again they’re portraying me as the squeaky wheel.

Gordon: You got onto the show by winning the Sears Casting Call contest. So, you’re obviously a big fan of the show. If you’re such a big fan, how did you not know that asking for a leadership role is usually a recipe for disaster?
Jimmy T.: I had the right plan going in. I planned to keep quiet and play it slow. But once I got in the game…I’m a hard-working person. I’m the kind of person who’s going to give 100%. It’s been working for me for 49 years to go in, work hard, and take a leadership role. It’s worked for me for 49 years quite successfully. So, it’s hard to not do that. If you play “Survivor,” you’ve gotta play with your head. And I played with my heart. We had misguided leadership and self-serving leadership and I tried to fight against it even though I knew it wasn’t in my best interest.
Gordon: At Tribal Council when Jeff Probst asked if you’d be willing to take a non-leadership role, you seemed very emotionally upset. Why did you take that so personally?
Jimmy T.: At that point I thought that I was going home no matter what happened. And I was overwhelmed with the fact that I had blown this opportunity. My family, my friends, everyone who had voted for me, I felt like I had let them down. So, at that point I was willing to say what I had to say to not get the vote.

Gordon: When we were in Nicaragua, you said your entire town had voted to get you into “Survivor.” I’m thinking this means you must be a popular fellow. Why didn’t that popularity translate into the game?
Jimmy T.: I know why it didn’t translate into the game. The game of “Survivor” isn’t like real life. If you do something nice for somebody in real life, they say, “Wow, that’s a nice guy. He’s considerate and thoughtful.” But if you do something nice for somebody in “Survivor” they get on the defensive. You’re trying to help them start a fire and they’re like, “I know, I can do it!” They feel like you’re trying to show them up. Every act of kindness was resented. Marty accused me of being paranoid, but I think I was a victim of everybody else’s insecurities.
Gordon: So, if you played the game again you’d play it NaOnka-syle?
Jimmy T.: Absolutely not. If I play the game again, and I intend to play the game again because I have the skills and the color, the best thing to do is get in the back of the bus and let the other people drive it off the cliff and jump off right before it goes off the cliff.

Gordon: Speaking of someone who’s driving the bus off the cliff, did you have any idea that Marty and Jill were the power players within Espada?
Jimmy T.: Jill and I had an alliance from the very beginning that she wanted out of. She turned on me like a junkyard dog. I think she fell in love with Marty and from there on did whatever he said. You can see in the last couple of weeks she’ll express an idea and Marty shoots it down. He doesn’t want to hear another word about it and she says, “Whatever you say, you’re the puppet master.” So how can you go up against that?
Gordon: When I met Jill in Nicaragua she didn’t strike me as much of a follower. Do you think she could be playing Marty?
Jimmy T.: Absolutely not. She definitely isn’t playing him. When he talks in the tribe he was calm and collected and Jill bought it hook, line, and sinker. I remember pre-challenges her saying, “Marty can do it! How about Marty? Marty’d be good at that!” She was in love with Marty. I remember saying in the side interviews, “I hope Jill’s husband isn’t seeing this footage because she’s falling in love with this guy.”
Gordon: OK, when you originally said “falling in love” I thought you meant like when a male and female will form a non-romantic alliance like Russell and Parvati in “Survivor: Heroes Vs. Villains.” Do you really think Jill has a crush on Marty?
Jimmy T.: I really think she was smitten with him, absolutely. Watch the last shows and look at it in that way. One person in “Survivor” says, “I figured out the clue, go get it.” Who does that? And he says, “I don’t want to hear another word about it.” It’s like he’s scolding his wife and she says, “OK, you’re the puppet master.”
Gordon: Do you think she can’t resist his sweet haircut?
Jimmy T.: (Laughs) Definitely not the ‘do, man! Even my nasty locks weren’t as bad as his mad scientist look.

Gordon: It wasn’t a unanimous vote last night. Did you have any kind of alliance with Holly and Jane?
Jimmy T.: Yeah, they haven’t shown much of Jane. But she was genuine, she was a great worker. We were good friends. She told me she had an alliance with Holly and they weren’t tricked as much as the others to follow the bad leadership. Marty just wanted to keep his hand on the wheel. He can accuse me of being paranoid, but he was afraid I’d start winning challenges.
Gordon: Speaking of Holly, were there any repercussions that came out of her sinking Dan’s shoes? Because in the past something like that is a one-way ticket home.
Jimmy T.: (Laughs) When she first did it, everyone thought she was the next target. But we won that next challenge and you know how quickly things change in the game. In ten minutes things can change. And please make a note of that miraculous ricochet shot I hit to Tyrone (in the Hay Mate challenge) to save the line drive Marty hit to me with the shields. I don’t know if anybody saw that, but that never got any play time either.

Gordon: Will do. Alright, it’s time for you to join the proud pantheon of those who have participated in “Survivor” word association. Let’s start this off with Marty.
Jimmy T.: Self serving.
Gordon: Dan?
Jimmy T.: Weak.
Gordon: Holly?
Jimmy T.: Sincere but…Holly’s a tough one to figure out. Holly’s a good person but she’s flighty and easily upset. Watch her blink when she talks, she’s a very nervous person.
Gordon: Yve?
Jimmy T.: Yve is sad. Yve’s got a lot of baggage.
Gordon: Jimmy J.?
Jimmy T.: (Laughs) I don’t want to be mean! Everybody talks about his leadership, but that was 20 years ago. Right now he’s a haircut and a tie and a face that doesn’t have a lot of sincerity.
Gordon: Jane?
Jimmy T.: Real.
Gordon: Jill?
Jimmy T.: Pompous.
Gordon: Tyrone?
Jimmy T.: Tyrone a little more complex than one word. He’s a good person with good intentions.

Gordon: What has been the reaction around your town regarding your time on “Survivor”?
Jimmy T.: It’s been incredible. I never was on Facebook, I’m kind of a caveman, I don’t have a cell phone. But I have a lot of friends in the community. The outpouring has been incredible. And on Facebook every second I get a new message, “We love you, Jimmy T.,” “We love you,” “Great job, you stayed true to who you are,” “Screw Marty, I’d like to beat his…” Every second, faster than every second there’s been support and love from my community.

Gordon: What do you take from your time in Nicaragua?
Jimmy T.: If I take anything from this experience, it’s the love from my friends, family, and everyone in the community.

Twitter: Follow me on Twitter for “Survivor” news and more – @gordonholmes

Tags:jeff probst, Jimmy Johnson, jimmy taratino, survivor, survivor nicaragua
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