Posts Tagged ‘jeff probst’

‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame Ballot – Executive Producer David Burris

December 7, 2011

As a member of the Executive Voting Committee, Executive Producer David Burris (along with Producer Jesse Jensen, Host and Executive Producer Jeff Probst, and other “Survivor” luminaries) has an awesome responsibility. The committee’s votes will make up 50% of the final tally for entry into the prestigious Class of 2011. The other 50% will come from “Survivor” fans like you.

Note: Fan voting for the 2011 “Survivor” Hall of Fame has ended.

David Burris has spent the last eight years working on the Emmy Award-winning reality series “Survivor.”  From his early beginnings as supervising producer, to his current role as executive producer, Burris has put his stamp on the series that redefined a genre.  In his current role as executive producer, Burris serves as the show runner, overseeing all aspects of developing, producing, and delivering the show.

David Burris’s 2011 “Survivor” Hall of Fame Ballot

Yul Kwon – (“Survivor: Cook Islands”): I re-affirm; Yul’s ability to maneuver, manipulate, and mesmerize without being nasty makes him the “good guy,” “intellectual” version of Russell Hantz.  Which proves that nice guys can actually win. Plus, if not for Ozzy being on the same season he would have been remembered as a physical threat as well.

Benjamin “Coach” Wade – (“Survivor: Tocantins,” “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains,” and “Survivor: South Pacific”): Third time’s a charm. With “Survivor: South Pacific,” Coach has proven that in addition to being a Dragon Slayer he is a savvy, canny, adaptable player. He went from a “day-one” status of being dead in the water to leading his tribe, defining an alliance’s ethics and strategy, and, thus far, making it deep into the game.  And he did it with a genuine desire to be a principled player – as much as one can be in “Survivor”…

Ozzy Lusth – (“Survivor: Cook Islands,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: South Pacific”): Again I forward Ozzy as one of the greats. Genetically bred to play the game from a physical perspective, we now must add to his list of accomplishments a heightened understanding of his own strengths and weaknesses, that is self-awareness — which led directly to the brash, risky, and well-considered strategic moves of this season. You have to contend that he is one of the best to play the game.

Honorable Mention:

Philip Sheppard – (“Survivor: Redemption Island”):
I will get some “push-back” on this one but I believe it. In “Survivor: Redemption Island,” Phillip read the situation of his tribe with Boston Rob perfectly… and it got him to the final. He played the fool when necessary, caused distracting conflict when necessary, and generally made disorder and bedlam his weapons. His tribe-mates were so distracted by his antics that he slipped through to the final three. There’s a thousand ways to skin a cat with this game and Phillip perfected a very unique one; his manipulation of Rob’s manipulation of him was positively Shakespearean.

Chris Daugherty – (“Survivor: Vanuatu”): He dodged and darted being targeted as a physical liability at the first Tribal Council and then maneuvered his way through weeks of a women’s alliance to win it all. On day one he declared his ability to read tough social (tribal) situations and wiggle his way through them; later he stated that the way to beat a women’s alliance is to sit back and watch them scratch themselves to death – which he did. Hard to argue with that strategy.

Be sure to check back Monday, December 12, 2011 to see the first inductee into the Class of 2011.

Any Questions? Drop us a line on Twitter: @survivorhall and @gordonholmes

‘Survivor: South Pacific’ Power Rankings – Week 11

December 6, 2011

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Sophie is voted out this week, Andrea will receive 1 point and Gordon will receive 2 points. Also, each player will pick who they think will win at Redemption Island. If they choose correctly they will receive a bonus point. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: South Pacific” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Andrea picked it last week. She had Cochran in spot seven while Gordon had him in spot five. They both predicted Ozzy would win Redemption Island. The current score is now Team Boehlke 145, Team Holmes 146.

Wanna Play? Tag Gordon (@gordonholmes) in your own Twitter Power Rankings. If you do better than Gordon does, (like @SherriIrwin and @johnsacton did last week) he’ll give you 25 “Survivor” Points*.

* “Survivor” Points have no cash value and cannot be redeemed for anything, ever.

teamboehlke . TEAMHOLMES
Current Score: 145

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

. Current Score: 146

Got any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter.

SOPHIE2 . COACH
#1 Sophie: Sophie is back on top where she belongs. She doesn’t seem too concerned about her endgame not panning out, and neither am I. She is playing safe and smart, sitting pretty in the CRABS and probably even the SAC, and nobody seems raring to target her. Sophierce may just fly under the radar on this one, looking ‘island hot’ while doing so. . #1 Coach: The Dragon Slayer is going to have to make a choice next week; does he want to go to the final Tribal with Sophbert or Brickdon? Taking Sophbert follows his “compete against the best” mantra and will have Albert helping him defeat whoever returns from Redemption. But, Brickdon will be way easier to defeat in front of a jury.
COACH . SOPHIE2
#2 Coach: Although I predict that Coach is going to the end (everyone sees him as their goat) I think he made a big mistake by getting rid of Cochran.  Who is he planning on taking to the end? He could potentially beat Brandon or Edna in the finals and that one guy that doesn’t talk, but what if Sophie or Albert gets to the end? Yikesies. . #2 Sophie: Why are Sophie and Albert so afraid of getting rid of Coach? Do they think the jury won’t want to award the million to a returning player? People banked on that last season and it didn’t work out. Are they afraid of inspiring the wrath of pitbull Brandon? If anything, upsetting Brandon could earn them the favor of some jury members.
BRANDON . albert
#3 Brandon: Another day, another Brandon breakdown.  Coach knows that if he votes out Brandon he probably won’t get his vote since this whole ‘loyalty’ thing is looming. Brandon ‘Breakdown’ Hantz may just get to the end without ever having to discuss much strategy. . #3 Albert: Albert has to hold the record now for most shot down big moves. It seems like he’s trying something new every week. Anywho, at least he’ll get credit for paying attention to the Coach juggernaut unlike the players who were bested by Boston Rob last season (no offense, Andrea).
albert . RICK
#4 Albert: With so much hammock strategizing, Prince Albert must have some things brewing in that pretty little head of his. I do hope he has some “secret mission” that will likely unfold. However, if people see Albert as always scheming, it could make them nervous and he could be one of the next to go. . #4 Rick: Hard to believe coming up with the obvious “Prince Albert” nickname almost got Rick booted from the game. At this point, keeping Rick around is smart gameplay. None of the future jurors see him as anything more than one of Coach’s numbers.
RICK . BRANDON
#5 Rick: I think Rick will stay over Edna, but he sure pissed off Albert by calling him a Prince/Princess. Seriously though, I’d be pissed too! Rick talked like, four times this season and two out of the four were bringing down Albert. First there was the “he snores” comment (lest we forget), then he drops the whole Prince Albert thing. I’m not even going to comment on that one because unlike Gordon, I like to keep my rankings PG. . #5 Brandon: Apparently Brandon’s dad is visiting Savaii beach this week and while he’s there he causes some serious trouble. Will it cost Brandon his spot in the tribe? Will this pave the way for an All-Hantz season?
EDNA . EDNA
#6 Edna: I always knew the CRABS were going to stick together. Unfortunately for Edna, the CRABS are stronger than the BRACES. Personally I’d rather SCARE off the B(randon) but Edna didn’t help her case by voting for Rick. (Isn’t playing with letters so fun?) Brandon laid out at TC that Edna was 6th…so I’m sticking to that gem of information. . #6 Edna: What?! Brandon said she was going to go this week and Brandon never, ever lies.
OZZY . COCHRAN
Redemption Island Pick – Ozzy: Ozzy wins. Unless the duel is some sort of mom-massage competition, I’m not sure Cochran will pull this one off. Although it would be pretty epic if he did. . Redemption Island Pick – Cochran: I don’t believe in fairies, zombies, or the power of Hulkamania. But I believe Cochran can pull off a miracle and beat Ozzy. Here’s hoping the challenge involves remembering facts about successful litigation.

‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame Ballot – Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer

December 6, 2011

As a member of the Executive Voting Committee, Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer (along with Producer Jesse Jensen, Host and Executive Producer Jeff Probst, and other “Survivor” luminaries) has an awesome responsibility. The committee’s votes will make up 50% of the final tally for entry into the prestigious Class of 2011. The other 50% will come from “Survivor” fans like you.

Note: Fan voting for the 2011 “Survivor” Hall of Fame has ended.

John Kirhoffer is the brain behind some of  “Survivor’s” most difficult and exciting challenges. After 11 years and more than 23 seasons, John continues to design and execute innovative challenges that never fail to impress. His commitment, attention to detail and dedication to creating some of the best challenges on TV are a critical part of “Survivor’s” continued success. With hundreds of challenges on his resume, he credits “Boulder Dash” from season three (Africa) and “Vertical Maze” from season nine (Vanuatu – Islands of Fire) among his favorites.

John Kirhoffer’s 2011 “Survivor” Hall of Fame Ballot

Benjamin “Coach” Wade – (“Survivor: Tocantins,” “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains,” and “Survivor: South Pacific”): He was brought back a third time for a reason, he’s entertaining and reinvents himself. From the deluded Dragon Slayer, to (an emotionally conflicted) strategic “Survivor” player, whose humanity is inspiring by being truly conflicted between being honorable and doing what it takes to get to the end.

Cirie Fields – (“Survivor: Panama,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”):
She was never able to win it all, because she was always the (unlikely) biggest threat. Her strategy, attitude, and iconic “Survivor” stature, I believe, make her a perfect Hall of Famer.

Amanda Kimmel – (“Survivor: China,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”): No denying it was her strategic mind and love of the game that took her to the very end twice, but could never pull it together to sway the jury. She was involved in designing some of the greatest blindsides and gave us great television. Her reveal of the hidden immunity idol in “Fans vs. Favorites” was a classic American television moment.

Be sure to check back Monday, December 12, 2011 to see the first inductee into the Class of 2011.

Any Questions? Drop us a line on Twitter: @survivorhall and @gordonholmes

‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame Ballot – Parvati Shallow

December 2, 2011

Quick Update: Voting for the “Survivor” Hall of Fame ends today at 5 p.m. ET. ‘Boston’ Rob Mariano, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Russell Hantz, Producer Jesse Jensen, and some dude named Jeff Probst have already cast their ballots. Don’t miss your opportunity to cast yours.

The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is pleased to welcome 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Parvati Shallow to the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Parvati (along with Host Jeff Probst, Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, and other “Survivor” luminaries) has accepted an awesome responsibility. The committee’s votes will make up 50% of the final tally for entry into the prestigious Class of 2011. The other 50% will come from “Survivor” fans like you.

Another Quick Note: Parvati chose two people as honorable mentions. As we’re not in the habit of telling Parvati what to do, we’ve included them on the ballot even though they will not count toward the final Executive  Committee tally.

Parvati Shallow’s Hall of Fame Ballot

Jerri Manthey – (“Survivor: The Australian Outback,” “Survivor: All Stars,” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”): Gotta give it up to the original man eater! The girl had game in “Heroes vs. Villains” where she earned my respect.

Ethan Zohn – (“Survivor: Africa” and “Survivor: All Stars”): A true “Survivor” hero. Ethan’s a winner. He fights cancer, runs marathons, and founded GrassRoots Soccer, an AIDS education/prevention charity for kids in Africa. Love him madly.

Jenna Morasca – (“Survivor: The Amazon” and “Survivor: All Stars”): The hottest, youngest female winner. She made peanut butter sexy. Jenna makes no apologies for who she is and always tells it like it is.

Parvati’s Honorable Mentions

Ozzy Lusth – (“Survivor: Cook Islands,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: South Pacific”): Stole my heart in “Cook Islands” with his jungle-boy “Survivor” style. No matter how deep he goes in the game, Ozzy’s underwater skills provide endless viewer entertainment.

James Clement – (“Survivor: China,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”): The man rips palm trees out of the ground with his bare hands and holds the record for shelter building. James is awesome. Enough said.

Any Questions?
Drop us a line on Twitter: @survivorhall or @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Interview: Whitney Duncan and Dawn Meehan

December 1, 2011

I’ve always kind of wished “Survivor” would take a page from “Big Brother” and show bonus footage on Showtime.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this season and I think Brandon, Cochran, and Coach are worthy of our attention, but I’d have loved to have seen more from TV’s most adorable bully Whitney Duncan and crybaby-turned-challenge-warrior Dawn Meehan.

I spoke with Whitney and Dawn the morning after they were eliminated from Redemption Island to find out about the moves they were making that we didn’t see, why Cochran turning on Savaii was different than Savaii turning on Elyse, and an unfortunate Power Rankings controversy…

Gordon Holmes: Dawn, you went from crying to Ozzy on Day One, to kicking some rear in the strength challenge, to acting like you’re someone who was born to spend her time in the Samoan wilderness. What changed?
Dawn Meehan:
I almost felt like a pet who switched homes. I had a new habitat. The experience in the game is so different from my life. I know it is for everyone, but really for me. It took me a little bit of time for me to get my bearings. But also, since Whitney is with me, a big thing for me was I’m close to Whitney. I went to her before I went to Ozzy and after and said to her, “I want to play this, I know how I want to play this game and that’s not happening.” I think from that point on I was able to clear my head. I got my confidence back.
Holmes: Did it bother you that Whitney was such a horrible bully?
Whitney Duncan: (Laughs) Oh yeah, you know me!
Meehan: I though the exchange they showed with Whitney and the earrings was a good representation of what camp life was like. There’s a lot more human kindness in the game than people realize.
Holmes: OK Whitney, I don’t want you bullying me. I’m sensitive.
Duncan: OK, I’ll try not to, Gordon.
Holmes: As I said to Keith and Jim, I didn’t see much actual bullying during the show, and I know how much “Survivor” editors love to show bad behavior.
Duncan: The word “bully,” who did that come from? It came from Coach. Cochran never actually said those words, so I’m not going to be hard on him. But, he did let that term be thrown around. But it’s disappointing because I really liked Cochran. I hung out with Cochran on the beach. I was never rude to Cochran ever and I actually trusted the guy. So I felt very betrayed. And even though it is a game, feelings do get hurt. The only thing negative I ever said about Cochran is he definitely tossed and turned a lot in the bungalow. I’m not going to lie. I was caught in the middle of him and Keith and they’d rip the covers off of each other every ten minutes.

Holmes: Now, it seems like a lot of the Savaiians took Cochran’s flip personally. How is that different from when you guys blindsided Elyse?
Duncan:
The difference is; Elyse wasn’t really involved in any strategic conversations. I tried so hard to talk to Elyse about the game. I liked Elyse. I didn’t want Elyse to go. But, at the same time that’s very scary when a returning player has somebody like that in their back pocket. She’s not talking about the game to any of us, so who is she talking to? She’s talking to Ozzy. I guess you can call it a blindside, but we didn’t technically vote for Elyse, we just let it happen.
Holmes and Meehan: (Laughs)
Meehan: Yeah, let’s talk about that Whitney!
Duncan: (Laughs) Yeah, I definitely had some smoothing over to do with Dawn afterwards. But I never said Elyse was in my final five. I never led Elyse to believe she was in my final five. So, therefore I didn’t really betray Elyse.

Holmes: Now Dawn, I know you’re a Mormon. And Whitney, I know you love Jesus and Elvis…
Whitney:
(Laughs) I wouldn’t make those two equal. But yes, I do love them.
Holmes: Upolu made a very big show of their religious beliefs. Was that off-putting at all? Did that seem genuine?
Meehan: I didn’t see it as necessary in the game.
Duncan:
Yeah.
Meehan: I think that the “Jack & Jill” challenge, that was just the pinnacle of having a really difficult time with tolerating it. We saw it at every challenge, a lot of…you know…who’s on the Lord’s side?
Duncan: Yeah, I’m sorry, but I do not think the Lord favors any one team on “Survivor.” I know the Lord has better things to do. And obviously I’m a Christian, that doesn’t mean I’m perfect in any way, but I definitely prayed when I was out there. Sure, you have a lot of time to yourself. But I didn’t make a big spectacle out of it. And I think that’s a lot of what that was, a spectacle. I feel like Coach used that to help manipulate people.
Meehan: I think Coach has a good read on people and that worked, so he used it. I think what surprised me more is that really, outside of Sophie, does anyone see it? It seems so transparent to me.
Duncan: Yeah, I agree. When they’re praying about a hidden immunity idol that’s actually in their pocket? It looks bad for Christianity. That’s not something to be prayed about.

Holmes: Were there any cracks in Upolu that you could have exploited?
Meehan:
Rick and maybe Albert for us. I think Whitney and I just felt like we needed more time. Once we were on the downside of the numbers we were close to working something with Rick, Brandon, and Albert. We really wanted to take out Coach with Albert. Not the tail of the snake, the head of the snake. And it just didn’t work.
Duncan: I think Albert just wanted to injure the snake by taking out Edna. But you had to be so careful about what you said in the game. They would tell on you.
Meehan: It was like tattle-tails in school.
Duncan: It was never good for me and Dawn if word leaked back. But I never felt like Rick was going to flip. He’d given his word to Coach and he was going to stay true to that.
Meehan: I think Jim was close to getting Rick to flip at the merge. We made an agreement; Jim, Rick, and myself for final three. That was very close.

Holmes: Alright, let’s do some word association. We’ll start with Ozzy.
Meehan:
Fearless.
Duncan: Strong.
Holmes: Coach?
Meehan: I actually don’t have words for Coach.
Duncan: Creepy.
Holmes: Albert?
Meehan: For me, Albert is kindhearted.
Duncan: He’s a nice guy.
Holmes: Sophie?
Meehan: Talented.
Duncan: Sophie’s smart.
Holmes: Brandon?
Meehan: Intense.
Duncan: Loose cannon.
Holmes: Keith?
Meehan: Genuine.
Duncan: Amazing.
Holmes: When I asked him “Whitney” last week he said “Beautiful.”
Duncan and Meehan: Awww…
Holmes: Adorable. OK, let’s finish this with Cochran.
Meehan: He is a complete character. He’s almost like a caricature.
Duncan: Yeah, I’d actually go with that. But I’ll say this…fearful.

Holmes: Whitney, you have your country music fan base and Dawn I know you have a devoted six-kid fan base at home, what have been their reactions to seeing you in the game?
Duncan:
My fans, they know who I am. I’m a nice person, but I have a little fire in me and I get a little spunky some times. I think they got a kick out of seeing my temper come out. They got a good laugh out of it. My family too, they’ve seen that side of me too.
Meehan: It was just awesome to be able to show them. Maybe not day one, but that was real, but to see me overcome.  For me, the overwhelming feeling that I have with the game is it taught me you have to go after the big things in life. The kids have loved watching it. It’s a lot of fun. It’s made them more fearless. I’ve got my eight-year-old going off of the high dive. It’s taught them to go get life.

Holmes: Now, I hate to bring this up, but there was a big controversy this season…and I just want to know if this is true or not… Dawn, is it true you tried to bribe the Power Rankings judges with home baked bread?
Duncan:
(Laughs)
Meehan: It’s absolutely true!
Holmes: Dawn, I adore you…but you have to realize that the Power Rankings judges, myself and Andrea Boehlke are incorruptible.
Duncan: There’s no bribing? I’m telling you that bread is good enough to bribe with.
Meehan: I just need your P.O. Box because I sent Andrea her bread for real.
Holmes: Whoa! Hold the phone…you sent Andrea bread?
Meehan: It got there. Sophie took it to her. She was my courier.
Holmes: This is a nightmare.
Meehan: I love reading those Power Rankings, so for me that was so fun.
Duncan: It is fun. I like those.
Holmes: And you have sullied the entire process.
Meehan: And I’m happy to have done so.

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

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‘Survivor: South Pacific’ Recap: The Albert Formerly Known as Prince

November 30, 2011

“Survivor” Hall of Fame Update: Voting for the “Survivor” Hall of Fame ends this Friday at 5 p.m. ET. ‘Boston’ Rob Mariano, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Russell Hantz, Producer Jesse Jensen, and some dude named Jeff Probst have already cast their ballots. Don’t miss your opportunity to cast yours.

Last Regular Episode: Edna masterminded a plot that both eliminated Coach from the game and solved the world financial crisis. And, Rick did a 30-minute stand-up routine.

Just kidding, none of that happened. But, Keith and Jim lost the Redemption Island duel and Dawn and Whitney were booted at Tribal Council.

39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Here is the tribe as it currently stands…

The Te Tuna Tribe (wearing yellow)
Albert – 26, Baseball/Dating Coach
Brandon – 19, Oil Tanker Crewman
Coach – 39, Slayer of Dragons
Cochran – 24, Harvard Law Student
Edna – 35, Anesthesiologist
Rick – 51, Rancher
Sophie – 22, Medical Student

Currently Residing on Redemption Island (wearing the last hope for the Savaiian nation)
Dawn – 41, English Professor
Ozzy – 30, Challenge Destroyer
Whitney – 27, Country Music Singer

The festivities kick off after Tribal Council with the Upolutians gloating over their decimation of the Savaii crew. Edna and Cochran aren’t as elated because they both think they’re on the bottom of the totem pole.

The following morning, Cochran tells a story about how he tried to be a bad boy when he was younger by making dirty phone calls. However, he made those calls before he fully understood how sexual relations worked. The result was understandably hilarious.

And no, I’m not recapping what he said, this is a family site.

An Open Letter to Cochran:

Dear Cochran,

I love you, buddy. But, you know those guys that are following you around camp wearing backwards baseball caps? Those are camera men. The big boxes they keep pointing at you are called “cameras.” Those cameras make an audio and video record of your misguided-sex-talk and poop-in-my-pants stories. Other people (who aren’t following you around) then put those stories on national television. Just an FYI.

Your pal,
Gordon

Not everybody is amused by Cochran’s sexy tales. Sophie, for example, can see why Savaii became annoyed with him.

Meanwhile, Cochran is a little wigged out by Upolu’s cult-like qualities. Brandon in particular has him concerned. However, this doesn’t deter Cochran from calling a team meeting and requesting a Tribal Council stay of execution. His reason? Because Upolu owes him a debt due to his flippage and his birthday is right around the corner.

I’m not sure he has a point on the flippery, but I’d totally swipe the birthday excuse. It’s not like you have an ID out there and they can check.

This move rubs Sophie the wrong way as she feels like they don’t owe Cochran anything. Albert and Coach are open to keeping Cochran and booting Edna.

Redemption Island Duel: The players will balance dishes at the end of a pole. They’ll slowly add more pieces to their stacks. Last person with their stack standing stays in the game.

Not much to describe here except for some stackin’ and some wobblin’.

Dawn goes to yawn and almost finds herself gone. Yay, rhyming! She manages to save herself though.

However, my rhyming can’t save her a second time as her stack falls and she’s the first to go.

We get some tense editing for a bit…and then Whitney’s out. Ozzy stays in the game.

When it’s all said and done, Dawn says that “Survivor” has taught her that anything is possible. That’s the great thing about “Survivor,” it seems to change people’s attitudes about life. You never hear that from people leaving “The Bad Girls Club.”

Whitney lets us know that her family and friends will be proud of her. No word on how her secret husband will feel.

Back at Te Tuna, Albert doesn’t feel the need to help around camp. He’s more focused on coming up with strategies and working on his social game. Some people consider being useful around camp to be good for your social game.

Some guy named Rick is annoyed that Albert isn’t helping around camp. He dubs him “Prince Albert.”

Family site…family site…

Later, Edna asks Coach if she’s the next one to go after Cochran. The Dragon Slayer confirms this suspicion. Oh man, keepin’ it real.

Coach, however, admits that keeping Edna and Cochran would be good for his game.

The following morning, Coach and Cochran bust out some Coa-chi. Coach is positive that this will help one of them win the next challenge. Seriously? Coach’s been doing this stuff for three seasons and has never been a big challenge threat.

Immunity Challenge Time: The players will throw bean bags onto a set of three boxes. The first three people to get bean bags on all three boxes will advance. From there it’s back to the ol’ coconut slingshot. First person to knock down all of the targets wins immunity and a spa/massage afternoon.

Albert, Rick, and Sophie advance to the next round. What?! Coa-chi fails?!

Uh-oh…Albert was good with the slingshot in the earlier challenge.

And sure enough, Albert wins immunity, just edging out someone named Rick.

Albert is given the opportunity to share his spa treatment, he chooses Coach.

Then, he asks J-Pro if he can give his spa treatment to someone else in exchange for their food if they win a future reward. Probsty agrees and Albert chooses to give it to Cochran as an early birthday gift.

I take it back! Coa-chi works!

Quick Aside: I hate this move. It always looks shady when someone gives up their reward. Also, does that mean Cochran is safe?

Cochran then tells us that he’s given his mom a massage, but never had one himself. What did I just say about the guys with cameras?!

Back at Te Tunisia, the tribe is greeted by two masseuses and two massage tables. I gotta admit, I love that they have to enjoy their reward in front of the tribe.

Also, Cochran admits that he lied about his birthday. Atta boy! He’s like Mini Fairplay.

After the reward, Cochran takes Albert aside to talk strategy. Albert doesn’t think Coach is ready to make a big move, but Cochran thinks they could try to vote out some fella named Rick. Cochran even admits that he heard that guy call Albert, “Princess Albert.”

Cochran takes this plan to Edna and Coach. Edna’s on board, but Coach is non-committal.

That night at Tribal Council, Coach admits that the scrambling around camp has been crazy.

Cochran thinks the jury will be happy to hear that he’s in trouble. However, he thinks the Upolu faithful owe him another three nights in the game.

Albert agrees, and thinks it looks bad for Upolu’s image to use him and vote him out.

Some mustachioed gentleman named Rick doesn’t feel safe and has brought his stuff with him.

Edna is freaking out because she thinks she’s the sixth person on the totem pole.

And now it’s time for Tribal Confessions with Brandon Hantz…

Brandon lets us all know that he’s voting for Cochran tonight and Edna the next time they’re at Tribal. This short burst exhausts poor Brandon.

Cochran then says that talking to Brandon about strategy is like talking to Probst about shirts that aren’t blue. They just can’t comprehend it.

WHOA! Alright, tell the guys with the backwards baseball caps to turn off the cameras. I think Cochran just won “Survivor.” Screw the voting, I’m inducting Cochran into the “Survivor” Hall of Fame tomorrow.

Cochran then shakes the world up by asking what’ll happen if Edna wins immunity next time. Sophie plays it off well by saying, “Then it starts.”

Voting Time: Rick votes for Cochran, Cochran votes for Rick, Edna votes for Rick, and the rest of the votes will have to wait.

One vote for Cochran, two votes for Rick, two votes for Cochran, and the thirteenth person to make a trip to Redemption Island is…Cochran.

Oh man, Redemption Island is going to be entertaining next week.

Verdict: One of the best episodes this season. The breakdown of Upolu is going to be super interesting. Every strategic instinct says people should try to take Cochran, Brandon, and Edna to the end, but Brandon the pitbull has everyone too afraid to get too far of line.

Who’s Going to Win:
Sticking with Sophie.

Power Rankings Update: Andrea picked it this week. She had Cochran in spot seven while I had him in spot five. We both predicted Ozzy would win Redemption Island. The current score is now Team Boehlke 145, Team Holmes 146.

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

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‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame Ballot – Host and Executive Producer Jeff Probst

November 30, 2011

As a member of the Executive Voting Committee, “Survivor” Host and Executive Producer Jeff Probst (along with Producer Jesse Jensen, Hall of Famers ‘Boston’ Rob Mariano, Russell Hantz, and Sandra Diaz-Twine, and other “Survivor” luminaries) has an awesome responsibility. The committee’s votes will make up 50% of the final tally for entry into the prestigious Class of 2011. The other 50% will come from “Survivor” fans like you. So, be sure to cast your “Survivor” Hall of Fame vote.

Jeff Probst is a four-time Emmy Award winner for “Outstanding Reality Host,” the only winner since the award’s inception in 2008. He has traveled the world serving as both host and executive producer for this popular series.  Probst also received an Emmy in 2001 when the show won the first-ever “Outstanding Non-Fiction Program (Special Class).”

In 2007, Probst founded The Serpentine Project, a non-profit organization designed to help young adults transition out of the foster care system. In 2011, they joined forces with the larger non-profit organization Alliance for Children’s Rights, which has provided 100,000 kids in L.A. with free legal assistance and advocacy.  Each season, “Survivor” memorabilia is auctioned off and, to date, the auctions have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the organization.

Jeff Probst’s Hall of Fame Ballot

Cirie Fields – (“Survivor: Panama,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”): Though she has never won, Cirie is one of the most effective players in Survivor history.  Her asset is her disarming smile and her ability to make you forget that she is your opponent.  She also deserves a spot in the Hall of Fame because she epitomizes the person who got up off the couch to live their adventure and that’s what the show is all about.

Ethan Zohn – (“Survivor: Africa” and “Survivor: All Stars”): Ethan should have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.  He is one of the greatest winners of all time.  He played with integrity. People voted for him to win rather than to vote against someone else.  He took his celebrity and some of his money and put it towards making the world a better place, and he is still adored by almost everybody who meets him.  It was an oversight on my part not to nominate him last time.

Stephenie LaGrossa – (“Survivor: Palau,” “Survivor: Guatemala,” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”): Though labeled by some as a whiner, there’s no denying she plays to win every time.  She’s a great physical player and a very good strategist.  Despite her weak showing in “Heroes vs. Villains,” if I was putting together an all-star tribe, she’d be on it.

Any Questions? Drop us a line on Twitter: @survivorhall and @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor: South Pacific’ Power Rankings – Week 10

November 29, 2011

The Rules: Each week our two combatants will create separate power rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Sophie is voted out this week, Andrea will receive 2 points and Gordon will receive 4 points. Also, each player will pick who they think will win at Redemption Island. If they choose correctly they will receive a bonus point. At the end of the season, the person with the most points will be named the “Survivor: South Pacific” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Last Week: Andrea had Whitney in spot eight and Dawn in spot nine. Gordon had Whitney in spot nine and Dawn in spot eight. However, Andrea picked Jim to win at Redemption Island and Gordon picked Ozzy. So, she gained seventeen points while he grabbed eighteen. The current score is now Team Boehlke 137, Team Holmes 140.

Wanna Play? Tag Gordon (@gordonholmes) in your own Twitter Power Rankings. If you do better than Gordon does, (which is highly likely) he’ll give you credit in his weekly recap.

teamboehlke . TEAMHOLMES
Current Score: 137

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

. Current Score: 140

Got any advice for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter.

COACH . COACH
#1 Coach: As awkward as it feels to put a returning player on the top of the rankings, I seriously don’t see Coach going anywhere soon. He has this “Loyalty/Family” thing going on, complete with a tattle-tail system and there has been no mention of even voting him out!  To me it seems like everyone on Upolu thinks they are going to the end with Coach. It’s like season 22 all over again, just minus the crispy rice. . #1 Coach: Is this week’s episode going to come down to which side Coach chooses? Will it be Brandon, Rick, and Edna on one side and Albert, Cochran, and Sophie on the other? Faced with those two line-ups (and at this point we aren’t even sure if that’s accurate) Coach’s gotta be leaning toward Team Brandon. Who wouldn’t love to sit in front of the final jury with “Random Explosion” Hantz and “Permanent Residence on Coattail Island” Ma?
SOPHIE2 . BRANDON
#2 Sophie: Sophie could have mixed things up with Albert last episode but she chose not to disturb the BRACES quite yet. Hey, she can do what she wants, it’s “Sophie’s Choice.” Buh-dum-tssss.  I do wonder if people are going to open their eyes and see that Sophie is a major challenge threat. Two immunity challenges in one day, and usually very close in all the others. Who does that?! . #2 Brandon: Is it ironic that Brandon is this season’s Phillip Sheppard when he’s obviously a sheep? Or is it a goat? I get my “Survivor” terms mixed up.
BRANDON . RICK
#3 Brandon: I seriously think Brandon is in a great position to go to the end. If I were playing he would be my number 1 pick to sit next to at Final Tribal Council. Why? He’s like 15 and isn’t the best when it comes to Tribal Council speeches. I can’t see a jury awarding him the million, so there is a good chance we will get to see him at the end. . #3 Rick: What’s the deal, Rick? Mikayla says you’re just another number. Jim thinks you’re totally in Coach’s pocket. You’re the only one with an outside chance of making any serious moves. Are you going to settle for fourth place without a peep?
RICK . SOPHIE2
#4 Rick: Was there a secret scene that I missed where Rick swallowed a whole crab and it got lodged in his throat and now he can’t speak ever again? Maybe he is playing the ‘Silent Game’ and taking it really seriously? That could be it. . #4 Sophie: Sorry Sophie, you lose your top spot while I try to figure out which way the alliances are headed in the newly fractured Upolu tribe. I’ve got two strikes against you right now. First, you’re close to Albert who seems to scheme a lot and is a challenge threat. And second, after the last episode you’re obviously a challenge threat yourself.
albert . COCHRAN
#5 Albert: I was thrilled that Albert was trying to make things happen last episode instead of just riding the Coach train. He is at least attempting to take the game into his own hands, and for that I give him props. And a unicorn sticker. However, now he may be in trouble. With the tattle-tail system instilled, Coach may find out about Albert’s antics and not be too happy. . #5 Cochran: Oh Cochran, didn’t you notice the camera pointed at you when you were telling your poopy pants story?

Anywho, Coach likes Cochran. Brandon likes Cochran. Albert and Sophie seem to trust Cochran enough to share certain information with him. But, the fact remains that he was late to the alliance party. And, pitbull Brandon wants to keep every alliance agreement to the letter of the law…

EDNA . EDNA
#6 Edna: Although Edna is probably a great person to take to the end, the people on this season are thinking a little differently. It’s all about honesty, integrity and “who deserves to be there.” If people side with Albert’s logic of who deserves to be there, then Edna could be gone soon. . #6 Edna: On the other hand, depending how you interpret the Upolu Declaration of Allianceness, Edna could be the next to go. She wasn’t a part of the original late-night beach alliance and they did make a deal to keep Cochran around.
COCHRAN . albert
#7 Cochran: This will be a very telling episode for Cochran. How much Coa-chi does it take to be accepted into an alliance with Coach? If Upolu is smart, they will want to take Cochran to the end as a goat. However, this season seems to be all about loyalty shmoyalty and Cochran may be next to go. . #7 Albert: This might be a controversial pick, but Albert has been the Upolutian who has been trying to make the most moves.  Sophie has seen it first hand and Cochran has been in on some of the strategy sessions. But, who knows who else has been paying attention?
OZZY . OZZY
Redemption Island Pick – Ozzy: So last week I made a risky move and voted against Ozzy, thus losing a point to Gordon Holmes. Now that we are getting to crunch time, I have to be smarter. I can’t lose to Gordon Holmes. It would be so embarrassing and I would probably have to delete my Twitter account to avoid his inevitable gloating. Therefore, I am putting my money on Fish Boy. The Dawnminator aka Mama Meehan and Whitney “You Disgust Me” Duncan will likely put up a good fight, but I’m sticking with Ozzy. . Redemption Island Pick – Ozzy: Here’s a fun fact for all of you Boehlke boosters; she’s absolutely right. If she loses to me she will never (read: EVER) hear the end of it. The last person to lose to me was a guy by the name of Benjamin “Coach” Wade. And he had to travel to the Isle of Samoa to try to get his mojo back. Oh…and never bet against Ozzy in a challenge.

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‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame Ballot – Sandra Diaz-Twine

November 28, 2011

The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is pleased to welcome 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Sandra Diaz-Twine to the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Sandra (along with Host Jeff Probst, Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, and other “Survivor” luminaries) has accepted an awesome responsibility. The committee’s votes will make up 50% of the final tally for entry into the prestigious Class of 2011. The other 50% will come from “Survivor” fans like you. So, be sure to cast your “Survivor” Hall of Fame vote.

Sandra Diaz-Twine’s Hall of Fame Ballot

Todd Herzog – (“Survivor: China”): He took early control of his tribe with his social game and made his tribe trust him. He was instrumental in blindsiding James, Frosti, and Jean Robert, (making James the dumbest player at the time, going home with two idols in his possession). Plus, he had one of the best Tribal Councils where he admitted to lying and was still awarded the million dollars.

Rob Cesternino – (“Survivor: The Amazon” and “Survivor: All Stars”):
He was an aggressive strategic player who didn’t believe in loyalty, was effective at switching alliances to keep himself in the game, and always had several deals on the table. He went with whatever benefited him and kept him alive in the game.

Tom Westman – (“Survivor: Palau” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”): He was respected by his entire tribe who recognized his leadership abilities. Tom was a challenge dominator. His physical strength ensured several tribe and individual immunity victories, and he maintained integrity and loyalty to his alliance.

Any Questions? Drop us a line on Twitter: @SurvivorHall or @gordonholmes

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‘Survivor’ Hall of Fame Ballot – Russell Hantz

November 25, 2011

The “Survivor” Hall of Fame is pleased to welcome 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Russell Hantz to the Executive Voting Committee. As a member of this exclusive committee, Russell (along with Host Jeff Probst, Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer, and other “Survivor” luminaries) has accepted an awesome responsibility. The committee’s votes will make up 50% of the final tally for entry into the prestigious Class of 2011. The other 50% will come from “Survivor” fans like you. So, be sure to cast your “Survivor” Hall of Fame vote.

Russell Hantz’s Hall of Fame Ballot

Amanda Kimmel – (“Survivor: China,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains”): She struck me out more than anybody I have ever played with. She was so strategic. Anybody that strategic is dangerous. She went to the end twice in a row for a reason.

Ozzy Lusth – (“Survivor: Cook Islands,” “Survivor: Fans vs. Favorites,” and “Survivor: South Pacific”): There are a bunch of aspects to the game; social, physical, and strategic. The most physical player to ever play this game is Ozzy. You have to give him credit for that. He is the number one most physical player to ever play the game by far.

Stephanie Valencia – (“Survivor: Redemption Island”): I played with her and I played with all-stars. I played with the best of the best. She had what it took to be the best, but she was on the wrong season. She happened to align with the wrong people. She was great at the game but got on the wrong end of the deal. I think Stephanie could have been 10 times better than Parvati (Shallow).

Any Questions? Drop us a line on Twitter: @SurvivorHall or @gordonholmes

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