More Whatnot

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

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

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

Quick Note: Rankings are not based on who the player thinks is most likely to win. The smart strategy is to rank players based on how safe you think they are in the upcoming vote.

Roark’s Score: 0 Any questions for Roark? Drop her a line on Twitter: @roarkstweets	Gordon’s Score: 0 Any questions for Gordon? Drop him a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
1. Domenick: I am patting myself on the back for this preseason ranking, and for now, I am not moving Dom anywhere. Unless he ends up giving Chris the fake idol, I am not sure what the point of telling him was, but A for effort, Dom, keep it up.	1. Domenick: A swap already?! What are you trying to do to me, Probst? How am I supposed to rank all the people that haven’t been shown saying or doing anything? Ugh…oh well…Domenick has an idol. He’s smart enough to know when he needs to use it.
2. Kellyn: Kellyn was prominently featured in the premiere, despite winning both challenges and not really being involved in the Dom – Chris alliance scuffle. This tells me she is sticking around for a bit.	2. Stephanie: And another thing, are we swapping to two tribes or three? That makes a big difference. You can hide in a tribe of nine. If you end up on a tribe of six with five members of the other tribe, it’s probably bad news. Grr…Steph was amazing last week. She should be able to wriggle out of any swap trouble.
3. Donathan: “Survivor Season 36: Donathan Island”	3. Wendell: And I have to make all new images! These take a long time to put together! Anywho, yay me for my winner pick making it to the third episode. Add to that the fact that everyone on his tribe seems to like him and be willing to work with him, and he should be fine during the swap.
4. Wendell: Wendell did not slide into my DMs, per our deal, so no first place ranking for him. Regardless, he remains high in the rankings as we heard from him several times despite avoiding Tribal twice.	4. James: Your diving issue last week might turn out to be a blessing in disguise. A million-dollar body is a lot less intimidating after you’ve seen a dude struggle to perform during a challenge.
5. Sebastian: He is fantastic comedic relief and I need him here for a long time giving us malaphors in every confessional.	5. Kellyn: They didn’t show a lot of Kellyn last episode, but from my vantage point when I was out there, her tribe was loving her. Her enthusiasm wasn’t coming off as hokey and she got most of the credit for completing the cube puzzle. She’s a sleeper pick to take this whole thing.
6. Laurel: Laurel was relatively quiet across the two episode premiere. That said, she is clearly trusted by her tribemates and built that trust across two Tribals. Granted, they seemed like easy votes, but she seems safe om this tribe of misfits.	6. Bradley: Lookit, Bradley…lurking out there…being buddies with everyone. He’s a perfect example of someone living by the credo; you can’t win it on day one, but you can certainly lose it there. Keep your eyes on him.
7. Morgan: Morgan’s bright and bubbly, just as expected. She also seems incredibly useful in challenges. Stephanie could spill the beans on her legacy advantage, but it seems early for that.	7. Laurel: Laurel didn’t pull the trigger on getting rid of Michael last week, but she probably didn’t have to. She appreciates that she was on the outs, but it’s early in the game and there’s no need to rock the boat just yet.
8. Stephanie: Stephanie impressed me. She’s shown herself to be socially competent and willing to not rock the boat or die on the sword of her own personal preferences.	8. Libby: There’s Libby, just kinda hanging out in the middle of the dominant alliance. Not a threat to anyone. Probably a good place to be early in the game.
9. Brendan: Brendan is *very* in the mix and is strong in his opinions. He let his thoughts on the vote be known and he would not be pushed around. That should work for a little while longer…	9. Chelsea: I spent an hour on Naviti Beach on day two. It looked like Chelsea and Desiree were working together with Chris thinking incorrectly that he had Desiree in his pocket. What does that mean for Chelsea’s game going forward? Who knows. But she’s doing stuff.
10. Michael: Despite losing the first two challenges, Michael has clearly been deemed indispensable. For the time being.	10. Angela: Hey, buddy! Having fun out there? Hope so. Drop us all a line when you get a chance.
11. Jenna: Jenna was also quiet throughout these two episodes. She seems affable and gets along with Stephanie. Probably safe.	11. Sebastian: Dropping names before you’ve even lost immunity? Rookie mistake, Sea Bass. Lucky for you Domenick probably holds Chris accountable. Just relax, kick back, and catch some of those giant lobsters that are out there.
12. Bradley: From here down, consider all these people ranked the same. Massive tie at twelfth place. Well, expect James. It should be no surprise that most of them come from Naviti, the tribe that got less screen-time. I apologize for seeming flippant, but as someone who was invisible on a winning tribe until a boot episode screen-time spike – I feel y’alls pain. Don’t hate me.	12. Morgan: So, it’s probably safe to assume that Stephanie is the only person who knows about Morgan’s legacy advantage. If they end up on the same tribe, that could bring them together. Or…it could be a reason for Stephanie to target Morgan.
13. Desiree: Crushed the basketball portion of the second immunity challenge. Besides that – unknown.	13. Michael: Jacob has me thinking that Michael isn’t very self-aware. He might want to stop and think about why people were targeting him.
14. Libby: Her tribe went to Tribal both hours and still very unsure about who she is.	14. Jenna: You seem to be close with the Brendan/Michael alliance, but why was your name being tossed around?
15. Chris: Dom seems like a train at full speed, and Chris is currently standing in its path.	15. Brendan: Gonzalez was not subtle in letting us know that Brendan was running the show. That could get in him in a bit of trouble after a swap.
16. Angela: Apparently a human woman on the Naviti tribe.	16. Desiree: You’re bad at slide puzzles, you’re good at buoy basketball. I still worry about you because of the whole, “Making up a baby back home” plan you were bouncing around.
17. Chelsea: Who?	17. Donathan: They played up that diving thing to be a big moment for Donathan, but watching it back…it didn’t look that good. His tribe was basically begging him to go back in. He could be a goner if a tribe gets serious about challenge strength.
18. James: Pretty sure he drowned. RIP.	18. Chris: If Domenick and Chris end up on the same tribe and they lose immunity, Chris is going home. He’ll see this as his chance to send Domenick packing, it’ll escalate, and there will be no turning back. Domenick is too savvy and Chris doesn’t have a great read on how people perceive him.

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

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

WARNING: The following “Survivor” article has very little actual “Survivor” content in it.

Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Ghost Island”

I know what you’re thinking, “Hey Gordon, where’s that once-a-year article you write about the press immunity challenge where it looks like you’re going to lose, but somehow pull off a victory and learn a valuable lesson?”

That article is not coming.

Oh, the press immunity challenge happened, it was the one from the premiere where they had to pull the block puzzle pieces on a sled. And the lesson I learned was, “Sometimes you get your (expletive deleted) kicked.” Trust me, it does not require 2,000 words. It was so bad that newly minted press member Andrea Boehlke was desperately trying to switch teams.

So, my challenge winning streak was snapped at nine straight. And while a career record of 9 and 2 is still impressive, it certainly isn’t 10 in a row.

Ten immunity wins would have been epic. Just…the perfect round number. I had even imagined posing for a photo with a giant “10” written in the sand.

It’s kind of stupid, but I’ll admit to being down in the dumps about it.

And as bummed out as I was it wasn’t nearly as bad as the thing that had happened a few days earlier.

The pre-game interviews had taken longer than expected, so we were granted an extension. While Hollywood Reporter’s Josh Wigler and I were finishing up, EW’s Dalton Ross, ET Canada’s Erin Cebula, and CBS’s Andrea Boehlke were going to get to run through the water/basketball challenge.

I wasn’t heartbroken to miss this because swimming isn’t my strongest skill and I wanted the best opportunity to retain the winning streak that nobody cares about except for me.

Here’s where it gets bad.

We were hoping to get to the water challenge in time to watch them perform, but we were told we probably weren’t going to make it. We were told wrong. For some reason, the challenge was delayed. And when multi-time Emmy award winner and everyone’s favorite blue, button-down shirt model Jeff Probst asked me to participate I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t have the proper swimming attire.

That was a lie.

I could have easily participated in the shorts I was wearing. I just didn’t want to risk my precious streak.

In hindsight that sounds really stupid. How many “Survivor” fans would kill for the opportunity I turned down?

I’ve made a career out of saying “Yes” when other people have said “Meh” and it has served me really well.

So, I sat…and I watched…and I hated myself for doing it.

Fast forward to the end of the press immunity challenge; I’m a sweaty mess, my hands are callused hunks of hamburger, and all I want is a nap.

Never one to shy away from making a bad situation worse, Probst pulled me aside to offer me a third challenge.

“You know how we’re giving them less food this season?” he asked.

“I do,” I responded.

“I want to send you out to one of the beaches with our fishing expert to show everyone how hard it is to catch a fish,” he explained.

“Oh…so go out there, catch a fish and then let everyone know how difficult it is for somebody who has little-to-no experience?”

“Oh no. I would say you’re not going to get a fish,” he assured me.

“So…”

He continued, “Yeah, I asked if our fishing expert would be able to do it. And they said, no problem. Like 100%. But you, with no experience, probably like 1%.”

“Uh huh…”

He capped off his bright idea by saying, “And then he’ll show you how to start a fire and you can talk about how hard that is too.”

I shot back, “And what are the odds I’ll be able to do that?”

“Probably…maybe…who knows? Stranger things have happened.”

With that vote of confidence from a national icon bouncing around my head I had the whole evening to figure out how I wasn’t going to embarrass myself. There wasn’t much I could do to prepare for the fishing, but for years I’ve been the biggest proponent of contestants LEARNING HOW TO MAKE (EXPLETIVE DELETED) FIRE BEFORE GOING ON THE SHOW.

So, I did what any other person from my generation would do; I sat in my hotel room and watched fire-making YouTube videos.

The next thing I knew, I was on a boat with tanned, toned, Hawaiian fishing god Joaquin and his crew members as we jetted off to one of this season’s unused beaches.

When we arrived, I double-checked with Joaquin to make sure that I didn’t have to be concerned about sharks or anything. He assured me that there were occasionally sharks in the area, but we probably didn’t have to worry about anything.

Ahem…probably.

FUN FACT: Joaquin and I are totally Facebook bros now. Like a week after this trip took place, he posted something about having to dive back into a boat to avoid a shark. Thanks, buddy.

First, Joaquin showed me the Hawaiian sling the contestants were using. It was old and rickety. He told me not to worry though, because he had a better one for me. I hated to do it, but I told him the story wouldn’t work if I was using better equipment than the contestants. He agreed, and went about showing me how to use it.

So basically, the Hawaiian sling is a long spear with four sharp prongs on one end and a large rubber band on the other. You take the rubber band into your hand then stretch it up the length of the pole. You point the spear at your target, then release it. The rubber band will launch the spear toward your prey, catching it easily, and turning you into your tribe’s hero.

Then, he showed me the crappy old flippers and goggles the contestants would receive, but he assured me he had better ones for me. Once again, I had to turn them down.

Equipped with the finest in 1950s fishing gear, I hit the water. And as if the moisture in the Fijian sea was too much for the ancient rubber to handle, the strap on my left flipper immediately disintegrated. I retrieved the now-useless flipper and tossed it back into the boat. I guess I’ll just swim in a circle.

Undeterred I readied my spear and set off to prove Jeff Probst wrong. Once I was underwater I was happy to discover dozens of potential entrees.

I slowly stalked my prey, aimed my weapon, and released it. And boy, if those fish didn’t have a sixth sense as to when a rubber band was about to be released. Those little suckers would immediately dart out of the way.

I’d readjust my spear, get close enough to lunch, release it, and they’d vanish. Lather, rinse, repeat.

And what was worse, sometimes I’d miss and be treated to the frustrating clang of the spear banging against the coral.

Release…clang!

Release…clang!

Release…clang!

Finally, I got the drop on a good-sized specimen. I slowly approached it, released the spear, and hit him!

…And he promptly wriggled off the spikes and swam down into the reef. I hovered above the reef for a while hoping maybe he’d die from his injuries, or old age or something, and float back to the surface. But, it never happened.

Ugh…I’d never appreciated Ozzy Lusth so much in my life.

I continued for about an hour and all I had to show for it was a gash on my hand from where I had to remove a piece of coral from my prongs. It was bleeding quite a bit, but I wasn’t worried because there weren’t any sharks in the area. (Right, Joaquin?)

Finally, I spotted a school of fish that didn’t seem too alarmed that a sunburnt, bleeding journalist was milling around their area. I targeted one, released the spear, and nabbed him. I immediately pointed the spear straight up so he couldn’t get away.

Victory!

In your face, Jeff Probst!

I surfaced and cheered like I had just won the World Series. Joaquin’s crew was greatly amused. I’m sure it’s the first time they’ve heard such a big fuss over such a small fish.

Joaquin heard the commotion and paddled over using flippers that were created in this century. He was clearly very proud of his pupil and told me to look under the water to see what he’d caught for lunch. I looked down and saw the biggest lobster I have ever seen attached to his belt.

Well, I’d happily share the world’s smallest fish with him if he was willing to share the world’s biggest lobster.

We hit the beach and Joaquin and I started our survival training. He showed me the proper way to open a coconut with a machete and various other techniques. But then it was time for the main event; fire making.

He retrieved a coconut shell and some kindling. From there he scraped off a small pile of magnesium and started striking the flint.

Spark…spark…nothing.

Spark…spark…nothing.

Spark…spark…nothing.

And while this probably didn’t bode well for my ability to start a fire, it was nice to see him having some trouble with it.

This went on for about twenty minutes with no success. Finally, Joaquin laughed and said, “I’m really more of a fishing guy.”

While this was going on, Joaquin’s crew had darted off in all directions. Immediately they had caught a ton more fish (and about four times the size of what I had procured). They also went into the forest and came back with other treats. They started a raging fire (using a lighter) and went about preparing a feast.

Realizing that all of this fire-attempting was going to get in the way of our lunch, Joaquin suggested I give it a go. I followed his instructions, remembered my YouTube training, and went to work.

I got my coconut shell, I got my kindling, I made a little pile of magnesium…

Spark…spark…nothing.

Spark…spark…nothing.

Spark…spark…nothing.

This went on for about fifteen minutes until…

Spark…spark…sizzle!

The magnesium finally caught! I slowly blew on the ember, hoping it would catch the kindling…and it did! Actual fire!

Joaquin and I jumped up and down and hugged as if we had just won the lottery. His crew members laughed again…which…come on, guys. You had a lighter.

With my trip to “Survivor” School finally completed, it was time to eat. I was presented with the fish I had caught earlier and took a bite out of it. It tasted like victory.

I offered to share it with my new tribe, but honestly, it would have been like trying to share a Tic Tac. Fortunately, they had prepared a ton of fish, Joaquin’s giant lobster, and various other things they had found around the island. And believe me when I say, it was all delicious. If these dudes ever decide to open up a seafood restaurant in Philadelphia, I’ll be there every day.

They even made a spicy dipping sauce using sea water and spices they had located. The only thing we ate that wasn’t caught or scavenged on location was a lemon they had brought for the fish. Amazing.

In fact, we ate so much that I was too full to have dinner when we got back to base camp. Just goes to show what a motivated tribe is capable of…if they are all fishing and wilderness experts.

That night at Tribal I told Probst my tale. And every time I’d see him after that he’d exclaim, “I still can’t believe you caught a fish.”

Believe it, buddy. Jeff had given me a challenge and I’d accomplished it. Surely this must count as that tenth win I was looking for, right?

Wrong.

I asked Probst…he said, “No.”

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

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

Gordon Holmes: How are you holding up?
Jacob Derwin: I’m doing alright.
Holmes: That was hard to watch, my friend.
Derwin: Yeah, you’re telling me. (Laughs)
Holmes: You love “Survivor.” Where are you with it now that you had to watch everything you missed while you were out there?
Derwin: I had a lot of trouble watching 35. I watched very little of it, to be frank. And I feel bad because many of those people have reached out and been kind and we’ve had lovely conversations. I had a very bitter taste in my mouth. I’m going to commit to watching “Ghost Island” because I’m lucky to have friends on the cast. I want to support them. I don’t know about the people who said I was “the least social person on the planet” or that I was “special.” But, there are a lot of people that I support.
Holmes: You’re special to me, Jacob.
Derwin: Aww…thanks!

Holmes: Sometimes I’ll start this off with a snarky joke. And…I wrote one. But, I feel horrible about it.
Derwin: (Laughs) Nothing you can say can pierce this armor at this point. I am a husk of a man. I can’t feel a thing. Hit me, man.
Holmes: When they do “Ghost Island 2,” which of your cursed items will be out there; the shoes that floated away, the dirty sock you filled with rice, or the fake idol that nobody bought?
Derwin: (Laughs)
Holmes: I’m not proud of that.
Derwin: It’s alright. I think the shoes are long gone. (Laughs) They actually had a shot of it in the show! I was surprised. I didn’t see them go. I have the fake idol here if they want it.

Holmes: I spoke with Gonzalez a couple of minutes ago and asked why you were on the outs so quickly and she said that you just didn’t seem to fit in. What was your take on why you were having trouble connecting?
Derwin: I think that’s about right. I was making friends, but I wasn’t making enough friends. Laurel and James are people I liked a lot. I talked to Stephanie a lot, not just once. (Laughs) Kill me. We talked a lot out there. But, there was always that looming Michael, Brendan, Libby, Jenna thing. I couldn’t get in with them. I tried with Libby for a bit. Michael and I had nothing to connect over. Brendan and I could talk about music. But, I could see through it. He has this face he puts on when he’s talking cool with you.
Holmes: I was out there on day two and you and I snuck out for a little idol hunt. Was it was really that bad that quickly that you didn’t care if everyone knew what you were up to?
Derwin: Yes. I know a lot of the portrayal is I went searching for no good reason and that’s why I went home. But for the first few days, nobody would talk to me, Gordon. I would literally walk around with people…it’s the modern game of “Survivor.” People make alliances on day one. You talk game, “I don’t like this person, I do like this person.” I’d talk to people and ask about their game and they’d say, “I don’t really know yet, I haven’t thought about it.” And I’d be sitting there and thinking, so that means it’s me. It was really frustrating that nobody wanted to play with me. So, fine…if I need to protect myself, I need to protect myself. And if that’s what it looks like, so be it.

Holmes: So, you act up after the immunity challenge and Naviti decides to send you to Ghost Island. When you trick somebody…don’t tell them that you’re tricking them.
Derwin: (Laughs) Gordon, my plan at that point was to make Naviti hate me.
Holmes: Mission accomplished!
Derwin: (Laughs) I was hoping they’d keep sending me back. And unfortunately it didn’t go as planned. It worked once.
Holmes: You weren’t the first person at Ghost Island, our friend Josh Wigler from the Hollywood Reporter got to break it in. Did he leave behind a noticeable smell?
Derwin: (Laughs) I got there and it looked like someone had tried to make a fire.
Holmes: I said you were the perfect person to go there first. You must’ve been like two friends in a candy store.
Derwin: I didn’t recognize everything, I’m not that crazy. I was having a good time walking around and seeing stuff. It almost makes it a little more embarrassing because it feels like this season was formulated for me, right? The entire twist is there’s an entire place based on previous seasons. You need to know the game.

Holmes: You’re using words like “embarrassed,” which is understandable. But, I think a good takeaway from this for you could be; you’re proof that “Survivor” is easy…to play on your couch.
Derwin: It’s hard to say this because I know it sounds dumb, but I believe I could have pulled something off. I believe that I can play this game. But, I also believe that I did a few things quickly wrong. And in my efforts to save myself I just made the target bigger. That’s how it goes sometimes. Great players can go home early and bad players can stay until the end.

Holmes: When Brendan called out the lack of an idol letter, did you know you were in trouble?
Derwin: I knew it was going to come up. He’s right, I know the game too well. There were a lot of different things I could have done. I was thinking of wrapping it in the parchment from the urn. But then I thought, if they saw what it said it’d be bad. I thought maybe it was glued inside of the bamboo and I couldn’t get it out. Honestly, the most believable one I could think of was, “Crap, where did it go?” (Laughs)
Holmes: (Laughs)
Derwin: It’s not great. But I thought the people who didn’t know the game well, the Libbys might believe it.
Holmes: I needed it for kindling.
Derwin: I could’ve said I needed fire, so I burnt my souvenir. I almost tried to sell Ghost Island as desolate. But when you get there it’s like a resort. Better shelter than the one on Malolo.

Holmes: Heading into Tribal, if you had to put a percentage on how much you trusted Stephanie, what would it be?
Derwin: Maybe 25%. It was there, I thought there was a chance. It was a crazy plan because we were pulling together people who didn’t want to work together. Laurel wasn’t a huge fan of Stephanie. I’m trying to pull people together who haven’t talked to each other much. I’m the common thread and I’m not a good common thread at this point. Stephanie did legitimately think about working with me which makes me feel better. She did talk to Jenna about it. And I talked to Laurel and James. If we all got together, maybe we could have pulled it off. But, when you’re the obvious boot and you’re trying to gather forces against everyone’s favorite golden boy? It’s a tough thing to pull off.
Holmes: When you voted for Michael, your comment about him needing to listen more seemed a little biting considering how little we had seen you two interact. What was behind that?
Derwin: Michael talks a lot. (Laughs) I did have trouble fitting in with the tribe because we’d sit around and talk. And they’d talk and talk about burritos from Chipotle and their orders and Instagram followers. And I’m sitting there, how do I talk to you? I have Michael’s Chipotle order committed to memory because I’ve heard it so many times. And I was only there for six days. And he played a better game, I can admit that. But, there’s a sea of dark anger toward him because of how frustrating I found him out there.

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Brendan.
Derwin: Steady as a White Stripes rhythm section.
Holmes: Gonzalez?
Derwin: She deserves better. She deserves a lot better.
Holmes: Rainbow Stephanie?
Derwin: (Laughs) My mom is cooler than your mom.
Holmes: Libby?
Derwin: Princess.
Holmes: Laurel?
Derwin: Smarter than any of us will ever be.
Holmes: James?
Derwin: Also smarter than any of us will ever be. He also has the best posture I have ever seen in my life.
Holmes: Donathan?
Derwin: The War on Drugs.
Holmes: Jenna?
Derwin: Who?
Holmes: Jenna?
Derwin: Yeah…who?
Holmes: I see what you did there. Let’s finish with Michael.
Derwin: Burrito bowl with an extra tortilla on the side.

Holmes: Should I be worried about “The War on Drugs” for Donathan?
Derwin: It’s a band, he’s a big fan of the band. It’s the main thing we connected with out there.
Holmes: OK, good. I’m an old man, Jacob. I don’t know about your new-fangled bands.
Derwin: No, it’s dad rock. It’s good stuff.

Holmes: We need to talk about the rice sock.
Derwin: (Laughs) Oh no.
Holmes: How much grief have you gotten from people who had to eat rice that was seasoned with your foot?
Derwin: No one! Not a single person on the cast. And I told people out there. When I was trying to get with Libby I told her, but she was uninterested. And I told Stephanie Johnson about it, she came back and saw a few grains of rice on the floor and she said, “You’ve got to clean that up right now. You don’t want them to see that.” Look, I wanted to put it all back in the jar. And I’ll tell you what, I checked Twitter and a few former players have said, “No, that’s what you do. If you have a hunch, you go for it. They’re going to boil it later anyways.”

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

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

Gordon Holmes: How are you?
Stephanie Gonzalez: I am great! I’m sitting in a bubble bath.
Holmes: What? That is how you do exit press. Well done.
Gonzalez: That’s how you do it.

Holmes: Let’s talk about last night’s horrible fiasco. Immediately you have an easy target because Jacob is on the outs with your tribe. What was he doing that put him in that position?
Gonzalez: Jacob was on the outs because…I think it was a self-realization of how different he really was. He already knew he was going to be different because he’s a little more quirky, a little bit of a different personality, which I love by the way. I think he’s a cool guy. He got to camp and we realized he stood out. He realized it and thought he was in danger because he wasn’t a part of the conversations we were having. Everyone had some kind of fit…other than Donathan. But, he was a little more charismatic and in with the girls. It was easier for him. He’s gay and we love gay guys because they’re a part of us. We feel like we can talk to him. And Jacob didn’t have that flirty personality or leader, charismatic charm. He’s just this cute, goofy guy.
Holmes: And once he realized that, he started the idol hunting?
Gonzalez: Yeah, he was like, “Game on. I need to find an idol to stick around longer.”

Holmes: You were very vocal about the challenge puzzle. What happened there?
Gonzalez: It was a (expletive deleted) show. We all talked about different tasks we were going to be doing. The physical part, I don’t know that Jacob felt confident. So, he did the puzzle part. He said he’d been practicing puzzles. And he didn’t do so well. I think at one point we were uniformly instructing people what to do because they were having a meltdown.

Holmes: You lose the challenge, he goes to Ghost Island. And this wasn’t aired last night, but you said you went on a five-minute walk, and when you came back everything was different. Nobody would look you in the eye. What was the plan before the walk?
Gonzalez: The plan was to go with Donathan or Jenna. I spoke to Brendan about it. Me and Brendan were kind of working together on the low. Even me and Michael. What they didn’t show at Tribal was, when I was whispering I asked Brendan who he was voting for. Then I asked Michael because…there was no blindside…I knew what was going on. I spoke to Brendan and he told me one person and Michael told me another. And I knew he and Michael were the tightest next to Stephanie and Jenna. So, I spoke to Libby…who was a little more clueless about the game plan. I said, “Brendan said, ‘We’re not voting for me anymore,’ you’re going to vote for Donathan.” And she said, “It’s not you anymore? OK, Donathan.” So, that confirmed that they were voting for me.
Holmes: So, why you?
Gonzalez: Michael and I had a conversation before Tribal and I told him we have to keep the tribe strong. We already saw that the other tribe is strong. We need to level up. And Michael agreed. And I told him that I’m really good at puzzles and I was strong in the challenge. The more obvious person was Donathan. And Michael said, “You sound like you’re pleading your case. You’re sticking around. We need you.” At that point he hadn’t talked to everyone else. And when I wandered off they switched the vote. It was between Donathan and Jenna. But Donathan spoke to Brendan and me and Brendan fell for it. Donathan was tearing up and was emotional. He started bawling and Brendan said, “I don’t want to send the kid home.” So, he wanted to target one of the stronger girls. And guess who that was?
Holmes: Awww… When you were voted out you said, “One lion, seven sheep, sad.” My guess is that Brendan is the lion, right?
Gonzalez: Correct!

Holmes: Alright, word association time. Let’s start with Brendan.
Gonzalez: Chief.
Holmes: Stephanie?
Gonzalez: Rainbow.
Holmes: Laurel?
Gonzalez: Anonymous.
Holmes: Libby?
Gonzalez: Nair. (Laughs)
Holmes: Donathan?
Gonzalez: Exciting.
Holmes: Jacob?
Gonzalez: Soft.
Holmes: Michael?
Gonzalez: L.A.
Holmes: James?
Gonzalez: Calculating.
Holmes: Jenna?
Gonzalez: Hot dog.
Holmes: Hot dog?
Gonzalez: It’s her favorite food. I’ve never met anyone in my life who would choose a hot dog.
Holmes: A hot dog is good, but your favorite food?
Gonzalez: Right? What’s the best food?
Holmes: Garlic bread.
Gonzalez: (Laughs) Yeah.

Holmes: When you’re watching it last night and you’re seeing Jacob poor your rice supply into his dirty sock…what was your reaction?
Gonzalez: Honestly, everyone was freaking out because Jacob put rice in his sock. I had a viewing party and there were like 200 people there and everyone was like, “Oh my God! No way!” Women were cringing and covering their eyes. And I’m thinking, “Well, we have to boil water to cook rice.” I didn’t think it was a big deal.
Holmes: Blah…
Gonzalez: I knew he was looking for idols. I called him out on it. “Jacob, did you disappear for three hours?”

Holmes: Was there anything out there that we didn’t get to see that you wish we had?
Gonzalez: I wish they’d have shown more of the shelter building. Or, the talks with me, Brendan, and Michael. That was an instrumental part of my story. If they’d shown me helping them build the shelter…I was the dirtiest by a long shot. And it wasn’t because I was wearing a yellow dress, I was fil…thy.

Holmes: When you’re voted out first it’s probably because you’re a weirdo, you’re a jerk, or you’re a threat. Is it any solace that it was probably because you were a threat?
Gonzalez: Nothing will bring me inner peace, but if there is one way to be voted out first, it’s because you’re a threat. If I saw myself on TV and it was because people thought I was annoying? Or she’s dumb or a nuisance? I’d take it so personal.

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

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

ANOTHER QUICK NOTE: I was in Fiji for the filming of the first half of this episode. Keep your eyes peeled for all kinds of behind-the-scenes tidbits.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

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

The Naviti Tribe (wearing purple)
Angela, 42 – Army Veteran
Bradley, 26 – Law Student
Chelsea, 24 – EMT/Professional Cheerleader
Chris, 27 – Male Model
Desiree, 21 – Student
Domenick, 38 – Construction Supervisor
Kellyn, 31 – Career Counselor
Morgan, 29 – Marine Animal Trainer
Sebastian, 22 – Fishing Guide
Wendell, 33 – Furniture Company Owner

The Malolo Tribe (wearing orange)
Brendan, 41 – Physical Education Teacher
Donathan, 26 – Caretaker
Gonzalez, 26 – Graphic Sales
Jacob, 22 – Music Teacher
James, 24 – Business Analyst
Jenna, 23 – Advertising Account Executive
Laurel, 29 – Financial Consultant
Libby, 24 – Social Media Strategist
Michael, 18 – Real Estate Agent
Stephanie, 34 – Yoga Instructor

The Marooning

J-Pro brings the 20 new victims to a beach on two boats. Jeff announces the Ghost Island twist, but doesn’t explain very much about it. This immediately leads into…

The Opening Challenge

• Both tribes must choose someone to “represent their tribe.” Malolo chooses Brendan and Chris basically volunteers for Naviti. (Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Both tribes assumed the person they picked was going to run the challenge.)
• The tribe representative had to choose someone to run the obstacle course part of the challenge. Brendan chose Michael while Chris picked Sebastian.
• Then, they had to choose someone to do the puzzle. Brendan went with Laurel while Chris drafted a somewhat reluctant Desiree.

The Challenge: One person from each tribe will run through an obstacle course three times. They’ll have to dig up a key each time. When all of the keys have been retrieved, the other member will unlock a slide puzzle. The first tribe to complete the puzzle wins a shelter-building kit. The losing tribe will forfeit their fishing kit.

The Twist: When the puzzle starts, Probst will pull the pin on a bottle of sand. Sand will slowly flow out of the upturned bottle. During that time, the tribe captains (Chris and Brendan) can choose to submit. If they submit, they get to keep their fishing gear. But, the opposing tribe will receive eggs and flint.

The Result: Chris pulled the lever on Desiree’s puzzle to submit for his tribe. Malolo wins reward.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: That was absolutely the right call by Chris. From my vantage point Laurel was way ahead.

During the post-challenge discussion, Domenick says he would have made a different decision than Chris.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Michael was in terrible shape after this challenge. Medical was almost called in.

At Malolo Beach

Donathan immediately makes good on his pre-game hope of making an African American friend. Laurel gets to fill that role.

Michael also keeps up with his pre-game decision to lie about his age. He tells everyone that he’s 23 when he’s really 18. Oof…I hope Probst doesn’t out him during some kind of alcohol reward.

In other news, Jacob put his shoes on the beach and the tide took them away. Wow. Now he’s like “Survivor” John McClane.

Jacob goes “exploring” and everybody absolutely notices what he’s up to.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: I was actually with Jacob at this moment watching him hunt. He said something along the lines of, “I can’t believe I have to do this on day two.”

Later, when the tribe goes yam hunting, Jacob decides to search the rice jar for clues. How does he do this you ask? He pours the rice into his disgusting sock. Sure enough, Jacob remains clueless.

Ahem…

Quick Aside: Can you imagine being Libby, surrounded by your friends and family, watching this at home? Everybody now knows that you ate Jacob’s sock rice.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: I heard through the grapevine that Jacob actually told someone in his tribe about this grossness. I’m sure they weren’t pleased.

At Naviti Beach

Domenick quickly dubs Sebastian “Sea Bass.” Somewhere Fabio is psyched that someone has finally taken his mantle of “Worst ‘Survivor’ Nickname.”

Later, Chris and Sebastian quickly bond over their Floridian roots and decide to target Domenick. Careful who you give odd nicknames to, buddy.

Sebastian refers to this new alliance as “Best Friends in a Candy Shop.” Meh…it’s still better than every “Big Brother” alliance name ever.

From there, Sebastian approaches Wendell with the idea of voting out Domenick. However, Wendell has already partnered up with Domenick.

CUT TO: Wendell and Bradley telling Domenick that Sebastian is targeting him. Domenick quickly connects the dots and figures out that Chris is behind it.

Immunity Challenge Time: The two tribes will run through a net bridge, then lift members of their tribe up to retrieve two bags of rope. They’ll use the ropes to pull a sled filled with puzzle pieces. The first tribe to complete the puzzle will win immunity. The winning tribe will also decide who from the losing tribe will be sent to Ghost Island.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: This challenge suuuuuuuucks. My hands were ripped up for weeks.

Result: Naviti was able to capitalize on a few Malolo mistakes to claim the win.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Kellyn got a lot of credit from her tribe for managing the puzzle.

When it was all said and done, Jacob wasn’t concerned because Malolo is still “One of the best tribes of all time.” Probst took a little exception to this comment considering they’re 0-1 in challenges. However, Jacob stuck to his guns.

Naturally Naviti chooses Jacob to go to Ghost Island because it’s clear that he’s annoying his tribe. Jacob immediately celebrates by telling everyone that Naviti fell into his trap. I think this is the fastest someone has ever annoyed an entire cast.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: No joke, it was clear that both tribes were ready to strangle Jacob.

Jacob on Ghost Island

So, Ghost Island is basically the coolest “Survivor” museum ever. There Jacob finds every snuffer ever, old immunity idols, and more. They certainly picked the perfect person to go there because he geeks right out.

Jacob is given the opportunity to play a game. He’ll have to bet his vote at the next Tribal for a chance to earn an advantage. He chooses to play and wins Sierra’s legacy advantage from “Game Changers. (The game was literally a 50/50 game of chance.)

He has to send the advantage to one person on the other tribe. He chooses Morgan because he’s confident she’ll be there after the merge.

Then, he decides to fashion himself a fake idol to buy himself some time using pieces from a tree mail. He actually makes a pretty decent facsimile.

Post-Challenge Politicking

Donathan is trying to paint a target on Gonzalez’s back because she was talking some trash during the challenge puzzle. Meanwhile, she’s targeting Donathan because he doesn’t have the physicality to help during challenges.

Stephanie is also interested in keeping Donathan around because she thinks she can control him. Michael wants to keep the tribe strong, but Stephanie defends him with the hilarious point, “if we need a little person to shove into something.”

Tribal Time

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: It took Donathan forever to light his torch.

Everyone seems to agree that Jacob would have been an easy vote. However, now they’re torn as to who to vote for. Gonzalez and Donathan are clearly the two names being bounced around.

Behind-the Scenes Tidbits:
• Brendan tried to make Donathan feel at ease, even saying, “You’re alright.”
• Jenna thought her name was in play too.
• There was a long discussion about who the “We” is as far as alliances.
• Gonzalez claims that she took a five-minute walk before Tribal and when she came back, nobody would look her in the eye.

Before they can vote, Gonzalez kicks off a round of Live Tribal™. The whispering happened in this order…

• Gonzalez whispers to Brendan and Michael
• Michael whispers to Jenna and Laurel
• Gonzalez whispers to Stephanie and Libby
• Brendan whispers to James
• Steph and Libby whisper
• Nobody whispers to Donathan

Voting Time: Donathan votes for Gonzalez, Gonzalez votes for Donathan, and the rest of the votes are super secret.

Probst tallies and returns. We’ve got one vote for Donathan, four votes for Gonzalez, and the first person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” is…Gonzalez.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Here are the votes…

• Gonzalez votes for Donathan, saying they have to keep the tribe strong.
• Donathan votes for Gonzalez, saying he’s tired of his voice not being heard.
• Libby votes for Gonzalez, saying “I guess you’re not part of the ‘we’.”
• James votes for Gonzalez, saying “It’s not you, it’s the game.”
• Steph votes for Gonzalez, saying there’s only room for one Steph. Also, Steph forgot to remove the pen cap when voting.
• Brendan votes for Gonzalez, saying he’s trying to keep order in the tribe.
• Jenna votes for Gonzalez, saying this is what she gets for trying to plot against her.
• Michael votes for Gonzalez, simply saying he’s sorry to see her go.
• Laurel votes for Gonzalez, saying she’s playing too hard, too fast.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: As Gonzalez was leaving she said, “One lion, seven sheep. Sad.” I’m pretty sure she was referring to Brendan as the lion.

At Naviti Beach

Paranoia is getting the best of Domenick. He goes for a late-night stroll and manages to find himself the idol Andrea Boehlke took home from “Fans vs. Favorites.” Wow. That’s some Tony-level business.

Morgan finds the legacy advantage that Jacob sent her way. She freaks out and tells us she’s worried because she has a big mouth and might slip up and tell someone. Oh no! That’s some Cole-level business.

Later on, Domenick tries to make peace with Chris. Chris immediately asks if Domenick has found an idol, which Domenick denies. This sparks an idea, as Domenick decides to make his own fake idol and pair it with the letter from the real idol. He shows it to Chris and tells him he’ll be willing to play it for him. Chris doesn’t seem to buy it completely and he certainly doesn’t like that Domenick lied to him in the first place.

At Malolo Beach

Jacob returns and immediately asks everyone to gather around to hear his tale. He proceeds to tell everyone about Ghost Island and his idol. Everyone.

Brendan smartly asks about the letter that tends to accompany immunity idols. Jacob claims that he left it behind. Nope…nobody’s going to buy this.

Sure enough, Brendan tells his alliance that there’s no way a “Survivor” hardcore fan isn’t going to hoard all of the memorabilia he can.

Immunity Challenge: Two players from each tribe will swim across an obstacle course, then release a set of buoys. Then a second team of two players will do the same thing. From there, a fifth team member will retrieve all of the marked buoys. Finally, two members will shoot the buoys into a basket. The first tribe to hit eight shots will win immunity and comfort items.

Result: Naviti won immunity easily after James and Donathan had a meltdown. Donathan swam to the platform while James was absolutely incapable or releasing the buoys. After much hesitation, Donathan finally went back and helped. It was sold as an inspiring moment, but the fiasco absolutely cost Malolo the challenge.

Naviti chooses to send Donathan to Ghost Island. Jacob is not pleased.

Donathan at Ghost Island

Not much to report here as Ghost Island did not offer Donathan a game.

Post-Challenge Politicking

James immediately owns up to choking during the challenge. He swears that he’ll redeem himself if he’s given another chance.

The popular opinion still seems to be to target Jacob. They decide to split the votes in case his Ghost Island story is real. Stephanie offers to get on his side to learn more about the “idol.”

Stephanie turns on the charm and Jacob doesn’t just spill the beans, he chucks them across the island. He tells her that he gave the legacy advantage to Morgan. He even tells Steph that…his…idol…is…fake.

Oh Jacob…

Stephanie seems to be entertaining the idea of working with him, because he clearly trusts her. A potential alliance of Stephanie, Jacob, Laurel, James, and Jenna is batted around. And…they seem to be targeting Michael for no rational reason.

Tribal Time

James again owns up to blowing the challenge, but nobody seems to hold it against him. Jacob stands by his belief that he’s part of the greatest tribe ever. Jenna believes a lot more thought has been put into alliances this time around. As they go to vote, Brendan tells Michael that he thinks they’re being set up.

Voting Time: Jacob votes for Michael and the rest of the votes are lost to the magic of editing.

Probst tallies and returns. He asks if anyone wants to play an idol and…nobody does. We’ve got one vote for Michael, one vote for James, one vote for Jacob, one vote for James, three votes for Jacob, and the second person voted out of “Survivor: Ghost Island” is…Jacob.

Verdict: I’m digging the Ghost Island twist, it’s like a charismatic Exile Island. Plus it’s an opportunity to reach out to former Survivors and remind them of their most public failures.

Anywho, I’m ready to see Naviti visit Tribal.

	Stephanie – She’s got several alliance options and a ton of information. I think she played everything perfectly. Wendell – He’s got all the tools to build a strong alliance. (That’s some carpenter humor for you.)
	Morgan – It seems weird to give you a high grade for simply opening your bag. But, it looks like you’re in pretty good shape.
	Desiree – You had a rough run with the puzzle, but your jumpshot was solid. Brendan – He’s running the show at Malolo for better or worse. But he does not seem confident in his alliance at all.
	Domenick – Good on you for finding an idol and starting an alliance with Wendell. But, messing with Chris might cause problems. If you want him gone, just vote him out. Sea-Bass-Tian – Don’t be the first to throw names out early in the game. You’re lucky it deflected to Chris.
	Chris – I think you made the right call during the opening challenge. But, I’d bet Naviti is more likely to be on Wendell and Domenick’s side than yours. Michael – What is it about you that made you an attractive name to throw out? You’d better start making friends and influencing people. Donathan – You came out of that challenge fiasco looking better than James. But you need to find someone that has your back.
	James – A bad first showing from a strong dude. Walk it off, you’ll have more chances.
	Chelsea, Angela, Bradley, Laurel, Libby, Jenna, Kellyn – I can’t give you full credit if you don’t show your work.

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

QUICK NOTE: The good folks at XFINITY sent me deep into the Fijian wilderness to bring you an exclusive look at “Survivor: Ghost Island.” While I was there I conducted interviews with “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and the entire cast. I also captured exclusive photos and other behind-the-scenes tidbits. So, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Gordon Holmes: How does one become the Executive Producer on “Survivor”?
Matt Van Wagenen: Well…
Holmes: Because I’m hoping that’s my next career move.
Van Wagenen: (Laughs) We’ll see. It was a long process. I started off on season 14, I had been a huge fan from the beginning. And even in season 2 I made a mixtape for this girl.
Holmes: Mix tape? In 2001?
Van Wagenen: A mix CD at the time. I’d put little clips from movies and TV shows in between songs and I actually put Jerri Manthey getting voted out right before a song. I was an intense fan. We used to love watching the show together and I had always wanted to work on it. I had some connections to get into “Survivor,” but they never hired me. So, I kept trying and trying. I was really persistent. And finally there was an opening around season 14. It was the dream job for me. I didn’t want to leave. I loved it. There’s a rush working on “Survivor.” And being a producer on the beach is the best job because you’re watching “Survivor.”
Holmes: “Survivor” the live show.
Van Wagenen: It is! It’s “Survivor” the live show the entire time. You’re watching all of the mistakes as they happen. It’s like watching at home on your couch, except you’re allowed to pause the show and ask the players, “So, why did you do that?” You can actually ask those questions. I was a producer on the show up until season 26 and then I got promoted to Co-Executive Producer in season 27 and a couple of years ago got promoted to Executive Producer.

Holmes: How much of a say do you have in creative?
Van Wagenen: Quite a bit. It all starts with Jeff. Jeff is our driving force. People say he’s the face of “Survivor,” but he’s much more than that.
Holmes: The heart, the soul, the dimples…
Van Wagenen: You joke, but I’ve never met someone who’s so tenacious. He has such a love for this show. He really drives the ship. Jesse Jensen deals more with the logistics and I deal more with the creative. It is not uncommon for us to be talking about creative years in advance. Ghost Island is something we’ve had in the works forever. We’ll be doing a boat ride to a challenge, two years ago and we’ll be like, “OK, what can Ghost Island be?” And we’ll spit out ideas. We’ve been around for so long, that a Segment Producer can come up with an idea. Jeff can be the driving force, I have a say in it, but we’ll take a good idea from anyone.
Holmes: Jeff and I have already hashed out season 37. I’m sure he’ll be bringing it to your attention soon.
Van Wagenen: What is it?
Holmes: “Survivor: Host Island.”
Van Wagenen: (Laughs)
Holmes: It’s going to be huge.

Holmes: Alright, tell me about this Ghost Island I’ve been hearing so much about.
Van Wagenen: Ghost Island…we had the title first, then worked on the theme. “Survivor” is a game where literally a million decisions are made over the course of the game. Sometimes there are good ones and sometimes there are bad ones and sometimes there are disastrous ones. We thought it’d be fun to do a season with relics from bad decisions of the past. We didn’t just want to say, “Someone made this bad decision.” We had this idea where we want people to reverse the curse. For the “Survivor” geek, it’s going to be a playground.
Holmes: I said it’s like a love letter to hardcore “Survivor” fans.
Van Wagenen: I used that term just the other day. But, we also want to make sure new fans enjoy it as well. I’m a person who…sitting on my desk back at home I have objects and relics…
Holmes: Right, don’t you have Eliza’s stick and things like that?
Van Wagenen: Right. I have David’s fake hidden immunity idol in a jar.
Holmes: Do you have to fish them out of the fire after Jeff chucks them in there?
Van Wagenen: Oh…they’re in the fire. As soon as we wrap I get on the radio and say, “Can someone from art please grab that for me?” These objects, they symbolize a mistake. Some of these items will be making an appearance. It’ll be a question of if people can correct the mistakes that others have made. Going to Ghost Island myself, I was struck by how cool it looks. And you can draw power from it, or it can be a little haunting.

Holmes: Probst and I were joking about the target that Stephen Fishbach hit that belonged to the other tribe being out there as a cursed item.
Van Wagenen: (Laughs) I love Stephen. You could also throw in his steal-a-vote advantage. He’s got a lot of cursed items. The ball that he dropped in the final challenge in Tocantins, I’d say that’s cursed.
Holmes: Is Stephen out there?
Van Wagenen: (Laughs) Wouldn’t that be great? He’s out there with his horrible intestinal distress. He has a few things out there.

Holmes: Jeff was telling me that you’re giving them less food as a way to make providers more valuable to the tribe. What’s the balance between, “This is your game, go play it,” and “Providers should get more of a shot”?
Van Wagenen: It’s also, we love to see people out there fishing. Anything you can do to encourage people to go out in the water is good. But, I think we always want to lean toward it being their game. The whole point of “Survivor” is for them to create their own society. But, I think we also want them to create their own game. People last season complained that there was too much whispering at Tribal. But, they did it. We didn’t want to bridle them with rules.

Holmes: The original concept was you’re marooned, every three days you get rid of somebody. And it can be for any reason; they’re annoying, they don’t help around camp, they’re a strategic threat. During “Game Changers”, Malcolm goes home after being voted out by another society, and Cirie goes home without receiving a single vote. How do you feel when moments like that go down?
Van Wagenen: I think the game is evolving. We’re never…well, I should never say never…but there are always going to be idols. Anything we can do to keep the players on their toes is good. Nobody wants a stale season. Malcolm was voted out and sometimes there are casualties. Good players go. In “Survivor: Second Chance” when Kimmi was voted out, everyone thinks it was awesome. If it’d been Jeremy, maybe people would have been more upset. I do wonder how much the victim matters in how people feel about it.
Holmes: Yeah, if anything happens to Malcolm I am (expletive deleted) furious.
Van Wagenen: (Laughs) Yeah, sorry about “Game Changers.”

Holmes: Here’s an actual compliment.
Van Wagenen: Finally!
Holmes: I love the new final Tribal format.
Van Wagenen: I’m surprised it took us this long to get there. It started with Jeff. He’s been there since day one and it became this thing. We look at a process that we’ve been doing for a long time and we question; why are we still doing this? And, I think looking at final Tribal, why are we doing this thing where someone can just be talked to. It’s not a speech, it’s a conversation. And a season where we celebrate “live Tribals,” if the final Tribal can be live, how much better is that? I think you actually see people being swayed more because of the new format.
Holmes: It’s interesting to see who advocates for who.
Van Wagenen: Yeah, you’ll see; this person plays like I played, so I want to champion their cause. I think there’s a little bit of the jury member wants to identify with the winner.

Holmes: If we were filming “Survivor: The Movie,” who would play you?
Van Wagenen: Jeff would play himself, right?
Holmes: He said Tom Cruise.
Van Wagenen: Wow, that’s good.
Holmes: I think (Challenge Producer) John Kirhoffer would be played by Robert Duvall from “Apocalypse Now.” For me…maybe John Cusack? I want to be the nice guy, a little bit. Or Corey Feldman from “Lost Boys.”

Holmes: Alright, I’ve been playing this with your host and your cast. I’ll give you two “Survivor” situations. You let me know which one you prefer.
Van Wagenen: Oh man.
Holmes: I don’t know why people agree to be interviewed by me. Align with a Trump supporter or a Hillary supporter?
Van Wagenen: Hillary supporter…because my brother worked with Donald Trump on “The Apprentice.”
Holmes: Steal a vote or eliminate a juror?
Van Wagenen: Steal a vote because I feel like it has more power. At the end I want to feel like I don’t need to kick out a juror.
Holmes: Align with a racist or a sexist?
Van Wagenen: (Laughs) These are terrible questions!
Holmes: I’m not proud of them.
Van Wagenen: There’s literally no right answer! I think I’d say sexist. I’d rather align with them…because…ugh…this is terrible.
Holmes: I only asked this to literally every contestant.
Van Wagenen: What did they say?
Holmes: I think it’s mainly sexist.
Van Wagenen: Well, the violence associated with racism… So, there’s my answer, I’ll align with a sexist. Even though sexism is horrible.
Holmes: I was thinking of Rudy in season one who said negative things about homosexuals and then became best friends with Richard. Make this a positive.
Van Wagenen: Do we have to keep doing this?
Holmes: Yes. Voted out first or before the final Tribal?
Van Wagenen: Before final Tribal.
Holmes: Only person who ever said first was Tony Vlachos.
Van Wagenen: Really? I’d want the experience. I want to go on a reward, I want to push myself.
Holmes: Align with an adulterer or a tax cheat?
Van Wagenen: A tax cheat. An adulterer is willing to betray their spouse, so they’ll definitely betray me.
Holmes: Lose the family challenge or win and have to decide who to take?
Van Wagenen: Rather lose, no brainer.
Holmes: I got a lot of loses from this cast.
Van Wagenen: I think people go out there with that mentality, but when they’re out there and they’re starving, and they’re in a world where they don’t trust anyone? Something animal takes over and they feel the desire to win.
Holmes: Caught stealing food or idol hunting?
Van Wagenen: Idol hunting, everyone hunts for idols.
Holmes: Align with a super fan or someone who doesn’t watch the show?
Van Wagenen: Super fan. I would never align with someone who doesn’t watch the show. Luckily, we don’t really have those people in the cast. We’ve found that people who watch the show just play it better. But, my mentality is; I want someone who knows the game, so when I want to make a move, they’ll be willing to make the move. People who don’t watch the game kind of become strategy clogs. There’s no back-and-forth.
Holmes: All I can trust out here is for you to work in your best interest. And if you don’t know the show, it becomes harder for me to guess what you think is in your best interest.
Van Wagenen: Right. And it’s interesting, there has been this slow thing over seasons where you can almost sense when they realize there’s someone who doesn’t know the game very well. And those people go pretty early these days.
Holmes: Dance challenge or karaoke challenge?
Van Wagenen: Karaoke, 100%.
Holmes: What’s your go-to jam?
Van Wagenen: It’s a toss up…I’m really good at “Centerfold” from J. Geils Band and I also do a pretty good “Danger Zone” from Kenny Loggins.
Holmes: Those would not have been my first guesses.
Van Wagenen: There’s this part where I can do this little riff between the guitar solo. And I love “Top Gun.”

Holmes: “Millennials vs. Gen-X” was so different…
Van Wagenen: I loved it.
Holmes: I felt like you had this vibe where if you stab me in the back, I wouldn’t be like, “Screw you.” Instead it was like, “Great job!”
Van Wagenen: Wasn’t that the best?
Holmes: Everybody seems to get along. No real bad blood in the cast when it’s over. It seems like the stereotype around reality producers is you’d be like, “How can we make these people hate each other?”
Van Wagenen: (Laughs) No, not at all.
Holmes: Would that even work on another show? People go on “Survivor” and say, “This show changed my life. I’m going to go home and live in the now.” You don’t get that same vibe from “The Bachelor.”
Van Wagenen: I think that’s one of the things I love about it. I don’t want to sound cheesy, but when I was a producer on the beach and someone was having a down time, I’d say, “It’s OK. They want this story, and they want it to go up in the end.” “Survivor” is all about overcoming things. And watching transformative stories and making people better, those are my favorite stories. Cirie is one of my all-time favorite players. She didn’t have an episode arc, or a season arc, she had a series arc. You see where she started and where she ended? It’s beautiful. Cochran, Spencer…I (expletive deleted) love Spencer. For someone who when we met him in casting and he was like a calculating shark…he’s an amazing open and vulnerable person. I think any time you can celebrate a victory, it’s a good thing. That’s why “Millennials vs. Gen-X” was one of my favorite season. They just respected a good move. I’d love that every season.
Holmes: You’re making reality TV producers look bad.
Van Wagenen: I love that you’re putting it that way. Because I hadn’t really thought about it compared to other shows. There was some negativity in season 30 and we took that to heart. We want to concentrate on the positive. Because I think that’s what the fans want.

Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Ghost Island” – Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 8 pm ET.

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

QUICK NOTE: The good folks at XFINITY sent me deep into the Fijian wilderness to bring you an exclusive look at “Survivor: Ghost Island.” While I was there I conducted interviews with “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and the entire cast. I also captured exclusive photos and other behind-the-scenes tidbits. So, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Alright, you all know the drill; I go out on location. I interview everyone, I hang out for a few days, I get a sunburn. Then I come back and rank the players from most-likely-to-win to least-likely-to-win. Inevitably these rankings are misguided and embarrassing. Let’s also ignore that mathematically, I probably should have picked a winner by now.

Note: Betting on Gordon Holmes’ Patented Terrible ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’ Pre-Season Rankings is frowned upon.

1. Wendell: He’s smart, but he doesn’t have a job that would tip people off to that fact. He’s athletic, but he doesn’t have the physique of Chris or Michael. He’s a super fan, but he doesn’t put off super fan vibes like Jacob. Add to that a heaping helping of charm and you have my pick to take it all. (Of course, I’ve never picked the winner, so enjoy 7th place, Wendell.)	2. Kellyn: Love me some Kellyn. If she can combine her genuine good nature with the ability to own any backstabbery she does (and you have to own your game these days), she could be next to impossible to beat in front of a jury.
3. Domenick: This guy is a force of nature. Best of all, he’s a force of nature in a season where he doesn’t have any real competition for that crown. He’s gonna win big or flame out spectacularly.	4. Bradley: If Bradley ends up taking the million-dollar check, he should probably send a cut of that money to the “Survivor” press. His first day of interviews was a rough ride with him rubbing everyone the wrong way. Fortunately, he was able to learn from his mistakes and course correct the following day. He may stumble, but eventually he will run.
5. Laurel: She’s smart, she’s athletic, she knows the game, and she’s personable. There’s no reason for her to be anyone’s first target. She’ll have a lot of time to plot her course.	6. Stephanie: Stephanie is the right kind of super fan. She’s not going to go full Max and throw Probst’s quotes back at him. She’s going to use her expertise to make sound decisions.
7. Jenna: Maybe more than anyone else this season, Jenna and I clicked immediately. I spared you this in the interview write-up, but I ended up boring her with some pretty intimate details about my life. I think she’s going to click with quite a few people out there.	8. Morgan: Despite the rookie mistake of bringing fancy bags to Ponderosa, Morgan has a lot going for her. She’s fun, sweet, and will kill any water challenges.
9. Angela: Angela isn’t going to let everybody in. But the people she does let in are really going to like her and possibly even trust her. She could be the big surprise this season.	10. Sebastian: I…just…don’t…see…it. Unless he has some kind of Fabio run against a tribe of horrible people, I can’t imagine him taking home the big check.
11. Michael: What must it be like to look like Michael and only have like the 4th or 5th best male physique in the cast? Ugh…”Survivor” makes me hate myself and my middle-aged body. Anywho, Michael strikes me as first to go after the merge.	12. Gonzalez: A lot of people have pegged Gonzalez as a drama queen in the pre-game interviews. But I think she’ll be able to win them over and overcome that first impression.
13. James: James’s narrative about being a track coach isn’t going to last long considering Jacob already knows that he was a Harvard track star.	14. Chelsea: Out of everyone on this list, Chelsea is the hardest one to predict. She seemed nice enough during our interview, but I don’t feel like I got to speak to the real her. If others feel the same way, she could be gone quickly.
15. Donathan: I love me some Don Don. But, he gets my award for “Most Likely to Be Overwhelmed Early in the Game.” That’s not to say he can’t get his wits about him and right his ship. But, I’m worried he might overplay (or even underplay) in the first couple of days.	16. Libby: Can Libby drive an alliance to the end and convince a jury that she made the moves to get them there? I’d love to see it, but I wouldn’t bet on it.
17. Brendan: Brendan is the real deal. It’s like if Tom Westman and Captain America had a baby. I think the popular sentiment around the guy is going to be, “I’d love to have him as a neighbor, I’d hate to sit next to him at final Tribal.”	18. Desiree: Lies are to “Survivor” what baseballs are to…uh…baseball. They’re a necessity at this point. But doing things like fabricating entire people and storylines back home are bound to blow up in Desiree’s face at some point.
19. Jacob: I think we’re heading into a new era of “Survivor” where people are going to be very wary of super fans. Jacob will be the first true victim of this. Don’t be mad at me over it, blame Cochran, Adam, etc…	20. Chris: After the first tribe swap (and you know there will be at least twelve) Chris is done. With his physique and his lack of self-awareness, there will never be a bad time to send the “Noble One” home.

Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Ghost Island” – Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 8 pm ET.

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

QUICK NOTE: The good folks at XFINITY sent me deep into the Fijian wilderness to bring you an exclusive look at “Survivor: Ghost Island.” While I was there I conducted interviews with “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and the entire cast. I also captured exclusive photos and other behind-the-scenes tidbits. So, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Name: Domenick Abbate
Age: 38
Hometown: Nesconset, New York
Current residence: Nesconset, New York
Occupation: Construction Supervisor

Gordon Holmes: Are you a “Survivor” fan?
Domenick Abbate: Yes. Since its origination. I can honestly say I’ve watched the show since it came out. Some people are late to it and they’ve binge watched twenty seasons over the last two years. I’m one of the few that watched it as it went. Not to say I haven’t binge watched in the last few months to catch up.

Holmes: You’ve recently transformed your body.
Abbate: Yes.
Holmes: Does that make you more in tune with your limitations, what your body needs to sustain itself?
Abbate: Yeah, definitely. One of the diets I did was the Ketogenic diet. It’s a high-fat, low carb diet. It teaches you to live off of the fat of the land. Coconut is pure fat. The only thing that concerns me is rice. But fish and coconut…I’d live great. As far as my transformation, the fact that I’ve changed my physiology. I used to sit on the couch and do nothing. Now I work out six days a week, I eat tremendously better. My energy level is there. Whether it’s going to have an effect on me out there? I have no idea. I like to think I’ve conditioned myself.

Holmes: Why do you think you were cast?
Abbate: I ask myself that every day. I see the people I’m out here with. I get why they’re here. I don’t get why I’m here. But, there’s something right?
Holmes: Gotta be.
Abbate: I think that I’m a father, I work in the city, I do construction. Some of that old-school, old-Italian kind of persona. I come from a pretty hardcore Italian family. I have eight brothers and sisters all from the same parents. Family is everything, work ethic is everything. Maybe that has something to do with it? My transformation story, most people are in the best shape of their lives in their twenties. I’m in the best shape of my life in my life now. In my twenties I was a trainwreck. I never touched drugs, but I enjoyed my cocktails. I didn’t mind betting on a horse from time to time. But then you have children and you have to make a decision. Am I going to keep going down this path or am I going to make a move. And that’s what I did.

Holmes: When you talk about work ethic; it’s day two and you’re building this shelter. Meanwhile, I’m sunning myself on the beach. How does the rest of this story play out?
Abbate: In real life, work ethic is critical to me. If the job doesn’t get done, the business doesn’t make money. If the business doesn’t make money, he can’t pay us. Out here, work ethic is important, but I’m not going to hammer people about it. I’m not going to be a supervisor out here. That’s the last thing I’m going to do. I feel like, if someone else with a huge ego wants to take the reins on it? I’m going to sit back and be that person’s number one cheerleader. If you’re laying on the beach? That’s perfect for me. Everyone’s going to look at you and say, “That bum is not doing anything.” And that way they’re not looking at me.

Holmes: Is there anything in your backstory that you’re going to keep a secret?
Abbate: I may just lie about the supervision component. I don’t want them to think I’m a natural-born leader. If anyone volunteers to make the fire, and they can’t get it done…I’m going to let everyone else try first. Once, they’ve exhausted it, I’ll take control and light the fire. I think there’s more reward in letting someone with an ego complete the task without me. Then I come off as someone who couldn’t live without them and their skills. That way, they feel like I’m glued to them. And really, I think I’ll have that person under my control.

Holmes: Have you set any ethical boundaries as far as lying, cheating, stealing, etc.?
Abbate: I won’t go to Varner’s level.
Holmes: Smart.
Abbate: But at this point, if someone is out here because of their faith? I’m exploit it. If someone is out here because they’re honorable? I’ll exploit it. I’m going to exploit anything and everything I can.
Holmes: You’re married?
Abbate: Yes.
Holmes: Have you two discussed your limits as far as flirting?
Abbate: She did mention, “It must be nice you get to go on this island with all of these hot, young girls.” I don’t know how many times I had to reassure her, not that I need to reassure her, she’s the love of my life. The girls out here are attractive, but I’m not thinking that. I’m thinking about the game. I’m thinking about bringing my wife home money. And even if I find them attractive, I’m pretty sure in a week when I’m dehydrated and exhausted, I’m not going to find them attractive anymore. The whole sexual component would be out of the game. We have a strong relationship. I’ve been dating her for 21 years.
Holmes: That’s awesome.
Abbate: We’re high school sweethearts.

Holmes: You’re in the dark as far as twists and themes. If you had to guess, what do you think they have in store for you?
Abbate: I had one thought on theme and it’s only based on shirts that people have worn. I’ve seen Brooklyn, LA…a couple of East Coast city shirts. The only thing I can come up with is some kind of East Coast/West Coast thing. But at the end of the day, none of that matters. If it’s territorial, it won’t matter because there are idiots in California and there are idiots in New York.

Holmes: Have you been having any “Survivor” stress dreams?
Abbate: I’ve been having a lot of wacky dreams. I’ll be in an episode that has already happened. Or, I’m in my truck and I’m driving down the beach. I had another one where if my wife can’t be here for the family visit, my brother will come instead. I really want my wife to be here, and I had one where we were on the beach together. It wasn’t great, we might have even been arguing in the dream. (Laughs)
Holmes: That’s very rare in the family visit. That’s some Colby Donaldson kinda stuff.
Abbate: Yeah.
Holmes: She’s going to vote you out.
Abbate: Sounds about right.

Holmes: Alright, I’m going to give you two “Survivor” situations. You tell me which one you would rather deal with.
Abbate: Got it.
Holmes: Align with a Trump supporter or a Hillary supporter?
Abbate: I could care less. A few months ago I would’ve said Trump, but let’s go with Hillary. I had a little faith in him, but if he ever read a book on emotional intelligence, he doesn’t fit any characteristic. He scares the (expletive deleted) out of me. Especially with this North Korea (expletive deleted).
Holmes: Good thing we’re in Fiji.
Abbate: (Laughs) That’s what I said.
Holmes: Steal a vote or eliminate a juror?
Abbate: Steal a vote.
Holmes: Endurance challenge or word puzzle?
Abbate: I’d do an endurance challenge, but overall I’d rather a slide puzzle.
Holmes: Yeah, once you know the trick, they’re not so hard.
Abbate: Yeah, I’ve got that pinned.
Holmes: Align with a racist or a sexist?
Abbate: (Laughs) A racist…there’s no turning back. As a sexist you can kind or work your way back. But once you’re a racist, you’re a racist for life.
Holmes: There’s something to be said for standing in front of a jury and saying, “Yeah, I lied to you. But this dude is a racist.”
Abbate: (Laughs) That’s what I’m saying! I think a racist is the way to go.
Holmes: Voted out first or before final Tribal?
Abbate: Final Tribal.
Holmes: Align with an adulterer or a tax cheat?
Abbate: Align…ugh…I’m looking at the long game. Maybe a tax cheat. These aren’t easy.
Holmes: They’re not designed to be. But imagine that final jury, “This guy is a racist adulterer!”
Abbate: (Laughs)
Holmes: Lose the family challenge or win and decide who to take along?
Abbate: Lose the family challenge.
Holmes: Caught stealing food or idol hunting?
Abbate: Stealing food.
Holmes: Align with a super fan or someone who doesn’t watch the show?
Abbate: Someone who doesn’t watch the show.
Holmes: Dance challenge or karaoke challenge?
Abbate: A gun.
Holmes: (Laughs)
Abbate: Karaoke.

Holmes: What kind of first impression do you think you put out there?
Abbate: We have a lot of stone faces out here. It makes it a tough read. I know the more you give, the more people can take away from it. So, I’m cautious with what I give people. And with certain people I’ve been giving a sense of invitation. A smile here, a smile there. Even though we can’t talk, if something funny happens, there will be a communal laugh. I let them know I’m good. I’m here and I’m relatable. Let’s play together, let’s work together. I think my self-awareness is high. But, you never really know.

NOTE: The cast members do not know each other’s names at this point. I showed Domenick a picture of each of the competitors and asked him to share his first impressions.

	LIBBY Abbate: Cute…bubbly…probably could work with her. She seemed a little fearful at one point. Now she seems a little more warm.
	ANGELA Abbate: Stone faced. Doesn’t give me much to play with. I don’t know if she’s going to be a demanding person. She seems like she might be. Maybe impatient?
	CHELSEA Abbate: Another one…another stone face. It was recently that I got her to crack a smile at me. Maybe fearful, but she’s starting to warm up.
	JENNA Abbate: Kinda fits that same category, the fearful category. I don’t see her smile often. She’s just business.
	GONZALEZ Abbate: This one I’m afraid of. She has an attitude. She’s like a diva. I see her taking an early exit. She’s not friendly.
	STEPHANIE Abbate: She scares the crap out of me. Way too excited to be out here. Not that she’d be untrustworthy, but too flamboyant. Too pumped. Maybe she’s a mega fan
	MORGAN Abbate: Sweet girl. Looks trustworthy…I think she’ll be someone to work with.
	LAUREL Abbate: Sweet girl also. A little fearful, afraid to give you a look. But realizing she needs to warm up to people. I could see myself working with her.
	KELLYN Abbate: Another sweetie. She’s a teacher or something. I could definitely work with her.
	DESIREE Abbate: Cold fish. Won’t look up. Won’t give you anything. Does her own business, she could be an early exit. It doesn’t look like she wants to participate with anybody.
	BRADLEY Abbate: “Clark Kent” I call him. He looks intellectual. He looks trustworthy. He may have us all fooled.
	BRENDAN Abbate: Family guy. Maybe something along the lines of me. I know he’s married. He looks like he’s probably a dad. Around my age, possibly a man of honor. Possibly ex-military. I’d like to play with him.
	CHRIS Abbate: (Laughs) This guy. He doesn’t even own a shirt. Holmes: If I looked like this guy, I wouldn’t own a shirt either. Abbate: Yeah, I hear you. Cold fish, man! I’m not sure if it’s arrogance or confidence or fear. It’s one of those three and I’m leaning toward arrogance.
	SEBASTIAN Abbate: Love this guy. Just chill, me and him…we don’t speak, but we’re constantly smiling at each other.
	WENDELL Abbate: Another guy I like. Keeps to himself, doesn’t throw much at you. He seems pretty straightforward. He doesn’t seem like he has an agenda.
	JACOB Abbate: The number one “Survivor” fan in the entire world. He can’t stop smiling. This smile goes everywhere. We pulled up to Ponderosa and it was like he just met Jesus. He scares the (expletive deleted) out of me.
	JAMES Abbate: This is the man that lives by the code. His parents are from some distant land and they taught him the most correct ways to live life. He’s a man of honor, a man of principle. I’m going to exploit him to death.
	MICHAEL Abbate: At first I thought he was a Marine or something, but he said something and I changed my mind. I think he’s missing a few screws… Holmes: Screws are loose, Domenick. They’re not missing. Abbate: (Laughs) Right, right. He’s maybe a little ditzy. But he seems like a powerhouse. Holmes: What did he say that threw you off? Abbate: We were under that tent and we had to take pee breaks, and a man in the military wouldn’t say, “Uh…hey, I’ve got to take a leak.”
	DONATHAN Abbate: I like this guy. I’ve got a good rapport with him. We were in finals together, we shared some smiles. He was wearing a Def Leppard shirt. I was like, “Yes!” He seems a little scared. But, people who are scared out of the gate can turn it around.

Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Ghost Island” – Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 8 pm ET.

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

QUICK NOTE: The good folks at XFINITY sent me deep into the Fijian wilderness to bring you an exclusive look at “Survivor: Ghost Island.” While I was there I conducted interviews with “Survivor” host Jeff Probst and the entire cast. I also captured exclusive photos and other behind-the-scenes tidbits. So, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute updates.

Name: Angela Perkins
Age: 42
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Current residence: Cincinnati, Ohio
Occupation: Army Veteran

Gordon Holmes: I’ve been asking people why they think they were cast, but I think I have a pretty good idea why you were cast.
Angela Perkins: And why is that?
Holmes: I think you’re a badass.
Perkins: (Laughs) That’s what my son would say.
Holmes: Is that not how you’d describe yourself?
Perkins: No, not really.
Holmes: Then why do you think you were cast?
Perkins: I have no idea. I’ve questioned that since the beginning.
Holmes: Well, it’s too late now.
Perkins: I know! (Laughs) It’s like jumping from a plane, if you’re in the door, you’ve got to go.

Holmes: Your bio says that even when your mouth is shut your friends know what you want to say because your facial expression talks. That sounds like something that could get you in trouble on “Survivor.” Is that something you can control?
Perkins: I don’t know if I can control it, but I may be able to make up for it. I can see the reaction from somebody else. I’m giving them some kind of aggressive gesture. I may not mask it, but I can act on it.

Holmes: Is there anything about your backstory that you’re going to keep from people?
Perkins: Not that I would lie about. I don’t think I will share my military experience. A lot of people would never think I was in the military for twenty years. I deployed several times. I’m going to keep it to myself unless it is brought out.
Holmes: It seems like you’ve already had some pretty extreme survival experiences.
Perkins: Yes.
Holmes: What do you make of all of this? Is this a walk in the park compared to what you’re used to?
Perkins: No, because I think it’s not physically…it’s mentally and social. That’s what you struggle with. I’m a leader. So, that definitely can get me into trouble as far as the game.
Holmes: Leaders end up with targets here. Can you pull back if you need to?
Perkins: This is going to be a challenge. I’ve never had to. I recently retired and my kids have grown up to where they can take control of themselves. I’ve always been in charge. So, it’ll be a different side of myself. I hope that I can. My family members said that’s my strongest attribute and my weakness.

Holmes: Are you a big “Survivor” fan?
Perkins: I am.
Holmes: For how long?
Perkins: Since it started, except for the parts where I was deployed.
Holmes: Are the kids fans?
Perkins: They watch it, but they aren’t big fans.

Holmes: Some people set boundaries as far as lying, cheating, stealing. Have you set any boundaries for yourself, or does anything go?
Perkins: No boundaries, game on. I’m going to allow it to develop. I don’t have any really big secrets. Ethical decisions? It’s a game. I don’t think I’m compromising my ethics or religion by playing the game.
Holmes: What about flirting?
Perkins: I’d use it. It’s a natural instinct for a lot of people.
Holmes: Is there anyone back home that’ll be upset if they see you flirting?
Perkins: No, I’m recently divorced.

Holmes: You’re in the dark as far as themes and twists. Any guesses?
Perkins: Looking at the dynamics of the group, I go back and forth as to what it could be. I see it as Males vs. Females. I don’t think it’s like “Worlds Apart” because it’s so many young people. The way we came in, the majority of them seems to be the middle class or upper middle class, so I don’t think that’s a division. There’s really only two older people. There could potentially be three of us.

Holmes: Alright, I’m going to give you two “Survivor” situations. You let me know which one you’d rather deal with.
Perkins: OK.
Holmes: Align with a Hillary supporter or a Trump supporter?
Perkins: Hmm…Trump supporter. They seem to be aggressive and not afraid to speak their minds. That way I know what’s coming. I’ll know if I have to make a big move or not. A Hillary supporter is more reserved, quiet, polite.
Holmes: Steal a vote or eliminate a juror?
Perkins: Eliminate a juror.
Holmes: Endurance challenge or word puzzle?
Perkins: Endurance.
Holmes: Align with a racist or a sexist?
Perkins: Sexist…no…yeah…if I align with a sexist, it’s not as emotionally connected as a racist. I could give two (expletive deleted) if someone doesn’t like me as a female. Or doesn’t like a male. But when race is involved I get very sensitive. Because when I was a kid, my family was more or a minority. And I didn’t know this. I grew up around a lot of black people and Mexicans. And I didn’t know much about race until we moved into an all-white community. There was only one black girl in my school and she was my friend. That’s when racism was exposed to me. So weird. I didn’t know.
Holmes: Voted out first or before final Tribal?
Perkins: Before final Tribal.
Holmes: Align with an adulterer or a tax cheat?
Perkins: Tax cheat, it hurts financially, but not emotionally.
Holmes: Lose the family challenge or win and have to decide who to take.
Perkins: Win.
Holmes: Caught stealing food or idol hunting?
Perkins: Idol hunting.
Holmes: Align with a super fan or someone who doesn’t watch the show?
Perkins: Someone who doesn’t know the show.
Holmes: Dance challenge or karaoke challenge?
Perkins: Dance challenge. I can’t sing or dance, but screw it.

Holmes: What kind of first impression do you think you put out there?
Perkins: It depends on who it is. If I go to a bar or a social gathering, people are a little set off because I have a strong demeanor about me. I’ve been told I’m aggressive and intimidating. But, once people get to know me they say, “Oh my God, you’re slightly crazy.” I think I have a resting observation face, if that makes sense. I’m always trying to be situationally aware.

NOTE: The cast members do not know each other’s names at this point. I showed Angela a picture of each of the competitors and asked her to share her first impressions.

 

	LIBBY Perkins: Oh my God, she appears to be so sweet.  Like my daughter, sweet, kind, soft, young.
	CHELSEA Perkins: A little bit reserved. Maybe somewhat rigid. May be difficult for me to work with.
	JENNA Perkins: She appears to like to have fun, but she’s strictly business when she needs to be. She might be a tough competitor.
	GONZALEZ Perkins: Nice…a little reserved. She appears to be skeptical. She doesn’t allow a lot of people into her inner circle.
	STEPHANIE Perkins: Lights up the room. Very bubbly, fun. Probably talks a lot.
	MORGAN Perkins: Sweet…but probably a little more privileged. She’s carrying expensive bags. Well put together. She probably has a different motivation than a lot of people.
	LAUREL Perkins: I can’t read her. She seems like a game player. She seems athletic.
	KELLYN Perkins: I don’t see a ring, but she appears to be a Suzie Homemaker in the making. Good wife, religious, sweet. I don’t know if I can align with her because I don’t want to hurt her feelings and I’m not sure if she could hurt someone else’s.
	DESIREE Perkins: She does not express a lot. She seems strong, independent.
	BRADLEY Perkins: Nice, kind…intelligent. But, seems like he’s willing to listen.
	BRENDAN Perkins: Close to my age. Probably a type-A…maybe a service background. He has the high-and-tight haircut. I’d align, but we’d probably cut each other’s throat.
	CHRIS Perkins: A little cocky, a little funny. Very confident, young. I could align with him.
	SEBASTIAN Perkins: Probably the coolest looking person here. His look is sick. Relaxed, surfer, chill. Physically fit. Don’t know that he’d make huge moves with me.
	WENDELL Perkins: Seems honest and sincere, but cautious. He doesn’t make a whole lot of eye contact. But, when he does, it seems genuine.
	JACOB Perkins: He seems goofy, relaxed, I’ll be your friend. I don’t think he’s aggressive at all. I could use him, but I don’t think we’d align very well.
	JAMES Perkins: Intelligent, could make some big moves that you wouldn’t see coming. I could see myself being very cautious around him.
	MICHAEL Perkins: I haven’t seen him a lot. He’s young.
	DONATHAN Perkins: Really sweet, yet seems to be a little uncertain or insecure. He’ll make eye contact, but not for a long time. I think he’s very impressionable.
	DOMENICK Perkins: He seems like he is definitely in the game. He could be a threat, he’ll be in people’s ears.

Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Ghost Island” – Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 8 pm ET.

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