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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Episode 2 Recap: Primal Council!

September 22, 2010

Last Week: The tribes were split between the young and the wise, Shannon pitched an alliance made up entirely of guys, and Wendy couldn’t save herself after several long-winded tries.

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Here are the tribes as they currently stand…

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

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

The Espada Tribe aka The Older Tribe (wearing blue)

•    Dan – 63, Real Estate Executive
•    Holly – 44, Swim Coach
•    Jane – 56, Dog Trainer
•    Jill – 43, E.R. Doctor
•    Jimmy J. – 67, Former NFL Coach
•    Jimmy T. – 48, Commercial Fisherman
•    Marty – 48, Technology Executive
•    Tyrone – 42, Fire Captain
•    Yve – 41, Homemaker

Quick Note: Jeffrey Probst has promised us an awesome Tribal Council. Has he ever steered me wrong? No. Has he ever hurt my feelings?  Totally.

We start off with Espada after Tribal Council. Holly is regretting voting Wendy out. If only she’d known before Tribal about Wendy’s amazing blister-free feet.

The following morning, the Espada gentlemen are not pleased with how uncomfortable the shelter is. A morning meeting is held, and assignments are handed out by Jimmy Johnson. (He’s on this show! Why didn’t anyone tell me?!)

Jimmy T. pitches an action item involving fishing which is quickly shot down by Tyrone. Oh Tyrone…didn’t you watch last week’s episode? Jimmy T. will not not be not heard!

Marty lets us know that he’s stepping back and letting Jimmy J. assume the leadership role. Because “Survivor” rule #1 states that being a leader is a poor strategy.

Meanwhile at La Flor they allow Kelly Purple to speak. She claims that she’s never gone so long without bathing. Fabio/Jud/Judson/Judweiser doesn’t share that problem.

Next we meet up with Sash and NaOnka. Apparently NaOnka is concerned because she hasn’t been approached for an alliance yet. Sash lets her know that he’s half Jamaican and he wants to bring as many minorities to the end as possible. He dubs Brenda the “Asian Sensation.” I’m not sure if I condone this nickname, but it’s leagues better than “Kelly Purple.”

Back at Espada, the tribe is knitting and chasing kids off of their lawn. Oh, and Jill is eating snails. Holly has a fit over this for some reason. She takes the remaining snails and throws them away. Escargot-gate!

Holly claims that Dan was making fun of her. So, she does what any rational person would do and fills his shoes with sand and sinks them in the ocean. Wow, that’s a special brand of crazy.

Later, Dan notices that his alligator shoes are missing. He also lets us know that those shoes cost $1,600. Wow, that’s a special brand of crazy.

Holly starts to feel bad and calls a tribe meeting. She confesses to throwing out Dan’s shoes and apologizes. She’s like Russell with a conscience.

Tyrone has an early bid for line of the night saying, “I’m going to keep one eye on her, and one eye on my shoes.”

Holly lets them all know that she intends to play a trustworthy game from that point on. Tell Wendy that.

Back at La Flor, the tribe is watching cartoons and making Colorforms. Oh, and NaOnka is flipping out because one of her socks is missing. NaOnka does the mature thing and swipes Fabio’s socks.

Fabio takes exception to this and an argument ensues. This all could have been avoided if she’d offered to trade him a handful of magic beans. She thinks he isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. He conveniently proves this by sticking his face in the fire.

Back at Espada, Jimmy J. takes Holly aside to discuss her problems with the game. Jimmy gives her a one-on-one pep talk and she seems to feel better.

Quick Note: La Flor did a march as they made their way into the challenge. I didn’t dig last week’s dance, but the march was well choreographed. Bravo.

Immunity Challenge: A player from each side will have to dive into a mud pit and crawl under a rope obstacle. Then, they’ll have to dig in a pile of hay for a ball that is covered in twine. Once they’ve handed off their ball, another member of their tribe will enter the mud pit. Once all four of the balls have been retrieved, a member of their tribe will untangle the balls. From there, members of the tribe will have to pass the balls to a final member using shields. The final member will try to bounce the ball into a barrel. The first tribe to sink all four balls wins immunity. The winning team will also receive either a tarp or a collection of fishing gear.

Note: This is an updated version of a challenge the press ran (and dominated) in Nicaragua.

Medallion of Power Advantage: If Espada uses the MoP, they’ll only have to sink three balls.

Espada decides to use the mysterious power of the MoP to magically place a ball into the barrel. Actually, Jeff just dropped a ball into the barrel.

Dan will sit out for Espada, NaOnka will sit out for La Flor. Brenda, Alina, Kelly Purple and Kelly B. will be on mud duty for La Flor, while Jimmy J., Holly, and Jane will go for Espada.

The younger tribe manages to find all four balls before the older tribe gets their three. And oddly, none of the players tried my sweet face-first-dive-into-the-hay strategy.

However, Espada’s ball-passing team (Tyrone especially) does a good job and takes home the first immunity for the older tribe.

The MoP will not be denied.

Espada chooses the fishing gear over the tarp. Somewhere Russell Swan is shaking his head.

Back at Espada, a hidden immunity idol clue is found in the fishing gear. The older tribe does a much better job than Alina and Kelly B. of deciphering the clues. Jill in particular figures it out and sends Marty and Dan out to get it.

Marty digs around and eventually uncovers it. In a hilarious moment he keeps saying he’s got an idol, then he pauses, looks at Jill and says, “We’ve got the idol.”

Politicking around La Flor seems to center around Brenda or NaOnka. Alina, Kelly B. and Shannon are worried that Brenda and Chase are becoming a couple. However, the other guys want NaOnka out due to the socks scandal.

NaOnka shares her boot order with Brenda and Shannon is at the tippy top. Brenda thinks she can get Sash, Kelly Purple and Chase to vote with her.

Chase tells Brenda that Shannon wants her out. Brenda does not take this well.

And…the power goes out. Not in Nicaragua, in my house. What’s worse? It fried my DVR. Big props and much love to TxVoodoo for getting me a copy of the end of the show.

OK, we’re back.

Brenda plays Chase like a fiddle, asking him why he needs Shannon. She got all up into his ego. Brenda is a champ.

Alina caught wind of what was going on and shared it with her alliance (which looks to be Shannon, Fabio, and Kelly B. at this point).

That night at Tribal Council, Shannon takes a tame question and drives it out of the park. He in no uncertain terms lets Chase know that if Brenda doesn’t stay with him that he’ll be the next to go.

Jud tries to be the peacemaker, but Shannon isn’t having it. Shannon’s on fire, digging into Chase for being a part of two alliances.

Sash tells Shannon that he thinks he’s digging his own grave. Shannon takes this opportunity to ask Sash about his sexuality. Not sure why that was the next logical progression in the conversation…

Sash lets Shannon know that he’s probably had more beautiful girlfriends than he has and that Shannon’s game wouldn’t do well in New York.

Shannon parries that comment by replying, “New York’s full of a bunch of gay people, yeah.” He also points out that New York has more gay people than Louisiana.

Wow, that reminds me of that line from that Sinatra song, “Start spreading the not-at-veiled homophobic remarks.”

Fabio again tries to get Shannon to calm down, but the cat is out of the closet…er…bag.

JPro eventually regains control. Alina tells Jeff that Shannon has never lied to her, but Chase has.

NaOnka then confesses that she thinks her head is on the chopping block because she didn’t compete in the challenge. She then starts getting into it with Fabio saying he “Always has something smart to say.”

I find that hard to believe.

At this point Jud is begging to vote.

Voting Time: Fabio votes for Brenda, Brenda votes for Shannon, Shannon votes for Brenda, Sash (aka the Biggest Bachelor in New York) votes for Shannon, and the rest of the votes will be tallied by the biggest bachelor in Nicaragua.

One vote Shannon, one vote Brenda, one vote Shannon, one vote Brenda, one vote Shannon, one vote Brenda, two votes Shannon, and the second person voted out of “Survivor: Nicaragua” is…Shannon.

Note: It looks like Kelly B. and Benry broke ranks and voted for Shannon.

Verdict: Wow, Mr. Probst did not steer us wrong. This season is off to a hot start, let’s hope they can keep it up.

Who’s Going to Win? Loving the pairing of Marty and Jill, but my fingers are crossed for Kelly B.

Power Rankings Results: Coach had Shannon in spot twelve, I had him in spot six. So, the current score is Team Dragon Slayer 12, Team Truth Seeker 6.

What Do You Think? Was that the biggest Tribal Council meltdown ever? Could you forgive Holly for sinking your shoes? Are you on Team Fabio or Team NaOnka?

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Benjamin ‘Coach’ Wade Accepts the ‘Survivor’ Power Rankings Challenge

September 22, 2010

Last Season: An all-star team made up of two “Survivor” champions and two “Survivor” Power Rankings champions fell to XFINITY TV’s resident “Survivor” know-it-all Gordon “Truth Seeker” Holmes. This improved Gordon’s record to an almost respectable 1 and 2.

This Season: One of “Survivor’s” proudest warriors, Benjamin “Coach” Wade has answered the Power Rankings challenge. Will Coach send Gordon to the bench? Or is Gordon, in fact, the Dragon Slayer…Slayer.

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 Shannon is voted out this week, Coach will receive 12 points and Gordon will receive 6 points. At the end of the season, the person  with the most points will be named the “Survivor: Nicaragua” Power Rankings Challenge Champion.

Strategic Maneuver: Coach has enlisted the King of Gabon, Mr. Randy Bailey to assist him in an advisory capacity for this installment of the Power Rankings. The Power Rankings ruling board has informed us that there are no specific rules prohibiting outside assistance.

TEAM DRAGON SLAYER

Current Score: 0

TEAM TRUTH SEEKER

Current Score: 0
tyronerankings tyronerankings
#1 Tyrone – Man of steel and a man of few words. #1 Tyrone – Strong and smart enough to stay silent. That’s going to keep our friend Tyrone in this game until at least the merge. That, and Espada tossing him at this point would be challenge suicide.
judrankings brendarankings
#2 Fabio – No one will take him seriously until it’s too late. #2 Brenda – I wrote off Brenda way too early. She maneuvered Chase like a paddleboard. No, she handled him like pompoms. I hate both of those similes. Either way, she’s a player to watch out for.
yverankings judrankings
#3 Yve – Hot and Coach-like philosophy of taking strong to the end! #3 Fabio – I still don’t know if they’re calling him Fabio, Jud, Judson, or Judweiser. Either way, his goofy demeanor means alpha male Shannon probably won’t perceive him as a threat.
chaserankings martyrankings
#4 Chase – Got all the goods and will be a JT-type player. #4 Marty – Marty seemed to be right in the middle of all of the strategy discussion at the Espada camp. Better than that, he wasn’t doing much of the talking, he was listening. I still think he has what it takes to make a serious run in this game.
martyrankings benryrankings
#5 Marty – Smart, resourceful and knows when to hold his tongue. #5 Benry – I think the key to success at La Flor is going to be knowing when to keep quiet. There are some big personalities over there and it’s best to let them battle out. I think Benry’s smart enough to let people did their own graves.
janerankings shannonrankings
#6 Jane – Resourceful, non-threatening and social. #6 Shannon – Sure, Shannon is saying all the right things to rile up all the fans at home, but we don’t have any idea of what he’s saying in front of his tribe. I’ll wait till we see some of that footage before guessing where he’ll end up.
brendarankings jillianrankings
#7 Brenda – Sexy and flirty. Love it! #7 Jill – Didn’t see much from Jill last episode. But, she’s very low-key. If I’m guessing, I’d say she’s not doing anything to rock the boat at this point.
alinarankings yverankings
#8 Alina – Flirt, baby, your bad-ass side #8 Yve – Didn’t see much from Yve this past episode. But if Wendy voted for her, I’m going to assume the other members of Espada dig her.
kellybrankings kellysrankings
#9 Kelly B. – Identical edit to Chad (Crittenden from “Survivor: Vanuatu). Sympathy vs. smarts and stability. #9 Kelly S. – OK, let’s run down the things we know about Kelly from last episode. They’re calling her “Purple Kelly.” Yup, that’s about it. How am I supposed to rank someone based on that? All that tells me is the La Flor nickname makers are terrible at making nicknames.
danrankings alinarankings
#10 Dan – Romeo don’t go too far! #10 Alina – Don’t know much about Alina other than the fact that she’s part of the anti-Kelly B. alliance. It’ll also be interesting to see if she can figure out that hidden immunity idol clue.
hollyrankings sashrankings
#11 Holly – Sensible and trusting. #11 Sash – File Sash under the same category that houses Benry, Purple Kelly, and Yve. Need more in-game info.
shannonrankings naonkarankings
#12 Shannon – D-bag and friend of Russell. #12 NaOnka – What happened to NaOnka? She was the sweetest girl in pre-game interviews, and now she’s talking about bouncing my girlfriend, Kelly B? Also, I don’t know much about her alliances from last episode, but it didn’t seem like she was buddying up to anyone when I visited the La Flor camp.
jillianrankings jimmytrankings
#13 Jill – Predictable and no airtime makes for middle of the pack. #13 Jimmy T. – Blowing up at your tribe is not an awesome way to make friends and influence people. However, in the Battle of the Jimmys, I think Jimmy T. is ultimately more useful to Espada than Jimmy J.
benryrankings janerankings
#14 Benry – Too much of a bad thing. #14 Jane – Jane is smart and crafty. However, she may fall into the same category as Wendy where she has trouble relating to the rest of the tribe. I know they appreciate her for her ability to make fire, but how long does that appreciation last now that they have flint?
kellysrankings jimmyjrankings
#15 Kelly S. – Beautiful but too young. #15 Jimmy J. – The Battle of the Jimmys might boil down to who’s better in challenges vs. who’s more fun to have around camp. If that’s the case, look for Jimmy Johnson to be the one sent to the sidelines.
jimmytrankings chaserankings
#16 Jimmy T. – Won’t be able to turn down the chutzpah. #16 Chase – Wow, Chase didn’t wait two seconds before he coughed up the Alpha Male Alliance to Brenda. But in all fairness, Brenda is adorable. I’m lucky I didn’t give her my credit card numbers while I was in Nicaragua.
sashrankings hollyrankings
#17 Sash – Loves Russell, we hate ‘em. #17 Holly – If next week’s previews are to be believed, Holly and Dan  have some kind of falling out. That is, unless filling someone’s shoes with sand and sinking them in the ocean is a weird way swim coach’s show respect.
naonkarankings kellybrankings
#18 NaOnka – Too loud, too abrasive. #18 Kelly B. – Shannon, NaOnka and Alina are already gunning for Kelly. Why? They’re worried her prosthetic leg will win her sympathy votes in front of a jury. Those three are putting the cart a few miles ahead of the horse. But, that doesn’t mean it won’t cost Kelly an early exit.
jimmyjrankings danrankings
#19 Jimmy J. – There is only one coach. #19 Dan – If Espada loses immunity this week, I’m thinking it’ll be between Dan and Holly. And while Dan is a very likable guy, I don’t think Espada can afford to lose any challenge prowess.

What Do You Think: Who is your pick to go home next? Who do you think has what it takes to win the whole thing?

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‘Survivor’ Castaway Interview – Wendy DeSmidt-Kohlhoff

September 16, 2010

Change is inevitable, be it in life or on “Survivor.” New contestants are introduced, Medallions of Power are put into play, and entire shows are moved to new nights.

Fortunately, some things never change. Heated arguments take place after immunity losses, alliances are broken, and quirky people who have trouble fitting in are sent home first. Now you can add Wendy DeSmidt-Kohlhoff to that list. I spoke with Wendy the morning after her dismissal and had a chance to find out how Espada feels about Jimmy Johnson, what happened to her lightning-quick alliance with Holly, and what she thought of La Flor’s sweet dance moves.

Gordon Holmes: When we were in Nicaragua you said you didn’t want to sing or dance too much for fear of alienating yourself from the rest of Espada. And then we meet up with La Flor at the challenge and they’re singing and dancing. Do you think it was a mistake to keep your toes from tapping?
Wendy: Actually, my tribe was singing a lot that first night, and I kinda giggled to myself thinking that was funny. But, I thought the La Flor Tribe was adorable, coming out and doing their little thing. Oh my God, you wouldn’t believe the stuff my tribe said about how terrible and hokey that dance was. I loved it. (Laughs) I didn’t tell them I loved it, but I did.
Gordon: And what kind of songs were Espada singing? Gangsta rap?
Wendy: A lot of just popular songs, oldies more like. I can’t remember off the top of my head. I could have joined it, but I didn’t.

Gordon: What happened with your alliance with Holly? It seemed to start two seconds into the game.
Wendy: It was immediately on the beach and it threw me for a loop. I didn’t want anyone seeing me with her cause I knew what they’d think. I felt it was way too soon, so I was kind of trying to go off on my own and not talk to anyone so it wouldn’t look like I was making an alliance with anybody…which kind of wasn’t a good thing for me. But Holly coming up to me right off the bat was way too fast. And I wish I would’ve said, “Let’s wait and talk later.”

Gordon: Was there anything you could have done differently to stick around longer?
Wendy: I could have been myself from the start and talked more and gotten to know people. Tooted my own horn.

Gordon: Where is your accent from?
Wendy: I lived in Maine in the summers and New York in the winters my whole life. Until I joined the Army in 1986 and then I moved wherever the Army sent me. “Home is where the Army sends you,” is the expression.

Gordon: Last night we got to watch Jimmy Johnson give Espada a pep talk. Did the tribe buy into that, or were there some eyes rolling?
Wendy: From what I understand, he was asked to do that from the guys. And, I think a lot of people loved the fact that Jimmy Johnson was on our team. They thought it was an asset. I was surprised to hear what Marty said about Jimmy Johnson last night because he was one of the ones who was sucking up to Jimmy.
Gordon: Was Jimmy J. an asset to the team?
Wendy: I was rather disappointed because Jimmy Johnson had said to us that he was asked to be a leader and to give people feedback and to make decisions on behalf of the tribe. So, I actually was kind of excited about getting feedback on our abilities and performance. And he didn’t do that. That was very disappointing to me. I really thought he was going to be more of an asset to individuals. But, maybe that’s a lot to ask of the guy in a challenge. He’s not on the sidelines watching.

Gordon: What is the tribe’s opinion of Jimmy T. at this point in the game?
Wendy: That’s a good question. Jimmy T. told me right up front that he didn’t really care for Jimmy Johnson. I think he told several people that. But, the next thing you know he changes his mind and thinks he’s not such a bad guy. I think Jimmy T. said a lot of stuff that people misinterpreted. I heard people say that he was getting on their nerves. But I think they interpreted his comments incorrectly. Like last night where he said, “I have to go away and I have to calm down.” I think that hurt him a little. Well, not a little, a lot. I think that he’s a really nice guy.

Gordon: You were the first person I interviewed in Nicaragua, and I thought you seemed like a nice person even though we didn’t get to sing together.
Wendy: (Laughs)
Gordon: But it seemed like a lot of people had already judged you based on your attire, before they’d ever spoken to you. I heard a few times, “The woman in the cowboy hat has to go.” Do you think you never got a fair chance to play the game?
Wendy: I don’t know. I tend to smile a lot and maybe that makes people uncomfortable. I’m surprised people said that just based on the hat. I wear hats all the time. And they’re not just cowboy hats.
Gordon: It may have been the boots, too.
Wendy: I don’t feel like my tribe felt that way initially. Was it mainly the younger tribe?
Gordon: Nope, people from both sides.
Wendy: Really? That surprises me. It might just be because people don’t trust people who smile a lot. Maybe it was just because they could pick someone out.

Gordon: Last night you said your husband thought you’d be the first person out of the game. What was his reaction when he found out he was right?
Wendy: I didn’t tell him anything. He found out last night. And I could see by his face that he was devastated. I think he never thought that’d I’d be the first one out. I think he was teasing me. But him telling me that really affected me. I think he felt really bad. I don’t want to say he felt responsible, but I think he was sad and shocked.

Gordon: Why did you vote for Yve last night?
Wendy: I voted for Yve because who was I going to vote for? It wouldn’t have made a difference. But, I clearly felt like she lied. People told me that I was being voted for, she clearly knew it and didn’t tell me.

Gordon: Alright, let’s get into some word association. Let’s start with your buddy Yve.
Wendy: Oh gosh…this is a loaded question. I’m going to be a little bit subdued.
Gordon: That’s no fun.
Wendy: I’ll say, determined.
Gordon: Jillian?
Wendy: Strong willed.
Gordon: Jane?
Wendy: Tough and true to her word.
Gordon: Holly?
Wendy: Holly is just really playing the game.
Gordon: Marty?
Wendy: I didn’t trust him.
Gordon: Dan?
Wendy: Just having fun.
Gordon: Tyrone?
Wendy: Quiet.
Gordon: Jimmy T.?
Wendy: A very kind person.
Gordon: And let’s finish this off with Jimmy Johnson.
Wendy: Um…he didn’t like me. (Laughs)

Gordon: They didn’t show this last night, but after you were voted out you seemed to get a little bit lost in the graveyard…
Wendy: I got really lost!
Gordon: We were very worried that they were just going to let you wander around Nicaragua until the finale.
Wendy: You know what, I was shocked. I was like, “Where do I go?” It was devastating, I wanted to fall into one of the graves and drop dead.

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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Episode 1 Recap: Gutter Catastrophe

September 15, 2010

An excerpt from “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure”
Dottie: “Don’t you want to see the rest of the movie?”
Pee-Wee: “I don’t have to see it, Dottie. I lived it.”

I lived this first episode of “Survivor: Nicaragua.”  The good folks at CBS were nice enough to let me tag along for the first three days of filming, so I’m going to bring you all of the behind-the-scenes tidbits I can squeeze out of my brain. And sorry, Pee-Wee…I’m going to watch it too.

Alright, I’m excited. Let’s do this.

We start off with Mr. Probst giving us a look at the harsh Nicaraguan terrain. He explains that this is where ancient rainforests battle for survival against some of the world’s youngest volcanoes.

Oh, ancient vs. young…I see what he did there.

Two tribes are making their way through the jungle, but they don’t seem to be divided by age. However, all of the young people are wearing brightly colored clothes and all of the older folks seem to have a blue motif going. Coincidence?

We hear from young Judson first, he explains how real the wildlife is. It turns out there are no fences like at the zoo. Thanks, Jud. Oh, and congratulations on having such an astute observation be our first impression of you.

Then we meet some guy named Jimmy Johnson. Apparently he may have coached some football team that Eagles fans prefer not to talk about.

Oh, and Brenda lets us know that she’s single. I think her exact words were, “Single, single, single, single.”

And then from atop an impressive rock formation, Mr. Probst says something about…

39 Days, 20 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Note: He may have actually just said “One Survivor.” I wasn’t paying close attention.

The tribes meet up with Jeff on a lovely, sandy beach. We get a chance to meet the first of two Kellys, this one being Kelly Bruno. Her right leg was amputated when she was only six months old. She doesn’t intend to tell anyone about it right away because she doesn’t want anyone to make assumptions about her.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Several people could tell Kelly B. had a prosthetic leg before the game began.

Next up, Marty lets us know that he has no idea why Jimmy Johnson is in this game. To whip the old folks into shape, that’s why!

Medallion of Power Challenge: The Medallion of Power (or MoP) has been hidden in the jungle. The first person to find it gets to keep it for his or her tribe. Pretty straight-forward challenge if you ask me.

JPro doesn’t even give them his trademark, “Survivors, ready? Go!” he just tells them to get started whenever they feel like it. Maybe we’re getting a more laid-back Probst this season. Relaxed introduction aside, the players take off in a mad dash to try to find this mysterious artifact.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Dan is slow. As in sloooooow. As in, I’d assume that’s as fast as McDonald’s Grimace runs.

Finally, Brenda (I think she’s single) spots the MoP in a tree. She scales the tree and snags it for her tribe.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: As they were walking back, Jimmy T. would not stop complaining about how the challenge involved no strategy and how the other tribe would be in trouble once the challenges involved strategy. I think Mr. T. is not long for this game.

Quick Aside: Am I crazy, or does Jimmy T. sound just like Uncle Leo from “Seinfeld”?

Marty is very pleased that Brenda (who he thinks is on his tribe) found the Medallion even though he doesn’t even know what it does. Probst lets him know that it would be good for him…if she were on his tribe.

Dun dun dun…

You got Probsted! Jeff lets them know that the players 40 and older will become the Espada tribe and the players 30 and under will become the La Flor tribe.

The players in their 30s have to go home.

OK, so here are our tribes as they currently stand. Finally…

La Flor Tribe aka The Young Tribe (wearing yellow)

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


Espada Tribe aka The Older Tribe (wearing blue)

  • Dan – 63, Real Estate Executive
  • Holly – 44, Swim Coach
  • Jane – 56, Dog Trainer
  • Jill – 43, E.R. Doctor
  • Jimmy J. – 67, Former NFL Coach
  • Jimmy T. – 48, Commercial Fisherman
  • Marty – 48, Technology Executive
  • Tyrone – 42, Fire Captain
  • Wendy – 48, Goat Rancher
  • Yve – 41, Homemaker

Chase is very disappointed that he won’t have Jimmy Johnson on his team. He thinks his tribe is missing out on a strong leader. Apparently he’s under the belief that being a leader is good in “Survivor.” Has he ever seen this show?

After buffs are passed out, Jeff gives Brenda the option of trading the mysterious (and stylish) MoP for flint and fishing gear. Whatever they decide to give up, Espada will get.

La Flor eventually decides on…a commercial break.

Fortunately for you, there are very few commercials in my recaps. La Flor chooses the fishing gear.

Shannon rationalizes this decision by saying the younger tribe should beat the older tribe in challenges no matter what.

We meet up with Espada back at their camp and Jimmy Johnson’s hair is already looking pretty sweet. Jimmy lets us know that he’s a little worried that there could be Eagles or Redskins fans on his tribe…or writing his recaps…

We’re then treated to the quickest alliance in “Survivor” history. Holly approaches Wendy, they share a mutual respect, and they become an alliance. This all happened within the span of about five seconds. Holly even punctuated it by saying, “I’m with you all the way!” It was so quick. Like a game of alliance tag.

Wendy lets us know that the first step in her strategy is to not be the first person voted out. Make fun of Wendy all you want, but that’s a good strategy.

She also says that her husband thinks she’ll be the first person voted out. There’s some moral support for ya.

Jane then proves her “Survivor” cred by starting a fire without flint. That almost never happens.  Go, Jane.

Meanwhile at Casa La Flor, Judson manages to step on something and puncture his foot within three minutes of arriving at camp. Then he stabs himself in the finger with a crab claw. If only there had been fences…

And maybe worse than the multiple bleeding wounds, Judson is dubbed “Fabio” by Shannon. Rough start for Fabio.

When Shannon is done handing out derogatory nicknames, he corners Chase and explains why they should start an Alpha Male Alliance. Shannon then wins some hearts by explaining why he doesn’t want a woman to win. Apparently he’s concerned there may be a woman President of the United States some day. Is he auditioning for “Heroes Vs. Villains 2”?

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: The biggest thorn tree in the world is about two feet away from the La Flor shelter. I’m worried someone’s going to stumble off to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and get a thorn in the eye.

Kelly B. decides that she can’t hide her prosthetic leg much longer, so she calls a group meeting to show it to everyone. Shannon shows his sweet side yet again, saying they have to get rid of her because she’d get sympathy jokes from a jury.

That night at the Espada camp we’re treated to a long shot of an NFL legend puking. That, or Jimmy Johnson was doing his best Donovan McNabb impersonation.

The next morning we find Chase and Brenda flirting with each other. Chase doesn’t want to make promises to two separate alliances, but Brenda is way cuter than Shannon.

Me? I think Chase should align with Brenda. Why? Because if she stabs him in the back, it’ll be great fodder for a country song.

And I have to admit, I may have written Brenda off too quickly in my pre-game analysis. She seemed to have Chase eating out of the palm of her hand. “As deceptive as a Decepticon,” indeed.

Later, Alina and Kelly B. find the first hidden immunity idol clue. Apparently the clue is very difficult to decipher. Meanwhile, Russell Hantz smiles. Then he punches a kitten and kicks an orphan.

Alina is not pleased that she was with Kelly B. when she found the clue. She shares Shannon’s belief that taking Kelly B. to the final Tribal Council is a recipe for second place.

Meanwhile at Espada camp, Jimmy Johnson is giving a pre-challenge speech to rally the troops. For real.

I love “Survivor.”

Before we can start the immunity challenge, the youngins do a bizarre dance to announce their presence.

Yeah, I love “Survivor” a little less.

Immunity Challenge Time: Five players from each team are given rain gutters and are stationed on different levels of a multi-leveled structure. They’ll try to configure the gutters so that water can flow from the top of the structure into a stationary gutter below. The stationary gutter leads into a vat. A lone team member will stand on top of the structure and use a bucket to pour water down the gutters. Once enough water has traveled into the vat, it will trigger a mechanism that will release a set of jigsaw-style puzzle pieces. The last four members of the tribe will then try to put that puzzle together. The first tribe to complete their puzzle wins immunity.

Medallion of Power Advantage: If Espada elects to use the MoP, JPro will pour a bucket of water into their vat. The bucket will fill the vat a fifth of the way. If Espada uses the MoP, it will be available for La Flor to use at the next challenge.

Espada decides to make a statement by holding onto the MoP.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Jeff Probst swung by before the challenge to see what we thought of Espada not using the MoP. I thought it was a smart move and that they should save it for a more physical challenge. JPro disagreed, thinking the older tribe should do anything they can to get an early numbers advantage.

The Jimmys, Dan, Tyrone, and Marty will hold the gutters for Espada, while Judson, Shannon, Sash, Benry, and Chase will hold the gutters for La Flor. Holly and NaOnka will man the buckets on top of the structure for their respective tribes. Yve, Wendy, Jillian, and Jane have puzzle duty for Espada, while the Kellys, Brenda, and Alina will go for La Flor.

The water La Flor is using is yellow, while Espada’s water is blue. It’s kinda fun, like they’re using Kool-Aid.

The challenge starts and both tribes employ a quickest-path-between-two-points-is-a-straight-line strategy. NaOnka and Holly are really going for it at the top of the structure. Both are hustling to deposit the water as quickly as possible.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: The challenge crew was hoping the gutter portion would involve a lot more strategy. I think they had envisioned a jagged, pieced-together mess.  Surely Jimmy Johnson being splashed in the face with blue water would have made for amusing footage. However, the guys in La Flor outsmarted them. Before the challenge started they came up with the straight gutter strategy. Espada saw this and quickly copied them.

La Flor’s bin filled up first and their puzzle pieces dropped. Espada’s pieces dropped shortly afterward. However, the youngsters plowed through the puzzle to claim immunity. It wasn’t even close.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Jimmy T. tried to confuse the La Flor puzzle crew by shouting contradicting instructions to them. However, since nobody could possibly confuse Jimmy T.’s voice with a young person, all it did was confuse the Espada team. Jimmy J. was not pleased with this strategy.

Back at Espada camp, Jimmy T. tells the tribe that he’s gunning for Jimmy J. That sound you heard in the background is a CBS executive crying.

However, Jimmy J. thinks Wendy is the weakest link. Holly is not pleased to hear this seeing as she aligned with Holly after a grand total of five seconds.

Wendy knows she’s in trouble because she hasn’t made any strong bonds. Add that to the fact that Holly has stopped talking to her, and she’s right to be concerned.

So who’s going home? The Cowboy or the Cowgirl?

That night at tribal council, Jeff says something about fire representing life. Is that new?

Jane (Espada’s MacGyver) admits that something Jeff said in an article inspired her to learn how to make fire. Winning Emmys and changing lives, that guy.

Jimmy J. goes out of his way to make it known that he’s not the leader and nobody will give him the million dollars. Jimmy T. tells Jeff that he doesn’t buy that for a second.

Wendy thinks people don’t like her because nobody asked her her age. Now, I’m not old and wise enough to be a part of the Espada tribe, but even I know not to ask a woman her age. The rest of the tribe agrees with me.

Jeff lets everyone know it’s time to vote…and Wendy interrupts him! Who are you to question the almighty power of the torch snuffer?!

JPro graciously allows this interruption and Wendy takes the opportunity to give a few reasons why the tribe should keep her around. The best reason? Because she doesn’t have any blisters.

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Jeff tried to start the voting about three times and Wendy kept interrupting him with new reasons to keep her around. Jeff later said that he doesn’t want anyone to ever leave Tribal Council feeling like they didn’t get to speak their mind.

Voting Time: Tyrone votes for Wendy Jo and the rest of the votes are secret.

Jeff tallies and returns; one vote for Wendy, one vote for Yve, four votes for Wendy, and the first person voted out of “Survivor: Nicaragua” is…Wendy.

Her husband was right!

Behind-the-Scenes Tidbit: Poor Wendy got so lost after being voted out of Tribal Council. She must’ve wandered around that graveyard for five minutes.

Verdict: The first episode of any non all-star season always has a little too much “getting to know you” for my taste. But I’m encouraged by how interesting I’m finding Shannon, Brenda, and Judson. Hopefully we’ll hear from Kelly S., Sash, Benry, Dan, and the other silent Survivors next week.

Who’s Going to Win? I don’t know why I always include this section, because I’m always wrong. But so far I’m sticking with my Marty and Kelly B. picks.

What Do You Think? Who is your early favorite? Would you have used the MoP? Should a millionaire be allowed to play “Survivor”?

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Jeff Probst’s ‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Picks

September 15, 2010

The time for “Survivor” speculation is quickly coming to an end. But, I didn’t want to head into 39 days of bug bites, starving and backstabbing without hearing from the man who’s seen it all, Mr. Jeff Probst.

So, for XFINITY TV’s final bit of “Survivor” pre-game analysis, let’s find out how Jeff initially felt about the Young Vs. Old concept. Also, who does he think America will love? Who will they hate? And who does he think will surprise us?

[iframe http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/Survivor%3A-Nicaragua/106509/1574618321/Jeff-Probst-Previews–Nicaragua–Cast./embed 580 476]

I also wanted to get a better feel for the entire roster of new players. So, I challenged JPro to take part in one of my trademark “Survivor” word association quizzes…

Gordon Holmes: OK, let’s start this off with Tyrone.
Jeff Probst: Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Gordon: Kelly Shinn?
Jeff: Not quite ripe.
Gordon: Judson?
Jeff: “Fast times at Ridgemont High”…Jeff Spicoli!
Gordon: Let’s try Jane.
Jeff: Reminds me of Twila from “Survivor: Vanuatu.”
Gordon: Interesting. How about Wendy Jo?
Jeff: (Laughs) The whitest woman I have ever seen.
Gordon: Shannon?
Jeff: Overblown, dude
Gordon: Sash?
Jeff: Knock that boulder off your shoulder! Life is short! Smile!
Gordon: Alina?
Jeff: Strawberry.
Gordon: Kelly Bruno?
Jeff: Foxhole partner.
Gordon: Marty?
Jeff: Don’t trust ya.
Gordon: Yve?
Jeff: (Looks around) Um…yeah.
Gordon: Ouch. Jimmy T.?
Jeff: Old Milwaukee.
Gordon: Benry?
Jeff: The quintessential snake in the grass.
Gordon: Chase?
Jeff: Red, white and blue.
Gordon: Holly?
Jeff: Bit of a cougar.
Gordon: NaOnka?
Jeff: Reminds me of one of those bounce houses that kids go in and they jump around.
Gordon: Brenda?
Jeff: Charmed, a charmed life.
Gordon: Dan aka Mr. Connected?
Jeff: (Laughs) One too many times in the suntan bed.
Gordon: Jillian?
Jeff: Hardcore.
Gordon: Let’s finish this off with Jimmy Johnson.
Jeff: One of the few guys I would like to work for.

And finally, to whet your appetite for tonight’s premiere, here’s a look at the first two minutes of “Survivor: Nicaragua.”

[iframe http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/Survivor%3A-Nicaragua/106509/1591580577/Survivor%3A-Nicaragua—First-Two-Minutes./embed 580 476]

Don’t Forget: “Survivor: Nicaragua” premieres Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. And you haven’t been misled, “Survivor” is NOWonWED.

Post-Show Coverage: Be sure to check back tonight for my first episode recap (that is sure to be full of behind-the-scenes tidbits) and Thursday evening for an interview with the first booted castaway.

More “Survivor” Fun: Meet the La Flor and Espada Tribes, check out our Pre-Season “Survivor” Rankings, and see what new twists and challenges “Survivor” has in store for us.

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Mud, Sweat and Tears: Redemption Through a ‘Survivor’ Challenge

September 13, 2010

Visiting the set of “Survivor” is a truly unique experience. The crack crew goes above and beyond to give the press a no-holds-barred look at the show’s production. From pre-show access to the contestants, to visits to the tribe camps, to a seat at the season’s first Tribal Council, we’re allowed to see it all.

But such access comes with a price.

It’s an unwritten rule that every member of the press will eventually have to go toe-to-toe with the buff, tanned, and bruised force known as The Dream Team.

The Dream Team is a collection of twenty young men and women who help Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer fine-tune the reward and immunity challenges. They spend their summers running each challenge until Kirhoffer is satisfied with it.

I’ve squared off against The Dream Team before. In the summer of 2008 on a scorching plain located in the heart of Gabon, Africa we battled in the grueling “Temptation Valley” challenge. I was tethered to five of my fellow press brethren as we hurtled obstacles, trudged through swamps, and dug in the steaming sand.

I left that challenge with three things…

I left with an appreciation for how tough “Survivor” challenges can be. When the exhausting ordeal was over I was handed a cup of sports drink. The members of “Survivor: Gabon’s” Kota and Fang tribes got nothing. I can’t imagine what it must be like to have to compete like that on an empty stomach and without a good night’s sleep.

I left with the unique experience of participating in a challenge that was called by Jeff Probst. Now don’t get me wrong, I like to poke fun at JPro as much as anyone, but there’s no disputing the fact that the man has three consecutive Emmys for a reason. I can only imagine that having Jeff call your challenge action is the reality show equivalent of having Harry Carey or Jack Buck call your home run shot in baseball. If Jeff ever does step away from “Survivor,” I pity whoever tries to fill his logo-adorned baseball cap and puka shell necklace.

And I left with an African leech attached to the back of my right knee. It wasn’t that big of a deal, a crew member quickly lopped it off with a machete. It didn’t really hurt and the ladies in attendance were impressed. Win/win!

The one thing I didn’t leave with? A victory.  We were decimated. The Dream Team lived up to their name, leaving us in the dust…and sand…and leech-infested swamp water.

So, while I was excited to visit Nicaragua to see what the “Survivor” crew had in store for their 21st season, the thought of the impending showdown with the Dream Team never left my mind.

As we went about our visit, some details started to leak about the challenge we’d be running. It would be an early version of a challenge that would be used later in the season. We also knew it would involve mud and hay. I used my knowledge of Nicaraguan history to guess that we’d be making some kind of adobe structure.

True to form, I was wrong.

To start off, the tribes will divide into three groups. Four players will be a relay team, two players will be a knot-untying team, and the rest will be the puzzle team.

mudpit hay

The challenge starts off with a player from each relay team diving into a mud pit, then doing a military crawl under a ropes obstacle. Once the players are out of the mud they’ll have to dig through a hay stack to retrieve a bag of puzzle pieces. After they’ve found their bag, they’ll hand it off to the untying team. Then, the second member of the relay team will dive into the mud. Once all four of the relay team members have retrieved their bags, the untying team wil go to work untying the knots that are keeping the bags closed. When all four of the bags are untied, they’ll pass the pieces off to the puzzle team. The puzzle was basically a Nicaragua-themed crossword. Once the team has completed the crossword puzzle they’ll use select letters to create a two-word phrase. The first team to unscramble their phrase wins immunity.

You read that last sentence correctly; the winner of this exhibition would indeed win immunity. The Press Team would win immunity from the teasing and prodding they were sure to receive from Mr. Probst and the rest of the crew. While the Dream Team would win immunity from whatever kind of punishment they’d surely be in for if they lost to the out-of-shape, overweight, past-their-prime Press Team. The “Survivor” crew will tell you that the Press Challenge exists to help the cameramen know where to set up, or give Jeff some practice before the show starts, or to make sure the challenge is balanced. But the truth is, the “Survivor” crew doesn’t want anyone coming in and showing up the Dream Team.

Also, the winning team would receive a case of delicious Tona beer.

NOTE: XFINITY TV does not encourage drinking.

Win or lose, I wanted Probst to give his take on how I performed. Unfortunately the way the schedule worked out, I was going to do my video interview with JPro the day before we ran the challenge. So, we decided to pretend the competition had already taken place. What follows is how Jeff assumed I’d do in the challenge.
[iframe http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/Survivor%3A-Nicaragua/106509/1586166107/Jeff-Probst-on-the-Press-Challenge./embed 580 476]

Frankly, it was a safe bet that history would repeat itself and it definitely makes for a more amusing video. But, a funny thing happened on the way to the Nicaraguan mud pit…

“I’ve got to say I was very surprised that the Press did so well,” Challenge Producer John Kirhoffer admitted. “I thought the Dream Team was going to smoke them.”

The first member of the Press relay team had a terrible time finding her puzzle pieces. As she dug into the huge pile of hay, several members of the Dream Team were able to pass her. It got so bad that the crew was worried that they had forgotten to put the bags of puzzle pieces into place. She eventually found them, but not before the Dream Team had built a significant lead.

I watched the second member of our team plow through the mud as I stood in the third slot (not unlike Albert Pujols). She made it through the course quickly, but all four of the Dream Team members had retrieved their puzzle pieces at that point.

I charged toward the mud pit and dove in head first. I must’ve hit it just right, because when I raised my head up, I was already halfway through the ropes course. I crawled through and pulled myself out of the slop.

Note: Before the challenge, the Press Team discussed digging into the bottom of the hay pile. Our reasoning was that the bags of puzzle pieces would eventually sink to the bottom of the stack. For some unknown reason, I decided to ignore this strategy.

With a full of head of steam, (well as full as it can be when you’re trying to keep your shorts up – mud is heavy), I dove into the pile of hay head first. Probst obviously approved of this tactic as he exclaimed, “That is how you do it!”

I dug through the hay as quickly as I could. Eventually I saw a glimpse of blue and grabbed for it. It was the bag. Success! I joined my other relay members and handed off my bag. The anchor for our relay team tore through the course as well. We were still behind the Dream Team, but we were definitely back in business.

The remainder of the challenge was out of our hands, but we had left it in very capable hands. The untying team made up a ton of time and narrowed the Dream Team’s lead. And the puzzle team managed to complete the crossword portion slightly ahead of the Dream Team.

Both sides hovered around their puzzles. But from where I was standing I had no clue which side was closer to completing the scrambled words.

It was then that I heard JPro say the words I had traveled 2061.4 miles to hear, “The Press Team wins!”

It’s a bit embarrassing to admit how elated we were by a victory that ultimately meant nothing, but we were downright giddy. Hugs and high-fives were exchanged and some good-natured ribbing was directed toward the Dream Team. Even Mr. Probst took a minute to rescind his earlier assertion that I would perform poorly…

[iframe http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/Survivor%3A-Nicaragua/106509/1581099652/Jeff-Probst-After-the-Press-Challenge./embed 580 476]

“As a perfect “Survivor” challenge would have it, it all came down to the puzzle,” Kirhoffer reasoned. “The puzzle was the catch-up mechanism and the Dream Team got stuck on that.”

And as disappointed as the crew was to watch their pride and joy drop a challenge to clearly inferior competition, they had to have been a little pleased that they had achieved their goal of creating challenges that older people could compete in with younger people.

The only question that remained was, how much berating would the poor Dream Team face from Mr. Kirhoffer after losing to the out-of-shape, overweight, past-their-prime Press Team? “It’s fairly quick,” Kirhoffer explained. “I say, ‘Now it’s up to you to buy the beer and put it on ice and deliver it to them.’ And that’s what they did.”

Don’t Forget: “Survivor: Nicaragua” premieres Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. And yes, the rumors are true, “Survivor” is NOWonWED.

More “Survivor” Fun: Meet the La Flor and Espada Tribes, check out our Pre-Season “Survivor” Rankings, and see what new twists and challenges “Survivor” has in store for us.

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‘Survivor’ Challenge Producer Spills Some Challenge Secrets

September 8, 2010

If I were a “Survivor” contestant, I’d probably hate John Kirhoffer.

As the man behind all of “Survivor’s” immunity and reward challenges, Kirhoffer is the reason why Ace Gordon was smacked in the face with a watermelon, why Tom Westman had to cling to a pole for twelve hours, and why Ashley Trainer had to try to drink a disgusting sea slug smoothie. He can make a contestant’s life a living hell.

But, seeing as I get to sit on my couch and watch and laugh, I’d say I love John Kirhoffer.

I had a chance to speak with “Survivor’s” Challenge Producer during my trip to San Juan del Sur this past summer to find out which reality show stole his “Eat Weird Things” idea, who his dream contestant is, and what he’s got in store for the Nicaragua contestants.

Gordon Holmes: “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” featured all classic challenges. Did that give you an opportunity to reload and come up with some new stuff for Nicaragua?
John Kirhoffer: Yeah. I loved “Heroes vs. Villains.” That was one of my favorite seasons ever, for the record. And it was a good opportunity to do all classic challenges and to bring back our favorites. This year we’ve endeavored to try all different challenges. So, in old vs. young we have…mostly new challenges.
Gordon: Mostly?
John: (Laughs) There are a couple of classic challenges. My boss Mark (Burnett) loves classic challenges. So there are some classics, and some are reminiscent, but the vast majority are brand new.

Note: At this point a CBS representative had become enthralled with the interview process and decided to ask her own question.

CBS Representative: How do you incorporate all of the local flavor into the challenges?
John: Whenever we come to a location we study the history and the culture and the environment. The art department, the production designers start putting those elements in.
Gordon: Like this season’s Conquistador theme?
John: The Conquistador theme, we want to go with this theme because it’s very Nicaraguan. So, you’ll see this theme in the production design and then in some of the challenges. We always find out about the local sports and historic and cultural things and incorporate that into the challenges. Whatever country we go to we always use their history and culture in the production design and as inspiration for the challenges.
Gordon: Does the Nicaraguan terrain provide any advantages or disadvantages for creating challenges?
John: We’re doing the majority of the challenges down by a beach. There are some beautiful areas in there with some swamps, jungles, big trees. So yeah, it does help.

Gordon: Are there any contestants that you’re excited for this season?
John: I’m a huge NFL fan, so seeing Jimmy Johnson out there is exciting. Other than having Gene Simmons from KISS out there, Jimmy Johnson is about as big as it gets for me.
Gordon: Which NFL team do you pull for?
John: The Green Bay Packers.
Gordon: Oh, so you might be a little hard on Jimmy then?
John: (Laughs) No, he’s a legend.

Gordon: Speaking of legends, what can you tell me about “The Dream Team”?
John: The Dream Team are twenty young men and women between the ages of 18 and 30 who test and rehearse all of the challenges. They are my production assistants. And when they’re not testing challenges they’re working in the art department painting things, helping move things, assisting the carpenters. And they are a force of young men and women who are here to learn about making television. And one of my proudest achievements in “Survivor” for the last 11 years is that there are over 30 former Dream Teamers in full-time positions in this crew right now. And, a couple dozen more than that are out working in television. One of my Dream Teamers has an Emmy, he won an Emmy last year for cinematography, Marc Bennett (“Out Of The Wild: The Alaska Experiment: What Did I Sign Up For?”).
Gordon: Do you get part of their salary?
John: I get 25% of their salary for life. I’m like an agent. (Laughs) No, I don’t get anything. I get their eternal love…I hope.
Gordon: Is being a Dream Teamer the best summer job ever?
John: I would’ve killed to be a Dream Teamer when I was in college.

Gordon: My personal favorite challenges are the endurance challenges. It used to be, “Here, stand on this post and we’ll see you in twenty hours.” Are we going to be seeing anything like that in “Survivor: Nicaragua”?
John: You will not see anything that lasts twenty hours, but you will see some endurance challenges.

Gordon: My second favorite challenges are the “Eat Weird Things” challenges.
John: (Laughs)
Gordon: Will we be seeing anything like that this season?
John: We have no “Eat Weird Things” scheduled for this season. We try to give it a break every once in a while. If you follow the show, we try to give the auction a break. It’s a staple of the show, but we want to give it a break. The “Eat Weird Things” challenge was great in the early days before “Fear Factor.” We came up with that. But, it also was generated with, “Here are things that indigenous people actually eat to survive on.” It was not just what can you eat without vomiting. And what happened was after about six seasons or so, we went to all these different regions, and it started to get repetitive. “Oh, they eat the same kinds of spiders here, they eat the same kind of bugs here and the same kinds of roaches.” Then we tried smoothies. We put them in a blender. But, we’re giving that a break this season.
Gordon: I don’t know if my recorder picked that up, but that was the sound of my heart breaking.
John: (Laughs) My aunt, too. She’s like, “Tell me they’re going to eat something weird! I love it when they eat weird stuff!”

Don’t Forget: “Survivor: Nicaragua” premieres Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. And yes, the rumors are true, “Survivor” is NOWonWED.

More “Survivor” Fun: Meet the La Flor and Espada Tribes, check out our Pre-Season “Survivor” Rankings, and see what new twists “Survivor” has in store for us.

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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’: The First (Unofficial) Challenge

September 6, 2010

Interviewing the cast of “Survivor” before the game starts is a little frustrating. Sure, you get a good look at what the players are like in their everyday lives, but it’s tough to get a grasp on what they’ll be like once the game begins. When you ask about their in-game strategy you’ll often get something generic like…

“I’m going to hang back and see how things iron out.”

“I’m going to do what needs to be done.”

“I’m going to play things by ear.”

So, I decided to thrust them into the game a few days early with my unofficial “Survivor” challenge.

The Challenge: During the interview process, I am given biographies for each of the new contestants. Each biography includes the player’s name, age, occupation, hobbies, and other fun tidbits. Seeing as information is so valuable in the game of “Survivor,” I asked them how they’d get me to share the biographies if we were in the game together.

[iframe http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/Survivor%3A-Nicaragua/106509/1560920262/The-First–Survivor–Challenge/embed 580 476]

Verdict: I didn’t pick an official winner after the challenge, but I’m pretty sure Kelly Bruno would have had little trouble flirting the bios out of my hands, and Brenda asking me to use the bios to teach her how to read was both adorable and innovative. But, I can guarantee that if anyone had knocked me down and swiped the bios, I’d have done everything in my power to vote them out first.

I also had a chance to ask “Survivor” host and three-time Emmy winner Jeff Probst how he’d handle our pre-game challenge…

[iframe http://xfinitytv.comcast.net/tv/Survivor%3A-Nicaragua/106509/1581097212/Jeff-Probst-on-the-Pre-Game-Challenge./embed 580 476]

Verdict: Yeah, I’d definitely vote that guy out first.

Don’t Forget: “Survivor: Nicaragua” premieres Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS. And yes, you read that correctly, “Survivor” is NOWonWED.

More “Survivor” Fun: Meet the La Flor and Espada Tribes, check out our Pre-Season “Survivor” Rankings, and see what new twists “Survivor” has in store for us.

What Do You Think? How would you have convinced me to share the player biographies? Who’s your pre-season pick?

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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ Preliminary Rankings

August 11, 2010

It took months of begging and pleading, but the Fancast higher-ups eventually agreed to send me to Nicaragua to cover the 21st season of “Survivor.” Apparently they had two reasons for relenting. First, I’d be able to bring you exclusive interviews with the cast and crew, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and other first-hand tidbits. And second, they enjoy it when Jeff Probst berates me (which he did…often).

To kick off our look inside “Survivor,” I’ve ranked this season’s players based on what I saw of them in the days before the start of the game.

NOTE: This preliminary ranking, while informative, will not count toward this season’s Power Ranking score. (Speaking of which, be on the lookout for one of my personal favorite villains as this season’s Power Rankings opponent.)

So without further ado, let’s see who’s in it for the long haul, who’ll be called for jury duty, and who’ll be forgotten by the time the reunion special airs.

Marty KellyB
#1 Marty – When I first sat down with Marty I thought, “This guy is right in my ‘Survivor’ wheel house. He’s physical enough to be useful early on, he’s not too strong where he’d be an obvious boot after the merge, and he seems cunning enough to come up with some sound strategies.” So, Marty is my pick to take home the million. The bad news for Marty? When I went out to “Survivor: Gabon” I picked Michelle Chase…and she went home first. #2 Kelly B. – Kelly’s prosthetic leg won’t be a factor physically during her time on “Survivor.” She’s already proven that she can successfully compete in athletic competitions while wearing it. That, and I barely even noticed it during our time together. It’s not a big deal to her, so it quickly won’t be a big deal to her tribe mates.  However, it could affect her game if people are afraid to go to the finals with someone who has such an inspirational story.
Yve Judson
#3 Yve – I think being successful in “Survivor” requires having several different weapons and knowing when to use them. Nobody has more weapons this season than Yve. She’s on the older tribe, but she’s only 41 and can still relate to the younger tribe. As a mother of two, she could easily slip into a mother role with some of the younger players (ala Tina Wesson). If that doesn’t work, she’s also quite beautiful and could use her feminine wiles to keep her around. I think she’s definitely one to watch. #4 Judson – It’d be really easy to write “Jud-weiser” off because he’s a good-looking, goofy guy. But while I was talking to him, I couldn’t help but think, “Here’s an easy-going fellow on a tribe full of alpha males.” While Benry, Shannon, and Sash are jockeying for position at the top of the tribe, Judson can just coast for a while.
Alina Tyrone
#5 Alina – I worry that Alina might be trying to play a character and isn’t being herself. I think she can survive in the game and may even make a run for it, but she’s going to have to curb the faux tough girl exterior. The pleasant, easy-to-talk-to young woman I met didn’t click with the “Don’t call me the girl next door” rhetoric that was in her biography. #6  Tyrone – I was told about the young vs. old twist the night before I met the players. My first instinct was, “The young tribe is going to decimate the older tribe in challenges.” That was before I met Tyrone. He’s built like a WWE action figure and is arguably the most physically fit competitor in the game.  Add to that the fact that he’s smart, he’s a motivator, and he has more life experience than his younger counterparts and you have an extremely dangerous player.
Jane Shannon
#7 Jane – Quick Jane Story: I did a bit with the players where I asked them how they’d get me to share the cast bios with them if we were in the game together. Jane simply said, “I’d tickle you, then take them.” I laughed, then continued on with my questions. At the end of the interview, she charged me, tickled me, and snatched the bios away. The whole thing took all of three seconds. Fortunately, I snatched the bios back before she could read them. But, that little incident proved to me that Jane is clearly evil and willing to do anything to get what she wants. It’d be foolish to underestimate her. #8 Shannon – The La Flor tribe has a powerhouse line-up of young studs. However, they also have a powder keg of alpha males. When the inevitable clash of egos takes place between Shannon, Benry, and Sash, I’m putting my money on Shannon to be the last man standing. Why? Because I think he can relate to Chase and Judson.
Jillian Benry
#9 Jillian – I’m not sure exactly what to make of Jillian. She’s obviously very fit physically and will be able to handle the Nicaraguan wilderness. But, she also told me she’s not afraid to speak her mind. She’ll need to keep that instinct in check if she wants to stick around. If not, she could be an early boot. I’m putting her in the middle of the pack for the time being. #10 Benry – My buddy Benry seems to pride himself on being a player. Which is fine…in real life. On “Survivor” when somebody is looking for a reason to get rid of you it could be just what they need to sway some female votes to go their way. If he can avoid getting stamped with that label, he could go far.
NaOnka Chase
#11 NaOnka – I think NaOnka is going to surprise a lot of people. Physically she’s got the goods to hold her own in any immunity challenge and she has the outdoor experience to handle 39 days on a beach. If she can get in with a solid alliance she could go a long way. #12 Chase – Chase is big, Chase is strong, Chase is very likable. What Chase isn’t is a big fan of “Survivor.” He might not be prepared for the non-stop mental toll all of the paranoia takes on your psyche.
JimmyJ Holly
#13 Jimmy J. – If Jimmy Johnson was just a celebrity who wanted to extend his 15 minutes, I’d say he was dead in the water.  But, Jimmy has wanted to be on “Survivor” since the day it premiered. And, Jimmy confided in me that he’s going to tell people to take him to the end because he can’t possibly win. Seems like a good strategy. His main problem? Sandra used that exact same strategy last season and won. Sorry, Jimmy. #14 Holly – Holly has a lot of public speaking experience, being a pageant consultant and the wife of a politician. Now, maybe I’m reading too much into this, but it seems like society has trained us to find both of those pursuits to be somewhat disingenuous. If she starts dancing around with her words, she could find herself out of the game quickly.
JimmyT BrendaL
#15 Jimmy T. – I’m not sure if there’s a way to put this nicely so I’m just going to say it – Jimmy T. doesn’t quite know when to be shut up. He can get on a person’s nerves quickly. He’s a nice guy and obviously knows a great deal about “Survivor,” but I could see him being sent home if he starts to annoy the rest of his tribe. #16 Brenda – I love Brenda. Adore her. Anyone who claims to be “As deceptive as a Decepticon” in her interview earns serious points with me.  However, the same thing that makes me adore her is what’s going to have the older tribe gunning for her. Her youthful enthusiasm is going to put a major target on her back.
KellyS Dan
#17 Kelly S. – Kelly is a very sweet girl, but she’s lived a charmed life. If I’m on her tribe and I’m listening about how she was the captain of the cheerleading squad and is currently going to school in Hawaii, I’d probably be thinking that this young lady doesn’t need a million dollars. Besides, with the way her life is going, she’ll probably win the lottery several times. #18 Dan – Oh, Mr Connected! I love me some Dan Lembo. Couldn’t ask for a nicer, more welcoming guy. I wish he was my next-door neighbor and we grilled together every Sunday. That’s why it’s a shame his time in Nicaragua is going to be so brief. If the older tribe falls behind and they have to make choices based on physical prowess rather than people they like, he’ll be one of the first to go.
Wendy Sash
#19 Wendy – Not many people know this, but the Survivors get to see each other before the game starts. On the flight over, while waiting for their press interviews, while they’re having their pictures taken. Now, they’re not allowed to talk to each other, but that doesn’t mean they’re not reading the other players’ body language. What was the most common thing I heard from the players about Wendy? “The cowgirl has to go home first.” #20 Sash – The worst thing about living in a post-Russell world is that there are sure to be some imitators. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you my pick for Russell 2.0. Sash told me he was going to manipulate thoughts, smash dreams and about a dozen other things straight out of the Hantz Playbook. Fortunately, I don’t think tribes are going to fall for it any more. If they see someone acting too Russell-like they’re going to send him packing.

More “Survivor” Fun: Check out our exclusive cast interviews and learn about this season’s new twist, the Medallion of Power.

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‘Survivor: Nicaragua’ to Introduce the Medallion of Power

August 9, 2010

Hot on the heels of their wildly popular “Heroes Vs. Villains” season, the crew at “Survivor” isn’t planning to rest on their laurels. They’re coming out swinging with some new twists and innovations that are sure to spice up their 21st trip into the wilderness…

The Young Vs. Old Experiment – This season the twenty competitors will be split up based on their ages. Players thirty years and younger will become members of the yellow La Flor tribe, while those that are forty years and older will be a part of the blue Espada tribe. In order to keep the younger tribe from decimating the older tribe in immunity and reward challenges, the competitions have been engineered to require strategy as well as physical prowess.

The Medallion of Power – No, the Medallion of Power isn’t what Princess Adora used to transform into She-Ra, it’s a way for a tribe to gain an advantage. One Medallion of Power will be available during the game. If a tribe has possession of the MOP and chooses to play it, they’ll receive a distinct advantage (like a head start or a puzzle clue) in the following immunity challenge. However, once the challenge is over the MOP will transfer to the opposing tribe.

“The whole idea is to create some conflict and a dilemma,” said “Survivor” host Jeff Probst. “What do you go for? If immunity is on the line do you play for the advantage, or are you cocky enough, like the young people could be, and say, ‘We don’t need the advantage, we can take them without it.’”

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Russell-Proof Idols – Russell Hantz’s turn-the-camp-upside-down-looking-for-hidden-idols strategy in “Samoa” and “Heroes Vs. Villains” saved him from a few early exits. However, fans were nearly unanimous in their distaste for the ease in which these hidden immunity idols were discovered. The “Survivor” team has heard your concerns and has reacted by making the idols much more difficult to uncover.

“Survivor: Nicaragua” premieres Wednesday, September 15, 2010 on CBS at 8 p.m. ET.

More “Survivor” Fun: Meet the members of the La Flor and the Espada Tribes.

Even More “Survivor” Fun: Xfinity TV sent “Survivor” Know-it-All Gordon Holmes to Nicaragua to get a first-hand look at the filming of the latest edition of “Survivor.” Be sure to check back for exclusive interviews with the cast and host Jeff Probst, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and Gordon’s personal (and somewhat muddy) account of what it’s like to compete in an actual immunity challenge.

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