The people on the Survivor Sucks forum are a bunch of freaks. No one I know watches the show. Please, someone, help me!

Who do you want to win? Is Greg a freak? Would you like to bitch slap Susan? Do you buy the child abuse allegations against Richard? Would you have eaten that nasty ass chicken? What about the dog food?

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Answers

It is a sad fact that the light at the end of this dark tunnel known as my workday is tonight's airing of Survivor.

I don't think Greg is a freak at all -- ever since he went dancing through the sand performing a song from West Side Story, I've wished he had more screen time. Susan doesn't bother me much aside from the accent, and Richard is just icky. (Not because he is gay, mind you -- more because he is naked.) Gervase is a lazy son of a bitch, but he's charming, so he gets away with it. This grates on my nerves.

As for the dog food, how bad could it be? I mean, I don't think I'll stir fry my veggies in Alpo tonight, but in extreme circumstances, I might be persuaded to scarf down a spoonful or two.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Gosh Beth, what took you so long? We could have been talking about Survivor weeks ago.I got hooked on this show very early on, when a bartender friend of mine began hosting Survivor parties every Wednesday night. Nothing beats a paper umbrella for your beer and the opportunity to judge the behavior of strangers.

The whole food thing is repulsive. I wouldn't have lasted two hours on that island, once the maggot eating and rat roasting began. And the dog food was just WRONG. The chicken, eh, I probably could have handled that, but I would have had to submerge myself in the ocean until the killing and plucking was complete.

As far as the "cast" goes - yes Greg's a freak, Susan is annoying but Jenna is the one that really bugs me and Richard is a narcissistic exhibitionist but I don't think the child abuse allegations will hold up. And could Jeff Probst possibly be more melodramatic? I bet he was extremely high maintenance back at the crew camp, what with all those stylish safari outfits to care for.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Beth, can I pimp my instant poll on who should get voted off tonight? Gervase is winning by a landslide. Vote here.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Beth - a couple weeks ago you posted a link on your website that pointed to a spoiler page for Survivor. It said that there were four survivors left on the island (Rudy, Gretchen, Sean and Gervase). Does anyone out there in Survivorland know if this rumor was true or not? I'm dying to know if Greg, the clinically freaky person that he seems to be, is actually the one who wins the money.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Thanks for posting the link, Gael! I should have included that in the log.

As for that old spoiler, no, I don't think those four are the final four. Various people were citing some article saying that they were the final four, but I think it was an error: they were just the four quoted in the Newsweek article. In fact, I think one of those people will bite the dust tonight.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I want to smack Gervase. Ever since we watched him dogging it in one of the immunity challenges, I've disliked him. His "cow" comment of last week just added fuel to the fire.

However, I was just plain happy to see Joel go. If you read his farewell address, you'll notice the number of times he refers to the women in his tribe as "girls." "Am I a sexist? Hell, no. Those girls just didn't understand me." Bye-bye, Joel.

At least they are blurring "little Richard."

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

me to housemates: "we're interviewing a potential housemate Wednesday night." housemates to me: "We can't! We'll miss Survivor!"

I don't need a weatherman to tell me which way the wind blows: after ignoring Survivor for the first few weeks, last Wednesday I decided to plunge in. I read every MightyBigTV.com summary of past episodes (finally, a use for all those people with masters degrees in english!), checked out all the CBS bios, and was ready. Our house thinks the others have selected Gervase to be the #2 guy on the island, so that the audience at home will reject him en masse. We hope Colleen wins, but only if she is setting Greg up for a fall by fooling around with him.

It ain't season 2 of Buffy, but then again, what is?

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Richard must go, that is clear even before the post-Island family problems.

I ate both nasty chickens and dog food (well, actually they were dog biscuits) while I was in the service, but I drew the line at bugs.

I'm a late comer to this show, but I have to admit I want to know how it comes out.

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I am sadly, pathetically addicted to Survivor. I've tried to recreate the love with Big Brother, but it just isn't the same.

I hate Sue. Lots. I think she's a disgrace to my name. Man, she annoys me. I want her stung by thousands of tiny, tiny bugs. And I hate Richard, too. In fact, I hate them both even more for making it impossible for me to have just one person to hate!

I'm a fan of Gretchen, and hope she wins. I think Sean will jump ship after the merge, and vote with the Pagongers. He's clearly an outsider at Tagi. Rudy I hated early on, but he hasn't been seen or heard from in so long I'm wondering if he died in the heat and they just didn't notice. Gervase is so obnoxious and lazy---I'm hoping after they filet Sue and Richard that Gervase is the next to go. The rest are just eye-candy.

Oh, I spend far too long thinking about this!!

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

All right I think that Greg gets everything... got the girl (Colleen, love the name) the money and the cell phone commercial. That was a commercial with him taking on a coconut last week, yes?

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

Okay i won't say anything tonight, because perhaps some of you have taped tonight's show and haven't seen it.

However, i will say this: I CAN'T BELIEVE WHO THEY VOTED OFF TONIGHT! ARRGH!

*Ahem* Yes, a tv show gets me this upset. I love Survivor, and i can't wait to find out who's the winner - on the other hand, i avoid spoilers like the plague, and i even skimmed this thread in case there was too much info anywhere.

I've decided i'm starting to actually like Sue. I didn't at first, but i have to say one thing, she's got guts. The others are all brave when it's just them and the cameras and they can say whatever they want. However at least Sue has the (metaphorical?) balls to say what she really thinks regardless of who's around.

My favorite is probably Jenna just because she's so damn happy out there in the jungle eating crap. But i have a bad feeling she won't make it to the end.

And Colleen sucks. She's cute, she's sweet, but does she actually DO anything?! Besides Greg i mean...

-- Anonymous, July 12, 2000

I can't believe who they voted off either-- I have the feeling that it was Richard's idea, and yet, I don't hate him, even though I did like Gretchen. He's so cool and confident all the time. I found myself explaining to Letterman when he was bashing Survivor and "that guy that walks around naked all the time" that it's pretty damn hot down there, and I don't blame him! Heh.

I like Colleen, but probably mostly cause she's just so cute. Which makes me like Greg but talk to him too during the show: "Why are you being such a freak all the time?" He is an odd bloke, him. But who are we to criticize darling Colleen's taste?

I really want to know who wins already!, but the show's just so fun I can't bear to read spoilers.

Can anyone stand lazy, infantile Gervase? I can't believe he's still there.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

I wonder if Gervase is doing everyone on the side in order to stay there, because he doesn't seem to accomplish much of anything. Dirk said the same about himself before tribal council voted him off, that he tried but never succeeded. Gervase pulled a huge coup in the rowing challenge (and i loved seeing that smirk wiped off Miss Bitch Kelly's face!) but i don't recall seeing him doing much of anything else.

I think he'll go soon enough. But man, that alliance is a frightening thing. Even before i logged on to the official site this morning, i knew that it was them. Four votes against her? Four members of the alliance? Uh-huh.

The irony is that had this show been about real survivor skills as opposed to votes, Gretchen would have been one of the top contenders because of her survival experience and success in the Air Force.

Oh by the way, Beth... remember in the previous thread we were all wondering how on earth all those women looked so clean shaven and why all the men had "stylish" stubble? Well, today i noted that Susan's luxury item was a pair of tweezers... Perhaps they're all borrowing them from her for esthetic enhancement?

Ewww.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Hey, do you guys know this was already done in the Netherlands? Except the TV audience got to call in and vote people out (for a price of course).

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Now-- what exactly *are* the 'child abuse allegations' about Richard?

The show needed more bikini-worthy girl humans-- after all, I watch this thing during dinner, and I demand entertainment.

And the 'voting off' thing... Wouldn't it be better if they actually had to *eat* the rejected ones? Or at least sacrifice them to the volcano god?

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Survivor is the most fun I've had at work for months! From all the spoilers abounding around (and some insider information) I pretty much know what's going to happen and torture everyone with the knowledge. (and yes, I always peaked at my xmas presents too)

No one *wants* to know.. but they are always trying to get me to give them hints.. and they forced me to write down who the final winner was and mail it to myself in a sealed envelop to be opened after the final show. There's also a weekly version where I have to write down the name of who's getting kicked off for the week on the calendar - hidden until Thur. Morning.

I'm not really into the show, but I'll read all the conspiracy theories and spoilers... and playing *I know nah-nah* is so much fun.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Can someone please tell me why is Sean still on the island? And how on earth he became a doctor? Listening to him talk is like hanging out with a drunk teenage boy. I mean I can't stand Gervase, but Sean is on the top of my annoying list. I do think Greg is a bit on the freak side, but in a good way, in a way that I could maybe hang out with him. And what are the child abuse allegations against Richard? Personally I think someone should file some against Jenna for all the emotional scaring that her children will go through in high school and someone finds these tapes.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Was Sean the one who was worried about "overfishing?"

I agree with our local tv columnist who wants Jeff Probst next off the island. I've taken to saying "the tribe has spoken. It's time for you to go" to the dog when we put him out.

I would eat dog food, I would eat that mangled chicken, (well well WELL boiled) and I have killed and plucked chickens (hated it HATED it) so I could do that, but the maggots would have finished me early on. I suppose I could eat rat.

I loved the "My Ramona" song, thanks, Beth.

I haven't yet seen last night's episode so thanks for not spoiling it, but I agree that Gervase has been dogging it all along and counting on that big smile to get him through. Give him another swimming challenge, say I, and leave him out there.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Richard info re: child abuse allegations - http://www.cnn.com/2000/SHOWBIZ/News/05/01/showbuzz/

I'm enjoying the show. Think Big Brother is a boring waste of time - I like that the Survivor people have to DO things and work as a team, etc. Interaction, competetion, adventure - something HAPPENS on Survivor, there is an element of danger there. Stuck in a room with Ikea funiture for 3 months is b_o_r_i_n_g.

Susan and Richard are the two most annoying people ever, I will be so happy when they get booted. Rudy makes me laugh - a lot - I hated him at first but now he is the comic relief. I find Greg to be pretty damn smart - he's either going to get voted off next by the alliance when they see how much of a threat he is - or he'll go on to win the whole thing.

Would I have eaten all those odd "foods"? Well, depends how hungry you are, I guess. From the comfort of my living room with dinner cooking on the stove I can say "no way!" but on an island with nothing else to eat but rice for a week I might be hungry enough to eat anything. Including dog food.

Besides, I eat sushi for godsake, I'm up for culinary adventures.

I wish there were more competetions, or at least show more about what the people have to do on the island to survive. I think the "Fancy Dinner" from last nights episode was a ploy by the producers to drive a wedge between the people who ate boiled rice in the rain and the two who got lobster and wine in a comfy, dry tent. I know I'd sure be voting off somebody who came back braggin about croissants and marmalade when I was just finishing sucking on some sugar cane for my breakfast.

Never thought I'd be interested in such a show, but I do. Who will be next? I am staying tuned.

- t

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

I knew who was going to be kicked off last night. I think I'm going to stop reading spoilers now. I'm pretty sure who gets kicked off next week, but after that I think I don't want to know.

HOWEVER ... you should read the CBS recaps, because you get all kinds of info you didn't know from just watching the show. And hints about next week that aren't spoilers, they're just teasers. Go here for this week's recap (and bypass the browser-crashing sound file on the front page).

Next week Greg supposedly actually starts flirting and trying to hook up with Richard, who isn't fooled -- he doesn't think Greg is really gay; he's just playing the game. Poor Colleen gets cut loose!

I do watch this show for the adventure, but I have to admit that I really like some of the people. I hated Sean at first but he's now one of my favorites just because I think he is way more interested in the adventure and the fun than the money. Same thing with Jenna. (Gervase, too, but he's too goddamned annoying -- although less so than Richard or Sue.) I think Greg and Gretchen were more focused on winning than Jenna and Sean, but I also think they were at least partly trying to show they could do it; it wasn't all about the money. I like that. Those are the people for whom I'm cheering.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

My husband thinks along similar lines as Beth, that it shouldn't be about winning the money, but to a real extreme. He says the participants should get put on a deserted island with no help or food or silly challenges from the producers. And no voting someone off. The way to win is to be the last person alive and the only way to get off is to give yourself up. I imagine that could take a while if you get some really able survivors and that it wouldn't neccessarily make for an exciting TV show. But you'd have lots of adventure!

I have only seen a bit of the show, but I read SurvivorSucks and the Mighty Big TV recaps regularly. I try to read the CBS site, but it constantly crashes my browser. I'll take Beth's suggestion on entering the site at a different location.

There is no way I could survive on this show. I am too much a wimp. I could see myself eating the dog food, but no way would I have eaten those worms!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

I've watched every episode and find it endlessly amusing, but c'mon, this is pseudo-"adventure". These guys are never really in peril, they have lots of gear, and a medical team on the other side of the island in case of emergencies.

That said, these have to be some of the most annoying people ever, but Richard, with his smugness [and jargony comments] is the most egregious. Gervase is the player, I suppose. How did anyone as stupid as Sean make it through med school?

I look forward to when the "alliance" starts to turn on each other.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Did you see the Reebok commercial last night.....with Stacy?! Looks like you can make money even if you get kicked off the island early!

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Yeah, Stacey's in at least two different Reebok ads (the leeches one and the poison oak one). She's also been working as a correspondent for the local (Bay Area) CBS news, covering "news" stories relevant to the show. They've had to stretch a bit on that account: a couple of weeks ago, she interviewed a group of friends who had a betting pool on who was going to get kicked off the show that night, and last night she was just answering viewer questions. She said that she won $2500, but that nobody was getting paid until the whole show had aired.

I didn't realize that anyone other than the winner got paid. Does anyone know how it works? Do you get paid more the longer you manage to stay on the island?

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Jen: yes. The runner up gets $100,000, and all the others get some other amount depending on how long they stayed.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2000

Love Survivor. I live for Wednesday nights.

I also agree that the show would be better if it were more real adventure and less strategy and money grubbing. The producer/creator Mark Burnett is also responsible for an annual show on the Discovery channel called EcoChallenge. Four member teams (which must include one woman) compete in an extended race through amazing scenery (locales have included Argentina and Morocco) facing all manner of natural obstacles.

This show is the greatest. You get amazing scenery, true danger, conflict among team members, and real tales of human endurance and spirit. One year, a Japanese team carried their female member through a forest after she had broken her ankle. This year, the two last place teams banded together and cooperated to complete the race. Burnett should have adapted EcoChallenge to a weekly series. But Survivor will do until then.

And I think the winner should be allowed to kill and eat the host. He's the worst.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

I am SO incredibly addicted to this show. We've been doing "Survivor Nights" since the second episode and at last nights (at Joanna's) I was SO damn teared up when Gretchen got kicked off. Not because I favoured her or anything, but because of the way she was reacting ("Oh my god. Oh my god, is it going to be me?") as well as the way the others were reacting. Jenna and Colleen were all crying and stuff, so it was really emotional.

However, when she did get voted off, I was SO damn happy because it PROVED that it is Gervase in the "Final 9" picture. Even though I knew it all along, I was just SO glad that everyone else will now know that it is him and NOT Gretchen. I can't believe that people were actually debating that shit anyway. (And can you believe that SOME people STILL don't believe that it really is Gervase!! "I think the picture has been doctored..." What the FUCK?)

I don't really know who I want to win at this point.

I can tell you who I DON'T want to win: Greg (annoying as fuck!), Kelly (ditto), Gervase (lazy ass), Sean (too stupid to live), Jenna (attention hound) or Colleen (she seems like she's just not into it).

Which, by default, means that I wouldn't mind if Rudy or Richard or Susan won.

I think I favour these three despite their personalities. This is a STRATEGY game. It's not a fucking popularity contest. It's not "let's all get together and be friends" time. The prize is one fucking million dollars. It's a GAME and one MEELION dollars makes it a very serious one.

Sure, if the money wasn't an issue, then I'd be all about "Who is the best Survivor?" Who actually has the skills to hold up for 39 days (Gretchen. Duh. That's why she was voted off.)

But there is money involved. So, considering what it ISN'T - a life-threatening situation - I have to move on to "Who plays the game the best?"

And I think the answer to that question (for ME anyway) is either Rudy or Richard or Susan.

And honestly, am I the ONLY person on the planet that LOVES it when Susan says "TapeeYOkah."

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Holy shit. I know who wins.

Someone at Survivor Sucks figured it out. On the CBS website, where they show the pictures of the survivors, with a red "x" on the ones that have been voted off, until a little while ago you were able to go into the open directory and view all the images. There was only one survivor who did not have a photo with an x ... i.e., the winner.

The directory is closed now, but a lot of people saw it before it got fixed.

If you don't want to know, don't follo w this link. I'm sorry I read it.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Oops, I'm wrong, it wasn't an open directory. Read the message yourself to see what happened. You can still pull up the pictures, too.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Damn.

Now I'm doing the same thing I did when you posted that link about the CNN(??) story about the "Final Four" (obviously THAT one was wrong, because Gretchen was included).

I debated for a REALLY long time about whether or not I wanted to read the article or not.

Now, I'm doing it again.

Damn it!

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

After finally getting through some of the later posts, though, I think this might have just been a mistake. This person might not be the winner.

At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Well, I'm never following those links you keep putting up, Beth. Because really I don't want to know.And I hope I don't find out until the very end.

I'm loving the show too much. It's bad enough when I know who's going to win Iron Chef in advance, and that's just one ep- not a whole series!

Rob vehemently denies watching Survivor, but every week, there he is on the couch right next to me. He's very into the strategy aspect. Actually, he'd be really good at it: strong physically, likeable, and completely devious enough to pull off the behind-the-scenes machinations. Think Greg crossed with Richard (the idea of that upcoming flirtation is hilarious, btw!)

It's strange how my perception of them shifts. At first I didn't care for Pagong because they all seemed like a bunch of pretty hedonists, only there to look good in tankinis. Now I think they're actually the nicer ones, and it's Tagi that's the two faces of evil.

And oy, was I crushed that Gretchen got booted, though she was indeed the strongest and smartest of all, so the Gang of Four made the right choice. Rob, the next morning: "you slept bad. What's wrong?" Me, slightly embarrassed: "I still can't believe they voted Gretchen off!"

Do I buy the child abuse allegations? Yes. Having heard what they actually are, I can believe it. Do I want to bitch slap Sue? No, but I'd be happier if she'd relieve the non-suspense and just come out of the closet already. Would I have eaten the chicken? Yes. But one sight of those maggots and I'd have stood up and started packing my bags. No thanks.. not in this lifetime. Dog food? Sure- have you smelled some of that stuff? I bet some brands of dog food are tastier than your average can of Dinty Moore product!

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

on the survivorsucks webpage, I saw a link talking about how Rudy won it. An armed vet website issued a story that said Vet wins $1,000,000. The article talked up what a good image this was for the military that one of their old farts could be THE survivor. They pulled the article within a day at the request of the network, but thousands saw it. OF course, some speculate this could all be a hoax, but this website was not a brand new one so I doubt this was a network ploy ...

This also fits in that he was one of the final four survivors, which is known.

FYI- FWIW.

BTW, there is NO way I would have made it on this show. Not only would I have been voted off early for being so bossy, but I would have starved to death.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

They have Ramona's diary in this week's Entertainment Weekly. I thought this was interesting: she said that the grub-eating contest was originally to eat a dead, sauteed grub. When they all did it, THEN they went to the live ones. And then the tie breaker. And Ramona said that Gervase had a problem even with the first, cooked, dead one.

Hmmm...

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Okay. I haven't watched the show. Not even a minute of it. I haven't even seen the commercials.

I don't know what's going on, out there on the island, and exactly how dog food fits into makes me nervous.

Hi, my name is Jen, and I am a big, goofy, dopey pop-cultural moron.

This is the thing, though - I want to watch it. Your rabidity has sparked my own curiosity. So does anyone know if it's going to be shown in reruns? They did it with Who Wants to Sit Two Feet Away From Regis' Death-Like Rictus of a Grin, and that's a freakin' gameshow.

In all your spoiler surfin', has anyone come up with an answer to this?

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

I gave in and read the article that Beth linked to. I SO hope that it's not correct. Please please please. I will be so disgusted if it's correct.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Okay, by now we all know the show is not running on Charles Darwin's model after all. Gretchen, the professional survival trainer, is history. With all the Alliance machinations, it's natural to think of Machiavelli, but the Guelphs and the Ghibelines wouldn't have had any patience with the popular-vote method of dispatching your rivals. And only being able to off one enemy at a time? Puh-leez. The show's real patron saint is none other than Ayn Rand. Her hero would be B.B., the man who built the group's first shelter and found their water supply, and who the others thanked by giving him the Boot. Rand's villain would be Richard, a perfect Ellsworth Toohey, preserving mediocrity by scheming to bring down the truly talented. She would have had a field day. And just to set the record straight, I hate Ayn Rand, but have to admit she could write a potboiler like nobody's business.

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

Well the first go was all gibberish, this will be better. Gervase is weak as far as survival skills go. I think that means he'll last a while. He won't be voted off too soon, he'll just be kept around for fodder cuz he'll be easy to beat later in the competition.

Dicque's days are numbered. The non-alliance folks will figure that he's the ring leader behind the alliance and get his fat naked butt off the island soon. But only after they get some spear fishing knowledge out of him - like don't bother with the urchins for one.

Something to hope for - Dicque gets second degree burns in his nether regions from wandering around in the sun naked. The blisters pop, get infected and he has to be rushed off the island to save what little manhood he has left.

I'm secretely (not so secret anymore - eh?) pulling for Rudy - he went to high school here in Rochester (Edison Tech), so it's a little home town flavor.

My fave's to go farther - Rudy, Susan, Greg (physically, he can make it. Mentally - he might have gave up too much to the Ivy League), maybe Kelly. No real reasons - just supposin'.

Is it Wednesday yet?

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

They ate the Grub?

Did someone tell Rob?

-- Anonymous, July 14, 2000

I'm sorry, but I must say that the ULTIMATE spoiler to Survivor is this: They will all die. Ultimately they'll all die. Maybe the big winner will even be assassinated on the day of the final episode's broadcast. That would appeal to my sense of irony.
Not that I have anything against the show. Well not much against it. My only complaint is that it is so obviously ripped off. And from Teletubbies, no less. A group of people, isolated from society, each with one item. Po has his hat, Tinky Winky has his purse, Susan has her tweezers. And all the while a powerful presence looks on, be it a video crew or a freaky floating baby head.
I never got over the episode of Teletubbies where they ate that freaky vacuum cleaner creature.

-- Anonymous, July 15, 2000

Wow, I'm so glad I have myown life to watch, not these people's. No thanks

-- Anonymous, July 15, 2000

Okay...can someone explain to me just what happens when it gets down to being like..three or four people? i know the rest of the cast offs are supposed to come back and vote, but when does that happen? what about tie breakers? like what would happen if Richard and Jenna each got three votes? i mean i guess the odds are slim, but it COULD happen.

I wanna know..

and i think Greg is going to win. well...at least that's my guess NOW. before it was Gretchen. I wish it could be Colleen though - could she be any cuter?

Nora

-- Anonymous, July 16, 2000

Spoiler alert...

According to the wire story I found at work, Survivor Sucks has correctly narrowed down who the last four on the island are.

Hmmmmmmmm.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

I must vent. I am so bitter. I opened up my newspaper today and they reported on who won, according to the leak at the official site.

I stayed away from all the spoilers on purpose. Thanks so much, stupid newspaper I hate. I wasn't even reading the article - it just got continued on an inside page, and when I opened up the newspaper, my eye landed on the sentence, "...and X won"

grrr.

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2000

The same thing happened to me this morning, Kristin. I'm so pissed off that it isn't even funny. I personally want to strangle the editor of the local newspaper but I don't feel like going to prison. Hhmph.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I will tell the rest of you what I told Kristin last night.

For what it's worth -- I don't think CBS would have told the web designers who won this early on. I think it was a mistake. That person may be the winner, but I don't think this is a leak. I may be in denial, however.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

The way I see it, with the advent of the internet, there's only one way to truly keep something like this a secret, and that's by starting false rumors on the internet. If the folks at CBS are smart, then they did the little website flub on purpose! Of course, that's a big assumption...

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I was thinking the same thing. I would hope that CBS wouldn't hire website designers that were stupid enough to post that kind of information on the website this early in the game. Even if the website designers made the entire website and just had someone posting updates and watching for problems, I can't believe that these people would upload every single page with the winner listed for anyone (a hacker or just a clever person who likes to manipulate URL's to find out spoilers and/or information) to find at the ease of pushing a few keys.

Same thing with Greg. I doubt he will win, either. CBS made him unavailable for interviews as a diversion from the real winner. Perhaps they have done the same thing with Gervase and several others, but I hope not. He's one of my favorites on the island. Him and Sean.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

I think the website flub is just a flub. Whoever did the graphics just forgot to put an X on that one. After all, why have an X-version at all, if they knew they weren't going to need it? (The X-version exists, it just doesn have the X)

I'm dying to know if the rest of the "castaways" will have the good sense to form a counter-alliance. Their survival depends on it. It'll be a shame to see them all voted off the island because they're too nice to form an alliance. It'll also be interesting to see when the alliance turns on itself.

An interesting aside: I just visited www.survivor.com, and found it was not affiliated with the show. It's a site for a relatively obscure company called Survivor Software. They're up to 120,000 hits a week! Think of the advertising revenue!

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

Everybody, chill. We don't know for sure about any of those aforementioned "who won" things (either the web site or the lack of interviews). I suspect that both of those are too obvious "spoilers" anyway, or at least not as good as photographic evidence (re: Gretchen/Gervase etc.). As an article I found said, we don't know, even with the web site thing. I've seen that article (in wire queues, my paper didn't print it), and it just shows several "who may be it" things and the logic behind them. There's still hope for a surprise, I think.

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

My boyfriend just sent me this link: http://w ww.dailynews.com/archives/2000/05/31/lif01.asp. It's an older article/interview with Gretchen, singing Gervases praises! (ooh, that rhymed. if you say his name like it looks.) What if he really does win?

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

well, I remember a couple of weeks ago, when Ramona got kicked off, there was a newswire story that said Ramona spilled the beans and identified Gretchen as the final Survivor. I was (halfway) convinced it was true...until last week of course.

It ain't over til its over, kids.

p.s. The Eco-Challenge is the BOMB!!! Well worth watching, if you ever get a chance. This year's race is held in Borneo (more jungle), and starts August 21st...

-- Anonymous, July 18, 2000

BREAKING NEWS AS OF 3:30PM Central time, 7/19/2000 on a http://www.survivorsucks.com/news.html.

The CBS web page team has either messed up again, or they are playing a game with their readers. Don't go there if you don't want to read a spoiler.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

Re: the Ramona slip- she only described Gretchen as "the real survivor." I think people just misread that as a hint that she won.

-- Anonymous, July 19, 2000

After tonight's episode, please allow me to be the first to say: Good Riddance. That Greg was so annoying. Was that the most pathetic cry you've ever heard, or what?

In other news I notice they've posted a major spoiler (like, who wins) over at survivor.com. Hilarious. It seems they're not entirely happy with all the extra traffic and their treatment by CBS.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

I was starting to like Greg last week, but they put an end to that tonight. Or maybe I was trying not to like him since I knew he was going to get booted.

Did anyone catch the shot of four people at a tribal council in tonight's intro sequence? It's here. Speculation is that these are the final four. There's some discussion on that thread as to whether or not that's the case.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

I know that a lot of people really liked him for his quirkiness but i'm honestly thrilled that Greg was voted off. I really believed it would be Jenna, someone i like a lot. I figured it would be like a pity vote, you know, get Jenna off so she can go home to her little babies (was that heartbreaking or what? no video? man...).

However, as soon as i saw thta Richard held up his with "Greg" on it, i went wild, much to the amusement of George who alternated between watching the tv and watching my reactions as they tallied the votes.

I didn't actually expect that they would show us any of the votes from the alliance, because the viewers all know that if we see a vote from Rich, Sue, Kelly, or Rudy then we know all of their votes (though that may change by next week of course!).

I still don't like Kelly much, though i agree with what she said about how if anyone wanted to come make good friends, they should have gone to summer camp. This IS a strategy, not a love-in and that's why the alliance is doing so well. For now.

For the love of God, someone get Colleen out of there. She is definitely cute but she's so useless. She's never won anything and i don't recall seeing her cooking or getting food or anything.

Still crossing my fingers for Jenna but i doubt it. I think Rich or Sue has an excellent chance. I believe that when the alliance dissolves, they'll get Rudy out of there first. Rich can last a bit longer because of the fish.

Oh, i'm so hopelessly addicted. Is there a 12-step program for us when the show ends?

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

I was bothered by last night's episode. I don't know; it just seemed kind of cruel to me. In the interest of fairness, I would have delayed or ditched that challenge until everyone's tape was there. This challenge, more than any of the others thus far, seemed designed to deflate the losers.

Gervase's little girl was cute, wasn't she? I liked seeing the contestants' families.

I'm still hating Richard a lot and will dance a jig when they vote him off.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

You know, since the first episode, I'm kind of liking Richard. I have no good reason why.

I enjoyed the tapes, too, and was amused at how much Rudy's wife sounds like him.

Gervase now has ANOTHER child: I begin to think he needs the million just to support his non-family.

Well, now Jenna's mother is the Most Hated Woman in America. I've had to do things like that for retreats and stuff, and hard as it is, I've come through, what was wrong with the woman?

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

Actually, according to the official site, Gervase is about to father his 4th child out of wedlock.

What kills me is that you know now that he has a girlfriend who is also the mother to at least two of his four kids - however, the page then says that both Sean and Gervase have their eyes set on Jenna and/or Colleen now that Greg is gone. What? Is Gervase trying to father a whole colony of kids or what?

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

After yesterday's fiasco at the CBS web site I am now convinced that the whole "X Photo" theory is not some ploy by CBS to through the viewers off track or to build up publicity. No, I'm convinced now that the web people for this show are just plain incompetent.

For gods sake, they had the summary for Episode 8 up online yesterday a good 7 hours BEFORE THE SHOW AIRED. Got to read everything that was going to happen before someone realized their mistake and then pulled THE ENTIRE SITE DOWN for hours. (that must have made the advertisers really happy.)

Can CBS screw up any more with this show? Is it that hard to keep this a secret?

- t

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

I did think last night's challenge reward was really, really cruel -- I mean, they could have waited for all the tapes to come in. I was really hoping that whoever won would let Jenna make a tape... but I s'pose being nice like that kind of defeats the purpose of the show, doesn't it?

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

Personally, I think the producers probably sent the request for videos purposely late to Jenna's family, just so they could film that heart- breaking moment. It reeked of network (CBS) interference; it was too easy, too much pure pathos for that to have been an accident. Oh, yeah, I cried with Jenna when they said the tape hadn't come, but I'm betting that it was manipulated by CBS.

I feel the same way about the rope-game immunity challenge thing. Greg was LOST? I dunno, but it seems to me that everyone was positioned a certain way so that Greg would definitely NOT win and so Gervase would. I mean, otherwise Gervase would have been voted off last night. I don't know what the strategy of the networks was on this one, but I just couldn't believe that Greg would get so hopelessly entangled if he'd had a fair shot at it.

Anyway, I still enjoy watching. I consider it a game, with the network playing god and playing with emotions and what-have-you to keep those ratings up, the intrigue going. I don't care that it's produced to within an inch of its life; they're doing a good job with their manipulations.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

I've thought that Richard was pretty cold and ruthless, but Greg (I think it was him, I get them confused) said of one of the women "she's like a nice little kitten that you stroke and play with, but if you get hungry you break its neck and eat it".

I have to think that Richard has overplayed his hand, and that the other alliance members will turn on him as soon as they can. They (unlike the clueless Pagong) know how totally calculating he is.

And I give whats-his-name the M.C. points for asking about the alliance and seeing them squirm.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

Susan's husband's a babe, isn't he? At the tribal council, it was fun to see her squirm. She's not a very good liar.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

Yeah, her nose practically grew.

I think the network was surprised when Gretchen was voted off, or they'd have had a lot more background stuff on her. Gervase has GOT to go. And if they did that on purpose to Jenna, I wish them a thousand crabs in the shorts.

-- Anonymous, July 20, 2000

I read somewhere that one of the contestants was a millionaire, before the show even started. Anyone know who? I thought I saw it at www.msnbc.com, but went back & couldn't find it.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Wow, Heather, you're way cynical about network involvement.

Since I've recently had two successive experiences with the mail not arriving in a timely manner (both cost me money) I didn't doubt the tape incident.

Of course, also, I don't believe it is necessary for the producers to manipulate the situation much more than it is to get all the possible results and conflicts.

The open manipulations are/were: two groups competing against each other, but each independently competing for a million dollars, secret voting, immunity challenges, reward challenges and I'm probably forgetting something, but that right there should be enough to create all sorts of unusual situations and conflicts.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

Karen: B.B. is a real estate developer (I think) and a multi- millionaire.

-- Anonymous, July 21, 2000

I was glad to see Greg go. I don't know if he was acting or not, but I really think he was losing it. Did you see his parting words? He started out pretty solid, but by the end of last night his screws were slipping a bit.

I think Gervase would have gone last night...however, Coleen seems to be doing even less work! Whenever they show the endless discussions about how "The Women" are doing all the work, there's no sign of Coleen. And she certainly hasn't won any challenges.

BUT!! I still absolutely passionately hate both Sue and Richard. I hate them even more for forcing me to divide my firey hate vibes between the two!

-- Anonymous, July 25, 2000

What was the deal with Greg's comment about twisting the head off the kitten and eating it? How morbid is he?

And I think that both Colleen and Gervase are probably doing more than the show lets on. Colleen's so nice to everyone, I'm sure she does anything anyone asks her, and it makes sense that if Gervase wins, the show would make Gervase look as lazy as possible, with his card-playing and napping all the time, but Gretchen said on some show after she was voted off that Gervase was a really good guy and not as lazy as it seems. If you think about it, CBS has a lot of control over what everything looks like, when 3 days go into one hour, minus commercial time, at least 15 minutes for the two challenges, and at least 10 minutes for the Tribal Council. I'd like to know what all the survivors think of how they were portrayed.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

I have this really awful feeling that my favorite Survivor (Jenna -- I know, I didn't want to like her, either, but I just do) is going to get the boot tonight. I haven't read any definitive spoilers or anything, it's just a hunch. I had hoped for Sue, but I really think it's Jenna. I'm very sad.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

Beth, I don't watch the show, but it sounds like Jenna got the kiss of death last week when her tape didn't arrive and she spent the episode all weepy. The pack will have to turn on her, now. That's the law.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

Marilyn: From what I've heard none of the "survivors" are very happy with how they've been portrayed. I've read complaints of both innacuracies having personalities reduced to one dimension. One of the Survivors was portrayed as a "soccer mom" and none of her kids play sports. What's up with that?

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

oops, that should read: "I've read complaints of both inaccuracies and having personalities reduced to one dimension."

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

Well, as soon as I realized that they failed to nail Rich, I threw up my hands, and sent my remote flying over the back of my couch.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

Cory--

I agree................Rich is not voted out? Sigh. Bummer.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2000

Oh man, voting on tonight's episode was painful to watch.

How can anybody as stupid as Sean possibly be a neurosurgeon? The man is an idiot. By telling everybody who he was going to vote for, he allowed them to gang up on her. Bye, bye, Jenna.

I really wanted Richard to be voted off. That guy is so annoying.

I've decided I want Rudy to win. That guy cracks me up.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Dave Van--

Sean is not a neurosurgeon but a neurologist. The difference is huge not only in terms of what the do-- one does surgery the other is restricted to seeing patients like internist-- but how much they earn. If Sean were a bona-fide neurosurgeon he would lose more money by being in the Survivor, if he were there for money (!). Neurosurgeon makes about a million a year while neurologist makes about $100,000 a year

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Rudy seems somewhat fixated on homosexuality. He made several comments about that on last night's show. I like him better than some of the others on the show, but that is irritating.

Sean. I hope he felt stupid after the vote. He should feel stupid all the time, but that's a different story.

It looks as though the first alliance is dead. Could Richard be next? (Please, oh please, let Richard be next!)

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

I thought Rudy's "lesbianism" comment about the newfound Kelly-Jenna- Colleen friendship was hilarious!

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

I thought last night was great... I really didn't know what was going to happen. But now, I think I know what's going to happen. The next few survivors are going to be voted off in the order of Sean's stupid strategy. It gibes with a "final four" spoiler I've seen....

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

After thinking about it some more I realized Jenna also played it very foolishly. She had to know Colleen et al were going to try vote Richard off, yet she wasted her vote by voting for Sean. Why? A futile retaliatory guesture? Had she voted for Richard it would have been a tie vote, 4 for Richard and 4 for Jenna. Does anyone know what happens if there's a tie vote? Perhaps she would have stayed and we would have been rid of the naked man.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Jenna didn't vote for Sean; Kelly did. I have a feeling the Pagongers didn't tell Kelly their plans since she was still technically part of the alliance.

If there is a tie, they just keep voting until they resolve it, but they can only vote for the people who are tied. Mark Burnett explained it in an interview a few weeks ago. And supposedly there *is* a tie coming up eventually.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Oh. Thanks. No wonder I was confused ('cause I coulda sworn Jenna and Colleen agreed to vote together.)

I was very happy to see a counter-alliance form. Too bad Sean messed it up.

I guess Kelly gets voted off next week then, eh? Assuming Sean sticks to his alphabetical order.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Why did it have to be Jenna? Why wasn't Richard's saggy-self voted off the island? Because Sean is dumb like a post. Because of the alpha-freakin-bet strategy. Please let it be Sean's dumbass voted off the island. Even though Rudy is a turd, I hope the old guy wins.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

I have a hunch Sean is going to be next. Way back at the beginning of the show, someone on the Survivor Sucks spoiler board pointed out an interesting thing about the opening credits: some of the survivors are shown in action shots, some are shown in photos, and some are shown in obviously posed, artsy looking shots. The guy who first noticed this pointed out a difference in film quality and noted that the posed shots appeared to be film rather than videotape, and that those shots appeared to be from late in the game (Richard has a beard, Sue is tan and thin, etc.) Thus, there was speculation that at some point the cast was posed and filmed on the island, and that the people in those shots would be the people who lasted the longest.

No one is really talking about this theory anymore, but it's held true. None of the people in the posed credit shots has been voted off. As of now, the only person left on the island who definitely does not have a nice artsy filmed shot is Sean (his shot is a photograph, like Joel's and Sonya's). Gervase, Colleen, Richard, Sue, and Kelly all have obviously posed shots with funky lighting; they look like film to me. Rudy -- I can't tell. Could go either way.

Jenna and Greg both had action shots. Sean is the only one left.

I know this goes against the whole final four shot some people are relying on, but I think that might have been a fake-out by the producers. I guess we'll see in a few weeks.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

I've been seeing some discussion about Survivor II elsewhere, and I wondered what you guys think. Do you think it will be lame because (as with Real World), the people on the show will know better what they are getting into, what the reactions of the audience will be, and thus the whole concept gets tainted in a way? Or do you think those factors will make the show even better?

Do you think the producers will be smarter about spoilers and perhaps plant more red herrings? I wish they would. I think it would be more interesting. I don't think they realized how popular the show would be, and that it would be analyzed in such minute detail.

Beth, if you think this should be a new topic, I apologize.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

We'll see how it goes, Kim. If people really get into the subject, we'll start a new one.

As for what I was saying before about the intro photos, I found the original posts on Survivor Sucks discussing this. This guy works in video production and has mapped out which shots are film and which are video, and believes that a film crew was there towards the end of the game with instructions to get some head shots. (He points out that film is more expensive to produce, so most of the show would be on videotape.) He has mostly been proven correct, although he pegged the Jenna headshot as film, but it was from the challenge a few weeks ago when she cried over not getting a video; I think it's video. (He also couldn't tell Jenna from Kelly, so I think he just got them mixed up.)

That was back in mid-June, and based on his analysis of the intro he pegged Richard, Kelly, Colleen, Sue, and maybe Gervase, Greg, and Rudy as having been filmed rather than taped. I always thought he was wrong about Greg; the shot of Greg in the intro was awful and looked like videotape to me.

Then a few weeks ago, someo ne else noticed the same thing. But he just focused on how flattering the shots were. He picked the same ones I picked: Susan, Colleen, Kelly, Gervase, Richard ... and Rudy's was kind of iffy. Everyone else had obvious candid videos or photographs.

And all of those people except for Sean have now been voted off. So my money's on Sean. Richard has to realize that he's next in alphabetical order after Kelly, and that Sean's vote with the vote from the ex-Pagongers could be enough to boot him. I think Sean goes.

I'd rather get rid of Sue, but at this point I hate all of them so I'll be cheering at the end of tribal council no matter what.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2000

Can I just say how proud I am that my guess was right and they voted Jenna off? Now i'm like a gambler who feels a lucky streak coming on. Before I bet the farm on my next pick, I was wondering who is in the alliance and whether the other contestants know about it (and its membership) yet?

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2000

I heard some interesting "Survivor" gossip on TV last night. Stacey was saying that after Jenna got voted off, Jenna and Greg and Stacey were all staying at the same hotel. Jenna and Greg were staying there because as part of the final 9 they had to stick around until the end of the show--I don't know why Stacey was still there. Anyway, she said that Jenna and Greg had a little fling!

She also said that even after getting voted off, Jenna and Greg weren't allowed to call or write to their families, although I have no idea why this was the case. She also mentioned, rather cattily, that Jenna ate like a horse after getting voted off, and immediately gained back all the weight she'd lost on the island. I actually think that's a good thing--those castaways are all looking pretty malnourished to me.

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2000

Beth's astute analysis has made me change my mind about the next person to get voted off. I thought it would be Richard. That wasn't based on any picture analysis. The preview for the upcoming show mentioned the death of the alliance, and then had Susan and Kelly talking about getting someone. I thought that person would be Richard, but it makes more sense for it to be Sean.

Richard will vote for Sean in a tit-for-tat move. Rudy still votes with Richard. Kelly votes for Sean again, and Susan votes with her, as a last hurrah for the alliance. I think Colleen would vote for Sean, too. His vote (and his talking openly about his alphabet scheme) really made Jenna vulnerable, and Jenna had formed an alliance with Colleen.

I'm spending way too much time thinking about people I no longer like that much...

At least I haven't been sucked into Big Brother.

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2000

My apologies to those who read my page; I just cut and pasted the rant I had there regarding Survivor . . .

---

My vote's on Colleen.

She's playing the game MUCH more subtely than anyone else on the island. She's sweet, acts very innocent and just a little dumb.

But she's not dumb, people. Personally? I think she threw the square game immediately because she knew she wasn't going to win and it makes her look not-so-bright to lose right away like that. Her gleefull "let everybody eat" and her horror at being told she had to chose was perfect. (I'm glad Jenna was an easy choice that any of them should have made.) Colleen knows who's playing hardball, and she stays out of their way, and brushes off her own needs with cute attitude. She knows that she's one of the cutest, most likable, least threatening people on that island, and she'll ride that all the way to the final four. Maybe two. And, if she gets in the final two, she's won it. Really, would you vote for Gervase over Colleen? Rudy? Sean? Sue? Kelly? She's the biggest threat on that island to those ruthless players, but she's playing it cool enough that they don't notice. Yet.

I was cheering when the four women went out and brought back that nice looking fish (which I would eat; I would have a much harder time with those scrawny rays - ick). Rich was flaunting his fishing skills WAY too much. I also love the girlpower thing. I think it was good for Sue to feel included in that, too, although if they'd managed to exclude her, maybe they could've gotten Kelly voting with them on that trip. Oh well.

I wanted to hit Sean. All during the "If I though Jenna was in jeopardy, I wouldn't vote for her, but I don't think she is . . ." I was screaming at him. He's either an idiot or an asshole. If he really doesn't think there's an alliance, and if there was one they wouldn't vote Jenna even though he ANNOUNCED that that was his vote, then I just don't see how he ever made it through medical school. Honestly. The people I was watching with didn't get it until after the votes were tallied, though, but they're not neuro-whatevers, either, so they've got an excuse, sorta.

Anyhow, that's my take on survivor from last night. I'm sadly addicted to this show. You have to watch the night it airs, too, otherwise Thursdays suck.

One more thing. The women on the rope course? Beautiful. They were like brightly colored spiders, and it was incredibly hot to watch them climb around so deftly. When Jenna (or was it Kelly) went under Gervase on the rope bridge - well, that was some fine manuevering.

One more one more thing. I think Rich is having an affair with one of the cameramen. He was talking too intimately to the camera at one point; there's no mistaking the look on his face!

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2000

Wow, it must have been Survivor weekend for me. I wrote three pieces about Survivor, a Pamie-style letters thing that included letters to the cast of Survivor. I filled out the Survivor II application, and I wrote a piece called The Political Economy of Survivor for Retrogression.

I think it is safe to say that I am completely addicted to this show and it is up there with hot dogs, bowling, and clint eastwood movies on my list of things that make life worth living.

I know the cast is being portrayed as one-dimensional and Stacey pointed that out.. they have 60,000 hours of footage they are condensing down to thirteen episodes, and as someone here pointed out, between commercials, challenges, and triabl council, the "getting to know you" part of the episode is usually only fifteen-twenty minutes of screen time.

I don't think Richard is having an affair with the camera man, I think he has perfected that faux-intimacy because he is a "freelance corporate trainer" and they are into that crap. I also don't think Colleen is all that smart, because even in private interviews she comes off like an idiot. I also don't think she's that cute. I'm much more fond of Kelly.

I could see Gervase winning because I could see it coming down to him and Rudy or him and Susan or him and someone else who pissed off the rest of the castaways. I could see folks voting for Gervase because they would rather let him win than let Richard win.

I do think Gervase is being portrayed as a bit of a Sambo sterotype, and it is kinda gross. Not as bad as Jar-Jar binks, mind you, but still...

Also, a girl from one of the Brown coops was saying that Greg dated one of her best friends while he was at Brown. Apparently he is a real asshole to women, as his kitten speech showed.

It's funny that even though he lived here for four years, only Richard is identified with Rhode Island.

-- Anonymous, July 31, 2000

Is anyone else out there wondering what the HELL happened tonight? I was all excited, gearing up to have Colleen, Gervase, Sean, and Kelly vote together and boot Sue or Rudy and instead what the heck? I can't believe it was Gervase.

Some other things... - i was so so so not happy that Richard got immunity. I was hoping that tonight would have been his night. He's just too damn cocky for his own good. - how cute was Colleen in her "sitting" duck top. i really want her to win now although it's looking really unlikely - didn't that pizza look a little..burnt? - Rudy cracks me up - I can't believe Sue cried (almost?)! - that Jeff Probbstttsss or whatever his name is had SOME balls at that tribal council with the questions he asked. - how the hell can sean and gervase have been so oblivious to the alliance. "well maaaybe there is one but i can't say." are they living on the same island as richard sue rudy and kelly? hello? - i was glad to see the demise of the alphabet strategy. although, in the words of jenna, "too little too late" ?

that's all!

Nora

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

I'm commit to a final decision -- Kelly is the survivor.

-- Anonymous, August 02, 2000

I only know who was voted off; I know nothing else about tonight's episode. That's because I went to dinner and my VCR dutifully taped an hour of the &$*##$*#$ Republican National Convention, because our #*$&#*$# local affiliate bumped Survivor back an hour.

It almost makes me wish I were a Republican so I could leave the party in a huff. Did anyone actually need to see that?

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2000

Yeah, Nora, after Richard won the immunity I thought it would be Sue or Rudy to get the nod as well. But Gervase does make sense -- they voted him off to prevent him from earning immunity in future votes.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2000

Beth, you really didn't miss that much, I don't think. It wasn't as exciting as last week's episode. Here's a quick recap -- others can fill in the details I missed.

Kelly talked about how she feels bad about being in the alliance. Gervase's girlfriend gave birth and everyone spent some time discussing how they feel about him having four children with two different women out of wedlock. Basically, no one cared but Rudy. Gervase won the luxury challenge, one slice of pizza (which seemed a little lame after last week's barbecue) and a phone call home. He gave everyone a bite of the pizza, which I thought was nice. Susan and Kelly are best friends, maybe, and decided if they were left with Richard, they would band together to get rid of him. Colleen and Gervase tried to form an alliance with Kelly and Sean, but it didn't work. Richard won the immunity challenge. The alliance, plus Sean voted for Gervase. Gervase and Colleen voted for Sean.Jenna wore a lot of makeup for her appearance on "the jury".

Next week looks interesting because Richard looks to be cracking a little bit. There was one scene where he grabbed Susan and pulled her aside pretty roughly.

Although I wanted Richard to be voted off, I was really glad that Gervase got the vote because it means that the big "Red X" spoiler is wrong, and now I have no idea who wins it all.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2000

I am glad that the "big red X" theory turned out to be wrong - see, if I had just listened to Beth in the beginning, when she said it was probably not right, I would have saved myself weeks of torment.

But now i am bugged because likely it means that someone from that stupid alliance, and probably either Rich or Sue wins the whole thing, and frankly, those two irritate the living crap out of me. I think it is time someone reminded Rich that he is a corporate trainer from New Jersey, not a member of the Medici family - he just isn't that smart, and Sue is a first class backstabbing bitch.

Um, to be blunt about it.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2000

I know. I'm not sure how much I care anymore, now that it's obvious that a Tagi is going to win. I started to have a sinking feeling yesterday, when I read that someone on some TV show asked Jenna if she was pleased with the winner, and Jenna hedged and finally said, "No comment." People who saw it said it was pretty clear she was not happy with the winner. Since I think Jenna and I like the same people, this means I'm not going to be happy with the winner, either.

Of the people remaining, I'd like to see Colleen win it, not because I like her but because it would stick it to the evil Tagi. But she's toast. The only way she can last is if the Tagi decide she's not a threat and start picking one another off, instead, and if she wins immunity for at least one week. I think there are only two regular tribal councils left -- when it gets to the final four, I believe the first two are eliminated in challenges, and the last two go to the full jury vote. So I guess it's conceivable she could last two weeks.

But it's unlikely. I also doubt Rudy wins, for two reasons. First, he's been leaked as the winner by a lot of different places, and everyone else who has been named as the winner has already been voted off. (Gretchen, Gervase, and Greg were the first three big leaks.) I think CBS has a full-on disinformation campaign happening. Second, Jenna said in another interview she wanted him to win, so if she wasn't happy with the winner, then it probably wasn't Rudy.

Which leaves a whole collection of people I can't stand. (I don't like Rudy, either, but at least he's interesting.) If Colleen gets voted off this week, I'll probably just read the recaps and stop going out of my way to watch the show at the ridiculous hour of 7 p.m. (damn early prime time), because an all-out Tagi war really doesn't interest me. At all.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2000

I wonder who the producers wanted to win? I have a bad feeling that they figure that Richard is interesting enough to keep around. With Gervase gone (and the "X" theory with him) Richard is clearly the physically strongest contestant left.

If the future challenges favor tall, fast people then Richard will continue to win immunity and could very well make it to the final two. Richard was smart to elminate the strongest remaining man.

The producers sure played me like guitar this week. I hate Richard and so was thrilled to hear the others plotting against him, only to have my hopes dashed when he won the immunity challenge.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2000

Nope, I think Richard is gone before the final four. Or else he's the first of the final four to go.

NOTE: SPOILERS HERE; DON'T READ IF YOU DON'T WANT TO KNOW. Then again, maybe these are all wrong, so you decide.

Before the first show aired Nat. Geographic printed an interview with Mark Burnett in which they stated categorically that Richard did not win. MB is now actively spreading disinformation, but I don't think they would have lied outright like that so early on -- they were trying to calm the waters after the child abuse charges.

A newspaper article several weeks ago said that nearly all of Richard's $45,000 would go to legal fees. I'm not sure how reliable that figure was, but if he really did win $45,000, he probably goes in episode 12. Just a hunch. Jenna got $27,500 or something like that.

I think Sue winds up #2. She said in an interview that she earned enough to quit work for three years. She's a Wisconsin truck driver, so that to me does not say she won a million bucks -- sounds more like the second place $100,000 prize. Less than that wouldn't do it.

So if that's true, you can narrow down the winner by looking at who would beat Sue in a jury vote. Not Sean -- I think the other cast members hate him as much as viewers do. Probably not Richard, but as I said I think he gets eliminated earlier anyway. I think Sue would beat Colleen: if they were the last two, the jury would be composed of Greg, Gervase, Jenna (all Colleen votes), Rich, Rudy, and Kelly (all Susan votes most likely), and Sean -- who I think has more loyalty to Tagi than he has let on, and would probably vote for Sue. So I don't think the other person is Colleen, unless one of those voters really surprises me.

If the other person is Rudy, can he beat Sue? Probably. I think he'd get every vote except maybe Rich and Kelly.

I also think Kelly might be able to beat Sue: she'd probably pick up the Pagong vote and possibly Sean.

It's hard to say. Anyone have any thoughts as to who could beat Sue in a head-to-head vote?

So that's my prediction: final four will include Sue and Kelly and Rudy for sure, plus either Colleen or Richard depending on how next week's immunity works out. Sue will survive the two elimination challenges in the last episode but will lose the jury vote. Richard will either be voted off in ep. 12, or will be the first one out of the final four. After that it's anyone's guess.

-- Anonymous, August 03, 2000