Watching Survivor

…talkin’ bout pe…

I’ll let ya fill in but I always find things out! Ok, so someone asked me if I had seen it, and then pointed me toward the evidence and oh dalally, I bet Charlie wishes he was paying closer attention to Dear Dr. Marcus.

I know the CBS censors were!
There’s a NEW Dr. McDreamy on the loose… or at least, parts of him. Heh. Heh. Heh.

You see, it seems that during the second hour of the premiere, Episode 2, just after Jeff gave the infamous “Survivor’s ready? GO!” command for the reward/immunity challenge… Dear Dr. Marcus had the male equivalent to a ‘nipslip’. And the censors missed it. Oh yes, yes indeed, wearing those loose boxer-briefs is indeed a hazard when one is running around the African plains, playing with giant balls.

[What? I'm just sayin'!]

The videos of the (ahem) event (ahem) has already been pulled from the CBS site, presumably to censor it properly before being put back online, but that doesn’t help all those copies on youtube (fast forward to approx. minute 6:24 for the event). And the properly slow-mo’d and zoomed in screen shots by other, most happy, very quick eye’d internets folk. Or the thread about it on the CBS forums, that includes a picture.

What makes it even funnier is that there was blurring on the show - because a little pubic hair was showing on one of the guys. Mr. Censor must have fallen asleep at the button, or was simply to distracted by Dear Dr. Marcus’ abs. Bet he never thought THIS is what he’d be most known for in Survivor: Gabon, hm?

And someone tell me, WHEN will people realize that when they say “photoshoot time!” you put on ACTUAL CLOTHING?! Forget the dresses, the suits… grab a track suit, some sweats, a swimsuit, or DECENTLY FITTING UNDERWEAR for crissakes. What part of “Clothing on your backs” do these folks NOT understand after SEVENTEEN SEASONS?

Ok. All better. Heh.

So! What did we think of the first episode of Survivor: Gabon? How crazy were those shots so close to the animals, who were so close to the camp? Who do we like, who do we hate, have we picked a winner yet?

I have to say that I was surprised to see Michelle go first, and didn’t really pick up on the negative vibes that they claimed was the reason she was voted out. On the other hand, there’s Gillian, who was so positive that they couldn’t stand it. I think her boot was the smart one, and they’re going to regret not having Michelle’s strength down the line. In fact, Michelle pretty much feels the same way, as she told Buddy TV in an interview they released this morning.

Didn’t you think that when you were the first girl to the top of the hill that you had earned your place in the tribe? I would think that that would do it, but apparently not.

I definitely think that that would do it, but even if I hadn’t been the first girl up the hill, just looking at my tribe members, I’m obviously in better shape than more than half of them. And if you really want to get down to it, I know for a fact that I’m the most fit person on that tribe, and probably in the entire game. I’m a freakin’ boxer. You have to be in incredible shape to box, and I’ve been boxing for years.

I did love the little moment over the Termite hill with her and Ken though. Apparently she had no clue he had such a crush on her, but found it utterly adorable, as the rest of us did too.

Another thing I loved was Randy fighting the doorframe and losing. Nothing like a guy cracking his head open the first night to bring life to a show! And it couldn’t have happened to a better guy. I thought I’d hate him out of the gate, but I have to give him props for being able to bite his tongue when he should, and leave most of his comments for the confessionals. That might help him in the long run - though it does look like he and GC get into it next week… will he bite his tongue again?

You know who else is blogging about Gabon? Jeff Probst! That’s right, Mr. Dimples himself has decided to blog about the show each week for EW.com, and his comments about last night are up already. I love getting his inside view on the show. He calls out Crystal for her problems getting up that hill, the Fang tribe for their poor choice of school yard pick’um, and his love of Corinne’s standing on the Bitch Meter. The blog is funny, tongue in cheek, and classic Probst.

He does mention that Michelle’s zeal disappeared and he had picked her as a favorite, but she just lost something by the time the game started. There was obviously some more stuff that we didn’t see.

Jeff and I agree on Ace - LOVE HIM. The yoga in orange shorts and that accent? Classic. Hit up the interview for more of Jeff’s comments, and be sure to leave some of your own here! Dish, darlings - what did you think of the start of Gabon… are we in for another awesome season?

How’d you come out in the pool for the week? Sugarbooger is back, and I’ll tell you right now she’s the one to beat! That girl has an uncanny ability to come out on top, she barely was nudged from first prize last season! What, you haven’t joined the pool? Well go on! you can still play!

-:30 It’s here it’s here it’s here it’s here! WHOO! Just 30 minutes to go before it’s time for the first as it happens recap of the season! Two whole hours of Survivor: Gabon deliciousness! Stay tuned - I’ll cover it as it happens, right here, thanks to JustTvNuts streaming the East Coast feed!

:00 It’s time! Elephants, monkeys, hippos, and more…. This is Gabon, one of the last untouched places on the planet! (Hi Mr. Dimples!) 18 Americans have been dorpped here in the wild with nothing but their street clothes. They’re being led to the most remote part of Africa. Crystal is the olympian, a teacher, a kid who has had it tough, Ace, the bald headed beauty - forced to work together, they must build a new society, while fighting the elements and each other. In the end, only one will remain to claim the prize. 39 Days, 18 people, 1 Survivor!

:02 Rooooooooll Intro…

:03 Welcome to Survivor Gabon - ready to get started? Everyone goes through and introduces themselves and what they do. Randy, the wedding videographer, isn’t a fan of marriage. Ha! Crystal doesn’t tell anyone that she’s an Olympian. Corinne promises to be a bitch. Dan says he’s finding himself.

In gabon, it is tradition that the elders make decisions and are the leaders - the two oldest people, Bob an Gillian take their places on the mat, and it’s schoolyard pick. No limits - man or woman, doesn’t matter, going off only the info they just heard. RPS to see who chooses first. The tribes

Bob: Yellow: Kota
Baldy (Ace *L*), Sugar, Marcus, Charlie, Paloma, Kelly, Jackie, Corinne

Gillian: Red: Fang.
Crystal, Susie (Mama’s gotta hang together. Charlie says it’s stupid survivor!), Matty, Randy, Dan, Danny/GC, Ken and last pick is Michelle.

Jeff asks how Michelle feels being the last and she chuckles “I’ll learn to love you. Maybe.”

First challenge time! On Jeff’s go - race through the flags to the top of the hill where there are two immunity idols for the first person of each tribe that makes it.Also waiting is the essentials, including a bag of rice. The first entire tribe wins the corn and beans. Are you selfish to get the idol for yourself or work together to ensure food? See ya at the top! Survior’s ready - GO!

It’s a mad rush through the flags, as Jeff runs alongside to keep up with them. GC is in the lead, Gillian is bringing up the rear, Matty and Dan go back to help the tribe - get em on the hill, get em on the hill. GC and Marcus are going after the individual immunity, a big move to make so early in the game. Bob helps Paloma, Ace pushes someone else. Marcus is first to the top with the Idol for Kota, GC for Fang, the rest falling back - Michelle, the last woman picked is the first woman across. She tells us they can kis her ass. THe question now is who gets the food?

Kota has a big lead, as susie, Crystal, Gillian are really struggling. Kota wins the extra food! Corn and Beans as Matty tries to get his tribe to the top. He tells us tha Gillian is a huge load to carry, she’s a slow human being. Matty helps Crystal too, and she tells us that running is easy, that hill was hard.

Marcus has the idol for Kota, GC for Fang. Jeff says it’s gonna be a long run for Fang if that’s any indicator, it wasn’t even close. Everyone grabs their stuff, they’re maps, and heads out to find their home.

Coming up - things get serious in Gabon!

:14 Commercial!

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Are you ready? Are you excited? Caaaaan you feeeeeeeel the loooove tonight…

…sorry. It’s my Lion King moment. I’m done now. Honest. (Maybe!)

Here’s a couple of things before we can get started with the premiere party tomorrow night - have you joined the pool yet? Why not?! Click here and get your picks in for the first week before showtime tomorrow, so that you can get maximum pointage! You know you want too…

Secondly! Congrats to Erik and Jaime from Survivor: China! They announced recently that the friendship that started as part of the Zhan Hu tribe in China has blossomed into dating, as they told us at the finale, and then into romance and now? They’re engaged! They are currently living in Nashville, but Erik flew her home, convincing her that they were supposed to be part of a photoshoot in Charleston, NC, but ended up on one knee in the Battery to propose. AWww! He told Buddy TV that “A little over a year ago, I was convinced that I wouldn’t find anyone, then my life was turned upside down. I went to China on a reality show and found the girl of my dreams.”

We remember, of course, that there was a friendship but no showmance while on Survivor: China, all that developed afterwards, away from the prying eyes of the camera crews. Still, we here at Watching Survivor wish them all the best!

In more current news, Charlie - the marathon running gay lawyer for Survivor: Gabon, talked to The Advocate about the impending premiere, his job at the law firm, and about his friend Clay Aiken coming out of the closet at long last. (Really, was ANYONE surprised?!). It’s a great article, and Charlie sounds like the kinda guy we can route for! Check out the interview here!

Let the countdown continue! I’ll be here East Coast Time to live blog the premiere as always - I’ll be stumbling over names and trying to keep everyone straight (so to speak) and having a good time doing so! Join in the comment section, read and watch along, and be sure to let us know what you think of this new group of Survivors!

That’s right, EW.com has posted Dalton’s videos from the first few days of filming Survivor: Gabon, and as expected, it’s fun! And amusing! Poor guy even got INJURED so that he could check out the Medical unit. How’s that for dedication?

So check it out - start here, with the Welcome to Gabon video, then click on the others below it and work your way through. There’s the first challenge, a visit to exile, and even individual interviews with the castaways. Enjoy!

Two more days!

Last night at the Emmys, there was a brand new category - Outstanding Reality Show Host - and to kick off their first year, it was decided that the five nominees would share the hosting duties of the Emmy’s themselves. It was an interesting idea, though I don’t think it played out as well as it was hoped that it would. The hosts were:

Heidi Klum (Project Runway), who lit up the stage, as always…
Tom Bergeron of Dancing with the Stars, and AFV
Howie Mandel - how and when was “Deal or no deal’ declared a reality show?!? I thought it was a GAME show..
Ryan Seacrest, AI, who hosted the Emmys last year
and of course the best of the best - Mr. Dimples! I mean, Jeff Probst!

He cleans up pretty damn good, don’t he? Rawr!

When it came time to dish out the award though, there was no doubt who the winner would be - at least for us here at Watching Survivor! The winner of the first ever Emmy for Outstanding Reality Show Host was none other then Jeff Probst! (Survivor’s ready? GO!)

Congratulations, Jeff, on a well deserved award! It took them 16 seasons to recognize your genius - so it’s about time!

Here’s a few shots of the festivities, and of course, Jeff with his Emmy.

Don’t forget! The premiere of Survivor: Gabon is THIS THURSDAY on CBS, and if you haven’t done so yet, there is still time to get in on the first week of the WS Pool Party! Scoot over there and join our pool, run by FunOfficePools, and see if YOU can come out on top by predicting correctly the winner, and who will be booted week to week! You know you want too…

And to entice you farther - after the cut, there’s the ONE spoiler I’ve been able to dig up for the first episode, to help you make this weeks picks. It has to do with that last picture there in the gallery…

I know. I’m too good to you. (grin)

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Me either! It’s coming up soon, though, on Thursday! Yay! If you’re like me and can’t wait to get even the tiniest glimpse, check out CNET here, because they have the first three and a half minutes online for our viewing pleasure! There’s the pre-show teaser, the new opening sequence and the first few seconds of Mr. Dimples - er, Jeff Probst, welcoming the cast to Survivor: Gabon.

There are other high definition videos too, one with behind the scene footage describing the new H format, and Jeff Probst’s cast analysis. Footage of Gabon, and Jeff’s tour of the Tribal Council set are included as well.

Have you joined our Watching Survivor Pool Party yet? What on earth are you waiting for? We had a blast last year, trying to beat out one another and get the grand prize. This year, it’s buttons and bragging rights - for now. Who knows, if enough people join, I might dig up something prize like for the winners. You’ll never have the chance though if you don’t hurry on over and join! Don’t forget to read the info on the players below, and make your overall winner pick too! This year, that can change, so you’ll get some points even if you’re guy gets knocked out early, like mine always does!

I know I said that I’d post some spoilers, but man, this cast has it on LOCK. There’s not even a hint of the first boot, and we usually have that weeks before the season officially starts airing! No one knows - and those that do know aren’t spilling. Guess it’ll be an even playing field for all in the Pool Party for sure then, huh?

Five more days!

Did you see it? Me either. Fortunately, SPSurvivorVideos uploaded the whole shebang onto youtube for us. Parvati is the host, as she hangs out at the LA Zoo, and introduces us to Gabon, the contestants, and some challenges and Exile, too! There’s also a lot of Mr. Dimples, even as he complains about waht HD will do to his wrinkles. Awwww, Jeff! We love your rugged good looks!

Here’s the whole thing, though! Check it all out, after the cut!

Before that, however - thanks to this, we do have the Tribal names, and the way they divided up, too. Here they are:

Red Tribe: Fang
Crystal Cox, Dan Kay, Danny Brown (GC), Gillian Larson, Ken Hoang, Matty Whitmore, Michelle Chase, Randy Bailey, Susie Smith

Yellow Tribe: Kota
Ace Gordon, Bob Crawley, Charlie Herschel, Corinne Kaplan, Jacque Berg, Jessica Kiper (Sugar), Kelly Czarnecki, Marcus Lehman, Paloma Soto-Castilla

The Merged Tribal Name will be Nobag - Gabon, backwards.

One of the biggest twists will be on Exile, this season. They have a choice between an immunity clue, and comfort - represented by an apple (Temptation. Take a bite!). According to Jeff, there are those who would give up the chance at immunity for a blanket - I find that insane, personally, but thena gain, I wouldn’t be out there, either, as THAT is insane! Ha! There will also be a theme that develops that was not planned at all. It’ll turn into Good vs. Evil. I’m not gonna lie, that concerns me a little, because I hate people that insist they ‘deserve to win’ because they’re the ‘good’ people - it’s one of the biggest things that can turn me off a season of Big Brother, actually, and I ADORE Big Brother!

Enjoy the TV Guide Preview below and don’t forget to sign up for our Pool Party!

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We’re just under 20 days before the season premiere of Survivor: Gabon! They’ve pushed back the date to the Thursday, September 25th, but other then that it seems all things are a go! We’ve got new promos, and video clips to let us get to know the contestants even better. Check out the latest promo:

Whoo! Everytime I watch it, I get a little more of that Survivor Fever! Speaking of, while I get to posting some of the video clips under the cut - be sure to join our Survivor Pool Party v.2! Last year was a bunch of fun, and I can’t wait to do it again. There may, or may not be, prizes. I’m still considering it as it depends on how many we have entering the contest. So! Go, and Join the Watching Survivor Pool and pick your winner and first person to be voted off before the Premiere!

After the cut, check out the promo videos that CBS has available so far, to help you make your decision:

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