Watching Survivor

Or also - Allstars and rumors of Allstars…

So, I haven’t written about it (again) yet because everyone has their own opinion on ASS2 and if it is for sure happening next season as Survivor 16. There have been many teasers posted, like that of my buddy Lynn back in July, where they were certain that there would be back to back seasons in China. The suggested cast list has also changed numerous times, as has the ‘twist’ ideas that have been tossed around.

The latest rumors say yes to the ASS2, but no to it being in China. In fact, according to insiders at Survivor Skills (who think people like me are a scurge on the whole Spoiler trade, ruining life for honest spoilers around the net - apparently because I report what I’ve seen under rumors, and thus they are sometimes incorrect. This is why they are called RUMORS, of course, instead of KNOWN FACT. And I’ve never claimed that I had the inside track or anything… But you know, whatever.) Season 16 will indeed by AllStars, and is currently being filmed in Palau.

But the best, BEST suggestion of the Allstars we’ve had yet concerns my boy James. Normally on Monday I’d be posting all the interview circuit links, where James would admit he was a dumbass for not using the hidden immunity idols and that he should have listened to Denise who basically all but said ‘don’t be a dumbass’ and used them and he’d still BE there and…

Wait, where was I? Oh yeah, the interviews…

There are none.

That’s right, there’s not a single interview to be found with James, and according to the Editor’s Note at Reality TV World where they talked about James’ ouster from the Tribe, CBS has announced that there will be no interviews with James, he is not available for post-show media. There was no reason given for this unavailability, but it’s eerily similar to what happened with Rupert after he was ousted season seven, then went right back for AllStars in season eight.

Course, that is cutting it pretty close for him to make it back in time for the finale reunion show. The promo for this weeks episode 11 says “three episodes to go” which means this week, December 6th, next week, December 13th, with the finale being Sunday December 16th as they are traditionally on a Sunday. If they started (as rumored) filming ASS2 on November 5th, that has them wrapping on the 14th with just two days to get back to join the Finale and Reunion show. James might be one tired boy if that happens! (Unless, of course, he gets booted early, which is something I refuse to contemplate because I’d be happy with All James All The Time - from a perfectly innocent artistic point of view, of course…. ahem.) (Then again, if he got booted pre-jury, he’d be home already, and available for interviews, no? So it’s likely he at LEAST makes Jury…) (Are you tired of parenthetical asides yet?)

SO! Since I’m talking about the spoiling - here’s the most current (I think) list of castaways that’s been circulating around. I’ve seen it in several places, so who knows who has the ‘first scoop’ and really, who cares? It’s there, and we’ll know come January/February if it’s right. (You spoilers HATE me, don’t ya? Haha.) This is from tv.ign.com, who got it from several places all over the net, including the Survivor: Wiki. So it’s a work in progress:

Survivor: Vanuatu - Ami (6th place), Julie (5th place), Eliza (4th place).
Survivor: Palau - Coby (9th place), Jenn (4th place), Ian (3rd place), Katie (2nd place).
Survivor: Guatemala - Gary (7th place), Judd (6th place), Lydia (4th place).
Survivor: Exile Island - Shane (5th place), Cirie (4th place), Terry (3rd place).
Survivor: Cook Islands - Jonathan (7th place), Parvati (6th place), Ozzy (2nd place).
Survivor: Fiji - Michelle (10th place), Yau-Man (4th place).
Survivor: China - James (7th place), Courtney (placement still unknown) (although - other places have Amanda here instead of Courtney…).

Ozzy AND James on the same show? HEAVEN! Add to that Michelle and Yau-Man? This will make my kids very, very happy. What about you?

ETA: While I was writing this, I saw the official announcement by CBS Press Release - Survivor 16 premieres on February 7th! WHOO!

Lynn, over at the Other Blog Network, has a Survivor insider! And her insider has given her one HELL of an exclusive scoop for the upcoming seasons, Survivor 15 and 16. I’ve already seen it picked up by others, and I jotted her an email to see if I could get anything additional for us here. Well, no go, but while I was waiting I went to my own contacts and tried to pry a little. This is what I got:

“Not allowed to make comments on it one way or the other. Sorry.”

They aren’t talking.

You know what that means? Lynn’s scoop is The Real Deal™ because normally they’d give me SOMETHING. (Well, other then to give the possible relationship of the possible quoted insider to the show!) So, since my birdies aren’t singing? I’m inclined to believe the following:

“There will actually be two seasons of Survivor filmed in the location in China. They have booked the location for six full months and will film two seasons back-to-back!!”

“The first of the two will be a regular season of Survivor. Then, the second of the two will be an All-Stars season.”

Another reason to believe this is that it is the same thing that happened with the last All Star Season - they filmed back to back at Pearl Islands so this makes sense. If that part makes sense, then most certainly the other parts do as well.

“Apparently, they are having a tougher time getting the women to agree to do it again. Most of the ones they have approached so far have declined to be on the All-Stars.

They decided not to bring back any previous winners this time. They are trying to get at least one man and one woman from each of the seasons since Palau. And once the production is complete on the first China season, they will ask a man and a woman from that season to join the All-Stars.

They plan to have the All-Star season divided into two tribes: Before Jury and After Jury.”

Some folks that are said to be on the cast list:
Dreamz (Needs to have cash for that paternity suit. heh.)
Cao Boi (equally cool!)
Bruce Kanegai (had to leave due to sickness - nice if he got a second try)
Billy Garcia (WHOO!)
Ozzy Lusth (YAY!)
James Miller
Stephanie Lagrossa (Uh, 3rd times a charm?)
Cristina Coria
And they thought about Julie Berry - but as she and Jeff Probst are seriously dating… I think that’d be a serious conflict of interest.

So there you go. This is the current scuttlebutt, and if I get any other solid confirmation, I will be sure to point it out for you all! I do think that Papa Smurf should be given a second chance too, since he was also evacuated due to illness. I also would hope that if Dreamz is on, they boot his ass off right away. Heh.

Thanks Lynn, for the info! And thanks to your insider contact too!

Survivor, Survivor: China, CBS, Jeff Probst, Reality TV, rumors, contestants