Watching Survivor

-:20 Hey ya’ll! Just setting up the post for tonight’s recap! See ya in 20!

(My normal source is on vacation this week - so no screncaps, sorry!)

:00 Previously on Survivor…. 10 are left, who will be voted out tonight?

We rejoin Jalapao after tribal council and Taj says she felt bad that Sydney had to go, but someone had too and it wasn’t her, and that makes her glad.

:05 - We’re back, and Coach is doing some sort of Tai Bou, at Timbira, and everyone is watching him and laughing. He tells us that up till now it’s about the team, and he’s trying to get along, but he needed to get centered, praying and meditating and getting focused, it’s about him now.

He feels that they’re close to a merge, and he starts giving backrubs, and says he’s pacifying the tribe. Errinn says if that’s what he needs to do to be nice to everyone, she’ll hold his hand - she likes the new coach!

He and Branden chat, and Coach says life is good, and Branden says the relationship with coach is good, sometimes he’s annoying, he’s always messing with his hair, and he says he’s started a samari thing, and Brenden makes fun of hi for it since Japan has done it for thousands of years.

Back at Jalapao, they’re checking Joe’s leg, it’s all infected and red and hot. He says it’s a bacteria or parsite got in there. Taj is worried, and says he swears he’s getting better, but she doesn’t know. JT says that Joe is down and out, and if there is a merge, Jalapao is down to 4 members, and this is the biggest challenge yet.

“09 Tree Mail at Timbira. It says they could be winning a Feast, and Taj says that there’s a feast and she gets excited when she hears anything that starts with an F hahaha! They’re excited and want to win, JT says he’s a sore loser, doesn’t wanna lose and wants to redeem himself.

:10 It’s time! Both Tribes converge, and find a table with food - their Fiest! Everyone is excited, and they locate a note that says they need a name and flag and everyone gets green buffs - and everyone will live at the Timbira camp. Stephen says Jalapao is freakin HUNGRY, so they’re excited about the merge. Coach makes a toast to everyone, and there is much eating and drinking and being merry. Coach tells us it’s like getting a new girlfriend - there’s all sorts of new things to explore, and he’s sure they’re in control, and will be all the way. He’s confident.

Coach says he likes JT - he’s a warrior, and Stephen is intelligent, and figures the individual immunity will be with all the alpha males. Sierra brings up the last two votes, saying they were shocked by it, and asked what happened. And Stephen says you have to be discreet about giving info. Stephen only tells her that they’re way competitive,while JT tells us he’s worried, because going into a merge down in numbers, they can be sitting ducks, it’s not good odds. He’s hoping for a power struggle.

:14 Commercial!

(more…)

…this time before last season, we had a passel full of spoilers and a whole bunch of speculation too. This time, things are oh so VERY close-lipped, and very few people are talking. Even Survivor Fever’s Gabon page is mostly empty… it’s very, very odd!

But we do have SOME things that have trickled back, and this is what we know. You ready? Here you go:

WHOOO! Betcha you’ve been waiting on pins and needles for THAT one, huh?

Seriously though, there have been a few things trickling back among the spoiler boards, but surprisingly little when compared to other seasons. The contestants SHOULD all be home now, as the filming began on Monday, June 23, and ending 39 days later on July 31. That has the contestants beginning the trek home around August 1st. That means we can probably expect a cast announcement this middle of this month, around August 18th or so.

Which gives us a month to stalk the contestants on MySpace. WHOO!

One funny thing that came by way of the group at Survival Skills board is that a Gorilla punched a contestant in the face! How funny would THAT be?

The range of contestants is supposed to be more eclectic, in age and demeanor, much like China. The rumors going round is that casting went back to season one/two, and they don’t have as many ‘mactors’ (models/actors wannabes) this time around, and to insure the right mix, there was a last minute rearrangement of the cast, as they took a second look at some of the ones that almost made it and did a bit of a switcheroo a few weeks before they left. They’ve apparently done away with the Hidden Immunity Idol, and there is no Exile Island either, so they’ve got back to the beginning there, too. (I’m sensing a theme, CBS!)

The ONLY rumor we have about a contestant is that one MIGHT be a former Track and Field Olympian, and another has tried out 13 times and finally made it. Here’s hoping it’s not another Kathy B, huh? For more on the Olympian, it’s after the cut!

(more…)

-:30 Howdy folks! It’s time to set up the post for our as it happens recap for tonight’s episode! Have you gotten your Pool Party Picks in yet? If not, skedaddle over there - you’ve only got until show time to do so! As always, Bobby rocks my socks for streaming from the east coast! What do you think will happen tonight? Who’s going home? Can’t wait to see it play out!

:00 Previously on Survivor…. Recap time, folks! 15 are left, who will be voted out tonight?

:02 We start off over at Malakal after Tribal council, as they talk about the vote, and how Shocked Erik was - he says he felt shafted, and they’re tough as nails, you can’t trust the Favorites at all, and if this game is about lying, he might have to do some of that.

:03 Credits and commercial

:07 At Malakal, the girls are in the water, and ask Cirie to go play with them as Chet and Tracey talk. She says they were needed, and she tells us it’s driving her batty not being in control. She tells Chet she didn’t come so far in the game to roll over. They talk to Jason about how vicious they are, and tells him the only thing they can do is get one of them to vote with them so they’re in control.

:08 Tracy says she feels the shift, and Ami goes and gets with her and gives her a pep talk, telling her not to get down, because that gets her out first. She points out she wasn’t part of the original alliance and says maybe she needs to play a little differently - baby steps right now.

:09 Over at Airai, Jonathan says that his knee is feeling better, but slower then he wants too. James says losing Jonathan would be a big blow to the team, and hopefully he’s alright, he doesn’t want to lose the motivator.

Fan vs. favorites is over in Eliza’s mind, and she wants to work with them to get rid of Parvati and James before the merge.

(more…)

This morning, Mr. Dimples himself stopped by Live with Regis & Kelly this morning to talk a bit about the show. As we’ve heard rumored about - this is a season of GREAT things, one of which Jeff alludes too on Live: The most Intimate Footage Ever Shot on Survivor. Not only that, but this Showmance/Romance is shown in Episode TWO!

TWO! Good lord, that’s only 6 days to decide you like someone enough to sneak off and make out with them. That’s… fast. So who do you think it is? There’s been rumblings of an Ozzy/Amanda hookup, and a James/Parvati hookup. (Oh James. Don’t break my heart like that! That’s not how to step up your social game!) So which one could it be?

At any rate - here’s the segment on Live, thanks to SurvivorPheonix!

And don’t forget about our Pool Party! Head over to FunOfficePools and sign up! There’s less then a week left to make your picks and get ready for the Season Premiere on Thursday!

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!

Survivor Fever - always the best and baddest resource for all our spoiler needs, has an almost complete cast listed for Survivor: China! While such leaks should be considered possible, at best, Survivor Fever has an incredible record for up to date and CORRECT information! They have 15 contestants listed of what is said to be a 16-member cast.

Aaron Reisberger: 32-year-old from Venice, CA.
Ashley Massaro: 28-year-old WWE wrestler.
Courtney Yates: 20-something model.
Dave Cruser: 37-year-old from Simi Valley, CA.
Denise Martin: Information Unknown.
Erik Huffman: 26-year-old musician/model from Nashville, TN.
Jaime Dugan: Information Unknown.
James Clement: Information Unknown.
Jean-Robert Bellande: 36-year-old professional poker player from Los Angeles, CA.
Leslie Nease: 38-year-old Christian talk radio host from Charlotte, NC.
Mike Zernow: 20-year-old street stunt performer from Chicago, IL.
Peih-Gee Law: 29-year-old in Sales from Los Angeles, CA.
Shereah Monet Lloyd: 26-year-old teacher from Stone Mountain, GA.
Steve Morris: 50-something Pasture Operator from Saltville, VA.
Todd Herzog: 22-year-old from Provo, UT.

The only two famous-ish names are the ones we spoiled a while ago, the wrestler Ashley and the poker player Jean-Robert Bellande. Looks like quite an eclectic group again, though! I’ll keep ya posted as more becomes available!

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

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

Billy Garcia (Survivor: Cook Islands) stopped by and left us a comment to point out an update on the WWE Diva Ashley Massaro’s rumored appearance on Survivor: China!

From www.pwheadlines.com
Reported By Daniel Pena on Jun 21, 2007 - 4:49:14 PM
Here are some details regarding Ashley Massaro doing Survivor, not to mention when you can expect to see her return to WWE.

Massaro left for the show last weekend and will be taping for 40 days in China. Even when she’s eliminated, she has to remain in a undisclosed location. Apparently, Survivor officials do not want Massaro to return to WWE television until the Survivor season has concluded when it runs this fall/winter. Don’t expect Massaro back until at least January of 2008.

Massaro was also telling people that she was going to be doing a WWE Film to cover up London’s error of leaking the Survivor info. She’s really not doing a film - it was just to cover London’s hide from the wrath of WWE management.

Thanks for stopping by, Billy!

–

As for the other rumors about ASS2 (hahahah! That cracks me up every time I see it! That’d be All-Star Survivor 2) for Season 16 - I did a little digging where I could, to find out what may or may not be out there. Seems some Past Survivors have been chatting it up at certain events, saying they were getting ready for it, but no names and no one will admit to saying anything. Naturally. So I dug a little further, and contacted some folks I know, and more folks that I don’t know, and tried to get to the bottom of the rumors.

Well. Here’s the only thing that’s for sure - Nothing is for certain. According to some birdies I know, Jeff Probst is determined that it not be another straight up All Star cast, and the most popular idea on the table, among many, is a Second Chance vs. All Star lineup that includes no winners, and only contestants from Seasons 9-15.

Thanks for chirping in our direction, little birdies! Sing on, sing on, sing on!

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

Alright, alright. I was hoping for some confirmation before I added this rumor to the list, but that’s not gonna happen just yet (though I AM trying to get some still!) so here we go!

The internets are buzzing with the thoughts that next spring, Survivor 16, will be an All-Star season once again, despite all the nay-sayers - the biggest of which is Jeff Probst, himself, who hated the last All Star Season.

Of all the speculation, only Oscar Dahl and Buddy TV has listed more then one reason why it makes sense that it would happen in spring of 2008:

Reason #1 – Seven normal seasons, one All-Star season
Like Bright Eyes, I believe in symmetry and I’m supposing that Mark Burnett may as well. Survivor: All-Stars was the show’s eighth season. Since then, we’ve had seven normal seasons. Perfect timing for another All-Stars, right?

Reason #2 – Jeff Probst is only signed through season 16
Probst hasn’t talked retirement just yet, but there have been assorted rumblings surrounding the possibility of the great one’s departure. If, secretly, Probst has decided to fade into the sunset after season 16, then doesn’t the franchise owe it to America’s greatest TV hosting asset (Barker just retired, Trebek hasn’t been the same since waxed his mustache area, and Seacrest is still a little too Seacrest-y) to send him off in grand fashion?

Reason #3 – Survivor has only been renewed through season 16
Yeah, that’s right. CBS has yet to give Survivor a contract for any seasons past 16. What does this mean? It could mean nothing, or it could mean that Survivor will be finished, for good, sometime next Spring. While this would be a tragedy of Rosie-hosting-The Price is Right proportions, you never know, it could happen. If this turns out to be the case and Survivor is canceled, you have to expect the show to go out with a bang. It’s Mark Burnett’s baby, and he’d likely want to give it the biggest farewell he could, and another All-Stars would fit that bill.

Oscar further predicts the setting of this Allstars would be perfect if it completed the whole cycle, and took us back to Borneo, the sight of the first Survivor Season.

Elsewhere on the net, there is a ’scan’ of an article that suggests Probst has confirmed this, but no one will say where the article came from so I find that highly suspect. The biggest claim to ‘inside sources’ is from Tashi Tagg, from Entertainment at iafrica.com, where they are still watching Survivor: Cook Islands - currently 2 seasons behind American TV. Tashi claims to have a very good inside source that confirms the rumors, which he (the source) heard from the Past Survivors he knows.

The other rumor revolving around the possible All Stars is that it won’t be based on the most popular players, but those who most deserve a second chance, and it’d involve only seasons 9-15. That would put most of the winners out, as well as Ozzy and quite possibly Yau-man, and those are the names just off the top of my head - there are a lot of fan favorites that would be left out if that’s the case. It would also keep Dreamz away, which would be a plus.

So - what’s the scoop? What do you think of another All Star Season? Who would you pick as most deserving? Who would you want to see give it a go again?

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

Over at The Poker Biz it’s been rumored that one of their own is also headed to China to do their stint as a Survivor. 6′6″ tall Jean-Robert Bellande is all the talk at the Rio, where these rumors are flying thick and strong.

Apparently eating bugs, going without showering for 39 days and sleeping on a straw mat during a monsoon is a more enjoyable way to spend your summer months than having to endure sitting next to Mike ‘The Mouth’ Matusow for 13 hours per day.

Well, really - who could blame him? The post goes on to give a brief bio of the Pro Poker Player:

Bellande’s bio lists him as a former Hollywood nightclub promoter with a B.A. in marketing. He’s had some success on the professional poker circuit with cashes totaling $741,680 including a win at the 2005 Winnin’ O’ the Green for $148,000 and a 3rd place finish at the WSOP-Circuit event at the Rio in 2005.

At least he’s not like Skinny Ryan - he might survive a little bit longer with some meat on his bones.

There were numerous attempts to get a statement of confirmation from Bellande, all of which were unreturned - could he already be on his way to join the Buxom WWE beauty in China?

What’s the theme of Survivor: China - “Meltdowns on the Celebrity D-List”? Who’s next, Kathy Griffin? Can you imagine her mouthing off at the challenges? Man - that’d almost be worth a Celebrity Survivor edition…

(No, I don’t really think it’s going there. *L* But it WOULD be amusing…)

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