Survivor: Kaoh Rong Season Finale Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? It's the big season finale with folks I wouldn't have predicted in the final four. As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb
Nick Maiorano
Debbie Wanner
Scot Pollard
Julia Sokolowski
Kyle Jason 
Joseph Del Campo (medical evac) - Grandi, Petals

Let's get this show going! Not to mention, the party ...

The scene is set in Los Angeles. A mention was made that Mark the Chicken made it further than any other chicken without being eaten. Jeff promises us a first time new twist which could mean the difference between winning and losing for a castaway. Hmm.

Now it's just recapping all the difficult times.

At camp Tai is worried ... worried that people will get mad about Mark crowing and blame on him, worried that he can't use his idol as they're at the Final Four, worried if he can win anyone over other than Aubry.

Aubry thinks that Michele is the one who's the biggest threat for winning jury votes.

Michele thinks Tai is dangerous. Cydney thinks everyone wants to take her to the final three.

Reward Challenge is on! Obstacle course, puzzles and a locked box. Steak, vegetables, drinks and a protein bar are the reward.

Aubry wins Reward! It's her first individual win. She's offered the opportunity to bring one person ... or not. She chooses Cydney. Hmm. She says it's so they can beat Michele in Immunity. But, of course, we know that Michele and Cydney are big allies. Hmm.

Meanwhile, Michele is working on Tai to vote out either Aubry or Cydney. She wants Aubry and gets Tai to agree with her. Once again, he's willing to try for the million at any cost even if it means betraying his one true alliance.

Time for the Immunity Challenge. Race into ocean, retrieve a key, stairs, another key, race back out, drop a ball, key, puzzle. Aubry led for until the puzzle, then Tai (and Michele) took over the lead. Cydney and Aubry are out of it for all it's worth.

Michele wins Immunity!

Aubry (of course) wants to target Cydney, but doesn't quite trust Tai, either. They think a tie and the fire-making to solve it. Meanwhile, Cydney and Michelle talk. Michele wants to target Aubry because she would do better with the jury than Tai would. They want to bring Tai into it. Aubry is right to worry.

Aubry promises us she won't go down without a fight.

Tribal Council. Uh-oh. Tai mentions alliances are out the door now. It's a me game, not a we game according to Cydney.

The tally:
Aubry, Cydney, Aubry, Cydney -- it's a tie! Onto the fire-making challenge? I don't know. I do know we're onto a commercial.

The votes won't change and it is fire-making -- Cydney vs. Aubry.

Aubry wins and Cydney goes to the jury!

Michele thinks Tai gave Aubry a million dollars by voting Cydney.

They find out it's a final two, not three. There's one more challenge and the winner chooses who they're taking with them.

Immunity is NOT up for grabs. They ARE the final three! They get to plead their case to the jury. But they will vote someone out. The winner gets to vote out a jury member. Interesting.

They have to balance on wobbly (huge springs) platforms while stacking balls and stands with a pole.

Michele wins! Not only does she get to vote off a jury member, she gets to be the one to tell them.

Michele is thinking of taking Joe out as she's sure he would vote for Aubry. Tai brings up Neal, who might persuade the others more than Joe. Aubry thinks that Tai might have more power with the jury than they think. She suggests Scot.

Jury questioning time! Michele reads the announcement -- the jury member voted out won't be here for the questioning, nor the vote. After much reasoning why the vote of whom ... Michele votes.

She takes out Neal. Whoa, he tosses some insults at her comparing her to a whining little puppy. Nasty dude. The right choice? He tells us that both Tai and Aubry played better than Michele.

The castaways get a scale and a mirror. Yikes all about! They get their last day feast. Each one tells us about their game, why they need to win and their fear of the jury.

Mark accompanies them to the jury questioning.

Nick: Giving advice, some animosity, Michele show intelligence, Tai awareness, Aubry confidence. Be honest.

Debbie: Tai, inexplicable switching votes, multiple personality? Tai says he didn't. Protected Aubry when Scot and Jason targeted his ally. Stayed true, but had to make a big move. Aubry - I helped keep you in the game, would you do the same? Yes, heat stroke, gamewise you were too much of a threat. No questions for Michele.

Julia: Michele, you were the weakest link on the Beauty Tribe, brought along as a number after the merge. I was proud of you when you made the big move to vote me out. Michele said she had to prove she was capable. Tai - you started out strong, huge threat, things went crazy, deteriorated. He says he followed his alliance to the end.  Nothing for Aubry.

Joe: Michele, know what your game is about. Tai - Selfless, hardworking, truthful. Why you, not Aubry? Tai talks of idols, getting Scot out. Aubry - how did your game differ? Tai came to her with info, if Tai didn't have her, nothing would have gone on, she had the right side for votes, he didn't.

Jason: Truth time. I don't know who I'm voting for. Michele, you weren't in on the Scot vote. When did things change? She says she worked her way in and didn't flip-flop like Tai did. Tai - Why did you leave us (Scot and Jason)? I got scared, got scared of your relationship with Scot.

Cydney: Aubry - Always a plan to get me out? Aubry says it was supposed to be Michele, but she had immunity. Michele - Did you know that it would be a tie. I wanted to be here with you, says Michele.

Scot: Tai, got an idol, didn't use it, didn't use your advantage right. Aubry - started out well. Why would I vote for you? Because you're a competitor and I am in my own way. Michele - You out-toughed those two. Well done, Michele.

Jeff gives the three a chance to talk:

Aubry - Managed to change, tried hard, played my heart out.

Tai - Game is hard, believes in goodness and humanity, each is a hyacinth plant floating on water. Teary.

Michele - I was playing an intelligent game, had to fight her way against roadblocks, believed in self. Proud of herself.

Jeff gives Tai a chance to set Mark free and they all say goodbye to their chicken.

It's onto Los Angeles and the cleaned-up final three.

The votes:
Michele, Aubry, Aubry, Michele, Michele, Michele.

Fellow Jersey Girl Michele wins Survivor: Kaoh Rong!

Whoa ... in the reunion, pop star Sia gives Tai 50 grand for himself and another 50 grand to the animal charity of his choice.

Drew Carey segment about the Survivor people on The Price is Right to air Monday 5/23 at 8pm. 

Next season will be set in Fiji. 33rd season, 20 castaways, Millennials vs. Gen X.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - May 11 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages! They promise us a shocker tonight. I worry it might be Tai!

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb
Nick Maiorano
Debbie Wanner
Scot Pollard
Julia Sokolowski
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.

Let's get this show going! Not to mention, the party ...

Tai knows he's in hot water with the others. They bring up that he's turned on alliances three times so far. Michele, of course, is very irked knowing he targeted her. Meanwhile, Tai thinks Aubry betrayed him.

Reward Challenge time -- race into jungle, climb ladder, collect sandbags, throw them into five targets. Survivor Spa is the reward, including food and spending the night in a real bed.

JOE wins reward! He chooses Aubry to go with him. One more ... he picks Cydney at Aubry's request. At Reward, Joe thinks he's reinforcing the final three. But, in actuality he just opened Aubry's eyes to how dangerous Cydney actually is in the game. Meanwhile, Michele and Tai bond back at the camp.

Aubry is hoping her, Joe and Tai are the final three. She wants to make amends with Tai. She sells him on it. They're a pair once again.

Cydney is suspicious of Tai and Aubry. She goes to Michele. She really wants Tai out next. Michele now thinks they can get out either Joe or Aubry.

Joe's not feeling well. He overdid it at the Reward. Aubry is worried. Uh-oh. Medics are coming to take a look. After medication, Joe is still feeling horrible. He's in a lot of pain. This could be serious. Tai cries ... again. They're all upset. He sees the doctor once again. His prostrate issues could cause long term kidney damage.

Yep, Joe is getting pulled from the game.

This season has a record for people getting pulled from the game for medical problems -- three.

No tribal tonight. Our final four are Cydney, Michele, Tai and Aubry. Hmm.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Blog Party - May 4

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed

Let's get this show going! Not to mention, the party ...

Tai is thankful he ended up safe. Jason thinks he can talk people into things and he's ready to scheme to stay in the game. Tai tells Aubry and Joe that he not only has the idol, but an extra vote that he will use in the next Tribal Council. He also has Cydney in his group. The target with be either Jason or Michele to go.

It looks like Mark the Chicken has the best chance of making it to the end of the game.

Jason has decided to "play the lazy card" and do nothing. Of course, his thought is that everyone will want to have him in the finals against him.

Reward Challenge -- Two teams of three, race through water maze, retrieve three balls, maneuver balls through maze. The Reward is a trip to the Wildlife Alliance Sanctuary, visit facility, interact with the animals and have an outdoor picnic.

Joe, Aubry, Cydney
Tai, Michele, Jason

Tai, Michele and Jason win Reward! While Tai loves animals and is excited about seeing them, he's worried his team will fall apart back at camp. It's probably a valid worry. After all, they all know if he makes it to the final three/two, he'd probably win -- he's played a strong game and, gosh darn it, people like him. That's not someone good to sit with at the end!

Back at camp, Joe's getting himself in hot water while building a fire to heat the water -- he's ordering the other two around. Cyndey, in particular, is bristling.

The Rewards group got the picnic first. They're thrilled when an elephant comes by to visit. Uh-oh, Tai is warming up to Jason. He thinks that Michele should go next. Michele is not as touched by Jason's warmness with the animals.

Time for the Immunity Challenge! Hold onto a rope which balances a wobbly table, collect blocks, solve stacking puzzle by spelling the word "immunity" with the blocks.

Cydney wins immunity!

Tai wants to use his extra vote to oust Michele. Cydney is being quiet. Gah, Tai tells Jason to vote Michele. Jason wants to vote Joe. Meanwhile, Cydney tells Joe that Jason needs to go before Michele. Cydney tells Michele about Tai targeting her.

Tribal Council and it's Attack Tai time for Michele. Hmm.

Tai uses his advantage, his extra vote. He goes to cast a second vote (for Michele). He doesn't play his idol.

The tally:
Jason, Michele, Michele, Jason, Joe, Jason, Jason.

His vote did not good for his cause. They voted Jason out.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - April 27 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

I hope that between his Immunity advantage and his idol, Tai is safe through Tribal. I wouldn't shed any tears if Jason went away.

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb (when the infection is gone) - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky

Let's get this show going! Not to mention, the party ...

Of course, Jason is very upset with Tai. He's lost both his partner and his idol.  Michele and Julie are upset they were left out of the loop. Yet, Tai is now in with Aubry, Cydney and Joe.

Tai apologized to Jason and Jason acted cool about it. But, he's not.

Reward Challenge time -- they race through obstacles to collect three rings, tethered together in random pairs. They then have to toss the rings onto a fish hook target. Jason picked the wrong rock and won't participate. Julie/Aubry, Tai/Joe, Michele/Cydney. The prize is a helicopter tour of the island followed by a fried chicken feast.

Cydney and Michele win. Can pick one person to join them. They chose Aubrey to go with them because she hasn't eaten.

While on Reward, Michele works her way back in with the girls.

Cydney and Aubry know they don't want to go to the final three with Tai. But he can wait. They have others who need to go first and they need Tai.

Jason and Julia think that, with Michele, they only need one more to get Tai out of the game. They're thinking Cydney. Jason wants to sell her on the idea.

Immunity Challenge! Race to a platform, memorized symbols and corresponding numbers, open a combination lock, solve a puzzle. Julia is in the lead, Joe is sitting it out due to exhaustion. Now Michele is also working on her puzzle.

Michele wins with the word BLINDSIDED.

In discussion, the name Jason is brought up. But the consensus seems to be Julia. Michele isn't too happy with that. And, it would be typical of Survivor to have a flip. Thankfully, Tai is suspicious -- he will bring his idol and his advantage to Tribal.

Some of the key votes seem to be up in the air as Tribal Council starts.

The tally --
Tai does NOT play his idol. Aubry whispered to him he's safe.

Tai, Julia, Tai, Julia, Julia, Julia.

Julia gets the boot. Even her best buddy Michele voted for her to go. Only Jason and Julia voted Tai.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - April 20 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

The promos are promising us another blindside. Who woulda thunk it?

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb (when the infection is gone) - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie

Let's get this show going!

Scot, Tai and Jason are happy dudes -- they're all safe, Debbie is out and they still have the idols. Scot wants to work with Aubry and get rid of Cydney. Aubry isn't really buying into it even though she's acting receptive to him.

Reward Challenge time. Balance ceramic pots on a balance beam with one foot. They can choose to play for a bacon cheeseburger, fries and beer or a letter from a loved one or they can play for an advantage. They're only competing against the people playing for the same reward.

Advantage - Tai, Cydney and Aubry
Food - Scot, Jason, Michele
Letter - Julia, Joe

Julia wins the love letters from home.
Michele wins food.
Tai wins the advantage.

Tai's advantage is that he won an extra vote (up until five people are left).

Julia wants to target Tai to bring out the idols. Uh-oh. They figure the guys will vote for Cydney. Aubry is a bit suspicious of both Julia and Michele. The plot thickens.

Hmm ... Tai and Aubry are going to work together! Spiffy! She's definitely more his type than the bullyish dudes. She told him she's willing to work with the guys. Tai tells the guys and Scot/Jason think Aubry should be out next. They're making Tai feel even more of an outsider.

Immunity Challenge time! Stretch arms out to touch disks holding up ceramic pots with fingertips. (I wonder if all these pots are symbolic of 420?)

Joe out. Scot out. Julia out. Tai out. Michele out. Cydney out. After a tremendous effort, Aubry loses out and Jason wins Immunity. (Grr.)

Scot and Jason are sure that it will be Aubry going home. Of course, they do have a super idol. Scot and Jason convince Julie that they need to get rid of Tai anyway. Cydney and Aubry are thinking of blindsiding Scot. Aubry tries to convince Tai. Hmm.

Tribal Council time. Huh. Scot tells Jeff that they're not going anywhere. Tai just looks uncomfortable. Jason is being super-smug. Gah. We know he can't go!

The tally ... Tai is getting conflicted play it/don't play it. He doesn't.

Tai, Aubry, Scot, Tai, Aubry, Scot, Scot, Scot.

WHOA, NELLIE! Tai won't match up his idol and save Scot! Scot is GONE!

Epic! Legendary! I once again love that Tai guy!

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - April 13 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb (when the infection is gone) - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML

Let's get this show going!

Tai is worried about his vote for Jason. He, Scott and Jason talk about using the Super Idol to save themselves. They're also hiding the machete and stuff to make camp life miserable. Tai thinks it's all a bit too extreme. He doesn't want to be a part of it, but says he can't control what they do. 

Scot and Jason get Plan Sabotage into motion, hiding the tools.

Debbie tells us they're not gentlemen. Ha. The girls are working on their own methods not using the hidden tools. Scot, in his own little hissy fit, dumps water on the fire.

Tai tells the boys that he can't do this. And Scot reminds him that he threw them under the bus last night at Tribal.

Reward Challenge -- Two teams of four, attached to one long rope, unravel, retrieve sandbags and hit targets. The reward is Chinese take-out. One person will be left out and gets to pick the team they think will win, celebrate with them or lose out with them.

Scot, Jason and Tai look for a female volunteer. Julia decides to join them. Joe sits out and picks the girls to win.

Jason, Scot, Tai and Julia win Reward.

Debbie thinks that Julia's still with them while Cydney thinks that she's going to play both sides. Aubry thinks the same. Julia told us that it would be good to sit in the final four with Jason and Scot because the jury would never vote for them to win. But, will they vote for her if she stabs her original alliance in the back? Hmm.

Oh, geez. Not Tai is putting out the fire. What have they done to him?!?!

Debbie wants Scot out. Aubry thinks it would be smarter to vote out Julia and flush out any idols the guys might have.

Immunity Challenge time! Stack blocks on a beam while avoiding trip obstacles. Once stacked, the blocks should fall like dominoes hitting a gong.

Julia wins Immunity! There goes Aubry's plan.

Debbie tells the girls (including Julia) they need to vote three for Scot and three for Tai. Julia runs to the boys and Scot tells her that she needs to vote Cydney. Aubry and Cydney think they need to cut Debbie loose. They think Debbie will bring them all down before Scot and Jason can. Joe doesn't want to vote for Debbie, though.

Cydney and Michelle go to Julia and tell her they want to send Debbie home. She's certainly not against that idea.

Tribal -- Jason and Scot decide to talk. They say Tai has an idol. Jason also shows his idol. Jason claims they'll let fate decide which of them (Scot or Jason) will stay or go.

Jason gives his idol to Tai. Tai sits down with both.

The tally:
Scot, Cydney, Scot, Cydney, Cydney, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie, Debbie.

So, the Super Idol wasn't needed and Debbie is out.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - April 6 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Oh ... in Big Brother news, Jeff and Jordan got married and they're expecting a baby! Check it out on my BB Facebook page.

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool --

Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse

Jury
Neal Gottlieb (when the infection is gone) - Merrilee, JoyzJenn

It should be interesting watching these folks scramble for numbers. It will be the first out by Tribal Council since the merge as last week Neal left for medical reasons.

Joe's worrying about the ex-Brains players being the odd men/women out. Well, most certainly I'd say Debbie is odd! However, it's more Aubry who is being targeted. She knows it. She's hoping to find a crack or start some trouble to keep in the game.

Kyle Jason tells the others of his daughter's problems with autism. Cydney points out to us that it will make him harder to beat at the end and that's something they need to think about.

Rewards Challenge has them split into two teams of five. They're playing for ice cream. It's a schoolyard pick. Julia, Scot, Nick, Debbie and Tai vs. Aubry, Cydney, Jason, Michelle and Joe. They have to support teammates on posts through the water. Then all five have to balance on a small platform. It's not easy!

Scot, Nick, Debbie, Tai and Julia win the ice cream! Bond-forming time for a few!

Meanwhile, Cydney is suspicious about Nick working his way in with Jason and Scot. Hmm.

Immunity Challenge time. They have to balance on a very narrow perch holding a handle behind their heads. Jeff is trying his best to annoy, antagonize and destroy them. He offers a temptation in the form of food for ones who feel they're safe tonight.

Julia steps down before the food. It's pizzas, hot dogs, brownies, chicken. Jason, Scot, Joe and Michele take the food.

Tai lets it slip he doesn't want a Brain to win.

Debbie is out. When Nick said Brains were targets, Cydney smirked. Nick and Aubry are out.

Tai and Cydney are the only ones left in.

TAI wins Immunity after Cydney looked like a rock through it all!

He tells us the Brawn and Beauty remainders will split the vote between Debbie and Aubry. I think Cydney might have other plans. We'll see.

Nick advises Aubry to vote Debbie and tells her there will be a split vote. He acts like the vote will be Joe or Debbie. Cydney wants to target Nick. She approaches Debbie and Aubry with the idea. She approaches Michele and Julia. Michele, of course, is in an alliance with Nick. So, she's iffy.

Tribal Council time. Nick is his arrogant self claiming a Brain is going home on a split vote. Tai mentions the super-idol abilities, surprising some who know nothing about it.

Jason votes Aubry, Nick votes Debbie. Debbie votes Nick.

The tally:
Aubry, Debbie, Nick, Aubry, Jason, Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick.

HA! Nick is out!

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - March 30 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages! Tonight promises us a "drop your buffs" moment for the merge. This should be interesting!

Lifeguard Laurie has been keeping up with the pool!

Blue - Chanloh
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn

Yellow - Gondol
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn

Torchless
Darnell Hamiltonn - free play!
Jennifer Lanzetti - David, Paula Bell
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan
Alecia Holen - Becky, Donna NY
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy

Medical Evac
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

Let's get this party started!

Due to the vote last week, now Scot is wanting to target Joe and Aubry. Over on Chanloh, Cydney sees the bulge in Neal's pocket and thinks it's an idol. She tells Kyle and he also sees it -- and he's sure it's real.

A boat shows up at Chanloh. They have to pack up and go to the merge. The boat arrives at Gondol's camp. Tai thinks his best ally remains Scot despite the fact that some of the beauty still survives. Debbie thinks her Brains are still tight.

Scot lets it slip to Jason Kyle and Nick that Tai has an idol (after they said they think Neal has one).

Debbie comes onto Tai and asks him to be in an alliance with her. He tells her yes. I think he's in shock with himself. But he tells us he sees through her.

Meanwhile, Brawn and Brain is together. Or so, Jason and Scot think.

It's getting Situation Complicated here. The Brains themselves are getting annoyed at Debbie. Neal admits to Aubry that he has an idol. Aubry is all excited about the possibilities.

Immunity Challenge time has Jeff inquiring about the infections they have.

Stand on a log, balancing a ball on a disk. More balls added as time goes on. We've seen this before. Joe out first, Debbie out. Jason out. Another ball is added. Michele, Neal, Scot out. Cydney out. Aubry out. The three Beauty players get to the three ball round. Julia out. It's just Nick and Tai. Tai out.

Nick wins the first Individual Immunity!

Scot and Jason think they're running the show. They want to target Aubry. Nick's not all that keen on them -- he thinks they're over-confident. Aubry and Debbie want to take out Scot or Jason. Both sides want Michele to work with them.

Nick thinks that they should work with Brawn because he feels he can manipulate them down the road.

A boat pulls up with Jeff and medics. Uh-oh. Jeff is concerned about the infections. Uh-oh. Neal is getting pulled from the game due to his knee infection. The others are cleared. He'll be back on the jury after hospital treatment.

No Tribal Council tonight. He did NOT give his buddy Aubry his idol. She remains a target.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - March 23 Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks. And beverages. Don't forget the beverages!

Lifeguard Laurie is running the pool and, supreme lifeguard she is, has the new tribes all down pat for us --

Blue - Chanloh
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Michele Fitzgerald - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn

Yellow - Gondol
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn

Torchless
Darnell Hamiltonn - free play!
Jennifer Lanzetti - David, Paula Bell
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan
Alecia Holen - Becky, Donna NY
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast

Medical Evac
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

Despite technical difficulties for most of the day with my Comcast signal, things seem to be working. I'm keeping my fingers crossed even though it makes for more typos.

Okay ... let's see how the new tribes rock the boat! (Although Lifeguard Laurie cautions that rocking the boat while in the pool is frowned upon.)

Hmm. Peter is trying to align with Tai and plant seeds that Joe needs to go if they head to Tribal again. That could backfire, y'know.

On the other tribe, Debbie is working on Nick. Now, I'm not thrilled with Nick. But he's smart enough to see through her. She's claiming to once modeling. Eek.

Tree Mail -- tribes release buoys from the floors of the ocean and throw them into baskets. Yikes. Now Debbie is referring to Nick as "Adonis." I personally don't get the beauty of Nick. Maybe it's just me.

Reward Challenge is the one to which tree mail referred. It's a Survivor picnic that's at stake. (Or, perhaps at steak.) What a surprise -- Scot is shooting the baskets for his tribe. It's Nice on the other side. Scot isn't doing any great moves. Nick is running ahead. Now they're tied. Scot redeems himself. Gondol wins the feast!

Since Michele set her tribe back originally by not quickly releasing the buoys, she feels she needs to get back in favor. Although, in the long run, they almost won despite her failure to do her part fast.

Huh. Now Peter has latched onto Julie with plans to get Aubry out, then Joe. Aubry thinks Julia should go. Both Joe and Aubry are a bit suspicious of Peter, Aubry more than Joe.

Michele got Debbie to say they're going to go after Jason. She goes to Nick and he tells her that she's the target. He wants to "keep her under his wing." She sees through that.

Joe knows that Peter is working against him. So, he confronts him and asks him to his face if he's trying to take him out. So, Peter lies. And Joe knows he's lying.

Immunity Challenge time! Both tribes work together to get through obstacles, two knock blocks down, then they stack the blocks. Tribe with the best teamwork will win.

Chanloh wins Immunity!

Now Aubry is having second thoughts about getting rid of Peter. She thinks they won't have the numbers if he goes. She wants Joe to talk to Peter and work it out. Peter still lies to him. Now Peter is turning towards getting Julia out with Joe and Aubry. Peter tells Scot they'll be voting Julia. Scot knows Peter is a snake. Tai and Julia try to convince Aubry that Peter's been scheming against her. Joe tells Aubry he's sticking to the plan to vote out Julia.

Well, we'll know soon ... it's time for Tribal Council and Jeff's Probsting questions to rile things up a bit.

Heh. They're all whispering Peter.

Time to vote.

The tally --
Peter, Julia, Peter, Julia, Peter, Peter.

There goes my pool pick. I'm a free agent.

The merge is on for next week!

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Blog Party - March 16, 2016

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks.

Lifeguard Laurie is running the pool and here's the latest update:

Chan Loh - Brains
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals

Gondol - Beauty
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast
Michele Fitzgerals - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed

To Tang - Brawn
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny

Torch has been snuffed:
Darnell Hamiltonn - free play!
Jennifer Lanzetti - David, Paula Bell
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan
Alecia Holen - Becky, Donna NY

Medical Evac:
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

We know a "drop your buffs" time is coming tonight. Will it be a reshuffling or the merge? I tend to think it's the former as there seem to be too many right now for a merge. Let's get this party started!

Ew. Joe has an infected looking finger. Peter, who knows he's a target, goes into his doctor mode and tries to help out. Neal thinks one of them need to find the hidden idol so it doesn't get into Peter's hands. Sure enough, he finds the clue and the padlocked box like the other tribes found. Yep, he gets it along with the clue that it fits with another idol and, if found, it could be used to save someone after the vote in Tribal.

Immunity Challenge time. Drop your buffs! Switching things up!

Original plan was two tribes of seven. Then Caleb went. Six blue buffs, six yellow, one red. Red buff goes off to Brawn Beach, but won't compete, will join tribe that loses at tribal council.

Julia draws the red.  

Blue: Two brain, two beauty, two brawn -- Cydney, Jason, Michelle, Nick, Debbie and Neal.  

Red: Three brains, two beauty, one brawn Tai, Scot, Joe, Peter, Anna, Aubrey.

Debbie is already in action, working on Cydney, then goes after Jason. With Neal, she thinks she's the mastermind they won't see coming and the beauty folks will be out.

On the other tribe, Tai has worked his way into Scot's heart. Heh, Scot says he has a man-crush on Tai. Now, Caleb was also a bit smitten. Tai must be very endearing! Aubrey and Anna are scheming against Tai. Interesting.

Nick wants to try the same thing Debbie has already done. Jason knows he and Cydney are in a good spot.

Meanwhile, Julia is having a rough time alone. She feels dehydrated and feels so all alone and paranoid.

Immunity Challenge time! Swim out, retrieve fish puzzle pieces, carry them on a pole, solve puzzle. The Blue Tribe (still don't have the name down here) wins!

Tai is worried. He doesn't want to use the idol he possesses, nor does he want to go home with it in his pocket. A move is afoot to target Anna. Tai thinks he can take Peter out because he's arrogant (Peter, not Tai). He tells Scot the girls and now Peter becomes the target. Scot thinks Jason's idol could be used with Tai's down the road and Anna could go tonight. He tells Tai not to use the idol, he's safe.

Tribal Council time! Heh. Joe doesn't think there are any idols. And, when asked, Tai explained he looked for one. But, he doesn't say whether he found one or not!

The tally (Tai does not use the idol) --
Peter, Anna, Anna, Anna, Anna.
Anna is gone.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Blog Party - March 9, 2016

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks.

Lifeguard Laurie is running the pool, but that doesn't mean you can run around the pool. It's slippery, y'know!

Here are the random match-ups:
Chan Loh - Brains
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals

Gondol - Beauty
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast
Michele Fitzgerals - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

To Tang - Brawn
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Alecia Holen - Becky, Donna NY
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny

Torch has been snuffed:
Darnell Hamiltonn - free play!
Jennifer Lanzetti - David, Paula Bell
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan

Let's get this party started!

We're starting off this week with Jeff telling us about the brutally hot weather at Kaoh Rong. Then we get a brief recap of each tribe's times so far. Fifteen are left. Who will be voted out tonight? 

On Brains, Debbie thinks she should be called The Mastermind. Peter is still shocked. He thinks his tribe is no longer strong. Oh, well. 

My gosh ... it's right to the Immunity Challenge! Racing through obstacles, digging under walls, digging for bags of balls, rolling the balls into holes on a platform. Reward is a huge array of spices, second place gets salt and pepper.

They're all digging for the bags of balls. The camera goes to slow motion and the sun. All are exhausted. Brains finally got the last bag of balls first. Brains win it while the other two tribes are still digging for bags. Beauty now has their three bags.

Debbie (the Mastermind) thinks she has heat stroke and the medics are called in.

Brawn finally have their bags and the game is on.  Beauty wins second place and Brawn will go to Tribal once again. 

Oh. And, Debbie lived. 

Now Caleb has passed out. Cydney is about to be next. The show's entire crew get called in to help the fallen. Oh, noes! Has Caleb died?!?! (We know he hasn't, but it's onto commercial.)

They're giving him fluids, but Jeff just called for the chopper. It's an evacuation! Caleb might be out of the game. Yep, Caleb is a goner as far as the show goes. Rats. I liked him here so much more than on BB. Tai is devastated as is the rest of his tribe. He's been the strongest on it.

On Brawn it's a kerfuffle between Alecia and Scot.  

No Tribal and it's onto another Immunity Challenge. Race into jungle, climb up ladder, retrieve puzzle pieces. Two others dive for puzzle pieces. 

Brains wins first place! Beauty gets second place and Brawn will go to Tribal. 

Scot tells Jeff that Alecia has a zero chance of staying. Jason and Scot are willing to have Tribal right there, but Alecia balks. So, it's now onto the real Tribal Council. It sounds like a clear-cut decision to send her home.

The tally:
Alecia, Scot, Alecia, Alecia.

No surprises there. But now Brawn is down to three. Yikes.

Next week, it's Drop Your Buffs time. Whether it's the merge or a reshuffling, I don't know. But Brawn can't continue to go on with only three tribe members.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Blog Party - March 2, 2016

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks.

Lifeguard Laurie is running the pool, but that doesn't mean you can run around the pool. It's slippery, y'know!

Here are the random match-ups:
Chan Loh - Brains
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals

Gondol - Beauty
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast
Michele Fitzgerals - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

To Tang - Brawn
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Alecia Holen - Becky, Donna NY
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny

Torch has been snuffed:
Darnell Hamiltonn - free play!
Jennifer Lanzetti - David, Paula Bell

Let's get this party started!

Alecia tells Cydney she wants Scot to go. She seems to be barking up the wrong tree there.

Meanwhile, Tai wants to bark up the right tree and retrieve the key to hidden idol he knows is there. He gets what he wants -- the key to the idol and the idol. He kisses trees, the idol and he would kiss Caleb if he was there!

The idol is one part of a Super Idol. If he finds the second fitting idol, it can be used AFTER the vote is read. (A new twist going on there!)

On Brains, Debbie (the wackadoodle) wants to target Liz. She doesn't like Peter, but feels they need him for challenges. She's all secret agent gal around camp. 

Beauty is thinking of killing one of their chickens for food. Caleb, the voice of reason (oh my), is thinking of how Tai will feel about it. The deed goes down with Tai holding the chicken for Caleb to chop off its head. Tai is accepting the fate but is sad anyway. 

Anna trusts Caleb and Tai and wants to pull them in against Nick. She sees right through his fake smiles. 

On Brawn, Scot is in search of an idol. Alecia is looking, too. Kyle (Jason) sees Cydney and Alecia searching. Heh. Cydney has Alecia go away and she gets the locked idol box similar to what Tai found at his camp. When confronted, Cydney tells Jason and Scot about the clue and they run off. Now Alecia's there as Jason finds the clue. All of them are off running. Scot and Jason are trying to get the key down. Jason snags the key when it falls.

Immunity Challenge time! They have to jump off into water, swim to boat, retrieve bags of rice, balance beams, search for balls in the rice, maze ... sheesh, just a bit convoluted! Reward is a choice for first place -- comfort or emotional items. Second place gets what first didn't choose. 

Beauty wins first place! Brawn actually wins second place! It will be Brains going to Tribal. Beauty chooses comfort, so Brawn gets their emotional items. It might be emotional enough for them to not lose another member!

Peter thinks Neal will get the boot. He doesn't know that Secret Agent Debbie has been working against him. Or, his ally Liz anyway. Neal is suspicious. Peter thinks he's the one in charge. We'll see about that. 

Debbie promises us a total blindside (either Peter or Liz). And, it's time for Tribal.  Jeff asks his Probsting questions. 

The Tally:
Aubry, Aubry, Peter, Peter, Liz, Liz. A three-way tie with a re-vote. Peter, Liz and Aubry cannot vote and the others must vote for one of them.

The Re-Tally:
Liz, Liz ... 

Liz is out. Secret Agent Gal was right.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Blog Party - February 24

Survivor fans ready? As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks.

Lifeguard Laurie was kind enough to offer to add the latecomers who posted last week to the blog pool, as well as reassign those who unfortunately were Darnell's pool peeps as he was the first boot.

Here are the revised match-ups:
Chan Loh - Brains
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee, JoyzJenn
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom, Glenn
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals

Gondol - Beauty
Tai Trang - Margo, anonymouse
Nick Maiorano - Laurie, ML
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast
Michele Fitzgerals - Brian TCC, Kelsey NY
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

To Tang - Brawn
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Jennifer Lanzetti - David, Paula Bell
Alecia Holen - Becky, Donna NY
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny

Torch has been snuffed:
Darnell Hamiltonn - free play!

Let's get this party started! If I vanish during the show, we're having some severe thunderstorms here and we've just been put under a tornado watch.

Recap, recap. 

Alecia, although saved last week, is very suspicious of her tribe mates. She's next on their list to go. Gah, Alecia calls an ember an "embryo." Oh, duh!

Over on Beauty, Tai is still determined to find a hidden idol without a clue. And he's found a clue saying the idol is buried at the base of the tree. He found that clue and it directs him to find a key to unlock the idol. He has to climb a tall tree to get at it and has to give up ... for now.

Debbie is sure the water they have to drink is safe without boiling. She's proving more and more of a nut. 

Heh. Caleb has taken a liking to Tai. Who woulda thunk it?

Brains weren't so brainy ... they wasted/spilled most of the kerosene thanks to Joe. At least he's the one they're blaming. Joe himself thinks he's at kindergarten camp because the "book" brains are all trying failed experiments rather than just working to achieve their goals.

On Brawn, while Scot and Kyle slept, Alecia worked for hours with the flint and got a fire going. Will that redeem her in their eyes? Now they can cook their chicken and boil their water. 

Immunity Challenge time! Race down river, retrieve log, carry it through obstacles, knock down targets. Reward for the first tribe is a huge fishing kit and boat. Second gets a smaller kit. Geez, Debbie is sitting up and cheerleading. I think I'm ill.

Beauty wins first place immunity and reward! Brains wins second place. Brawn once again will go to Tribal Council. 

Of course, Scot and Kyle are wanting Alecia out once again. She decided she needs to go out searching for an immunity idol. Meanwhile, Jennifer is getting tired of Kyle (Jason) and would rather keep Alecia. Jennifer and Alecia approach Cydney about an all girls alliance. If the girls stick together, it's Jason (who is actually Kyle Jason!). Now Jennifer is having second thoughts because she doesn't want to let Scot down.

Tribal Council has Jennifer spilling a few too many beans and making the guys suspicious. Uh-oh, Jennifer lies and claims the all girl alliance was Alecia's idea. Alecia denies it and claims Jennifer. Is Jennifer sinking her boat?

The tally:
Jenny, Alecia, Alecia, Jenny, Jenny.

Welp, she did it to herself! Alecia is safe and Jennifer is gone.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Season Premiere Blog Party and Pool

Survivor fans ready? The new season makes its premiere tonight! As the show airs, I'll update this entry with the major happenings -- refresh the page to get the latest news! As always, the real party is in the comments area. Please join us there. We like snacks.

Before the show gets going, that Lovable Lifeguard Laurie has made the random picks for the pool. I realize a few people asked too late. Lifeguard Laurie has been kind enough to offer to put the three latecomers and first booters into the pool after tonight's boot.

Here's the match-ups:
Chan Loh - Brains
Elizabeth Markham - Donna in FL, Terry is a Texan
Peter Baggenstos - Jackie, Tammy
Neal Gottlieb - Merrilee
Debbie Wanner - meb, Rbennie
Aubry Braco - Jennasmom
Joseph Del Campo - Grandi, Petals

Gondol - Beauty
Tai Trang - Margo
Nick Maiorano - Laurie
Anna Khait - monty924 , SueGee from the Left Coast
Michele Fitzgerals - Brian TCC
Julia Sokolowski - Indiana Jane, Nickelpeed
Caleb Reynolds - Ed in Ohio, Stephanie in Baltimore

To Tang - Brawn
Kyle Jason - Nana in the NW, Sharon N.
Darnell Hamiltonn - JoyzJenn, Paula Bell
Jennifer Lanzetti - David
Alecia Holen - Becky
Scot Pollard - Delee, Pinky
Cydney Gillon - Leo Lionharted, PDX Granny

Let's all have a great season!

All three tribes scramble to snag supplies before abandoning ship. Jeff promises us the most grueling season ever. So far, as we're still going through the start-up welcome stuff, Debbie seems quite bizarre and annoying to me. Brawn all seem to fit in well together, Brains not as much. The Beauty tribe is trying to figure out Tai. He's defensive of trees, y'know.

Okay, Brawn is starting to split a bit. The guys aren't liking "Blondie" -- I think that's Alecia. I'm not good with the names yet. Darnell wants to work with Cydney. She isn't as committing, I don't think.

Over in Beauty, the chickens escape. They get two of them back while Tai impresses the girls with his gentle approach. The girls are also liking Caleb because they know he was solid to his alliance through BB.

In Brains, Debbie seems to have designs on Joe. Poor Joe. Liz and Neal don't care for her. And, unfortunately, they're deciding that Joe and Debbie are the "geriatrics." It's sad that they're already targeting due to age. If they target Debbie due to weird, that's fine by me.

In Beauty, Tai is searching for an idol and ripping up trees to do so. Yikes! The others realize what he's doing and now he's likely to get targeted. He did apologize to the trees.

Now Brains is in a segment on the heat there. Heck, are they going to even have a challenge? The show only has 20 minutes left to go! Aubry is dehydrated. Maybe we'll just have a med-evac. Maybe it's anxiety. We'll see.

Nighttime. Eek. Jennifer has a bug in her ear!

Okay, I've been informed tonight is 90 minutes. They'll have time.

Treemail. But Jennifer's ear is bleeding and the bug is still in it. Aha! The bug crawled out and she's herself once again!

And, it's time for the Immunity Challenge. Swim to a boat, one person dive down for paddles. Eventually they can solve a puzzle or test their dexterity. Reward is a massive fire-making kit. Second tribe to finish gets a flint.

Uh-oh. On the first dive for paddles, Darnell lost the dive mask and that's setting them behind from the start. Beauty is the first tribe with all the paddles. Beauty and Brains are now competing with Brawn as the first two tribes have trouble getting their boat in the cradle. They're putting on their wheels. Beauty is now in trouble.

Brains goes for the puzzle and is in the lead. Brawn chooses puzzle. Beauty is struggling to move their boat on the track. They also go for puzzle.

Brains Tribe wins Immunity and Reward! Beauty wins the second place! Brawn will go to Tribal Council tonight.

It looks like they're going to target Darnell. Now, Alecia might have blown it by hinting she might have an idol. Stupid girl. Cydney also wants to keep Darnell because she knows he's in her corner.

Tribal Council time. Darnell admits losing the goggles, but claims he will bring it. Alecia thinks she's a mental giant. Oh my. Darnell goes to tears. His heartbreak tale might save his butt.

The tally:
Alecia, Darnell, Alecia, Darnell, Alecia, Darnell.
It's a tie.

They have to revote -- Alecia and Darnell can't vote and the others can only vote for them.

Darnell, Darnell, Darnell. He's the one out tonight.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong Blog Pool OPENS!

Come one, come all! Survivor is coming! That Lovable Lifeguard Laurie has once again volunteered to watch the pool for us. If I've never mentioned it before, she rocks. Right?

If you want in on the blog pool for this season, please leave your name in the comments on this post only! If you comment elsewhere, it could very well be missed.

The season premiere is Wednesday, February 17 at 8pm ET/PT. The deadline for signing up for the pool will be Monday (February 15) at 6pm ET.

How it all works:

• Lifeguard Laurie makes random picks for us.
• We cheer on our random pick until their torch gets snuffed or they go on to be the sole Survivor.
• There is no wagering nor passing of monies in this blog pool! 
• The winner(s) reserve the bragging rights for eternity ... or, at least until the next season starts.
• If you're posting anonymously, you do need to come up with a sign-off name for your comments. 

So ... who wants to jump in the pool? The water's fine -- no rats or snakes yet!

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - Meet the Cast Part Four

I've already taken a look at the Brains and Beauty tribes we'll be seeing on the new season of Survivor -- premiering February 17 at 8pm ET/PT on CBS. On Wednesday I'll be posting the sign-up entry for the blog pool. Please stop back to sign up for the pool. Please sign up ONLY on that post because if you sign up elsewhere, your request might be missed!

Onto the Brawn ...

Scot Pollard is 40 years old and resides in Carmel, IN. He's an ex-NBA champion. I don't really follow basketball, so I'm not familiar with him. He does have some sort of championship ring. I guess he was good. But, what will he bring to Survivor? Let's see ... hmm ... in his bio, he's reminding me of Bruce Springsteen's 'Glory Days' -- he's very hung up on his NBA career, but doesn't speak of what he's all about lately other than his family. He claims he's in it for the money more than anything else. Oh my. I hope he invested well during his big money years. I predict we'll see tears from him if he's still in the game by the time it's the loved ones visit. He claims to be loud. I might not like that.

Cydney Gillon is 23, a bodybuilder hailing from Douglasville, GA. Although bodybuilding is her passion, it does seem like she has higher goals in mind. She mentions that she would like to win the money to pay off college and medical school loans. So, she's not just all about the brawn. She talks of wishing she could bring tweezers because her eyebrows go all crazy. We'll have to watch for that! She thinks she's most like previous winner Tony in that she will build some solid relationships and concentrate on playing the game all during the game. I kind of like her chances. I'm worried about the fact that she claims to be very opinionated yet tact will be a huge part of her win. Huh. It's hard to be tactfully opinionated. Does she realize that?

Kyle Jason is a 31 year-old bounty hunter currently residing in Detroit, MI. He's ex-Army. I wonder if we'll see some sort of Patriotic Pact if both he and Caleb Reynolds make it past the merge? Oooh ... he doesn't like "one-uppers"! I already posted that I didn't care for one new castaway claiming a hobby is "one upmanship." Fight! Fight! Ahem. Uh-oh. He thinks he'll be most like Russell Hantz in his gameplay. I hope his social game is better or he'll be securing a loss. He's right about Russell actually playing the game, though. He's in this for the money for his family which includes an autistic child and lots of medical bills. Since he "lies for a living," he thinks he'll do well. He's also watched the show since the first season. I'll have to see what he's like in action. I do kind of like him. I don't know why -- maybe because he just seems to be an Average Joe Working Dude.

Jennifer Lanzetti is 38, a contractor currently living in Salt Lake City, UT. She's gone through endometriosis, cancer and drug addiction. She also has an engineering degree and her own construction technology company. She might have more brains than some of the Brains! Heh. She enjoys riding motorcycles and eating good food. I doubt she'll see much of that on the show! She thinks she's "blunt, not fragile and a bad-ass chick." Hmm. It's good that she's not fragile, but the other two traits might cause her some issues in the game. She'd like the money so (at least in part) she can adopt children and start a family. Her chances for surviving might be good as long as she can harness her bluntness and "tough girl" attitude so that she doesn't alienate her fellow castaways.

Darnell Hamilton is 27, a postal worker from Chicago, IL. Coming from a rather impoverished background, he worked his way through college graduating with a respectable 3.47 grade average. Since he lists wishing he could bring a pack of cigarettes, we might see some withdrawal pangs. Uh-oh. He seems to feel he has a lot to prove and that winning the game and being the ultimate Survivor might be more important to him than the money. He's determined to overcome his past. I don't know. Does he not realize that his past has made him the man he is today and that winning Survivor, while very cool, won't change the man he is? I think he's going to try very hard for the win. But I'm not so sure of his overall chances. My personal thoughts on him from reading his bio is that he should be proud of who he is and that he doesn't need a steenkin' reality show to prove it.

Alecia Holden is 24, a real estate agent currently residing in Dallas, TX. Well, that's surely a brawny-related career, huh? I guess her brawn rating comes from her adventurous streak -- bungee jumping, swimming with sharks, hang-gliding, sky diving, hanging out with uncaged tigers and such. I'm not too sure risk-taking and adventurism spell out BRAWN. But I don't make these casting decisions. She's a self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie. Now, that could be good on the show for the most part. Unfortunately, she likens herself to previous castaway Kass. Yikes. I certainly hope her social game is better! She seems to live by the motto "No Guts, No Glory" and definitely has the ambition to win it all. With her, I think all will hinge on her social game rather than her abilities to play the physical game. The latter should be no problem.

Survivor fans ready?

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - Meeting the Cast Part Three

LET'S MEET THE BEAUTY!

In my last post, I explored the Brains tribe. In this one, I check out all those shiny happy beautiful people.

Ahem.

We have a 19 year-old? Huh? Julia Sokolowski is a college student currently residing in Boston, MA. Interesting. I wonder how she got on as most of the castaways are 21 or older. Hmm. For her age, she seems to have had more adventures than many older folks have had in a lifetime. She has hiking skills, worked for Habitat for Humanity (which will come in handy a bit with making a shelter), has had worldwide travel experiences and believes she has excellent social skills. I liked her bio. I can see possibilities here. But, then again, I could be dead wrong.

Nick Maiorano is 30. a personal trainer and lives in Redondo Beach, CA. It seems to me that a lot of personal trainers end up on reality television. Apparently, like bartenders (er, mixologists), they can take time off from their work. Of course, folks claiming to be personal trainers are usually in good shape and Nick seems to fit that bill. His bio indicates he's tried out for the show before as he said, "I didn't have a hero the last time I applied and still don't." He likens himself to Courtney Yates or Jonathan Penner, though claiming to be more "socially intelligent" than either of them. I'm not sure how much I'll like this guy. It could very well go the other way with me. We'll see.

Michele Fitzgerald is 24, a bartender from Freehold, NJ. (What did I just say about bartenders?) So, she's a Jersey Girl living in a place famous for horse racing and Bruce Springsteen. Yep, that's Freehold for you. Her inspiration in life is um ... well, er ... Harry Potter. Okaaaay. Whatever floats her boat, I guess. Did she understand the question? On the plus side, she thinks she's most like Parvati Shallow and has watched every season of the show. She also enjoys rock-climbing which can be physically challenging. Has she a chance of being the sole Survivor? Nah, I don't think so.

Tai Trang is 51 years old, a gardener living in San Francisco, CA. Well, he's a bit different. He's so thin that I wonder if he stays the 39 days, will he be a walking skeleton? He has an interesting backstory -- hailing from Vietnam when the war was on, becoming a refugee, one of eleven children and it sounds like all the trials and tribulations have enriched his life rather than take away from it. In general, he seems to want to be a "nice guy" finishing last in the game. Now, the show isn't always geared to the nice guys. It's very rare that they win. But, if his stamina is as good as he thinks it is, it seems like he has lots of good traits which might secure, if not a win, a place after the merge ... especially if he comes across as no physical threat yet does okay on challenges.

Anna Khait is a 26 year-old professional poker player from Brooklyn, NY. Now, I can't think of any poker casinos in Brooklyn, NY. Hmm. (She better not be another Vanessa BB16 type.) She also plays handball. She claims that Princess Diana is her inspiration. Admirable, but how many years has it been since Diana has been gone? Nearly twenty years? I find her an odd inspiration for someone who was a small child when she died. Of course, it's more laudable than saying Harry Potter is her inspiration! She too thinks she's like Parvati. They can only wish, I say! She does seem to have some gumption and says she's "studied" the show. My jury is out with her.

Last, but certainly not least, we have dear Caleb Reynolds. All Big Brother fans know him, perhaps a bit too well. Let's just hope he doesn't fall in unrequited love during the season. I don't think I could take the stalking and pining again. Caleb is 28 and lives in Hopkinsville, KY. His bio lists his occupation as "Army veteran." Before he went on BB, he was working at Lowe's and, although he did serve in the Army for one hitch, there was a lot of controversy regarding his service, where and what he actually did. Of course, he's playing his service card full tilt. I know he originally applied for Survivor and ended up on Big Brother. It's possible he might do okay. It's also possible he'll go Beast Mode Cowboy and alienate the others. If nothing else, I'm sure he'll give us something to talk about!

Next up will be the Brawn. Stay tuned!

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - Meeting the Cast Part Two

LET'S MEET THE 'BRAINS'

That term might be made a bit loosely, mind you. With some, it's evident ... like the MIT grad. Others, like the ice cream dude, might just be industrious. Some look on the brawny side. I guess we'll just have to see how it all plays out.

I think I might end up having a love/hate relationship with Debbie Wanner. She's 49 years old, a chemist residing in Reading, PA. In her bio at the CBS website, I felt she came across as having a bit of a chip on her shoulder. The previous castaway she thinks she's most like is Coach. That might be frightening. She goes on about getting out of poverty. Hmm. She must not be an esteemed chemist. She does have a military background and seems quite fit for her age. My jury is out on what might be an annoying factor about her.

Peter Baggenstos is 34 years old and an emergency room physician from Minneapolis, MN. Now, I thought Debbie had a chip on her shoulder; Peter has a hunk on his. He thinks he's the "most capable." Um. Okay. I do like his dislikes listed in his bio: "Bombastic people, "bros" and know-it-alls." I can see how he might be a bit ruthless and willing to be friends, then go for the ultimate backstab. But he's coming off as arrogant to me. And, from my own experience, arrogant people will indeed turn on others ... but often people realize they're arrogant before they get the opportunity. Physically and mentally, he should be fine. Socially he might have a tougher time than he thinks.

Aubry Bracco is 29, a social media marketer (huh? wazzat?) from Cambrige, MA. I believe she wants to embrace her own quirkiness. Will Survivor be a good place to do that? We've seen it before. It sometimes backfires. That said, I do like some of the things I read in her bio. I like that she convinced her professors at Brown that she should write a childrens book about a manatee rather than a fifty-page thesis. I like that one of her pet peeves is using scents to cover bad smells. She must ride public transit! Heh. But, overall, I think she'll probably be a whirling dervish, just whirling her way towards the snuffing of her torch. She needs to prove me wrong.

Elisabeth Markham is 27 and currently residing in New York City, NY. She's a quantitative strategist, which I'm glad she explained -- it's writing computer programs which forecast stocks and buy them automatically. Well, that sounds like a thrill a minute, eh? Unlike the chemist I first listed, this woman seems to have an inside track to being able to make money. So, yeah ... maybe her occupation IS a thrill a minute! She's a gambler (for profit), likes the outdoors and is into strategic board games. I kind of like her. She seems to be adventurous enough, not a big physical threat but will probably be okay. I think she just might do okay. Will she win? I don't know.

Neal Gottlieb, age 36, is an ice cream entrepreneur currently living in Sausalito, CA. While his claim to genius, er ... fame is ice cream, I've never heard of his company despite the fact it's supposed to be a huge thing. Three Twins Ice Cream? Anyone know this company? He wrote way too much in his bio. I find that a bit off-putting. He lists "one-upmanship" as a hobby. Oh my. That sounds a tad obnoxious. He doesn't like whiny people and hypocritical bible-thumpers. Um. Dude. You're going on Survivor. You've seen the show, right? After reading his too-lengthy bio, I don't think I want him to win. I don't want him to have bragging rights. Make him stop.

Joseph Del Campo, age 72, is a former FBI agent currently residing in Vero Beach, FL. Yes, you heard me. He's 72. He just might be interesting. He seems in great shape for his age and he has the skills in dealing with people. One thing that caught my interest in his bio's "if I could bring" section was that he mentioned the book The Art of War. That was nagging at me a bit. I know I've heard that title with Survivor before. I must Google it! Aha! The show gave the tribes that book for Survivor: China. I hope his age doesn't alienate the other castaways. I'd like to see him play the game for a while. I hate it when the tribes become divided and plots thicken due to age differences.



So, there are your 'Brains.' I'd personally like to see them require a doctorate. But that might just be me.

Survivor: Kaoh Rong - Meeting the Cast Part One

The latest season of Survivor will be here with us soon! Although filmed before the season we saw this past autumn, it's not set to debut until Wednesday, February 17 at 8pm ET/PT. My gosh, that's a long time for the castaways to not know the winner or to change minds, isn't it? Heck, it's been a year or so by now!

We have another Brains, Brawn and Beauty scheme ahead although it doesn't look like the lines are all that clear to me. Caleb Reynolds is on the Beauty tribe? I wonder what that does to his ego. He's sure to believe he's knock-dead gorgeous (just ask him), but he also thinks he's a physical powerhouse.  Some of the Brains tribe seem a bit brawny to me, too. I guess we'll see how it all plays out.

In the days ahead, I'll be looking at each tribe's castaways and telling you my thoughts on them and/or their possibilities in the game. Please check back for the posts! Yeah, I'll be talking television once again! I'll also be breaking down the new teams for the upcoming season of The Amazing Race during the week ahead.

For now, I'll leave you with a few videos from the CBS official website:

Oh my. It looks like we might have a very interesting season ahead! Lifeguard Laurie has volunteered to run the pool once again this season. (She rocks!) I'll be putting up a separate post just for signing up for the pool this week. I want it to be closer to the season premiere than we are at this time. I ask that you wait and watch for that sign-up post and only sign up for the pool on that one. Otherwise, your request might be missed. And, we wouldn't want that!