Big Brother 16: Season Finale Blog Party

UPDATE -- Backyard live interviews at this link.

About a week after it should have ended, it's finally ending! While us live feed watchers know who won the first two parts of the final HoH competition, they haven't even aired the end of the first part on the show itself yet. Oy. It seems like so long ago! They're going to have to cram a lot into tonight's show.

Before this gets too long, I'd like to thank all of my friends and folks in the blog community here. Thank you for your participation! Without you, this blog would be just me rambling on to myself with a cat draped over my shoulder! I also want to thank those who donated to the blog via the Paypal link on the sidebar. Every donation is appreciated -- thank you all so much!

The only remaining people in the blog pool as we head into tonight with the final three hamsters are:
Cody - Delee, Nickelpeed, WolfpackRed, Nell the Southern Belle, Sally in Indiana
Derrick - Ed in Ohio, Jessica UNderwood, Marlo, Stormy, Erinkate
Victoria - Dr_Celine, ORKMommy, Sharon N, Faye
I was out of the pool long ago with PaoPao.

In my opinion, from watching the live feeds and the shows, posting live feeds reports and all but living with these hamsters ... I'd like to see Derrick Levasseur win it all. I personally picked him as my favorite for the win back when I first introduced the cast pre-season. I wrote, "Derrick Levasseur might be the brains of this operation." And, he certainly lived up to it. Far from the most exciting hamster ever, he played hands-down the best mind game ever on the show -- convincing everybody he cares (and actually seems to) about them, manipulating others, getting folks who caught onto his puppetmaster ways out, yet still remaining off the block for the entire season. If he doesn't win, I'll be very surprised.

Cody Calafiore played a decent game and is definitely a decent guy despite letting Christine touch and pet him all the time. But, other than winning competitions and teaming up with Derrick, sometimes there was no "there" there with Cody. Derrick made most of his decisions for him, often (like he tended to do with others) making Cody think they were his own decisions. Instead, that old reality blood went on his hands more than Derrick's. I honestly think he realized that with the Caleb eviction and that's why he brought up the Hitmen reveal. He wouldn't be a totally undeserving winner, but Derrick is definitely better at the game.

Then there's Victoria Rafaeli, probably one of the most surprising final three hamsters ever. Although she was definitely brought all the way by Derrick and was often totally clueless, sucked in competitions, chomped her food ... she's in the final three. But, listen folks ... she worked her apparent life strategy as game strategy. It's been said that she is used to people doing for her. Well, Derrick did for her and got her to the final three. Will it be enough to get her to the final two? And, if she makes it to the final two, will the Bomb Squadders on the jury keep their promise to vote for her to win in spite?

It all happens now ... on Big Brother.

Okay, that was my Julie Chen impersonation. As the show airs here on the East Coast, I'll update this entry with the major happenings. But, as you all must know by now, the party is in the comments area. Come join in with us! Let's CRUSH this finale!

Recap, recap ... onto the first part of the final HoH comp. Surprise, surprise ... Victoria is out first. Derrick and Cody talk about what they're going to do. The original plan of theirs was to have Cody win this physical one, Derrick to take on the mental comp with Victoria. Derrick goes down. Cody wins part one.

Part two is Egyptian theme. They have to scale a wall, step on stones and place faces in order of eviction and who was with them on the block. Derrick went first and seemed to do well. Now Victoria is up. She's having trouble going up and down the wall.

Derrick's time: 15:29
Victoria's time: 30:03

Derrick CRUSHED that one. Now Victoria is talking about her final two deal with Derrick.

Dr. Will leads the jury roundtable. They think that Caleb will be next. Nicole thinks Cody because he did nothing through the game. Huh. They're talking Derrick. They are impressed with him. He's a master manipulator. They Cody is smart. Hayden thinks Victoria is dumbing down for the house. Zach thinks she IS dumb. Jocasta says she will vote for her. So will Caleb.

Final part of the final HoH comp -- Derrick and Cody. How well they know the jury -- Scales of Just Us -- typical how the juror completed a statement. 8 questions.

Derrick 1, Cody 0
Derrick 2, Cody 1
Derrick 3, Cody 2
Derrick 3, Cody 3
Derrick 4, Cody 3
Derrick 4, Cody 4
Derrick 4, Cody 4
Derrick 4, Cody 4

Tiebreaker question. In seconds, how long was part one of the final HoH comp from starting horn to when Cody won.

Their answers were close, but CODY wins the final HoH!

Caleb is going to be ticked. Julie just announced that Frankie will be on The Talk tomorrow.

Eviction time! Cody evicts Victoria, sticks with his fellow Hitman.

Bitter jury interrogation coming!

Christine -- Derrick, denied responsibility for sending us home. Yes, I did. Part of my strategy to stay behind the scenes.

Frankie -- Derrick is puppermaster, Cody is puppet. Cody says played a huge social game. Played as good as Derrick.

Caleb -- My boy Derrick, used your family to manipulate us. Cross the line? Never used them, think the world of them.

Hayden -- Cody ... biggest strategic move you made personally. Claims responsibilty for Zach going out.

Nicole -- Why do you deserve to win over Cody? Derrick -- never on the block.

Donny -- Cody, why win over Derrick? Cody -- social game, related info to Derrick.

Victoria -- Loyal to Hitmen over me? Friends always, but couldn't betray Cody's loyalty.

The speeches:
Cody -- Hurt by puppet monicker, sent them out, brings us to final two.
Derrick -- Best social game I could play, never nominated, won four HoHs.

Time to vote --
Jocasta -- Fake praying works.
Hayden -- Person who will give me best pedicab tip
Zach -- RI is where my heart's at.
Donny -- Hate I left my Skittles at home.
Nicole -- Person who I think played best
Christine -- Not bitter, hard decision, going with gut
Frankie -- You look hot, but I've had better to Cody, best win
Caleb -- Both welcome where you are by BS, best game winner
Victoria -- The one who remained loyal to me since day one.

It sounds like a landslide for Derrick to me, but it's not being announced yet. Next up are the earlier evicted hamsters and the reveal of secrets of the summer.

Joey now has pink hair.

Tea America reveal. Lots of fun!

Then Derrick reveals his real job and they show the casting tape in which he said he'd use his undercover police strategy as strategy in the game.

The jury's votes:
Jocasta -- Cody
Hayden -- Derrick
Zach -- Derrick
Donny -- Cody
Nicole -- Derrick
Christine -- Derrick
Frankie -- Derrick

DERRICK WINS! As I thought he should since the season started!

Caleb and Victoria also voted for Derrick, 7-2 was the final landslide.

Over 10 million votes for favorite -- Zach, Nicole and Donny were the top three. More than 5 million votes for DONNY! Woot!

Derrick is coming on The Talk tomorrow, too.

Not the most exciting season, but I'm very pleased with how it ended.

Survivor: San Juan Del Sur - Season Premiere Blog Party

Survivor fans ready? We're heading into another season of Blood vs. Water! Albeit with a few familiar faces, (baseball's John Rocker, the "twinnies" from The Amazing Race), at least it's not former players. I like to see different faces on competition reality shows, perhaps with an "all-star" type season now and then. But I'm not too keen on previous players playing new players. I would rather not see the twinnies from TAR, but working apart they just might be bearable.

Just a few notes before we get on with the blog pool and the show:

• Remember! The 90-minute season finale of Big Brother 16 directly follows this 90-minute season premiere of Survivor! Claim your comfy spot early and settle in with snacks and tasty beverages! You're in for the long haul tonight!
• I'm setting things up so that the blog party post for the BB16 finale will show a few minutes before Survivor ends. So, when the party here wraps up, refresh your page so the new BB16 blog party post shows and join in there!
• Although entries for the blog pool for Survivor are closed (see list below), you still have time to enter the blog pool for The Amazing Race! If you want to enter that pool, please go to this TAR blog pool entry post and leave a comment there by Friday, noon ET. Only enter on that post as you might be (probably will be) overlooked if you put your entry request in on any other post. Merci!

As the show airs here, I'll update this post with the major happenings. You'll need to refresh the page for the latest news. As always, the real party is in the comments area. Come join in on the fun!

Lifeguard Laurie has revealed the random picks for the blog pool -- who's your hamster er, castaway? Laurie adds: "First people out of the pool will be randomly added to teams with only 2 people. Just think nobody should go home the first night. They barely get their feet wet!" You know, she rocks! 

Pool People
Alec = Karen in Case, Merrilee,
Baylor = Glenn, maquinn78, Sharon S
Dale = Brian, Margo,
Drew = Delee, Petals, SueGee
Jaclyn = CYW Coleman, rbennie,
Jeremy = Becky, Nana in the NW,
John R = Cheryl NC, MikesGirl, Terry in TX
Jon M = Donna in Alabama, Laurie,
Josh = crob61, Rochelle,
Julie = Donna NY, meb,
Keith = Donna in FL, PDX Granny,
Kelley = Babs Dud, ML, Russ
Missy = Ed in Ohio, Monty924, Sharon N
Nadiya = Jackie, Lynn1
Natalie = Jennasmom, Kelsey NY,
Reed = David, Kathy,
Val = Brenda, Nickelpeed,
Wes = Buzzmaam, ORKMommy, sanra

Oh, wow! I get one of the twinnies! I'm so darn lucky in these random picks!

On with the show we will go ...  

Silly castaways, they think they'll be working with their loved ones. So silly! They're being given flints as the duos to learn how to make fire. 

Monkeys! I see monkeys! Luck be a monkey tonight. Okay. Now I'm being silly. 

It will take me some time to tell who's whom on the show. Right now we're getting an intro into each "team." Who, of course, aren't teams and will be split up to compete against each other.

Now, they're split into two tribes. John Rocker feels he should take care of his woman. Keith tells us he recognizes John and that he's an "ass" -- was one in baseball and seems to be one now. 

First Reward Challenge -- one person races to retrieve rings from ropes and get two platforms. Jeremy goes for his tribe; competes against his wife Val (first twist of the game according to Jeff). They're playing for flint and a bag of beans -- loser will be sent to Exile Island. Oh my.  The one exiled will be back for the Immunity Challenge.

Jeremy wins reward for his tribe and sends his wife Val to Exile Island.  Jeremy has to pick one person to go with Val to Exile Island. He chooses Keith, part of the father/son team (father) because he thinks he's a woodsy type who will protect his wife. Keith is on Jeremy's tribe -- he had to pick someone from his own tribe to go.

Jeremy feels very bad about sending his wife to Exile, but wastes no time running around trying to get together an alliance.

On the other tribe, Dale is already being typecast as the "old guy." He finds a decal doohickey on the water source cover, pockets it thinking it's not the hidden idol but might save him at one point. He breaks his glasses in half to double their power and create fire.

On Exile, Val got a clue for the hidden idol at her camp while Keith got a blank note. 

John Rocker is trying to deny who he is, but it's not working with Wes. Now he wants to target Wes at the first tribal they go to. 

Immunity Challenge time. Val and Keith return from Exile Island. Race to top of tower, under obstacle, get three bags, climb three walls -- one with ropes, one with pegs, one just each other helping. Then three build a puzzle. (The making of this challenge is on the CBS website -- it's supposed to be the toughest ever. The puzzle pieces to make the Mayan puzzle weigh 50 pounds each.)

The tribe with Jeremy on it wins. Natalie, the twinnie, is also on that tribe.  

Coyopa (sp.?) is the tribe that lost. I have to get these tribe spellings down right. Ah, Hunahpu seems to be the winning tribe's name. Eep. Why can't they just be Smith and Jones?

Ohh ... Val's clue led her to the water source. That indeed could have been the idol Dale found!

Dale tells the others that Nadiya should go because she was a backstabber on TAR.  Val tries to put together an all girl alliance which includes Nadiya. They want to include Josh, the gay guy. @@ Oh noes! They want to target DALE. I like Dale! I'd rather they target Nadiya, please.

Tribal Council time. Time for Jeff's "Probsting" questions.

Time to tally the votes: Nadiya, Dale, Baylor, Dale, Nadiya, Dale, Nadiya, Nadiya, Nadiya!

Yay! I'm free from my random blog pool pick gal! (I really don't care for the "twinnies.")

Coyopa also got flint after the tribal council. 

The Big Brother 16 season finale blog party post is up and running if you wish to head there. 

Big Brother 16: Last Live Feeds Update of the Season - September 24

The Memory Wall

Welp, this is it! My last live feeds report on the BB16 happenings inside the house. Granted, there has been little to report on the last few days. But, here goes Hamsters in the Hole:

• BB has been kind enough to bring in food for their lunches the last several days.
• Victoria has given up begging Derrick for the final two.
• They lamented the loss of the pool table and yard when lockdown came yesterday.
• Every time they're somewhere, it's like, "I/we am/are the last one(s) here to be in this room, play pool, be in the yard, etc."
• Lots of reminiscing.
• It's Derrick and Cody vying for the final HoH comp win tonight. 
• It doesn't matter which one wins.
• Derrick will take Cody to the final two. Cody will take Derrick to the final two. Victoria will just go out the door.
• There was an interesting talk between Derrick and Victoria in the wee hours of the morning today.
• He all but came out and told her that he will go with Cody to the final two.
• He said that he brought her along this far to show that she deserves to be there and to give her the chance to win comps and go on on her own.
• He just thinks, due to things said by others, that he'd have no chance to win against her in the final two.
• He has to think of why he's there -- to better his family's finances for the future.
• And, he can't do that if he makes the wrong decision now.
• He told her he thinks he has a much better chance to win against Cody in the final two.
• She, in his mist, agrees and says she'll totally support him. She said she just didn't want to hear that he liked and worked with Cody more than he liked and worked with her.
• He's no dummy. He ain't gonna say that! He said the perfect thing to her, as he has said to so many so many times this season.
• Hopefully, he can mist the jury, too.
• They had a final bit for BBAD last night and for the live feeders this morning.
• Bring on the finale!

Now he snuggles with Victoria

Yesterday's lunch

Saying goodbye to the live feeders

Derrick telling Victoria his reasoning

The Amazing Race 25: Blog Pool OPENS and Meet the Cast Video

Wow. This is the 25th season of The Amazing Race! Of course, since there are two seasons per year, we're not THAT OLD. We have a new night for the show this year -- one which should rid us of that pesky sports lead-up and delay problems. About time ...! The show starts this Friday night (September 26) at 8pm ET/PT.

The Magnificent Margo and Mom will be once again running the blog pool for TAR. If you wish in on the pool, please sign up on this post (and this post only) by noon ET on Friday. If you sign up on any other post, it might be missed. In the pool, you'll randomly be assigned a team to cheer on until they are Philiminated or win it all. Come join in on the fun! The prize? Why, bragging rights, of course.

I think it's time we meet the cast --

Ready? GO!

Big Brother 16: Live Feeds into Tuesday - September 23

Derrick packs for the first time on the show

What? There are still hamsters in the house? Here's what's been going down in that Big Brother House of Prolonged Misery:

• Lots of pool playing. I mean LOTS of it.
• At least that's a bit better than watching them play chess.
• Of course, the pool players are Derrick and Cody. Victoria has rarely played all summer.
• She's barely played the game of Big Brother, either.
• Cody is the only one exercising. He runs, lift weights, does sit-ups and crunches. He needs to regain his manly figure.
• Derrick has alternately been teasing Victoria about "knowing the real me" and "you don't know the real me."
• Derrick got his suitcase for the first time all summer. He found a pack of cigarettes he had bought to use to schmooze with if there had been smokers in the house.
• He scared Victoria by telling her he was a smoker.
• He's not.
• They're all excited about seeing their families.
• Victoria told the guys that she can't talk to them after Sundown on Tuesday because of Rosh Hashana. 
• They're probably relieved.
• Cody wants BB to give them the comic page art from that comp. I don't blame him. I'd want mine if I were in there!
• BB gave them a small amount of booze. Cody was thrilled.
• Cody wants to become friends with fellow Jersey BBer, Enzo.
• The Meow Meow and Model Boy. Hmm.
• Derrick and Cody were glad there were no racist incidents in the house this season like last year's debacle.
• I said debacle.
• They didn't.
• They'd probably think I'm a college professor at Harvard if they heard me using the word.
• Victoria has calmed down a lot.
• Derrick has told her plenty of times that, by getting her as far along as he could, it had been up to her to win comps to further herself.
• That's about it.

Prone to loud outbursts of joy

Is sure Derrick will win it all