Survivor: I Think My Heart Just Broke

Not since Johnny Fairplay orchestrated the ousting of Rupert has a Survivor done something as despicable as what Dreamz did last night. Last night’s season finale of Survivor: Fiji started with an immunity challenge featuring a maze that needed to be completed blindfolded. Once again, Yau-Man won immunity and Bula Bula stuck to their plan to vote out Boo. This proved to affect the entire outcome of the game as Boo had tried last minute to get everyone to vote Dreamz.

At the final 4 immunity challenge, it became a test of willpower & endurance. Survivors had to hang from a bar while water dripped on them. Whoever lasted the longest won. Simple as that. As promised to Yau-Man, Dreamz won immunity but after learning three people would be vying for the million, he refused to keep his end of the deal and kept the necklace for himself. This prompted everyone at tribal council to switch votes and Dreamz, Earl, and Cassandra voted out Yau-Man. My heart literally broke.

This left Dreamz, Cassandra, and Earl to vie for the grand prize. The final tribal council became awkward & uncomfortable as survivor after survivor berated the remaining 3. Dreamz & Cassandra took most of the beating – Dreamz for not keeping his word & basically stealing a truck from Yau-Man & Cassandra for doing pretty much nothing. In the end, in a unanimous decision, Earl was awarded the million dollar prize. With no votes for second place, there was no mention of the $100,000 consolation prize.

We’ll get some inside dirt from members of the jury this week on RealityCheckByGina so check back for updates! I want the whole story … don’t you? We'll be talking to Edgardo, Mookie, and Michelle to find out what went down on & off the island.

For more Survivor links, check out sirlinksalot.net

Survivor: Yau Is The Man! (5/10/07)

Tonight was the infamous car reward challenge. As you Survivor buffs know, no one who has ever won the car has won the game of Survivor. Castaways must compete in teams of 3 to maneuver their way through an obstacle course to release a box which will drop into a brand new Ford pickup truck. From there, the winning 3 will individually battle each other for the truck. However, win or lose, the final 3 will get to deliver supplies to a local school.

Boo, Yau Man, and Stacy move on to the finals in an axe throwing competition. Yau Man wins but wants to make a deal. The deal is this: If Dreamz & Yau Man are in the final 4 and Dreamz wins immunity, he will give it to Yau Man. Yau Man takes Dreamz’ word (which I think is stupid) and hands over the keys without hesitation. He also sends himself to Exile Island & scores himself HUGE points with the tribe. If makes final 2, tonight’s actions were worth a million dollars. Dreamz, however, has another plan – to get rid of Yau Man before the final 4.

You need to know how to do three things in Survivor challenges – aim, balance, and swim. Tonight’s immunity challenge required two of the three. Teams must balance across beams, toss a ball attached to a rope through a hoop which pulls down the next beam, and then repeat each step. Still with me? They must finally use a grappling hook to release a buoy – and Boo is triumphant for the 2nd challenge in a row.

Boo’s immunity was much needed as once again he was on the chopping block. Back at camp, Yau Man shares the immunity idol information with Earl who ends up tracking down the idol himself. Now, both Earl & Yau Man have an immunity idol each making them a pretty unstoppable duo. The plotting at camp gets tricky. Dreamz tries to get rid of Yau Man but wants to make it look like Stacy is going. Yau Man plays the idol at tribal council (a BRILLIANT move) and he received the most votes. By default, Stacy, who had the second highest number of votes, had her torch snuffed. Way to go, Survivor. That was amazing.

The season finale of Survivor: Fiji airs this Sunday at 8pm EST on CBS

For more Survivor links, check out sirlinksalot.net

Survivor: Kinda Like A Ninja (5/3/07)

When I interviewed Mookie last week, he told me that the tribe wanted Alex out before him because he had been hurt & not eaten much. They felt Alex was a bigger threat in the individual immunity competitions. Alex must have gotten wind of this plan. In tonight's episode, we find out that at the last tribal council, Alex turned on Mookie, voting him out, and saves his own butt. Alex goes undercover to try to figure out where can shake things up ... just like a ninja.

At the reward challenge, tribe members must rip pieces of pork off a hanging rope & bring it back to their plate using only their mouths. The winner & 2 runners up will be picked up by a helicopter tour of the islands & white water rafting. The challenge was pretty gross but the survivors gave it all they had. In the end, Boo comes in 1st with Yau Man & Dreamz in 2nd & 3rd respectively. As the winner, Boo gets to choose who he'll send to Exile Island and he sends Earl. Boo ALSO wins an advantage at the next immunity challenge - damn, this guy cleaned up!

Upon arriving to the immunity challenge, Boo finds out he automatically advances to the finals. The rest must fight it out to advance by digging up 3 paddle steps buried deep in sand. Dreamz & Alex move on the finals to take on Boo. They now must use the paddle steps to build a ladder, climb a pole, and grab their flag. Alex makes a valiant effort by trying to scale the pole but in the end, Boo pulls out a win, earning him immunity which he so desperately needed.

Back at camp, the general concensus seems to be to vote Alex unanimously out. He decides not to fight for his life but let people come to him. His plan works and soon, is approached by Cassandra & Alex uses last ditch efforts to sway her. Alex tried to get the tribe to turn on Yau Man so the idol is out of play & a strong candidate for the million dollars is out. Alex's efforts were in vain as he becomes the 12th person voted out of Fiji.

For more Survivor links, check out sirlinksalot.net

A Reality Check With ... Mookie Lee (CBS's Survivor: Fiji)

Born in Seoul, Korea, Mookie Lee moved to Storrs, Connecticut at the age of three and then was raised in Northbrook, Illinois, for the majority of his teenage years. In 2003, Lee received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he studied Actuarial Science and Finance. He was also a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Lee is currently a program manager at an internet loan company. He enjoys traveling, playing competitive sports (particularly basketball and volleyball) and spending time with his friends and family. Mookie takes time out of his busy schedule to talk about being a villain & bullying Yao Man.

RC: What was the audition process like for “Survivor”?
Mookie: I was actually found on MySpace. A casting director sent me a message, asking if I was interested. I called back to make sure it wasn’t a joke. They sent me out there for a couple weeks. I did have to submit a tape last minute though.

RC: How quickly did hunger & starvation set in once you arrived at the Moto camp?
Mookie: I think they didn’t show it but it was like day 1, 110 degrees, and we completely forgot there was no water boiling. It literally hit us the first day. Thirst was the worst part.

RC: How did you stay hopefully & positive when Moto was losing challenge after challenge?
Mookie: It’s like a mind game. You think that you can’t possibly lose every single challenge. In the back of your mind, you’re thinking, “The producers have to put in one where we’ll win”. But then, you keep losing! You don’t give up, but you need to start strategizing.

RC: Were you happy to be part of the 4 Horsemen when the tribes were switched up or did you do what you needed to do to survive?
Mookie: I liked the 4 Horsement, I liked it when it was just the guys. You didn’t have to worry about what you were saying. With the girls, you had to listen to their issues. When you’re starving & you’re thirsty, you get kinda pissed off. At the end of the day, it was a choice that I had to make but at the time, it was the right choice.

RC: You obviously wouldn’t go through people’s personal things in real life … we HOPE! Did you feel guilty for going through Yao Man’s bag to find the immunity idol?
Mookie: Yeah, I got so much crap for that for doing that. It’s happened before in previous seasons. If you’re smart like I was (to some extent) I buried my idol somewhere else . I don’t feel guilty. Yao Man is the favorite of the season, everyone loves the guy. He’s coming through in challenges, he’s a nice guy, he’s funny. Most girls I talk to think he’s cute. They all think I’m the villain. It was blown out of proportion.

RC: Whose idea was that?
Mookie: It was my idea. I was laying under the tree with Dreamz thinking of ways I could stay in the game. I approached Alex with the idea. They kind of blamed Alex for the blackmailing thing but he’s the lawyer so I just let him talk.

RC: Were you surprised to have been voted out?
Mookie: Once everyone found out what happened & that big tribal council happened when Edgardo got voted out, we knew we would go 1-by-1. I knew it would possibly be me. There was talk around camp that they wanted Alex out because I was hurt, tired, and had no food. They felt I wouldn’t have a chance of winning immunity. I was ready for it either way.

RC: Would you say that you were accurately portrayed on the show?
Mookie: I think I like to have fun but the fun parts I had were shown right after Yao Man did something. They cast me as a villain which, in some ways, I can be. Whatever is good for tv. People are surprised to find out I’m a lot nicer in person.

RC: Who are you pulling for to win?
Mookie: I’d love Alex to win! One of the 4 Horsemen. And Yao Man – he was always giving me food, water. He’s a real stand-up classy guy. When I think back to it, he was always in the background & nobody was thinking about it – that’s how he made it this far.

RC: What kinds of things are you up to now in Chicago?
Mookie: I’m back to work at the loan company I was working at. I started my own charity, Active Chicago (site currently under construction but up again very soon). I always wanted to start a charity because I never trusted where my money went. That’s basically for underprivileged children sponsoring them for athletics & other activities.

Survivor airs Thursdays at 8pm EST on CBS

For more Survivor links, please visit sirlinksalot.net

A Reality Check With ... Edgardo Rivera (CBS's "Survivor)

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Edgardo Rivera spent his teenage years there while attending high school. After his senior year, Rivera moved to the United States where he attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. He received a Bachelor's Degree in advertising while playing on the Varsity Tennis Team. During this time, he earned All-Conference accolades and was part of the Davis Cup National Tennis Team for his native Puerto Rico. He is currently a Regional Account and Planning Supervisor for a major client of a multinational advertising agency. Last week, he was shockingly voted out of Bula Bula after Dreamz hatched a plan to turn on his alliance. Edgardo’s here to dish on what happened & how he found out his torch was the next to be snuffed.

RC: How did you end up getting on Survivor? Did you submit a tape?
ER: I had a friend of mine from Puerto Rico who lives here in South Beach with me. He went on the casting call. They interviewed with him & they didn’t feel so great with him. They asked him if he had a friend, and he recommended me. They decided that I was okay, asked me for a video, and then flew me to LA.

RC: You started on the Moto tribe where you lived pretty much in luxury. How excited were you?

ER: You know what? I was pretty excited because I didn’t know if I was ready for that - sleeping in bamboo with ants and all that. I didn’t know how I was going to deal with that.

RC: What were your initials when you ended up on the new tribe consisting of all men & Lisi?
ER: Um, you know, I wasn’t happy because I was secure where I was. I didn’t feel the need to change tribes. We had to rethink the whole game. But it was nice being with other people. We got rid of all the Ravu people we didn’t like, the only we kept was Mookie.

RC: Last week’s tribal council was so shocking – people called it the best episode of the season. How shocked were you?

ER: I wasn’t that shocked. There’s a lot they didn’t show. I knew that Dreamz told the other people about the idol. Ten minutes before tribal council, I told Alex it was either me or him. I told him to watch out who was writing the names, if it was a long name, that was my name. A lot of people think I was shocked but that

RC: If you made it to the end, who would you have taken to Final 2?
ER: I would’ve taken Stacy or Boo any day. I think I had a pretty good chance against them. The only people I liked out there were Earl, Yao Man & Alex but I wouldn’t have taken them.

RC: What was the best part of being there?

ER: There’s no favorite part of being there. You think you’re gonna be on a vacation & you’re not. There’s not much I can say about it that was really enjoyable. Being on the outside & looking at it afterwards might've been the best part.

RC: Is there a side to you that they didn’t show? I thought you were portrayed really well.
ER: Yeah, I was really happy with the way they portrayed me but I’m not usually that nice. A lot of my friends were surprised. You don’t want anybody hating on you, though. One thing that bothered me was the image that they showed of Alex running the game. That’s not true. My strategy from the start was to have somebody I trusted. If he agreed with something, I would have him tell the other people so I wasn’t the speaker. Usually, people who play the game hard go home.

RC: Did you leave there with any friends?

ER: Yeah, definitely! I will be good friends with lots of people.

RC: Would you do Survivor or another reality show again.

ER: I don’t know, it depends on the idea. If another season of Survivor came around, I would consider it. I would like to redeem myself. I did get kind of far but still…whatever comes my way.

RC: What’s the first thing you ate when you left?
ER: You mean, right after? It’s funny, a lot of people were starving & they do have food for you when you get out. You get a bite of sandwich or something. The first thing I had was a beer! They guys on the crew were lookin at me like, “Really?” and I was like, “Please, I am so stressed out right now!”

Survivor airs Thursday nights on CBS at 8pmEST.

For more Survivor links, check out sirlinksalot.net

Survivor: Dreamz Did A Bad Thing (4/20/07)

I talked to Johnny Fairplay a few weeks ago who called this season "boring" in comparison to other seasons. He probably meant in comparison to HIM. It would take a lot to hold a candle to Fairplay's antics. But he DID mention to me a while back that Dreamz was going to do something very "Fairplay-esque" as he called it. For weeks now, I have been waiting for that moment. Last night, I was rewarded. Dreamz, in the shadiest of all moves, played both alliances & shocked everyone by orchestrating the torch snuffing of Edgardo. Dreamz convinced Mookie to give Alex the immunity idol. Dreamz then told the other alliance (consisting of Boo, Earl, Stacy, & Yao Man) that Alex had the idol. They decided to make a move on Edgardo since he wasn't protected, thereby gaining numbers (always essential in Survivor). The move shocked everyone as a hidden immunity idol was played, ending up as a lost cause. I can't wait to see the repercussions of Dreamz's actions on next week's episode. Let's just say ... I'm NOT rooting for him. If you missed it, you need to go watch the entire episode on cbs.com. Now.

Survivor: Are We Going To Live On Exile Island? (4/12/07)

Moto & Ravu were greeted by tree mail today telling them to leave everything behind except personal belongings & paddle to Exile Island. Upon reaching their destination, they look for instructions or Jeff but find neither. They head to the highest point on the island to find a note with new buffs sending them back to the old Moto camp. Everyone was excited, particularly Mookie, who had never seen the Moto camp. Things seem like they're lookin' up except ... what??? Moto's camp has been stripped of all rewards. All that is there for them is a pot, a machete, and some fishing gear. All castaways seem very thrown off. They turn their attention to who will get voted out next & it seems the concensus is Boo. Mookie reveals to Dreamz that he found the immunity idol, much to the dismay of the other members of the 4 Horsement (Alex & Edgardo).

The new tribe heads to the immnunity challenge where another twist awaits them. They are split into two teams where they must compete against each other not only for immunity but for reward - a steak dinner with veggies to boot. Mookie, Alex, Stacy, Michelle, and Dreamz lose in a rowing & puzzle challenge to Boo, Edgardo, Yao Man, Cassandra & Earl. You'd think the twists were over but wait! Jeff has one more. Mookie's team may not speak or strategize, but head to Tribal Council immediately. The votes are read and it's between Stacy & Michelle. In the end, a tiebreaking vote snuffs Michelle's torch & she heads over to the jury. This will undoubtedly affect Earl's alliance & we'll see just how on next week's episode.

Also on next week's episode: Dreamz & Mookie butt heads about the votes at tribal council, Mookie's had it with Cassandra, and Dreamz repays Mookie by revealing to the others that he has the immunity idol.

* Photo courtesy of CBS.com

Survivor: The End Of Rocky (3/29/07)

I'd like to say that I had the time to write my own recap today but I've been crazed so I'm giving you TV Guide's recap instead.


Survivor: Fiji
by Rhoda Charles

Surely this isn't Survivor: Fiji that I'm watching? Talk about your quick turnaround. Tonight's Survivor was interesting, funny, entertaining, did I already say funny? At the end of the hour I was a happy armchair camper. Let me tell you why. I laughed pretty much through the whole show, including at things that weren't supposed to be funny — like the fact that the rub-you-the-wrong-way Lisi is a customer service rep. I found that funny.

Tonight's show made me happy from Yau-man's successful hunt for the immunity idol to the flamethrowers and fireballs at the reward challenge. Heck, I was just happy we had a reward challenge. I laughed at Mookie's expression after Yau-man sunk a fireball for his tribe — that same Ravu player who moments before had been laughing at Yau-man's technique.

I was happy that Ravu finally won a challenge. But I gotta tell you, I think the odds were stacked in Ravu's favor for this one. I mean, come on, this challenge was designed for a tribe of guys (and Lisi). Any guy who had ever played Lacrosse could have won it, especially with the added incentive of a day at the arcade, hot dogs and beer. Toss in a flaming pellet, and there was no way Ravu was losing that one. And did you check out the pits on Lisi? There's no way she's not one of the guys.

I'm happy that because of their win Ravu got some more food. Who among us, though, didn't see the stomach upset on the horizon? Earl makes me happy: from his positive attitude to his alliance with Yau-man to his snake-ridden island complete with tourism bureau of one. The amount of screen time Edgardo had tonight makes me happy.

Yau-man makes me happy with his gleeful grin and his all-around skill. This man is the man, and it's crazy to me that most of the other players don't realize the threat in their midst. The only player who does recognize Yau-man's value is in an alliance with him. But as far as The Yau goes, I'd be happy if he won purely because of his out-of-the-box strategizing. Fake immunity idol indeed. Love. It.

I’m happy that in real life I don't laugh at blind people, but on Survivor, watching blindfolded folks swing bats at hanging skulls was too much for me to suppress my giggles. Who am I kidding? I snorted watching Boo. Not only was his swiping at the skull hilarious, but so was his backwards retreat to his team. Topping off his ridiculous performance was his replacing Michelle as the caller but not being able to see. Such precious moments! Then Michelle had to go and fall off the platform. Mookie walking into an obstacle at crotch height — no wonder he didn't put up much of a fight for Rocky after this immunity challenge. He just didn't have the... um, he was not himself.

I’m happy that Moto won immunity. Like ecstatic. Earl, Yau-man, Michelle and Cassandra are safe while Lisi and Rocky are on the block. Now, it was a toss-up for me as to who should be voted out of Ravu. Wait. I'm lying, because I was disappointed that Dreamz didn't take the opportunity to force a tie by getting Mookie and Rocky to vote for Lisi. Dreamz has to know that if he lets Alex, Edgardo and Lisi vote out the original Ravu members then he's only two tribal councils away from a snuffed torch. My fingers are crossed for him to make it to the merge.

I’m happy that tribal council ended with the dismissal of one of Survivor's most colorful players. Rocky went out as he played the game: angry and screaming. I expect that his post-tribal council wail will be up on YouTube soon. However, this isn't the last we'll see of him because James (I think we can drop the Rocky moniker now) is the first member of the jury. I can't believe it's that time of the season already, but alas, we're here and it is time for the players to start courting votes.

Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with tonight's show. I guess you could say that I’m happy that I held out faith that this season would improve.

Survivor: Somebody Hit The Reset Button (3/21/07)

Survivor ... you just earned 10 points from me. There aren't many words I enjoy hearing more besides, "Drop your buffs". A merge? Not so fast. A reorganization of tribes to be exact. Probst asked two tribe members to step forward and Edgardo & Earl stepped forward having no idea what was in store for them. A schoolyard pick took place and Lisi was left in the cold, sent to Exile Island. She was NOT happy about that ... basically telling Jeff she wanted to go home. (You should know, Lisi, that if you wanna go home, the tribe has no problem granting your wish. Better you than them.) Just like that, new tribes were formed, and players were back at square one forming alliances & getting to know one another again.

The new Ravu tribe seems like they'll be fine: Alex, Edgardo, Dreamz, Mookie, Rocky, and Anthony. Ravu went back to their old camp after a draw for buffs but did well catching fish & crabs. Rocky had one of the best lines of the night, "I love women. I love 'em. I love to touch 'em & make out & have conversation with 'em ... get along well. But um, ya know, in this time of environment, this time of game, you don't need any stupid like ... girl stories or distractions or any stupid things like that." As a woman, I should be offended. Instead, I laughed.

During the immunity challenge, an intense & close race ended with a a win for Moto. Shocking. I was expecting Ravu to take it easily. Back at camp, a debate ensued among Ravu as to who they would rather see go: Anthony or Rocky. At Tribal Council, tempers flared between the two. Rocky wanted Anthony to speak up & be honest about how he's feeling (odd man out syndrome) and even Jeff jumped on board prying into how Anthony really felt about his fellow tribemates. As amusing as Rocky is, I actually sided with Anthony here. Good for Anthony for finally standing up & fighting to stay in the game. And in the end, Anthony ended up getting voted out. I was sure it would be Rocky for his big mouth.

Good for you, Survivor. Lots of twists in tonight's episode. Keep it up.

* Photo courtesy of cbs.com

SURVIVOR: SPECIAL TIME TONIGHT

Good thing I looked at AOL's TV page or I might've missed this. From their site:


Don't worry, you're looking at the right day. 'Survivor' is on Wednesday this week thanks to March Madness. About halfway through the season, 'Fiji' shakes things up by realigning the two tribes. Moto's been living large in their luxurious camp, but how will some of them fare when forced to live in Ravu's hellhole? And when two strong castaways are paired together, will anyone be able to challenge them?


Here are some other things to look forward to tonight:

AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL: "The Girl Who Changes Her Attitude" - STRIKE A POSE - Watch out Madonna! The girls learn the art of posing with "vogueing" superstar Benny Ninja. The competition takes a nearly impossible turn during a high-tech mission where the models are challenged to duck, dive and pose through a laser maze.

TOP DESIGN: Bravo's "Top Design" is a real pressure cooker as the final five designers face their toughest challenge yet in an all-new episode. Even the carpenters feel the heat, as the contestants scramble to design a chef's private dining room, a space best suited for intimate social gatherings.


My DVR is on overload tonight, here's the lineup:
8PM CBS SURVIVOR (special time)
8PM CW AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL
9PM FOX AMERICAN IDOL (results)
10PM ABC LOST (my favorite non-reality show)
10PM MTV THE REAL WORLD
10:30PM MTV ROAD RULES
11PM BRAVO TOP DESIGN (runs new at 10PM & 11PM)

Survivor: Love Many, Trust Few (3/8/07)

Mark Burnett surprised me this reality season ... and not in a good way. First, he makes the Apprentice people sleep in the yard if they lose. Now, on this season of Survivor, one tribe lives it up in practical luxury while another tribe wastes away with nothing. Sound the same? Seems like it.

Once again, Ravu can't get it together & lose both the reward & immunity challenge. Uhh ... YEAH! They've been eating coconut and water for 14 days and that's it. I couldn't eat coconus and water as a snack. I'd be lookin for the Chips Ahoy seconds later. Devoid of nourishment, they paled in comparison to the dominant Moto tribe. During the reward challenge, Moto's resident bad boy Dreamz got a little too cocky for Rocky's liking. Rocky challenged Dreamz to a physical matchup but got his ass tossed in the water pretty much before Jeff could utter the words "Survivors ready!" It's sad when their best physical competitor is Yao Man. What is that about & why is he still in the game?

After losing immunity, Ravu foolishly voted out Rita. Thank God for next week's preview. I was never happier to hear Jeff utter the words: "Drop your buffs". A merge? False. Not on Day 17. More like a switching up of tribes. And who's going back to the beach of luxury? I sure hope Rocky gets to pay it a visit. He could use a sandwich. Or nine. Switching up tribes has only been done once before during Survivor All-Stars. That would be when my all-time favorite player Boston Rob made a deal with Lex to save Amber after they were separated ... and it worked! I'm a dork. Rita? The tribe has spoken.