My computer disaster still hasn't been resolved. I'm sorry but I couldn't get any screencaps for the finale. I'm just so sad I couldn't post James' childhood photo!
Congrats to Todd, I guess. I was a fan of his for most of the game, then he turned into a total ass, then he somewhat humbled up for the finale until it was time to talk to the jury, where he became an ass again as he thanked everyone for being a rung on his ladder to success. That was pretty condescending.
Denise totally lost me. I was still rooting for her up until the end because I'd rather have seen her in the final 3 instead of Courtney, but she lost me in her jury speech. I still love her, though. And I can't believe the fucking balls of the school system for which she works, refusing to give her job back to her based on her being a "distraction" to the children. And I couldn't believe it when Probst announced that Mark Burnett was going to give her a wack o' cash to help her get back on her feet. That's pretty cool.
It seems that Amanda lost votes by being too nice, not nice enough, not duplicitous enough, a big liar, and too apologetic. Courtney gained the respect of many of her peers by admitting that she sucks, but you gotta respect when someone sucks as much as she does gets as far as she does. You know, sometimes Courtney made me laugh, but she's a pretty damn nasty human being and I don't understand why we're supposed to put value on the fact that she's "being herself" or "real." She can suck it.
Anyway, I'd say that this was the least bitter (baddie) and vitriolic jury we've had in the game's history. The most bitter person seemed to be Jaime, which didn't make any sense. I think she's crazy.
Jean Robert cracks my shit up. He is so clueless when it comes to relating to and reading people! Whatever sense he's got, it's limited to the poker table because the man is socially dysfunctional.
Congratulations to James winning $100K in the popular vote. Yay James!
February! Fans vs Favourites!
Maggie has had a computer disaster and is unable to recap this week's Survivor. I don't have a lot of time this morning, so I'm just going to leave you with a few thoughts.
Courtney - Your barnacle strategy is serving you well. Much like Amber, come to think of it, except that people actually liked her. You think you're playing a brilliant game. And it just might net you second place.
Todd - Up until this week, I respected your game. As of now, I can't stand the sight of you. You've bought into your own hype and now you're playing some weird game where you've decided to be the villian. Make one more of those faces at Tribal Council and I'll fly to China and slap it right off you.
Denise - You made me so mad today. You have lost Peih-Gee's vote, probably Eric's and possibly others. You appear to be blindly following Todd's lead and it doesn't look good on you. Perhaps this strategy will work out for you, perhaps it won't. The only person you can win against, I think, is Courtney.
Peih-Gee - You played a great game and hung on by your fingernails. You made a few missteps in the beginning, but I came around because I love an underdog. Congratulations to you; nobody can say that you didn't try everything you could.
Amanda - I hope you and your blurry ass bring home the cash on Sunday.
Back at tribal council after getting rid of James, everyone blew off some steam by talking about how relieved they were that the plan actually worked and that James didn't return with a huge, livid chip on his shoulder. Good times. Then they spent the next day shivering and miserable in the teeny Cave of Despair while the weather punished them for what they've done. Har.
The sun came out in time for the reward challenge in which the Survivors had to pair up and then find their mate blindfolded from across the playing field and meet in the centre to win. The playing field was a huge maze. The surprise was that their partners were their loved ones! Todd's sister came out and told Todd that their other sister had a miscarriage. How awful! And then Jeff made him tell everyone else. I thought the whole thing was rather uncomfortable. Courtney's dad was dressed in a blue button-down and chinos, and the expression on his face read, "Pip pip, no one told me that it's abhorrently hot and dirty here!" Denise's husband couldn't get over how bad she smelled! Amanda and her sister look astonishingly alike, as do Peih-Gee and her dad. Who did I miss? Erik and his mom were so cute!
Denise and Mr. Denise won the challenge, so she invited Todd and Amanda and their loved ones to join them. They went on a boat and had fun and lunch and Denise got a call from her daughter back home.
Back at camp, Peih-Gee was LIVID that Denise didn't take her in reciprocation for the Shaolin reward. Courtney pissed me off how she couldn't wait to tell everyone and the camera about how she thinks Todd is a big liar about his make-believe teen-pregnant sister. Hate.
After reward, the loved ones got to spend some time at camp and we learned that Amanda and her sister have even more in common.
Heinous anus?
It appeared to be spreading around the camp.
Um, has anyone seen my ass?
Later, Peih-Gee dragged her blurry ass tirelessly around the immunity challenge and won. Todd was just barely ahead, but he made a fatal mistake which cost him the idol. The obvious repercussions of her win were that it would Erik's turn to get the boot, and Peih-Gee assured him she wouldn't vote against him. Then she and Erik approached Denise about forcing a tie and voting out Todd. Denise considered it, but in the end was too worried about what a tie would mean, so she voted with her supposed alliance.
Looks like he made it out just in time!
Two weeks ago we were left with a sort of cliffhanger...Jeff announced at tribal council that their work there was not over yet. Instead of being a second vote like we thought, Jeff announced that they'd be playing for reward. Jeff asked them questions about Chinese culture and heritage, and Peih-Gee won. She decided to take Eric and Denise along. I was so happy when she chose Denise because Denise is into martial arts and the prize was a trip to a Shaolin temple! Holy crap!
We are strong. No one can tell us we're wrong.
They traveled to the temple like snotty rich people on a private jet with champagne and hoity snacks. Pieh-Gee tried to talk business with Denise and Eric, but Denise refused to commit to anything.
When they arrived, they watched the monks perform their arts, right in front of them. I can't imagine how amazing it would be to sit in a temple courtyard and watch a show like that. Unreal. Then they totally honoured Denise by asking her to show them her own martial arts abilities. I was so stoked for her!
Back at camp, the losers tried to make themselves feel better by talking about how they're going to be final four and they rule and everything is awesome. James went crazy with the biblical references until God got annoyed and made it rain for the rest of the day. Amanda decided for herself that she didn't like how things were going and wanted to make her own plans.
When the others got back, no one greeted them or seemed excited to see them, which is what Denise expected. She made a beeline for James, though, to assure him that even though Evil Peih-Gee dangled the apple, she didn't bite and is still frolicking nekkid with him in the garden. Or something like that. James didn't realize that Amanda was the snake in his biblical scenario, slithering around suggesting to everyone that perhaps it's time to get rid of James and his immunity idols.
James came this close to winning immunity in the star-throwing challenge, but no cigar. Eric beat him out and I started to worry. James continued to feel very confident in his alliance, but Amanda had already convinced Todd to blindside James. Even Peih-Gee got a clue and approached Amanda, who told her to play cool. I thought for sure Peih-Gee was going to let something slip, but she didn't.
Before tribal council, James said he was going to bring his idols with him and use one if he got a feeling that something was wrong. BUT HE DIDN'T! Aw. He said he knew something was wrong, but he still didn't do anything about it. At least in his final words to the camera he admitted there was no one to blame but himself.
Happy holiday to all my American friends, and in honour of same I decided to take a day off from Survivor last night. By that, I mean that our means of recording Survivor screwed up and we taped the show with no sound. I haven't had a chance to see it yet so I can't play along, but feel free to discuss it in the comments.
James woke everyone up by singing a little good morning song, which reminded me of an episode of Friends. Then he cooked some breakfast fish. After breakfast, he had a conversation with Denise. She told him she was worried about her place in the group because she was the only one who didn't know what was going on at last tribal council. James assured her to keep quiet and stick with him, which she wanted to do because duh...he has two immunity idols.
Then Peih-Gee regaled everyone with her impersonation of Jean-Robert, and to Todd and James, it was like he never left.
Then Courtney and Frosti fell in love over a piece of fish.
Time for reward. Peih-Gee and Eric picked teams to compete, and the goal was to keep a rubber ball off the ground by bouncing it on drums while traveling across the playing field. Frosti, Courtney, Eric and Amanda got comfortable with the challenge before the other team, so they won a riverboat ride complete with fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and booze. They all got kind of drunk and counted each other's vertebrae. It was like one big double date.
Todd was really jealous that he didn't get to go, and Peih-Gee was so pissed that she picked a fight with James, who called her a loser and told her she was silly. Then James confided in Denise that he worried about Courtney's loyalty now that she was having a big romance with Frosti. When the four returned, they lied about what they had for lunch, thinking that the mention of fried chicken would make the others go insane.
Then they went to the immunity challenge. Jeff offered everyone a chance to eat instead of play for immunity. James, Todd, Courtney and Denise sat down to cheeseburgers while the other four competed in a memory game. Peih-Gee won. James later revealed that he'd eaten seven cheeseburgers.
Since Peih-Gee saved herself, there was a scramble back at camp to decide who to get rid of. Frosti put in a bad word for Eric, Courtney suggested she may vote against the group if Frosti goes on the block, and Todd suggested that maybe Courtney should go. I didn't get my hopes up because that was just too good to be true. Courtney voted against Frosti after all.
Once he was gone, Jeff informed them that they had more business to attend to at tribal council. Da da da!
News flash: Jean-Robert is dumb.
Let's get straight to the reward challenge. Jeff described the challenge and the reward to everyone first, then set everyone loose to pick two teams of four, schoolyard style. There was one person extra, so that person would be unable to participate or enjoy the reward. The last two people were Denise and Courtney, and Erik's team picked Courtney "because she's light."
Denise is a powerhouse of strength and ability, but they chose Courtney. Because she's light. Denise commented to the camera about how some things never change and people assume she's less capable because she's fat. I just think to myself after seeing how well Courtney's done in all the other challenges that they're going to be sorry.
And they were. Courtney sat in her boat, flapping her hands and yelling fashionable things like, "I hate you all!" while the other team tried to drown her. Good times. For round two, Frosti couldn't keep his boat afloat either and so they lost.
For reward, Amanda, James, Todd and Jean-Robert got to visit an ancient Chinese village and eat a big feast. They also got a clue to the immunity idol which they had Jean-Robert open up and read. This gave JR a LIGHTBULB moment. There really is a secret American Idol! Todd nearly had me peeing my pants with laughter as he pointed out JR's mistake. And I loved how everyone played it so cool at the table, not letting on that James already has them both.
Back at camp, Jean-Robert put those clues to use and tried to scout that idol out.
Hello-ello-ello-ello?
Meanwhile, it was time for the immunity challenge. Everyone had to balance atop barrels which swung freely. The barrels were leaking water; as they emptied, the harder it was to balance. It was obvious Courtney was going to win since she weighs practically nothing.
Near the end of the challenge, Amanda was disqualified because she grabbed onto the stationary part of the barrel rig to steady herself. CBS was worried we may not have seen her do this, so they provided a quick shot of "Amanda" grabbing the taboo area, making my drink shoot straight out of my nose.
I KNOW, RIGHT?
Anyway. Back at camp, JR found out from Erik that James most likely had the American Idols, so they had a talk in the lake. James said, "What did you come up with?" JR said, "What I came up with...is the realization that you're holding out on me, THAT's what I came up with!" Some part of me thinks that Jean-Robert heard this line in a movie once and has been dying to have occasion to say it ever since.
In the meantime, Todd had been formulating a plan to get rid of James or at least fish out his idols. But then Jean-Robert approached Todd with the same idea which irked Todd so outrageously that he switched plans at the last minute and JR got the ax. Whew. It was a close vote, though.
[Guest-Posted by Jeremy]
Hi everybody! Maggie crashed early tonight, so I am taking over the Survivor posting duties this week. Let's get to it, shall we?
When Fei Long got back to their camp after last week's tribal, Jean Robert seemed taken aback by Courtney's strong dislike for him. Because apparently he lives in a different camp. Courtney then rolled her eyes at him a lot, a move that was lost on JR in the dark. She then confided that she doesn't need any friends, which is convenient since she hates eveyone in the entire world, only some slightly less than others.
Over at Zhan Hu, Peih Gee was delusional about James and his part in her plans for victory. Why she thinks he would side with her and her little crew, I have no idea. Once left alone, James found the immunity idol hidden in his camp, and packed it away in his bag. He had pulled the other little crest thingy off the archway, and had to leave it lying in the grass when the others came back before he could return it.
Courtney meanwhile just can't stop complaining about Jean Robert and how he should have been voted out because he's mean to her **pout**. Wah wah wah, says the girl who hates everybody in the galaxy, only some slightly less than others. Todd tells her that it made more sense for his game for Sherea to go. Courtney is offended that Todd and Amanda won't completely throw their game because her feelings are getting hurt by JR. Maggie and I laugh at her and Todd grows suspicious.
Seriously, I hate ALL you guys.
At the other camp, Jaime and Eric find the discarded crest thingy and, figuring it to be an immunity idol, do the only logical thing. Jaime roots through James' bag in the middle of the night to see if maybe he has a similar thing. Then, upon discovering that in fact he has two of them hidden there, she again stretches logic all out of shape and decides that there must be like TWELVE of them, and keeps it. James laughes like someone who is delusional from lack of food when he figures out what happened.
Hey guys it's merge time! Everybody is shocked, but not really because they have been talking about merge since last episode. They get new Ninja Black Buffs (in honour of being in JAPAN no doubt, Frosti) and are treated to a feast of North American Chinese food and some local entertainment in the form of some damned impressive acrobats who bounced around on planks of wood and turned themselves inside out.
Wait, if MY feet are THERE and YOUR feet are THERE...then who's...?
The new tribe is Hae Da Fung which means Black Fighting Wind and they are in the middle of painting their new flag when Jeff shows up with their first individual immunity challenge in a burlap sack. Long story short, they had to answer questions about their feast the previous day, and despite moaning about how lame he will do, Frosti wins. As talk turns to tribal council, the sights are set squarely on Jaime. There is some dissent, notably from Jean Robert and Courtney, but that's all editing to make us worry and it's pretty much a given.
BUT NOT SO FAST! Jaime , you will remember, has an "immunity" idol. As the torches are lit and the hike commences, James and Maggie and I can barely contain our excitement. And...what's that? OH YEAH! After being robbed of seeing Todd's plan work last week, we are rewarded, faithful viewers, when Jaime embarrasses herself thoroughly and takes a seat next to Alex from last season. Jeff casually tosses her "idol" in the fire, but only after explaining how it would have worked, had it been the real deal.
Jaime goes home and Jean Robert has a heart attack and a full recovery in about fifteen seconds. Awesome.
Todd has been unlucky looking for the hidden immunity idol so he enlisted Amanda's help. He told her he originally wanted to keep the idol secret until he found it, but that he meant to tell her all along. Nice save. Todd also wanted to bring James or Aaron over as a hostage if they win the reward challenge, so they can get the next clue.
During the reward challenge, Peih-Gee had an opportunity to talk to Sherea alone and let her know that Zhan Hu wants to stick together and keep old ties. Sherea wouldn't even look at her. Sherea REALLY bugs me; she's just so nasty! And stupid...if she had just played along, Zhan Hu wouldn't have realized that she and Frosti had defected and probably would have thrown the next challenge too.
Fei Long won, and they took James along. Their prize was lunch at a tea house, as well as baths, showers and a general chance to clean up and freshen up. Miss Courtney had herself a luxurious time!
Can someone reach my 7th cervical vertebra? Someone OTHER than Jean Robert?
Then Jean Robert made the planet dry-heave with his lewd remarks geared toward Amanda and Courtney. Why can't some people just keep their mouths shut? SHUT IT UP. Ew.
Todd approached James and asked for the clue to the immunity idol. He said if James just trusted him with the contents of the bamboo container, Todd would devise a way for James to survive the next vote. James complied. Todd and Amanda found the idol while Frosti was hanging around, and instead of waiting until later to get it, they totally lost their cool and grabbed it and ended up having to tell Frosti all about it. Later on, Todd gave it to James, and James agreed to throw the immunity challenge and use the idol to get rid of Jaime. Also, James would be going back to Zhan Hu knowing how to find the other immunity idol, which made his face do this:
Meanwhile at Zhan Hu, Peih-Gee, Jaime and Erik spent some quality time feeling quite sorry for themselves.
The immunity challenge was interesting because almost everyone from Fei Long knew that James would be throwing the challenge, but because it was a gross-food-eating challenge, it didn't quite turn out the way they thought it would. In the end, it was down to James and Denise eating chicken fetuses and James ate his and won the challenge because he just couldn't let Denise struggle with hers and he didn't want her to have to be a quitter. So Fei Long went to tribal council.
Right before council, Todd and Amanda suggested to everyone that it's best to stick with the plan and get rid of Sherea. Of course, Courtney and Sherea actually like each other because they're both nasty people, and so Courtney fought to get rid of Jean Robert instead. At tribal council, Sherea and Courtney both started talking uncontrollably and I wanted them to shut up so bad. When Sherea went to vote, she made a very clever rhyme using the words "hot" and "not" in regards to Jean Robert. I wondered if she knows what year it is. In the end, Jeff made me so happy when he read Sherea's name and caused her face to do this:
So, the big twist of Survivor: China made itself known last night: These people are idiots. I mean, come on.
Fei Long received their message first, asking them which two people from Zhan Hu they'd like to join their tribe. They picked Frosti and Sherea, thinking them the strongest. "But what's the catch?" asked Aaron stupidly. "Well, they're probably going to get to pick two of our strongest people, too," replied Skeletor.
"Can we eat them when they get here?"
At Zhan Hu, things went in a similar, yet stupider fashion. Sherea continued to alienate her tribe, resenting that they wanted her to do such horrendous things as chip in and help out. She couldn't understand why they didn't like her if she didn't do those things. She looked enthusiastically toward the merge so she could make new friends.
When the fishermen came with the note, Zhan Hu chose James and Aaron as their new tribemates, seriously thinking that they were just being presented with extra tribemates for no reason. They were honestly shocked when they found out they had to trade members. Then, when the food and wine came, they were honestly drunked.
"So then I says to him, I says, NOooooooooo wayyyy! And then he puked!"
James was really sorry to have left Fei Long. He was getting really close to Denise, and she to him. He totally amazed me by saying that if the situation was different, Denise would be in trouble, vavavavoom! But then I felt sad that I was amazed. Why shouldn't he be attracted to Denise? I made certain judgements about James because he was so fit and muscular, and I was wrong. Obviously he doesn't see people the way I assume most men on television see people. I hope they get married.
Jean Robert was also sorry that James left Fei Long. He sensed that he would be first to go without James' support and also ended up having to pick up James' slack, physically. Suddenly he's barking orders (although to his credit he was TRYING to do it nicely) while everyone else is laughing right in his face. Things do not bode well for Jean Robert.
Just before the immunity challenge, it occured to Peih-Gee that if they throw the challenges, they would save Sherea and Frosti from getting voted out and would be able to systematically vote out James and Aaron, entering the merge much more fairly and with a better chance of winning the game. I thought this was a brilliant plan even though I would hate to see James go, but the girls really screwed it up. They didn't confide in Erik, who really could have helped them out, and threw the game in the most insulting, childish manner. Jaime in particular needed a good slap in the face.
"At times like these, I strongly regret being a pacifist."
The girls finally explained to Erik what their plans were, and he was displeased. They really should have told him first. At tribal council, Jeff called them out and Jaime admitted what they had done. In the end and against James' wishes, they kept him and got rid of Aaron. I'm just really glad James didn't get the shaft this week. What a horrible way to go.
So, once again my screencap guy "has his own life" and I apparently "can't make him" help me out, so I had to do the screencaps myself and trust me, I'm just not nearly as good at it. Anyway.
At Zhan Hu, Dave continued to piss everyone off but the person that couldn't keep her mouth shut this time was Sherea. Believe me, I hate being put in a position where I have to take the side of someone I cannot STAND, but Sherea was totally antagonizing him purposefully. That whole thing with the shells was just stupid. I don't know if it was the editing or what, but the second Dave asked her not to throw the shells away, she practically ran to the shore to toss them in the water. Please. Don't you see that Dave just wanted to save them to bring home to his mom?
At Fei Long, Jean Robert's inane plan to be lazy then make it look like he stepped up his game ACTUALLY WORKED. Jean Robert was working away and Aaron praised him for really giving it his all. Hmph.
The reward this week was fantastic. Winners were lucky enough to have a fishing family visit them and show them how to fish, make them dinner and give them spices. Since Fei Long is more interested in eating than winning immunity, they sat Courtney out of the challenge. Fei Long won, and I got to see the most fascinating fishing ever.
The family floated up, bringing with them an assortment of boats and equipment, including a bunch of trained birds who were tossed into the water to fish, bringing back the fish in their mouths. The throats of these birds were tied closed so they couldn't swallow the fish themselves. I don't know how I feel about the practice itself, but it was incredible to watch. The family also taught Fei Long how to use the fishing net they won before.
Communication between Fei Long and the Chinese family was effortless because Jean Robert, of all people, freaking SPEAKS MANDARIN. I was really, really impressed. He was translating for everyone and then James got pissy because he felt like he was being ordered around. Whatevs. When you speak Chinese, you can order everyone around. They feasted on so much fish that Courtney had to sit down.
I ate SOOO much! Does my ribcage make me look fat?
Fei Long also won the right to kidnap a Zhan Hu, and to everyone's immediate relief, they picked Dave. Dave gave his clue to Todd because for some reason, people are drawn to him. Back at Zhan Hu, everyone rejoiced having a break from Dave until they got hungry. Who was going to do all the work? Certainly not Sherea, who said she was going to ride that workhorse until its tail falls off. Um, way to be part of a team, there.
The immunity challenge was pretty cool. Everyone got dressed up in protective Chinese warrior gear and had to toss meteor hammers at vases to see how many they could knock down. I am getting really tired of this Kung-Fu editiing, CBS. Soon it was Courtney's turn.
Despite Courtney's performance, Fei Long won and sent Zhan Hu to tribal council, where they pretended they were just as good at running camp while Dave was gone. Peih-Gee and Sherea got into an argument about whether it's right to save your strength for the challenges. Sherea thinks that because Peih-Gee likes camping, she should do most of the work. How logical. Peih-Gee pointed out that if everyone else has to pick up Sherea's slack at camp, then they are compromising their own strength at challenges. I thought for sure Sherea was getting voted out but they got rid of Dave. I'm glad I don't have to listen to him anymore, but I think camp life is going to get really hard for Zhan Hu now.
Sorry I'm so late with the recap this week, but I made a big surprise trip to New Jersey to hang out with my people, Freakgirl and Geekboy, over this fine, globally-warmed long weekend. So instead of writing, I spent the morning getting my hair done and then I went and spent a bunch of money on sheep hair and I drank so much coffee I had to pee twice and forego my nap.
Let's see if I can remember the episode well enough to make a recap.
So. Courtney. She was saying things but I couldn't hear for the clacking of the bones. Ohmahgah. Heidi ended up looking like this at the end of her season but here's Courtney, a walking corpse, right at the beginning. She and Todd were hanging around near a tree, eavesdropping while James and Jean Robert talked shit in the lake. I was pondering James' unfortunate burdgeoning hairline when Jean Robert made some NARSTY comment about wanting to tap Courtney's ass. Gross. James looked very uncomfortble. We all vomited in unison.
At Zhan Hu, Dave made a nuisance of himself until Pei Geih started gnawing off her own arm. Or something like that.
The reward challenge was an orgy of groping hands and flashing naughties. Zhan Hu managed to win their first challenge by forcing Fei Long off of the playing field and into the lake. They decided to kidnap Leslie, who returned the favour to Jaime by giving her the clues to the hidden immunity idol. Leslie also found companionship and comfort in the fact that a few of Zhan Hu were also Christians, so she spoke a little too freely about conditions at her own tribe.
Zhan Hu also won the immunity challenge. I don't remember much about this challenge because watching Courtney's skeletal frame swing the machete made me laugh so hard I had to go change my pants. And then she made my night by crying about her own uselessness. But did she get voted out at tribal council? NO! Why? Because Leslie is a total moron who made too many negative comparisons between her own tribemates and Zhan Hu. Goodbye, Leslie. Whatever.
Click here to watch Jeff Probst's preview of tonight's episode of Survivor: China. (wmv file)
Last night's show began with a question in judgement in regards to recently elected leadership.
And furthermore...blah blah. To wit, blah blah blah...
Zhan Hu isn't doing so well. Dave took his role as leader way too far and decided that no one eats until construction on his precious Mini Great Wall of China Fireplace of Passion is complete. His bossing and patronizing attitude was rubbing everyone the wrong way, but it was only Ashley that couldn't keep her mouth shut. Not that I could blame her frustration, but in this situation it's best to let the ballast toss itself of the boat. Right?
The next challenge was for reward and the prize included tons of fishing gear. The game involved a lot of contact in the mud, there were boobs and crack flying everywhere! James took control of the giant ball and won the game! Go James! Er, Fei Long!
Just look at him.
As part of Fei Long's reward, they got to choose someone from Zhan Hu to kidnap until the immunity challenge. They conferred and decided on Jaime because as Aaron put it, she was Zhan Hu's ball of sunshine and the hope was that Zhan Hu would go back to camp crying. In any case, Jaime was given a clue to Fei Long's immunity idol with the instruction to give it secretly to the person of her choice. She decided to give it to who she believed was the weakest person on the tribe, Leslie. Leslie promptly turned around and told Todd, who can't wait to get rid of Leslie and keep it for himself. If they ever find it.
Meanwhile, Dave and Ashley who were obviously affected by the lack of sunshine in their tribe, continued to fight. They fought through their loss of immunity and straight to tribal council. The fought at tribal council. Ashley announced to everyone that she was voting for Dave and called him Zoolander, to my utter delight.
Blue Steel
Everyone sided with Dave and sent Ashley home. I knew one of them was going, and I guess even though Ashley is right and Dave is a tool, he works pretty hard and gets Mini Great Walls of China built, and that's what really counts.
So! It's time for the FIFTEENTH exciting seazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...what? Sorry. Yes. Fifteenth exciting season of Survivor and after fourteen seasons has anyone learned anything? NO.
First, why are people not just wearing wilderness gear already? I don't care what the producers say to them, by now we KNOW they are going to be left with just the clothes on their backs. Right? Second, water rolls downhill. Don't build your shelter in a basin.
And even though I should know better, I am still amazed at how disrespectful people on this show can be. The show began with everyone being welcomed at a temple. Jeff explained that the ceremony they were about to participate in was one of welcome and not worship. I did not know this previously, but if you are a waitress from NYC then you don't have to bow a million times with a bunch of monks. I mean, YOU ARE A WAITRESS, for god's sake. From the CITYYYY. Like, you are just way too hip to have respect for people. Hate.
I am so totally way too urban for all this.
The next thing that got me was Leslie, the Christian radio talk show host. She walked right out of the ceremony because even though Jeff assured them they were not worshipping, she just could not get over herself long enough to enjoy something new and respect the culture of the country she was visiting. In explanation she told us that she wasn't really religious (of course not, she's just a host on Christian radio) but that she had a relationship with god. This reminded me of that time in Survivor when that woman refused to allow the immunity idol into camp because it was a false idol.
Anyway, Jeff allowed everyone to split themselves up into teams by having them each grab a bag that contained either a red or yellow buff. Red team is Fei Long, yellow team is Zhan Hu.
Later on, Miss New York City was so upset to find that her tribe (Fei Long) was trying to be nice and get along. "We don't act like that in New York!" Maybe you don't, but other people do! I'm sure there are tons of people from NYC right now who are completely embarrassed that she is on tv, misrepresenting.
Leslie, on the other hand, seemed to be a nice person despite her earlier ignorance. She hit it off with James, who confided in her that he was weak socially because he's used to working and spending a lot of time alone. I fell in love with him immediately. Everyone else at Fei Long seemed to be happy and work together well and these people made themselves a shelter!
Zhan Hu seems to be the underdog because everyone there wants to have an opinion (except for Chicken) but no one wants to take charge. Finally, Peih-Gee tried to organize and get the shelter built, but Chicken was so busy trying to fly under the radar, he refused to give a straight answer about ANYTHING.
The challenge was physical. I don't know what they were doing, something with dragons and climbing and James was magnificent! James won! Er, Fei Long won!
LOVE. HIM.
Which meant that Zhan Hu had to go to tribal council. They called Peih-Gee bossy, they accused Ashley of being sick, but in the end Chicken was just the most irritating.
Yay, it wasn't me!