September 30, 2003
A Tale of Tarp and Carp
Some things you just don't mess with. In Episode 2 we learned that those things would be Drake's spear and Morgan's tarp.
Rupert cannot live without his spear. The two are practically one. Of course he was fairly ticked off at the news of it being tainted by Shawn. Yes, the spear was healed, but Shawn is in trouble. He has made the mistake of forgetting that two people do not make an alliance. It doesn't matter how many nights in a row he spoons with Burton, if everyone else wants to vote him out, he will be gone.
Sandra has a good position within her tribe. She may tell it like it is, but she seems to be respected for that. However, after the little scene with pirating Morgan's precious tarp, Sandra is #1 on their hit list. If Burnett throws a switch at them -- Morgan might be pulling a plank out and calling the sharks.
Jon is a combination of Rob Cesternino and Rob Mariano. Except he's not as hot as either. He is what Chris Jericho would call 'an assclown'. Not that that's a bad thing, but in Survivor its usually a ticket to Loser Lodge.
Christa, Burton, Michelle and Trish have had little facetime along with Ryan O and Darrah of Morgan. It's safe to say they won't be going in the next episode or two.
Andrew is by far in the limelight of Morgan right now. He's the leader. Unfortunately for Morgan, he is not leading very well at the moment.
Lillian's only hope right now is that Osten shrivels up and begins talking jibberish. She is clearly the outsider at this point.
Tijuana is trotting along well right now and I forsee her making the merge at the very least.
Boot Order at this point:
(Drake)
Shawn
Jon
Rupert
Sandra
Christa
Burton
Trish
Michelle
(Morgan)
Lillian
Osten
Tijuana
Ryan O
Andrew
Darrah
I have spoken!
September 29, 2003
Head and Shoulders, Over and Out
Ryan Shoulders, the lanky 23-year-old grocery clerk from Clarksville, Tennessee, who derisively became known as "Skinny Ryan," was the second person voted out of Survivor: Pearl Islands. He got a raw deal. If Survivor was a meat market, Ryan's lean portion was mistakenly stocked next to all the of the fat -- fatheads -- this is. But maybe it's better if Ryan told us the problem in his own words: it's the Probstovich way to do things.Ryan was just starting his long walk of shame when we caught up to him. His head was dropped low ... below his shoulders. He looked dejected. Of course, getting booted out will do this to a person, especially someone who came into the game so enthusiastic and eager for the (cue echo chamber) "experience of a lifetime" such as Ryan
Being Jeff Probstovich: Hey Ryan, before you go, we some more questions.
Ryan S: Oh, alright. But I'm so disappointed.
Being Jeff Probstovich: What was the worst part about being ejected from the tribe: being ejected from tribe or having to watch big, tough Osten stay in the tribe when he was such a big wuss when compared to you?
Ryan S: Osten was one of their guys and there was no way they were going to part with him. Physically, he was a wreck and just miserable. He had no clothes and it got cold at night. He got scared of every little thing that went bump in the night. He couldn't sleep and he wasn't getting the calorie intake that he was used to getting. This just wasn't his kind of game. He's a really nice guy, but he's just not a Survivor.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Of course, Ryan, since you're the one voted out, I suppose Osten can say the same about you, no?
Ryan S: (laughs) Doh! You got me!
Being Jeff Probstovich: Darrah might be the most silent Survivor castaway we've ever seen. Since you were there, why did the cat have her tongue? Could she be, possibly, the most boring castaway ever ... or did we miss something?
Ryan S: (laughs) Well, she sure didn't like talking to me. She kept very low, under the radar, and just followed along. She seemed kind of like a nice girl, but she never seemed interested in holding a conversation with me.
Being Jeff Probstovich: On the other hand, you had Tijuana, who didn't seem to have any problem speaking her mind, girlfriend. Be honest, didn't you find her voice just a little grating and somewhat annoying?
Ryan S: Tijuana can be very patronizing and that itself can be annoying. Her voice is just an unpleasant byproduct of that fact.
Being Jeff Probstovich: If you had to choose between Tijuana and Darrah, who would it be?
Ryan S: I'll take the quiet chick every time.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Ryan, I think it was that dolt Andrew, your great leader who started calling you 'Skinny' Ryan, like the proverbial bully, kicking sand in your face. Did you like that nickname, and if we held him down, would you pummel him for a good four or five minutes?
Ryan S: Actually, I don't like the nickname because Andrew was the only one that called me that to my face and you know what kind of relationship we had. I thought it was very interesting that others chose to use the nickname during TC even though they'd never previously referred to me as that. Everyone blindly followed Andrew with any and every decision. Even with all the failures, chaos, and confusion in our tribe, they infallably followed his every word. Look where it got the Morgan tribe so far.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Come clean with us, Lil was really out of her element out there, even as a troop leader. Was she really as loony-toony as she seemed?
Ryan S: Actually, I think she was just playing the game. But then again, lack of food and sleep does wacky things to people. No one could be that looney, could they? Lil's got some craziness in her personality, but that's one of her best qualities, 'cuz she's just so fun. Lil is just so Lil and you gotta love her.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Even though Lil's a married woman, did you catch any island fever and imagine a May-December kind of thing with her -- or even September-October since you weren't there that long -- or was trying to ally with her just strategy?
Ryan S: It was all strategy, though we did exchange numbers after the shooting was over. Who knows?
Being Jeff Probstovich: Speaking of Drake, was it true that Sandra was rude to you all while tearing down your, er, house? Did she curse in Spanish? Did we miss the real fireworks?
Ryan S: (laughs) We told her very specifically and very earnestly that we had laid out all of our items in front of camp for her to take. She spent from thirty minutes to an hour walking around our island trying to find "hidden" stuff. Even after we assured her the limited resources we were able to acquire were already on display. We wanted to get on with our lives, not wait around for her. Especially with that bad attitude and that smug look she had on her grille, like they had more than us or something. Excuse me, but we were all 'shipwrecked!'
Being Jeff Probstovich: Let's play word-association Ryan. You work as a grocery store clerk, so we assume you're very experience with stocking various items on the store shelves. Let's act like your fellow tribe mates were items in a store, tell us what kind of store and where you would stock them. Are you game?
Ryan S: (laughs) Sure, Jeff, I have my price-sticker gun drawn and ready.
Being Jeff Probstovich: OK ... Andrew?
Ryan S: A hardware store. In 'Power Tools' ... just because he is.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Darrah?
Ryan S: A mortician's store, because she's near dead from what I could tell.
Being Jeff Probstovich: How about Nicole?
Ryan S: Victoria's Secret, bikini section. A guy can dream, right?
Being Jeff Probstovich: But then with that blue dress, she didn't leave too much to the imagination, eh Ryan? What about Lillian?
Ryan S: A grocery store. Mixed nuts, and other organic foods.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Osten?
Ryan S: Hmmm, well Andrew's already got the 'tools' section to himself. Osten would be in the protein powder of a health food store, or in the steroids section of a pharmacy. Maybe if they gave him a power shake he would have stopped his whining. He could also be in the underwear section at Abercrombie & Fitch.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Ryan O?
Ryan S: I don't know what kind of store you'd find him, but it would be in the 'generic' section. He did nothing to really stand out to this here grocery clerk.
Being Jeff Probstovich: And Tijuana?
Ryan S: The spice section, under hot peppers. I'm not saying she's a spice girl, but I'm saying she has that kind of personality that's real spicy and makes you want to rinse your mouth out immediately after an encounter.
Being Jeff Probstovich: And I know she wasn't in your tribe, but what about Sandra?
Ryan S: I don't know, I don't think there's a store or an aisle for 'beee-yotch'!
Being Jeff Probstovich: And, of course, you know where they'd stock you if you were an item in a grocery store...
Ryan S: (laughs) Yeah, sure, next to the rice and pasta, in the "limp" noodles section. That's harsh.
Being Jeff Probstovich: What would you like to say to your tribemates after voting you off?
Ryan S: Morons! I hope Drake keeps wiping the beach with them. So there!
Being Jeff Probstovich: Ryan, it's time to go.
He turned and started making the long walk out of the game. Who'll be voted out next?
This is Being Jeff Probstovich.
September 25, 2003
Episode 2: SurvivorWeb Picks
Week #2 of Survivor arrives with a new twist in the game. As a extra reward from the reward challenge (making it the "reward-reward challege"), the winning tribe is allowed to steal one item from the other tribe. Tonight, Morgan will steal little Michelle Tesauro from Drake, since she's so darn cute to look at.
If you want to know where the latest spoiler information points to, this is what we have....
We're too lazy to explain why, however.
RC: Morgan
IC: Drake
Boot: Ryan S.
September 22, 2003
Speak Now, Or Hold Your Peace ... until after Tribal Council, Yo!
Nicole Delma, the shapely 24-year-old massage therapist from Hermosa Beach, California, joined the infamous ranks of the "First Boot Club" when she became the initial person cast out of Survivor:Pearl Islands. While she lost her chance at $1 million and the title of Sole Survivor, the hopes of millions of American men seeing those puppies released from that strapless tube dress where dashed against the rocks like the pounding surf. We didn't learn much about Nicole, but danke schein, darling, danke schein, for that dress, what a mess!
Usually, we give castaways a chance to gather themselves before we dive in an start asking pointed questions, but in keeping with the Pearl Islands theme of surprising the players at every turn, we dove right in with Nicole, who was about to take the long walk of shame before we caught up to her.
Being Jeff Probstovich: Nicole, wait up. We have a few questions before you leave the game forever.
Nicole: Sure.
BJP: You were only out here three days, but which was harder for you to deal with? Keeping your dress from falling down our your mouth from opening up?
Nicole: It was definitely a balancing act Jeff, and I guess I didn't keep it balanced. I knew going in that my biggest weakness was going to be keeping my mouth shut. But on the other hand, the dress wasn't all that bad: I cut off the bottom to wrap the fabric around the bottom of my feet to make shoes. For some reason, I was never able to find my real shoes.
BJP (aside): That would be Rupert's fault.
Nicole: Excuse me?
BJP: I said, that would be 'super and all'... if you had kept your shoes. But now that you're the first person booted, always a dubious disctinction on Survivor, do you think your family will take it hard?
Nicole: My family will take it with a grain of salt because they know my personality, so I don't think it will really surprise them. They'll probably be a little pissed that I'll still be living at home because I didn't win any money, but what are parents for anyway?
BJP: It must have been awfully difficult that first night, out here with seven other strangers, sleeping on the beach, and having hermit crabs crawling all up in your dress, huh?
Nicole: I've had crabs before Jeff, but never like that.
BJP: There were a lot of pests and annoyances out there in the Panamanian tropics. What did you find most troubling?
Nicole: That's a good question, but I think it was a toss-up between Tijuana and Ryan. Even with all the mosquitoes, and crabs, and even Osten's plumber's butt, those were the worst things for me.
BJP: What was Tijuana's problem?
Nicole: You tell me. That's what I was trying to figure out. Once you get past that high-pitched voice, scratch the surface and all you find is an irritating person. When I have an opinion about somebody, I just can't seem to keep it in. I just didn't really have the drive to keep my mouth shut for as long as I could, even for a million dollars!
BJP: And what was Ryan's problem?
Nicole: He wanted massages.
BJP: But you're a professional massage therapist.
Nicole: Not massages, Jeff, but -- massages (winks) -- you know. And I didn't have my massage oils. I could be kicked out of the union for practicing without them.
BJP: Which Ryan are we talking about, again? "O" or "S"?
Nicole: Ryan O. I was actually hoping that Ryan S. would have asked me for a massage. Being a massage therapist on the pro beach volleyball tour, I kind of go for tall, lanky guys. But he never approached me. Instead, it was Ryan O. everywhere I turned, step by step, inch by inch, trying to make a move on me.
BJP: Were you mortified that the wrong Ryan was hitting on you?
Nicole: No, that was Darrah?
BJP: What?
Nicole: Darrah was a mortician, not me.
BJP: I meant -- oh well -- skip it. Let's just say that Ryan O. rubbed you the wrong way.
Nicole: And I didn't rub him at all.
BJP: Any regrets, besides not winning the big, big money?
Nicole: Because I had never watched the show before, I didn't really know what to expect. Now that I'm out, I regret not having given Tijuana a real piece of my mind. But you know what, she'll get what's coming to her.
BJP: So payback's a bitch?
Nicole: Or just "a Tijuana."
BJP: Nicole, it's time to go?
She turned and made the long walk out of the game. Who'll be voted out next?
This is Being Jeff Probstovich.
The Tailor of Panama is Closed
Survivor: Pearl Islands started out with a fabulous leisure cruise aboard the luxury sailboat "Rembrandt Van Rheine" through the Golfo de Panama (that's Spanish for Gulf of Panama) heading to Las Isla Perlas. Our cast of chiseled hard-bodies, and token early boot-ees, made their way from Panama City where they were instructed to be ready for a standard press photo-op session. The cast members were told to "dress how they wanted to represent themselves to the world."
Being unaccustomed to the barrage of paparazzi that would accompany their 15 minutes of fame, our cast members clearly showed signs they needed our help. For us, the perfect wardrobe would have been a two-piece casual suit in white linen, complemented by a light blue shirt to match the ocean waters. Taking into account the Panamanian backdrop, it would be most necessary to accessorize our outfit with leather flip-flops, canvas belt and "Brent Black" Panama hat. The classic styling of this outfit masks its tremendous functionality. Our wardrobe says, "I just got back from a 6 month expedition through the Panama Canal," but our face would say, "I traveled first class."
We can feel the tropical breeze as we write this …
The 6-hour tour ended with host Jeff Probst telling our woefully dressed cast members that the game had begun; what they were wearing would be what they would wear for the next 39 days. Egads! Our hearts sunk. Those poor souls, how would they ever survive?
Then Probst, noticing each cast member's choice of clothing, realized his mistake and gave each tribe 100 Balboas (about $100) to shop in the local markets. He ordered the tribes to "walk the plank." Within seconds they had jumped into the water, leaving behind all credit cards and emergency "mad money". Little did the cast members know that "The Plank" was an upscale shopping district at one of the local marinas. Seeing that it would be too much effort to pluck the saltwater-soaked castaways from the water, Probst went back to his freshly shaken martini.
Over the next 20 minutes, we're shocked to see that the castaways are trading $300 Bruno Magli shoes for pineapples and rusty knives. A simple call to the Armani World Headquarters would have had a tailor on-site within a half hour. Andrew Savage, the 40 year-old lawyer from Chicago, should have known that much. They could have converted his couture Armani suit into something more suitable for the local climate - such as a montuno, the traditional Panamanian men's costume that is much simpler than the women's pollera.
Our advice is simple: if you're going to be spending an extended period of time in a tropical location and you plan on shopping in the local markets, try to blend in. Dress as the locals do, shop as the locals do - especially if the locals are shopping on Rodeo Drive in Hollywood.
In this case, however, it seems as though all the tailor shops in Panama had shut down for the local festival of "Fleecing the Game Show Tourists". It's a popular festival that happens when Western television networks send a gaggle of starlets to an island to live in filth for 6 weeks, with the slight chance of winning a million dollar prize.
At the end of the shopping spree we see that none of the cast members had even tried to get beachwear, or supplies to spruce up their new island homes. With 12 more weeks to go, we hope one of the reward challenges involves the sexy carpenter, Ty Pennington, from Trading Spaces.
Until then, we look forward to next week when we examine the living arrangements on the island, including a tantalizing look at our new favorite Abercrombie & Fitch model. We say goodbye to Nicole, whose prom dress was least suitable for the tropical islands, and thus she was voted out of her tribe.
Would you like to write for the Queer Eye for the Survivor Tribe? Drop the producer and email and let him know: producer@survivorweb.com
Pirates, Looting and Some Fine Booty
"Ye best start believing in ghost stories, Miss Turner. You're in one."
So it begins. I have waited all summer to sit in front of my television and be able to see hot young studs, sassy lassies and Hagrid from Harry Potter fame compete to win a one million dollar prize. Mark Burnett did not disappoint me. The premiere could have only been better if whomever was controlling those nasty little censors would have taken the night off. Perhaps someday I will get to see what Osten, Ryan Opray and Andrew are packing.
Here is my beginning of the season run-down of the new cast.
DRAKE TRIBE
This is now officially my favorite tribe ever. It might have something to do with the fact that Hagrid is on the tribe, but no matter. They're one, they're united and they will conquer.
CHRISTA - You know, she really didn't say much. Not your typical blonde Survivor chick though. In a confessional, Christa talked about loving Hagrid, but dude - who doesn't? She seems personable and cute, but I haven't figured out where her alliance might lie YET.
MICHELLE - *conferring with Mark Burnett to make sure Michelle was even IN this epsiode* OH well, my mistake. I will comment on her later.
SANDRA - Way to use a foreign language! Although I must say she did nearly get Trish involved in a massive lesbian orgy. The poor woman wouldn't have known what was going on until the clothes came off and the dildos came out. Sandra became an immediate asset to her tribe and well, wasn't appreciated as much as she SHOULD have been for it. Mamacita has the power you issays!
TRISH - This chick is a MILF! No seriously, Trish is an attractive and sweet lady not to mention athletic which are all excellent qualities in a potential Survivor candidate. My Magic Heart shaped 8 Ball says, "Trish can do it. She can do it all night long." Um. That's not what it was supposed to say, but okay.
JON - I want to love Jonny Foreplay. I really do. (And yes I know its 'Fairplay'. I'm just being a smart ass.) The fact of the matter is though, he has to prove to me that he's a loveable asshole. Silas was a loveable asshole. Jon could be too. The way he was acting when he was drunk though -- not cool.
BURTON/SHAWN - I am including them together in this first column because I don't think you can separate them. I would like to, if only to get in between them in bed. Ahhhh, the possibilities. Honestly, they have to cut out the butt buddy act and include the rest of the tribe because even though two people are not an alliance, it's still threatening.
RUPERT - Hagrid MADE the show. It wouldn't have been half as interesting without him. MB could not have picked a better man to be involved with the pirate theme. The only theme that could have suited him more would have been Survivor: Hogwarts. How cool would that have been? A Quidditch immunity challenge, the Sorcerer's Stone as the immunity idol..... *pauses* ...yes I can be a dork sometimes.
MORGAN
With Captain Morgan aka Andrew at the helm, that may be the only thing saving this tribe from being on a sinking ship. With crabs on top of it all!
DARRAH - The first episode gave me the impression that Burnett may have simply cast Darrah to embalm the bodies of her tribemates after they kill each other.
NICOLE - The stupidest move in the game has never been committed so early. She wasn't in danger. She decided that danger was fun. Boots are a bitch.
TIJUANA - A Nubian princess at her finest. Osten said it. Not me.
LILLIAN - She was actually smart and tattled on the scheming Nicole thus at the very least securing her place in the tribe based on trust. Lil won't be voted out next. Scout's honor.
RYAN S. - I think the S might stand for skeleton after the first few days on the island because the dude doesn't have too much weight to lose. He was actually pretty cute without the glasses but that's besides the point that his bones are probably jutting out of the sand on Morgan's beach right this very moment.
ANDREW/OSTEN/RYAN O. aka The Butt Pirates - So they like to show off their asses? Not that I was bothered by that. They could compete naked all the time and you'd never hear me complain. Especially Osten. *faints* Hot damn. I think I may have caught some jungle fever.
Next week I will get more in depth and a few of the cast members actually get to say something on camera this time which makes it easier for me. In the meantime, I think I'm going to go get some and find a good masseuse. Two essentials in life people.
CJ Blake's World
CJ Blake will be back for another season of sultry commentary and steamy sex talk. Stay tuned for this Survivor Babe's feature stories.
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September 18, 2003
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Welcome to another season of "Being Jeff Probstovich," the column that borrows a concept from a cult movie -- Being John Malkovich -- in order to get into the (fictional) mind of Jeff Probst, the host of the best Reality-TV™ program ever devised, that's right, the grand-daddy of them all, Survivor.
First, our standard spiel...
<standard spiel:begin>
Every season in the weeks before the new Survivor starts, shortly after the cast is announced, we die-hard fans are filled with great hope for the new cast, much like baseball fans during spring training. But in the spring, even the lowly, loveable Chicago Cubs have a chance to win it all, and in much the same way, we Survivor fans begin imagining that even the most unlikely members of the new cast will go all the way and become the Sole Survivor. We imagine that this will be the best-looking, smartest, most interesting and most entertaining cast we've ever seen in Survivor history.
And then, finally, the show premieres, on a Thursday night, right before CSI:Crime Scene Investigation. Jeff starts the show with his now-standard schtick: "Sixteen Americans are about to begin the adventure of a lifetime..." And by end of that first broadcast, we say to ourselves: For crying out loud, this cast is even dumber than the last. If this is the adventure of a lifetime, take my life, please.
Over the next 13 weeks, we watch in dumbfounded amazement as, one by one, each of the castaways violates all of the Survivor rules they should have learned before even stepping foot in camp.
</standard spiel:end>
Well, have you ever wanted to ask one of your favorite Castaways™, yeah, the one who just got kicked out the tribe, "What the f*ck heck were you thinking out there?"
Well, worry no more. We'll do it for you.
Here at BJP Headquarters, out in the boonies of the rapidly deteriorating Silicon Valley, in a place where The Terminator may become the next governor of the state -- a story that defies even Reality TV™ -- we'll ask each newly-booted castaway just those kinds of obnoxious questions, and many more. We'll even out-Chen Julie Chen in our cheesiness ... in our minds, of course, but is it really possible to be cheesier than Julie Chen?
Our goal here at BJP is to uncover the story that should have been going on between the lines, beneath the surface, and between the sheets ... er, well, there are no sheets in Survivor, but don't you think some of these castaways wish there were? Here on BJP, we will reveal the unspoken stories of petty jealousy, childish envy, and outright contempt that we believe were left on Mark Burnet's editing room floor ... for the sake of political correctness, improved ratings, or maybe because they never really happened.
If Survivor were a dog, we are the folks who hear the ultra-high-frequency dog whistle that's constantly blown during the show. (You know, they say that on the Internet, no one knows if you're a dog. We will put that bromide to the test.)
Along the way, we might just give you a little intel that will point the way to the eventual winner. You never know.
This is Survivor baby. It ain't Big Brother and two totally fake fat chicks going to the finals. And it sure ain't Cupid, and a bunch of frat boys trying to date a hot babe who dreams about starting America's next dysfunctional family. This game is about three simple rules: outwit, outplay, and outlast.
And if you think that people who lose their chance at $1 million -- and a lifetime of fifth-tier celebrity fame -- leave the game happily, then you have another thing coming. (All of that gets edited out.)
The only place where you can get (fictionally) real insight into the players is at right here at Probstovich. We are freakin' Jeff Probst yo!
Here's how it works:
After the premiere episode, check in every Monday -- or Tuesday, if we've been out partying -- for a faux interview with the latest castaway voted off, remixed from their actual words.
And on Thursdays -- day-of-show -- check for our short preview on who we think ought to be booted.
In just a few more hours, the game will begin. And 90 minutes later, we'll meet the first castaway voted out of Survivor:Pearl Islands, and it will be a member of the Morgan tribe. Trust us on this.
This is Being Jeff Probstovich.
Boycaught (aka Lawrence Green) has been a die-hard fan of Survivor since Pagong started charbroiling island rats on Pulau Tiga. He's an information architect at the company that allegedly hired Survivor:Africa winner Ethan Zohn and then subsequently
September 10, 2003
Tropical Hideaway: Survivor Style
In all of Panama, there is only one truly secluded tropical resort. With an almost secretive deserted island location, the fresh new resort has effortless access to all the fun and adventure the Pacific Ocean can offer. Panoramic views of the ocean can be enjoyed from your own private balcony overlooking the seas. This one of a kind resort, located on a private island, will accommodate no more than 12 guests at a time. Enhanced by casually graceful accommodations, this resort is for an elite class of adventure travelers.
If this sounds like your dream vacation, don't reach for your credit card so soon. This is Survivor's version of a "Loser's Lounge," (Loser Lodge) where castaways are held after they're voted out of Survivor. Adventure Traveler, Louise (Louise) Craven (wezzie), recently discovered this hidden tropical gem while vacationing where Survivor Entertainment Group (SEG), in coordination with CBS, recently filmed their seventh installment of the hit reality show Survivor on the Pearl Islands of Panama.
The show pits 16 strangers against each other to see who can outwit, outplay and outlast the others to win the grand prize of $1 million and the title of Ultimate Survivor. The eight men and eight women will be divided into two groups, the "Morgan Tribe" and the "Drake Tribe. Each team of Survivors will have its own island, and there are separate islands for the Tribal Council and the challenges, as well. "It gives a sense of isolation," Producer Mark Burnett explains, "and the isolation factor adds so much to the drama." One new twist revealed by producers is that the castaways will be marooned on the island with only the clothes on their backs.
In past "Survivors" the players had been allowed to take a change of clothes and a luxury item and were given some rudimentary supplies and tools. (Survivor expert Quartzeye notes: "Amusing statement about isolation … the Drake tribe located at Mogo Mogo has a clear view of a Colombian's vacation home on another island.")
Traditionally, the tribes have competed against each other for rewards or immunity from being voted off the islands. Every three days Tribal Council is held where one person will be voted off the island and sent to "Loser Lodge" to be sequestered from the rest of the cast and crew.
In past seasons, the losers were free to travel around the area and interact with the local population. This time, however, there was a slight change. Reports indicate that tribe members who are cast off the island are immediately sent to a private island where they are held in one of 12 new houses built by SEG. "The cabins were built for Survivor by the owner of Punta Galeon and Contadora resort. Twelve cabins in total," reports fellow traveler Quartzeye. They call this grouping of cabins, "Ponderosa."
Craven noted, "One island has twelve pine cabins and the other has a single cabin. At low tide you can walk from island to island. We found out that the single cabin was not used for Survivor....just the twelve on Perico." Craven's research also revealed that the cast-offs, "were able to snorkel and swim in the water and row boats around the island. There were DVD's in the cabins."
Below are a few photos from Ponderosa. Click on the gallery link for all the photos.
