So I posted this entry a couple months ago with a fairly strong point of view. I called it "Burton Roberts, Scum from Survivor." And now . . .

I just can't decide. Definitely softening on the guy. Hard to keep hating him, when he hasn't done a single damn thing to warrant it since his humbling. Hasn't been an asshole even one time, that we've seen, has he?

But he has been reasonable, fair, reasonably straightforward, strong, bright, wily--sometimes wily, exceptionally wily for this crowd. I definitely think he's overplaying his end-game strategy, trying so damn hard to keep from burning bridges that he's likely to boot himself right out of there. But it's worked so far. And he's definitely got Lill Abner and Jonny Asswipe in his pocket, at least for the moment.

So what was that Early Show Appearance From Hell all about? That's the one thing I just can't square. He was so utterly despicable that morning, especially in retrospect. All a big act? Did the CBS handlers order him to act pissed off and bitter enough to convince us he had been booted off that island the second week of the game? They must have told him something like that, and he did convince us, but did he really have to act like a total dick? Surely he could have taken plenty of other approaches. I wouldn't agree to act like a dick on national TV. Could he just have been going for bitter and come off like a prick unintentionally?

Who knows. I would just be really pissed off if I warmed all the way to him, ended up rooting for him to win the damn thing, and then right off on the reunion show he's a prick again. (Like that porn star when he won it--full of himself from the first damn words out of his mouth.) Please don't play us that ugly scene again.

Survivor Pearl Islands page here.

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First, I forgot to create a single comment thread to gather everyone togehter. So if it's not too late, let's make it here.

And hopefully you have heard that the whole series wraps up ten days from tonight.

Next week we start the show with five people, end with four. Three days later, on Sunday, Dec 14, the big finale. (I assume it will be three hours, as always--two-hour final ep, followed by one-hour reunion--but I have not checked.)

Apparently the live ending and reunion are being shot nearly on location for the first time: in Panama City. From what I've read, this is to ease logistical problems related to the timing of the All Stars series. Apparently, the All Stars show began shooting around Nov 4, so if it is again 39 days--which no one knows for sure--that would put the conclusion Dec 12. I guess that is also being shot in the Panama area, meaning Dimples, Rupert and possibly Sandra (and/or the winner of this game) would require a little less time to get their butts from one spot to the other. (Update: apparently that was bogus info: CBS says the finale will be from LA.)

And no one really knows what is happening. If we know MB at all, he'll find some way to tie them together. I would be pretty surprised if he did not find a way to cross promote them better than just showing clips from the next one. A shot of the final tribal council of the all-stars where you could not tell who was there or something? Not that: And clue and the survivorsucks type sites would piece too much together. And he strenuously avoids reinforcing the idea that it is all over, happened a long time ago. I think knowing in December that the next show was already over and decided would take some of the thrill/anticipation out of it.

But then maybe he's not going to change the rules more radically for the all stars? Who says there will be a jury of seven, each with an equal vote? Who knows what he'll do. But I'll expect something.

And then, apparently (I'm not sure about this, so someone correct me), but the all-star game is debuting after the Super Bowl, right?

USE THE COMMENT THREAD OF THIS POST FOR ALL SURVIVOR COMMENTS THIS WEEK (Christa Hastie booted).

Survivor Pearl Islands page here.

The whining is gone, the whining is gone!

So wrapped up have I gotten in my evil plotting for the demise of the once-evil Burton, that I completely forgot one of my least favorite Survivors of the season was tossed into the sea tonight.

How pleasant it will be to watch an entire episode without a single nasal twang.

But only one. Christa Hastie will be back to speak from the jury box the very next episode. And you can bet she'll be pissed. AND whiny!

Survivor Pearl Islands page here.

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Perhaps the series will end and we'll be treated to a big bundle of information explaning why it was not, is not and has not been FUCKING OBVIOUS! that Burton must go.

Or the simpler explanation. We've been watching a bunch of idiots.

The reason I lean toward possibility #2 is that participants continue pointing out how obvious it is, how urgent it is, and all the apparent reasons for getting rid of him fast, and yet, they keep making stupid choices.

Sandra and Christa had him right within their grasp three days ago, threw it away, and now one of them is gone. Darrah tried to do it three days ago,  was betrayed but got a second chance and turned her back. Out of spite? (Stupid reason.) Because she wouldn't trust them after they betrayed her the previous vote? (Understandable, but what did she have to lose? She had immunity? What did anyone have to gain by tricking her to vote for Burton?)

Lill still isn't catching on? In her case, maybe it does make sense. Unless she's really thinking she's going to win that final-three challenge. Stranger things have happened. Just not that often.

And then there's Jon. Not sure what to make of his alliance to Burton. It has definitely worked for him so far, and maybe all the women would turn on him if he were the only boy left. But why on earth does he want to position himself into the finals with Burton? Does he think he would get one vote? Although who would he win a vote against? That's the thing about Jon? What the hell is his strategy? Short of enticing his final rival into committing rape or murder, how is he expecting to earn a vote?

So maybe I've just talked myself out of what I was going to say. But I'll say it anyway: What the hell is making him cling so tightly to Burton? Gay? God Nooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! But that's all I can figure. That or some sort of major hero worship. Yeah, maybe just hero worship. Same reason Lill has hitched herself to his star, right?

More and more, I'm thinking Burton is really going to win this thing.

But I've been wrong so many times before on who will win Survivor. I usually do really well all along, but the killer vote seems to be the four-to-three. Someone always seems to turn on  someone. They all tend to get there in two pairs of two--or one tight pair, so the other two pair off in defense--but . . . SOMEbody fucks somebody. And never any telling who it will be.

Often that number three person pulls a fast one, too.

Very bright of MB to package all four into one show. It's rarely TOO hard to figure out the final vote, but getting there in that last ep is usually chock full of surprises. And I can't even figure out who's going to go the week before. That's pretty damn unusual. 

I'm kinda betting it's Darah, though. And who will she have to blame? She won immunity twice in a row, and failed two times to create herself a four-woman alliance.

Survivor Pearl Islands page here.

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First of all, Lill? Sandra thinks Lill Abner would win any final faceoff? I hope that girl is out of her mind, and/or has never seen Survivor. Traditionally, votes are cast based on one or both of the following criteria:

1. Likeablility

2. Respect.

That's pretty much it. Some people vote almost completely on criteria #1, some nearly all on #2, and some on a combination of the two. Generally, all things being equal, #2 edges out #1 ever so slightly. (Starting with the first Survivor, when Richard the Rat one by one vote over the skinny dumb chick pushing her likeability.) Or course a strong combination of the two is optimal, but rare--few get to the finals with both going on. I recall it happening twice: unfortunately for them, in the same game--Tina and Colby--so one of them still had to lose.

Lill Abner may have #1 down, along with a lot of sympathy, but few people vote on sympathy. She is so utterly pathetic on #2, it seems unlikely. No one likes losing to someone pathetic (i.e., "I'm lower than a pathetic person.")

Does Sandra have her finger on the pulse of this group in a way we never could, or is she just clueless about how people traditionally vote?

Survivor Pearl Islands page here.

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No, I don't mean women, not when they're acting this dumb.

More in a minute.

(Sorry. Turned out to be a very long minute. I got called back to work. I'm sharing an apartment in Chicago with my boss, so I was only called back across the living room, but you gotta pay the rent. At least I do. Any sugar daddies out there?)

Survivor Pearl Islands page here.

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