2/7/2008: “You Guys Are Dumber Than You Look”

Earlier I wrote.

(…. Our family goes on and off watching (Survivor)–though probably more “on” but I wasn’t going to watch the next one because the most recent installment (filmed in China–which was cool) just broke my heart and left me with no one to root for. And it’s now announced that it’s a special one–Fans Versus Favorites (Survivor players, but not winners). I totally dig that Yau-Man (older Asian (50ish?) guy, centered, mellow) is back as well as Ozzy–very much physically and instinctively a “survivor” and of course, James, a gravedigger. He had both the Immunity Idols in his possession and he dropped the ball and trusted everyone (!)– just long enough for them to vote him and his two Immunity Idols right off! And two contestants in this show are from the greater Chicago area. Nice going, Midwest!…)

*Survivor 16: Micronesia -Fans vs. Favorites Official Website has complete details on the show and all previous Survivors, which is neat.

They’re off and running — and drowning and starving and backbiting and all those other good things that make up a season of the granddaddy of all reality shows.

Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites debuts Feb. 7 on CBS, which has revealed the new cast of challengers  Entertainment Weekly reports exclusively on its Web site.

Those shirtless boys and girls aiming to grab — after much effort — the grand prize of $1 million are (in alphabetical order, by their first names): Alexis Jones, 24, of Austin, Texas; Amanda Kimmel, 23, from Survivor: China; Ami Cusack, 34, Survivor: Vanuatu; Chet Welch, 48, Ford City, Penn.; Cirie Fields, 37, Survivor: Panama; Eliza Orlins, 25, Survivor: Vanuatu; Erik Reichenbach, 22, Ypsilanti, Mich.; James Clement, 30, Survivor: China; Jason Siksa, 22, Fox River Grove, Ill.; Joel Anderson, 32, Avondale, Ariz.; Jonathan Penner, 45, Survivor: Cook Islands; Jon Dalton, 33, Survivor: Pearl Islands; Kathleen Sleckman, 45, Glen Ellyn, Ill.; Mary Sartain, 29, Emeryville, Calif.; Michael Bortone; 34, Los Angeles; Natalie Bolton, 32, West Hollywood, Calif.; Ozzy Lusth, 26, Survivor: Cook Islands; Parvati Shallow, 25, Survivor: Cook Islands; Tracy Hughes-Wolf, 43, Fredericksburg, Va.; and Yau-Man Chan, 55, Survivor: Fiji.

Tonight was Episode 1, of the the 16th Season…

in this sturdy, still-fun-to-watch series which this time features 10 former Survivor contestants versus 10 “fans.” The name of the show pretty much explains that.

So. Tonight was pretty fun.

Yau-Man (from Fiji) got an immunity idol in the first minutes of the show! And he tackled the infamous former contestant ”Johnny Fairplay” to get it, causing Johnny to whine after having his head knocked into the side of a canoe-type boat but the head-knocking didn’t look intentional, Yau-Man just kind of dove for the thing which was hanging from the end of the canoe–which was across a waist-high channel-like area that they initially were dropped off at–and which they had to cross to get to the Immunity Idols.

What was amusing was that Johnny Fairplay had just uttered something like “I’ll bet they are (hidden) in plain sight,” and there they were on the canoes! The second one was grabbed–not by Fairplay but by the woman on the Fan team whose castaway-mates had dubbed the “crazy lady.” The super cool /must be frustrating for him thing, was that Yau-Man came pretty close to having two Immunity Idols again.

Also, major props to Yau-Man for being one of few Survivors to be able to pull off the “start a fire with your eyeglasses” feat–which benefits his whole tribe, of course. 

Survivor 16: Bios –
from the official CBS site. It’s worth a browse and good too as a refresher whether in past seasons you’ve followed faithfully or casually. There are short (about 3-minute) videos, their bios and other stuff about each of them (favourite colour-type stuff) too. Save the link and read as you can. Some bios are really interesting.

Gravedigger James Clement has some really funny comments in his video snippet about his celebrity status, how people react at undertakings…like having his picture taken with them and the casket!
The “crazy lady” is from Illinois! Noooo! Glen Ellyn, Illinois: Kathleen Sleckman, DOB August 14, 1962

The other Illinois “fan” is Jason Siska, Fox River Grove,  March 4, 1985

Hotties (IMO)~(below)

Ami Cusack, Golden, Colorado, DOB January 25, 1973.

 Amanda Kimmel, Los Angeles, DOB August 3, 1984

James, (”He probably has the best (male) body I’ve ever seen.”~ Ozzie) Clement, Lafayette, Louisiana, DOB March 9, 1977

Tags: Amanda Kimmel, Ami Cusack, Episode 1, Fans vs. Favorites, James Clement, Micronesia, photo, Spoilers, Survivor 16, Television