Jeff Probst Can Freak! September 22, 2006

I  always thought he was so cool and collected, hovering over the survivors like a god-man, dangling meat in front of hungry people who want to have the man himself for supper, and I don’t mean as a dinner guest. He’s unaffected by their hungry glares.

Standing by while contestants stretch and struggle in challenges, revealing plumbers’ cracks or runaway  pop-out breasts affects Jeff not in the least. Okay, you and I see the editor’s blurry pixel patches, but Jeff sees all, taking it with bravery and aplomb. Crazy things happen every day on Survivor–people burn themselves with fire or forests of fungus grow in their privates, boats capsize, winds blow, rains pour and floods overrun camp. All this, and Jeff remains stoic and dignified.

But it happened. Someone finally broke Jeff’s stiff demeanor, sending his jaw crashing to the dirt floor. Billy did it. The burly metal musician, part-time wrestler, the most unimpressive man ever on Survivor.

His tribe threw the challenge so they could go to tribal council and evict him. It looked like an easy plan, a boring plan even to get rid of a boring man. But Billy had a surprise in his pocket. He shocked the bejesus out of Jeff Probst and the rest of America, by stating he and Candice (from another tribe) were in love. WTF? Those were Jeff’’s thoughts, too. WTF?  So unexpected! So surprising! So weird! Everyone looked around, searching for an answer…sort of like when your dog gets knocked up and you don’t know which neighbor pooch did it. You think and think, “Did Rover next door ever go near her?” Did Billy ever go near Candice?

Well, Mark Burnett must have hit the floor running to search for clues from miles of videotape. He did find something.

Set up: Latinos have just come in last in the immunity challenge; they must soon go to Tribal Council. Billy speaks to Candice who stands near him.

Billy:  I’m the next to go. They’re going to vote me out.

Candice: We love you.

Billy: I love you, too.

Voila! But was it true love? Are they Survivor Romeo and Juliet from warring families? I can’t wait until Jeff can get to Candice to ask WTF? Alas, as a side note, Billy did get voted out. All is lost for the star-crossed lovers. They may never meet again except in Billy’s dreams.

Blogged with Flock

Survivor Challenge of the Races September 15, 2006

Well, the season opened in a rollicking fashion as survivors scrambled to scoop up supplies and jump overboard arms loaded with booty, before Jeff poised to yell time’s up, gave the official word. He in the meanwhile kept busy yapping at the camera, explaining this year’s new challenge of the races. I smiled watching him dodge flying boxes and tossed squealing chickens. I don’t know how he avoided getting bonked on the head, but that’s another story.

Four tribes are divided by race, competing against each other on a remote island. One Hispanic paddling with his crew comments on the irony. His parents paddled from an island so their children would be free, and now their son was paddling back to an island again. Later, when constructing huts, one Black American stops to survey the work and comments, “That’s so ghetto!” This should be fun!

Many people take offense at this subtle form of racial profiling. I don’t. I sat fascinated by the spirit with which these team members bonded and went to work. Instead of feeling offended, the ethnicities were anxious to shine, to show the world what they were all about, perhaps to obliterate tired old stereotypes, inspire new admiration, and offer a glimpse at how at the core, we are all just people. Ultimately, one’s blood runs deeper than citizenship. But what is great about America is the blending of the two in the recognition of that core humanity. In America, you bring your unique dish to the table, but you also join with others in partaking of the whole feast.

I’m looking forward to this honest experiment to see America shine, from the inside out.

Blogged with Flock

Sooooo, Mike Boogie Won September 13, 2006

Well, to tell you the truth, in the end I’m glad Boogie won. I hear you! I already stated the guy ruthlessly uses people and shouldn’t take the big prize, and I still think that is true. What changed my mind was Erika and her replies to questions from the jury. Did I miss something? She claimed to have been such a master manipulator picking and choosing whose heads would roll? Who knew? My point being, no one knew she had that much control because she didn’t. I think the woman may have become delusional in trying to save face.

Tonight the reveal-all film clips were the best part of the program. My favorite was Mike calling Erika a “ho” and making plans with Will (on their awesome “chill phones”) to coerce the showmances to vote off their respective best friends. The expression on Erika’s face on hearing it all made me embarrassed for her. But she kept her chin up and survived, although the air between her and Boogie dangled icicles for the rest of the night. I saw no eye contact between them again.

Janelle was voted by the audience to win the new extra prize of $25,000. Good for her! She played the best game, winning challenges again and again while playing an honest game…errr…until she started hanging around with evil Dr. Will that is. That dear man is such a bad influence on people. ;)

A better BB season has never been. The only part missing–it would have been nice for one last episode of Boogie and Will on the “chill phones” discussing final events.

Bling! Bling!

Hello, Boogie here.

Boogie? Will. I heard you won the million dollars.

Sure did, Will.

And you did it with evil showmancing and emotional sabotage.

Sure did, Will.

Stuff even I wouldn’t do.

Yep.

You know what’s funny?

What, Will?

We were BB’s best team ever…

Yep.

And we’ve been friends outside of BB.

Yep.

You know what?

Nope. What, Will?

I don’t like you anymore. Even I wouldn’t do what you did to Erika.

What?

That’s right. I don’t like you. But I needed you. Well, I’m done using you. And I never want to see you again.

Click.

Huh?

technorati tags:big, brother, boogie, chilltown

Blogged with Flock

Oh Crap! Mike Boogie made it September 7, 2006

Oh Crap! Mike Boogie made it to the final two. I wanted it to be Erika and Janelle. And I see Mike and Erika are on hugging terms once more. Personally, I would find it difficult to make nice with someone who came close to ripping out my heart–but that’s just me. As far as I’m concerned, Mike Boogie played a disingenuous game while squashing human dignity under his dirty old big toe.  Was he going to drop off broken-hearted Erika along the way as roadkill? Just because she found him out in time to save herself doesn’t make the emotional sabotage okay.

The jury who will vote on Tuesday are: Marcellus, Howie, Chicken George, James, Danielle, evil Dr. Will, and Janelle. Hmmm, I’m guessing Boogie Mike  has a good chance. We’ll see.  Drat! I feel disappointed. It has been a kick-ass season, and now the ending has fallen flat because I don’t like the way Boogie has won. I hope all four tires blow when he’s driving that fancy new car home to his mom.

Big Brother Mike Boogie–Ooooooh nooooooo! September 6, 2006

The camera panned Mike Boogie and I knew I’d seen that expression before–the eyes reduced to tiny dots of surprise, the mouth a cute little “oh” circle. Mike Boogie was transformed to Mr. Bill! Ooooooh noooooo! The cost of a TV - $600, electricty for an hour - mere pennies, the look on Boogie’s face- PRICELESS!

Yes, my friends, the girls got talking, compared notes and finally got a clue that they both were being fed the same crappy lines and the same deal in sloppy romance. Revenge is theirs. Dr. Will is already gone, and Mike Boogie’s prospects look slim, very slim, indeed. I predict he will be a bitter opponent to the end, fluctuating between crybaby giving up and drastic attempts to save his own skin. Should be fun to watch. Kudos to Erika for getting a grip on the situation and taking charge. Dr. Will left as the class act he always is–Kudos to him for playing his usual fascinating game in the spirit of hefty competition and proper cunning and fun.

Speaking of class acts, NOT! What happened to Howie? This season he is the bully of the block, making the safe house a living hell. He’s Ralph and Marcellus is Alice and all you can hear in the place is, “to the moon, Alice” and “Shuuuut uuup..” What a ghastly place to have to stay. Now Howie is lashing out at others, too. Why is he acting like he has PMS? He is truly a disappointment and a poor, poor loser.

I’m an avid student of human nature, and this BB season has been a fascinating study. The next couple episodes should be fun as this most remarkable season of Big Brother comes to a close.

Blogged with Flock

Mike Boogie Must Die! September 4, 2006

Mike Boogie Must Die! Die! Okay, I know I’ve said before that this is a game and only a game. And I said the girls were wrong to wear their hearts on their sleeves, but Geez! Mike Boogie is ruthless, leading Erika along, professing his love, sleeping with her every night–and it’s all an act. The bad part is she has fallen for him Big Boogie Time. (”Big Boogie” is no reference to his private anatomical parts–how would I know?) But I digress…the scandalous part is he knows it. He knows she is in love with him and that she will be devastated when he stabs her in the back, and still he proceeds with the subterfuge. Die, Mike Boogie, die! Have you noticed his pupils have turned into little dollar signs?

Dr. Will is “showmancing” Janelle, but it is playful, funny, and obvious neither one is taking it seriously. So that’s okay by me. I hope Janelle wins the veto, takes herself off the block and somehow sticks around long enough to kill Mike Boogie. When it comes down to it, she would want herself and Will to be the final two, and so would I!

Big Brother - Can Anyone Stop Them? August 30, 2006

Can anyone stop the duo of Boogie and Will from coasting to the final two? Do we want them stopped? Probably not. America loves these two. Who could blame us? They’re smart, funny, clever, and most importantly as far as I’m concerned–they treat this like a game, and only a game. It’s all strategy to them, not emotions. And it’s a contest requiring misrepresentation, antics, and magic tricks, which need objectivity and a cool head. It’s a mistake to wear your heart on the outside.

Speaking of which, the contrasting emotions in this game boggle the mind. Earlier, I commented to my better half what a fun group this was–how they truly seemed to enjoy each other now that they’ve been whittled down to a the final few. I was watching them pouncing on each other to squeeze the “nectar” out of bees, Boogie and Will, to fill cups in a challenge to win decent food for the week. The giggling and hysteria were infectious. You wished you could be there to add to the fun, which turned out to be some of the bawdiest antics I’ve seen on TV in a while. Rolling on the floor funny.

Then, last night, the ultimate betrayal when Erika put up Danielle, her best friend in the house. The tears, the drama–what a mess as Danielle stabbed back with anger, putting Erika in tears. Now the house is dark and sullen. To the aside, though, Boogie and Will barely contain their glee at another successful step in their plan. In a room alone, they did a happy dance with lots of high-fiving and yahoo’s.

Erika was duped by Boogie who is employing “showmance” to manipulate her. He convinced her to betray Danielle. On the other side, Will is “showmancing” Janelle, convincing her as well to talk to Erika and make a phony deal which required Erika to put up Danielle to get her out of the way. Each girl is suspicious of her man but agreeing with him, letting her heart lead instead of her brain. I’m expecting one or both of them will be on the block next week…for real…not as pawns. Although Boogie and Will no doubt will convince them as pawns. This has got to be the most fun season ever, although I am sorry about the broken hearts–but this is a game, really, and one of the skills required is to outwit your opponents.

Big Brother - Whoa! August 23, 2006

Now I’m blown away! As if things couldn’t get crazier, the show has taken another nerve-jarring twist. Imagine my surprise when evil Dr. Will proposed to Boogie that they keep Janelle in the game! What? I thought she was the most hated, feared babe on the planet. The idea here is to keep her around to put the bull’s eye on her for a couple more weeks and off of Chill Town.

Oh my Gawd! It makes sense. I have to admire Will’s scope. He sees the bigger picture. Kudo’s to him for keeping his emotions out of it and remaining steadfastly analytical. Many a player has let his hate or anger be his downfall in this game. He could have so easily succumbed. So, that means James has to go instead. To my surprise, James thinks Boogie and Will will save him. Whew! Boogie and Will are good, very good. LOL.

But in the meanwhile, how about cuddly Chicken George. Now this guy is growing horns and cloven hooves. Who’da thunk he would make dirty deals under the counter–but there he is making simultaneous agreements with both Erika and Janelle. The foolish women trust him without a doubt because he’s, well, cuddly, father-like, and too old to be smart, Chicken George. Suckers!

Whew, boy! I need to sit back and try to remember what integrity is all about. This may take a while. I’ve been brain-washed.