#jeff probst super fan

[waperaexpert]

Hugo Wolf when a woman

[lilacjaemin]

mutuals i’d like to get to know better 🌟

tagged by: @jentwt (omg ive been meaning to message u hiii!!!)

last song: carat cake - nct dream

favorite color: any and all pinks :p

spicy/sweet/savory: out of these id choose sweet but im a very big potato chip fan <3 salt 4ever

currently watching: season 11 of australian survivor lol its sm better than the us version but shh dont tell jeff probst

relationship status: girl a tumbleweed just rolled by...

current obsession: im super back into stardew valley bc of the 1.6 update so that is taking over my life again! i did not think id like starting from scratch but im having sm fun :D

tagging: since my blog was so ia for so long i only have one (1) active mutual left😭 hi arie sharkie @spldeyboy ily

[austronauts]

Toronto Maple Leafs Players as Survivor Contestant Archetypes - Part 1 (Mitch, Auston, Bunts)

i realize that literally nobody except my 2 friends, my middle aged coworker, and i watch Survivor anymore, but this idea has been stuck in my head for ages so im going to go ahead and do the thing that literally nobody except 1 of my 2 brain cells (the one with less self control) asked for: Toronto Maple Leafs Players as Survivor contestant archetypes (and how long they’d last in the competition). I started writing this and it very quickly spun out of control so I will have to break it up into several parts. Here’s the Maple Leafs’ 1st liners as Survivor contestants. 

Mitch Marner - The Goofy Sociable Twink/Survivor “Super-Fan” 

Mitch’s intro will basically be Mitch earnestly yapping at LENGTH about how he’s been watching Survivor with his parents since he was a BABY. Survivor is part of his LIFE. Survivor has been there for him through all his life’s HIGHS AND LOWS. Jeff Probst is Mitch’s BFF. Mitch used to have a poster of Ozzy on his BEDROOM WALL. Mitch has been waiting to be on SURVIVOR HIS WHOLE LIFE. [Cue corny footage of Mitch and his parents reenacting how they watch Survivor by cuddling up on their living room couch with their dog and a massive bucket of popcorn (for Mitch)] Everything about Mitch’s intro will be really fucking cringe. 

Mitch endears himself to his teammates at first with his general dorky affability. He’s a puppy! It’s fun to have him around yapping fecklessly while failing to build a fire for 45 minutes! Mitch annoys his teammates later for his inability to NOT cite Survivor trivia every 20 seconds (”OMG this is just like that time in Survivor Season 16 when Ozzy...”) and his general inability to NOT shut up!!! Ever!!!

Mitch THINKS his teammates value him because of his certified-SUPER-FAN Survivor knowledge and brainpower. Actually, his teammates like him because of his underrated scrappy physicality and his starry-eyed gullibility. the latter quality makes him scarily easy to manipulate into joining alliances and spilling secrets. 

Mitch inevitably ends up in an alliance with intelligent alpha women who know that Mitch offers physical prowess, very little in the way of ability to socially manipulate, and the potential to play a double agent that can infiltrate the “all-male alpha meatshield bro jock” alliance. 

This somehow results in Mitch playing incredibly pivotal roles in every elimination vote, and the stress of having multiple people ask him for his LOYALTY, and the stress of having to vote out his FRIENDS makes Mitch cry. 

Will Mitch Marner make it to the merge: Just barely, but he’ll be the first one voted out post-merge

How will he get voted out: He will be effortlessly fooled into thinking a slightly colorful stick with some decorative rice grains and beads is an immunity idol and try to use it during tribal council, to the absolute GLEE of Jeff Probst (you may laugh but this is a real thing that happened on Survivor).

Mitch’s post elimination behavior: He will look back at his tribal council buddies, earnestly wish them good luck and thank them for their friendship, and try to kiss Jeff Probst

Auston Matthews - The Alpha Male/Freak-of-Nature Athlete/Meatshield 

Auston’s intro will just be a cringey montage of Auston working out and participating in various sporps things. Auston will repeatedly emphasize 2 things: He’s really really really really competitive, and he’s noT JUST PHYSICALITY HE’S ALSO REAL SMART (citation needed).

Auston definitely coasts through the initial few episodes bc his sheer physical prowess either helps his team win elimination challenges, or is enough of an asset for his team to keep him around

Auston naturally enters an alliance with the cool hot people early on (a fellow meatshield man who’s also an ultramarathoner and a consultant, a bombshell woman who’s a lawyer and a crossfitter, and a former US Olympian). Cue footage of them lazing around on the tropical beach, letting the topaz waves lap languorously over their chiseled muscles, their tapered waists, their gleaming smiles etc. etc.

Auston thinks being in this alliance with the cool hot athletic people is enough to keep him safe until the merge. And for awhile, they do run the show and vote out the weaklings first

Auston starts losing his mind because the thing about being a hulking 6′3″ specimen is that you need a huge amount of CALORIES everyday. the thimble-fuls of watery rice, wedges of coconut, and slivers of unseasoned fish pushes Auston to the EDGE OF SANITY, and he starts tearing up because he just misses his protein powder so much :(

THEN, he gets into a fight with the rest of the team bc Auston is eating too much of their daily rice rations. Auston gets HEATED bc his physical skills in the reward challenges is what won them the rice in the first place and GOD DOES HE HAVE TO DO EVERYTHING AROUND HERE?

This is a bad and stupid move. REVENGE OF THE NERDS, FUCKER!!!

Will Auston make it to the merge: No he will not lol. 

How will he get eliminated: He will get blindsided when all the non-hot non-cool people unite against rice hogger Auston Matthews and effortlessly eliminate him in a united block vote. 

Auston’s post-elimination behavior: Auston will shake his head in disbelief and say “Wow, good luck with the rest of the challenges without me” in a slightly threatening tone as he leaves. However, the teams will merge immediately after Auston’s elimination episode, rendering his threat completely pointless. coda: Auston will be one of those “what-if” candidates that return in future seasons for another shot. He will get eliminated the same way again. 

Michael Bunting - The Chaos Agent/Immunity Idol Magnet

Bunts’ intro will show Bunts doing cool tricks on the trampoline with his dog. That’ll pretty much be the extent of Bunts’ intro, but it’ll be enough for everyone to get a sense of who this peculiar little man is. 

Bunts creates chaos from the very first episode by BLATANTLY looking for the immunity idol when the rest of his team is doing things like GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER, BUILDING THEIR SHELTER TOGETHER, SUSSING EACH OTHER OUT FOR POTENTIAL ALLIANCES

This obviously causes great ire and suspicion amongst his teammates, and places a target on his back, but Bunts does not care. Also, he’s freakishly good at finding immunity idols. Throughout the course of the season Bunts is going to find all the immunity idols - on HIS side of the island, on his opponents’ side of the island, on Exile Island, in Jeff Probst’s PANTS. EVERYWHERE. he’s going to collect them all and he’s never going to die

Bunts inexplicably creates an unbreakably tight alliance and genuine friendship with the old people - a 60 yr old retired 3rd grade teacher from Modesto California who says Bunts reminds her of her grandson, and a 63 yr old retired gravedigger who says Bunts reminds him of his dead chihuahua Larry (he starts sobbing while talking about Bunts’ resemblance to Larry. It’s like both super fucking weird and very wholesome). 

Bunts is 100% the type to openly start shit during TRIBAL COUNCIL and destroy ANY voting strategy various alliances had coming into Tribal council. Jeff Probst ADORES Bunts (Mitch is only a tiny bit jealous. just a TINY bit ok). 

Everytime the more cerebral contestants who treat Survivor like a game of chess or the Alpha Male Jocks try to vote Bunts off, he survives by pulling an immunity idol out of his crotch with the most ANNOYING grin on his face. 

As the season progresses, it becomes clear that this feral chaos agent holds ALL THE POWER, and the cerebral contestants and Alpha Male Jocks are forced to begin desperately fighting for a CRUMB of Bunts’ affection. Bunts loves the attention. Bunts takes great joy in voting them off one by one off the island.

Will Bunts make it to the merge: HELL YEAH

How will he get eliminated: Honestly Bunts will be one of the 3 finalists and will probably lose only bc he will have pissed off some of the jury because he like farted in their water supply or something (Bunts doesnt regret it).

Bunts’ post-elimination behavior: Good-naturedly hugs the winner because he knows Probst is going to recruit him again for another season. Bunts WILL win that one. He will spend some of his $1 million winnings on getting another chihuahua for his retired firefighter bff  and bolstering the retirement funds of his retired 3rd grade teacher bff. He will be a r/survivor subreddit favorite.

[vonlipvig]

Survivor Winners at War Ep 9 Recap

In this episode, oh my gODDDDD AAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH SDHSKJHSJHSKFHSKL holy shit

...Anyway.

So the ep starts with the gang coming back to camp, and Nick and Michele are pissed cause they were not in on the last vote, and ok why is it so hilarious that it’s TONY the one that’s being super level headed and telling Nick “dude, calm down, nobody’s going after you just cause you voted for Wendell”? (No but for real, Tony’s being super smart and not that over the top sooooo...)

Then Michele and Adam have a conversation (where Michele is like “oh yeah I’m pissed”...to Adam? The person she was voting for? Lmao), and Adam tells her...his...brilliant idea.

It’s the beginning of something wonderful, oh baby.

But yeah, he thinks the little fleur de lis thingie on Jeff’s table looks like the idol Denise found, and thus, it’s probably a hidden idol...in Tribal. On the podium. And here’s where my friend and I look at each other and go hoooooly shit don’t tell me this is gonna happen cause WE CAN FEEL IT’S GONNA HAPPEN and dkjffdflk.

But we’ll go back to that.

On the Edge, the gang goes on another scavenger hunt for something to sell, and Danni and Parv end up finding a 50/50 immunity coin thing (And apparently they find it in the same place that Aubry found whatever the hell she found on s38, y’all think I remember? I’m a fan I just have shit memory, guys!). Parv decides to sell it to Michele for four tokens, which DKFHDKJ PARV YOU’RE SO RIPPING HER OFF I LOVE IT, and in the end she and Danni decide to share the news and food reward with everyone else BUT Yul and Wendell which lmao (I mean, makes sense since they were the last ones to arrive).

Back in the game proper, it’s Challenge Time! It’s the one with the fish puzzle pieces, blah blah blah, they divide into two teams, whatever. Sarah’s team wins, but then she decides to give her spot on the reward to Nick, because it was his birthday the day before (and well, he didn’t have a great time, if that TC was any indication lmao).

And ok, Sarah did it simply because she is Nice. I mean, it must be tough to keep the “strategic brain” turned on every time, cause sometimes the humanity of it all gets to you, but ONCE AGAIN TONY IS BEING A BIG VOICE OF REASON going “girlie, c’mon, that’s gonna be seen as a strategic move, they’re gonna want you out”. And he’s kind of right, cause everyone else is like uuuuuuhhh okay.

Then Michele finds the 50/50 coin that Parv is trying to sell to her, and lo and behold, she buys it!

Like, don’t get me wrong, she 100% got scammed cause that thing was NOT worth four fire tokens, but she’s in a pretty shitty position if they’re gonna keep going after low profile people (and considering she doesn’t have that many allies anymore, I’d say Jeremy but Jeremy’s the one that wants these kind of people out sooo). But yeah, making Parv rich, I’m not complaining!

For the Immunity Challenge, we have the “stand on that triangular platform on the water and stay there” challenge, which always seems like such fun and one that...I think I could do pretty well? I mean, I don’t have the worst balance?

Anyway, Kim wins (Yay, Kim!), but god was it fun to see Ben do some weird Surfing Karate to try to stay on it!

Yeehaw!

Then of course it’s time for Chaos. The lions want the vote to be between Nick and Adam. Nick wants Sophie out. Adam prefers to go for Sarah. The lions clearly don’t want it to be Sarah, so they’re ok with Adam. 

Gratuitous Sarah pic being a badass, because we all need Sarah being a badass in our lives.

Then Ben goes to confront Adam cause he had said that him and Sarah were super close and Adam is kind of trying to stumble his way out of that and it’s really awkward and also really funny? I just think they’re so over each other dfkjdfkh (AND IT AIN’T OVER YET!).

And now we go to Tribal. Hooooo boy.

So Jeff gets ignored almost right away, and LET THE CHAOS BEGIN!

You got everything, baby. You’ve got Adam and Ben going at each other about PRE-MERGE DRAMA!? WHAT ARE THEY TALKING ABOUT DKJFDFKJ. While that distraction is going on, everyone is whispering, everyone is up and talking, and I’m smiling from ear to ear, gotta love this show.

AND THEN. DKJFHDKJFHD. AND THEN EVERYONE SHUTS UP AND ADAM ASKS IF THEY’RE VOTING FOR HIM.

AND THEN IT’S COMPLETE SILENCE. THEY’RE HARDCORE IGNORING HIM I’M-..DFJKDHFKDH

So at this point I’m at near death from the second hand embarrassment, and I think it’s pretty clear to everyone--Adam included--that it’s probably him being voted out...

OH BABY TIME FOR PLAN B.

So it’s time to read the votes, I’m grabbing my friend’s hand really hard, we’re at the edge of our seats, is he gonna do it? is he really gonna do it?

AND THEN. AND THEN HE DOES. HE STANDS UP. HE WALKS TO JEFF’S TABLE...

IT’S STUCK. IT’S STUCK TO THE FUCKING TABLE. BECAUSE IT’S A PIECE OF THE FUCKING SET. AND HE’S TRYING AND IT KEEPS RATTLING AND I’M DYING HOLY SHIT OH MY GODDDD DKJFHEKJFHEKF.

But holy shit it doesn’t even end there because Jeff motherfucking Probst--who thrives on chaos, tears, and embarrassment--is all “...are you sure?”, AND THEN ADAM GOES “wait, can I play that? I wanna play that.” AND JEFF IS LIKE “you wanna play...this thing...the thing you can’t get from this table.” AND ADAM’S LIKE “yes.” AND I’M IN ANOTHER DIMENSION BY THIS POINT I’M LAUGHING AND CRYING THIS IS A LOT.

And no, it wasn’t and he was voted out.

BUT LET ME SAY THIS. Fucking kudos to him for going through with all of that. Like, at one point if you know you’re screwed anyway what does it even matter right? Just fucking try, the worst thing that can happen is that you look silly, but that’s COMEDY AND WE LOVE IT. So yeah, props to him cause GOD THAT WAS HILARIOUS.

(Also, apparently there was an idol hidden in TC in an international Survivor season, maybe South Africa, I don’t remember? I didn’t watch any but if he did then he probably convinced himself it wasn’t that crazy an idea. Plus, I guess if you’re desperate you can totally convince yourself that if the idol was a fleur de lis that could be an idol as well, but yeah...it was WAY too crazy, but goddamn if it wasn’t entertaining).

Thank you Adam, love you dude.

[tabloidtoc]

Us, February 17

Cover: Inside Scientology’s trial of the century 

Page 2: Red Carpet -- hip-side sash -- Camila Cabello, Rosalia, Renee Zellweger, Laura Carmichael, Yara Shahidi, Scarlett Johansson 

Page 4: Who Wore It Best? Elle Fanning vs. Amber Valletta, Keltie Knight vs. Jeannie Mai 

Page 6: Loose Talk -- Kumail Nanjiani, Kiernan Shipka, Kristen Bell 

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Hot Pics -- Super Bowl -- Shakira and Jennifer Lopez perform at the halftime show, J.Lo’s daughter Emme 

Page 11: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and MVP Patrick Mahomes, Jay-Z and daughter Blue, Alex Rodriguez and daughter Natasha, Cardi B and Bruce Beal, Demi Lovato  

Page 12: Duchess Kate Middleton visits Stockwell Gardens Nursery, Justin and Hailey Bieber 

Page 13: Former cheerleader Kendall Jenner shows off her moves with the stars of the Netflix hit docuseries Cheer on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Charlize Theron at the Costume Designers Guild Awards, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas head to the Ivy in London 

Page 14: At the Oscar Nominees Luncheon Cynthia Erivo chatted with Brad Pitt and Renee Zellweger, Aly Raisman and her fellow #AerieReal Role Models Beanie Feldstein and Lana Condor, Margot Robbie and Jurnee Smollett-Bell embrace in Mexico City 

Page 16: Blake Lively wears six outfits in less than 48 hours to promote The Rhythm Section 

Page 18: A-listers hit the slopes -- Gwyneth Paltrow and Brad Falchuk in Aspen, Sydney Sweeney in Sandpoint, Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa in Switzerland 

Page 19: Shawn Johnson in Park City, Kevin Hart and wife Eniko and kids Kenzo and Hendrix and Heaven in Aspen, Cassie Randolph and Colton Underwood in Denver, Chelsea Handler and her assistant Brandon 

Page 20: Stars They’re Just Like Us -- Jenny McCarthy shovels show outside her house in Chicago, Mark Wahlberg hits the gym 

Page 21: Dove Cameron helps with beach cleanup, Duchess Camilla learns how to restore furniture 

Page 22: Billie Lourd and Margaret Qualley at the Casting Society of America’s Artois Awards, Lizzo at the Sirius XM and Pandora Opening Drive Super Concert Series in Miami 

Page 23: Sundance Film Festival -- Will Ferrell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus promote their film Downhill, Kajillionaire’s Evan Rachel Wood and Gina Rodriguez and Richard Jenkins, director Dee Rees with Anne Hathaway and Rosie Perez of the film The Last Thing She Wanted 

Page 24: Carlin and Evan Stewart show off newborn daughter Layla Rae, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson gets a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Page 25: BAFTA Awards -- Prince William and Duchess Kate, Kate Middleton meets Hildur Gounadottir and Laura Dern, Renee Zellweger and Joaquin Phoenix, Emilia Clarke, Elizabeth Banks is Hasty Pudding’s woman of the year

Page 26: Love Lives: A little more than a year into their marriage Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are as starry-eyed as ever 

Page 27: Deborra-Lee Furness says husband Hugh Jackman is funny but not as funny as she is, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach are competitors at this year’s Oscars but Noah says they’re purely supportive, after a brief split Channing Tatum and Jessie J are stronger than ever 

Page 28: Hollywood Moms -- The Bachelor’s Catherine Giudici on kids Samuel and Isaiah and Mia 

Page 29: Sienna Miller’s daughter Marlowe loves going to the set with mom, unless she’s filming with other kids, B.J. Novak is a great babysitter for Mindy Kaling and daughter Katherine, June Diane Raphael and her husband Paul Scheer aren’t committed to their sons’ genders 

Page 30: Hot Hollywood -- Lady Gaga’s new man is Michael Polanski

Page 31: Meghan Markle’s dad has badmouthed her and she and Prince Harry are on the outs with the royal family since fleeing the kingdom with son Archie so that leaves one relative in the couple’s inner circle -- Meghan’s mom Doria Ragland, except they’re not really all that close, Nick Lachey is not a fan of Jessica Simpson’s memoir, VIP Scene -- Jaime King (pictured), 2 Chainz, Jennifer Beals, Paul McCartney and Rande Gerber, The Rock, Paris Hilton, Blair Underwood, Demi Lovato, Swae Lee 

Page 32: Orlando Bloom’s ex Miranda Kerr and fiance Katy Perry actually like each other, Katy and Orlando will wed in April 

Page 34: What’s in my Bag? Jamie-Lynn Sigler 

Page 36: Cover Story -- Scientology scandal trial and error -- inside the court case that could finally bring down the controversial church 

Page 40: Lori Loughlin’s desperate plea -- in a last-ditch effort to stay out of prison, the disgraced actress goes on the offensive 

Page 42: Jesse Tyler Ferguson -- the new host of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on life after Modern Family 

Page 50: Oscar Stars’ Evolution -- Scarlett Johansson, Cynthia Erivo, Renee Zellweger 

Page 52: Us Musts -- Fran Drescher is back with a new sitcom and a Broadway show 

Page 54: Jeff Probst on Survivor: Winners at War 

Page 55: Sundance Film Festival 

Page 58: Fashion Police -- Retta, Alessandra Ambrosio, Rachel Brosnahan 

Page 59: Robert Downey Jr., Tove Lo, Emma Mackey 

Page 60: 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me -- Hector Elizondo

[faceebook]

On Tonight's Survivor:

I am a transgender woman, only out to a couple family members and all of you online. I’m pre-transition but about to start, which is to say that I have not yet begun to know the struggles I will likely go through in life to be myself.

On tonight’s episode of Survivor: Game Changers (Season 34!), a closeted trans-man named Zeke was outed, both publicly and on the show, by a fellow contestant at Tribal Council. This contestant, Jeff Varner, was likely to be eliminated from the game and announced to the tribe that Zeke was trans, ostensibly as a ploy to make people distrust Zeke.

The initial response by both Zeke’s fellow tribemates and the host Jeff Probst was stunned silence followed by intense anger and sadness directed at Varner. All five tribemates lambasted Varner as Zeke sat in shock.

My reaction was the same as Zeke’s. I couldn’t believe that someone I had watched on my local news for years, someone who I had loved on two previous seasons, someone who was an openly gay man, could do something so mindlessly cruel to another person. I expect those type of comments from ignorant assholes and spineless politicians, but certainly not from someone like Jeff Varner. I also realize that Varner surely regretted saying it once the words actually came out, but that doesn’t undo his actions. I know I have said stupid things in my life, but I can’t say I’ve ever stooped that low as an adult.

Despite all of this, somehow the overall feeling I have tonight is joy. Something so tragic could’ve left me feeling shaken and sad, but the way Zeke turned the moment into a beautiful one amazes me the more I think about it.

After regaining his composure at Tribal Council, Zeke found the strength to say this:

“Being trans and transitioning, it’s a long process, it’s a very difficult process, and there are people who know. But then I sort of got to the point where I stopped telling people, because when people know that about you, that’s sort of who you are. There are questions people ask, people who want to know about your life, they want to know about this and that, and it sort of overwhelms everything else that they know about you. You’re no longer Zeke, you’re ‘the trans person’.

I think I’ve been fortunate to play Survivor as long as I’ve been playing it and not have that label, and one of the reasons I didn’t want to lead with that is that I didn’t want to be 'the Trans Survivor Player’, I wanted to be Zeke, the Survivor player. And I feel like I am! So I’m okay. I knew someone might pick up on it or it might be revealed, so I am prepared to talk about it, to have it be a part of my Survivor experience. It’s kind of crappy the way it’s happened, but, you know.

'Metamorphosis’ is the word of the episode, and I feel like I’ve seen such a metamorphosis of myself over the past 52 days I’ve played Survivor. I don’t know if the scared kid who hit the mat in the marooning of (Season) 33 would be as calm as I am right now, but I’ve started two fires with just bamboo, I’ve won challenges, I’ve been part of blindsides, I’ve done all kinds of crazy stuff and I am a changed, stronger, better man today than I was then. So you know what Varner, it was really not cool, but you know, I’m fine.

You know Jeff, I’m certainly not anyone who should be a role model for anybody else, but maybe there’s someone who’s a Survivor fan, and me being out on the show helps him, or helps her, or helps someone else, and so maybe this will lead to a greater good.”

As incredible as it was to hear these words delivered so eloquently by Zeke, and on national television no less, it was the words from another tribemate that amazed me the most.

Sarah, a conservative cop on the tribe, was the most reserved person at Tribal Council while the chaos caused by Varner’s words unfolded behind her, sitting deep in contemplation. What she finally said blew me away.

“I’m just thankful that I got to know Zeke for who Zeke is. I’ve been with him for the last eighteen days, and he’s, like, super kick-ass. I’m from the Midwest and I come from a very conservative background, so it’s not very diverse when it comes to a lot of gay and lesbian and transgender things like that. So I’m not as exposed to it as much as most of these people are, and the fact that I can love this guy so much, and it doesn’t change anything for me, it makes me realize that I’ve grown huge as a person.

Of course we want to come away with the million dollars, but the metamorphosis that I’ve even made as a person that I didn’t realize until this minute is invaluable. I’m sorry it came out that way, but I’m glad it did. I’m so glad I got to know you for Zeke, and not for what you were afraid of us knowing you as, and I’ll never look at you that way.”

Seeing someone who has obviously never had to confront feelings like this so directly, and quickly realizing that she still loved Zeke for Zeke, with his being transgender not changing anything, gives me hope. It makes me realize that most people, when given the opportunity, will treat you with kindness and compassion. And maybe what they need to explore these feelings is to have a personal moment of realization like Sarah did. Zeke, and Varner I suppose, gave millions of people the opportunity that Sarah had tonight.

Some people will hold onto their prejudices regardless and demonize Zeke to fit their worldview. Perhaps they’ll never become accepting of LGBTQ people, or maybe it will take someone directly in their life coming out to change. But I know that some people watching tonight, who rooted for Zeke every week not knowing he was trans, are spending tonight reconsidering their values. That’s progress. And what a beautiful thing it is.

On a personal level, the handling of this moment by both Jeff Probst and the producers/editors involved in it make me proud to be a “superfan” of this show. It could have gone haywire and turned into a purely rotten situation, but instead became a truly important focus on what it means to be true to yourself in this world. I have always wanted to be on this show, roughing it in the rain with people scheming against me, trying miserably to untie knots underwater because I want to be treated to Adam Sandler’s latest film, feeling the euphoria of making it onto the jury, and even the slim possibility of winning a million dollars. I had never truly thought I could make it onto the show, and coming out as transgender initially made me think that I had even less of a chance.

Zeke changed that for me.

I want to make an audition tape now. I feel like if he can do it, and do it so well, then why the hell cant I? I know millions of people have had that same thought, but I’ve never once felt this sense of drive in my young life. I owe that to Survivor first and foremost, but also to Zeke and the, dare I say it, heroism he showed on tonight’s episode.

Maybe you’ll see me on a future season of Survivor, maybe not. But I know that I got something life-changing out of the show tonight, and I’m sure I’m not alone. If eight year old me, sitting there enthralled by the very first season of Survivor, could know just how big an effect this show would have on her, she wouldn’t believe it. Mostly because she was eight and didn’t know anything about anything, but still.

Tonight, send your love to Zeke Smith for bravely confronting what could have been ruinous and transforming it into something worth celebrating. Send your love to Sarah Lacina, Ozzy Lusth, Tai Trang, Andrea Boehlke, and Debbie Wanner for speaking up on Zeke’s behalf, being true allies to trans people everywhere, and showing that there will always be people in this world who will have your back when the bullies try to knock you down. And send your love to Jeff Varner, who made a terrible mistake, and has by all accounts suffered ten times over for it. Allow him to learn from this and become a better person as a result. He will be most capable of doing this with your love and support. Do not excuse his actions and similar actions of others worldwide, but fight to turn the negatives into positives whenever possible.

We can do this.

Love always, Claire.

[stisdale]

Survivor

A 2010 survey found that registered Republicans are more likely to watch Survivor and reality television in general than registered Democrats. Old seasons of Survivor on Hulu sometimes have commercials for products like the Hoveround mobility scooter. (Democrats seemed to prefer “character-driven dramas, like Dexter.”)

So why do I watch? Not because it’s real, and not even because it’s good. As a whole, the show is sort of awful. But I keep watching.

I’m not a serious fan. If I was serious, I’d be subscribing to CBS All Access so I could watch videos of Ponderosa, the resort area where jury members wait between Tribal Councils, drink, flirt, get makeovers, fight, cry, and gang up on each other. (According to the contract, a player who ends up at Ponderosa “may be obligated to undertake numerous practical activities and chores as part of my daily schedule and routine.”) All Access also gives us interviews between Jeff Probst and minor-league celebrities who are Survivor fans, a chance to vote in various surveys, and a collection of contestants’ favorite selfies. If I was serious, I’d read Mario Lanza’s memoir of being a Survivor historian. I’d be listening to the Survivor Know-It-All podcast. I’d be following the Mr. and Miss Survivor contests. I’d be on Facebook so I could watch the live-streaming series called “Beyond the Buff,” which currently features “a rotating group of Survivor experts, celebrity super-fans, and former castaways to weigh in on the biggest moments” of each week’s episodes. I’d be registered in one of the major Survivor chat rooms and looking up “buff” on Survivor Wiki to find out who first wore the buff as a skirt and who first threw it into the fire at Redemption Island and what font different seasons have used on the buff for the show’s name. I’d be spending a lot more time on youtube.

Survivor has been accused of showing scenes out of order, messing with the chronology of how relationships develop, splicing together scenes and conversations for effect, and adding a false point of view. The show is more or less made up. Sort of. It’s not exactly real. Survivor films hundreds of hours for every hour it broadcasts.The editors know who wins and who comes close and who never has a chance; they know who is going to make the biggest mistake and when the wrong words will be said. The producers don’t decide who goes and who stays—not exactly. But they decide how those who go and those who stay are portrayed. The editors create characters from a mountain of raw material, picking and choosing to create what we want: a hero, a villain, a mentor, a pawn, a surprise.

The audience has no idea how accurate the aired footage is to the actual game, and, except for a few tantalizing details, will never know. It took me a long time to accept how curated the show is; I wanted it to be what it appeared to be, but was not. (And yet people really do say these things.) I don’t really believe anything I see—not the arguments, the tears or the hugs or the blindsides.

By watching we are already playing, and playing in the same way as the contestants—knowing some, but not all, of what happens; trusting some, but not all, of the process; never sure if we’ve made the right choice about who to trust. By watching, we connive to keep the game going, and even to keep the conniving going, because we like the game and we like the contrivances. We are collaborators, and part of that role is to pretend we are not, to join in the big and small and tiny lies. We’re not evil, says one of the first contestants. That’s just who we play on television.

[dinoandes]

I have to give it to the man of the hour. The executive producer of the Number 1 reality show, SURVIVOR. Season 1 premiered in 2000. 17 years later, they are now on their 34th season. And the premiere episode is its 500th episode. I remember watching the first season when I was a senior high. 498 castaways later, I am still a huge fan of the show and I forever will be a super duper fan like @survivoradam. Sucks that 12 of my Survivor buffs were stolen. Congratulations to Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst, and everyone behind the production of this game changing show. To 17 more years! 🎉🔥👏🏻💪🏻🗿🇵🇭🇦🇺🇫🇯🇰🇪🇬🇦🇼🇸🇵🇦🇨🇳🇹🇭🇰🇭🇧🇷🇵🇫🇲🇾🇵🇼🇻🇺🇬🇹🇨🇰🇳🇮 (Flags of all the countries Survivor has filmed at.) #Survivor #Survivor500 #SurvivorGameChangers #Rhap #usa #la #cali #california #hollywood #walkoffame #summer #vacation #travel (at Hollywood Walk of Fame)

[biofunmy]

Television’s ‘Survivor’ dealing with #MeToo-era issues

NEW YORK — The CBS game “Survivor” ends its 39th edition this week reeling from controversy over its first-ever forced removal of a contestant, a Hollywood agent sent packing after young women complained about inappropriate touching.

The abrupt exit of player Dan Spilo, for what CBS said was an off-camera incident involving a staff member, didn’t end questions about whether the network fumbled a #MeToo-era issue that it knew about months ago.

CBS has the chance to address its decisions Wednesday, when it airs the traditional one-hour post-mortem discussion after the season’s conclusion. Spilo has not been invited to participate. For the first time, that post-show discussion will be taped instead of live.

Spilo’s exit was announced at the end of last week’s episode. CBS would not give details, but People magazine reported that he touched the thigh of a woman during a boat ride. Spilo said he had lost balance, but the staff member felt the touch lingered too long, said Steve Helling, senior writer at People.

It proved to be a last straw.

Midway through the season, contestant Kellee Kim, a 28-year-old student, cried on camera as she discussed incidents — often caught on camera — where Spilo, 48, would do things like touch her hair. She and another contestant, 24-year-old Missy Byrd, talked about Spilo wrapping an arm around someone’s waist or touching the hip of a woman he was lying next to at night.

During the discussion, a producer broke in to tell Kim that she should come to him when something happens because “I don’t want anyone feeling uncomfortable.”

“It’s super upsetting because, it’s like, you can’t do anything about it,” she said onscreen. “There are always consequences for standing up. This happens in real life, in work settings, in schools. You can’t say anything because it’s going to reflect your upward trajectory. It’s going to affect how people look at you.”

Kim was voted out of the game by fellow contestants while Spilo remained.

CBS said it spoke to cast members after that discussion, both individually and as a group, about respecting personal space. Some contestants have subsequently said they felt it was a general, not specific warning, and players seemed genuinely surprised when host Jeff Probst informed them that Spilo was out.

The incident also became part of the game, with contestants discussing Spilo’s behavior, truthfully and untruthfully, in scheming about who would be voted off the island. One contestant, 59-year-old Janet Corbin, said she initially thought Spilo was an “old-school” guy who didn’t know what he was doing, but she concluded, “I can’t ignore what is going on with these girls.”

Kim had complained about Spilo violating personal boundaries in the season’s very first episode.

There was some question about how seriously it was initially taken. Dalton Ross, who blogs about the show for Entertainment Weekly, referred to Spilo as “Handsy McGee” and wondered after that first episode if he was “just doing his best Joe Biden impersonation or if he is naturally a touchy-feely kind of guy.”

“Survivor” producers are generally loathe to interfere with their game, which is all about enduring hardships on a tropical island. They may have considered this just another obstacle. CBS did not comment on this story for the record.

James Poniewozik, television critic at The New York Times, criticized the “inept, shameful, evasive way” that “Survivor” handled the apparent sexual misconduct on its set.

“The reality that this season depicted is a depressing one: the reality of how women’s complaints are downplayed and how a big-money operation can fail to do the right thing even when, literally, millions of eyes are watching,” Poniewozik wrote.

People’s Helling, who describes himself as a fan of the program, also said he believed CBS and show producers have handled the situation poorly.

“They will tell you they intervened — and they did —but it was not in a meaningful way,” he said.

“Survivor” is known as a reality show, but it’s a manufactured reality — producers craft a story out of footage they shoot. Given that serious issues about race, gender and sexuality were sometimes left out in previous years, they can be credited for making this part of their show, Helling said.

Spilo’s behavior was also arguably tame compared to some past incidents on “Survivor,” including one woman who complained about an aroused fellow cast member rubbing up against her, and original “Survivor” winner Richard Hatch’s habit of competing while naked.

Spilo did not return a message sent by The Associated Press, but People said Tuesday he had sent a statement apologizing for his actions.

“I truly regret that anyone was made to feel uncomfortable by my behavior,” Spilo said. “In my life, I have always tried to treat others with decency, integrity and kindness. I can only hope that my actions in the future can help me to make amends and show me to be the kind of father, husband, colleague and friend that I always aim to be.”

Nearly two decades into its run on CBS, “Survivor” is a solid if not spectacular performer in the ratings. Its average viewership of 8.5 million people is down 10 percent from last season, according to the Nielsen company, but ratings are down for most broadcast shows. It is the 26th most popular show on Nielsen’s prime-time list, up from 30th last year.

Sahred From Source link Entertainment

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[sea-nerd-studies]

‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere

[This story contains full spoilers for the season premiere of Survivor: Ghost Island.] Best. Tribe. Ever. Such is the assessment of one Jacob Derwin, the singer-songwriter from Long Island, a lifelong Survivor super fan and blogger turned temporary Survivor player. Following a loss at the first immunity challenge of the season, Jacob declared that his […]

The post ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere appeared first on Information Overload News.

from Information Overload News http://www.informationoverload.news/survivor-ghost-island-jeff-probst-breaks-down-the-season-premiere/

[toebeeeans]

‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere

[This story contains full spoilers for the season premiere of Survivor: Ghost Island.] Best. Tribe. Ever. Such is the assessment of one Jacob Derwin, the singer-songwriter from Long Island, a lifelong Survivor super fan and blogger turned temporary Survivor player. Following a loss at the first immunity challenge of the season, Jacob declared that his […]

The post ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere appeared first on Information Overload News.

from Information Overload News http://www.informationoverload.news/survivor-ghost-island-jeff-probst-breaks-down-the-season-premiere/

[maris-sa]

‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere

[This story contains full spoilers for the season premiere of Survivor: Ghost Island.] Best. Tribe. Ever. Such is the assessment of one Jacob Derwin, the singer-songwriter from Long Island, a lifelong Survivor super fan and blogger turned temporary Survivor player. Following a loss at the first immunity challenge of the season, Jacob declared that his […]

The post ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere appeared first on Information Overload News.

from Information Overload News http://www.informationoverload.news/survivor-ghost-island-jeff-probst-breaks-down-the-season-premiere/

[sleepininsomniac]

‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere

[This story contains full spoilers for the season premiere of Survivor: Ghost Island.] Best. Tribe. Ever. Such is the assessment of one Jacob Derwin, the singer-songwriter from Long Island, a lifelong Survivor super fan and blogger turned temporary Survivor player. Following a loss at the first immunity challenge of the season, Jacob declared that his […]

The post ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere appeared first on Information Overload News.

from Information Overload News http://www.informationoverload.news/survivor-ghost-island-jeff-probst-breaks-down-the-season-premiere/

[sources-and-shitposting]

‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere

[This story contains full spoilers for the season premiere of Survivor: Ghost Island.] Best. Tribe. Ever. Such is the assessment of one Jacob Derwin, the singer-songwriter from Long Island, a lifelong Survivor super fan and blogger turned temporary Survivor player. Following a loss at the first immunity challenge of the season, Jacob declared that his […]

The post ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere appeared first on Information Overload News.

from Information Overload News http://www.informationoverload.news/survivor-ghost-island-jeff-probst-breaks-down-the-season-premiere/

[ohermione]

‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere

[This story contains full spoilers for the season premiere of Survivor: Ghost Island.] Best. Tribe. Ever. Such is the assessment of one Jacob Derwin, the singer-songwriter from Long Island, a lifelong Survivor super fan and blogger turned temporary Survivor player. Following a loss at the first immunity challenge of the season, Jacob declared that his […]

The post ‘Survivor: Ghost Island’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down the Season Premiere appeared first on Information Overload News.

from Information Overload News http://www.informationoverload.news/survivor-ghost-island-jeff-probst-breaks-down-the-season-premiere/

[jaeame-blog]

'Survivor' contestant outs fellow competitor as transgender | Survivor

If ever there is a chemical attack, the friend had said, douse a rag with cola and cover your face. Super fans of "Survivor," the hit reality TV game show that demands its contestants "outwit," "outplay" and "outlast" each other, have spent 34 seasons forgiving the dirty tactics of those most desperate to win a million dollars. MIAMI - In the 34 seasons of "Survivor" on CBS, viewers and even host Jeff Probst, thought they had seen everything. Nejdet Al Yousif said he thinks it was a technique a friend mentioned in passing that helped save him.

But many fans are saying one contestant crossed a line on Wednesday night's episode of Survivor: Game Changers, the 34th season of the award-winning reality show. Though Survivor has featured a number of gay and lesbian contestants in its 34-season run, Smith is the first out transgender person to play the game. Now, her husband is sharing her story with West Michigan, hoping for some very good news from their favorite baseball team.Emmy Myers, a local survivor of sex trafficking and advocate for victims, is working to change that statistic. A bowel cancer survivor from south Bucks is urging more people to take bowel cancer screening tests from the NHS, after one helped to save his life.

Bana Alabed, the seven-year-old Syrian refugee girl, who captured the world's attention for tweeting the horrors of Aleppo, is writing a book about her harrowing experience of the war. Jeff Varner was eliminated from the CBS competitive reality TV series "Survivor" on Wednesday night, during an emotional episode in which he inadvertently revealed that another contestant is transgender.After donating her kidney to save her child's life, a local teacher was diagnosed with breast cancer. Varner apologized, but was voted off the show.