Survivor : Gabon | Exclusive for EW.com: The cast of ‘Survivor’ Gabon

Exclusive for EW.com: The cast of ‘Survivor’ Gabon

August 27th, 2008 | by cwalton |

Exclusive: The cast of ‘Survivor’ Gabon | TV Biz | Hollywood Insider | EW.com

The 18 contestants competing this fall on Survivor: Gabon—Earth’s Last Eden for the series’ 17th cycle include an Olympic gold medalist, a Gilmore Girls actress, and a professional video game champion, EW.com has learned exclusively. Crystal Cox, who won gold at the Athens Games in 2004 as part of the 4×400m track relay team, is the biggest name on the roster this season, which premieres with a two-hour episode on Sept. 25. Also among the fresh faces is Jessica “Sugar” Kiper (Gilmore Girls fans may remember her as the pin-up model who made out with Milo Ventimiglia during her four-episode arc as Shane) and Ken Hoang, the current international champion of Nintendo’s Super Smash Brothers Melee video game. There will also be a prominent international presence, with contestants who have lived in South Africa (Gillian Larson), London (Ace Gordon), and Chile (Paloma Soto-Castillo).

As for the format, the biggest twist of Survivor: Gabon involves Exile (formerly Exile Island). “When you go to Exile this time you can either get a clue that will help you find the hidden immunity idol, or you can get ‘instant comfort’ — a nice thing to sleep on, some food, some fruit,” explains host Jeff Probst. “Depending upon the time, we’ll make the temptation bigger and bigger. The idea was to see if anybody would be dumb enough to choose comfort over the only thing that guarantees you to stick in the game, which is immunity.” Okay, did it work? “By the time this season is over, you can make the case that maybe this is the dumbest team when it comes to idol play.”

Also for the first time ever, Survivor: Gabon will be shot entirely in HD. “If you’re a Survivor fan and you have HD, it will be a completely different show,” Probst promises. “When you incorporate the wildlife, it’s kind of like being in a Spielberg movie. I mean, it’s so real-looking that it’s exciting and scary.” And that wildlife Probst speaks of will come into play when elephants visit a tribe camp. “A truly real, raw moment of a wild animal that’s not in a park or some protected area,” Probst says.

The contestants of Survivor: Gabon will be divided up into two tribes at the very outset by a good old fashioned schoolyard pick ’em, which will immediately lead to the contestants’ first challenge. And while there are no hardcore “showmances” this time around, Probst does tease that one player proves particularly popular: “Marcus, the doctor from Georgia — one of the most arrogant guys that we’ve had on the show — he at one point had three people after him. And not only women.”

Read the entire article at Exclusive: The cast of ‘Survivor’ Gabon | TV Biz | Hollywood Insider | EW.com.

Tags: ace, africa, bob, cast, cbs, charlie, corrine, crystal, dan, danny, episode, G.C., gillian, jacquie, jeff probst, jessica, kelly, ken, marcus, matty, michelle, paloma, randy, robert, sugar, susie, tv

You must Log In to post a comment. You must Register before you can log in.

Click Here To Log In.

To Register, just put in the username you want to use and your email address. We'll assign a random password and email you a link to activate your log in. Click on the link and you're in! (You can change your password to anything you want, after you've logged in.)

Click Here To Register.

You can also go to the Forums and discuss things there. That's a separate registration, but the discussion is wilder over there.

Click Here To Go To The FORUMS.

What Do You Think?
Who SHOULD Have Won It?
- MATTY
- BOB
- KEN
- SUSIE
- SUGAR
View Results
Loading ...
- Polls Archive
Recent Comments
- mizzo commented on Survivor Tocantins New Site:
  
  i wanna see the castaways
- Annie commented on Survivor: Gabon - What Are We to Make of These People?:
  
  Matty is an amazing, fun guy. I hope some movie producer picks him up for some kind of a role in a fun happy movie. I respected him because when he paid another person a compliment you could tell he was sincere and from his heart. He said that he had respect for everyone that
- Annie commented on Survivor: Gabon - What Are We to Make of These People?:
  
  Dear Corrine, My dad died when I was 8 years old. My brother was murdered at 18 years old. My greatest loss was when I lost my mother eight years ago. It almost killed me. I realized then that no one could ever understand the agonizing pain of loosing a mother until they lost their
- Annie commented on Survivor: Gabon - What Are We to Make of These People?:
  
  Hi Bob, Congratulations! I just wanted to say that Sugar is a person with a big heart that cares for people. She looked to you as a father. I lost my mother and it almost killed me. If I were you I would have not have thought twice but would have split the $100,000 with
- janb commented on Survivor.com Goes To The Survivor Finale:
  
  Corrine-- I am a corporate recruiter in the medical sales field, and I don't know whether to laugh or cry after seeing your performance. Were you dropped on your head as a child?? First of all, no company in their right mind would EVER hire you after watching Survivor...your neurotic, mean and disingenous personality set a new standard
- n0d0ubt commented on Survivor: Gabon - What Are We to Make of These People?:
  
  ewww... everyone has pity for sugar... That is PATHETIC!!!! Poor her, cannot leave her house without make-up.. Uhm.... didnt have much make up in Gabon.. Shes a fool.. and had u all fooled.. Watch it be another Johnny Fairplay and her Father not even deceased.. all an act... afterall she is an actress.. and not
- n0d0ubt commented on Survivor: Gabon - What Are We to Make of These People?:
  
  Sugar deserved zilch,nada, zero, nothing!! Shes certainly not the brightest crayon in the box..Ok, so she gives Matty the idol, And keeps him in, Well she cared enough then to keep him in, how come she had to make it a tie vote?? I agree and stand with Corrine completely.. Plus, as they said we only
- bblackmoor commented on Survivor: Gabon - What Are We to Make of These People?:
  
  I think it's clear that if the jury were composed of better people, Sugar would have won. She outsmarted, outlasted, and outplayed everyone. Period. That they voted for Susie instead just shows how petty and childish the jury was this season. As for the people who seem to revel in being unpleasant, they should be
- luvSurvivorluv commented on Here’s where the next Survivor will be set - TV Squad:
  
  i agree they acted childish, but i think that corrine is the rudest person ever, the things she has said to Sugar are........descusting, horrible, and insulting.
- JOSANTOS commented on Corinne’s Finest Moment:
  
  I hope Survivor's next SEASON would not have another Corine, who thinks "SHE'S GOD GIFT TO MANKIND." Corine don't think you're pretty you are ugly and without good manners at all. With to many unemployed today, you bet you will be one of them. Employers will be scared. Learn your lesson Corine, watch the
- Purpleheart commented on Survivor: Gabon - What Are We to Make of These People?:
  
  I have seen the show from day one, It should be called the conivers, Even though it's just a game it truely amazes me how low the human society will stoop for money. But I have to say that Bob and Sugar have restored some of my faith in humanity with how they played the
- DebbieDoo commented on Corinne’s Finest Moment:
  
  Dear Corrine: Your mother must be very proud. It is one thing for you to show your true colors (which by the way are very ugly) but its another thing to shame your parents and if they say different they are liars just like you. Please get help. No one, not
- black_dudes commented on Corinne’s Finest Moment:
  
  corrine , four word . U SUCK BIG TIME .
- black_dudes commented on Jeff Probst blogs ‘Survivor: Gabon’ finale! | EW.com:
  
  i really think that everyone played a fair game .But i think that Corrine's foul language pisses ppl off .. I think that Marcus ,Charlie really really played the game well , but how ppl treat them the way they are , im totally not please with it .. But i think overall ,
- DougB1 commented on Jeff Probst blogs ‘Survivor: Gabon’ finale! | EW.com:
  
  Jeff, Did anyone notice the item on Sugar's neckless she wore while in Cabon? Was there a meaning behind it? It looked like a 45 record adaptor for the record players? It sure stood out the whole time. She really played a great game.