Jeff Probst blogs ‘Survivor: Gabon’ (episode 10) | EW.com

November 20th, 2008 | by cwalton |
I think I\'m losing my edge. Going soft.

I think I'm losing my edge. Going soft.

Jeff Probst blogs ‘Survivor: Gabon’ (episode 10) | PopWatch Blog | EW.com by Jeff Probst

After tonight’s episode ended, I called Doc Horowitz and said, “I gotta get in to see you. I think something is wrong with me. I think I’m losing my edge. Going soft. Can you run a test or something, see what’s what?”

He asked me for my symptoms.

I said, “I felt badly for Randy getting played at tribal council like a banjo at a small town country fair. (Yes, I know, bad analogy and small town and country fair are probably redundant.)

I felt badly for Randy getting played at tribal council like a banjo at a small town country fair.

I felt badly for Randy getting played at tribal council like a banjo at a small town country fair.

Recognizing the severity of my condition, he immediately cancelled his morning appointments to squeeze me in. I’m waiting on the results.

In the meantime, I try to make sense of it all. Randy is a bitter man with a ton of enemies, and he had this coming like a kid who sticks a fork in a toaster. (Was that one any better?) He deserved what he got like Survivor deserves an Emmy.

So why did I feel bad? Maybe there is just something about Randy that I can relate to and sympathize with. Oh, he will hate me saying it like that.

My friend Serena thinks the answer lies with Sugar and the way she handled herself as I read the votes. “Not cool.” (I think she might be right. Serena is almost always right.) That uncontrollable laugh that came from such a deep place inside Sugar was so uncomfortable that I almost wanted to pull the votes out, rearrange them, rewind the tape, and vote Sugar out. Ah, but that’s just me. Me and Serena that is…Me and Serena sitting in a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.

I will say this - it was brilliantly played from top to bottom, and I do appreciate that level of execution. Bob deserves major credit. He built an amazing fake idol, and he played both Corinne and Randy so well.

Bob deserves major credit.

Bob deserves major credit.

Didn’t rush it, wasn’t pushy. He was subtle. Subtle like the feather of an eagle falling softly to the ground. (Worse?)

Corinne on the other hand is equally as mean as Randy but I don’t find myself rooting for her in any way. She is an original. I will give her that. Not sure we’ve ever had anybody on the show quite like Corinne. Corinne is as subtle as a thunderstorm. Subtle as the look I give a Survivor when they want to quit. Subtle as, I know, a Probst analogy.

Read the entire article at Jeff Probst blogs ‘Survivor: Gabon’ (episode 10) | PopWatch Blog | EW.com

  Tags: ace, bob, dan, episode, jeff probst, randy, sugar
  1. 5 Responses to “Jeff Probst blogs ‘Survivor: Gabon’ (episode 10) | EW.com”

  2. By OtbHunter on Nov 21, 2008 | Reply

    Great Show! (☼¿☼) That episode is destined to go down as one of the Best Blindsides EVER!

    Things are heating up and I can hardly wait for the next blindside. My least favorite at this time is, doesn’t like anyone, gonna keep a mad look on my face, Crystal. What is that woman’s problem? She is in need of real Anger Management. Maybe when the show is over, Crystal and Randy can seek counseling together! I would love to have that taped and aired on national tv…should be a riot!
    Now to form the next blindside would require Matty, Bob & Sugar to form an alliance… I certainly hope they figure this out and throw out either (Mad at the World Crystal) or (The Smug Weasel Kenny). Which makes me wonder, why has Susie been so quiet? Nothing stupid to say due to hunger pains?
    When the show started I was disappointed in the cast selection but as things have progressed the selection has proven to be an excellent group of people to root for having voted off! Who would have guessed that this group of misfits would have provided me with so much entertainment. Definitely Emmy winning material!

  3. By OtbHunter on Nov 21, 2008 | Reply

    Question… How does Jeff keep a straight face during Tribal Counsel? He has a nice flair for stirring up the issues between players and making the game more interesting! Thanks Jeff.

  4. By meyerpa on Nov 21, 2008 | Reply

    I am new to the site - but an original Survivor fan since the first episode. I have to agree that last night’s tribal counsel was the absolute best since day one. Randy is even more obnoxious than the winner of Survivor One - the gay naked guy.
    I saw the preview show that Jeff did for Survivor Gabon, but I can’t remember which contestant he did not expect to see stay around very long - but I THINK it was Sugar. And I’m casting my vote right now for Sugar to win it all. She has played the “dumb blond” to a tee and at the same time has orchestrated some really clever moves - her first major one, in my opinion, seeing Ace for the egotiscal slime he is.

  5. By PirateDad on Nov 21, 2008 | Reply

    I am also a Survivor fan from day one. (And a Probst fan since he first showed up on “FX” many years ago) I might not win any Survivor trivia contests but this show has been one of the very few ‘reality’ shows I have ever watched more than once.
    Like Jeff said in his “banjo at a county fair” analogy, I too felt bad for how Randy was played. Not because I don’t think he had it coming but for me because of who was plucking the strings.
    I see Sugar, Crystal and Suzie as the final three and to be perfectly honest I think any of them or all together those three women are the worst representation of humanity the show has ever produced.
    Every ‘villain’ from every season has had their critics and supporters and most of the ‘bad guys’ have been funny or original enough to keep us all watching to see their next clever move, but of these three I would avoid them like a suicide bomber in any area of real life. If someone’s only personality trait is to be an arrogant, self righteous jerk off, then I would vote them all off the show and the planet.
    (I think it was Twain who said, “Nobody is completely useless. They can at least serve as a bad example for others”)
    In my opinion, Crystal is more bitter and hateful than Randy could ever be on his worst day. Sugar is as empty of human emotion and personality as a mud puddle. And Suzie I wouldn’t trust if she said the sky was blue on a clear August day in Arizona.
    Bob is the surprise to me. Does he actually believe any of those three women are going to align themselves with him? Talk about being played. By helping them he has probably bought his jury seat at the next tribal council.
    Matty, Bob, Kenny and Corinne could really make this season powerful but they are all so damn focused on themselves getting through day to day that they are all missing the best stradegy play ever. They need to see themselves as the final four or they are all going to look like last nights immunity challenge. A row of blocks, clicking down the row, one by one until they are all in the jury seats. The “Gabon Gorilla Girls” are completely in control at this point whether even they know it or not.
    I might be good for one more episode to see if the dominoes are set up but I won’t be nearly as interested in the rest of the show if those three start the row tumbling down. It would be a huge disappointment for me to see any of them win.

  6. By vitortexas on Nov 25, 2008 | Reply

    I can’t stand suzie and kenny. I also don’t like crystal but at least i can watch her, although i think she shouldn’t have screamed out loud when she wrote Randy’s name. That just made her a even more horrible person. This season has been great so far, but if kenny, crystal or suzie win, i will consider this season a total failure!
    I hope sugar turns on bob side, as he made her a favor by giving randy the fake idol.

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