Survivor: Gabon — Blidside By A Fake Idol!

Subject: Survivor: Gabon — Blidside By A Fake Idol! Fri Nov 21, 2008 2:31 am

November 20, 2008 08:29:17 by Ryan Haidet

Merged tribe

Survivor: Gabon is shaping up to be one of the nastiest seasons ever. The newly merged tribe of Nobag is constantly fighting along enemy lines as more and more people keep turning on each other. Tonight’s episode was no exception. On Night 27, after Charlie was blindsided, Corinne felt on the outside and felt she, Bob and Randy were the next targets — she was right in her assumption, but little did she know that one of her own allies was about to flip.

On Day 28, Bob and Sugar talked in the woods regarding the hidden immunity idol. He openly admitted to her that he hadn’t found the idol, but that he did fashion a fake one. He even showed it to her! She was so surprised at how good it looked (as was I). The twist on Bob is that Sugar held the true idol.

Corinne told Randy that she thinks the final three is shaping up to be Susie, Crystal and Kenny. She felt their best bet was to try and sway Matty over to their side.

But first…they all got $500 in treemail — time for an auction!

Going…going…gone!

In the Survivor auction, each castaway was to use their $500 to buy items from host Jeff Probst. They were not allowed to share items or pool their cash together. And they needed to spend their money instead of waiting too long since the auction was set to end without warning.

First up were a few beers and peanuts. Randy won the bidding war and got them for $180.

The next item was a mystery. Randy went to $320, but Kenny won it for $340. It was a simple note that he won — but it had a lot of power. He was given the opportunity to send himself or somebody else to Exile — the twist was he would get all of the person’s remaining money. So he sent Bob and took his $500.

Next up was another mystery item that Randy bid $320 on. Sugar topped him with $340 and won chocolate and peanut butter.

Other items: Susie won a bath and fresh, clean clothes. Randy got spaghetti and wine. Matty got a burger and fries for $400.

Corinne said before the auction that she would hold her money until something that could save her in the game came up. When Probst brought out a bottle that had an advantage for the next immunity challenge, she shelled out all $500. He told her the bottle needed to remain sealed until the challenge.

Finally, the last mystery item was for the entire tribe. Randy bid $20 and a plate of big cookies was revealed. Probst told him that they were for the whole group. When Randy offered one to Sugar, she said no. So he moved on and gave Corinne one and a half cookies. He gave the other half of Sugar’s cookie to Matty. Then he went back to Sugar with one cookie left and offered it to her. She took it off the plate and handed it to Matty. Randy was livid. That was his cookie to do what he pleased with it and she just gave it away. If she wasn’t going to take it, he wanted it. Randy felt Matty had already had his share.

Safari and Operation Strongarm

At Exile, Bob took a clue to the idol over comfort yet again, but after he realized he got a clue he had already found along his search last time, that he wasn’t going to bother hunting again. He went on his own little safari of Africa and enjoyed the beauty of the land.

Back at camp, Randy had a plan up his sleeve. It was Day 30 and he told Corinne, “FYI, I’m crashing and burning today.” His plan was to act nasty to everybody so they would all target him at the next Tribal Council. Both he and Corinne assumed Bob had found the hidden idol and would give it to him so they could all blindside Susie.

“Operation Strongarm” was underway.

“Why can’t she (Susie) yawn and not make a noise?” Randy nitpicked to Matty. He even cussed Susie out in the hut. Other castaways were getting fed up really quickly. “He is a troll,” Crystal said.

They all fall down…

At the Immunity Challenge, Probst explained the simple concept they were all about to face. In the first round of a two-part challenge, they all had to carry three bags of puzzle pieces one at a time across a series of balance beams. The first three competitors to complete that task would move on to the final round. Before they began that part, Corinne read her note and learned that she was getting to sit out of the first round and would move right to the final portion of the challenge.

In a quick race across the beams, Matty finished first followed by Kenny moments later.

Matty, Kenny and Corinne then had to take the puzzle pieces and place them along angled boards in the final part of the challenge. The pieces stood like dominoes in a line — and that was the goal. To form a domino line that would fall once completed to raise a flag. The tricky part, however, is that they had to maneuver around a bunch of trip wires that would make the wooden pieces topple over before they were all set up. That was always the most frustrating part of dominoes, right?

Once the battle began, it was very close all the way until the end. All three had their dominoes lined up and made them start to fall. Corinne’s stopped midway as did Matty’s. Kenny took the prize after all of his fell perfectly.

Kenny wins immunity

Bob hands off his fake idol

Back at camp, Randy felt he had the whole group angry enough at him to throw votes his way at Tribal Council. Now all he needed was Bob’s hidden immunity idol.

Sugar had pulled Bob aside again and told him it would be a good move for him to vote against Randy. But it would be an even better move to give Randy the fake idol.

Corinne then pulled Bob aside and told him their plan. It was all falling into place just like the dominoes in the Immunity Challenge. In the hut, Bob pulled out his fake idol, which looks incredibly convincing, and the two headed off into the woods where he passed it off to Randy. They agreed that they would vote for Susie and blindside her in an act of revenge for turning on their original alliance. “Bob did one of the most selfless acts I’ve ever seen, which was to give me his hidden immunity idol,” Randy said.

Moments before the trek to Tribal Council, Sugar told her allies that the night was about to get funky.

Sugar not so sweet

Duped!

At Tribal Council the remaining eight contestants discussed the cookie incident. “It wasn’t the last cookie — it was my cookie,” Randy argued. Sugar said the whole thing was stupid because they were fighting over cookies. That’s when Susie chimed in and said that she felt sorry for Randy. He responded by saying that he was sincere about the cookie and that’s why he went off at camp.

Randy also said that he wasn’t too worried about being voted off at previous Tribal Councils, but this time he said he felt nervous.

They all went up to cast their ballots. When Sugar voted for Randy she said, “You are a disgusting, old, hot-headed, chauvinistic, alcoholic bigot. And you need to grow up before you die alone. Loser.” Then Randy voted for Susie and said it wasn’t strategic, but it was personal. When Crystal went to cast her vote, she didn’t keep her comments quiet at all. She really vocalized her negative feelings for Randy as she wrote his name down.

Probst came back with the votes and said that if anybody wanted to play a hidden idol that now was the time. Randy stood up and handed off Bob’s fake idol. Both he and Corinne looked thrilled because they thought they had pulled off a great blindside, but most everybody laughed at him. Probst announced that it was not a true immunity idol and tossed it into the fire. Randy looked right at Bob, who looked extremely upset — almost as if he had instantly regretted his decision. Both Randy and Corinne looked stunned and disappointed.

As Probst read the votes one by one, Sugar, Crystal and Kenny could barely contain their laughter — and it was really disappointing to see them act so childish. It made Sugar (and the others) not look so sweet. They had duped the man they wanted out of the game for a long time. But they seem to be forgetting that the people they are laughing at are the ones who will have the power to give away the $1 million prize at the end of the game.

With five votes, Randy became the third member of the jury.

Episode 10 Recap: Cookie Monsters!
By Gordon Holmes
Fri, 21 Nov 2008 05:01:43 GMT
39 Days, 18 People, 1 “Survivor” Blog

Here is the tribe as it currently stands…

NOBAG: (“Nobag” is “Gabon” backwards. Other tribe names considered included “Lanigironu” and “Emal”)

• Runaround Bob – 57 – Physics Teacher
• Crystal – 29 – Pre-school Teacher
• Susie – 47 – Hairdresser
• Ken – 22 – “Super Smash Brothers” World Champion
• Matty – 29 – Personal Trainer
• Corinne – 29 – Pharmaceutical Sales
• Randy – 49 – Wedding Videographer
• Sugar – 29 – Retro Pin-Up Model (although she has a vast acting resume)

Starting off, Runaround Bob shows off his fake immunity idol to Sugar. She is quite taken with what may be the most impressive arts and crafts project in “Survivor” history.

Reward Challenge Time: This week’s reward challenge is the always popular “Survivor” auction. J-Pro gives each contestant $500. The rules are you can’t share what you win, and you can’t pool money.

First up, Randy wins beer and peanuts for $180.

Next up is a secret item; Kenny eventually wins it for $340. The secret item allows Kenny to send someone to Exile IsLagoon and take their money. He chooses Runaround Bob.

Another secret item is won by Sugar for $340. She loses it when Jeff uncovers peanut butter and chocolate.

Next up is a hot bath and a set of clean clothes. Susie wins for $340. Randy grossly offers $100 to be the one to bathe her.

Next we’ve got a hamburger and fries. Kenny and Matty bid back and forth, with Matty eventually winning for $400.

Secret item time again; this time Randy takes it for $280. Jeff lifts the top to unveil spaghetti, garlic bread, and wine.

For those keeping score, Randy has had three beers and a glass of wine.

Next up, Jeff offers an advantage for the next immunity challenge. Corinne smartly ponies up all her money to win it.

Finally, the last secret item has a fixed price of $20 and is for the entire tribe. Randy puts up the $20. It turns out the item is chocolate cookies, one for each member of the tribe.

And this is where it gets serious…

Randy offers Sugar a cookie, she doesn’t take it.

Susie takes a cookie, Ken takes a cookie, Corinne takes a cookie, Matty takes a cookie, and Crystal takes a cookie.

We are now down to two cookies; one for Randy and the one Sugar didn’t take.

Sugar wants Randy to give her cookie to Matty, but Randy believes the cookies are his to with whatever he pleases. His belief is that since she declined her cookie, the cookie is now in his possession. Randy offers half the cookie to Matty and half to Corinne. They both gladly accept.

Then, Randy offers his cookie to Sugar. She accepts it and hands it to Matty.

COOKIEGATE!

Meanwhile at Exile IsLagoon, Runaround Bob tries the immunity idol clue again in the hopes that the clue will be different. Unfortunately for him, it’s the same clue he received before. Rather than hunt for an idol that’s probably long gone, he goes for an inspirational nature walk.

Back at camp, Randy has a plan to parlay Cookiegate into a last ditch effort to save the former Shrekies. Randy intends to drive everyone in the camp crazy so everyone will vote for him. Then, he’ll try to convince Runaround Bob to give him the immunity idol so they can bounce Susie. Seems like a long shot, one that Runaround Bob can even find the idol, and two that he’d hand it over. Oh well, should make for entertaining TV.

Randy’s gems include calling Matty a whore, complaining about Susie’s audible yawns, and hammering the cookie point home.

Immunity Challenge Time: The immunity challenge consists of two parts, first the players will have to carry bags of puzzle pieces over a balance beam. The first two players to go back and forth three times will advance to the finals. In the finals, the players will have to create an intricate domino set-up to create a Rube-Goldbergian contraption that will raise a flag. The first person to raise their flag gets immunity.

Corinne’s immunity challenge advantage is an automatic bye into the finals.

Kenny and Matty make quick work of the balance beam challenge earning their place in the finals.

Kudos to challenge guru (and KISS fanatic) John Kirhoffer as the dominoes set-up is easily one of the most fun challenges in recent memory. Adding to the drama are trip wires that can cause all of your dominoes to topple. After a few failed attempts, Kenny manages to win immunity.

Back at camp, Sugar talks Runaround Bob into fooling Randy into using the fake immunity idol. Her reasoning? It would be hilarious. Well, I won’t argue with that.

Runaround Bob hands off the fake idol to Randy. He totally buys it, saying “It looks like an immunity idol to me.”

Quick Aside: Has Sugar’s alliance forgotten she has an actual immunity idol? Shouldn’t they try to flush that out at some point?

That night at Tribal Council, jury members Marcus and Charlie show up in their soon-to-be “Amazing Race” gimmick: The Cleanly Shaven Guys Wearing Colorful Shirts.

Cookiegate and Randy telling Susie to shut the (expletive deleted) up come up during the evening’s discussion.

Voting Time: Corinne votes for Susie because payback is an (expletive deleted), Sugar votes for Randy after calling him a few choice adjectives, and Randy votes for Susie for personal reasons.

Another Quick Aside: So many expletives to delete this episode…

Back to the voting: Crystal votes for Randy after a rant that is intentionally loud enough so it can be heard by everyone else, and the rest of the votes are secret.

Jeff asks if anyone has a hidden immunity idol to be played, Randy stands and hands Jeff the arts and crafts project. Sugar, Crystal, and the others do a terrible job holding in their laughter as Jeff informs Randy that his idol is has no more value than a 2nd grader’s macaroni necklace.

Jeff counts the votes; three for Susie, five for Randy. The eleventh person voted out of “Survivor: Gabon” and the third jury member is…Randy. Wow, I never…ever expected to feel bad for Randy.

Verdict: If they don’t give Randy the fake idol, he’s voted out. And if they do give him the fake idol, he’s voted out. So, basically Runaround Bob upset a future jury member for no good reason. Seems like there are a lot of questionable calls this season.

That was too funny to see the look on Randy's face. Hey Bob can pretend he thought it was real.. At least until the game is over. LOL

Randy's reaction was priceless. I love watching that part over and over and over and over again. LOL

That's what I said, Bob pretend you thought it was real.... go with it. After seeing the previews for the next episode I really want to know if he made 2 of them?? If not, then what is he holding in the preview? Twisted Evil

It did show Bob saying something about the idol that was tossed in the water. Do you think someone retrieved it?

No because if Marcus had the idol he would have used it in tribal council, I think Bob was trying to explain the fake idol to corrine.

» Survivor: Gabon Randy: "I couldn't think of one reason why Bob would give me a fake idol."
» Survivor The Fake Idol Disaster Episode 13
» Survivor Gabon: Bob Wins Survivor Gabon part 1
» Survivor Gabon: Bob Wins Survivor Gabon part 2
» Bob Crowley became the oldest Survivor winner ever, after the school teacher beat the competition in Survivor Gabon to win $1 million.