REPORT: "Focus On the Family" Officially Calls Off BoycottAt the start of the season, Dr. James Dobson of "Focus On the Family" fame urged a boycott of the current season of "Survivor" over the casting of Japan winner Maria Savovic. However, a spokesman for "Focus" reports that the pro-family religious group has terminated the boycott of the show and its sponsors.
The official statement from "Focus" reads: "The main problem we had with this season of 'Survivor' was Ms. Savovic's nudity and homosexual inclinations. While we continue to pray for her to turn away from her lifestyle, we applaud her positive steps. We hope she continues to display progress and become born again in the light of God."
Savovic's girlfriend, Laura Dean, who writes a weekly blog about the show, was avalable for comment concerning Dobson's statements. When asked about it, Dean replied, "Tell Dr. Dobson that I'll be happy to come over to his place and help him remove that stick that's been up his ass for all this time." She went on to remark, "I love Maria, and I know she loves me back. No statement from some uptight right-wing jackass could ever change that. Maybe he should go around taking the logs out of his own congregation's eyes before he makes a federal case out of the speck in Maria's."
Neither Dobson nor anyone at "Focus" was available for comment concerning Dean's response.
Back from commercial.
Angakauital Island, Tribal Council, Night 13. The Ta'aroa tribe has filed out, and the Fati tribe is just walking in. Yau-Man is waiting in the jury area with his idol.
Jeff: Before we get to tonight's Tribal Council, we have one order of business. Yau-Man earned individual immunity and will assign it to someone on this tribe. Yau-Man can assign it to anyone he chooses. He will take his idol and play it as if he were also voting; he will play in on behalf of one of you. It will work just like other idols; any votes cast for the idol recipient do not count. Yau-Man, I assume your mind is made up; you may do the honors.
Yau-Man gets up to play the idol; the camera shows him removing the parchment from the turtle, rolling it back up and placing it in the idol, and putting it in the side pouch. He then returns to the jury area.
Jeff: Yau-Man, that's all we need. Please join your tribe and head on back to camp.
Yau-Man: Goodnight, Jeff. Goodnight, everyone.
Jeff: Goodnight, Yau-Man.
Yau-Man exits the Tribal Council area.
Jeff: OK, with that issue taken care of, I direct my first question to you, Charlie.
Charlie: Oh, don't do this, Jeff.
Jeff: Your tribe picked you as the leader. Is that pressure? How hard is that?
Charlie: My old tribe picked me. I have to wonder why.
Tom: Well, who else were we picking? I'm hardly leader material--
Maria: Oh, come on; we're talking about the guy who single-handedly ran the show on his season.
Tom: Hey, I had a lot of help. Look at Ian over on the other tribe. He's a hell of a guy. Charlie would have had to offer me, three of us here, and an immunity idol to be named later just to get him.
Jeff: So everyone here knows that the tribe swap was a standard four-for-four trade, right?
Charlie: I told them everything, just like Ozzy did. There really wasn't a point in not telling.
Jeff: So you're telling me that honesty is the best policy?
Charlie: Do you have any reason to believe any differently?
Jeff: Some people might say otherwise, you know.
Charlie: And some people would make a lot of enemies.
Jeff: Cirie, is being loved out here important?
Cirie: You have to know who you can work with and who you can take down. Right now, if I told the tribe I want to get rid of Charlie, they probably wouldn't go for it.
Jeff: Is that to say Charlie's kind of in charge?
Cirie: If Charlie flaunted his power and everything, he would definitely be in trouble. Whoever he's aligned with would have to find someone else.
Danni: That's not Charlie's style, though. Charlie leads. He doesn't order people around.
Jeff: Charlie, is that a fair assessment?
Charlie: I spent 17 years in the Navy having to give orders. I know full well that it's different in the civilian world, and I treat everyone around me accordingly.
Jeff: Rafe, you're new to this tribe. Is the fact that Charlie's clearly well-liked a threat to you?
Rafe: It's not an issue to me as much as the fact that I know I have to ensure that I have a place in the new tribe.
Jeff: Jonathan, do you have a place in the new tribe?
Jonathan: That depends. I'd like to be a provider, but I have some stiff competition. I know I will work very hard to provide.
Jeff: Danni, is that really necessary for him?
Danni: We have providers. I have no doubt that Jonathan will work hard for us, but right now, what he needs to do is fit in with us.
Jeff: Has he?
Danni: He's done what he can.
Jeff: Why would you vote off Jonathan?
Danni: I don't know.
Jeff: Is there any reason to get rid of, say, Rafe?
Danni: Because he might have a vendetta?
Jeff: Rafe, is that true?
Rafe: Absolutely not. Danni's a hell of a player, and she beat me fair and square. I realize that now, and I realized that before. Either she beats me or I beat her.
Jeff: Give me a reason you might vote off Danni.
Rafe: I have no reason to vote off Danni.
Jeff: What about Tom?
Rafe: Tom's a threat, but he's necessary.
Jeff: What about, say, Danielle on your own tribe?
Rafe: I have no reason to vote off Danielle.
Jeff: Is there any reason to vote off Charlie?
Rafe: I have no reason to vote off Charlie.
Jeff: Can anyone give me a compelling argument for getting rid of anyone else here?
Maria: Because they have to leave sometime?
Jeff: Maria, you're on a tribe with two people who, just like you, won their seasons. Is that a reason to get rid of you?
Maria: I look at the voting. Sandra's out, Chris is out, Yul is out, and I probably could have been out as well.
Jeff: Charlie, you and Maria were close in Japan. Is her win there a reason to get rid of her now?
Charlie: Absolutely not. I care more about what you can do for me and the tribe now than what you did in the past. I voted for her to win; I'm part of the reason she won. For me to take that away from her now is a little hypocritical.
Jeff: So I listen to you guys and I have no idea who would even begin to be in danger here. Danielle, do you have any insight?
Danielle: All I can say is that tribal lines will be a big factor here.
Jeff: How so?
Danielle: I can see a tie vote, even. Four of us old Ta'aroa here who still have loyalty to our own group against four Fati who don't take too kindly to outsiders.
Jeff: Danni, is that accurate?
Danni: I don't think I ever said that.
Jeff: Would Danielle fit in with the old Fati membership?
Danni: Anyone can fit in here with the old Fati membership.
Jeff: Jonathan, do you believe that?
Jonathan: I'd like to, because I almost think that's the only chance I have.
Jeff: We'll find out. Before we get to the vote, as always, if you have an immunity idol and want to play it, you do so while voting and you write the person who is the beneficiary of it on the parchment inside. That person can be yourself of a tribemate. That said, it is time to vote. Jonathan, you're up.
Jonathan gets up to vote right away; his vote is not shown.
After Jonathan, the next to vote is Danni; her vote is not shown.
The next to vote is Rafe; his vote is also not shown.
After Rafe, Maria gets up to vote; her vote is not shown.
Maria sits back down; the next to get up is Charlie. He votes and sits back down; his vote is not shown.
After Charlie, Cirie gets up to vote; she votes Danielle.
Cirie (to voting camera): You say it's four-on-four. If that's the way you want it, we'll play that game.
After Cirie, Tom votes; his vote is not shown.
The last to vote is Danielle; she votes Cirie.
Danielle (to voting camera): I beat you once in a tiebreak; I figure I can do it again.
Danielle goes back and sits down.
Jeff: I'll go tally the votes.
The screen focuses on Danielle and Cirie at two different points.
Jeff: Once the votes are read, the decision is final; the person voted out will be asked to leave the Tribal Council area immediately. I'll read the votes.
Jeff reaches in and takes out a vote.
Jeff: First vote...Cirie.
The vote is in Danielle's handwriting.
Jeff: ...Danielle. One vote Danielle, one vote Cirie.
This vote is in Cirie's handwriting.
Jeff: ...Danielle. Two votes Danielle.
Tom nods slightly.
Jeff: ...Cirie. Two votes Cirie, two votes Danielle.
The camera flashes to Jonathan.
Jeff: ...Cirie. That's three votes Cirie.
It is not clear who wrote this.
Jeff: ...Danielle. We're tied at three votes apiece.
The screen shows Danni.
Jeff: ...Danielle. Four votes Danielle. One vote left.
Jeff takes out the last vote.
He unfolds it.
Jeff: Last vote...
He turns it around.
Jeff: ...Cirie. We have a tie. Four votes each for Danielle and Cirie. Here's how it will work. First, I will open up the side pouch. I know there's at least one idol in here. We'll see who it's for.
Jeff opens up the side pouch...
...there appears the turtle that Yau-Man played...
...and no others.
Jeff takes out the parchment inside the idol and begins to unroll it.
Jeff: The person Yau-Man selected to be immune will receive no official votes. If it's Danielle or Cirie, they are safe.
Jeff takes it by the top and turns it around.
Jeff: Yau-Man gave immunity to Rafe. That means we're still tied. Here's how it will work. We have used a few different tiebreaks in seasons past; in fact, I can count five, including one in the Amazon that we never got to use. There is also an experimental tiebreak in here. You will select your tiebreaking method at random from here. One of you will do the honors.
Cirie: I guess I'll do it.
Cirie gets up and goes to a small dish; there are six envelopes arranged in the shape of an asterisk. She picks one up.
She the opens it up and takes out the parchment inside.
Cirie: The tied players will race to build a fire the fastest; whoever finishes last is out.
Jeff: Danielle and Cirie, you will be building fires in the exact same way you did on Exile Island. Please come to this side of the Council area. You will each have flint, a machete, some kindling, and some sticks. You will need to burn through the rope above your fire pit. The first to burn through their rope stays in the game.
Both Danielle and Cirie are seated at their fire pits.
Jeff: Survivors ready? Begin.
Immediately, both Danielle and Cirie take some coconut husks and random bits of wood and bundle them together; both are shown trying to make sparks within them.
Jeff: Both women starting off with similar strategies.
Danielle appears to get a spark first; Cirie is still struggling.
Jeff: Danielle with the first to flame. Are we looking at a repeat of the Exile Island tiebreak?
Cirie gets a small spark but keeps looking to spark another area of her husks. Danielle's husks have a flame to them as she places sticks all around them.
Jeff: Danielle taking a big lead.
The sticks appear to be ready to catch fire as Cirie gets a flame and does the same thing.
However, Danielle picks up her machete and absent-mindedly knocks her fire over. None of the sticks catch, and the husks begin to lose their spark.
Jeff: Danielle going back to the beginning.
Meanwhile, Cirie's flame is catching, and her sticks appear to be picking up flame; Danielle takes all-new husks and begins to get spark with them.
Jeff: Cirie has a big lead.
Cirie places larger sticks around her fire to make the flame rise; Danielle is just getting her husks to burn again. As she gets a bigger flame, Cirie's fire catches the larger sticks and burns taller.
Jeff: This one's looking like it's pretty close to over.
The larger flame catches Cirie's rope; as Danielle struggles to get a bigger flame, Cirie's flame burns through her rope.
Jeff: That rope is burned; Cirie wins the challenge and stays in the game.
Tom, Charlie, and Danni applaud Cirie's performance.
Jeff: Danielle, unfortunately, that means the game is up for you. You need to bring me your torch.
Danielle goes over without a word and grabs her torch; she put it in the holster the same way.
Jeff: Danielle, the tribe has spoken.
Jeff snuffs Danielle's torch.
Cirie: Good game, Danielle. Good game.
Danielle doesn't even turn around as Cirie says this.
Cirie (under her breath): Sore loser.
Jeff: Danielle appeared to be right about one thing; this tribe was split right down the middle. Tonight's result may change the course of the game and spell doom for some of you or it might mean nothing. In this game, you never know. Grab your torches; head on back to camp. Goodnight.
The remaining Fati members file out of Tribal Council single file with their torches as the screen cuts to commercial.
Jeff (voice-over): Stay tuned for scenes from our next episode.
The screen cuts to commercial.
Abdullah: There's nothing like a double-boot combined with a tribe switch to throw the game into complete chaos. On one hand, it looked like everything should go down on tribal lines, the way it did with the Fati Council. But I have to look clear back to a season in the past to tell you what this double-boot reminds me of.
Yes, I know there were no double-boots in Africa. But look at it this way - the divided Samburu tribe is being played here by the Fati tribe. The tribe is split down the middle based on old tribal lines, and it takes a tiebreak to resolve it. Granted, we're not heading right into the merge, so it might be bad news for the new Fati who weren't old Fati, but that remains to be seen.
The other Council involved getting rid of the biggest thorn in the new tribe's side. Everyone teamed up and got rid of a bad apple regardless of tribal lines. And I would call it the most satisfying vote this season. It was a little over the top to make Parvati cry like that, but she needs to grow a thicker skin; she will face far worse in life than people calling her out for her actions like that. I'm glad she got booted, and I hope she learns something from it.
Scout: Up until the end of the Ta'aroa Council, I honestly thought Maria gave her idol to Parvati. I thought all along that they were in an alliance. It looks like I was way off, and no one really wanted Parvati around. Frankly, if I had a tribemate who was acting the way she did, I wouldn't want her around either. But Maria was very good at playing along up to that point, and from there, she made the right decision.
It doesn't seem like Parvati spilled the beans about Maria having the idol. Whether or not Maria had to do anything to try to assure Parvati's safety (obviously she wasn't successful if she did) is a little unclear. However, Parvati doesn't seem like the vengeful type, and that's good for Maria, since she's in the minority on her tribe and needs that idol to ensure her survival.
However, Maria's ticket to sticking around in this tribe is simple - keep up the responsible, useful persona. Seem more useful and more inviting than Jonathan and Rafe. Then, if you need to, play the idol to make the merge once they're gone. Assuming a merge at 10, that's a shoo-in to the merge unless Fati loses every challenge between now and then. That doesn't seem too likely; the tribes look fairly even, and Charlie's in his Japan form.
Earl: I don't think there's anyone who's touching Yau-Man out there. He has operatives on both tribes (Maria, Rafe) and now it looks like he's in with Ozzy and Paula on his current tribe. If Ian stays close, Yau-Man's to the merge with no trouble whatsoever. Plus, Paula has the idol. She's untouchable, and even if Ian were to do something crazy, like join up with Terry, Harriet, and Twila, they still have the idol to contend with. And even if they go after Yau-Man, the other tribe doesn't know she has it, and they could very easily play Find the Idol with the other tribe.
Granted, the game of Find the Idol failed miserably in our season, but I remember this - my alliance had Dreamz as an operative. I don't see anyone out there like that who's playing both sides. Passing the idol in secret works if they pass the idol in secret and are able to figure out who's going. Granted, the chances of that are better if there's spying going on or if there are fewer people, but it can be done.
The best move for Yau-Man and his alliance, though, is to keep Ian close. A foursome of Yau-Man, Ian, Ozzy, and the idol-holding Paula might be completely unstoppable.
Lydia: I don't care what Parvati did to her new tribe. I don't care how little she cared. She didn't deserve the treatment they gave her. To bring someone to tears over what's either a failed Survivor strategy or her real feelings? That's completely inhuman. Everyone on that tribe, especially Terry, should be ashamed of themselves. Parvati would never have done it to them.
All they had to tell her was that she didn't fit in their plans and that they had to vote her off. They could even have given her a few words of encouragement. But instead, they chose to accuse her of lying about her strategy. If it's her strategy, it's her strategy; what did they want her to do, turn around and say that she was lying? That she's not cut out for Survivor? That she's really in love with Maria? In love with Ozzy? In love with herself? Honestly. Just accept her answer, tell her it wasn't working, and be done with it. Ta'aroa needs a serious lesson in humility. And I hope the Fati tribe gives it to them, and Jeff grills the hell out of them at the next Council. They need to be set straight.
Back from commercial.
Voice-over: Next week, on a special Wednesday night edition of Survivor, the tribes get a chance to get physical.
The camera shows an image of two Survivors, whose faces are not shown, on a platform in combat.
Voice-over: And is Maria back to her old tricks?
The camera shows a pair of feet walking toward the ocean with Maria's orange top and blue shorts laying in the same behind the walking person.
Voice-over: Stay tuned for an all-new CSI coming up next.
Danielle (final words): I think it's a bit ironic that I went out the way Cirie went out in our season; I guess she finally got her revenge. I wish her the best, and I hope she goes all the way; I want to know I lost to the best. To Maria, Rafe, and Jonathan, best of luck; I think you're going to need it. Hang in there.
4 votes Danielle: Charlie, Cirie, Danni, Tom
4 votes Cirie: Danielle, Jonathan, Maria, Rafe
Cirie won a tiebreak over Danielle
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