S30: Dan Foley

[Special K]

It might have been the editing, but I loved the incredulous side-eye Joe gave Dan every time Dan had Jeff come over and check his (wrong!)* puzzle. 

 

I kind of love the editors for that.

 

 

*What's wrong with this guy, is he illiterate?  How can you be a postal worker if you can't read?

[BigRedCheese]

I wonder if Dan lives in a van down by the river.

[fishcakes]

I'm pretty sure he won't blame editing because he's the kind of asshole who'll watch the episodes and be proud of the way he came across. He'll be sitting there at the reunion all smug saying, "I still think Shanini should be slapped! I stand by that! I'm just trying to help her! I truly am!"

[scowl]

For the love of God just slap him and shut him up already. Dear God in heaven, do us all a favor. I cannot wait until his torch goes out.

[Special K]

I do not want to work today.  I want to stay on this thread all day, reading an endless stream of  vitriol that you folks conjure up about this yahoo.

 

And I mean "yahoo" in the original, Jonathan Swift sense.

[fishcakes]

I do not want to work today.  I want to stay on this thread all day, reading an endless stream of  vitriol that you folks conjure up about this yahoo.

 

Ha, I know what you mean. I have to do my taxes today, but I'd rather just stay here and talk shit about Dan.

[pennben]

Okay, although this is an exit interview with Hali by Dalton Ross and his co-host spend the first five or six minutes of the interview (which starts at the 44 minute of the podcast) absolutely shredding Dan and CBS (for letting his slap comment air).  Good for them!

 

And Hali adds some information later discussing Dan that makes it even more revolting what Dan did, apparently Shirin has been a victim of domestic abuse. 

Edited April 9, 2015 by pennben

[BigRedCheese]

Rob came down pretty hard on Dan on last night's podcast for how he spoke to Sharin, he definitely wasn't giggling about that. I think he's laughed at his cluelessness a lot this season, but he found his treatment of Sharin in last night's episode pretty distasteful.

[pennben]

That's good to know.  I shut the podcast off when they were laughing at the beginning about how great it was that Dan stayed around because he is so bad.  I didn't want to listen to anymore of that given how furious I was at Dan at that moment.  I'll delete my reference above.  Thanks.

[Special K]

I also detect some racism (or whatever you want to call it) in Dan and Rodney being so insulting about Shirin's name which is, I believe, of Persian/Iranian origin.

 

It's certainly middle-eastern.

[LadyChatts]

It's a little scary that it may not be so much giving them a negative edit or creating a character, but that this is the absolute best TPTB had to work with what they had.

 

Rob C. was a great character.  Rich was a great character.  Courtney was a great character.  Dan?  He's a disgusting human being.  I'm sure his motive is probably to be so well remembered that he'll be asked back for a future season.  He's being remembered, but I don't know if that's what he anticipated.  I really don't believe Dan thinks there's anything wrong with what he's done.  He's probably the toast of his town, but there's a big world out there.  It's times like this when I don't like Probst hosting the reunion show, because he'll likely gloss right over it.  I do hope Dan gets grilled in his post show interviews.

 

Has anyone checked out his twitter handle?  chxdigme.  Yeah, he probably believes it.

 

ETA: SpecialK, according to post boot interviews with Lindsey, Rodney was a lot worse than they showed.  She claims he said a lot of racist and bigoted statements out there.

Edited April 9, 2015 by LadyChatts

[scowl]

  Dan?  He's a disgusting human being.  I'm sure his motive is probably to be so well remembered that he'll be asked back for a future season.

 

Turning yourself into a Survivor joke/villain worked for Coach and Colton and Secret Agent Phillip. It's not like he's going to be the next Ozzy.

 

I have to admit he's got a solid plan going. Don't win any challenges, don't flip on your majority alliance, and let them carry you to the end. 

[Special K]

It's a little scary that it may not be so much giving them a negative edit or creating a character, but that this is the absolute best TPTB had to work with what they had.

 

Rob C. was a great character.  Rich was a great character.  Courtney was a great character.  Dan?  He's a disgusting human being.  I'm sure his motive is probably to be so well remembered that he'll be asked back for a future season.  He's being remembered, but I don't know if that's what he anticipated.  I really don't believe Dan thinks there's anything wrong with what he's done.  He's probably the toast of his town, but there's a big world out there.  It's times like this when I don't like Probst hosting the reunion show, because he'll likely gloss right over it.  I do hope Dan gets grilled in his post show interviews.

 

Has anyone checked out his twitter handle?  chxdigme.  Yeah, he probably believes it.

 

ETA: SpecialK, according to post boot interviews with Lindsey, Rodney was a lot worse than they showed.  She claims he said a lot of racist and bigoted statements out there.

 

I'm not suprised at all.

 

As to chxdigme, yeah Dan, this chick would like to dig you...a deep grave.  To think, a married middle aged man.  I always wonder who marries these assholes, and if they're embarrassed at all.

 

As to the "character" issues -- Dan is not even a character we love to hate, like arguably others have been (Tony, even Russell).  He's a character we hate to hate.  Which is to say that his very existence fills us with despair.

[Miss Scarlet]

I'm pretty sure he won't blame editing because he's the kind of asshole who'll watch the episodes and be proud of the way he came across. He'll be sitting there at the reunion all smug saying, "I still think Shanini should be slapped! I stand by that! I'm just trying to help her! I truly am!"

You nailed. I checked out his twitter and that's exactly what he's doing.

 

Dan needs years of therapy and gender equality 101 lessons. Until then he should be kept apart from any and all people (especially his wife). 

 

As for chxdigme, normally I'd say that maybe he chose that to be ironic, but since it's Dan and he lives in a world of delusion....uh yeah. He probably does actually believe that. I'm pretty sure that when he looks in the mirror he probably sees Brad Pitt staring back at him. And that when he speaks he imagines himself as Einstein explaining the theory of relativity to a bunch of uneducation, unintelligent students who are beneath his genius.

Edited April 9, 2015 by wudpixie

[Miss Scarlet]

That's good to know.  I shut the podcast off when they were laughing at the beginning about how great it was that Dan stayed around because he is so bad.  I didn't want to listen to anymore of that given how furious I was at Dan at that moment.  I'll delete my reference above.  Thanks.

But ITA with your original post. Rob has a history of doing this and I find it really gross. He did it with Vince too and was totally insensitive to how threatening and dangerous Vince could have appeared to women. I posted about this in the RHAP thread if you want to take this discussion over there.

[Miss Scarlet]

I am so tempted to join twitter just to send tweets to Dan about how uninformed and ignorant (not to mention laughable) he is, even if he won't take them to heart at all. Oh and also to inform him that, no, chx don't dig men who are unintelligent, have horrible personalities, no social skills, grossly hideous, and are just general assholes. Misogyny always amazes me, but amazes me even more when a guy like this actually thinks that, despite the fact that he is a total wreck of a person, he is above all women just by virtue of being a "man".  But you can't blame me for saying any of this. I mean, I'm just "trying to be nice". Really I am. 

[riley702]

For the record, I used to suck at those types of puzzles.  I remember having them as a kid, and it always seemed like one piece would not go where it was supposed to.  Probably didn't help that I gave up after 5 minutes.

I've heard it said that you should practice slide puzzles as much as making fire if you want to be on this show. There is a method to solving them and there are tutorials galore online.

 

This idiotic, rabid, prehistoric asshole is a minister?!?  Of what faith, the First Church of Misogyny?

 

I seriously have never been so repulsed by someone on TV in my life.

And a ski instructor (from the post Special K quoted)? HAHAHAHAHA! That's seriously funny. He strikes me as the kind of person who would trip over his own feet.

Edited April 10, 2015 by riley702

[Miss Scarlet]

I felt so cheated by this episode. I thought everything pointed to Dan going home (Roger from the Amazon style) and that we would be free of him at last. I'm very mad at the editors.

[ProfCrash]

Just to add to the "fun". In Hali's interview with Dalton Ross she mentions that Shirin has been a victim of domestic violence. I hope to god that was not common knowledge when they were playing the game but she was quite shaken when she saw that Dan interview.

[Lakewood27]

I don't understand how that obtuse moron Dan goes through life without getting punched in the face, every single day.

 

His version of an "apology" to Sierra and "being nice" to Shirin, leave something to be desired. Every time he opens his mouth, I just reflexively start cringing. Not to be shallow, but he's too ugly to be this obnoxious. Pick a struggle.

 

Dare I say he's more infuriating than Rodney.

[peachmangosteen]

It makes me think so much less of Tyler, Mike, and Sierra knowing that they went to Maine to visit Dan.

Edited April 10, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[ProfCrash]

He is intentionally playing a character and being outrageous to get air time. At least, that is what Lindsey said. I suspect he is less of an ass in real life.

[peachmangosteen]

I don't. And honestly I don't even care, I would never want to willingly be close to someone who had the confessional he did about Shirin in this ep. I wouldn't care if he was 'playing a character'. I've never believed that bullshit anyway personally, not with Russell and not with Dan or any of the other assholes who then claim they just wanted airtime and were playing a dick for TV. It doesn't even make them seem better to me.

[fishcakes]

Yeah, TWoP is too wonky to search these days, but I'm reminded of what Miss Alli wrote about how if you choose to play a dick on TV, then you actually are a dick because only a dick would think that's a good idea.

[Special K]

I agree peachmangosteen and fishcakes.

 

I don't think anyone can sustain a false persona for 39 (or even 20) days, 24/7, living with strangers, without privacy in extremely challenging conditions (mentally and emotionally) unless that persona is in some way who you actually are.

 

And even if it were possible to do so, as someone said upthread, if this is the kind of "character" Dan has chosen to portray, then fuck him, because it's the worst, most regressive, vile, and destructive kind of "character" to portray.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Special K

[ProfCrash]

I am in full agreement. This is how he choose to make a name on TV and it is awful.

[ToastnBacon]

I'm not suprised at all.

 

As to chxdigme, yeah Dan, this chick would like to dig you...a deep grave.  To think, a married middle aged man.  I always wonder who marries these assholes, and if they're embarrassed at all.

 

As to the "character" issues -- Dan is not even a character we love to hate, like arguably others have been (Tony, even Russell).  He's a character we hate to hate.  Which is to say that his very existence fills us with despair.

Just because you don't like Dan, doesn't mean that there aren't any women out there that do.

I'm sure there are plenty of chicks who dig his orangutan body and the matted gray strands of back hair.

Also, I bet there are plenty of women out their who fantasize about playing with his sagging man titties and burying their face in that forest of sweaty chest hair.

Why is that so hard to believe?

And some women would be attracted to him for his job as a postal worker. He is a Fed, after all, and has undoubtebly many exciting stories about the job.

What woman wouldn't be enthralled hearing him explain the difference between certified and registered mail in that sexy slow voice of his?

"You see, my dear, all certified mail is registered... but not all registered mail is necessairily certified."

[Lakewood27]

Just because you don't like Dan, doesn't mean that there aren't any women out there that do.

I'm sure there are plenty of chicks who dig his orangutan body and the matted gray strands of back hair.

Also, I bet there are plenty of women out their who fantasize about playing with his sagging man titties and burying their face in that forest of sweaty chest hair.

Why is that so hard to believe?

And some women would be attracted to him for his job as a postal worker. He is a Fed, after all, and has undoubtebly many exciting stories about the job.

What woman wouldn't be enthralled hearing him explain the difference between certified and registered mail in that sexy slow voice of his?

"You see, my dear, all certified mail is registered... but not all registered mail is necessairily certified."

 

Cliff Claven is sexier than this ape.

 

It's taking everything in me not to put my foot through the flatscreen when his ugly mug is onscreen.

[CletusMusashi]

To give you an example of how much I now dislike Dan, I'm about to do the unthinkable and come sort of close to defending Fairplay. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not insane. I still don't like JFP, and could list many reasons if I felt it were necessary or relevant. But what I will bring up is the infamous Grandmother Lie. It was gratuitous, it was harmless, and it was memorable. If Dan's antics could be described by those three words, I might accept the "playing a character for fame," argument. But he just seems like a completely average sexist who forgot to eat before drinking. He sounds like that without drinking, but that's about the only "hook." If he were writing a character, he'd be writing "bigger."

 

Now if, say, Rodney turns out to be faking his entire personality, at least that's creative. But Dan's main schtick is to be just as much of an asshole as Rodney, but without the guilty entertainment value of watching an ape struggle with human vocabulary. Dan understands just fine how words and grammar work. Unfortunately, he just doesn't really have any messages to convey with those words except "Fuck you, bitch, I'm better than you," and "One time I was swimming and lost my underwear!"

 

Although it is possible that he lost the underwear on purpose. They don't choose their own wardrobe, and he might have been concocting a cover story to try to force production to give him something that fit better. Or, maybe everyone hates him as much as we do. The reason Lindsay had to start a fire for MIke was that God and his beard were too busy kicking Dan and stealing his underpants.

Edited April 10, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[ProfCrash]

I think I'll stick to Dan's awful personality because if he made comments about a woman's body I would jump all over him.

 

Obviously he thinks highly of himself and appears to be enjoying his position as a villain for the season. It will be interesting to hear how he responds to all of this because Dalton Ross and others have called out his comments and his behavior. Rob was less giggly today in his massive recap with Sophia on Rob Has a Podcast. Rob still wants Dan to stay in the game because he finds the awful game play where his chat partner wants Dan gone fast because he doesn't find it humorous. Dalton was not in away shape or form nice to Dan. I fear that Rob will skirt the issue and hope that Dalton goes after Dan.

[scowl]

Fairplay was more tolerable than Dan to me. Fairplay's big deception was worth a few laughs and it didn't really get him anything. Also in the last challenge, we got to see poor little Jonny Fairplay desperately trying to keep his balance while trying to make a deal with Lillian who was not at all interested. I would love to see Dan in a similar pitiful situation in this season. 

[CletusMusashi]

Watching him beg Shirin or Jenn would be hilarious.

Watching him beg Sierra while she struggled to grow a spine would just be depressing.

Shirin or Jenn would screw with him for as long as possible, and then bring him along as a goat and destroy him. 

Well, sadly, he might actually still beat Shirin. There'd be people on the jury who are just determined to hate her no matter what. But Jenn would kill him.

So would Carolyn. I don't even like Carolyn, but I'd vote for her in a heartbeat over Dan.

I doubt she'd bother toying with him, though. She doesn't seem to particularly care that he's an asshole.

And Sierra is such a doormat that, again, I think Dan might actually win.

So, I guess if one's goal for this season is to humiliate Dan as much as possible, the one to root for in the final challenge has to be Jenn.

Edited April 10, 2015 by CletusMusashi

[LadyChatts]

I just don't get how everyone is so tight lipped out there.  Unless they aren't showing the women going off a Dan.  If there is a God he'd be in the jury, but everyone left has to figure that he'd probably only vote for one of the remaining men, especially a blue, and if he had to pick a women, it would probably be Carolyn or Sierra over anyone else.  So why hold back if that's what they are afraid of?

 

I believe Dan went out to play a character and be remembered, but since the position he's in now is a majority alliance, the character playing days are done.  I consider this to be the real deal.  I don't believe his character persona lasted long once his tribe started winning.  I can totally believe this is how Dan is in real life, as I know plenty of people who have that same type of behavior and humor and think nothing is wrong with it.  According to them, it's me who needs to grow a thicker skin.  Hali thought that part of the problem the guys had with Shirin is that she was a bit of a feminist with different views and ideas.  Dan probably doesn't want to hear about women in the workplace, equal pay, or the fact that we may very well have our first female president in 2 years.  I just think he's old school in his way of thinking.  

 

Dan may just own up to being this way and it's how he is, or he may play the character line.  This from Jeff:

 

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/08/survivor-host-jeff-probst-latest-worlds-apart-episode

 

EW: We heard Dan say some pretty harsh things to Shirin this episode even though they were not even in an argument and she had not betrayed him or anything. He professes himself to be a huge super-fan, but why would a super-fan be so blind as to purposefully antagonize someone he may later be asking for a million dollar vote? What was your take on this whole situation and when contestants seem to forget their end game?

JEFF PROBST: It’s interesting how you put this—”being a super-fan…”—because on the surface you’re right, a “super-fan” would know not to pick a fight, especially with a potential jury member. But Survivor is tricky because it strips you of all facade. It ultimately doesn’t matter how you want to come across, or if you’re a massive student of the game. If you last long enough, the truth of who you are will come out. I think Dan is probably going to hear from a few fellow “super-fans” that he is coming across as a bit of a bully. Dan has a very strong personality with lots of opinions. When you are put in this kind of pressure cooker with a million dollar prize, everything is heightened. I would guess that the longer Dan lasts, the more chance for this to happen again.

 

Edited April 10, 2015 by LadyChatts

[scowl]

I enjoyed watching Dan's challenge victory again last night. Every time he declares himself the winner and the camera shows a bunch of unreadable squiggles, I feel like Cletus from the Simpsons is on Survivor. 

 

"But them squiggles is all the same color, ain't they?"

[hyukx3]

Dan just hurls insults after insults at Shirin, then ends it with a, "I'm just being nice". Same thing happened with him and Sierra when he tried to "apologize". This blue collar group have some really misogynistic people.

 

It's not like the blue collar is gonna accept Shirin into their alliance, then why insult her basic maths skills? These people need a  proper beatdown.

[BigRedCheese]

He tries to browbeat Shirin into flipping, then makes a big point at Tribal about "flippers never win." So what's with trying to hardsell Shirin?

[hyukx3]

He's just insulting her, and it looks like he's enjoying it. I don't think he's trying to browbeat Shirin. Have you ever talk to trolls on internet? There's a trick, a skill, a pattern to how trolls formulate their sentences to get a reactiong from someone. That's exactly what Dan is doing. He's just a horrible person.

[scowl]

Did anyone else have a flashback to Colton taunting Christina when Dan started ripping into Shirin? Christina and Shirin are both nice people and nice people are always the targets of people like Colton and Dan. 

[hyukx3]

I don't remember who Colton is. All hail to King Russell!!!!

[LadyChatts]

I feel like we need Jenn's horse-race commentary, complete with #photofinish.  Whose the biggest sleaze of all time?  I still think Colton takes the cake, but Dan is right on his tail.  I put Colton in the lead since he was such a whiny quitter, but he's not winning by much.  From that EW interview I posted with Probst, I kind of feel like he doesn't care for him all that much.  Since Dan has apparently been living and breathing this show since it first aired, I guess it would make sense he'd want to make the most of it and attempt to stage a comeback for another season.  However, I don't believe he'd be as successful.  Put in an another AS with some of the more vocal ladies of previous seasons, and he'd be running off with his tail between his legs.  He got lucky this season.

 

Dan may try and say he's playing a character, but I wonder if the negative attention is what he was expecting.  Even if he uses the 'bad publicity is good publicity' line, it's got to sting a little.  And whose to say he would even be offered a chance back.

[hyukx3]

True, they won't give him another go. There's a difference between some returning villians and if one is just flat out, misogynistic, no manners or morals, rude pig.

 

Like some are villians, b/c they play the backstabbing game. Doesn't mean they are a bad person. Dan is just a horrible person. They won't invite him back. For sure.

[Guest]

I'm not so sure.  I think half the time they coach these guys on villainy.  What better recruit than someone who applied over 100 times?  He'd probably do the 39 days dressed as a mermaid, if they suggested it.  

 

He's almost a comical villain, like Naonka "I'll throw your prosthetic leg in the ocean".  I don't hate him near as much as Colton, Brandon, Russell or Phillip.  

[hyukx3]

Dan is a piece of shit human being. Why would they invite him back?

[LadyChatts]

I guess Dan got the message, because he apologized to Shirin on twitter.  People are still calling him out since he was trying to justify his behavior up until now.  It's like the celebs and public figures that post something controversial, then have to do spin that they didn't mean it and give the standard 'sorry for being offensive' apology.  If no one made a big deal, then they wouldn't back pedal.  I wonder if the comment Hali made about her being a domestic violence survivor is what tipped the scale against Dan.  I can't believe Probst will leave this out of the reunion.  Who knows, Dan may actually beg to make a public apology and find a way to redeem himself.

Edited April 10, 2015 by LadyChatts

[Gummo]

 

Dan just hurls insults after insults at Shirin, then ends it with a, "I'm just being nice". Same thing happened with him and Sierra when he tried to "apologize". This blue collar group have some really misogynistic people.

 

That "I'm just being nice" crap is the hallmark of a passive-aggressive little coward who thinks he get away with saying any vile insulting sexist spew if he just appends "I'm just being nice/honest/real" at the end of it.

Edited April 10, 2015 by Gummo

[pennben]

 

I guess Dan got the message, because he apologized to Shirin on twitter.

 

Dammit! You made me figure out how to find Dan on twitter...grr:) Not only did he do every single thing you said he did, Lady Chatts, he was still a coward and only replied to Shirin in his apology.  Nothing on his main page.  Nothing like, oh, say, on the page all of his followers can see, "I was wrong to even joke about slapping a woman". 

Edited April 10, 2015 by pennben

[fishcakes]

#imsorry

 

Welp, I'm convinced.

[joshmaeks]

As to chxdigme, yeah Dan, this chick would like to dig you...a deep grave.  To think, a married middle aged man.  I always wonder who marries these assholes, and if they're embarrassed at all.

HOW is this guy married? Who would marry him? Is there any evidence that he really has a wife? I had him pegged for a virgin who got rejected by every woman he's ever met.

[enlightenedbum]

Dan is a piece of shit human being. Why would they invite him back?

They brought back Colton.  But Dan has joined the list of people who if they bring him back I'm skipping the season.  Rodney too.  Nice job, casting.

[peachmangosteen]

LOL at most of his twitter replies being him justifying what he said and then apologizing to Shirin. What a dumbass.