Survivor In The Media

[303420]

I am so delighted that there does not seem to be any controversy about Zeke's pronouns in any of the media coverage. That's a good thing that indicates a positive direction for this issue.

[LadyChatts]

I can't keep my magazines straight lol  Not since I quit buying all the gossip mags, and that was only ever US Weekly and Life and Style.  There was THR article posted before the show aired last night, which was posted in the spoiler thread.  That's why I thought someone jumped the gun and posted it before the show aired to get it out there first.

I thought the interviews were all the same and copied from each other, but I'll have to go check them out.  I can see where People might be able to get more of an exclusive, given their coverage of the show and Andrea and Stephen writing for the mag (or in Andrea's case doing a show).

ETA: okay, I looked back in the spoiler thread, and the article posted before the show was from Hollywood Life, so I wasn't crazy.  If they are a bottom of the barrel tabloid, that would explain why they jumped the story.

Edited April 13, 2017 by LadyChatts

[NutMeg]

Quote

 I guess the best advice if you know someone reads spoilers and you are worried is to put them on ignore so there posts don't come up.

oh ladychatts, I'm not going there with you!! But please don't give anything away, ok?

[LadyChatts]

13 minutes ago, NutMeg said:

oh ladychatts, I'm not going there with you!! But please don't give anything away, ok?

Don't worry, I won't!

[Special K]

Jennifer Finney Boylan has an Op-Ed piece in today's NY Times about this.

[peachmangosteen]

3 hours ago, simplyme said:

However, I inevitably click on the button at the bottom of the page to go to the next unread post in the next thread and THEN realize it's the spoilers thread, so on occasion I have accidentally read a couple and simply hoped they were wrong. (Usually I squint and scroll down as fast as I can, trying not to focus my eyes.)

This is how I accidentally got spoiled for someone in the F3 this season. I keep telling myself to stop clicking on the 'next unread topic' link but I keep doing it anyway, dammit!

[omophagia]

7 hours ago, NutMeg said:

I have no better idea of where to post this, so here goes: for the posters who are active in the spoiler thread, did you know about this? and to what extend? I'm just going with the posts that seem to indicate that it was indeed spoiled and want to confirm if indeed it was. Was that leak out ahead of the fact and if so, how far ahead?

[I also have another question totally off topic: what makes those of you who do read spoilers do it? Does it enhance your viewing experience? I'm really curious because the one time I was spoiled on Survivor ruined a big part of the experience for me, so for me it seems that real fan and spoiled are contradictory, but I'm still open to reading otherwise. Thanks a bunch to those who will answer, I really come with this out of curiosity and not with any judgement]

I first read the rumblings about this episode a few weeks back. As the other spoilers for the season started to resolve and become more reliable, I started to dread this episode more and more. And it somehow turned out to be even worse than I had feared it would be.

As for spoilers overall, I have read them for as long as they've been available online for Survivor. It's the only show that I actually read spoilers for; generally, I don't like to have scripted series or movies spoiled, and there are only a couple of other reality competitions that I watch, but Top Chef isn't a competition that relies on long-term strategy, so spoilers are less relevant.

For me, it's fairly simple: I'm not someone who likes surprises. If I know (or have an inkling) of who might be getting booted, I'm able to focus more on the strategy and editing rhythms that make the show interesting to me. That was honestly more enjoyable in earlier seasons when the editing was less telegraphed and predictable, but I still prefer not to be surprised. I know that's not necessarily a popular POV, and I do try to be mindful of that when posting outside of the spoiler threads-- the old forums at TWOP were good with encouraging that kind of courtesy.

[MissEwa]

I used to be really spoiler-phobic but now I'm just moderately season-spoiler-phobic. I'm in Australia so can't watch the show until a few hours after you guys at best, and with Twitter etc. it's either stay completely offline or get spoiled on a week-to-week basis. At first I hated when it happened but now I've found I prefer it, and will actually seek out a summary of the episode before I watch. It helps me prepare for disappointing vote-outs and  awful things like this episode and I can just watch it play out without being anxious. I still try to avoid spoilers for F3s and winners though. 

(Yes, I get anxious about Survivor.) 

As for posting rules, I thought there was a rule that if you posted in the spoiler threads you couldn't post in the spoiler-free spec threads, but not in all the other threads in general. That would be boring. FWIW, I've never noticed any of the posters on team-spoiler in this thread ever post in a way that gives anything away in episode threads. 

[AZChristian]

Zeke posted a very nice "thank you for your support" video on Survivor's Facebook page today.

[piequinn35]

Can't find the link of Zeke's interview, here's Varner:

http://www.tvguide.com/news/survivor-jeff-varner-zeke-transgender/

[EVS]

1 hour ago, piequinn35 said:

Can't find the link of Zeke's interview, here's Varner:

http://www.tvguide.com/news/survivor-jeff-varner-zeke-transgender/

From that interview, regarding whether Zeke came out to Varner:

 

When Zeke came out to you, did he mention that this was something he had kept a secret from the others? 

Varner: He did not come out to me. He didn't come out to me. I put two and two and three and four together and when I asked him in Tribal, "Why haven't you told people?" I was not 100 percent sure he was [trans]. So that was a thoughtless, emotional moment for me that should not have happened.

Edited April 14, 2017 by EVS

[Jersey Guy 87]

23 hours ago, NutMeg said:

[I also have another question totally off topic: what makes those of you who do read spoilers do it? Does it enhance your viewing experience? I'm really curious because the one time I was spoiled on Survivor ruined a big part of the experience for me, so for me it seems that real fan and spoiled are contradictory, but I'm still open to reading otherwise. Thanks a bunch to those who will answer, I really come with this out of curiosity and not with any judgement]

I generally don't read spoilers on purpose but I also tend to not watch shows in real time.  So I didn't see this episode until the day after it aired.  Even trying to avoid spoilers I had far too many items pop up in social media, news media, etc. to not know that Zeke got outed as transgender.  It made watching the episode very different - I was waiting to see if Zeke told Varner and then watched Tribal Council waiting to see how this would play out.

[truthaboutluv]

13 hours ago, EVS said:

From that interview, regarding whether Zeke came out to Varner:

 

When Zeke came out to you, did he mention that this was something he had kept a secret from the others? 

Varner: He did not come out to me. He didn't come out to me. I put two and two and three and four together and when I asked him in Tribal, "Why haven't you told people?" I was not 100 percent sure he was [trans]. So that was a thoughtless, emotional moment for me that should not have happened.

And that truly just makes this even more twisted. Because he essentially attacked the guy on something he didn't even know for certain was true and used as a weapon to try to get ahead in the game. So he was trying to show deception by supposedly exposing the fact that Zeke wasn't being completely honest to others about something that he, Varner wasn't even certain was true. WTF?

Edited April 14, 2017 by truthaboutluv

[peachmangosteen]

I think that makes it even worse too for the reasons you stated. Like I said on the ep thread, Varner just needs to quit trying to explain himself because it's only making him less understandable.

[cooksdelight]

Over-explaining anything always gets you in trouble. I know Jeff is sick about what he did, and would give anything in the world to take it back. He's beyond heartsick.

[Daisy]

I think at this point Varner needs to just say. 
I was beyond stupid, beyond cruel, and everything. There's no explanation I'm just truly sorry and there's nothing i wouldn't like more than just rewind time. 

 

everything else just sounds so dumb. 

[EVS]

For those people who have debated whether the show should have aired Varner's comment and what followed, Here is part of what Dalton Ross had to say on the subject in his recap. I'm not sure how I feel personally , but I thought it was interesting. (Bold is mine.)  

"So while to say that producers should have intervened to make sure this never happened is a suggestion that no doubt comes from a good place, you can’t document a “social experiment” — which is what Survivor has professed to be since its very first episode 17 years ago — and then not let that experiment play out. Sometimes it’s good. Sometimes it’s bad. Sometimes it’s ugly. This night happened to be all three. But you can’t rewrite the rulebook over a situation everyone was prepared for as a possibility anyway. The last thing I want to do in this instance is speak for Zeke, but my best guess is that as a hardcore Survivor fan, he himself would not stand for such producer manipulation, even if it was as some sort of protection on his behalf."

Here is the link to the entire recap: 

http://ew.com/recap/survivor-season-34-episode-7/4/

[peachmangosteen]

That made me think of season 15 of Big Brother. I felt they should've showed all the racism/sexism from every single person that was perpetuating it that season for the very reason Dalton mentioned.

I think this is kind of a different situation though.

[Guest]

But they edit all kinds of relevant, interesting aspects of their time out there, so I think Ross is full of shit.  He's acting like they edit nothing out.  They edit 99.99% of it out.  Which 'social experiment' aspects they show us are totally up to them.

Not that I think the show necessarily should've edited it out, but I think Probst skipping the vote was bullshit.  

[DrSpaceman73]

I think this was 100% planned by the show from the beginning, don't for a minute believe this just happened organically or he made this decision on his own to "out" someone on national TV. 

Its all PR for the show. 

[himela]

The fact is that the show business hides secrets and interests we as common people can't even imagine. I don't want to be suspicious but I can't not consider the possibility all this was well planned by both the production and the parties involved. I don't want to think that these people have the capability to do ANYTHING for money but I sadly do to an extend that there is this possibility. I have been to a taping of a show in my country that connects people who haven't seen each other for years. On TV it is hugely emotional, the presenter shows this emotional side who cares about these people and she cries with them. In reality she was just "turning it on" when the cameras rolled. Since then I am even more suspicious about how much the producers of a show really care.

[LadyChatts]

I agree about the editing aspect.  Also, it's known that the camera man can influence the game by their line of questioning to the castaways.  Well, maybe influence is a strong word, but they don't just sit there quietly and let the castaways talk without intervention.  I believe Dalton Ross is one of those that gets the perks of flying to the location, getting to participate in challenges, and hang around during the first few days of filming, so I would never expect him to be critical of the show.  

God forbid if Varner totally loses it and ends up taking his own life, hopefully not stopping the social experiment was worth it for a few minutes of TV.

Edited April 16, 2017 by LadyChatts

[Lantern7]

Found this on Facebook: CBS lists five underdogs of Survivor. Interesting list, and I can't recall anybody else who fits. Granted, the series is a damn blur for me at this point.

[ljenkins782]

On 4/13/2017 at 2:27 PM, simplyme said:

I'm sort of a strange case. In general, I try to avoid spoilers because I like trying to predict what's going to happen. However, I inevitably click on the button at the bottom of the page to go to the next unread post in the next thread and THEN realize it's the spoilers thread, so on occasion I have accidentally read a couple and simply hoped they were wrong. (Usually I squint and scroll down as fast as I can, trying not to focus my eyes.)

Ugh, that's gotten me a few times too. I typically don't click on that link and go back to the main show menu instead, but the few times I've accidentally done it, I've accidentally spoiled myself. Or someone will post a link that's relevant to something that already aired, so I think I'm going to be reading about stuff I already saw, but the link defaults to a home page with newer spoilers. 

The one notable season where I was spoiled was All-Stars, which was interesting because I hadn't seen Australia or Marquesas and my only exposure to Rob and Amber was the talk of people in forums, who seemed to universally dislike them. I ended up really enjoying their All-Stars journey and was happy they won. 

Quote

I am so delighted that there does not seem to be any controversy about Zeke's pronouns in any of the media coverage. That's a good thing that indicates a positive direction for this issue.

My gut reaction is that there's no pronoun controversy because Zeke was introduced as a man and known that way for a full season and a half before this news broke, so the media had no exposure to him as a woman. I suspect it would be a different story if a former contestant who was known as one gender suddenly showed up on a new season as a different gender. 

[cooksdelight]

I really, really hate this:

http://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/news/1006807/survivor-bracket-heroes-vs-villains-/?ftag=AAM53709ad&vndid=1859906235&utm_source=paidsocial&nan_pid=1859906235&ad_id=5646979

[laurakaye]

4 minutes ago, cooksdelight said:

I really, really hate this:

http://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/news/1006807/survivor-bracket-heroes-vs-villains-/?ftag=AAM53709ad&vndid=1859906235&utm_source=paidsocial&nan_pid=1859906235&ad_id=5646979

What is the point of this?  At first I thought it was another viewer poll to choose the next cast, but that's not it.  Just a random poll?

[cooksdelight]

It's just another way for them to keep bringing people back to the forefront. Who cares? What's in it for us....nothing!

[LadyChatts]

I voted in that a few times but lost interest.  It's my worst nightmare come true thinking of some of these people returning.  Unfortunately, some of the ones I want to see least are probably locks at some point.

[fishcakes]

Rupert beat Yul in the first round, so clearly that is not a poll so much as it is a cry for help.

[peachmangosteen]

I don't even really like Yul and that hurts me.

[piequinn35]

I just want to know who will win- Parv or Sandra.

[Lamb18]

On ‎4‎/‎16‎/‎2017 at 0:24 PM, Lantern7 said:

Found this on Facebook: CBS lists five underdogs of Survivor. Interesting list, and I can't recall anybody else who fits. Granted, the series is a damn blur for me at this point.

I can think of someone else - Denise who won Philippines. She was at every tribal council that season. She and Malcolm were the two remaining members of their original tribe before the three tribes merged to two. From what I recall she never looked like a contender for the win until she got to tribal council (where Penner blasted her for some mysterious reason unless it was to gain her sympathy votes). Then she won against Lisa and Skupin!  (So glad now that Skupin didn't win.)

[LanceM]

In case anyone was wondering what Joe Anglim and Kelly Wiggledworth have been up to lately.  I have no words...

 

http://people.com/tv/survivor-joe-anglim-kelly-wiglesworth-naked-body-paint-exclusive/

[LadyChatts]

23 hours ago, LanceM said:

In case anyone was wondering what Joe Anglim and Kelly Wiggledworth have been up to lately.  I have no words...

 

http://people.com/tv/survivor-joe-anglim-kelly-wiglesworth-naked-body-paint-exclusive/

Hmm.   I....don't know.  Since this show (or whatever it winds up being) hasn't gone anywhere yet, when they were supposed to upload it last fall, maybe it's better to let it happen first, or get something in motion, instead of continually talking about it with nothing set in stone.  I mean, I get keeping projects in the public eye, but maybe go about it differently.  People quit asking on their respective SM accounts while ago when this show was premiering, until they mention it.  I noticed on Kelly's IG she tagged a bunch of channels like Discovery and Travel in the photo, but not surprisingly, so far, no one has bit yet.  I'm still not sure entirely what the concept of this show is supposed to be, but if it's strictly immersing yourself in a culture that's off the grid, doing adventurous things, and becoming one with your mind/body/soul-I think there's about 20 of those already on TV.

I follow Joe and Kelly on SM, and I haven't seen together in a couple of months, so I figured this idea was dead.

Edited April 20, 2017 by LadyChatts

[nutty1]

LOL, this article from Hannah is SO funny!!

https://mic.com/articles/176767/how-to-prepare-for-survivor-9-essential-tips-and-tricks-from-alum-hannah-shapiro#.Bd8c6RsB5

[Rough Draft]

3 hours ago, nutty1 said:

LOL, this article from Hannah is SO funny!!

https://mic.com/articles/176767/how-to-prepare-for-survivor-9-essential-tips-and-tricks-from-alum-hannah-shapiro#.Bd8c6RsB5

Thanks, that's hilarious!

[Lantern7]

Reality Blurred on the theme of S35. On the bright side, I think we'll have new people to get annoyed about. Still wouldn't put it past Burnett to load S36 with ex-champs for the purpose of having somebody tie Sandra's mark.

[ByaNose]

Checking the Survivor twitters and they've all landed in LA. They're hitting the bars &  with a bunch of get togethers. Troyzan posted a Periscope video with Sarah. I saw that Max from Worlds Apart posted a picture of he & Sarah. Also, Andrea posted a picture of her & Debbie. Another picture I saw (maybe, from Sarah?!) of her, Zeke & Hannah. It seems like fun to do the show and then celebrate it after it's over. Everyone looked very happy.

Edited May 24, 2017 by ByaNose

[Lantern7]

Any sign of Varner? I don't think he should come to the Reunion after what he did with Zeke. Really wouldn't blame him for sitting that out.

Any links to the pictures? I want to see the older ladies, by which I mean Cirie and Sandra.

[LadyChatts]

Sierra's there, along with Mike and Meg (from Big Brother), Joe and his family, and of course Tyler, who lives there.

Varner has pics of him and Sandra on the plane, and there's additional pics of him with Figgy and Peih Gee.  So I'm assuming he's there.  Show up at the reunion?  I don't know.  My guess is the audience is going to be told to be on their best behavior and not boo him.  Maybe it'll strictly be Survivors, friends, and family, and no fans.

Edited May 24, 2017 by LadyChatts

[cooksdelight]

They have to include fans, in order to fill the studio, I think. 

[Eolivet]

I don't know if this is media, but Adam just yelled at me (not personally, just in general) about how to "outplay, outwit and outlast lung cancer" over a loudspeaker at my CVS. They had a donation for the American Lung Association at checkout.

[Lantern7]

Wasn't Adam the winner last season? I'm too lazy to check.

Reality Blurred with a few more details on S35. I clicked the casting link to see if anybody looked familiar to me.

[peachmangosteen]

4 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Wasn't Adam the winner last season? I'm too lazy to check.

Yes.

[BK1978]

I am not sure if this was brought up before or really where to put it so I am just going to put it here.  I was watching The Bye Bye Man tonight (don't judge) and Jonathan Penner popped up.  I said to my friend, "Hey look it's Jonathan from Survivor."  To which he replied, "I don't think so bro.  Why would a reality star show up in a mainstream movie."  I then had to explain that Jonathan was an actual actor and not a reality star trying to become one.

Anyway, the credits roll around and it turns out that Penner also wrote and produced the movie.  Granted the movie was not that great but it was not horrible either and it was cool to see one of my favorite players in a movie.

[Lantern7]

Wow. Still not watching it because horror isn't my thing. The only reason why I'd want to see Get Out is because I heard the buzz and I like Jordan Peele.

Also, you can explain to your friend that Jonathan got nominated for an Oscar in 1994 for Best Short Film.

[LadyChatts]

The Bye Bye Man got terrible reviews.  I saw it, and it was okay.  It doesn't take much to scare me, which is why I shouldn't watch horror movies in the first place.  But the movie just didn't seem overly original.  I did hear that Jonathan was going to be working on an adaption of King Kong, I think for TV.

[fishcakes]

I like Penner well enough, though I don't love him the way most people seem to, but I feel like when it comes to his show business career, someone needs to have a Come to Jesus talk with him. Looking at his IMDb page, he's had bit acting parts since the late '80s, a handful of writing and producing credits on things no one has ever heard of, and aside from Survivor, no credits at all from the mid '00s through 2016. The only thing he's done that I'm aware I've seen is his tiny part in Seinfeld as the guy Elaine had a drunken make-out session with (and looking at his bio, I see his cousin is Jason Alexander, which is probably why he got the part). I mean, I'm all for doing what you love, but some people need to learn to love the steady paycheck of middle management or information technology. I was embarrassed for him when he was obviously offended that Lisa Whelchel Didn't Know Who He Is because, say what you will about her acting career, she was legitimately famous and still is to a lesser extent. Penner is really only known to Survivor fans.

[Guest]

On 5/24/2017 at 4:32 AM, cooksdelight said:

They have to include fans, in order to fill the studio, I think. 

I'm sure.  I think at this reunion it looked like they had backdrops of an audience behind the actual audience, making the studio appear larger than it is.  Maybe they always have and I never noticed it.  You could tell at the beginning when the front of the audience was cheering and the back, the mural, was frozen (of course).  And sort of gray.  And we know from Jeff walking up those aisles in the past this isn't exactly a stadium.  I'm not sure if you'll be able to see it in this screen shot.  

It reminded me of early Master Chef seasons, where someone noticed the crowd of auditioners was digitally reproduced to appear larger than it was.  Not that putting up a mural of rows of seats is as duplicitous.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/producers-of-foxs-masterchef-apologize-after-getting-caught-faking-footage/

Edited June 1, 2017 by Guest

[ByaNose]

Okay, what is the premiere date in September for Survivor: HHH? I need to clear my schedule. LOL!!!! My life is very empty without Survivor on Wednesday night. After tonight, I won't have The Amazing Race either. What's left? I guess I could watch Big Brother but it's not appoinment television for me. Survivor is #1 in my book. Okay! Did anyone find the date? What's taking you so long? See everyone in September.