S33: Ken McNickle

[RadiantAerynSun]

I can't help but think either Derek Zoolander was based on this man, or vice versa. He gives the same wide-eyed "looks". He is more intelligent though. But I am always reminded of that movie when he is on screen...

[Rachel RSL]

That's so funny you say that because, every once in a while, Ken has this sort of accent/inflection in his voice that has reminded me of Derek Zoolander all season.

Those videos are cracking me up! I can't tell if Ken has a really great deadpan sense of humour or if he just takes himself really really seriously. 

Edited December 9, 2016 by Rachel RSL

[303420]

I never read the CBS profiles so I had no idea Ken lived in Denver. Last week I found out that a good friend of mine knows him. Her wife used to work with him in the restaurant biz. The report is that he's a cool guy. I might be able to parlay this into getting to meet him. Watch this space...

Edited December 9, 2016 by 303420

[MVFrostsMyPie]

I'd eat anything Ken made as long as I got to watch him make it shirtless.

[Rachel RSL]

I have to say, that crooked smile is what I like most. And if it just happens to be accompanied by shirtless cooking, oh well!

[treeofdreams]

I can't believe no one has linked to Ken's Facebook page yet.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012183938947&lst=100000610718645%3A100012183938947%3A1481387774

If this link does not work, do a search for Ken Cole Mcnickle

Highlights:

A couple photos of his adorable daughter.

A must-read tribute to his brother who visited him on Survivor.  If you want to see Ken's gift with words, here it is.  Beautiful!

A lot of posts about his favorite cause, HumaneKind.  He has organized a fundraiser to build a mobile donation center:

"For over a year now we've been giving food, clothing and friendship to those in need throughout Denver. Now we're looking to build a mobile donation center (think mobile clothing boutique) for those we're helping. Someone already struggling feels a little better when they're 'shopping' for clothes on racks as opposed to sifting through donations in a bin.

With a mobile donation center we can give more, more often, and bring what we have to share directly to those in need. We feel this could solve many problems for those in need of assistance and creates a safe space for us to connect with those that we are driven to help.

This trailer will be used for the homeless, for natural disaster relief and for food drives whenever needed. We'll also be using the funds raised on this site to purchase vitamins, food, clothing and more for those we're helping as well as purchasing media equipment to document and share our work with others to inspire more support. Lend us a hand so we can do the same for so many others!"

There is a lot of depth to this man that we do not get to see on Survivor.

[laurakaye]

Well, I can see why some of the Survivors lost less weight than they wanted to, what with Chef Ken cooking seasoned pizza rice and lightly salted coconut over mashed pumpkin puree.  Heck, I'd take some of all of that right now!  Including Chef Ken!

I wish TPTB would've shown more of Ken's humor on the show.  Usually we get him scowling and not saying much of anything.  Other than the TC where he waxed poetic about vinyl records, we didn't get to see him being snarky or funny.  He's actually got a quirky sense of humor behind that adorably crooked smile.  I demand that Ken get a do-over!  Hear me, Probst?!?

[MVFrostsMyPie]

His middle name is Cole, ha! Wonder if his parents were a fan of Kenneth Cole's fashions ;) 

[Blissfool]

On 12/10/2016 at 5:07 PM, MattDuffysCat said:

His middle name is Cole, ha! Wonder if his parents were a fan of Kenneth Cole's fashions ;) 

The name coincidence was probably as unintentional as Ken's humor.

[Guest]

On 12/9/2016 at 10:41 AM, piequinn35 said:

I'd thought I would find another one...

 

At first I thought he was being sarcastic but I think they genuinely have all those foods out there, including sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers.  Good for them, I never cared about starvation, but I think the viewers that want them to truly suffer like in the very early seasons must be really balking at that menu.  Though I bet the portions are tiny.  

[laurakaye]

"Sir Squidington."

LOLZ, oh Ken.  I'm really going to need you to come back for another season.  Or every season from now on, if you can work that out.

[pamplemousse]

I think it's pretty great that this season we have two players who do a lot of work with and for the homeless communities in their respective areas. Ken and Adam should join forces, I wouldn't be surprised if they've discussed it while on the island.

[Rachel RSL]

I think I need to go to a support group for Ken addicts or something. When he opened that Legacy Advantage with his teeth and spit it out, I was like: Damn, that's so hot!

I may need professional help.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Rachel RSL

[LadyChatts]

1 hour ago, Rachel RSL said:

I think I need to go to a support group for Ken addicts or something. When he opened that Legacy Advantage with his teeth and spit it out, I was like: Damn, that's so hot!

I may need professional help.

He may not have the Survivor man bun I typically go for, but really, he makes my heart melt just looking at him.  I loved his comment about not being humble when he won the second IC, and that he usually doesn't get excited like that.  That's Ken getting over the top?  I love this guy.

Edited December 15, 2016 by LadyChatts

[Maverick]

 He's nice to look at, but he comes off as a pompous most of the time.  And he really lost me by playing the "for my daughter" card at Final Tribal. 

[ElleryAnne]

Quote

 He's nice to look at, but he comes off as a pompous most of the time. 

I didn't think he seemed pompous, but he always seems to bring such gravitas to the simplest things, like when he says thank you for something.  Everything is so serious in Ken's world.

[Rachel RSL]

24 minutes ago, Maverick said:

  And he really lost me by playing the "for my daughter" card at Final Tribal. 

Is that playing a card though? He was straight up asked why he wasn't loyal to David, was he supposed to say "Oh, no reason."?

[Maverick]

 Yes, it's playing a card.   He could have said I'm playing a game it was the best strategic move at time so I could win.   He didn't make it about the game, he made it about 'vote for me because I'm a dad'.

[Rachel RSL]

So he should have lied? *shrug*  I respectfully disagree.

[enlightenedbum]

To be fair to Ken, he had the right read on the jury.

[DEL901]

I don't think he said "vote for me because I'm a dad".  He explained why he betrayed David at the end.  Not the same IMO, but YMMV.

[ElleryAnne]

Quote

Is that playing a card though? He was straight up asked why he wasn't loyal to David, was he supposed to say "Oh, no reason."?

I agree.  I've always thought that "playing a card" implied something intentional and manipulative.  Ken simply answered the question honestly.  (Ditto for Adam.  In both cases, they gave answers that were emotional, but they weren't doing it in an underhanded way.)  

[LadyChatts]

Ken looked sad during the reunion.  I hope he gets another chance.  Actually, for once, this is a season where I'd love to see the majority of the cast get asked back (minus the 3 or 4 people max I usually want to see return).

Edited December 15, 2016 by LadyChatts

[Rachel RSL]

Jeff: "Single?"

Ken: "Uh....I love...."

Jeff: *interrupts like the fool he is*

I want to hear the end of that sentence! 

[Sarahsmile416]

3 minutes ago, Rachel RSL said:

Jeff: "Single?"

Ken: "Uh....I love...."

Jeff: *interrupts like the fool he is*

I want to hear the end of that sentence! 

Thank you! Me too! I wanted to hit him over the head after that! 

[hoosiermom]

I wanted Ken to win. Thought he played the best game. I quit watching after Adam won. Yah, I am a poor sport.

[weightyghost]

27 minutes ago, Rachel RSL said:

I want to hear the end of that sentence! 

heh, I believe he stuttered and then said 'there's only one g-' before Jeff cut him off, so I assume he was just going to say only one girl aka his daughter 

[Blissfool]

That's so Jeff...."Ken, all women are dying to hear...are you single?"

Ken begins to awkwardly stammer out an answer and ....Jeff interrupts!

Typical Probst!

[Rachel RSL]

2 hours ago, weightyghost said:

heh, I believe he stuttered and then said 'there's only one g-' before Jeff cut him off, so I assume he was just going to say only one girl aka his daughter 

You're probably right. He said "Uh....I love" and what sounded like the beginning of the word "one" before doofus interrupted him so that was probably  where he was deflecting that answer.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Rachel RSL

[piequinn35]

Jeff bring him back. 

 

Edited December 16, 2016 by piequinn35

[treeofdreams]

Quote

 He's nice to look at, but he comes off as a pompous most of the time. 

I didn't think he seemed pompous, but he always seems to bring such gravitas to the simplest things, like when he says thank you for something.  Everything is so serious in Ken's world.

 

He has mentioned a couple of times that he has a speech impediment.  I suspect that his deliberate manner of speaking is his way of controlling the impediment.  It may come across to some as pompous.

Edited December 15, 2016 by treeofdreams

[ljenkins782]

8 minutes ago, treeofdreams said:

 

He has mentioned a couple of times that he has a speech impediment.  I suspect that his deliberate manner of speaking is his way of controlling the impediment.  It may come across to some as pompous.

Yes, I think that's the reason for the way he speaks. I also think whatever he went through earlier in life caused him to live inside his head, which probably accounts for his sometimes rambling monologues. 

On a purely shallow note, his haircut was TERRIBLE at the reunion. Did Michelle do his hair?? It was the same weird combover "first big boy haircut" look that she gave Chris at Ponderosa. 

[fishcakes]

13 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

Jeff: "Single?"

Ken: "Uh....I love...."

Jeff: *interrupts like the fool he is*

I want to hear the end of that sentence! 

On the one hand, I am shipping Hannah and Ken after how handsy they were with each other at the reunion, so in my head, he was about to declare his love for her. But then Peachy ruined the moment and now Ken will never again scrape up the courage to tell Hannah how he feels, instead spending the rest of his life pining for her. On the other hand, I am happy for Hannah because Ken seems like he might be the kind of guy who cries after sex.

[Rachel RSL]

I would totally ship Kennah! 

18 minutes ago, fishcakes said:

On the other hand, I am happy for Hannah because Ken seems like he might be the kind of guy who cries after sex.

OMG *cries with laughter*

[Special K]

16 hours ago, Rachel RSL said:

I think I need to go to a support group for Ken addicts or something. When he opened that Legacy Advantage with his teeth and spit it out, I was like: Damn, that's so hot!

I may need professional help.

Second only to the way he propped his foot up on the TC fire pit, and reached into his boot!  Dying over here. <<fans self>>

[Rachel RSL]

Yes! And, by the way, where did those boots come from? Did he have them the whole time and I just never noticed?

[MissEwa]

4 hours ago, fishcakes said:

On the one hand, I am shipping Hannah and Ken after how handsy they were with each other at the reunion, so in my head, he was about to declare his love for her. But then Peachy ruined the moment and now Ken will never again scrape up the courage to tell Hannah how he feels, instead spending the rest of his life pining for her. On the other hand, I am happy for Hannah because Ken seems like he might be the kind of guy who cries after sex.

Actual LOL. This is the best comment ever. I was shipping them until Ken did that whole thing with Will and then I realised Hannah's too good for him. I actually love how in that clip of them watching the sunrise he's saying something about the sun not hurting their eyes and she's like 'yeah, you said that'. 

[peachmangosteen]

5 hours ago, fishcakes said:

On the one hand, I am shipping Hannah and Ken after how handsy they were with each other at the reunion, so in my head, he was about to declare his love for her. But then Peachy ruined the moment and now Ken will never again scrape up the courage to tell Hannah how he feels, instead spending the rest of his life pining for her. On the other hand, I am happy for Hannah because Ken seems like he might be the kind of guy who cries after sex.

This is truly one of the top 5 posts I've ever read. Thank you!

Also, I am totally a Kennah shipper. Hopefully one day those two crazy kids can be together!

[brilliantbreakfast]

http://www.maxtalent.com/models/model.cfm/Kenneth-McNickle/0/id/1305

You're welcome.  

[Guest]

19 hours ago, weightyghost said:

heh, I believe he stuttered and then said 'there's only one g-' before Jeff cut him off, so I assume he was just going to say only one girl aka his daughter 

My theory is it was something more like "I love Hannah and all the players this season.  But I do have a special someone here at home."  (And not his daughter.  I know no one means it the squicky way, but single men, even as martyr-like ones as Ken, don't really see any parental reason to not date, in my experience.  Especially since he's very likely not with his daughter half or more of the time.)

[Adeejay]

2 hours ago, brilliantbreakfast said:

http://www.maxtalent.com/models/model.cfm/Kenneth-McNickle/0/id/1305

You're welcome.  

brilliant, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you!

[Rachel RSL]

3 hours ago, Winston9-DT3 said:

My theory is it was something more like "I love Hannah and all the players this season.  But I do have a special someone here at home."  (And not his daughter.  I know no one means it the squicky way, but single men, even as martyr-like ones as Ken, don't really see any parental reason to not date, in my experience.  Especially since he's very likely not with his daughter half or more of the time.)

Oh, he very clearly has someone he's seeing. The ummmm and the answer about his daughter was obviously going to be a deflection before Probst interrupted/saved him.

[Lingo]

On 12/9/2016 at 0:58 PM, RadiantAerynSun said:

I can't help but think either Derek Zoolander was based on this man, or vice versa. He gives the same wide-eyed "looks". He is more intelligent though. But I am always reminded of that movie when he is on screen...

Off-topic, but it's funny you say that, because Zoolander was totally based on a model who ran on The Amazing Race (or possibly two models, since they were twins!).

[Sarahsmile416]

4 hours ago, brilliantbreakfast said:

http://www.maxtalent.com/models/model.cfm/Kenneth-McNickle/0/id/1305

You're welcome.  

Holy mother of god, he is just so beautiful. I can't - I could stare at those pictures all day.  I would definitely not kick him out of bed...though I feel pretty certain that in my pregnant state he probably would kick me out in a NY minute lol. Oh well, a girl can dream...

You are the best! 

[LadyChatts]

http://parade.com/532308/joshwigler/survivor-ken-mcnickle/

Exit interview from Ken.  I love this:

Quote

 

Wigler: Talk me through the choice to get rid of David, then. It’s a huge decision.

Ken: Wait, don’t you mean Adam convincing me to vote Dave out? That’s how it really went down, right?

 

[Sarahsmile416]

38 minutes ago, LadyChatts said:

http://parade.com/532308/joshwigler/survivor-ken-mcnickle/

Exit interview from Ken.  I love this:

Great interview! Thanks for posting! I loved the bit when he talks about faking an injury for a few days to lessen the target on his back. That is genius. I wish they had shown that! 

[Rachel RSL]

Massage therapy. He gives massages. Good lord, this man. *insert swooning emoji here*

[ljenkins782]

Found this in Jay's thread, but the bit about Ken caught my eye:

Quote

 

Jay: The process was I love him and he beat me, so I’ll give him the money. It was going to be Adam all day, and I knew it, too. Had David made it? That would have mixed things up. I love the game so much and respect the game so much that maybe I wouldn’t vote on emotion. It might be that David played a great game. But Adam played a great game, too. And to get Ken to flip? That’s amazing. The most loyal dude who doesn’t talk to anyone? I’ve tried to talk to this dude so many times, and he’s like, “No!”

Wigler: There was never any shot at working together, you and Ken?

Jay: There was, I think, for a little bit. I wasn’t full of crap about it. Maybe he was? I don’t know for sure. But I tried.

 

In one of Ken's interviews, he mentions thinking he had Jay's vote because of their "connection" but it seems like Jay didn't see their relationship like that at all. It makes sense, I've been saying all season that Jay seems like that guy that every person thinks is their friend and Ken doesn't seem to have the greatest grasp on social interactions.  

[Guest]

12 hours ago, Lingo said:

Off-topic, but it's funny you say that, because Zoolander was totally based on a model who ran on The Amazing Race (or possibly two models, since they were twins!).

Seriously?  Zoolander and TAR both premiered in 2001.  The model twins Derek and Drew didn't act anything like Derek Zoolander, to me.  Wikipedia says the name Zoolander came from two Calvin Klein models-- one named Zander, one named Wanderloo.  Kind of funny to imagine, though.  

[ByaNose]

At least, Ken will always have his looks..............for now. LOL!! I'm sure he's a very nice guy but that guy is soooooooooooooo boring. Just hearing him talk is enough to turn me off. I would ask how did he get past casting but I'm sure his looks (which I'm sure Jeff was all over like white on rice) got him to final casting on his first visit. With people like Ken I have no shot getting cast on Survivor. I have three strikes against me already.  I'm not good looking,smart or athletic. I just can't catch a break. LOL!!!!