Ask Eliza, Brooke, Michelle & Murtz: Survivor: Gabon – FINALE

Brooke: What a great finale weekend in L.A! We had everything: parties, all-nighter after parties, reality alumni, and Murtz in his purple fedora schmoozing with any and all eligible bachlorettes.

Eliza: It really was an INCREDIBLE weekend. Murtz, I think we took plenty of pictures, at least a few of which are acceptable to show off to everyone! :) Being in the audience at the finale was incredible. I had such a great time seeing it from the other side and the audience was SO pro-Bob, so everyone was VERY happy with that great win! Murtz, you were rooting for your girl, Sugar, right? Also, what did you think of those jury questions????

Murtz: Eliza, you know me well. I was totally rooting for Sugar. I honestly believe that she played the best game. In fact, against Bob and Susie, I didn’t even think that it was close. Sugar was the real mastermind behind so many of the game’s biggest moves. While Kenny wants to take credit for Ace’s dismissal, it was really Sugar who pulled the trigger. And she was the one who ultimately sealed the fate of the aforementioned Kenny, Crystal and even Matty to a certain degree. Of the final three, she played the best game. That being said, I could definitely deal with a Bob win. I still can’t believe Susie came within one vote! Brooke and I watched the show at Rupert’s house. Brooke, who else was there? Oh and as for me schmoozing with the available bachelorettes, you know that’s why I go to the finale! Especially since you and Eliza are taken. How am I going to get over my Jacquie crush? (sigh).

Brooke: I am sure you’ll manage Murtz! You only have to wait about a month for Survivor Tocantins to start and then you can begin ogling the next batch of Survivor hotties. As for Rupert’s party, who wasn’t there?! For those of us who didn’t have a golden ticket to the live finale, like Eliza, the runner-up event was Rupert’s. Among the attendees were Bruce Kanegai, Erik Reichenbach, Cindy Hall, Eric Sanchez, Brian Corridan, Anthony Robinson, Brook Geraghty, Rafe Judkins, and Todd Herzog. Did I miss anyone Murtz? By the way, I just want to commend Eliza for being the most die-hard reality star contributor to Reality Dish! How on earth do you find time to write this while studying for the New York bar exam? Do you ever sleep?

Eliza: Sleep is certainly a rarity for me. I did finish law school, though, and I am studying away for the bar exam! Counting down the days until February 25th! And then of course anxiously waiting until May for another exciting Survivor finale, in NYC. Murtz, I’m sure you won’t miss it. I heard you two may have plans for a premier party? Is that right?

Murtz: It depends on if JetBlue cooperates or not. I don’t understand why I can’t book a flight to Sacramento to visit Brooke and catch the Tocantins premiere! I am growing increasingly frustrated that I can’t book it. Maybe it’s too early? You know what I just realized. My two BFF’s are both going to be lawyers in a matter of weeks! One things for sure. For future articles, I know that if we ever disagree on anything, I will be arguing with a total disadvantage! I am kind of sad though… this is our last one of the season! Are we ever going to talk again?!

Brooke: You have nothing to worry about Murtz! Eliza and I can’t resist ganging up on you so you will definitely be hearing from us even before next season. And we promise to go easy on you non-lawyer types. Just remember though, when push comes to shove, Eliza and I ALWAYS win. Just tell JetBlue that they better get it together and fly you to Sacramento! Are you sure you can’t join us Eliza?

Eliza: I wish I could!!! It will be just weeks away from the dreaded bar exam, so I can’t make it, but once that’s over, we’ll have to do some big celebration! I’ll be sad to be missing out. Alright, let’s get to our finale column picks. Best Player, Favorite Player, Hottest Girl….and all that fun!

BEST PLAYER

SUGAR

Brooke: Sugar really should have won the runner-up $100,000 prize this season! She was robbed. Here you have a player that virtually decided every vote-off on her team for the season. Plus, she did all the masterminding in the game without ever having her name written down at tribal. Normally the power player has a target on their back the entire game, but, Sugar was so unassuming that she remained safe. She was AMAZING. She didn’t even need the idol that she had since the start of the game. I think Sugar was able to go to Tribal every time knowing she was safe from elimination. No one else came close to best player!

SUGAR

Murtz: I completely agree with you Brooke. The best player of the season had to be Sugar. I think she controlled most of what happened and like I have said before, she did it with a severe disadvantage because she didn’t have the luxury of being around camp for all of the social politics (because she was sent to Exile so often). That makes my respect for her game only increase. I know that she didn’t get along with many of the players from this season, but I really believe it is heartbreaking that she didn’t receive a single vote to win the game because there is no doubt she was the greatest Gaboner.

FAVORITE PLAYER

BOB

Brooke: Bob was just too sweet and too fun to watch! It was like having Yau-Man back for a third season! In spite of his age, Bob demolished the younger men on his season and tied for most consecutive challenge wins in Survivor history. I couldn’t believe that! And it wasn’t enough that he won a million dollars, he then won Fan Favorite. What an overachiever!!! I would also add that Bob wins “Survivor Macgyver” of Gabon. His fake immunity idol was ingenious, as was his attempt to convince everyone that Marcus hid the extra idol instead of throwing it out to sea.

TIE: ACE/RANDY

Murtz: I simply cannot choose between my two favorite players this season. Before the season started, Ace stood out to me. I thought that he was hilarious in the commercials for the season and he didn’t disappoint. I believe that there is only one true way of playing Survivor Sure, while the under-the-radar strategy probably will be the most successful, this is a gutless way of playing. Ace liked people knowing he was in control and from an entertainment viewpoint, the season lost a lot of its edge when he was voted out. You girls know that I like cocky players and Ace totally gave me a Boston Rob vibe from Day One.

Similarly, I liked Randy as well. I think that his game in the grand scheme of things was underappreciated because of his vicious personality. I am usually not a fan of jumping on one’s original tribe because I believe it is a surefire way to fail after the merge. In this one case though, I think Randy did the right thing. While I originally believed that siding with the Onions was suicide (considering he would be the first to be picked off if Marcus and company went to the end), what I didn’t realize at the time was that at least this would get him to the end. The only reason so many Fang members made it is because of an unfair twist that killed the season for me. Otherwise, Randy was golden. And love him or hate him, who is the only guy we are still talking about when everything has been said and done. It isn’t Bob, I’ll tell you that much.

MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT OF THE SEASON

COOKIES

Brooke: Did anyone else enjoy the auction where Randy threw a temper tantrum over distributing “his” cookies? Sugar was equally as mature as Randy by egging-on an already temperamental player- “Oh my gosh, have you ever seen a grown man get so mad over a chocolate chip cookie?”. The real reason I loved this moment is that it is so representative how
emotional the game makes you! Food becomes like gold when you are starving and the littlest things can set you off. Apparently the cookie incident was pretty important because it cost someone a jury vote at the end of the game! Who knew?!

RANDY’S EXIT

Murtz: I hated watching the cookie incident Brooke! Because I think Randy was completely in the right and it was one of three times that I didn’t like what Sugar did. The first was when she voted off Ace. The second is when she gave away one of Randy’s cookies. And the third was undoubtedly the most memorable moment of the season for me… the Randy exit. When Randy used Bob’s fake idol, it was definitely a big moment for the show. One of the greatest players in the game’s history got embarrassed on his way out. But let’s be clear. I do believe that Randy knew that the idol was fake when he used it. Just like when I knew Jaime knew that it was fake or when you did Eliza. I think it was played up by the producers to make for a more memorable exit and they succeeded because that’s what I feel was the most talked-about sequence in Gabon. My second pick would be how Bob/Corinne almost convinced the idiot Fang members to keep her and my third was the demise of Crystal and Kenny.

HOTTEST FEMALE

JACQUIE

Brooke: Jacquie and Kelly were pretty close in my book. Both were the gorgeous Survivor girls this season! (I’m sure you would take either blonde right Murtz?) Jacquie’s personality makes her the winner for me though. She stayed on the good side of everyone on her team but simply fell victim to cruel chance in the game. She deserved to be around a lot longer!!!

JACQUIE

Murtz: Can I change my most memorable moment of the season or is it too late? Because if I can, it would definitely be when Eliza and Brooke pick the hottest female of the season! Brooke, I am glad you also picked a girl this time as per the rules (I still remember you picking James in this category when we wrote the China finale column). As for my pick, it was actually difficult this season. Jacquie and Kelly were neck and neck (I wish) for me but in the end, I had to give it to Jacquie. She wore purple at the finale which kind of broke the tie for me. Speaking of which, Paloma wore a matching hat to mine. That has to earn her some points right? In the end though, I have to give it to the blonde. It’s tradition. I might be in love with Jacquie as a sidenote. Michelle, your turn! Any girls that were kissworthy this season?

CORINNE

Michelle: Did someone say Hottest Girl Category?! I’m IN for this one! Can I pick, Eliza? Please? Oh gosh, Murtz, you never let me have any fun. Well, even with so many lovely ladies this season, I know who I’m picking, easy. It’s Corrine, hands down! What’s not to like? Great body and a quick wit. I like a straight-shooter. Plus, someone’s got to root for the non-blondes!

BEST LINE

Brooke: ::the finger:: Sugar (in response to Corrine chastising her for crying
about her dead father)

Murtz: “If we’re not in a merge, I’m history. Even though I teach science. That was a little joke.” –Bob

Murtz Jaffer is the world's foremost reality television expert and was the host of Reality Obsessed which aired on the TVTropolis and Global Reality Channels in Canada. He has professional writing experience at the Toronto Sun, National Post, TV Guide Canada, TOROMagazine.com and was a former producer at Entertainment Tonight Canada. He was also the editor at Weekendtrips.com.