Kidding. Hey, even bloggers need a holiday now and then. God Bless my DVR or I would have missed the whole show.
Even Gary couldn't survive the powerful blitz by Steph, Jersey Judd, Zoo Girl and Rafe the Red. With the game clock ticking at Tribal Council, Gary made a last ditch effort to stay by calling out Judd for lying, but his opponents weren't budging and everyone voted against him.
Watch Gary's Early Show interview
Only the strong survive?
One of the things I love about 'Survivor' is also one of the things I hate. Being smart, athletic and likeable often works against players like Gary because it makes them too much of a threat. Being lousy at the challenges and annoying can work in favor of players like Lydia because she's the perfect choice to go up against for the final vote. I hate to see the best players sent packing season after season. On the other hand, 'Survivor' would be pretty boring and predictable if it was all about physical strength.
Photo gallery: Episode 11
Meow!
Steph's claws came out during the reward challenge when Lydia dared to crack her pot of corn, sending her to the sidelines. "Jealousy gets you nowhere," Steph snarled as she stomped away.
I'm no fan of Lydia's but I can't say I blamed her for trying to give someone else a shot at winning a food challenge. Steph was furious and didn't hesitate to challenge Lydia back at camp. "I'm an outcast," Lydia later admitted.
Getting on Steph's bad side could be a mistake that sends Lydia to the jury box sooner rather than later. On the other hand, Lydia's Tribal Council remarks about Steph running the show were right on the money and might be a wakeup call for the others. Otherwise, they might as well hand Steph the million dollars right now.
Under the radar
With Gary gone, Rafe the Red moves into my favorite spot. He doesn't look or act like a threat, but he's been quietly kicking butt at the challenges. After winning the immunity necklace for the third time, Rafe came up with this week's best line: "Who would see this little gay Mormon and think he was going to win most of the Immunity Challenges?"
