SURVIVOR 39: ISLAND OF THE IDOLS premieres Sept. 25, 2019

[CynBeth]

I finally watched this week’s episode. I never liked Dean and knew it was a mistake for Kellee to have saved him. I agree about the opinions here of the other players and have a bad feeling Janet will get voted out next. I don’t get why people don’t go after the redhead (is that Tom?). If Aaron doesn’t win the next immunity they should target him but probably will make another dumb move.

 

[MrsPete]

Dan should have been removed after many of the females made complaints. Though why would they sleep next to him, I don't know. I would have been snuggled up between 2 other gals.

I'm not defending inappropriate touching in the least, but -- yeah -- if this is a known problem, why would any woman choose to sleep next to him? I mean, really. He touches you ONCE, you say, "Dude, I don't like that. Please remove your arm." Done. No results? Get up and say it louder. Move away from him. Not many guys are going to continue this behavior if you say it loudly and strongly.
They have a large camp, and they seem to have downtime -- build a second shelter, if you can't avoid sleeping next to him.
Try it once -- it's on you. But if I let you KEEP ON DOING IT, it's my own fault.
I get why such things continue in an office where a woman fears for her job, etc., etc., etc. -- but this isn't that kind of situation. These women would look STRONG for standing up for themselves. They look like weak little weenies talking about the situation behind his back, then being wishy-washy about it later.

It would seem to me that he wasn't removed because the complaints were baseless. There is no other good reason for not pulling him from the game.

To be argumentative ... this is a game, and next season's participants will study this year's game play. Do we really want to open the door to a person saying, "Okay, if I want to get rid of a male player, I'll claim he touched me inappropriately. Yes, that's my plan." Refer to my above comments.

This. ANd we don't know how the show played with editing.

Very fair point.

 

[lovin'fl]

So I heard a rumor on my other forum that follows some guy on twitter who leaks stuff. He says that Dan gets ejected in this week's episode. If true (or if he quits) then does he go to Ponderosa to be on jury? If not, then it is VERY interesting that Jack is on jury when he was a per-merge boot (they usually do all post merge). If Dan does get to be on jury, that will suck for Kellee at Ponderosa.

I also happened upon a leaked F3

Spoiler: F3

Dean, Tommy and Noura

 

[Tess]

Female ‘Survivor’ Contestants Apologize After #MeToo Backlash

Would be great to read the entire article but I am not giving up an email to read it. Too much spam without that. Caught the gist though with the first paragraph. Shameful.

 

[wgeo]

I'm not defending inappropriate touching in the least, but -- yeah -- if this is a known problem, why would any woman choose to sleep next to him? I mean, really. He touches you ONCE, you say, "Dude, I don't like that. Please remove your arm." Done. No results? Get up and say it louder. Move away from him. Not many guys are going to continue this behavior if you say it loudly and strongly.
They have a large camp, and they seem to have downtime -- build a second shelter, if you can't avoid sleeping next to him.
Try it once -- it's on you. But if I let you KEEP ON DOING IT, it's my own fault.
I get why such things continue in an office where a woman fears for her job, etc., etc., etc. -- but this isn't that kind of situation. These women would look STRONG for standing up for themselves. They look like weak little weenies talking about the situation behind his back, then being wishy-washy about it later.
To be argumentative ... this is a game, and next season's participants will study this year's game play. Do we really want to open the door to a person saying, "Okay, if I want to get rid of a male player, I'll claim he touched me inappropriately. Yes, that's my plan." Refer to my above comments.
Very fair point.

I have to say I really disagree with this. These people are in the context of the game. Doing anything that sets you apart makes you a target to be kicked out. SO they can stand their ground and tell him to quit touching them and then as a result get kicked out next or they can put up with it. That isn't really a great choice. Building a second shelter? Surely you are joking, building a shelter is a major ordeal that takes a huge amount of time and effort - to build your own seperate shelter because you don't like someone is almost physically impossible and from a gameplay standpoint gauarantees that you will be kicked out soon. So it's the victim's fault that they didn't change their circumstance? I don't see it.

The truth is - in the moment they still don't look Strong for standing up for themselves, they look whiney. Listening to Aaron at tribal council is clear proof that their arguments are seen as weak and untrue, not strong at all.

 

[lovin'fl]

I am not watching Wed and I canceled my DVR from recording the episode. So if you feel as strongly about it as I do, don't forget to cancel your DVR as well.

Spoiler: dan rumor

Also, rumor has it that Dan gets put on a plane and doesn't go to Ponderosa to be on jury. Speculation is that he quits at a heated TC and then Jeff tells him he is ejected from the game and will go straight home.

 

[L&Lfan]

Sounds juicy!

 

[OhMari]

Sorry OT, but did you see in the news Patricia Heaton’s husband was accused of inappropriate touching on her new tv show. Just seems crazy that Dan is a talent scout for tv shows and Patricia’s husband is a producer. Do these guys live in a hole? Rule number 1 in Kindegarten-keep your hands to yourself.

 

[gometros]

Would be great to read the entire article but I am not giving up an email to read it. Too much spam without that. Caught the gist though with the first paragraph. Shameful.

Female ‘Survivor’ Contestants Apologize After #MeToo Backlash

Fans were disappointed by how the contestants used another woman’s accusations of unwanted touching by a male contestant to advance in the game.

A pair of female “Survivor” contestants say they’re sorry for taking advantage of a third woman’s complaints about unwanted physical contact in order to advance in the game.

The apologies came after a two-hour Wednesday night episode of the popular CBS show, in which the women said that a male contestant had touched them inappropriately. The show’s producers got involved and issued the man, Dan Spilo, a formal warning, but, in a Machiavellian twist, the two accusers admitted to using the situation to oust the other, Kellee Kim.

On Thursday night, after a fan backlash, the two contestants, Missy Byrd and Elizabeth Beisel, issued lengthy apologies online.

“I became so caught up in game play that I did not realize a very serious situation, nor did I handle it with the care that it deserved,” Ms. Byrd said on Twitter. Sexual harassment and sexual assault “have no business being used as tactics to further one’s own agenda,” Ms. Beisel said.

Their actions left many fans disappointed with how the contestants and producers handled the complaints on the show, which is unspooling a carefully edited story line after several weeks of filming this year on an island of Fiji. The winner of this 39th season, “Island of Idols,” will be revealed in December.

“For the first time ever, I think I’m going to stop watching the show,” Eliza Orlins, a former “Survivor” contestant, said on Twitter. “I’m done with this season. I have friends on season 40 so I’ll pick it back then, but honestly, I’m out after tonight. This felt … really gross.”

During the show, the producers said that they had met with the contestants individually and collectively to caution them against violating personal boundaries, and to issue Mr. Spilo a formal “warning,” the consequences of which were not clear.

“We spent more time and consideration on this question than anything I’ve ever been involved with in my entire career,” Jeff Probst, the show’s host and executive producer, said in a statement.

In a separate statement, CBS and MGM, which owns the company that produces the show, said that “all castaways are monitored and supervised at all times. They have full access to producers and doctors, and the production will intervene in situations where warranted.”

Early in Wednesday’s episode, Ms. Kim and Ms. Byrd bonded over what they described as unwanted physical contact by Mr. Spilo, such as his brushing aside Ms. Kim’s hair despite her having asked him to stop touching her, and putting his arm on Ms. Byrd as she tried to sleep.

In a confessional, Ms. Kim then tearfully described how she felt upon realizing that other women had similar experiences: “This isn’t just one person, it’s a pattern,” she said.

Moments later, an unidentified crew member off screen offered a rare interjection: Should Ms. Kim feel the need, she should come to the crew member and he would put an end to the behavior, he said.

Though the producers met with the contestants and “cautioned” them about crossing personal boundaries, the contestants’ responses to the situation were muddied by gameplay.

Early in the episode, Ms. Kim said that, despite her genuine discomfort with Mr. Spilo’s actions, she would not let it cloud her judgment.

The game is unfair, she said, adding that she could use Mr. Spilo as a “decoy” vote while targeting Ms. Byrd. Meanwhile, Ms. Byrd conspired with Ms. Beisel to play up their discomfort with Mr. Spilo in conversations with others while instead secretly targeting Ms. Kim.

In the end, a majority of the contestants voted to kick Ms. Kim off the island, while the rest cast their votes for Mr. Spilo, who remained. Later, after he was confronted by another female contestant who had heard the accusations, Mr. Spilo sought out Ms. Byrd and Ms. Beisel, who both played down what they had said.

“Dan, the only thing that we can say to that is that if we truly, truly felt that, did we not have the power to vote you out tonight?” Ms. Byrd said.

“I have never felt uncomfortable,” Ms. Beisel said separately, in a confessional.

In a tribal council discussion at the end of the show, Mr. Spilo offered an apology while Ms. Kim, who had already been voted off, sat nearby.

“My personal feeling is if anyone ever felt for a second uncomfortable about anything I’ve ever done, I’m horrified about that and I’m terribly sorry,” he said.

After the show aired, Ms. Kim said on Twitter that she was hurt and saddened watching the episode, but that “no one deserves threats or shaming and we can talk about this in a way that we are all better for it.”

The episode frustrated some fans, who felt that the show had reinforced negative stereotypes and expectations when it comes to harassment and assault allegations.

 

[CoffeeKitten]

I am not watching Wed and I canceled my DVR from recording the episode. So if you feel as strongly about it as I do, don't forget to cancel your DVR as well.

Spoiler

Also, rumor has it that Dan gets put on a plane and doesn't go to Ponderosa to be on jury. Speculation is that he quits at a heated TC and then Jeff tells him he is ejected from the game and will go straight home.

If that rumor is true, I want to keep watching the season. What a train wreck!

 

[SgtTibbs]

How can CBS allow Missy and Elizabeth to remain on the air? That is beyond irresponsible. They both straight up lied about sexual misconduct to forward their game. I won't call Dan innocent, Kelly was clearly upset with him for reasons clear enough the producers took the (as far as I know) unprecedented step to give him a verbal warming but where are the repercussions for Missy and Elizabeth sitting there voting out Kelly knowing how she felt and how they used that?

Nope. I'm out unless CBS takes the correct action and pulls Missy and Elizabeth from the game and gives them a lifetime ban from all CBS shows.

 

[lovin'fl]

How can CBS allow Missy and Elizabeth to remain on the air? That is beyond irresponsible. They both straight up lied about sexual misconduct to forward their game. I won't call Dan innocent, Kelly was clearly upset with him for reasons clear enough the producers took the (as far as I know) unprecedented step to give him a verbal warming but where are the repercussions for Missy and Elizabeth sitting voting out Kelly knowing how she felt and how they used that?

Nope. I'm out unless CBS takes the correct action and pulls Missy and Elizabeth from the game and gives them a lifetime ban from all CBS shows.

I am out too. I feel very played by the show. They just wanted a hot topic to boost ratings. I mean we have had 3 weeks in a row of hot social discussions at the TCs. I read that Jeff wanted some talk show job and didn't get it so he's all bent and trying to create that on Survivor. Blah! I just want the mindless fun entertainment each week and not to solve the world's problems. I could watch Dr Phil for that crap. No thanks!

 

[SgtTibbs]

I am out too. I feel very played by the show. They just wanted a hot topic to boost ratings. I mean we have had 3 weeks in a row of hot social discussions at the TCs. I read that Jeff wanted some talk show job and didn't get it so he's all bent and trying to create that on Survivor. Blah! I just want the mindless fun entertainment each week and not to solve the world's problems. I could watch Dr Phil for that crap. No thanks!

I'm infuriated about how casual they were about it. Hey let's frame this guy for sexual misconduct, OK that sounds like a good plan. I've seen more soul searching on this show over eating a chicken.

They used Kelly's feeling of abuse as a tool and then voted her out for it. The more I process this show the angrier I get.

 

[lovin'fl]

I'm infuriated about how casual they were about it. Hey let's frame this guy for sexual misconduct, OK that sounds like a good plan. I've seen more soul searching on this show over eating a chicken.

They used Kelly's feeling of abuse as a tool and then voted her out for it. The more I process this show the angrier I get.

Me too!

 

[L&Lfan]

I'm infuriated about how casual they were about it. Hey let's frame this guy for sexual misconduct, OK that sounds like a good plan. I've seen more soul searching on this show over eating a chicken.

They used Kelly's feeling of abuse as a tool and then voted her out for it. The more I process this show the angrier I get.

Laughing at your chicken comment! How true!

 

[DisneyWorldMimi]

I thought Missy genuinely felt he crossed the line with her....but then reneged on it when speaking to Dan. Liz just straight up fabricated stuff. Both are garbage people.

Aaron is also a garbage person. "I would have known if stuff was happening" "I would have been told". I wanted to throw up. Who does he think he is?????

And let us not forget what's her name...with the braids..."It doesn't both me or my game play so not my concern". Uh huh. Garbage.

And Dan is also garbage. Continuing to be the touchy feely creep even after Kellee told him to stop touching. Whether he meant to be a creep or not. He is tone-deaf and clueless and rude.

Jamal, who I was not a fan of, spoke up and put all those garbage people in their place. Bravo to him and Bravo to Janet.

They truly had to dig deep into the trash heap to find this year's bumper crop of truly awful people.

Also that Aaron said he knew all about it. He is a total arrogant jerk. I hated it when he said he and the others would have known if it was an issue. I agree with how Jamal stood up to him by saying that just because they are men and in a position of power that they would have known. Aaron saying Janet was using the “victim card”.
When Janet talked of leaving the show, I noticed a change in Missy’s face. I think she realized that what she did was wrong as far as playing the “me too” with Janet. To get her to the point where she wanted to leave, she felt she had been played and was upset about it. She knew Kelle was telling the truth, but when she found out what Missy & Elizabeth said to Dan, I was glad she confronted them.
I hope that Aaron or Dan are off next. Especially Aaron. He is so arrogant and full of himself.

 

[lovin'fl]

I hope Elizabeth goes soon too. Her head held high with that smug look on her face at TC. And when Janet was clearly upset and wanting to quit she would not even look in Janet's direction.

 

[lovin'fl]

Watching Masked singer as silly as this show is it's better for mindless entertainment than Survivor these days.

 

[wgeo]

Actually watched Survivor again because I am weak

 

[mnrose]

I loved this week's show. Happy to see those that went GO. Now, if we can just eliminate a few more....