By Buzz Byrne

Tonight, James dodged a bullet. The newly formed tribe Hae Da Fung made a monumental mistake by not taking out the lovable gravedigger when they had the chance and James, possessor of two (TWO!) immunity idols made a huge error by not playing one tonight. Basically he got lucky that Todd is a flake.

The action picked up right from the return from last week’s tribal council where Jean-Robert came close to being sent to the jury. Had it not been for Jaime having the wrong placard and therefore not the immunity idol, he would have been voted out- not her. Back at camp he was shaking from the near-hit. It didn’t upset him to the degree that he wouldn’t refer to himself in the third person but he was feeling it. James said, “So what you want? A hug?”

As funny as that was the real line of the night came when James was talking about holding on to tribal lines and how difficult that was the variety of people he considered in his alliance. He named the lunchlady, the poker player, the waitress and Todd, “The stewardess.” Thank you, James. I had been calling Todd weasely, but I think from here on out, “The Stewardess” will do nicely.


In the reward challenge Jean-Robert, James, Amanda and The Stewardess easily defeated the team of Peih-Gee, Erik, Frosti and Courtney. Denise wasn’t even picked to play. I thought this might stir a movement among formerly unathletic chubby kids to boycott CBS but then I realized they are on the picket line already, holding signs for the “WGA.”

The prize was an authentic Chinese feast in a thousand year old village. Wasn’t this the same sort of prize last week? Apparently there are no more prizes in mainland China. Personally, I think they should have loaded up the winning team with recalled, lead-painted toys. This group of four also got the last clue to the whereabouts of the hidden immunity idol. The clue didn’t suggest “James’ bag” but it should have. It turns out nobody told Jean-Robert they had the idols so he waited until the dead of night and went searching. He nearly pulled a “Jaime” thinking he had the idol when he did not.

The Stewardess was meanwhile forming a plan to get James out if he didn’t win immunity. It was a smart move, and while I am formally rooting for James, it was the time to take him out before he runs the table.

But then Erik told Jean-Robert that James had the idols and Jean-Robert thought now was the time to turn on his former ally. A smart player would have let Jean-Robert think he was genius for coming up with the plan and let him run with it. Not The Stewardess. He was mad that Jean-Robert was stealing his idea, so he had to go. Do not get his neckerchief in a bunch!!

James did get three votes at the council (Courtney won immunity by sitting on a barrel in a swamp the longest, btw) so hopefully it was the scare to make him play the idols every time he doesn’t win individual immunity from here on out. If he doesn’t, then he deserves to get voted out. I think he is smarter than that though.


Jean-Robert did get five votes and he was sent to the jury by mostly his former tribemates. Somehow he came to the conclusion that he was voted out because he was playing the game the best. I guess that logic would make me the world’s best Megaball Lottery player.

The reality is that James is going to have to win out on challenges to take this thing. My early prediction on the true front runner is Amanda. She has also taken over the role as player with the “most butt cheek on display.” Jean-Robert gave her a run for the money but she now needs to be pixilated in any shot from behind. Good for you, Amanda!