Once Bob follows all the clues and reaches the point where the idol would have been (there's now only a nail hammered into the tree where it was) and is unable to find anything, he decides that using the age-old strategy of crafting a fake idol may be his best bet. He ends up using some beads, feathers and bark that he found to craft a fairly convincing facsimile of an idol. It's the best fake idol that this show's ever seen, and certainly better than the stick from last season. Oh, Jason. I do not miss you.

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Back at Fang, it's now Day 27. The get a treemail that hints that there will be a firestarting contest. Corinne and Randy are convinced that the people on the other tribe have no ability to start a fire, particularly Crystal, whom he calls "sasquatch" and "T-rex". If you're going to be rude and give people a bitchy nickname, at least make sure that it makes some sort of sense, instead of blindly insulting their size, femininity, and (I'm assuming), profoundly short arms.

Immunity Challenge! Jeff takes the tribal immunity back from Fang, announcing that the tribes are now merged and today's challenge is for individual immunity. After everyone receives their new buffs (which are blue), Jeff explains the challenge, which is the same fire building challenge that we've seen on this show as a Tribal Council tiebreaker a few times where the fire, once built, has to burn through a string. Is it just me, or do the challenges seem a little bit simpler this season? I mean, I like it because it means that every one isn't some sort of relay race followed by some puzzle solving (which is what every challenge last season seemed like), but it's does seem like they're going back to basics, which I have to admit, I am enjoying.

Susie is the first person to get a flame going, which is not surprising since she's been trying to do a lot of work around camp. More surprisingly, Sugar is right on her tail with a little flame of her own. I'm really impressed with Sugar, I have to say. Most people on these shows talk about how everyone underestimates them when in reality they suck, but I think that might actually be true in her case.

Susie continues to build a pretty impressive fire as Corinne and her bitchface watch helplessly. Soon the flame burns through her rope, and Susie is the merge's very first individual immunity winner, ladies and gentlemen. After a clearly amused Probst puts the necklace on Susie, he lets the castaways know that they'll all be returning to Fang, which has been replenished with new supplies and is now "a new camp", according to Probst. Tastes great, less failure!

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Back at the former camp Fang, the contestants discover that they've been given some cans of food. Randy tells us that it was nice to get some new stuff to eat, but that people almost immediately snuck off in their cliques to start plotting. Corinne, Bob, Randy and Charlie hang in one corner of the woods, agreeing that they're going to vote for Crystal since she's such a pain in the ass to be around. While I do not disagree, Ken or Matty would be a much better choice.

They know that they have to get Sugar's vote in order to create a majority, and they task Corinne with doing this, for some reason. Sugar advocates for Randy's departure, telling Corinne that she just can't be around him. Corinne and Charlie promise to get rid of him during the next TC if she will get rid of Crystal for them tonight. Sugar, who is no dummy, knows that she's pretty much going to be useless after this week once they no longer need her, and that if they won't do this, they likely won't help her get too much farther. How much time has Sugar spent with him before she came to the conclusion that Randy is a problem? I'm fairly sure she's been on the opposite tribe from him each time (save the most recent switch), so she must really dislike him a lot. I mean, who's better to be around, Crystal or Randy? I like to make you get your Sophie's Choice on every once in a while.

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Comments (19)

itchy:

I think Marcus was hoping Charlie would be voted out next, that's what the 'stache is for. Good for him.

Ken was more fun when he was a helpless underdog. Now that he's starting to speak like one of those Asian mad scientists from a 50s Z movie, he's less likable.

I'm hoping he'll provide the setup for Sugar (and Bob) to make it to the final two. They're the only smart players, allowing all of the others to go into a feeding frenzy on each other.

JustJesse:

I thought Bob made a really good immunity idol. It looked like it comes out in the show this week, so I wonder what will come of that. As good as it looks, maybe the ones who know Sugar has it, will think there are two of them. I bet that will make things pretty interesting. Just have a few days to wait and see what happens. :-)

LisaMay:

I've only been watching this season for like the last two episodes but Marcus must be gay too, right? Because on the "Life at Ponderosa" footage he and Charlie sure are getting friendly.

And on Jeff Probst blog this week he says Corrine was pretty! Do I have the names and faces confused here? Because Jeff can do a lot better than the one I think is Corrine.

---Hate Randy!!!! He's got to go!!--

JasonR:

Schoon, I got that same uncomfortable feeling about Randy's comments toward Crystal. I despise her, but when in the space of one episode he sends the descriptors "Sasquatch", "gang", "posse", and "thugs" her way, you've got to wonder.

Now I wouldn't put it past Randy to even just appear to be racist just to make Crystal lose her shit, even if he isn't. We haven't heard anything like this from him before, but it will be very interesting to see what comes out of his mouth tomorrow. It might just be a matter of the producers/editors turning on him.

wintersux:

Thank you for pointing out the lameness of the new tribe's name...Why not just call yourselves the Douchebag tribe??? I think Kenny is playing a great game lately but has anyone else noticed his long fingernails? They really skeeve me out.

wintersux:

Schoon, I am glad you addressed the lameness of the name Nobag. Why not just call yourselves the Douchebag tribe and be done with it???

wintersux:

Sorry for the double post...I got an error message the first time I posted, so I thought it did not go through. Not that it was a vitally important thought anyway.

shelley:

I think I might be the only one cheering for the Swimfan alliance...well not anymore since they are dead, but whatev.

And Kenny and his fingernails and mustache make him look like a little evil rodent. He is getting way to cocky and making me hate him..when he and Crystal smiled at their triumphant oust of Charlie, it was a little to much to swallow.

And Randy! OMG When he said "you and your boy GC" i thought holy crap have any such racist things been said in seasons past?

Also, in reference to 26 days w/ no merge, remember in Stephanie's season when she was the very last person and it seemed that merge would never come? How many days was that?

DP Hooker:

Matty looks kind of like Leo DiCaprio when his hair is all slicked back. I'm trying to imagine his "I'm the king of the world!" on the Titanic followed by letting out that high-pitched douchebag shrilly laugh that Matty does.

ThisShowRocks!:

I can't stand Corrine and Randy, but losing Marcus and Charlie...and then seeing Corrine's reaction...that was priceless!
oooo...and ESPECIALLY after her comments regarding Sugar!

suckitbitches:

Loved Bob's idol. Also loved the shot of Charlie/Corrine/Matty's faces re: Marcus's elimination. That was fun.

When it came to Sugar's decision, it was easy to see she would go with the three people that know she has the real idol. But it was still great to see Charlie get blindsided. I'm totally rooting for Ken, rat face and all.

Mr Dangerous:

The only ones I like at this point are back stabbing Sugar, log roller Bob and the Troll under the bridge Randy.

The rest of them can "bite it."

I don't think Randy's racist. Everyone is just so overly sensitive now. Sometimes I feel like I'm in the movie THE INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS. Everyone is always pointing their finger at someone else.

Uh, that Corrine is not a lady. Ken is getting too big for his britches. Crystal is a big, fat, ugly b*tch.

soapboxx:

Great recap,Sugar=Amber reference? No way! The only thing they have in common is the crying, and er, pseudo-modeling, and maybe STD's. JK I love Sugar, Ken, Bob, I like Crystal, I just don't get why everyone hates her so much. I do think Randy is racist. I bet even transexual crack hookers turn him down and that's why he hasn't had any for 20 years. Oh yeah and I swear if they'd given Charlie the option of a million dollars or three days alone with Marcus he wouldn't think twice about the cash. He looked like he'd won the lottery. I don't fault the old Fang members for being a little obnoxious now, they spent the whole first half the show losing everything and being taunted at every challenge. I hate it when the facially/atheletically gifted popular group permits a lesser into their rank just long enough to use their votes to the end. Now a real group of rag-tags has a shot at a million dollars and from a strategy point this show could be one of the best ever. Ken has been the mad Asian z-movie scientist all through the game (LOL at that reference itchy, thanks!) and it will be interesting to see if he can keep it up. Also Nobag?? Really? Did it remind anyone else of the Goblin movie where the town was named Nilbog and they killed the head she-goblin with a double decker baloney sandwich? The only worst camp name would have been Probst's Bitches, or CBS Ho's.

RENATA:

What is this country coming to? A person can no longer make any comments about any people of color different then their own for fear of being called a racist! This is total IDIOCY!
Just imagine that Crystal is White or Oriental. What then is the significance of Randy's rant? Nothing. In such case the words 'gang' and 'thugs' are just descriptors with no racial undertones whatsoever. That goes to show how crazy this society has become, that people do not hear or read words, simply for what they are, but they color everything with the racial undertones. I would probably call Crystal exactly the same words had I been forced to sit in Gabon and watch her, GC and Kenny kill all our chances at victory, and have completely no honor or dignity to even try and be a proper tribe member. Oh, it is so much easier to just play a victim, isn't it? It’s only pathetic that so many people buy into it. I'm actually amazed it has taken so long for Randy to lose his shit over those losers. And for people to call him racist I think is silly and, even worse, totally bigoted.

JustMe:

I love this show and look forward to your recaps every week, S. Sooo funny.

I kind of hate that Charlie gets to spend a few days "alone" with his man crush. puke.

I'm rooting for Sugar, Ken or Bob.

Does Corine remind anyone of Jerri Mathey (sp)????
She's such a poser.

And Renata, you need a sensitivity class or something. 'cause it's Asian, not ORIENTAL.... geez

chibby:

Oriental is really just used to describe THINGS. Not people. I wouldn't call Randy a racist (coz frankly he was so flattered that one of the Gabonese ladies took a liking to him, in his opinion at least that I seriously doubt it). I have a neighbor that still say "colored," and she just says it like a person would say African-American or black. But in no way shape or form is she racist. I'm not saying there's nothing wrong with Randy saying "Gang" or "thug," though. but I don't think he even realizes. Also, I think there are a lot more "racist" people out there who cover it way better than Randy. I'm rambling coz I'm drunk. I shouldn't be writing anymore..

itchy:

Oh relax, we're all racists deep down, or at the very least we're xenophobic, egocentric, clannish, intolerant, whatever...it's probably some survival mechanism from way back, when keeping your own gene pool alive was a bigger evolutionary deal than it is nowadays.

So it's all in how you deal with your racism, whether you're able to get over it, sublimate it, suppress or it or not.

And part of living in 21st century society is (or should be) that you're able to filter yourself, at least in public/social situations. It's just the normal thing to do.

I see nothing wrong with criticizing/mocking/attacking people for the choices they make (i.e., Crystal's annoying personality). It's different when you use something beyond a person's control (race, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, etc.) as a weapon. To me, that's a weakness. And unacceptable.

And besides, I don't think Randy is a racist. I think he's a misanthrope who hates EVERYONE. But he's also an idiot who obviously is unable to filter himself in public.

Which is the reprehensible part. It's okay for a kid to speak like an idiot. But he's no kid anymore.

Now, what was interesting was Crystal's reaction. Ordinarily you'd think she'd explode at him (given who she is). But she just let it slide. So maybe there's a lot more that we didn't see.

Snootchy Bootches:

When they came up with Nobag, my husband I cracked up. We decided it was the perfect name because no one left in the tribe has any nuts. Well, except maybe Crystal.

Bob is the shit!!!! That fake immunity idol was fantastic. I know he is a science teacher and all, but for him to look around for bits of beads and stones and stuff... making resin, for crying out loud! That was real ingeniuity that you rarely see on these shows. Whether he wins or not, he is made of awesome.

I am absolutely digging the new Ken. I have been rooting for him all along, but especially now. Unfortunately, it looks like it goes to his head in the next episode and he becomes a douchebag. Hope not. I also love Sugar. At first I suspected she was a lot like Amber. Not the BB8 one... the one that won because she stayed under the radar and under Rob's stank armpit. When she put herself in Ace's pocket to be protected, I was ready to hate her. But rock on, Sugar!! Every single season there is always someone who is given the chance to go against their tribe and do something smart for themselves and nearly every time they stay knowing they will be number 4 or 5. But this season, these people have actually done the smart thing... two weeks in a row! First Susie and now Sugar. Yesssss!

Corrine is the devil. When she made that comment about being mean to Sugar and Sugar following her because she was nice to her for one day, I think I actually sneered at my tv. I was so filled with revulsion for a fellow human being. Ugh. I think I need to go bathe. I feel dirty. :p

I think I agree with one of the previous posters. Randy just hates everyone. He HAS said some racist things, I think. And he has also said some really sexist things too, but I don't think it is on purpose. I don't think he has any sort of filter at all between his brain and his mouth. Are we sure that he wasn't high on cocaine and crashed his motorbike into a curb causing a massive head wound / brain damage (Hi Dr. Busey!). Just sayin.

Firthguy:

I love watching Crystal.

Watching her melt down at every TC is amusing, to say the least. There was no need for her to say anything as Schoonie pointed out and yet it started raining 3rd-person references. For no reason. Ha!

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