There is more to dissect from one Real Housewives of Potomac than whole seasons of some other Real Housewives shows (cough cough- Beverly Hills). During the last episode, Karen Huger said that her husband Ray Huger asked for a divorce. She insists it went down years ago, but Charrisse Jackson-Jordan and the other Housewives weren’t buying it because of his recent tax issues.
Karen tried to detract from the tax drama hosted an event to smell scents for a perfume that she is working on with her ambiguous employee Matt by her side. All hell broke loose when Monique Samuels confronted Ashley Darby and Karen kicked them out via security guards- which seems to be her go-to move this season.
Karen shared her perspective on the last episode in a Bravo blog post. Karen insisted that her version of events is accurate when it comes to Ray asking for divorce. She wondered, “Why lie Charrisse? What did you hope to gain?”
Karen continued, “This is not what a true friend does. I remember every word I shared with you about the conversation concerning my husband and me. I most definitely remember telling you this conversation between he and I took place years ago. The good news I’m not the only one that knows the truth. Stay tuned.” I have to assume that this other person who “knows the truth” is Ray. None of the other cast members had Karen’s back in this situation. At all.
Then Karen addressed the confrontation with Monique and Ashley. She wrote, “The clash outside was CRAZY! Once again, we have Robyn [Dixon] trying to insert herself in the middle of an (a) Monique (b) Ashley, conversation. Why is Robyn Dixon here? Can you say D E S P E R A T E!” Ouch.
Karen continued, “If I were Monique; I would have ignored Robyn and stepped to Ashley, ‘the source of all EVIL in our group.’Which is it, Ashley? Make up your mind. Is it three or four martinis? Or is it that you are lying once again? Furthermore, why were you counting? More importantly, if you had a true concern for Monique why didn’t you say something to her at that moment. I smell a RAT!” So it’s safe to say that Karen is not a huge fan of Robyn’s or Ashley’s these days.
TELL US- DO YOU BELIEVE KAREN’S CLAIM ABOUT WHEN RAY ASKED FOR A DIVORCE? DID ROBYN INSERT HERSELF INTO MONIQUE AND ASHLEY’S ARGUMENT? WHOSE SIDE ARE YOU ON: MONIQUE’S OR ASHLEY’S?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
The post Karen Huger Thinks Robyn Dixon Is “Desperate” For Getting Involved In Ashley Darby & Monique Samuels’ Argument appeared first on Reality Tea.
Anyone who watched Mob Wives or any other reality TV show that Renee Graziano has appeared on knows that she is an open book. Recently Renee opened up about her sobriety after overcoming substance abuse issues and multiple rehab stints.
Renee very candid in an interview with RadarOnline. The former Mob Wives star shared, “When I’ve gone to rehab, it’s been because I would get high to not feel, to suppress my feelings and get out of my own head.”
Renee explained, “It has never been about partying, it’s been more about trying not to feel all of the physical and emotional pain from the abuse I’ve suffered.” Nowadays Renee insists that she is “clean and sober” and “grateful” for that. She admitted, “I take it one day at a time.”
Renee discussed her 2017 Oxycontin overdose. She shared, “I was prescribed pain medication for a broken coccyx, they were giving me oxys and sleep meds.”
Renee continued, “I didn’t eat and I wasn’t sleeping for days at that point and my body caved in. I had almost no potassium and that causes a heart attack. I collapsed. I had an overdose and my mom didn’t know what to do so they called the ambulance. They put me on an IV and a 72-hour hold.”
Renee shared, “I spent two weeks detoxing because after the first week my stomach blew up and they found a tumor.” Renee also admitted that she went to rehab for depression and she thinks it is important to be open about that. She explained, “I hope to help show others that they’re not alone and there are many resources to help them.”
RELATED: Mob Wives Returning? Jennifer Graziano Wants To Bring The Show Back To Television
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK OF RENEE BEING SO OPEN ABOUT HER SOBRIETY?
[Photo Credit: Instagram]
The post Renee Graziano Opens Up About Her Sobriety appeared first on Reality Tea.
The Good Fight is one of the best shows on TV right now. There. It's been said. Where else are you going to find Christine Baranski kicking off her shoes and sauntering around an office,...Last night’s Southern Charm had everything America needs right now. Kathryn Dennis went head to head with her very whiny replacement. Thomas Ravenel lost the drinking game where he had to take a shot every time his wallet’s girlfriend said the word “birthday.” Most importantly, CRAIG CONOVER REUNITED WITH GIZMO. It was an episode for the people, no doubt.
The crew is heading to Hilton Head for the weekend, so Shep Rose has postponed his knee surgery, because, you know, priorities. Naomie Olindo is looking forward to some girls’ time with Kathryn and Chelsea Meissner, but she is dreading having to hang out with her ex Craig. He just brings out the mean in her. Her roommate urges her to have a heart-to-heart with Craig before the trip. They need to get in the fast lane to the friend zone to make it less awkward for the entire group. Chelsea checks in on Kathryn to find out that her grandmother has passed away. Kathryn was very close to her grandmother, who viewers met when she gave her blessing to a baby Kathryn in a relationship with a fifty-year-old T-Rav. She reminisces about going the library and playing board games with her grandmother, and it sounds like that had a very special relationship.
Across town, T-Rav’s latest flavor is goading him for his credit card. She’s willing to wear leather pants and a sparkly bra as long as he will cough up the cash to pay for it. What was that article Patricia Altschul mentioned last week from The Times? Thomas is a bit peeved that Ashley is so controlling of his time, but he recognizes that she moved here for him. He is her support emotionally…and otherwise. {clears throat} He seems deflated as she asks yet again for his credit card. The pair head into Gwynn’s to get one of Ashley’s new dresses altered. T-Rav is fine spending money on his new lady if it’s making her appear classier and more presentable. Californians don’t dress well in his opinion. He loves watching her parade around in her new frock, likening her to Melania Trump. Did she just say “my hero”? Yes, yes she did. Ashley teases Thomas that he needs to run for office again so she too can be a first lady. The only thing missing is a giant ring with “a giant price tag”…yeah, she said that too. As the co-owner of Gwynn’s pins the dress, T-Rav inquires about their newest employee. Madison shares that Kathryn has a great deal of potential but she’s been out due to the death of her grandmother. Thomas is sad to hear of the passing as he knew Kathryn’s grandmother. He’ll have to call Kathryn to check on her. I’m pretty sure if Ashley weren’t covered in stickpins, she would have stomped her foot in a tantrum. This outing is supposed to be about her and T-Rav’s AmEx, remember?
Craig receives a phone call from Naomie asking if she can come by to see his new house. Craig is shocked to hear from her given their last interaction, but he sends her the address. He hopes she will ignore the mess, and what a mess it is! I do have to say, I like the oars as a banister for the bachelor pad. Meanwhile, Cameran Eubanks is still pregnant, and she’s incredibly bored. There are only a finite about of bouncy ball sitting, cheese ball eating, and belly lotioning one can do. Shep calls to check on her. He suggests she do puzzles and play video games before admitting that he busted up his face by running into a glass door. I’m sure he was sober when it happened. His face may be wonky, but he still managed to bed a stranger that night. Cameran hates that she is going to be googling vaginal tears instead of joining her friends on their road trip to Hilton Head.
Austen Kroll is chatting with his “new girlfriend” Victoria. She isn’t able to go to Hilton Head because she “has to work” which is Bravo code for Austen didn’t get a plus one on the network funded field trip. She interrogates him about whether he’s told Chelsea that they are “an item” but Austen plans to wait until he’s vacationing with Chelsea to break the news. The last time she heard he was “dating” Victoria, she iced him out of her life. He’s not ready for that again. Across town, Naomie arrives at Craig’s, and she’s sporting a broken foot after a botched skateboarding spree with Chelsea. The reunion of Craig and Gizmo is everything I hoped it would be. Naomie wants to get rid of the elephant in the room, and she hopes that she and Craig can have a fun weekend sans anger. Craig reminds Naomie that only one of them has been mean lately, and it ain’t him. She agrees, and both are hopeful for a stress-free trip together. Gizmo hisses in approval. Naomie cites that Gizmo has had a bad attitude with her lately. She wonders aloud why he’s pissed at her. We hear you, Gizmo. We hear you.
The Charmers are packing for their getaway, but back at T-Rav’s Ashley is unpacking a shiz ton of make-up on her boyfriend’s face. What?? As he zips up his Louis Vuitton suitcase, Ashley states she needs matching luggage. Thomas informs her that Kathryn has more LV bags than one person needs, so perhaps Ashley can borrow one from her once they become friends. Ashley is clearly sick of hearing Kathryn’s name, and she tears into T-Rav’s ex for not inviting her to Saint’s birthday party. It’s so not classy and incredibly disrespectful to exclude a father’s brand new pickpocket princess from his toddler’s birthday party which has been planned by the once-estranged mother of his children. Completely tacky. Does she hear herself when she’s talking? Why does she think she even has a place at the party? She needs to play nice and show respect for Saint’s mother rather than this display of immaturity. As Ashley goes off on a tangent, she warns T-Rav that she can be Kathryn’s worst enemy. Thomas nods out of fear, but secretly he’s on Kathryn’s side.
Three vehicles are heading to HHI. One carries Chelsea, Kathryn, Naomie, and Danni Baird. It seems like a fun car. Another holds Shep, Craig, Austen, and Whitney Sudler-Smith. I’d guess it’s a laugh a mile too if Craig were on time. The third? Well, that’s another story. Ashley is still harping on her missing invitation to Saint’s birthday party. If it were her throwing Saint a party–PAUSE! That wouldn’t be a thing, chickadee!–she would invite Kathryn and whoMever Kathryn was dating. T-Rav usually turns my stomach but I pretend to high five him through my screen when he corrects Ashley’s grammar. He is over this conversation. As the guys wait for Craig, Naomie informs the girls that Craig is at the liquor store. She’s still tracking him.
Just like Shep has surgery on his knee forthcoming, Craig is going under the knife after severing a tendon in his hand for holding under a knife…a butter knife to be exact. He tried to use it to stab a wall. Don’t ask. Austen texts Chelsea that the guys’ car convos are painful (literally from the injury count!), and Naomie asks if Austen is back with Victoria. She ran into him the other night before a date with her. This reconciliation is news to Chelsea, and she looks crestfallen, although not as crestfallen as poor Thomas stuck in the car with Ashley. It’s crazy how a bit of editing (and a shrew of a girlfriend) can make even T-Rav a sympathetic character. Ashley loves him like crazy. Did she say crazy? Because she meant it. J/K, she’s not crazy, but Thomas drives her crazy and Kathryn’s cray so clearly crazy attracts crazy. “Apparently,” Thomas whispers under his breath and I’m here for it…even more so when he explains to Ashley that Hilton Head is an island.
The ladies are first to arrive at their amazing rental house. They stake out the rooms as Ashley and Thomas unload their car. Danni and Kathryn aren’t rushing to welcome them. T-Rav heads straight for the liquor cabinet as Ashley stresses over what attire to wear horseback riding on the beach with the girls. Shep and crew burst onto the scene as Thomas offers Kathryn a drink. It’s a dick move, intensified when he then drags her away to tour the room he’ll be sharing with Ashley. Kathryn takes it all in stride as Craig, Shep, and Naomie compare recent injuries. Ashley complains that no one told her to pack flannel, and the girls giggle on the porch as they listen to Ashley screech at T-Rav. He diffuses the situation by sharing that Kathryn is wearing riding boots he gifted to her when they were together. He is such an ass, but he’s winning this episode for me.
The group heads to Dafuskie Island by ferry. The men are excited for golf as the girls prep for horseback riding. Ashley thinks the boat would be the perfect place for a proposal, and Thomas pretends to see a seal. Naomie and Craig’s truce is short lived after Craig tries to give her some contacts he thought she’d left at his house. Is Craig and idiot? She doesn’t need some used contacts case. Craig’s friends can’t help but compare him to a broken dog. Oblivious to the drama, Shep and Chelsea recall growing up in such a beautiful place. As the guys hit the tees, Shep shares that one of the characters in the Great Gatsby was based loosely on his great-aunt who was a champion golfer. On the other end of the island, the girls saddle up on their horses. It’s a group of experienced equestrians…and Ashley who is riding for the first time. Chelsea and Kathryn are literally hot to trot, but they are forced to mosey due to Ashley’s inexperience. On the course, Thomas appears defeated when discussing his relationship with Ashley. She’s a tad demanding. And expensive. Craig wonders about Ashley’s intentions. She sounds like a bit of a gold digger. Nothing gets past Craig. Glad he’s putting his law degree and powers of deduction to good use!
After a brief ride on the beach, the girls take a stretch golf cart to the bar. Ashley alienates herself by sitting on the far back seat despite the others asking her to join them in the front. The guys meet up with them as Ashley complains about how she’ll never ride another horse again. When the waitress informs T-Rav that the bar is out of Knob Creek, he says he’ll have the Maker’s Mark Redhead. He says he “wants the redhead” repeatedly as Kathryn and crew giggle. Ashley tightens her grip on his thigh. Chelsea asks Austen if he’s seeing Victoria again, and she’s met with a “hmmm, let’s talk.”
Ashley then probes Chelsea to see if she’s attending Saint’s birthday party. Chelsea says Kathryn discussed it in the car on the way here, so it’s not like she got an engraved invitation. Ashley then offers awkward condolences to Kathryn before reminding Kathryn that “in happier news” she has a baby who is turning two and getting a fun birthday party. The guys can’t scramble away from the table fast enough, and my endearment towards T-Rav diminishes as quickly as it arrived when he leaves Kathryn there to defend THEIR decision to exclude Ashley. Ashley is pissed when Thomas leaves and pointedly asks Kathryn whether she’s invited. Why won’t Kathryn give her a straight answer? What does “friends and family” mean in regard to the invite list? Kathryn tries to diffuse the situation by reminding Ashley they are in a restaurant, and this isn’t the time or place. Who is this season’s Kathryn? She phenomenal! Ashley goes for the jugular, spitting out that she sees Kathryn’s kids more than Kathryn herself does. Danni warns Ashley to slow her roll, but it’s too late. Bear poked.
HOLY DRUNKEN INJURIES! WHAT DID YOU THINK OF LAST NIGHT’S EPISODE? WERE YOU EXCITED TO SEE GIZMO? IS KATHRYN PRACTICING TOO MUCH RESTRAINT? THOUGHTS ON ASHLEY?
[Photo Credit: Bravo]
The post Southern Charm Recap: Did Someone Say “Birthday Party”? appeared first on Reality Tea.
If you have Ellie Kemper and Mindy Kaling on your talk show on the same day then you better get them together for the audience. Thankfully, NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers adhered to that...No one throws a party like a Real Housewife, but this time around the Real Kids were in charge. Teresa Giudice’s daughters Gia Giudice, Gabriella Giudice, Milania Giudice, and Audriana Giudice threw a surprise party in honor of her birthday.
Clearly they had some professional help with the food and decorations, but it looks like they did a great job and made their mom very happy. Teresa’s brother Joe Gorga, her sister-in-law Melissa Gorga, and her Real Housewives of New Jersey costar Dolores Catania showed up for the party at the Giudice home. Where were Danielle Staub and Margaret Josephs? Were they just too busy having fun to take photos or were they not in attendance? Hopefully this was taped for Season 9 and we will find out even more about the details.
As per usual, Teresa was a super proud mom and shared lots of photos from the surprise party with her daughters, her other guests, and the other elements of the party. Teresa publicly thanked her four daughters with a sweet Instagram caption: “Just wanted to thank my 4 beautiful daughters for an amazing surprise birthday party. I am so overwhelmed with joy love you to the moon and back.”
Before the party, Teresa was surprised with a birthday cake from her daughters- but obviously they had a lot more in store for her beyond that one cake. They had a whole party for her with another cake and other snacks including a whole wall of donuts.
Teresa shared videos that someone else took leading up to the surprise party of a blindfolded Teresa in the car on the way to the party and walking in to the big surprise.
Check out the photos from Teresa’s surprise birthday party by clicking through the photo gallery below.
RELATED: Teresa Giudice, Brandi Glanville, & Ashley Darby Perform For Show In Niagra Falls- Photos
TELL US- WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TERESA’S DAUGHTERS THROWING A SURPRISE PARTY FOR HER BIRTHDAY? DO YOU WANT TO SEE MORE OF TERESA’S HOME LIFE NEXT SEASON? OR SHOULD THEY JUST FOCUS ON THE HOUSEWIVES DRAMA?
[Featured Photo Credit: Instagram]
The post Teresa Giudice Celebrates Birthday At Surprise Party With Family & Friends- Photos appeared first on Reality Tea.
No season of Survivor would be complete if we didn’t compile the all-time list of winners each season. With 36 seasons now in the rear-view, we just witnessed Wendell Holland becoming the latest person to win Survivor…but where does this furniture designer sit on the all-time list?
Each season of Survivor is unique, featuring its own set of rules, and players. Sometimes, comparing who is “best” comes down purely to one’s own personal opinion.
All 35 people who won Survivor obviously did something right in their season to have won. So this ranking is based on three things, and it’s quite simple: How the person played the game – their particular winning season – according to Survivor’s moniker of “Outwit,” “Outplay,” “Outlast.” Read on in order to see the Top Survivor Winners of All-Time and where Wendell Holland ultimately ranks.
#1: Sandra Diaz-Twine – ‘Survivor: Pearl Islands’ – Season 7, ‘Heroes vs. Villains’ – Season 20
Sandra won the game not once, but twice. In my mind, there is no better or clearer argument. It is hard to debate against the cold hard fact that Sandra has now won Survivor twice. It can’t be called a fluke, and it was done in two different seasons, with two different groups of people. Even Richard, even Rob, couldn’t win twice. Nobody has, which by default puts Sandra in a league of her own. Is her strategy of “anybody but me” the key to winning Survivor? Only partially. It basically comes down to knowing, and using, your strengths. And no, her losing during “Game Changers” does not taint or tarnish the Queen’s legacy.
Sandra is not a physical threat, so is not often targeted early. She has a rare quality (Hatch and Rob had it too) where she knew when to speak, and also knew when not to. Information is power in Survivor, and her tribe mates were always kept on a “need to know” basis. She also possesses a strong ability to sniff people out, like she did with Russell very early on in Heroes vs. Villains. Until another player wins twice (will that ever happen?), it is hard to argue against calling Sandra the top Survivor to have ever played the game.
#2: Boston Rob Mariano – ‘Survivor: Redemption Island’ – Season 22
Dominant. Absolutely masterful. There is no better way to refer to Boston Rob‘s performance during this season than that. All winners require a degree of luck (can you imagine of Rob had started off on Zapatera instead of Ometepe?) but Rob re-defined what it meant to play a “social game.” Others described his control over his alliance as “cult-like” and indeed he brought a Final 6 with him to the end, all of which firmly believed that Rob was taking them with him to the end. Even that phrase – “taking them” – shows the control Rob had… nobody was taking Rob with, he was “taking them.” He kept control of the game by constantly checking in, and not allowing opportunities for his alliance to discuss things with one another. He made all the right moves, said all the right things. He simply put on the best strategic performance the game has ever seen.
Critics will point out that at the time Rob played, he was also the only person ever to have played the game four times. But he lost “All-Stars” to his future wife Amber (although he dominated that season and should have won) and he could have won “Heroes vs. Villains” if it wasn’t for the opposing force, Russell Hantz (and a goofy, inexplicable vote from Tyson). His resume puts him nearly in a league of his own. So what hasn’t he done that keeps him from being the best winner in history? See #1.
#3: John Cochran – ‘Survivor: Caramoan’ – Season 26
The man who earned being called only by his last name, Cochran is the unlikeliest of Survivor winners on many different levels. There has also been growing backlash against Cochran, as many let their annoyance of him get in the way of the big picture. First, his win has created a new “type” of Survivor winner: Looking at Cochran and comparing him to the types of people who have previously won, there is nobody like him. A life-long Survivor-obsessed, self-proclaimed Harvard nerd, Cochran came into this season with a surprising amount of confidence. His in-game awareness was off the charts and his physical demeanor made him nearly invisible to others early on. But then Cochran began winning physical challenges too.
Cochran never ran into too much danger all season, but it was because he had mastered the timing of Survivor: knowing when to strike, before being struck. He orchestrated big moves and was in control of the game from start to finish. His game was only the second “perfect game” ever (after J.T. in Tocantins) where a winner won by a unanimous jury vote while also never having a single vote cast against them the entire game. What separates Cochran’s game from J.T. is that Cochran orchestrated his game, whereas J.T. relied heavily on Stephen Fishbach to navigate his way to the end. A true student of the game, Cochran pulled off one of the most impressive and unlikely Survivor wins the game may ever see.
#4: Brian Heidik – ‘Survivor: Thailand’ – Season 5
After Richard Hatch miraculously won the first season of Survivor, the next three winners were Tina, Ethan, and Vecepia: all well-liked, stand-up “good” people and players. At that time, it was thought that no one “villainous” like Hatch could ever win again, now that people know the game and what sort of people to look out for. And then there was Brian Heidik. He manipulated, lied, and outplayed everyone. Like Richard, he seemed to be a step ahead of the competition and had it all figured out. Unlike Richard, he seemed to drift through the season without even caring, like it was easy. Maybe it was for Brian, the self-proclaimed “Ice Man.” He is so despised that he has never been asked to play again, which I for one thinks is a shame. His game is the blueprint that all “schemers” have hoped to achieve since. Now that I get a vote for the “Survivor Hall of Fame,” Brian will be on my ballot every single time. Survivor guru Dalton Ross of EW.com also had Brian on his ballot in 2012 and in 2013 Rob Cesternino added his name as well. Is there a Brian Heidik revival going on? Jump on the Heidik bandwagon people. He remains the last true “villain” to play a villainous, cut-throat game… and actually win.
#5: Kim Spradlin – ‘Survivor: One World’ – Season 24
2013 Survivor Hall of Fame inductee Kim Spradlin was another example of an ideal triple-threat – with a strong social, physical and strategic acumen – and cruised to victory like few have ever done in the show’s history. Like Yul, she found an Immunity Idol early on and never found a need to play it. Like Todd, she knew how to read the jury to tell them what they wanted to hear. Most impressive at all, she managed to win by taking two other respectable players with her to the end in Sabrina and Chelsea, and she still won. Along the way she won four individual challenges tying her all-time amongst female players with Jenna Morasca (Amazon) and Kelly Wigglesworth (Borneo). She made the incredibly complex game of Survivor look easy, and that folks, is not easy. As a first-time player, she played one of the best games a woman has ever played, although her understated style also resulted in a boring run of episodes down the stretch. Boring to an audience salivating for drama, but still about as near-perfect of a game that one can play.
#6: Richard Hatch – ‘Survivor: Borneo’ – Season 1
The original winner, and arguably (?) the best… Rich tops nearly every “Survivor List” as being the original snake, the original strategist and the father of the “alliance” that has become a staple of every reality competition show, even outside of Survivor. He is certainly the most important player ever to play the game, for his contributions to all of reality television and for birthing the Survivor strategic blueprints. But nobody would call the “Model T” the “best” car out there: Surely there have been faster, better models made since then, even though they all owe their existence to the grand-daddy. There have been better overall games played on Survivor, but few have been able to win over a jury while simultaneously being seen as a villain.
#7: Tom Westman – ‘Survivor: Palau’ – Season 10
Tom dominated his season, and is among the most well liked Survivors in history. It was hard not to root for Tom, and his game play in Palau changed the game forever… here was a guy who yes, played strategic, but somehow did it with a sense of honor and always looked people in the eye. The game continues to evolve, but Tom was a rare example and reminded us that you don’t have to “lie, cheat, and steal” in order to “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast.”
#8: Parvati Shallow – ‘Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites’ – Season 16
Parvati, in this her second season, was masterful at keeping together her “girl-power” alliance. Her best move was the Ozzy blindside, one of the best in history. She was also up against Amanda in the end, which is a sure-fire way to win the votes. But Parvati is without a doubt one of the best female competitors the show has ever seen and had she been able to sneak some votes away from Sandra during “Heroes vs. Villains,” it could be Parvati who is known as the greatest player ever. She is definitely one of them.
#9: Yul Kwon – “Survivor: Cook Islands” – Season 13
Yul Kwon was intelligent, calculating, and well liked by his tribe – a rare mix for a Survivor winner. He had an Immunity Idol, yet never had to play it. His own tribe called him “Ringleader,” yet he went to the end and won. He is the rare Survivor winner who was well-liked despite the strategic moves he made and he was ultimately rewarded for his hard strategic game play. He is the text-book definition of the Survivor “triple-threat”: a strong social, strategic and physical specimen.
#10: Tyson Apostol – “Survivor: Blood vs. Water” – Season 27
Tyson Apostol, in his third try at the game, put in one heck of a performance. He gets kudos for winning the strategically rejuvenated “loved ones” season, the first of its kind. He came in a very big target but was able to shift focus away from him. He found two hidden Idols and controlled the game. Tyson ran into a bit of trouble when he had to draw rocks to stay in the game, but fate was on his side. Down the stretch, he won the last two Immunity challenges when he had to and won in a convincing 7-1-0 vote. His game was not without hiccups (he unnecessarily played a hidden Idol and drawing a rock isn’t an ideal way to advance), but it was a powerful strategic performance in a season like none other.
#11: Wendell Holland – “Survivor: Ghost Island” – Season 36
Wendell is one of the coolest, calmest cats ever to dominate the game. An emerging theme in recent seasons, Wendell benefited greatly by being on a winning tribe early in the game, and it’s there that he formed a bond with “The Dom-Father” Domenick Abbate. Each with an Idol in their possession, they would go on to control the game all the way to the end. But it was by design that Wendell played a “quieter” game than the more boisterous and animated Dom. While Dom was out-front, Wendell was building relationships that would ultimately crown him the winner. He had great in-game awareness and there wasn’t a soul in the game that didn’t like or respect Wendell, even when he was just as responsible for slitting throats as Dom was. Dom may be the most qualified player ever to lose the game, but Wendell deserves even more kudos for attaching himself to Dom and somehow, someway coming out on top. Heck, Wendell is so laid-back, that he actually won a third Individual Immunity Challenge, but simply forgot to mention to Probst that he had finished his puzzle. He’s a physical threat, he’s mentally strong and the game has never witnessed such a calming presence. While most players battle paranoia increasingly throughout the game, Wendell never sweat the small stuff, and even though his Final Tribal Council performance wasn’t the strongest we’ve seen, Wendell deserves to be included in the rare air of upper echelon Survivor winners.
#12: Jeremy Collins – “Survivor: Cambodia” – Season 31
When looking at Jeremy‘s game, the most impressive feat was who he was up against: a cast of all-returning players voted in by the fans and given a second chance at the game. Still, he turned in a dominating performance. His game was the third ever Survivor “perfect game” in that he won by unanimous jury vote and had no votes cast against him the entire game… but his perfect game comes with an asterisk, because he did have three votes against him that were negated by one of the two hidden Idols he had found. But Jeremy relied heavily on strong players around him, instead of really willing his way to the end on his own. He second-guessed several decisions he made (like voting out Joe Anglim) and was almost done in by Kimmi Kappenberg, only to be saved by his alliance. He was never in any real danger save for that vote, and while he was a master of subtle strategic game-play this season – in a cast full of “go big or go home” players – he also benefited greatly from a strong initial tribe, the luck of the draw (his main alliance stuck together even through several early tribe swaps) and by surrounding himself with other strong players. For me, a great, awesome performance that falls just shy of the Top 10 of all time.
#13: Sarah Lacina – “Survivor: Game Changers” – Season 34
There is definitely a lot to like about Sarah‘s game, and it has to be factored in that she was playing among some of the all-time greats of Survivor. She was determined to play a more cutthroat game this time out, and boy did she ever. She made big, bold moves and swayed the game in her direction. She had a great social game, but it was helped greatly by the fact that she won the first five tribal Challenges, and didn’t have to go to a Tribal Council until Day 16. Her in-game social awareness was good but not great, as she mistakenly put all of her trust in Tai, who nearly sent her home had Cirie not intervened. But Sarah was unapologetic in her actions and had awareness in other ways, like when she spotted and nabbed the Secret Advantage right out from underneath Michaela during a Challenge. She decided at every turn to “play the game” instead of standing pat. It worked out for her in the end, and despite never having won an Individual Immunity, Sarah’s win was among the best female performances of all-time, especially in a returnee season.
#14: Adam Klein – “Survivor: Millennials vs Gen-X” – Season 33
Adam came out on top of what was one of the most competitive group of ballers ever assembled on Survivor. His was an emotional journey, but when it came to the game of Survivor, he was all business. Adam had the unique ability to relate to even his enemies, and his brotherly love-hate relationship with arch nemesis Jay stands as a great testament to Adam’s social game. That being said, Adam did find himself on the wrong end of several votes, and post-merge he had seemed to have burn a lot of bridges. But he ultimately navigated his way through the game by adapting and positioning himself perfectly behind other, bigger, threats. He found a few hidden Idols, but played them at incorrect times in incorrect ways. Yes, Adam became only the fifth person in Survivor history to win by unanimous vote, but his game was far from perfect, and of the other unanimous winners, Adam received the most votes against him out of them all. At the time of his win, Adam became the youngest winner ever, and when you consider who he was up against and the season that he played in, Adam definitely deserves upper echelon Winner status.
Wondering who landed outside of the Top 14?
Here is the Rest of the Best:
#15: Todd Herzog – “Survivor: China”
#16: Tony Vlachos – “Survivor: Cagayan”
#17: Natalie Anderson – “Survivor: San Juan del Sur”
#18: Chris Daugherty – “Survivor: Vanuatu”
#19: Denise Stapley – “Survivor: Philippines”
#20: Ben Driebergen – “Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers”
Explanation: It is not easy to win the game of Survivor, especially when you are targeted as the “leader” or “king” early in the game…it rarely, if ever, has happened. Ben‘s win will always be mentioned as controversial, with some fans calling BS on the fact that he found three Immunity Idols late in the game, and that the Final Four fire-making twist ended up working out in his favor. Add to this, Ben didn’t win a single Individual Immunity Challenge himself, and also received a record-number of votes against (11) for a Sole Survivor. This being said, few other winners have willed themselves to the end playing such a bold and “out front” game, and the other players had every chance to keep an eye on Ben or to try to look for the Idols themselves. His determination and winning despite being on the center of the radar for most of his game puts him just outside the upper echelon of Survivor winners.
#21: Jenna Morasca – “Survivor: Amazon”
#22: Jud “Fabio” Birza – “Survivor: Nicaragua”
#23: J.T. Thomas – “Survivor: Tocantins”
#24: Bob Crowley – “Survivor: Gabon”
#25: Mike Holloway – “Survivor: Worlds Apart”
#26: Danni Boatwright – “Survivor: Guatamala”
#27: Aras Baskauskas – “Survivor: Panama”
#28: Sophie Clarke – “Survivor: South Pacific”
#29: Michele Fitzgerald – “Survivor: Kaoh Rong”
#30: Earl Cole – “Survivor: Fiji”
#31: Amber Brkich (Mariano) – “Survivor: All-Stars”
#32: Ethan Zohn – “Survivor: Africa”
#33: Tina Wesson – “Survivor: Australian Outback”
#34: Natalie White – “Survivor: Samoa”
#35: Vecepia Towery – “Survivor: Marquesas”
Be sure to follow me on Twitter, @tomsantilli!
TELL US – DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS LIST? WHERE WOULD YOU RANK WENDELL HOLLAND?
Photo Credit: CBS/Monty Brinton/Robert Voets
The post Top Survivor Winners Of All-Time – Updated Through Season 36 appeared first on Reality Tea.
She will be loved indeed. Adam Levine finally joined James Corden for The Late Late Show's Carpool Karaoke, and together they proved they're just a couple really cool dads....
