Jonathan Penner in Arrested Development + Seinfeld
Jonathan Penner – Arrested Development (S1/E21 – “Not Without My Daughter”) – he plays Detective Fellows. Other television appearances include Grapevine, The Naked Truth, Rude Awakening, Seinfeld (S9/E17 – “The Bookstore”), CSI, CSI: NY, The Tick, Melrose Place, LateLine + The Nanny. He also stars in the movie Let the Devil Wear Black (1999), which he wrote w/ his wife, Stacy Title (she also directed the film). He makes another appearance in the movie Down Periscope (1996) + Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993). Most recently, he wrote the screenplay for the 2017 horror film, The Bye Bye Man (and his wife directed it).
Colby in CYE 😂💀
Colby Donaldson – Curb Your Enthusiasm (S4E9)
hard to get any good stills b/c of the video quality but there’s our girl, Jerri 👀🙌🏻
Jerri Manthey – Faith Hill’s music video for “Piece Of My Heart” (2009)
Fallen Comrades – challenge where the players are asked trivia questions about the other players’/jury members’ personal info
In Season 3, Survivor Africa, the producers made a mistake –
Q: Which contestant doesn’t have any piercings?”
Kim: Kelly (correct)
Lex: Lindsay (actually also correct, but is told it’s the wrong answer)
It seems that producers were unaware Lindsay also did not have any piercings, but this mistake cost Lex, and also somewhat, Big Tom, their games. It was theorized that Big Tom + Lex were paid off and/or guaranteed spots in Season 8, All Stars, because of this.
This also ended the Fallen Comrades challenge for good – except that it had already been filmed in Marquesas, so we do see it one last time in Season 4. (Although in my opinion, it probably would’ve ended soon anyway since in Season 4, Vecepia wrote down everyone’s personal info in preparation for this challenge – that’d get old very quickly + also completely takes the challenge out of it).
So I’m not like crazy into astrology by any means, but I’m not not into astrology at all + my curiosity got the best of me wondering if there were any trends in both/either the types of people whoplay Survivor (which I guess technically would really be more ‘types of people cast on Survivor’) and/or types of people who win Survivor.
🌎 Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn):
grounded, loyal, sensual, patient, practical, good at accumulating wealth + tend to appreciate the finer things in life
stubborn, inflexible, materialistic, sometimes lazy
🔥 Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius):
passionate, bold, charismatic, creative, charming, confident + can obtain fame/fortune through their well-channeled signature intensity
aggressive, selfish, vain, impulsive, quick-tempered + need to be the center of attention
💨 Air Signs (Libra, Gemini, Aquarius):
sharp as a tack, highly rational, logical, terrific social skills + great communicators
Commentary/random thoughts I had while looking all this up:
Richard Hatch being an Aries was probably the least surprising to me out of everyone included here.
Parvarti being a Virgo shocked me – would’ve guessed Libra 1000000% – but she is right before the cutoff technically, so IDK how all that works, but my theory is that that because she’s right on the Virgo/Libra cusp, she outwardly displays many more Libra qualities. (You don’t need to be any kind of expert to know Libras are the biggest flirts in the zodiac 👀😬😂)
Tyson = Gemini – didn’t try to guess his before looking it up + I think this is fitting – very witty, extreme sarcasm, hard to read…
Jerry as a Virgo surprised me too – exactly the same as w/ Parv, would’ve also thought Libra 10000% because c’mon. lol.
Sarah Lacina – Libra (I would’ve guessed Aries… aggressive, v “take no sh*t” vibes)
Jeremy – Taurus (had a feeling he was for some reason) + Michelle – Taurus (felt like I saw this one coming a mile away too – maybe because this is my sign 👯♀️) I would’ve bet $$$ on Yau Man being a Taurus too, but now that I think about it, he did give away a car… nvm 😅
Aras – I was like OK finally a Libra in the mix + also explains him being v cute. k, next.
Terry – Libra – this one I knew!!!! IDK, had a feeling. That charm. The smile. Idk. I knew. 😉
End Results/What I Found: basically 🌎Earthsigns + specificallyCapricorns DOMINATE.
‘Boston’ Rob Mariano – the best player to ever do it.
“Momentum is huge in this game – when you have it, you wanna keep it.”
“It’d be nice to have a million dollars and take the girl away too.”
“Amber + I as a team are the best able to adapt to certain situations.”
“I gave 110% every single day.”
“You should never take yourself too seriously.”
OK, let’s start w/ the basics. He can catch fish, start a fire + build a sick shelter. Jeff loves him, he’s 1/2 of the best Survivor couple of all time + a total mf challenge beast. (and not afraid to talk sh*t/even does impressions of other players – hilarious 💯🙌🏻😂)
You really see how big his heart is, underneath the conniving goofball exterior, in All Stars (S8) when he gives up his family video bc he decides to make a deal w/ Jeff to give his up so everyone else can have theirs. (can’t remember if this was the very first time this was ever done?!) He does admit it was a little* strategic, but only through genuine tears, adding “my family is the most important thing in the world.”
Again, his real emotions come out when Amber is swapped to the opposing tribe + he wears an A on his shoulder + even promises Lex protection in the game to keep Amber safe. Lex decides to make the deal w/ BR + upholds his end of the bargain, but is ultimately the first person voted out after the merge w/ BR explaining that he promised to protect him “if I could and I can’t.” #savage This type of exchange w/ the opposite team was the first of its kind/at least the first where anything ever came of it (and at least the first ever shown before) + it’s one of many ways BR is a groundbreaking Survivor player – he tries ideas that he thinks of which haven’t been done before – definitely a risk-taker + an example of creative problem-solving at its finest.
Also, one of my favorite moments is when Rob won a reward challenge + chooses Amber to go w/ him, which results in both of them winning brand-new cars + they get to lie down in the back of his new truck together + have snacks/candy + watch a movie. So sweet. 😍🥰❤️
On top of that, his go-to move in the social aspect of the game we see for the very first time as early as S4 Marquesas when he makes up bs/lies to get other people to fight w/ each other – this creates a rift in their relationship, leaving both parties relying more heavily on Rob as an ally in their games. GENIUS.
Jury Management – ugh, ok, personally, I think the jury members were wayyyy too hard on Rob + it sucked bc there have been other seasons where people adopt similar gameplay + the jury respects the crap out of them, accepts the fact that they were blindsided as “just part of the game” + admit to being outsmarted without holding resentment for that strategy. But spoiler alert – in the end, it doesn’t even matter. 😉 (will be adding some S22 – Redemption Island commentary here soon) 👀🤠
Coach + Jerri – just a flirtationship during Heroes vs. Villains, but I was sooo excited about this pair + really wanted to see them be together! They were cute AF, esp. when Coach is looking for her through the trees + has such a big smile on his face! 🤠 It was also nice to see Jerri happier + receiving the same level of interest she was putting out vs. past bitterness/rejection via Colby. 🥺
Sebastian + Jenna – Ghost Island szn, youngest couple – actually seem perfect for each other 🙃
James + Parvarti – just a fling during Micronesia, but 🔥🔥🔥
Joe + Sierra – they cute, although you don’t see it during their season.
Last year, I felt 2 different types of guilt. I felt weighed down with a lot of regret about not putting in necessary time + effort toward my passion for the game/its history + my ultimate goal of playing Survivor. I talked about it to very few people, but the ones I let in I believe could tell how important this was to me + I imagine were surprised by the way my actions didn’t align with what I was saying. The other source of guilt that was weighing on me was how, having moved out on my own, I felt I was neglecting one of my most cherished relationships (w/ my dad) by getting swept up in work + other social obligations. Again, my words weren’t aligning with my actions, b/c I would speak so highly of him, but then why am I here + not there spending time w/ him instead? Shouldn’t that be priority over whoever I’m saying all this to? Well, say what you want about 2020 – this year allowed me to actually get to know myself + I believe that now shines through in my actions. I moved back home due to the pandemic + prioritized the things I truly value in life. I read all the Survivor books I had ordered on Amazon that had started to collect dust, I researched a lot about the show online + I got a lot closer w/ my dad watching all 40 seasons together. ✨
Survivor makes me “dig deep” (as Jeff Probst says) in life + all that i do (running/work/etc.) – it motivates me to constantly push myself more.
Helps me to remind myself to be more open to new opportunities. I think about WWSD? (What Would someone on Survivor Do?/What Would the Survivor version of myself Do?)
It made me want to be a good person. It sounds silly, because you think most people probably already want that or should want that… 😬 but IDK – it wasn’t really something I thought about. I guess it actually first started when I really liked someone I went out w/ a few years ago + it didn’t work out, because I’ve always thought he’s a better person than me. He’s good. In the feelings for this person, I first thought – I want to be good too. + Survivor really solidified that in me through the emotional turmoil of many players, constant final 3 tribal morality disputes, etc. – helped shape me as a person.
Interacting w/ the Survivor community/other Superfans online during quarantine/the pandemic has been really refreshing, energizing, supportive, motivating, etc. to me in many ways. TY all for that. ❤️
Helped me to be more vulnerable (this post included)/to feel more okay w/ sharing more personal things than before – especially if I’m talking about the show w/ someone bc it leads to a lot of deep questions/conversation topics/emotional discovery discussions.
It helps me to always see things from multiple perspectives + think about a problem or situation from all angles. I strategize better (even just in daily life) b/c it changed how i approach everything/anything.
It’s helped me to become more reflective – to take time to take a step back + assess (and began to meditate daily). (being sober for ~10 months now too has helped enormously) ☁️
Finally, (for now – I’m sure I’ll be adding more…) Survivor has inspired me to write more these past few months than all of 2018-2019 combined + I’ve considered myself a writer/thought of that as a key part of my identity for some time now (~2011), but dropped off the past few years when it was no longer a part of my job.
Courtney C: The Next Sole Survivor 