# Survivor 11/20 "Nothing Tastes Better Than Five Hundred Dollars" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 21, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757 "2008-11-21T01:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/61 "2008-11-22T03:26:36Z")
No cite, but I seem to recall that we don’t always see all the items bid on and won at the food auction–it is edited down. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/62 "2008-11-22T06:10:38Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > And I don’t entirely get the Crystal hate. I don’t \*like \*her, and she’s a wee bit too emotional to be a really good Survivor player – but she’s not gratuitously obnoxious to people. I think it’s a combination of three things: 1. First, is the fact that Kenny (a skinny professional video game player), Sugar (a pin-up model) and Randy (an overweight blowhard) are absolutely wasting her in challenges. When your job is listed as “Olympic Champion” and you get beat in a foot race, which happened in the first few minutes, you lose a lot of respect. 2. Second is the fact that she is clearly bat-shit insane while at the same time running around yelling at people for thinking she’s bat-shit insane. It’s toned down now that her alliance is in the driver’s seat, but her tearful breakdown at a challenge and then a sprint into the woods after a few other people to set them straight that she was not crying because she’s crazy was… wait for it… pretty freakin’ crazy. 3. Finally, Randy’s racism aside, she did throw her lot in with GC and GC was absolutely useless. Guilt by association has a long history in Survivor. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/63 "2008-11-22T14:49:30Z")
I just read a few of Randy’s post-boot interviews, and it sounds like they’re actually not showing a lot of Crystal’s craziness. Apparently she cried at _every_ challenge, win or lose, and everybody at Kota was really tired of hearing it. He also said that each Survivor was given a burlap sack to keep their personal possessions in, and Sugar would just take one at random and use it to make her clothing - without asking the owner! That would get me pretty cranky towards her, too. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/64 "2008-11-22T15:01:54Z")
How reliable a source do you think Randy is on the subject of Crystal? And, **JB** – “hate” just seems so strong a reaction – she’s wacko and not a very good player – but I don’t hate her the way I hate Randy, or Jonny Fairplay, or anyone who has a streak of malicious assholery to their game. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/65 "2008-11-22T15:19:40Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > And, **JB** – “hate” just seems so strong a reaction – she’s wacko and not a very good player – but I don’t hate her the way I hate Randy, or Jonny Fairplay, or anyone who has a streak of malicious assholery to their game. I agree “hate” is the wrong word, but I get why people don’t like her because those three reasons are why I don’t like her. Also, did anybody else notice Charlie staring at Marcus’ ass as the jury walked in? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/66 "2008-11-22T16:11:32Z")
Nah. I’m gonna stick with “hate.” Crocs gotta eat too. ---
**Author:** ![pinkyvee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/6de8d8/32.png) [@pinkyvee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkyvee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/67 "2008-11-23T20:50:49Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > I can’t believe Jeff tossed the damn thing in the fire, what an auction piece that would be… That’s a fake movie set fire. Ever notice it NEVER gives off smoke? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/68 "2008-11-23T23:33:02Z")
> [@pinkyvee](#): > > That’s a fake movie set fire. Ever notice it NEVER gives off smoke? I don’t think so. I’ve read some interviews with survivors, and at least one mentioned that tribal council is uncomfortable because they have to sit right in front of that big fire pit, and its hotter then hell. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/69 "2008-11-23T23:46:03Z")
> [@pinkyvee](#): > > That’s a fake movie set fire. Ever notice it NEVER gives off smoke? That doesn’t mean it’s a fake movie set fire. That could mean it’s a natural gas or propane fire. In fact, I’d just about bet that’s what it is, just from what it looks like. There’s likely a fairly huge propane tank just off set. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/70 "2008-11-24T15:13:25Z")
I watched Probst’s tour of Tribal before the series started, and it looked like a normal fire pit. It’s primitive enough out there that I can’t imagine it being worth the cost to build a propne fire pit. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/71 "2008-11-24T15:46:18Z")
Just wanted to add that Randy was especially douchey with the cookies. Jeff said the first $20 bid won the cookies for the group. So it’s not like Randy was making this huge sacrifice by sharing _his_ cookies. Anyone could have bid $20 and won them. Randy just happened to jerk his hand up quickest. I think the fire pit is powered by gas, which wouldn’t give off smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/72 "2008-11-24T15:58:07Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > I think the fire pit is powered by gas, which wouldn’t give off smoke. I’d say it’s almost certainly powered by gas. First, there’s the lack of smoke. Second is the non-randomness of the locations of the flames within the pit. Finally, it’s a ‘movie set’. A natural fire, in addition to producing smoke that might obscure the shot, is not consistent. It burns down. This can cause continuity errors in editing. Also when you need fire, you want it there. Gas is more reliable than wood. (I’ve worked on a set where propane was used to simulate a burning boat.) ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/73 "2008-11-24T22:06:31Z")
Is is a recap show this week? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/74 "2008-11-25T00:01:09Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Is is a recap show this week? Yes. With “unseen footage” and audition tapes. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/75 "2008-11-25T00:12:47Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Yes. With “unseen footage” and audition tapes. Thanks! Audition tapes are always fun to see. I wonder if the unseen footage will be lots of Randy being an asshole? I’d kinda like to see his outburst at Suzie that was referenced at the last tribal council. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/76 "2008-11-25T13:55:29Z")
That outburst was shown - it was just bleeped out. ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757/77 "2008-11-25T14:00:18Z")
> [@Clivas](#): > > Some other things I found interesting about the episode was Kenny having all that money and not getting a single thing at the auction. Also, Randy tipping Jeff the twenty and Jeff nonchalantly putting it in his pocket like “sure I’ll take free money”. > > Do the contestants get to keep whatever auction money they don’t spend? I read an interview (sorry, no cite - it was days ago) where he talked about never spending that kind of money on food and being really uncomfortable with the concept. He also said that he was eating so well at his new tribe (in contrast with the famine mode he was partly responsible for at Fang) that he really wasn’t all that hungry and preferred to just keep the money. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-11-20-nothing-tastes-better-than-five-hundred-dollars/473757.md?page=3)