# Survivor December 16 2012 "The Million Dollar Question" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247 "2012-12-17T01:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ekweizn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7c8e57/32.png) [@ekweizn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekweizn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/21 "2012-12-17T14:16:16Z")
I believe that there’s no re-vote for final four–they go straight to the fire-making challenge, so there’s no second chance for Malcolm/Denise to vote out the other. The risk for Malcolm/Denise both voting Lisa is having to go against the primary threat to them in final tribal, but giving themselves a pretty good shot to do so. I would take post-game hypothetical votes with a grain of salt, but the jury did seem to favor Denise over Malcolm when polled. The biggest blunder of the game, IMO, is when “Skoopin” and Lisa voted out Abi. This is one example that Denise can point to where her social manipulation won her the game. The most obvious choice was to take Abi to final tribal, but I think Denise took the right tone of “keep the people who deserve it” and “Abi is a terrible human being” that swayed Skupin and Lisa to make a move that cost them an actual shot at the money. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/22 "2012-12-17T14:39:58Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > Re back to the Jury Q & A when Penner spilled Lisa’s background. She replied something like, “How would you like it if I told everybody who you were at [whatever] age?” Which had me thinking…was Penner “somebody” at that age, like a child star or something? I know I could google it, but I thought I’d throw it out there. No, I took it to mean “I was doing X at that age, which I didn’t reveal – no one else talked about what they were doing at that age, including you,” which I thought was a completely legitimate point. As I’ve said before, I just don’t get the Lisa hate, though I’ll admit I don’t get the automatic anti-believer bias around here either. I was happy to see her in the final three, and I was happy to see her win fan favorite, and I suspect many non-Christians voted for her for that. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/23 "2012-12-17T14:40:43Z")
> [@HammerJoe](#): > > The biggest blunder for Skuping and Lisa was to vote Abi out. > From the moment they let Malcolm and/or Denise in the final three they didnt stand a chance and the vote confirmed it. Absolutely. What were they thinking? I know they must have been irritated as shit having her around, but irritated enough to give up $1M, plus the chance to go down as a _Survivor_ winner. ---
**Author:** ![SykoSkotty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SykoSkotty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SykoSkotty)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/24 "2012-12-17T14:57:51Z")
I did enjoy Abi at the reunion saying she had alot to work on and that she realized she came off too abrasive. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/25 "2012-12-17T16:13:54Z")
> [@ekweizn](#): > > I believe that there’s no re-vote for final four–they go straight to the fire-making challenge, so there’s no second chance for Malcolm/Denise to vote out the other. The risk for Malcolm/Denise both voting Lisa is having to go against the primary threat to them in final tribal, but giving themselves a pretty good shot to do so.. The fire making challenge would have been ideal. Either Malcolm or Denise would have destroyed Lisa in that challenge. So I think the tie would have been a great play for both Malcolm and Denise. 2/3 chance of final three (+chance of beating Lisa at fire building) versus 1 in 2 in letting Skupin and Lisa pick between them. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/26 "2012-12-17T16:40:30Z")
It would be interesting if Malcolm is on the upcoming Fan vs Faves season. He’d go from one of the contestants who doesn’t want a returnee to win to the other side of that coin within a year. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/27 "2012-12-17T16:50:11Z")
I don’t recall Malcolm being particularly anti-returnee. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/28 "2012-12-17T16:54:35Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I don’t recall Malcolm being particularly anti-returnee. Well, if that’s true then my post is worthless, the time I spent writing it was wasted and my value as a human being is called into question. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/29 "2012-12-17T17:15:40Z")
Who pissed in your cornflakes? You were commenting on the irony of Malcolm being a returnee, I said if he wasn’t anti-returnee, which he wasn’t IIRC, there was no irony. I was not attacking you or your value as a human being. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/30 "2012-12-17T17:23:54Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Who pissed in your cornflakes? You were commenting on the irony of Malcolm being a returnee, I said if he wasn’t anti-returnee, which he wasn’t IIRC, there was no irony. I was not attacking you or your value as a human being. Relax. I was trying to be funny. I shoulda’ added a 😛 or something. ---
**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:** [December 17, 2012, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/31 "2012-12-17T17:25:15Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Who pissed in your cornflakes? You were commenting on the irony of Malcolm being a returnee, I said if he wasn’t anti-returnee, which he wasn’t IIRC, there was no irony. I was not attacking you or your value as a human being. Yeah, JEFF was the big anti-returnee this season, with Carter trotting along behind the whole way. No one else was really all-out anti-returnee, although Pete’s little kaffeklatsch was making noises about Skupin, with no discernible result (like Penner said…Skupin never even got a vote for eviction). Everyone on the Loser Tribe wanted Russell out because he was annoying, obnoxious and completely ineffectual at pretty much everything, not because he was a returnee. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/32 "2012-12-17T17:42:19Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > No, I took it to mean “I was doing X at that age, which I didn’t reveal – no one else talked about what they were doing at that age, including you,” which I thought was a completely legitimate point. > > As I’ve said before, I just don’t get the Lisa hate, though I’ll admit I don’t get the automatic anti-believer bias around here either. I was happy to see her in the final three, and I was happy to see her win fan favorite, and I suspect many non-Christians voted for her for that. I hate her because she’s a crazy, backward religious fanatic fucker who believes in hurting children as a form of discipline: > **[Is It OK to 'Hot Sauce' Kids?](https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=127607&page=1#.UM9YpW_AdyQ)** > [@](#): > > [Amazon Sign-In](http://www.amazon.com/Creative-Correction-Lisa-Whelchel/product-reviews/1589971280/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addOneStar&showViewpoints=0) > > Lisa recommends: > –blindfolding children for an hour if they roll their eyes > –handcuffing quarreling siblings together > –putting quarreling siblings outside, whether it’s 30 degrees or 100 degrees > –making a child wear boxing gloves all day long for hitting; they are not to be removed for eating; as if this isn’t enough torture, she recommends videotaping the child trying to eat popcorn with the boxing gloves. This might be appropriate in the context of a family game night, but not in the context of humiliation and punishment. > –burning a few of the child’s toys if a child is caught playing with matches (what about putting the matches out of reach or doing some standard fire-safety education?) > –pinching a child’s tongue with a clothespin for disrespect > –pouring hot sauce on a child’s tongue > –saying “no to reasonable requests such as ‘may I go to the bathroom’” in the name of keeping children on their toes in terms of obedience > –restraining a one year old in a car seat if the child won’t stay in time out (time out is not appropriate for one year olds to begin with, and, with any child, if time out is not “working,” change your strategy-- don’t restrain them!) > –making children stand in the center of the room for a long period of time if they are resisting bedtime (“make it tough” she says) > –making a child close the door quietly, like 100 times, for slamming a door ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/33 "2012-12-17T17:56:43Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > As I’ve said before, I just don’t get the Lisa hate, though I’ll admit I don’t get the automatic anti-believer bias around here either. I was happy to see her in the final three, and I was happy to see her win fan favorite, and I suspect many non-Christians voted for her for that. Besides all the Christian crap, she’s a spoiled, self-centered overgrown teenager. Her whole agonizing over the game was annoying and “finding herself” is something I would expect of someone no older than 20. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/34 "2012-12-17T18:23:02Z")
Pretty bland finale, with two obvious votes. They did their best to make it interesting, but when two or three people were adamant that neither Lisa nor Skupin could beat Denise or Malcolm I believe them. And they were right. Felt bad for Malcolm going into a challenge knowing he had to win but that it was precisely wrong for him. His strength was really in puzzles not balance (how many times did he fall off balance beams this season?) or raw strength/concentration. Probably a million dollar “bad challenge” for him. Can somebody spoiler-tag post the rumored cast list? I can’t go to that site from here. ---
**Author:** ![ekweizn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7c8e57/32.png) [@ekweizn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekweizn)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/35 "2012-12-17T18:54:58Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Can somebody spoiler-tag post the rumored cast list? I can’t go to that site from here. Erik Reichenbach, Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites Corinne Kaplan, Survivor Gabon Brenda Lowe, Survivor Nicaragua Andrea Boehlke, Survivor Redemption Island Francesca Hogi, Survivor Redemption Island Phillip Sheppard, Survivor Redemption Island John Cochran, Survivor South Pacific Brandon Hantz, Survivor South Pacific Dawn Meehan, Survivor South Pacific Malcolm Freberg, Survivor Philippines ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/36 "2012-12-17T19:40:49Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > Relax. I was trying to be funny. I shoulda’ added a 😛 or something. Ah. Yes. Totally missed your humorous intent. Didn’t mean to overreact. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/37 "2012-12-17T20:17:50Z")
> [@ekweizn](#): > > Erik Reichenbach, Survivor Micronesia: Fans vs. Favorites > Corinne Kaplan, Survivor Gabon > Brenda Lowe, Survivor Nicaragua > Andrea Boehlke, Survivor Redemption Island > Francesca Hogi, Survivor Redemption Island > Phillip Sheppard, Survivor Redemption Island > John Cochran, Survivor South Pacific > Brandon Hantz, Survivor South Pacific > Dawn Meehan, Survivor South Pacific > Malcolm Freberg, Survivor Philippines I hope that list isn’t true. Mainly because I barely recognize half of those names. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/38 "2012-12-17T21:33:46Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I hope that list isn’t true. Mainly because I barely recognize half of those names. I would love to see Corrine, the sociopath from Gabon, interacting with Hantz and Cochrane and the Government Agent. There is high potential for fireworks right there. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/39 "2012-12-18T00:49:32Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I hope that list isn’t true. Mainly because I barely recognize half of those names. I’ve only started watching Survivor regularly the last couple of seasons. I’ll be tickled if indeed Phillip, Cochrane, and Dawn actually do play again. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247/40 "2012-12-18T01:56:51Z")
I don’t remember about 4 out of the 10 on that list. I was hoping for some better returnees. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-december-16-2012-the-million-dollar-question/644247.md?page=3)