# Survivor Finale
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [May 20, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911 "2002-05-20T05:21:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/1 "2002-05-20T05:21:34Z")
I can’t believe Vecepia–giving Christians everywhere a bad name. “No matter who I stab in the back, it’s ok 'cuz God will forgive me.” Sheesh.
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### Author:  [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/2 "2002-05-20T06:02:30Z")
Wow, Neleh cleans up _real_ nice. I always thought she was okay, but sitting up on stage tonight, she looked hot! Dumb as a coconut though.
As far as Vecepia winning? Eh, good for her.
stv
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### Author:  [@musicguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/musicguy)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/3 "2002-05-20T06:16:41Z")
I don’t think Vecepia gave anyone a bad name, certainly not Christians. She played the _game_ the best. She did everything within the rules of the _game_. Sure, she changed her strategy from time to time but she played fair and I thought she deserved it far more than Nelah.
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### Author:  [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/4 "2002-05-20T11:58:41Z")
I do think Vee played the game well and deserved to win, but I did have issues with the religion/backstabbing/forgiveness thing. If you’re thinking about doing something that will require you to ask forgiveness - don’t do it.
I am glad they all got a **Saturn Vue** though. Now Sean will have two to sell.
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### Author:  [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/5 "2002-05-20T15:59:34Z")
I have to agree with you, **stv** , Neleh is friggin HOT. I kept wondering if they switched people or something. Damn. Also, I missed what happened with Pascal…just knew he was dehydrated, but did he leave the game because of that, or was he voted off.
One more thing…Rosie was annoying: “Give it up for…” about 45 times, and then screaming “Saturn is awesome!!” for about 4 minutes. I also thought the lead in to the live vote reading was so unbelievably corny. It was terrible…the whole take a cab to the set…sure. :rolleyes: Lame.
Jman
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### Author:  [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/6 "2002-05-20T16:04:07Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Jman \*
> **I also thought the lead in to the live vote reading was so unbelievably corny. It was terrible…the whole take a cab to the set…sure. :rolleyes: Lame.**
I bet Burnett and company were mad that they took down the twin towers of light memorial already. I could so easily see a helicopter shot of Peachy flying by the beams of light and a dissolve to a shot of a tear running down his cheek. Crass, but I wouldn’t put it past him.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/7 "2002-05-20T17:10:11Z")
Did I mis-hear, or did Vee say “ **gunk** tion”?
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### Author:  [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/8 "2002-05-20T17:43:30Z")
The misconception that jsc1953 (as well as some people on the show) has is that it is “un-Christian” to strategically stretch the truth on a game show. This is not the same as lying in real life. Would we call it un-Christian to bluff in a card game? Is it un-Christian to foul your opponent in basketball? To steal a base (hey, “Thou shalt not steal”) in baseball? She was within the confines of a game, so whatever she did while on the show does NOT equate with her morality as a Christian.
I thought the show did a good job in not ignoring or shying away from the obvious faith of several contestants. I was actually surprised that Christianity wasn’t portrayed mockingly, as many shows tend to do.
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### Author:  [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/9 "2002-05-20T18:19:26Z")
I have no problems with any contestant doing anything to win, and I agree that it’s “moral” to be deceptive within the boundaries of the game. My problem is with Vecepia’s rationalization–she seemed to think that her actions were immoral, but that she was forgiven. As has been said elsewhere, if she thought her actions were immoral she shouldn’t have done them.
Being a “reality” show, it would’ve been difficult to mock the contestants beliefs–they would’ve needed to put words in the mouths of the other contestants. Whatever one can say about Mark Burnett, I don’t think he’d stoop that low.
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### Author:  [@Stupendous\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stupendous_man)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/10 "2002-05-20T18:20:40Z")
I can’t believe all of the nasty comments they had received just before the final vote. “Oh, you all are hypocrites, non-christians,holier-than-thou, lyers, etc etc”
If it were me listening to their wailing and knashing of teeth, I’d be saying something back to them. Something a little like this:
“Folks, it’s a GAME. It’s not a country club, it’s not a popularity contest, it’s not a make-new-friends convention. It’s a game. You all saw the first three series’ and you know how it’s played. You can lie, you can deceive, you can do anything you want to ensure you get the million bucks as long as it’s not against the rules of the game.
You know how it’s done.
If you don’t like it, You SHOULDN’T HAVE AUDITIONED! If you don’t like the way people play the game, DON’T PLAY IT!. And for you people out there considering going on Survivor 5: If YOU don’t like lies, deceit, and treachery, then DON’T AUDITION. It’s just that simple. Quit your Boo-Hooing about our lying and deceiving you, and suck it the hell up. That’s the way the game is played.”
Of course, I would go away without the million bucks, but man that would be sweet to see the looks on their faces…
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### Author:  [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)
#### Post date: [May 20, 2002, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/11 "2002-05-20T21:53:24Z")
Stupendous man,
I couldn’t agree more. As if lying or pledging alliances is not part of the game…please!
Two words: Sour grapes.
We can all thank Susan Hawk, for lowering the bar on TV. Her and of course, Rosie O’Donnell. Can she be anymore shallow or annoying?
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### Author:  [@beckwall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beckwall)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/12 "2002-05-21T00:37:08Z")
I say praise Buddha. Vecepia played the game, she had a strategy and she deserved to win.
Talk about disingenous, that was Neleh to a T. Of course it is a game and people will do anything to win, but she took the little miss innocent thing a bit too far. Having spent much time in the great Mormon state, I can honestly say that her behavior did not surprise me. I wonder if she will give 10% of her winnings to the church? Is that pre or post tax? I think they casted her as a novelty, in the hopes that she would be American’s new sweetheart. Boy, did that backfire.
Rosie annoys the “oh my heck” out of me. Enough already. Go retire or sing on Broadway. Your expiration date for humor has come and gone.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/13 "2002-05-21T03:27:02Z")
I commented on Vecepia’s religious issues on another thread, so I won’t rehash them here. Personally, I think Vecepia deserved to win more than Ethan did last year; he seemed like a nice guy but he was much more of a “ride along” that got lucky than V was.
I was surprised by the shallow nature of the jury’s questioning. I figured at least one person would try to decide by asking something about what the winner would do with the money. Or asking one of those tough “no explanations, but who do you hate the most on the jury?” questions.
I am also surprised by those who liked Neleh’s NYC look. My first though on seeing her was “young Tammy Faye”.
I didn’t stay and watch the reunion show (which did allow me to make the first post-winner post) as I can’t stand Rosie O’Donnell. It sounds like I didn’t miss much though.
My guess is that next year’s new way of doing things will be some version of the team shuffle in the first episode. Instead of the players having their teams picked by Burnett, they’ll be assigned at random. If I’m right, it’ll be a fairly trivial change; on the first show, no one’ll know each other so they’re won’t be any alliances breaking up.
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### Author:  [@friggae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friggae)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/14 "2002-05-21T03:41:56Z")
All I can say is, Paschal lost because of a lousy purple rock. After that, I really didn’t care who won. Also, did Boston Rob and Hunter really not want to sit together or something at the reunion? From what I saw, there was plenty of room up there on the top row, but Rob was sitting in an extra chair next to people in the second row. I also didn’t care for Rosie - she didn’t even acknowledge Peter and Patricia during the reuinion!
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### Author:  [@friggae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friggae)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/15 "2002-05-21T03:49:01Z")
All I can say is, Paschal lost because of a lousy purple rock. After that, I really didn’t care who won. Also, did Boston Rob and Hunter really not want to sit together or something at the reunion? From what I saw, there was plenty of room up there on the top row, but Rob was sitting in an extra chair next to people in the second row. I also didn’t care for Rosie - she didn’t even acknowledge Peter and Patricia during the reuinon!
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### Author:  [@Tiburon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tiburon)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/16 "2002-05-21T15:04:26Z")
JohnnyLA - Yes, she said GunKtion! I said, “GUNKTION? Did she mean Gumption??”
KATHY RULES.
Tibs.
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### Author:  [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/17 "2002-05-21T15:07:22Z")
I liked Neleh to win. Did you know you can buy her shorts, (auction right now at 99 cents?) Yep. Im not kidding:
[http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1538371465](http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1538371465)
OT:
Here is a complete list of survivor stuff for sale:
> **[egpaf on eBay](https://www.ebay.com/usr/egpaf)**
>
> Follow egpaf on eBay. Buying, Selling, Collecting on eBay has never been more exciting!
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### Author:  [@Trancey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancey)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/18 "2002-05-21T15:24:29Z")
i cant believe neleh, what a b&\*ch…distracting kathy on purpose when they were standing on those poles “ur flashing, pull up ur shirt” i didnt see any breasts showing, and if there were,
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### Author:  [@Trancey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trancey)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/19 "2002-05-21T15:26:52Z")
i cant believe neleh, what a b&\*ch…distracting kathy on purpose when they were standing on those poles “ur flashing, pull up ur shirt” i didnt see any breasts showing, and if there were, WHO CARES! god $1, 000, 000 was on the line, im sure someone shirt hanging down would be an exception…
but ya, thats my opinion after only watchin the finale, hehehe
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### Author:  [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)
#### Post date: [May 21, 2002, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-finale/109911/20 "2002-05-21T15:51:40Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Tiburon \*
> \*\*JohnnyLA - Yes, she said GunKtion! I said, “GUNKTION? Did she mean Gumption??” \*\*
At least she didn’t say “Strategery.” :rolleyes:
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