# Survivor (I won't spoil it, but someone else might!) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979 "2000-07-18T15:07:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MadHatter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MadHatter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadHatter)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/1 "2000-07-18T15:07:34Z")
OK, I have been looking up all this info about how the Survivor website was exploited and the pics have surfaced with crosses on them (and one without). Is there any credible news source that has covered the story? If so, url please? ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/2 "2000-07-18T15:17:46Z")
The spoiler was on MPSIMS yesterday. Anyway, as I was leaving for work this morning I heard them discussing it on _Good Morning America_, but I had to turn it off before they had the actual interview. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/3 "2000-07-18T16:14:09Z")
Anyone on the show who says who wins probably has to pay the cost of the show. Itll be in the contract. They aren’t dumb. ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/4 "2000-07-18T16:20:27Z")
Entertainment Tonight said that the Survivor Spokesperson said they would neither confirm or deny any reports of the winner. Also, Survivor would allow any incorrect announcements to be broadcast to keep things interesting. ---
**Author:** ![MadHatter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MadHatter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadHatter)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/5 "2000-07-18T16:20:46Z")
Errr, handy, the Survivor website was HACKED and the winner was revealled. ---
**Author:** ![Leftfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Leftfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leftfield)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/6 "2000-07-18T16:45:53Z")
The Survivor website “leak” is discussed by the Chicago Sun-Times at: [http://www.suntimes.com/output/television/spoil1.html](http://www.suntimes.com/output/television/spoil1.html) ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/7 "2000-07-18T17:37:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MadHatter \* > \*\*Errr, handy, the Survivor website was HACKED and the winner was revealled. \*\* I think _hacked_ is a bit of a strong word here. He didn’t break into anything, he jused used a little logical thinking and detective work. But, yeah, it wasn’t someone who could be penalized by the show for figuring it out. ---
**Author:** ![lswote](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lswote/32/5737_2.png) [@lswote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lswote)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/8 "2000-07-18T19:10:14Z")
Actually the hacker was a she and not even a hacker per se, just someone who examined the website html code and realized the pictures with the Xs on them had pretty easy to figure out names. I saw it on TV last night, Extra or Entertainment Tonight and they didn’t even give the URL of the website where it was revealed ([survivorsucks.com](http://survivorsucks.com) BTW) or any detailed information how it was done. They didn’t even say who the winner was supposed to be ([survivorsucks.com](http://survivorsucks.com) DOES say if you want to know). They also interviewed the Survivor host Jeff Prost?SP? and he acted pretty cool about the whole situation. I am thinking CBS could have purposely left clues around like this just to throw people off. I wouldn’t be surprised if all kinds of little misdirections are in place. Just because the Survivor web page appears to be complete doesn’t mean it is. CBS could have purposely put disinformation in. ---
**Author:** ![Hokienautic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@Hokienautic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokienautic)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/9 "2000-07-18T19:30:01Z")
The Washington Post also covered it yesterday, at [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54687-2000Jul16.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54687-2000Jul16.html). Included in the article are mentions that they asked CBS for comments and were told, of course “we’ll neither confirm nor deny” the alleged winner. Of course, if the person named IS in fact the winner, I can see a computer geek getting the axe very very soon. 😉 The Web site mentioned earlier, Survivor Sucks, seems to have quite the track record in predicting things based on previews, rumors, leaks, etc. When Gretchen was the favorite to win the whole thing, they were talking about her getting booted. Last Wednesday, she got booted. Another funny aside: If I remember correctly, one of the booted people (Ramona, I think) appeared on Letterman after they got voted off, and he jokingly asked who won. She replied “I’ll tell you for $6 million, because I have to pay $4 million if I tell someone, so I want some extra money.” ---
**Author:** ![Gazoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ce73a5/32.png) [@Gazoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gazoo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/10 "2000-07-18T20:58:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Hokienautic \* > \*\*Of course, if the person named IS in fact the winner, I can see a computer geek getting the axe very very soon. > \*\* Hmmm, I was just pondering this. Seeing how much CBS is trying to protect the results, maybe this all just a ruse. It just seems odd that some programmer for the web site would be privy to what the network views as “confidential” information. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2000, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/11 "2000-07-18T23:44:14Z")
Ramona said it was Gretchen. Then there was a big media thing over that with the show producer trying to cover it up. Of course, we know it’s not the case. This is probably just another pathetic attempt to get more publicity for the show. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2000, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/survivor-i-wont-spoil-it-but-someone-else-might/25979/12 "2000-07-19T00:30:12Z")
Well, it’s hardly a reputable news source, but they discussed it on The Daily Show last night. He warned you that if you didn’t want to know, to mute the TV now. Then they flashed up a picture of the winner along with the name. Luckily, I don’t care at all. If I did, I’d be pissed. However, at the very end of the show, during the credits, they showed some video that appeared to have come off the internet of the winner on the island thanking everyone involved. It ended with the quote “I have some partying to do now!” I don’t see how they could have faked that video, so I’m thinking it’s probably the real winner.