Though ''Survivor'' creator Mark Burnett planned for the show's fourth season to take place in Jordan's Crescent Valley, world events made it necessary to scrap the Middle Eastern location and go back to the beach. This time, it means the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia -- specifically, the tiny island of Nuku Hiva, located about 800 miles northeast of Tahiti.

In addition to building shelter and competing in challenges, the two teams -- called Maraamu and Rotu -- must also feed themselves for the duration of their stay on Nuku Hiva. That is, until the product placements begin . . . then there should be enough Doritos and Mountain Dew to go around.

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Source: EW.com

In one of his first celebrity appearances since appearing on "Survivor: Africa," Lex van den Berghe, the contestant best known for his extensive tattoos, will man one of the 152 polling places in northern California's Santa Cruz County in the state's upcoming primary election on March 5.

And the pay for his appearance? A tidy $60 -- the same as all poll clerks receive, said Gail Pellerin, election manager for Santa Cruz County.

Pellerin said she contacted van den Berghe, whose resume includes recent work as marketing director for an Internet company, after learning he was a local resident.

"I thought it would be great if he would serve in the polls," she said. "He's got quite a following, so we're not going to reveal where he's going to be."

Van den Berghe was one of 16 contestants in the most recent edition of "Survivor," the third for the series in which contestants live together in a remote location and vote one person out of their midst each week until the last person left wins $1 million.

He did not win the $1 million pot, but was in the running when he was voted off as one of last three remaining players.

As part of his responsibilities, van den Berghe will issue ballots to eligible voters and assist them. He will be one of about 800 people who work at Santa Cruz County polling stations on primary day.

Separately, CBS, a unit of Viacom Inc. on Wednesday also announced the names for the next installment of the hit series, titled "Survivor: Marquesas."

Set on the island of Nuku Hiva in the South Pacific Marquesas archipelago, the new show will feature a mainly young crowd when it premieres on Feb. 28. Of the 16 contestants, all but four are under 40, and six are in their 20s. The list includes:

-- Gabriel Cade, 23, a bartender from North Carolina;

-- John Carroll, 36, a nurse from Nebraska;

-- Gina Crews, 28, a nature guide from Florida;

-- Robert DeCanio, 38, a limousine driver from New York;

-- Neleh Dennis, 21, a student from Utah;

-- Hunter Ellis, 33, a pilot from California;

-- Paschal English, 57, a judge from Georgia;

-- Peter Harkey, 45, a bowling alley and wine shop owner from Massachusetts;

-- Patricia Jackson, 49, a truck assembler from South Carolina;

-- Sarah Jones, 24, an accounts manager from California;

-- Tammy Leitner, 29, a reporter from Arizona;

-- Rob Mariano, 26, a construction worker from Massachusetts;

-- Sean Rector, 30, a teacher from New York;

-- Vecepia "Vee" Towery, 36, an office manager from Oregon;

-- Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien, 47, a real estate agent from Vermont; and

-- Zoe Zanidakis, 35, a fishing boat captain from Maine.

Source: Reuters

CBS on Wednesday introduced 16 new contestants for Survivor: Marquesas, the fourth installment of Mark Burnett's hit adventure series debuting February 28 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The contestants will attempt to (all together now) outwit, outplay, outlast and outwhine to take home the show's $1 million grand prize.

Sure, this new group includes the requisite cocktail servers and office-manager types. But there's also 23-year-old Gabriel Cade, whose curly locks and background playing semi-professional soccer seem eerily similar to Survivor: Africa champ Ethan Zohn; Robert DeCanio, the 38-year-old whose tattoo coverage could rival Lex van den Berghe's; and Neleh Dennis, the outgoing 21-year-old who loves camping, boating...and makeup!

Per tradition, the 16 schemers were split into two tribes (Maraamu and Rotu) and dropped onto Nuku Hiva, a remote island and distant neighbor of Tahiti in the South Pacific. This time around, producers decided to up the "survivor" factor by giving the contestants "no food, no water and no fire."

Let's just hope somebody has finally figured out how to make fire this time around.

Here's a rundown of who's who:

MARAAMU TRIBE

GINA CREWS, 28, nature guide, Gainesville, Florida
HUNTER ELLIS, 33, Federal Express Pilot, La Jolla, California
PETER HARKEY, 45, bowling alley owner/wine shop owner/yoga enthusiast, Millis, Massachusetts
PATRICIA JACKSON, 49, truck assembler, Lugoff, South Carolina
SARAH JONES, 24, accounts manager, Newport Beach, California
ROB MARIANO, 26, construction worker, Canton, Massachusetts
SEAN RECTOR, 30, teacher, Harlem, New York
VECEPIA "VEE" TOWERY, 36, office manager, Portland, Oregon

ROTU TRIBE

GABRIEL CADE, 23, bartender, Celo, North Carolina
JOHN CARROLL, 36, registered nurse, Omaha, Nebraska
ROBERT DeCANIO, 38, limousine driver, Queens, New York
NELEH DENNIS, 21, student, Layton, Utah
PASCHAL ENGLISH, 57, judge, Thomaston, Georgia
TAMMY LEITNER, 29, crime reporter, Mesa, Arizona
KATHY VAVRICK-O'BRIEN, 47, real estate agent, Burlington, Vermont
ZOE ZANIDAKIS, 35, fishing boat captain, Monhegan Island, Maine
Unlike past seasons, when Survivor fan Websites rabidly hunted down intimate personal details about each contestant before CBS even announced their names, the identities of the newest castaways didn't leak out early.

Interest in Survivor has settled down a bit from its early days, but CBS is still expecting big things from the show during its midseason run. Or at least big enough to give the network a healthy boost when the finale airs during May sweeps.

Source: yahoo.com

CBS has announced the 16 Americans who will compete on the fourth installment of ''Survivor'' (Thurs., Feb. 28, 8 p.m.). This year's challengers sound like they came from a Hollywood casting agent: Among their intriguing occupations are a fishing boat captain (à la ''The Perfect Storm''), a FedEx pilot (à la ''Cast Away''), and the owner of a small-town bowling alley (à la ''Ed'').

This year, the castaways are back on the beach: the island of Nuku Hiva, a distant neighbor of Tahiti in the South Pacific. Also new, in addition to building shelter and competing in challenges, the two teams -- called the Maraamu and Rotu tribes -- must also feed themselves for the duration of their stay on Nuku Hiva. That is, until the product placements begin...then I'm sure there will be enough Doritos and Mountain Dew to go around.

Meet the members of the MARAAMU tribe

•Gina Crews, 29, a nature guide from Gainesville, Fla.
•Hunter Ellis, 33, a FedEx pilot from La Jolla, Calif.
•Patricia Jackson, 49, a truck assembler from Lugoff, S.C.
•Peter Harkey, 45, a bowling alley owner from Millis, Mass.
•Rob Mariano, 26, a construction worker from Canton, Mass.
•Sarah Jones, 24, an account manager from Newport Beach, Calif.
•Sean Rector, 30, a teacher from Harlem, N.Y.
•Vecepia Towery, 36, an office manager from Portland, Ore.

Meet the members of the ROTU tribe

•Gabriel Cade, 23, a bartender from Celo, N.C.
•John Carroll, 36, a registered nurse from Omaha, Neb.
•Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien, 47, a real estate agent from Burlington, Vt.
•Neleh Dennis, 21, a student from Layton, Ut.
•Paschal English, 57, a judge from Thomaston, Ga.
•Robert DeCanio, 38, a limousine driver from Queens, N.Y.
•Tammy Leitner, 29, a crime reporter from Mesa, Ariz.
•Zoe Zanidakis, 35, a fishing boat captain from Monhegan Island, Me.

Source: EW.com

But it's not often you can catch him on that phone. Most times, the ringer goes straight to the message box. And that seems to always be full.

At home, meanwhile, Buchanan's phone will just ring and ring.

The Smyth County native known nationwide as "Big Tom" figured last week he was 40-some messages behind in returning phone calls.

And, still, the calls keep coming -- from talent agents to people wanting to make commercials, he said.

It's all been quite a change for a man who just a year ago was known as little more than a fun-loving farmer from Rich Valley.

Last October, the 46-year-old became famous as a star of CBS-TV's "Survivor: Africa."

He didn't win the contest's $1 million loot, but his appearances in every episode -- and lots of screen time doing dances and cracking wise -- made him the show's most memorable character.

And a man in demand.

Locally, he's shown up in radio interviews and signed autographs at car dealerships in Wytheville, Abingdon and Kingsport.

"It's pretty nice to get paid for a change," Buchanan said.

Out of town, he's scheduled to make appearances in Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Las Vegas and Virginia Beach. In February, Buchanan said, "Every day I've got lined up."

Starting Monday, Buchanan is slated to enjoy more TV time with appearances on two episodes of "Hollywood Squares." Buchanan taped the episodes Jan. 12 in Los Angeles.

The game show installments also feature Buchanan's fellow "Survivor" contestants Kim Johnson, Lex van den Berghe, Silas Gaither, Kelly Goldsmith, Frank Garrison, Teresa Cooper, Lindsey Richter, Kim Powers, Clarence Black and Brandon Quinton.

Part of the "Squares" set was decorated to evoke the plains of Africa and features Buchanan and others in special comedy sketches.

Appearing on "Hollywood Squares" was "great," Buchanan said. "It was laid-back, easygoing. ... Everything was just kind of free-flowing."

On one episode, Buchanan had a square all to himself. In another, he shared a square with former "Survivor" contestant Clarence Black.

"I liked being with Clarence," Buchanan said. "Clarence, he's a smart fellow."

This Saturday, Buchanan is scheduled to participate in the World's Largest Polar Plunge in Virginia Beach. The event benefits Special Olympics Virginia.

Buchanan does not have any other TV appearances in the works.

But, at the same time, he said his schedule is too busy to allow much time for being at home -- and working on the farm.

"He hadn't done anything on the farm here for a long time," said his father and business partner, Raymond Buchanan. "And I don't expect him to do much on the farm for the next six months."

Source: Bristol Herald Courier

Excluding, of course, the dehydration incident, which led to the ignominious honor of being the first booted from the TV reality game show's third installment.

"I get some ribbing," Ogden said of her early exit. "But for the most part people have been, 'It must have been a really cool experience for you,' and I'm like, 'Yeah, it was.' It was something I wanted to do and I did it. I would do it again."

Ethan Zohn, a 28-year-old professional soccer player, won the $1 million prize, garnering five of seven votes from his "Survivor" jury members. Kim Johnson, 58, a retired elementary school teacher from New York, finished second and won $100,000.

CBS stranded the 16 contestants in Shaba National Reserve in Kenya, Africa, and filmed over 39 days in July and August. Competitors fended for themselves while competing for the monetary prize. At the end of each episode, one was voted off by members of his or her "tribe."

"When it got to the final four, I hoped Ethan would get it," Ogden said. "I'm really glad he did. He played exactly how he wanted to play. He wasn't back-stabbing. He played himself, and I thought it was great."

Life has returned somewhat to normal for Ogden, a 42-year old Lincoln mail carrier who was the first Nebraskan to appear on the popular Mark Burnett-produced TV program.

She has made a few appearances since the final show aired Jan. 10. Last week, she flew to Dallas at the invitation of fellow survivor Brandon Quinton to attend an AIDS fund-raiser.

But, for the most part, she's back to her routine of work, family and friends.

"I'm just Diane," she said. "Go to work, single mom, doing my thing."

Ogden applied for "Survivor: Africa" after becoming a fan of the first two installments. She and her friends gathered regularly at her house to watch the second one in Australia. She learned she was in for the Africa show after a second interview session in May.

CBS allowed her to tell a handful of people, who had to sign $5 million disclosure agreements. Even her 10-year-old son, Alex, had to sign one.

"There was no doubt in my mind she wouldn't make it and wouldn't be great at it," said Ogden's best friend, Sue Burkey. "I've known Diane long enough to know she's pretty good at getting what she wants."

Ogden's boss, Postmaster Doug Emery, was skeptical - to say the least.

"She came and asked me (about applying), and I said, 'Sure, Diane, you go ahead,' " Emery said. "She came back and told me, 'If I do this, I'll need these months off.' I said, 'Yeah, right, Diane. We'll worry about that if you get there.' And then they picked her."

Ogden guessed CBS liked her tape and biography. She ditched ideas of attacking a papier-mache pig or her dog - "I thought the post office might have a fit if I did that one" - for her video and chose to sit at her kitchen table with a cup of coffee.

"I was being myself and told them, 'What you see is what you get, and if you don't pick me you'll be sorry,' " she said.

Because she was voted off first, viewers never got a chance to meet the real Ogden. She is personable, funny, engaging and colorful. Extremely colorful. Her house is filled with bright oranges, purples and greens. Her son says it's like living in a "box of crayons."

She also is strong-willed, independent and, some would say, a little rough around the edges.

She made up a story about being arrested in Portland, Ore., and having to serve jail time to explain her six-week absence from work. And although she's never been in trouble in her life, her co-workers bought into the story hook, line and sinker.

"I'm different," she said. "I'm not a conformist. I do my own thing. I generally don't care what people say about me."

Generally.

Ogden guessed "Survivor" would be a positive experience, and she never expected the harsh, hurtful comments from the public. CBS told its contestants to avoid the spoiler sites on the Internet, but Ogden surfed them anyway.

"It got to the point where I had to stop," she said. "They were heartless. I took a lot of crap for my hair."

Ogden used to sport long, curly blond locks that - for some reason - people did not like. She now wears a short, curly bob.

"No wonder our society is the way it is," she said. "If somebody wants to go off and live a dream and gets slammed for it. . . . I tell my son, who has been on lots of losing YMCA teams, it's not about winning, it's about having fun. I had the time of my life."

After Ogden was booted, she stayed in a lodge until six more castoffs joined her. CBS then took the seven on a safari to keep them separated from the ones who eventually would vote for the winner.

It was during the safari that Ogden made up with Clarence Black, who she believed got her ousted because of the "bean incident."

Ogden suffered from severe dehydration. On the third day, while the rest of the tribe fetched water, Black stayed back to take care of her. He opened a can of beans and told the other tribe members it was Ogden's idea.

"Jessie (Camacho) told me later nobody believed Clarence, and I got the boot because they didn't think I could walk the three miles back after tribal council," she said.

Ogden was furious.

"One night, we were the last ones at the dinner table, imagine that, and he looked at me and said, 'Are we cool?' I said, 'Don't you ever lie to me again, Clarence.' "

Still, it looked from the first episode that Ogden had set up Black. She was seen smirking while tribe members chewed him out for opening the beans. She and fellow tribe member Lex Van Den Berghe agreed it was creative editing.

"I think they caught it some other time and decided to throw it in there because we don't remember me smirking when he was getting his butt chewed out," she said.

Ogden was disappointed she didn't last longer but said she hadn't anticipated Africa's intense heat. On hot Nebraska days, she carries water with her on her route.

"If we would have been around water, no problem," she said. "We didn't have water."

Her son said one of his classmates teased him about his mom's early departure.

"I told him, 'At least my mom was on "Survivor." Your mom didn't even try out,' " he said.

Source: Lincoln Journal Star

Brandon says Kelly was trying to pick up Sean Astin backstage at a late-night talk show.

" 'Cause he was hitting on Sean Astin's publicist doesn't mean I was hitting on Sean Astin," Kelly replies. "It's a boldfaced lie. If I wanted him, I could've had him. Oh, no, maybe not."

Welcome to Survivor: Adam's Mark, where good-natured ribbing is just one of the privileges of the fame game.

The hotel's 38th floor Chaparral Club was the site Thursday evening for a press event and dinner starring all but one of the 16 contestants from CBS' Survivor: Africa.

Afterward the group was headed to a charity fund-raiser at the Throckmorton Mining Company, the Cedar Springs bar where contestant Brandon Quinton works.

Arriving on a later flight, Lex van den Berghe would complete Brandon's coup: raising money for the Resource Center of Dallas, an Oak Lawn nonprofit that helps AIDS patients with medical care, and the Walt Whitman Community School, which educates gay and lesbian students from around the country.

"I never thought I could make a difference with something that meant so much to me," he says. "When I was upstairs, I was about to start crying because everybody's here. I'm about to do it again ... I'm a big girl."

The 500 advance tickets sold out, and another 200 to be made available at the door had people camping out in front of the bar since Thursday morning. Brandon says he expects the event to raise about $30,000.

Kelly Goldsmith and "Little" Kim Powers (to distinguish her from "Big" Kim Johnson) have been hanging out with him in Dallas since Tuesday, his birthday. They went to Voltaire on Wednesday night and plan to hit the ultra-trendy downtown bar Umlaut and a drag show on Friday.

"I've had them out drinking every night of the week," Brandon says. "We're not going to have to wait in line. We're the big stars right now."

"I can't handle Dallas. It's too much for me," says Kelly, a behavioral research analyst from San Diego who describes herself as "really nerdy."

It was hard to tell with all that cleavage. "Oh, these are our tame outfits," she says, promising to change before the fund-raiser. "We got to raise money."

Goat farmer "Big" Tom Buchanan, not known as a clotheshorse, wasn't as fortunate. The airline lost his luggage. Wearing a T-shirt that read, "Nothing Feels Like a Bear Butt," he looked about the same as he did on the show.

Ethan Zohn, the curly-haired soccer player who won Survivor: Africa , said he was enjoying his first two or three hours in Dallas. Ethan has a side gig giving brand names to new products, and he had a suggestion for downtown's green-neon skyscraper: "Change the color to indicate the weather."

Ethan, who proves that nice guys can finish first, says the strangest request he's had so far is from female fans who want their body parts autographed. "Usually what I say is I'll sign it, but I have to hold the piece of paper. They seem to like that."

He's also had banana bread and scarves sent to his apartment in Manhattan, and he's been told that his address is posted on the Internet.

Silas Gaither says he hasn't had as much luck with the ladies, though he recently signed with an agent and has gone on four auditions that he won't talk about because he doesn't want to jinx them.

Any porn?

"No porn," he says.

But he did meet Billy Bob Thornton in the greenroom at Live With Regis and Kelly and Whoopi Goldberg when the survivors taped Hollywood Squares.

"She's a sweet lady," he says. "And she's a very talented actress as well."

Source: The Dallas Morning News

"You did a great job," gushes the stranger as she hovers, beaming, at Johnson, who is sitting at a window-side table at Taby's Burger House in Oyster Bay.

Graciously, Johnson acknowledges the anonymous accolades, smiling and issuing a demure thank you - a routine she'll have to repeat several times before lunch is over.

Long Island has had ample representation on CBS' "Survivor" series, starting in the inaugural version with neurologist Sean Kenniff, who exasperated his teammates - and viewers - with his insistence on voting off his rivals in alphabetical order. Season two brought Ronkonkoma bartender Kimmi Kappenberg, whose whining about the challenges that surviving in the Australian Outback brought to her vegetarian philosophy was not terribly endearing, either.

But Johnson, who made it to the penultimate position on "Survivor Africa" before being beaten by 27- year-old professional soccer coach Ethan Zohn, is arguably the most popular of the show's Long Island alumni.

First off, she looks pretty damn good for her 57 years - good enough to wear a thong on one episode.

"I don't know when I was younger if I knew what 57 looked like - I probably didn't think it looked like this," says Johnson, accessorized with such 20-something touches as a denim jacket, thumb ring and the occasional use of the word "cool." "You can be who you are."

Who Johnson is, is a former elementary schoolteacher married for 38 years to husband Ted, now retired from his career as a stockbroker. A Cleveland native, this grandmother keeps in such good shape by running and lifting weights at home. She moved to Oyster Bay about two years ago, after spending a decade in a Cold Spring Harbor house that simply seemed too big when their three children left home.

"I live a pretty normal life, whatever that is," says Johnson, wriggling her fingers in the air to make imaginary quote marks. "Life is really good to be able to go off and have the opportunity to do this. And to do well at it is great."

Part of Johnson's charm is her infectious blend of competitiveness and caprice, of youthfulness and maturity: While she killed four chickens during the course of "Survivor" (something that wasn't televised), she also came across as an understanding mom figure to many of her tribe mates. Audition videotapes she sent to "Survivor" producers underscored this dichotomy, showing her delivering a pleasant monologue in "laxative commercial" tones in her living room in one scene, wrestling a blow-up alligator in another.

"Survivor Africa" wasn't Johnson's first foray into reality television. She was among the final 26 hopefuls for the second "Survivor" season, which prepared her for the arduous screening process for the "Africa" version: That included days sequestered in a Los Angeles hotel room between visits from producers, doctors and psychological evaluators; and meals taken alone, with eye contact forbidden, for fear contestants would make unspoken "alliances" before they were even chosen.

But the selection process was a picnic, says Johnson, compared to the rigors of the show itself, from walking two miles to Tribal Council to relying on a dung-filled waterhole as the only source of moisture.

"The challenges were much harder than I thought," says Johnson, adding that several personal quirks served her well in the Kenyan countryside: "I love camping and I love competition. I can fall asleep anywhere. I don't drink or need a lot of water: There were two days when we didn't pee at all."

By the time she came home from more than 40 days in "Survivorland" this summer, she had lost almost 20 pounds.

A self-proclaimed games fanatic, Johnson helped while away the downtime in Africa by playing versions of "Match Game" and "To Tell the Truth." "I ripped up the 'Survivor' manual that they gave us and made playing cards out of it," she remembers. As for the larger game that she was playing, with million-dollar stakes: "It's not that I wanted to win the money. It's just that I don't want to lose my chips because I don't want to stop playing."

When it comes to physical mementos of her "Survivor" stint, Johnson had some bad luck: Necklaces made by the Masai that she earned during a challenge were packed in a suitcase that "never, ever surfaced" after she boarded the plane.

Still, she left "Survivor" with something not quite as tangible, but far more valuable.

"I accomplished more than I thought I would, and I think my family was shocked that I lasted that long," says Johnson, adding that she didn't reveal the show's outcome to them: They saw it unfold on television along with the rest of the country. "It's probably the coolest thing I've ever done."

Source: Newsday.com

Zohn answered Page 2's Darren Rovell's request for 10 Burning Questions, but only after he promised Zohn that he wouldn't ask him one question that he'd been asked over the last two weeks.

1. Page 2: How many ex-girlfriends have contacted you since you won?

Ethan Zohn: Four.

Have any asked to get back together with you again?

Zohn: No. But they're all claiming a little piece of me. One girl now likes to say that she lost her virginity to me.

Did she?

Zohn: Yes.

2. When will you get the $1 million?

Zohn: I got the check the next morning. It was one check, two commas and a lot of zeros.

Did you deposit it right away?

Zohn: No. I cashed it at one of those money exchange places in New York City.

Just kidding. Actually, I had about 10 hours of interviews after I got it, so I gave it to someone at CBS. When it was time to go, she was asleep with the check shoved in her sock. It was all wrinkled, but it was still good when I deposited it.

3. You've been an assistant coach for the Fairleigh Dickinson University men's and women's soccer teams since 1998. How much did they pay you?

Zohn: Not a lot. It was actually bordering on poverty. I spent more money going over the George Washington Bridge (to get from New York City to Teaneck, N.J.) than I made at FDU.

We read somewhere that attendance at FDU soccer games increased in the fall, thanks to "Survivor" fans wanting to see you. True?

Zohn: No. No one wants to go to Teaneck, N.J. But every time we'd play someone, you'd kind of hear the buzz from the other team and the crowd. "Oh, that's the 'Survivor' guy."

Did that help you win any games?

Zohn: Well, we made the final eight in the (men's Division I NCAA) tournament, but I don't think anyone let us win.

4. You went on "Survivor" because you got a full-time job and then were fired the night before you were to start. Has the company expressed any interest in hiring you back, based on your "Survivor" skills?

Zohn: No, but I did get an e-mail from the person who hired and fired me.

I'll read you the note. "Ethan, congratulations. You showed me and everyone at Landor that you have integrity; you handled what Landor did to you better than anyone could have imagined or expected. A lesser man (myself included) would have probably sued. Last night, you showed the world that you have integrity. You stayed honest with yourself and your tribe, stabbed no backs, played fair and won ...."

5. It seems like a bunch of "Survivor" girls might pose in Playboy? Would you pose for Playgirl?

Zohn: No. But I'll be the first in line to get that issue. I've only seen them in bikinis.

6. What would you rather do: Win "Survivor" or play in one game in the World Cup?

Zohn: The World Cup, because soccer is my life, my passion, and I've trained my entire life to get to that point. When I played in Zimbabwe, I played in front of 50,000 people and that was the best feeling in the world. I wouldn't take any amount of money to give up that dream.

7. It was reported that you nearly fainted when you overindulged in Rice Krispies Treats when you got home. True?

Zohn: No. I was being sarcastic and everyone seemingly took it seriously. I did eat a lot, though. I got home on Aug. 23, and I ate from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. without stopping ... and I never got full. Buffalo wings, Rice Krispies Treats, bagels and lox. Everything I craved, I ate that night.

8. What athlete would do the best on "Survivor"?

Zohn: I was thinking about Michael Jordan, but I don't know how good his real people skills are. I'd probably go with Magic Johnson because he's friendly and light-hearted, or maybe Charles Barkley because he's funny but can also be a little bit sneaky.

9. If you could invite any four people -- dead or alive -- to dinner, who would they be?

Zohn: Bob Marley, my father (who passed away), Pele and Nicole Kidman.

10. The ability to fly, the strength of 100 men or the ability to be invisible ... which superpower would you choose?

Zohn: The ability to fly. I could score crazy goals. And remember, if you fly high enough, you could also be invisible.

Source: ESPN.com

TVGO: Are the more outspoken, in-your-face players doomed to failure?

Ethan: Well, Silas was too strong of a personality. He was trying to be too much of a leader and I think that hurt him. I kind of observed and played off other people's mistakes, rather than be that center person where everyone bases their decisions on you.

TVGO: That's smart, since Survivor is very little more than a popularity contest...

Ethan: Is this your own personal opinion?

TVGO: Just playing devil's advocate. Weren't you surprised Kim Johnson took you to the final two instead of nasty Lex?

Ethan: I wasn't shocked. We were pretty close out there and we definitely had a strong bond — probably stronger than her and Lex. I personally believe that no matter who she took to the final two, she would not have beaten them.

TVGO: Ouch. Poor Kim!

Ethan: (Laughing) Not poor Kim.

TVGO: Well, that 56-year-old grandma did outlast you and Lex in the hot sun. You boys went down! By rights, shouldn't she have won?

Ethan: If you're going that way, in terms of winning the challenges, Lex and last year's Colby probably [deserved to win]. But part of the game is relationships. It's, like, the perfect game out there because it touches on every part of one's being — your physical, emotional and social [aspects]. Anyone who can balance those the best will go furthest in the game, and I think I balanced those great.

TVGO: Besides your plans for an inner-city soccer league, what will you get with the $1 million?

Ethan: A flat-screen TV! Those are pretty phat. The walls in my apartment would probably fall apart if I hung it on one. And I'm going to buy my brothers some nice, fancy presents. I haven't been the best gift giver in the past 28 years. So I'm gonna give them…

TVGO: ...A house?

Ethan: (Laughing) No, no. I've only got a friggin' million. After taxes, I have enough to pay for parking in New York City, that's about it. My brothers will probably fax me a list any day now, though.

Source: TVGuide.com

The network said Tuesday that seven major companies have signed on as ``integrated marketing partners'' for ``Survivor: Marquesas,'' meaning their products could pop up anywhere in the hit reality set to premiere Feb. 28.

The list of big-name sponsors includes such industry giants as Reebok, Visa, Adolph Coors, Sierra Mist/Pepsi, General Motors, Cingular Wireless and Masterfoods USA.

All sponsors will be guaranteed exclusivity on the show for their product category, as well as logo inclusion in all ''Survivor'' print ads and product placement where applicable.

Of the seven sponsors, five -- Cingular, GM, Sierra Mist/Pepsi, Reebok and Visa -- are returning, CBS said.

The network has used product placement on past editions of ''Suvivor'' as a way to boost the show's profitability by providing advertisers with extra bang for their buck.

In the first two installments, a Pontiac Aztec was awarded as the prize for the winner of one week's challenge. A Chevy Avalanche was awarded one week on the recently ended third program, and a Saturn VUE will be awarded on the fourth.

Reebok footwear has also been prominently worn by contestants on all shows.

For its fourth edition, ``Survivor'' was filmed on Nuku Hiva, the largest island in the Marquesas archipelago of French Polynesia.

Source: Reuters

"I had been peeing blood for two days. Not blood mixed with urine, but pure blood," van den Berghe says in the machine-gun way he has of talking. "So I whispered to one of the producers that I needed to see a doctor."

A little while later, van den Berghe snuck away from camp into the Kenyan bush to rendezvous with a CBS physician.

The doctor told van den Berghe his kidneys were failing; that he need to be hooked up to an IV for two hours or he could have permanent damage.

But van den Berghe knew any sign of weakness was a signal to the rest of the tribe to march to Tribal Council, mark your name down on a piece of paper and vote you out. That’s the way the game was played: One person voted out every three days until only one was left standing with a million dollars.

Van den Berghe leans forward in the chair. Hooks his arm around a knee.

"I flat-out refused," he says intently. "I told him I cannot be out of the game for two hours."

The doctor shrugged and told him to drink more water, not work so hard. But if things didn’t improve, he said, he was going to personally pull van den Berghe out.

Back at camp, van den Berghe told no one.

He went on to last 38 days, ending up in the final three in the series, which ended Jan. 10.

It was a part of the game that 20 million viewers — and the other contestants — never knew about.

There were other things too, he says. Other secrets the camera didn’t tell.

Sitting in the Spartan living room of his two-story stucco house in Santa Cruz, van den Berghe talks about the hidden calendar he kept, the parasites that snuck into his body and made him so sick he required chemotherapy-style drugs, the strange psychological changes that lasted a few months afterward and how dangerous the whole adventure turned out to be.

He even talked about why he thinks Kelly Goldsmith, the blond sorority sister who was once his alliance-mate, disliked him so much.

And even though he was sometimes painted as the paranoid plotter of the Moto Maji tribe, the spiky-haired and earringed van den Berghe has no regrets.

"I would play "Survivor" all over again," he says. "And I wouldn’t play it any different. The only thing I wanted to do was to be myself."

Lions, monkeys andpuff adders, Oh my

Van den Berghe lives in a neat, older house that belies his faintly punk image and the "Sid and Nancy" movie poster on the living room wall.

At first, he says, the neighbors wondered about the tattooed man and wife who moved in and had big barbecues in their back yard just about every weekend.

But soon, the retirees were bringing them vegetables from their garden and homemade cookies.

When he was on "Survivor: Africa" all of them watched.

Before "Survivor," van den Berghe had been a top gun at Adobe Systems, the CEO’s right-hand marketing man who gave presentations to Wall Street and introduced new products at big computer shows.

But like lots of other folks, he hadn’t been able resist the startup allure. And when the dot-com bomb exploded, van den Berghe was one of its victims.

"He never did "Survivor" for the money," says his wife, Kelly van den Berghe, a dark-haired woman with yellow star tattoos up and down her forearm.

An aquarium burbles in the background. There’s a snapshot of "Survivor" winner Ethan Zohn and kids’ drawings on a small table nearby.

"Lex did it to open doors," she says.

Van den Berghe only had two weeks to prepare when he got word he was chosen out of 60,000 people for a show that has changed the way networks look at TV.

He knew he would be set in the wild with 15 other people for 39 days. That they would be hungry and thirsty and have challenges to test their strength and endurance.

He began lifting weights in his garage to try to pack a few extra pounds on his wiry, 6-foot, 160-pound body. He learned a few words in Swahili.

But, says van den Berghe, he wasn’t prepared for just how dangerous Kenya could be.

Like a lot of skeptics, van den Berghe figured there would be people with guns to keep dangerous animals at bay.

But when he looked around after stumbling into the sights of a deadly and unpredictable Cape buffalo early in his stay, he knew there was a reason they called it "reality TV."

"The camera man," he says, "was (expletive) bricks."

Lions prowled the edges of their 6-foot-high acacia fence at night, a nest of deadly puff adders was discovered inside the walls of their camp and leopards roamed near their water source.

Scorpions crept into their shoes as they slept. Zohn was stung by one.

Only when contestants made the 1½ -hour walk at dusk to Tribal Council did two gunman accompany them, flushing out the grass for lions that might be lying in wait.

"That stuff was real," van den Berghe says. "That stuff was scary."

But it was microscopic predators that were eventually van den Berghe’s downfall.

"I came home with four different parasites and two different bacterial strains," van den Berghe says. "In that last episode, I was so damn sick."

Some of the parasites came from the food van den Berghe ate and from the water he drank.

But they also slipped in through the skin of his feet, making their way into his bloodstream and multiplying in his intestinal tract like little time bombs.

"I was sick in bed for three weeks when I got home," van den Berghe says. "They put me on this drug treatment that was like chemotherapy."

Three months later, the parasites and bacteria resurfaced in his blood, one strain migrating into his joints so he felt like he had the flu all the time.

Just two months ago, van den Berghe was still being treated, but recent blood tests showed the parasites were gone.

"Hopefully," he says, "we’ve taken care of it."

His body’s failure was the hardest for him, van den Berghe says, when he lost his balance on two logs in a challenge designed to test a contestant’s endurance.

If he had lasted, he would have made it into the final two, and, as it was later revealed by other players, had a good chance of becoming a millionaire.

In fact, he won more immunity challenges than any other single player and found himself on the winning end of several reward challenges, winning an African safari and a $45,000 Chevy truck.

But, dehydrated from the diarrhea brought on the parasites, van den Berghe fell from his perch and blacked out after three hours in the heat.

"I was just devastated," he says. "But in the same breath, I have to say I have no regrets. It was so much fun, such a great game."

He pauses, looks out the window at his neatly mowed front yard.

"I wondered how my body could let me down in the 11th hour," he says.

"I don’t want anyone to think I’m sour grapes, but it just didn’t seem fair."

What was up with Kelly?

Van den Berghe is a likable guy. He’s got a hair-trigger smile and a quick hug.

It’s what got him so far in the game, he believes. Relationships were everything there.

Early on, by the second day in the wilderness, he had already formed his alliance: Ethan the soccer player; Kim Johnson the 57-year-old retired teacher; Big Tom Buchanan, the randy goat farmer and Lex.

They were good people, he says, and the idea was they would stick together, each agreeing not to vote an alliance member off until the very end.

But it was van den Berghe’s relationship with Kelly Goldsmith, a blond, athletic 22-year-old, that caught the eye of the camera.

Once friends, they ended up TV sparring partners: Lex pushing to have her voted out and her calling him a control freak and weirdo.

It takes van den Berghe a while to answer the question about Goldsmith.

"Ooof," he says first, shaking his head. He thinks for a minute.

"We’re very different in a lot of ways," he says, "and I think maybe there was a kind of love-hate thing going on.

"I think she was both repulsed by me and maybe she had some confusing crush thing going on. I think she got blindsided by the person I am."

He shakes his head.

"I’m not going to trash talk her, though" he says.

It was partly his clash with Goldsmith that gave him the reputation as "Tyrannosaurus Lex," the paranoid villain of the game who once threatened to cut the throat of the person who had cast a vote against him.

"It was one three-day period" he says of that threat. "I was a paranoid lunatic for three days. I really lost my nut."

By the next episode, he had regrouped. "I guess if there was anything I could have changed, I wouldn’t have taken that one vote so seriously."

In fact, he says, Zohn was actually the more paranoid contestant, always questioning the alliance and people’s loyalty.

But, he added, you don’t last 38 days on the game if you really are a jerk.

Besides, he says with a grin, the villian gets more exposure than someone who flies under the radar.

"I never was boring," he says.

Still, it’s hard to hold the image of a paranoid villain when van den Berghe agrees to lift up his shirt and show the stick-figure tattoos he let his boys design for him: a stern-looking earwig and a smiling portrait of dad. Or when he reaches into the bag he carried in Africa and pulls out his "luxury item" a tiny worn pair of black Keds that belonged to his kids.

His wife says lots of people come up to van den Berghe now and say he was the guy on the show who should have won, the one who played the game the best.

"And that," van den Berghe says, "is very cool."

An amazing journey

It didn’t surprise van den Berghe when he lost 26 pounds.

But what did surprise him was the psychological fallout of the game.

On the show, there was constant maneuvering. Constant pressure to watch your back and figure out who might try to vote you off the show.

"It took me two months to get over that," van den Berghe says.

He felt claustrophobic in his house, thought about impact of every sentence he uttered, didn’t trust his friends.

In a strange way, he says, he felt like he needed to go back to Africa to keep playing the game.

"It really screwed up my mind for awhile," van den Berghe says.

But the trip changed him for the good too.

His visit to AIDS patients at an African hospital made him determined to help the fight against HIV.

A "rebirthing" ceremony given him by a group of Samburu warriors altered his life.

"Call me crunchy. Call me cheesy, but whatever that was out there was heavy, spiritual," he says.

It’s hard not to miss the goosebumps that suddenly rise up on his legs as he talks about it.

"It reconnected me to all the stuff I had lost touch with in Silicon Valley," he says.

The natural order of things. A man’s soul. The ancient way of being.

"Maybe if I had thought about it, it would have been better strategically not to jump so long, but I completely surrendered myself to this ritual," he says. "It was awesome."

The secret calendar

Ask van den Berghe what he brought home besides parasites and he digs into a dusty woven bag from Africa.

Colorful necklaces and armbands that still carry the musky smell of a Samburu warrior spill out.

A brass telescope, compass and magnifying glass that he stole from the set come next. A pair of sandals made out of old tires. Two sharp baboon teeth.

Then he pulls out a leather canteen decorated with paintings of the moon, fire and the microphones ("hairy hot dogs" as van den Berghe calls them) that invaded his life.

"This was my best-kept secret," he says, pointing to a part of the canteen covered in a random pattern of tribal-looking dots.

It was his calendar, where he marked each day, each challenge he won.

Keeping a calendar was prohibited on the show, because it might reveal how the game had turned out.

But no one ever guessed the dots’ meaning. Not even his wife.

The phone rings almost constantly as van den Berghe talks. Calls from talk-show hosts, radio deejays, newspapers.

Van den Berghe hopes to parlay the show into a new career: maybe acting jobs, work as a narrator or a cartoon voice ("I love cartoons," he says).

He and his band, Lucky Dog, have already signed with a record label. He’ll be appearing on "Hollywood Squares" this week.

Right now, his friends are planning a charity appearance and community event in Santa Cruz for Jan. 27, complete with interviews, autograph signings and a set from his band.

He looks at his wife.

Smiles.

"I humbly hope good stuff will come out of this for me," he says.

Contact Peggy Townsend atptownsend@santa-cruz.com.

Lex in the flesh
WHAT: An all-ages benefit for the Santa Cruz AIDS Project.

WHO: ‘Survivor: Africa’s’ Lex van den Berghe, his band Lucky Dog, Duece’s Wild and deejay Adrian Cavian.

WHEN: 2 p.m. Jan. 27.

WHERE: Veterans Memorial Building, 846 Front St., Santa Cruz

COST: $7 for adults; $5 for kids and free for children under 3. Tickets available at Jeannie Bo Beanie’s, 104 Lincoln St., Santa Cruz, 458-2510.

Camacho, 27, an Orange County deputy sheriff, said Wednesday that she would do a photo shoot for the magazine along with fellow Survivor alumnae. She announced the pictorial Wednesday during the "Monsters of the Mid-day" show on 104.1 FM (WTKS).

But a Survivor insider said nothing has been signed yet and that Camacho and four others each wanted six-figure payments. "If they get it, you'll see them fall like dominoes," the source said.

A spokeswoman for Playboy would not confirm or deny the report. "We're always interested in 'Survivors,' " she said, "but we don't comment on what's going to be in the magazine until it's going to hit the stands."

In an October telecast, Camacho was the second contestant voted off Survivor: Africa. She said then that a Playboy layout like that of Survivor alumna Jerri Manthey's was out of the question. "I want to go to law school," Camacho said. "My dream job is to be a judge."

Source: OrlandoSentinel.com

You totally blew the expression "Nice guys finish last" right out of the water.

Thank you, I tried.

Do you have a mean side, or is Ethan always pretty much warm and cuddly?

I'm definitely easygoing and things don't upset me that easily. But don't get me wrong -- I do get mad. And if I get mad I'll let someone know it. I'm not like the road rage type of guy. But I do have a dark side someplace.

When you watched the show at home, did what you see represent accurately what really went on? Or did a lot of stuff end up on the cutting-room floor?

What you did see was pretty accurate. People were portrayed realistically and that's who they were. Except for maybe Lex, he got a bad rap. But you do only see about 10 percent of what happens. They're filming maybe 23 hours of a day for three days and they cut that into a 44-minute show. So you're missing a lot. We did have fun. We played games at night and the loser of the game would have to dance around, or do a dare, like run around naked or sing a song. It wasn't all miserable and plotting and scheming. Don't get me wrong -- it was very stressful. But there were moments when we had fun and we were laughing.

The series portrayed Tom as a nice farmer who also happened to be a bigot.

Ah, I don't know about that.

Well, regardless, you made it look so easy to slough it off when he called you a "Jew boy" on the episode in which you both win a food reward, but you can't eat all of your portion because it contains pork. Why didn't you confront him about that?

Tom had never met a Jewish person in his life. And then he meets me. So it was great because I had the opportunity to educate this blank slate about what a Jewish person is. I told him about our culture, I told him about my beliefs, my religion, and obviously one of those things is that we don't eat pork. It wasn't malice, it wasn't prejudice, he knew I didn't eat pork, so he said, "He's a Jew, so he won't eat the pork." It was just very funny because that's how he is and that's what he knows. It wasn't out of hate or anything.

Was there any hanky-panky out there in the wild?

With each other or with ourselves? No, I'm just joking. There was no hanky-panky. You're really not interested at all. You're dirty, you're tired, you're hungry, your teeth have little mittens on them. So for me there was no interest in sex.

Did you find it hard to "pretend" like the crew wasn't there?

The first three or four days I was a little conscious that there were cameras in my face. I watched what I said and I didn't pick my nose. But then, literally, you just forget about it and go about your business. The time that I realized the cameras were on me was during the five-minute camera shift changes. It was like, "Whoa, there's no cameras."

How did you keep your hair looking so good in the wilds of Africa?

I was a little amazed myself. Basically, it just started dreading up. When I was nervous, I'd twist it. But other than that I really didn't do anything. I just went about my business and it kind of just curled itself.

Any close calls with wild animals?

That incident with the cape buffalo was pretty close. They're more dangerous than lions, because they'll charge you. So here we are walking back from the water hole, and boom! There's this lone cape buffalo. Even the cameramen were nervous -- you know it's bad when you look around and the cameramen are like, "Oh my God! What are we going to do?" They said there's guys with guns out there, but I never saw anyone with a gun.

What's the first thing you did when you reached civilization?

My family picked me up at the airport and I consumed large quantities of Rice Krispies treats.

After 39 days, how long did it take your system to readjust to food and sleep?

Sleep: a long time. Food: a couple weeks. I binged and I gorged, and I ran to the bathroom a couple times. But I wasn't throwing up or anything like that.

Brandon told The Washington Blade that he couldn't deal with your habit of biting your nails. Do you have any other bad habits?

That's definitely a bad habit. I'm trying to quit -- though my nails are lookin' good right now. I crack my knuckles.

Have you been staying in touch with anyone from the show?

Yes, I have. Everyone. The final four people more so than the others because we were out there together longer. So Tom and Kim . . . but everyone. Teresa, Frank . . . we got along great. And we're all going out to Dallas next week for Brandon's (AIDS) benefit. So we all are close. We all share this experience.

Do you have any interest in doing endorsements?

Well, I didn't really do it for Hollywood. Truthfully, I didn't do it for the money. I wanted to be crowned Africa champion. However, if it's something I believe in, something I feel strongly about, like soccer -- that's great. I love soccer, I'd love to promote soccer. But I don't know if I'm going to run to Hollywood.

So what are you going to do with the money?

I'm gonna pay for parking in New York City for my new Chevy Avalanche, I'm gonna buy my brother some presents, I'm going to share it with my family, and then maybe I'll buy myself something nice.

Have you always been such a babe magnet?

Not really. Not a babe magnet. I enjoy people, I enjoy people's company and I just get along with people. I'm down-to-earth and laid-back. (Editor's note: Right -- babe magnet.)

There are some pretty freaky Web sites out there dedicated to you. Ethan-mania seems to be taking the country by storm. What's been your strangest fan encounter so far?

Actually, it happened yesterday on the way out from Regis. Three girls actually had a Survivor finale party, and they took pictures of the party to document it, and they waited for me outside Regis and they handed me a photo album. And inside the photo album there were, like, poems about me, a big poster that said "Go Ethan," they had taped my picture on their shirts. And they had Mountain Dew and Doritos and other Survivor sponsors for their food. That was a little wacky and psycho and stalkerish. But people are sending me scarves and banana bread . . .

You've been dating 26-year-old interior designer Diana Richards for a while now. Tell me about how she's adjusting to your newfound fame.

I think she's having fun with it. I was on the cover of a magazine recently, which is crazy, and I think she's having fun.

PEOPLE.com readers need to know: Boxers or briefs?

Boxer-briefs.

Do you have any advice for the next Survivor cast?

Don't do it! No, I'm just joking. Basically, when you think you want to quit, you can always push your body further. You can find it within yourself to go to that next day. You can play the game however you want, but in the end, what matters is how you feel about yourself.

Do you have a lot of people asking if they can borrow money?

No.

Can I borrow some money?

I'll look into it.

Source: People.com

With nary a third-degree burn or munched rat, and even though it was a consistent top five ratings-grabber, ''Survivor'''s African excursion never quite mustered enough jaw-dropping intrigue to lure many of you away from ''Friends.'' But now that Ethan Zohn has been voted the show's newest millionaire, you may be wondering what you missed. Here's a recap of the low-impact highlights from around the Kenyan campfire.

Episode 1 Clarence enrages everyone by eating his tribe's beans, instantly establishing him as the worst ''Survivor'' player since alleged jerky chomper Kel.

Episode 2 Host Jeff Probst pontificates on how local tribesmen would never hurt a cow. Cut to...a local shooting an arrow into a cow's throat, providing blood for the Survivors' fun drinking game.

Episode 3 Middle-aged dentist Carl repeatedly curses ''Generation X.'' Meanwhile, baby boomer Tom dances with a feather stuck in his ass.

Episode 4 While fetching water, the Boran tribe encounters a giant cow! It frightens them! Then the cow leaves, and they get water. End of adventure.

Episode 5 Lindsey finds a tick on her butt. Lex and Tom remove it, and Tom spanks her rear in celebration. This isn't a reward challenge.

Episode 6 With his constant sneering, eye rolling, and laziness, Brandon becomes the most counterproductive gay role model since, well, Richard Hatch.

Episode 7 While moving his bowels, Clarence is startled by a herd of elephants -- the reverse order in which those two acts usually occur.

Episode 8 (clip show) Clarence paints his abs to make them look more defined. Such vanity is rendered laughable after pooping on national TV a week earlier.

Episode 9 When pointing out his Kenyan helper, Jeff makes most unique introduction ever: ''You guys remember Charles from when we drank blood?''

Episode 10 Everyone gathers around to squeeze Tom's enormous boil.

Episode 11 Kim J.'s legs are so swollen that poking them leaves a lasting fingerprint. (The gams still get less camera time than Tom's boil.) Kim P. weeps when she sees her mother on tape. Sadly, there is no romantic Colbyesque sleepover party in the back of a van.

Episode 12 The reward challenge is a word jumble, but, surprisingly, immunity does not involve a Mad Lib.

Episode 13 Hammering home just how forgettable ''Survivor: Africa'' turned out to be, Bryant Gumbel misintroduces the winner as ''Ethan Zore.''

Source: EW.com

When soccer pro Ethan Zohn (left, with runner-up Kim Johnson) was declared ''Survivor: Africa'' champ, it seemed he and the others were in Kenya -- not on a soundstage in L.A. How'd they do that?
When the show wrapped last August, creator Mark Burnett decided on a live vote count that mimicked the Africa set-up. He called Zohn, Johnson, and the jury 39 days before the finale. As Zohn recalls: ''He said, 'Ethan, start growing your beard,' and I so didn't want to.'' CBS took other precautions, too. ''When we finished the Tribal Council, we gave them all of our clothes -- down to jewelry and shoes,'' says Teresa Cooper. So they wore their smelly old duds? ''They washed them,'' says Johnson. Hopefully not in that dung-filled African water hole.

Source: EW.com

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Now that the tribe has spoken, ``Survivor: Africa'' champion Ethan Zohn is heading out of Africa and into the star-studded grid on ``Hollywood Squares'' for a special ``Survivor: Africa Week,'' airing in national syndication on January 28-February 1. During this special week, Zohn will reunite with many cast members from the hit series that made him a millionaire. Survivor Week kicks off the February Sweeps period, which will also feature a special ``Be My Valentine Week'' (February 4- 8) and Squares' annual two-week College Tournament (February 11-22).

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020116/LAW059 )
Beginning on Monday, January 28, Zohn and eleven of his tribemates will rotate around the grid, alone and in some very interesting -- and unlikely -- pairings. The Survivors appearing during the week include finalists Kim Johnson, Lex van den Berghe and ``Big Tom'' Buchanan, along with Silas Gaither, Kelly Goldsmith, Frank Garrison, Teresa Cooper, Lindsey Richter, Kim Powers, Clarence Black and Brandon Quinton. They will be joined by tennis legend Martina Navratilova and country music star Brad Paisley, along with Center Square Whoopi Goldberg, Emmy Award-winning host Tom Bergeron and Squares regulars Brad Garrett (``Everybody Loves Raymond'') and Gilbert Gottfried.

``I bluffed every single time I was called on! I am a bluffer!,'' proclaimed Zohn about his experience on Squares. ``Although I have not formed any alliances on 'Hollywood Squares' and I certainly don't want anyone to lose, I also don't want anyone to win more money than I did.'' Zohn also issued a warning to Center Square Whoopi Goldberg: ``My next goal is that I want that Center Square! I must be in that Center Square and I will do whatever it takes to get it.''

Decorated to evoke the plains of Africa, the ``Hollywood Squares'' set will become the backdrop for a series of special comedy sketches featuring both the Survivor cast members and other celebrities. It's an opportunity for Survivor fans to see their favorite cast members as they've never seen them before.

Source: King World Productions, Inc.

''Combat Missions'' takes place on a secret military base. Where is it?

It's in the Mojave Desert -- the high desert -- and that's about all I can say about that. The name of it is Camp Windstorm.

Not so good with the secrets, are we? Anyway, the contestants are pretty tough dudes -- Delta Force, Navy SEAL, SWAT. If you had to, though, could you take them in a fight and do one-armed push-ups on the pile of their unconscious bodies?

I don't think so anymore. I wish I could. One of the biggest things that hurt me during ''Survivor'' was I found out girls can run faster than I can. That really burned me up.

What's in your pocket right now? Knives? Grenades? POWs?

Uhhh, a half-dirty handkerchief.

How did it make you feel inside when People magazine voted you one of the sexiest men of 2000?

It was hard to believe. I said, ''What'd you do, get a bunch of 90-year-old women to vote?'' They must have really been hard up for a sexy man that year.

You strike me as the type of guy who doesn't need Viagra. Am I right?

Yeah, you're right.

Now, we know you're not gay, but if you were, could something have worked out between you and Richard?

[Chuckles] I don't know how to answer that question. And I'm not going to answer it.

Can you bust out a few thoughts on kids these days?

Well, I think one of the big things wrong with kids these days, a lot of them don't have a family. A lot of them got one parent and there's quite a few that don't have any parents and that's where the whole problem is. There's no family life, no father to slap 'em around when they need it.

You're, like, old. Do you have advice or something?

Get into a physical program and stay with it. Keep yourself healthy. If you got your health, you can do anything. You don't need no money, you don't need nothing.

If I were doing this interview in person, could I give you a hug right now?

No. Don't even try. I'll give you Richard's phone number.

Source: EW.com

Who would have thought a curly-haired, introverted soccer player would take home the cash? Okay, we did. But we also thought that after winning, he would be Mr. Diplomat and say only nice things about his former Africa-mates (not true!). EW.com caught up with new millionaire Ethan Zohn just days after America watched his triumph to see how he really feels.

So, Ethan, I knew you'd win from day one -- and I even got $100 out of it.

Oh, yeah? That's probably what I'll get, too, after taxes, so we're in the same boat.

Did you kind of know you had it when you saw everyone you'd be playing against?

The competitive side of me was like, Yeah! I knew it wasn't going to be a cakewalk, but I saw Tom, who was this big, fat guy, and Lex, who was this skinny little tattoed guy. The women I wasn't concerned about. I wasn't cocky or anything, because that's not in my nature, but I was confident. You have to have confidence to go into a game like this.

Was there a challenge you liked most?

I liked the one that I won -- when I had to flip those little things into the basket. I liked weird stuff like that. I was pretty pissed off when Lex won the one with the car. It wasn't necessarily about the car, but it was the whole Colby thing. Lex had five good meals and four days out of camp away from everyone else.

Once it was down to you and Big Kim, did you know you had it?

No way. I replayed it in my head all the time. Every day I thought I could have won a million dollars or I could be a big, fat loser. It wasn't until I saw my name on that last card that I knew.

I think Big Kim pulled a Colby. She would have won against Lex.

I disagree with you totally. If you go over it in your head, Lex would have won because I would have voted for him, and so would Tom, Frank, and Brandon.

What about if it had come down to you and Lex?

It would have been a tough call. I'd like to think I would have won, but he played the game well. It would have been close.

After you came home from Africa, did you try to get everyone to reveal who they voted for?

No, we weren't allowed to talk about it. And to tell you the truth, I didn't want to. I just tried to put it out of my head. When I talked to people, it was more about what they did over the weekend or how their family was.

So what have you bought, Mr. Millionaire?

I bought Tivo, and I could sit around and talk about that for hours. I love that thing.

Will you be endorsing it?

I would. I haven't really been approached about endorsing anything. I didn't do this for Hollywood. I don't have a head shot. I'm just pretty psyched that I won this whole ''Survivor'' thing. It's one of the toughest game shows out there, especially in the third season when everyone is such a student of the game.

During the Q&A tribal council, how could you have dissed Brandon to his face?

I felt like I'm not going to sugar-coat anything for that guy. He didn't deserve to be next to me. I preached honesty and truth and I wasn't going to lie just to make him feel happy and get his vote. If that was the deciding vote, fine, but I would still have gone home with my integrity and self-respect. Obviously he was going to vote against me no matter what.

Funny to hear you speak harshly, because when I interviewed Brandon he had nothing but great things to say about you.

I take it all back. I think he's a great guy. Seriously, though, I have no hard feelings against anyone. We all partied together this past Thursday and we really all got along. I know they say this every year, but I think more so with this ''Survivor'' cast, everyone is friends.

Even you and Kelly?

Uh...she's an actress and she's acting. It was a little silly for her to do that whole number thing for someone who is so smart and knowledgeable about the game. I found it surprising. I expected more from her. Susan Hawk did the whole barrage. Greg did the whole number thing. If you're that great and smart, do something original.

Why did you reveal on national television that you tried to curl your hair with a curling iron?

I got asked my most embarrassing moment and that was it. The way it went was my hair was so curly I was trying to uncurl it. I didn't have that much experience, so I tried this curling iron with prickles and stretched the hair in front. It was a disaster. The worst part was that my mom picked a different embarrassing thing, so now people know two embarrassing things about me.

Did you find anything particularly scary in your hair after the 39 days?

No. I was psyched, though, to shave off my beard, and then Mark Burnett called and said, 'Ethan, grow it back.'

There's a rumor that ''Survivor 5'' will be a greatest players kind of game. Would you do it?

I think so. It would be fun to see how you do against the best.

Could you take Richard Hatch?

Yeah, I think I could. He's very smart, though. The game would be turbo. Everything would happen in one day. I can't imagine what that would be like.

Any future for you on the pages of Playgirl?

No, I would not do Playgirl. I'm still the same guy I was before, and I don't want the game to change me. So no Playgirl for me.

Source: EW.com

The 25-year-old openly gay bartender from Dallas flamboyantly sported a black thong accented by low-slung trousers and a cheeky disposition. It caught the eyes and then wagged the tongues of anyone within the proper viewing distance.

"Turn around," ordered crusty Survivor I star Rudy Boesch after Mr. Quinton got close enough to hear him.

"Look at that," said the decidedly heterosexual ex-Navy SEAL. "A lot of these guys here are interested."

Mr. Quinton clearly was the belle of this ball. He didn't win Survivor: Africa, or even come close. But his Day-Glo personality may give him a leg up on soccer goalie Ethan Zohn, the quietly amiable victor with a seeming aversion to spotlights. During a follow-up reunion show on CBS on Thursday night, Mr. Quinton and drawling goat farmer Tom Buchanan eagerly made spectacles of themselves while Mr. Zohn mostly just looked nice.

"I've had quite a few offers, surprisingly," Mr. Quinton said. "As wacky as I am, I didn't think I'd get anything. And I've got all these weird offers. Like, a lot of modeling stuff mostly. ... This is so insane. You can't even imagine. This is so far from the rural boy from [Ada] Oklahoma," where Mr. Quinton was born.

He bridles at being mentioned in the same breath, or even area code, as Texan Colby Donaldson. The star player of Survivor: The Australian Outback has moved from Dallas to Hollywood, where he's been taking acting lessons and auditioning for movie roles without any reported breakthroughs yet.

"I'm not Colby," Mr. Quinton said. "I don't even want to start on that."

His immediate priority is a Jan. 24 AIDS charity event at the Throckmorton Mining Company in Oak Lawn, where Mr. Quinton still tends bar. All 15 of his fellow Survivor: Africa contestants have agreed to attend, he said.

"The 'prettified parasite' has worked his butt off for this," Mr. Quinton said, referring to an earlier characterization of his Survivor gamesmanship in The Dallas Morning News.

"I don't mind it," he said, noting that he's also been linked romantically with Survivor comrades in tabloid reports.

"This week I'm with 'Big Tom [Buchanan],' " he said. "Last week it was Kelly [Goldsmith] that I was supposed to be having an affair with."

Mr. Quinton attended the Survivor party with his Dallas boyfriend after chance- meeting Mr. Boesch on a flight from Dallas to Los Angeles.

"When I got on the plane [from a connecting flight], he jumped up and said, 'Rudy!' " Mr. Boesch said. "At first I didn't know who he was. My wife had to tell me."

Mr. Boesch said he later met up with Survivor I champ Richard Hatch during the CBS festivities.

"I told him I'd met Brandon, and he's looking for ya. And Richard said, 'I don't wanna see him.' Richard's got his own thing goin'."

Mr. Hatch took on an imperious air at the CBS party, telling reporters he wasn't doing interviews.

"He's got his own thing going," said Mr. Boesch. "I get along with Richard, but I've told him, 'Don't call me, I won't call you.' I can't afford to have a guy like that callin' me up. When the sun goes down, he goes his way and I go mine."

Source: The Dallas Morning News

Thursday night, the "reality" series' third-season finale was highlighted by a crafty bit of showmanship, as Burnett used a commercial break to slyly shift from 4-month-old taped footage of the final "tribal council" to a live shot of a sound stage at CBS' Television City studio complex.

The thatched huts of the original set in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve had been crated and shipped here (now to be auctioned via eBay.com). Two of the male finalists had been back in America for weeks and had long ago shaved off their woolly beards, but Burnett asked them to re-forest for finale purposes. Costumes and moody lighting were identical.

The final vote, taken in Africa, was read by host Jeff Probst in California, though the location gag was revealed only when Ethan Zohn was named champ of "Survivor: Africa" and the studio audience erupted in cheers. Furthering the suddenly surreal mood, Bryant Gumbel then walked into the frame, clutching a sheaf of notes in what appeared to be a legal-sized manila folder.

A cadre of the nation's TV reporters, assembled for the Television Critics Association winter press tour, watched the festivities from a neighboring sound stage, which was decorated "Survivor"-style for a post-show ball populated by low-wattage CBS stars like Mike ("Yes, Dear") O'Malley and vaguely familiar supporting actors from the likes of "C.S.I.: Crime Scene Investigation."

On the hors d'oeuvre menu: Elephant poop.

No. Kidding. Sorry.

Heightened security was omnipresent Thursday night. Uniformed Los Angeles police officers strolled among the TV stars while diligently monitoring banquet tables laden with trays of delicate Japanese dumplings. An airport-style metal-detector greeted attendees at the sound-stage entrance. A bomb-sniffing dog was seen working the perimeter of the room.

Once, a joke would be made here. You know, bomb-sniffing dog, network-publicity party, you'vebeenagreataudiencethankyougoodnight. But nobody complained about the security measures. Or made jokes.

Plus, this is the new CBS, currently on a Nielsen roll, due largely to the success of "Survivor." So it was appropriate that alumni of previous "Survivor" seasons were also present, including "S1" winner Richard Hatch and "S2" witch-turned-Playboy-poser Jerri Manthey, who much later in the evening was spotted making spooky eye contact with Zohn, a professional soccer player from Lexington, Mass.

In a post-finale press conference , Zohn said he may devote some of his $1 million prize to establishing a youth soccer program for kids. A vegetarian in real life, Zohn also revealed that chicken wings comprised his first meal stateside.

During the same Q&A session, Final Four contestant "Big" Tom Buchanan admitted that he had dreamed of big ol' cheeseburgers and Mountain Dew during his five-plus weeks eating African dust. Not a vegetarian in real life, Buchanan, a self-described Virginia goat farmer, said he lost 80 pounds during his "Survivor" experience.

In the few minutes between the conclusion of the live finale and the press conference, Final Three contestant Lex van den Berghe lost his beard. (Zohn's was gone by Friday morning, as he and the other "S3" stalwarts again met with Gumbel, on CBS' "The Early Show.")

Colorful tattoos presumably intact, van den Berghe addressed questions about his sneaky gamesmanship and the fits of paranoia he suffered late in the "Survivor: Africa" season. Since he didn't win the grand prize, is it possible his behavior could limit his post-"Survivor" marketability?

"Honestly, I don't care," said van den Berghe, a drummer and marketing professional from Santa Cruz, Calif. "I'm happy with myself. My friends, my family, the people I work with -- they all know I'm a decent, standup guy.

"There's only one way to play ("Survivor"). It's hard-core."

Well, not totally.

The concluding play of "Survivor: Africa" seemed much too reminiscent of the deflating conclusion of "Survivor: The Australian Outback."

In "S2," Colby Donaldson chose Tina Wesson as his co-finalist over the much-less-liked Keith Famie and seemingly cost himself most of $1 million.

In "S3," Kim Johnson, a retired teacher from upstate New York, won the final immunity challenge and picked the easygoing and handsome Zohn to join her in the Final Two over van den Berghe, who after the show laughingly described his "Survivor" character as "the paranoid supervillain Lex."

During an informal "Survivor: Africa" chad-count on Friday's "The Early Show," the loser/juror panel revealed to Gumbel that they probably would've voted for Lex against Kim, anyway, so the debate dies there.

But not the "Survivor" franchise.

Despite inevitable audience erosion -- Thursday's national TV audience was less than 50 percent of the crowd drawn to the first "Survivor" finale, and NBC's "Friends" won head-to-head in the 7 p.m. time slot -- the series remains a powerful audience generator.

CBS estimates nearly 31 million viewers witnessed Zohn's triumph in the fourth half-hour of Thursday's three-hour special. (In New Orleans, "Survivor" on WWL dominated from 7 to 9 p.m., at which time the lead shifted to WDSU and "ER."

Scheduled against TV's top-rated series -- the resurgent "Friends" -- "Survivor" ranks No. 9 in total TV households for the season.

"If somebody would have told me two years ago that I'd have a show in the Top 10 (at 7 p.m.) on Thursday night when previously we had ‘Diagnosis Murder' there, I would have been a very happy man," said Leslie Moonves, CBS' president and CEO. "And I am today."

And tomorrow. The next "Survivor," set near Tahiti, is shot and in the can and set for a Feb. 28 season premiere.

Burnett has already announced a few new twists. In "Survivor: Marquesas," for example, he won't provide any food to the players whatsoever.

"It's incumbent on me in my job not to do the same-old, same-old," he said, speaking of "S3's" finale surprise. "We did something different this time and it paid off."

Source: The Times-Picayune

Zohn, from Lexington, Mass., beat Kim Johnson, a retired teacher from Oyster Bay, N.Y., for the $1 million prize.

Though the money's the same as the first two editions of "Survivor," the cultural resonance has diminished – and so has the audience.

CBS estimated that 27.3 million viewers were tuned to the finale Thursday. That compares to 51.7 million who saw the conclusion of the original "Survivor," in August 2000, and 36.4 million who watched the final of "Survivor 2," last May.

"Survivor 3" was taped in Africa last summer, but the "tribal council" area was painstakingly reconstructed on a Hollywood soundstage so Zohn and Johnson could hear the final tally Thursday.

To surprise viewers who weren't aware that it was done live, Zohn was called 39 days ago by producers and asked to grow again the beard he had shaved when he left Africa.

He said his soccer playing days are over and he wants to use some of his money to start a soccer league for inner-city children.

"Now I have a platform where I can do something," he said. "Maybe I can give a little back."

The two-hour TV show concluded an elimination process started in October when 16 players arrived in Kenya's parched Shaba National Reserve.

Zohn's former soccer coach watched the final episode from home in West Yarmouth, Mass.

"I thought he was going to be too nice to win the whole thing," said Paul Turner, head coach of the Cape Cod Crusaders. "He stayed under the radar and did unbelievably well. He's very unassuming."

Two other players were eliminated on Thursday's show: Tom Buchanan, the folksy farmer from Rich Valley, Va., and Lex van den Berghe, the tattooed marketing manager from Santa Cruz, Calif.

Buchanan, who said he dreamed of giant cheeseburgers while in Africa, said producers told him he lost more weight – an estimated 80 pounds – than any previous contestant.

Zohn said he nearly passed out from eating Rice Krispies candy when he returned home. A vegetarian, his first meal was Buffalo chicken wings.

CBS' game-in-the-rough is coming back quickly with a fourth edition. "Survivor: Marquesas," in the South Pacific, premieres Feb. 28.

The network had to change plans after Sept. 11. A locale in Jordan had been the leading contender for the fourth "Survivor," said CBS President Leslie Moonves.

"It became obvious that doing 'Survivor' in Jordan was not a great idea," Moonves told reporters.

Source: AP

Apparently not. Another ''Survivor,'' another $900,000 mistake.

Like an old tree that just grew stronger as time wore on, Kim Johnson, the oldest of the 16 castaways voluntarily stranded in Kenya on ''Survivor: Africa'' for fun, profit and 3-1/4 months of national TV exposure, easily could have controlled the final vote.

Instead of sealing victory by picking the seemingly less-liked Lex van den Berghe, however, the grandmother and retired schoolteacher sealed her fate by choosing 27-year-old former pro soccer player Ethan Zohn, who beat her in a 5-2 vote by seven previously ousted contestants.

''I didn't think I could win against either one, so I had to make a decision,'' Kim told Bryant Gumbel on the postshow reunion program, which, like the announcement of the decisive vote tally, was staged live here at CBS' Television City facility some four months after the actual votes were cast, allowing plenty of time for her to do some serious rationalization. ''Who did I feel next deserved it?''

Kim contended that Lex was better liked among the contestants than it appeared on television. But while still in Africa, she had cited Lex's demeanor in choosing Ethan over him. ''Lex thought he deserved it, [and] I'm not sure Ethan thought he deserved it,'' she explained.

Kelly Goldsmith, one of the also-rans in the jury, seemed hell-bent on dissing Lex at the final tribal council even though he was no longer in contention. The final two-hour episode opened with executive producer Mark Burnett, a master of manipulation in the editing room, showing Lex in full Nixonian mode, loudly trying to suss out conspiracies he thought were out there against him.

Yet if you can't laugh at these often unhappy campers and second-guess their every move--from who they vote for to whether they should have dumped out their drinking water to whether they're crazy for guzzling goat's blood on a dare--where would the appeal of ''Survivor'' be?

Part of it surely is comedy, an element often underestimated. The final tribal council included references to a hyena's heinie and a quotation from ''The Graduate.'' And whether it's butchered English (Tom spoke at one point in the finale of ''paranoia and worryation'' and cast his final vote for ''Eathen'') or butchered math (Kim decided 37 days marked ''exactly five weeks''), viewers who wouldn't last one night in the African plain, let along 39, inevitably get to feel superior to the 16 players in some small way.

This third ''Survivor'' marked the series' fall from pop-culture phenomenon status to merely being a hit show, ranking seventh among all prime-time programs in households and fifth among viewers, even as it ran opposite a resurgent, top-rated ''Friends.''

Burnett, whose tightly constructed hourlong episodes are impressive, always seems to have trouble stretching to two hours for the finale. He killed time by having the three finalists go through some tribal rituals, which included a sickly sweet montage of players already eliminated and a sprinkling of contestants in goat fat and blood. The filler culminated in a slow-motion dance, as if to drive home how slow things were moving.

His final immunity challenge, before cutting the field from three to two, involved standing around on stumps with a hand on the immunity idol. Ethan lost his footing after two hours and 26 minutes as temperatures soared past 100 and buzzards seemed to circle overhead.

Lex slipped and fell 55 minutes later, ensuring a spot in the finals for Kim. That evening she chose Ethan as her fellow finalist, a move she'll be second-guessing the way Colby undoubtedly has second-guessed his selection of Tina in Australia--no matter what he has said in interviews since.

''No one ends up in the final two by luck or by coincidence,'' said Lex, who lasted 38 days before getting bounced.

The last four contestants had been trimmed to three after Kim won immunity through a quiz about previously eliminated contestants, dwelling on their children, their tattoos and their piercings.

Virginia goat farmer Tom Buchanan lost and was ousted in a 3-1 vote. He later explained to Gumbel, ''I'm a goat farmer, I'm not a rocket scientist.''

No one who watched the program would mistake any of the castaways for that. But then, that's part of the fun.

Source: suntimes.com

At the end of a two-hour telecast, Zohn won $1 million, after getting more votes than runner- up Kim Johnson, a 57-year-old retired teacher from Oyster Bay.

The unscripted reality game show is built around 16 players who last summer were left in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve and forced to live on their own while cameras captured their every move. All but the conclusion of the 39-day event was taped at that time.

Last night, the contest came down to two players: a handsome introvert and the tribe's oldest member. The winner was chosen by a vote of the seven most recent players to be kicked off the show.

"You don't have to be evil, backstabbing and a villain to do well in this game," Zohn said shortly after his triumph. "You can be yourself, you can play yourself, you can play fair, you can try as hard as you can and just hope for the best."

Before the vote, Zohn told the panel he entered the competition with a goal to "prove good, honest people can get far in the game."

The decisive show began with four players remaining. Besides Zohn and Johnson, they were Lex van den Berghe, a marketing manager from Santa Cruz, Calif., and Tom Buchanan, a farmer from Rich Valley, Va.

Having stumbled badly during early stages of the game, Johnson won the last key immunity challenges to assure herself a spot among the two finalists. This enabled her to singlehandedly eliminate Van den Berghe from the competition and chose Zohn as her rival for the jackpot.

"The final immunity challenge was not luck," Johnson said, after prevailing in a contest to see who could stand the longest on odd-shaped posts while gripping a central column. "It was something that came out of me, a determination I haven't seen in me, maybe never."

Buchanan had been voted out earlier after losing an immunity challenge that required the four to be quizzed about the other contestants' personal lives.

During their stay in Kenya, players were required to scrounge for food, drink warm cow blood and compete in contests to remain eligible for the grand prize.

"Survivor: Africa" is the third version of the series. While the first installment, set in a small island in the South China Sea, became a television phenomenon, the Africa-set series lost some steam, though still a hit.

Going into last night, the show was averaging 19.6 million viewers each week, placing it ninth among the top-rated shows this season. For comparison, a year ago "Survivor: The Australian Outback" averaged 29.7 million viewers for its run.

Despite the absence of water-cooler buzz, the show has become a fixture on CBS' lineup. A fourth edition, "Survivor: Marquesas," begins airing on Feb. 28, the night after the Grammy Awards, also on CBS. The show is set on Nuku Hiva, an island in the South Pacific.

Before then, though, CBS has scheduled for next Thursday at 8 p.m. "Survivor: Return to Africa," a look at the 16 contestants as they arrived home from the shooting last summer.

Source: nydailynews.com

Zohn whooped as the vote was announced, while first runnerup Kim Johnson, a 57-year-old retired teacher from Oyster Bay, N.Y, threw her arms around him in an excited hug.

Zohn, 27, beat out Johnson and two other finalists, Lex van den Berghe, a marketing manager from Santa Cruz, Calif., and Tom Buchanan, a farmer from Rich Valley, Va., to win the votes needed to take away the big prize.

The new millionaire is single and lives in New York City.

A professional soccer player, Zohn played goalkeeper for the Cape Cod Crusaders in 1997 and 1998.

Zohn's former soccer coach watched last night from his West Yarmouth home. ``Can you bloody believe it? Oh my God,'' said Englishman Paul Turner, head coach of the Crusaders. ``I thought he was going to be too nice to win the whole thing. He stayed under the radar and did unbelievably well. He's very unassuming.''

When host Jeff Probst asked last night what had moved him most during his African experience, Zohn mentioned a stop at a hospital that treats AIDS patients. He said the visit inspired him to become a volunteer with children when he returns to New York.

``I wanted to donate my time to an inner-city organization working with children and maybe help them start a soccer program,'' he said.

Source: bostonherald.com

"I kept telling him he was going to win," Johnson told reporters after the live annoucement of the winner -- revealed to be at CBS studios in Los Angeles only after the final votes were called -- and reunion show.

At the final tribal council in Kenya, however, Zohn had no idea how the vote would go.

"You go over it every 10 minutes," he said. "In my mind, it was even."

Executive producer Mark Burnett said that the final four contestants -- Lex Van den Berghe and Tom Buchanan were the other two -- and the seven exiled players who made up the jury were all in on the decision not to reveal they'd left Africa until the winner was announced. All wore the same clothes they had on at the final council, and the men were called about a month before Thursday's show and told to regrow whatever facial hair they'd had.

"I think it went well," Burnett said. "It was a big risk, but it paid off."

Van den Berghe complied with the producers' request, but shaved immediately after the reunion show ended, saying he "couldn't wait" to get rid of the beard again.

Zohn, a professional soccer player before traveling to Africa for the game, said he's now coaching and would like to start a youth league for disadvantaged kids in New York City, where he lives.

"There are a lot of great kids in New York ... but they can't afford to play in the leagues," he said.

All four players revealed their first indulgences upon returning home. Zohn ate Rice Krispies treats "until I almost passed out." Buchanan, who said he dreamed of "four-foot cheeseburgers" in Africa, found a more manageable one in his home state of Virginia. Van den Berghe followed a comfort-food meal of grilled cheese and tomato soup with a $375 spending spree at the grocery, while Johnson craved things she'd never really wanted before.

"I couldn't get doughnuts in me fast enough," she said. "The first time I went to the drugstore, I bought five candy bars and ended up eating them all."

None of the four seemed too concerned about handling the notoriety that comes with the game. Buchanan, a goat and cattle farmer, said he'd enjoy whatever opportunities might come his way because of "Survivor," but when the run ends, "I'll go back and put my boots on."

He also noted that the nearly 80 pounds he lost while in Africa was a record for "Survivor" contestants.

"I lost more weight than anyone," he said, "so at least I won something."

Source: Zap2it.com

After 39 days and dozens of challenges Ethan Zohn was voted winner of Survivor: Africa.

Zohn, the curly-headed soccer pro from Lexington, Mass., edged out Kim Johnson, the retired teacher from Oyster Bay, N.Y., on Thursday's two-hour finale to win the "Sole Survivor" title and pocket $1 million from his African adventure.

Though the series was taped last summer, the final tally took place live on a Los Angeles sound stage. Zohn whooped as the vote was announced, while Johnson threw her arms around him in an excited hug.

Source: cbsnews.com

The shy $1 million prize winner himself has no thrilling plans for the future: His chances of playing pro soccer looking slim, the 27-year-old says he'll be content to coach inner-city youth sports instead. Elsewhere, original Survivor victor Richard Hatch lamented fellow bad guy Lex van den Berghe's defeat, while Survivor: The Australian Outback champ Tina Wesson was delighted with the finale's outcome. "I'm so very, very happy Ethan won!" she enthused to TV Guide Online. Staring pointedly in Hatch's direction, she then added: "I always cheer for the big-hearted person, because Survivor gives you the opportunity to give back and Ethan will." (Ouch!)

Wesson also applauded runner-up Kim Johnson's triumph in the grueling final Immunity Challenge — when the 56-year-old grandma stunned us by outlasting Ethan and Lex both! "I was so with her during that," the Outbacker said. "To anybody who's had children, standing on a pole is nothing! It's so wonderful to be a woman. It's empowerment."

The resilient Johnson commiserated with her Survivor sister. "Tina and I came from the same determined mental place," she said. "Very logically, I shifted my weight from one foot to the other on that pole. Come hell or high water, I wasn't gonna let go of that thing. And my smiling was to make the men feel I was stronger than I was, that I wasn't faltering." Yet, she disagreed with fans who felt she should've taken nasty Lex to face the Jury with her, instead of sweetie pie Ethan. "I fully knew that I would not win either way," she insists. "For all the bad press Lex got, he was very well liked by the tribe."

Speaking of popular boys, all eyes were on gay castaway Brandon Quinton, who happily sashayed around in too-tight hotpants — with intentionally visible thong undies sticking out. Surprisingly gallant, he defended TV Guide Online's reporter when his pal Kim Powers came over to grouse about our breaking the news on her plans to pose for Playboy. "F--- off," Quinton giggled at her. "She's so gonna do Playboy. You know she is. If I had that body and they offered me a half million dollars, I'd do it."

Hmm... a half million dollars, you say? Sounds like another scoop! If that's true, Powers will make out around as well financially as Outback villainess Jerri Manthey. "Let me tell you, I did just fine," Manthey hinted when asked about her pictorial payoff. "I'm very proud of my Playboy layout — and I have a house now!"

Ah, those Survivors. Such a candid, classy bunch.

Source: TV Guide.com

Congratulations, Ethan Zohn. The nicest person, the best competitor and hackey-sack player, won last night's third edition of ''Survivor,'' defeating the second-nicest, -best competitor (and at 56, the oldest finalist ever), Kim Johnson.

Now then: In a penultimate move so patently stupid I was moved to wonder whether Mark Burnett was standing off camera holding a gun to her head, Kim voted the third finalist, tattooed narcissist Lex Van den Berghe, out of the three-way competition. I can't imagine millions of you weren't out there screaming in your living rooms, ''WHAT IS SHE THINKING?!?!''

Her response to this question, when posed by Bryant Gumbel in the 10 p.m. reunion special, was that Lex was probably as well liked as Ethan. Sorry, Kim: Even given the brilliant, notorious deviousness of producer Mark Burnett's editing, there's no way that could have been true. Had gutsy-grandma Kim gone up against prickly-haired and prickly-tempered Lex, the woman would be a millionaire today.

The expanded-to-two-hours game part of the show started off dully, with an immunity challenge involving a memory game -- who remembered the most about the other contestants. That was lame, very ''Big Brother''-y, I thought. But the opening moments did allow a moment for farmer Tom Buchanan to say that the conflict between Lex and him was due to ''a case of paranoia and wearyation'' -- a superb neologism, that. Thanks, Tom!

Oh, it's a grand old game, isn't it? Grouse as much as I did in the opening weeks of the third edition of ''Survivor,'' the African adventure became more involving, more venturesome, with each succeeding week. It may not have drawn the same number of viewers that the two previous ''Survivor''s did, but it will nonetheless stand as one of the 2001-2002 season's top-rated entertainment series, if not the tippy-top.

So as we bid farewell to Africa, let's hand out a couple of awards.

• Best justification for a greed-based game The episode in which Lex and Ethan helped deliver supplies to an African hospital.

• Best proof that homophobia lurks even among the most well meaning Ethan's pre-final-vote comment that he thought he'd get ''the guy votes'' and Kim ''the girl votes,'' and openly gay Brandon would be the ''swing vote,'' thus suggesting that Brandon wasn't a man, or at least a ''guy'' and whatever that implies.

• Best Psycho Kelly Goldsmith, the saucer-eyed angry woman who listed one of her favorite hobbies as ''manipulating men'' and who settled on her vote by having the final two pick a number between 1 and 1,000. She revealed to the camera that she was thinking of Benjamin's hotel room number in her favorite movie, ''The Graduate,'' and rattled off a chunk of dialogue in which Mrs. Robinson gets the number. At that point, I thought Burnett's henchmen might come out and throw a net over her.

• Best reason not to tune away at 8:30 for a ''Will & Grace'' rerun Lex, Ethan, and Kim being slathered in ''goat fat and blood'' in a ''ceremonial cleansing.'' Memo to NBC's Jeff Zucker: You might consider this as a weekly series -- it was way better than the regularly scheduled ''Inside Schwartz.''

Ultimately, this ''Survivor'' was the mirror image of the first one. Ethan Zohn is the anti-Richard Hatch -- humble, friendly, and least likely to trade on his win to pursue a showbiz career. Go buy your own soccer field, you nut, you. (And, oh yeah, I gotta add: I predicted the winner, again. You can look it up.)

The next version of ''Survivor'' will take place in Tahiti, though given the fact that the show was being exceeded in ratings by its lead-out, the Las Vegas-set ''CSI,'' maybe Burnett should be planning ''Survivor: Crime Scene Investigation.'

Source: EW.com

Zohn "outwitted, outplayed and outlasted" Survivor: Africa's oldest contestant, as well as 14 other backstabbers, to win $1 million after 39 days of starving, bickering and drinking elephant-dung-infested water in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve.

With his name announced live on a CBS sound stage, Ethan led a Final Four (news - web sites) that was all Boran: Johnson (who won both of Thursday night's immunity challenges), tattooed ringleader Lex van den Berghe and country bumpkin goat farmer Tom Buchanan.

While Thursday's two-hour finale included Survivor's usual padding, diarrhea complaints, reflective nature walks and wildlife cutaway shots, the final jury grilling may go down as one of the show's funniest and bitchiest.

Brandon got snubbed by Ethan during one of his own questions for the soccer player ("Ethan, so stupid," Brandon later lamented); Kelly forced the finalists to pick a number between 1 and 1,000 (Ethan was closest); and Tom asked a question...well, we're not quite sure what the heck he asked, but it involved hind-licking hyenas and mush. (Don't ask.)

The episode kicked off with plenty of verbal chafing, as Lex confronted Tom with accusations of mistrust. Tom, the 46-year-old country bumpkin from Rich Valley, Virginia, denied he dissed Lex, the 38-year-old father of two from Santa Cruz, California. But tempers still flew.

Tom finally grew sick of Lex's chitchat, refusing to shake hands with his alliance partner. "The thing between me and Lex is basically paranoia and worry-ation," said Tom.

That darned worry-ation continued into the first immunity challenge, when Kim emerged victorious from the ever-popular Survivor memory game. Kim's win forced the three-man alliance to cannibalize itself, and Big Tom was left to worry-ate no more, getting booted by a 3-1 vote.

"Well, well. Look at ol' Big Tom now," the Goat Man said in his final drawl. "I do want to say a special thanks to Lex and Ethan...without y'all I couldn't have made it this far."

The final immunity challenge was vintage Survivor, better known as the ol' "keep-your-hand-on-the-post" game. In 87-degree weather (at 9 a.m., mind you), the threesome made it one hour without budging.

Cue the tortured grimace from Ethan--And as hour three approached (with temperatures in the nineties), the soccer boy finally lost his footing for good.

"I go and blow it on such a silly little mistake," Ethan said. "It feels horrible."

The pole-grabbing fun continued for three hours and 21 minutes, before Lex (in 104-degree heat) finally fell over with an I'm-about-to-hurl expression on his bearded, emaciated face. Kim, once again, nabbed immunity.

With Kim in control, the boys did their best groveling at Tribal Council, reminding her with straight faces to "follow your heart" and "do what makes you feel good inside"...blah, blah, blah.

Surprisingly, Kim decided to snuff out her beloved Boran leader, Lex. "I played as hard as I could," Lex said. "Mama Kat, I've got no problem with the vote you cast tonight."

The butt-kissing continued into the final Tribal Council face-off, as Ethan and Kim pleaded their cases before facing a bizarre grilling from a jury of their cleaned-up (oh, and just a tad bitter) peers.

This season, producer Mark Burnett opted against using any hokey helicopter scenes to wrap up the show--instead flashing forward to a mock Tribal Council scene on a CBS sound stage in Los Angeles, where the contestants dressed in their same clothes and sported their same fully grown facial hair.

Once host Jeff Probst gave Ethan the good news (that's $1 million and a new Chevy Avalanche), Bryant Gumbel popped out with a live studio audience.

Going into the night, the winner was anybody's guess. According to an E! Online poll, 64 percent of viewers picked Ethan to win the $1 million, while Vegas oddsmakers made Lex the 2-1 favorite.

Through it all, the big winner was CBS, whose reality adventure managed to prove that death of reality TV was greatly exaggerated. Although the revitalized Friends often scored more viewers, Survivor: Africa remained a close second.

Just Thursday, CBS announced a February 28 premiere date for the fourth installment, Survivor: Marquesas, in the South Pacific. As Probst promised Thursday, it will be a game with "no food, no water, no fire," on an island steeped in "superstition and violence."

In other words, CBS is hoping to outlast another season with its reality hit.

Source: E online

BE A SURVIVOR: Have you dreamed about winning a reward or immunity challenge on ``Survivor?'' Now's your chance to be part of the action!

Your challenge: ``survive'' to make the winning bid. For the first time ever, props and memorabilia from Survivor will be auctioned on eBay following the finale of ``Survivor: Africa'' on January 10th with proceeds benefiting the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

OWN A
PART OF TV
HISTORY: Coveted items from "Survivor: Africa" such as: all
16 contestant torches, the bar where "cow's blood" shots were
served in an early reward challenge, Clarence's infamous
spear, African soap and a used wooden toothbrush, water jugs,
"Out Wit, Out Play, Out Last" flags, the Tribal Council
voting urn, autographed memorabilia, and of course the most
important item of all ... the "Survivor: Africa" immunity
idol are just some of the priceless items that will be made
available on eBay. Fans are encouraged to log on daily, as
new items will be offered throughout the auction, which will
run from January 10th through early February.

HIV IN
AFRICA: "Survivor: Africa" has partnered with the Elizabeth Glaser
Pediatric AIDS Foundation to highlight the global HIV/AIDS
epidemic and the work the Foundation is doing to prevent
mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. This ongoing
commitment includes Survivor Executive Producer Mark Burnett
joining the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Board
of Directors, as well as fundraising activities that include
the auction of props from the show. CBS Television Network
has committed to air PSA's created by "Survivor"/CBS for the
Foundation throughout the year and incorporated the
Foundation's critical international work into the January 3rd
episode of "Survivor: Africa." During this special episode,
lucky reward-challenge winner Lex van den Berghe visited
Wamba Catholic Hospital in Kenya for a first-hand look at the
HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. Lex and "Survivor" host Jeff
Probst, brought with them a much-needed supply of HIV test
kits and doses of the drug nevirapine. The test kits enable a
pregnant mother to be tested for the virus, and if positive
nevirapine is given in a single dose to the mother at the
onset of labor and in a single dose to the baby in its first
three days of life. The drug course reduces transmission of
HIV to the newborn baby by almost 50%.

LOG ON TO: eBay January 10th - Early February

CONTACT: Tara Dhar
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Office: 310.491.3170 Cell: 323.697.8681
tara@pedaids.org

** PHOTOGRAPHY AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST **

SOURCE: Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation

Source: biz.yahoo.com

The third "Survivor" may not have the cultural resonance – or the ratings – of the first, but the money's the same. Zohn, from Lexington, Mass., beat Kim Johnson, a retired teacher from Oyster Bay, N.Y., for the $1 million prize.

The series was taped in Africa last summer, but the "tribal council" area was painstakingly reconstructed on a Hollywood soundstage so Zohn and Johnson could hear the final tally Thursday.

In order to surprise CBS viewers who weren't aware that it was done live, Zohn was called 39 days ago by producers and asked to grow again the beard he had shaved when he left Africa.

He said his soccer playing days are over and he wants to use some of his money to start a soccer league for inner-city children.

"Now I have a platform where I can do something," he said. "Maybe I can give a little back."

The two-hour TV show concluded an elimination process started in October when 16 players were seen arriving in Kenya's parched Shaba National Reserve.

More viewers were following the game when Richard Hatch won the original "Survivor" in summer 2000, or when Tina Wesson claimed the prize last May on "Survivor: The Australian Outback." But it's still king of the reality genre and a solid hit for CBS.

Zohn's former soccer coach watched the final episode from home in West Yarmouth, Mass.

"I thought he was going to be too nice to win the whole thing," said Paul Turner, head coach of the Cape Cod Crusaders. "He stayed under the radar and did unbelievably well. He's very unassuming."

Two other players were eliminated on Thursday's show: Tom Buchanan, the folksy cattle farmer from Rich Valley, Va., and Lex van den Berghe, the multi-tattooed marketing manager from Santa Cruz, Calif.

Buchanan, who said he dreamed of giant cheeseburgers while in Africa, said producers told him he lost more weight – an estimated 80 pounds – than any previous contestant.

Zohn said he nearly passed out from eating Rice Krispies candy when he returned home. A vegetarian, his first meal was Buffalo chicken wings.

CBS' game-in-the-rough is coming back quickly with a fourth edition. "Survivor: Marquesas," in the tropical South Pacific, premieres Feb. 28, the network announced.

CBS had to quickly change plans after Sept. 11. A Middle Eastern locale in Jordan was considered the leading contender for the fourth "Survivor," said CBS President Leslie Moonves.

"It became obvious that doing 'Survivor' in Jordan was not a great idea," Moonves told reporters.

Source: washingtonpost.com

Zohn, the curly-headed soccer pro from Lexington, Mass., edged out Kim Johnson, the retired teacher from Oyster Bay, N.Y., on Thursday's two-hour finale to win the ``Sole Survivor'' title and pocket $1 million from his African adventure.

Though the series was taped last summer, the final tally took place live on a Los Angeles sound stage. Zohn whooped as the vote was announced, while Johnson threw her arms around him in an excited hug.

The extravaganza concluded an elimination process started in October when the full slate of 16 castaways was seen arriving in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve.

Somehow it all seemed like a bigger deal when Richard Hatch won the original ``Survivor'' in summer 2000, or when Tina Wesson claimed the prize last May on ``Survivor: The Australian Outback (news - Y! TV).''

But viewers still hooked on CBS' game-in-the-rough can take heart: It all starts again when ``Survivor: Marquesas'' - with a tropical setting, like the first edition - premieres Feb. 28, the network announced.

Thursday's finale narrowed four contestants down to one.

With trusty ``Survivor'' host Jeff Probst presiding, Tom Buchanan, the folksy cattle farmer from Rich Valley, Va., was voted out at the first tribal council.

After never winning an immunity challenge, Kim Johnson, who at 57 was the oldest player, won both of them on the finale: a quiz about fellow castaways, then an endurance contest that involved standing for hours in the 100-degree heat.

Winning the latter competition meant Johnson would single-handedly determine who faced her at the last tribal council. She voted out Lex van den Berghe, the excitable, multi-tattooed marketing manager from Santa Cruz, Calif.

That left Zohn to join her in confronting a jury of their peers - seven ousted players maybe looking for payback.

Zohn's former soccer coach watched the final episode from home in West Yarmouth, Mass.

``Can you bloody believe it? Oh my God,'' Englishman Paul Turner, head coach of the Cape Cod Crusaders, said moments after Zohn won.

``I thought he was going to be too nice to win the whole thing,'' Turner said. ``He stayed under the radar and did unbelievably well. He's very unassuming.''

Zohn, 27 and single, played for the Crusaders in 1997 and 1998.

This ``Survivor'' followed two wildly popular predecessors, including the original edition, which galvanized the nation, and ``Survivor: The Australian Outback,'' which was TV's highest-rated series during the 2000-01 season.

Although the watercooler quotient has evaporated, ``Survivor: Africa'' is tied (with the CBS sitcom ``Becker'') for ninth place in household ratings for the 2001-02 season to date. That qualifies as a solid hit, with more sequels guaranteed.

Next up: ``Survivor: Marquesas,'' set on the island of Nuku Hiva, a distant neighbor of Tahiti in the South Pacific.

CBS had to quickly change plans after Sept. 11. A Middle Eastern locale in Jordan was considered the leading contender for the fourth ``Survivor,'' said CBS President Leslie Moonves.

``It became obvious that doing `Survivor' in Jordan was not a great idea,'' Moonves told reporters.

After Thursday's broadcast, a post-game ``reunion'' was hosted live by Bryant Gumbel.

But that wasn't all for the former castaways. On CBS' ``Late Show with David Letterman (news - Y! TV),'' they were seen ticking off the ``Top Ten'' List - Complaints of `Survivor 3' Castaways.

The No. 2 complaint was Kim Johnson's: ``Jeff Probst is all hands.''

No. 1 was Tom Buchanan's: ``Jeff Probst is all hands.''

Source: AP

EW.com picks the ''Survivor'' winner. It's come down to Kim, Lex, Big Tom, and Ethan -- we tell you who will win.

And then there were four. ''Survivor: Africa'' may have lacked some of the suspense of the previous two editions, but now, with only a quartet of players remaining, things are poised to get very interesting. If nothing else, at least someone will be walking away with a cool million bucks at the conclusion of Thursday night's two-hour finale (CBS, 8 p.m.). But who deserves Mark Burnett's moolah most of all? EW.com gives odds on who's likely to emerge victorious from the final four.

KIM
Why she should win Kim has made no enemies, and as the last woman standing, she may be able to count on some sisterly love from the jury...if she can make it that far.
Why she shouldn't We're still smarting over that footage of her wearing a thong.
The final word Burnett loves to tell a story and play up personalities, and with the scant camera time dull Kim's been receiving, our guess is she's a goner.
Odds 10-1

LEX
Why he should win He has taken every luxury and immunity challenge in recent memory; has flexed political muscle in successfully organizing a coup against Kelly; and came up with current tribe name of Moto Maji.
Why he shouldn't He obsessed over who cast a meaningless vote against him; has already won a freakin' car; and came up with current tribe name of Moto Maji.
The final word Lex loves to brag about following his gut, and how his ''gut is good.'' Well, guess what, buddy, so is ours, and it tells us your abrasive personality, coupled with your tendency to play both sides, tattoos you a loser.
Odds 8-1

BIG TOM
Why he should win It's nice to know one man can make plumber's butt as fashionable in Africa as it is here; any man with the guts to name his son ''Bucky Bo'' commands the ultimate respect.
Why he shouldn't Might waste all the prize money on booze.
The final word As cuddly as he is cunning, Big Tom may have big friends in the jury, but that's exactly why other players may try to keep him out. But really, who would throw a better victory party?
Odds 4-1

ETHAN
Why he should win The professional soccer player has played stellar defense, keeping foes and feuds to a minimum; plus, he's easy on the eyes...at least, so I'm told.
Why he shouldn't For a professional athlete, he has won surprisingly few reward and immunity challenges; his luxury item was the historically embarrassing hacky sack.
The final word Not as annoying as Lex, as bland as Kim, or as drunk as Tom, Ethan is the safe choice to take home the loot -- so not unlike the 1980s supergroup Men Without Hats, we're doing the safety dance.
Odds: 2-1

Source: EW.com

This third edition, which fared the worst in the ratings, was for the most part a disappointment. It got off to a particularly bad start with bitchy Lindsey and her trio of lazy cohorts (Silas, Kim P., Brandon) taking center stage. Fortunately, executive producer Mark Burnett saved his sinking ship by altering the rules (three players from each tribe switched teams). That brilliant twist led to Lindsey and Silas's quick ouster.

Unfortunately, that switcheroo was the only one to come. The remainder of the game played out predictably, with recycled challenges and rewards and obvious voting patterns. It didn't help that the players were mostly confined to their dusty, circular corrals. The African setting, surprisingly, did little to enhance the drama. CBS is being coy about tonight's final two-hour episode and how the winner will be revealed, so maybe Burnett has one more trick up his sleeve. Let's hope so.

Of course, the big question is, how will it play out? Will Lex (who evolved into a Lex Luthor-like villain as the game went on) continue to win every challenge? Or will the other three finally snare a victory?

I predict Lex, like Colby in the outback, will continue his late-inning hot streak and win tonight's final two Immunity Challenges. After the first contest, the three guys will vote out Kim J. It's not the smartest move, but then these folks haven't exactly played smart from the get-go. Obviously, the final immunity challenge is huge. The winner gets to decide who will join him in the finale. Any way you look at it, I think Ethan makes the final cut. What it all adds up to is a well-deserved win for the professional soccer player from Lexington, Mass.

Aside from Teresa (my personal favorite), Ethan has been the nicest and most honest player. He's also controlled things from a distance. He's shrewdly let others, like Lex, step to the forefront. In doing so, Ethan slipped under the radar while others made themselves targets by standing out. Not winning many challenges will also help Ethan in the end. Certainly no one, including the seven jury members, wants to see Lex win one more thing. Lex has eaten better than everyone else, he's been on more adventures and he has a new truck to boot. Enough is enough. Give the $1 million to Ethan.

If Survivor: Africa was a let down, the fourth edition of the series (reportedly called Survivor: Marquesas) looks promising, as it returns the show to a beautiful island setting. The location is Nuku Hiva, which is one of several volcanic islands in the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.

Here's hoping the next 16 players are more compelling and smarter than their African predecessors, who made every mistake in the book — from pouring out their drinking water to forming high-profile alliances too soon. Did any of them even watch the first two editions? Unfortunately, Survivor 4 wrapped up just before Christmas so its castaways didn't get a chance to see and learn from No. 3. And that may not bode well for No. 4 when it airs in the spring.

Source: TV Guide online

After 12 episodes, Survivor: Africa chooses a winner tonight

Caution: Potential spoilers lie ahead.

It only took 12 episodes, but Survivor: Africa has shaped up to be a bit of a nail-biter.

That despite the efforts of its contestants to co-exist with a level of congeniality and -- dare I say it -- fair-play that seemed almost preposterous given the amplified conflict we've come to expect from so-called reality TV.

Survivor's final four will square off in the series' two-hour finale on Global tonight at 8: There's resolute good-sportsman Ethan, back-slapping backwoods buffoon Big Tom, low-profile elder Kim J., and Lex, whom the producers tried to portray as a cold killing machine. But even he has played a clean game, stuck to his alliances, and is guilty only of winning everything and thereby infuriating his tribemates.

But if the third instalment of Survivor has been so light on intrigue and back-stabbing that the producers panicked and changed the rules, shuffling the tribes in Episode 5, the upside is that we now have open a true competition.

That is exactly what favoured-to-win players such as Ethan and Lex have been gunning for.

Think of how quickly Samburu and Boran tribes, later merged into Moto Maji, exorcised their respective demons. The slippery-bitchy-creepy types are gone (see ya Brandon, Lindsey, Frank). Sure, there were a few unlucky cast-offs (Kelly, Clarence). But does anyone recall the conniving Silas, tempermental Linda, or grouchy Carl? Gone-zo.

Stiff competition has made tonight too close to call.

Ethan is the safest bet: Though he withered noticeably last week, he's strong enough to play through. His nice-guy appeal makes him a shoo-in with the jury (made up of recent exiles Kelly, Brandon, Frank, Little Kim, and Teresa). His only danger is being sniped off early in tribal council: That likability is a major threat to Lex and Kim J.

Tom could stumble his way through to the finish if he isn't required to think. Despite being a marble-mouthed doofus, his warts-and-all redneck routine has won him friends o' plenty. Up against Lex in a final jury vote, Tom would destroy.

Kim J. could manage a fluke victory. She's slipped by so far, but could only win by default if pitted against Lex in a vote.

And that leaves the evil genius Lex. In a way it's a shame the jury won't pick him, because's he's actually lived up to the Survivor title by getting by on immunity wins. He's repeatedly faced down pro soccer player Ethan in physical contests, fuelled by food he picked up in reward challenges. Lex's mistake was wearing his egomania on his sleeve. (More on Survivor: Africa, Survivor: Africa photo gallery, Survivor and Survivor: The Australian Outback)

Source: Toronto Sun

The second installment was TV's highest-rated series of the 2000-01 season.

It's only a hit TV series this time, as the third edition of "Survivor" comes to its who-will-win-the-million-bucks conclusion.

The special two-hour finale was scheduled to air on CBS on Thursday (8 p.m. Eastern), resolving the question viewers want answered, even if it hasn't been on everyone's lips: Will the sole survivor of this game-show-in-the-rough be Lex van den Berghe, the marketing manager from Santa Cruz, Calif.? Tom Buchanan, the farmer from Rich Valley, Va.? Kim Johnson, the retired teacher from Oyster Bay, N.Y.? Or Ethan Zohn, the soccer pro from Lexington, Mass.?

The season finale, with "Survivor" host Jeff Probst presiding, completes an elimination process whose airing began in October when all 16 castaways were plopped in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve. (The series was taped last summer.)

After two final challenges Thursday, the pair of remaining contestants was to face a jury of their peers – former rivals they may have had a role in voting out – who will make the ultimate decision. Bragging rights and a million-dollar prize hang in the balance.

Then, at 10 p.m., Bryant Gumbel convenes a live "reunion" of all the castaways.

This "Survivor" followed two wildly popular predecessors, including the original edition, set on a tropical isle, and the No. 1-rated "Survivor: The Australian Outback."

For the 2001-02 season to date, "Survivor: Africa" is tied (with the CBS sitcom "Becker") for ninth place in household ratings.

That qualifies it as a solid hit, with more sequels guaranteed, but its appeal was likely diminished by the rash of other reality shows, most of which have flopped.

And arriving soon after the Sept. 11 attacks, it played to a nation in a somber mood. In fact, the "Survivor" premiere was delayed 45 minutes by a televised news conference where President Bush discussed domestic terrorism.

In any case, a useful comparison of public interest comes from Robert Thompson, a Syracuse University professor who specializes in TV and popular culture.

By the finale of "Survivor: The Australian Outback," Thompson says he had granted more than 300 interviews about the show and was booked solid for follow-up interviews after its conclusion.

This time, he says, the grand total is fewer than 10.

Source: The Washington Post online

The way T-Bird tells it, it sounds possible we'll see Lex's threatening tantrums seal his own fate during Thursday night's finale. "He's really a very sensitive guy," she hints, "and I think that one vote I put [against] him early on just threw him off. It came out in his 'throat-cutting' comments. Unfortunately, because of the way he overreacted, he lost a lot of fans [amongst the tribe].

"You don't want to show that side of yourself to the other players," she adds meaningfully. "You kinda gotta let it roll off your back. He told me he regretted the way he reacted." Hmm... Survivor fans may like to file that tidbit away for the next time Tribal Council comes around...

Meanwhile, T-Bird's not crying over spilt cow's blood — she has high hopes for the future. "I'm in my forties and I've had two children, so I'm not sure how in demand I will be for Playboy," she laughs. "But in last week's show, I liked that [executive producer] Mark Burnett donated medical supplies for pediatric AIDS in Kenya. My brother died of AIDS 12 years ago, so I'd like to have a platform to help with those charities."

The tenacious T-Bird — who's spent a 20-year career serving Delta passengers in-flight — also wants to encourage American air travelers to be brave post-Sept. 11. "My husband and I are both airline people," she says. "But we don't dwell on [the tragedy]. To be afraid is exactly what the enemy wants us to do, so we try to stay away from that emotion." Spoken like a Southern Survivor indeed.

Source: TV Guide online

Source: People.com

The Thursday night show, which pits strangers against each other in strategic battles and forces them to vote out one member each week, has pared the group of contestants to four, including tattooed father and marketing manager Lex van den Berghe. The $1 million jackpot will be awarded after the season finale this Thursday.

For many in Santa Cruz, van den Berghe is the epitome of what's unique about their hometown: He's smart (speaks several languages, has won several challenges) yet laid back, cool enough to have pierced ears and tattoos but sweet enough to bring his son's baby shoes with him to Africa.

The 38-year-old finished taping the show months ago, but is banned from talking about "Survivor" until it concludes this week.

That hasn't stopped others from talking about him.

Santa Cruz Sentinel journalist Peggy Townsend, who was assigned to cover the show's third season after van den Berghe was chosen as a contestant, has a thick file of letters and e-mails she's received about "Lex sightings."

One woman saw van den Berghe and his family picking out their Christmas tree. Another ran into him buying pajamas at a department store. Then there are those looking for meaning in the fact that he drives a new-looking Subaru Outback.

The city's major nightclub, The Catalyst, is trying to book van den Berghe's band, Luckydog, and fans have planned a potluck dinner after the show to celebrate with van den Berghe – whether he wins or not.

Santa Cruz, about 100 miles south of San Francisco, is known for its alternative and liberal views; discrimination based on someone's weight is illegal, growing pot for medical use isn't.

Source: The Associated Press

The celebration was apt. Buchanan, known as "Big Tom" to television viewers around the country, has made it to the final four of the popular CBS show.

He and three other contestants will vie for the $1 million prize in next week’s two-hour season finale. Buchanan will fly out to Los Angeles for the live broadcast of Jan. 10’s show, bringing his family and Clark, among others, with him.

When Buchanan quipped on television, "All they saw was a chicken out, I saw my dinner out," the audience laughed.

When fellow contestants made fun of Buchanan’s foot odor, the audience laughed.

At show’s end, when another contestant was voted off, the crowd cheered.

During commercials, Buchanan provided brief commentaries on the show’s actions.

After losing a challenge, Buchanan said to his father who made a wisecrack, "What kind of miracle would it take for me to get a crossword puzzle?"

The audience laughed in response.

The gathering at Charlie Clark’s house is a weekly event in Rich Valley, home of Buchanan, a cattle and goat farmer.

Clark’s house was packed with more than 70 guests Thursday. The kitchen overflowed with food as nearly every guest brought a main dish, drink or dessert.

Clark said the "Survivor" gatherings began with the show’s season premiere in October with 25 guests. Each week, the party has grown in size.

"It hasn’t been all that hard," Clark said, adding that all of the guests bring food and drinks and many have shown up every week without fail. "It’s been fun."

Clark said he has known Buchanan for years. Proof of their friendship is demonstrated by the "Big Tom" shrine on the entertainment center in the home’s den.

On a wooden plaque that bears the engraved words "Presented to Charlie from Big Tom" is a raccoon penis. The item was Buchanan’s good luck charm for the show.

He gave it to Clark after returning from Africa in late August. Where Buchanan got the memento is not known. He is contractually barred from talking about the show until the season finale airs. A "Where are they now?" episode will air Jan. 17.

Not all of Clark’s guests are from Smyth County. Some people are friends of friends or neighbors who have come to the house to see the party and get an autograph from Buchanan.

Alice Porterfield of Abingdon said she was in Jacksonville, Fla., for the recent Virginia Tech game and bumped into friends from Atlanta who are great fans of the show and Buchanan.

Porterfield said she wanted to get T-shirts autographed by Buchanan.

She said, "He has fans all over. [The Atlanta fans] think he’s a big teddy bear. They want to meet him and hug him like a big teddy bear."

Authur and Elizabeth Stepp from Johnson City, Tenn., drove more than an hour to get to Clark’s party.

The couple was invited by friends. Both fans of the show, they said they have never seen anything like Thursday’s party.

Also appearing at the house was a crew from a local television station. A reporter interviewed Buchanan’s mother, asking her if Tom did indeed have smelly feet. The mother said, yes.

Source: Smythnews.com

Why in the world did you tell Lex you voted for him?

Once I told him that I figured I could go into my whole shpiel about how Tom had told me to watch out for him. I figured I was there to win it and I was going to try anything.

Have you spoken to Big Tom since he found out you tried to get him kicked off?

I haven't talked to Tom. I don't know how he's going to react to it. But what I said was true. He had actually tried to get Lex off a bunch of times but he didn't want to do it himself.

It seems like everyone hated Lex towards the end. How come he made it so far?

I never disliked Lex at all. I just kept voting for him so people thought I didn't like him. I never said anything negative -- other than that he's too strong and too much of a leader. I know Ethan liked him and Kim liked him. Tom never really showed much of anything. He and Frank didn't get along, but you didn't see that. It seems like he came across as evil during those interviews with the producers, but he didn't act like that when he was with us.

People started comparing you to Tina from the first episode. Were you aware of the similarities?

Well, the producers almost didn't pick me because of that. They told me they weren't going to use me for ''Survivor 3'' because we were too similar. I knew before I sent my tape in that it might be a problem. We're both mothers of a boy and girl, both flight attendants, both have Southern accents. They told me they were going to use me for ''Survivor 4,'' but then something changed behind the scenes and I got in.

That last immunity challenge seemed to favor the men by far. Was there some challenge sexism going on?

I've heard that from quite a few people. I guess all I can say is we all had the opportunity to participate in those challenges. The men were probably a little bit stronger. Of course, they were stronger early on also. I guess they never know where we're going to be when they plan that stuff out.

You all didn't seem to get as emaciated as the bunch on ''Survivor 2.'' Did you get more food?

I can't really speak to the ones from ''S2,'' but I lost about 15 pounds, which is quite a bit for me. I felt like I looked quite different. Tom barely ate anything, and he used to give some of his food away because he didn't like that mush. He lost, like, 70 pounds. He dropped a whole person, but he had a lot of weight to lose.

There are rumors that ''Survivor 5'' will involve all previous players. Would you do it again?

I would love to! If you hear anything, print it. Put my name in the running.

Are you back to being a flight attendant?

I'm not flying right now. I'm on leave from Delta until the spring, so I'm selling real estate. But I'll go back after my leave is up.

If you had won the million would you have kissed the friendly skies goodbye?

No, definitely not. I wouldn't have given up my job. I mean, a million dollars goes awfully quick.

Source: EW.com

The Jackson, Georgia, native was the 12th person sent packing in a ho-hum 4-1 Tribal Council vote, leaving only Lex van den Berghe, Tom Buchanan, Kim Johnson and Ethan Zohn remaining in the Moto Maji Tribe.

The final four will be whittled down to one ultimate survivor next week during a special two-hour installment of CBS' reality adventure series.

The show pretty much stuck to the familiar script. Day 34 kicked off with the tribe giving the usual spiel about boredom, weather and hygiene--with Tom's smelly feet being the biggest challenge the group's faced so far. The Moto Majis then had their animal encounter du jour (elephants pooping in the tribe's watering hole). Tree-mail brough letters from home and the requisite tears.

And the increasingly invincible Lex won all the challenges.

The tattooed marketing manager took the reward challenge--a word-find puzzle with a hidden clue--to win a shiny new Chevy Avalanche (can you say, "shameless plug"), which host Jeff Probst loaded up with supplies and AIDS (news - web sites) medicine for Lex to deliver to a local hospital. (CBS has announced that props from Survivor: Africa will be sold on eBay after next week's finale, with all proceeds going to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.)

With Lex absent from camp, Teresa tried to rally the others against him. But when he dominated the immunity challenge--an obstacle course consisting of bits from previous challenges--the anti-Lex forces were thwarted, the Boransters stuck together and T-Bird was targeted for extinction in the tension-free Tribal Council.

Happy that she made it this far, the mother of two said she had the "experience of a lifetime."

Ratings-wise, Survivor: Africa is gathering steam as it heads into its final week.

Source: E online

But just as we may have been snorting at Burnett's brazenness, and Lex's apparently limitless luck and pluck, the producer turned the cameras onto the rear of the truck, which was filled with part of a convoy -- a year's worth, we were informed -- of medical supplies. These were then driven to a Kenyan village hospital dedicated to helping AIDS and HIV-positive patients. Who among us was going to sneer at such televised opportunism when it was in the service of charity? Not me.

Burnett's brilliance didn't end there. Once Lex's good deed -- and by extension, that of the ''Survivor'' production company -- had been completed, he returned to the Moto Maji campsite, where the four other remaining contestants, not privy to the sight of grateful hospital workers and patients, were simmering in the thin juice of jealousy.

As far as they were concerned, Lex had won a large automobile and bragging rights to humanitarian status. Through them, we were able to vent our own ambivalence about the entire enterprise. When you least expect it, ''Survivor'' manufactures complex reactions that allow it to remain the best ''reality'' show on the air.

As for the game, Lex put it best, if smarmily: ''The mojo was just funky.'' Teresa was voted out, a victim of Lex winning immunity once again and her own alliance-conniving, which turned off a couple of players. Going into next week's two-hour finale plus a third-hour ''reunion'' endurance test, I'm placing my bet now: Ethan -- more agile than the elder Kim, more likable than Lex, more brain cells than Tom -- will take the million.

Source: EW.com

Thursday night, the Georgia flight attendant was kicked out of Africa, narrowly missing a chance to head into the show's final episode, when four of the original 16 competitors will battle for a $1 million prize.

"This has been an absolute experience of a lifetime," Cooper said as the show's final credits rolled Thursday night. "It's something, of course, I'll never forget."

Cooper, 42, was the only contestant from Georgia in the show's third season. She hails from Jackson, a city of just more than 4,000 people about halfway between Macon and Atlanta.

Jackson Mayor Charlie Brown said the town will honor Cooper at a public reception Feb. 5, the day the City Council designated "Teresa Cooper Day."

"I'm mad right now," Brown said just minutes after the hometown heroine's ouster.

"The town has been very excited. The integrity and loyalty she showed is worth more than any million dollars she could have won."

Cooper survived most of the season, walking the tightropes of building alliances and fending off the other ambitious contestants.

Throughout the season, she competed in challenges, various tests of physical or mental strength. In one episode, she drank cow's blood for a shot at winning a coveted "immunity," which prevents anyone from casting votes to kick off the holder that week.

The game is based in part on strength and stamina, but strategy has defined much of the show's outcome.

Fearing the men would systematically vote off the female contestants, one of Cooper's most recent game plans involved trying to get the women to stick together in a voting bloc.

It didn't work.

When she realized the other women planned to stick to other alliances, she turned on her one-time ally and friend Frank Garrison, voted off two weeks ago.

But Thursday it was Cooper's turn to go. The four left to fight for the final prize money are Tom Buchanan, a Virginia goat and cattle farmer; Kim Johnson, a retired teacher from Long Island, N.Y.; Lex van den Berghe, an Internet marketing director from Santa Cruz, Calif.; and Ethan Zohn, a professional soccer player who lives in New York City.

The show's two-hour finale - where Cooper will serve as a member of the jury to determine the "ultimate survivor" - airs next Thursday at 8 p.m.

Source: The Telegraph

Cooper was voted off despite attempts to convince Moto Maji tribe mates that Buchanan was a bigger threat following Lex van der Berghe securing immunity. Berghe also won the episode's reward challenge, which included taking home a Chevy Avalanche truck and distributing medical supplies to a hospital.

Only four players remain on "Survivor: Africa," which ends its season next Thursday with a two-hour episode and a special with all the players. Of the remaining players, Ethan Zohn is the fan favorite, with 58 percent of Zap2it.com users choosing him as the player who will win. Buchanan is second, tied with one-time favorite Berge, at 13 percent. Kim Johnson only has 4 percent of the vote.

Source: Zap2it.com

Source: TV Guide.com

'Survivor: Africa' Executive Producer Mark Burnett Joins The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Board of Directors

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Mark Burnett, the executive producer of ``Survivor: Africa,'' has partnered with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation to highlight the global HIV/AIDS epidemic and the work the Foundation is doing to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV. This ongoing commitment includes Mark Burnett joining the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Board of Directors, as well as fundraising activities that include the auction of props from the show on eBay following the series finale on Thursday, January 10. In addition, the CBS Television Network incorporated the Foundation's critical international work into the January 3rd episode of ``Survivor: Africa,'' and has committed to air PSA's created by ``Survivor''/CBS for the Foundation throughout the year during its primetime programming.

``During the filming of 'Survivor: Africa,' I witnessed the extreme devastation of the HIV/AIDS epidemic firsthand,'' remarked executive producer Mark Burnett. ``I was immediately compelled to take action on this crisis and proceeded to discuss with my staff the best way in which we could directly help the people most affected. Jeff Probst introduced me to the work being done by the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatrics AIDS Foundation to reduce mother-to- child transmission and immediately knew this was a partnership I wished to pursue. I am proud that 'Survivor: Africa' has been able to raise awareness of the Foundation's critical international efforts, and am honored to join their Board of Directors.''

``When Mark Burnett first contacted the Foundation to discuss his thoughts on HIV/AIDS in Africa and what needed to be done, it was clear that he was passionate about improving the situation in Africa, so passionate in fact, that we asked him to join our board,'' said Kate Carr, President and CEO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. ``More than 800,000 children continue to become infected with HIV/AIDS each year. Through our international program to prevent mother-to-child-transmission of HIV and supporters like Mark Burnett and CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves, we are ensuring that thousands of babies around the world are given a chance to be born free of HIV. The visibility that the 'Survivor' partnership brings to the Foundation through the airing of PSA's and the inclusion of our work in an episode of 'Survivor: Africa' is helping us to spread the word about our work. Mark's talent, vision and passion will be a huge asset to our board.''

A Life-Altering Journey

The January 3rd episode of ``Survivor: Africa,'' featured a life-altering journey for one lucky participant, Lex van den Berghe. After winning a Chevy Avalanche truck in the reward challenge, ``Survivor: Africa'' host Jeff Probst congratulated Lex on his victory and informed him that they would be taking a cargo of medical supplies to a hospital in his new truck. Lex and Jeff then began the arduous ride to Kenya's Wamba Catholic Hospital for a first-hand look at the HIV/AIDS crisis and its devastating effect in Africa. Lex brought with them a much-needed supply of HIV test kits and doses of the drug nevirapine. The test kits enable a pregnant mother to be tested for the virus, and if positive, nevirapine is given in a single dose to the mother at the onset of labor and in a single dose to the baby in its first three days of life. The drug course reduces the transmission of HIV to the newborn baby by almost 50%. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is working with Wamba Hospital to create a sustainable program to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

``CBS Cares'' Airs Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation PSA's

In conjunction with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation/``Survivor: Africa'' partnership, the CBS Television Network has been airing PSA's created by ``Survivor''/CBS for the Foundation during their primetime programming since October, 2001. The spots, which feature ``Survivor: Africa'' host Jeff Probst (who serves as a spokesperson for the Foundation's college outreach program Caring for Kids 101), direct viewers to the Foundation's website www.pedaids.org . CBS will continue to air these PSA's during the network's primetime schedule throughout 2002.

``Survivor'' Memorabilia To Be Auctioned

Following the finale of ``Survivor: Africa,'' props and memorabilia from the show will the auctioned on eBay. All proceeds will benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Source: PR Newswire

Wait a minute, wasn't Lex supposed to get the boot? What happened to the girl power alliance?

I was expecting to go, I really was. Big Tom never really showed me that he was wavering against Lex. I think he did that more in the private interviews. So as far as I could tell, they were real tight, and I knew that because I was the last original Samburu, I had been hanging on by just a little bit for the last three or four episodes. Even though Teresa and I tried to get Kim Johnson to change her vote, I had the feeling she wasn't going to help us, even though she said it would be great for the girls to band together. I'm sure she thought that her alliance with Tom, Lex, and Ethan had taken her this far, so she didn't want to chance it by making a change.

Once the teams merged, did you have to do any groveling to get back into Teresa's good graces?

The funny thing is, there was never anything to patch up between us. T-Bird and I liked each other from day one, and then we had that unfortunate break down in our tribe, which was so stupid on all of our parts. But even so, when it came to the merge, we were fine. We were just excited to see each other again.

Have you changed your strict anti-corn policy yet?

I didn't even remember saying that, so I was dying when I saw that on the show. I occasionally will eat popcorn at movies, and I do eat caramel corn, because I love it, but I still don't want corn on the cob or corn out of a can or cornmeal or grits or anything like that. I'm not even sure I've had mashed potatoes since I've been home because the consistency is so similar.

You got pretty emotional when you got the ice cream sundae as a food reward. Did you have a hard time giving up sugar in Africa?

I lost 12 pounds out there. I felt good playing the game; I didn't have any major ailments other than feeling really lethargic and weak and dehydrated. But I'm so obsessed with food it's scary. Right after I got voted off I ate all of this ice cream and chocolate and peanut butter. And of course I got sick, then went right back to eating chocolate and peanut butter and ice cream. I live for ice cream, and my favorite is Ben and Jerry's Chunky Monkey. So I went in this vicious cycle for four days before I calmed myself down. But I would seriously eat myself into sickness. It was gross. I was thinking, I am Karen Carpenter reincarnated! I've gained back all the weight, but I had so much fun putting it back on. It was gravy.

Speaking of emotional, how tough was it to see your mom on video? And did you ask her why she thought you didn't like your arms?

Oh yeah. It was like, we need to have a little chat, mom. But when I heard her answers, I'd think, well, that really wasn't an awful answer, it just wasn't the one I thought of at the time. Still, it was hard for me to see her, I have to say. I was so mentally beat, and then to sit there and see my sense of support in my life, it hit me I'd been out there a really long time and, man, it was tough.

Do you have any regrets about teaming up with Brandon, Silas, and Lindsey early on?

It was the only thing I could think to do. The members of the older alliance said to me, ''We never thought of you like the other ones, and if there was anyone we would have brought over to our side it was probably you.'' Looking back I wish I had tried harder to get our team aligned together, but I didn't really have any other option because the older members aligned themselves together so fast. But one thing I did was when everyone got combative I just kept my mouth shut and walked away.

You mentioned having some other regrets in your final statement. What were they?

Watching the game now, it's so easy to sit in your living room and see the big picture. I played the game very emotionally. I didn't play it strategically. When Brandon voted for Kelly instead of Lex and really betrayed me, I was so hurt by that I let my emotions lead me into voting him off, and I should have given him a second chance. Maybe we could have gotten together with Teresa and Frank and voted Ethan out, which would have changed the game.

So what's the deal with skipping out on your own wedding?

I think people can easily take that out of context and run with it. But what I'm saying is that I'm proud of the fact that I made that decision even though it was very difficult and no one was backing it. Everyone said I had cold feet, and it was normal. But I knew myself, and I knew something was wrong. It would have been wrong to go ahead, even though it would have been easier.

How has being on ''Survivor'' changed your life? Any hot dates?

I have so much more faith in myself. There were days out there when I really wanted to go home, but somehow I persevered. Taking that back to my life is a great thing. And every once in a while I'll turn a water faucet on and go, ''Mmm, that's nice.'' The other great thing is people are so interested to talk to me now! I had to go to a couple of parties by myself right after the show started airing, and I didn't have to feel bad about being on my own. But no, I don't have guys knocking down my door. We can only hope I get a date out of this.

Your luxury item was a necklace. Why?

It was given to me by my brother before he was killed. He died while walking with his wife and daughter in Boston. These teenage girls had stolen a car and didn't know how to drive it and hit him. I had actually lost it right after he gave it to me years and years ago, and then I found it right after he was killed, eight years later. It was special to me and I wanted it to be with me.

Source: EW.com

Buchanan, 46, finished taping the show months ago, but even his son swears that he doesn't know whether his father will win the show's top prize. The network bans Buchanan from talking about ``Survivor: Africa'' until he is eliminated.

The farmer came home in early September and tried to get back to everyday life.

He makes morning visits to KJ's Kountry Korner for a fried bologna sandwich and a bottle of Mountain Dew. Then, with a cell phone constantly ringing by his side, he works the farm.

Tourists have filtered into the region with the hopes of meeting ``Big Tom'' and buying one of his autographed T-shirts.

``He's a hoot,'' Chilhowie resident Cathy Waters said last week as she sorted through T-shirts showing Buchanan on the cover of TV Guide. ``Everybody likes him.''

``Survivor,'' which requires contestants to vote out one member each week, is down to Buchanan and four others. The $1 million jackpot will be awarded after the season finale on Jan. 10.

Source: The Associated Press