[Photos: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved]

[Photos: Zuma Press]

Last night’s season finale of Survivor: Samoa showed the final five castaways battling it out to be part of the final three. The first one to go home was Jaison, Then, when Russell managed to win the last immunity, Brett was eliminated next. At the finale event, Jeff Probst announced that Natalie won the title of Sole Survivor and the $1 million.

Natalie’s strategy was to play below the radar and let Russell be the snake he always was. It really worked for her. She wasn’t disliked by anyone and her way of playing was the one that the jury liked the best. I would have voted for her to win too.

Russell took issue with her winning, since he felt that his tactic of arrogance, burning socks and dumping out the canteens in order to manipulate everyone was the best game. He offered Natailie $100,000 to let him have the title of Sole Survivor. She turned him down. (Good for her!)

[Photos: Zuma Press]

Jaison made the observation that we’ve all worked with people that were like Russell. They’re the people who lie, point fingers, cheat, steal the credit for others’ work…and then they get the promotion instead of the people who worked hard and played fair. We all hate those people. That’s why I hated the thought that Russell’s tactics would win. Thank goodness he didn’t!

Personally, I don’t understand why so many of the audience members like him. He’s exactly the kind of person that we have all been bullied by, cheated out of promotions by and have just generally disliked. Why is that behavior ok on a reality show? I just don’t get it.<?

But since Russell will be a part of the Villians team for the next season of Survivor, he has a chance to redeem himself. (And everyone will have seen how he plays the game…) That should be interesting.

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[Photo: Courtesy of Playboy]

You remember Jaime Edmonson from Amazing Race 14, right? She was half of the quarrelling football cheerleaders team who would lie and flirt their way through every challenge. Now Jaime will be very visible in her new role as Playboy’s January Playmate of the Month 2010. It seems that after she returned from the Amazing Race, Hugh Hefner called to ask if she would be interested in posing for the magazine.

As a self-proclaimed “feisty, fearless, redheaded adventuress,” Miss January looks forward to ringing in 2010 with “no resolutions, and no fear of the unknown.” She declares, “I’m amazed I’m here. I’m fastening my seat belt and looking forward to a year of amazing adventures. This is going to be the best New Year’s ever!”

The January/February Playboy double issue will be on newsstands and online at www.playboydigital.com tomorrow.

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[Photos: © 2009 CBS Corporation, All Rights Reserved]

[Photo: © 2009 CBS Corporation, All Rights Reserved]

On last night’s season finale of Amazing Race, the final three teams made their way to Las Vegas for the final leg of the race. I am usually guilty of pulling for the underdogs, so I was hoping that Brian & Ericka would pull out the win. At first, it looked like they just might do it when they finished the first big challenge before anyone.

Ericka repelled face-first down the side of the huge Mandalay Bay Hotel. Cheyne was second and the brothers were third. (I was mostly hoping that the brothers wouldn’t win because they played the game dirty.)

Meghan & Cheyne had trouble with their lack of knowledge about Monaco (the Monte Carlo) and the person who is called “Mr. Las Vegas.” But somehow, they managed to arrive third to the challenge where they had to count out a million dollars in poker chips and they finished it first. With one of their signature miracles, they crossed the finish line first and took home the victory…and the million bucks.

Meghan & Cheyne were a strong team all season long and I’m glad it payed off for them. I really did like Ericka & Brian too and even though they finished third, I was happy that they got to go the whole distance in the race. Overall, it was a fun and very satisfying season.

What are your thoughts about Meghan & Cheyne’s win? Who were you pulling for to win? Let us know!

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[Photos: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved]

On tonight’s Survivor: Samoa, the castaways started with an auction. Here were the auction items:

• Peanut butter & jelly sandwich – Natalie ($200)
• Sea noodles & slug guts with parmesan (yuck!) – Shambo was a great sport about this and ate them ($240)
• Whole roasted chicken – Monica ($340)
• A significant advantage in the Immunity Challenge – Jaison ($500)
• Cheeseburger, fries & cold beer – Mick ($500)
• A clue to the Immunity Idol (that Russell has already found) – John ($200)
• Shower, soap, shampoo, conditioner, clean underwear – Natalie ($120)
• One piece of apple pie for them self or four pieces for others – John (he chose to eat instead of share) – he said he felt confident that the others wouldn’t vote him off because of the pie

[Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved]

John went in search of the Immunity Idol and realized that it wasn’t where the clue said it was so Russell must have it. When he talked to Russell, Russell decided that John was a threat and he talked the others into voting off John.

Dave killed the chickens for lunch and Shambo took the loss very hard since she had become very attached to them. When Dave came to ask her about how she was cooking them, she got angry. That night, she dreamt that the tribe voted off Dave, so she told the others to vote for him to go.

Russell told Dave that Shambo was gunning for him and that he needed to vote with the Foa Foa members to get rid of John and he agreed.

At the Immunity Challenge, Jaison’s advantage proved to be worth the money he spent because he won immunity.

At Tribal Counsel, John was completely blindsided when the tribe voted to send him out. Shambo was surprised too. She may not stay with the Foa Foa votes now because of this.

What do you think of this week’s episode? Did you think the tribe did the right thing? And how are you enjoying Russell’s underhanded play this season? Let us know!

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And when I say gifts, I mean GIFTS!

The pair were eliminated from The Amazing Race on the November 5 episode. Then, the couple made a guest appearance on the morning talk show, The View, where Rosie O’Donnell complimented them for their politeness to people they met on the trip and their kindness to their fellow competitors.

And to reward them for being such a cool couple, she gave them a Limited Edition Ford Explorer and a new one-family home. She suggested that they donate their trailer home to a family who needs it.

According to TVgasm, they will leave with seriously fantastic trips, a digital camera, a new computer and a gift certificate too.

You’ve got to had it to Rosie. She’s first-class all the way. She does what we all wish we could do.

Congratulations, David & Mary! We all wish you the best of luck!

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Teams had to leave Mauritius and go to Madagascar. The Barbies left the wrecked car for someone else and took off in someone else’s car. What jerks!

When they go to Madagascar, they had to find a statue of a “black angel” that had recently been painted white. (tricky!) The model guys made a makeshift alliance with Rob & Kimberly.

David and Mary were once again marked for elimination so they either had to arrive first or have a half hour penalty. Lyn & Karlyn didn’t play very well as a member of the six-pack. They leave the others behind when it’s easier for them, then take the help when that’s to their benefit.

When they arrived at the black angel, they found a brand new twist in the race. They’ll have to join forces with another team, then perform all tasks and make all decisions together until further notice. The teams were: Rob & Kimberly with Tyler & James; David & Mary with Lyn & Karlyn; and the Barbies with the Cho brothers.

The second of only two fast forwards on the race is also available at this clue box. In the fast forward, teams must go two and a half miles to a market and find a certain stall where they’ll have to eat the local delicacy, cow lips. The first team (Rob & Kimberly with Tyler & James) went for the fast forward and left the Barbies to wait for another team to show up to team with them. Apparently, the cow lips were disgusting. they were chewy, had hairs on them and still had teeth attached. YUCK!

Those not going for the fast forward had a detour, or a choice between two tasks that reflect life in Madagascar. The choice was long sleep or short letter.

In long sleep, the teams must travel by van 2.2 miles to an open market. Once there, they had to choose 8 foam mattresses, wrap them in mattress covers and deliver them on foot about 1 mile away to the provided address.

In short letter, the teams travel by van about 3.5 miles to a place with a papermaking station. They’ll then use local methods to create and decorate 28 sheets of handmade paper.

Both of the other teams chose to do the mattresses. Alabama & Kentucky had nothing but problems trying to get their mattresses through the streets. They bound them together with the straps from their fanny packs and then they were too bulky to work with. The Barbies and the Chos had a local guy tell them he would take them, then he abandoned them. Alabama & Kentucky fell very far behind with the mattresses.

Once the detour was completed the teams were no longer required to work together. Each team now had to travel 4 miles to some really tall steps where they could search for their next clue. It turned out to be a road block. The person doing it had to search for a rubber stamps of a boat, a plane, a train and a car from those of a lot of vendors.

After the person got all the stamps, they could head to the pit stop at a local cathedral, where their teammate would be waiting for them.

The folks eating the cow lips were taking a very long time because it was apparently horrible. The Barbies beat them to the pit stop.

The Barbies arrived at the pit stop first and won a trip for two to Hawaii. Next ware: Tyler & James in second place, Rob & Kimberly were third, Erwin & Godwin were fourth, David & Mary arrived fifth (but had a 30 minute penalty), Lyn and Karlyn were the last to arrive, but arrived before the penalty was up for David & Mary.

They managed to avoid elimination the last time they were marked for elimination, but it was just too much to think that it could happen a second time. They were a tough, yet kindly team and brought a lot of fun to the show.

What do you think about the new twist? Without the intersection, things would have probably turned out very differently. Let me know what you think!

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The TJs leave the desert and head 3400 miles north for the cold of Anchorage, Alaska. The TJs had never experienced snow before and when they arrived, it was snowing in Anchorage.

While at the airport, they hop onto the internet and get the suggestions from the web site. some of the ones they seem interested in are whale watching, glacier hiking and dog sledding. cool! They were also told to expect to eat lots of salmon.

Outside the airport, they are in awe of the snow covered mountains in the distance. Then they go to the local hostel, where they’ll be staying.

The message board suggests a local club that they should check out and they go there for the evening. The tradition of the place is that they all have to take off underwear or bra, sign it and staple it to the wall. The girls say they aren’t wearing any, so they get out of it, but the guys are disappointed.

They find out that they will get money if they are able to eat a super hot pickle. Zach takes the challenge and gets one down. He said that he had seen a show where a guy ate seal fat with excrement and was sure that that had tasted better than the pickle he just ate. YUCK!!

A girl came over to Tim and told him she would give him $100 to take off his underwear. He did and they stapled them to the wall. Jaime said that “When in Alaska, do as the Alaskans do.”

Zach said it wasn’t fair, all Tim had to do was take off his underwear and he had to eat one of the worst foods on Earth.

Back to the message boards and find a message offering them a complimentary our with Kenai Fjords Tours of Alaska by sea. Meanwhile, the hostel owner offers them a ride up to Mount McKinley. Zach and Lena go with the hostel owner to the snow and the rest go to tour the fjord by sea.

The group is from the tropics so the cold is a new experience for them. The sea tour shows them sea otters, bald eagles and sea lions. Bevis is disappointed because he wants to see a poler bear.

Zach and Lena go to a musk ox farm. They are raised for their under fur, called qiviut. Apparently, qiviut is the most expensive, rarest and highly prized material for knitted items. A qiviut knit hat costs as much as $200. The TJs are thrilled to have seen the musk oxes and seem to be having a great time.

On the boat, the TJs meet a man who is a real-life eskimo. He tells them that his people have the right to kill whales to eat. They ask him a lot of questions about his culture and it’s very interesting. What a great experience it must have been!

Zach and Lena got their first chance to play in the snow. They were surprised at how it was not as fluffy as they expected. The TJs are so in awe of the the view of the mountains that they are sure that’s why Anchorage has no tall buildings…it would block the view.

They go see the dogs that are training for the Iditarod sled dog race. They volunteer to clean up dog poop in exchange for half price for a dog sled ride.

The TJs were excited because they were able to have a true Alaskan experience. Except for Bevis, that is. He didn’t like seeing the dogs have to pull them around. He’s the animal lover of the group.

They got food at the grocery store to make dinner and one of the items they tried was sausage made with reindeer meat. I guess they have to try the local cuisine, right?

Zach talks Bevis into renting bikes and going for a ride. They hope to see a moose because they heard that it’s common for a moose to wander into town this time of the year. THe owner of the bike rental shop tells them where it’s most likely to see a moose and they set off. After hours of biking, they manage to see some moose grazing near the path.

A couple the TJs met in Vegas lives in Anchorage and invited them to dinner at their house. The husband hunted and killed a bear and they have a bear rug in the middle of the living room floor. That’s real Alaska.

The wife, Edie brought out all of her handmade quilts. The TJs are excited at seeing real American culture in the quilts.

Then they get to have their first home cooked meal on the trip, moose stew. They loved it and I wonder what it tastes like.

Before they leave town, they get to take one luxury excursion. With the help of the locals, they decided on glacier hiking.

The next day, they go to the glacier to hike. They don boots with spikes for traction and take off with their guides.

The TJs loved the people of Alaska and the wonderful sites in nature. Watching their adventures made me want to go there too.

Be sure to go check out all of their photos and blog entries of their trip on the Travel Channel site and read the message boards to see what folks are telling them to do on their trip.

This week, they are in Washington, D.C. Stop by and leave them a message telling them where they should go while they are there. And remember, we all get to decide what city they visit last. Go let them know what you think.

Photos from Zach Yonzon’s Photos from the Road.

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Apparently, there’s a rumor going around (thanks, Kelly, for the tip!) that the folks at The Amazing Race rigged the show to keep the coal miner and his wife, David & Mary, in the game to help the ratings.

I have no solid proof or anything, but I don’t think so.

I heard a lot more talk by the coffee machine at work about Sarah and Peter. If they wanted to do something to boost the ratings, those two might still be in it. Here we had a handicapped woman and a guy who yelled at her constantly to keep up with him. And did you notice that every time there was a difficult physical challenge that only one of them could do, he made her do it. That whole thing would have been the strategic thing to drag on, if they were going to manipulate the game for ratings.

I can’t be sure, but my personal opinion is that the rumor is just that: a rumor.

What do you think? Do you disagree with me? Let me know!!

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Lots of strategy and scheming happens in front of Nate while he is still with the Aitu tribe. He’s, of course, smart enough to take lots of mental notes to bring back to his own tribe. We’ll see how this all plays out for him.

Jessica in Aitu said that she was completely surprised by Cao Boi’s elimination. She said that no one would tell her who was going. (Gee, I’ve watched enough Survivor to know that when you don’t know who’s going, it’s pretty likely that it’s you…heads up, Jessica!) So the rest of the group comes up with a story to tell her.

Originally, Aitu had the following order for elimination: Ozzy, Flicka (Jessica), Sundra, then Jonathan. But they have a lot to think about before the next immunity challenge.

The tree mail was awesome. It was a catalog of things the tribe can go for in the reward challenge. Aitu chose a bag of potatoes and peanut butter. Raro chose peanut butter and bread.

Again, Ozzy is the biggest superstar of the challenge. There’s just no stopping him! Rebecca slowed things down for Raro, then gives the group a free shot at her breasts when her top was all out of place when she came out of the water. Brad wasn’t swimming because he’s “better with puzzles.” You’ve got to wonder how much better Raro would have done if Brad had been a swimmer. After the challenge, Nate got to go back to Raro. Nate was really p***ed off at Brad for not swimming. The whole team is now upset with him. (Look out, Brad!)

Aitu won the challenge and sent Adam to Exile Island. A huge storm blew up and he had to make a little makeshift shelter. It looked pretty miserable.

Ozzy caught a seagull and the group decided to eat it. then he did his tree climbing coconut gathering thing. They’d be stupid to vote him off at this point. He’s the provider. They’re thinking they should vote him off before the merge. None of the tribe members trust Jonathan so he’s a possible person to go too.

The immunity challenge involved another puzzle and getting puzzle pieces over water. Have they run out of new ideas for challenges? But take a look at Yul’s arms!

Finally, Raro won the immunity. They really needed that. That means that Aitu had to go to tribal counsel and eliminate someone.

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Jonathan’s voice sounds exactly like Alan Alda? It’s a bit strange….

The team was debating about sending home either Jonathan, Ozzy or Jessica. Everyone got annoyed with Jessica because she tried to play all the sides.

The tribe talked about the whole ethnicity question at the tribal counsel. They all said that people made friends and alliances because of their personalities, not their ethnicities. I’m glad to see that my fears were unrealized.

Jessica didn’t see it coming, but she got voted off the island.

My college roommate used to have a saying: “When you least expect it…expect it!” Jessica should have known.

What do you think of keeping Ozzy around since he’s such a threat? Will he be the one to take it all if he gets through the merge? Do you think Jonathan is a player and he should go? Let me know your thoughts!

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Survivor: Fiji began it’s production on October 30 and will be an economic shot in the arm for Fiji.

• The Fiji Times reports that the production “is expected to inject $6million into the community by creating at least 230 jobs and hosting a 250-member production crew in the Vunivutu area.”

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