Episode 08

[Holly Hoffman]

Wow, what a way to start the merge, but there are a few things we'd like to know.

Kim J left with a strong majority tonight. Do you think that maybe it was a wasted opportunity to take out a bigger player?

There's been a lot of talk about idols in the recent rounds, particularly with Sean. No sign of them at tribal council though. Does it concern you that there's this talk but nothing has happened yet? What about the new idol that has been hidden?

Now that we've hit the jury, how do you plan on impressing those watching in order to convince them YOU should win Stranded in Venezuela?

[Gina]

Here's what's frustrating to me. Sean is obviously a big threat and everyone knows it. Now was not that time to blindside him and I tried to convince Sarah otherwise. But now he's going to be extra cautious with his idols, making taking him out later that much more difficult. I'm honestly pissed off. I'm pretty sure I could have gotten him at F10 or F9. But we HAD to try for a big play too early, and now Sean is going to be hard as hell to vote out. AND now everyone is gonna wanna take out Sarah next, and she's my F3 goat! So now I've gotta work extra hard to ensure that Sarah stays around through the next tribal AND convince my alliance mates to vote out someone else.

Maybe I'm just bad at goat management.

[Jeff Probst]

Do you think nothing has happened in terms of a game changer because everyone is too scared to ruffle feathers so soon? Are you in that category?

[Jeff Probst]

So... no confessional after an idol find... Excited? Nervous? Does this change the game for you, make it easier to take some risks?

[Gina]

This is definitely a big relief to have. I know if my name is up at all Pat, Gabe or Sarah will let me know (not that Sarah is in the loop or will be around much longer...). I definitely feel a whole lot safer having this than not having it. And at least I know where all three idols are in the game.

To be honest, I'm thrilled. I'm fairly certain I won't be blindsided so I know I can keep this close to the chest and if my name comes up I can play it to ensure I'm safe. I don't feel any pressing need to make some huge move with it, I just want to use it to keep myself safe.

Although if I needed to make a huge move with it, of course I would be down. It's all about timing, though.

[Brenda Lowe]

Hmm, okay. I'm just catching up here and I'm a little confused. First you talk about how you want to be against people you can beat at the end, and then you go on to outline a boot order and a cast assessment that only leaves Gabe around as someone in your opinion is a beatable end-gamer - am I right so far?

Then you complain about the tribe allowing Sean too much power, and how no-one is willing to make a move. Cut to you finding just the item that would allow you to do that, yet you would rather keep it close to your chest? Correct?

Explain the inconsistencies in that. Is this just a case of hanging onto it for later survival? I'm curious if your gameplan really has changed from;

'get people I trust to the merge' to 'get myself to the end with two people I can beat'.

Also can I point out this is a nice little roll back to your first confessionals about "going with what the group wants". Winner quote? Or foreshadowing of your eventual exit..

[Gina]

Hmm, okay. I'm just catching up here and I'm a little confused. First you talk about how you want to be against people you can beat at the end, and then you go on to outline a boot order and a cast assessment that only leaves Gabe around as someone in your opinion is a beatable end-gamer - am I right so far?

I guess I'm in a bit of a bind because obviously I want to be sitting next to people I can beat at the end, but the current play in the tribe allows me few endgame options I can beat. It sounds to me like most of the people I'm certain I can beat are getting voted out. Of the proposed final 8, I'm fairly certain I can beat Linda, Gabe and Vee and fairly certain I could never beat Pat, Lindsey or Sean. Lex is a toss up. My path to the end with beatable people becomes a lot more difficult if I stick with these 8 to the final 8, especially considering that Clarence and Sarah are generally disliked and both are pretty loyal to me, a combination I absolutely love. It's also going to be a lot harder to blindside Sean, Lindsey or Pat the farther we get into the game.

But I've also got to watch the tribe perception of me because if I go around proposing all these blindsides and huge moves, I think people will start to think of me as a gamebot (in a negative sense). I HAVE made genuine connections out here. Pat, for example- or Lindsey, or Sarah. I think this is a group who respects good gameplay but if somebody plays too cut throat they may not reward that in the end.

You've also got to watch WHEN you try and blindside someone. It has to be the right time. If the tribe is pretty overwhelmingly against taking a certain person out, pushing it too much is only going to put a target on your own back.

Then you complain about the tribe allowing Sean too much power, and how no-one is willing to make a move. Cut to you finding just the item that would allow you to do that, yet you would rather keep it close to your chest?

Explain the inconsistencies in that. Is this just a case of hanging onto it for later survival? I'm curious if your gameplan really has changed from;

'get people I trust to the merge' to 'get myself to the end with two people I can beat'.

Regarding the idol... I'm not opposed to using it on someone to blindside someone else, but it's all about timing. I can't go burn an idol at the final 11 unless its absolutely necessary for my survival. Right now I am the only person in this game who knows where all three idols are and I'd like to keep it that way for a while.

And I don't see how you can say my game plan has changed! The timing was not right on Sean. Even if I had voted for Sean instead of Kim J, Lindsey and Linda weren't voting for him as I suspected so it wouldn't have made a difference. AND these rookies split the vote for some reason! smh.

My point is, big moves will be made. It's the nature of the game. The proposed final 8 is most likely not the actual final 8. But I've got to really calculate when these big moves can take place. For example, I want to keep Sarah in the game. Everyone else in my alliance wants her out really badly, including my closest ally. If Pat, a player who is very intelligent and all for big moves, if she isn't receptive to trying to swing something to save Sarah then no one will be. Then I have to ask- is Sarah worth using my idol on? And the answer is absolutely not. Not at the final 11. Now, things always change and there's plenty of time until our next challenge, so Sarah could win immunity or tribe dynamics could shift, but at this point I don't see a way to save her. If the dynamic changes, thats great. If it doesn't, I can't help that.

Anyway, I hope I've answered some of your questions. Sorry if they're confusing- I'm constantly re-adjusting my path to the end. All of what I've just written could be irrelevant in an hour when I change my mind and just decide to try and blindside everyone without regards to timing or tribe dynamics.

Also can I point out this is a nice little roll back to your first confessionals about "going with what the group wants". Winner quote? Or foreshadowing of your eventual exit..

[/quote]

Definitely a winners quote. I've already got the Benz I want picked out.

[Gina]

Also, may I ask. I'm clearly the audience favorite right? Maybe I'll just play the game to win America's Tribal Council.

[Jeff Probst]

No you may not ask.

[Gina]

That totally means I am.

[Jeff Probst]

yea... Frank was the last person who thought he was...

[Gina]

ahahaha.

[Brenda Lowe]

yea... Frank was the last person who thought he was...

But really, poor Frank

[Gina]

It must be hard for you guys when such a good villain leaves pre-merge.

[Mia Galeotalanza]

It must be hard for you guys when such a good villain leaves pre-merge.

Happens all the time! John... Erica... Jane...

[Gina]

Fine.. I'll just go fill the villain role. You may need one, especially since there is a very real possibility that Sarah could go home tonight and you'll be out of a real bad guy.

[Gina]

And, speaking of which. Everyone on this tribe is a little too chummy. Pat wants to work with Sean til Final 6, possibly beyond. Is she insane? I love Pat, but she's got this absurd notion of getting the deserving players to the end. And that's not very good for my endgame, is it? I'd love to be at the end with a bunch of players who can beat me in the finals. That's just what I always wanted.

[Jeff Probst]

Are you concerned at all that you aren't able to influence any votes? Do you think that there is a bigger power at work calling the shots?

[Gina]

I don't think there is a 'bigger power' but rather I think people are complacent. They see an easy path to the final 8, nevermind that its an easy path to the final 8 with a bunch of smart and dangerous players. I just don't see why people want to vote out people like Sarah or Kim P. What do they expect to happen when we get to Final 8? All 8 of us can't win. I'd rather start pruning the crop of threats sooner rather than later but people seem opposed to playing a little dangerously.

[Jeff Probst]

Typically, and there's definitely the chance that this is the exception to the rule, when numbers start getting lower, it becomes harder to make moves because you have less and less people to work with. Let's say there's a core group that you mentioned is happy with going to the final 8 together in tact. Do you think it will be easier to break that up later in the game or do you think it might be too late then?