SURVIVOR INSIDERFebruary 28, 2003

So far, three people have been voted out of the Amazon.

Dan was was the third person to go and cost himself a shot at $1 million because he was way too sensitive. So what if Roger didn’t ask him nicely to get the water? You’re in the middle of the Amazon and you’re worried about someone saying “please” and “thank you”?! That’s very childish. On the other hand, I think Roger – who reminds me so much of Clay – is a good worker, but he hasn’t mastered his emotions. Roger flies off the handle too easily and treats these other grown men like children. Roger is older but he has to remember he can’t talk to these guys any way he wants to.

One of the keys to winning “Survivor”: You have to be disciplined and not let your emotions get in the way. That’s exactly what I did with Clay. I knew he had a lot of enemies but I carried him along because he made me laugh and ultimately made more people mad at him – even in his final statement – than I did.

Right now is a time for the players to look around and figure out who is strong emotionally, physically and mentally and then start picking off the weakest link – or keep the weakest if it will help you in the end. For me, at this point in the game it was like being in the first quarter of a football game and a gorgeous woman comes down on the field – you don’t quit right in the middle of the game to have sex! You stick with your game plan to the end and ignore the distractions.

“Survivor’s” three “Barbies” – Jenna, Heidi and Shawna – are using their assets to try and manipulate the men – but there are still four women they should not forget about back in their own tribe. The Barbies can stick together, but if they keep alienating themselves from the rest of the tribe – which outnumber them 4 to 3 – they may find their torches being put out one by one.

But what I want to know is, what is Joanna so mad about? She’s supposed to be very spiritual – and I respect that – but what’s the problem? I think along the way we will see something else going on with her but in the meantime her attitude may hurt her in the long run. I also think her view on equating the Immunity Idol with idol worship is foolish and will be looked upon in a negative way by the others — especially since the Immunity Idol has been part of the show since the beginning and she knew about it before she signed up. C’mon, you WANT the Immunity Idol so no one has to go home. The other women want the idol and you don’t even want to touch it? They may eventually feel maybe they should send her home to put her out of her misery – and out the running for $1 million. That’s a huge price to pay.

But one more little thing occurred to me, what if Christy isn’t deaf? Wouldn’t that be a good twist? That she could hear everything they said but they didn’t know it! If that happens it would great, and the women would deserve it. Christy would be the “mole.” And the way the women are treating her, they’d deserve whatever happens.

The key to winning this game is listening and observing. Whoever masters the discipline to do that will be the next “Survivor” winner.