RNO Roundtable - 'Survivor: The Amazon' Predictions, Part 1: The Women

Jamie: Athletic and fit, phys ed teacher... young and blonde, possibly up for the sweetheart role? Nothing is really jumping out at me in regards to her.

Ken: Somehow, I see her as the "Penny" type, i.e. a physical side but using her looks to try and further herself in the game. She may also be the type that's smiling and rarin' to go when everyone else is dead on their feet, which may grate on a few nerves. Definitely see her making the jury, but probably not the final four.

Phil: Hmm, I think Heidi is gone early. Not so much for the fact that she doesn't seem to be in the best physical state in her life, but she looks to me like one of those girls that will get sick early and get the boot fairly quick. Take for example Jessie and Tanya. I would bank my money on not getting to see too much of Heidi. If she is not the first one tossed she will probably be the second. Although, I must admit that I love the fact she took a jump rope with her. That could be used in many ways actually. Good for her!

Charlie: She'll be gone real quick. I refer you to my argument that every 'new generation' teacher is an idiot that I used way back when I previewed the first Amazing Race. It came true then, it shall come true now. She's physically fit, but she's young and she's used to being in charge, and the elders in her tribe won't put up with it.

Melinda: Heidi is a wonderful combination of physical, social, and managerial skills. How many 24-year-olds are as accomplished in so many areas? Degrees in exercise and teaching? Work experience in sales? Poetry writing in her spare time? And she looks so darn cute and nice in her photo. Heidi has all the qualities needed in a good Survivor. She could go a long way in this game.

Janet Koth
Age: 47
From: Manchester, MO
Occupation: Travel Agent/Abstinence Counselor (oh dear)
Marital Status: Married
Luxury Item: Daughter's Teddy Bear
A registered nurse, former sales representative, motivational speaker, and independent travel consultant. Plus, she's studying to become a hypnotist. Enjoying camping, hiking, and tennis. She'd like to be President of the United States because of her determination to be in control and to influence people.

David: Wow. Well, CBS either dropped us a huge hint about Janet wanting to be in control or else they are trying to push us in the wrong direction. Hard to say which. But if she honestly said something like that, I can't imagine her sticking around long. Even if she somehow manages to make it to the merge, the men will not react well to behavior like that.

Jeffrey: Counselors are trained to listen. This is a plus. However, with such competition I'm afraid she might make an early exit rather than making the jury. I see her as second or third out of this tribe.

Brian: This woman freaks me out. Okay, it's not because of the teddy bear or the fact she is studying to become a hypnotist. It's for one line in her bio that made me say, "Oh geez. Not another one of these." When asked what political office she would hold if given the chance she said the presidency, "because of her determination to be in control and to influence people." If Janet can't bring that determination level down a notch she'll be heading for the loser's lounge rather quickly.

Jamie: Yikes. She gives motivational speeches, travel consultant, sales, hypnotism, abstinence counselor, nurse. This looks to me like a woman who likes to hold sway over others and be in control. Just reading her bio I am recoiling from the implied pushiness, so unless she is very different in person than she looks on paper, my money is on her being first woman voted out.

Ken: She has presidential ambitions due to her determination to be in control and influence people. If she tries to be in control and influence the game, however, she could find herself out rather quickly. The older contestants on Survivor are always the hardest to predict. They're either out fairly quickly, or if they make the merge, they stick around awhile a la Jan, Rodger (the Outback one), or Kathy. If she stays under the radar, doesn't get too domineering (a la Patricia in Marquesas), and has a strong alliance or belongs to a tribe that dominates the challenges, she may stick around awhile. But more likely, I see her taking her daughter's teddy bear back to civilization well short of the merge.

Phil: I think everyone knows by now how I gravitate to the older contestants. Janet is no exception. She seems like she has the credentials to get very far in this game. Even though she is an abstinence counselor, which may suggest that she likes to pin her views on people, she seems very genuine. It worries me though that she is too much of a control freak. That may end up working against her if she goes into this barking out orders from the moment they arrive in the jungle. If Janet can get past the first two tribal councils that her tribe has to face I think she will be set. By that time, everyone would be used to her taking charge and having thing her way. I'll say she will make the merge, but not sure about how much further after that.

Charlie: This women scares me. The whole world domination thing and the fact that someone might actually license her to become a hypnotist... it just plain gives me the creeps. I'm going to guess that she's the type of person who's used to having things go her way, and those type of people never do well in Survivor. It's too bad she won't be around long enough to put that abstinence training to work. Mark my words: The first female gone.

Melinda: Janet reminds me of Kathy from Survivor: Marquesas. She's got a fun, eclectic kind of background with a lot of good practical and social experience. Having been a nurse and a sales representative could come in very handy in the Amazon. She just strikes me as being a little too "out there," though. A little too frisky, a little flirtatious, she could get on people's nerves a little. I think she'll only last til about midway through the game.