Surviving the Amazon, Episode 4: Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!

Day 10 opens on several sleeping beauties in Jaburu while the evil step-mother JoAnna sharpens her machete. I don't know about them, but I would be worried.

Jeanne is also up and says they had all agreed to wake up early to get the shelter built. Uh, yeah. Looks like that's happening. JoAnna complains to Jeanne that when it was her shift (presumably to watch the fire), she woke up to find no wood and the fire out. Jeanne goes to get wood, even though JoAnna says she did it yesterday.

Sleepyhead Shawna wakes up and says that every day she is woken up by two women (those would be the ones we were just discussing) shooting her looks like she doesn't do enough ever. And it's not limited to her. She says others in the camp are getting annoyed. To prove the point, JoAnna lectures about some stuff left near the sleeping area. This woman really knows how to do pretty much everything wrong if she wants to stay in the game, doesn't she?

Heidi says that while hard work gets you ahead in life, this isn't life - it's a game. And what gets you ahead in real life may not do it here. So if they want to do extra work, hey, go for it. She'll take a break and end up ahead in the game.

Over on Tambaqui, the men are fishing and not even getting a nibble. Dave says they are not maximizing their main food source - namely, the water. They've got to get some food. Butch says they came up with the brilliant idea to try to find some worms for bait. Wow. It only took 'em 10 days to figure that one out, eh? So they go on a worm hunt. Well, most of them go on a worm hunt - they leave Matthew behind. He says there is no reason for them to go on a long expedition; worms should pretty much be all over. But he also figures it's probably strategy on their part. He knows his biggest challenge is to overcome getting off on the wrong foot because he was friends with Ryan (gone) and Daniel (gone). He's often not included - on purpose. He figures they would vote against him if the vote were tonight. Anyway, they all find some worms, and even a baby scorpion.

Back at Jaburu, they are having some more luck catching fish. Heidi says the work ethic situation is creating friction in the tribe. The "bigger" women with more fat have extra energy to do more work. While the thinner women stay at home. Oy. But it gets better, just wait.

JoAnna provides a lecture to the youngsters that anything worth having is worth working for. Beauty is deceitful, a woman who praises the Lord is good. Beauty will fade, virtue and character last. Well, preaching at them is a good way to stay in the game, JoAnna. You just keep that right up. Heidi can't figure out what that little lecture had to do with anything except that they're cute.

You know, I disagree with JoAnna's preaching and lecturing - but Heidi can't figure out what that was about? Why do the words "dumb blonde" automatically float into my brain right now? Yeesh.

Jenna says JoAnna shouldn't be mad just because they have good bodies. Get over it. It sounds to me like the "cute girls" are the ones who need to get over something - namely themselves. But Jenna continues that she and Heidi have better bodies and that's a liability in a tribe full of women. Awww. Let's all feel bad for the swimsuit model.

Gag.

To protect themselves, the cute girls are forming a cute alliance. Heidi says she has teamed with Jenna and Shawna because the cute little girls will be ganged up on otherwise. I know it sounds like I'm saying "cute" a lot, but, hey, I just report the show.

However, the cute girls can count - at least to four. (Math is hard.) Shawna says if the older women mount an offensive, they need to have a fourth player, so she uses her closeness with Deena to swing her to their side. Deena says they all talked about it and it's a great alliance for her. She has nothing in common with the young, fit, good-looking girls, but she will ally with them because she can persuade them to do things her way while she might not be able to with the more experienced women. Shawna says if the four of them stick together, JoAnna and Jeanne are in trouble. In fact, even if the four dislike each other, they'll still stick together as strategy. Remember these words.

The next day at the male camp, Matthew is fishing off of a log near the boat and pulls in a big peacock bass. Very nice. He says he has been reaching out to the others and thinks it is working. Alex says they have a strong group and can work together - they need to carry that to the reward challenge.

Nice segue, Alex. Here we are at that very challenge, where host Jeff Probst says they all know the value of fire in survival. This challenge will test their ability to make fire. There are four ropes, each attached to a portion of a tribal banner. Each tribe gets flint & steel, a magnifying glass, etc. to make fire. They have to make one at a time to burn through all four ropes. The prize is a refrigerator that they get to keep, and it's fully stocked with Coke, including Vanilla and Cherry Coke as well.

Jenna sits out for the women as everybody takes off to get fire-making objects, sticks, logs, etc. JoAnna immediately begins ordering the women around. When she gets fire going before the men, she, of course, thanks the Lord. The Lord then whips up the wind in the area, making it difficult. But the men still get their fire started.