Survivor: Guatemala – It’s Not What You’re Eating, It’s What’s Eating You

It seemed as though a lot of the bickering and strife on the Turkey Day edition of Survivor: Guatemala revolved around food, or, in Lydia’s case, the lack thereof. The fact that the fishmonger hadn’t been eating too well was eating at her, and she took it out on Stephenie, whom she immediately aimed for during the reward challenge, explaining that Steph had eaten three times.

Let’s examine the last few reward challenges and see exactly why Lydia hasn’t eaten. In the first post-merger challenge, both she and Stephenie chose to eat instead of competing for immunity. In the next challenge, Lydia placed last, and the only reason she ate a fish instead of nuts was due to Jamie’s soul-searching. Yes, Judd chose Stephenie to eat with him, but that was his right. Obviously, Stephenie had formed a bond with him that Lydia hadn’t. That’s where the social aspect of the game comes into play.

Then, during last week’s reward challenge, Stephenie and Danni ran circles around Lydia, who often looked like she was trudging through quicksand. Yes, Stephenie has eaten better than Lydia, but she has earned that right with her performance in the reward challenges.

There are a couple of ironies to Lydia. One is that in one of the most physical seasons of Survivor ever, three females half her age were ousted per-merge, whereas Lydia has found a way to stay in the game. The other irony is that the very reason she hasn’t eaten is the same reason she’s still in the game to begin with: She’s not a challenge threat. The game is now at the point where it’s the exact opposite of Darwinism: That is, the strong don’t survive.

Yes, the lack of food in her belly has got to be wearing on Lydia mentally, and certainly physically. However, she has no one to blame but herself, and targeting Stephenie, who looks to be in control of the game, may not have been the smartest idea. In fact, I could not have said it better than Stephenie when she told the camera, “Well, boo-hoo for Lydia, I’m sick of hearing your crap; you’re lucky you’re still in the game.”

Later, when Cindy and Rafe described the reward feast they enjoyed (at the request of the others), Lydia told the camera she felt insulted, and that Cindy should’ve chosen HER to go along. Why? Just because? What did she do to earn it? Remember that Rafe was runner-up to Cindy. Lydia needs to remember food doesn’t grow on trees… oops, did I just say that? Anyway, Lydia seems to be expecting a handout without doing anything to earn it. Indeed, Cindy asked the camera if Lydia expected everyone to feel sorry for her.

Lydia further failed to help her cause by saying her decision to go after Stephenie was “nothing personal.” How much more personal can you get than petty jealousy? Lydia also noted Stephenie’s popularity, saying anytime someone won a food reward, Stephenie was invited to go along. Hello? That happened exactly once, when Judd invited her to his table.

However, just as the lack of nourishment was eating at Lydia, the fishmonger’s comments during the reward challenge were obviously eating at Stephenie, who would’ve been smart to confine her views to the camera. Instead, she pointed out to everyone who had been eating what, and directed her comments to the tribe as a whole, not Lydia.

Is it possible others had been mumbling about Stephenie’s diet and we just weren’t shown this on camera? If so, she should’ve just rolled with the punches. She’s got the game seemingly where she wants it, and her little rant may have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

However, if Lydia was the only one who was complaining, Stephenie has risked alienating her own alliance by unfairly accusing the others of talking about her. Granted, Gary DID claim Stephenie ate a ton, but that was to the camera. He only responded to Stephenie when she called him out by name. Will Stephenie’s outburst cost her later on? It very well could be her undoing, especially if she makes the final two.

What about Judd? Although he claimed otherwise, it was obvious that not being let in on the vote against Jamie was eating away at him. However, even though he had a right to be as paranoid as the now-booted Jamie was, Judd handled the situation well.

First off, he didn’t fly into a rage once they got back to camp. In fact, he tried to downplay what had happened. Yes, he allowed that he wished he’d been let in on it and was confused, but he wasn’t even the one who brought it up. And even when he answered, he did so rather quietly. Handling the shock the way he did shows Judd definitely has his game face on, a major contrast to the tirades aimed at Margaret.