Survivor: Cook Islands – Survivor Live, Episode 8

Brad says the problem in challenges for Raro is communication. They aren’t talking to each other and thus they are losing in the final moments.

Dalton wonders what they’d have done if the other four had mutinied as well, effectively making a merge. The challenge that was set up to run in a few minutes was geared for two teams, not 12 individuals!

Jenna thinks mutiny is unnecessary and hopes they get “bit in the butt” for it. Brad reveals he’d only talked with the duo for about 15 seconds before the merge, and the trust factor definitely came into play for him. Jenna notes that the White tribe now is united again and wonders if race is again rearing its head. Brad says he didn’t notice that at the time.

Trying to make sense of Raro voting patterns, Dalton asks Brad when his alliance of four came together. It came about early in the game. JP was originally in it as well, but the girls were adamant that he was going home and he could not be saved. Brad says that retrospectively, that may be a regret as JP could have helped in some of the challenges.

The second segment begins with a graphic telling us Brad is very active in several charities, including Big Brothers of Los Angeles, Project Angel Food, Starlight Foundation, and AIDS Project Los Angeles. Brad says, “I’m all about giving back. I’m at a point in my life where I can give back, and there’s nothing to me more fulfilling than being able to make a difference in someone life. It’s exciting.” Good for you, fella.

Dalton asks Brad his thoughts about the ethnic twist. Brad’s initial reaction was “complete and total shock.” He knew it would cause a stir and saw it as an amazing marketing move. On the Asian tribe, they shared a lot of similar life experiences about racial stereotypes with each other. Race is not really an issue for Brad in his life, he sees us all as members of “the Human race.” He says, “It sounds so cliché, but it’s true.”

Brad thought Puka was strategically an amazing team because of their good communications. They won almost every challenge. Had the tribes lasted longer he thinks his position in the game would have been stronger.

Paula from Kansas City asks if Jon had made the merge, would he have gotten back with the other Puka tribe members. Yes. He says, “Yul, Becky and I formed a strong alliance on Puka in the first three days. Hindsight is 20/20, maybe I should have stepped off the mat.” Yes, I think maybe he should have.

She also asks, did you see Candice mouth the words “I love you” to Adam last week? He replies that he did, adding the comment, “She’s a young girl… and she has a lot to learn,” and he laughs. A discussion of the powers of peanut butter follows. The protein and the fat in it are blamed.

Jenna asks if Jenny was also part of the alliance. “No. Jenny, in my book, was never really in.” Dalton reminds us of the vote Jenny cast for Cristina that included a gun. Brad says, “That pissed me off when I saw that. I don’t know why she did it.” He doubts it was ill-intentioned, but understands why it made so many people angry. Brad wonders if Jenny was trying to disguise the number of letters she was printing. Sekou previously told Dalton he counted the printing strokes to tell if it was he or Sundra going home in week one.

Jenna says she always took a lot of time to vote, checking it very carefully. “You have to just breathe, because you’re making a big decision for someone’s life,” she explains.

The next clip shows Nate and Adam deciding whether Brad or Jonathan is a bigger threat, then Nate playing Brad by pretending he was his friend. Dalton asks Jenna if that was necessary and she says, “No, absolutely not.” Brad says it was unnecessary to lie to his face like that, and Jenna says, “It’s almost like he was having fun with it.” She compares Adam to a frat boy drinking beer and watching a football game while deciding who’s next.

Caller Mark from New York again brings up what happens if everyone decides to mutiny. We’ve done this one already, too. After restating what’s above, the hosts surmise that Ozzy and Yul wouldn’t follow Jonathan, even if the room were on fire. Brad agrees that almost everyone is anti-Jonathan at this point. Jenna calls him “abrasive.” Brad says he talked a lot and seemed to be trying to become a leader in the tribe. Dalton adds that at this point in the game Jonathan has pissed off both tribes and the host.

Jonathan from Chicago asks Brad what he did or didn’t do to get voted off. Brad thinks it all started with his not swimming in last week’s challenge. Jenna interjects, “It’s silly.” Brad says they were losing all the challenges in the home stretch and he knows he’s good at puzzles. He adds that his “every man for himself” comment was overblown and became a factor.

Rebecca’s swimming is discussed. Brad says she thought she was going to do really well but Jenna wonders, “How do you not know that you’re maybe not that great a swimmer?”

Dalton inquires into the pre-challenge discussion about Brad’s decision that he would be doing the puzzle instead of swimming. Dalton adds that if people objected and things fell apart, only then do they have a right to be mad. Brad says everyone agreed; there was no rebuttal at all. I recall that the main complainer was Nate, who was not a part of those pre-challenge communications.

Dalton next introduces “Probst’s Thoughts,” the feature where a message Jeff Probst recorded to the departing player is played. Jeff thinks Brad is wearing plaid and tells us Brad was always giving him wardrobe advice. Jeff especially remembers his “bad wind” episode with Cao Boi. He says it was fun having Brad on the show because he had his own opinion and wouldn’t be easily swayed; those are the kind of people they like to have on the show.