Survivor Guatemala: Survivor Live Recap, Episode 12

It’s time for the next episode of Survivor Live, CBS’s Internet interview show with the most recently booted contestant(s) from Survivor: Guatemala. The show is hosted by Dalton Ross of Entertainment Weekly and Jenna Morasca, the Survivor: Amazon winner.

This week’s castoff guest is NYC doorman Judd Sergeant IV, whom I suspect will be a lively guest. My own occasional comments are enclosed in square brackets like this [I see the headlines – Doorman Shut Out!]

The hosts start off with some programming notes. The next episode will be, as usual, next Friday. Before the finale Sunday the 11th, they will be on the red carpet, doing interviews. I don’t recap that, but you can watch it on the CBS site if you’d like. They will interview the third- and fourth-place finishers on Monday in L.A., then the winner and runner-up in NYC on Tuesday the 13th.

Proceedings begin with Dalton asking Judd which host is “the bigger scumbag.” Feigning that it’s a tough call, he diplomatically decides the answer is, “Neither.”

Dalton says they like to see people be emotional when they are booted. [Me too – you need to care that much.] Judd says, “I just lost a million dollars, I’m not going to hug anybody. I was miserable. I went out in a blaze of glory like I planned to. I meant every word I said.” They go on to confirm that that includes the statement about them getting eaten by crocodiles.

Judd tells us he messed up a bit at Tribal Council – when he was told by Jeff to bring him his torch, Judd just “saw black” and started to walk away. Probst had to remind him to go get his torch for the formal snuffing ceremony. Judd says he’d have preferred to fling the thing like a javelin.

Jenna asks if he had any idea that Stephenie was so involved in his ouster until he saw it on TV last night, and the answer is, “I had no idea at all, I was totally blindsided by Steph.” Judd says that when it seemed obvious to him that their foursome were going to be voting her out, he talked to Lydia to try and console her in advance. It was nothing more than that but Stephenie took it the wrong way.

Jenna is upset that Lydia plays so passively, offering up her vote to others but never plotting on her own. [Although it worked for Sandra in Pearl Islands and Vecepia in the Marquesas, the “Passive UTR” approach makes for boring TV. Plus, playing Survivor is a once in a lifetime opportunity (usually) and you should actually play the game.] Dalton calls this “The Lydia Rant of the Week.”

Judd isn’t sure why Stephenie listened to Danni so readily, she should have blocked it out because they were allied and Danni was desperate. Dalton says, “Danni played this perfectly.” Danni saw her spot, snuck in the idea that Judd wasn’t loyal to the four, and it took root. Judd reiterates that Stephenie shouldn’t have believed Danni. He’d taken Stephenie on rewards, gave her the family visit – “We became pretty close, not only for immunities, but as friends.” Taking his life in his hands Dalton says, “Not close enough!”

[I really have to say that it seems like Steph screwed up big-time. She busted up the alliance over a misconception, and is now in an extremely tenuous position.]

Jowanda [I’m guessing on the spelling, sorry if it’s wrong] in San Diego is the first caller today. She likens Judd to a character from Animal House, and he likes that since it involves beer. Her question is that although he called the other players “scumbags,” “Don’t you have to be a bit of a scumbag to be on the show?” Dalton thinks maybe to succeed, you do. Jenna isn’t so sure, but notes you do have to be “devious.” The others decide that “devious” is the right word. Judd acknowledges that “scumbag” is “a big word” but figures that he brought the majority numbers to the tribe [not alone he didn’t] and he is still very disappointed at how it played out.

Dalton has the Tribal Council clip played where Judd says “No hard feelings, deal with it,” when he thought Lydia was going home, yet he had hard feelings and it’s readily apparent he has yet to fully deal with it himself. Jenna says that her biggest fear in Survivorwas that she’d be blindsided like that and says, “It’s gotta hurt.”

Dalton’s first question is to ask if Judd sees that contrast [between what he said and what he did]. Judd rambles a bit, but essentially says that he was in a strong alliance and didn’t believe it was going to crumble [The actual question remained unanswered.]

Dalton knows he’s stealing everyone’s question, but asks Judd about being such a bad liar. Judd isn’t so sure he was, as only Gary was looking in the trees. Dalton claims he’d have seen that lie right away. Judd also tells us, when he told the others the Hidden Immunity Idol was on the ground he was still “half in the bag” from his reward the night before. [No sale – you have to be playing the game 24/7, and if you’re not, no matter what the excuse, you go home earlier than you wanted to.]

Elaine from Myrtle Beach asks about his difficult relationship with Margaret. Judd says they just didn’t click and they had nothing in common. He felt she was always telling Bobby Jon and himself what to do, and when. She woke him up once to go fishing and he’d never even been fishing before.

Jenna says she’s looking forward to Judd’s question at the finale. He’s dying to say something here, but knows that he can’t. [I’m betting he goes after any former-alliance mates that make it that far.] They think Jamie might be sassy as well and Judd confirms, “Jamie will give a little sass.”

Mark from Washington admired the explosive Tribal Council. He thinks his question’s been answered, but wonders, has Judd cooled down yet? Judd jokes with him trying to figure which Tribal Council he means. Confirming that it was indeed the last one, he reiterates, “I meant everything I said.” He admits, “I’ve cooled down, just a little bit, not too much but just a little bit.”

The same caller asks if Danni has lied. He says everyone has, adding, “She needs to go home and go right to confession as soon as she gets home.” [Does anyone know when Danni lied? Is she the one getting the “goody-goody” edit this time around? Will she be back next season?] The hosts discuss that there’s degrees of lying. All three agree that no one has ever won without lying. [Did Ethan lie? Jenna doesn’t defend him.]