Paradise Hotel, July 23: Game On!

Last time on Paradise Hotel, Tara found herself with the power to take any man she wanted – and force one of the existing women to check out. After promising Charla and guest Amanda to keep the three of them there, she broke her word and selected Beau, forcing guest Amanda to check out of Paradise Hotel forever. That left the couples living together as follows:

Toni and Scott: Yellow Room
Amy and Alex: Bird Room
Charla and Dave: Monkey Room
Tara and Beau: Blue Room
Kristin and Zack: Butterfly Room

The women had selected Keith, the male model, as the next guest, but before he arrives, the guests discuss his selection. Amy and Kristin had voted for Jay, which means the other three women voted for Keith. Or did they? Toni says she meant to vote for Jay, but she screwed up. Bet that makes both Jay and Keith feel good. Alex says the girls should pick whoever they wanted, noting that none of the girls wanted Tara to come. Bet that make Tara feel good. Toni claims nobody liked her when she arrived. Zack wonders why she would say things like that. Alex then states the girls picked a male model. Amy says she and Kristin didn't, and Toni says they can blame the whole thing on her. She wasn't paying attention. She gets up and leaves in a huff, after apologizing to Kristin and Amy. Zack starts expressing his dislike of the way Toni left the table (apparently she's done it three weeks in a row) and Kristin asks him to stop. "Why don't you tell her to ******* stop?" he retorts. He dares them to go after her, and says he will. He wants her to grow up. Some of the other men are sick of her behavior as well and finally Kristin goes off to talk to Toni. Toni tells Kristin she's disappointed her and Amy, but Kristin shrugs it off, saying it's no big deal.

Zack and Amy leave the table together and head towards the Butterfly Room. Zack tells her he can't take Toni's attitude any longer. They hop into bed and Zack calls Toni an actress. Amy says that Toni's been like that since day one, but Zack thinks she's gotten worse over the past few weeks. Back at the table, Dave states that for the 10th consecutive time, the Tony Award goes to Toni. "Now accepting the Tony Award on behalf of Toni, Toni," he goes on to say. The other guests at the table smirk. Cutting back to Toni, she's still thinking she disappointed Kristin and Amy. However, Kristin says she's only disappointed in the way she's talking. Toni tells her she's had it and wants to go home. So do I, Toni, so do I! Kristin tells her not to tell anybody else – it's bad news saying it. Back in bed, Amy wants Zack to talk about Toni, but he takes the opportunity to complain that he has to initiate everything from conversations to sex. Amy asks him if she said something wrong. Zack tells her she doesn't show she's very attracted to him. She sarcastically replies that she's sorry she doesn't want to have sex with him every waking moment. "Right. That's what I'm asking for," he responds, just as sarcastically. Over in the Monkey Room, Charla tells Dave that Zack is the most immature, insensitive, inconsiderate, disrespectful to women man she's ever met in her life, and she's met a lot of jerks. She thinks Zack doesn't like her because he knows he can't have her. She goes on to say that he's either intimidated or lacks confidence with women who respect themselves.

Even after their exchange of sarcastic remarks, Amy gets into bed and into Zack's arms, where he expresses his dislike of the way Keith treated him during the selection ceremony. Zack had taken the opportunity to mock Keith's profession (male model), and asked him if he'd worry about his makeup coming off if he got in the pool. The flashback of Keith's response, in which he told Zack he wouldn't be worried about his makeup, he'd be worried about his girl. Zack, that's what you get when you engage in a battle of wits without a weapon. Amy tells Zack not worry, because he won't pick her. She'll make sure he knows not to. Zack goes on to say he's scared about what the people back home will think about him and Amy. He says he's never taken any girl seriously except her. However, she's going to leave him, and he won't go to Los Angeles to be with her. He can't be open with somebody who's going to leave him. Amy tells him if what they have is real, she won't walk out on him. Meanwhile, I want to smack them both. Zack keep ranting that she doesn't know him, then says he won't open up to her because she's going to leave him. Meanwhile, Amy, despite the comments and treatment, still jumps in bed with him. Maybe they deserve each other.

Over in the Monkey Room, Dave suggests Charla should trust people more. She replies that if she felt those people had earned her trust, she would. However, these people stab each other in the back every day. Dave understands her point. Charla goes on to say that Zack is ignorant and oblivious to anybody but himself. Outside, Scott and Kristin hang out together, with him claiming she's never kissed him (she has; during the kissing game a few weeks ago she kissed all the men – passionately). He says he's not suggesting anything, and doesn't want to do it now, but she gives him a good one. The other guests note the action and take interest. Scott and Kristin keep on going and Toni gets pissed off. She says she's going to bed and stalks off to the Yellow Room and climbs in bed. Kristin goes over the group and asks where Toni is, and the rest of them tell her she's pissed and gone to bed. Scott goes into the Yellow Room, leading Toni to get out of the big bed and climb in the little one. Scott wonders what happened.

Outside, Alex and Kristin go swimming (with Kristin still in her clothes) and start getting close. He bites her top and pulls it open, giving us a nice view from the ceiling camera of her open top. They start kissing and by the time the scene changes, she's not wearing a top anymore. Later they climb into bed together. Nothing is shown, but much is implied.

The next day Scott can't figure out why Toni is so pissed. He notes that five days ago she was kissing Alex (as shown in flashback, and they were going hot and heavy). She says her thought pattern was all over the place. He claims she holds it all in, then snaps at people (flashback to when Beau told her to shut up, and her subsequent rant). He goes on to tell her she's kissed a lot of people, but he hasn't kissed anybody (uh, you just DID in the last scene, and you got your share of action in the kissing game a few weeks ago). She tells him she felt stupid after he spent three minutes kissing Kristin and asks if he understands that. He does, and she goes on to tell him she always thought he was hot. He tosses the way she slept in the small bed back at her, as well as the way she left the group without telling him goodbye, and the way she won't shake his hand back in her face. He says it's bull****. She tells him she just wasn't comfortable sleeping in the big bed. He claims he's been cool about it, whereas a lot of other guests would have snapped right back at her. "Well, bring it," she responds.

At breakfast, Alex asks Scott how the talk with Toni went. He says she's been biting her tongue too much, holding too much back, and we'll now be seeing the "real" Toni. The men laugh, and Beau says he's glad that The Hulk is going to come out. Over at the women's table, Toni confirms it by saying it will be a whole new ball game for her. A flashback of shown of her screaming at Dave during the last Pandora's Box game. She goes on to say she's going to have to face herself in the mirror, and that's all she cares about now. "About time," responds Amy. Toni tells them she's going to voice her opinion, but be prepared, because it's going to be the truth. She has no outlet, and while she didn't know which way was up before, she does now. She wants openness and honesty.

OK Toni, since you asked for honesty, you're a bitch.

Back at the men's table, Dave is flabbergasted to hear that Toni thinks she's been holding back. He resents her making him out to be the bad guy and says she'll never be his friend. He says she goes from being Toni to morphing into this "thing," and Alex acts out morphing into a gorilla.

Host Amanda Byram and Keith arrive at Paradise Hotel, and Amanda introduces him to the group. She reminds the guests that Keith will spend the week in the Black Room alone the for the week, then he'll break up a couple, sending an existing man home. Handshakes and hugs are given out, then Dave tells him it's a tradition to take the new people to the bar, where they have a drink and make a toast. Keith tells us the women are beautiful, just what he expected. He thinks Charla has a good body, but he's most attracted to Tara. She has a beautiful face, and he wants to spend the next few days seeing if anything happens. Kristin thinks he's good looking. Dave suggests Keith have one of the ladies show him around, but he wants Zack to do the honors. Zack does so, and they chat about some of the guests, and tells him Tara is talking like she wants to hook up.

That evening, the guests go swimming and Kristin tells Keith while he can pick whoever he wants, she's going to tell him where to score points. She suggests he'll have five girls against him if he doesn't make the right decision, but doesn't tell him what it is yet. Keith tells us he feels under pressure, as everybody is going around, talking, and making alliances. He has no idea what he's going to do. He later tells Tara he feels secluded and Tara tells him she felt the same way during her first week. She says that Dave and Charla trust each other, and that's the only reason they are still there. She indicates other couples (such as Amy and Zack) as well. He thinks it would be good for her if he broke up the pack. She says it would be good for everybody to have no more married couples and all that crap. He thinks it would be crazy to eliminate Zack, but Tara laughs and tells him that the coupled guests don't expect to be broken up. They think it would be too intimidating and are insecure. Keith says they should all feel insecure. He tells her that Kristin already threatened him (as shown in flashback), and Tara says he's safe with either her or Charla. He agrees to go along with her plan, apparently not remembering the promise Tara made to guest Amanda shortly before she stabbed her in the back. "Wow, people are going to crap their pants," she comments.

Over backgammon, Keith asks Alex and Zack what they would do in his position. Alex indicates their answers would be biased, as they both would be looking to save their own ass. Zack states he doesn't want Alex or Scott to go, but can deal with anybody else leaving. He says all of the girls and most of the guys love him and Alex. They tell him Beau is mad because guest Amanda is gone. Dave comes by and tells Keith they only have a few days to prove to him who they are. In voiceover, Dave tells us Tara used her power last week to help the group by sending guest Amanda home, but doesn't know if Keith will do it. He notes that Keith has the power to send any guy home, and every man is worried.

Over dinner, the group toasts Keith's first day in Paradise. Keith notes the interaction between the couples, particularly Beau and Tara. His voiceover reminds us he's most attracted to Tara. However, she and Beau are exchanging long looks at the table and head back to the Blue Room together. They get in bed and make out. Tara's voiceover indicates people might be annoyed with Beau, but she likes him.

It's another evening and Beau is concerned he's being treated like an outcast and a scapegoat. Kristin says she's learned to block him out and Zack says he keeps interrupting conversations. In confessional, Beau pleads guilty to the charge, but dismisses it. Zack starts complaining that Kristin, Scott, Amy, Alex, and Toni don't know him at all, a conversation Charla overhears (interestingly, Keith, Tara, Charla, Beau, and Dave were excluded, and, except for Beau, I don't even think he's ever tried to get to know them). Later, Amy visits him in his bathroom and they start talking about Keith, as do Charla and Tara in another area. Tara reveals that she thinks Keith has made a decision about which girl to pick. Flashback to their conversation at the bar. Charla thinks they shouldn't jump to conclusions. Zack tells Amy Keith is going to shock everybody at the last minute, and thinks Dave and Beau are the underdogs.

The next day's lunch features a staff member bringing another envelope, this time to Charla. It's another round of everybody's favorite game, Pandora's Box. Every hotel guest will get to write down a question they want answered by the guest of their choice, and put it in the box. That evening, the questions will be asked and, if history means anything, people are going to fight and have feelings hurt.

The guests gather around and the first question is for Kristin. It notes she talked to Keith a lot the previous evening and asks if she's attracted to him. She denies being attracted to him, which causes Keith's face to fall. Kristin says every guy at the hotel is very good looking, but she's not attracted to him at all. A few people clap, but Keith's not smiling at all. A question for Amy asks her if she and Zack are in love. Neither Zack nor Amy like the question, and Amy says love is a word she takes seriously. She denies they are in love, though thinks there is potential for it in the future. Keith is asked which girl he wouldn't miss in Paradise, and why. He names Amy, saying that he doesn't know her, he doesn't communicate with her, and they haven't talked. Amy and Zack don't look happy at the answer.

Alex has to answer the next question, which asks him which person he thinks has lied to his face and disrespected him deliberately behind his back. He says it's the hardest question he's faced since he's been at Paradise Hotel, but answers Beau. He hears things which may or may not be true. Beau is asked how it feels to know Alex and Zack have lost their trust in him. Beau tells Alex that, just like what he said about not trusting him, he's starting to not trust him. He goes on to say that while some people think he's distanced himself from them, people he thought were his friends distanced themselves from him. To learn that two people he thought were friends don't trust him anymore makes him feel like crap. Zack tells him that if he was a friend, he wouldn't keep interrupting people, then claims Beau thinks the world revolves around him.

The next question is directed at Toni, asking her how she feels that, at breakfast, Dave said that no matter how much she apologized to him, he'd never forgive her. "Shut up! Game on! I'm done! I'm so done!" she storms. Dave calmly says that he was told she had planned a speech for when he was voted off and she interrupts him, saying she never planned a speech, but she wants him gone and she'll say it to his face. She says he brings this **** up, and doesn't think she'll find out. Game on. She goes on to say that if wants to get her out, to try it. If he wants to play the game with her and not be honest, game on again. She tells him to tell her what he feels, and she'll respect him more, but don't **** with her. She's the wrong girl to **** with. She continues her rant by saying that the game is temporary, but life is permanent. If he's honest with her, she'll respect him, but if he ***** her, she'll get him. "That's all I've got to say," she finishes, then stalks off.

Afterwards, Dave and Toni have a chat. Dave tells her that Pandora's Box is the place they air stuff, but he wants her to quit treating him like she is. She starts crying and says she owes him the biggest apology. She says everything caught up to her and everybody was nitpicking and he didn't deserve what she said tonight and he never deserved it. She claims she's a good person and he's a good person and there was no reason for her to say that, and every reason for her to say "enough." She cries out that she took it too far. She knows she's conscious about her looks, and throughout her whole life people looked at her and wondered what was wrong with her. She's never been the good looking girl. She works out because she has frustrations and thinks if she has size, people won't pick on her. She promises she'll never bring it up again and apologizes to him. Dave says that now that they've cleared the air, he doesn't want her out and hopes she doesn't want him out, and they should try to keep working on their relationship. She just wants him to know that whatever else happens, she's sorry. She says she won't actively try to get him out, and they hug each other. OK, now I'm to have say a few nice things about Toni. She's taking some responsibility for her actions and apologized to Dave for the way she's treated him. She even seems to genuinely feel bad. Frankly, if she is like this in real life, she might consider getting a diagnosis for her mood swings. Going from raging bitch to apologetic and tearful might indicate an underlying chemical imbalance that can be treated with medication.

Afterwards, Alex, Scott, and Dave get together, with Alex being incredulous that after Toni's hit Dave in the face 25 times, he's still willing to shake her hand. Keith notes that it's freaking hectic at Paradise Hotel, and the existing guests have been there way too long. He's been there two days, and doesn't know what people think about each other. People are at each other's throats (haven't you been watching the show?). He thinks they need a break, since they aren't sitting back and enjoying the view. Kristin tells Amy and Toni that they are killing her. Amy says it's a beautiful ******* place, and all they do is abuse each other. Amy says she's done with waking up every morning and hearing the way people are talking about how they don't like other people. She wants to live life to it's fullest, and this isn't it.

Zack has his own words to tell Amy and Kristin. He tells Kristin she trashed Beau publicly, then put him and Alex on the spot. She then backed down and he lost a lot of respect for them. Amy wants to remember the beautiful hotel when she leaves, but Zack wonders if she thinks they should all love each other. She says she didn't realize what she was getting into. She concedes Beau does things that irritate her, but doesn't think she should point out every fault he has. She thinks there are probably things about her that he doesn't like. Zack thinks she should have called it on him. However, she felt that Beau was being attacked. Keith's confessional indicates that Beau doesn't mean anything by what he does. Over in the Monkey Room, Charla tells Dave she was going to ask Amy a question about Zack, but didn't have the heart for it. She didn't want to hurt her feelings. Dave tells her that the more he gets to know Amy, the more he thinks she's a sweetheart. Charla hasn't gone that far yet. She tells Dave he has faith in the people she thinks are the dirtiest people at the hotel. Beau confronts Amy and Toni, saying that Amy, Zack, Kristin, Alex, and Toni were his go-to people, but he doesn't know if he can trust them anymore. Back in confessional, Keith notes that Zack, Amy, Kristin, and Alex have an alliance, and switch on and off constantly. He doesn't like it, and thinks they might need to be broken up (obviously unaware of the rant Zack just had with Amy and Kristin, as it's shown during his voiceover). He never wants to be with them.

Next week, Paradise Hotel is aired on Tuesday and Wednesday again, with the men making roommate choices. Keith has the power to decide who goes home. Kristin gets passionate with Keith on a boat trip, but he is concerned she might be using him when she tells him if he sends Alex or Zack home, a lot of people will be pissed off (like they aren't already). Charla has an emotional breakdown. We're promised shockwaves in the aftermath of Keith's roommate choice. Noticeably missing is any mention of a new girl joining the cast. So while Paradise Hotel was extended by six weeks, they may be winding down to the "ultimate" prize for the last couple standing we've been promised for a few weeks.

Jeffrey Clinard lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, with his cats, Lam and Princess. He can be reached at jclinard@flashmail.com.

Be sure to sign up for our e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on the site! And take a look at the rest of the site. You can find out about some other popular shows at our Amazing Race 4 page and our Fame page; and don't miss The Reality TV Hall of Shame. You can even buy reality show stuff at our Reality TV Store!

For more news about reality TV, be sure to check out SirLinksALot!