Paradise Hotel, July 30: Truth and Consequences

When we last left Paradise, Keith shocked everybody by picking Amy for his roommate, thus evicting Zack. This left the couples living together as follows:

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

The episode begins with everyone having drinks in Paradise and Toni hugging Dave from behind. Looks like she's changed her idea of what he is. Amy tells Keith what he did last night (picking her and sending Zack home) was selfish. Kristin reminds him that she warned him twice, and he's going to pay for it. Amy rants that he had no reason to break up a couple, and he responds he wants to win the game. She thinks he's stupid for thinking he can win the game after evicting Zack. Apparently Zack was popular, respected, and all that. Amy, think a minute... those reasons, plus Keith's position, are the best reasons for kicking him out. Just who is the selfish person here? Amy claims she knew from the beginning he wanted Zack out; Keith denies it. The flashback indicates Keith told Tara it would be crazy to eliminate Zack. Amy goes on to say he stabbed everybody in the back with his choice. Keith stops the group and says only one person has the right to be angry with him - Amy. He challenges her to name a person who deserved to go over Zack. Amy ducks the question and Dave chimes in that Amy should name names if she is serious about her rant. Alex pipes in that the only people he said he wanted to stay were himself, Zack, and Scott. Beau challenges him to name names (even though he kind of did by excluding Beau and Dave), but Alex also refuses to do it. Keith declares everybody is acting like two-year-olds. Amy cusses at him and Keith challenges her to leave Paradise Hotel. She declares he's been cocky, inconsiderate, and selfish and threatens to make his time there a living nightmare. Keith shrugs it off, saying that she doesn't scare him. She responds he has no friends, trust, or respect. To be honest, at this point, I do respect Keith for not being a sheep. He made a hard choice knowing he'd get hell for it. Amy only speaks for half of the hotel, or, to be blunt, for all the guests who matter (in her opinion).

It's new guest selection time, and the couples join in. Well, most of them do. Amy and Keith ignore each other. The Los Angeles studio audience cheers as Amanda introduces the guests. She says that they love surprises at Paradise Hotel, and tonight is no exception. She’s actually at the hotel itself instead of the studio, and they’ll be making this week’s choice there in person. She introduces the two hopefuls. The first is a 22-year-old who sells fine jewelry, Holly Pastor. Her audition video indicates she's very outgoing. She washes her car in a bikini and shows off her holly leaf tattoo. She believes in love at first sight, noting that when she's met a guy at a bar, she's felt sparks. She won't stop anything from happening.

The other person is a 28-year-old physical therapist from Davey, Florida, Whitney Michael. Whitney's audition video shows she is easygoing and gets along with people. She wants to get away, relax, and take time off during her stay at Paradise Hotel. Amanda thanks and seats her, then declares that Paradise Hotel has a surprise for them. She sequesters the women away from the men in a secret viewing area where they can watch the audition and the men. Dave asks Holly that since she believes in love at first sight, what does she feel now? She says nothing. Alex wants to know which girl they won't get along with and why. The women, listening in, are very interested. Holly names Charla because she's quiet. Whitney names Amy because she's not open to the newcomers. The women hate that response. Scott challenges Holly to do something that qualifies as doing or saying “anything,” like she promised. She gets on his lap. Toni is astonished. Holly says she'll do much more if picked and kisses Scott. Dave tells Whitney his back is in a lot of pain from his tennis matches. He wants her to do something about it. She doesn't do much.

At this point, Amanda says it's only fair the women get a chance to ask the men some questions as well. Holly asks which girl is each of the men's favorite. Keith says none of the girls like him (and Amy confirms it), but names Charla, just because she's down-to-earth. Alex also names Charla, but as his least favorite because she's boring. Whitney asks the men which girl is playing the game the most. Beau names Toni; Toni is shocked. He says one minute she's annoying, but the next minute lovey-dovey. "Welcome to my world," says Toni. Keith says his time has been an emotional roller coaster (like he gives a damn, interrupts Amy), and he doesn't know the people well enough to answer. Amy calls him disgusting. Keith says he was nice to people but after one decision, everybody turned on him. Kristin says he caused it, and Amy says his time there will be a living hell. He calmly tells the two candidates that they are entering at a critical stage and he can't say who they can trust. Amy snaps that Keith has nobody to trust. Dave says that everybody is playing the game, but Toni is playing it the hardest. "You son of a bitch!" she exclaims. Dave says that during the last three weeks, she wanted him gone, but now that she's vulnerable, she’s being nice. Dave's assessment is probably the closest to the truth. Toni says he's evil and she's going to drown his f**king ass!

Amanda thanks everybody, then admits there is something she didn't tell the guys. That small oversight was that the women had been watching the men via television the whole time. The women laugh and wave. Amanda invites the girls to give responses. Charla calls out Alex, saying that she'll try to be more interesting, but it was interesting to know how the guys think. She goes on to say that if people don't accept her as-is, that is their choice. Toni calls out Dave and says that while she respects his feelings, she's not going to kiss his ass anymore. He tells her he said everybody was playing the game (true). She tells him it's "game on," like he hasn't heard that from her a dozen times already. Tara says Holly's tattoo (above her buttocks) is not original and asks what originality she'll bring. She says she can't give an answer, but people will or won't like her tattoo. Amy wants to know if either of the women will stab her in the back like Keith did. Holly says it will be a hard choice because she will have to kick out somebody, but she won't hurt somebody intentionally. Whitney merely states it's a game, and says that decisions are not meant to hurt anybody.

Decision time. The men huddle up and talk. Amy badmouths Whitney's "’80s" hairstyle. Kristin thinks the men will pick Holly because she has big boobs and several of the men like them. It's prophetic, as Scott delivers the news that Holly is the new guest. The women applaud; apparently they like the choice. Amanda sends Whitney home and welcomes Holly to Paradise Hotel. She tells Holly she'll be spending the first week in the Single Room, and will be sending home an existing lady next week when they select roommates. The women act all shocked, but this should be old news to them by now. The guests toast the new arrival, and Toni starts sucking up to Holly by complimenting her on her legs, boobs, and smile.

Time for Amy to do some more Keith-bashing. She says he took away the one person everybody looked up to and trusted a lot. She drones on that he took away the most respected person and calls him cocky, inconsiderate, and selfish. "Fine," he replies. Beau pipes in that there is a difference between playing the game and screwing with people's emotions. Keith says he had to do something to break the group up. Beau asks why he kicked off someone who was so well-liked. "I'm playing the game," he responds. Toni says that what he did to Amy and Zack was heartwrenching. If anybody is being nice or kind to him, it's superficial. She promises him that he won't win. Dave looks on in amusement as Amy tells Holly that it's not a game to them, the emotions are real. "You can guarantee that I will **** bite back like a pit bull and not stop," she storms. Dave feels bad for Holly having to go through all that on her first night.

At 5:34 a.m., Keith goes into the Bird Room to chat with Charla and Dave. Keith says the others are mean (flashbacks of Amy's rant), and Dave says they are so about themselves (flashback to the way Kristin warned him to make the "right" decision). Keith notes that the others seem to think nobody deserves to be in Paradise except themselves, and that's wrong. Charla tells him she and Dave want him to stay. Dave and Keith agree they need to recruit Holly to their side, but in a sincere manner. Elsewhere, Tara tells Holly she doesn’t envy her position because she was in it and people are going to hound her. People told her who she should pick and that if she didn't, she'd get voted out. She lets Holly know that isn't true. Back in the Bird Room, Keith suggests that Charla recruit Tara and Charla says she's been trying, but doesn't trust Tara because she doesn't have a backbone.

At breakfast, Holly gets an envelope stating she's going on a private luxury excursion with the man of her choice. It's a romantic evening and they won’t be back until breakfast. It then states that tomorrow she'll get another romantic night with a different male guest. Everybody thinks it's cool she gets two all-nighters. Keith takes Holly somewhere private and tells her the originals want all the new people out and that it must be hard to be the odd person out. She agrees and says she doesn't want anything bad. He tells her he needs somebody to help the new people out.

Elsewhere, Charla confronts Tara and says she's worried about her. In confessional, she says she is looking for signs Tara is switching over. She asks Tara if she wants to play the game or make people happy. Charla lays it on the line, saying they need another girl in order to keep Dave and Keith, because they are the only ones who will keep themselves in the game. Without her, Keith is gone. Tara agrees to go along with the plan and Charla tells her if she's telling the truth, they have a chance, but if not, both of them are out. Tara said she's been thinking about it, but reminds Charla that Holly has the ultimate say. Holly asks Scott if he will join her on the excursion and he agrees. Keith and Alex are surprised by the selection. Alex thinks Holly will send Tara home, but Keith thinks she'll take out Charla.

Dinnertime, but before the toast, Dave says Alex has something to say. Alex wishes Scott and Holly a good time, but he, Amy, and Beau had something planned. He says to be on the lookout for notebooks or scrolls. Holly and Scott are sent on their evening, which takes place in a penthouse suite of a hotel, complete with swimming pool. Back at Paradise Hotel, Beau, Alex, and Amy come out wearing togas. They invite the others to the first annual Paradise Hotel Toga Party. Guests will only be admitted if they have the gifts, togas, and a drink. Dave goes back to the Monkey Room and calls a staff member for sheets and towels. The guests all get into bedsheets, and Charla jokes Dave should stuff tissue in his underwear and have it stick out. Keith brings a drink as a gift. Tara brings coupons for backrubs promised to bring ecstasy (with the paper bearing her lip prints). She also shows off her underwear, with the slogan “kissy-kissy” written on the back of it. Charla brings snacks, Dave plastic bottles, Toni a neck brace, and Kristin whipped cream.

Over at the penthouse, Scott and Holly enjoy the view and bring out the champagne. They toast their romantic excursion together and end up in the pool kissing each other. The guests at Paradise Hotel start the games, with the first being toga judging. Each guest is introduced with a nickname, and Tara takes the opportunity to show her panties off. Toni flashes her breasts. Dave wins the male category, and they award him a straw hat. If it seems strange that the "originals" would pick Dave to win something, keep in mind that Beau and Alex are judging and Scott's away. That means the only competition was Keith, who isn't exactly Mr. Popularity with them. Tara and Toni tie for the women's category. The party degenerates as Tara shows off her underwear some more and licks whipped cream off some of the men. Toni kisses Dave, so I know she must be drunk. Game off, Toni?

The next morning, Scott says he had a good time with Holly, and they return to Paradise Hotel. Dave comes out to breakfast wearing the straw hat, and he thanks Amy for the party. Holly tells the girls about the flowers and fruit, but Toni whispers, "Boring." Scott tells the men that Holly is a really cool girl. Beau asks if she's cooler than Toni, which causes the men to laugh, and we see a flashback of one of Toni's many rants. As a flashback of Scott touching Holly's bikini top is shown, he's asked what his favorite body part of hers is. "Her eyes," he replies.

In the Bird Room, Toni tells Amy they are on high alert. Toni has just figured out that Dave, Charla, and Tara are plotting to get rid of them. Toni names Charla as the ringleader. Amy asks her how she knows, and Toni says she can feel it. Of course, they admit they are trying to keep their group together, but apparently they think the others shouldn't be playing the same game. They want Charla to drop the innocent act. Over in the Monkey Room, Keith tells Tara and Charla that the others are frightened, but they don't know there is a foursome. In confessional, Charla remarks that Toni accused her of clinging to the newcomers. She wonders what the alternative is - clinging to them? "Yeah, right," she remarks. She thinks they are mean and she'd never treat people the way they do. She wants them to keep thinking she's dumb.

Toni tells Amy and Kristin that they are all safe with different men (Beau, Alex, and Scott). Toni's confessional indicates she's going to play the game hard. If she goes, fine, but if not, somebody is in a lot of trouble. The trio of Amy, Kristin, and Toni all agree that Charla is the target. Apparently, this trio needs to reconsider their position. Holly decides who gets kicked out, not them. While it was possible to conspire with the others earlier in the game to control who left, the new person now has absolute power. So if they are going to play the game, they really ought to figure out the rules first. While it's fine to want your friends to stay in the game, the trio has ignored the newcomers for the most part, putting them in a revolving door. People don't like being treated as outcasts. Survivor: Marquesas will always be remembered for the way five unallied people, some of whom didn't even like each other, were treated as disposable. They rebelled and stole the game. It's taken some time, but the outcasts at Paradise Hotel have forged a similar connection. The only people who had really figured it out from the start were Dave and Keith, who both, in very different ways, made decisions which helped them develop a power base (Dave by picking the unpopular Charla; Keith by picking the very popular Amy). Plus, the outcasts are simply nicer people. Toni has raged at Dave, Kristin threatened Keith before he made a choice, and Amy has spit out venomous hatred to Keith after it.

Only one episode of Paradise Hotel is scheduled for next week, on Monday night. Holly makes a move on Beau. Toni fights with Amy after apparently learning she wasn't part of the quartet (Amy, Kristin, Scott, and Alex). Toni accuses the trio of Charla, Tara, and Dave of being after her. Plus, Holly gets to select a roommate and kick out an existing guest... but which one will it be?

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

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