There were several members of Survivor: Gabon at the Survivor Dodgeball Charity event last weekend, but I only snapped photos of them and did not ask them any questions at all. They are still under a strict contract with CBS and I did not want to jeoparize that in any way. Check out some photos of them:

Yau-Man (Fiji & Favorites) with Paloma (Gabon)
[Photo: Reality Exploits - DO NOT repost without permission]

Ace (Gabon)
[Photo: Reality Exploits - DO NOT repost without permission]

Anthony (Fiji), Billy (Cook Islands), Jacque (Gabon) & David, winner Beauty & the Geek 4
[Photo: Reality Exploits - DO NOT repost without permission]

Chet (Fans/Faves), Charlie (Gabon) & Tracey (Fans/Faves)
[Photo: Reality Exploits - DO NOT repost without permission]

One of the most loved former Survivors is Yau-Man from the Survivor: Fiji and Fans & Favorites seasons. He’s a very likeable man and even though he admits to being a bit shy at first, he is very friendly and gracious once he gets acquainted.

This weekend when we were in the buffet line beside each other, he told me that in China people will cook and eat anything that flies, swims walks or crawls because meat is so scarce there. And since they cook so many vegetables at home, they expect to see almost exclusively meat at a buffet. It was one of those interesting cultural things I enjoy learning.

He was unable to make it to last year’s Dodgeball event since he was still filming the China season at the time. But now that I had the chance to find out, I was interested in what he’s been doing since the show. So here he is, filling us in on his latest activities:

UPDATE: You can read Yau-Man’s blog entries here. (And I’m adding the link to my sidebar too.)

Chet Welch of Survivor: Fans & Favorites has recovered from his injuries from the show and is doing great. He told me that he is still doing the beauty pageant work and is happier than ever.

[Photo: Lynn DeVries - DO NOT repost without permission]

But he showed me a necklace he wears to commemorate his beloved dog Savannah who passed away while he was filming Survivor. My heart goes out to anyone who loves a beloved pet. They are really family members.

[Photo: Lynn DeVries - DO NOT repost without permission]

Chet is a very warm and friendly person and is really looking wonderful these days. In this clip, he told me which of his fellow Survivors he keeps in touch with since the show.

UPDATE: Chet told me that his special family member who was to join him was to be his dog. He would have been the first person to have a dog as a special family member on Survivor. (See, I like him even more after finding that out, don’t you?)

A week ago I was watching the finale of Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs. Favorites in a screening room at CBS Blackrock in New York City. With me were two former castaways from Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: China, media representatives from Canada and media reps from California. This last week has flown by and I have written five or six posts about that night. This final post will be a wrap up of the evening and will include a sneak peak at where you can see some of your favorite Survivor castaways in the future.

First, I have to say thank you to Lynn DeVries and B5Media who allowed me to cover the Survivor: Micronesia press event in Lynn’s absence. I know Lynn wishes she could have been there to experience it all for herself, but next time she will, I’m sure! I hope that the posts I have contributed have met your expectations – and if they have, maybe I’ll be lucky enough to be a guest correspondent one day again!

I had a blast! What better way can I say it? It was exciting, overwhelming, tiring and totally worth the blisters I got standing in those heels all night long! I would have to say that my only disappointment was that I didn’t get a chance to see or meet Jeff Probst, even though we were told we’d have that opportunity. I had lots of questions prepared for him, so I was pretty bummed about that! But…that was the only disappointment of the night because in the end I got to be my own part of Survivor history!

As I previously reported, I got to meet one of my all-time favorite castaways, Ozzy Lusth, I flirted with James Clement (yes, I admit it!), I stood next to Survivor: China winner Todd Herzog (HUGE surprise!), I interviewed and developed a new respect for this year’s winner Parvati Shallow, and I got to meet Amanda Kimmel, who is such a sweetie!

Now here’s a bit of a wrap up of who else I saw and got to meet!
(click on “Read More” for the rest!)
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My favorite line from Parvati during the Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs. Favorites season was when she said that she came out to win. She played hard and really made some enemies on the island, but in the end, her strategies served her well and she won the million, claiming the title of ultimate survivor.

I interviewed Parvati on the Red Carpet just after she learned she won this season’s Survivor. I asked her how she felt and she said she was glad it was finally over, it still hadn’t sunk in yet and that she couldn’t believe she had actually won. I asked her if it was hard being on Survivor: Cook Islands and then turning around a year later for Survivor: Micronesia and she said not at all — that she was recovered, ready and excited. She said she had a great time on Cook Islands and was thrilled to be going back for a second try.

Parvati Shallow & Todd Herzog
[Photo: Betsy Hijazi]

Parvati’s a really smart lady. Against great odds, she convinced the majority of the jury to vote in her favor, and took some harsh comments about being a role model for others. From my perspective, Parvati is a great role model. She is quite intelligent and is in charge of Public Relations and is a boxer for Knockouts For Girls (www.knockoutsforgirls.org), a “non-profit organization that raises money to provide college scholarships and boxing training to underprivileged girls”. Their goal is to empower girls and give them the tools they need to help them succeed beyond their current means. So far, Knockouts For Girls has raised enough money to provide $10,000 in scholarship funding.
(click on “Read More” for the rest of the story)
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I was rooting for Amanda Kimmel. I thought for sure she’d be the final Survivor on Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs. Favorites. What’s the saying…”Always a bridesmaid…”? It was disappointing that Amanda didn’t win the top prize, but she did just fine. Amanda placed third in Survivor: China, and was the runner up for Survivor: Micronesia. She snagged her own hottie, Ozzy, out on the island, she won a good amount of cash, twice, and she’s going to be in a movie. I think she did alright!

When Amanda joined her fellow castaways for the Red Carpet Interviews after the Survivor: Micronesia finale in New York, I was immediately struck by her beauty. As pretty in person as she was on the island, it’s easy to see why Amanda has been a model. But I think Amanda’s true beauty is in who she is outside of the game.

Amanda Kimmel & Betsy Hijazi
[Photo: Betsy Hijazi]

I watched Amanda be interviewed by both Dennis Luciano (Average Joe fame) and Survivor: China million-dollar winner Todd Herzog. As Amanda spoke with Dennis, she was bubbly, sweet and full of smiles. And when Amanda moved over to Todd, she was like someone who had not seen her best friend for a year. I don’t know who squealed louder, Amanda or Todd! They hugged for what seemed like an eternity and Todd told her how disappointed he was that she didn’t win. She, too, expressed her own disappointment with a big pouty face!
(click on “Read More” for the rest of the story!)
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A few days ago I ran across an interview with Jonathan Penner. I thought, heck, let’s take a look and see what he has to say. Astounded is what I was. I had seen Jonathan this season on Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs. Favorites and was sad that he was pulled out of the game for his injury. All those girls just loved him to death and I thought…what am I missing? Why is everyone so drawn to him?

Jonathan Penner & Billy Garcia
[Photo: Betsy Hijazi]

If a photo is worth a thousand words, then a video must be worth a million – at least. I watched that video interview of Jonathan and realized he is one smooth dude. He is a straight shooter. He’s VERY funny. He’s smart – oh so smart! And those eyes? Yeah…those eyes! It’s no wonder everyone is so drawn to him. He has incredible charisma!

(click on “Read More” for the rest of the interview details!)
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James Clement walked into my life – I mean, up to me to be interviewed – during the Red Carpet Arrivals after the Survivor: Micronesia finale in New York this past Sunday night. The first thing I said to him was, “Would you be offended if I said you were a hottie?” James chuckled quietly and with his all-too familiar big smile said “No ma’am”. “No ma’am”? Are you kidding me??? I laughed with him and said that I couldn’t believe he just called me “ma’am”, and he replied that he couldn’t help it because it’s habit.

James Clement with Betsy Hijazi
[Photo: Betsy Hijazi]

When I think of a “ma’am”, I envision an older woman in her 70s (no offense to anyone!) and just don’t feel I’m quite ready for that title. How am I supposed to call good-looking men like him hotties if I then have an image of me being an old woman? All kidding aside, I laughed with James and told him that I hoped that by the end of the night he’d be calling me by my first name, but if not, ma’am was OK!
(click on “Read More” for the rest of the interview with James)
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CBS just posted some cool clips from the Survivor Reunion show. This first one is the scene where Jeff Probst asks Ozzie if he and Amanda are still seeing each other and Ozzie launches into the bit about having to clean toilets. (Was this intended to make fun of last season’s cleaning toilet confession…?) Here’s the clip:

(click on “Read More” for the rest of the clips)
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Ok, let’s all admit it…I’ll go first…I’m a Survivor fan. I have been since the first season. Some seasons have been great, some not so memorable. And what makes the best memories, for me, are the castaways. Admittedly, I can’t remember everything that happened from Palau to China, but there are people who will always stick in my mind as some of the best players of the game.

Ozzy Lusth & Betsy Hijazi
[Photo: Betsy Hijazi]

I am particularly drawn to the smart thinkers and those with great athletic ability. I’ll always remember Terry Deitz from Panama, who at 46 effectively won 5 of 7 immunity challenges and made it to the final 3. I’ll also never forget Rupert Boneham looting the other team’s boat and supplies as they ran off to barter for more supplies to take to camp. Two others whose games I highly respected were Ozzy Lusth and Todd Herzog – but for different reasons.

During Ozzy’s first go around on Survivor: Cook Islands, he dominated in all challenges, earning individual immunity in 5 of 6 challenges. He was young and athletic and sailed through challenges like a monkey through the jungle! But second place wasn’t good enough for him, and he was lucky enough to be brought back for Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites. I couldn’t have been more thrilled to see him come back as I knew I’d be witnessing great action during the challenges once again!
(click on “Read More” for the rest of the article)
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