 |
Jenna Morasca left the 'Survivor' game on last night's episode to be with her dying mother. |
There are some things in life that are more precious than being a star on a
popular reality show. There are some things more important than
having a chance to win a million dollars. Fame is fleeting. Fortunes are
eventually spent. Family, good health, friendships and personal happiness
cannot be replaced with fame or fortune. On last night's episode of
'Survivor: All Stars', contestant Jenna Morasca made the boldest and
smartest move ever in the 'Survivor' game. She forfeited the game to be with her
dying mother Carla.
Before the Immunity Challenge was to begin, Jenna, the winner of 'Survivor:
The Amazon', made a tearful announcement that shocked the other
players.
"Due to someone who is very ill and at home right now and getting worse, I
have to pull myself out of the game and be there," said Jenna. "I love this
game so much but my priority is my family. It just doesn't make any sense
to be here any more. I need to take myself out of this game."
"You are talking as though you are getting information and updates on your
mom for the last nine days," replied host Jeff Probst maybe making it clear
that the producers had no part in Jenna deciding to leave.
"No. This is my mother and I am the only child. I've got a vibe. I've got a
feeling that she needs me there. My dad needs me there. Everybody needs me
there," Jenna explained.
Jenna admitted to the others that despite her mother's best wishes, she
should never have joined the 'All-Star' cast.
"I made a bad judgment call. I shouldn't have came. I thought that I could
do it and she would want me to. I was wrong. I should be there in case
something happens. I would never forgive myself," she said. "You got to
weigh your options. I love this game but...it's my family."
Though it didn't really matter what the other players thought about the
situation, Probst did question them any way.
"I think family is the most important thing in the world. There is nothing
you could ever put above family. I wouldn't have come out here to begin
with. No matter if my mother said...I want you to go...I would never have
came...ever," said Chapera tribe member Alicia Calaway.
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien, Jenna's Mogo Mogo tribe member and shoulder to cry
on during the game, was quick to defend Jenna.
"Jenna admits her mistake," Kathy said emphatically.
Wanting Jenna to further explain her decision, Probst asked if she
was leaving because the game and surviving in the Pearl Islands was just
too hard.
"No. I can handle it. I handled it last time. This is time I need with my
mother. I need to be there sitting by her bed whether she is awake or not.
I need to know I have this time with her while I could," said Jenna.
Wise guy Rob "The Robfather" Mariano seemed to take issue with Probst's
continued quizzing of Jenna and the comments made by his own tribe member,
Alicia.
"I don't even think it is right to question her motives. We don't know what
she is thinking or how she is feeling," said Rob. "I am not one to get
emotional but I know inside right now, I feel butterflies. So, I say we
just support her decision and go from there."
Probst summed up the situation as a "big action" with "big consequences".
He then postponed the Immunity Challenge.
"Chapera and Saboga, you get off easy in a sense. You get a free pass
today. Nothing at stake. You are going back to camp. Mogo Mogo, from a game
point of view, it hurts you. This is a game about numbers. You only have
six to begin with. Now, you are down to five. That increases your chances
of being voted out at the next Tribal Council," he said.
Probst then told Jenna that an official Tribal Council would not be held
but there was the formality of her walking away from the game. He
asked Jenna if she could make it to Tribal Council.
"No. I can't. I am sorry. I have been pushed too far. I can't do it," said
Jenna. With that, Probst curtly called in a boat to whisk Jenna out of the
game after she hugged some of her castmates.
Proving that Jenna had indeed made the right choice, the producers put up a
notice at the conclusion of the episode informing viewers that Jenna
arrived safely home to be with her mother. Carla Morasca succumbed to
cancer eight days later. In all likelihood, Jenna might have been targeted
as a former 'Survivor' winner any way and voted off sooner or later. Jenna
is only the third person to leave the 'Survivor' game without being voted
out at Tribal Council. On 'Survivor: The Australian Outback', Kucha tribe
member Michael Skupin passed out and fell into Kucha's camp fire after
blowing on the coals. Skupin severely burned his hands and had to be
air-lifted out of the game to receive emergency medical attention. On 'Survivor: Marquesas', Paschal English was never voted out either. He picked the wrong rock in a tied vote between Kathy and Neleh and was forced to exit the game without a vote being cast against him. Though
Osten Taylor did quit the game last season, he was officially booted at
Tribal Council (no ballots were cast but Probst confirmed everyone's vote
verbally) and his torch was snuffed by Probst accordingly.
The remaining Survivors at the start of the broadcast were:
Chapera Tribe
1. Alicia Calaway.
2. Amber Brkich
3. Rob Cesternino
4. Rob Mariano.
5. Susan Hawk.
6. Tom Buchanan.
Saboga Tribe
1. Ethan Zohn.
2. Jenna Lewis.
3. Jerri Manthey.
4. Rupert Boneham.
Mogo Mogo Tribe
1. Colby Donaldson.
2. Jenna Morasca.
3. Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien.
4. Lex Van Den Berghe.
5. Richard Hatch.
6. Shii Ann Huang.
Mogo Tribal Happenings (Day Five)
It is the third episode so it is about time for us to hear the players
whine and complain about the insects munching on them when they are
parading around shirtless, in shorts or bikinis. It is enough to make you
toss a brick through your television set.
Lex: Scratching makes the bites worse. The sea water stings them and you
sometimes feel as if the bites are on fire. Sob. Sob.
Jenna: "There's bug bites on top of bug bites on top...We look like
freaks."
At the hovel, Lex kindly advises Jenna not to scratch if she can help it.
She might end up scarred if she doesn't quit it. Jenna just wants to go
home. She hates everything.
Kathy: Is worried that Jenna is not eating at all. Her body is in a
tailspin and she has to push Jenna to look after herself. Jenna is a zombie
most of the time.
Lex and Shii watch from a distance as Jenna sits alone on some rocks.
The 'She-Devil' concludes that Jenna is "not happy". Great observation,
Sherlock. Hmmm. Jenna isn't eating, is not taking care of herself and just
mopes around? Gee, do you think she is torn apart worrying about her mom or simply just depressed? Not happy is an understatement.
Saboga Tribal Happenings (Day Seven)
Jenna, Ethan and Jerri are working like mad cleaning up the camp and
building some sort of table or bench. Rupert 'Blackbeard' mocks them. He
figures it is guilt over voting Rudy out.
'Wicked Witch' Jerri: Feels good about where the tribe is at. Everyone is
working together in a positive manner.
Rupert catches another fish, albeit a very small one. Everyone acts like
'Blackbeard' speared Moby Dick or something. Ethan grabs the spear and
decides to try his luck...again. Ethan stabs and maims some
coral and undersea vegetation. He comes back empty-handed. Ethan: "I
couldn't do it." Rupert: "Don't worry. You will get better." Jerri was
hoping Ethan would catch something as it would be good for his ego. Rupert
doesn't want the fishing to turn into a competition. He is afraid it will
divide the tribe. Saboga is a little tribe but they could be a mighty
tribe.
Mogo Mogo Tribal Happenings (Day Seven)
Time for...'Fishing With That Fat Naked Gay Guy'...starring Richard Hatch.
Without further ado, here's our host...
'King Richard': He desperately wants to net a manta ray. The spear he has
is too blunt though. Wait a second. First the water is bad, the tribes
can't start a fire and now the fishing equipment is inadequate? What's
next? The grand prize of a million dollars in freakin' food stamps? If we
didn't know better, we'd swear the players have been set up. Naw. The
producers would never do that just to create drama? Would they?
Underwater, 'King' Richard spies a medium sized shark resting comfortably
under a rock ledge. Richard lets the spear float and ponders his next move.
Using his bare hands, our intrepid fisherman grabs the shark by the
tail?!?!? Holy crap is right. While holding onto the tail, 'King' Richard
attempts to pry the shark out with the spear. He lets go of the head and
the shark bites his arm. It won't let go. Ouch! Rich can't pry it off
so he eventually bounces the shark's head off a rock until its brains are
scrambled.
Back at camp, 'King' Richard proudly shows off the bite mark and details
his epic struggle with Jaws Jr.
Colby: Is it possible to call a gay man a stud?
'She-Devil' Shii-Ann fawns all over Richard...again. You'd think he turned
water into wine or something. He is a "fishing god". It was almost
"Hemmingway-esque". Yadda. Yadda. Yadda. Talk about playing to the cameras.
Someone vote her off, please.
As the tribe chows down on shark, 'King' Richard says: "He bit me. I ate
him."
Lex says he is sick of thanking Richard Hatch over and over again.
Richard: "Bye. Bye. Each of you soon."
Reward Challenge
It's 'While You Were Out' meets 'Survivor'...without that perky hottie
Chayse Dacoda and that charming carpenter Andrew Dan-Jumbo though. Sigh.
Saboga receives a crate with a certain home improvement retailer's logo
slapped on the side of it. Inside are all sorts of building tools. The
players will have one day to improve the wretched dwellings they call
homes. A contractor will then survey each camp site to assess the
improvements.
Reward
First place winners: A crate of goodies and the second clue to their
treasure chest. Second place winners: Just the second clue. Third place
tribe: Nada, nothing, ziltch.
Result
At Chapera, Susan has no faith in her tribe. Their shelter will be a
disaster. Duh? Shows you how much she watches 'Survivor'. Doesn't she
realize 'The Robfather' is a construction worker. Duh is her. Sue and Tom
argue over bringing the box with the tools inside back to camp. Tom calls
Sue "the hag from hell". He is not sure how he made it through 48 years
without her around. In Tom's mind, Sue's elevator doesn't reach the top
floor.
As per the rules, Sue and Am-bore sit out. Sue describes her tribe
mates as "really stupid". 'The Robfather' puts together a plan. Everyone
follows his lead. The useless Rob C. is paired up with Alicia. They are in
charge of forming a rock garden. Hurry up. Drink some coffee or pop some
caffeine pills. Am-bore is about to drone on. Am-bore admits that flirting
with 'The Robfather' was a good strategy at first but now she is falling
for him. He looks "hot" building the shelter. 'The Robfather' mocks
Alicia's "Zen garden". Alicia complains that Rob C. contributes just enough
to get by.
At Saboga, Rupert takes control of the remodeling project. He fixes
homes for a living. He dreams up a log cabin but it is going to require a
ton of digging. Jerri argues with Rupert. She doesn't wanna be shoveling
any sand. Rupert is a "control freak". Rupert insists that he has built
homes for 20 years so he knows what he is talking about. Jerri calls for a
vote. Ethan and Jenna count grains of sand. Jerri: "Okay. Let's just do
it." Ethan is glad Jerri and Rupert are fighting though he doesn't want to
be digging either.
Colby and Lex are putting together a tree house at Mogo Mogo. They've
got the floor plan in their heads. It will include a "Crow's Nest"...or as
they like to call it...a "Love Nest". Do these guys realize the
'She-Devil', Richard Hatch and Kathy are on their tribe? They might wanna
re-think that whole "Love Nest" deal. Richard sits out. 'She-Devil' comes
up with a list of crucial items they must include in the project. A coconut
phone, a dumb waiter and other such nonsense. Lex and Colby ignore her
brainless ramblings. 'She-Devil' is surprised and takes great offence at
the fact that her brilliant ideas were ignored. Gosh. Will someone please
vote her off or feed her to the sharks already?
Jenna is worried about her family. She has a lot to lose while she is
on the island playing the game. She fears her mother will pass away without
her being at her side.
The sun has set and Saboga is still working away. Rupert and Ethan are
pounding nails in the dark. Rupert's spirit is shattered when all their
digging is halted by a tree trunk buried in the sand. They have no way to
remove it and therefore the floor he was pondering is out of the question.
Jerri thinks the idea was completely stupid to begin with. Rupert throws a
hissy fit and stomps off. Jerri says the happy group is now at each other's
throats. Jerri: "Rupert has gone mad."
With a contractor in tow, Probst visits Mogo Mogo, Chapera and Saboga.
Mr. Contractor is really displeased with Saboga's hovel. He predicts that
the tide will come in and flood it. Rupert appears to be depressed and
dismayed.
Winners: First place: Chapera. Second place: Mogo Mogo.
Chapera Tribal Happenings (Day Seven)
The crate is dropped to the tribe via airplane. Inside is a mattress,
lanterns, pillows and some wine. Slightly tanked, 'The Robfather', Alicia
and Am-bore lay in the shelter. Am-bore tells Rob he should kiss her now so
she will forget about his stink breath. Rob isn't sure if he is playing
Am-bore or she is playing him. No matter. There can only be one winner.
Mogo Mogo Tribal Happenings (Day Eight)
A storm hits soaking the tribe. Vultures are shown spying on the camp.
Jenna is just standing the rain and refuses to come inside the shelter
despite Kathy's pleas. Jenna announces that she needs to be with her
family. Her decision is to leave the game. Kathy describes Jenna as a
little, shaking leaf. She shouldn't be here. Kathy sits with Jenna and
comforts her. At a tribe meeting, Kathy advises Jenna that her disposition
is like a "cancer eating away at the tribe". Yikes! Bad choice of words there but...
Jenna agrees nonetheless.
Immunity Challenge
As stated above, the competition is postponed.
Tribal Council Victim:
None. Jenna forfeits the game. No Tribal Council is held.
Parting Comments
There are none from Jenna. Instead, a poignant confessional by Kathy ends
the broadcast: "When Jenna announced that she was going home there was this
mood that flowed through everybody and everybody's shoulders went down and
their head hung low and it all brought back the reality that it is
difficult out here and even though it is a game, there is a whole lot more
happening here." -- Kathy.
On the next 'Survivor': Television: Rob and Amber heat things
up. Rob C.: "Boston Rob and Amber are going to do it." A storm wreaks havoc
and a challenge gets physical." Internet: "One tribe is
shell-shocked by a cruel night on the island, bringing one castaway to
tears and making another feel very guilty. The lack of politicking and
scheming around her makes one tribe member paranoid. During the Immunity
Challenge, several castaways are pummeled and knocked off their feet,
literally."
Powell's Thoughts:
There is no doubt in my mind that Jenna did what was right. She
acknowledged that she made a mistake and moved to correct it before it was
too late. If she didn't do what she did, she might've regretted the
decision for the rest of her life. Taking care of her mother in her time of
need and saying a last goodbye to her will mean more to her in later years
than anything she could've achieved playing 'Survivor' for a second time.
Got to give her props too for electing to leave the game knowing full well
that the portrayal of the circumstance was in the hands of the 'Survivor'
editors.
Probst's constant questioning of Jenna and the other Survivors got on my
nerves. He played the entire situation very badly. All he had to do was
confirm the decision, send best wishes with her and then escort her out.
It could've made for a touching moment. Once she was gone, he could've
discussed the consequences of Jenna's departure with the remaining players.
At the time, methinks he took the series a little too seriously.
