Survivorfest week 7!

Marcus runs afoul of a tribe reorg!

First things first. Due to a DVR problem I missed the first 15 minutes or so of this week's episode, so I'm a little confused about the start.

The replay of the episode on the CBS site started with both tribes together at a feast where an individual immunity was hidden. Randy predicted he would find it in about twenty seconds, and it turned out he was right. At that point, Randy offered up the immunity to anyone who wanted it. Strangely no one took it.

I assume this is because they assumed that the tribes were now merged and anyone taking the offered immunity would be putting a large bulls eye on their back.

As it was, no one took immunity and Randy and Marcus tossed it into the ocean.

Unless someone can make a compelling argument against it, I will award Randy points for discovering hidden immunity even though he ended up throwing it away. Let me know before this week's show if you have a counter-argument for consideration.

Randy was feeling rather full of himself: "With all due respect to President Bongo, I am the king of Gabon!"

You may find it strange to learn that there is, indeed, a President Bongo. His first name is Omar. I would have been very happy to have learned that it was Ongo, but you can't have everything.

President Bongo is currently the longest running leader of a country, excluding monarchies. So there.

As an aside, why is it that whenever someone says "with all due respect" they always follow it with something less than respectful?

After discarding the idol, the group reconvened to read their next instructions. Counter to expectations, they did not merge as a tribe. In fact they chose stones that would determine which tribe they would reunite as.

I'm glad this game has no rules surrounding performance of tribes, because there's no way to catch up with all the changes this season. I have no idea at this point who is on Kota and who is on Fang.

Randy offered: "Susie is crazy and stupid and that's a bad combination." Hmm. That's hard to argue with.

Susie, had other thoughts: "I might swing with Kenny and Crystal..." I didn't realize it was that kind of an island.

Marcus professed that he didn't need the immunity idol, because of his strong alliances. I can understand not wanting to take an offered idol and mark yourself, but I can't see not needing an idol...

Back at the new Kota (I think), the tribe made acquaintances using the age-old Gabon tradition of fist-bumping. Watching Bob fist-bump Crystal may have sent race relations back two hundred years.

Somehow Charlie managed to keep his chipper attitude, even though he was separated from his BFF Marcus.

Sugar found out from Matty that Ace had not intended to cross her the previous week, and that she'd been duped. She and Matty declared an alliance at that point. Matty should be concerned.

Randy wondered aloud if they should attempt to throw the next challenge and vote off Matty. There's precedent for this, of course...the great Billy vote off of Cook Island. But that was early in the season. It seems a little late to be playing cute games like that.

The challenge is an endurance challenge, where the contestants hold up two unsupported poles, one in each hand. The last tribe to have a member holding the poles would avoid tribal council.

Unsurprisingly, Crystal was done after approximately one nanosecond. Honestly, has there ever been a Survivor more inept at challenges than Crystal with the possible exception of Chet from last season? And Chet didn't have the background of being an Olympic frickin' athlete. How has this woman not been voted off yet?

Sugar was out next, followed by Susie. No surprises there.

Corinne and Randy went out simultaneously. Matty appeared to be zoned out in some sort of Zen happy place.

Kenny lasted longer than I would have expected. Marcus was out next.

Charlie dropped out. Bob and Matty were the only ones left. Matty started working the mental angle "ain't no shame, Bobby boy!"

Probst seemed interested at this point and cautioned Bob not to listen to anyone else, even him.

Marcus tried trash-talking with Matty to distract him. Matty played along and came perilously close to losing his grip. Eventually Matty outlasted Bob, to bring a much-needed win for his tribe.

My wife found it humorous that the tribe had poor Bob carry the flag back to camp. Poor slob must've had his arms stretched down to his ankles.

Back at camp, the lobbying started...when Kenny found out he might be on the outs with the rest of the tribe, he seemed ready to cry. Absolutely devastated.

But, alas, the threat of Marcus reuniting with his previous alliance was too much of a concern and they voted him off, making him the first member of the jury.

Next week, all eyes are on Kenny as he makes his move!

See you on the next....Survivorfest!