SURVIVOR; VANUATU - Official thread

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Survivor: Vanuatu Players Revealed
by David Bloomberg -- 08/17/2004

CBS has revealed the next group of Survivor players, and RealityNewsOnline has a first look. It’s an interesting group, with a former professional wrestler, an amputee, an FBI agent, and more!

CBS has revealed the 18 players for Survivor: Vanuatu. No, that’s not a typo – there are two more players than usual this time around. Does that mean they are doing the three-tribe method that was used for Survivor: All-Stars? Or just two teams of nine? Well, to be honest, we don’t know. But we do now know a little bit about the new players. Let’s see what CBS has to say about them, along with a few of my own quick thoughts.

Ami Cusack is a 31-year-old barista/model from Lakewood, Colorado. What the heck is a barista? Until about a minute ago, I didn’t know. Neither did my Webster’s New World Dictionary. Apparently, I am not cool enough to know, because I don’t hang out in coffee bars – but Dictionary.com says a barista is “a preparer / server in a coffee bar.” Who says Survivor isn’t educational? Anyway, Ami is apparently one of the first two openly gay women on Survivor (see below for the other). That’s not to say that there haven’t been any before – just that we didn’t know about it until after the show was over. However in this case, her CBS bio specifically notes, “Cusack is currently dating Crissy, whom she’s been with for three years.”

Brady Finta is a 33-year-old FBI agent from Huntington Beach, California (one of four players this time around from that state). In the FBI, Brady has been part of the Asian Organized Crime section and on the FBI SWAT team, and he will soon be working counter-terrorism. Hopefully, he never intended to go under cover, because being on Survivor sort of blows that idea. I predict he will be a quick favorite of RNO writer C. Brian Devinney because he plays rugby.

Brook Geraghty is a 27-year-old project manager from Winthrop, MA. That’s really about all there is to say about him at this point.

Chad Crittenden is a 35-year-old teacher from Oakland, CA. He recently had one leg amputated below the knee due to a rare and especially dangerous form of cancer discovered in his foot. But he completed a triathlon just nine months after the surgery, so he should be up to snuff for Survivor.

Chris Daugherty is a 33-year-old highway construction worker from South Veinna, Ohio. Not much else to say here right now.

Dolly Neely is a 25-year-old sheep farmer from Mercer, PA. Look for her to be the really conservative one, as she is a member of the NRA and described Jesus as her ultimate hero because he is the savior for everybody. Also, she said that while she would give up her sheep to try for a million, she wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her place in Heaven. So I guess no lying or backstabbing from her…

Eliza Orlins is a 21-year-old pre-law student (senior) from Syracuse, New York. She has all sorts of academic honors to her name, but we’ll see how much those help on Survivor.

John Kenney is a 22-year-old mechanical bull operator/model living in Los Angeles but originally from Connecticut.

John Palyok is a 31-year-old sales manager living in Los Angeles and originally from Indiana. He was a football star in high school and college, and then moved on to business.

Julie Berry is a 23-year-old youth mentor from Gorham, Maine. Julie was adopted – separately from her biological sibling – at the age of five. If this were Big Brother, we could expect her to be reunited on the show. But it’s Survivor, so we don’t have to worry about that – plus, she was reunited with her sister recently. Julie is a Native American from the Maliseet tribe. It will be interesting to see if she turns out as popular as the last youth mentor on Survivor – one Rupert Boneham.

Lea “Sarge” Masters is a 40-year-old drill sergeant from Columbia, South Carolina. (Yes, Lea is a man’s name – probably why he inserted the “Sarge.”) In addition to his military career, he also has a Master’s degree in chemical engineering, so he has a lot going for him as far as being a serious threat.

Leann Slaby is a 35-year-old research assistant from Wisconsin. Oh, and she’s also a model and actress (of course). Six years ago, she donated a kidney to her father.

Lisa Keiffer is a 44-year-old real estate agent from New Orleans. She considers herself a true Cajun and is also a Born-Again Christian, so she should get along well with Dolly if they’re on the same tribe.

Mia Galeotalanza is a 30-year-old finance manager from New Jersey. Her last name makes me glad we use first names in articles!

Rory Freeman is a 35-year-old Section 8 housing case manager from Des Moines, Iowa. He used to work as a reporter in Nigeria before he came back to the U.S. to work in corrections and detention centers.

Dr. Scout Cloud Lee is a 59-year-old rancher/entrepreneur who has worn many hats – including professor at my alma mater, University of Illinois (Go Illini!). She has written eleven books and over 100 articles and has had her work in helping people identify their personal excellence featured in numerous television documentaries and specials. Her bio says she has “survived cancer, bankruptcy, divorce, car wrecks and horse bucks.” She also recently had a total knee replacement. In addition she is also apparently an openly-gay woman, as her bio says she is in a committed relationship with Annie. So that makes two where there have never been any.

Travis Sampson is a 33-year-old loss prevention worker (looks like that means security) from Tennessee. He used to be in the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and both World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). He was best known as “Romeo Bliss,” but has since retired from wrestling.

Twila Tanner is a 41-year-old highway repair worker from Marshall, Missouri. She is a single mother of a 23-year-old son.

So there we have them – the next group of Survivor contestants. Be sure to check back here on RealityNewsOnline as we see if we can fill in the blanks and find out more about this group of contestants!

David Bloomberg is the Editor of RealityNewsOnline and can be reached at RNO@pobox.com.

Well, here they are, in alphabetical order, the 18 (yes, I said 18!) contestants on Survivor; Vanuatu!
No indications yet how the tribe breakdown is, however rumor has it that it will start out with the men against the women again. We will see.

Age: 31
Occupation: Barista/Model
Home Town: Lakewood, CO
Ami Cusack is supposedly a Playboy Model and the last comment in her bio reads: “Cusack is currently dating Crissy, whom she's been with for three years.”
I’ll leave it up to ya’ll to interpret this comment any way you see fit! I’m gonna keep my big mouth shut! Other than:
CUZ’s prognostication: I predict that Ami will not make the merge!

Age: 33
Occupation: FBI Agent/Ex-Military
Home Town: Huntington Beach, CA
Brady Finta was an officer in the Marine Corps for six years and now is an FBI agent soon to be working in counter terrorism.
“Finta currently lives in Huntington Beach, California, with his fiancée, Broni.”
CUZ’s prognostication: If Brady does not tick off his tribemates, he should make the merge and I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes it to the final four!

Age: 27
Occupation: Project Manager
Home Town: Winthrop, MA
Brook Geraghty is a project manager of “a Fortune 500 company.”
“Geraghty currently lives in Winthrop, Massachusetts.”
CUZ’s prognostication: Not much to go on from Brook’s bio so I’m gonna guess he will not make the merge.

Age: 35
Occupation: Teacher
Home Town: Oakland, CA
James "Chad" Crittenden, due to a bout with cancer, is a single amputee (his right leg, just below the knee) and has been cancer free for almost the last 2 years. With “his prostheses and much development, he feels that he has almost reached his post-surgery potential.”
“Chad lives in Oakland with his wife Dyann and their two children, Clara (3) and Trevor (4 months).”
CUZ’s prognostication: Chad has a “nothing is gonna hold me back” attitude about life! If his tribemates decide he is a liability with his prostheses and boot him early on, they would be DAMN fools! IMHO. I think they are going to be able to see past his prostheses however, and Chad should make the merge.

Age: 33
Occupation: Highway Construction
Home Town: South Vienna, OH
Chris Daugherty is a highway construction worker and works for the Ohio Department of Transportation. He states that he “tends to gravitate toward the underdog.” This could spell trouble if he champions the weaker tribemates.
Daugherty currently resides in South Vienna, Ohio, with his fiancée, Lorie, and his pet lizard.
CUZ’s prognostication: I think Chris’ “good nature, support the underdog” attitude, will be his undoing. I don’t expect him to make the merge.

Age: 25
Occupation: Sheep Farmer
Home Town: Mercer, PA
Dolly Neely, (yes, that’s her real name!) is a self professed “smart, worldly, self confident, bossy…” shepherdess. She is a member of the NRA and her favorite magazine is “National Rifleman.” Nelly lives at Lake Latonka located in Mercer, Pennsylvania, on her 90 acre farm with her 40 plus sheep.
CUZ’s prognostication: Oh My Heck! Does this gal look like a Neleh clone or what? If she can find herself a “father figure” to take her under his wing, she should make the merge.
Age: 21
Occupation: Pre-Law Student
Home Town: Syracuse, NY
Eliza Orlins is a graduate of Sidwell Friends School in Washington DC. Gee, I wonder if she knows Chelsea Clinton
Orlins is currently a senior at Syracuse University, where she is working a dual major in international relations and political science, with a minor in Chinese. She is in the process of applying to law school and intends to be a public defender after graduation. Eliza has been dating her boyfriend, Justin, for four years.
CUZ’s prognostication: Now it may just be my natural jaded conservative outlook on life, but if this child doesn’t just scream “liberal politician’s, spoiled rotten offspring” I’ll be surprised! I expect her to be an early boot and will not make the merge.

Age: 22
Occupation: Mechanical Bull Operator/Model
Home Town: Los Angeles, CA
John Kenney is a male model (snicker, snicker) and between modeling gigs works as a “mechanical bull operator” (snicker, guffaw!) at a saddle ranch bar in LA.
Kenney is currently single (DUH! I wonder why!) and living in Los Angeles.
CUZ’s prognostication: All I’m gonna say is I don’t expect him to make it to the merge, and leave it at that! OK, I promise. I’ll behave myself.

Age: 31
Occupation: Sales Manager
Home Town: Los Angeles, CA
John Palyok is a sales manager at “of the largest Home Depot stores in the world.” He is also an avid bow hunter and has been recognized by the California Bowmen Hunters's Club for harvesting one of the top 20 largest deer ever recorded in the state.
Palyok currently lives in Los Angeles with his girlfriend, Tammy, and their cat, Keeley.
CUZ’s prognostication:John P. seems to be the quintessential capitalist and should do well in this game. I expect him to make the merge.

Age: 23
Occupation: Youth Mentor
Home Town: Gorham, ME
Julie Berry, being an adopted child herself, has worked as a behavioral interventionist for children who are also adopted and facing social and emotional issues. She plans to further her studies by pursuing her Masters in Counseling.
Currently single, she resides in Gorham, Maine.
CUZ’s prognostication: Call me an old softy optimist, but I think this gals got what it takes to win this game and she should not only make the merge, but I expect she will make it to the final four.

Age: 40
Occupation: Drill Sergeant
Home Town: Columbia, SC
Lea "Sarge" Masters is not only a “drill sergeant” and Officer in the Army, but holds a Master’s degree in chemical engineering, is a trained EMT, a master barber and a deputy sheriff and has credentials in scuba diving, advanced mountaineering/rapelling and is a nuclear weapons specialist.
Masters says that while he would run throughout Times Square naked to get a $1 million, he wouldn't do anything that involved lethal consequences for the money. I wonder how he defines “lethal consequences”?
Masters currently lives in Columbia, South Carolina, with his wife of 20 years, Lupe, and their son Kris (18 years old). They have one dog, Chow Chow, and two cats, Tigger and Fluffy.
CUZ’s prognostication: Well, if “Sarge” can keep from acting like a “Sarge” for 39 days, he just might be our first over 40 Sole Survivor. Look for him to make the merge and the final four.

Age: 35
Occupation: Research Assistant
Home Town: Kansasville, WI
Leann Slaby has been a model, an actress (appearing in commercials and two independent films) and a singer in a cover band and is currently working as a research assistant for an investment firm in Milwaukee. In 1998, she donated one of her kidneys to her father when his kidneys began failing due to diabetes. Six years later, his new kidney is still “working wonderfully”.
Recently divorced, Slaby, a huge animal lover, currently lives in the Milwaukee area with her dog, Floyd.
CUZ’s prognostication: Leann might just give the others a run for the money. I expect her to make the merge.

Age: 44
Occupation: Real Estate Agent
Home Town: New Orleans, LA
Lisa Keiffer considers herself a true Cajun. Born and raised in New Orleans, she was a cheerleader at Louisiana State University, a member of the Homecoming Court for two consecutive years and was elected Alpha Tau Omega's "Mardi Gras Queen." She participated in the 1981 National Collegiate Cheerleading Championship and cheered at the 1981 NCAA Final Four Basketball Tournament in Philadelphia. She has BS degree in communications. No pun intended!
Born-again Christians, Keiffer and her husband, Thomas, currently live outside New Orleans on the " Northshore" in Mandeville, Louisiana, along with five of their six children (Nate, 22; Callie, 14, and Rachel, 13 ( Keiffer's stepdaughters); TK, 8; Charley, 7; and Nicholas, 5). They also have a goat (Waddles), a dog (Murray) and a miniature donkey (Dexter).
CUZ’s prognostication: Somehow, I doubt her cheerleading skills will help much on the island. I expect her to be an early boot and not make the merge.

Age: 30
Occupation: Finance Manager
Home Town: Tom's River, NJ
Mia Galeotalanza has a BS degree in Criminal Justice, has most recently worked as a Director of Operations for a technology company during the day and as a waitress at night, enjoys shopping, running, working out, playing with her dog, finding out how to make a fortune and "grilling people to death." She describes herself as fun, optimistic and far too inquisitive.
Galeotalanza is currently single, and has just moved back to Boston.
CUZ’s prognostication: Not much to go on here, so my prediction is she doesn’t make the merge.

Age: 35 Occupation: S8 Housing Case Manager
Home Town: Des Moines, IA
Rory Freeman attended Georgetown University School of Foreign Services, where he studied African government and history. He left college before graduation in order to accept a position as a television reporter for the Nigerian Television Authority. His hobbies include reading, golf, hiking, camping, traveling and attending professional sporting events (he's a huge fan of the Kansas City Chiefs).
Freeman lives with his wife of six years, Simone, their three-year-old son, Zion, and their two dogs.
CUZ’s prognostication: Since he never finished college (at least not according to his bio) and he doesn’t appear to be “big” on physical activities, while he may make the merge, I don’t expect him to get much further.

Age: 59
Occupation: Rancher/Entrepreneur
Home Town: Stillwater, OK
Dr. Scout Cloud Lee's professional career spans more than 30 years, featuring stints as the CEO of her performance consulting company, a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, rancher, former university professor (University of Illinois and Oklahoma State University) and author of eleven books and more than 100 articles.
In the 1990s, Lee was diagnosed with a fatal form of cancer, melanoma, and managed to beat the odds and is going strong 14 years later. Most recently, she received a total knee replacement, which she refers to as her "bionic knee."
Lee is in a committed relationship with Annie, her best friend and playmate of twenty-six years. She owns eight horses, four dogs, two cows, and several cats, llamas and squirrels, and currently lives in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
CUZ’s prognostication: I’m sorry, call me a homophobic male chauvinistic pig if you want but this old broad doesn’t belong on this show. She will not make the merge! And in fact, I predict she will be the first female boot!

Age: 33
Occupation: Loss Prevention
Home Town: Blountville, TN
Travis "Bubba" Sampson is a “good ol’ boy” from Blountville Tennessee. He spent his early career years as a “professional wrestler” under the stage name of "Romeo Bliss."
He currently works in loss prevention at Wal-Mart and also coaches football at the Johnson City Boys and Girls Club.
He lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, with his wife, Jennifer and their four boys, Aaron, 11; Erick, 8; Trevor, 7 and Gabriel, 2 ½.
CUZ’s prognostication: I’m sorry, even though “Bubba” seems a “good ol’ boy” from down south, this guy seems to be working his way down the corporate ladder. I expect him to be the first boot after the merge.

Age: 41
Occupation: Highway Repair
Home Town: Marshall, MO
Twila Tanner currently works full time for the Missouri Department of Transportation doing highway repair. She also works part-time as a custodian for Marshall Public Schools and on the weekends for Brown Construction of Gilliam, Mississippi, running heavy equipment.
She says her greatest accomplishment was being a single mom and raising her son, James, 23, who spent three years in the US Navy working in aviation hydraulics.
Her hero is John Wayne, because "he always held his head high and never took crap from anyone."
Tanner currently resides in Marshall, Missouri.
CUZ’s prognostication: I like this gal. And I predict she will not only make the merge, but will be one of the final four!

Well, there you have it.
My picks with only their bios to go on.
Pre-Merge boots: Ami, Brook, Chris, Eliza, John K., Lisa, Mia, and Scout
Post-Merge: Brady, Chad, Dolly, John P., Julie, Sarge, Leann, Rory, Bubba and Twila.
Cuz’s Final Four: Brady, Julie, Sarge, Twila

Take care,

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