Survivor Samoa: Meet The Castaways
Filed under: Donovan, TV Shows
Author: Donovan
Date: Aug 27, 2009
This morning, CBS unveiled the cast of Survivor: Samoa for the reality-tv veteran’s 19th installment. This season, Mark Burnett has decided to go with 20 castaways and placed them in one of the most beautiful Survivor locations ever. The picturesque landscape features lush green valleys, towering waterfalls, rugged volcanic mountain peaks and white sand beaches. Seriously, this place looks like paradise from the pictures I’ve seen from pre-season location shot. Check out our gallery to view some of the pics.
Survivor: Samoa will begin the season by incorporating an ancient Samoan tradition of electing an individual leader of the village. Without speaking, both tribes must immediately choose one member of their tribe to become the sole decision maker, their chief. We’ll have to tune in to see how important the role of tribal chief will affect each tribe and the game as a whole. After 39 days, who will outwit, outplay and outlast everyone else to become the Sole Survivor.
The 20 eclectic group features a personal chef, a couple of hairstylists, an urban planner, police officer, an actual rocket scientist and two bartenders. Correction, one bartender and one mixologist. Ever since Memphis from Big Brother 10 used mixologist to referring to his bartending job, every reality-loser-actor-wannabe who moonlight as a bartender has used the same term. Host, Jeff Probst, has mentioned this group reminds him of Survivor: Micronesia Fans vs Favorites in terms of there’s a sense of fun and that they’d be fun to hang with.
CBS is also hyping up that one of the castaways could become “the biggest Survivor villian ever”. That’s a pretty big statement considering all the villians who’ve played the game through the years. From this statement, we can pretty much guess who’ll be missing survivor from the speculated cast list for Survivor 20: Heroes vs Villains.
Meet the Survivors
Purple Tribe: Galu
Brett Clouser
Age: 23
Hometown: Los Angeles, California via Salem, Oregon
Occupation: T-shirt Designer
First Impression: He looks like he’d be a fun hang. Having his freshly scrubbed boy-next-door looks shouldn’t hurt him in the game either. I love me my T-shirt designers from Oregon. (Hope you enjoy the shout out Brady Green.. wink).
Dave Ball
Age: 38
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Fitness Instructor
First Impression: Fitness instructor? Really? He reminds me of a poor-man’s Coach (Survivor Tocatins). Let’s hope he doesn’t bore us with his tales of being captured in the Amazon rain forest. Early boot for sure.
Erik Cardona
Age: 28
Hometown: Ontario, California
Occupation: Bartender
First Impression: Bonus points for actually saying he’s a bartender instead of a mixologist. He seems like that annoyingly cocky guy that gets blindsided. He could go either way so I’ll say early merge.
John Fincher
Age: 25
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Rocket Scientist
First Impression: YUMMY Squared!!! Great hair, great smile, great face and he’s a rocket scientist to boot. I hate you already. Some guys just have all the luck, don’t they? Personally I would keep him around just for the eye candy. So for the millions of viewers watching, I pray for his tribe to not vote him off the island.
Kelly Sharbaugh
Age: 25
Hometown: Los Angeles, California via Wilmington, Delaware
Occupation: Hairstylist
First Impression: Why do some hairstylists have the gnarliest hairdos? Despite the white girl rastafarian look, she’s looks like she has a wicked personality and one of my early faves. Go Kelly Go.
Laura Morett
Age: 39
Hometown: Salem, Oregon
Occupation: Office Manager
First Impression: She screams pre-merge boot to me. Don’t know why but I just have this feeling. Not really feeling her.
Monica Padilla
Age: 25
Hometown: San Diego, California
Occupation: Law Student
First Impression: Out of all the bikini babes, she strikes me as the best one. She refers to herself as a fun and eccentric dork who happens to be attractive. Cute, cute, cute. Usually cute girls tend to go far if they play their cards right like Elisabeth (Survivor Outback), Collen (Survivor Borneo) and Neleh (Survivor Marquesas).
Russell Swan
Age: 42
Hometown: Glenside, Pennsylvania
Occupation: Attorney
First Impression: I wonder if there have been more bartenders, hairstylists or lawyers in the history of survivor- my money is on lawyers. Having said that, if he can keep his opinionated comments to himself, he’ll make it far. I predict post-merge
Shannon “Shamo” Waters
Age: 45
Hometown: Renton, Washington
Occupation: Sales Rep
First Impression: Seriously, you’re nickname is Shamo. Just a bit of unsolicited advice. If you’re a heavier set woman and your last name is Waters, NEVER NEVER NEVER call yourself Shamo. It’s far to close to Shamu the whale. Just saying. PS: She’s been quoted in saying: “Forget Billy Ray Cyrus. They love the curl on the girl” with reference to her curly mullet hairstyle. Early boot FO SURE- if not first.
Yasmin Giles
Age: 33
Hometown: Los Angeles, California via Detroit, Michigan
Occupation: Hairstylist
First Impression: Sassy Yassy says she’s one of those girls that you’re either going to love or hate. My money is on love. I love me my sassy black girls.
Click on the picture above to view the Survivor:Samoa Season 19 Gallery.
Yellow Tribe: Foa Foa
Ashely Trainer
Age: 22
Hometown: Maple Grove, Minnesota
Occupation: Spa Sales
First Impression: Blah. Meh. Blah Meh. Blah Meh. Rinse, lather and repeat.
Ben Browning
Age: 28
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Occupation: Mixologist
First Impression: This transplanted California country boy says he’s grew up hunting and fishing and even lived in, and I quote, “third-world Africa” and should have the upper hand in the game. With his African reference and choice of mixology instead of bartending combined with his country accent, he smells like the resident Einstein. Will make it post-merge as no one will see him as a threat.
Betsy Bolan
Age: 48
Hometown: Campton, New Hampshire
Occupation: Police Officer
First Impression: Apparently this is her sixth attempt for trying out for the show. How did she get on the show this year? She mentions in the CBS promo video that video submission showcasing her dancing in her police uniform did the trick. Too bad it took you six tries only to get booted early.
Elizabeth Kim
Age: 33
Hometown: New York, New York
Occupation: Urban Planner
First Impression: Let’s hope she’s more like Peih-Gee Law (Survivor China) and less Sylvia Kwan (Survivor Fiji).
Jaison Robinson
Age: 28
Hometown: Chicago, Illinois
Occupation: Law Student
First Impression: I hate it when people misspell their names with randomly adding and substituting letters. I’m all for unique names but sometimes it just gets ridiculous. According to his dad, it’s all about the three Ds. Discipline, discipline, and discipline. I predict he makes the jury and could win the game.
Marisa Calihan
Age: 26
Hometown: Cincinnati, Ohio
Occupation: Student
First Impression: Another one of three hot bikini babes. Marisa says she’ll play up to the women instead of compromising her sexuality towards the men to get farther. Hasn’t she watch 30 rock? Jenna uses her secret weapon, ” her sexuality”, all the time to get further. Me thinks she’s in the closet and likes the punani.
Mick Trimming
Age: 33
Hometown: Los Angeles, California via Boise, Idaho
First Impression: John Fincher who? How quickly I change my object of Survivor TV affection. I don’t know what it is, but the longer male contestants last on the show, the hotter they get. If he’s this hot now, imagine how hot he’ll be 3 weeks in and emaciated. LOL. He’ll have to play his cards right as athletic guys on the show usually have an uphill battle making the merge. Unfortunately, I predict a pre-merge boot. PS: His friends say he’s easy like Sunday morning. Le sigh. Why wasn’t I cast in this season?
Mike Borassi
Age: 62
Hometown: Marina del Ray, California
Occupation: Private Chef
First Impression: If he can cook rice better than Keith (Survivor Outback) and get creative with some of the meals in Samoa, he’ll last long in the game granted he doesn’t completely suck in the physical challenges.
Natalie White
Age: 26
Hometown: Van Buren, Arkansas
Occupation: Pharmaceutical Sales
First Impression: In the preview video, she is shown wearing high heeled wedges. LMAO. I love high-maintenance blonde girls on this show. They’re reality-tv gold.
Russell Hantz
Age: 36
Hometown: Dayton, Texas
Occupation: Oil Company Owner
First Impression: Oil Company Owner and from Texas. J.R. Ewing anyone? My money is on him that he’s the villain of the season. He likes to refer to himself as the puppet master and he reminds me a bit of an older-less-attractive Russell from Big Brother 11. Roid rage much?
Loading ...Overall, I think the casting department did a good job of picking a diversified group contestants this season. Let’s hope for another great season. I, too, like Rich have never missed an episode and stood by Survivor even during their lame seasons (*cough cough* Thailand).
Here’s the CBS promo video introducing you to the cast.
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- Survivor 20: Heroes vs Villains??? POTENTIAL SPOILERS
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Stephen Dorme
August 29th, 2009 at 8:10 am
My first impressions are…
Ashley- Right when I saw Ashley and read her bio, I’m thinking a very early boot. I don’t see her getting far, I think that when her tribe loses their first or second immunity, she won’t survive both of them.
Ben- I don’t really know how I feel about Ben. He seems like a boring person. I do think he’ll get far, but I know he won’t win. Nobody cares about him enough to win.
Betsy- I like Betsy, but her outcome will go one of two ways. 1, the rest of the tribemates realize her strength and keep her very long. 2, she could be the older lady and get voted out earlier in her tribe.
Brett- I don’t like Brett. I think Brett will be a physical asset to the tribe, but not a strategic contestant. He’ll be very naive and will fall into a trap too easily, but honestly, I wouldn’t care.
Dave- I don’t see Dave getting voted out within the first 4 people, but I could see him leave within the 5-10 person. He wouldn’t win even if he did make it to the jury.
Elizabeth- Elizabeth I know will surprise us. She won’t be that shy and weak person she looks like, I see her being very friendly and I can see her going very far. If you don’t watch her, she could win.
Erik- Erik’s fate could go two ways. He could either get a girl to trust him, or he will be rejected and have to find a new way of gameplay. I actually think that his gameplay would be better if he had to find a new strategy instead of a woman.
Jaison- Jaison (prouncound like Jay-son, not like Jason) has a very good chance of winning. He will most-likely make it to the jury. If people underestimate him, he’ll win.
John- I don’t see John going very far. He will probably be one of the first males gone. He will be very much like Blake Towsley. Very concieted and will be gone very early and will annoy almost everyone one his tribe. He will not win Survivor.
Kelly- For some reason I don’t think Kelly will leave early. I think she’ll connect with the other young woman on her tribe such as Monica and will do well and may win.
Laura- Laura I think will go very far, maybe a win. She is strong, attractive, and very friendly. I will not be surprised with her being the Sole Survivor.
Marisa- Marisa I’m on the fence about. She has many life experiences with life that will help her. But she could be like Carolina. Not being bossy or exactly the first one out but early. I think she’ll get blindsided and will be one of the first to do so. But if she does make it to the merge, I’m thinking 4th place, not winner.
Mick- I don’t know what Mick’s strategy is so I really have no opinion on him. Similar to Ben.
Mike- Mike might be strong and friendly, but I don’t see him making it to the merge. His young tribemates will find him as too old to be with them and snuff his torch early. If in a rare case he makes it to the merge, he still won’t win.
Monica- I love Monica’s personality and description of herself. “I’m a fun, energetic, strong, and very intelligent girl who happens to be attractive”. Monica I feel will make it very far and could take home the money. She could work guys, she could make friends with the younger woman, and maybe be taken under the wing of a contestant like Russell S.
Natalie- I don’t know Natalie’s fate. She could be scuff in challenges and impress her tribe and make it to the merge. Or she could leave earlier because the tribe see’s her as weak. But I see her in the jury maybe, not winning.
Russell H.- Russell H. will not win. Hands down. I do see him getting far, early jury, but not winning. He will be voted out because I know he’s a villian. He won’t win, no chance.
Russell S.- Russell S. is a very nice guy who can probably make a father/daughter relationship with someone like Monica. Russell S.’s sweetness will get him far but he won’t win. I could tell that he will not be a big strategic player and will be eaten up throughout the merge phase of the game.
Shannon- Shannon I see as a very energetic woman. She is probably similar to Amy (season 11) stregnth wise. I do not think she’ll connect with her younger tribemates though and will leave early. But if she winds up making a good alliance she could make it far.
Yasmin- Yasmin I see could go two ways. She could align with the younger people, show her stregnth and sail to the merge, and then use her strategy to maybe make a win, or she will be very sassy and may annoy her tribe mates and go earlier.
Those are my first impressions.
David Gibson
October 8th, 2009 at 3:07 pm
Personally, I’m all a flutter to see if what the tv preview says about Russell “outing” someone means that there’s someone gay in the mix; which I, for one, certainly hope there is. I’ve surveyed the group time and time again, and unless I’ve been thrown a curve ball, I suspect it might be Brett Clouser . . . 23-years old, and a t-shirt designer. He could win, too. Don’t forget, they’ve been two gay men who have won Survivor, so don’t count him out — gay or not.
Dan Bender
December 11th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
Kelly is HOT!!
lightningurl23
December 18th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
haha. i think that brett will win. they have not highlighted him at all though, which is a bad sign