Nothing happened until the Reward Challenge, where they split into teams of four. The course is a “multi-level net tunnel” out in the water where you have to memorize symbols at the end. The winners will fly to see a local dance, partake of a feast, and spend the night.

Here’s how the teams are picked:

Jason > Ozzy > Erik > Amanda
Natalie > James > Poverty > Alexis. Cirie doesn’t get picked and is sent to Exile Island.

The Challenge is close until the very end. Natalie’s team says they have the puzzle, but they are wrong. After getting some coaching Amanda claims she has it…and she’s right!

The winners fly to a place called Yap where they drink local beer and look at topless locals. Erik is especially happy. He says, “That’s the most boobs I’ve probably seen in my whole life.” I hear ya, my brother.

Erik also takes healthy doses of “betel nuts,” which he says are the local equivalent of tobacco. He ends up tossing his betels that night.

Cirie gets rained on all night at Exile Island. Ha ha. She says she wants to get rid of Ozzy and the Hidden Immunity Idol.

Day 27, and James works around the cave while others sleep. He chops, pounds and whacks wood until Poverty speaks up and tells him to stop. James quietly storms off and tells us he’s not sure how much more he can take.

Poverty and Alexis talk about Ozzy being a “brat” after the Reward, and James and Amanda notice how friendly Poverty is with the Fan girls.

The Immunity Challenge is the one where you hold your arm above your head while chained to a huge water bucket. After 20 minutes Jeff starts with the food temptations. He starts with a bowl of candy. Cirie and Erik agree to quit at the same time and split it.

At the 45-minute mark Jeff shows up again and Alexis gets excited. But she tips her bucket before Jeff reveals the prize so she doesn’t get it. Natalie does the same thing! Both are out and neither gets the cookies and milk.

One hour, three chocolate glazed donuts. Ozzy immediately takes them. It rains. It stops raining. Suddenly it’s five hours in. Five hours?!

Then Amanda quits to pee! I’d gladly wet myself on national TV for a million bucks.

We’re down to Poverty and Jason and now we’re at six hours. Jeff unveils a full plate with some of everything they’ve already given out plus bonus stuff like peanut butter, pizza and beer. As an added twist if someone quits all the previous quitters also get the food. When no one budges Natalie tells Jason they could promise they won’t vote for him. She and Erik make the promise. Cirie and Alexis also promise, but they have their fingers crossed. Amanda, Ozzy and finally James guarantee they won’t vote for Jason and he does in fact give up. Everyone gets food, and Poverty gets Immunity.

But back at camp Ozzy, James, and Amanda say they’re still voting for Jason. Cirie however tells Poverty, Natalie and Alexis they should blindside Ozzy and the rest of his alliance. Jason says he’s in to give them the votes they need but Poverty is torn.

James and Ozzy talk about how they’re worried about Poverty. Ozzy says she could try to “flush the Idol” and he says he may play it “just to be safe.”

At Tribal Council Ozzy agrees he’s a big target because of the Idol. Jason says he hopes everyone keeps their word. James says you can’t appease people with a donut. Jeff asks Cirie if that means they might not keep their promise to Jason, and Cirie says that’s what it sounds like. Ozzy says he has “a little bit of comfort” with the Hidden Immunity Idol. Jeff says it appears either everyone’s going back on their word or someone is going to be surprised.

Jason votes for Ozzy and James vote for Jason saying, “I thought I was the dumbest Survivor ever.”

Dramatic music plays as Poverty votes. Jeff asks if anyone wants to play the Idol. Ozzy does not. The tally goes: Jason, Jason, Ozzy, Jason, Jason, Ozzy, Ozzy! (4-3) Ozzy! (4-4!!) Eliza is about to die. The final vote is for….OZZY!!!!!!

Poverty has huge betel nuts.

Next time on…Survivor: James is mad at Poverty, and the girls talk about sticking together.

In his final words Ozzy says he hates whoever turned on him but he also says, “Serves me right. I’m a fool.” That he is. You can never, ever feel safe in this game. Ozzy had been calling the shots from the start but one slip-up and he’s gone. The best part is the guy with whom he was talking about Poverty was none other than Mr. Maybe-I-Should’ve-Played-One-Of-My-Two-Idols himself.

Everyone is asking me if anyone has ever played the Hidden Immunity Idol before. I have to admit, I had to look it up. The answer is yes, more than once actually. The first was Gary in Guatemala. But, remember, back them you played the Idol before everyone voted so you have no idea if you were actually in danger.

Then they changed the rule so you didn’t have to play the Idol until after everyone voted, which took away the decision. That’s why no one bothered voting for Terry and his Idol the few times he didn’t win the Individual Immunity Challenge. Yul didn’t play his because he controlled the game from start to finish.

But the one person who played the Idol under the current rules is the guy Cirie feared the most this season. That’s right, Yau-Man. We all forget this because of what happened to him the following episode with Dreamz, but Yau was in danger, he sensed it, played the Idol and lived to play another day.

So Cirie is the new Ozzy. You have to give her a lot of credit. She has stuck to her game plan from the start: the strongest people must go. Can she survive now that no one in their right mind will want to go up against her in the final?

And, don’t look now, but there is an even split between Fans and Favorites. When you factor in James and Amanda hating Poverty, and Cirie needing strong James gone, the Fans should be in a position of strength, if they’re smart enough to stick together.

Wouldn’t that be nuts?

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