But after three days in their new island home, the five men and one woman of Sibling Survivor are experiencing a test beyond their imaginings. "Going in I thought this was going to be tough," notes Gregory O'Callaghan, a 13-year old student from Florida. "But the hardest part, though, is the people. You gotta make them like you or they'll vote you off. That's hard for me!"
Edward Eick, an asbestos guy from New Jersey, seconded the notion. "We'll adapt to jungle living - it's hard but we have to. The real trick is proving to others that you belong on the island, especially when you use their shirt as a T.P. substitute! Sorry, Eric!"
Sibling Survivor's premise is simple: maroon six `abbie' normal American siblings on an island off the coast of Borneo. Once every three days the castaways gather to vote one of their own off the island. The last person left wins a million dollars, but that is tempered with the knowledge that those same bloodsucking relatives will whine and whine and borrow money they never intend to repay.
Over 6,000 applicants flooded CBS with videotapes explaining why they should be selected. That number was whittled to 800, then 48, then the final 6. After medical and psychological testing, it was decided that these six actually ARE related. "Oh, no! I have to live with THEM the rest of my life?!?" shouted Brian, pointing at the others.
Then the fun began. The castaways were marooned off the coast of the island. They used a raft to go ashore. Or at least, three of them did. Edward, Brian, and Kevin spent the entire time splashing around in the water. Eric Eick, the 29-year old army officer from Japan did the lion's share of the paddling. "Greg kept claiming he was too tired, and vomited on occasion. And Beth? I asked her if she would row, but she said she was too busy `being cute'."
Edward, Brian, and Kevin had a great time horsing around in the water. Forgetting that the world's highest concentration of sea snakes thrives in the water off Borneo, they splashed everyone on the raft, and played "Marco Polo" at the top of their lungs.
The difference between the two was that Gregory couldn't shake the nausea for several days, and was labeled "lazy" by Kevin; others, including Eddie, sympathized with his situation. Kevin had a rough few hours after arriving on the beach, then recovered and immediately went to work.
"His work ethic was only matched by Bethany's, so I guess he was pretty lazy too." Quite an inflammatory comment from Brian Eick!
Taking the ex-infantyman's, now postal lunatic's advice, they moved to a position further from the shore, and immediately began working - all but Gregory. The young student, a Falstaffian figure who had already taken to going shirtless (because Eddie used THAT shirt too), sat under a tree while his fellow blood-kin worked.
Eddie called to him, telling him to come over and work. It was hard to tell if he was amused or angry with Gregory. "Come on down, Gregory."
But Greg wouldn't move.
Bethany, standing a few feet away, rolled her eyes at Gregory.
Friendships were already forming. Eric and Brian, as the island's only two military guys, agreed never to vote one another off, `unless it really, really seems like a good idea', they both added in their minds, and with fingers crossed behind their backs. Kevin Eick was winning the hearts of Edward and Bethany with his irreverent antics. He was the island's counterculture hero, at least in his own eyes. He saw his job as keeping everything hip and flippant. Eric just found him annoying.
As day turned to night, they were not entirely settled (though they had constructed a magnificent slit latrine for doing the kimchi squat) nor did they have fire for cooking a hot meal. With rats and snakes beginning their nocturnal beach invasion, the five brave men and one woman settled down for a night of fitful rest.
"He's not a man, he's a nancy-boy" teased Kevin.
"Shut up, Kevin!" laughed Greg.
Fire was created on Day Two. Eddie used Eric's thick prescription lenses as a magnifying glass to start a flame. "Let me take them off first, stupid!" roared Eric.
This might have garnered Eddie more brownie points among his relatives if he had intended to start the fire, rather than just burn a bunch of bugs with a magnifying glass.
Eddie planned to use his status as the oldest to take the leadership position.
Eric came to the island with plans to make his strategy up as the game went along. He promised that if he was given two weeks he would be able to figure the entire game, right down to the winner.
Brian swore to work so hard he would be indispensable. "But he was probably lying anyway" provided Eric.
Bethany planned to fly below the radar so no one would notice her. Still, with a harsh tinge to her voice, she added, "but I can't wait until the game gets down to the final three or four, because then it would get ruthless, which is good."
Collegiate bum Kevin planned on being `Drew Carey,' and making everyone laugh so hard they would be unable to vote him off. "Booo! Booo! He's outta here!" chortled Greg.
Gregory thought charm was his best trait. He wanted to smooth-talk the others and make friends. "Oh, yeah right!" smirked Kevin.
The Challenge was held that night on a small sand spit just offshore. The siblings arrived to find six rows of torches, starting thirty yards offshore, where six floating crucibles filled with flames bobbed. The torches wandered up onto the beach, ending at the base of the Fire Spirit, a fifteen foot tall scarecrow-like structure. "Ooo, spooky" said Eric. "Fire, fire, huh-huh-huh-huh" said Eddie.
Host Jeff Probst explained the rules: "Each person will swim out to their raft. You must keep hold of the raft at all times. On my command you will light the torch in the crucible, then, guiding your raft, light every torch. Once you reach the beach, you will heave your raft onto the burning man. First person to light the Fire Spirit wins."
"Greg, you're too young to play with fire. You stay here." counseled Kevin. "No way!" yelled Greg. "Yes, way" said the rest of his older brothers, who hogtied him with Jeff Probst's shoelaces.
The race began. Eddie let go of his raft to depants Eric, who had expected this (since he was thinking of doing the same thing to Kevin), and was saved by his foresight- he tied those suckers on TIGHT. Unfortunately for Eddie, letting go of the raft disqualified himself.
Brian took an early lead, but had to go relight a torch that burned out.
(Actually, Kevin splashed it out, hoping he'd get an extra head start- but Jeff missed that one.)
When all was said and done, it was Eric wearing the stupid looking immunity necklace, trash-talking a bunch of unhappy siblings who had no doubt planned on voting him off.
"You're not immune to this!" shouted Eddie, who gave the victorious survivor a purple nurple.
"Eric's keen eye for the Survivor game's nuances empowered him to do two things: first, ignore Eddie's taunts. Eddie was overbearing and out of step at times, but his strength and endurance make him necessary for future challenges." Mark continued.
"Besides, he's not too smart. Should be easy to play him for a fool..." pointed out Eric.
Still blathering, Mark finished with this- "Second - and along the same lines - Eric decided to get rid of his dangerous competition. A military coalition was a fine idea, but lacked common sense. Eric told Brian he was voting one of the pogues off, all the while gunning for Brian."
Indignant, Eric interjects, "Hey! I voted for Eddie first!"
The Tribal Council fire pit is located in the middle of the fierce jungle. Bethany counted six yellow-lipped kraits on their mile-long trek to Tribal Council at the end of Day Three. "The snakes we can see aren't what scares me," she joked. "I know my birds would eat them!" "Bird people are weird" stated Eric. Kevin agreed, but Brian didn't. He's also a weird bird person.
Perhaps he should have agreed. It was Brian who received four votes and was told to leave the island. His departure was setting the tone for Survivor - decent people go early. Clever and well-liked Brian was a danger.
2 votes for Gregory
Kevin Eick and Brian Eick both voted for Gregory. Kevin and Gregory seem to have some type of feud. Brian voted for Gregory because he saw him as the biggest wild card. "He's the youngest, so he's the most unpredictable."
1 vote for Eddie
Eric Eick voted for Eddie. "I'm still mad about my shirt."
1 vote for Kevin
Gregory voted for Kevin due to their longstanding rivalry.
(This vote was actually delayed several hours, as they had to go back to the shore. It seems the siblings had forgotten to untie Gregory after the previous night's immunity challenge.)
This left a runoff vote- only Brian and Gregory may be voted upon.
2 votes for Gregory
Kevin kept his vote for the youngest brother. Of course Brian also voted for Gregory, to no avail.
Tonight I will get a shower, and a meal, and my wife is home. The rest of you can get eaten by rats out there!"
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Updated 2 Mar 01