Survivor: Pearl Islands looked really boring before the first episode aired. None of the cast members stood out at all. Who would have guessed that gentle giant Rupert Boneham would become the most popular Survivor of all-time? About ten minutes into the first episode, Rupert did something that would make millions laugh. He stole some shoes.

Normally, if a reality show contestant stole something they would be hated by pretty much everybody. Not Rupert. He delivered quite possibly my favorite moment in reality television history.

How did Rupert get the chance to steal others' valuables and why was it so funny? This season was set in the Pearl Islands which had been known to be a pirate's area. To play off that theme, the producers of Survivor decided it would be fun to have all of the contestants "walk the plank" with absolutely no personal possessions except for a change of shoes. They also got a small amount of local currency to buy supplies they would need for their camp. The swim to the village was a long and vigorous journey and several players ran out of energy. The exhausted Morgan tribe had the dumb idea of putting their raft with all their shoes by the tired Rupert and walking away. Rupert took the opportunity and pilfered Morgan's shoes. They sold them to villagers for a little extra money. Even funnier was the fact that the Morgan tribe never even noticed that their shoes were missing. “This is definitely a pirate adventure,” he said afterward. "Pirates pillage. Pirates steal. Pirates take advantage. We are pirates, so we pirated," he explained. This really set the scene for the show and it launched Rupert into reality stardom. His pirate act was so loved that he was named to the special Survivor: All Stars season. While he had other great moments (wearing a dress, winning several challenges by himself, etc.) this was by far his best. The public seems to agree as well as this was named "Best Moment" in the Survivor special after All Stars.