Survivor Heroes vs. Villains: Five Dumbest "Survivor" Mistakes Ever

Sandra Diaz Twine

NEW YORK (CBS) The curtain has gone down on "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villians," the 20th and one of the liveliest seasons in the venerable franchise and Sandra Diaz Twine is the last woman standing.

But Twine  - $1 million richer - is not the only winner to walk away from the show. The series also produced a new candidate for dumbest "Survivor" move ever.

"Survivor" Through the Seasons
PICTURES: "Survivor Heroes vs. Villains"

Here are the details on this season's incredibly stupid action by James "JT" Thomas Jr., the 25-year-old Alabama rancher, as well as four others from past seasons that challenge it for the title of "Dumbest Survivor Move Ever."

JT in "Heroes vs. Villains:" Completely misreading the Tribal Council votes of the opposing "Villians," JT assumes that a female alliance is underfoot and reaches out to spare the last man standing - villainous Russell, the mastermind behind the Tribal Council votes. JT surreptitiously gives Russell his immunity idol, hoping it will keep Russell from elimination until the merge. At the first Tribal Council of the merged tribe, Russell produces the unused idol and it is subsequently used to send JT home.

Erik in "Micronesia: Fans Vs. Favorites" With a one-in-four chance to win a million dollars, 22-year-old Michigan student Erik Reichenbach was convinced that he was not in jeopardy of going home and was persuaded to give his individual immunity necklace to Natalie at Tribal Council. Minutes later, he was voted out.

James in "China:" It was the only time in "Survivor" history that a castaway went home with not one - but two - immunity idols in his possession. Thirty-two-year-old Louisiana gravedigger James Clement apparently felt so confident he never saw this blindside coming. A fan favorite, he won a $100,000 prize as the most popular player and returned for "Micronesia" and "Heroes vs. Villains."

Alex in "Amazon:" Los Angeles triathalon coach Alex Bell, in an alliance with Heidi Strobel , Jenna Morasca and Rob Cesternino, told Rob that he was going to take the girls to the final three and would vote Rob off at the end. Rob formed a new alliance and at the next Tribal Council, they ejected a very surprised Alex.

Colby in "The Outback:" Back for his third game of "Survivor" this season, Texas auto customizer Colby Donaldson made a crucial mistake in his first game by taking super-sweet Tina Wesson with him to the finals instead of much less likeable Keith Famie. Had he voted with his head and not his heart, he'd be a $1 million richer.

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"Survivor" Through the Seasons
PICTURES: "Survivor Heroes vs. Villains"

[rickdeckard68]

"deserving got nothing to do with it..." Clint Eastwood in the movie Unforgiving, the fact that Russel was smart enough to be in the top three but ignorant of the rules enough to not even get 1 single vote tells me that he loses a lot of games because he plays the way that he thinks games should be played, not by the actual rules of the game, if you have a problem with the game, why complain about it afterward and look stupid doing it, he's a total idiot at games, but I'm sure he's a rich man in private life, seems like he didn't need the money, but he also didn't make any new friends in this series, never thought Sandra would be there at the end, but she was, deal with it and get on with life...

[erasmus111]

Yes, the fact that Russell didn't get even ONE vote, pretty well says it all.

[erasmus111]

There have been many people that have lied and deceived, and have won. The people on the jury did not like the deception, but they overlooked it because the person played the game well. That is not the case with Russell, because he crossed the line into mean and nasty.

Some people are saying that Survivor isn't the same anymore. No, Survivor is the same, it's some of the people watching it that aren't. For them it's all about who is the meanest, and the nastiest.

[Sir-Augalot]

I have been a fan of Survivor since day one with Richard Hatch. Since when has the game become "how friendly you played it" instead of "outwit, outlast and outplay"? It appears that the "politically correct" way of thinking has infected the game and ruined it completely. True winners don't win anymore, only losers who are afraid to take any bold moves or "offend anyone" prevail in the final vote. Kind of cowardly way to win the game I'd say!
The final jury acted as if they had to decide the winner based upon some "moral code of conduct". They appear to have forgotten that in the end, it is a GAME of blindsiding and deceipt. Rupert acted like he was annointed as some kind of Saint!(I liked him much more in past Survivors). Did he forget one of the first things he did on his first Survivor was to Steal items from the opposing tribe? (which by the way was a great move)
There has never in the history of the game been a competitor like Russell. He was the first to find the hidden immunity idols consisantly without any clues. He was the very first to use two idols at once on OTHER TEAMATES to protect them from being voted off. He took chances and won. His directness of purpose and going A to B on that purpose made him a great threat to anyone who crossed him yet no one was clever enough to get him voted off. He was the ultimate "Survivor" in every sense of the word. If the Jury had any guts they would have put aside all that nonsense they were spouting and voted for the real winner; Russell. Viewers saw this and voted accodingly for Russell as the best player.
I think in the future that the Jury should be reminded and told to vote based upon who Out Played, Out smarted and out lasted all the rest and PERFORMANCE IN THE GAME SUCH AS WINNING SOME CHALLANGES AND MAKING GAME CHANGING MOVES SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT. PERSONALITY SHOULD BE LEFT OUT OF IT ENTIRELY.

[deloni_moore]

Thank you! At least someone else sees the flaws of survivor. Russell is the best player to play the game.

[erasmus111]

What flaws? The game is the way it has always been. If you don't like it, don't watch it!

Since when is it all about how nasty you can get? Is that what you are looking for? Nasty is what makes the ultimate winner?

I'm thinking you should stop watching it if that is what you are looking for.

[deloni_moore]

No. I'm not a self hater. and I have never been hit either by a man or a woman. I make it perfectly clear to people that I won't take any crap. Times have changed. Women are just as physical as men are. I don't know what survivor you have been watching over the last 10 years, but there were more people than Johnny Fairplay who swore on loved ones lives. And gee-In Ruperts first season he took peoples shoes, he wasn't mr. nice guy when it came to stuff like that. And as for the water being poured out-It's survivor for goodness sake. They had a well, they just had to get off their lazy butts and go and get it and boil it. Not too tough.

[erasmus111]

by deloni_moore May 17, 2010 11:58 PM EDT
I don't know what survivor you have been watching over the last 10 years, but there were more people than Johnny Fairplay who swore on loved ones lives.


I have watched every Survivor, and I guarantee that no one else has said it. If they did, I would remember.

[erasmus111]

"They had a well, they just had to get off their lazy butts and go and get it and boil it. Not too tough."


Ya think so? Maybe you should be in the next Survivor and you can just see how tough it really is. I want to see you in that extreme heat, no food and having to trek to get the water and then have to boil it.

If it's so easy, why are they getting dehydrated?

[jonessc]

I agree that Russell got screwed. The show's finale has taken a turn for the worst. I faithfully watched the entire season and was truly disapointed at who was chosen sole survivor. It was criminal. Russell was the greatest player of all. He did whatever it took to SURVIVE. If he lied, or hurt someone's feeling, so what. IT'S A GAME PEOPLE. Sandra should not have won. What survival skills did she display? Me and my husband have been survivor fans since season one, and we were so dispointed that we don't even know if we'll tune in next season.

[erasmus111]

"Sandra should not have won. What survival skills did she display?"


She managed to get to the final three, like Russell, did she not? She managed it WITHOUT winning the immunity idol, did she not? She also managed it without getting mean and nasty, did she not? I can't say that she was one of my favourite people, but she deserved to win.

Are you saying that the only way a person deserves to win is if they get down and dirty to do it? I'd say a person deserves it more if they DON'T have to resort to that, and if they can do it without winning immunity.


"Me and my husband have been survivor fans since season one, and we were so dispointed that we don't even know if we'll tune in next season."


If you think winning survivor is about being mean and nasty to win, maybe you shouldn't tune in next season.


There's a difference between "lying and hurting someone's feelings", and being "mean and nasty".

[freechoice4all]

100% correct, its turned into a who's pissed the judges off the least competition. Russell is more vocal than any other person and most hate by everybody which is why he never got a single jury vote but won $100,000 as best player. the judges are idiots to think that of the last 3 only russell lied, cheated, etc, etc to make it to the end. They all did what was needed to make it to the end, but Russell being the leader gets screwed because they hated him.

what he did is what you are supposed to do to make it to the end! being nicest or a favorite of the jury does not make you the best player or survivor. changes need to be made if I'm to continue and watch this show.

Richard Hatch was hated but won because he played the game the best, Russell did the same in the last 2 games and got screwed because they hated him and voted against him for that sole reason.

[deloni_moore]

Russell isn't evil, he just knows how to play the game. Russell-mental problems? Give me a break. Yeah-That's why he is already a millionaire. And Rupert has done some pretty crappy things in the past survivors too. As for Russell pushing down a woman in New Orleans, she probably deserved it. I am woman, and if a woman can't take the heat stay home. She probably did deserved it, epecially if she acted like the women on survivor. Russell's wife probably knows he was playing a GAME. Seems like a lot of people out there don't get the concept. As for him swearing on his kids lives, GEE-How many survivors have done that in the past? A LOT of them. If they can't play the game, don't go on survivor. And even though Russell didn't win the million bucks, at least he made it to the finals, more than I can say for the members of the jury. They have played before and they couldn't seem to get to the finals.I liked Rupert up until most of this season. He decided to act like he is hollier than thou, just like the rest of them. Give me a break. Just goes to show ya, the best man /woman doesn't always win.

[erasmus111]

by deloni_moore May 17, 2010 3:04 PM EDT
As for Russell pushing down a woman in New Orleans, she probably deserved it.


She only deserved it if she hit him first. I don't recall hearing that, and there were plenty of witnesses.

You got someone beating on you? Have they brain washed you into thinking that you deserve it? Get some help.


"She probably did deserved it, epecially if she acted like the women on survivor."


You must be a self-hater. I don't care what a woman says, she doesn't deserve to be hit, unless she was doing the hitting too.


"As for him swearing on his kids lives, GEE-How many survivors have done that in the past?"

Only ONE. And that was that Johnny whatever his name, who swore on his Grandmother's grave, and she wasn't even dead! That's just bad karma. He was a scumbag too.

I'm not saying that there aren't others that have done bad things, but there is a line you don't need to cross. When you start meaning harm to others, that's evil. When you have very hot weather, and you are pouring out people's water, that's bad. And the kicker is that he was trying to make HIS TEAM suffer. Why would he do that? You are supposed to want your team to win the challenges, not lose them. It's a different matter when you merge and then it's every man for himself. But even that does not mean that you try to do bodily harm. Russell was just plain IGNORANT. He may have played the game HARD, but not the BEST.

[freechoice4all]

they sound like a bunch of children! liar liar pants on fire, stick a needle in my eye.
sworn on hs kids lives... OMG, I guess he should be executed, drawn and quartered and spend the rest of enternity in an everlasting fire!

[erasmus111]

I believe that the right person won the dumbest mistake award. I was left speechless after that move. Erik would be the runner-up, I think.
Although, James not playing one of the idols had to be pretty stupid too. I mean when you have TWO, why wouldn't you play one just to be on the safe side?

I've noticed that all the dumb moves were done by men. Hahahaha, just sayin'. : )

[DWM345]

Russell did not get screwed. Russell gave 100% effort to 50% of the game. As was pointed out to him that you need to play to the Jury. The game has been won by people percived to be the most cunning, most loyal, strongest, etc. But seldom will be won by the one judged as most arrogant and traitorous. If Russell wants to be judged by the viewers he should try out for Big Brother or American Idol, not Survivor.

[deloni_moore]

Yes, Russell did get screwed!! If the people playing the game and on the jury weren't such whinning, fake people, they should vote for the person who played the game the best, not for the people who did nothing but ride coat tails of someone the entire game. That's not deserving to win. You didn't used to have to play to the jury. You got voted to win when you were the best player in the game. Just look at seasons past winners. Oh, and by the way, Russell was voted most popular by the viewers. Pretty much everyone on the jury was either lazy or they just can't handle it when someone is better than them. They couldn't give Russell the million bucks because they were jealous of the way he played the game. They didn't get far enough to win so why let someone who deserves it win.

[erasmus111]

by deloni_moore May 17, 2010 1:08 PM EDT
You didn't used to have to play to the jury. You got voted to win when you were the best player in the game. Just look at seasons past winners.



You have always had to play to the jury. The outcome just depended on whether or not they could accept what the person did to win it. In most cases they could. You can forgive the lying and certain backstabbing events, but when it comes down to a person just being EVIL, I guess they consider that to be a little much.

Anyone with half an eyeball can see that Russell has some mental problems. I feel sorry for his family. I wonder how his wife felt when she heard him saying (in the last Survivor), that women were stupid. Not just a specific woman, but all the women. I wonder how she felt when he swore on his kid's lives? You just don't say those kinds of things. And how about the way he spoke to Rupert? He was getting PERSONAL. There are some things that can be forgiven and some things that can't.

The very fact that Russell didn't get even ONE vote says it all.

And further proof that Russell has a mental problem is the fact that he shoved a woman to the ground in New Orleans.

[deloni_moore]

I am very disappointed with the outcome of survivor. I have watched survivor since the very first season and I don't know where they get these people who just can't function in the game if their feelings get hurt. Outwit, Outlast, Outplay, What happened to this motto? it seems like most of the people playing anymore are more worried about being politically correct and moral. Give me a break-Maybe they should let the audience watching vote. Once again Russell got screwed!!!

[freechoice4all]

I agree, something has to be changed so its not a popularity contest for the winner! ...not that I want an "American Idol" kind of survivor with uncontrolled texting by 11 and 12 year girls, but changes need to be made! The motto is no longer "Outwit, Outlast, Outplay"; its now "don't **** me off, don't be a meany, go with the flow"