Hantz: "Survivor" White Undeserving

(CBS)  Russell Hantz, the runner-up and fan favorite of "Survivor: Samoa" said on "The Early Show" the season's winner, Natalie White, doesn't deserve the $1 million prize.

Photos: "Survivor: Samoa"
Natalie White Wins "Survivor," $1M Prize

Hantz said, "I don't think she deserves it. That's my opinion. I don't think the world thinks she deserves it, because she didn't even get in the top three for fan favorite. So... "

"Early Show" substitute co-anchor Chris Wragge asked White, "What is it like sitting next to such a gracious loser?"

White responded, "Russell is a character. Again, everybody is going to see a different game than what we actually play and ultimately, the person that wins and deserves to win is the person that gets the majority of the jury vote."

Sitting next to White, holding an oversized check for the $1 million, Hantz interjected, "You know, when you play a football game, and you're the quarterback to the football game, I'm throwing all the touchdown passes, right? She wasn't even on the field. She was my cheerleader."

But White, the 26-year-old winner of the 19th season of the CBS reality show, unshaken by his words, said, "Guess what? I'm going to laugh all the way to the bank."

White also received the actual check on the broadcast. White said she plans to spend some of the money on a vacation with her boyfriend. She said she wants to save the rest.

Glor added, "How about a nice big order of humble pie for the man sitting next to you."

Anyone who judged White by her looks made a big mistake. Early on her teammates discounted her as an empty-headed beauty queen. But she truly had killer instincts, even killing a rat in the Samoan wilderness.

White formed an early alliance with this season's master manipulator - Hantz, a self-proclaimed "Puppet Master."

Hantz said during the game, "My tribe will believe anything I tell them at any point. Because they're just stupid. You can call me the Puppet Master. They can be my little puppets. They'll run when I tell them to run, they'll walk when I tell them to walk. When I'm finished with 'em, just throw 'em in the trash."

By some accounts, Hantz may have been the greatest player in "Survivor" history. But he made a fatal mistake. He had too many enemies on the jury.

Erik Cardona, a "Survivor: Samoa" competitor, told Hantz on the final show, "You played an unethical game. Admittedly played an unethical game."

Then turning to Natalie, Cardona said, "People will call you weak. People will say you are undeserving. Why are those characteristics any less admirable as lying cheating and stealing?"

The jury took their revenge on Hantz and rewarded White for playing the game beautifully.

[simo0028]

I m from brussels belgium, i have all the season of survivor from s1 to s19 i ve never seen a player like Russel hantz,unbelieveble what he did Russel u are my man u kicked them 1 by 1,the Jury are a ******* that stupid blonde doesnt deserve to win she did nadaaaaaaaaa.

Russel Tu es le meilleur, you are the best, hope we can see you in S20.

you are the bestttttttttttt player i ever seen,Number 1

for me YOU ARE THE WINNER OF SURVIVOR S19 GREAT A JOB.
[e-mail]
hope u can read my comment
you are my HERO

[simo0028]

I m from brussels belgium, i have all the season of survivor from s1 to s19 i ve never seen a player like Russel hantz,unbelieveble what he did Russel u are my man u kicked them 1 by 1,the Jury are a ******* that stupid blonde doesnt deserve to win she did nadaaaaaaaaa.

Russel Tu es le meilleur, you are the best, hope we can see you in S20.

you are the bestttttttttttt player i ever seen,Number 1

for me YOU ARE THE WINNER OF SURVIVOR S19 GREAT A JOB.
[e-mail]
hope u can read my comment
you are my HERO

[simo0028]

I m from brussels belgium, i have all the season of survivor from s1 to s19 i ve never seen a player like Russel hantz,unbelieveble what he did Russel u are my man u kicked them 1 by 1,the Jury are a ******* that stupid blonde doesnt deserve to win she did nadaaaaaaaaa.

Russel Tu es le meilleur, you are the best, hope we can see you in S20.

you are the bestttttttttttt player i ever seen,Number 1

for me YOU ARE THE WINNER OF SURVIVOR S19 GREAT A JOB.
[e-mail]
hope u can read my comment
you are my HERO

[simo0028]

I m from brussels belgium, i have all the season of survivor from s1 to s19 i ve never seen a player like Russel hantz,unbelieveble what he did Russel u are my man u kicked them 1 by 1,the Jury are a ******* that stupid blonde doesnt deserve to win she did nadaaaaaaaaa.

Russel Tu es le meilleur, you are the best, hope we can see you in S20.

you are the bestttttttttttt player i ever seen,Number 1

for me YOU ARE THE WINNER OF SURVIVOR S19 GREAT A JOB.
[e-mail]
hope u can read my comment
you are my HERO

[tombstone7]

I won't watch Survivor anymore. This was the first time I actually watched the entire series and yes, Russell was a jerk at times, but I didn't think that the jury would want their butts kissed or else they won't vote for the person who really played the game! Sad! There's politics in every game of life!

[freechoice4all]

Russell was the only reason I watched this season of Survivor! Yes he was evil but he was the best at the game and controlled it to the end (well until the jury vote)!!!

[freechoice4all]

Russell lost because of the sore losers on the jury, he was devious, a master manipulater, and a strategic genus. This is exactly why they need to make changes on Survivor, the jury should have a say but not total control of the outcome. ...They voted against him for spite and natalie deserved to win about as much as a cheerleader deserves to be voted MVP of the Super Bowl!!!

she voted just as Russell did but he made the calls and they hated him for it, but at least he made the descisions and didn't hide in the shadows.

[weewillywonka]

Russell is too full of himself. He was mean without purpose. The purpose of the first half of the game is to vote off the weakest and form alliances. The purpose of the second half of the game is to vote off the strongest but don't offend them too much because you need their votes in order to win the final prize. Russell failed miserably in the second half. Evidently Natalie deserved to win because - hey, she got the votes.

[lanawonders]

Natalie deserved the money. She stayed in the game for 39 day just like Russell did. I wouldn't have voted for him either.

[ctb4679]

lilbear925, this is a game, and a form of the lottery, it's not a career. It should be looked at as a game of skill, planning, foresight, and a little bit of luck. And on another topic, Natalie won fair and square. Russell played very hard but he also made enemies, which is a factor in the game. The other players who got voted off could have formed an alliance opposing Russell, and if they had continued to try to vote off Russell, he would have been gone, as he fearlessly didn't use his last immunity idol.