"Survivor" (18.05) recaplet: "Guys like JT, typical Southerners"

After we broke the news last week that Survivor: China's Todd Herzog and Survivor: Tocantin's Spencer Duhm are dating, I got to thinking back to Survivor: China because something was nagging at me. I thought Spencer looked a little familiar so I did some poking around and sure enough, our Super Butch Twinkie actually knew Todd back then and might even have helped Todd win!

Check out these photos, followed by our spoiler-filled recap of the show!

Naturally, we all have to wonder how we missed SBT the entire time! He was even there during the final Tribal Council (at top) and then ...

... celebrating when Todd won. Who knew?!

I simply have to start paying more attention when I watch these reality shows!

Okay, on to this week's episode. We open with grunting and moaning and we're clearly meant to think the sounds might be sex. Then the camera reveals it's Angsty City Boy scratching Taj Mahal's back.

Gee, who has the power in this relationship?

Um, Angsty City Boy, I'm not sure I'd say something like that on national TV!

The two of them sneak off together to "get water" which, of course, means either discuss who to vote off or to hunt for the immunity idol which is exactly what they do. It takes a couple of minutes before they find it, then Taj Mahal gives it to ACB to keep which at first I think is odd, but later shows she's pretty shrewd when she is asked point blank if she has it and can honestly answer no. Well, sort of honestly.

Taj isn't the only shrewd one as ACB then says in interview that since the idol is in his possession, it is technically his and he's going to do  everything he can to keep it that way.

I might look cute and adorable, but I know hot to stick a knife in someone's back!

We then cut to the Timonians where we see Sierra Mist get on Granola Boy's case a little bit for having failed to tell her about their secret alliance with Taj Mahal and Angsty City Boy. I barely notice much of this because my crush on GB has only deepened and I'm mostly ogling his shirtless torso or being sucked into those brown eyes. I'm weak, I know! But I can't help myself! 

It's this big! Really!

Sadly, we then cut to a shot of Renaissance Man...

Oh, dear! I'm afraid I got confused there! My apologies to the Capybara community. It's just that RM looks so much like a giant rodent, it's easy to get them mixed up!

We're off to the reward challenge where the Survivors are playing for a trip to the Charmin Cafe where they will get pastries and coffee and a real toilet with loads of Charmin toilet paper! Oh, boy! This just has to be the oddest product sponsorship ever. It grossed me out the first time they did it and it's just as revolting now. I simply don't want personal hygiene products tied so closely together with the cause and effect necessitating their use. Give me bears floating on clouds hugging rolls of toilet paper! 

The reward challenge itself involves one Survivor being spun on a disc with a pole sticking up until they are good and dizzy and then having to cross a balance beam. The thing to note here is that Super Butch Twinkie does very well and is encouraging to his teammates. It'll be important later. 

Little known fact: SBT works his way through college teaching pole dancing!

The Jalapenos win the reward and send Granola Boy to Exile Island, but instead of taking Taj Mahal with him, BG picks Angsty City Boy who does a terrible job of looking surprised. And Naked Mormon Dude is no fool because he says in interview that he's wondering just what is up with GB and the Jalapenos.

So the Jalapenos head off to the Charmin Cafe where it turns out they have letters that make them all weepy. Fortunately, there is just loads of Charmin tissue around to mop up those tears.

Back at the Timonian camp, where they have no rich food — and no need for Charmin — the tribe discusses what Granola Boy might be up to and Naked Mormod Dude and Renaissance Man both discuss their suspicions about him. RM then tries to impress everyone with his ability to read the weather by predicting that an approaching storm is going to pass them by. 

Naturally, they then get hit by a deluge and Evil Erinn says in interview what a jackass he is and that she wouldn't be surprised ifhe was really an accountant who had never left Nebraska before. Ha!

We then cut to Granola Boy and Angsty City Boy on Exile Island where they look adorable together and discuss their alliance. But ACB says in interview that he's not 100% certain of it. 

And finally we get some Super Butch Twinkie face time as he chats with Blonde #1 but I'm not certain sudden face time for him actually bodes well. Interestingly, Blonde #1 pushes him as to whether or not he's got a special girl in his life by saying "So no girls to whet your appetite?" Suddenly she sound a little bit like Madam running a brothel.

SBT says there is no one special right now and is appropriately vague. In fact, Blonde #1certainly seems suspicious he might be gay, something SBT confirmed in our interview with him today. 

This is all interspersed with shots of SBT talking in interview about why he is being so cagey about his sexuality: 

My tribemates are not aware that I'm gay. I haven't told them. Only because in the culture that we live in, there's nothing really to gain, or not much to gain from people finding out that you are gay. I don't like hiding it though. I would like to be able to have those conversations when we're talking about girls. I wouldn't mind, you know, makin' like "Spencer, well what type of guy do you like" or something, but I know that that's not the best option for me in the game at this point.

SBT also goes on to discuss why he is particularly reluctant to tell Tom Sawyer, someone from the South:

Guys like JT, typical Southerners, people are generally not quite as accepting of homosexulity. I don't know if he is one of those guys.  But they are maybe inclined maybe to get rid of someone like me just because I am gay. That is disappointing but is one of the reasons I want to keep it a secret. 

I can't say he's wrong to think that way. Yes, two gay men have won, but it's often seemed like gay Survivors have trouble with the straight guys on their teams. Obviously, it's not a hard and fast rule — Marcus from last season for instance — but it's an issue.

We then cut to the immunity challenge which involves shooting a ball out of net that the other tribemembers have to catch.  It's kind of chaotic and Tom Sawyer and Naked Mormon Guy excel with no one else looking particularly great. In fact, Taj Mahal performs as badly as anyone. 

Oh, and Tom Sawyer breaks off a tooth which he just tosses aside.

Real men don't worry about teeth!

Probst isn't so crazy about that — souvenir perhaps? — and puts it in his pocket. 

Jalapeno is on the verge of winning when NMG brings them back from the brink to win immunity. Unfortunately for SBT, he's the one guarding NMG and he takes the blame for the loss.

Tom Sawyer is not happy and immediately sets his sights on SBT who doesn't do a particularly good job of defending himself or trying to blame anyone else. By the time we head to Tribal Council, it's pretty clear that SBT is going to take the fall which is just ridiculous. 

SBT has certainly outperformed Blonde #1 and will clearly be more of an asset to the tribe than her, but TS also clearly has the hots for her, and if Blonde #1 suspected he might be gay, it's hard not to wonder if Termite Joe and Tom Sawyer did as well. I guess we won't know until they get voted off.