‘Survivor Second Chance’ Finale: 7 Things You Didn’t See on TV
An un-seen practice heat of the final challenge, the mystery of the second place money and a demoralized finalist are among the top moments behind the scenes
Backstage at the "Survivor: Second Chance" Finale and Live Reunion at CBS Television City on December 16, 2015. (Mikey Glazer)
The “Survivor: Second Chance” season finale scored big with viewers, winning Wednesday night’s primetime ratings race as firefighter Jeremy Collins won a unanimous 10-0 victory from the largest jury in the show’s history.
The festivities at CBS Television City in Los Angeles also proved a popular ticket, with 220 people on the waiting list and multiple insiders saying this was the most hotly-requested finale in the show’s history.
For the 9.5 million viewers who tuned in and those who needed better hookups at CBS, here are nine moments — some sweet, some bittersweet — that you didn’t see on TV.
1. With a poor viewing angle from their position on set, the outgoing cast jumped out of their seats to get a view of the teaser trailer for the next season playing on house monitors. They’re true fans.
Jeremy Collins, left, beat Tasha Fox and Spencer Bledsoe. Bledsoe’s casual wardrobe was emblematic of his disengagement from the show. (Monty Brinton/(c) CBS Broadcasting)
2. During the reaction shot cutaways of the reading of the final vote, jury member Kass McQuillen leaned over to Collins and said to him “That’s my vote.” She had squiggled a star next to his name.
3. Spencer Bledsoe and Tasha Fox tied for second and third place with zero votes. So what happens to the prize money? “I think third place and second place money, we get the average of it,” Bledose told TheWrap after the show. “Second place is $100,000, I think.” For a six figure payday, this landed a bit numb.
Kelley Wentworth actually went “1 for 2”on the final challenge that could have put her in the Final 3. (CBS Screengrab).
Had Kelley Wentworth won the final immunity challenge, managing an increasing fleet of balls running in and out of a metal chute, she could have won the season.
3. Wentworth revealed a secret practice heat for the final immunity challenge. “We practiced that challenge before we actually did it,” she told TheWrap. “We got to practice that final challenge once before we did it. We had one practice run and I killed it.” When it counted, she came up short. “The second time when we they actually filmed it, I got in my own head.”
(CBS Screengrab).
4. Executive producer/host Jeff Probst made only one pitstop between the time the show went off the air and moments later when he was wrapped. He walked across the stage to hug the defeated and deflated duo of Tasha Fox and Spencer Bledsoe. Similar to the rocket docket departures of his hosting buddy Ryan Seacrest, Probst then slipped off the set through the back and was not seen again.
5. While host Probst lathered “Clooney-esque” credentials on cast member Joe Anglim (“Girls want to date him. Guys want to hang out with him”), Anglim deflected by highlighting his relationship with his father as an inspiration. Meanwhile, a cameraman frenetically roamed the audience looking for the dad for a cutaway. Several audience members tried getting the anxious cameraman’s attention, pointing to him and directing him in to place. The cameraman picked off a shot of the proud pop just in time.
Fourth place finisher Kelley Wentworth and champ Jeremy Collins glammed up for the finale. (Monty Brinton/(c) CBS)
6. “I need to take a break. I need to refocus on life, refocus on the things that are important,” a morose and depressed Bledsoe told TheWrap after the show. “I’m definitely not looking at a third chance right now.” The 23-year-old who arrived to the franchise as an eager super fan two years ago did not even dress up for the finale, sporting a hoodie and corduroys. He stuck out amongst his peers who went full-glam (see above.) It was a stunning disintegration of spirit from even seven months ago when TheWrap interviewed Bledsoe days before leaving for production in Cambodia.
Shirin Oskooi, Peih-Gee Law, and Monica Padilla were amongst those who did not get to speak during the live reunion show. (Monty Brinton/(c) CBS)
7. The dispensability of cast members and the fickle fortunes of screen time bore out as audio technicians “de-mic’ed” Shirin Oskooi and Monica Padilla on stage after the show ended. Neither of them had been asked a question nor uttered a word on the live show. In addition to the superfluous microphone, Oskooi had the double indignity of having to sit in the far corner, usually reserved for the “first boot,” even though she was not the first person voted out. Actual first castoff, Vytas Baskauskas, was reportedly excluded from the finale for violating show rules by allegedly returning back to the U.S. while production was still in progress, resuming his Yoga teaching practice and going on social media.
@JeffProbst great season through and through. Bummed I’m not invited to participate in the finale with all my castmates!
Hollywood Holiday Party Report: Christoph Waltz, Dakota Johnson, Jane Lynch Get Spirited With Santa (Photos)
Armie Hammer, Dakota Johnson, and Judd Apatow headed for Aspen on December 19, meeting up at the Caribou Club for Audi's holiday party after snow polo earlier in the day.
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J.B. Smoove smartly waited until Hollywood logged off for the year to throw himself a rowdy, rocking 50th birthday bash at the SLS on Saturday night, December 19. There were choreographed dances (via Farnsworth Bentley), '90s rappers, "Mama Smoove" getting out of a wheelchair to dance with her son, and casino gambling.
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Sherri Shepherd told Fran Drescher (pictured) that doing "Dancing with the Stars" was one of the best moves she ever made and told her to consider it. Fran signed in with a giant version of the Cross pen that VIPs went home with.
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'You better be working on a new season of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' because all this s--t costs money," Smoove told Larry David from the stage.
"I am working on a season...but I wrote you out in episode two," David cracked back. David also left a funny welcome message on the sign in board.
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TV Titans at the Beverly Hilton: Dick Wolf and Chuck Lorre headlined the HRTS' Newsmaker Luncheon on Monday, December 14.
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Passing the TV torch: Incoming HRTS President Eric Schrier (President, Original Programming at FX Networks and FX Productions) with outgoing HRTS President Bela Bajaria from UTV.
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Maria Sharapova gathered her friends around the tennis court, not the Christmas tree, at the first "Maria Sharapova and Friends" tennis event at UCLA on December 12-13. Sharapova and Chelsea Handler wiped Will Arnett and former world #1 Andy Roddick off the court without losing a game.
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Chelsea Handler - surprisingly not bad at all. Porsche and WMEIMG put on the sophisticated wine-and-cheese style event, bringing professional tennis back to L.A. for the first time in years.
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"Does anyone have the gate code?" Will Arnett joked after losing the first game and attempting to drive the new 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera off the court.
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Host Sharapova made a last second change by trading Will Arnett for Handler to convert Saturday afternoon's last match in to a "Battle of the Sexes".
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Earlier in the day, Sharapova took the court with Kei Nishikori and faced off in singles against rising American star Madison Keyes.
Porsche
Untitled's Jason Newman welcomed Orlando Jones (center) to a launch party at the Darkroom on Melrose for the OnCam app, a video calling platform that allows for monetization of online meet-ups.
Mikey Glazer
The original "Creed", Carl Weathers, with members of the DGA’s African American Steering Committee at the multi-organization "Holiday Soul" Party at UTA on December 17.
Courtesy of AAFCA
Holiday Soul organizers Gil Robertson (President of the African American Film Critics Association), Michele Amor (Co-Chair WGAw Committee of Black Writers), Wendy Calhoun (Co-Chair Committee of Black Writers), and Malik Abbott (DGA African American Steering Committee) at the party that brought together diversity-driven industry organizations for live music and networking over a holiday buffet.
Kat Graham lobbies for a “nice” rating at the Hollywood Christmas Parade.
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Shay Mitchell jetted in for Delta's "Holiday In The Hanger", a gathering for Children's Hospital Los Angeles and P.S. Arts at LAX on December 2.
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Michael Shannon and Kate Arrington jumpstarted the laughs on the red carpet for the premiere of “The Night Before”. The gear is from “Shark Tank” fave Tipsy Elves.
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Evan Handler and Christoph Waltz made a holiday huddle with Creative Coalition CEO Robin Bronk at the non-partisan, non-profit's holiday dinner party at One West on Saturday night, Dec. 5.
Angela Weiss/Getty Images for The Creative Coalition
The Creative Coalition steaks, wine, and holiday dinner staples doubled as an awareness dinner for D.C. Statehood. Tough guy Jonathan Banks (right) added muscle to Senator Paul Strauss' campaign to put a 51st star on the flag (and 2 more Senators in the north chamber of the Capitol).
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One West is The One Group's old STK on La Cienega in the heart of West Hollywood. STK recently decamped for quieter Westwood. The dress was "holiday cocktail" which for Bruce Vilanch means...
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...this. Never a disappointment.
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Hal Sparks is a Creative Coalition regular, and had some strong feelings about the end of "The Soup," the E! series he once hosted. "Twin Peaks" star Madchen Amick, Cassie Scerbo, Quinton Aaron, and reliable party enhancer Tichina Arnold all joined Bronk for the dinner that also benefitted the DC Film Office.
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Meanwhile, the IDA Awards took place on Saturday night December 5 on the Paramount Lot. Paramount's in-house production designers have apparently been busy behind the Melrose Gate.
Mikey Glazer
Ricky Schroeder would have had a giant inflatable duck pool filled with balls in his house on "Silver Spoons". Alfonso Ribeiro took a dive at Bill Horn and Scout Masterson's "Santa's Secret Workshop" on Saturday, December 5.
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Tori Spelling is a regular at this event thrown by her pals "The Guncles" at the Andaz on Sunset. The invite tells guests to come ready to snap their holiday card photos, like this one.
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Amy Davidson, Haylie Duff, and Ali Fedotowsky at Santa's Secret Workshop, which benefits L.A. Family Housing while providing activities like "Build a Bear", ornament making, food, and some family-themed swag from Mabels Labels, Munchkin, and others.
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"Undateable" star Eva Amurri, host Bill Horn, and Jo Bosley all costumed for the season at the Andaz.
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No mistletoe, no problem. Dot-Marie Jones goes in for a smooch on one of Santa's furry little helpers backstage at the Staples Center in the Sabra Hummus Station during the Jingle Ball concert on December 4.
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Kato Kaelin, Larry King, and Shawn King at the Arclight premiere of “Christmas Eve”. King and Kato are pals going back to the O.J. days when King’s nightly ratings were “through the roof” King recalled to TheWrap.
Todd Williamson
Larry King produced the movie starring Patrick Stewart and Jon Heder (pictured) along with King's wife, Shawn King, and Cheryl Hines. Stewart is currently playing an amplified version of a Larry King-type on “Blunt Talk” and Larry called @SirPatStew personally to get him onboard this film.
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Cheryl Hines and James Roday also star in the movie about different groups of people trapped in an elevator on the night before Christmas. They all flew to Romania to shoot the film that seems like it could have been shot in the Arclight itself. It’s in theaters and on VOD as of Dec. 4.
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The Party Report’s Mikey Glazer gives you the inside scoop on how the industry’s biggest stars are getting into the holiday spirit with this continually updating gallery of the best bashes in town