SPEAKER_04 0:00

Welcome back to Caffing Confessionals. We are here to talk about the challenge cutthroat episode eight. My name is Alan. I'm joined by my lovely co-host Zoe.

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Hi everyone.

SPEAKER_04 0:12

And back for the podcast this week. It's Luke. What's up, guys?

unknown 0:18

Luke.

SPEAKER_04 0:18

We would typically ask you, hey, what were your thoughts on the episode? Because you missed last week, but we can't right now because three men, Leo, Josh, and Nelson, have apparently broke the code of conduct on the challenge and are now out of the game. What the hell happened? Luke, give us some insight as our spoiler expert.

SPEAKER_03 0:42

So allegedly, everything's alleged. And the only thing I'll say about last week, this is even greater of a deal because Corey's gone. So it's really four guys gone back to back to back to back. But allegedly, there was a game of Uno playing or being played. And it was Nelson's turn. And Leo asks or told Nelson it was his turn to go and used um an expletive that is considered a slur when used towards a black person. Leo is claims he is black and also Hispanic, Afro-Latina. Okay, so it seems based in the context of the world, he's allowed to use that word. Josh, who is white, repeats this to Nelson. And this is all alleged still. Nelson is upset, rightfully so, causes a big fuss, breaks things in the kitchen, um, is throwing a fit to production. And production feels like their hands are tied because if one person said the word Leo, but not, but also Josh, how can you just get Josh? Sounds like a mess. Sounds like they punished Nelson and Leo for something that a white person should not say, allegedly. Which is why it's been so shocking for the season to have focused really heavily on Josh. Because we've had seasons of people being kicked off the show quietly, not so quietly, uh, because of racist things happening or racist allegations. Not so much with Josh. So allegedly not a good look.

SPEAKER_04 2:27

There's a few factors at play. I think the first factor is the fact that there's only a 24-person cast. And when it happened on Dirty30, that's a 30-person cast. It's a much bigger group of people. So because of having a smaller, more intimate cast, you kind of had to show Josh because if not, there would be a lot missing in this show. And then secondly, I think we can all agree there was a long time between when this season filmed and when it eventually got released. And so I think it's fair to say that MTV or Paramount wasn't even fully sure if they're gonna put out this season, even.

SPEAKER_03 3:05

Yeah, I don't know. I mean, I do think the pendulum swings like all the time. And I do fear that we're that's very much a swing in a way where like people don't care as much about that, which is frightening. Because had this have happened two, three years ago, like he would be canceled, run off social media, would not be promoting the show, the show would not be promoting him. Um, Dina Wynn made a horrible comment, multiple back to back to back, not excusing her, but she didn't bring up any slurs or say them to other people, allegedly, and like do that while filming a season. And she, an Asian woman, was raked over the Kohl's but this white guy from Love Island, so gets to have like the season of the lifetime promo on socials, invited to events. Just a weird, weird uh way that this has unfolded, allegedly.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

I mean, this definitely aligns with the way that MTV has a history, and I know MTV is for all intents and purposes defunct, but um MTV has a history of protecting its male talent regardless of their transgressions. Um and I think it's really interesting that we've also moved so far away from the network's core that like they don't even have the nerve to show it and let people make up their own minds and trust their viewers because what this says to me as a viewer, when you won't show what what happened is like you're just you're completely spineless and you don't respect your audience at all. Because if this man gets cast again, everything that you've done in recent history to say make up for the lack of canceling people or the lack of letting talent go when they've crossed the line is just null and void because it's just so opportunistic, and they obviously don't give a shit if they bring Josh back on the show.

SPEAKER_03 5:28

Yeah, I was talking to Alan before we started recording, and I had hopes because TJ had done interviews, CT had done interviews saying this is gonna be throwback to like the old show where stuff gets shown, and it seems like the only real world stuff that's been shown has been infidelity, which as a viewer is interesting. And I'm not saying I want to see racism on my TV, but it happened. These shows have been a place where conversations could be had, lessons could be learned from the viewers. Hey, there could be some 13-year-old kid on Paramount who jokes with his friends like that and doesn't realize, hey, this isn't the word that I should be saying, and can see that and see consequences and say, Oh, what a lesson for me to learn. And if there is to be grace to have for Josh, I don't think that there is, but like show it. Let him address it, let him be accountable instead of these rumblings where we have to allege what might have happened and what didn't happen.

SPEAKER_01 6:23

Well, an MTV Paramount, whoever, like, I think part of why they can't show it is because Leo and Nelson shouldn't have been sent home. And so production took a huge L in how they handled it in the moment. And if they'd shown what had happened, I think fan sentiment probably would be largely on Leo and Nelson's side, and um it would have made them look bad, which you still look bad.

SPEAKER_03 6:56

And I just think, like obviously Nelson has his past transgressions, but the network, Paramount MTV, whatever you want to call it, made the choice to bring Nelson back on to have the storyline, and then to say that he broke the code of conduct and not give us any like explanation. If you're someone who casually watches the show, which most people are, your mind's gonna go to all kinds of places. Okay. If Nelson wrecked the kitchen out of frustration, wow, what a real moment for us to see. Someone's upset because a word was used towards them that should have never been used. It just like I know it's not the real world, but like this used to be, like you said, Zoe, a place where we could see these real things happen and actually have a jumping point to talk about them.

SPEAKER_04 7:41

It is kind of interesting too because Nelson's history on the show. There are actually two different moments that stem from this because Nelson got cast as Amanda's rival's partner because he was wrecking the kitchen on Are You the One, and she got mad he was wasting eggs. Um, but then they become friends years later, he then goes on 3030, and he's in that house during Camilla's tirade. And he's actually cutting more serious confessionals than Leroy ever did in that moment where he's talking about having to hold his mouth and trying to, you know, contain himself because what Camilla's doing is so bad. And so after all these years, you know, literally 10 years later now, it's been 10 years since 3030, he now has to deal with all of this. And so, yeah, he's gonna be angry, and yeah, he's gonna mess with the kitchen because you know, you would think we'd be in a better place, but it's not. It's just that's the world we're still living in where people think they can say whatever.

SPEAKER_03 8:39

And I'm sorry, I said this when this like came out on Twitter, the alleged stuff. While the pendulum is swinging a certain way, this is Josh, who was on Love Island in 2021. Okay, did Love Island Games in 2025, I believe. Like, you're a vetted reality personality at this point. And in 2021, at a very crucial point where people were very mindful of what they posted, what they said, how they acted. Like you can't tell me he thought this was normal. And maybe he's been hanging out with certain people in Florida too much, he thinks it is. But I just I don't understand.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

Yeah, there's just no excuse for anyone, but especially an adult. Um, there's no excuse, period, to be using that word at this point in time. As a white person. Right. There is just no reason for it. There is no rationalization. I think if you're how old is Josh? 30.

SPEAKER_03 9:45

Late 20s, if not 30, but yeah, I mean old enough to know.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

Like, if you're using that word at this point in your life, that's a choice. And it is not hiding probably how you feel about the black community. Um, allegedly, sprinkle that word back in there because we don't have the footage. But like if you are casually using that word, uh especially in the presence of black men, you're a piece of shit. Period.

SPEAKER_04 10:18

And it's just a wholly unnecessary, and not of it being bad, it's just a wholly unnecessary word to ever even say. Like, there's no need for it, there's no whatever for it. And I do think what Luke Bob, the fact that like when Pete when they took D off the show in 2020, it was a very different time to be alive. But the things have just swung so dramatically now, where one, you can't say stuff like that, too, but also when you have a guy like Josh who's been kicked off the show for saying it, the part of the reason they're not showing it is because now they're on top of being worried of offending one group of people, there's going to be counter-lawsuits over cancel culture and stuff like that. And all these people doing it's like there's gonna be character assassination, so you're gonna have both sides angry in a way that is just like I'm not saying it's I understand why production didn't show it, but it just kind of crazy that that's the world we live in. That you have both sides now attacking what should be a very just a clear, easy dismissal.

SPEAKER_01 11:16

Yeah, one side the someone is met with the consequences of their own actions, and the other side people should each in 2026.

SPEAKER_03 11:26

Yeah. And and another reason I think they didn't show it is because I wouldn't be surprised if this gets a 43 if he's not on that cast list. Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_04 11:38

Well, there well, there is a precedence of not showing someone's dismissal. It makes me putting them on ice and then bringing them back with Ashley Mitchell. There is a precedence there, so there that there is yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:54

I mean, and she's my girl. I will I will argue that they're different. Um that's not even with bias. Um, but I just hope that he's done because something that I've thought about a lot recently is like people are like this, okay. People get so upset that like somebody's canceled or can't come back to the challenge. It's not a gimme for anybody. Like, if you mess up your shots, like you're not owed the right to come back. Like a lot of people still to this are like justice for D. Okay, well, the network made the decision that they did not want to align with what she said at that point. I'm hoping they do that with Josh, because like this is not just something that any washed up reality star is like entitled to. Yes, it happens a lot, but like you still have to be mindful of being a decent human being, and very least, not saying slurs allegedly.

SPEAKER_01 12:48

Also, like on top of that, he's not even interesting or dynamic as a reality TV person. Like, the most interesting thing about him is that he's a compulsive liar and somehow tricked Adrian into thinking he's attractive. Like, like, there's you can't even say that he's like reality TV gold. He's simply there.

SPEAKER_03 13:12

Yeah. I mean, I appreciated him dogging out Cara, but anybody can do that. I don't need him to do that. Like, we can find any rookie to do that.

SPEAKER_01 13:23

We also have Johnny Benanas for that.

SPEAKER_04 13:25

True. And I'm also just like, amongst all of this, it's like, in my in my opinion, like part of the reason they're not showing is that it's like, okay, Leo Nelson will then be on the next season, and there's gonna be no problem about it. But it's but we are losing Leo in this moment, and I think Leo is a future star of the challenge, and he's someone who could have won this season. Um, it would have been an uphill battle, but he still could have won this season, and now a season is just gone from his prime.

SPEAKER_03 13:53

When I found out about this, I truly said, and this is not with like knowing now what the spoilers are. This is in this moment, I found out this news. I thought, Josh just ruined this season. And I didn't know the teams at that point, but even now I'm like, you know, we're gonna talk about how the episode shakes out, but you have this team of seven still, and then two teams of three, three women, and then two women and um Chris. Like the eliminations are gonna be wonky from here on out. Like, we can't see a fair shot. I was devastated to see Corey go. I'm glad he went home to his family. But like those three gods leaving is just insane to me. Like it affects the entire season and did not have to happen, and Josh is to blame.

SPEAKER_04 14:39

Yeah, and so here's I think how things would have played out had they stayed. Nelson would have lost the next men's elimination because he's not beating anyone on this cast. Next up, Josh would have lost the next men's elimination because he's not beating any of the rest any of the other men on this cast. And then from there, I don't, it probably would have been the final or something like that. So I think the show probably would have been a little bit more boring had they spins still around, if we're actually looking at what would have happened. But it's just what the chaos of all of this is just a little bit too messy to put back together.

SPEAKER_03 15:11

Well, and I'm not gonna spoil anything right now, but if you're someone who knows spoilers, you also know that this really impacts something that's gonna happen in this season in the next like three or four episodes. It's a really, it's a really big disservice to us as fans. But we'll talk about that when we get there. Um, it just really affects, I think, the game. And what I hate too is with four men gone like that, part of you wants to be like, okay, well, let's get some alts in here, let's make some phone calls. But with such a small cast, it's like, oh, wait, are we actually closer to the final than we think? You know, is bananas gonna throw a fit? Oh, these people are coming in so close to the end, like he did on Final Reckoning. I don't know. It just I can see where production's hands were tied in that aspect. Um, as far as the legalities and stuff, I'm not a lawyer, but it just seems so clear-cut to me what the choice should have been.

SPEAKER_01 16:04

It's cowardly. And it's just par for the course for the world we're living in right now, I think.

SPEAKER_03 16:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 16:13

Is there a reunion for this season?

SPEAKER_03 16:16

I don't think so. I've been like in a burner TikTok account commenting in people's lives like, is there gonna be a reunion? And they're all like, we've not heard yet. And it's like, well, if you're not heard yet, the reunion airs after the last episode. I don't think that's happening.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

If you've not gotten a remote, yeah, they would usually record it about this time, right? Yeah, feels intentional.

SPEAKER_03 16:40

I would agree. It's also on Paramount, which they only did one reunion for all-stars, but like this is still the flagship. So it does feel very strange that they wouldn't.

SPEAKER_04 16:55

I can't believe we lost three guys just like that. And the gray team. I mean, the gray team is just total terrible luck because they lost Leo for the most bullshit reason. They lost Corey because of his own because of his daughter, and they lost Sydney to an ACL tariff where Deb Chap took her out. Like, that's a strong team. And they lost Tianu because everyone coached Nelson to an elimination, and they apparently paused it every time his leg came off. I saw that too on Zach's podcast.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

But also, like, to be fair, that gave them both a break.

SPEAKER_02 17:28

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

Like, I it's not like just Nelson was benefiting from having his prosthetic leg reattached.

SPEAKER_03 17:37

Yeah, I guess that's fair. Yeah. I will say though, I had like I hate Sydney, okay, sure. But I had not considered that they're now like three people out for DQs, their team would still be like a team of six versus like that. Really does suck. That's really bad luck.

SPEAKER_01 17:55

Yeah, and a strong six, too.

SPEAKER_04 18:00

We got to continue on with the game. Um, we had new captains. Uh, now both teams have to pick new captains. And last week there was a tug of war between Adrian and Cassidy for captain, with Chris backing his survivor ally and Leo backing his Vets and New Threats ally. With Leo out though, Chris leveraged this to like, hey, Cassidy, vote for me. And that way I can choose between the two of you, and you know, it could be a bit fair. I I think this was ultimately the smart move given that Chris is likely going to be in an elimination anyway, as a man.

SPEAKER_03 18:34

I agree, but if our Cassidy, I would have leveraged that. You're going in regardless. Like, I don't have a choice but to choose you. And if you're captain and we lose, you're going in. I'm your friend. We did USA, you know, three together, two, three, whatever it was. Like, pick me. He he played it right though, but it did not make sense for Cassidy.

SPEAKER_01 19:00

Yeah, I just think if Adrian or Cassidy had pushed that hard to be the captain, it would have been a bad look for either of them, just knowing the situation that they were in. Like, and especially because Gray has like prided themselves on this like team atmosphere, and we're all like we have each other's backs. So if one of them had demanded to be the captain, it would have it wouldn't have been a good look. Um, I think that was really their only choice.

SPEAKER_04 19:27

Meanwhile, blue, uh they're just like, hey, how about we all just take turns and we just mutiny every week? Um and I actually thought about this a bit more. So they made Anna Lee the captain. And for Leti, that's actually a brilliant move because it is a guy's day elimination, which means next week, when it's a girls' day, you can mutiny and then take the spot. So that would just need like Letty and Cara to agree to screw Anna Lee, which I think they're perfectly fine doing, given how at odds all these girls are. So if anything, the worst spot you can be is the blue team captain, because that means you won't actually get safety on the girls' day because they'll just mutiny against you.

SPEAKER_03 20:12

But uh, and I agree, but it also could be that you know Letty says to Annalie, I'm not gonna mutiny against you if you promise me to put in Kara. Yeah, that works too. Yeah, I guess we'll see.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Yeah, I was curious. I think Don I swipe so easily um the position she's in, but maybe she's fine trying to win eliminations from here on out.

SPEAKER_03 20:44

Yeah, she made a comment a couple years ago that, like, if I ever come back, which she has, throw me into all of them. I just I want to get my record up. And for several seasons, she didn't seem to want to do that, but she seems pretty, pretty keen to do it. And honestly, that might be the only way I can tolerate her for the rest of the season, is if she is willing to do that. Um go poor girl.

SPEAKER_04 21:08

We then move on to a daily challenge. Uh, it's an eating challenge where the teams are all in boats. They are then in they're in a Thai night uh water night market, and then they have to grab plates of food that they will then serve to the opposing team. The orange team is at a disadvantage in the fact that they have a much heavier boat, so they're going much slower than the other two teams. Those two teams then smartly collude to stack the plates on the orange heaviest amounts of food. And even though orange has four people eating, they have to eat like actual pounds of food versus these other teams who are just eating like smaller plates of gross bugs and stuff that are still gross, but not as bad.

SPEAKER_03 21:50

Yeah, when TJ was mentioning or talking about how like there's gonna be this many rowers and this many eaters and yada yada yada. I was like, how is this gonna be equitable? But I It was. Uh, and finally, blue and gray are actually gonna work together. I the fact that that like ball in the hoop, whatever daily, they did not like actually stick together and try to get somebody out baffles me. Because as it looks right now, there's no way Orange is going to lose against these teams in a final.

SPEAKER_01 22:23

Not the way it stands currently, no.

SPEAKER_03 22:26

Right.

SPEAKER_01 22:27

I mean, again, unless like we're not understanding the gravity of having C like the actual gravity of having CT on your team in a potentially long final.

SPEAKER_03 22:40

Well, we also saw in World of Worlds 2 where having a bigger team was a detriment, which doesn't make sense, but it happened. We've seen it.

SPEAKER_01 22:50

Yeah. You never know what the else is gonna throw at you.

SPEAKER_04 22:54

Yeah. We also saw the blue team actually work smartly for once, in that they very slightly like stuck a couple really tough plates onto Gray and put themselves in a position to win. And like the blue team, I'm just gonna say it, they were much better off not having Josh and Nelson in this challenge because I was thinking about how this team would have operated with Josh and Nelson, and those two guys with their egos would have made themselves eaters and they would have pounded their chest and they would have been really loud. Um, but you want to know something? These three women are all just better competitors than they are.

SPEAKER_01 23:31

100%.

SPEAKER_03 23:32

And it was strange to see all of them be much calmer. Like out, even Kara, who I goodbye, like goodbye. But I was like, okay, she she does have some experience here. She is gonna motivate in a way that's not like going to offend or make them feel pressure, which sometimes people need. Um yeah, so who knows? Maybe this could be an all-girl team that wins a final.

SPEAKER_04 23:57

They performed really well together.

SPEAKER_01 24:00

Depends on how a final is structured. I think these three girls could win a final.

SPEAKER_04 24:06

And now one of the blue team's biggest strengths and weaknesses was Anna Lee in the fact that she destroyed her plates of food, but then almost lost it for her team, and that they were just going crazy with her consistently talking in their ear, coaching them through every single bite they were taking.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

If I'd been one of them and I didn't think production would make me like lick it off her face, I probably would have spit some of that food on her.

SPEAKER_04 24:36

Like, take it. Like, respectfully, when I'm eating crickets, don't talk to me. Just let me eat the fucking crickets.

SPEAKER_01 24:45

Or fucking mouth down with me. If you you finish so quickly, like eat a fucking cricket. I have eaten a cricket before, not a giant one. I did it uh when I was working on the summer camp and summer camp counselor during our survivor week. And I ate some toasted crickets and they tasted like nothing. I don't think that qualifies me to participate in this challenge.

SPEAKER_04 25:08

Um no, I think it does. I think I think it qualifies you. Um, I'm gonna say this as a whole bugs, not that bad. It's because the the visual of eating bugs, very gross. Should you eat bugs in your day-to-day life? Never. But on all the stuff you're eating, boom, you just toss in your mouth, quick thing, gone immediately. The pig snout with the ooze and how thick it is and how heavy it is, that is actually difficult to eat.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

Poor Luke. Um, does anyone? I need to know, does anyone else on their TikTok feed get that like Doberman eating like the raw meals?

SPEAKER_03 25:46

No. I would hit not interested so fast.

SPEAKER_01 25:51

It's like I was like, I've seen too many of it at this point. This guy eats this Doberman, like duck heads, rabbit heads, like also just like organs. Like sometimes it's like chicken livers and hearts, and it's like mouse is like a full tray of this stuff.

SPEAKER_00 26:11

One of the things this dog eats is like baby chicks, which is what some of those eggs were.

SPEAKER_04 26:21

Yeah, okay. I think I've talked about this before on the podcast because we've been doing it for so long, like years ago. But I come from a very Asian part of Southern California. I have many like very Asian friends who've taken me to like night markets and gone authentic street food in the past. Has anyone here ever eaten balut or knows what it is?

SPEAKER_03 26:44

I know balut is, but I have not eaten, will not eat, choose not to watch someone eat.

SPEAKER_01 26:51

I forget what it is. I know I've known before.

SPEAKER_04 26:54

So a balut is giant, it's it's like a giant steamed egg. But the reason it's giant is because it is an incupated embryo, typically a duck. So it's usually been done for like 14 to 21 days. It's steamed. Um, there so here's the thing. I have eaten balut before, it was served to me as like a delicacy type thing, and I just ate it without like I was served a lot of stuff that day. A lot of it was like just normal food, but like, oh, here's balloon. And it's not the worst thing I've eaten. It actually isn't. But the problem with it is that because they're the duck embryo and they was actually growing stuff like that, it will occasionally have like feathers that you can feel while you take the bite of it and stuff like that. And it's a big, it's a very, it's there's a lot of textures going on with it. I'm just taking big bites and not really trying to think about it too much.

SPEAKER_03 27:56

If I've been into something and a feather was in my mouth, slash throat, slash any part of my body, I would be screaming.

SPEAKER_01 28:08

I was just gonna say, I don't even do well with like pulp in my orange juice.

SPEAKER_04 28:12

Well, they put like the thing is when I had it though, it was like also like salted and they put vinegar on it. So there was more, there's definitely more flavor to what they had there. But yeah, it's one of those things where if you just take big bites and you kind of get over the texture a bit, it doesn't taste bad. It's not the worst thing I've ever had in my life. Um, it's not close. I've been to TJ Fridays, like it's not that bad. Um, but it's I get it. I get like, especially someone like Cassidy, who lives on a 99% like plant diet. If she had felt that feather, she would have had a whole like she would have had a whole meltdown. And I'm glad that Chris told her, Cassidy, I don't even think you can even, I don't think you can touch this with all your hits, you know, knowing what you can eat. Like we and at that point, he also knew they'd lost the challenge. So he wasn't gonna let her have that meltdown just because it wasn't worth it.

SPEAKER_01 29:09

I I want to give actually all the men some credit in this challenge, specifically, because Orange was really going for it, knowing it was a girls' day, and that they had these two bitch ass vegans on their team. Um which, like, no disrespect, eat what you want to eat, but like I like two weeks in a row, I'm siding with Johnny Bananas here. Like, don't fucking try and tell me how to eat this shit when you won't even eat eggs. Like, I have a lot of respect for the men on orange actually trying. Because I I think too much emphasis put on CT is like this, like he can eat anything in like 25 seconds. But like they had so much more food solely because of the size of those pig snaps, which I've seen that Doberman eat also.

SPEAKER_02 30:08

Oh full circle.

SPEAKER_04 30:14

CT was going to town, Will was going to town. Uh, there is one person though, I think should be pointed out as not trying, and that's Justin. And he said he's trying not to crack a tooth. And I laugh when Giant Banana is like, hey, you're not the only one competing here with fake teeth, which is just kind of a good commentary on how much veneers have completely taken over just media, and so much so that when someone has an authentic smile these days, it's like, oh my god, look at that beautiful natural smile.

SPEAKER_01 30:45

Justin was pre-puking. He was puking before he even started, which is something I literally wrote down because I started taking notes again this week. I wrote Justin pre-puking, um, which was just actually kind of what I expect from him in a weird way. Like I think he performed to what I expected him. Um also, if I was on reality TV, the first thing I would do is also get veneers. So I get it.

SPEAKER_03 31:12

Wow. I don't know if I would, but it does make me think this moment of when Nani was on total madness and she lost the cat thermone veneer and had to rot out the rest of the season with the one very tiny like nub of a tooth.

SPEAKER_04 31:30

I I'm just always afraid of these, like, because like you do veneers, you're having veneers for life. And that's the thing I'm kind of scared of. Like, I don't touch that. I mean, I my weight's been up and down, but like I've still never touched any of the Ozempic Monjaro or anything like that. Because I don't know, because we don't haven't had enough like research on the long-term side effects that I'm just terrified of it. Anything that's permanent, I'm never gonna be good with. I'm just always gonna be terrified of.

SPEAKER_01 31:58

Well, veneers have been around for a long time. I'm just gonna find out where Taylor Swift got hers, because they're literally the best veneers I've ever seen.

SPEAKER_03 32:06

Well, then and as the technology, you know, increases, it's been around for a long time. But people do get more so caps now instead of like full-blown veneers. I think the risk is just like the chip level, but like if you're getting veneers, you're pretty much committed to like fixing a chip if you get one. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 32:25

And also, yeah, sorry. A couple months ago, by the way, we did our first podcast, and people were like, Oh, I love people to comment in. I love Luke's background in this podcast. Alan, you have to step yours up. I have nothing behind me because I just am terrified of the concept of permanence. And I'm like, and I I I live in the most like barely moved into an apartment, even though I've been living here for two years.

SPEAKER_01 32:49

You just have to commit to the blur, like me.

SPEAKER_03 32:52

Yeah, yeah. Permanence doesn't scare me. I hammered all these in like in one hour and just at random put them up because what's it really matter?

SPEAKER_01 33:03

Fair.

SPEAKER_04 33:05

You also have significantly more tattoos than I do as well. That's true.

SPEAKER_01 33:11

Yeah, honestly, when you started pointing it up like that, I was like, he's talking about the tattoos.

SPEAKER_03 33:16

Yeah, I was like, this is permanence, does not freak me out. It's like I have over 80 tattoos on my body at this point. Yeah. I'm gonna I'll show you next time I see you, Zoe.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

Soon.

SPEAKER_04 33:29

Okay, moving on from this. Oh, blue team won the daily challenge, by the way. I think we've already come. Blue team finally gets a win. Next up, we then move back to the house. And there's a lot of different things going on. We're gonna get into the twist that TJ dropped in a minute, but like we saw a moment of a three-person alliance that's apparently happening in the house between Tori, Michelle, and Chris. And they're on different teams. And like, what do you guys think of this?

SPEAKER_03 34:01

So it doesn't make sense to me. Uh, because Chris said we're keeping each other safe. There had like you're not. The captains keep the people on their own team safe. I think they might enjoy each other's company. They all did USA 3 together. I know that Michelle and Chris are both survivor winners who have hung out before. But like a friend group doesn't necessarily mean alliance.

SPEAKER_01 34:29

Sometimes I think like little moments like this are people playing the long game. Like, and I'm not even saying for this season, I'm saying for potential future seasons. Um maybe there will come a time though where they have the opportunity to protect Chris. As of where it stands right now, he's probably pretty fucked. But um I think maybe Chris is looking ahead to season 43 of the challenge. And it's not, it's it's pretty smart, frankly. I think he sees how much influence Michelle and Tori specifically can have in a house. Um, and it's always a good idea to be paired up with to be like teamed up with people of the opposite gender.

SPEAKER_04 35:20

It was a scene where I felt like I was just missing something, though. Like it just there's something missing there, and it feels out of context, like maybe it'll come into play where like Chris will throw a daily challenge on a girl's day to keep them safe later on. Maybe that's how that'll play out. But if not, I don't really get it. We also got a semi-interesting scene where Tori talks about her bonds with Michelle, and she says, I won my only challenge championship with Michelle's boyfriend and didn't say Devin's actual name. And in the clip they show of them winning, it's like Devin and Tori, you've won the ch you've won the challenge. But like, why didn't they just why didn't you just say Devin?

SPEAKER_01 35:55

Why didn't you just say is there I think she was referencing though, like why she has Michelle's back and it's the relationship with Devin, and so like she's saying I have Michelle's back because my ride or die is her boyfriend, and she just merged that into one short sentence.

SPEAKER_03 36:15

Yeah, and we also saw in 40 like they had to become each other's closest ally because that's all they had.

SPEAKER_04 36:24

Look, I'm here to stir the conspiracy pot because Devin has not been on the season, has not been on the show for two seasons. There was no indication that he's gotten like big call since then, and he's now kind of transitioned to podcasting about the challenge with Polly. And I don't think that's ever I feel like once you start podcasting with Polly, your challenge calls are kind of drying up at that point.

SPEAKER_03 36:45

And here is my biggest lament. I will I get on YouTube all the time watch people's podcasts about the challenge. I love to. I love hearing the different takes. I will not watch theirs for a lot of obvious reasons. Their thumbnails are AI. And I'm just like, how hard is it to take a picture like that is out there and use it for your cover? You have these people in studio with you, take a still from it. But like I saw one of like Keanu and it didn't even look like him because it was AI.

SPEAKER_01 37:17

You should offer your services, Luke.

SPEAKER_03 37:20

Well, I'm just like, neither of them are truly well. Devin owns a business, I think, but Polly's unemployed, he can't figure out Canva, like remove background.

SPEAKER_01 37:29

Do you do they strike you as the kind of guys that are morally opposed to AI?

SPEAKER_03 37:34

Um no.

SPEAKER_01 37:38

Like, I'm sure they're like they've done the Chat GBT like um 80s version of themselves. That's right up Holly's alley.

SPEAKER_04 37:48

Oh, oh you I hate how much of my feet of that that has been lately. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_03 37:55

And can I tell y'all something? Because I I do frequent lots of people that are on the show because I like want to try to hear stuff. Uh Polly is always in Justin's, and I was like, is always saying, like, there's my baby, and Justin's like, hey daddy, and I'm like, no, I do want other gay men on the show so Justin can like have someone to relate to, maybe hook up with. It is not Polly Calafiore, not now, not ever, not in any universe.

SPEAKER_01 38:25

Did you guys see Jemmy's video about Justin this week, which has me looking at him completely differently?

SPEAKER_03 38:32

I did, I did. And her context at the end that he was 22 and like he might have felt pressured by producers and such. Like, I 22 is young, but like that's a pretty big thing to like put your name to publicly, especially since he was convicted.

SPEAKER_04 38:52

Yeah, not a good look. Not then again, it's that whole cheer thing is literally a cult. Like what what they're all a part of, and all the stuff they've tried to like silence and stuff like that. That's a whole lot of mess to be talked about in a in a different day. And it's not something that I don't want to like talk about right now, but it's just that is a whole podcast on itself.

SPEAKER_03 39:14

Yeah, do some research if you care.

SPEAKER_04 39:16

Yeah, we also got a twist after uh the daily challenge of TJ breaking the news that oh, hey, the captain of this season is going to decide how the money is split up, which is a big plot twist. Bananas quickly jokes. What asshole would do that? You know, which asshole would steal all the money?

SPEAKER_01 39:37

Twice. He repeated himself.

SPEAKER_03 39:40

Right. I'm like, we heard you the first time, sir. Now, of course, my bias kicked in. I'm like, show Ashley do it. She's not on the season, so I get it.

SPEAKER_01 39:49

Um they should have shown both, though, realistically.

SPEAKER_03 39:55

I think it's a fun twist. It doesn't make sense for this type of season. Like, they're not like a team of rivals, they're not like uh uh the word eludes me, but like a team of an old polycule, I guess. Like they're just that were randomly selected for a team.

SPEAKER_01 40:15

I also think like if there was possibilities for teams to like be constantly shifting to something, that would be like more potential for chaos there. But they having one Tori as your captain if you're orange, but like having been with this group of people the whole way through and then dividing the money at the end, like what are you gonna start? Like, you're gonna these people are gonna start doing math at the end, or if someone is potentially gonna take all the money for themselves. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 40:49

And I mean go for it. I was gonna say the rule made sense when there were bigger teams, and you had the idea of like, hey, throwing challenges at certain points for like certain people, and it's like trying to sabotage your team, or like someone being on the goal line and being like, hey, you know what? I think this person's gonna steal the money, so I'm not gonna cross the finish line. I think it made more sense, but now that it's smaller groups, it doesn't fully hit that way. And Orange, again, it her their captain being Tori, kind of takes some of the fun out of it.

SPEAKER_03 41:18

Well, I I love their conversation about why she should stay. You know, Michelle brought up karma, and I truly believe Tori believes in that. CT even acknowledged, yeah, you split it when you didn't have to on one season, and CT did as well. Um, but like when you have bananas even saying, like, she's who I would trust to be the captain, it's like, okay, well, this fun twist is not gonna actually happen then.

SPEAKER_01 41:42

No, the only way it would make it interesting if there was a way for them, other than a mutiny, to like win the captainship.

SPEAKER_04 41:51

Amongst this, though, there's the meeting with the gray team, and then Adrian is there, and they bring up the fact that do they trust Chris? And they say, Oh, yeah, of course you trust Chris, he's very honorable. Which I thought was actually kind of crazy because I could see actually see Chris stealing the money because he is chaotic and because he has a family, and because a whole lot of other reasons. But then she says, I trust Chris, but I don't trust Cassidy. And then it becomes a whole discussion within the house where like Michelle defends Cassidy. He's like, No, Cassidy's a good person. And then Will says, Oh, it's all she ever talks about. And I think Cassidy has not been talking about stealing the money since day one. There's no chance of that. But I think she's more talking about the fact that Cassidy's talking about winning the total prize winning, and that's all she cares about, which is what you should care about if you're on the challenge.

SPEAKER_01 42:39

Yeah, she's been talking about how much she could use and needs this money. That's a very different thing.

unknown 42:46

Right.

SPEAKER_04 42:47

And if you're Cassidy, you lost out on a million dollars on Survivor. You just made up short of the final on Challenge USA2. And as she mentioned, she actually works a nine to five job. She helps take care of her um sister's kids after her sister passed away. She has real life reasons for wanting the money.

SPEAKER_03 43:08

And I would argue that Chris, Chris makes good money. Okay, he's already one survivor and had a win that a lot of people criticized. He's not gonna care if he steals the money and people criticize him for doing that. Like, what does he care? He he's faced scrutiny before. I just thought it was so strange because unless we've not been privy to it, we've not once seen her say that she wants to take the money. Like that concept just came up hours prior.

SPEAKER_01 43:36

No, I think that was a little bit of like uh either Will is a complete idiot or like editing, just like she's been talking about needing the money, not what she would do to get it. Um But I think like looking at it from the other perspective, I mean they even said this the next day when they're sitting there when Adrian and Cassidy are like hashing it out. Like you actually have only known all of these people for a few weeks. It's not that out of the realm of possibility to think that any of them would steal the money from you because they're not your friends. Like you barely know them. It's not crazy.

SPEAKER_04 44:17

Yeah. Well, Cassidy also just eavesdrop on this moment, and she automatically is going to be in the defensive. Like, even if they were saying, even if only one person said a bad thing about her, and it's six other people defending her. If you walk into a room and you hear and you're the topic conversation, and it's just seven other eight people talking about you, you're gonna feel some type of way. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 44:42

A little bit of a glutton for punishment, though, is like I think you stay there and listen because knowledge is power, and like at a certain point, you're just hurting your own feelings by listening to all these people talk shit about you.

SPEAKER_04 44:54

Well, Cat Cassidy is this great reality TV character because she's kind of always on the defensive, she kind of always has her guard up, is so easy to trick at the same time. And it I've compared her to Kellyanne for a long time, and the reason why is because there was one time I wrote this really nice and loving post about Kellyanne, and it got all this love, and Kellyanne replied with the one negative thing I like I wrote about her, it's like, or the one thing she didn't fully agree with. And that's exactly what Cassidy does. She finds like the one thing she doesn't like and like kind of gets hung up on it.

SPEAKER_03 45:30

Yeah, and I just her her trajectory on these shows had been a little bit heartbreaking because like I don't care, nobody can tell me Gabe should have won that season. Carla was just bitter. And I'm not saying that the final vote's not what should have happened. Survivor is unique every single season, but like I will say, I think Cassie was probably robbed. And then on USA, she was so trusting of the girls in that season. And she was not keen to the idea that, like, you're on the outs, you're not our number one. And that's why she went in four times and went home on the fourth. And I'm like, is it gonna be three for three? Are you gonna set yourself up this season to like think you're gonna go all the way and then not?

SPEAKER_04 46:10

Well, you know, it's a tough look right now is that the per who's look, who's the person on social media she's posting with the most or defending the most? Annalie. And it's not a great time to be Annalie's like sidekick slash number one, given everything and how many whackings she's taking.

SPEAKER_03 46:32

What's it say about me that on my challenge? Instagram, I've been defending Annalee. I think she's dead wrong, but I also think she's human, and like we have so much heat for her, and like we've already forgotten about the Corey thing, and the Corey thing was the same intensity. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 46:50

I guess like I can recognize that it's wrong, and I don't actually give a fuck. I don't know that man, right? Like, I it's it's none of my business. There's not nothing, there's like a lot of things people can do really bad things. It doesn't drive me to their social media pages to talk shit to them about them. Like, I've hated Cara Maria for years, years, and I don't feel like I've said a bad thing about her online since like 2018.

SPEAKER_03 47:23

Not in register.

SPEAKER_01 47:24

I just talk shit uh here and in our in our group chats privately. Like I'm not going to her social media to talk shit to her.

SPEAKER_04 47:36

Right. I love Annalie. I just do with every red flag. I'm just building a pinwheel. I'm just that's all I'm doing. Like, it's I'm all in for her, and it's it's it's great TV. And so and I'm glad, hey, Cassidy's been finally activated. She's finally on our TV screen again, which is I think a lot of people were like wondering. It's like, okay, this person who was a star on USA2 has just kind of been absent. And now she's here, she's she's been activated, she's warmed up.

SPEAKER_03 48:05

A little late, but she's here. And I'll say too, if you kept up with spoilers as the season went on, Cassidy's mom was so cute with her tweets that she would tweet and then delete in support of Cassidy. So I was glad her picture was shown. Just because I'm like, she was a very integral part of spoiler season. Um, so yeah, it was cute.

SPEAKER_04 48:24

Anyways, that's adorable. Uh what wasn't adorable though is that Chris then had to decide which between which woman he was gonna vote in between Cassidy and Adrian. And even though Cassidy backed him for the vote for captain, he's like, We're gonna pull a name out of a hat, which I think they originally agreed to when they were naming the captain thing. And they put their names in the bucket, and Chris goes, uh, and they're I think they put the names in just very distinctly different sides of the bucket, and Chris didn't really scramble it up at all. He just pulls Cassidy's name immediately, and it's fishy slash not fishy. I don't know. Like, what were your guys' thoughts on this scene?

SPEAKER_03 49:03

It wasn't fishy to me.

SPEAKER_01 49:05

I don't, I yeah, I think you're falling for bananas propaganda a little bit there. I I don't think he thought about it.

SPEAKER_04 49:11

I just think you bring in a different person from a different room to pull out the name, like that didn't see the names get tossed in the bucket. Additionally, I just don't even think there should have been a bucket involved. I think you should have got into the elimination arena because that's the one you have to decide and been like, hey, this looks like something Cassidy would be better at. Hey, like if it's like water, if it's like swimming and cardio, give it to Cassidy. If it's a puzzle and something weight-based, give it to Adrian.

SPEAKER_01 49:43

I think also Chris really did feel for Adrian and didn't want her to have to go in and beat Izzy. Because I actually don't think there's many eliminations that Izzy could beat Adrian in. And I think he didn't want her to have to send Izzy home.

SPEAKER_03 50:00

I agree. And I I wish I were I was gonna say, I wish I remembered if Chris and Cassie were close at all on USA 3. They weren't on the same team, were they?

SPEAKER_04 50:13

They kept switching teams. I think they were at one point and then not later. It's hard to really put up. They on they kind of bonded over the fact that they were the ones both continuously going into elimination, but they weren't aligned like that.

SPEAKER_03 50:27

I think I just I would really be pushing for please put Adrian in, and I promise I'll volunteer myself next time. Like, I'm all about saving yourself until the next time because that's two weeks from then. The next is a male elimination, like and maybe she didn't, we didn't see it, but yeah, the bucket thing. I understand not wanting to put up a fight, but also like it's do or die. Why would you want to go into elimination, even by chance?

SPEAKER_01 50:57

I think it I think Chris was trying to keep the peace, and I think they all know how fragile that piece is at this moment, so none of them were willing to really rock the boat. And like, I'd much rather what I'm thinking to myself is if I am gonna go into elimination, Izzy's might like this, actually might be the right time for me to go in because all the rest of the women from here on out, if you once you beat Izzy, it's only gonna get harder. So this might be like uh let me get my first dub against Izzy. So next time it's your turn, and you can have one of these other chicks that's gonna be way better.

SPEAKER_03 51:35

That's very true. Had not even considered that.

SPEAKER_04 51:41

Yeah, all the women on this season are incredible. As you just say that out loud, I'm like, I'm like, Izzy's a beast, but like, yeah, no, she's that's every woman on this cast is a beast.

SPEAKER_01 51:50

Um, and I think Izzy's beatable in elimination. I think Izzy actually would be like really good in a final, but she's definitely of all the women left, the one I want to see in elimination.

SPEAKER_04 52:01

Yeah. Uh let's jump into the elimination. And it was the players were on opposite sides of a wall uh that they would then try to push forward. Um behind this wall, it's like it's kind of a sliding door type situation, and behind it, there is a puzzle. It's essentially a board with all the different cast photos of both cast members on this season and the original cutthroat. They would then have to memorize the board and then go to a board on the other side of the field and then put the right names, put the right faces in the right places. And it was really interesting to watch. Um, for two, well, it wasn't that interesting to watch, I'm gonna be honest. Uh but Cassidy played this elimination perfectly, and Izzy played this elimination perfectly wrong. Um, for starters, Cassidy got low in all her pushes and stuff like that, and was actually pushing the to give herself better leverage on just how to like push the wall. Whereas Izzy was pushing it from like really high up in a way where if she had just been pushing in the same way Cassidy was, I think she would have won it overall because she has much better cast, much better cardio than Cassidy.

SPEAKER_03 53:16

I think this was a scenario where a smaller team was helpful. Cassidy was listening to Chris, and that was it. Whereas Izzy had everybody on the orange team in her ear, and they weren't actually given the best advice. No, and like Tori was trying to give counter advice to Cassidy, which clearly you're not going to listen to what Tori has to say.

SPEAKER_01 53:37

Yeah, and then you just had Justin just making noise for the sake of making noise. I just think Izzy looked like a chicken with her head cut off the whole time. Like she, I actually don't think I think it was probably closer than it appeared to us watching as it was going on, but I had no confidence in Izzy because there she never seemed to have any confidence in herself throughout this whole thing.

SPEAKER_04 54:00

Many years ago, on a show called Chen versus Stars 3, uh Little Mama made a comment in regards to Kayla. Like physically she's strong, but mentally she's a bum. That's Izzy on this show. It just is. Like she is has cardio that could rival the best competitors on this show's history. She's great at swimming, she's in great shape, but she just shows no actual problem-solving skills, both on this season and last season. Because we didn't get talk about it last season, but Tay pretty decisively beat her in that elimination, like last season. And Tay is not like a powerhouse.

SPEAKER_01 54:33

Well, fast forward, Izzy loses, okay? But like TJ at the end says, like, Izzy, you showed all heart. And that was like literally the one thing I was thinking that I was like, she showed no heart actually in that elimination. Like, I was really she seen, and I think like people respond to stress differently, right? So, like, it's not probably fair for me to be projecting this onto her, but I was just like, You had no dog in you. There was like even when she finally had the chance to like get the door over, it didn't seem like she was being strategic at all with how she's doing, and I could I just couldn't get past the look on her face of just like panic.

SPEAKER_03 55:13

Yeah, and I try to contextualize it because I do think that she doesn't have the heart and the eliminations, just from what I've seen. But it's like she did just lose Corey, who that was a weird situation, but that was like a person she was gravitating towards. And she did mention this in the episode. Any girls day she's going in unless her team wins. Tori's not putting Michelle in. And to your point, Zoe, where Cassidy should be thinking, I want to go against Izzy. Izzy's probably thinking, can I beat Cassidy, Adrian, Kara, Letty, and Ali? And probably not.

SPEAKER_01 55:45

Well, and I think Cassidy was Izzy's best chance, frankly.

SPEAKER_03 55:49

Yes, true.

SPEAKER_04 55:52

Cassidy is also like the moment you toss her into that elimination arena, we see a whole different competitor because she actually does really well under pressure. She has no, she has, she does not give up. She shows a hundred, gives 110%. She's balanced. And the way she was playing this elimination was perfectly because once she took that initial lead, everyone was expecting Cassidy just to push the wall, put up some pieces. Like, no, she stopped it halfway so that Izzy could still not see anything. And Izzy's just standing there looking dumb, like wondering what she should do. Um, Cassidy's taking time to memorize, and she's just continuously stalling out Izzy to where she can't even solve any part of her puzzle. And once she had that initial lead, there's there was no catching up.

SPEAKER_01 56:34

I think Cassidy has all the heart that Izzy's lacking, and like that scrappiness and that tenacity. Like it, there's an element of it, and I mean this respectfully, that reminds me of like Cara when she was the underdog getting thrown into all these eliminations. Like she rises to that moment and really does well in that spotlight. And even if she loses, like you're rooting for her. She makes you root for her in that moment. And I think that's a really great quality in a reality TV character.

SPEAKER_03 57:08

Yeah, I mean, when Cassidy left on USA 3, I was devastated. Like she had a good storyline all throughout. And if she had lost here, I would have felt sad as well. But I do like that she felt motivated by this win and like thought me, Chris, and Adrian are like a team to really look at. There's only three of us. We have 12 elimination wins in only six seasons, like amongst them. So like I just thought that was cool that she was so on fire from that and not having any animosity towards Adrian. Like, we're back being a team, we're moving it forward.

SPEAKER_04 57:44

For a good 10 minutes, uh, because TJ drops the bomb, like, well, blue team, you have no men for a guy's elimination tomorrow. So what we're gonna do is we're gonna merge the two teams. Um, and so they merged gray and blue, and a lot of people online have complained about how they mangled the cutthroat theme this season, and I did not really jump on that complaint train because we were getting an entertaining season. But if I watch Cutthroat, I expect there to be three teams unless one team has been literally depleted to zero. Two teams, that's not cutthroat.

SPEAKER_03 58:34

I agree, and I even like I hate it too, but I'm just like, this is so unfair to Chris.

SPEAKER_01 58:43

Also, though, like wouldn't it be a little more cutthroat to be like, we're gonna have three female eliminations in a row, buckle up. Like you have to make them even again, anyway. So why not just say like I think that that would create a really interesting dynamic too, because then you have guys like Johnny Bananas who are like, maybe I want to trim the fat on my team a little bit. Maybe like I will consider throwing on a girl say because like while Tori and Michelle, you're both good. I don't know that we need both of you.

SPEAKER_04 59:16

We might not need both of you, especially when one of them is the captain. And it's like, hey, maybe I want to steal the money and be the captain, so let's throw it. You could also just have genderless eliminations, like that are carnival games and puzzles, which aren't my favorite. I don't always love when it's happening, but we just had it on Battle for a new champion with Norese, beating Kyland and Horacio. It was happening on the original Gauntlet and Inferno. There is a history to it, and hey, we just saw the blue team perform their best all season when they didn't have any men holding them back.

SPEAKER_03 59:49

Show me CT and Kara in a hall brawl. Like, I want to see it.

SPEAKER_01 59:57

It's it's definitely not cutthroat.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:00

Well, it's tough too, because like the the simplicity of cutthroat where one team wins the daily challenge and they're safe, that makes sense. And then it makes so all the teams always give their all every single daily challenge. But now it's like, okay, is the orange team going to be sending men into elimination even when they win? So, what's the point of winning the daily challenge anymore? What is the what's the positive in the original cutthroat? They're also playing for money in the daily challenges. They're not doing that here. So, like, what is what's the point of the daily challenge from here on out?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:30

Because my thought really was okay, if orange team loses, maybe it's two orange team men against each other. But if the blue team loses, I just have no clue. I mean, I guess it would be Chris versus whoever Tori chose, but then what about the next time? It just there's nothing.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:44

What happens if Chris loses the next elimination and now they just have no men again?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:50

True.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:52

That's like they're eventually going to have to like knock off a couple women in a row.

SPEAKER_04 1:00:58

Now, who do you think has the right to be the most mad about this? Do you think it's the gray team, the blue team, or the orange team?

SPEAKER_03 1:01:07

Oh, in my opinion, it's the gray team.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:13

I mean, I I will differ there though, because I think blue merging with gray benefits Adrian and Cassidy immensely. Because if Chris remains the captain, which it would it would make sense for Chris to remain the captain, he's definitely protecting Adrian and Cassidy over those other girls.

SPEAKER_04 1:01:34

That's true. The problem is that you're now importing all the drama from blue into gray, which obviously some of that drama is now gone with Josh and Nelson being gone. But Annalise, Let's see, and Kara, like they vibe for each other for one daily challenge. There's still a whole lot of baggage between them, and there's a whole lot of personalities. Where now you got Annalie talking in challenges, you have Kara potentially holding you back. You got Let's see, who, even though she's a physical beast, very explosive. That's a lot to put together with one team. And then you also have Adrian and Cassidy who are very outspoken in their own right. It's that's a chaotic team.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:08

Yeah, I think if they had to combine to two teams, if that's what they were gonna do, it would have made more sense actually to just split them and give two to gray and one to orange and like make there be a draft of some kind. Um but it is what it is.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:28

Now, before we end, who do you guys think like okay? Who is most likely to steal the money in the end if they were the captain? And there's the number one is I think pretty obvious.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:41

Yeah, Johnny Bananas.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:42

Johnny Bananas.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:43

He would take the moment a million times over.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:45

Yeah. Now, who is next most likely? I will throw up an Annalee. I will throw up a Caramaria.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:54

I think Will.

SPEAKER_04 1:02:56

Well, okay.

unknown 1:02:59

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 1:03:00

Okay. So Irish had Will ranked pretty low, but give me your reason for Will.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:05

Um, I think I don't know that he would take all the money, but I do think, one, I think he's a little bit of a misogynist. So I think that he thinks, and I think he thinks really highly of himself. So I could see him, and I think he knows he's on TV, right? I think he looks up to guys like Johnny Bananas, and I think he wants to be Johnny Bananas. So he's like, oh well, I can take this moment and make myself a little bit of a villain or a heel, and and also give myself what I deserve because I'm the best competitor on my team.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:38

Wow. Can you imagine a world where he somehow gets a mutiny and wins it and he wins with his full team and splits it just amongst the men and the women get nothing? Oh my god.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:50

I don't think he's quite that dumb, but I do I do think it would be really tempting.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:59

Now look now, Luke, give me a reason for Cara. Um, you know, on Final Reckoning, when Ashley took the million, she said, duh. And I know that was because Ashley hated Hunter, but Cara has also said many times over, why would you not? Like, it's for a show. Like, I want more money. And here's the thing, and Zoe pointed out too if I've only known these people for six weeks and I know this show's on Paramount now and might not be renewed, why would I not take $500,000 versus that split six ways?

SPEAKER_01 1:04:31

With people I'm never gonna talk to again.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:33

Right.

unknown 1:04:35

Wow.

SPEAKER_04 1:04:36

Okay. I like that a lot. Also, I think the original first solo winner having this moment, stealing the money. I think she would then post all her goat, you know. She talks about how humble she is while posting videos of goats comparing them to herself and stuff like that. That that's totally up Car's alley. Um, I also I could also very much see Justin doing this um just as a TV moment. Um, and I could see Letty doing it just for the fact that being on the blue team does something to people. Well, well, like yeah, like what would you want to share with these people after everything you've been through the whole season?

SPEAKER_01 1:05:18

Yeah, and again, I think especially being on that blue team, uh all of them have good reason to do it. Yeah, like Kara in this hypothetical scenario, what Kara would have seen every elimination. Um Annalee, everyone hates her already, and Letty's just weird. Like she's a weird girl.

SPEAKER_04 1:05:46

Oh man. And the two least likely, I think, are very obvious, Tori and Michelle. And I think the I think the biggest reason is they just be too afraid of what how they'd be perceived online if they stole the money.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:01

Michelle, who was sobbing at the beginning of the season to put bananas in an elimination after what he did to her the literally the season before, crazy. And Tori, like Michelle said, very legitimately believes in karma and would not be able to handle that.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:16

And I'm jumping back, we didn't touch on this in that segment, but Michelle, who also said she would go in above Tori and wouldn't want Tori to nominate herself for her because the team could still win even without her. If I'm eliminated, I don't care who wins. I don't want my team to win because the what ifs would flow through my head. I don't know about that.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:36

That's Michelle, she needs like people pleaser stamped on her forehead. And it honestly, it's part of the reason why she won Survivor, right? Because she really cares about people liking her. Um, and I think in many ways in this game, it serves her really well. But you're right, Luke, that's fucking nuts.

SPEAKER_04 1:06:56

Whole lot to unpack this episode. This podcast went way longer than the actual episode, but we had a lot to talk about. I had a great time. It was it was so, you know, this is the best hour I get to spend all week with my friends. And it's you know, not a silly reality TV show.

SPEAKER_03 1:07:11

And we did it. We talked about the episode. I I will say before we close this out, I do miss seeing the scenes for next week at the end of the episodes. Because I'm in my head, I have no clue what happens next week, but maybe that's why.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:25

Like I said, I guess we'll have to well, I guess we'll have to go back and watch the mid-season trailer and see if we can figure it out.

SPEAKER_04 1:07:31

Right. The fact that that that was the mid-season trailer is also so bizarre to me because, like, in my brain, I'm like, we have to be so close to the final because there's only 12 people here, and like I'd assume the final is gonna be like 4v4 or 5v3 or something like that. Like, how how are we gonna get to that point? See, how are we only halfway?

SPEAKER_03 1:07:51

Yeah, I just remembered a bunch of spoilers, but like so now it makes sense to me, but like I don't know the order, so that's really fun for me.

SPEAKER_04 1:08:02

It's gonna be fun for all of us. Uh, make sure to stay tuned to Caffeine Confessionals on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, subscribe to us, wherever you can listen to a podcast potentially. Uh, have a great weekend, everyone.