Episode Report Card Sara M: B- | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Waterloo
By Sara M | Season 19 | Episode 15 | Aired on 12.20.2009
Mick's opening statement is first. He says things like "sort of" and "I guess" and "uh" a lot as he says that he knows that this game pressures contestants to give themselves a "moral sort of leeway" but that he never gave into the temptation to screw people over and violate his own principles. Well, yeah. Because he didn't have to. Someone else did it for him. The jury scowl and shake their heads at him, most notably Jaison and Shambo.
Natalie speaks next. She says this game was the hardest thing she's ever done and has been a "humbling" experience for her. She concludes that without the jurors, she wouldn't sitting in the Final Three now. I hate it when contestants say that in their opening statements because it just seems like they're rubbing it in. "I appreciate it. Thank you," she says. Yes, thanks for being stupid enough to get voted out by a 4-person minority alliance when your tribe had twice as many people. Natalie really appreciates that.
Finally, Li'l Russell talks. He says his speech will be "a little different" than the others, which makes John smile. Li'l Russell says he came here to do whatever it took to make it to where he is now and that he made "huge strategic moves," starting with engineering the ousters of Marisa and Betsy. Then he got Shambo on his side, enabling him to get rid of Kelly. Then he got John in with him to get rid of Laura, agreeing to vote out a member of Foa Foa next. Instead, he got rid of John. As for the rest of the jurors after John, they "went like dominoes." Monica does not appreciate this. Li'l Russell says one of his most difficult moves was getting rid of Brett, but he ultimately did so. He concludes by saying that if Natalie or Mick outwitted and outplayed Li'l Russell, then vote for them. If not, vote for Li'l Russell. "May the best man win," Li'l Russell says again, thus alienating three of the four women on the jury straight away.
Probst announces that it is now time for the jury to ask the finalists questions, starting with Jaison. He insincerely congratulates the three and asks them to tell the jury "who you really are," warning that if they aren't truthful, he will be. Natalie goes first and says she was a pharmaceutical sales rep but had to quit her job in order to go on this show, so she is now unemployed. "But that is my dream job," she says. Is it? Can that be someone's dream job? To be a pretty face that cuts in line at the doctor's office and gives away pads of paper with drug logos on them? I'm not knocking it -- everyone has to make a living, and she probably does better than I do -- but it just seems like a strange choice for a "dream job." Li'l Russell claims to be a "businessman," whose business opened five years ago (with the help of his father and brother, which he does not mention but I will so no one thinks this guy is entirely self-made) and has only become successful in the last two. "This is the first business that I have succeeded with. That's what I do," he finishes. That seemed vague, but it also seemed cut to bits by the editors, so I won't blame Li'l Russell. As for Mick, he's fresh out of medical school and about $320,000 in debt. Jaison adds that Natalie has apparently made "a lot of money" in pharmaceutical sales, Li'l Russell claims to be a multi-millionaire, and while Mick is in debt, he's also a doctor with a fellowship at one of the most prestigious hospitals in America. So they're all rich and Jaison wants to make sure the jury doesn't take personal wealth into account when making their decision. I think they totally should, because then Li'l Russell won't win.
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