Episode Report Card Sara M: C | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT Shamgo
By Sara M | Season 19 | Episode 14 | Aired on 12.17.2009
As it turns out, Shambo's. God forsakes the hell out of Natalie as she pulls the rope and coconuts drop for the next ten minutes. "Oh my word," Natalie says over and over again. She manages to release 58 coconuts, which was exactly Shambo's prediction. Wow, I guess she does have psychic powers after all. Although for someone who acted like seeing into the future was a regular thing for her, Shambo is shocked to be correct. And now the score is 77 for yellow and 81 for the prayer warriors. Wow, that was freaking horrible. I don't even know how it's possible to release that many coconuts by just pulling one string. Li'l Russell is up next. He studies the ropes carefully, no doubt looking for the one that has been marked by production just for him, and pulls. Zero coconuts are released. Isn't Li'l Russell just amazing. And then it's Brett's turn. The prayer warrior pulls the string ... and 23 coconuts fall. Li'l Russell, Jaison, and Shambo win the reward. Which means that our ambassadors to the Samoan village include Li'l Russell and Shambo. I hope you didn't have any plans to visit Samoa, because Americans are probably banned from it for all eternity now. Either that, or Li'l Russell has been hailed as a hero with god-like powers after going through their village and unearthing several ancient relics that were thought to be lost forever and a few no one knew existed in the first place.
Native-y music plays us into the Samoan village, where the residents have removed the Nike shirts and Adidas shorts they usually wear to put on a bunch of leaves for the benefit of the viewers back home who demand the total authentic native village experience, even if it isn't at all authentic. They dig into a meal first, with Shambo ripping a whole roasted pig open so she can eat what she considers to be "the best part." I can't tell which part that is, but since it's Shambo and she's generally ridiculous I'm guessing it's the butt or wherever pork rinds come from. Jaison interviews that he's never been on a reward before, so up until now every day on this show was trying and horrible and full of defeat. He very much appreciates the chance to have a "day off" from it all. Li'l Russell is still in game mode, of course, saying he's happy to win this reward because the food will give him strength and hopefully help him to beat Brett or Mick, who is apparently on Li'l Russell's enemies list now. While Shambo's off squatting in front of the elders and proposing a toast, Jaison and Li'l Russell solidify their final 3 alliance - them and Natalie. Shambo bores the pants off of Samoa with her long-ass toast and then takes a sip of whatever drink that is and falls on her back with exaggerated drunkenness. Samoa laughs politely. Then it's time to dance. With some food and drink in him, Jaison actually has a personality and is fun. Even Li'l Russell seems like he might be fun to hang around with. Shambo talks about how this is a great way for her to build her relationships with Li'l Russell and Jaison, who would rather dance with each other than her. Not that she notices.