Stephen Fishbach was the runner-up on Survivor: Tocantins and has been blogging about Survivor strategy for People since 2009. This season, he will blog about his experiences in Cambodia as a competitor on Survivor: Second Chance. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenfishbach.
"You've gotta take your enemy out the minute you can." –Monica Padilla, Survivor: Samoa
"I'm not here to make friends."
There's a reason people on reality TV insist that they're not looking for friendship. That's because so many friendships do blossom on reality shows.
In any social situation, whether you're slaving away in your office cubicle or painstakingly...
"You've gotta take your enemy out the minute you can." –Monica Padilla, Survivor: Samoa
"I'm not here to make friends."
There's a reason people on reality TV insist that they're not looking for friendship. That's because so many friendships do blossom on reality shows.
In any social situation, whether you're slaving away in your office cubicle or painstakingly...
- 10/22/2015
- by Stephen Fishbach, @stephenfishbach
- People.com - TV Watch
“Just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions.” --Sun Tzu, The Art of War Survivor sucks in the rain. You’re miserable and cold. Your clothes are drenched. Your wood is too wet to start a fire. And you have no idea when it’ll stop. But bad weather doesn’t just cause discomfort -- it also stops time on strategy. It’s suspicious to take a stroll in a tsunami, and you’re too miserable to move anyway. So in a strategy-lite episode with no big moves, the elements played the deciding factor in Ashley going home. This week’s Fishy goes to the rain. While the weather stopped any smart strategy, it couldn't stop stupidity. This week, I want to talk about the biggest strategic blunder: the way Galu is isolating Shambo. Every season, there are people who nobody likes and nobody talks to.
- 10/16/2009
- by StyleWatch
- People.com - TV Watch
The winner of "Survivor" Tocantins edition has been determined and he spared sometime to comment on the final tribal council. Jt aka James Thomas Jr. received unanimous votes, the second in the show's history after Earl Cole in "Survivor: Fiji". He also brought home an additional $100,000 for being a fan favorite.
Sitting down with the runner up Stephen Fishbach, he made commentaries regarding his feeling when the votes from Coach, Brendan, Taj, Erinn, Debbie, Sierra and Tyson were cast. Jt thought that the voting would go as follow: Stephen at least got votes from Taj, Erinn as well as Tyson and he from Coach, Debbie and Brendan. Then Sierra's vote will be the determining factor. Stephen agreed to this.
Also, Stephen said that he heard of people's reaction of the final tribal council from the back stage of the New York reunion. "Whenever Jt said something they would applaud...
Sitting down with the runner up Stephen Fishbach, he made commentaries regarding his feeling when the votes from Coach, Brendan, Taj, Erinn, Debbie, Sierra and Tyson were cast. Jt thought that the voting would go as follow: Stephen at least got votes from Taj, Erinn as well as Tyson and he from Coach, Debbie and Brendan. Then Sierra's vote will be the determining factor. Stephen agreed to this.
Also, Stephen said that he heard of people's reaction of the final tribal council from the back stage of the New York reunion. "Whenever Jt said something they would applaud...
- 5/19/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
As the final two Survivor contestants argued before their fellow players about who should win the game — and the million-dollar prize — the long-running partnership between James "Jt" Thomas, Jr., and Stephen Fishbach looked frayed. Jt had chosen Stephen over the less-formidable Erinn Lobdell to join him in the final two, but Stephen admitted under questioning that he might not have done Jt the same favor. "I just feel like a fool," Jt said, looking hurt. The other players sided with him, unanimously making the 24-year-old cattle rancher, from Mobile, Ala., the winner. (Don't feel too bad for Stephen; he still gets $100,000 for being the runner-up.) Now though, Jt tells us his hurt wasn't totally authentic — and helped him lock up votes.
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- 5/18/2009
- by Tim Molloy
- TVGuide - Breaking News
As the final two Survivor contestants argued before their fellow players about who should win the game — and the million-dollar prize — the long-running partnership between James "Jt" Thomas, Jr., and Stephen Fishbach looked frayed. Jt had chosen Stephen over the less-formidable Erinn Lobdell to join him in the final two, but Stephen admitted under questioning that he might not have done Jt the same favor. "I just feel like a fool," Jt said, looking hurt. The other players sided with him, unanimously making the 24-year-old cattle rancher, from Mobile, Ala., the winner. (Don't feel too bad for Stephen; he still gets $100,000 for being the runner-up.) Now though, Jt tells us his hurt wasn't totally authentic — and helped him lock up votes.
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- 5/18/2009
- by Tim Molloy
- TVGuide.com - Features
James 'Jt' Thomas has won Survivor: Tocantins with a unanimous jury vote, pipping fellow finalist Stephen Fishbach to victory. JT emerged as the victor from a last four that also included Taj Johnson-George and Erinn Lobdell. Johnson-George was the first to be eliminated after she was blindsided by a 3-1 vote. She was then joined on the jury by Lobdell as JT beat the others in three immunity challenges. As well as the $$1 million prize (more)...
- 5/18/2009
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
"Survivor" has picked a winner for its Tocantins edition. 24-year-old cattle rancher James Thomas Jr. aka Jt beat Stephen Fishbach and was voted unanimously to be the last one standing, becoming the show's second unanimous winner.
His victory was topped up with the announcement that he is also the recipient of $100,000 in cash as a result of being a fan favorite. "I can't help it," Jt said during the live reunion show in New York. "I'm happy - it's probably the happiest I've ever been in my life, obviously."
Stephen and Jt had been bonding over the game because they "shared a brain, and have made every move of this game together." But the finale on Sunday, May 17 seemed to favor Jt in every possible way. He won the two immunity idols and got all the seven votes at the final tribal council.
Out of the four finalists, Tamara was...
His victory was topped up with the announcement that he is also the recipient of $100,000 in cash as a result of being a fan favorite. "I can't help it," Jt said during the live reunion show in New York. "I'm happy - it's probably the happiest I've ever been in my life, obviously."
Stephen and Jt had been bonding over the game because they "shared a brain, and have made every move of this game together." But the finale on Sunday, May 17 seemed to favor Jt in every possible way. He won the two immunity idols and got all the seven votes at the final tribal council.
Out of the four finalists, Tamara was...
- 5/18/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
The "Survivor: Tocantins" season finale began with three Jalapao tribe members remaining (Jt, Stephen and Taj) and only one Timbira tribe member (Erinn) left in the competition. See who got the final immunity necklace, and which contestant became the sole "Survivor," winning $1 million. Jt got immunity after the four contestants raced through a tarantula obstacle course and completed a web shaped puzzle. Though it looked like Erinn may win the challenge, Jt's head start worked to his advantage. At the tribal council Jt and Stephen turned against their team member Taj and decided to vote her off the island, thinking that Erinn was easiest to go up against in the end. "I lost focus in the game and that cost me the game," Taj said of her being voted off. "[Erin's] not gonna beat both of us," Jt told Stephen prior to the last immunity challenge that led to the final two contestants.
- 5/18/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Survivor's Benjamin "Coach" Wade doesn't sound crazy on the phone. Yes, fellow Survivors have said he isn't "grounded in reality" and accused him of being "off the reservation," and even Survivor host Jeff Probst has questioned his claims that he's survived a shark attack, a hurricane, and being abducted by Amazonian tribesmen who, Wade says, considered eating him. (Allegations of cannibalism aren't unheard of in the region.) Wade, a soccer coach, composer, and the show's self-proclaimed "Dragon Slayer," was voted off after the once-united J.T. and Stephen split their votes, setting up an anything-can-happen showdown between J.T., Stephen, Taj and Erinn. Check back with us Monday for a recap of Sunday's finale and an interview with the winner.
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- 5/15/2009
- by Tim Molloy
- TVGuide - Breaking News
"Survivor: Tocantins" was down to five as Thursday night's episode opened, and players who found themselves on shaky ground began to try desperately to find their footing in the game. Coach was in low spirits as they headed back to camp following Debbie's elimination. He was shocked to learn that she had turned on him, and was grateful to the remaining players for saving him. "I'm like the lamb led to the slaughterhouse here," Coach said of Debbie's betrayal. Coach, who frequently spoke of honor throughout the game, next tried to convince Stephen and Jt to send one of the two remaining women to Exile instead of him. After their conversation, Stephen told the camera, "I'm not entirely sure Coach can build a fire and cook his food by himself, I think he's just scared." When it came time for the reward challenge, the competitors had to walk...
- 5/15/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
While Stephen and J.T. were off having a "meat festival," Coach was busy catching up with himself in exile. That all sounds gross, so let us explain: The Survivor: Tocantins ringleaders got to enjoy a night away and a Brazilian feast thanks to J.T.'s reward challenge win, and Coach took the "monastic approach" to Exile Island, refusing food and fire and opting to meditate for two days. Despite the fact that, according to the self-proclaimed "last of the Mohicans," he had slipped discs in his back, his left arm was killing him and his asthma was flaring up. Erinn wasn't a big fan of what she perceived to be Coach's martyr ruse—and Stephen wasn't a big fan of...
- 5/15/2009
- E! Online
Aw. Taj rendezvoused with her hubby in exile. Stephen and his brother shared one of their warmest hugs ever. Coach had his back cracked by his assistant coach. The happy tears flowed like wine on day 31 as the six remaining members of Survivor: Tocantins' Forza tribe bid big money on French fries, nachos and chicken hearts and then were treated to visits from loved ones. Well, at least they got that all that love out of their systems early on. Apparently not that moved by her familial sentiment, Coach urged for Taj's dismissal after saying she and Erinn should be "cut off at the kneecaps" for not joining his crusade against Sierra last week. Sierra was voted off anyway, but that's...
- 5/8/2009
- E! Online
The "Survivor: Tocantins" cast was down to six on Thursday night, and emotions ran high as tribemembers scrambled to either cement alliances or switch sides. The game opened with Debbie betraying her alliance-member Coach by trying to convince unofficial game leaders Jt and Stephen to vote him out next. Jt commented to the camera on her motives, "Debbie is playing a very strategical game, and she's scared now ... Debbie may be up to no good around here." "As far as I'm concerned," Debbie told Jt and Stephen, "I'm in an alliance with you two." This season's auction came up next, with numerous tasty items up for bid. Debbie paid $120 for a bowl of fries, Coach bought chicken parmesan for $320, while Jt bid on a mystery item and won a plate of nachos for $160. Stephen also bid on a mystery item, winning a Brazilian delicacy -- a kebab of chicken hearts,...
- 5/8/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Pre-credit sequence. We're down to the Final Six, as they return to Forza camp. Jt is glad that the drama is gone, or at least the drama in cute little Sierra form. Little does he know that Coach is outraged that Erinn and Taj voted randomly at Tribal Council. He's ready to bring the Warrior Alliance, the alliance that stabbed Tyson in the back, back into play, reiterating, "There's a reason why we have a name." Coach is really hung up on naming things, isn't he? But I guess that's to be expected from a middle-aged man named "Coach." He's proud...
- 5/8/2009
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
It was a Tribal Council shocker when the "warrior" alliance was broken on last week's "Survivor: Tocantins." Now, Et talks to Tyson Apostol, a 30-year-old from Lindon, Utah, who was blindsided by the vote. It was Jt and Stephen who stealthily reorganized the vote -- even openly lying -- to eliminate Tyson, who had lost the Immunity Challenge for the first time in two weeks, finally leaving him vulnerable. Et: Why do you think they voted you off? It was a total blindside. Tyson Apostol: They voted me off because I was too awesome. Et: No modesty? Tyson Apostol: There doesn't need to be. I guess I could pretend like that wasn't the reason, but I was too threatening to everyone. Et: It was the first Immunity Challenge you had lost in a couple of weeks. It may have been their only chance to vote you off. Tyson Apostol...
- 4/27/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Now where have we seen extraordinarily sinewy people practicing capoeira before? Tonight's reward on Survivor: Tocantins was a day trip for Erinn Lobdell, J.T. Thomas, Debbie Beebe and Tyson Apostol that included the requisite feast and a chance to dabble in the aforementioned acrobatic Brazilian martial art form—which coincidentally also factored into the first challenge on America's Next Top Model last night. And as it turned out at Tribal Council, the members of the Forza tribe showed just as much loyalty to each other as the skinny minnies on Top Model. (Translation: not so much.) Ben "Coach" Wade, who along with Tyson heads up the "I Hate Sierra Club," may have thought he...
- 4/24/2009
- E! Online
Thursday night's "Survivor: Tocantins" was jam-packed with extreme highs and extreme lows, on an episode where the next castoff appeared to be a foregone conclusion. With her only ally, Brendan, blindsided last week, Sierra found herself having to beg for her tribemates' mercy. At the beginning of the episode, she told them: "Obviously I know I'm the next one to go so let's just try to make these next couple of days congenial, I guess." "I like to see Sierra scramble and mope," Tyson told the camera. "I've never liked Sierra," he said. "To me she has zero worth. I mean, I guess her parents probably love her." For his part, Coach spent some time basking in the glory of orchestrating Brendan's ouster. Continuing to dub himself "the dragon slayer," Coach told the camera, "The dragon slayer has vanquished the dragon once and for all," pausing the yell for dramatic effect before continuing,...
- 4/24/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
Tribe Jalapao is missing one more leg as 24-year-old Sydney Wheeler was cast out on the April 2 episode by her mates. Jalapao is now down to 4 while Timbira stands strong with 6 but next week in "Survivor", the teams will merge and there's a chance of Taj joining some of the people from Timbira that she has formed alliances with.
Since the beginning of the third week, Sydney has been worrying that if Jalapao doesn't win the immunity challenge then either she or Taj will leave. Joe however, was looking out for her by saying that she should not worry about it. Taj meanwhile was considering to open up about her having the immunity idol, but retracted later.
In the Reward Challenge, the teams must build a barricade using the poles available on the other team's cube of fortress. Ceramic pigs must be transferred through the barricade after five minutes by throwing.
Since the beginning of the third week, Sydney has been worrying that if Jalapao doesn't win the immunity challenge then either she or Taj will leave. Joe however, was looking out for her by saying that she should not worry about it. Taj meanwhile was considering to open up about her having the immunity idol, but retracted later.
In the Reward Challenge, the teams must build a barricade using the poles available on the other team's cube of fortress. Ceramic pigs must be transferred through the barricade after five minutes by throwing.
- 4/3/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
Spoiler alert: Read to find out what happened on Thursday night's "Survivor." This week's episode of the CBS hit opened with the Timbira tribemates turning a pot of beans into a hill of beans. When Coach decided the beans needed to cook longer, he threw in some river water to "soften them up," raising the ire of his tribemates who knew that the "dirty river water" would need to be boiled in order to be edible. Unfortunately, a rainstorm followed, causing the beans to take longer to cook, and by the time they were done, they were burned on the bottom. Brendan called it "another one of those Coach moments" while Sierra said, "There's just a part of me that finally had just had it." Over at Jalapao camp, Taj and Stephen continued to strategize over their secret four-way alliance with Timbira tribemates Brendan and Sierra, debating about whether to...
- 4/3/2009
- by TheInsider
- TheInsider.com
My, how the tables have turned on Survivor: Tocantins. The once-mighty Jalapao, which seemingly boasted the majority of the brawn in this competition, couldn't get it together in tonight's reward challenge, as more ceramic pigs shattered than made it into Sydney Wheeler's outstretched hands. So it was Timbira that got to lounge next to a scenic waterfall and enjoy hamburgers with all the fixings—which sounded even more delicious when seasoned host Jeff Probst said it—and bulk up for the ensuing immunity challenge. In the meantime, Joe Dowdle from Jalapao and Erinn Lobdell from Timbira uneventfully cooled their heels on Exile Island, and Taj Johnson-George let J.T. Thomas in on her...
- 4/3/2009
- E! Online
Pre-credit sequence. Timbira returns to camp after voting out Jerry. Coach is still annoyed about the tribe impugning his leadership, specially Black Widow Erinn.. "It pissed me off and it made me think Erinn's gotta go, because she's the cancer in the tribe," Coach says, as Erinn picks her nose by firelight. The next morning, leadership is up for discussion at a tribe pow-wow. Tyson's Ok with letting Brendan and Coach fight it out. "I wasn't paying attention," he says. "I don't care." Coach, however, cares deeply. Very deeply. Although he publicly tells the tribe he'll gladly let Brendan lead, he...
- 3/6/2009
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
Through two weeks on "Survivor: Tocantins," the eliminations have followed a very simple pattern: It's bad to be weak or old or sickly or have a name starting with "S," but it's worse to be an opinionated woman with an ample bosom and a name starting with "C." Good for Sandy and Sierra. Bad for Carolina and Candace. Would the pattern continue on Thursday (Feb. 26) night's "Survivor: Tocantins" episode? Pre-credit sequence. In Timbira camp, Erinn is pretending like she knew Candace was going home the whole time. She claims that her friendship with Candace was an elaborate ruse, an elaborate,...
- 2/27/2009
- by Daniel Fienberg
- Hitfix
Whew! Even we were tired after watching Jalapao and Timbira battle it out for immunity and fishing gear in a game of river basketball, which resembled the mud-wrestling scene in Stripes more than anything else, Thursday on Survivor: Tocantins. The limbs—and boobs (hello, Erinn) and bum cracks (hence the number of blurry dots on the TV screen)—were flying as opening-day outcast Sierra Reed fought to regain her credibility, J.T. Thomas and Tyson Apostol showed leaderesque qualities, and former Swv chanteuse Taj Johnson-George (aka Mrs. Eddie George!) plowed through her opponents like a fullback. Of course, the real game began after the challenge, won by... Jalapao! The shorthanded tribe, having...
- 2/20/2009
- E! Online
The audition is over and the new season of "Survivor" is ready to get a kick start. The 16 castaways that will participate in the Tocantins edition of the reality game, have been announced. The line-up includes among others, models, a Grammy Awards nominee and a 19-year-old.
Sydney Wheeler (24), Sierra Reed (23) and Candace Smith (31) are models that will serve the women power. Tamara 'Taj' Johnson-George (37) meanwhile was one third of singing group Swv that grabbed a nomination at the Grammys and who was the star of reality show "I Married a Baller" in 2007. Also, if "Survivor: Gabon" had the oldest contestant, the Tocantins finds the youngest one in college student Spencer Duhm (19).
As usual the castaways will be exiled for 39 days in a remote area, building strategy and surviving the nature. This time the location takes place on a "rugged" highland of Brazil, Tocantins, where there are plenty of rivers but the temperatures can be unforgiving.
Sydney Wheeler (24), Sierra Reed (23) and Candace Smith (31) are models that will serve the women power. Tamara 'Taj' Johnson-George (37) meanwhile was one third of singing group Swv that grabbed a nomination at the Grammys and who was the star of reality show "I Married a Baller" in 2007. Also, if "Survivor: Gabon" had the oldest contestant, the Tocantins finds the youngest one in college student Spencer Duhm (19).
As usual the castaways will be exiled for 39 days in a remote area, building strategy and surviving the nature. This time the location takes place on a "rugged" highland of Brazil, Tocantins, where there are plenty of rivers but the temperatures can be unforgiving.
- 1/14/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
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