Congratulations to Yul Kwon, winner of Survivor: Cook Islands. Stefania dubbed our Korean-American team of Yul and fellow contestant Becky Lee "Team Yobo" early on in the season, and I have been rooting for the two of them ever since. For once, a Survivor finale worth watching.
Yul's victory was one of brains over brawn (though Yul is not lacking in the brawn category either, being named one of People Magazine's "Sexiest Men"). Yul's strategy and game theory skills kept him two or three steps ahead of the other tribe. The Raro team seem to take their game theory from the junior high school lunch table of "Don't talk to Jonathan because he has cooties" while Yul analyzed motives and odds, employing the Nash Equilibrium Theory to his advantage.
There was a lot of discussion of Yul being "the Godfather", and if so, Becky was his trusted consigliare. I didn't think Becky deserved to win, but third is not bad. I don't think the jury was aware of how much influence she had over the strategy and decision-making.
I started out the season really, really disliking Ozzy, but he grew on me eventually. I think a lot of the arrogance and sense of entitlement that Jonathan pointed out were really due to Ozzy's youth and lack of social awareness more than a real mean-spiritedness. I hope that he won enough money to be able to continue his education, or at the very least doesn't have to go back to porn to make a living. As a mom, I worry.
As for Sundra, I'm not sure I've ever seen a post-Survivor makeover as dramatic as hers. She was drop-dead gorgeous on the Reunion show. I hope her acting career takes off and we see more of her. I thought she played a great game.
As for most of the Raro tribe, I could live without seeing any of them again, and since I don't watch MTV, it seems unlikely that I will. I seriously hope never to see Parvati Shallow again in this life, on TV or otherwise. Since I'm not much for "Model Boxing" (whatever that is), it seems unlikely that I will see her again. Go in peace, Parvati-whose-last-name-says-it-all. I wish you no ill-will, but please get off my TV and fade back into obscurity pronto.
I am really proud of Yul, like he was my prodigious younger brother or something. Congratulations, Yul, on a game well played.
