Sorry it's taken me so long to write another blog. It hasn't been a particularly busy week, it just seems like there was never any time for "extra" stuff. Or maybe I was just tired and being lazy :)
As you know, I'm a big TV fan, and Survivor is one of my addictions. The current season is Fans v. Favorites 2. Brandon Hantz is part of the cast. He's the nephew of the notorious Russell Hantz, who has done 3 seasons of Survivor and not won yet. He's a despicable excuse for a player, in my opinion. He does things like hide important camp items, dump out food behind his tribemates' backs...and he might be the most arrogant person I've ever had the displeasure of viewing. And he doesn't even have reason to be arrogant! He has zero social game, he is far from a dominating factor in challenges, and he's a crappy provider or helper around camp. Anyway, that is a little background on Brandon. See, he came into the game the first time wanting to erase the Hantz legacy, make it better and not centered on Russell's disgusting escapades.
This time around, Brandon was set on proving himself a different player, because his plan didn't go so well the last time around. But Brandon seems really delicate to me. Not in a sense that he isn't masculine, because he is. In a sense that he hasn't always had a lot of support during his life. He's around 21 years old or so, and he is already married with two kids and one on the way. I don't think his home life was spectacular growing up, and I get a sense that he fell into the wrong crown at an awfully young age. There was a lot of pressure on his very young, shaky shoulders. And that can turn out to be a situation that goes very, very wrong. As it did Wednesday night.
You see, also on Brandon's tribe is a man named Phillip Sheppard. He might be the 2nd most arrogant person I've ever seen, and, like Russell, has no reason at all to be arrogant. He's a joke. He fancies himself the secret agent of the tribe (because he apparently really was one in real life) He is annoying, rude and just seems like a person I would tire of in about 5 minutes. Phillip and Brandon in close quarters for an extended amount of time? Bad combo, dude. Really bad.
Brandon tired of Phillip's attitude and rude behavior, rightfully so, if you asked me. And probably much like the rest of the Favorites tribe. But the difference between the rest of the tribe and Brandon? They know to bide their time with Phillip. Just like Boston Rob learned on Phillip's previous season, he is the ULTIMATE goat to take to the end, because nobody likes him nor has any respect for him, therefore they won't vote for him. You just have to be able to put up with him for that long. Brandon, on the other hand (while a pretty good goat himself, but still) just can't take it anymore. He has a nervous breakdown. Like, really.
He dumps out the tribes rice and beans. He is comabative toward Phillip without ever actually getting physical. So badly that the tribe decides to forfeit the next immunity challenge just so they can vote Brandon out of the game. Brandon isn't going to let this happen though. He's going out on his terms. So he tells the Fans tribe he is giving them this gift, and he proceeds to let loose on a tirade that lasted no telling how long in "real" life, but was a pretty good chunk of the episode, so it was probably a while. He was so irate that Jeff Probst had to separate him from the other players and rub his shoulders to calm him down.
I won't get into the whole spiel word for word, because I don't remember it and because that would be boring to read. But it's interesting, because do I think Brandon had a nervous breakdown? Well, yes, I've already said that. Do I think he was actually dangerous or is really and truly "crazy"? No. I think he's a kid that was fed up, and hungry, and tired, and missing his family, and had a lot of pressure on his shoulders to begin with. Who would I rather be on a survivor tribe with, Brandon or Phillip? Surprisingly, Brandon. I would take him any day of the week over "secret agent Sheppard." That man might drive me to my breaking point, too.
So, here's to Brandon feeling better now. And hopefully to Phillip being voted out SOON.
See Ya,
Ryann
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