Return to Transcripts main page
American Morning
Who Will "Survive" -- Colby, Keith, Tina?
Aired May 03, 2001 - 11:41 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Leon, the Outback edition of the hit TV series "Survivor" draws to a close this evening. And fans of the CBS show can't wait to find out which of the three remaining contestants will end up with the million dollar prize. Will it be Tina, Colby, or Keith?
Joining us now from Los Angeles to talk more about the season finale is Ben Pappas. He's a writer for "U.S. Weekly." And he actually paid us a visit to the outback to observe the show during its early days.
And Ben, I think we had you on when this series first started. This edition of "Survivor."
BEN PAPPAS, "U.S. WEEKLY": That is right, Daryn, I was here in January.
KAGAN: We weren't that -- I mean, we didn't go back to who you predicted to win it all. But could you remind us in the beginning who were picking to win it all?
PAPPAS: I think I was careful to hedge that I wasn't quite sure. I learned my lesson last time with the first go-around when I thought Richard Hatch had no chance to win.
KAGAN: OK, so your credibility is zero, but still you're the best expert we have in the building. CBS seems pretty clever in the way that they will announce the winner, because really, no one really knows right now who did win.
PAPPAS: The producer of "Survivor," Mark Burnett, said, last time around, he was so stressed out about knowing that Richard was the winner and knowing that all of the other contestants knew that Richard was the winner. This time, he made sure -- he took measures to make sure that very few people knew, including most of the contestants who are still in the dark.
KAGAN: And himself?
PAPPAS: And himself.
KAGAN: So there will be a live show tonight.
PAPPAS: A live element to the two-hour show, where there is three contestants, will be whittled down to one, through two tribal counsels. At the end of the show, the final vote tally that was -- where the votes were casted in the outback will be revealed here in Los Angeles.
KAGAN: Let's take a closer look at the three who are left. First, Colby. You can kind of give pros and cons as to whether he has a good chance to win.
PAPPAS: Colby is in a very good position to win. He's been playing the game quite well all the way through. He is the auto customizer from Dallas, Texas. He is physically strong; he's mentally fit.
The only downside to Colby is that, perhaps the members of the jury, and again, seven people -- the seven final people that were voted off of the outback will be the jury that decides the $1,000,000 winner -- perhaps they might be a little jealous of the fact that he has been such a winner all the way through.
KAGAN: Oh, too much of a good thing to one person. What about Keith?
PAPPAS: Keith doesn't have a lot of upside to him, Daryn. Keith has been testy, he doesn't know how to cook rice very well, according to some of the contestants. He is not very self-aware. He impacts the group in a lot of negative ways.
KAGAN: It kind of sounds like Richard Hatch, the last time around.
PAPPAS: Be careful not to say anything too much, to be too (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Although, I don't think that he has a chance to win. I think he has been kept around by Colby and Tina because, if he is part of the final two, the jury is less likely to vote for Keith and more likely to go towards Tina or Colby.
KAGAN: Don't want to keep around somebody that somebody might vote for, instead of you.
PAPPAS: Exactly.
KAGAN: And what about the only other woman who is left, Tina?
PAPPAS: Tina is also in an excellent person to win. She is a petite woman. She's a mother of two from Tennessee. She's 40 years old, but she's also very active in her local track club. She's a champion racquetballer, according to her mom. She was doing backflips off of the high-dive at the age of three, unassisted. So, she is very athletic, even though she comes off with the sweet, sort of charming Southern bell.
KAGAN: Kind of has the tough thing underneath as well.
PAPPAS: Absolutely.
KAGAN: So CBS is really milking this thing, and they have the live element, the long show, and then after, right after that, there will be the "Survivor," the reunion.
PAPPAS: That's right. And next week, there'll be an additional Where Are They Now "Survivor" program. They've added about four hours of programing over last time over last season's episode. That will bring their ad revenues for the entire program to around $200 million. Which you consider, that the production cost were under 20. That's a pretty good deal for CBS.
KAGAN: I am sure CBS -- that makes them very happy. Finally, we don't even know where "Survivor 3" will be. I understand that they will announce that tonight as well.
PAPPAS: They are going to announce that. My sense is Kenya; I think that it's going to be in Africa.
KAGAN: You are thinking Africa. Are you going to get to go to that one as well, and check that out, do you think?
PAPPAS: I hope so, Daryn.
KAGAN: If you do, we'll have you back. Ben Pappas, thanks for joining us.
PAPPAS: Thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
