This is one of the contestants I expect to get a lot of comments on.
For some reason, Stephen seems to really divide people. Either they think he should be in the top 50, or that he shouldn’t even be anywhere near this list. However, one thing rings equally true for most people: he played a great game.
This is Stephen. He is a 29 year-old Law School graduate from NYC, NY. Some people regard him as one of the smartest contestants to play the show, others, however, do not.
I personally think that his strategic skills were good, but not phenomenal. But that is not what we are here to talk about, we are here to discuss his entertainment value, which, as I have mentioned, is a point of contention among all survivor fans, ranging from casual to avid.
I again have to mention the inherent bias that comes with writing any blog. This time, it manifests itself once again. I personally think that nerds make a show so much more fun. As a nerd who will be on Survivor one day (I am convinced that it is a foregone conclusion), I think that Stephen is on the top of the nerddom game. That is my bias on this one, take it or leave it.
So here we have a nerd, completely out of his element, making an alliance with a southern boy who has probably never even seen a picture of NYC, let alone a pair of glasses, and an African American woman whose husband has more money than he will ever see in his life, unless this whole alliance thing works out in his favor that is.
Add in a bit of social awkwardness and a hidden immunity idol, and we have some great tv, ladies and gentlemen.
One of the most entertaining moments for me is when Stephen happens to, in his words, “Stumble ass backwards into a huge alliance”. Adding to that, his clothing choices made him a prime holder of the precious hidden immunity idol, which he considers to be in his possession. While this is not inherently his doing, I believe that these types of situations are funny, and therefore entertaining.
One of the moments, which I alluded to at the end of my last post, was Stephen winning immunity in episode 12. This is funny because Stephen uses a not-too-complicated method to solve the puzzle (he simply attributes a number, 1-4, to each of the mathematical symbols and memorizes the number, which helps him win the game. However, he decides to go into a HUGE shakwila, shakwaria, oh right… soliloquy about the advanced psychological methods he used to solve the puzzle, ultimately (it seems) confusing Jeff Probst, and causing him to simply say “Well, it worked”.
Another point that is entertaining is Stephens celebration to winning immunity, he is more shocked than excited. (Sorry I just decided to add that because I noticed it after watching that challenge to find Probst’s exact words.
So, while Stephen did not have one defining moment that made him entertaining, nor a huge personality that shined over all others, he makes the list. His nerdiness and his ability to “stumble ass backwards” into beneficial situations put him on the list. If you watch Tocantins again, pay attention to his confessionals, they are insightful and usually have some humor thrown into them.
While this wasn’t the most long-winded of my entries, I do stand by placing Stephen in the top 100 list. I have had trouble finding specific moments that qualify Stephen for this list, but it seems that his general demeanor and personality were enough to put him at the #99 spot.
Thanks for reading.
As always, I appreciate your comments and hope you enjoyed reading. Below is a clue to #98 on the list.
Jeff
Clue to #98: Balance: his only weakness.
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