CNN.com - Entertainment - Tina banks $1 million as sole 'Survivor'


Tina won "Survivor" after the tribe voted for her, 4-3, over Colby

By Jamie Allen
CNN

(CNN) -- After enduring heat, cold, flash floods, stolen beef jerky, poorly cooked rice, the unpleasant ways of several contestants, and so many product placements the Target logo might as well have been painted on their backs -- as well as having to wait several weeks so the winner could be announced on live television -- the members of the tribe of "Survivor: The Australian Outback" spoke one last time.

And, by a 4-3 vote, the tribe said: Tina.

Tina Wesson, the part-time nurse from Tennessee, was voted the winner of this series of "Survivor," the sequel to the wildly successful summer 2000 series that captured the imagination of millions. She won $1 million and a chance to stretch her 15 minutes of fame into something longer.

"I just never believed it," said Wesson. "I never even thought about the voting process. We (she and co-finalist Colby Donaldson) just wanted to make it to the final two. That was winning for me."

"Even though, when I chose Tina to go with me at the end, making it much more competitive ... I haven't had trouble sleeping since then," said Donaldson, who walked away with $100,000.

Before the final vote, the two finalists -- the athletic, ultra-competitive Texan Donaldson and Wesson -- were asked a series of questions from the voted-out contestants. What if Michael Skupin, who fell into a campfire and had to be airlifted off weeks earlier, hadn't suffered his accident? What made them feel the most guilty? And what would they do with the $1 million?

The pair answered straightforwardly. Colby would use the money to purchase and help restore an antique building with his cash. Tina would pay off her house and her best friend's house, as well as put the money into a fund to spend on a needy families.

Tina will get her wish.

Leading up to the finish

In the show's first hour, the tribe removed the third finalist, chef Keith Famie, from consideration.

Entering the show, all three of the final episode's survivors said it was hard to say goodbye. As they began Day 41, they spoke of anxiety -- and love.

"I can already feel an anxiety of sorts in my chest," said Tina, "and a warm fuzzy coming on.

"I don't know why saying goodbye is so hard ... but it's hard to say goodbye."

"You have to love some of these people to put up with them the way we have," said Colby.

The three passed poles labeled with the names of the past: Kimmi, Nick, Amber, all voted off in previous episodes.

They reached a forbidding waterfall, and host Jeff Probst urged them to be reflective of their own adventures.

But then it was time for the immunity challenge. Twelve questions later, Colby had won immunity again, and not long after, Keith was voted out. That left Tina and Colby for the show's final hour.


Colby Donaldson (left) and Keith Famie were two of the three remaining members of the "Survivor: The Australian Outback" crew. Originally there were 16; just one took home the $1 million prize

Even before Thursday's conclusion, the show had produced some trademark moments.

It topped its "ratings bonanza" status for CBS; had included the ingestion of disgusting "foods," and the hunger pangs of near-starving contestants; had entertained with plenty of back-stabbing (and one pig-stabbing); had swerved between the dangers of raging forest fires to torrential rains; and had conjured a catchphrase for those seeking red-zone corporate lingo -- "Outback daddy."

And "Survivor: The Australian Outback" also had one hype-worthy component that its deserted-island predecessor lacked: Though the show was recorded months ago, not even the winner knew how it would end. The final votes were sealed and kept secret until the group could reassemble on CBS' Los Angeles, California, soundstage.

And then there were three

Going into tonight's show, the cast of 16 had been whittled to Donaldson, Wesson, and Famie:

- Donaldson, 27, who works as a custom auto designer in Dallas. With tonight's show, he won five straight immunity challenges.

- Famie, 40, from West Bloomfield, Michigan, who survived an early scare when he failed to properly boil rice and his cooking duties were revoked.

- Wesson, 40, from Knoxville, Tennessee. She played up to her loving-mother image while flying under the radar during votes.


Contestant Michael Skupin was airlifted out of the "Survivor" camp when he fell into a campfire

A jury of their erstwhile peers, consisting of kicked-off contestants Alicia Calaway, Amber Brkich, Elisabeth Filarski, Jerri Manthey, Nick Brown, Rodger Bingham and, after the first hour, Keith, decided the final survivor.

The jury of public opinion, weighing in on CBS' Web site, judged Colby and Tina as the leading contenders to win the bank, with Keith getting the heave-ho. In a poll asking "Who will be the ultimate survivor?" Tina held a miniscule lead with 46.97 percent of the vote as the show started Thursday. Colby had 46.74 percent, with Keith bringing up the far rear with 6.28 percent.

Good guys finish first?

Not that it matters what the public thinks, of course.

Remember last year? Everyone wanted old man Rudy Boesch to win, and they wanted the eventual winner, cocky Richard Hatch, to eat sand.

This year's finalists seemed the antithesis of Hatch and his Machiavellian strategies. Colby stepped away from an alliance with Jerri and emanated a white-hat cowboy aura. Keith seemed no more threatening than any other chef without a knife. And Tina seemed the boss you always wish you had -- warm, nice and professional.

She never saw herself making it to the final three.

During an early episode, noticing all the young hardbodies surrounding her, the mother of two remarked, "We have four or five young people playing this game. They have so much chemistry it is almost second nature to gravitate to one another. It makes me feel like an outsider, which I am at this point."


Jeff Probst has been the host of both "Survivor" series. He's sometimes angelic, sometimes Machiavellian, and always dramatic

The finale came at a key time. The ratings race between big three networks CBS, ABC, and NBC is the closest in years as May sweeps gets under way. Next Thursday, CBS will air a wrap-up episode, hoping to ride the show's ratings one more week.

"Survivor: The Australian Outback" has enjoyed stronger ratings than its predecessor despite a spate of reality-show knockoffs clogging airwaves. Some critics, however, found this season's contestants too polished and camera-ready, a contrived version of the first show.

Worms, chickens, one unlucky pig

Some high-, or lowlights, from "Survivor: The Australian Outback":

An immunity challenge pitting the Kucha tribe against Ogakor tribe during which members ate a variety of "aboriginal delicacies," including cow brains and mangrove worms.

Vegetarian Kimmi Kappenberg's emotional attachment to chickens that were used as food for her tribe. It escalated into a shouting match between her and Alicia, and eventually led to Kimmi's departure from the show.

Michael Skupin, getting in touch with the caveman within, stalking an unsuspecting pig, knifing it to its demise, then wiping the blood on his face. A helicopter later lifted him away after he badly burned his hand in a campfire.

Wannabe actress Jerri Manthey, whose brash personality irritated most of the contestants, making advances on Colby, only to get rebuffed. She got more than that during Week 9, and was voted off.


The entire cast returned Thursday for a one-hour special after the two-hour finale

A raging flood that washed away the entire camp -- food included -- of the merged tribe, Barramundi.

The modest charm of Rodger Bingham, the 53-year-old Kentucky native who sacrificed himself for his 23-year-old pal, Elisabeth Filarski. She referred to Bingham as her "Outback daddy."

Filarski said shortly after departing the show last week that the experience has been rewarding.

"It has been the most trying experience of my life, filled with the most highs and lows in a short period of time that I could ever imagine," she said.

Yes, but $1 million will make the experience that much sweeter. As Tina will now find out.

How much 'reality' TV can we survive?
May 1, 2001
'Survivor' freebie costly for air force
March 27, 2001
Turkish 'Big Brother' ordered off air
March 23, 2001
CBS, the Survivor
March 15, 2001
Stalking career strategies in 'Survivor II'
February 14, 2001
'Survivor' tries to outwit, outlast 'Friends'
February 7, 2001
Australia welcomes 'Survivor' to Outback
January 30, 2001