Honestly, there isn't too much to say about this one. Well, at least while I'm beginning to write this, that's how it feels.

So, I think we've answered the question about Ellen's weird interviews. They were certainly not taken from The Quest, so these have to be follow-up interviews done well after the show. Well, at least in enough time for Ellen's hair to turn black and tan to fade. I think it looks strange, so for her to say, "Yesterday, we..." is just ridiculous. Yesterday? Really? She looks like a completely different person. Who's buying this?

The Puck thing - I have to say that I am BLOWN AWAY by the route they took this episode because it is absolutely nothing like I thought it would be. This is another case of not showing what they claimed was "this season on the Battle of the Sexes..." from the promo after episode one. Same thing happened on my show. There was a clip of Nicole and Coral in some huge fight, but they never showed it later in the season. In both of these cases I was disappointed because I find them both to be good TV. In BOTS, Aneesa and Ayanna got into an enormous fight. And it went like this...

A lot of girls were really upset about Rachel leaving. I think Ayanna got a little tipsy on Red Stripes, and was telling me that she thought I was going to make it to the end. I was shocked. No one had ever said that to me, and from where I was standing, it didn't look like it was going to happen. Ayanna, being such a fighter and all, expressed this with such conviction, that I was very flattered. Since I'm Captain Self-deprecation, I just blamed her speech on the Red Stripe. We said goodbye to Rachel up at the vans, and Ayanna completely lost it. She ran down to the girl's villa and started screaming at the top of her lungs about what flakes we all were. She went on a rant of name-calling, not directed at anyone specific as far as I was aware. She said we were all a bunch of LA airheads, or something to that affect, and she went to slam the glass door, but it ended up shattering as soon as her wrist hit it. It woke a few people up, if the yelling hadn't already awoken them, and everyone was shaken up and confused. Ayanna comes outside and sits on the couch where a few of us were. I guess she was feeling particularly moved, so she talked for about 10 minutes straight about the horrors of the world - the poor, the hungry, the women dodging bullets between huts. She was feeling the weight of the universe, and we all sat quietly and listened. She talked about how spoiled and selfish we were coming onto this show, wasting our gatorades and bottles of water when there are people in the world who would do anything for it. I wasn't feeling very moved. When I feel like I'm being lectured, I react very badly. Of course, this reaction is all on the inside only, but it's there. I felt like telling her that she was in the wrong place, that she also wastes this water and gatorade, that MTV and BMP is NOT the venue to save the world and be a role model when we ALL know we are here as cheap guinypigs. This is when Aneesa comes out and notices that Ayanna's hand is bleeding. She comes over to help her hand. Ayanna tells her it's nothing to worry about because at least it's not a bullet in her chest like some people in the world have to experience. Aneesa says, "Cut me the third world bullshit, and let me fix your fucking hand." Ayanna gets somewhat offended and continues on her speech about how lucky she is in this life. Aneesa reminds her that she doesn't fucking care, she just wants to fix her friend's hand. When Ayanna refuses again, Aneesa gets up and screams, "Sorry I was being a friend. Sorry, I FUCKING care." Then Ayanna and she get into some battle about I don't know what. They start duking it out, and I leave the villa. I come up the steps to find poor Tonya crying alone. She's feeling what we were all feeling - that the fun was over, that now we're in a place where people are breaking shit, where everyone is screaming at each other, where no one trusts each other. The cameras come, and Tonya runs away. They don't follow me because I'm bad TV, so I head on up to the Chili's lounge to write an email to a few people about how miserable we are here, and how much we all can't wait to leave.

The following day, Aneesa and Ayanna get into an enormous fight in the lounge. I don't know what this was about, but it was huge, and it was holding up our attending the mission that day. They were screaming so loudly that you would think that I'd know what it was about, but alas, I have no clue. I know that when they walked out, Ayanna said (directed at Aneesa but Aneesa had already walked away), "Don't call me a liar. You can call me a nigger, but don't ever call me a liar." I thought it was a strange thing to say. So, Ayanna continued to bitch about Aneesa, calling her a few names that I didn't appreciate. Now, Aneesa and I were pretty close. We have a lot of significant people in our lives that we both love, and we had a lot of laughs. I liked her, and I felt particularly protective of her considering how close our mutual friends are, so when Ayanna decided to call her these names that I don't remember, I had decided I was not the biggest Ayanna fan. I don't hate the girl, but she operates differently than I do, and I found myself feeling less and less connected to her as a person.

With this is mind (and let me note that this recap is completely out of order to stick with the individual plotlines), I find it completely strange that Ayanna wanted to give the ion to Aneesa before Ruthie talked to her. I find it more than strange - I cannot understand it. ESPECIALLY because when Aneesa was getting into the van to leave, Ayanna was not coming to say goodbye. Aneesa found Ayanna, stopped Ayanna while she was walking away, and had a little talk with her to smooth things over before they parted. It looked as though Ayanna was just going to keep going and not say goodbye if Aneesa hadn't spoken to her. So, how does this work with Ayanna wanting to give Aneesa the ion lifesaver? I don't get it. This is unless Ayanna decided not to talk to her because of what Ruthie had told her. Maybe?

Okay, now Puck. I know nothing on this one. I had heard him screaming to production, and I know he ran around with a machete (sp?). I hadn't even heard exactly why until I watched this episode. All I know is that he left, and even with all the other shit going on, it was a little more peaceful around.

The mission. There is nothing to discuss. It's the easiest puzzle on the fucking planet, and I could have done that entire thing in about five seconds flat, but Christina and I decided to take our time to make sure we got it right. We thought maybe it was too easy, so we complicated it for ourselves. Turns out, it really was that easy, and we could've done it SO much faster. I was really pissed about this one.

Emily: this is a whole topic that will continue past this review. They are really making her out to be the devil, but she may be one in one respect - she is in this for herself and no one else, and I don't think she would even deny it if confronted. Unfortunately, this is how she played it last challenge, and it got her no where then, so what makes her think it's going to work now. She cares nothing for the team. This is an absolute fact. So, the sabotaging - I absolutely knew about it. We discussed it at the table with Veronica and Aneesa and while we were walking back to the villa. Veronica and Aneesa, and maybe a few other girls had talked about it and thought it was a smart idea. Truth is, it is a good idea - because if there is one girl who is only in it for herself, then get that girl out, right? Well, I was thankful that I already had my partner because as much as I like hearing gossip, I don't ever like to be a part of playing dirty. I'm just not comfortable with it. I only like to watch and listen from the sidelines, and then do my own thing my own way. Actually, in this case, I was uncomforable knowing this information. I felt better not being involved. However, this sitting around with Veronica and Aneesa was the very first I was hearing about Emily being a bad guy. I had no idea. I was more amazed about how little I knew what was going on around me.

I understand why Ruthie was upset. She thinks it's bad to have someone on the team who is trying to fuck up the team by fighting against another teammate. In concept, I agree, but in reality, not so much because look at who we are talking about. Emily. Here is a girl who has her own plan here and that is to vote off anyone who threatens her score - NOT anyone who is strong for the team. She did it with Rachel and now she's ready to boot off Veronica who is a mere two or three points behind her. There is NOTHING wrong with Veronica. She is a fighter, and she is damn good at this game. Why would a teamplayer want her out if it wasn't for nothing but herself? There is a backstory to this, but I'll wait to see if it becomes part of the show. It might. My point is, Aneesa is a good guy here.

Inner circle - what is Emily talking about with Veronica anyway? She's bad for the team? She cuts people down? I actually spent a good deal of time with Veronica. She doesn't even TALK about the other girls. I mean, I know some girls had a problem with that because it seemed as though she didn't care about the team at all, but she was in NO way "shady" or negative. She was doing everyone's make-up, helping everyone with everything. She'd give you a back rub whenever you needed one. Emily has a problem with something else when it comes to Veronica, and again, I'll wait to see if this comes up in the show.

Side note: Ellen is looking very reasonable and fair in this episode. I'm agreeing with her. I love the look on Ellen's face in the inner circle when Emily brings up Veronica's name. Just the expression of, "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Hmm, what else - Dan coming back. Oh, that was the greatest moment over, but of course, he fucking leaves the same day. This time, he made a cake with eggs and greased pans. The cake came out amazing.

Tonya got TWO ions! I bet you never thought that would happen during her Chicago season.

Next week: Looks worse than it is. I will say here and now, it is ALL in good fun, and it's only a big deal if you make it one for yourself. I will talk more about this next week.