Author Topic: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance  (Read 5588 times)

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Offline Mamaschatzi

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Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« on: May 09, 2004, 11:46:44 PM »
Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance

1 hour, 5 minutes ago 

By DAVID BAUDER, AP Television Writer

NEW YORK - It was "Survivor" meets "The Bachelor" at Madison Square Garden. The country's most popular reality game was thrown a curve Sunday night when one of the final two "Survivor" contestants, "Boston Rob" Mariano, pulled out a ring and proposed to the other one, Amber Brkich.

   

Brkich, who wore a T-shirt proclaiming her love for Mariano, quickly accepted.


Then her night got even better when host Jeff Probst counted the votes from the all-star "Survivor" edition. Brkich, of Beaver, Pa., beat Mariano by a 4-3 margin. She wins $1 million.


It was a twist that seemed to take even Probst by surprise. Mariano said he had told his parents and Brkich's parents about the proposal.


Brkich said later that she and Mariano had talked about marriage.


"But I had no idea he was going to do it in front of millions of people," she told The Associated Press in an interview.


She said anybody who thought she won simply by flying under the radar screen was underestimating her. Brkich said her strategy, and relationship with Mariano, was on the line for everyone to see.


"We didn't even care who was going to win," she said. "We knew we both had each other for the rest of our lives."


The ending was heartening after an emotionally brutal game. In CBS's two-hour special on Sunday, Mariano and Brkich were left after voting off two other contestants, Rupert Boneham of Indianapolis and Jenna Lewis, from New Hampshire.


Mariano essentially won his fiancee the prize. In the second-to-last tribal council, he had a choice of voting off Brkich or Lewis, and chose to keep his girlfriend beside him.


Mariano's take-no-prisoners style during the game earned him his share of enemies. The final tribal council brought one contestant to tears as she described how he betrayed her, and led another to pull away his hand after offering a shake.


"You sold out your values, you sold out your character, you sold out your friends for a stack of greenbacks," one vanquished contestant, Lex van den Berghe, told Mariano. "I hope it was worth it."


Mariano, known for his swaggering demeanor and Boston Red Sox cap, called most of the shots in the game, which pitted some of the best and most memorable characters from the popular show. "Survivor" has remained a Top Ten show in the Nielsen Media Research ratings all season.


CBS also announced — in an "American Idol" twist — that it was calling on fans of the show to vote one of the losing 17 contestants of "Survivor All-Stars" a second million-dollar prize. That prize will be awarded on a live show Thursday.






We may rise and fall, but in the end
We meet our fate together.....Creed

Offline puddin

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2004, 11:52:47 PM »
Hey Mama ?? Did you just get home from the finale??  :-* I was wondering if you where their or not?

I'll add a article here ..Hey another PA. winner  ?:) Maybe our own Wendy will win too someday?? :;>)

Amber - Survivor to the End

 
Scott Tady, Times Staff  05/09/2004
 

Brkich has silenced many of her huffy critics the past few months as she's deftly played the game of "Survivor: All-Stars."

 
Displaying athletic skill, survival smarts and beauty, the 25-year-old Brighton Township woman has outwitted, outlasted and outplayed 14 other all-star alumni from CBS's widely popular unscripted show.

Tonight, millions of TV viewers will discover whether Brkich or her boyfriend Rob Mariano will win the $1 million "Survivor" grand prize. Two other contestants remain in the hunt: teen counselor Rupert Boneham of Indiana and single mom Jenna Lewis of California.

Following the "Survivor" finale, the 18 all-stars will gather at 10 p.m. for a televised reunion, where the romance between Brkich and her "Survivor" co-star Mariano figures to be a focal point. Internet sites are buzzing with rumors and speculation that Mariano might plop down on one knee and pop the question to Brkich.

It's not like they haven't already been in church together, as Brkich and Mariano were spotted on Easter attending Mass at SS. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Beaver.

But since then, the couple has kept a low public profile.

Forced into silence the past three months by CBS, Brkich finally will be able to publicly address her feelings for Mariano tonight.

If the emcee of the reunion show, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst, has done his homework, he also will want to pepper Brkich with questions about her strong finish in "Survivor" and whether she feels validated now after some media outlets initially said she didn't belong on the program.

In its Jan. 30 "Survivor" preview story, for instance, USA Today snidely said Brkich was best known for "being pretty, stupid and too loyal to the wrong person" (Jerri Manthey, her buddy from 2001's "Survivor: Australian Outback").

In a similar story, TV Guide pegged Brkich the longest of longshots, giving her only a 50:1 shot of winning (loudmouth truck driver Susan Hawk was 3:1). In listing all the all-stars' strengths, TV Guide sarcastically said about Brkich, "Give us time, we're thinking."

"Survivor" executive producer Mark Burnett admitted two other "Survivor" hotties - Colleen Haskell from "Survivor: Borneo" and newlywed Elisabeth Hasselbeck from "Survivor: Australian Outback" - rejected offers to appear on the all-star edition of the program, which fueled speculation that Brkich wasn't an original choice.

But reality show aficionados might suspect Burnett had Brkich on his radar from the get-go. Is anyone naive enough to believe Burnett accidentally placed the unattached and attractive Brkich into the same "Survivor" tribe that included two single, handsome young Robs: Mariano of Boston and Cesternino from New York City?

The romantic frolicking between Brkich and Mariano has been among the most memorable moments in "Survivor: All-Stars," helping the couple land on the covers of People and TV Guide. Speculation of whether the romance is authentic has remained a hot topic in "Survivor" chat rooms.

"I think she is playing the game 24/7 and playing Rob without him knowing it," said Brkich fan Travis Jordan of Pine Grove, Ark.

But Ariel Carmone Jr. of Covina, Calif., stopped rooting for Brkich because "I hate Boston Rob so much."

From Midland to Finland, and Brighton to Bulgaria, e-mails have flooded Brkich's official Web site (www.amber-brkich.com) offering her encouragement and advice.

"Best of luck to the girl with the hottest and most adoring smile," writes Nigel Heath of Melbourne, Australia, while Tony Bartz of Phoenix writes, "Amber you warm my heart. When I see you on TV, your stunning eyes and gorgeous smile are almost mesmerizing."

Bayley Weese, 11, of Norwich, Conn., writes to Brkich, "You are my hero."

Tony Chandler, a Brkich fan from Edna Prairie, Minn., says, "By my calculations, if Amber makes it to the final two, she will have played the game of 'Survivor' for more days than any other contestant.

"Combining her sixth place in Australia and a top-two finish here, no other player can claim they are better or a more deserving all-star than her. It is very impressive," Chandler said.

Even USA Today might have to agree.

Scott Tady can be reached online at stady@timesonline.com.


surviordude_JT

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2004, 11:51:23 AM »
What did I say...what did I say.....i knew that if Rob & Amber went to the final two he would propose

surviordude_JT

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #3 on: May 10, 2004, 12:06:49 PM »
That rock was huge.....where did he get that kind of money

surviordude_JT

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #4 on: May 10, 2004, 12:22:16 PM »
Oh yeah isnt he a contractor


Theresa

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #5 on: May 10, 2004, 12:29:54 PM »
He is in construction, not sure what he does.  But they can earn good money.  He probably got some jobs because of Survivor, he did build their shelter great and just about singlehandedly.  Probably good for a reference, lol.

surviordude_JT

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #6 on: May 10, 2004, 12:30:31 PM »
Yup

Offline WENDY

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2004, 02:20:21 PM »
Someone actually said "Bamber".... won the money... Sick.
Wendy Jean

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Offline Bathfizzy

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #8 on: May 11, 2004, 12:38:21 AM »
Thanks for posting the article Puddin.  I am a Boston Rob fan and am very happy for him.  That sure was a pretty ring he bought.  He was on Regis and Kelly today and he said he took psychology in college and he is now in construction work.  I say he is definitely good at it considering the nice shelter and swing he built for Chapera.

surviordude_JT

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Re: Amber Wins 'Survivor,' and a Fiance
« Reply #9 on: May 11, 2004, 11:56:20 AM »
How much ya want to bet that Boston rob just married Amber for the money......KEEP IN MIND THIS IS MY OPINON