117 replies to this topic

[orangepenguin]

Natalie White (26)
Hometown: Van Buren, Ark.
Occupation: Pharmaceutical Sales

Natalie White is your typical Southern Belle, but she is definitely not afraid to get her hands dirty. “Friendly and savvy” are two of her attributes that her fellow castaways will pick-up on right away.

White plans to bring her background in pharmaceutical sales into the game and knows that if you do not make the cut, you are more than likely going to be cut. You either “make the numbers or go home.” Read more.

[Hot Pink]

I like her based on her video. With all these young blondes on the show she'll probably get lost in the shuffle though.

[TudorQueen]

For me, one of the funniest aspects of last night's episode was Natalie stuck at Tribal Council, wedged between Ben and Jaison, looking more and more each second as if she simply wanted to dissolve onto the rocks and into the earth.

[O2Sean]

Yes, that was probably her highlight this season. I also enjoy her voting comments, as she seems completely baffled by some of the process.

I wish they'd shown the clip where she told Russhole she wasn't going to vote for Ashley. He had a little hissy fit.

[CletusMusashi]

RUN, Natalie! Russell's BFFs are usually only one episode away from him declaring war on them.

[Hot Pink]

Hey! She can talk!

[CletusMusashi]

That's probably why he'll declare war on her.

[fashionista79]

RUN, Natalie! Russell's BFFs are usually only one episode away from him declaring war on them.

Speaking of, Russell has the strangest strategy I've ever seen from a contestant: actively targeting his alliance mates well before any kind of merge. So, yeah, Natalie needs to run far away from that fool!

[the twisted one]

In Russell's head, he is using Natalie because he considers her to be dumb and thinks that he could beat her in F2. While Natalie's already figured that out and already has thought about what she could use against him in F2. Putting any bit of trust on any of the words Russell says might be a bad idea but she's actually not that dumb.

[CletusMusashi]

They say that the greatest swordsman in the world has nothing to fear from the second-greatest; it's the rank amateur that who may do him in with the unexpected.
The question isn't whether or not Natalie knows Russhole is untrustworthy. It's whether or not she knows he's batshit loony and flips a coin every morning to determine whether or not to change allies. If she's expected him to play with enlightened self-interest, then she'll have no way of understanding that sometimes all he really wants is to be a dick on national TV.
Best case scenerio, I think: Jaison makes a pitch to her too, then she sides with Jaison against Russhole. Or, she gets saved by a tribal mixup. But as far as her really understanding what's going to happen otherwise... I don't know.

Edited by CletusMusashi, Oct 9, 2009 @ 1:33 PM.

[the twisted one]

Natalie was looking... umm... lovely... at the Immunity Challenge. First time I really noticed how petite she was. Whew! She wouldn't have lasted on that coconut+basket+rope holding challenge.

[JudyObscure]

I've liked Natalie since the first episode when Betsy told her she didn't trust Russell because of her "woman's instinct" and Natalie kept proding her to be more specific. Now, of course, Betsy's instincts happened to be right but I respected Natalie's refusal to just go along sheep-like with another person's bias.

She seems to have one of the nicest personalities out there, plus no one should feel at all threatened by her as a challenge monster -- if she makes good choices after the merge, she could well be one of the final two.

[EggMan]

I don't like what she's done to her eyebrows, the whole plucked skinny arch thing is a major turnoff, but she's got a killer bod.

[Daydreamer101]

Natalie's strategy with Galu.

After the last episode Natalie's my favourite player. She's definately not the "dumbass girl" Russell was making her out to be. She has a very good social game, and there's a subtlety to her game that other players lack.

[zoekat]

Totally agree Daydreamer 101. Russell talks a big game, but it's actually Natalie that does the work (in a much more subtle way than "I have the idol, I'll take you to the final two (along with everyone else I've shown the idol)"). Natalie seems to be very observant and is obviously a nice person that everyone seems to like. She'd better not get the "rode Russell's coattails edit", although with the constant theme of "men are awesome, women are useless" on this show, it wouldn't surprise me if she does.

[InsomniaQueen]

As much a I like Jaison, I think I'm also officially rooting for Natalie after this last episode. She's got a great social game and I think she was much more involved in Erik's ouster than Russell was (so she can claim as many "manipulation points" as much as he can). I just hope she didn't believe his "I didn't think you convinced them to vote for Erik. I think you've convinced yourself that you convinced them" bullshit.

Plus, I also like that she acknowledged the mean girl antics of Laura and Co., but is still playing the game with them because...well, she has to.

Edited to fix some minor mistakes.

Edited by InsomniaQueen, Nov 7, 2009 @ 4:51 PM.

[orangepenguin]

Natalie is definitely one of my favorite players this season, and so I am rooting for her to go far, and hopefully, she'll win. She is smart (even though she may let people like Russ to think otherwise), she has a great social game and is able to subtley manipulate others, and I think she'd be able to fare well against a jury, if she makes it there.

The numbers are against Natalie, but hopefully, if Foa Foa is picked off, she'll be safe with the girl alliance.

[the twisted one]

She's definately not the "dumbass girl" Russell was making her out to be.

I think that, by now, LilRussell does realize that she's not dumb at all and that she's capable of strategic-thinking (and executes it much more subtly). LilRuss does always make it seem that she's just his "little toy" and just one of the puppets he's using for his benefit. Nope, this alliance isn't as one-sided as he thinks.

[Daydreamer101]

Nope, this alliance isn't as one-sided as he thinks.

Yes, if anything she's in a better position and a better player, he's going to need her help.

[EggMan]

I really liked her "I did it, I just went over there and did it" comment.

[jkalderash]

Ha, I LOVED that. Natalie doesn't get many scenes due to Russell-mania, but when she occasionally speaks, she's awesome. "I don't think you did it. I think you think you did it." Uh, no, Russ, she actually did it.

[FlippinChipmunk]

I am quite impressed with our Natalie. Seeing what tribe she was on & who she was on it with, I figured she would be screwed but I can definitely see her going the distance. And since she is an actual fan of the show, that gives hope to those of us who may want to apply. I also think that fan-status helps her game as well.

[Mr. 888]

I think that, by now, LilRussell does realize that she's not dumb at all and that she's capable of strategic-thinking (and executes it much more subtly). LilRuss does always make it seem that she's just his "little toy" and just one of the puppets he's using for his benefit.

Yeah, although that may be giving LilRussell too much credit. If he was sharp as he thought he was, he wouldn't have needed to play his Idol. Now his "secret weapon" is gone and he's still not in the majority position. She's playing a much smarter game, and has the opportunity to throw herself into a better position if she needs to.

[rose3000]

I can't tell if Natalie really is secretly awesome or if I'm being somewhat tricked by editing.

Here's the story the editing told: Natalie is laying low, making friends with the Galu women while remaining suspicious of Laura (smart). Then Galu begins the slow shooting of itself in the foot, led by Erik, who instructs Natalie, Jaison and Mick to vote for Monica and guarantees their safety. Jaison has an emotional reaction to this and decides they should all vote for Erik, though Jaison appears to do nothing to extend this plan beyond Foa Foa, even saying he's happy to "let the chips fall where they may." Mick, as usual, is silent. Natalie, however, uses her established relationship with the Galu women to tattle on Erik, not only exposing Erik's machinations against Monica (and by extension, Laura), but also painting a target on the back of Erik, one of the physically strongest players. When she reports back to Foa Foa that it looks like they have a 7-person majority against Erik, Russell is disbelieving, which indicates to me that Natalie was acting of her own accord in swaying the Galu women, instead of acting at Russel or Jaison's behest.

That's all very persuasive to me. I suppose Natalie's actions could be the result of a previously agreed-upon Foa Foa strategy. In fact, I have no doubt that Russell (and maybe even Jaison) would claim exactly that should he ever wind up sitting next to Natalie and asking for votes. But that's not what I saw.

Which is why Natalie has become #1 in my personal Survivor player rankings.

[Daydreamer101]

That's all very persuasive to me. I suppose Natalie's actions could be the result of a previously agreed-upon Foa Foa strategy.

I'm sure they talked about how to divide and conquer Galu but it didn't seem like they considered trying to get Erik out until he arrogantly told them to vote for Monica. Natalie positioned herself well enough with the Galu girls (starting with when Laura visited Foa Foa) that they listened to her, which is a sign of her good social game . No one else would have been able to do it. Russell's too aggressive, Jaison was the target and Mick seems to be flying UTR.

In fact, I have no doubt that Russell (and maybe even Jaison) would claim exactly that should he ever wind up sitting next to Natalie and asking for votes.

I hope Natalie's good gameplay continues because I would love to see a scenario like that where she won. It's been years since a woman beat a man at the FTC.

Edited by Daydreamer101, Nov 9, 2009 @ 3:05 PM.

[the twisted one]

Seems like Russell lucked out in having an alliance with Natalie. He got into an alliance with what he thought was an "even dumber long-haired blonde" and ended up with a savvy social gamer who is pretty valuable in a post-merge situation when you're down in numbers.

[justdave]

I'm sure that Natalie is on to Lil Russ' act just as much as the other four "strong" women of Foa Foa were. She just played it smarter by choosing not to confront him. I just wish we had a few more confessionals so we'd know more about what she's thinking.

[EggMan]

When Natalie comes back and says "I did it, I just went and did it", than implies to me that 'it' is understood among the four, ie, that they had discussed 'it' beforehand. They mad the right choice in keeping her.

On the shallow end, I'll say that something about her face has changed in the last ep or 2. She seems calmer and less smiley, which actually makes her look much nicer. Perhaps her eyebrows are growing out.

[rose3000]

When Natalie comes back and says "I did it, I just went and did it", than implies to me that 'it' is understood among the four, ie, that they had discussed 'it' beforehand.

I agree with this, but it's clear that Russell still underestimates her because despite her confidence in her success (and, you know, the actual fact of her success given that Erik was booted), Russell not only didn't believe it, but he totally condescended to her. "You just think you did it"?! Way to show that you have no respect for the one member of your alliance who actually seems to have made inroads with Galu and appears to have the best social game of anyone on Foa Foa.

I sincerely hope Natalie starts maneuvering the Foa Foa alliance and that Russell continues to underestimate her. That will make it much more rewarding when Russell realizes that yet another woman has figured him out, but he's now too backed into a corner to do anything about it.

[the twisted one]

LOL at Natalie killing that rat in her bikini (nice bod, by the way). She went about it so nicely too "eat your little snack (or something)". The way she killed that rat should be the model for how you vote people off post-merge. Think of the jury votes.