I suspect Cirie's subtle game backfired on her, actually. She was behind a lot of shit, and never really got fingered for it. Which kept her there for a long time, but meant that people really didn't know how much of the last few weeks was her doing.

I'm also thinking about what Parvati said about intending to be under the radar and realizing right away that it wasn't going to work. I think Cirie was at the bottom of most of her early alliances, and it had something to do with her not really jumping into the game full strength right from the beginning.

Still, I'm sorry she seemed so angry. And I think Amanda could have done a much better job at countering her points - nobody promised not to vote for Cirie because she was never seriously on the chopping block. And Amanda would've been out herself if she hadn't saved her own ass a couple of times. Cirie was hardly at the bottom of the 5-women alliance. If Amanda hadn't bought into the whole BFF story so hard, she could've argued her case a lot better.

None of this explains Amanda's hair though. Also - that was some cracked out shit at the last tribal. Ozzy? What the hell? And I don't even know what was going on with Natalie.

nobody promised not to vote for Cirie because she was never seriously on the chopping block.

Yeah, I wondered about that too - seems like a pretty obvious thing to bring up!

Ozzy? What the hell?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Natalie freaked me out at the final TC! WTFF?

Finally watched this morning, and wow, I totally thought it would go to Amanda. Although, upon reflection, I don't really see why I thought it should go to her over Parvati. Neither really shined at the final tribal council. I can only guess that Amanda pissed off a number of people with the way she played the immunity idol.

I didn't see the whole reunion though, who voted for Amanda besides Ozzy and Erik?

I wouldn't have been disappointed with any of the final three winning, but I don't think Cirie was the strategy player. I think she was the go-along, fly-under-the-radar player, just as she was in her season. The only real strategy I remember her clearly initiating was the Erik necklace move. She was never in danger and never had to scramble to save her ass like the other two.

Although I hate that Parvati sucked at challenges, she was the one who brought in Alexis and Natalie, and I think that was the key move that got them to the final three.

I didn't see the whole reunion though, who voted for Amanda besides Ozzy and Erik?

I'm pretty sure all the men voted Amanda and all the women voted Parv.

The only real strategy I remember her clearly initiating was the Erik necklace move.

She initiated the Ozzy move (remember, she was on exile and thought that it would be a good time to blindside ozzy) and told people to tell Jason that they wouldn't vote him out if he gave them food. And I wouldn't underestimate the sheer balls the Erik move took.

ETA:

I'm pretty sure all the men voted Amanda and all the women voted Parv.

Amanda got three votes-- Erik, Ozzy and James, right? Jason must've voted Parv.

I was rooting for Amanda, too, but I guess people felt that Amanda acted nice but was as cut-throat as Parv, so maybe they voted for the fact that Parv was straightforward? I was hoping at the Memory Walk they would get to Kathy's torch and say "Kathy, she was batshit crazy" but they settled ont he fact that she was "unique."

Natalie, crazy at TC and Eliza was a TOTAL bitch.

I realize I'm years behind the times, but is Parvati actually not Indian? I turned it on last night, and was shocked.

I think we found a winner in the delusion stakes. [link]

RNO: How much of a hand did you have in the early Fan votes?

Natalie: Actually, I had quite a bit of control in those, because I was the swing vote. There were three vs. seven, even though the numbers are there, people were afraid Alexis would vote my way, so that was contingent on what my opinion was. So Joel would come my way. But I also really liked the older three – Kathy, Chet, and Tracy – and they got a lot of grief. I had a lot of power because I could have been a swing vote, but I went along with the flow.

.....

RNO: Who was the best at manipulating people in this season?

Natalie: I think that I would say myself, obviously, that’s what I’m getting coined as, the queen manipulator.

I'm watching Britain's Next Top Model, and am noticing some differences in the approach taken by the coaches and judges. For instance, on ANTM, I've never heard the following phrases -

This beaver on my head is the only one I want to see! Watch the vajayjay!

Give me crack whore!

You've got a face like a slapped arse!