NBC.com

Reality Stars Fear Factor (2/28/05)

by Fearless Frankie

This 2-hour episode is proof that Santa read my letter. Just knowing that Omarosa (the aggravated ex-Apprentice candidate) would be forced to do something terrifying and/or disgusting lit me up like a Christmas tree. She was joined by Ryan Sutter (of "Trista & Ryan" Bachelorette fame), Ethan Zohn (the cutie who won Survivor: Africa), Reichen Lehmkuhl (winner of Amazing Race 4), Nikki McKibbin (American Idol finalist during the Kelly/Justin year) and Jenna Morasca (the sole survivor of Survivor: The Amazon, who also happens to be dating Ethan!). The six overachievers met Joe at the docks to see their first stunt. First Joe welcomed them, telling them that had survived plenty of reality show drama but this was their chance to "eek out another 15 minutes of fame." Nice!

The first stunt was simple, yet challenging. Two helicopters would hover next to each other over the cold and somewhat murky water. Poles suspended from each helicopter were connected at their bases by a single piece of long, thick rope. Along the rope were Fear Factor flags. Players would start on one platform and cross the rope to the second platform while plucking flags along the way. This stunt was a non-elimination stunt, but the man and woman who did the best would each receive a Capital One credit card worth $20,000. Since Nikki and Omarosa were the non-millionaires in the group I thought they would be especially motivated by the extra cash. Jenna was randomly selected to go first. Meanwhile, the group learned that Omarosa didn't know how to swim. She had taken lessons, but didn't do too well; however she passed the water safety test and was able to attempt the stunt. Out on the rope, Jenna made her way across by hanging upside down and working her way backwards from one side to the other. After about the fourth flag, she started slowing down. Moments later she released her grip and did a very non-graceful face plant into the channel! She returned with cuts on her leg and a few bruises in the making.

Omarosa was up next, but took time to put on her fashionable hot pink swim cap, which matched her hot pink boy-cut swimsuit. She swore that if her hair got wet it would wind up looking like Ethan's curly mop top. 'Rosa, as I like to call her, started out smooth and remained focused on the task at hand. She got through the first four flags and passed Jenna's mark when she released flag number five. After grabbing flag number six Omarosa lost her grip and splashed down into the water with a final time of 3:44. She also returned with a few war wounds, but seemed pleased with her performance. Nikki was determined to do better and snag some quick cash. She told Joe she was totally broke and was here from the money - not to be on television. During the stunt, Nikki had some weird leg grip on the rope, which seemed to slow her down; however, time wouldn't matter if she could get more than six flags. Nikki got the sixth flag quicker than Omarosa. Once she grabbed the seventh flag she let go and plunged victoriously into the drink. She had claimed the ladies' $20,000 prize!

Ryan was up first for the guys. He was actually wearing a shirt that said, "Play nice." Apparently, he has never seen Fear Factor! Ryan seemed to move quickly along the rope - would his fireman training somehow help him? He wasn't using his legs much at all, relying on upper body strength to move along. After the sixth flag, Ryan dangled precariously by one arm and one leg for a moment before soldiering on. Ultimately, he got all nine flags in 3:33. Afterwards Ryan said his legs were burning and he couldn't feel his arms. Ethan was up next, but took a moment to plug his charity "Grass Roots Soccer." Ethan said the $20,000 he could win from the challenge would go straight to the charity. He grabbed the flags, but couldn't beat Ryan's time. Ethan's final time for all nine flags was 4:48. Reichen knew it would be tough to beat Ryan, but he was up for the challenge. Reichen got off to a great start and was closing in on Ryan's time. However, the fatigue started to get to him and he was only on flag number seven when Ryan's final time ticked by. Ryan had won the $20,000, but Reichen went on to finish the stunt anyway. What a stud! (Did I mention his ripped abs?)

By the next day, Omarosa had already rubbed her fellow players the wrong way. In voiceovers during the player walk-ups everyone had a comment. According to Reichen she can't take a joke. According to Nikki, she's just "high maintenance." Mr. Nice Guy, Ryan, even admitted that it "might be best if Omarosa went home." For his part, Ethan agreed with Nikki's high maintenance comment and added that Omarosa is "very disrespectful". Jenna didn't want to comment because she felt that's what Omarosa wanted - to generate buzz - but said, "let's just say nobody likes her and leave it at that." So you might be wondering what Omarosa had to say and as usual she had her own spin on things. "Everyone's gunning for me," she said, "that's the way it goes."

Joe greeted the players holding a bunch of long-stem roses. Ryan, who received all of Trista's roses on The Bachelorette, commented that he felt right at home! Joe said the roses were for him so he wouldn't have to smell the stench of the next stunt. Then he revealed the Amazon tree boas. That's freaky-scary-snapping-snakes to you and me. Players would have one hand handcuffed to a bar that ran the length of a long table. On the table were several items. First, they'd have to reach into the "boa box" taking apart something (does it matter?) to get a key. Then they'd move to the next box, which was filled with giant, slimy, SMELLY worms, and unlock it using the key. Using only his or her mouth, each player would transfer worms not once - but twice! Ultimately, they'd fill a nearby blender with worms, then SUCK worm juice out of the blender to fill a cylinder. As the cylinder filled it would bring the handcuff key to the top. Players would each use the key to free release themselves from the bar, then jump into a huge dumpster of even more big, fat, stinky worms. BUT IT'S NOT OVER YET. Hidden in the dumpster was a canister filled with more worm guts and sludge. Of course, they'd each have to drink its contents before the stunt was considered finished. The slowest man and slowest woman to complete the stunt would be eliminated.

Studly Ryan was up first and a little nervous, so Joe brought out a little moral support in the form of Trista! She said she was thrilled she wasn't the one doing the stunt, but was happy to cheer Ryan on to victory. Ryan reached into the boa box with no problem, only flinching once or twice. Next it was on to the worm box, which he opened quickly. He shoved his head in and started smooshing worms from one box into the other. Big mouthfuls of worms followed as Ryan loaded up the blender. Then he sucked up the juice with minimal gagging and retrieved the handcuff key. Bam! He was waist deep in dumpster sludge and quickly found the hidden canister. As Trista cheered "chug, chug, chug", Ryan glugged down the heinous concoction. His final time 2:43. He had made it look so easy! Trista rewarded him with a sludgy kiss, but didn't dive into the dumpster with him. Wimp.

Reichen was up next and had no cheering section, but he WAS wearing his lucky shorts from Amazing Race. Reichen had been nervous about the snakes, but didn't squirm even when the snakes bit him! He did the worm transfer quickly and moved onto the blender suck. The sucking slowed him down considerably, but he was in the dumpster soon enough. Ryan was secured a spot in the finals, as Reichen drank the contents of the dumpster drink to finish in 3:07. Could Ethan beat it? He had experiencing eating creepy crawlers from his Survivor: Africa days. While Ethan got ready, Joe encouraged Nikki to sing a little tune. After she finished Omarosa said, "well, now I know why she didn't win American Idol." This is as good as TV gets people!! Nikki came back with, "How can you say 'you suck' when you have no talent." Then, Jenna cheered Ethan on as he blazed through the first part of the stunt. Ethan kept up his amazing pace and finished with an impressive time of 1:48! Reichen was heading home.

Nikki was up first for the women. When asked how Nikki would do, Omarosa said, "She'll do fine, she's used to being in trash cans." Then she giggled and it was all I could do to not hurl a piece of furniture at my television. Nikki was really tentative around the snakes, but everyone except for Omarosa cheered her on. Once she got past the snakes, Nikki hit her groove. The dumpster dive was disgusting, but she handled it and drank down her sludge cocktail. Final time: 4:37. Jenna was up next and Nikki's multiple snakebites didn't deter her. Ethan gave his woman a little sludge "S" on her arm (for Superwoman). Awww! While Jenna got ready, Joe presented Trista with a side challenge. If she ate five worms Fear Factor would give $1,000 to the charity of Trista's choice. Trista agreed on two conditions: if the worms were blended and if the charity could be Ethan's charity. I give the girl "mad props" as the kids say. She did it! Meanwhile, Jenna plunged her hands into the boa box and moved on to shoving worms with her face. It took her longer to load the worms into the blender and tube then it did anything else. When Nikki's time passed, Jenna was just getting to the dumpster canister. She ended with a time of 5:09. But here's the thing. No one expected Omarosa to finish the stunt, much less finish it quickly. Still, Jenna was a bit anxious.

Omarosa said that if Trista could drink worms then so could Omarosa. She also tried to convince Joe that "mean Omarosa" was just strategy. Whatever. Once again, Omarosa donned a color-coordinated bathing cap, this time in blue. She squealed as she reached in between the snakes to release the first key. The others loved it! She had a very dainty strategy for moving the worms, but still managed to fill the blender. Nikki made as many gagging noises as possible, but Omarosa managed to stay focused. Surprisingly, Omarosa didn't even flinch as she climbed into the dumpster. She finished her drink in 4:04 and much to the others' chagrin sent Jenna home.

On the next day, Ethan was determined to avenge Jenna's loss. Before things even started, Omarosa had Nikki in tears by airing her personal business on national television. What sucks is not that Nikki got upset, but that Omarosa's lame strategy of hitting below the belt actually worked. If you can't win a game based on your own merits, then shut the heck up, that's what I say. Joe, of course, lapped it all up like a cat at a milk bowl. Gotta love him! Finally, we saw the stunt. Players would each be trapped in a cage that would spin in and out of water while they undid four separate locks to free themselves. Once free they'd have to reorient themselves enough to swim over to a nearby buoy to stop the clock. This stunt would be a non-elimination stunt, but the player with the quickest time would win a weeklong trip to the Caribbean.

Then Joe revealed that Omarosa had failed a water safety test (while wearing a white bathing cap) and would not be competing. Aw shucks. Ethan was up first and took the stunt like a duck takes to water. While the cage whipped him in and out of the water, Ethan tried to remain focused on the locks. However, once the cage started spinning faster, Ethan couldn't catch his breath and he quit after removing two locks in less than a minute. Nikki was up next. She struggled with the locks while also trying to catch her breath during her brief moments above water. She lasted longer than Ethan but also quit the stunt! Later she said she was swallowing so much water she thought she was going to die. All Ryan had to do was complete the stunt to claim the prize. Ryan had undone two out of four locks in less than twenty seconds…but that's when the cage started to really rock and roll. He gave it a valiant effort, but also wound up quitting. Fear was a factor for everyone! It was off to the final stunt at last.

Going into the final stunt Ryan said, "If Omarosa wins I'm going to try my hardest to be happy for her, but it'll be harder than all the Fear Factor stunts combined." Nikki was wearing a whole lot of makeup for a Fear Factor stunt, while Omarosa looked like she was heading out to a nightclub in her boots, jeans and tube top. The final stunt was a great driving challenge. Players would have to drive a car up and over a moving ramp as many times as possible before wiping out or running out of road. The ramp was mounted on another car and would keep pace with the players' cars. Sounds simple, but it wasn't. Omarosa was "lucky number one." She made her first attempt with only some minor skidding on the back end. After a few successful passes, the ramp car started swerving. On the fifth attempt the swerving led to a wipeout, so Omarosa ended with four passes in 1:02. Ethan was up next and Jenna arrived to cheer him on. Ethan seemed to have a good grasp of the concept and handled the car well. Once the car started swerving, Ethan made his fourth attempt to tie with Omarosa. However, his final time was a speedy 52.5! Omarosa was out! Nikki was ecstatic.

Nikki pretty much gunned her car over that ramp each and every time, determined to out-do Ethan. But then, the swerving started and she got stuck on top of the ramp car on try number four. At least she had won the $20,000 on the first stunt. She shed some tears of disappointment, but otherwise kept it together. So it was down to Ryan…and of course Trista reappeared to offer her support. Ryan was a champ for the first three passes and did okay with the fourth, swerving pass. On the fifth pass, he slid off the ramp car and spun out so it didn't count. It was down to final time. Ethan had 52.5. Ryan…48 seconds! Ryan was the Reality Stars Fear Factor champ!