'Red Widow' Gets The Axe
'Grey's' Isn't Going Anywhere
Did 'Survivor' Castaway Russell Hantz Leak Spoilers?
by Jean Bentley, posted Feb 2nd 2011 1:00PM
Throughout his three seasons on 'Survivor,' outspoken castaway Russell Hantz has certainly outwitted and outplayed his fellow contestants, if not outlasted.But now that big mouth could get him in big trouble: 'Survivor' fan Jim Early is accusing Hantz of leaking results for seasons 19 and 20, reports Reality Blurred editor Andy Dehnhart in The Daily Beast.
If Hantz really is guilty, he could be forced to pay up to $5 million for breaking the confidentiality agreement in his contract with CBS.
According to The Daily Beast, 'Survivor' creator Mark Burnett's company DJB Inc. sued Early last year after he posted accurate spoilers on a 'Survivor' message board under the name missyae. The lawsuit was dismissed on Jan. 13 after Early revealed his source: Hantz.
"I did tell them Russell Hantz was their leak," Early told the Daily Beast. "I gave him an email from Russell spoiling something," he added. "They were very happy to get that email, and I have many, many more."
The emails allegedly include the elimination order of 'Survivor: Samoa' contestants and an offer to spill more secrets via telephone. Early said he revealed Hantz as his source "because of his attitude about the whole thing, and because Russell tried to implicate another player, an innocent player, who wasn't giving information."
Hantz, who can be seen competing on 'Survivor: Redemption Island' starting Feb. 16, used his Facebook page to comment obliquely on the matter, saying "If you love the game, you won't go to spoiler sites. Like who really wants to know who wins the superbowl before you watch it play out?"
He also directly called out Early, saying "that missyae is the same person that said kimbo slice and carrie prejean was on survivor 22 lmao !! i never seen them lol."
Video: Russell's Dastardly Deeds
CBS released a statement on behalf of the show that did not comment specifically on the allegations against Hantz, only saying that 'Survivor' has investigated some of the "periodic claims of unauthorized leaks from people connected to the show ... Each time, we've peeled back the curtain to find a subculture of the show with fans/bloggers simultaneously networking and competing with each other for spoiler information while hurling accusations of unfair practices against each other.
"The fervent activity of these sites often generates a confusing web of backstabbing, claims of misinformation and Internet alliances. It's almost like an underground game-within-a-game of 'Survivor' that plays out with the melodrama of a daytime soap and the complexity of Dungeons and Dragons. Outwit, outplay, outlast. It happens more than just on the air."
In January, when CBS announced that Hantz was returning for his third 'Survivor' stint in four seasons, host Jeff Probst told Entertainment Weekly "If you've had too much of Russell, I dare say you're not really a 'Survivor' fan. He embodies 'Survivor.' He's polarizing. You hate him or you love him."
Tell us: Do you hate or love Russell? Do you think he's responsible for the leaks? Will you still watch him on the show if he is the one who spilled the secrets?
509 Comments