Web Behrens

It would be too easy to mock all the foolish moments Friday night in Lisle, when little Benedictine University, in a Chicago-area exclusive, hosted five of the ubiquitous stars of "Survivor."

Without belaboring them, occurrences of note include the trotting out of Benedictine's football team to "guard" the stage; the insipid TV critic from Chicago's daily tabloid admitting that he needs his editor; and the media feeding frenzy after the main event, during which some members of the fourth estate collected autographs like star-struck kids (or smart ebay sellers).

Although million-dollar man Richard Hatch canceled (opting instead to mug it up at the MTV awards the night before), Benedictine's savvy speaker's bureau had no trouble delivering on their promise to showcase five castaways: Gretchen Cordy, Sean Kenniff, Susan Hawk, Rudy Boesch and Kelly Wiglesworth all appear, ready to answer questions from inquiring minds about island life. In a cavernous gymnasium with a temperature designed to approximate Pulau Tiga's, on a smartly designed stage (complete with foliage, tiki torches and sand), the instant celebrities dissect their stormy South China Sea days, as well as the even more tumultuous times since, when they've found themselves at the eye of a pop-culture hurricane.

About 900 of the show's fans, some from as far away as Champaign-Urbana and southern Michigan, have spent a minimum of $25 for ninety minutes filled mostly with innocuous details--gamy rat meat, bowel movements and the like. If that were as far as it went, it would've been harmless fun... but then there's the matter of the mindless hero worship. The two contestants cheered the most--the two who actually receive standing ovations as they make their entrance--are Rudy and Sue, mean-spirited members of the notorious alliance.

While it's no surprise that most people overlook the anti-gay comments of a crotchety old Navy SEAL, the notion (endorsed by Sue herself) that the aptly named Ms. Hawk is a role model to a generation of girls is surely cause for alarm. When the subject of her infamous leave-Kelly-to-the-vultures speech comes up, Sue stands by her guns: "I meant it," she says, still determined not to apologize. Then, in defense of her deceitful game playing, she asserts that everybody lied while on the island. Gretchen's protest belies that claim, and Sue stumbles into admitting that she cheats all the time: "When I play cards, I lie," she says.

Gretchen counters, "But when you play cards and you lose, do you berate the other person?" The sudden tension in the air hangs heavier than the humidity. A short while later, Sue is the only cast member who doesn't appear before the press; perhaps she's run out of excuses for her bad behavior? (2000-09-14)

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Don't just take the pop-culture pundits' word about "Survivor" becoming a cultural phenomenon. The proof wasn't all the magazine cover stories; the proof was in Chicago's streets and bars August 23, as the finale aired.
(2000-08-31)

RODENT JAILBREAK
Throughout the summer, the Neo-Futurists have shilled 8-inch-tall, gray-and-white plastic squirrels at ten bucks a pop to all who felt the spirit. A total of 450 have sold; so far, one-third have come back--painted, beaded, sculpted and/or surgically altered (let us now give thanks for the hot glue gun).
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WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE
When the savvy folks at Wizard magazine took over the Chicago Comicon four years ago, they expanded its focus: Now the Rosemont Convention Center annually hosts the (self-proclaimed) world's largest multimedia pop-culture gathering.
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NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Prior to the free screening of one of the country's most treasured films comes a tribute to Gene Siskel, featuring speeches and a short, sweet video montage spoiled by an excruciating soundtrack.
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BLAZING TRAILS
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OSCAR LAND
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OSCAR LAND
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