Defending "Boston Rob"
I'll admit it. I am a cheesy reality tv addict. I have watched some of the most unfathomable programming that one can ever, well, fathom. But amidst the "Littlest Grooms" and "Mr. Personalitys", there are some reality shows that are fascinating from a sociological standpoint. Or at least this is what I tell myself.
Enter Survivor. I had not seen a single episode of Survivor until the "Pearl Islands" edition came out, and being the addict that I am, immediately tuned in to the next edition, "All Stars". It is here that I "met" a man that I fell in love with, in typical Scarlett O'Hara style, by first despising, then grudgingly admiring, then full out adoring.
His name is Rob Mariano, otherwise known to devotees of the program as "Boston Rob", or "The Robfather". When I first started viewing Survivor All-Stars, I despised the smug SOB, with his drawling Bahston accent and his seeming complete disregard for others. What a schmuck, I thought. Let's get this guy out of here. But then a strange thing happened. As weeks went on, I started to pay attention, and I realized, this guy is really shrewd.
The details of his tremendous manipulation are not the point. Suffice it to say that he pulled off one of the most brilliant manipulations in television history, and although it was his sweetie, Amber Brkich, that emerged the winner, anyone who watched knows that without Boston Rob, she would never have made it to the final three.
Then Boston Rob and Amber started on the Amazing Race, another reality program which is actually representative of the best in the genre. Now these individuals knew what Boston Rob had pulled off previously, and yet still managed to remain surprised when he continued to pull off devious and brilliant plans behind their backs which worked to his team's advantage. I shook my head in bemused amazement as he used his manipulative skills time and time again to give he and Amber an edge. It occurred to me as I watched that despite being extraordinarily attractive, this guy was smart, funny, disarming, and even though he often dominated situations, surprisingly self-effacing. I found myself during one episode smiling and saying "I love this guy." BTW, Rob, if you get tired of Amber, give me a call!
People say that Rob is snide, obnoxious, sneaky, and that he doesn't have a heart because he recently didn't stop at the scene of an accident during the race to determine the status of the accidentees. He simply drove by, saying, in typical Rob fashion, that this was "a competition". And you know what? He's absolutely right. Just because the guy already has a million in the bank doesn't mean that he's going to give an inch in a new competition for another million. People seem to expect him to almost be ashamed of his status, and give other teams an edge out of some misplaced guilt. Well, the boy doesn't give an inch. He's competitive bold, smart, gleeful in his experiences, and of course, it never hurts to be hotter than June at the Equator. He's sweet to Amber, and he never puts on airs. The teams that hate him the most ironically seem to be the teams that are most obsessed with themselves, more like caricatures than real people. Boston Rob's just a guy from Boston that happens to have found something he's great at and is pursuing it to the max, with his lovely fiancee at his side. Who could begrudge him that?
So here's a toast to Rob and Amber. Well, mainly just to Rob, but if I want to get in good with ol' Rob, I suppose I'll have to cherish Am-buh as well. Keep up the good work, I'll be watching you, shaking my head, smiling, and saying, "Damn, I love this guy!"
Enter Survivor. I had not seen a single episode of Survivor until the "Pearl Islands" edition came out, and being the addict that I am, immediately tuned in to the next edition, "All Stars". It is here that I "met" a man that I fell in love with, in typical Scarlett O'Hara style, by first despising, then grudgingly admiring, then full out adoring.
His name is Rob Mariano, otherwise known to devotees of the program as "Boston Rob", or "The Robfather". When I first started viewing Survivor All-Stars, I despised the smug SOB, with his drawling Bahston accent and his seeming complete disregard for others. What a schmuck, I thought. Let's get this guy out of here. But then a strange thing happened. As weeks went on, I started to pay attention, and I realized, this guy is really shrewd.
The details of his tremendous manipulation are not the point. Suffice it to say that he pulled off one of the most brilliant manipulations in television history, and although it was his sweetie, Amber Brkich, that emerged the winner, anyone who watched knows that without Boston Rob, she would never have made it to the final three.
Then Boston Rob and Amber started on the Amazing Race, another reality program which is actually representative of the best in the genre. Now these individuals knew what Boston Rob had pulled off previously, and yet still managed to remain surprised when he continued to pull off devious and brilliant plans behind their backs which worked to his team's advantage. I shook my head in bemused amazement as he used his manipulative skills time and time again to give he and Amber an edge. It occurred to me as I watched that despite being extraordinarily attractive, this guy was smart, funny, disarming, and even though he often dominated situations, surprisingly self-effacing. I found myself during one episode smiling and saying "I love this guy." BTW, Rob, if you get tired of Amber, give me a call!
People say that Rob is snide, obnoxious, sneaky, and that he doesn't have a heart because he recently didn't stop at the scene of an accident during the race to determine the status of the accidentees. He simply drove by, saying, in typical Rob fashion, that this was "a competition". And you know what? He's absolutely right. Just because the guy already has a million in the bank doesn't mean that he's going to give an inch in a new competition for another million. People seem to expect him to almost be ashamed of his status, and give other teams an edge out of some misplaced guilt. Well, the boy doesn't give an inch. He's competitive bold, smart, gleeful in his experiences, and of course, it never hurts to be hotter than June at the Equator. He's sweet to Amber, and he never puts on airs. The teams that hate him the most ironically seem to be the teams that are most obsessed with themselves, more like caricatures than real people. Boston Rob's just a guy from Boston that happens to have found something he's great at and is pursuing it to the max, with his lovely fiancee at his side. Who could begrudge him that?
So here's a toast to Rob and Amber. Well, mainly just to Rob, but if I want to get in good with ol' Rob, I suppose I'll have to cherish Am-buh as well. Keep up the good work, I'll be watching you, shaking my head, smiling, and saying, "Damn, I love this guy!"
posted by Dana at 1:07 PM
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