Following a twist-filled first week where nine contestants were sent home to sweat solo, the remaining 11 came face-to-face with the fickle mistress that is week 2. While the cool coquette showed her love to a few lucky contestants, many had to settle for single-digit weight losses. Also, a blister on the sole of the BL gang: "Silver bullet" Joelle, pictured (more on that to come).
This week, Alison presented the group with their first temptation challenge, and it was a doozy. Donuts and cheeseburgers — while tasty — are fleeting, but cold, hard cash is forever…unless you fritter it away on donuts and cheeseburgers. The contestants lined up behind a white line and were offered $5,000 to cross it, the catch being that once they crossed the line they were eliminated from the show for good. When no one budged, Alison upped the ante to $10,000. If Joelle were a cartoon character this would have been the moment slot machine cherries, dollar signs, and stars would have whizzed through her eye sockets as she contemplated the house she could buy for $10K in Michigan. Part of me can’t blame her — she does live with her mother. Joelle’s toes drew ever closer to the line as Alison finally bumped the total up to $25,000, but in the end, all 11 players walked away.
Perhaps hearing my plea last week for a real challenge, BL producers put away the sandbox and dropped the players onto the high seas (or maybe just the nearest big lake — whatevs). After making their way to shore in pedal-powered kayaks, they were faced with a steep mountain hike before crossing the finish line. At stake was immunity and for the first four finishers, phone calls home. The last-place finisher would also receive something — a penalty pound added to his/her weight during weigh in. Go-getter Tara took first place while Dan finished in last place. That additional pound would be Dan’s undoing during the elimination round sending him below the yellow line with Jerry. But it was the lovable grandpa who was sent home (and didn’t he look fantastic in the after video with wife and partner Estella?).
How the rest of the episode unfolded, and my favorite player so far, after the jump.
Heaviest moment: "I was possessed by Jillian Michaels," Bobadmitted after an altercation with Joelle. The normally cool-as-a-snack-pack-of-Jell-O trainer dropped more F-bombs than a member of theSoprano family when the silver bullet kept stopping her 30-secondsprint 10 seconds too early. Even hot-headed Jillian was amazed. "Ihave never seen Bob that mad."
Biggest Loser(s): The cousin couple of Blaine and Dane ruled the scales, losing a combined 30 lbs.
Honorable mention: She may have lost just 1lb. this week, butgreen queen Tara was the envy of all when she blazed up that mountainduring the challenge, not only winning a phone call home (which shegifted to Filipe), but also securing much-needed immunity. Thishard-working, level-headed player is quickly becoming my favorite ofthe bunch.
Any favorites for you yet, PopWatchers? Time to weigh in. Did lazyJoelle annoy you as much as she did me? Who will be the next to go?Aren’t you glad were getting to see how the players at home are fairing,too?
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i am amazed at how people get on this show, taking a precious spot, and completely waste the opportunity. by now, you have seen the show. don’t take someone elses chance away if you will not work hard.
oh absolutely, I was hoping Joelle would be eliminated even though her partner was dancing her butt off back home. It was fun to see Bob loss it!! I was touched by the bond that Dan and Jerry had and was sorry to see Jerry eliminated!
dan makes me cry whenever i see him. watching him go up the hill, with everyone helping him did me in. when he got on the scale and lost only 3 pounds i cried again! love this kid and hope he goes far!
M’girl, Tara, tore it UP last night. And with all the support and love these players give each other, this season is the perfect antidote for the vile that will forever be known as “The Season of Vicki”. Thanks Tara, Dan, Blaine, Jerry and the rest (excluding Joelle…argh!!!) for showing everyone what this show SHOULD be about.
last week i was appalled when the larger silver team player went home and said that joelle “needed to prove she could do this long enough to bring [her partner] back.” but man, after seeing her in action this week, i totally understand. that woman would not have lost a pound on her own if she’d gone home, she NEEDS to be there.
Oh…and, even though it NEVER would have happened, I was sooooo hoping that Joelle was going to stand up at the elimination and volunteer to leave. She knows how much she DOESN’T want to be there!!
oh, contrary, joelle does want to be there, she just doesn’t know how to work hard and is pretty pathetic when it comes to learning.
The contestants made the right choice. Jerry was able to do it at home. It’s nice to see there are no villains (so far).
My favourite part was when Jillian was laughing at Bob’s outburst. Over the last two seasons, she has become the nice one and Bob has become more dictatorial. Last season he constantly lectured his team to “play the game” and it showed. I guess he can’t stand the fact that Jillian’s trainees keep winning.
I know its week 2 but who else thinks there was a little gameplay (aka water chugging) in Tara’s 1 lb weight loss last night? I love the girl. But the butt she was kickin’ and the number she lost just didn’t jive for me.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed Joelle hits the road next week.
Go tara! she’s busting her butt and shes gonna go far! Much props to Dane and Blaine! The father and son duo also rocks, and the mom is doing great. I love their effort, all of them. I definitely cant say the same for Joelle. Joelle better find herself and make the decision to give it all shes got, cuz she sure as heck isnt, and to be honest it’s making me sick. I know what theyre going through becuase I’ve done what theyre doing and I’ve been succesful. There’s only one wayy to do it. THE HARD WAY. WAKE UP JOELLE!
Everyone knows how much Dan needs to be there. Joelle should have volunteered to go in place of Dan and Jerry. She is just an excuse-maker. Bob’s temper tantrum probably had little effect on her.
I just wanted to say that Bob has no right to speak to Joelle in the manner he spoke to her on last night. I lost alot of respect for him. She is already a fat person and the other contestants and Jillian began laughing so yelling F-you was really going to lift her self esteem. That was clear verbel abuse. I have watched for years and I have never scene any contestant spoken to with such disrespect. Yes I know many would love the chance but at any rate to say to a grown woman shut the f up on national TV. He was wrong and I am glad she was not at the bottom especially when I saw other contestants smirk at her 2lb weight loss.I hope she continues to do better because she probally is emotionally messed up from things in her life. Last night may have made things worse for her mentally.
I agree, Janis. I thought Bob’s behavior was WAY over the top … sure, Joelle was slacking off but no way did she deserve that. I was feeling really good about all the contestants and how different they are from last season (VICKY) and to see Bob verbally attack Joelle like that in the SECOND week was a bit much. I do think it was out of character though and that he’ll come back to earth. I hope so, because I think the camaraderie between everyone is inspiring! No Vicky/Heba’s yet, which is all one could ask for!
Janis, with all do respect, Joelle admitted that she wasn’t putting in her best effort and wasn’t going to push herself, even after noticing how hard all the other players were working. Bob has every right to yell at her lazy butt, she was pushing his buttons. Plus did you see her partner at home, “Working out”, i.e. dancing in front of the camera?! I can’t wait for them both to get kicked off.
As Tara starts to lose more and more weight, she is going to look more and more like Kate Winslet, just wait and see. Nice to have a season (so far) with people that all seem to support each other unlike the women from the last show.
While I don’t condone Bob’s language…I think Joelle deserved what she got!
And to Leann (about Joelle’s partner dancing). When someone is that heavy…just moving your body makes a difference! Dancing around is probably all she can do right now…so as long as they’re moving, they’re making progress!
Joelle wants to lose weight (and win the prize money) but doesn’t want to put in the effort. I have a sneaking suspicion this is how she approaches life in general, which is why she is still living with and being supported by her mother.
Sorry, but Joelle NEEDED someone to go off on her like Bob did. She’s making excuses like she probably always has and the people around at home most likely have let her get away with it. Bob just finally got in her face and MADE her push herself beyond those excuses. She did it, didn’t she? She needed him to make her show that she is capable of it if she stops being such a wimp. I loved it. I thought Bob was completely justified in blowing his top at her. Everyone else was managing it. Joelle was being lazy. Maybe now she’ll start stepping it up.
Janis – you lost respect for the wrong person last night. If anything Bob boosted her self esteem by showing her she could do it if she would just shut her mouth and do it. Isn’t that what this show is about – to quit making excuses, shedding the “i can’t” mentality and just listen to the people who are there to help and support you to become your best self? Bob was in no way out of line, and he needs to continue to push her further and further from her whining. Love Tara and her attitude & she doesn’t seem like the kind of person to sabotage anyone (i.e. why would she chug water with immunity?); love the father & son; and want nothing but good things for Dan.
GO BOB!
Joelle was NOT even trying.
How I do I know?
Because she was not even breathing hard. It was just a battle of wills.
She wanted to “win” and so she did not try.
Or how else could you explain that she stop at the same time every time?
She didn’t even try to do one more second. It was just a power struggle.
I wish her partner would have stayed, she seems to want it more.
Janis – Your comments about Bob and defense of Joelle are exactly the kind of enabling that helps some people get fat. She’s probably around people who give her a lot of “you tried” talk, not one holding her accountable for results. I got the feeling that yesterday was the first time she wasn’t able to deflect someone with “I did my best” in order to get cut slack and avoid pain. As far as it being “clear verbal abuse”, it might have been, but it was appropriate. These people sign up for a fitness boot camp. Not a spa, not a resort, a boot camp. If they are not willing to work it on their own, they need to get pushed, by whatever means get through their thick hides. As one who is obese, I know how easy it is to excuse my own inactivity and give myself an out to stay fat.
Did you see the previews for next week? Joelle’s partner looks like she gets PO’ed… can’t wait.
It’s no wonder Joelle is that overweight and living at home with that little self respect. I hope she learns to appreciate her body and push herself. Jerry’s face on the scale broke my heart, but seeing how well he’s done made it okay. Go Grandpa!!
Joelle was not trying as hard as she could because she didn’t throw up!!!
The challenge was awesome, but I don’t like when they have a penalty as part of it this early in the season. The weight penalty should be later in the season. This soon is just not fair.
Go Bob. I’m not sure how I like you more. Level headed you or Jillian possesed.
i would love to be on that show because i need it bad.
I agree Tara’s one pound loss was suspicious. Or maybe just good game playing. You do whatever it takes to stay there, that would be my guess. Although I was inspired by Jerry’s weight loss at home. It makes me want to move more. I went to the pool this morning and did laps.:)
Bob was completely justified in blowing up on Joelle, her exact words were “fake it until you make it” and if he cut her any slack, she would try and fly under the radar. I would be super pissed if I was her partner and saw the lack of committment. Bob loss of zen was good training, and good TV!
Obviously this was not the only think that Joelle was doing that was bugging the crap out of Bob. He obviously had seen her slacking off all day and the treadmill just pushed her over the edge. I totally agree with Barbara that Joelle wants to lose weight (and win the prize money) but doesn’t want to put in the effort. And I think she thinks she can ‘fool’ Bob with her tears and ‘thank yous’ and ‘yes, sirs’ but Bob is not that gullible. I’d be more angry at her if Jerry had done SO well on his own at home! He and Stella looked terrific!
um, “clear verbal abuse”? no. what bob said to joelle was rude and over the top, maybe, but it’s not verbal abuse to tell someone to shut up and do what i ask you, even if you yell and swear while saying it. “shut up, and do it, you stupid heifer. . . ” now THAT’S abuse. and i agree with every poster on here that says joelle needed that outburst. all her talk about trying and giving her all is just the mark of someone who wants to be coddled, and no one is at that camp to be coddled. i disagree, though, with people who want her out – i’d love for her to stay and have a dramatic turnaround, she certainly won’t get far on her own at home.
Geez, if you think Bob went overboard, imagine what Jillian would have done. Actually, I wish Joelle was on Team Jillian. Now THAT would be fun to watch!