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| Neither Ami Cusack nor Scout Cloud Lee, quite
possibly the first lesbian contestants on CBS’s reality powerhouse ‘Survivor,’
have yet to come out on the show. |
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HOME > SOVO SCENE > TELEVISION
By: BRIAN MOYLAN
COMMENTS |
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VIEWERS CAN TELL by looking at the cast biographies that there are two lesbians
on the current season of “Survivor,” but it’s hard to be certain
based on the portions aired so far on the show itself.
CBS doesn’t release details about the sexual orientation of the show’s
contestants unless it becomes part of the “story” on the show. But
the bios of Ami Cusack and Scout Cloud Lee on the show’s Web site reveal
that Cusack is in a three-year relationship with “Crissy,” and Lee
lives with “Annie,” her “best friend and playmate” for
the past 26 years.
For the sake of simplicity, we’re going to call them lesbians, even though
they could be “bi” or “same-gender-loving” or women
who just happen to be in relationships with other women. And for the sake of
argument, “Crissy” and “Annie” could be men.
It’s not shocking that CBS is keeping the women’s sexual orientation
a big secret, but it would be surprising if casual viewers — who don’t
check the Web site or read the gay press — have no idea the women are
lesbians. After all, straight castaways openly talk about their opposite-sex
partners, and the guys spend plenty of time discussing and ogling the women.
THIS TRUTH ABOUT Cusack and Lee could be hidden for any number of reasons.
Maybe neither has disclosed this information to their fellow cast members yet,
either for personal or strategic reasons.
Another possible reason is more nebulous. What if they both came out, and all
the other women supported and accepted them, and they all shared a big hug of
unity around the campfire?
If that happened and CBS didn’t air it, there’s a producer who
needs to be voted off the island. That two lesbians could come out and be welcomed
on equal terms not only goes to show the spirit and morale of the group, but
would also be inspirational for all those budding lesbians out there. They need
role models to show them that they, one day, might be able to starve, cheat
and lie around in a bathing suit on national television for $1 million.
After all, even future bitchy queens have first season winner Richard Hatch
to look up to.
AND THERE IS A third theory. Cusack and Lee have only come out to each other
and formed a secret lesbian cabal that is going to take over the island. The
wise, earthy and forward Lee has posited herself as the sage of the group, and
no one wants her gone, even though she’s not nearly as strong and does
not work as hard as others.
Cusack, on the other hand, seems to hold some secret sway over the voting process.
In the episode that aired on Oct. 14, men were allowed into their tribe.
Most of the women wanted to vote out Rory Freeman, but Cusack convinced them
to vote against Travis “Bubba” Sampson instead. She claimed she
saw him trying to communicate with members of the other tribe. Guess the rest
of us missed that.
On the Oct. 21 episode, the ladies were going to vote off Freeman to maintain
their all-female alliance. But Cusack took umbrage with an offhand remark that
Lisa Keiffer made. By the end of the episode, everyone voted against Keiffer.
She may or may not be gay, but Cusack seems to be the behind-the-scenes leader
of her tribe. She’s doing more than “flying under the radar,”
she’s stealing the show without anyone noticing.
That’s the real story, and viewers are missing out.
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