Survivors lend a hand at party / LJWorld.com

Lawrence and Douglas county

Reality TV show participants judge challenge, talk about experience in national spotlight

July 9, 2006

Danni Boatwright, the "Survivor: Guatemala" champion originally from Tonganoxie, was back in a tribal-council setting Saturday afternoon - in Lawrence.

But this time $1 million was not on the line.

Boatwright and Austin Carty, a competitor from "Survivor: Panama," made a surprise appearance at a birthday party for 11-year-old Kendra Leet, a Hillcrest School student.

Kendra and her wide-eyed friends flocked to Boatwright as she arrived.

"I like your shirt," Boatwright said as she pointed to a Jayhawk logo.

Kendra handed her a red bandanna that signified she belonged to the Oread Tribe, which feuded with the blue Wakarusa Tribe in the game of "Survivor: Lawrence."

Boatwright has coached Kendra for the National American Miss pageant.

Before Boatwright and Carty judged the makeshift shelters the two groups built, they answered questions about their experiences on the reality show.

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Boatwright revealed that she ate lizard eggs that tasted "good." And she said her personality didn't really come through on the show.

"They made me look like I never talked," she said.

Carty, originally from High Point, N.C., said he became friends with Boatwright through a mutual friend. He was visiting Kansas on his way to California. During Carty's time on the show, his tribe went 16 days without food, Boatwright said.

Both autographed the kids' bandannas and posed for pictures.

Partygoers were allowed to bring one personal item to the party along with a sleeping bag and pillow. Naturally, most brought their cell phones.

Before the celebrities arrived, the two teams competed to build the shelters. Wakarusa Tribe members Amber Stacey, Kelly Song, Megan Haase-Divine and Kaitlyn Dilley tied up a blue sheet to a tree and some stakes in the ground.

"This is way better than my party," Kelly said.

Kendra and her mother, Teri, had the original idea for the "Survivor" party. Kendra's dad, Frank, wore a gray safari hat and tried to organize the excited children before the competition began.

"It's pretty cool that we got to put up our own tent," said Kendra, the birthday girl.

Discussion

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9 July 2006
at 7:02 a.m.

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jonas (Anonymous) says…

Man, from the headline alone on the main page, this looked like it could be the most interesting headline today.

“Survivors Lend Hand At Party.”

Survivors of what? WWII? A previous, disasterous party? Jungle Rot?

Then it turns out to be reality TV, and now I'm bummed out.
9 July 2006
at 10:14 a.m.

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Redzilla (Anonymous) says…

After all, aren't we all survivors of reality TV?
9 July 2006
at 11:02 a.m.

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Marion (Marion Lynn) says…

Funy thing; I have never watched a single episode of any “Reality” TV show.

“Reality” TV seems to me to be artificial although there is some good money in it for some people.

Thanks.

Marion.
9 July 2006
at 11:46 a.m.

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flames_over_the_wasteland (Anonymous) says…

And the girls at the birthday party now have something to apsire to … praise the Lord for falsity TV.
9 July 2006
at 11:47 a.m.

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flames_over_the_wasteland (Anonymous) says…

That should be “aspire.”
9 July 2006
at 1:24 p.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

well the little girl is happy and that is all that matters.
9 July 2006
at 2:23 p.m.

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mommaeffortx2 (Anonymous) says…

can we keep Austin??

11 July 2006
at 2:13 p.m.

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coolmom (Anonymous) says…

how cool of them and what a original birthday idea. i thought it was cool.