Survivor hopeful turns his sites, and audition, to the web

Can a guy and his alter-ego puppet actually get on Survivor 3, without driving everyone crazy?

OCEANSIDE, NY/APRIL 6, 2001 -- More than 50,000 people tried out for the popular reality show Survivor 2, The Australian Outback. The application deadline for the next installment is just days away. With staggering numbers of audition videos expected, one guy from Long Island, New York has decided to plead his case to the public online. His comic site, located at www.paperbasket.com/survivor, details why he and his luxury item (a puppet!) should be picked for the show. In just days since the site launched, his official audition tape has been viewed by thousands of people passing it on to friends via email, creating an underground buzz" of support.

Comic audition video

Survivor hopefuls are required to submit a 3-minute video audition. Levines audition video is featured on his web site, and is now shared with thousands via email nationwide. Thousands of people have already viewed the video in hopes their comments on his web site will help increase his chances of becoming a finalist. The comical, 3-minute piece features Levine and Grandpa training for Survivor, doing an impersonation of Vice President Dick Cheney and sharing some 'final words."

A puppet for his 'luxury item

Survivor contestants typically select one luxury item to bring on their 42-day journey. Many have chosen practical items such as pans, flags and games; Levine wants to bring a puppet. Affectionately called Grandpa," Levine jokes that the puppet reveals his alter ego. Im very much a team player, but I cant help it if Grandpa wants to conspire to throw everyone off...including me."

Levine picked up the puppet on a recent visit to Disney World, but has no intentions of becoming a ventriloquist of puppeteer. So many people on the show are so cut-throat," added Levine. I just felt it was time for a Survivor to bring a sense of humor to the game. Trust me, Ill be as competitive and underhanded as the next scoundrel!"

No stranger to odd game shows

The creator of the site is Elliott Levine, a 31-year-old software public relations executive and former school administrator from Oceanside, New York. Levine is no stranger to cutting-edge games shows. A decade ago, he was a contestant on the popular MTV game show Remote Control -- a parody of traditional game shows that starred Colin Quinn and then up and coming stars like Dennis Leary and Adam Sandler.

Levine jokes at his site that Remote Control actually led to the first 'pilot for Survivor. He won a trip to a resort in Mexico that turned out to be less than desirable. The hotel was a pure rip off! Besides being greeted at the local airport by guards with automatic rifles, the resort's main restaurant was destroyed by a massive storm, and after only 48 hours at the resort, they ran out of water," said Levine. In the course of those few days, we learned how to survive on our own."

-30-