Mark Anthony Caruso (also known as Papa Bear) is a contestant from Survivor: South Pacific.
Because of his age, Papa Bear was immediately seen as an outsider on the Savaii tribe. In addition, his feverish attempts at locating the Hidden Immunity Idol caused him to be voted out on Day 8, and he narrowly lost the next duel to Christine Shields Markoski.
Profile[]
Retrieved from CBS.com
Name (Age): Mark Caruso (48)
Tribe designation: Savaii
Current residence: Forest Hills, N.Y.
Occupation: Retired NYPD Detective
Personal claim to fame: I was a NYCPD Morgue Detective for 20 years and I retired with honors from the mayor and police commissioner.
Inspiration in life: My deceased Aunt Mary, who brought us to her home, raised us and gave us a great life.
Hobbies: Gym and all that goes with it, spending as much time in the sun as I can and meeting new people/making new friends.
Pet peeves: Know-it-alls and people with "I am better than you" attitudes.
3 words to describe you: Funny, sarcastic and lovable.
Survivor contestant you are most like: I haven't seen anyone like me.
Reason for being on Survivor: I want to experience being stripped of life's luxuries that we all take for granted and survive with the bare essentials.
Why you think you'll "survive" Survivor: I am attentive and caring and have listening skills that can be supportive to my team and others. I love to work hard and have proven throughout my life that I will be a leader.
Why you think you will be the Sole Survivor: People tend to like me because I am an honest person even though I am sarcastic and an "in your face" man. I am considered a real person heart, mind and soul.[1]
Survivor[]
Mark was initially placed on the Savaii tribe, which was joined by returning player Ozzy Lusth. Mark, along with Dawn Meehan, were in a precarious situation, being the eldest members of the tribe, finding themselves to be outsiders from the majority, who were younger. With this, he warned Dawn, who was struggling to assimilate to the harsh realities of the game, to toughen up, or it would be her undoing. When Savaii lost the inaugural Immunity Challenge, Mark and Dawn were in particular trouble, but were spared when the whole tribe decided to eliminate Semhar Tadesse for performing the weakest at the challenge.
At the third Immunity Challenge on Day 8, which required intense winching, Savaii, especially Mark, struggled to pull the winch with rhythm, narrowly losing the to rival Upolu tribe. Returning to camp, Mark's dismal performance and Cochran's weak physique were considered by the majority Savaii Alliance. Weary of his standing, Mark directly asked the majority who they were voting for, to which Jim Rice answered John Cochran. Seeing through their lie, Mark surmised that his only chance was finding the Hidden Immunity Idol, which unknown to many, Ozzy had already found. Elyse Umemoto caught Mark unusually sprinting in the woods, which she relayed to her alliance. With Tribal Council just minutes away, Mark fashioned a fake idol, hoping to avoid getting voted out.
Despite his bluff, the majority alliance cast their votes for Mark, sending him to Redemption Island after a 6-1-1 vote, where he joined Christine Shields Markoski. On Day 9, Mark was ultimately eliminated from the game after narrowly losing the second Redemption Island duel against Christine.
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Savaii | Thrilogy | Reward | Yes | Won |
| Coconut Conundrum | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 2 | Crate Escape | Reward/Immunity | No | Won | |
| 3 | Hitching a Ride | Reward/Immunity | No | Lost | |
| Voted Out, Day 8 | |||||
| 4 | Savaii | Sandbagging | Duel | Lost | |
| Eliminated, Day 9 | |||||
Post-Survivor[]
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Trivia[]
- Mark is the oldest member of the Savaii tribe.
- Mark is the lowest-placing man on South Pacific and the only one to not make the merge.
- In an interview, Mark revealed that he had actually found the hidden clue to the Hidden Immunity Idol, a scene that was not seen, nor explored in the actual episode.[2]
References[]
- ↑ http://web.archive.org/web/20230322032525/https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/62887/
- ↑ Heidet, Ryan (October 12, 2011). "Survivor: South Pacific — Interview With Papa Bear". Reality TV Magazine. http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com/2011/10/12/survivor-south-pacific-interview-with-papa-bear/. Retrieved December 17, 2011.
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