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He's outta here!

Buried in my notes for a profile I wrote on "Survivor" contestant B.B. Andersen in March is a prescient observation from someone who sat on the Kansas state pensions board with Andersen in the late 1980s. B.B. didn't last long on the board; after complaining about the way some of the money was being invested, he abruptly stepped down only a few months after he'd been appointed.

Like most people I interviewed, my source said that Andersen was a character. Also stubborn, especially when he believes he's right (and on this particular matter he was: After Andersen left the pension board, it was found to have squandered millions in bad investments.) But my source didn't think much of Andersen as a team player. With B.B., it's often his way or the highway, the source said. Then he joked: I wonder if he can resign from the island.

As millions of Americans witnessed for themselves Wednesday night, that's just what Andersen did — he begged out of what he decided was an impossible situation. The other members of his team, most of them half his age or younger, were feuding with him. Andersen's back-breaking efforts to set up camp were completely unappreciated. And slackers like that no-good Ramona were getting a free pass from criticism while the group's energies were consumed dealing with their unhappy camper.

Ratings: "Survivor" took command of Wednesday nights with its second broadcast. It beat "Millionaire" handily in households: an 11.9 rating and 20 share in the first half hour compared with 9.7/17 for Regis; and a whopping 13.8 rating and 22 share in the second half, to "Millionaire's" 11.5/18. (A rating point represents about 1 million homes. A share point is 1 percent of all households watching TV at that time.) When demographic ratings are released later today, "Survivor" should dominate there, too.

Pick to click

"The MTV Movie Awards" will have its premiere at 9 tonight on MTV and then repeat endlessly from now until Christmas. Sarah Jessica Parker is host of the made-for-TV event noted mainly for its musical performances, odd categories (Best Kiss, Best Action Sequence) and annual bursts of bizarre celebrity behavior. Last year Jim Carrey delivered a harangue that had to be heavily bleeped; four years ago Mel Gibson was so ticked by questions from host Janeane Garofalo that he stormed out of the building. Music this year will come from 'N Sync, Metallica and D'Angelo. Celebrity sightings will include George Clooney, Nicolas Cage, Halle Berry and the rest of Parker's sisterhood from HBO's "Sex and the City."

"Disturbing" fun

by John Zipperer

When the New York Times calls a film "crude," it brings to mind a John Waters film or maybe something from the Troma film clan in New Jersey. So what did "Disturbing Behavior" do to get that tag from the wags at the Times? Nothing, as far as I can tell. This is no gore-fest, nor is it an amateurish film. It is, perhaps, a little too much by-the-numbers for a teen horror flick, but you'll have a chance to see for yourself how enjoyable it is nonetheless when it airs at 7:30 p.m. Thursday on The Movie Channel.

(continued)

On this date...

in 1998, Magic Johnson's "The Magic Hour" hits the airwaves. Three months later, it vanishes. -- Tom Heald

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