Tough Enough 2 --05/02/02 Hey, all--and welcome to this week's Tough Enough 2--as always, they begin with a re-cap of last week's episode--the visit from Nidia and Maven, and the announcement that they are all going to Sun City, South Africa.. They open the show in the early morn, with the girls discussing what they are going to pack on their trip and Pete cleaning the pool--for their celebratory pool party, with special guests, Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson! Annie is especially excited about going, and hopes to see lots of animals, and maybe putting on a 'little wrestling show'. Stacy and Torrie enter to little montages, and seem really happy to be there, and hug everyone. Al tells Jake that they decided to bring some girls since he (* * Line of the Week * *) 'can't pick none up', haha..Jake's eyes are about bugging out of his head. 'Big' says that it is a big thrill for the girls to finally meet some of the other women in the business (What--Ivory is chopped liver?), and that the guys are thrilled for um..other reasons..They then show Hawk 'skipping' by.. They sit down and eat, and the obligatory ribbing of Hawk begins. Jake says that he is an easy target because he does not fight back. They talk about traveling, and Hawk tells us that he has been to Australia..at a National Wildlife 'refugee' park..they naturally slam him for his mistake. Pete says that he was the butt of the jokes because it was so easy..Al has a field day. They then cut to Hawk saying that everyone has seen the goofy side of him, and that they take advantage of it..and that the whole group has an idea of him that is not really true. That he is more deep than he appears on the surface, and he has gone through this his entire life. We then see him getting bummed over at the barbeque, and the others are like, 'Duh, are you alright?' He then leaves and calls his mother, telling her that he is having a bad day, and we hear him saying that no one really has the 'full story' of what he is about. I believe him. He then says that sometimes he feels like 'bursting out' and telling them what is what.. Cut to everyone swimming, and lounging in the hot tub..listening to pearls of wisdom from Stacy and Torrie on the business. Stacy tells us how she started out as a cheerleader, and how that is nothing compared to the WWf, and my heart breaks as she tells us how 'hard it is'..poor baby..Torrie insists that it is so hard to build any kind of character when you are 'a good girl' in the business..Oh, the pain..Annie says that although she admires how ladylike and prim Torrie is outside the ring; she personally would like to see more electricity in the character and more technicality in the ring. Torrie goes on to say that your relationship with your co-workers is very important, because if 'no one liked you', you would be miserable..as she says it, the camera pans to Hawk..looking somewhat miserable. 'Big' hands out their tickets, and surprises them all with Samsonite luggage! They all run joyfully out to get it. He tells them they are to be ready to go by four-thirty the next morning. Jake shows his stupidity by wondering if 'they have weights over there' and if he is going to be lifting trees in the jungle or something..okey-dokey. Cut to shots of the plane taking off, and then, of everyone sleeping on the plane--including Al, with his mouth wide open, and some sort of sleep mask on.. Eighteen hours later, they arrive in Johannesburg, and they are off by bus. We hear Al say that there is a price for everything, that it is not like it is a free trip; that they will be busting their humps while they are there. As the others take in the magnificent scenery, Pete hopes that they will have free time to gamble and get blotto..Annie remarks on the beauty of the 'Palace Hotel'---and it is indeed beautiful. Jackie says that it was like 'walking into a total fairytale'. They go to their rooms, and exclaim over the accomodations, including squash; Hawk's 'personal favorite'..They get ready in a flash, and are off to dinner. After a toast to them all at dinner (ostrich was on the menu), 'Big' informs everyone that they will be meeting in the lobby at the crack of dawn to go hot air ballooning! Wow! Oh, yeah...and one of them will be going home early, as there will be a cut in South Africa...The mood goes black, as the realization sinks in that this is STILL a contest, and that they are STILL being evaluated. Next morning, while it is still semi-dark out, they travel by open air bus through the National Game Reserve to the site of the hot air ballon...seeing animals galore along the way. Linda is kinda unsure about the trip, as she does not like heights. Al (in a fetching safari hat) tells us that he has 'never done that in his entire life', and looks raring to go. They are off, and the trip is amazing; with a wondrous bird's eye view of the countryside, and many animals. Jake says, 'It's nice. It's a nice break from the ring.' They accomplish all this before nine am--when the training begins.. ..In a beautiful outdoor amphitheatre---where Andre the Giant once wrestled..It makes Linda think of 'Gladiator', and says that it made her feel 'a sense of strongness'. Al then proceeds to teach them all to give and take bodyslams..to raise their heads, and to land properly. They go at it a while, with Annie commenting that the ring didn't have much give, and was stiff. Kenny likened it to concrete, and said that once the sun got out overhead, that 'that d*mn thing got SO hot'..Al said that the ring was probably 120-130 degrees, and that you most likely could literally 'cook an egg on that thing'..whoa. They go at it a while, sweating and struggling, and Ivory gives Hawk a bodyslam, saying that he was as heavy as 'a sack of 'Bleep'', hahaha..They then are made to run up steps in the heat, and are all wiped out. Al allows them a brief respite, and the girls talk with Ivory--Ivory says that she still likes 'Women to be women', get mad, but still be a woman---and Annie disagrees, wanting to be powerful, a 'goddess'; Jackie thinks Ivory gives a lot of good advice. It is, by then, one pm--and Al realizes that they have been working hard in the hot sun and need some rest, and at lunch makes a proposition to 'Big' to try and score the rest of the day off for them---he will ask the kids who wants to take a nap, and who wants to keep on training..what they do depends on their answers..If the majority say they want to nap--they have to train, and vice-versa..Al believes that they will not be stupid enough to say they want to nap; and that if they ARE stupid enough to say that they want to take a nap, then they deserve to train, haha..Well...When asked who wanted to train, Jake is the only one to raise his hand..when asked who wants to nap, they nearly all do..Al is a bit disappointed that they 'hosed' him, and means to make them pay. He tells them, 'You think you're tired now? Well, guess what. Now, you're gonna really be tired.' They all look shocked, as once more, the realization that this is all not a joke--or a vacation--sinks in. On the way back to the amphitheatre, Hawk surmises that 'you can always cut a deal with 'Big'', and offers to shave his own head to gain a day off for him and his comrades! No one thinks he is serious, but he sees this as a chance to show his serious side, and that he has a 'leadership role inside' him, and that he is not 'always crazy'...yeah, that definitely demonstrates a sane man..They take him up on it. After they get the equipment to do the job, they go to the ring again, and make a big ceremony out of it..Al gives him one last chance to renig, but he insists that he is a 'man of his word'..the girls all kiss him, and the trainers all get a hack at his poor hair..Ivory is shown cackling in triumph, holding a big clump of his hair. They shave him partially, in an almost classic 'male pattern baldness' pattern, and make him look in the mirror..poor guy. Then it all comes off. They all tell him that he looks better that way...and he believes them.. By then, it is five pm..and they are taken to visit a Lion Park, where they get to interact with the lions, holding cubs; 'Big' gets 'chomped', and is bleeding, but laughs about it--saying that the lions like him better now that there is blood. Their host then plays a bit with an adult male, who is gorgeous, and they are off again. They are shown again at nine pm, going to dinner. Hawk is asked to do his 'mean look' with a bonus--added twitches, which really contribute to the gimmick..Quite effective with the bald head..Go, Hawk. They dig into him again, and Hawk remarks that he shaved his head to gain their respect, and that well, nothing really changed. The others say that it is the 'same old Hawk'. As they are dropped off for the night, they are reminded that it is 'back to normal' the next day, and Al tells them to be ready to work. And work they do..Al had decided that that was to be the day that he really pushed them, on all levels; physically and emotionally. After they set up the ring, he tells them all that they will be working with him, and that that will tell him how they are progressing. Annie says that the cuts are weighing heavily on everybody's minds; that they know that these will be their last few days together, and that they were all frightened. They look it, as Al tells them that he will cut anyone who will not 'rise and meet his expectations'. They are shown working at it in the ring, working it hard--Al tells Kenny, 'Feel me, dance with me'--until, in the middle of a body slam, Annie rolls her ankle, injuring it..Al asks her if she is okay, and she insists that she is, but really doesn't seem to be--and is taken out of the ring. Kenny says that he can see Annie getting cut.. Next, Hawk is having trouble--Al tells him, 'Pay attention' and 'Wake up', and we hear Jackie say that he is 'just a mess' in the ring, and is unable to follow Al's lead. Al insists that when he is singling Hawk out, to try to toughen him up, that never at any time is it mean-spirited. Hawk comes on and admits that he could not work with or follow Al, and that something has been building up in him...that there is a wall that he cannot get over that is hurting him in the ring. Frustrated, Al tells him that physically, he carried him all over the ring, and that he expects him to 'have a clue' and that if he does not, to hit the stairs and get out. Whoa. The show closes on Hawk saying that he 'does not want to be there', and that he has 'got to fix this'...Thus ending this week's episode, leaving it all hanging for 'South Africa: Part Deux' next week...See you all then.