‘Biggest Loser’: Jillian’s team turns up the heat on Bob

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Well, that didn’t take long.

The contestants on Season 7 of ‘The Biggest Loser’ met at the ranch and, on Day 1, set aside all team alliances as they rallied around Jerry, who collapsed, and recognized that the game being played at the ranch was one of life and death. The camaraderie was palpable.

They coalesced again -- against Joelle, who is not quite this season’s villain, but is nonetheless its outcast for failing to pull her considerable weight.

But it’s Week 3, and game play has inevitably made its way back into the game, as evidenced by this week’s shocking elimination. (And perhaps no one was more shocked by what happened than Joelle -- her eyes nearly popped out of her head.)

Before we get to that, though . . .

The night kicked off with an evil, evil temptation: Each contestant was left alone in a room for five minutes with tables piled high with all sorts of goodies. Their at-home partners were presented with the same deal: Whichever team ate the most calories earned a day at home with their trainer and partner.

Several of the contestants gave in, including Mandy, who ate a 380-calorie slice of pizza because she wanted to go home and see her boys, and her partner, who is also her sister. Joelle piled a plate high with baked goods and snacks and went so far as to put a sprinkle-covered doughnut in her mouth -- but didn’t actually take a bite.

Joelle’s at-home partner, Carla, however, ate enough for both of them, consuming 2,700 calories, enough to win the temptation.

Joelle, ever clueless, started openly celebrating in front of the heartbroken Mandy and the rest of her teammates, who, by dint of her victory, will be left without a trainer leading up to a critical weigh-in. She defended it as a much-needed opportunity for her to ‘rekindle’ with her friend. ‘Rekindling doesn’t burn calories,’ Felipe sniped.

As if last week’s showdown never happened, Bob and Joelle headed out to Detroit to meet with Carla, who was at first thrilled to have won the temptation and earn a private workout. But she absolutely lost it when she learned that Joelle’s dogging it. (You’d think someone who just ate 2,700 calories would be less high and mighty. You’d be wrong.) And no sooner did Carla calm herself down than she would work herself back up again. And again.

Bob at one point looked like he was going to step in to prevent Carla from picking up a weight and knocking Joelle out, or hurting herself. ‘You do what you need to do to bring me back,’ Carla bellowed at Joelle.

Joelle, meanwhile, showed no response. Nothing. Nada. It just served to whip Carla up again. Joelle just sat there with absolutely no expression on her face. At one point she offered up this lame response: ‘I have a vision for the both of us to come forth, to push . . .’

Huh?

How about saying -- ‘Gee, I am really sorry, I promise to work out harder than ever before.’

And while we’re at it, what’s with that bizarre self-talk she does while she’s ‘working out’: ‘No fear, no fear.’

Does anyone believe her? Think she believes herself?

Back at the ranch, her teammates were even more irritated with Joelle because they’ve been left to work out on their own while Bob traveled with her. It also didn’t help Joelle’s case that she was the first person eliminated at this week’s challenge -- that crazy jumping challenge that has taken down many a ‘Biggest Loser’ contestant.

She didn’t even get in one jump. She broke the foam bar during the first rotation.

Tara, who is turning out to be a quite a competitor, won the challenge, and immunity.

The last-chance workout seemed brutal as ever. Blaine took Jillian for a wild ride with those rubber bands and catapulted her out the front door. ‘He tried to kill me!’ she said. (It’s called payback, Jillian.)

Bob may indeed be possessed by Jillian. He’s definitely continuing to talk like her, bragging about the beating he’s putting on his team, including bringing Mike to the brink of tears: ‘If I can get Mike crying, I’m doing something right.’

Weight loss was back on track in Week 3 for most of the contestants, including Felipe, who lost 14 pounds, Blaine and Dane, who lost 12 and 18 pounds, respectively, and Mandy and Tara, who each lost 8 pounds.

At the bottom of the heap, though, were Damien, who lost just 4 pounds, and Joelle, who lost 6 pounds.

The outcome looked all but certain. ‘I know how my relationship is at the house, I know what is going to happen . . . It’s my time to go,’ Joelle said.

The contestants all huddled among themselves and also seemed in agreement.

Then came the elimination. Joelle’s teammates voted to give her the ax. But, starting with Blaine and Dane, the black team voted to eliminate Damien.

Even Joelle’s eyes bugged out when she realized what was happening, and she started crying.

‘I should be crying,’ Damien cracked.

It’s actually a brilliant move. Joelle will continue to create chaos for the blue team. If her weight loss continues to drag, she’ll probably fall below the yellow line yet again.

It’s all just chipping away at the blue team and shifting the power to the black.

Wait ‘til Bob finds out.

-- Rene Lynch