Tulsa's Survivor gets voted off

Friday, October 14th 2005, 11:49 am

By: News On 6

Tulsa's hometown Survivor is free to go home, because the tribe has spoken. Blake Towsley was voted off "Survivor Guatemala" Thursday night after a sudden turn in attitude in his tribe.

News on 6 reporter Emory Bryan says Dr. Kent Towlsey is a proud father, even though his son is out on Survivor. "The alliances changed, they decided to vote him out, and I know he's disappointed."

Blake Towsley grew up in Tulsa. He was a standout on the show from first broadcast, when a tree whacked him on the arm. Then the heat made him sick - his father said off camera, the crew packed him in ice to cool him off. His father thinks it was his athletic skill that kept him going - he helped the tribe win several challenges. But over time - Blake's fortunes changed.

Blake's family in Tulsa hated to see him voted off of course, but they thought the way he was portrayed on the show wasn't really fair. They had to admit though; some of his wounds were self-inflicted. Dr. Kent Towlsey: "I think they spend several days shooting an episode and sometimes they don't know if the camera is on and I think he made some sidebar comments and in retrospect, he would say so."

On the CBS Early Show, Blake said he didn't see the vote coming. "I literally got blindsided." But before he left, everyone watching the show got to hear about Tulsa.

Blake was the 5th person voted off - but he's hoping to turn his moment of fame into a modeling or acting gig. His father thinks it could happen. "It ended strangely, but he's a good kid."

Blake lost 20 pounds during the taping of Survivor. He and his mother are in New York for at least another week on a publicity tour.

Even though he grew up in Tulsa, he now lives in Dallas.