Challenges: MPF percentile
NA
Seasons: 1 | Days played: 9 | Wins: 0 | Jury: 0
- Survivor 23: South Pacific (2011) - 17th place, 2nd out.
- Voted out in Episode 3, "Reap What You Sow" (Day 8).
- Eliminated in a duel (by Christine Shields-Markoski) in Episode 4, "Survivalism" (Day 9).
- Cumulative totals: In-game - 8 days; Redemption Island - 1 day.
Mark Anthony 'Papa Bear' Caruso on social media: twitter
| Challenge stats | Tribal council stats | Jury stats | Overall stats | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | ChW | ChA | ChW% | VFB | VAP | TCA | TC% | wTCR | JVF | TotJ | JV% | SurvSc | SurvAv |
| S23: South Pacific | 0.13 | 0.86 | 0.15 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0.32 | 1.40 | - | - | - | 0.47 | 1.53 |
| Career | 0.13 | 0.86 | 0.15 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0.32 | 1.40 | - | - | - | 0.47 | 1.53 |
Papa Bear Caruso - Performance ranks
Tribal: VFB% percentile
46%
Tribal: rVAP percentile
19%
Performance ranks are a quick visual measure of the contestant's season vs. historical data from all prior contestants, in three basic (scorable) categories:
1. Performance in individual challenges (MPF), as a measure of "physical game";
2. Ability to vote people out consistently (VFB%, or VFB/TCA), or "strategic game"; and
3. Ability to avoid being voted against (rVAP, or TCA-VAP) - which scales better than a percentage would - for "social/strategic game."
See also: Full glossary for all these abbreviations.
Papa Bear Caruso - Challenge record
S23:
South Pacific 
Tribal/team challenge record (1-for-3):
- South Pacific Ep. 1 RC/IC: "Coconut Conundrum" - participates, but Savaii narrowly loses.
- South Pacific Ep. 2 RC/IC: "Crate Escape" - With Ozzy, Jim, & Keith, works the slide puzzle, and Savaii wins.
- South Pacific Ep. 3 RC/IC: "Hitching A Ride" - Cranks the wheel for Savaii, which loses on the puzzle.
Individual challenge record (0-for-0):
- South Pacific: None.
Redemption/Exile Island duel record (0-for-1): (Mean % finish: 50%)
- South Pacific Ep. 4 Duel: "Sandbagging" - Papa Bear barely loses to Christine, 10-9 (2nd/2).
Career totals - challenges
| Wins: | 1 |
| Played: | 3 |
| Win%: | 0.33 |
| Sat out: | - |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Played: | 0 |
| Win%: | - |
| Mean% Finish: | - |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Played: | 1 |
| Win%: | 0.00 |
| Mean% Finish: | 50% |
Papa Bear Caruso - Tribal Council record
S23:
South Pacific 
Idols held/played (0/0):
- South Pacific, Ep. 3: Pretends to find an idol, fooling nobody, except maybe Jim.
VFB - Votes for the person booted (1/2):
| Tribal | Voted | Boot (totals) | VFB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep1 | Semhar | Semhar Tadesse (voted out, 8-1) | Yes |
| Ep3 | Jim | 'Papa Bear' Caruso (voted out, 6-1-1) | - |
| 2 | TOTALS | 1 | |
VAP - Votes against (6):
- South Pacific, Ep. 3: Six votes, from Ozzy, Cochran, Whitney, Dawn, Keith, and Elyse (voted out, 6-1-1).
Jury votes made (0/0):
- South Pacific: None.
Career totals - Tribal Council
| Advantages held/played: | 0/0 |
| Idols found: | 0 |
| Idols played: | - |
| Votes voided: | - |
| VFB: | 1 |
| Tribals: | 2 |
| VAP: | 6 |
| Made: | 0 |
| For winners: | - |
| Received: | - |
Papa Bear Caruso - Pictures
S23: South Pacific image gallery -
South Pacific intro shot -
South Pacific intro shot -
CBS pre-game interview -
Pre-game interview with EW -
Pre-game posing -
Listening to Probst, pre-returnee arrival, Ep1 -
More listening to Probst -
Savaii, happy they have Ozzy -
Good luck in the challenge, Ozzy -
Go, Ozzy! Ep1 Hero RC -
Watching Ozzy -
Savaii (Ozzy) wins! -
Happy Savaiis -
Day1 introductions in camp -
In the water, waiting for Cochran to join in -
Chatting with the Savaiis -
Ep1 confessional, about his background -
Telling Dawn the older people need to stick together -
Full Savaii tribe, ready for the Ep1 IC -
Ready to go, Ep1 IC -
Watching Ozzy chop ropes -
Watching Keith shoot baskets -
Post-challenge post-mortem -
Savaii tribe, Ep1 Tribal Council -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep2 RC/IC -
Listening to Probst -
Starting line -
You guys need to pick it up! Or slide it up. -
Savaii wins! -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep3 RC/IC -
Turning the crank -
Watching the grappling hook stage -
Yay, Upolu won -
The losing Savaiis -
Talking to Probst, Ep3 Tribal Council -
Ready for the vote reveal -
Third person voted out of Survivor: South Pacific... -
Snuffed, Day 9 (Episode 3) -
Elimination by Christine, Ep4 duel
Papa Bear Caruso - Interviews
S23:
South Pacific Pre-game interviews
- Gordon Holmes at MoreWhatnot.com (8/22/11): "Survivor: South Pacific Pre-Game Interview: Mark Caruso"
Post-game interviews
- Gordon Holmes at MoreWhatnot.com (10/6/11): "Castaway Interview: Mark 'Papa Bear' Caruso"
- Rob & Nicole Cesternino at RHAP (10/6/11): "The Story of 'Papa Bear' Mark Caruso"
- Daniel Fienberg at HitFix.com (10/8/11): "Mark 'Papa Bear' Caruso Talks Survivor: South Pacific"
- Patrick Gomez at People.com (10/11/11): "Mark Caruso 'Left a Gentleman'"
Papa Bear Caruso - Bio
S23:
South Pacific From his EW.com new contestant picture caption (by Dalton Ross):
"'I call myself Daddy Bear,' says the openly gay former NYPD morgue detective. 'I'm older, wiser, and cuter, I guess. No, I'm kidding. I'm not cuter.' One thing he's not kidding about, however, is which two former players he'd like to see return this season. 'I would like to see Jane. And I know people may not like hearing this, but I like Russell. I do! I just like him! I worked in the New York City police department for 20 years. There's a thousand Russels.'"
Excerpts from his official CBS Survivor: South Pacific bio page (8/22/11):
"Personal claim to fame: I was a NYPD 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.
Pet peeves: Know-it-alls and people with “I am better than you” attitudes.
3 words to describe you: Funny, sarcastic and lovable.
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."