Survivor: One World Fireside Chat with Kat Edorsson

Kat Edorsson the 22-year-old Timeshare rep from Orlando, Fla. was blindsided on the 12th episode of Survivor One World. What made the blindside so unique was that Kat was anticipating an exciting fun blindside! She said blindsides can be fun. Kat now wants everyone to know that she’s really embarrassed about that comment and laughingly tells us that she has definitely changed her mind! “No, blindsides are not fun nor are they exciting, I take back everything I said!” Kat cried all of the way to the Ponderosa. Her eviction hit her hard. Many of her tears had to do with the fact that she adored living on that island. She considers herself an outdoor girl, loves camping and roughing it and doesn’t want to go back to her everyday life.

The Yak: What has the reaction been for you online after everything that happened last night?

Kat: Great question, um. I’ve had a lot of love ya know, Kitten always has some love. I’ve had a few here and there that say “ OMG, You’re so stupid, how can you be so naïve and selfish?” What am I gonna do? Everyone has their own opinion on how I played the game. I just take it all and roll with it.

The Yak: The last couple of episodes it seems that you were really enthusiastic to cement your place in Survivor history by making a big move. What were some of the moves you wanted to make and did any of them end up being successful for you?

Kat: Ultimately my biggest mistakes were when it came to the reward challenge and things like that. But if I were ever going to make a move, mind you they never showed me being strategic. I did start an alliance very early on and was loyal to that alliance. I wasn’t as open minded as I should have been. Like to Troy, entertaining his idea to his alliances, etc. I wasn’t really entertaining the idea but I should have been more open to it. I had so much heart in the game and I wanted to do so well, all I wanted to do was kick Kim’s ass in the challenge and so I see myself trying to beat Kim. Ultimately, say I had won immunity that night. If I was going to make a big move I could have chosen to go with Tarzan, Christina and Alicia or I could have gone with Kim, Chelsea and Sabrina. If that was ever going to be a move, that was the move that I was gonna make. What would be more beneficial for me? So you know, again, we can never say that I did make a big move because I didn’t win. I wasn’t strong enough that day.

The Yak: If you could go back and do the reward challenge again would you take the same people?

Kat: (Laughs) Absolutely not. I hate that people said I was selfish, because I completely sympathize with everybody. The reward challenges are death, I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this but if you watch them, you don’t want to be the person who chooses who gets to go with you, you want to be the person who’s chosen. So when I chose Kim and Alicia it was such a terrible decision because I didn’t know how Sabrina and Chelsea were going to react and I didn’t know they were going to be so sour about it. I guarantee you this. I look selfish because I didn’t take Christina and Tarzan, that was Sabrina and Chelsea’s excuse, and I love these girls. They know for a fact that if I took one of them instead of Alicia they would have not been saying anything at camp about me the next day. So yes, I did make a really bad mistake because Alicia was part of my final three. Why would I take her? I don’t know I was not thinking strategically and that was my million-dollar move that I completely messed up.

The Yak: Looking back and seeing yourself through the eyes of the viewers, do you think you are too naïve?

Kat: Um, I wouldn’t want to say naïve, I really don’t. I mean joking around everyone doesn’t want to hear this but I am only 22. I don’t want to say it’s naïve, that’s a negative word and actually I’m a very positive person. In survivor you actually have to trust somebody. What I did is trust somebody with my whole heart. I trusted all these women with everything I had. In Survivor you shouldn’t play that way. In real life you shouldn’t do that, especially to a stranger that’s not your family. I treated them like they were my family. I would do anything for these women. Unfortunately it didn’t pay off in the end and it made me look very naïve for believing what Kim said to me and getting completely blindsided. You saw my face! I mean my face was like “no way this is happening to me right now!” My eyes were like Oh My God! Nobody wants to see Kat cry, nobody does, and it’s not good. There’s not a mean bone in my body. So if I were to say that I was naïve, I think I made naïve decisions but I don’t think that I’m naïve. I think I was playing the game that I really wanted to play; I was playing as hard as I could. I just unfortunately didn’t see what was happening right in front of my face at that particular moment. So, that decision I made was a little bit naïve, yes.

The Yak: Why didn’t you try and make a move with Troyzan the week before and try to vote Kim out or another strong female?

Kat: No of course, the episode shows me crying hysterically because Troy wouldn’t leave me alone. (laughs) The silver fox was in action. I was like “old man, leave me alone!” My decision for not being more open to what he had to say had nothing to do with Troy and the fact that he basically was telling me what was about to happen. If I would have went with Troy, if I had voted with Troy to send Christina home, my alliance would have found out that I betrayed them which means I would have had to take on all of them. Honestly when you’ve gotten that deep into the game when you’re so loyal? Kim said to the viewers that I am her final 3, I was her best decision. The only reason she couldn’t keep me anymore is because the majority flipped. My whole alliance flipped on me so ultimately if I would have went with Troy I would have been gone today anyway. Now look at me I’m gone! It’s so sad.

The Yak: Were you more upset that you got voted off before Christina and Tarzan or that you were blindsided, which one is worse?

Kat: (laughing) I would have to say that it has to be that I got voted off before Christina and Tarzan. Troy makes this big thing about the fact that people who deserve to play are people who are in the game right now but that’s not how Survivor works. Survivor’s deceitful. Troy says Survivor’s like an ex-wife who’s very deceitful and doesn’t understand how to play or how to get along. The fact that Tarzan and Christina were there longer than me broke my heart! If you asked Christina that day, “Christina what game are you playing?” she probably wouldn’t be able to tell you what the game is called.

The Yak: Knowing what you know now, would you still vote for Kim to win the million dollars?

Kat: I can’t say but knowing what I know now and the type of game she’s played and how she’s bamboozled everyone I think she has a fantastic shot to win the game. I do think Kim is playing a fantastic game.

Kat is enthusiastically looking forward to the reunion. She’d love to do Survivor again. Thanks for speaking with us Kat, good luck to you!

Survivor One World: The Yak’s Interview with Jay Byars

Jay Byars the 25-year old model from South Carolina with the ever so sexy drawl just couldn’t resist those chicken wings and beer during his final immunity challenge. Tempted by Jeff Probst to throw in the towel for immunity, he bit. He bit right into those chicken wings because he mistakenly thought he would be safe at tribal council. Never underestimate the power of the all girl alliance.

Jay enjoyed his time on Survivor, made lasting friendships and would give his left arm to do it again.

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The Yak: Jay, how did you come to be on Survivor? Were you a fan of the show?

Jay: Yes, I am a fan however I actually applied to be on the Amazing Race first! I got a call and they asked me if I would consider applying for Survivor, so here I am.

The Yak: Jay as a model I’m sure you are used to seeing pictures of yourself everywhere but how did you feel about being in People magazine labeled a “hottie?”

Jay: (Laughs) Um, I mean if that’s what people think of me then more power to them. I was pretty stoked to see a full page of me in People magazine for sure.

The Yak: Looking back how come you trusted Kat so much after the girls voted out Mike?

Jay: It wasn’t that I trusted her so much it was that I didn’t trust her and I wanted to keep her close. Sabrina, Kim and Chelsea I trusted more.

The Yak: Colton told us that from Day one you and he had a strong alliance is that true?

Jay: That was true. You know walking away from the truck he was really paranoid on day one and afraid he’d be the first guy voted off. I told him, “Look man I’ve got your back, I’ll protect you.” Once I saw him working those girls I let him put my name in the mix and he made me look good. I was looking forward to that merge and him being there and us having a shoe-in with the girls.

The Yak: How do you think things would have turned out for you if Colton were still in the game?

Jay: That was something that I obviously wished would have been different. My thing with Colton was, I wish he had been there. Early on I didn’t interact much with the girls because I knew Colton was. He was kind of putting my name in the mix. I was going to let him be the one to bring the girls and us together.

The Yak: How do you think you should have played things with Kim and Chelsea?

Jay: Um, my biggest, dumbest move was stepping down because I thought I was safe. I knew the girls were going to come after me but I didn’t think it was that night, I thought it was going to be the next time. I just should have stayed focused on that vote and won my immunity.

The Yak: Why did you step off for the food when you discussed with Troy that you both would not step down for food temptations?

Jay: When I saw that Troy didn’t win and I figured he’d be the first to go. I truly figured it would be 2 or 3 days from then. I figured I would be less of a target if I stepped down. I was being played and I was wrong.

The Yak: Were the chicken wings at least good?

Jay: (laughs) They were good man, you know I had a side of ranch dressing to dip them in, the beer was ice cold and I had a nice full stomach for my exit.

The Yak: Do you think it was you telling Kim that Troy had the immunity idol that switched the vote to you or do you think it was you all along?

Jay: I think once the news of Troy’s idol got thrown around more at tribal I think that’s when the votes got swung back to me. Had I known about his idol earlier, maybe there could have been some work with me, him, Tarzan and Christine to get on the same page but it was just too little, too late at that time.

The Yak: In the beginning of the episode you were really paranoid about the girl’s alliance. Why did you go from being so paranoid to being so confident?

Jay: I was looking for someone to pair up and trust so I stayed with my Salani group. I thought, I might be paranoid but this is the game plan. I’m going to stick with this group and see what happens.

The Yak: Any thought to go with Troy’s plan to throw some votes Kim’s way?

Jay: Looking back I wish we had talked earlier. Had I known that he had the idol earlier, it was revealed last second. Getting everyone on the same page, there wasn’t time, especially when you have Tarzan in the mix, obviously he voted for me. I think it was too little, too late.

The Yak: What were your thoughts on Chelsea in the game:

Jay: In the game I thought she was a super cool chick, laid back, quiet and kind of reserved. I thought she had a good head on her shoulders and knew she’d be very competitive. I was looking forward to working with her longer you know. Once we found out we were from the same state and area we kind of had a little bond there and I think that’s why it did reflect in her confessionals that she did hate to see me go. She did the right thing though.

The Yak: We hear a lot of goofy things coming out of Kat’s mouth. Was she like that truly or are they just amping up the amount of craziness that comes out of Kat’s mouth?

Jay: Um…… I would say that it’s pretty accurate (laughs). I had her stereotyped as the ditzy blonde and she’s super fun and fun to be around. She’s a smart girl but she definitely has her blonde moments.

The Yak: Are you looking forward to the reunion?

Jay: Oh yeah I am super excited to be back together with everyone again. You know you come off of there and you get back to reality, you still keep up with these people and see how it’s going to be in the real world.

The Yak:  Do you think there’s any friendships that you will continue on with the rest of your life?

Jay: Oh yeah for sure. There are about 3 people that I’m in contact with all the time and about 5 or 6 that I try my best to keep up with. Definitely some strong bonds were made.

The Yak: What’s next for you?

Jay: I’m headed back to NY for the finale and staying there for a bit for work with Major Models. In June I’m headed back to LA for work. I’m going to try and enjoy my summer a little bit and then I’m off to Europe in the fall for work. Back to the normal grind for me.

Well Jay, thank you for talking with us here at the Yak and good luck with that normal grind, sounds grueling!

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Don’t forget to come on in and join us in the FORUM for more Survivor!

Survivor One World Chats with Cast-Off Jonas Otsuji

Jonas Otsuji, the 37-year-old Sushi chef from Lehi, Utah is voted off Survivor One World and becomes the first member of the jury. We spoke with Jonas yesterday and he explained how he enjoyed his Survivor experience but has some regrets about his passive strategy. His advice to future Survivor contestants; make bold moves, go for it or you may regret it.

The Yak:: After the merge what type of effort did you make to attempt to reform some of your alliances?

Jonas: Right when we merged I went to my old alliance, which was Troy and Jay and I immediately sensed some awkwardness and I knew that something wasn’t right.

The Yak:: How did Colton’s leaving affect the impact and chemistry of the new tribe?

Jonas: I think we would have gone a lot further had Colton stayed in. Colton was such a feared player at that point because he had the idol and he had relationships on both sides. So the next to go would have been Alicia, which would have changed the whole game and I would have made it way further.

The Yak:: Why were you so loyal to Colton?

Jonas: The funny thing is that I never believed anything Colton said. If he had a plan I would say yeah, I’m with you on that but it wasn’t like I was willing to bet my life that he was telling me the truth. I just went along with what he said but was never really 100% with him I just said I was with him.

The Yak:: What was the beef with Tarzan?

Jonas: Tarzan had run-ins with everyone. The straw that broke the camels back is when he went to Mike and told Mike about this big plan about how the guys were going to vote when Mike was never with us. It was 20 days of frustration and that one last thing set me off and any plans we might have had were completely ruined because he just told the enemy our plan. That’s what set me off in my little turret’s rampage. (laughs)

The Yak:: What was the situation with you and Tarzan at Tribal council? What made you disclose the plan to vote out Kat?

Jonas: Because we didn’t have the numbers, so it didn’t matter and at that point I just wanted to show how clueless Tarzan really was. I knew I was going home. Tarzan and I had made up, that was sincere, but he’s just a very volatile guy I guess (laughs).

The Yak:: Why did you bring Mike up in Tribal council? Was that something you had talked about previously or did you just throw it out there?

Jonas: No, I had talked to everyone as a group. As soon as I knew I was going, when Troy confirmed that, I wanted to bring up the Mike issue. It was more calculated than it seemed. I knew I probably wasn’t going to change anyone’s mind; it was a Hail Mary pass.

The Yak:: Did it seem to you at all that there was a chance to get rid of Tarzan instead of you since he was getting on everyone’s nerves?

Jonas: No, because aside from Chelsea, the majority numbers wise agreed that Tarzan had become an asset because no one liked him so they wanted to take him to the end.

The Yak:: Prior to leaving tribal you went to Tarzan and said no hard feelings and he responded, “hard feelings.” Don’t you find this ironic from someone who later may be bucking for your vote?

Jonas: I had no ulterior motive at that point. I just wanted to show him that I was just playing a game and that none of this is real. He just took it all personally and wouldn’t forgive me. You’d think that Tarzan would have been logical but there’s no strategy at all and he played purely with emotion.

The Yak:: Since Troyzan was the one that clued you in about being voted off can you tell us a little about your relationship with him? Why do you think he didn’t vote alongside you?

Jonas: Well, first of all I love Troyzan to death; I think he’s an awesome guy. When Troy and Jay became down in numbers with the new Salani tribe that’s basically what screwed everything up. It made sense for him and I understood why he did what he did because he was outnumbered by the women. I think that part of the reason he clued me in was because I was going to be a member of the jury and a potential vote for him.

The Yak:: Did you have any knowledge that he found the idol out there?

Jonas: No he didn’t tell me about that?

The Yak:: Looking back at the game what was your real strategy to make it to the end?

Jonas: I was trying to play a similar game to Fabio. I was trying to fly under the radar a little bit until I felt I needed to show my cards. If I felt threatened in any way at that point I would start making bigger, bolder moves.

The Yak:: Whom did you want to sit next to if you made it to the end?

Jonas: I told Troy that I would be honored to lose to him. My final three would have been me, Bill and Troy.

The Yak:: Looking back was there anything major that you would have done differently?

Jonas: Yeah, I would have not been Colton’s bitch number one! (laughs). I would have made bolder, more strategic moves rather than play the fly under the radar game. Ultimately me trying to fly under the radar put me on the radar. It doesn’t really matter what game you play you’re going to be on someone’s radar, whether you’re too strategic or not strategic enough so for me if I could do it all over again I would want to play a more pro-active game rather than just do whatever Colton wanted me to do.

The Yak:: Was it poop or dirt?

Jonas: (Laughs) Yeah, I’m gonna say poop. It didn’t really matter, I wouldn’t even stick my finger in that pot! That was a dual-purpose pot; we cooked rice in that pot.

The Yak:: The last episode much was made about you feeding the tribe, can you tell us something you cooked for them?

Jonas: I made this Samoan seafood bisque. I made a fish sauce using needlefish. Then I grated a fresh coconut and made it into a coconut cream and added that to the stock. It was really delicious. When it was all over one of the producers came up to me and said I’ve been on this show for 10 seasons and this is the very first time I’ve every been jealous of what they’re eating.

The Yak:: Tell us a little about the immunity challenge: Who picked Leif to be the first one to dig the hole under the log that was supposed to fit everyone not just him?

Jonas: I definitely didn’t suggest that but I didn’t challenge it. Yeah, that’s one of those things I regret the most not speaking out and being more assertive. I was more like if that’s what you guys want yeah, yeah, ok, I’m good with that. Somehow I got pegged as the smart Asian guy who should be good at puzzles and I just went along with it.

The Yak:: Since Leif voted with you to vote off Mike he appears to be more out of the loop than anyone, would you say that’s correct?

Jonas: (laughs) Completely 100%. Leif as a person is a phenomenal guy but strategically as a player he was absolutely clueless.

The Yak:: Who has the best shot to win?

Jonas: I would like for Troy to win just because I think he deserves it the most.

The Yak:: Would you play this game again?

Jonas: I would jump on a plane right now and play the game if I could.

We want to thank Jonas for chatting with us and wish him the best in his future!

Survivor: One World ~ The Yak Chats with Polarizing Colton Cumbie

Yesterday, we spoke with Colton Cumbie the 21-year-old college student from Monroeville, Alabama. Colton exited Survivor One World this week with a medical issue. Although many viewers and readers may want this interview to be a Coltonoscopy, whether revered or reviled, we at the Yak appreciate all contestants who take the time to interview with us and answer even the toughest questions. We don’t spin it. We ask; they answer. It’s up to you to discern if these answers are candid and sincere, or calculated.

Colton told us some great behind the scenes information that you may not have seen in the edited show. His greatest alliance was with Jay. He was going to vote out Alicia next, not Christina. He confirmed that the altercation between Tarzan and Leif was staged for Bill’s benefit so that Bill would agree to go to tribal. Colton thought their acting deserved an Emmy.

Colton was removed from the game and flown to a nearby hospital. What they thought was appendicitis was not. Colton had a severe bacterial infection in his intestines. He was treated with strong antibiotics. When Colton returned to the States he still had the infection and had to again be treated. He’s well and says he’s “fat” again.
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The Yak:: How have you dealt with peoples’ reaction to you on the show?

Colton: Um…Obviously watching it, some of the certain parts, specifically episode 4, I was uncomfortable watching that. Obviously I don’t want to be seen as someone who treats people that way. As far as my personal life there haven’t been any people who have attacked me. People recognize me all the time, if they don’t recognize me by looking, as soon as I open my mouth people say “I know that voice.” (laughs) People that are admittedly not fans can tell me that they thought I was the most deplorable person on the planet earth but then we get to talking and I pose for pictures with their kids and they say “You’re not at all how you seemed on TV.” I say “Of course, because it’s just that, television.” I mean we’re totally different people in the real world than you see on television, in some cases.

The Yak:: Do you have any statements or actions that you specifically regret?

Colton: Yeah, I mean I regret the way I handled the Bill situation. The only issue I had was Bill was that he was a little obnoxious and loud and I didn’t think his jokes were funny, but I’m not here to belittle him anymore than I already have. I just had a problem with the fact that I felt he was going to get to the end and use his financial status as a means of saying “I deserve to win because I need this money.” If I was on the jury and you’ve got Tarzan who’s a plastic surgeon, you have Troy who’s a world-renowned photographer and then you’ve got Bill sitting there saying “I really need this money”, well obviously you’re going to give it to him because that’s just human nature. So that’s what I kind of had a problem with. I took it to a level it should never have gone to. I regret my remarks to him and Christina but at the end of the day I’m kind of glad I said it because I got to see myself through other peoples eyes and I get to grow as a person. Otherwise had it not been on Survivor I probably would have gone though life thinking oh all of this is okay.

The Yak:: How did your housekeeper react to the comments you made at tribal council?

Colton: OMG (laughs). She is absolutely fine. This is a woman who literally changed my diapers since birth. She’s like a second grandmother to me, she’s like a member of our family, you know. She knows me and my personality. She’s used to my snarky comments and she thinks I’m funny. She actually stood up in her church and told everyone at her church that I was a nice person (laughs).

The Yak:: We saw a lot of hateful controversial things directed at Christina. In a social game where those types of things determine who wins, how can you win a million bucks.

Colton: Well first of all the Christina thing; I had already apologized. When I got sick that night and you saw me laying my head in her lap I had apologized to her,. I said I’m really sorry that I was mean to you and she was like “you’re fine, sweetheart.” I was genuinely sorry for the way I treated her. Then when I got sicker I really did consider giving her the idol and I thought, this poor child she won’t know what to do with this, she’ll think it’s a necklace so I refrained from giving it to her.

The Yak:: How has this experience changed you?

Colton: I’m from a town of 3000 people. I’ve had the same friends since I was 4 years old. You know, I’ve grown up in this bubble. I think it’s hard for people who haven’t been in my shoes to envision how that’s possible like how do you not interact with people that are not like you? It’s not been by choice but I haven’t, that’s just the cards I’ve been dealt. I’ve realized that it’s okay if people are different from people. Survivor opened my eyes to people that have lived different lives than I’ve led. You know that’s okay, it takes all kinds to make the world go round and that’s what I’ve learned from the experience.

The Yak:: Do you consider yourself the season’s villain and do you like being cast as the season’s villain?

Colton: I don’t know who else could be considered the season’s villain. (ed note: Alicia). You might as well embrace it, it is what it is. I’ll own my title, I’ll wear my crown with pride.

The Yak:: Did you plan on being the villain or did you want to have a persona to be remembered in the game or did you really want to win the million dollars?

Colton: I wanted to win. I’m not the type of person who’s going to sign up for something. It’s actually funny because right before we went into the game Jeff Probst asked me if I thought I could win. I said Jeff if I didn’t think I could win, I wouldn’t be here. I don’t sign up for anything I don’t think I can win whether it be a board game or a potato sack race, I hate to lose and so honestly, I went in thinking I probably would be a villain because I kind of knew how I wanted to play but I didn’t care about being THE villain. The things I said to the camera really had underlying humor. There were some cruel things that I wish I could take back or change or whatever but for the most part the Republican comment, the Helen Keller comment, the knock him back to OZ comment, that was all supposed to be funny.

The Yak:: Alicia is coming off as mean and cruel. Did you see her that way?

Colton: I saw a different side to Alicia than most people did. You say things you don’t necessarily mean when you’re in the confessionals, we throw the word hate around when I can count on one hand the amount of people I strongly dislike. I didn’t mean half of the crap I said on television. I’m sure Alicia did the same thing. I think she’s going through a hard time right now, even harder than I am. The backlash from being on the show is hurtful to her. I can handle people saying things about me but it hurts Alicia when people call her a bitch.

The Yak:: As a viewer from episode 1 until this weeks episode, I really saw a huge change. It appeared to many that you were actually having a mental breakdown at one point, before you got the idol. What really happened?

Colton: First, I never, ever would have quit the game. Secondly, in the beginning it was more so shock. Really, it’s men vs. women? During the casting process they ask you what is your biggest fear coming in? What would be the worst possible scenario, etc. I told everyone, my family, casting, if it was men vs. women, I’d have a heart attack. It was my worst fear come true. I immediately knew that I had to change my game plan. I thought I was going to have an immediate target but I did not just lie down and die like they portrayed me. I did go over to the women, but the men were totally fine with that because I was telling the guys that these women would trust me, I can play them. So the men said, ok, go do your thing. I was telling the girls, the boys are being really mean to me, so I was playing both sides very early on. Actually what you don’t know is that when I went over kind of crying and begging to live with the girls I didn’t have the idol at that point and I was trying to manipulate Sabrina into giving me that idol. I had an alliance with Jay from day one. He came up to me immediately and said “I’ll take care of you” and then Matt came up to me and said “I’ll take care of you.” Troy came up and said “I’ve got you” and then Tarzan said “I think you’re really smart”, so I was thinking well, this is not terrible but I’m not going to let the girls know that.

The Yak:: You’ve been criticized for things you’ve said and one is that you said you were Republican and didn’t believe in any handouts yet you accepted the immunity idol from Sabrina.

Colton: Yes, I’m glad you asked about that. First of all I can totally see where people can make the connection between that comment and me receiving the immunity idol from Sabrina. Here’s the thing, I really had to work for that idol in a roundabout way. I had to put on an Emmy worthy performance at the first immunity challenge. What you don’t see is I’m supposed to throw the first immunity challenge. The girls agreed that if I threw it, they would give me the idol. Well Kourtney broke her arm and if you notice, when the guys are discussing whether or not they’re going to keep immunity I didn’t go anywhere near that huddle and then they told me, you tell Jeff, so I told Jeff. I started boohooing “we didn’t earn this”, and the girls started saying well bless his heart he really did try, so Sabrina gave me the idol. I think the difference was I tried to do something to benefit them and they came in our camp and said we want fire and they didn’t want to give us anything in return. They had to give that idol to someone, why not make that person me?

The Yak:: It appears that everyone had resigned themselves to the fact that you were running the game. How did you get away with that?

Colton: This is going to sound very pompous and arrogant but I don’t know how else to put it. I can honestly tell you that I can be a very charming person. You might see me on television and want to stab me in the face but I really can charm people. I know how to get people on my side. You saw me do it with these people and I just know how to do it. I don’t know. It’s a gift. God did not bless me with a high IQ, he blessed me with charisma.

The Yak:: What was your plan if you made it to the merge?

Colton: Oh I had it all planned out. I had a producer tell me on day 3 that I was the first player in the history of the show that when everyone was on day 3 I was on day 33. I had a plan. I knew who I had to get rid of and I knew when I had to get rid of them. I was actually getting rid of Alicia next, I was about to send her home. I knew about her relationship with the women she just didn’t think I did. I wanted to get rid of Monica because I thought Monica was a threat and I honestly thought that Monica and Michael were close. That’s why I got rid of Monica. The reason I was going to get rid of Alicia next is because Christina didn’t have that relationship with the girls and I figured Christina would have no choice but to go with the guys. I think she honestly would have.

Going into the merge I was planning on getting rid of Chelsea immediately. I knew about her and Kim’s relationship. I knew they were close and I wanted to cutoff Kim’s right arm. I wanted Kim to come with me and kind of go along with what I wanted. My ideal final 4 was going to be Jay, Troy, Kim and me. I knew there was no way in hell I was going to win the final immunity challenge. If Kim won it I was going to get rid of Troy. If Jay or Troy won it I was going to get rid of Kim. Sitting in the final 3 I was going to make the argument, “Look I was the most underestimated player in this entire game. I literally had to claw, scratch and bite my way to the end. None of you thought I would get here.” So I thought I had a valid case but (laughs) we’ll never know.

The Yak:: Would you have preferred to be blindsided then going out the way you did?

Colton: OMG YES! Had I been blindsided, that’s the thing, I feel like I don’t have closure. Had they all grown brains and said “Let’s get rid of Colton and the idol, let’s blindside him” I would say props to them, but they didn’t get me. I got taken out by something that was out of my control, their control and everyone’s control. That’s what was disheartening about the way I went out. I didn’t get blindsided. I kind of feel like I was in the middle of writing my Survivor story and I ran out of ink and kind of left there to dangle in the wind.

The Yak:: Can you explain your decision to keep the immunity idol as a souvenir?

Colton: Yes, I was actually going to give it away had I been able to give it to who I wanted to. Jay was my closest ally in the game. We were super close, yet it was edited so that you saw no conversations between us. I wanted to give it to him but was told I had to give it to someone on Manono. Also, due to Jay and my relationship I didn’t want to do anything to potentially screw up his game. Although I appreciated what all the people on Manono had done for me as far as following me around, I didn’t want it to come back and hurt Jay’s game in the end. That’s why I opted to keep it, plus I’m a villain I have to do something selfish and be true to my nature (laughs).

The Yak:: If you were asked to go back I am assuming you would so you could finish your story?

Colton: Yes, Yes. I feel like Natasha Bedingfield “The rest is still unwritten” and I want to go write it.

The Yak:: Who do you see taking it all the way?

Colton: As much as it pains me to say this I think the boys are going to fall apart without me. You see Kim, you see Chelsea and they really seem to know what’s going on. They seem to have it all together. I’m rooting for Jay but I’m also rooting for Kim just on principle alone cuz I feel that in that game there are only 4 people who knew how to play this game. I feel like I knew how to play, Kim knew how to play, Troy was playing a pretty good game and I think Matt knew how to play and that’s why he went home first. Right now I would say that Kim probably has the best chance of bringing it home.

The Yak’s Interview with Nina Acosta, Survivor: One World Cast Off

Today we had the pleasure to interview Nina Acosta, the 51 year old retired LAPD officer from Clovis California. Nina considers herself tenacious, competitive and confident but unfortunately her time on Survivor was cut too short when she was voted out on Wednesday’s second episode of Survivor One World.

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The Yak: How stupid was your tribe to get rid of you Nina?

Nina: (Laughs) well in my opinion very stupid of course! Yeah, I wasn’t totally surprised obviously but I thought it was a bad move.

The Yak: Why do you think they kept Cat in the game?

Nina: That’s a good question and I think a few of them struggled with that but ultimately it came down to that they were afraid to back off their alliance because they felt comfortable with it and I think also possibly that she wasn’t much of a threat, obviously mentally or physical.

The Yak: How tough was it to play the game when it wasn’t about being the strongest or the smartest?

Nina: You know that was very tough for me I admit. I went into the game thinking that was going to be more of a physical challenge and a battle of the wits. Um, so I think once the tribes were aligned men vs. women that kind of went out the window and then it turned into a social game. Being the oldest by far in a tribe of young women it clearly put a target on my back.

The Yak: What is your take on Colton?

Nina: Colton, I have no idea what his strategy is. He was a complete distraction for the Salani tribe, as if we didn’t have enough distraction already. I think he has a little bit of a mean streak in him too. I guess we’ll see what happens with him.

The Yak: How frustrating was it that your tribe formed an alliance of 5 on the way to camp and you didn’t have much of a chance?

Nina: Well you know I was very surprised how quickly that alliance came together in a blink of an eye. Because, there was no rhyme or reason to it other than I think a group of girls got together and said “I like the way you look” or “your laugh is cute.” I don’t know what the criteria was but it was frustrating because it would have been important to take a step back and have some conversations with everybody before making that decision. It’s easy to say from my end because I was on the outside looking in.

The Yak: What did you think about the challenge?

Nina: I spoke up because I couldn’t hold it in any longer. That challenge was so embarrassing. At that moment I was so embarrassed to be a woman, we just couldn’t get it together. that challenge was about trust not about balance. We didn’t have the trust and the men did. Cat was the reason we lost that challenge, I’m convinced of it. So, I felt she was a liability to the tribe and I had to speak out, I felt I had nothing to lose.

The Yak: Nina, I was sorry to see you go last night.

Nina: Thank you, I’ve been hearing that a lot and it’s really nice to hear!

The Yak: We realize that we only see a small portion of tribal council but during tribal council when Jeff asked Chelsea and Sabrina if they would have formed different alliances if they knew then what they know now, and with no hesitation they both replied “Yes”; At that point did you feel you had a shot a staying?

Nina: Yeah, that was a big surprise to me to hear that! I had hope, because I thought it was a done deal going into tribal council and when I heard that I thought, hmm, I may actually be staying for a while, so yeah ultimately it didn’t happen but it was great to hear that. I think there just wasn’t enough time to work that angle and if I had had another couple of hours I could have worked on Sabrina a little more and maybe had Cat sent home.

The Yak: With you and Monica and Christina being the only ones left who were out of the five, how active were you three in trying to get one more member over to your side?

Nina: Well we talked about that certainly because it seemed really bleak but to be honest with you with Christina I wasn’t really confident in her allegiance to Monica and I. She felt that she had a target on her back because of Alicia’s complete dislike of her. I think she was scrambling to stay in the game and save herself and I don’t blame her for that. We really couldn’t collectively think of anybody. I was more interested in trying to stay alive as a team and get to know each other a little better. My alliance was with Monica and I wasn’t going to compromise that for anyone else in the game. I can say that without hesitation.

The Yak: Were you bothered by the fact that Monica voted for Christina instead of Cat?

Nina: No, Monica realized that I was going home. She didn’t vote for me which I respect and give her credit for, I appreciate that. I think she felt that if she voted for Cat it would anger the 5 and I think she was still trying to work an angle to get in with them. I think it was a smart move on her part.

The Yak: What was your fondest memory of camp in your 5 days out there?

Nina: (Laughing) hesitation, (more laughing)

The Yak: Or was their one? (laughing)

Nina: Let me see… fondest memory??? I’m going to have to really dig deep for that!
Really It was my friendship with Monica. I never, when I first met her, I never would have guessed that she and I would have formed a friendship or a bond but I have a lot of respect for her. She’s a mom like me, she loves her family. Just kind of getting to know somebody from the other side of the country it was nice. That was my fondest memory honestly. But the rest of it was a nightmare!

The Yak: Was Alicia as wicked/evil as she comes off?

Nina: Oh yes she is! I think there’s a difference between what i would call a villain. I think a villain has some strategy and has some redeeming qualities. Alicia is not that. From what I can tell she has no redeeming qualities. To say that if Christina was drowning she wouldn’t save her, I think that’s just mean and goes way beyond Survivor. I think it was horrible.

The Yak: How divided were the two tribes and are there any people on the men’s tribe that you got to know pretty well?

Nina: I didn’t get to know the men very well but a few of them stand out. Troy I think has a chance to go far in the game. He’s very interesting to talk to and he’s fit so I think he will do well. Jay’s a nice guy. I know he’s a big pretty boy but he’s very nice, down to earth. Suprisingly he’s almost too good looking, but a nice guy. Matt, very nice, super intelligent. I know he kind of gets a bad rap but he’s a good guy. Tarzan seemed kind of weird to me, but I would have liked to get to know them all more.

The Yak: How did you come to be on Survivor?

Nina: It was something I always wanted to do. When the show came out 12 years ago I was a new mom and I had 3 very young stepchildren so it really wasn’t in the cards. There was too much going on here and there was no way I could get that time away, nor did I want to. I wanted to focus on my family. So it seemed like the time was right. I keep myself in pretty good shape and just went through the process and kept moving forward through it. I kept getting calls back. I was as surprised as anybody. I thought wow, all these people that applied for Survivor and “Im going!”

The Yak: Would you do it again Nina?

Nina: You know, I would do it again. I would NOT do it again if it was men vs. women!

The Yak: That’s what Kourtney said!

Nina: If they said do you want to do Survivor again, men vs. women, I’d say No thank you! It’s just, maybe if it was 9 women 40 years or older I’d say let’s go for it! (laughs), but yes in a normal Survivor setting I’d do it again Heck yeah!!

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So what do you think? Disappointed that Nina was voted off the Island? Leave us a comment below!

The Yak’s Interview with Survivor Cast-Off’s Dawn and Whitney

The Yak had the opportunity to interview our last two Survivor castoffs this week. Both declare that they are huge fans of Survivor prior to being cast.

[singlepic id=689 w=200 h=150 float=left]Dawn Meehan is a 41-year-old mother of six adopted children from South Jordan, Utah.
She is an English professor at Brigham Young University. Her hobbies include swimming with her children, writing/blogging and baking bread. Another passion of Dawns for the last 11 years was to become a contestant on Survivor! Dawn was actually cast for the Nicaragua season but was cut just prior to filming. She is ecstatic that she was able to meet Jeff Probst and relishes her “Survivor experience”. Dawn admits that she was out of her element on day one. “I was overwhelmed! The sky is falling!” She laughs when thinking about how that first day went. She’s rightfully proud in her ability to shake that off and become an extremely strong competitor and Survivor!

[singlepic id=690 w=200 h=150 float=left]Whitney Duncan is a 27-year-old Country Western singer from Nashville, Tennessee. Her inspirations are Jesus and Elvis. “Jesus saved me and Elvis is the reason I started singing and performing.” Whitney was also set to star in the Nicaragua season ironically, however at the time she was under contract to Warner Brothers and it didn’t work out.

Another passion of Whitney’s is a tragic event that has happened to her family. In April of 2011 her beautiful, blonde 20-year-old cousin Hollie Bobo was abducted from her home in Tennessee and hasn’t been seen since. Whitney wants to bring this to light and wears a pink “Bring Hollie home” bracelet in honor of her missing cousin. Under scrutiny right now, Whitney says that she wants to keep her private life private however she was forthcoming with the information that prior to Survivor she was in an unhappy and unhealthy relationship. She definitely fell in love with Keith on Survivor and they are now a couple. “Who would have thought I would fall in love on Survivor?” she exclaimed. “We have a lot in common, we come from similar families and we have similar values. He’s just a great guy!”

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The Yak: What did you think about Cochran flipping on your Savaii tribe and being voted off?

Whitney: Cochran said it best. If the debt is not repaid it goes down as one of the most idiotic moves in Survivor history. Well, that’s how I saw it. I saw that it was not a smart move and he even admitted that he was humiliated. I really hate that Cochran was that gullible to believe Coach’s line of B.S honestly. We knew he was going 7th. I wasn’t shocked when his torch was snuffed.

The Yak: What was your strategy if the merge had resulted in Savaii taking out Upolu instead?

Whitney: Well the great thing, I think the whole tribe would agree that Ozzy would have gone sixth. For sure we would have had to get him out because of individual immunity and all that. You need to take out the biggest threats. In my mind it would have been Ozzy, Jim. Cochran was actually the perfect person. In my mind I had him going to final 3 with me. Of course because of individual immunity I didn’t think he would beat me. I had a great alliance with Dawn and with Keith and I felt very secure in that.

Dawn: Jim and Cochran would have been my final 3. I know since the show has aired Jim has laughingly said “I’m not going to take the Mormon mother of 6 adopted children to the end with me, but Jim and Cochran were definitely my final 3. The 3 of us trusted each other a great deal since day 11.

The Yak: Dawn, after Papa Bear was voted out who were you closest to?

Dawn: Oh, P Bear, you know for me I’m really close to Whitney throughout the whole game. I guess that’s not something we see a lot of (on the episodes). It doesn’t show that we have tension either. Again, I was really close to Whitney in the game, Jim, Cochran, and Keith. We all had a good relationship. I think “Sliding Rocks” typifies for me what the game was like for us. We all had a lot of mutual respect for each other. We all wanted to play the game hard. We were all in it for ourselves but we wanted to work with each other as much as we could for as long as we could.

The Yak: What is your honest opinion of Coach?

Dawn: You know I’ve had a hard time knowing how to explain what I think. You know I am impressed based on his day one reception from Upolu to see how he has been able to turn around his position in his tribe from day one, it’s remarkable. I mean his strategy, his ability to outwit when I’m around him, it seems so transparent. When we were in the game at the merge, I’m surprised that everyone is listening and following it. He’s so convincing and persuasive. I don’t think that anyone on Savaii would have been influenced by him outside of Cochran; he’s just so transparent. I think that’s why Christine and Mikayla left is because they weren’t buying it. I do think he’s doing a great job of playing the game though.

The Yak: Did you try to find any chink in the armor at Upolu prior to being voted out?

Dawn: Had we had Sophie we would have at the very least gotten rid of Edna. We had Cochran, we had Albert. The goal was Coach. To me that was the goal. Whitney and I tried to make the argument to Albert and Cochran that Coach is going to win this. A jury is going to vote for him.

Whitney: These people are smart people; I don’t understand how they don’t see this coming. It’s shocking! They were not bold enough to make that move.

The Yak: Dawn any regrets on not outing Cochran to your tribe?

Dawn: I did approach Ozzy and told him I thought Cochran might waffle. Ozzy talked to him for about 15 minutes and said he thought we were ok, that I was worrying too much. It didn’t make any sense for him to flip. I did have a good handle on how Cochran was thinking though.

The Yak: Dawn we did see you considering switching sides with Cochran, what changed your mind?

Dawn: One, I won immunity. By having immunity I didn’t have to draw a rock that night. There were better odds staying loyal to our tribe. The second reason though, I was approached with a final 3 or 4 scenario by Coach. I never felt like it was a genuine or legitimate offer. I felt like it was just what it was; a way to advance their game. It was frustrating for me to see Cochran believe Coach and I spent a lot of time trying to tell him, “There is no way! They are just using you.” But Cochran really believed Coach, so that was hard and frustrating for me.

The Yak: You’re both so tiny, were you surprised at your strength?

Dawn: Yeah!

Whitney: Dawn’s amazing. She pulled off that weight challenge. I wouldn’t have been able to do it. I’m really proud of what we accomplished. I think we both played an impressive physical game.

Dawn: No question. This game makes you push beyond your limits. After a while you start thinking. Hey, why not me?

The Yak: Are you both looking forward to the reunion?

Whitney: Of course!
Dawn: Absolutely, it’s like family and we’re also excited to see the outcome!

The Yak: Do you consider yourselves bitter jury members? What will you base your vote on?

Whitney: Definitely not bitter. It’s who outwitted, outplayed in 39 days.
I took that job of giving someone a million dollars very seriously. I would never vote off emotion. It’s not about one aspect; it’s the overall best player.

Dawn: Personally for me it’s not bitter. For me it’s who outwitted, outplayed and outlasted in 39 days. I took that literally. Who best met the definition of sole Survivor.

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Join us in the Forum HERE for all things Survivor!

The Yak’s Interview with CBS Survivor Jim Rice and Keith Tollefson

Today the Yak was double lucky to interview both Jim Rice and Keith Tolleson. In Wednesday’s episode they became Jurors #1 and #2 after being bested by Ozzy in the Redemption Island Challenge. Both Jim and Keiths evictions were basically at the hands of their former tribemate Cochran who flipped to Upolu tribe after the merge, leaving only devastation for Savaii tribe. There bios are listed below:

[singlepic id=682 w=280 h=200 float=left]Name (Age): Jim Rice (35)
Tribe Designation: Savaii
Current Residence: Denver
Occupation: Medical Marijuana Dispenser
Personal Claim to Fame: I’ve worked on Wall Street, won over 40 poker tournaments, started several successful businesses and earned my MBA at a top five school from the University of Michigan.
Inspiration in Life: My dad. The guy rocks and is responsible for who I am.
Hobbies: Playing guitar, playing poker and anything outdoors.
Pet Peeves: Close-mindedness and disingenuous people.
3 Words to Describe You: Ambitious, magnanimous and competitive.

[singlepic id=683 w=280 h=200 float=left]Name (Age): Keith Tollefson (26)
Tribe designation: Savaii
Current residence: Edina, Minn.
Occupation: Water Treatment Tech
Personal claim to fame: I graduated college and moved to Hawaii for two years because that was my dream.
Inspiration in Life: My mom. She raised me and my sister with little help and eventually bought a house for us after saving for years. She taught me how to be a gentleman even while I was causing trouble when I was young. She instilled great morals, values and love for all those around me.
Hobbies: Surfing, swimming and long-boarding.

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The Yak: Hi guys, thanks for speaking with us today. This question is for both of you. Looking back Jim do you think that you created a monster by saving Cochran and soliciting Keith and Whitney’s vote to blindside Elyse? Do you regret your decision?

Jim: The move to get rid of Elyse was a sound decision. Ozzy and Elyse were tight. Ozzy could have recruited Cochran and had the numbers, that’s why I chose to get rid of her. On Survivor all you know is what you know at the time, we thought of self preservation moving forward.

Keith: I tried to talk to Elyse about game and strategy. There was nothing there. Whitney also tried to talk to Elyse about the game and she got nothing back. That led us to believe that Elyse was talking game with only one person and that was Ozzy. You could even see it in one of her interviews. She stated that she and Ozzy’s strategy was the same. She basically had no concept of the game so we felt that it was our best bet.

The Yak: This is anti-bullying week and we at Yakkity Yaks want to know if you have any stories, quotes, or thoughts about bullying?

Jim: I find it interesting that it’s anti-bullying week. Yes I do have something to say about that. The theme of bullying comes up a lot in the context of Survivor. Upolu looked at Cochran and assumed that he’d been bullied by our Savaii tribe without even knowing. It bothers me that any one of us could be considered a bully. You saw how upset Whitney was at tribal council when she said we had been “villainized.” This upsets me.

Keith: Coach’s propoganda made us out to be bullies. This was a smart play by Coach. I considered Cochran a friend, well not anymore, lol. They showed no bullying on the show because there was never any bullying!. Cochrane himself said he flipped for self-preservation not because of any supposed bullying.

The Yak: Jim since you’re a fan of the show how do you feel about slamming Cochran by calling him a coward?

Jim: I actually despise name calling, it’s so immature you stupid idiot.. lol.
I meant it when I called him a coward. I think he made his decision based out of fear and to me that’s a coward. I think he deserved it.

The Yak: What’s Ozzy really like?

Keith: Ozzy is just a really nice guy. Very down to earth, a beast in challenges. We became very close friends. He’s a very regular guy. We had a pretty good time on Redemption Island together, we fished every day, had coconuts and fresh fruit.

Jim: He was a real nice regular guy. I was only at Redemption Island for one night.

The Yak: How did you view Coach?

Keith: From my basic knowledge he was running the show. He was making his presence known as the leader. He was saying if you don’t listen to me or do what I say there will be consequences. I was completely creeped out by Coach. The honor, integrity and the shoulder rubbing just creeped me out.

The Yak: Why do you think Cochran flipped at the merge?

Jim: As a team we should have made a bigger effort to solidify our team. We should have stressed that we were all sticking together. We had the advantage. We had two immunities AND an immunity idol. It makes no sense whatsoever that Cochran would want to flip. Cochran basically had the best spot in our tribe. He had a final 3 deal with every person on our tribe. As a fan Cochran should know that you can piss off one person and still get jury votes in the end. By flipping and screwing over 5 people it’s 100% lose. I just don’t see how you can flip if you’re playing for the end game. it’s amazing to see someone so smart, going to Harvard, do something so stupid.

*(ed note: Don’t think Cochran will get Keith or Jim’s vote. lol)

The Yak: Keith what did you think when you found out Jim’s true profession? (Medical marijuana dispenser)

Keith: (laughing) I was shocked that he lied about it! It actually made me like him more! It doesn’t really matter, Jim was a real hard worker. I thought “why didn’t you tell us???”

The Yak: Keith can you tell us about your relationship with Whitney?

Keith: We became very close. I can’t answer anymore questions because she’s still playing the game. Hopefully at the finale we can talk about more things and give everyone answers they want to know.

The Yak: Any thoughts about the final challenge against Ozzy?

Keith: Well we thought it was one person going home so to find out it was two, that caught me off guard. During an endurance challenge like that one mental lapse and you’re done!

Jim: As a fan of the show I knew many of the challenges that I hoped to compete in and many that I was hoping not to compete in. As soon as I saw it I realized it was one of the ones I was hoping against.

The Yak: If Jeff Probst called you and asked you to play Survivor again, would you?

Keith: I don’t know (laughing)

Jim: Anyone would love to play again. Who would say no? You get to take off and forget everything, go to a beautiful place and compete for a million dollars!!

To see more Keith and Jim go to CBS.com and view their time on the “Ponderosa”!
The Yak: Thanks so much guys. It was great talking to you, see you on finale night!!

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Can you tell you they will be voting for by their interviews? Let us know what you think below, then come on into the forum HERE where we are discussing all our favorite reality shows!

The Yak’s Interview with Survivor’s Christine Shields

Today the Yak had the opportunity to interview Christine Shields Markoski, the 39 year old teacher and Mom from Merrick, NY. Christine valued her 19 days on Survivor although she spent the majority of it alone on Redemption Island. Christine’s fans have dubbed her a “warrior” due to her ability to win 5 straight duels before being ousted by Ozzy prior to the tribal merge. Christine was the first person to be voted out of her Upolu tribe.

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The Yak: Christine, congratulations on winning so many duels. You spent so much time on Redemption Island can you tell us how you handled that?

Christine: I tried to keep busy. I had a hard time for a while. I started thinking about my family; my husband, my children, so that was difficult. I sewed my clothes with fishing line. I fished and hunted for food. I journaled and wrote “Redemption Island Sucks!” out of seashells on the beach. (laughs). i picked fresh flowers every day to spruce things up.

The Yak: When Ozzy came to Redemption Island did you buy his story about Cochran and the idol?

Christine: Well yes, it was totally plausible. This is Survivor and being blindsided is nothing new to Ozzy. Who would be asked to be voted off to come to Redemption Island? From what the previous castaways had told me it didn’t surprise me about Cochran?

The Yak: After seeing what Cochran did, if you had beaten Ozzy in the duel would you have stayed with Upolu and would you have taken the chance of picking rocks at Tribal Council?

Christine: I think I would have stayed with Upolu for a little bit and then maybe switched. I wouldn’t be comfortable picking a rock to decide my fate after all that time I spent on Redemption Island.

The Yak: Did you have the opportunity to look for the idol when you knew you were a target in your tribe?

Christine: I did look for the idol as you could see it was unsuccessful, but yes, I did look for it.

The Yak: Do you think you made yourself an early target with Coach by calling him a temporary player:

Christine: I think he took that comment and ran with it. I was calling him out on all his baloney. He said, “she’s calling me lazy and I’m doing a disappearing act, etc.” Stacey and I didn’t listen to his stories. We were not enthralled by his stories.

The Yak: Christine if you hadn’t been voted off your tribe how would you have reacted to Coach’s mandatory prayers and being told to get on your knees.

Christine: It would not have been good. If Coach had grabbed my arm and told me to get on my knees and pray it would not have been a pretty sight! I find it extremely offensive! You do not ever tell anyone that they should pray or not pray!! No, that wouldn’t have happened. That would have been a problem!

The Yak: All of the castaways that we’ve interviewed have stated that they wanted you to win after spending time with you on Redemption Island. Do you have any favorites?

Christine: Oh that’s so nice. I learned something valuable with every single person. I respected and cared for everyone that came through Redemption Island. Of course, I have to say I had so much fun with Stacey. I told her I’m going to write a book called “Staceyisms”. We just laughed so much and drank our coconut milk. It was like having a slumber party. I love the stuff she comes up with like calling Coach “ChuckytheCheese!”

The Yak: Since you were so highly regarded by the others do you think that you would have had a shot at winning if you returned to the game?

Christine: I absolutely would have had a shot at winning. Each person that came through gave me snippets of information that was happening in their tribes so I really felt like I knew what was going on in both tribes.

The Yak: Would you ever see yourself being friends with Coach?

Christine: No, he was my biggest rival. If I had returned to the game he would still be my biggest rival. Everyone else there I respected as a human being. I found Coach arrogant and omnipotent. He acts like he’s King Farouk, like everyone should bow down to him. I don’t see us being BFF’s anytime soon.

The Yak: In one episode during a Redemption Island Duel it looked like you flipped the bird to an Upolu tribe member, Rick specifically. Did you?

Christine: (laughing) I did give someone the finger but it wasn’t Rick.

The Yak: Who did you flip off?

Christine: Jeff! (laughs) This is what happened. I had been on Redemption Island for some time so I missed my manicure appointment lol. My fingernails were really dirty. Jeff Probst made a comment that my fingernails were filthy so I put my middle finger up and said, “Which finger Jeff, this one?” So i basically flipped him off! When my kids watched it they said “Mom, you can’t do that!”. I said, “No, YOU can’t do that!”

The Yak: Jeff Probst said that you were becoming a legitimate force to be reckoned with at some point. You responded that you’ve always been a force to be reckoned with. Tell us about that.

Christine: I’ve always been a very strong personality. I don’t back down from challenges. I say what I think. My mother said she never had to worry about me being bullied or standing up for myself. I’ve always had self-confidence.

The Yak: Would you consider doing Survivor again?

Christine: Absolutely, I’d like to play the Social game this time.

The Yak: Are you going to call Coach “Coach” at the finale, or are you going to call him Benjamin?

Christine: (laughing) I think I’m going to call him “Benjie!”

The Yak: Why Benjie?

Christine: Because he will absolutely despise that name even worse than Benjamin! (laughing)

The Yak: Who do you want to win? Not Coach I imagine.

Christine: Actually if Coach won it would validate me. It would mean that he should have been a temporary player and one of us could have been sitting there.

I think Dawn, she’s strong and she’s a mom, we have that in common.
Or Cochran, he’s been hanging in there and going through a lot.

The Yak: Thank you Christine! You are definitely a force to be reckoned with and we look forward to seeing you again on Survivor! Many Survivor fans are pushing CBS for a season of castaways that got voted off before the merge.

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So what did you think of what Christine had to say? What do you think about the way this season’s Survivor is going all together? Let us know below, then come on in and join us is the forum HERE for all the chat about your favorite shows!