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.

‘Survivor One World:’ The Yak’s Chat With Castoff Bill Posley

This past week, we spoke with Bill Posley, the most recent castoff of Survivor One World. Bill is a 28 year old stand-up comic from Venice, Ca. He’s an Iraq war veteran, a college graduate and enjoys pushing his limits. Bill had quite a bit to say after the events that unfolded leading up to his fire being snuffed after his tribe actually won immuity. Read on below and see what Bill had to say regarding Colton, Tribal Council and more!
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The Yak: Bill were you a fan of Survivor prior to being cast?

Bill: Season 20 Heroes vs. Villains is the season that made me fall in love with the show. I mean Black Hawk helicopters? The first episode Sugar gets her top ripped off during the challenge and continues. It was amazing. Everyone was a character. It was the most fun I’ve had watching television. I applied after that season and luckily i got on and it was worth every minute.

The Yak: Jumping right in… our readers want to know did you agree to go to tribal council instead of the women because you believed Leif would be going home instead of you? Why were you willing to take that risk?

Bill: No, I was working to gain alliances and friends as well and I thought by being there I could convince my people to blindside Colton and get him sent home with the idol, but it just didn’t pan out. I thought I had guys like Jonas, Troy, Jay and Big Mike in my corner on this and they would back me when the chips were down and they didn’t. I was already on the chopping block. I was already in their sights. I thought it was a risk worth taking. Why not take a chance and try to blindside Colton? Had my plan worked to show them that Colton was bad for our tribe and needed to go, what turned out to be the dumbest move in Survivor history would have been the best move ever made. There’s a fine line between stupidity and genius and I just fell on the wrong side of that.

The Yak: What could you have done to get the other guys to flush out Colton’s idol and get him out of the game?

Bill: I don’t know what I could have done. I mean I exposed him as a very selfish, self-centered, self-seeking person who has no integrity and no loyalty and doesn’t care about anyone but himself and I thought by doing that when it came time for my alliance to back me at tribal council, they would and they didn’t.

The Yak: Considering everything that happened how did you keep your composure in the midst of Colton going off left and right about you?

Bill: (laughs) If Colton’s perception of a ghetto black person is me, then he’s in for a rude awakening when he ventures out into the real world. I actually was very grateful that he said it because him calling me ghetto trash or ghetto at all, gave me a lot of street cred in the black community! (laughs)
It wasn’t too hard and the reason it wasn’t too hard is, my whole life .. I was the fat kid in class. I was 250 pounds until I was 17 years old. I went into the army and lost all the weight so I’ve been picked on my whole life. I’ve dealt with racism before as an African American person and with my mom being half white and my dad being half black and me being in the military you get picked on by drill sargents all the time. Ya know I’ve been picked on my whole life so to sit in the face of that and keep my cool wasn’t that hard for me and I know that Colton comes from a place of ignorance and from a place of being spoiled and sheltered not from a place of hatred and racism, I don’t think.

The Yak: How did Colton go from begging to be over with the women to being in this position of power?

Bill: The one thing that you know I want to make clear is that because I wasn’t in that alliance and was on the outskirts, I didn’t know the amount of power he had. When Leif sits down and tells me that morning that Colton had the idol, that’s the first I hear of it. So I didn’t know and when I went to tribal council I thought I had friends. I didn’t know all this, I just got blindsided but I didn’t know the power he had and then I’m sitting here watching it and he’s commanding Mike to pull Leif over and I’m like what? That’s why I felt like I was the only person who’d say anything and stand up to him. When we were under that tent I said you just can’t talk to people like that or treat them like that you spoiled brat you know, am I the only one that feels these things need to be said?? I wasn’t aware of the idol and I wasn’t aware of the alliance that he had made so it was as shocking to you as it was to me, this arc that had happened.
They need to stop following orders and flush the idol. I don’t get it. I thought that, here we are in season 24, not letting history repeat itself. If anything, I would assume about an immunity idol is this; it cannot be used as a thing of power but would paint a target on someones back. It has to be flushed out. You always have to be playing with a level playing field, no loose ends. If they want to be successful, they need to get rid of that idol.

The Yak: Tell us a little more about Jeff’s reaction at tribal council.

Bill: I think Jeffs job is to be as neutral as possible and be the audiences’ orator. He has to remain objective and make sure that everyone is being heard and fairly treated and has an opportunity to speak their mind. I think Jeff did a great job of allowing us to speak our minds and be heard out there. I’m sure it was hard for Jeff to sit there and not try to jump on everything everyone was saying. I think he just has to be the audiences’ voice in that moment and help drive the conversation to a place where everyone gets their opinion out.

The Yak: Are you worried that in 24 seasons this is the first time a tribe has chosen to go to tribal? Is it bothersome that this is going to stick with you?

Bill: No, no. I know this sounds weird but I would rather make history and try and risk making a big move than have just have gone off quietly and have no effect on this game. I want a stamp on this game. There’s only been 400 people or so that have played it. I want to be one of the memorable ones and going to tribal council, here’s the truth. If they were willing to give up immunity to get rid of me than they would have been willing to throw the next challenge too. The way I felt was, trying to line up people, I felt like I had a strong alliance and could get my team mates to blindside Colton. Now had I waited and Colton and I don’t go to tribal council, I don’t get to speak my mind and the things that I say don’t get heard. I would have rather had what happened at tribal happen and me being seen with the eyes of integrity and class, be shown and maybe have Colton learn that what he says affects people.

The Yak: Tarzan comes off as loud and all over the place, is that what he was really like?

Bill: Tarzan is what you call a smart dumb person. (laughs) He’s literally like one of the most intelligent people you will ever meet. We all know that if you’re a plastic surgeon your probably really intelligent, you have to be however, I don’t think the guy could find his way out of a paper bag if he had to, just the street smarts aren’t there! Whenever he said something it comes from a place…. like last night at tribal council he starts going on about this post racist America and I don’t even think that the conversation was even going near either one of those two things which is why I didn’t respond cuz I don’t know where that came from; it came out of left field and he’s kind of aloof, doesn’t really know what’s going on and is maybe too smart for I think….himself. (laughs)

The Yak: Is there anyone that you want to stay in contact with?

Bill: Of course, we shared a special bond. This is something we will always take with us. I keep friendships and bonds close to my chest in fact some of my army buddies called me last night to tell me they were proud of me.

The Yak: Do you have any regrets?

Bill: I don’t have regrets. Me exiting the way I exited makes me proud of the way I played the game. If I had gone quietly I would have been upset. I’m happy that I went being true to myself and for standing up for myself and doing something no one else would do which was stand up to Colton.
I’ve had so many touching things written to me. It has been so positive. People have thanked me for reminding them why they follow their dreams and for having integrity. Being a good guy you may not win survivor but you have a better life.

The Yak: What was difficult about being on Survivor?

Bill: None of it, it was incredible! There wasn’t one thing. I had so much fun that I can’t even say that one thing was hard. Being on a remote island, no car payments, phones, or responsibilities, that’s incredible! To get to play the most amazing game in the world and be a part of that history is phenomenal.

The Yak: So you’re saying you would do it again?

Bill: (laughing) Of course! 100 percent I would, every year, I think you should do it every year!

The Yak: There has been some hate comments regarding Colton on the internet and social networking sites. What is your reaction to that?

Bill: I would say that if I was capable of keeping my cool and I was the subject of Colton’s malicious intent then I ask everyone to do the same. Know that this is a part of him learning and a part of him growing and this lesson is something that a guy like him needs in order for him to really change.

Thanks for talking to us here at the Yak Bill. You are a class act!

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!