Teresa's Interviews and Chat
The ClubHouse: Archives: Teresa's Interviews and Chat
Car54 | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 06:32 am   Saw Teresa on the Early Show. Very nice interview. Mark Burnett came on also and the president of the Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation and they all talked about the RC last night. The main thing I learned from Teresa's interview was that the scene where she revealed her vote to Lex and Kim was not shown complete. She said she asked Lex if she was being voted off and he said yes. THAT is when she decided to take one last shot and reveal the vote and try to turn them to voting Tom. We did not see them telling her- we thought she was scheming to get them into an alliance, but she already knew Kimj was not with her. They showed the scene where Lex tells her he knows she did not vote for him, that she is the "real deal"- and she said- that the reality was- he had everyone so upset that she was scared, but if he had asked her directly, she would have told the truth- he didn't ask- he just told her he knew she wasn't the one, so she kept quiet. |
Ophiliasgrandma | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 10:21 am   SHE'S A LADY! |
Tksoard | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 11:12 am   TOM JONES!! (oops, wrong thread, sorry)  |
Moondance | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 12:04 pm   LOL Tk! Car, its funny because I know MB tried to edit it out but the jest of their convo it sounded as if Lex did his thing and let her know that she was going... doesn't surprise me, we know how he liked to do this! I think Teresa played GREAT... she went down fighting! I like her |
Grooch | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 12:13 pm   I think she would have one if she started out on the Boran team. I really liked her too. |
Urgrace | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 01:36 pm   Did you see how she is still skinny? She had cut her hair, but the style doesn't do her justice. She really is pretty. I still like her a lot, and wish she could have gone further in the game, especially since she worked hard for it. |
Car54 | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 02:07 pm   From the CBS site: NEW YORK --Flight attendant Teresa Cooper, the only remaining member of the original Samburu tribe, is the latest castaway to get the boot on Survivor: Africa. She joined Early Show Co-Anchor Jane Clayson to talk about her experiences. Cooper admitted that she was disappointed that she didn't make it until the final four, and ultimately the end of the game. "I think that because of the way that things started out with our tribes being split, I realized I'm in trouble. But once Mark swapped things around, then I knew, I think can stay in it for the long haul. But ultimately the same tribes held to the end." Clayson noted that the first alliances held strong. Cooper agreed - to a point. "It's funny, our first alliances didn't. Because when we got Brandon and Little Bit - which is Kim Powers - and Frank and myself, I figured we could probably come back and take over. But Brandon decided to go with Lex, so their first alliance was stronger and, of course, ours wasn't. Unfortunately." In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Cooper came clean with Lex about an earlier vote against him. Clayson asked what was the reason for it. "I only had one option to go, and that was trying to get Lex and Kim Johnson to vote off Tom," she said. "From the minute I voted for him (Lex), I always said, 'What's the big deal? It was just one vote. One vote!'" "I think for them, for the old Boran it (the vote against Lex) showed something's going on that we don't know about - we're losing control and I think that bothered him (Lex) more than anything is not having control. So from the moment I saw how upset not only he was, but the other Boran members were, I thought, you know, 'Oh my goodness. I need to let him know. But I think I'll wait until the perfect time.'" She then revealed a little about her strategy. "Last night, I knew I was going to let him know before I was voted out. And all of a sudden to me it seemed, like, well... I asked 'Lex, am I going tonight?' and he said, 'Yes, T-Bird.' And I thought if nothing else, let me try this different strategy. I knew I was going to let him know that I voted for him anyway, and maybe it might show that the alliance that he thought was so strong - there's a little problem with it." Cooper went on: "If Lex had said to me, 'T-Bird, was that you who had voted for me last night?' I would have said, 'Lex, it was.' Probably, that might not have been the best thing to do, but he never asked me. He just said, 'I know you're the real deal.' So I just kept looking at him, like, O.K." "Lex is absolutely wonderful," she said. "He's a great guy. I think he's real sensitive, and I think it comes across a little bit like anger. But he's absolutely wonderful." Clayson commented that while Cooper might have like Lex, it seemed like she loved Frank. Cooper agreed, even though she eventually voted against him. "I love Frankie. Frank and I were very close. We were very good friends, and the vote I cast for him was very difficult. Frank had actually said, 'T-Bird, vote for me and hopefully you'll be able to stay in longer.' That just shows how much we cared for each other, and I'm sure he would have done the same thing had it been the other way." Clayson wanted to know about the chicken - why didn't they just eat it? Cooper explained that they would have needed at least three to four hours to cook it, and that they never knew when they would be called up for a reward or immunity challenge, so they didn't want to risk it. Besides, she said, "Chasing chickens was just something to do." Perhaps the biggest winner Thursday night was a hospital in Kenya. As part of the reward challenge, Lex delivered HIV and AIDS treatments to a free clinic there. It was particularly meaningful for Cooper. "I lost my brother 12 years ago to AIDS. At that time, very little was known. There were some treatments, and there still are, but there is not a cure. Bringing the supplies to the hospital was very special to me. It brought it all back home." "I had tears of joy when I saw the supplies," she said. "I thought, maybe I can give back a little. You always want to make a difference." As a Survivor, she did. |
Car54 | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 02:14 pm   Here is the first transcript I can find of Teresa's chat- from Surviivor.com: Host: Hi Teresa! Welcome and thanks for being here to chat with us today. Teresa: Hey everybody! It's great to be here. bluebean: Do you regret anything that you did while on Survivor? why or why not? Teresa: I do not regret anything of couse I wish i could have stayed longer in the game and taken it to the end but as far as regretting how I played - no? the_future_survivor: T-Bird, on last nights episode you hinted to Lex that Tom said to watch out for him. Did Tom really say that or were you just trying to get him voted off so you could make it farther in the game? Teresa: Actually, tom did tell me that the first day of the merge and then he told me that all along that he didn't want to be the one to vote him out or vote against him. sandradee: teresa-of all the girls you were my favorite! Why did you sing Annie's song on the first challenge? teresa: well, actually after three or four hours in that position I needed something to take my mind off the pain in my back so I belted out a song. I couldn't do a dance so just to take my mind off my lower back...really just something to do. rootinfor ethan:What did you think when you saw frank wearing that sarong? we laughed our butts off here! teresa: oh yep! i looked at mamakim and we smiled at each other and i though now way! i never would have dreamed he's have done that so it was hilarious. go ethan: teresa, what was it really like to survive with the wildlife, no amenities. How did you adjust??? teresa: i think we adapted pretty quick because we had to. everything's taken away and you do the best with what you've got. teresa: keeping busy with going and getting water and boiling it-daily chores just kept our minds off of what we didn't have. wisdom: teresa, was the boredom overwhelming? teresa: I wouldn't say overwhelming i mean there were times when we thought would this day ever end! we were getting bored. We didn't have the energy to do anything anyway. KenyanKtat:tbird: how was your dad's health when you returned home?> is he well now? your emotion seemed very strong everythime you connected with home...i really feel for you! teresa: that is so, so kind of you to ask that. his health is better and because he's older y'know being a caring daughter i'll probably always be concerned. Mike Allbright: teresa, did you feel like you were the biggest target after the merge, and would you have pulled your rope if Clarence had beaten you in rock paper scissors? teresa: *laughs* No, i didn't feel like i was a threat after the merge. had i not won immunity i was afraid frank would have been voted off if clarence hgad won immunity. yes, i would like to think that i would have kept my word just like clarence did. fargo: you go girl! how bad was it for you to vote for frank? teresa: I think it wasn't that it was so hard because he had requested and told me to do it to help protect myself since we knew he was going and really that just showed the extent of our friendship and how loyal we were to each other. he was more concerned as to what would happen to me after he left so he urged me to vote for him. The reason it was so upsetting was because i knew he was gone and we were so close and that was hard pistachi_oh: why didn't you tell lex that it was you who voted ofr him when you saw kelly might get in trouble for it? teresa: well...i think kelly had cast a lot of doubt on herself before that vote was cast so i think lex was just looking for a reason to get kelly off but as far as strategy the timing just wasn't there. sarahlovesehtan: howdy t-birg!!! what was the best moment for you in africa that we didn't get to see on tv? you did the south proud! teresa: aw, that's sweet...my favorite moment had to be the water bucket immunity challenge-it lasted six and a half hours survivorevan: Murtz: Summer Breeze: teresacooperfan sourpussjury: nala: elfangor262: how do the cameramen pull you over for those side comments? teresa: the producer just comes in and says "t-bird" and he talks to you for a minute. zebra: Kenyankat: Ilovekimp: givemecornmush: tbirdsnest: mattaronowitz: teresafan: S2_TinaFan: teresa... was the meatball hoagie worth missing out on mashed potatoes and fried chicken? teresa; no! that was just a mistake? teresa: kevzz: dear teresa: when you all choose the 3 members for the switch, why is it Silas, frank and you? did you all decide on that or just random pick? teresa: frank and i were up and we were sticking together so we said we're going and silas said "I'll go with you!" Ilovekimp: at the end, you and kim powers seemed to be very close. how did this transformation take place? you didn't seem to trust her at first. teresa: well, originally we were divided with the older and the younger group but actually i trusted her more than the other three they just never showed as much of a story line on that. it wasn't hard for us to become friends after the tribes merged. survivorjunkie: lex is a great competitor, but he comes off as such a jerk on tv. did yo ufind him hard to get along with? teresa: not at all, not at all. he is a strong competitor and he's really a great guy. I heartethan: hello teresa, have you confessed to kelly about the lexmysteryvote, and if so, what was her reaction? teresa: yes, actually, that was as important as telling lex that i voted for him so as soon as i was voted off the next morning i told her that it was me that had voted for lex and that i was sorry that she got accused of it and she said "oh, that's okay, t-bird" Luccy: t-bird, do you think the last reward challenge was fair, since lex knows swahili??? teresa: yeah, good for him-what a perfect place to know swahili but in africa. i mean good for him. looks like i should have brushed up on my swahili! he was prepared. Murtz: Teresa: please tell us about your lucky necklace... teresa: well, it's a lucky bullet, my husband gave it to me when we met. fconquerant; teresa, do you think kimjohnson made a mistake when she decided to stay with her alliance instead of swithcing with you? teresa: i certainly couldn't say that she's done anything wrong up to this pint in the game because i'm gone and she's there. teedee; do you ever plan on returning to africa, and if so, what would you like to do there? teresa: i would like to go back as like a goodwill ambassador for aids awareness because of the growing problem over there in africa with aids. wammy: while on the jury or after were you able to visit the hospital shown in last nights episode? teresa: no, unfortunately not. hipkitty: from what they showed us, mommakim acted like she was gonna vote with you but never did. did you know how she voted? and if so, why did you keep going to her? teresa: yeah, she always would tell me t-bird i can't do it yet and she was always up front with me about who she was voting for in TC and why did I keep going with her? Because i was hoping to change her mind which i though i did last night and then lex won immunity! annabelle: are you enjoying all of the media attention, was that part of the reason you went on survivor or are you just putting up with it? teresa: *laughs* well, the reason i went on survivor was for the challenge of the show. it was not for the media or publicity it was just for the challenge. as far as media and publicity now, i'm enjoying it. lexhater; two words or less...describe tom teresa: two words or less??? Ooooh!!! Ummm...let's see...i'm thinkin', i'm thinkin'...he's an aboslute nut! i only had two words, that's the best i could do and i mean that in a good way fasten your seatbelts: do you have any tips for those interested in getting onto the show? teresa: y'know when i first saw the show and decided i was going to do it...then i started on my application and a lot of people talk about doing it but don't follow through but if you really want to get on then just follow through and keep trying if you don't get on at first. hooper: Hey teresa, when the producer pulls you aside, does he ask you direct questions to answer, or does he just start you off and let you speak your mind? and do his questions affect your outlook on the game at the time? teresa: no, he askes direct questions but they in no way give you an indication of what anybody else is saying. teresafan: teresa-what was your favorite aspect of the game? are you surprised at all the fans you have now? you've made your fans proud! (this is crazymike4!) teresa: Oh, that's so nice! My favorite aspect is the personal relationships with the other players and y'know it's funny you don't really know-you watch it each week-but it's funny you don't really know-you watch it each week-but it's hard to know the things that you have. you always wonder what people think about you-do they like me? you think about how your portrayed and how people are thinking about us. Sarah: how did you put up with tom's stinky feet? teresa: you know what? i've been asked that and this is the honest truth-I couldn't smell them. i don't have a good sense of smell. it's the same thing about the elephant dung in the water- i could see it but i couldn't really smell it. So, I really couldn't smell them! Prowrestlingdalycom: teresa, what were your first thoughts when brandon chose to help vote off kelly instead of helping your alliance? teresa: oh, i was shocked! shocked! shocked! did i say that three times? shocked! there you go that was number four. i mean, it was the turn of everything- us starting to take control but as shocked as i was i don't think i was as shocked as little kim was. heather: did lex feel bad about eliminating kelly after you told him that you cast the phantom vote? teresa: no, he did not. he told me that he still didn't trust her becuase she'd been going back and forth. lavenderboy: t-bird, love of my life, you set such an amazing example as a tolerant motherly figure, what's the reaction been like down south? teresa: i think the reaction has been that i played a fair game and y'know with me having two children that was important for me to feel good about how i played. cjinmd: personally, what will you remember the most about the experience 20 years from now? teresa; wow, that is a good question...that's a great question. y'know as beautiful as the continent was and the amazing animals that we got to see i still have to say the interpersonal relationships and the dynamics of the game. Murtz: teresa: thatnks for chatting... if you could have gone to the finals and picked someone to go with you...who would you have taken? teresa: i would have taken frank because we were so close that whoever won at thatpoint we would have been happy for each other Host:blah blah blah, it's over teresa: thanks guys, for all the support and encouragement and if i can leave y'all with anything it's to always remember to believe in yourself and your dreams |
Moondance | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 02:33 pm   Thanks Car! I like her even more! |
Grooch | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 02:42 pm   interesting point: 1) Luccy: t-bird, do you think the last reward challenge was fair, since lex knows swahili??? No wonder why he was so much faster than the others. |
Whoami | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 06:34 pm   No kidding Grooch! SII seemed to be tailored for Colby. Now it seems SIII is tailored for Lex! |
Urgrace | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 08:16 pm   Thanks for the transcripts, Car. You are appreciated. It was disappointing to see both challenges so easily won by Lex, not because he didn't deserve to win them, but because they seemed slanted towards Lex's abilities. He had to be more mentally alert and physically able than the rest. I hope they cook that chicken before the next challenge to help the ones who are weak get a better chance at winning! |
Hippyt | Friday, January 04, 2002 - 09:04 pm   Theresa really is just a really nice person. I knew if Lex had just asked her she would have told him she voted for him. Imagine how different the game could have been if he'd have asked! Funny how her take on Lex is so different from Kelly's. A little sour grapes there? Maybe Kelly is exactly how she came across in all her show interviews where she said Lex was just "weird" and Frank needs medication because he's "antisocial." Do they have medication for being a B****? |
Car54 | Saturday, January 05, 2002 - 12:19 am   Teresa's ET Online Interview Week 12 | TERESA COOPER "I knew going into it that they were going to be voting me [off]. It was a friendly thing, knowing who was going next." January 4, 2002 Ousted "Survivor" Teresa talked to ET about alliances, Lex and her love of the game! ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT: What was your reaction when you were voted off? Did you see it coming? TERESA COOPER: Yeah…actually I've been seeing it coming for quite some time. I was still doing anything I could do to try to change things around…unfortunately it didn't work out. But I sure gave it my best effort. ET: Did you feel like a sitting duck out there? TERESA: We had all become such close friends, so I really felt like maybe there was a way that I could turn it around. I think knowing that I was probably going helped ease it a little bit. I also thought that by telling LEX that I was the one who voted for him I might stir things up and make him question his original alliance with TOM, ETHAN, and KIM. ET: When you saw the final tally, were you surprised that everyone voted against you? TERESA: No. Actually, I knew going into it that they were going to be voting for me. It was a friendly thing, knowing who was going next. ET: What was your reaction to the hospital donation? TERESA: It was a really emotional moment for me. We had no idea that MARK BURNETT was going to do that. From the last two "Survivors," there was never any charity work that I was aware of. So to be a part of that for me was very personal, because my brother died of AIDS 12 years ago. ET: Let's talk about strategy. Did you feel like you had to betray anyone along the way, or did you ever feel betrayed? TERESA: Well, actually I did feel betrayed by SILAS. Very early on, he had approached me about an alliance, but it turned out that the alliance was [not] what he was concerned about. So I think that that is what kind of opened my eyes to "Hey, this is a game 'T-Bird [and] you better pay attention." The vote against Lex bothered me once I saw the reaction from him and the other tribe members. Also, there was guilt because I felt that was what got the wheel in motion for KELLY being voted off. ET: Lex has sort of emerged as one of the villains. Is he as bad as he seems? TERESA: I know that every show has got to have a villain, and unfortunately, the way that he reacted to that one vote is what really turned peoples' opinion against him. I think he is just very sensitive and emotional, and the vote hurt him, so his reaction came out in anger. But he's a wonderful, neat guy. ET: How important is the jury? TERESA: Well, the jury actually decides on the winner, so it's quite important. The whole concept of the game is wonderful. You're playing against each other, you're doing all you can do to stay in the game, but at the end, the people that you were playing with and against are the ones that are going to vote for the winner. So the concept is great! |
Smileeys | Sunday, January 06, 2002 - 02:04 am   She said they couldn't cook the chicken b/c takes about 4 hours - cook him at night during nightwatch and have him for breakfast! Think maybe they have gotten attached to the chicken??? I think Kelly and Lex just didn't take to each other at all which is reason her reaction and T's were so different. If I don't like someone, just the way they breathe can be irritating There are people that I don't like too much and don't like me but that doesn't mean we aren't both "okay" people. I like that T fought to the bitter end to stay. Thanks for the transcripts Car. |
Yuhuru | Sunday, January 06, 2002 - 01:14 pm   Smileeys, Kelly and Theresa had totally different experiences with Lex. Lex and Kelly were together the entire time. Lex annoyed Kelly. Lex and T-Bird weren't together until after the merge. Also, I think it really hurt Kelly and pissed her off that she was accused of something that she didn't do. It cost her relationship/alliance with Mamakim and the game. T-Bird is a classy lady, but I'm sure she would have been a little perturbed to be accused of something that she didn't do. |
Car54 | Sunday, January 06, 2002 - 01:43 pm   I saw 2 of Teresa's interviews, and she went out of her way to say how much she liked Lex. When Kelly was asked if she knew who won she rolled her eyes....makes me wonder if it was Lex. |
Car54 | Monday, January 07, 2002 - 02:50 pm   Teresa's Entertainment Weekly interview: Flight Grounded Teresa talks about Lex and immunity sexism. The Delta flight attendant tells EW.com about her similarities to Tina and why she wants to join up for ''Survivor 5'' by Jessica Shaw SOUTHERN LADY Teresa remained politic to her last Q& A She looked like like Tina. She sounded like Tina. She even played like Tina. The difference? Tina's a million bucks richer than poor flight attendant Teresa, who got voted out just before hitting the final four. Though she was far too much of a southern lady to really dish about Ethan's gorgeousness or Lex's jerkiness, she did share some other insights with EW.com. Why in the world did you tell Lex you voted for him? Once I told him that I figured I could go into my whole shpiel about how Tom had told me to watch out for him. I figured I was there to win it and I was going to try anything. Have you spoken to Big Tom since he found out you tried to get him kicked off? I haven't talked to Tom. I don't know how he's going to react to it. But what I said was true. He had actually tried to get Lex off a bunch of times but he didn't want to do it himself. It seems like everyone hated Lex towards the end. How come he made it so far? I never disliked Lex at all. I just kept voting for him so people thought I didn't like him. I never said anything negative -- other than that he's too strong and too much of a leader. I know Ethan liked him and Kim liked him. Tom never really showed much of anything. He and Frank didn't get along, but you didn't see that. It seems like he came across as evil during those interviews with the producers, but he didn't act like that when he was with us. People started comparing you to Tina from the first episode. Were you aware of the similarities? Well, the producers almost didn't pick me because of that. They told me they weren't going to use me for ''Survivor 3'' because we were too similar. I knew before I sent my tape in that it might be a problem. We're both mothers of a boy and girl, both flight attendants, both have Southern accents. They told me they were going to use me for ''Survivor 4,'' but then something changed behind the scenes and I got in. That last immunity challenge seemed to favor the men by far. Was there some challenge sexism going on? I've heard that from quite a few people. I guess all I can say is we all had the opportunity to participate in those challenges. The men were probably a little bit stronger. Of course, they were stronger early on also. I guess they never know where we're going to be when they plan that stuff out. You all didn't seem to get as emaciated as the bunch on ''Survivor 2.'' Did you get more food? I can't really speak to the ones from ''S2,'' but I lost about 15 pounds, which is quite a bit for me. I felt like I looked quite different. Tom barely ate anything, and he used to give some of his food away because he didn't like that mush. He lost, like, 70 pounds. He dropped a whole person, but he had a lot of weight to lose. There are rumors that ''Survivor 5'' will involve all previous players. Would you do it again? I would love to! If you hear anything, print it. Put my name in the running. Are you back to being a flight attendant? I'm not flying right now. I'm on leave from Delta until the spring, so I'm selling real estate. But I'll go back after my leave is up. If you had won the million would you have kissed the friendly skies goodbye? No, definitely not. I wouldn't have given up my job. I mean, a million dollars goes awfully quick. |
Tntitanfan | Monday, January 07, 2002 - 07:53 pm   Well gee, I think I could make a million last for my lifetime! Turning off the lights when I left the room, coupons at the grocery, sales at K-Mart - it all helps! |
Smileeys | Monday, January 07, 2002 - 09:17 pm   Yep, agree with you, Yuhuru ah, Tntitanfan - a kindred spirit. Investing also will make all that money saving by doing what you stated last longer and grow. Plus, it wouldn't stop at a million bucks b/c they get paid for other appearances, too. Oh, well. |
Car54 | Tuesday, January 08, 2002 - 10:59 am   Here is a link to see Dave's interview with Teresa. My favorite thing: She said the closest she got to any monkeys was Big Tom. TERESA ON DAVE |
Micknrc | Wednesday, January 09, 2002 - 05:44 am   Saw T-Bird on Craig Kilborn last night...again no good spoilers. He barely even asked any questions about the show. He seemed more interested in her running a 10k (not a marathon) while nine months pregnant. |
Car54 | Thursday, January 10, 2002 - 07:17 am   From The Advocate" A Survivor recalls her gay brother In an exclusive interview with Advocate.com, Survivor: Africa contestant T-Bird--as Teresa Cooper was known to her tribemates--reveals an intimate story from her personal life for the first time: She lost her brother Steve to AIDS, and now she hopes to use her newfound fame to help in the global fight against the spread of HIV. By Bob Adams. An Advocate.com exclusive, posted January 10, 2002 Although Survivor: Africa contestant Teresa Cooper fell one tribal council vote short of making the smash reality TV program’s season finale, airing Thursday on CBS, the 42-year-old Georgian did emerge as one of Survivor’s most good-hearted cast members. Nowhere was this more evident than in the program’s January 3 episode, during which a reward challenge that provided supplies and antiretroviral drugs to a Kenyan HIV/AIDS clinic prompted Cooper to joyful tears—and also a painful revisiting of her brother’s 1990 AIDS death. When fellow cast member Lex van den Berghe won the reward competition on the January 3 episode and was told he’d be delivering supplies and medication to an area HIV/AIDS clinic [the Wamba Catholic Hospital], you started crying. What brought on the tears? As soon as the truck was opened I could see that there were boxes that were marked "HIV test kits." Immediately we knew that there was going to be a special visit, and all of the emotions of what had happened to my brother Steve came flooding back. There were tears of sadness because my family had been personally affected by AIDS, but also tears of joy because we were going to give something back and we were contributing. Being a part of that is what really touched me. What can you tell us about your brother and his battle with AIDS? He passed away 12 years ago, almost to the month. So little was known about HIV and AIDS at the time he was diagnosed. So very little. When he was diagnosed, my family and I started reading and trying to get as much information as we could. Back then, life expectancy when someone was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS was about 13 months, and he died exactly 13 months after he was diagnosed. Was your brother gay? Yes, he was. Did you talk with the other tribe members about your brother--the fact that he was gay and that he had AIDS? Yes. It wasn’t a secret. Not a lot was known about HIV and AIDS at the time your brother dealt with the disease, and there was a lot of fear and misinformation. Did your brother or your family experience any sort of discrimination because Steve was gay and had AIDS? You know, it might have happened but it was never anything that we saw. Our family and friends are a really close group, and none of us are the kind of people who would turn on anyone for anything. I think Steve surrounded himself with the same kind of people. Unlike a lot of families that might turn away from someone who is diagnosed with AIDS, we were the total opposite. We were there for him 100%. We didn’t worry about touching him or holding him or kissing him--it just wasn’t a concern for us. Our love for him was unconditional. It didn’t matter one way or the other that he was gay. His partner had died a month before Steve did, and we were very, very close with him as well. He was family to us. We embraced them both. What do you think that your family and the people who came in contact with your brother learned about the disease and those suffering from it? If we’ve learned anything over the years, it’s that AIDS is not a disease of discrimination. It affects children and babies and brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers. There is no discrimination. Was it difficult knowing that the lifesaving drugs you and Survivor were delivering to the Wamba clinic weren’t available when your brother fought the disease? Absolutely not! It was bittersweet. The bitterness came about because of what had happened to Steve, but the sweet part was that we were all pitching in to try to make a difference. At the time Steve had AIDS, all we could do was keep hoping and praying there would be a cure. And here we are, 12 years later, and there’s still no cure! You’d be surprised how many people still don’t realize that. Did your family’s personal experience with AIDS lead you to any sort of volunteer work or other support of HIV/AIDS organizations and charities? We live down on a farm in Jackson [Ga.], and because I’m a flight attendant I also do a lot of traveling. If we had been living closer to Atlanta, I think we would have gotten much more involved. I’m fortunate now in having been on Survivor in that I can use Survivor as a platform to show how widespread the problem still is. I’ve been talking with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, and I’m hoping to do some work with them. It’s something I can do to help make a difference for Steve and for others who’ve had AIDS. Lex was able to meet with some of the doctors and patients at the Kenya clinic. Did that make you any more envious of the fact that he won the reward challenge? Oh, not at all! I would have loved to have been a part of the visit to the clinic physically, but just knowing that the supplies went there and that we were supporting the hospital was just great. How do you think it would have affected you if you had been able meet with some of the African AIDS patients? You know, having been touched by AIDS so personally by my brother who I was so close with, it already was something very close to my heart. I think that being a mom with two children, you know, it would have been very moving to have seen children suffering. Did the fact that you were in Africa, the heart of the world’s AIDS epidemic, come into your mind at the time you were there? Or were you too involved with the game itself to think about it much? When we were finally taken away and reminded of all the statistics after [Survivor producer] Mark [Burnett] had made the donation to Wamba, it really brought it home for me that there is still no cure. But at the time, the game overwhelmed us. We were so separated from the people of Africa, and thrown into a game with 15 strangers. We were dehydrated and exhausted. It just consumed us. Looking back at the experience, is there anything you would have done differently in terms of playing the game? Being the last one from my tribe [Samburu] still standing, I knew my odds weren’t very good being up against four original Boran. I was trying everything, given the way the cards were stacked--I was trying to get Lex off, then when he won immunity I was trying to get Tom [Buchanan] off. I tried to play every strategy I could. But I was on the other side from the beginning. I don’t think there was anything I could have done differently. What was the hardest part of the game for you? Losing! Absolutely, losing! Were you surprised at the constantly shifting alliances among your tribe members? Oh, yes! I thought that once we got back together we had a good chance. But Brandon [Quinton] jumped ship on us for one week, and it changed the game completely for us. Even though he came back the next week, we were just devastated. Especially Kim [Powers]. There was a real betrayal there, and she just couldn’t understand why. It’s something I want to talk to Brandon about when I see him today [in Los Angeles on January 9, one day before the series finale airs]. I just want to shake him and yell: "Brandon! Brandon!" Have you seen the episodes? Yes. Is there anything you did in any of the episodes that you wish hadn’t been shown or that you could take back? Nope. But that was something I worried about at the very beginning, when we were chosen: What will I regret? But there wasn’t anything, fortunately, that I ended up regretting. What’s the significance of the lucky bullet necklace that you brought as your luxury item? My husband had given that to me 13 years ago. I’m a runner. We live out in the country, and I run on some pretty desolate country roads. My husband thought I needed some form of protection, so he used to take me to target practice. When I entered my first marathon, I needed a lucky charm. There was a bullet beside him, so he gave that to me. I guess if there had been a stick or a rock there, I would have ended up with that instead! But I’ve had that lucky bullet now for 13 years. What do you hope viewers will remember about you after the season is over? That I played a good and fair game and that I didn’t quit until that flame went out. Any predictions for us Survivor fanatics who will be tuning into the finale? Early on in the game, I told someone that although I wanted to win really, really badly, I think I could live with it if a certain other person won. I think my premonition will probably become true. One last question: How on earth were you able to drink those glasses of animal blood? I was in a total fog at the time! You do it because you know you have to if you want to stay in the game. So you just mentally psych yourself up and do it and act like it was no big deal. But, you know, afterward you think, What in the world did I just do? Especially after you watched the other people do it. When Linda [Spencer] had the blood running out of the corner of her mouth, I was like, “Oh, Linda! That is so gross!” CBS will auction off memorabilia and props used in taping Survivor: Africa on the online auction site eBay beginning at 7 p.m. Pacific/10 p.m. Eastern on January 10. All proceeds will benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. For more information about the auction, contact the Glaser foundation toll-free at (888) 499-HOPE or visit the foundation’s Web site at www.pedaids.org. <Any predictions for us Survivor fanatics who will be tuning into the finale? Early on in the game, I told someone that although I wanted to win really, really badly, I think I could live with it if a certain other person won. I think my premonition will probably become true. > Hmmmmm???????is this a hint? |
|