“We Had a Good Thing and It Just Ended Too Soon” – Reality News Online’s Exclusive Interview with Survivor: One World’s Michael

RNO: Such as who?

Michael: Jay was kinda hopping back and forth. He’s one of the guys – we were in an alliance the whole time, I didn’t realize he was trying to make an alliance against me. I wish I could’ve traded Jay for Matt – he was solid and we would have been final three. Jay’s just wishy-washy.

RNO: Even though you stand out physically, we didn’t see a whole lot of your strategic game on TV. What did you do that we weren’t shown?

Michael: That’s all we did all day – we strategized all day. That’s one thing that gets old real quick. They didn’t show me doing that much, but we all did. After Matt got voted out, I realized I’m probably next so I was snuck around and did it and didn’t make it so obvious like everybody else. I had to play a low-key game to keep the target off my back. We were gung ho from the beginning, then I got quiet.

RNO: At Tribal Council, several people mentioned having multiple alliances. Aside from what you thought was the new Salani alliance, did you have any other allies in the game?

Michael: I was mainly with new Salani. Tarzan mentioned the guy alliance but I wasn’t with it because I couldn’t trust those guys. But I was happy to go along with them and vote out a girl. The new Salani tribe was more diverse and the girls were more trustworthy and more levelheaded than any of the men.

RNO: Going back to the premiere, were you surprised you got away with re-appropriating the supplies the women tossed off the truck?

Michael: Yeah. My plan was not to steal from the women. When I came off the truck and saw their stack, I thought, “That’s perfect.” I got to take many loads over and nobody saw me do it. Not one woman or guy saw me do it. I told Jonas I stole something but nobody really knew where our stuff came from.

RNO: You didn’t even confess to the guys?

Michael: No, I admitted to stealing one pan. I actually gave the girls a pan to be nice. I was trying to build a rapport with them. I didn’t want the guys to think I was giving them all our supplies.

RNO: I would have thought you’d take big credit for that.

Michael: Yeah, but when you’re hauling all that through the jungle, you might be looked down upon. Plus you might not be seen as the most trustworthy. I think it worked out in my favor. It was not planned, it just happened.

RNO: Who did you think had the immunity idols?

Michael: I knew Colton had one. He talked so much – I can read people well and I knew he did and he wouldn’t use it wisely. Other than that, I didn’t know – the other idols were pretty secret.

RNO: So even your supposed allies didn’t talk about it?

Michael: They play a good game that way. I had no idea. I spent a lot of time looking for it as well but it didn’t fall into my hands.

RNO: It looks like we’re about out of time, but before you have to go, is there anything else you’d like to tell us about your time on Survivor?

Michael: I just want to say I had a great time and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I tried bring it back to its roots and played an honest game. I did that and didn’t last as long as I wanted to.

RNO: Thanks again, Mike!

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David Bloomberg is the Editor of Reality News Online and has been covering Survivor since the very first season. He can be reached at RNO@pobox.com. You can also follow him on Twitter!

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