A Heart to Heart Talk with Survivor’s Frank

Of all the players of Survivor: Africa, one of them who certainly touched a nerve with people was Frank Garrison, the telephone lineman from New York State. People either loved Frank (like me), or felt quite the opposite. There seemed to be no middle ground. And I felt Frank needed a champion. It turns out Frank does not need a champion, he is MY champion instead. And in the last 24 hours, I went from thinking Frank was the neatest Survivor to downright adoration.

I just got off the phone with Frank. He is sweet and very easy to talk to. I have to admit I was nervous about interviewing him, but he made me feel relaxed. His voice is quite remarkable, and I can tell he is quite an astute judge of character. And all this goes to show that not only is Frank nice, he is a salt of the earth type guy. When I ended the interview I could not help but wonder if he had any single brothers he could fix me up with. (He doesn’t; they are all married.) That is the type of guy Frank is. In a slightly over two-hour conversation, I felt like I knew him my entire life, like the big brother I never had. I got advice on fishing, families, and dating. Frankly, Frank is a great man. I liked him before we spoke, now I can honesty say, “Frank, I am your number one fan.” In another lifetime, Frank would have probably have been a Knight in King Arthur’s Court. Indeed he used the word “chivalrous” many times in our conversation. But in the 21st Century, Frank is an outdoorsman and a family man, embodying all the values a modern-day Knight would have, only in Levis instead of chain mail.

Frank (I was told not to call him Mr. Garrison right off the bat) described his Survivor experience as a “Great Adventure, just like life.” He describes himself as an adventurer, a man buried in National Geographic, Discovery Channel, and the like. When the chance for Survivor: Africa came up, he asked his wife, Polly (who is a sweetheart herself), if she minded if he applied. She said no, and “all of a sudden my bags were packed.”

He described the application process, and the application video: “When I applied I had no idea I would be picked. I applied like everyone else. The application video was made in one take. The idea for the overstuffed lion was my idea. My good friend Mike Castillgila filmed it.” Frank thought it came out “great, it was simple and to the point.” He went to further interviews in Pittsburgh and Santa Monica. And as any fan of Survivor knows, he made the final cut. He says, “this experience ranks right up there.” “I went to a continent I never thought I would see. I saw elephants, impalas, gazelles… I never have to go to a zoo again in my life.”

When Frank talked about the scenery and the adventure, it was like talking to a young Ernest Hemingway. His voice full of feeling. Frank said “Survivor: Africa made the other two look like Club Med.”

Inquiring minds want to know (certainly the ones at RealityNewsOnline did), so we went straight for the one question on everyone’s mind, Frank in the sarong. Yes, he has the legs to carry it off with aplomb, but I know my eyes did a double take when he walked out in that. “It was given to me. The first thing I said to myself, I’m not going to wear it. But then if a Massai warrior can wear it, I’ll wear it. When in Rome, do as the Romans.” He kept the sarong, in case anyone wants to know. And pointed out the women’s were of different types, and more colorful.

Our discussion was briefly interrupted so I could speak to his two-year-old daughter, Sage Hunter. She said night-night and I totally melted. He has a great family. Even the dog wanted to be a part of the interview. Almost like Norman Rockwell meets LL Bean. It was lovely.

We hit on a number of different topics throughout the interview. We discussed the military, his teammates and editing, family, etc.

Regarding the military, Frank said it “helps play the game. Helps in real life, generally.” Frank was in the military for seven years. When I asked him if his Army basic training helped him for Survivor, he replied, “It was more like baby sitting in high school. Peer pressure. Flying under the radar will go a long way in the game. I knew going into the game that people would find me a threat.” When I asked him if he thought he would win, he replied succinctly, “We’re Americans.”

Frank on his teammates: “The people they picked – they were part of the adventure. Fifteen very special people. Quite an experience.”

Frank on his buddy Carl: During sentry duty they discussed “home, family, their jobs, everything. Great friend. Great result of a new adventure.” Frank went on about a dinner he had with Carl in Bayonne, NJ. “I was with Carl, we went to Luciano’s and [he told] friends this is the guy, that Frank is my best friend.” Indeed, as Frank was telling the story, his voice changed, and he did a great Italian accent, like someone on the Sopranos. Frank is a funny guy. Really. “If Carl had not missed the tick question, things would have been different,” he said.

Which brings us to – the TWIST! “My mouth dropped. [I] couldn’t believe it. The process, changing, to be adaptable. Jeff gave us our new buffs. I said (to the others) let’s go. The others seemed to be in shock.”

Frank on Lindsey and the younger Samburu’s work ethic: “[We arrive at camp] the Sun is going down. You needed security, and you need fire. The younger ones thought there would be a safety net that would come out, no accidents would happen, seeing Africa.” He added, “The point [is] the job had to get done. They laid around, and it wasn’t going to be done, so unfortunately, I had to wear a black hat.”

Frank says the split just “happened,” and exactly the way it was shown on TV. “[The elders] realized it was a game, early rising before the sun came up. [They were] probably used to that life. Teresa and Linda had to do more than their share of work.”

Regarding the editing, and the portrayal: “[I was] portrayed correctly. I’m happy the way I was portrayed. Maybe the people who are not happy [with their portrayal] should wake up and look in the mirror.”

Reflections on Lex: “Everyone handles stress differently.” He added, “I was not surprised to be evicted, I was a target from day one. Stress brings out the worst in Lex. This Survivor was more demanding. On the other ones you saw people in a boat, or laying in the water. [Here] they couldn’t go wandering off. You were in each other’s faces.”

Indeed, he said one of the hardships with Africa opposed to the other two locations was there was nowhere to go to be by yourself. “So every day I would make sure to keep the African Experience, and soak it in every day. It was like a pressure valve to be away from people, [even if it was] 100 yards away from the others. But I interact with people quite well, I am surprised that people thought I was an introvert. I thought I was more extroverted.” (Note to Frank, I was one of those people! But hey, I was wrong. In this interview you definitely were an extrovert!)

Frank on the game: “Other than no hunting and fishing, [that was] a total shock. Quite looking forward to that.” What about the chicken, at least there was that, right? Did Clarence kill the bird he so craved to eat? Frank said no. “Even though they showed Clarence. Alright Clarence, we got the machete. [He says,] ‘I’m from Chicago, I can’t kill it [the chicken].’ I killed it, KJ held it, dug a hole under an Acacia tree, leave the guts and blood for the animals to eat.”

Frank the family man: They were allowed to bring five luxury items and one was picked out from this group. Frank’s items were a Father’s Day card, a piece of a sheet that was a water color – fingers and hands made by his daughters, and drawings of lions and zebras like a little flag. A picture of his family. Burnett picked the antlers out, a reflection of character.

Frank the father/husband: Frank told me in detail about his first night home after Survivor finished filming. “Two closest friends and my wife picked me up, around midnight from a puddle-jumper. Polly was exhausted. I sat on a rocking chair til sunrise, to see the hills and see my daughters wake.” Indeed, Frank does remind me of a romantic. On his bio, currently up on the CBS website, he lists “The scent of my wife, coffee and bread,” as his favorite scents. He said, “I can’t think of a better way to start the day, can you?” He said he knew that his wife was pregnant when he left for Survivor, and “would not leave if she did not give her blessing.” He added, “Close friends were there for her while I was gone.” His daughters “liked the way daddy looked on TV. That was important – I knew this would be televised, I know my daughters would watch and I set a good example to be yourself and to play with dignity.”

Frank’s plans for the future: “Continue to be a good father, husband, and telephone technician.” He said his house is a little yard on a dead-end street. “People have been begging for a web site. I may just throw one up there. But I am not tied to electrical devices. It’s so artificial. So impersonal.”

I asked what he learned from the Survivor experience. “[You] come away a better listener. Show more patience in life. [The experience] was like a tune up. We all need to do that, sometimes silently, or collectively to ourselves.”

He added the cameras were on you 24/7, “But in a couple of days they disappear completely.” Which of course segued into the famous (or infamous) scene of Frank with the elephant. Frank was wandering around by himself, saw the elephant and did his imitation. “I turned around and saw the cameramen and the others applauding.”

When asked about fame, Frank replied, “I don’t think I am famous. More recognized. The kids are good to see, they yell, ‘here comes Frank from Survivor.’ I have given out about 500 autographs.”

Regarding his being voted off: “I told Teresa to vote against me. I told her to vote so you can stay in the game and go farther in the game. Teresa is the Joan of Arc of Georgia.”

Frank had his first trip to NYC for the CBS morning show. He loved doing it. “People got to see the other Frank Garrison, the positive things to see.” He said, “Jane wanted Frank back into the game. The weatherman didn’t want to give the report, but wanted to talk to Frank.”

I asked him if he has had corn since he came home. “No corn. Absolutely not.” In fact, Frank was adamant in this.

Frank asked me, “Have you heard a rumor about Ultimate Survivor?” This would involve several people from each of the Survivors so far. I must confess, no I haven’t. “I would love that. I want to be on a team with Rudy. I hope I meet him.”

Regarding Survivor 4 (airing soon): “Tahiti, that’s no hardship.” Indeed, Frank said the hardest part of playing Survivor was “the mental [part]. The physical would have been a cakewalk. I would have loved to play the physical part with a few handpicked people from both Boran and Samburu.” “It is a great game. I knew I would have to be ruthless.”

In closing, Frank told me, “I’m a jack of all trades, a master at none.” Personally I disagree. You are great at playing this game and you have shown what a true gentleman is. In my book, this makes you a Renaissance man.

But before the interview ended, Frank the father figure gave me some dating advice: “[You] have to know your strengths and weaknesses. One day there is a bright light…have patience.”

Frank’s final words: “Don’t give up hope, follow your dreams, I’m telling you that.”

And there you have it. Frank Garrison, Renaissance man, Jack of all trades, Knight of the Round Table, wise man, Survivor.

A truly remarkable man. Consider me your number one fan. Thanks, Frank!

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