Survivor: Thailand - Interview with Helen Glover

On Christmas Eve day, I was given the opportunity to speak to Helen Glover, fourth place contestant from Survivor: Thailand. Before getting into the questions, I asked her if she had seen the articles that Jeffrey D. Sadow had written about how, strategically, she could have controlled the game (he wrote them before she had been voted off - you can read them at Game Theory and Helen's Decision, Helen's Future Looks Good, If She Plays It Right, and Helen Continues to Have the Best Position). Helen said that indeed she had seen them - her husband printed them out for her. She also noted that it was rather painful to read those because she knew the outcome - at least for her. Indeed, while Professor Sadow wrote from the perspective of politics, strategy, and game theory, I had written an article about how human nature might come into play in such a situation. Specifically, I noted, "we have not seen anything resembling strategy from Jan. We also have not seen anything resembling guile from Jan." All of these factors came into play, as Helen later discussed with me - among other issues.

RealityNewsOnline: Let's start with the big one. Why did you trust Brian?

Helen Glover: Oh boy, that's the million dollar question. I guess my background is biggest reason. I come from a military family and work with military men. I'm trusting of men; there are not too many men who have betrayed me. Also, I have a hard time separating work ethic from character. Brian was part of the team building, one of a few people who would work as hard as I would. He worked in very quiet way; we barely exchanged two words for the first week or ten days. We had a quiet friendship. But one day I was taking care of the water and Brian was the only one to help while others were quite content to watch. I told him he didn't have to, but he did, and he whispered, "Because you know if we don't do it, it won't get done." I took this as an acknowledgment, a thank you. Now I know that from Brian's point of view he was trying to figure out a way to manipulate me. So he praised my working. He is very bright when figuring out what people need and want to hear, though he didn't do it in most ethical way. Through hard work I mistakenly started thinking of him in way as somebody I'd like to work with. It was a big mistake. Huge.

RNO: When did you actually form an alliance?

Helen: I was careful not to use that word so I could sort of stay independent and could throw in with whoever I needed to throw in with at the end. In the beginning it was all about building a strong team. I'm not sure when we formed an alliance. I just said to him one day (and I feel stupid saying this now) that I admired his work ethic. I thought he handled himself well with the Ted/Ghandia issue; he listened both sides. I was a pawn there. I was the only woman with a friendship with Brian and so I was asked to tell him.

He was a good asset to the team with his athletic ability. I mentioned to him on a water run that I couldn't see writing his name down on paper unless it was for a million dollars. I didn't ask for anything in return, I was just letting him know. Maybe a day or so later, he said the same thing to me. He also said that we had an agreement and that if I should change my mind and decide to vote for him, to let him know. I asked for the same in return and he agreed. That was all I needed. My word, his word. I stuck to it. I don't think I was as angry at being voted off as I was at not knowing I was going to be voted off. It was a problem between Brian and I - if you're going to do that, Judas, why don't you say it to my face?

RNO: Did anybody know about the other deals, such as Brian made independently with you, Ted, and Clay?

Helen: Never an inkling. It was amazing. Even when I went with Ted to the spa and he kept encouraging me to get rid of Brian - there no way I was going to vote off Brian. Had Ted been smart enough to say he had a deal from beginning, I would have said, "What was that?" Nothing ever came up to clue me in to that. Had I had an inkling of that, I would have been a little suspicious. But it was never my intention to get rid of Brian, I was gunning for Clay from day one.

RNO: So you knew Clay was supposed to be part of the final three with you and Brian, but not about his individual alliance with Brian?

Helen: We were out on boat after the Brian and Clay elephant trip (for some reason there were no cameras with us). It was the friendliest Clay had ever been to me. He said it's all worked out, us three in the end. He asked if I was okay with third place. I thought, "Yeah right, you'll be in third." But I was thinking that if it got to that point I could get rid of him. I talked to Brian and he said we'll re-evaluate at that point. I took that to mean it was every man for himself then. I really did think I could take Clay out in the final three. My husband encouraged me to take Clay to the jury because I could win against him. I didn't realize I could win against Brian too because so many others didn't like him.