Survivor: Thailand - Interview with Jan Gentry

Jan Gentry, the oldest female contestant on Survivor: Thailand, was gracious enough to do an interview for RealityNewsOnline. She discusses how she formed her team, her thoughts on the Ted/Ghandia incident, and why she gave Brian the money. Not to mention the deal with the pet cemetery. Take a look at what she had to say.

RealityNewsOnline: What was your main motivation when you applied for Survivor?

Jan Gentry: I just wanted to see if I could still compete. I was always a tom boy and I just love to compete against all types of people. I performed better in the team competitions rather than the individual challenges. So I was pleased, but I do not like to lose so sometimes I was disappointed in myself.

RNO: When Jeff told you that you would be picking the teams, what ran through your head?

Jan: Oh my god! I don't want to seen as the leader! So I said afterwards I'm not the leader, we are a team and no one is more important the next person.

RNO: Did you notice that you picked mostly older players? Was that a strategy?

Jan: I really didn't mean to pick older people. I just picked people I thought could bring some information to the island to help us survive. It just so happened I chose all older people and I didn't even realize it until the end of the picks.

RNO: After losing the first immunity challenge, did you feel there was a chance you would be voted out of the tribe?

Jan: Not at that time. I thought Ghandia would maybe go because of us losing. But I had worked hard and had pulled my weight in the challenge and they knew I was one of the best swimmers on the team and so they weren't in a hurry to vote me off.

RNO: When the Ghandia/Ted incident occurred did you immediately take Ghandia's side or did you listen to what Ted had to say as well?

Jan: No, because I wanted to find out really what happened. I was glad Ted called us all up together to let us listen to both sides of the story.

RNO: If some of the cards had fallen differently, and you had switched tribes, do you think you could have made the final two?

Jan: If some of the cards had fallen yes I feel I could have made the final two, but switching tribes would not have been the answer. I would have been dispensable over there too.

RNO: Some Survivors had said you did next to little scheming, plotting, or strategizing. Is that true, or did you just keep it to yourself?

Jan: I did not scheme nor plot very much. I just let the cards play as they did. I did try to quietly think of ways to keep myself in the game. But I think I played it as clean as anyone can. After all it is a game and you do have to have a plan.

RNO: How happy were you to see your son during the gross food challenge? Did it pain you to watch him walk away without even a hug?

Jan: Well you know by now I am very sensitive, especially with my family, friends, children, and animals. So this ripped me up. First I couldn't believe he made it. He's always lost and late so that in itself was funny and then all he did was keep telling me how proud he was of me and that made me cry. It's not often your children tell their parent they are proud of them. So that was a very hard thing for all of us to see our loved ones. P.S. he's also a picky eater so for him to eat those things for me was mind blowing!

RNO: Jan, I think you are one of the most compassionate people to ever play the game, but fess up: What was the deal with the pet cemetery?

Jan: You have to realize there is a lot of down time and with the camera men walking around all over and us walking all over the thought of people smashing the poor little thing was awful. So I buried it and it reminded me of my children and all the little animals we had to bury when they were children.

RNO: How hard exactly was the final immunity challenge?

Jan: We had not even had our broth so we rowed all day then climbed the cave then had the challenge. It was very hot in the cave. It was so hard on our legs and we had nothing in us. I did feel better to see Clay having a hard time and even Brian grimaced, so that made me feel better about losing. Yes it was very hard.

RNO: Did you ever think you had a shot at Brian taking you, instead of Clay, to the final two?

Jan: No! I think he thought Clay had maybe made more enemies than me so he couldn't afford to take me.

RNO: Did teaming up with Ted and Helen ever cross your mind to get rid of Brian and Clay, or were you comfortable with the way things were going?

Jan: Yes, at one point Ted , Helen, and I were going to vote Clay off, then Helen came to me and said no it's Ted. But we had our chance to change the outcome right then.

RNO: What was the motivation behind voting for Brian instead of Clay to win the money?

Jan: I thought Brian played an excellent game. There were some challenges Brian lost on purpose. You know you win too many and people turn against you. He was wise in that it was not too important to win some of the challenges but wait until they really count. A wise move! Also he really did work hard. I liked both men for different reasons.

RNO: Thank you very much for taking time out of your day to talk with me Jan. I appreciate it, and wish you nothing but the best in the future!

Phil Kural is a junior at Temple University, and can be reached at pkural@astro.temple.edu.

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