“I Had to Make a Huge Decision”: An Interview with Survivor’s Jenna Morasca

Jenna Morasca had a big decision to make – should she stay on Survivor: All-Stars or head home to be with her mother? As we all now know, she chose to go home. RealityNewsOnline had a chance to ask Jenna some questions, and she tells us about why she loves Survivor, why she went back, and more!

RealityNewsOnline: First, please let me pass along my condolences on your mother. Given what you went through, how did you feel about the entire remaining cast and Jeff Probst having an open discussion of your personal life at the immunity challenge location, including a couple people expressing some doubts that you should have come while others thought you should stay?

Jenna: It didn't bother me at all. It was a very emotional day and it was a chance for the others to get their emotions out. I didn't think anybody tried to offend me and unless you went through what I did you can't say what you would or would not do.

RNO: And since we’re on the subject, I know it’s a difficult question but I have to ask it because many people are already talking about it [I put my own thoughts into my article on Why Jenna Lost] – why did you decide to go on “All-Stars”?

Jenna: My Mom was a HUGE Survivor fan. We have watched every season together. She fought breast cancer for 12 years and she couldn't stop her life for it and I couldn't either, nor did she want me to. She said, "you go to the All-Stars don't even think twice, and don't worry about it." I never once regretted my decision to go on the All-Stars...

RNO: When you returned, was your family surprised to see you back so early?

Jenna: My family was very surprised. But they we happy to have me there and have my support.

RNO: What was the hardest part about deciding to leave?

Jenna: The hardest part about deciding to leave was doing it completely on my own. I could not talk to any of my family or friends so I had to make a huge decision all by myself.

RNO: Going back to when you were on the show, having been through the Survivor reviewer wringer once (including, of course, how much you told me you just loved the comments about you here on RealityNewsOnline!), did you think more this time about how you would appear on camera to the viewers?

Jenna: I don't go on Survivor for the viewers or to impress anybody. I go to play the game because I love Survivor. I am myself and not acting in front of the camera like a lot of people are.

RNO: You just mentioned, and have talked about before, how much you love Survivor – can you expand on that a bit?

Jenna: I just love the game I love what it is all about. I was a huge fan before I was even on the show. It's a chance to push yourself mentally and physically to a limit you never could in real life.

RNO: You were on a tribe where you really didn’t know anybody well – if you had been placed with Rob Cesternino, or had ended up on the same tribe as him due to a merge, would you have allied with him or been too suspicious because of your first Survivor experience with him?

Jenna: I would have tried to ally with Rob for sure. We have a lot of the same opinions about a lot of the people on the show. I think he's one of the greatest players to ever play the game.

RNO: What was your strategy going into All-Stars, and did it differ from your strategy in the Amazon?

Jenna: My strategy was similar to the Amazon because the one in the Amazon seemed to work OK! I have a strategy that is very loosely based because you have to be able to adapt once you know who is on your tribe. “Trust no one” was my biggest rule!

RNO: How do you think you have changed due to your two stints on Survivor?

Jenna: I have grown up a lot and had some of the best times of my life since being on the show and definitely one of the hardest times too. I have grown a lot and learned so much about myself...

RNO: If Mogo Mogo had lost one of the first two challenges, who do you think would have been voted out?

Jenna: Well our tribe rocked at the first two challenges so I guess we will never know who would have been voted off first... but not me!

RNO: Who were you most surprised to see on All-Stars?

Jenna: I wasn't surprised to see any of those people there; they were all on my "list" of people I thought would be there before I left.

RNO: What are your plans for the future?

Jenna: I have got a lot of stuff coming up I am very excited about this next year. I am working with TV people now about doing some shows. I am planning on going back to my play, "Pieces of Ass." Also, I am working with Pittsburgh's no-kill animal shelter Animal Friends, I am very excited about that. I also plan to work to promoting early screening for breast cancer as much as I can.

RNO: Thanks again, Jenna!

Readers who missed our interview with Jenna after she won Survivor: The Amazon can click here to take a look.

David Bloomberg is the Editor of RealityNewsOnline and can be reached at RNO@pobox.com. Thanks to the other writers of RealityNewsOnline for their question suggestions.

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