“I Did Not Live Up to My Potential”: An Interview with Survivor: Palau’s Kim

Kim might be known as “Lazy Kim on Ulong,” but that certainly wasn’t her intent going into Survivor. In this interview with RealityNewsOnline, she explains what happened to cause her to act that way, what she thinks of it now, what her original plans were, and much more!

RealityNewsOnline: Hello, Kim, and thanks for taking the time to answer these questions from RealityNewsOnline! What was your strategy going into the game, and how did it change as the game went on?

Kim: Everything changed after we got to the island – being one tribe at the start flipped everything upside down. Once we picked our tribes I did not think we would have such a homogenous tribal makeup, but we did. Additionally, I was planning to work hard and garner my tribe’s respect within the beginning in order to make it to the merge (and we know how that turned out – haha)…

RNO: Why were you upset when Jeff Probst asked you and Jeff about being a couple?

Kim: Probst was just doing his job! It kind of surprised me that it was brought up so quickly. (Hey, but digging up the dirt is what makes Tribal Council fun!) Of course I did not mean to come across so upset… I think I have a problem of getting defensive when I am surprised and I do not mean or need to do so. When you saw me discussing the event in the shelter (after TC) I was really trying gauge opinions of what was said at Tribal Council.

RNO: When you answered Probst's questions and indicated that there wasn't any strategy involved, just friendship, were you telling the truth or were you trying to deflect him away from you?

Kim: Actually I was hoping to divert the question away from me by providing some short and silly answers. If there was strategy, I was not going to be dumb (contrary to popular belief – haha) and admit to it. However, the feelings at the time for Jeff were genuine. I love him dearly and am glad we were able to form the friendship that we did.

RNO: How did you feel about Jeff telling everybody to vote him off when he hurt his ankle?

Kim: It frustrated me way more then it ever came across. Jeff needed to stay and was of more use to the tribe. I knew it was my time to go but I would not bring myself to tell people that, “hey I suck and get rid of me.” In hindsight, maybe I should have. However, it was a game and I wanted to stay as long as I could – I worked hard to get on the show and was grateful for every second. Jeff was an awesome competitor and I was sad that he got hurt. The only regret from that situation was that I gave in to his requests. I should have cast my vote for I who I wanted and not have let him convince me otherwise.

RNO: We often saw you sitting while others were working, and you even talked about how much others were working and that you didn't feel you needed to do as much as they were. Did you realize at the time just how much your fellow tribemates resented that?

Kim: I knew they were frustrated, but I did not realize how much everyone resented me. After watching the show – shhheeeeshhhh – I don’t blame them. I went from doing a fine job in the first couple of challenges to nothing… same with camp life. I feel horrible when I watch the show, it has been hard. I wish I could have had the strength to contribute more. The people on my tribe were amazing and awesome and nobody deserved to lose. I cannot be down on myself now but trust me I have thought a lot “if only…” I hate to make excuses – I know I did not do as I should have but it is a tough game. Going without food or water for that long hurt me a lot more then I ever thought it would. Of course it is easier to feel that drive now that I have food, water, and sleep!

RNO: Given that your head was on the chopping block for two Tribal Councils in a row, and that several of your tribemates tried to vote you out instead of an injured Jeff, why didn't we see you do anything to change people's opinion of you?

Kim: I really wanted to – do you think I really wanted everyone to think of me as useless and lazy? (Don’t answer that – haha.) I honestly was not capable at that point of doing too much. I was even saying the wrong things!! I was hurting pretty bad.

RNO: Before your final Tribal Council, you indicated that people on your tribe wouldn't decide who was going until they picked up the pen. Did you believe that at the time, or did you pretty much know you were going?

Kim: Well things were always up in the air but I knew this would be an easy Tribal Council for everyone. (See, I helped with that!) Contrary to popular belief, I have a brain – it just backfires sometimes. I knew what was going on, I was just hoping there was a small, small, small chance it would go another way.

RNO: We saw Stephenie and Angie talk to you about the possibility of forming a female alliance, but it seems they came to you about it. What did you do to try to get votes and stay in the game?

Kim: I had brought it up about voting that way and we talked about it a little. When I was [discussing] voting against the guys, I was trying to feel them out and see where they could be pushed. I did not feel that Ibrehem or Bobby Jon should go but I did not want to say James and have them say, “never mind, we want him to stay…”

RNO: Why were you so hard on the men of your team about your final immunity challenge?

Kim: Again, I don’t believe in pointing fingers directly at one person. I was just as bad as the guys, everyone knows that. Wait! I was just as bad as Bobby Jon and James – Ibrehem did way better then me! If I had won my fight then we wouldn’t have been at Tribal Council, plain and simple.

RNO: What did we not see about you on the show?

Kim: The island puts quite a spin on people and I know it beat me down quickly. I hate the fact that people thought I sat around all of the time. But what I hate even more is that I did not live up to my potential. I will be honest – I did not work as hard as everyone else, but I did work – more so in the beginning then towards the end. However, that is why I am so excited to reunite with everyone. The people on my tribe really are amazing and I wish the viewing audience had the chance to witness that. The memories are priceless… and I am still thankful I learned how to clean a crab! And even though we aren’t that great of singers, we had fun with our few campfire singing sessions!

RNO: Thanks again, Kim!

David Bloomberg is the Editor of RealityNewsOnline and can be reached at RNO@pobox.com.

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