“You Can Call It Quitting” – RealityNewsOnline’s Exclusive Interview with Survivor: Gabon’s GC

I have to admit that I was a little worried about this interview with GC. I knew I’d be the first person talking to him after we saw him get voted out, and some contestants aren’t ready for the tough questions. But when I talked to him, GC showed the personality that we were told he had rather than the one we were exposed to on the show, and it was quite easy to get him talking about what happened on the show and the decisions he made.

RealityNewsOnline: Hello, GC, and thanks for taking the time to talk to RealityNewsOnline! I know I’m your first post-show interview, so I might as well let you know that you will be getting some tough questions today. Let’s start with something you said in your final words, specifically that you didn’t agree with the alliances and backstabbing. Considering that’s what Survivor is all about, what did you think you were signing up for?

GC: (Laughs) You know what, I knew that was part of the game, but I know there’s also different ways you can play it. I really admired the way some people have played in the past, such as Earl. It’s a game and you do have to do things in a game like lie and backstab, but if you can keep it to a minimum and be an honest person as often as you can and stay true to some people, that’s not a bad way to play the game. But I ended up getting into some situations where I was arguing and lying all over the place, and I got tired of it.

RNO: What were the situations where you had to lie?

GC: Mostly right before the Tribal Councils and stuff. Everyone’s trying to figure out who’s going home. Everyone’s coming up to you and trying to plot. One of the people might come up who you’re planning to vote out and you have to lie to their face. You’re even lying to people who you might even be in an alliance with, you just need their vote at the time so you pretty much say anything just to make that happen.

RNO: Until you watched the show last night, did you know the others considered not voting you off in order to get rid of Sugar and the idol?

GC: Yes, I did. They talked to me before and I said, “It’s up to you guys. You can do whatever you want. I’m just telling you this is how I’m feeling.” There was only a couple people I felt I could really talk to, such as Matty and Kenny. I let them know I was going through some hard times. Unfortunately, Matty went back and told everybody, but that’s part of the game.

RNO: Did you try to convince them to keep you?

GC: I told them that I was ready to go, so no I didn’t try to convince them to keep me. They told me we got this alliance going and need you for numbers. So I was thinking maybe they might keep me. So I wasn’t sure until Jeff read the final vote. I felt they might keep me for the vote.

RNO: Since you didn’t know until Probst read that last vote, how did you feel when he did?

GC: I had mixed emotions. I was kind of upset that it had gotten to that point that I was feeling like that – it was a lot harder than I thought. It didn’t go like I planned. I was trying to prepare for months, I never thought I’d be that person who would want to leave. And I felt like I was letting people down in my alliance and people who watched the show. But I did feel kind of happy that I didn’t have to deal with that any more. Most of all I felt a sense of relief.

RNO: In your bio on the CBS website, it says you made it through tough times in your life by being “resilient and optimistic.” It also says you would describe yourself as “adventurous, outgoing, and silly.” Do you feel we got to see any of these characteristics while you were on Survivor?

GC: Not really. Although we did have a lot of good times on the show. But people didn’t really get to see that. I feel like the way I ended up leaving had a lot to do with the way I was portrayed. But that’s TV and it’s my fault because of the way I did leave, that’s how it goes sometimes. I definitely wish people could have seen more of that. People believe what they see on TV, so if anything else happened behind the scenes that would have made my character look better, they didn’t get to see that. That’s TV for you.

RNO: Since we really didn’t get to see those characteristics, is that what you meant when you said the game was turning you into a different person?

GC: Yes. It had gotten to the point after losing so much and not eating and they didn’t really show that I hardly ever slept. We would go to sleep around 7:00 or 8:00 probably, but I would sleep maybe two or three or maybe four hours, and I would be up staring at the stars. It ended up affecting me after a while. It was hard to be happy and feel the way I normally feel. It felt like we were getting into little arguments and a lot had to do with me being irritated. That’s what happens when you starve and lose all the challenges (laughs).

RNO: In your final words, you said that people who might say that you quit can call it what they want. What would you call it?

GC: I would call it just realizing that I wasn’t happy with the way I was playing it so I kind of just… Yeah, you can call it quitting. It makes it easier. I quit (laughs). I guess that’s really what happened. I voluntarily took myself out of the game (continues laughing).

RNO: Why did you decide to go out in the kayak when you knew you would have to leave for the challenge soon?

GC: Oh man because I figured if I was going to lose another challenge, I was out there looking for my African princess; I was seeing if I could join a tribe, I was going to move out there (laughs). No seriously, I was trying to find some food and go fishing. I had lost track of time. I was actually catching some fish and I heard them calling my name and thought I’d better go back.

RNO: You didn’t get eaten by a monkey?

GC: No, I didn’t.

RNO: I can’t wait to ask Kelly about that one.

GC: She’s a funny girl.