“Maybe I Should Have Let Coach Lick Me on the Neck” – RealityNewsOnline’s Exclusive Interview with Survivor: Tocantins’ Candace

When I do these interviews, some of them are more fun than others. Candace was in the group that I love because she had so much to say and could laugh about her experiences while also being totally blunt. Read on and you’ll see exactly what I mean.

RealityNewsOnline: Hello, Candace, and thanks for taking the time to talk to RealityNewsOnline!

Candace: Thank you for having me.

RNO: Starting at the beginning, what was your strategy coming into the game?

Candace: (Laughs) My strategy obviously wasn’t the best of strategies. It was to work hard at challenges and at camp, which I did. I know I was hands down the strongest woman on my tribe. Actually I was stronger than Coach. I was one of the strongest on the tribe. I worked hard and did the cooking and collected firewood and anything that needed to be done. Actions speak louder than words, and I have a great work ethic. I was sure they’d appreciate that. So much for that.

I forgot about the whole manipulative/whispering/sneaking around/making up stuff. I needed to incorporate that and maybe I’d have still been there. Or maybe I should have let Coach lick me on the neck and then I could have filled a harassment suit. Maybe I should have let Coach feel my butt and have sex with him. Then I bet I’d still be around. (Laughing.)

RNO: You heard he’s been fired from his job as a coach?

Candace: I’m not allowed to comment on that. I can only comment on what I experienced. And from what I experienced, he is a bona fide pervert! I would not have him coaching my son or daughter in anything, especially anything that includes physical contact. He’s a real douche.

RNO: From what we saw and what you just talked about, you seemed to presume that because you were a strong woman and Sierra wasn’t, the tribe would vote based on that. Is that correct?

Candace: Yeah, I thought he tribe would respect my strength and work ethic around the camp and I took their word for it (laughing).

RNO: Did you have any idea you were being targeted?

Candace: No. It’s easy for America to look at it and say it should have been obvious, but you have to remember we had very little food and 120-degree weather. I was more concerned about expending physical energy to make sure the tribe was okay. I worked to the last minute – I was cooking beans right before we went to Tribal Council. I didn’t put the mental energy into thinking about whether they were going to vote me out because I was told it was going to be Sierra.

But the reality is I wanted it to be Debbie. I feel my tribe wasn’t focused. My tribe had so many ulterior motives going on that we were not a unified team. We had a few followers who went along with whatever so they could stay and then a few super-manipulative @$$#oles on my tribe. I’m not good with that.

I honestly felt Debbie was the weakest. I was like, seriously, let’s keep Sierra and dump Debbie. Everybody looked at me like I was the spawn of Satan because (in a sing-songy voice), “Debbie’s so nice.” Anyone who talks this much and tries this hard cannot be real. You see her at Tribal Council saying, “I know these people. I trust these people.” Wake up! It’s been six days! Are your relationships that superficial?! She was so scatterbrained – she wouldn’t have been able to run from one end to the other in that basketball challenge. She’s so discombobulated, I don’t trust her in a mental challenge. She was all over the place.

RNO: You mentioned some “super-manipulative” players. Who were they?

Candace: Coach is at the top of the list. He’s so intimidated by me – he’s a misogynist, he’s delusional. And he’s weak physically. I’m honestly stronger than him. I don’t know what’s up with him if he had a spinal injury before coming on the show or he has early bone determination, but I can bench press more than him. In the first challenge, I picked up two boards and ran across the hills with them; he could barely pick up a board.

Erinn – Wow! She’s conniving. It’s very obvious – you meet her and you just know she’s conniving. She was so happy she was on TV she told me she wanted to go into entertainment after this. I should have been paying attention to her but I didn’t want to.

Debbie is super conniving. Miss kumbaya, “Candace is trash-talking you.” Good strategy, kissing coach’s butt. That went over well. I don’t know how your husband felt about it.

I could say Sierra is conniving but that would give her too much credit mentally. I don’t think she has the capacity. I would like to know why she called me a snake in the grass when she voted me out. I told you I wanted you to stay and you talked about voting me out. Who is the snake in the grass?