Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
Survivorhas had some pretty amazing rewards over 40 seasons.
There are all the cars they gave away.
Monty Brinton/CBS
Tons of epic feasts.
Screenings of instant cinematic classics such asJack & Jill.
Visits from loved ones back home.
Two kilos of cocaine… “After a storm, we went out looking for washed up coconuts,” explains Aras Baskauskas.
“We stumbled upon 2 kilos of washed-up cocaine instead.
Boy, was that a fun couple of weeks.”
(It’s not exactly like they had a scale out there for an exact measurement.)
ARAS BASKAUSKAS:Life is good.
I’m married with two beautiful boys.
River is 6 and Sage is 2.
Shortly after my second season, my wife and I started a women’s clothing company calledChristy Dawn.
We began very humbly in our garage.
Christy wanted to make beautiful dresses and I wanted to make rent.
Turns out, using deadstock is much better for the planet than purchasing brand new conventionally produced fabrics.
Our community really responded to the sustainable story and it encouraged us to dig deeper.
At a certain point, we realized that using deadstock wasn’t enough.
So we decided to start our own farm and grow cotton regeneratively.
Regenerative practices actively heal the planet!
It’s both our gift and our responsibility….okay, I’ll get off my soapbox now!
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
Oh, I’d have to say winning.
Although that wasn’t really a moment as much as it was 39 days of moments.
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperiences?
I don’t have any regrets.
I had the full experience, I won, I lost, I blindsided people, I was blindsided.
It was truly a marvelous experience.
Well, after a storm, we went out looking for washed-up coconuts.
We stumbled upon 2 kilos of washed-up cocaine instead.
Boy, was that a fun couple of weeks….no, no, I kid.
The producers took the cocaine from us immediately and had their own party without us.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
When the seasons first aired, I hated the edits.
Mostly for the same reasons I hate listening to my voice after I’d record an outgoing voicemail.
Now I look at the edit and smile.
What a fun ride!
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
Oh yeah, that was a trip.
I remember turning the stove on and off hundreds of times.
Just mesmerized that I could have a flame with the twist of my wrist.
I really appreciated all of the creature comforts that our modern world provides.
I also remember the day our cast was announced.
It was the first day our country began bombing Afghanistan.
Our cast announcement got top billing.
I realized that we were just distractions.
After winning one million dollars publicly, everyone and their mother came at me asking me for money.
It was a really lonely feeling.
The good news is, it didn’t last long.
I was in debt within 5 years of winning!
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your seasons?
It’s not like we talk every week.
Sometimes months pass or even years.
But when we do connect, it’s really nice.
Oh, and Vytas.
I talk to Vytas almost every day.
He’s like a brother to me.
Yes, I’m a bigSurvivorfan.
I loved watchingWinners at War.It was great to see the best of the best.
Who’s one player from anotherSurvivorseason you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I think it would have been fun to play with Russell Hantz.
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor,what would it be and why?
I suppose I would encourage producers to show more of the actual day-to-day struggle contestants have with surviving.
I think it’s fascinating to see city slickers dropped into nature and watch them transform or not.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
That’s a strong NO.
I had my time in the sun.
Bring back Brook Geraghty!
