Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
Why wait for a tribe swap?
Of course, she was not alone in her attempt at an unsanctioned mutiny.
Gillian Larson on ‘Survivor: Gabon’.Monty Brinton/CBS
“Production followed me in their boat,” Gillian explains.
“So I presume if I had found the other tribe, they would have taken me back!
I paddled around for about two hours and gave up, as it was Tribal Council time.”
The cast of ‘Survivor: Gabon’.Monty Brinton/CBS
I was training for a 60-mile walk when I got home.
I myself and all who make our event happen are volunteers.
We do not make a dime for ourselves.
The Fang tribe on ‘Survivor: Gabon’.Monty Brinton/CBS
We have produced the event for nine years, and sadly COVID cancelled years 10 and 11.
We will be back in May 2022, we hope.
I hosted Gary Sinese when I organized the Color of Courage 5k color run for his organization.
Reality Rally was part of the Temecula Fourth of July parade for four years.
I reach out to fans as often as I can and always respond to their requests.
I was (and am) a fan and would have loved hearing from a Survivor.
The show would not go on without fans.
The biggest blessing in my life pre- and post-Survivoris my family.
My husband of 52 years, my three married daughters, and grandkids ranging from 20 to 8.
The other blessingSurvivorbrought me is all the amazing and incredible people I have met doing what I do.
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperience?
Choosing Crystal Cox for our tribe in our startoff schoolyard pick.
I am excellent in water, but land?!
After all, I was 61, with a leaky bladder from childbirths!
My other choice would have been “the really cute guy” of Marcus.
Perhaps it was good TV, but not for my game!
My other regret is offering Crystal my shirt.
I also regret always sounding so happy and positive, which is my normal self.
That wasn’t how I was really feeling, and it clearly rubbed my tribe the wrong way.
Little did I know that value that would follow.
I have so many backstories, but here are a few.
- Bob Crowley could have been badly injured, if not killed.
Instead, thank goodness he won.
My intention was to watch the other tribe’s ball as I ran.
to them and they jumped away.
We all saw what a crash there was when the balls collided, but Bob and Kelly were safe.
I asked if any of my tribe wanted to come with me to collect dung.
Horrified, they all declined, which was part of my plan.
I knewSurvivormight hide clues, etc., so did not want anyone coming with me as went searching!
GC and Kenny did learn how to stay upright.
I paddled around for about two hours and gave up, as it was Tribal Council time.
- I found a full elephant carcass in the jungle, so I brought it into camp.
I made two chairs out of the scapula and sternum and a chair with the skull.
Lots of the scenes show my bone furniture with my tribe using it and the fire ring of bones.
I thought I was dead last as I was concentrating on getting to the top.
- I chopped and gathered 80 percent of the firewood.
It took approximately two hours to get water to be drinkable.
I pretended I was just interested in the design!
Stupidly, i gave it up.
Not a great sight at 61!
You see her in my shirt all her game.
- Health and hygiene are another big problem onSurvivor, and the body odor is really bad.
So I washed with ash and washed every part of me swimming in the lake.
I especially did not want a UTI, which was common.
No one else came into the water, so I had privacy to strip to wash!
Taking the leeches off when I got out was no big deal.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
It is, of course, the producers' prerogative to make good TV but…
I was very sad to see how I was edited.
Randy called me an annoying, useless old woman, so nothing I was doing around camp was shown.
Bob, who won, was shown making furniture out of wood.
I made it out of elephant bones and that was not shown!
I left second, but with my honor intact.
Sorry,Survivor, I just couldn’t give you anything good for TV, but not for me.
I was pretty boring to interview.
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
There was no adjustment for me.
The main adjustment was the secrecy still involved.
Everyone had so many questions about how that was.
I basically said it was an amazing experience and opportunity.
There were no conveniences and very little food and we were among strangers we had to get to know.
I had lost 15 pounds and this was noticed and understood as all I ate was some rice.
None of all of that were lies!
What they and I didn’t know was that would come later using mySurvivorexperience.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?
From my season, I am mostly connected with Paloma and Jacquie.
I also visited with him in Boston a few times.
I was so very saddened and shocked by the news when he died.
I had also connected with Randy in camp despite all I heard him say when I saw my edit.
He and I would stand aside and shake our heads at our tribe.
He has been to Reality Rally several times.
I was happy to show him I truly am not useless!!
We connect on and off.
Others from my season who have come are Sugar, Kelly, Paloma, and Marcus.
Over 450 have come to Reality Rally.
I have over 900 stars in my event database, which I keep completely confidential.
Yes, I do watchSurvivor, as I have always been a fan and they are truly brilliant.
Who’s one player from anotherSurvivorseason you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I would have loved to have been on the same tribe as Denise Stapley or Holly Hoffman.
They are both the kind of people who hold the same skills and values as I do.
There are many I would have liked playing against for the challenge.
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor, what would it be and why?
I am not a fan of celebrity contestants.
There are so many many amazing possibilities in the people who apply every year who want to play.
It always seems that the season sort of becomes all about them.
I am also not a fan of returning players on seasons with new contestants.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
I would presume I might only be asked forSurvivor: Geriatric Island!
Of course, the viewing public would miss all the totally hot young people.
After 14 months of surgeries and PT, I was ready to roll after doing 14 months of groundwork!
