All-Star Survivor: Hawaii Tina Wesson post-game interview

What was it like to win the game once, and then sit on the jury the second time around? How close did Tina come to winning the game? Who did Tina not want to see in the cast? Survivor fan Maureen Elizabeth sat down with Ahi's Tina Wesson this week, and picked her brain on her experiences in All-Star Hawaii.

ME: Hi Tina!

TW: Hello.

ME: Thanks for the interview. Sorry you didn't win. You were one of my favorites!

TW: Well thank you. That means a lot to me. I'm sorry I didn't win either!

ME: What was your reaction when you heard about All-Stars and that the producers wanted you to play again? Did you think it was a good idea?

TW: I was so excited when I got the call. I was ready to go!!!

ME: Didn't you say you never wanted to play Survivor again after Australia? I thought you said you never wanted to go through that again?

TW: I did say that, but I am just one of these gluttons for punishment! I love adventure. For my and my husband's anniversaries, the first one we were on a rock in the center of a river in Zion National Park. Our 2nd anniversary, we were two hours into the jungle of Belize. Our 3rd we were bicycling through Tahoe, because we're both just adventure junkies. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to do Survivor again.

ME: Why do you think you lost the game in Hawaii? Was there something different between the way you played in Australia and the way you played in Hawaii?

TW: It wasn't so much a difference in my strategy as it was a difference in the way I was perceived. Once we got towards the end of the game in Hawaii, people saw me as a threat. In Australia, they really didn't think of me that way.

ME: So you think being a former winner had something to do with it?

TW: Oh I think being a former winner had a LOT to do with it. If I hadn't won before, people wouldn't have been worried about me.

ME: That being said, are you surprised that you made it as far as you did?

TW: Well you know me. I'm a competitor. I don't go into games expecting not to do well, that's just not me. I went into All-Stars fully expecting I could do as well as before. If you don't expect that, why show up at all?

ME: Do you think there was an anti-winner bias in the game overall?

TW: For me, personally, I never felt it as strongly as I expected to feel it. I knew it would show up, eventually, but I thought it would show up in the beginning of the game or in the middle of the game. For me, I never really felt it until we got down towards the end, and people started to talk about it.

ME: Do you think Ethan and Richard felt it worse on the other tribe?

TW: Oh yes. I have spoken to Ethan quite extensively about this, and he said the situation on Keko was much more dire. He felt like he was marginalized and pushed away from almost the very first minute. For Vecepia and I, we were fortunate on Ahi because we never experienced that.

ME: Why do you think the two tribes were different like that?

TW: To me, it seemed like Ahi was just more interested in winning. Nobody on our tribe was all that caught up in personal grudges or differences. We were just there to win.

ME: Nobody was caught up in personal differences? What about Boston Rob and John?

TW: Well you forget, they were in the same alliance for most of the game. So even though they didn't get along, they were able to look past that most of the time. Although I certainly can't say always.

ME: So you think that Ahi was just a much stronger tribe?

TW: Just look at the results and I think you have to acknowledge that. We didn't have the great athletes, but we dominated the challenges. We were in control of the game almost from the very first minute.

ME: Who do you credit that dominance to? Was it Lex?

TW: Lex was certainly our most visible leader, but to me it was more of a team effort. We always came together when we had to. Even though we didn't always get along, we worked together very well when it was necessary.

ME: Do you think that Boston Rob made a good leader?

TW: Actually, yes. I didn't always like his style, but you couldn't argue with the results. No matter where he was, or who he was aligned with, he was always in control of things.

ME: Well until you took him out, anyway.

TW: *laughing* Sometimes a mother just has to do those sort of things.

ME: Was he angry with you after the game?

TW: No, not really. Rob can be a real you-know-what during the game, but after the game is over, he is a sweetie. In many ways, he is a lot like me. He is just extremely competitive.

ME: Were you surprised to see Rob in the cast? I know that, at the beginning of the game, a lot of Survivor fans were sort of surprised that he was considered an All-Star. Were you surprised?

TW: I was sort of surprised. I was actually sort of surprised with a couple of people. Vecepia, for one. I knew that she and her husband were trying to start a family, so I was surprised that she came. For most of the rest of the cast I pretty much knew who they would pick.

ME: Even Frank?

TW: Frank was definitely a surprise. But I was glad that he was there by the end. Frank was a great source of strength for me out there most of the time. I don't think that TV editing really does credit to him. He is a really great guy.

ME: Was there anybody you were especially glad to see in the cast?

TW: Oh yes. Mike Skupin. I was THRILLED that they picked him. He deserved to be there more than anyone.

ME: Ha, I thought you were going to say Colby.

TW: Well I liked seeing Colby too, obviously. But since he and I were on separate tribes, we never really had the chance to interact much. We never really even saw one another until after the game.

ME: That's too bad. I would have liked to see some sort of reunion between you two. I always liked the mother-son relationship between the two of you.

TW: A reunion between us would have been interesting, but I also think it would have caused problems. Because once you start making cross-tribe alliances, the game can get very complicated. Truthfully, I think it was best that we never met up.

ME: I have heard that they almost cast Amber on the show instead of Colleen. I heard that Colleen kept turning down the producers until the very last minute. Is there any truth to that?

TW: From what I have heard, yes I think that is completely true. They basically had to drag Colleen out there by her fingernails. She didn't want to play Survivor again.

ME: Do you think the game would have been different if Colleen hadn't been there?

TW: Truthfully? No. Colleen is a sweet girl and I love her to death, but she was rarely ever a part of any of the decision making. Most of the players didn't take her all that seriously as much of a strategist.

ME: Were you sad the night she was voted out?

TW: Of course. Wouldn't you be? That was America's Sweetheart!

ME: But you still voted for her anyway.

TW: Well yes. Partly because I didn't have much of a choice (John had already lined up the votes against her with or without me). But partly because, like her or not, she was still an opponent. And you don't feel bad about taking pieces in a game of backgammon, do you? I love Colleen to death, but I'm a competitor, and she was a piece in my way.

ME: Do you think Amber being on your tribe instead of Colleen would have impacted the game any differently?

TW: No, other than the fact that it wouldn't have been All-Stars anymore.

ME: *laughs* Hey, I heard that you didn't really like Vecepia going into Hawaii? Is that true? And has that changed?

TW: Well I had never really met Vecepia before All-Stars. I had seen her at a few functions on occasion, but I didn't know much about her on a personal level. All I knew about her was what I saw on TV. And I wasn't that big a fan of hers.

ME: So I take it you were a Neleh fan?

TW: I thought Neleh should have won Marquesas. I loved that girl. I was very surprised that Vecepia won.

ME: So has that changed since then? I take it it has, based on what we saw on TV. You and Vecepia seemed incredibly close out there.

TW: Other than Frank, Vecepia was probably my closest ally in Hawaii. We often thought along the same wavelengths. I was surprised to find out she was such a good strategist.

ME: What surprised you the most about her?

TW: I was most surprised when I found out that she intended to take John to the final two instead of me. I really had no clue she ever had any sort of backup plan. All along, I had thought all she cared about was facing a former winner at the end. That really surprised me.

ME: Do you feel like she played you?

TW: She did, a little bit. Although I'm not bitter about it. It's one of the reasons I voted for her. She impressed me.

ME: Does Vecepia winning almost seem like a symbolic victory for you, as well? Since it showed that a former winner COULD win the game?

TW: Oh absolutely. If I couldn't win, I was glad that she did. I still wish I would have won though. I'm gracious but I'm not that gracious. I want to win as much as anyone!

ME: Would you ever have voted for John in the final jury?

TW: Of course I would have, he played a great game. Vecepia just played a better one.

ME: Would you have voted for anyone over Vecepia?

TW: Maybe Gretchen, but I never really thought she was going to get to the end. Because if she did, she was going to have to do it all on her own. No one would have ever worked with her towards the end, she was too scary.

ME: Do you think that Gretchen could have won the game if she hadn't injured her arm?

TW: It certainly looked like she had a chance.

ME: Were you surprised that she got injured? She seemed so tough most of the time. On TV, it seemed like she was infallible.

TW: Gretchen is a tough cookie, no doubt about it. But as to if I am surprised that she got injured, no not really. Frankly, I'm shocked that there has only been one serious injury in Survivor up to this point (Mike). The challenges are tough.

ME: Besides Gretchen, did you get along with the rest of the Keko women? I mean before you aligned with them and then turned on them.

TW: I absolutely got along with them. If we had started on the same tribe, I probably would have been one of them. We all had a lot in common with one another

ME: So why did you turn on them and go back to Ahi after the Rob vote?

TW: Common sense. If I had stayed with the Kekos, it would have been suicide.

ME: Did they hold a grudge over that?

TW: No, like most of the All-Stars, they knew it was all a game. Not many people took things very seriously out there. Once you were out of the game, it was like oh well.

ME: Even Alicia?

TW: Alicia is actually very sweet and laid back most of the time. She's actually one of the funniest people I have ever met. The problem is that you just don't want to get on her bad side. Once that happens, like when John did at the end of the game, watch out!

ME: Okay, well that just about wraps it up for my interview, Tina. I want to thank you for sitting down and chatting with me.

TW: My pleasure.

ME: Before you leave, is there anything you'd like to tell fans of the show about Survivor, that they might not already know? Any "behind the scenes" info that we might not know otherwise?

TW: Well, the game isn't really fun, like most people would imagine. Most of the time, you are under incredible suffering out there. The conditions can be miserable. The starvation and weakness can absolutely debilitate you at times.

ME: Even in Hawaii?

TW: Even in Hawaii. It wasn't like we were staying at the Hilton!

ME: Do you think you would do Survivor again if you were asked for a third time?

TW: Of course I would do it again. And next time I would definitely win!

ME: Thanks, Tina. Any last comments for Survivor fans?

TW: Remember if you're posting on other sites to be kind. Lots of time, we're reading what you're writing and we do have feelings. It's just a game, not real life. And if you want to keep updated on what I'm up to, you can log on to my website www.tinawesson.com

ME: Thanks, Tina!







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