“It got ugly behind the scenes”
An Interview with Ryan Rebez

Christopher: Hey everyone…I’m back with another sit down chat…for your eyes only. My interviews are actually done live…not simply in a cut & paste question and answer format, so all of the answers are spontaneous!

Let’s get this moving and welcome Ryan Rebez…

Ryan was a member of Kamiya, the pre-determined “naughty” tribe in Okinawa. When Murtz & I were shuttled to Sato during the switch, Ryan was one of the castaways who made sure that the word “evil” would always be synonymous with Kamiya.

Welcome Ryan!


Ryan: I was off work ill today.


Christopher: Oh dear. What about tomorrow? Don't you need rest?


Ryan: I have as long as it takes.


Christopher: Awww - what a trooper. Okay, babeee…let’s get cracking. Ryan, you were the first jury member - was that difficult for you – making the merge, only to have your torch immediately snuffed out?


Ryan: No. As much as I could complain about me lot on the island, I think that having made the jury at all against the players in Okinawa was fantastic. In fact, being the first one out, I was able to get to know Matt, who soon followed me, and I consider his to be one of my more lasting friendships from my time out there. At the time, I think I was more amused than anything... that Isabella had finally done something, because it came at the first point in the game where I had taken my eye off her for more than a minute. *laughs*


Christopher: *laughing* We will definitely come back to you & Isabella, but let's start at the beginning…have you played in any online games before?


Ryan: No, in fact, I was surprised to hear about the depth of experience that some of the others had at this sort of thing. I've been a fan of Mario's for some time. One of the stories you'll hear me tell often is that I interrupted a trip to China to read his All-Star Alaska story.


Christopher: No shit! Really?


Ryan: And I did just that, I skipped a day of sightseeing in Hong Kong and instead huddled up over a free computer in the public library there.


Christopher: Ha! That's awesome. I never caught that tale.


Ryan: …So I frequented S-C, and in doing so, was probably one of the first to notice the ad for Okinawa. Having read about Tonga, I jumped at the chance. Besides, as a Canadian, I'm ineligible to be a part of the real Survivor...so this was as close as I would ever come. How can you pass that up?


Christopher: Agreed. When I read about Tonga, I remember thinking...that'd be fun. And, ummm... it was… sometimes. Was your experience in Okinawa what you expected it to be?


Ryan: It was, and then some. I had a lot of fun, and I can't honestly complain about where I ended up. However, I wasn't sure what I was expecting going in, but I certainly never imagined that it would become so immersive that I would lose so much time to the game. It actually led to a difficult situation in real life for me… Towards the end of my time on the island, my girlfriend, who lives with me, was absolutely fed up with the amout of time I was putting into the game. And it caused a huge rift.


Christopher: Ah...I'm glad I was single at the time.


Ryan: You ought to be. From what I hear, there were a few of us who had a strained relationship to go along with the strained eyesight after so much time at the computer


Christopher: Did it ever com to a point where she wished you'd won?


Ryan: *laughs* Yes, it came to a point, coincidentally at about the same time as she read the first episode, that she wished that she hadn't been so upset about it... but I see her point, regardless. I mean, we have a very close relationship, we don't spend a lot of time apart, and during the game, I was becoming so distant that I may as well have been out on an island somewhere at some points. So I don't fault her at all… Sorry... I tend to ramble…


Christopher: I LOVE RAMBLING! How did you feel about the “good vs. evil” aspect of the original teams? Did anyone on your tribe (including you!) not deserve their “good” or “evil” moniker?


Ryan: I knew that I would have to expect something right off the hop with Mario. He's not the type to let us lapse into complacency. So I loved the good vs. evil tribal compositions. Do I disagree with any of the assignments? Yes: Danielle, Joni, David, and Henry were probably started on the wrong tribes. Henry, well that's a toss-up. The other three for sure.


Christopher: Did you figure out the tribal division before the game ended?


Ryan: I hadn't figured it out in those terms, no... but I had an idea that the cutthroat players had been divided from the love-tribers. I just didn't think of all the schemers as “evil”, and all the love-tribers as "good".


Christopher: I have to agree. *smiles*


Ryan: Oh, one thing to add: If you read my application essay, you will see that not only can I not disagree with my designation as "evil", I actually courted it. *laughs*


Christopher: So had you been an Outcast...who would you have taken back to Kamiya?


Ryan: Hmm. That's an interesting question and not an easy one...I think odds are that I would have taken David, Amy, and Lance. Murtz was convinced the power lay in the hands of David, Amy, Beth and Matt. I would have wanted to take half of the power core and leave half behind to split them up. As far as why Lance...He struck me as a straight-up guy from his pre-show posting, the "boot camp" post, so to speak. I'm actually quite pleased to see that I was dead-on in that assessment. Not that I entirely believed Murtz's assessment…


Christopher: Why not?


Ryan: It's impossible to know what the politics of the other tribe are without being able to observe them. For instance, the Sato tribe thought I would be the leader of Kamiya, and, delusions of grandeur aside, at that point, nothing could have been further from the truth.


Christopher: If you could pick a tribe of 8, who would have been on it?


Ryan: Knowing what I know now, I would say Murtz, Beth, Matt, Amy, Mike, Michelle, you and I... and that's not to discredit any of the others in any way, but I know that those 8 would have had a blast together... assuming that everyone left their past differences behind them, that is.


Christopher: Hypothetically we would not have had past differences yet. *winks* But I love that grouping.


Ryan: As do I.


Christopher: I hereby elect you team captain if we play Red Rover at the Okinawa Reunion! Reading the episodes, who was your best ally? And conversely – who did you think it was at the time?


Ryan: It's the same answer for both questions. Without a doubt, Mike had my back every step of the way. As loyal as Murtz was and would have been, I will say Mike, simply because we went through more together. That's not to say I was as loyal to him, however... but you can refer yourselves to the "evil" tribe question above if you need a refresher on my game plan. ;-)


Christopher: I have a feeling I know the answer to the next one...who was your biggest “nemesis” in Okinawa? Who did you think it was at the time?


Ryan: My biggest nemesis in Okinawa was definitely Isabella. C'mon, you knew that... *both laugh*


Christopher: We ALL knew that one...but I had to ask


Ryan: However, it depends at what point you ask the question. At one time, I would have said you, at another, Amy. However, you got switched...and my focus on Amy as a threat was definitely one of the things that contributed to my downfall, since our rivalry gave Isabella the perfect opportunity to act.


Christopher: So at what point did Isabella raise your suspicion? You were the first to catch on to her according to the story


Ryan: The defining moment can be found in my article on DaniGate (check my forum). But it was when she took a subtle jab at Danielle and I caught it. From that point on, I knew she was one to keep an eye on However, in all fairness, it was only Murtz who ever figured out her true identity while still in the game. I guess his particular brand of paranoia *can* be helpful at times.


Christopher: I have to admit that I never caught onto Bella at all. I thought she was wishy washy, and that freaked me out a bit, but I had no idea she was the character I had been rooting for in Tonga.


Ryan: Honestly, I wasn't that big a fan of hers in Tonga.


Christopher: Oh really? Were you a Mario man?


Ryan: His play was worthy of some emulation, but I always cheer for the underdogs. I was rooting for Anna.


Christopher: I liked Anna, too. I am partial to women, though...who would've guessed?


Ryan: Go figure


Christopher: So, Ryan, what was your favorite challenge? Were there any challenges you would not have wanted to participate in?


Ryan: Codebreaker... day 7. Without a doubt, my favourite. I was longing for more of the mental challenges.


Christopher: Ah - you were a star that day. I remember none of us wanted to do it - were you freaked out?


Ryan: I was hesitant to do the tiebreaker. But at the same time, I knew I would win it. That having been said... had Amy been nominated for Sato, it would have been closer.


Christopher: It was so early in the game...I know I was a little concerned about appearing as too much of a threat. Did you worry about that?


Ryan: Yes I did. But it was only a reward challenge, and it was early.


Christopher: Did you ever purposely play down your prowess in the challenges - not necessarily to throw something...but in order to hide that you were a threat?


Ryan: No, I don't believe I did. Aside from the thrown challenge, I went balls-out on most of them.


Christopher: Watching the episodes, has anybody surprised you in a strategic or entertaining way with their strategy and/or confessionals?


Ryan: The only real surprise was how astute Isabella was at all times. We never saw more than brief glimmers of that side of her in the game. Matt's confessionals always make me laugh. And he was definitely more strategic than I would have given him credit for at the time, he did go from first to last on the list of Satos to be eliminated post-twist... credit given where credit due.


Christopher: That definitely is a credit to his skills as a player - few make that leap in the game of Survivor. So...this kind of relates to my previous question...watching the episodes, has anybody surprised you in a negative way with their strategy and/or confessionals?


Ryan: I can't say I was disappointed to see anyone's strategy. I think everyone had some great plays... even Lance, who a lot of people singled out as a non-player, made a brilliant move when he set up a potential tie vote between Mike and Michelle. It didn't work, but that was hardly his fault. So, no, nobody's strategy was overtly bad. As far as confessionals, well, there were one or two that crossed a line during DaniGate and later during the NewKamiyan civil war... but I think I may have been behind some of those, so I'm hardly one to point fingers. *laughs*


Christopher: That particular episode was like spilled milk - the more it sits round...the more unpleasant it is...


Ryan: There's a few like that…


Christopher: Having had a hand in it...and I know you addressed some of this in your Forum...how do you feel about it all today? I know I still wonder how in the heck it all got that bad - it was like we all reverted back to high school, with you & Murtz as the jocks, me as the cheerleader and my girl Michelle as the ball-busting, ass kicking softball player.


Ryan: Well, it's hard to sum up. I did my best in my forum, and even that took some 7 or 8 pages. But ultimately, I think it'd be fair to say that several people got so carried away with trying to be the ultimate mastermind that we completely lost touch with the fact that these were real people we were dealing with.


Christopher: You said it well...hard to remember it was real people sometimes.


Ryan: Actually, a friend of mine said it even better: The first few days on Kamiya were like watching boxers talk about upcoming matches, except instead of hearing "I am so strong, I am going to pulverize him." "No, I am stronger, and I will beat you down, boy", you heard "I am the smartest smart person, and I am going to outscheme everyone." ... "No, I am the smartest of the smart people, and my scheming will outscheme your scheming, you impudent twit.” It was (excuse the term) a penis-wagging contest. Very Freudian.

Christopher: Ok Ryan…here we go - did you find yourself having a crush on another castaway? I promise not to tell your girlfriend. *winks*


Ryan: Ha! Well, that's hard to say, since I still don't know what most of these people look like.


Christopher: Heh...I think I've seen about half the cast - maybe a few more – we’ve got quite the decent looking group, if I do say so myself.


Ryan: Based on the website photos, we certainly do...Although Amy has a bad case of "Aniston nose." *winks*


Christopher: Ok. You are the first Kamiya I've had a chance to speak with, who stayed on Kamiya post-switch, so...please, for the love of god - explain the whole "let's fuck with Sato" trip. I never really figured that ne out - you guys always had the upper hand...so why go through all of that?


Ryan: Well, that one's another difficult question. I'll break it down a bit to make it easier. Firstly, the numbers game: In theory, we had 4, they had 3. Easy, right?


Christopher: Yup. I know I woulda liked those numbers.


Ryan: However, the four were really two groups of two... Emma/Michelle & Mike/Ryan, based on the politics to that point. I was terrified that Emma and Michelle would switch sides, since their only real loyalty was to you and Joni. So much had become evident to me during Danigate.


Christopher: Right - you were more clued in than the other guys...in terms of Dani having passed on info…


Ryan: So I had to make the Satos seem like the worse option to them, than Mike & I. The secretaries comment, when it came back through David, put Michelle on my side for the long run. So that part actually had meaning to it. Secondly, the act with Mike: As I mentioned, Mike and I were sort of on the outside looking in before the twist. So I wanted to put the power back into our hands somehow. I *also* was very concerned with his growing level of respect among the tribe. So the act came up, it made me look like a snake, but it also soiled Mike's hands, since he came out of it as the betrayer of false hopes. A snake you can respect, because his is true to his nature. A traitor, however... And thus were the makings of a perfect final 2 plan.


Christopher: Hmmm. Interesting stuff. You're a planner, I'll give you that, Mr. Rebez. *winks*


Ryan: It was my thought process at the time. In retrospect, it was excessive and I realize that now.


Christopher: Many of us had those moments, though. You certainly aren't alone. Okay, I am going to list some adjectives, and I want you to match them up with a Castaway for me...K?


Ryan: Sure.


Christopher: Smartest?


Ryan: Isabella.


Christopher: Funniest?


Ryan: Matt.


Christopher: Trustworthy?


Ryan: Mike/Beth.


Christopher: Social Butterfly?


Ryan: Amy.


Christopher: Most fun to hang with?


Ryan: Michelle & Amy. We had the most hilarious chat ever just before I was voted out.


Christopher: Hard one - Annoying?


Ryan: Annoying... Isabella again. Frustrating would actually be a better word.


Christopher: Out of Touch with Reality?


Ryan: Henry would be the easy answer, but I'll go with myself.


Christopher: Kindest?


Ryan: Beth... by far.


Christopher: Wildest?


Ryan: You or Michelle. Well it depends on what you mean by wild. You were wild as in "party animal"…She was wild as in "savage beast.” *winks*


Christopher: The Naughty Hotties! I remember everyone would be online - I'd go out and dance & make out & get drunk - come back home - and the same people would still be online.


Ryan: Those were some interesting chats, no doubt.


Christopher: People thought I was insane for leaving the game for a few hours. We were all *that* plugged in…


Ryan: I know.


Christopher: Here's a big one for you: Would you like to set the record straight about anything?


Ryan: Well, yes... about something that Mario alluded to in his latest commentary. After the show, a lot of people still held a grudge about the events that occurred within the game, some with good reason. Now, most of that has been dealt with, as evidenced by the fact that I consider Beth and Matt to be among my more lasting friendships. However, one of the schisms that lasted a bit longer was the rift between the Angels and a few of the rest of us...But we all came around with time. It's really true that time does heal all wounds.


Christopher: Hmmm...Well, I wasn't planning on addressing any of it myself, as you may have noticed.


Ryan: I know. I wanted to get it out in the open, it's something that festered behind the scenes for too long. And it would never be resolved that way. I wanted to remain on good terms with as many people as possible.


Christopher: Well - I don't want to sidetrack from the issue, but the Angels were no different than some of the groups who take potshots. We loved each other and stuck together.


Ryan: I wanted to make a mention of that issue, because it got ugly behind the scenes


Christopher: It did.


Ryan: And I think it's only now, in fact very recently that things have started to smooth over.


Christopher: And, I'm not sure it will ever be truly smooth for the entire cast.


Ryan: But I think most people are moving toward a mutual understanding now and are at least civil towards one another. I don't live in the delusion that Joni and Hogan or Murtz can ever be friends.


Christopher: Right. Some people, just like in life, were just never really meant to connect with some people. We were a microcosm…cast for conflict. And we delivered. *grins* (Note from Christopher: Ryan & I actually ended up having a very lengthy chat about politics amongst cast members. It was quite juicy, and frankly – “too hot for TV”. Ryan is interested in clearing the air about a number of issues related to the state of affairs between cast members, but it really took away from his interview…which is supposed to be about him as a player – not how fucked up our cast is or was…we’ll see if it gets posted in another format)


Christopher: What was your favorite moment in Okinawa? The whole game...


Ryan: I think my favourite moment would be that Codebreaker reward challenge win, but a close second was the chat that I had with Michelle and Amy just before I was voted out - what wasn't shown as much in the story was the softer side of Kamiya, the joking around, the parties, the generally fun atmosphere that lingered behind all the strategizing. And that was one of those moments where Michelle and I just put the game aside for a moment, and her, Amy and I just had a blast chatting about the 80's, the games we had played and our lives in general, just joking around and goofing off.


Christopher: I have fond memories of Kamiya. There was a lot of laughter and fun to be had there. The parties were legendary…


Ryan: Exactly. I mean, we had a great time out there.


Christopher: It didn't appear much in the story, but I have been told that the celebrations did continue unabated, even after the switch.


Ryan: No, we didn't stop just because we lost our biggest party animal to the twist. *laughs*


Christopher: Kamiya was definitely the home of wickedly funny jokes. As bad as it looked, it was a jovial group.


Ryan: It was. There's a reason that Kamiya stuck together so long.


Christopher: Worst moment in Okinawa?


Ryan: Worst moment...A lot of people would expect me to say something during Danigate, but that isn't the case at all.


Christopher: At the time it didn't seem like that big of a deal, sadly - I think we were all relieved.


Ryan: The worst moment of the game for me was throwing that challenge where Beth got voted out, and having to face her afterward.


Christopher: Ah - I bet. That was a painful end to her arc.


Ryan: It was completely unfair, it was completely unnecessary, and it was incredibly difficult to live through. I mean, we got the numbers advantage, so in a way, we won...but in a far more accurate way, we all lost that day.


Christopher: Biggest regret?


Ryan: Also that challenge. Up to the last minute, I was going to ignore the others and go for medium effort... it was only after one last conversation about the importance of making sure we lost that I conceded and went very low effort. I still don't think we needed to just sit there. There were ways to lose without making it so obvious, and then at least Beth would have gone out with some dignity still afforded to her.


Christopher: Pretty bleak picture. What, if anything, did you learn about yourself?


Ryan: I learned that I second-guess myself too often, and that I need to remind myself every once in a while that everyone has feelings.


Christopher: Succint and to the point. And, finally…would you do it again?


Ryan: Absolutely.


Christopher: Thanks for taking the time to do this, Ryan. As always, it was a pleasure. And our producer Mario will be pleased...I know that he was anxious to see your interview hit the site.


Ryan: Yes. In fact, he asked me to do your interview - would you mind that?


Christopher: Oh dear. *Ryan laughs* Run my mouth again? Mario dropped that on me the other day - that he wanted me to do one...I was like - do you want someone to detonate this website? But sure - you'd be a great person to do me…


Ryan: That could have a double meaning. *winks*


Christopher: …and you know i've been DYING to use that phrase with you…


Ryan: *laughs*


Christopher: And that’s the end of the Ryan Rebez interview. Looks like he’s after my job, folks. I hope y’all had a good time reading just a little bit more about Okinawa, and what it was like to live in Mario’s World.



Next week, I’ll be back with another Castaway. Don’t forget to look for Episode 12 – it has some truly shocking developments…castaways were talking about this one for a LONG time.



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