Michael Jefferson (CBS)
Here’s a quick tip for anyone appearing on “Survivor.” If you’re being interviewed, and they ask if you if you think you’ll be blindsided, just say “Yes.” That way, they won’t have a hilarious clip to play before your alliance turns on you.
It’s too bad I didn’t get a chance to give Michael Jefferson that tip before he started playing “Survivor: One World.”
I spoke with Michael the morning after he was eliminated and got his thoughts on last night’s shocking vote, Tarzan’s grooming habits, and the great pick-axe heist…
Gordon Holmes: So, still think blindsides are fun?
Michael Jefferson: (Laughs) You know, honestly going into “Survivor” I didn’t want to fight for my life if I knew I was going home, so blindsides are great. It lets you go out with some honor.
Holmes: Did Jay tip you off at all, or was he completely working you?
Jefferson: I thought we had an alliance and we were talking the whole time. He wanted to keep the new Salani tribe together.
Holmes: And your plan was to boot Christina and even up the guy/girl numbers.
Jefferson: We were trying to be fair to the girls. We voted out Jonas, and then we should vote out a girl. You know, going into “Survivor,” I knew that women tend to stick together better than men.
Holmes: So let me get this straight, people don’t play fair on “Survivor”?
Jefferson: (Laughs) Yeah, we were trying to be fair. If we were adamant about voting a girl off every time, they might get suspicious.
Holmes: Kim told Troyzan that you were gunning for him, and he completely bought it. Did you have any indication that she’d managed to get to him?
Jefferson: I knew from the get-go that Troy and I didn’t get along. We didn’t talk much, we didn’t talk strategy with each other. I feel like he was threatened by me the entire game. So, last night’s episode, he was going crazy when Kim told him that I wanted him gone. He was irate. He fell for it. He fell for the trap.
Holmes: It was kind of odd to me that a big, strong guy like yourself was playing what appeared to be an under-the-radar game. What moves and strategies didn’t we get to see?
Jefferson: Out of the gates, we had Jay, Matt, and myself and we were calling the shots. My goal was to put one person ahead of me, and that person was Matt. Unfortunately, and I love Matt, but if he wanted to be the leader, I was going to let him be the leader. But he left the game so quickly that it didn’t work in my favor. I wanted to lay low a little bit after Matt was gone.
Holmes: Now that the woman have the numbers, do you regret not doing more to keep Bill and Jonas?
Jefferson: Jonas was a guy I didn’t talk with at all. He didn’t associate with me because his tribe would think he was going against them. So, Jonas and I never really talked during the game.
Holmes Were you ever Tarzan’d? And if so, what is that experience like?
Jefferson: As far as Tarzan goes, I never really put up with his little antics and games. He would ramble on. It took him two days to make a comb. He’d do all of these things that didn’t make sense. He was just kind of dead weight. So, I never really got Tarzan’d.
Holmes: I’m sorry, Tarzan took two days to make a comb?
Jefferson: He made it out of bamboo. They showed him chewing on it last night. He really wanted that comb.
Holmes: I find it odd that someone who’s so concerned with their grooming would be at the center of this dirty underwear controversy.
Jefferson: He is a very clean guy. He’s a doctor, he’s probably one of the smartest guys I’ve ever met. He just doesn’t really have people skills.
Holmes: So you think it was dirt?
Jefferson: (Laughs) I don’t think it was dirt.
Holmes: And on that note, let’s do some word association. Let’s kick this off with Kim.
Jefferson: Dominant, powerful.
Holmes: Troyzan?
Jefferson: Loony, afraid.
Holmes: Jay?
Jefferson: Sincere, but lost.
Holmes: Leif?
Jefferson: (Laughs) I don’t know…wily.
Holmes: Chelsea?
Jefferson: She likes to ride coattails.
Holmes: Christina?
Jefferson: Maybe…smart, but lazy.
Holmes: Sabrina?
Jefferson: Strong and sweet.
Holmes: Tarzan?
Jefferson: I’m going to say he’s intelligent, but goofy.
Holmes: Kat?
Jefferson: Innocent, cheerful.
Holmes: Alicia?
Jefferson: She’s a fireball.
Holmes: Jeff Probst and I had a chat about your thieving ways. We both agreed, which is rare, that it seemed like a high-risk/low-reward move. What was going through your mind when you decided to liberate all of the girls’ stuff?
Jefferson: When I saw the girls’ pile, I don’t know what came over me. Just because you make a pile doesn’t make it yours. So, I ran back and forth a few times grabbing everything. And it was amazing to me that not one person saw me. Not one guy or one girl. I told Jonas, but I think he was caught up in the moment and didn’t remember what I said.
Holmes: So, you telling Jonas never came back to bite you? Nobody even knew you were responsible?
Jefferson: Nobody ever did. And I didn’t bring it up because I knew it could send me home.
Holmes: You’re like a “Survivor” ninja.
Jefferson: And I’m like 6’5” stealing all their stuff!
Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
Tags: jeff probst, michael jefferson, survivor, survivor one world
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