Paul Wachter (CBS)
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Name (Age): Paul Wachter (52)
Current Residence: Sugarloaf Key, FL via Long Island, NY
Occupation: Boat Mechanic
Hobbies: Singing in a rock band, treasure hunting, and spear fishing.
Pet Peeves: Whiners and slackers.
Three Words to Describe You: Intimidating, methodical, confident
NOTE: Usually I get a good thirty minutes with each contestant before the game starts. However, this season I had to get through all 20 players in only two-and-a-half hours. So, these pieces will be short and hopefully sweet.
Gordon Holmes: Alright, let’s get into this…
Paul Wachter: Take your time man, they’ve got me locked in a (expletive deleted) cell.
Holmes: Your pet peeves are whiners, Republicans, and slackers. I’d wager you’re going to see at least two of those things when you’re out there.
Wachter: Roger that.
Holmes: Are you worried about ending up on a tribe with those kinds of people?
Wachter: Nah, Republicans tend to be a little God squad, so that freaks me out a little bit. But, in general I can work my way through. My big concern is that we don’t get a bunch of lay downs. I came out here to test myself. I’ve watched the show since it’s onset and I want to see if I’m as good as I think I am. I’m from New York and we don’t have a lot of stoners and surfboards. We don’t (expletive deleted) around. I want to go against people who want to play.
Holmes: Alliances move so fast these days. If you end up working with someone like that, will you be able to tolerate that or will they have to go?
Wachter: Tolerate…I tolerate it every day. It depends how close we get. I’m going to be the first guy out or I’m going to win. Once I get rolling, the game is over. I’m going to win.
Holmes: You’re going to be away from your children for quite some time.
Wachter: When you’re as close to your kids as I am…we sold our companies and lived in a motor home for five years traveling the country. So, we’re very, very, very close. For me to do this it took all of us getting together. It’s not going to be easy, but they all understand.
Holmes: How do they feel about dad’s big adventure?
Wachter: (Laughs) They’re used to my big adventures. I’m a singer in a rock band. My kids are seventeen, they’re juniors and all their friends’ parents know me, I’m like David Lee Roth out there. I run around with a mic. I make fun of people, I’m picking on people. I’m an entertainer/singer. It’s what I do. My kids are used to it. They ask me a question, they get an honest answer. I don’t give them the (expletive deleted) birds and bees.
Holmes: I like to get a baseline for how people think they’re going to play out there. Do you have any issues lying?
Wachter: None. I’m here to play the game. Not a single issue. Win or go home.
Holmes: What about flirting?
Wachter: It might take some of that.
Holmes: Have you discussed this with the woman in your life?
Wachter: (Laughs) My old lady is cool with it. You’ve got to be very careful with it. When you’re 52 years old, flirting can come across as (expletive deleted) creepy. You don’t want to be creepy. But, I seem to be able to do it on stage with a wide variety of ages.
Holmes: What is your natural reaction to be lied to?
Wachter: Revenge. It’s to spin it against them.
Holmes: How do you deal with hunger?
Wachter: I’ve been practicing for six months on hunger. I think I’ll do very well.
Holmes: Lack of sleep?
Wachter: Again, it sucks but I’ve been working on it. I live in the Florida Keys. So, I have my own little islands I can practice on.
Holmes: So heat probably isn’t an issue?
Wachter: Oh yeah. LA sucks, it’s (expletive deleted) cold here.
Holmes: How about paranoia? Does that get to you?
Wachter: I don’t have any problem with it at all. I’m a well-rounded guy. I’ve gone through a lot, I’ve seen a lot. My maturity will keep my paranoia to a minimum. If anyone gets paranoid we want to kick them to the side. And see, I said, “We.” I’m already aligned with you.
Holmes: We’re going to tear this game up.
Wachter: Roger that.
Holmes: Have you seen any of the other players yet?
Wachter: Well, they keep us locked up in our little cells and they don’t let us meet anybody. I haven’t physically seen anybody. But, I am really hoping they don’t (expletive deleted) it up. I hope they pick the strongest people so we don’t get any kooks. And I’m not worried about a crazy kook, I’m worried about a lay down. People who want to go home and see their mom. I want to win against the best.
Holmes: If there is a twist, what do you think it could be?
Wachter: This season they lost that kid because he got really sick. They had to fly him out of there. I didn’t realize how much that affected the game. They went, “Oh (expletive deleted), we’ve got to put these people together.” Because they’ve got this all planned out way in advance. So, a twist…I’m a little paranoid…
Holmes: I thought you didn’t get paranoid.
Wachter: Not paranoid. (Laughs) But that they’ll have some goofy theme. I hope they don’t. But if they do, I have to go with it.
Holmes: If you could align with any past “Survivor” player, who would it be?
Wachter: It would be Andrew Savage. He’s the guy that I think can win the game. That’s a perfect example for a guy like me. They voted him out over stupid (expletive deleted). Just kids doing dumb stuff. You have to let a guy like that slide a little longer. He got smoked and it never should’ve happened. That’s the guy I’d align with. And, he’s an (expletive deleted) lawyer.
Holmes: Lightning round time. Cats or dogs?
Wachter: Dogs.
Holmes: Beer or wine?
Wachter: Beer.
Holmes: Superman or Batman?
Wachter: Superman.
Holmes: Meat or vegetables?
Wachter: Meat.
Holmes: I think I know the answer to this one; Republican or Democrat?
Wachter: Yeah…Democrat.
Holmes: Books or TV?
Wachter: TV.
Holmes: Swimming or sunbathing?
Wachter: Swimming.
Holmes: Many casual friends or one good friend?
Wachter: One good friend.
Holmes: A nice car or a nice home?
Wachter: Nice home.
Holmes: Smart or funny?
Wachter: Smart.
Holmes: Parvati or Boston Rob?
Wachter: Parvati.
Holmes: Big vacation or big TV?
Wachter: Big vacation.
Holmes: Working alone or with team?
Wachter: Working with a team.
Holmes: Dragons or unicorns?
Wachter: Dragons.
Holmes: Careful planning or fly by the seat of your pants?
Wachter: Seat of my pants.
Holmes: Jeff Probst or Ryan Seacrest?
Wachter: Probst all day long.
Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X,” Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 8pm ET.
Tags: paul wachter, survivor, survivormvgx
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