Taylor Stocker (CBS)
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Name (Age): Taylor Lee Stocker (24)
Current Residence: Postfalls, ID
Occupation: Ski Instructor
Hobbies: Playing music, brewing beer, and snowboarding.
Pet Peeves: Wobbly tables, people not cleaning up their dog’s poop, loud chewing, slow walkers, selfies, forms without enough space for answers.
Three Words to Describe You: Spontaneous, inventive, and thinker.
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: You’re a man who’s going to make “Survivor” history; good or bad. You’ve got to elaborate on that.
Taylor Stocker: Good, crazy, doing some awesome stuff, climbing trees, having a good time.
Holmes: I’ve seen some “Survivor” in my day and climbing trees is not making history.
Stocker: Dude, falling out of trees!
Holmes: I’ve seen some of that too. Maybe if you set some kind of height record.
Stocker: (Laughs) I’ll find the biggest tree and climb it.
Holmes: Promise me you will stay in one piece. I can’t have this on my conscience.
Stocker: Just for you.
Holmes: You’re going to be hard to vote out because you’re likable. Likable people get voted out all the time. Sometimes because they are too likable.
Stocker: I need to get in with a good crowd, and after the merge is when the good, likable people get voted out. I’ll be able to last until the merge, like Joe (Anglim), then I’ll have a hard time because I’m extremely fit and good at challenges. That’s going to be my biggest struggle right there.
Holmes: Do you have any issues lying?
Stocker: No, I have no problems lying.
Holmes: How do you react to being lied to?
Stocker: Typically, I’m pretty good. There are always people who can put on that actor face and lie right to you. They’re hard to read. But, if those people don’t have a bad side to them that you know about, what can you do? You have to play as hard as you can, and if you get voted out, you have to say, “Hey, I (expletive deleted) up.”
Holmes: How well do you deal with hunger?
Stocker: I can get pretty hangry. If I’m sleep deprived, I can be an (expletive deleted) sometimes. My temper is pretty short. If someone crosses me, I’ll rage out on them.
Holmes: How about extreme temperatures?
Stocker: I’m fine in cold, heat is my enemy. I deal with the cold all the time. The good news is; we’re probably going to be in a rainy season.
Holmes: How do you deal with paranoia?
Stocker: I don’t read into things too much. I’m going to make as many friends as I can. Try to get in as much as I can. And I’m not going to think about it too much because that can mess with your game.
Holmes: Is flirting something you’d be willing to do to get ahead?
Stocker: Oh yeah!
Holmes: Is there anyone at home that’ll be upset if they see you flirting?
Stocker: I really don’t think so. I’m not going to make an idiot out of myself by doing anything too extreme. And I’m pretty likable, so I don’t think I’ll have to work at it too much.
Holmes: Any early thoughts on the cast?
Stocker: There’s some good-looking people. Some strong guys I would get along with.
Holmes: If there is a twist, what do you think it could be?
Stocker: Early merges, something new they haven’t done before. Crazy stuff, hidden idols at challenges. Something new with idols maybe.
Holmes: If you could align with any past player, who would it be?
Stocker: I’d say Joe or Woo (Hwang). We have a similar way of thinking. So, I would know how they are going to think.
Holmes: Lightning round time. Cats or dogs?
Stocker: Dogs.
Holmes: Beer or wine?
Stocker: Beer.
Holmes: Superman or Batman?
Stocker: Superman.
Holmes: Meat or vegetable?
Stocker: Meat.
Holmes: Republican or Democrat?
Stocker: Republican.
Holmes: Books or TV?
Stocker: TV.
Holmes: Swimming or sunbathing?
Stocker: Swimming.
Holmes: Many casual friends or one good friend?
Stocker: One good friend.
Holmes: Nice car or nice home?
Stocker: Nice home.
Holmes: Smart or funny?
Stocker: Smart.
Holmes: Parvati or Boston Rob?
Stocker: Boston Rob.
Holmes: Big TV or big vacation?
Stocker: Big vacation.
Holmes: Working alone or with a team?
Stocker: Team.
Holmes: Dragons or unicorns?
Stocker: Dragons.
Holmes: Careful planning or fly by the seat of your pants?
Stocker: Flying by the seat of my pants.
Holmes: Jeff Probst or Ryan Seacrest?
Stocker: Jeff!
Don’t miss the season premiere of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X,” Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 8pm ET.
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