Author Topic: Jacque Berg  (Read 4799 times)

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Offline Kogs

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Jacque Berg
« on: August 27, 2008, 10:52:05 AM »


Biography
Jacque Berg (25)
Hometown: Santa Barbara, California
Occupation: Medical Sales

Jacque Berg always plays to win and will settle for nothing less than number one. She's trained her whole life to play a game like SURVIVOR. Competing in several sports such as gymnastics, water polo, crew, track and swimming, she's proven herself a leader.

Berg thrives off pressure and has gone as far as competing against sales executives with 10 years experience to land her dream job as a medical device sales representative. Berg, one of the youngest people in her industry, is also a writer and charity organizer.

Constantly on the go, Jacque admits she doesn't like to sit still and is full of life. Her hobbies include running, swimming, surfing and boating. She describes herself as enthusiastic, adventurous, sweet and extremely positive. Her biggest pet peeve is people who talk about their big dreams but do nothing about it. She believes we all have control over our own destiny.

Berg confesses that she performs her best when in extreme situations and can't wait to overcome the physical and mental challenges SURVIVOR will offer.

Berg grew up in Minnesota and is currently single and lives in Santa Barbara, California. She has a B.S. in business administration from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Her birth date is September 10, 1982.


Offline Kogs

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #1 on: August 27, 2008, 11:35:57 AM »
« Last Edit: August 27, 2008, 01:41:15 PM by puddin »


Offline puddin

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #2 on: August 27, 2008, 05:40:13 PM »
...........


Offline marigold

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2008, 07:42:44 AM »
An interesting article an interview with Jacque:

I kind of just want to sit back so that people can’t judge me, good or bad

Like Survivor Gabon cast member Paloma Soto-Castillo, medical device salesperson Jacquie Berg was totally nice—and totally forgettable. I continually forget she’s even on the show. Our conversation was the shortest one I had with any contestant, and while Jacquie has a relatively interesting strategy, it was kind of boring to hear her talk about it because she’s so restrained. At one point, she said, “I’m trying not to be right now, but I’m very high energy,” and I almost laughed at the second part because of the subdued way she said that and everything else.

Jacquie “applied the day before applications were due” because she “I needed a change; I was working 80 hours a week for the past three years, and I needed a vacation, to say the least,” she said. She’s watched the show for the “last few years,” and as a role model in the game, cites a “mixture of like Elisabeth Hasselbeck and possibly Jenna Morasca, just because I think they could play off people’s emotions really well and get instant rapport with people.”

While she’s “super, super competitive,” her strategy is to attempt to fly under the radar, even to the point of throwing challenges, so she doesn’t come off as a threat and conceals her strengths, such as her athleticism (her CBS bio said she “[competes] in several sports such as gymnastics, water polo, crew, track and swimming”).

“This is going to be really, really hard I’m going to hold back. I don’t want to be a dominating leader in the group, which I tend to do when I’m doing team sports, because I have this intrinsic need to win. But I’m going to try to hold back as much as I can,” Jacquie said. “I kind of just want to sit back so that people can’t judge me, good or bad.”

I asked how she could win with that strategy, and she said she’d wait until after the merge and then start “winning all the immunity idols that I can.” That said, she also intends to strategize while using others as a shield. “I’ll probably try to instigate a couple vote-offs but not make it seem like it’s coming from me, make it seem like the other person—they’ll be the voice,” Jacquie told me.

Other parts of her strategy seemed to be completely obvious. For example, she said, “I probably don’t want to befriend or make alliances with those people that are going to backstab me,” she said. As to how she’d know that, she had pre-judged the other contestants. “I think I’ve pretty much pinpointed those that I feel are genuine and people who I can trust, and I can already see people who are trying to scheme a plan and, you know, have a front. So, stay away from those people,” she said.

While Jacquie had clear ideas already about who she could trust and who she wouldn’t because she’s “a really good reader of people,” she refused to identify those people (by description, because of course they didn’t yet know each others’ names). “I can’t say; I’m not going to say,” she said after discussing trusting “those people who can’t hide a smile” and “have true emotions,” and not trusting those who are “seclusive” and “hide behind rocks and stuff.”

Link: http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/archives/survivor_gabon/2008_Sep_18_jacquie_berg

Offline marigold

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2008, 05:09:00 PM »
An interesting article:

Did Minnesota Nice Survive 'SURVIVOR'?

Nobody can accuse Jacquie Berg of being lazy. The 26-year-old Woodbury native sprinted up the corporate ladder, earning four promotions in three years as a medical device sales rep with Medtronic. Add training for a triathlon and doing charity work to her already hectic schedule, and it's easy to see why Berg wanted to take a break from her fast-paced life.

Instead of a relaxing beach trip or spa weekend, her interpretation of a vacation was to be a contestant on one of the most physically and mentally demanding reality shows on TV -- "Survivor."

"I had watched a few seasons of the show, and I absolutely loved it," said Berg, who now lives in Santa Barbara, Calif., about the CBS show in which contestants are isolated in the wilderness while competing for $1 million.

"I loved how contestants are super strategic and how they have to be athletic. It seemed like a new challenge that would be an incredible experience that I'd never forget. I'm very adventurous, and the best time of my life is when I get to go up to my cabin on Leech Lake. 'Survivor' is kind of similar in a lot of ways -- just being out in the wilderness and being on the lake. It was a nice break."

For the 17th installment of the "Survivor" series, Berg and 17 other contestants were shipped out to Gabon, a country in west-central Africa.

Although Berg is under contract to remain mum on anything that happened while in Gabon, if previous seasons of the show are any indication, you'll see plenty of mind games, rumbling tummies and physical challenges when it debuts on Thursday (7 p.m.).

Before heading to Africa, Berg made sure she was in the best physical shape possible. She swam in the ocean and ran daily and practiced Bikram yoga so she'd be ready to handle the African heat. Then, there was the mental preparation.

"I went to a meditation coach, thinking that might help in the challenges," said Berg. "If I was really struggling out there, I learned how to focus and feel grounded. Normally, I'm a very optimistic and positive person, but I just wanted to make sure nothing out there would bring me down. Knowing that I would be on almost a starvation diet, you lose a lot of mental clarity and mental sharpness, so I wanted to do as many things as possible to stay clear and be able to strategize more than I normally would."

Even though Berg said she was in the best physical and mental shape possible when she went on "Survivor," she had something else to worry about -- appearing too strong in front of her fellow competitors. She was also concerned that she was a little too "Minnesota nice."

"I'm extremely trusting, and I was nervous that I would trust the wrong people. I'm also extremely genuine, and I was nervous that I wouldn't be able to deceive people as well as others. Midwesterners are always known to be very genuine and trustworthy, so I felt like that would also help me. I definitely told everyone I was from Minnesota and not California."

Berg plans on watching her "Survivor" debut in Woodbury with friends and family, including her dad, Daniel, and mom, Sharon. The 2001 Woodbury High School grad -- Berg was captain of the track and gymnastics teams, on the swim team, on the chess team, a student council member and a member of the homecoming court -- said she has been slowly adjusting to life back in the States after her trip to Africa.

"It's definitely a different pace of life out there in the wilderness. Now, I feel like I'm working double time because it's like I'm catching up on a million things. I'm also writing a book and starting a charity."

Sounds like things are back to normal in Berg's busy world.

Link: http://www.foxreality.com/news.php?id=77737&type=news


Offline marigold

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #5 on: October 10, 2008, 02:16:09 PM »
An interesting article an interview with Jacquie:

Exclusive Interview: Jacquie Berg of 'Survivor: Gabon'

It's too bad that one of the only reasons fans knew Jacquie Berg this season on Survivor: Gabon is because they kept confusing her with fellow player, Kelly Czarnecki.  The truth is that the similarities stop at their blonde hair.  The two played very different games but unfortunately Jacquie was hit by a series of unfortunate events in this week's episode.  When the tribes were switched up, Jacquie landed on Fang, where she was outnumbered.  She aligned herself with Ace and Sugar, currently two big threats in the game.  Fang decided to let her take the fall for that alliance and voted her out.  Today, she spoke to BuddyTV in an exclusive interview.

Can you tell me if you were a fan of Survivor before joining this season?

Yes, I love Survivor, the whole idea behind it, that it tests your physical and mental capacities – I think it’s awesome.

Did you do any kind of preparation before you left for Africa?

Tons and tons of stuff. I was training for a triathlon. I did bikram yoga to get used to the heat. I went to some meditation coaching to keep myself grounded out there when things got tough. And I learned how to filet a fish – I never touched raw meat before I went on the show so I got over the fear.

What is the toughest part about playing this game, do you think, at least for you?

Yeah, just being around people that you can’t trust. All day long. It messes with your mind so that was really hard. You couldn’t have any normal conversation, you couldn’t vent to anybody.

When the tribes were switched up on last night’s episode, what was going through your mind? What were you most worried about?

Oh my gosh, I don’t know if you could tell but I was praying that Fang didn’t choose me because obviously, they were going to have the majority former Fang members and on the other mat, the majority Kota. I had pretended to like, not to even hear Crystal. Like, “Please don’t pick me, please don’t pick me,” and sure enough, she did. I mean, that was my worst fear, being in the minority.

Who were you aligning yourself with in this game?

Originally, Charlie, Corinne, and Marcus but I also had an alliance with Sugar and Ace. Sugar actually told me that she had the immunity idol so I knew that if she had joined our team, we would have come out on top.

Did you know anything about the “onion alliance” until you watched the episode? Did you know that you were on the outside of the Charlie/Marcus alliance?

Oh yeah ‘cause me and Corinne were really tight and we knew they were really right. I confronted Marcus on it, as well. I was happy with that because it gave me flexibility in the final four, because I didn’t feel like I had to stay true to anybody.

It seemed like the Fang members were targeting Ace and Sugar so are you annoyed that you had to take the fall for them?

Yeah, completely! I was kind of probably looking way too far in the game. I knew that I needed Ace and Sugar both so I was like, “Well, if I go up now or if I go up next, I felt like I had to have them with me.” I mean, it just sucks. It was all luck, honestly. I just felt like I got gypped.

Do you think it’s smart for tribes to vote out strong physical players before the merge?

Oh no, it was horrible – horrible of Fang. Every single decision that they made sucked. I honestly could not believe… I mean, it was smart of them ‘cause I was gonna go with other people but they’re just digging their grave. They weren’t thinking strategically. They have one opinion there, which was Crystal, and she was influencing all their votes. As you can tell, she’s surrounding herself with weak people.

Who, do you think, is playing this game the best right now?

Um… let’s see… I mean, I’d have to say Sugar but she’s just been getting lucky being on Exile Island. I was thinking that I would’ve loved to have gone there.

And if you could’ve stayed in the game, is there anyone that you know you would’ve taken to final two in the end?

Probably Sugar and Marcus.

What’s life like been for you since you’ve been home and since Survivor started airing? What’s that been like for you?

It’s been awesome, I’ve been crazy busy. Out there, it’s really kind of boring at times, like there’s not much to do so when I got back, I’ve been working non-stop, trying to catch up on things. I had a lot of time to reflect out there so instead of getting into the rat race of corporate America, I started my own company. It’s actually a charity called Second Family, so I’ve been working non-stop on that.

Link: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/survivor/exclusive-interview-jacquie-of-23519.aspx

Offline marigold

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #6 on: October 10, 2008, 06:33:34 PM »
An interesting article an interview with Jacque:

Exclusive: Jacque Berg dishes about her 'Survivor: Gabon' elimination

Jacque Berg, a 25-year-old medical device sales representative from Santa Barbara, CA, feels she just needed to fly under the radar for one more round before putting her gameplan into action to win Survivor: Gabon.

However, after twelve days in Gabon and a reshuffling of the Kota and Fang tribes, Jacque suddenly found herself viewed as a threat and eventually became the fourth castaway to be eliminated from the show.

On Friday, Jacque talked to Reality TV World about what alliance she established that was never shown on the show, whom she disliked the most on both of her tribes, what "super shocked" her, and why she felt certain that she would not be eliminated so early in the competition.

Reality TV World: What were your initial reactions after the two tribes were reshuffled?  Did you think the tribes had ended up even more lopsided than they had been before?

Jacque: Yeah! I was super pissed! I mean, if I had gone to the Kota [tribe] I would have been super happy. But it was like my worst nightmare going over to Fang.

I hated the team name "Fang" and just being over there made me mad, but I knew I was the minority.

Reality TV World: After the [tribal] shuffle happened, you said you were surprised that [Kelly Czarnecki] had felt like an outsider while she was at Kota. Did you really feel that way or were you just trying to convince your new tribemates that was the case?

Jacque: Yeah... [I was] kind of trying to convince them of that. She really alienated herself, it's not like anyone excluded her or tried to exclude her. She just kept digging herself in a hole by saying rude comments to everybody and just wouldn't think before she talked

Reality TV World: Ok. We didn't really get to see much of you in Kota's early days, what made you decide to join [Marcus Lehman'] "large onion" alliance?

Jacque: Honestly, those three were the smartest and most genuine people out there. I knew that if I was in an alliance with them that it would take me all the way to the end.

Reality TV World: Kind of going off on that. What type of relationship did you have with [Ace Gordon] and [Jessica "Sugar Kiper]?

Jacque: I actually had an alliance with them, but they didn't even show it. Sugar came to me and told me she had the [Immunity Idol] so that was kind of my backup alliance.

Reality TV World: Oh, Sugar told you [about the Idol] also?

Jacque: Yep. And I was hoping that would have paid off if I got switched to Fang. But I was just... I needed one more round.

Reality TV World: Well, on the show that alliance was clearly not shown. Were you surprised to hear Kelly tell the other Fang tribe members that you had a close relationship with Ace?

Jacque: I mean I had a close relationship with everybody from [the original Kota tribe] except for her and [Paloma Soto-Castillo].

So I mean, she was right. She didn't have any alliances. And the rankings of all of us? It was clear. I mean I could not combat that because I was obviously ranked the top girl [on Kota] and she was ranked at the bottom.

Reality TV World: [Right,] before the tribes got reorganized [you'd been] rated the fifth most important person in the Kota tribe. How did you react to that?

Jacque: I mean, I thought it was pretty accurate. I was on top for the girls in my tribe. But I didn't want to be highlighted. I didn't want to, you know, be targeted as the most athletic girl either because it just felt like that [would have] put me at a disadvantage.

Reality TV World: Did any of the rankings surprise you?

Jacque: Not on our tribe. It's exactly how I voted.

Reality TV World: What about the other tribe?

Jacque: Yeah it was ridiculous. The fact that [Randy Bailey] was so high up and [Ken Hoang] wasn't at the end... I mean Kenny is obviously the weakest link there so that was shocking.

Reality TV World: Given their horrible performance and [the] superior numbers [they went into it with], it almost looked like Fang decided to intentionally throw last night's Immunity Challenge -- did that thought ever enter your mind before or after the challenge?

Jacque: Me and Ace... they didn't show [this] but me and Ace planned the day prior to throw [the challenge] because we wanted Sugar and we wanted her Immunity Idol to help switch the table around.

But right before the game started we were so nervous that our heads would be on the chopping block that we actually tried really hard.

The Fang members just absolutely sucked on the water. They were so unathletic. They went into the challenge basically knowing that they would lose.

Reality TV World: Were you surprised that [Matty Whitmore] came up to you and told you that the original Fang members were going to vote you out?

Jacque: Well, yeah because before that he was worried [that] he was getting voted out. He was actually not in an alliance with [Danny "G.C." Brown], [Crystal Cox], or Kenny, so he was trying to save himself and Ace.

Me, him and Ace wanted to start our own alliance but we needed one more person. So we thought that was going to be Kenny. As soon as Kenny changed his mind then I think that's when Matty changed his mind too.

Reality TV World: What had you been expecting to happen up until that point when you started hearing talk that you might be on the chopping block? Did you think Kelly was going to be voted off?

Jacque: Yeah actually I was pretty darn confident that Kelly was going to be the one [eliminated] next. I mean, Kenny promised me he wouldn't write my name down and so did Matty. And then the way the [tribal Council] went, Kelly just kept digging her grave there and kept bashing Fang people. So I honestly thought I was gonna stay.

Reality TV World: Yeah actually going of off of that... were you surprised when Kelly called out Kenny and Crystal [as poor performers in the Immunity Challenge]? Did you think she thought she was already going home at that point?

Jacque: She totally did because they had mentioned how they wanted to send the weakest person home, which I would have thought was her.

But she just does that. That's Kelly. She wasn't thinking even before she opened her mouth because she did that in the previous Tribal Council when she bashed Ace. I think that she was shocked that she stayed.

Reality TV World: When you were trying to convince Ken and Crystal to keep you around, you made a comment that came across like you were saying you had felt like the fifth member of the "onion alliance." Was that accurate or were you just saying anything you could to try and save yourself?

Jacque: I was just trying to save my butt. If I would have stayed one more round I would have gone back with Sugar and Ace until the merge, and then gone back to the "onion alliance."

Reality TV World: So if you had managed to form an alliance with the Fang members, would you have really have turned your back on your original alliance?
 
Jacque: Nope, I wouldn't have. Just because I respected them so much more. I didn't really care for the Fang people. It was portrayed pretty accurately [on television], everyone over there was very, very negative, very deceitful. You couldn't trust any of them to do anything. They were lazy. They were complainers. I didn't want to go to the end with them.

Reality TV World: So you said that Sugar had told you she had the Immunity Idol. That's what the Fang tribe members were scared of, that she would give it to you if the situation called for it...

Jacque: Yes, and that was pretty accurate.

Reality TV World: So you think she would have if the situation came to it?

Jacque: Yes. Definitely yes.

Reality TV World: Were you surprised about how focused the Fang tribe members were on that scenario?

Jacque: Yeah! That's the one thing I was super shocked by! I didn't think they were that clever to, you know, [to] think that far ahead.

I mean that is exactly what was going on. I honestly didn't think that they knew that though.

Reality TV World: Did you ever think that you were going home or did you never know for sure? Because on the show it looked like the writing was on the wall before you had even left for Tribal Council.

Jacque: No, I mean... really, I said I was nervous in Tribal Council [but] I really thought I was safe, especially with how [the Tribal Council] was going.

But you know... I had this weird intuition -- like I almost threw up before walking to [tribal Council] -- and I'm like "My gut's telling me something."

But I just... during the whole game I kept picturing myself winning. So I was just so dumbfounded.

Reality TV World: Did anyone say anything during Tribal Council that gave you some hope that you'd be staying?

Jacque: Oh yeah. They all said that they needed to vote off the weakest link so they could start winning challenges. And Kelly started bashing Crystal and Kenny, which I totally wanted to do too but I didn't want to sacrifice myself.

Reality TV World: Ok that was actually going to be my next question. You seemed to be pretty reserved in the Tribal Council....

Jacque: ...I was VERY reserved. That's a big part of the game. What you say off camera and in front of the tribe is totally different. I mean, I never would have shown all of my cards. I was just trying to play the innocent part.

Reality TV World: Last season on Survivor, [there was a lot of hype about how there was a strong female alliance and] the Final Four consisted of all women. This [season] the first four people eliminated have all been women -- do you think there was some kind of bias against the women this season?

Jacque: Um.... no not really. I thought it was pretty evenly matched. I mean the women, it seemed, were far weaker than the guys. (pauses) Except for Kenny and G.C.

Reality TV World: Actually going off of that... In Tribal Council [Survivor host Jeff Probst] said you were one of the strongest contestants -- man or woman -- on your tribe. Did you agree with that statement?

Jacque: Completely. I mean, I was so prepared for every challenge. I actually held back in pretty much every challenge except for that last one polo one. I held back because I didn't want to stand out, and I had done pretty much every sport under the sun to get ready for [the show] so I was just waiting for my time to peak.

And I didn't even get it! (laughs)

Reality TV World: What was your strategy going into the competition?

Jacque: I just kind of wanted to be right in the middle. I didn't want to look too inferior or superior.

I didn't want to come off as a leader, because generally in situations like that I try to dominate it and delegate and all that. After seeing the show though, I just wanted to mesh so I could keep myself [in] until the merge.

Reality TV World: During your "Final Words," you mentioned that if you had made it one more round that you could have gone all the way to the end....
 
Jacque: (interrupting) For sure.

Reality TV World: How did you see that happening?

Jacque: Well if I stayed one more round Sugar, Ace, Matty, and I would have had the majority. Even if Matty didn't join us we could have used the Immunity Idol to our advantage.

Then as soon as the merge happened I would switch on them and go right back to Charlie, Marcus, and Corinne because I knew that was going to hold strong.

Reality TV World: How much weight did you end up losing on the show?

Jacque: I don't even know! It was all in kilograms so I don't even remember.

Reality TV World: How were you cast originally onto Survivor?

Jacque: Um, I'm pretty sure it was as the business professional girl next door [type].

Reality TV World: Did you apply or were you recruited?

Jacque: I applied.

Reality TV World: Had you applied to previous seasons?

Jacque: I hadn't! I'd always wanted to but I [finally] did this season.

Reality TV World: Were you surprised to hear Matty [tell Jeff] he'd be voting to keep the tribe physically strong and then learn that he still voted for you anyways?

Jacque: Yeah exactly! You'll notice, all of Fang's tribe -- I thought -- were just B. S. They were telling Probst one thing and doing another.

Reality TV World: In the earlier episodes you weren't focused on quite as much. Was there anything that you expected to make it on the show that did not make it on?

Jacque: Yeah just the alliance with me, Sugar, and Ace. And then also the strategy of us [when we were] going to throw the challenge.

Reality TV World: What are you doing now? Did you go back to medical sales?

Jacque: I didn't. I actually started a charity. It's called Second Family.

Reality TV World: What does it focus on?

Jacque: It helps to find mentors for at risk children and the website is www.second-family.org.

Reality TV World: Oh, one last question I forgot -- you've been saying that the [Kota and Fang] tribes were both much different and that the Fang tribe members were very manipulative and played down and dirty. Were you aware of that same vibe when you were on Kota?

Jacque: For sure! You could totally sense it. They would come into every challenge with their heads hung low. They didn't work well together, you could hear them yelling at each other. They weren't close at all. They just had very negative vibes.

Link: http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-jacque-berg-dishes-about-her-survivor-gabon-elimination-7860.php

Offline marigold

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #7 on: October 11, 2008, 02:46:47 PM »
An interesting article an interview with Jacquie:

Survivor: Gabon's Jacquie Berg Q&A

Survivors have to stay alert to win, especially when they get curveballs such as switching tribes on Day 10. While switches aren't new to the game, the one this season came early. The swap caught some players off-guard, and led to an early exit for 25-year-old Jacquie Berg, who had been sitting pretty as a member of Kota’s Onion Alliance. Berg told TV Guide.com she knew her days were numbered when she found herself in the poorly performing Fang tribe, but did what she could to hang on.

TVGuide.com: Were you surprised by the early tribe mix-up?
Jacquie Berg: Yes, completely surprised. I thought I had the whole game figured out in my head until the very end, and I honestly didn’t see that coming at all. It totally sucked.

TVGuide.com: How about your ranking in the first challenge?
Jacquie: No, I figured I was going to be up there, but I was so mad that I was ranked as the top girl because I knew that was going to be a problem for me. When I saw the voting pattern and when I did the math in my head I knew I was going to get picked over at Fang.

TVGuide.com: When you ended up on the Fang tribe what did you do to fend off being kicked out?
Jacquie: A million things. I tried to strategize with Ace. We knew if we ever lost the challenge that Sugar was going to come. We even contemplated throwing the challenge just to get Sugar because we had an alliance. Matty was on our side as well because he didn’t have a real tight alliance with Crystal, Kenny or G.C. Also, I went to Kelly as another option and tried to convince her to stick with me and Ace and probably Matty and vote out Kenny, because he was the weakest link. All strategizing talk went right over Kelly’s head. She had it in her head that she was going to get me and Ace out and that was it.

TVGuide.com: You said you were contemplating throwing the challenge. When I watched the show I wondered if Ace was actually doing just that.
Jacquie: Up until right when the game started, Ace and I were going to throw it because we needed Sugar. Then we both got really nervous because if we did lose it would be us on the chopping block. So, we actually tried our butts off, but it didn’t help because everyone sucked.

TVGuide.com: So what is it with Fang? Why can’t this tribe get its act together?
Jacquie: Going over [to Fang] was complete culture shock. It was like the whole aura over there it was deceitful; nobody trusted anybody. As soon as we went over there everyone was talking behind each other’s back. No one liked each other and there was complaining the whole time.

TVGuide.com: And there was none of that over at Kota?
Jacquie: No. Barely any complaining, except from Kelly, so she fit right on in [at Fang]. They all stayed in their hut, they didn’t do anything and [it seemed as if] there was this expectancy of losing every challenge before it happened.

TVGuide.com: Aside from the million-dollar prize what did you hope to get from Survivor?
Jacquie: I couldn’t contemplate not winning, but also the experience of knowing that I can live in the jungle of Africa. I don’t think everyone gets that opportunity.

TVGuide.com: What was it like being in the jungle of Africa? Did you have any contact with any wildlife?
Jacquie: Yeah, there was a lot of wildlife out there, but the biggest thing for me was that it was a complete detox from society. No technology. I wasn’t sitting at a desk all day. The normal routine of life was thrown out the window and it was like going down to basic human instinct — eating with your hands, not caring if there’s dirt in your food — and just living off the bare land. It was very refreshing.

TVGuide.com: Now that you're back in reality, what’s it been like for you since the show started airing?
Jacquie: I’ve been working non-stop. I wrote a book about climbing the corporate ladder for college graduates and I started a charity for underprivileged children that helps them find mentors in life. I thought that that was a big thing on Survivor. I kept reflecting on how lucky I was to have mentors that keep me so positive.

TVGuide.com: Has you stint on Survivor satisfied your reality show bug or will you try out for something else?
Jacquie: As far as reality TV goes, I did Survivor just for the challenge. I actually am kind of camera-shy, but what it did spark was that I want to go camping and do more adventures around the world. I want to live that experience again.

Link: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Survivior-Gabon-Jaquie-26313.aspx

Offline marigold

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #8 on: October 13, 2008, 12:21:52 PM »
An interesting article an interview with Jacque:

“I was so mad to be in a normal bed!”

What was your first impression of Africa?
It was incredible, just living in the jungle. It was something I’d never dreamt of doing. I was definitely out of my element.

Did you have any animal encounters?
Honestly, no. I ate a lot of termites and lizards and I caught a lot of fish, but I was not lucky enough to see something big. I tried! I went on tons of hikes.

What was the most challenging part about being out there?
It was living with other people that you couldn’t trust. Everyone was so wacky. They were cool and fun and unique and everything, but it’s so hard to have a real conversation with somebody because everyone’s always strategizing.

Were you surprised at how you were ranked by the Kota team before the tribe switch?
No, but I was hoping I wouldn’t be high. I didn’t want to be the top girl. I was always highlighting Corinne, because I wanted her to be perceived as a stronger threat. I was probably strategizing way too far out in the game.

Did you hold back in challenges because of that?
Oh, completely, in every single challenge. Except the last one!

Who were you closest to?
I was closest to Corinne, Charlie and Marcus. I also had a very tight alliance with Sugar and Ace. We actually considered throwing that challenge just to get her on our team. At the last second, we didn’t because we were so nervous that we would be on the chopping block. It didn’t really matter, though.

Because you lost anyway. Did you know Sugar had the immunity idol before you saw the show?
Yes, she told me before the ranking of the tribes. I was all about getting her on my team. She confided in me a lot so I knew we had a really strong trust there. We all hated Kelly, so Kelly didn’t want us to be together.

So the Fang people were right when they assumed that you and Ace would be tight with Sugar.
Totally! I tried to make that not apparent. I didn’t talk to Ace barely at all when I was over at Fang because I didn’t want them to think that I was close to him. But if I would have stayed one more round, I would have knocked them all off.

You really campaigned at the end. It seemed like they might go for it.
They all promised me that they were going to write Kelly’s name down! If I had been tipped off at all, I would have tried a different strategy. I tried to talk some sense into Kelly and get her on my side, but she’s just swayed by the wind. She doesn’t do anything with any rhyme or reason. All strategy went right over her head. Every tribal council, you see her digging herself in a hole. If I just had a little bit more time over at Fang where her true colors would have shined through, I would have been safe.

What was the first thing you ate when you got voted off?
Honestly, I was so upset I did not want to eat. I went on an hour and a half run as soon as I got off. I was so mad to be in a normal bed. All I wanted to do was be on the awful, rocky ground. I was beside myself.

Who are you rooting for?
I really want Charlie, Marcus or Sugar to win.

What’s next for you?
I just started a charity and I’ve been working really hard on it. It’s called Second Family (www.2nd-family.org). It’s linking up mentors with underprivileged children, so everyone has a shot of going after their dreams. My brother was a huge influence in my life and without him I definitely wouldn’t have gone after my dreams or had the courage to even apply for Survivor. In Africa, I had a lot of time to reflect on that and I just felt really fortunate. Everyone should grow up with somebody to look up to, because it can make a world of difference.

Link: http://www.intouchweekly.com/categories/tv_scoops/

Offline marigold

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Re: Jacque Berg
« Reply #9 on: October 13, 2008, 10:07:10 PM »
An interesting article an interview with Jacquie:

Last time on Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden, a dramatic reshuffling of the Fang and Kota tribes knocked some alliances off the table, and the impact had the most effect on Jacquie Berg, a star saleslady in the medical device business who was content to remain an unpeeled layer of The Onion Alliance.

Jacquie had toiled away in relatively happy anonymity until Crystal uttered her name at the round robin picks for the new tribe rosters. Safely lodged between the target on Ace's back and the steady decline in Kelly's popularity, Jacquie should have looked forward to coasting into the merge.

But when Fang got the mistaken impression that Kelly would be a bigger benefit to the alliance on the return of Sugar from Exile Island, the axe swooped down on Jacuie's neck. Too bad. Talking with her the day after, I learned she had a lot more to bring to the game.

And I found out how she'll spend her time post-Survivor: Mentoring children through her own charitable organization. Let's learn more about this motivated motivator.

FC: Hi Jacquie, how are you?
JB: I'm OK. How are you?

FC: Well you sound good. I mean after last night's episode I would think you'd be a little devastated.
JB: That's true, all the emotions resurfaced last night. I was so mad!

FC: Sure, it's been awhile since it actually happened, but then when you relive it...
JB: Yeah, it sucks! I've never been so disappointed in a competition like this. I had my heart set on winning.

FC: And you were doing so well too. You were sort of under the radar on Kota, but with the shakeup it seems the spotlight found you all of a sudden.
JB: I know. I was trying to stay under the radar, forming alliances without anybody knowing and I thought all the way to the end I had my gameplan set in stone. But it really threw me for a loop when the tribes got switched.

FC: And the way they edit the episode it doesn't really dawn on you until almost the moment it happens.
JB: Yeah exactly.

FC: Up until that point I thought that Kelly was definitely the target.
JB: And so did I. I knew there was a possibility of me going, but I was really putting it all out there, because Me, Sugar and Ace had formed an alliance to take us to the end so I was thinking way far ahead. I was devastated that they wanted me out before Kelly.

FC: Was there a sinking feeling when the tribes got reshuffled?
JB: Yeah, I was praying that Crystal wasn't gonna yell out my name. I was looking off in the distance. I "pretended" like I didn't hear her call my name, 'cause I knew I'd be in a minority, and because of being in Kota, I wasn't excited at all.

FC: Even though you could look at that moment as a shift or a change with possibilities?
JB: (laughing) You're an optimist. I walked into that tribe and thought "this sucks!"

FC: I did notice when you got to Fang's camp you looked around with a look of disgust.
JB: Well, it was kinda weird. Coming from Kota, everybody's so positive, kind of like being on vacation. But I went over to Fang and it was this somber, nobody trusts anybody atmosphere, everyone complained and it was a major culture shock.

FC: We knew that as viewers, but did you have an inkling of how bad things were at Fang?
JB: Yep. We all kinda sensed it. You could tell they would come into the challenges knowing they would lose and no camraderie.

FC: And they're voting strategy is to knock out a strong player. That's the second time Fang did that, Micheele Chase having been a victim at the first tribal council.
JB: Yeah. Fang doesn't make very good decisions. One reason for that is Crystal is their team leader and you can see she's trying to surround herself with weak people. I don't know what game she's playing. She has no idea how to win a challenge. One, she's not very much of an athlete herself and Two, she's like getting rid of all the strong people.

FC: Maybe it's a reverse psychology going on there. And for an Olympian you'd think she'd be a little more athletic.
JB: Yeah, it's so weird because I used to run the 400, that's her race, but I really didn't have any respect for her. She's not a very good leader.

FC: We'll see how that plays out since there's nothing but surprises in this game. But what's your Survivor story. How did you get all the way to the Golden Circle?
JB: I applied on a whim, working 80 hours a week at my job and I needed a change. I just thought this is a perfect challenge for me. I was training for triathlons, I run every single day, and Survivor is such a physical as well as a mental challenge, I just wanted a new experience.
 
FC: Were you a fan of the show before you applied?
JB: Yeah, probably the only reality show I've ever watched. And all my friends thought I would've won it. I got so many calls last night, people were so upset. Usually in situations like that I can read people so well, so I thought I would have a huge advantage in the game but, a lot of it's luck.

FC: Tell us about Ace.
JB: I liked Ace. I thought he would've been great to bring to the Final 4 because I didn't think he'd get very many votes. He's so strong and knowledgeable and he's got a very good aura about him actually.

FC: He's a unique character and he seems to be the focus of the game from the beginning.
JB: The people who felt intimidated by that, I didn't understand. I just thought he only helped. That's what happened with Kelly. We had no idea Kelly didn't like him until that tribal council. So we all turned against her because we all honestly liked Ace.
 
FC: Who else were you close to in the game?
JB: Marcus, Charlie and Corinne were the three people I got close with. And Sugar.

FC: That's interesting. It seemed like the logic behind voting you out was because Kelly was closer to Sugar than you were.
JB: No. Kelly and Sugar didn't like each other.

FC: That makes the vote even more mystifying.
JB: They knew she would be more genuine in their alliance. If I tried to get myself in there, I would've flipped on them as soon as Sugar got back. So I felt like that there was their one stong move in the game - to get rid of me. (laughing)

FC: Do you have a prediction about the winner?
JB: I guess it would have to be my friends in the game. Sugar, Marcus or Kelly.

FC: Will Survivor lead to something more for you?
JB: I've had a lot of time to reflect, to see what I'm passionate about and now I'm devoting my time to a charity that links Mentors up with adolescent children.

FC: Can we give your fans a link to a website?
JB: That would be great! It's called "2nd Family" and it's pretty revolutionary in the non-profit world. It's a social networking site with Mentors giving directly to an underpriveled child, where you can motivate and guide them.
Personally, growing up my brother really shaped my life for me, helping me go after all my dreams, including Survivor, and I felt that every kid should grow up with that. Just an inspirational email every week from somebody with a successful career can make a world of difference.

FC: That sounds really worthwhile. I'm so sorry you got voted off the game. I was looking forward to finding out more about you.
JB: I know. It was really sad. (laughs)

FC: There were a few people I wanted to see go WAY before you.
JB: Thank you!

FC: Thanks for talking with us today. We wish you good luck in the future!
JB: Thank you. You too!

Link: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2008/10/fc_hi_jacquie_how_are.html#more