Archive > Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden
Crystal Cox
marigold:
An interview with Crystal:
Exclusive: Crystal Cox talks dishes her 'Survivor Gabon' experience
Crystal Cox, a 29-year-old 2004 Olympic gold-medalist track athlete from Durham, NC, had managed to last 35 days in Survivor: Gabon without many major causes for alarm, despite spending a large amount of that time as a member of the competition's sputtering Fang tribe.
However, on her 36th day, the failed execution of a Tribal Council blindside and a shifting of the game's remaining alliances resulted in Crystal becoming the thirteenth castaway to be eliminated from the competition during last night's broadcast on CBS.
On Friday, Crystal spoke to Reality TV World about what led to her alliance's decision to attempt the failed blindside, why she was unable to put her training as an Olympic athlete to good use in the competition's physical challenges, and why she dubs herself the "Tribal Council Queen."
Reality TV World: What do you think was the key move that caused [Jessica "Sugar" Kiper] to flip on you and vote you out of the game -- was it Kenny's sudden decision to try and blindside [Robert "Bob" Crowley] instead of going with the original plan to vote off [Matty Whitmore] or that argument with Matty in which you tried to "put the stink on him" but ended up upsetting Sugar?
Crystal: I think what changed Sugar's heart towards her alliance was both of those situations: the situation with me yelling at Matty, and with Kenny wanting to blindside Bob. (Pauses) I don't think she could take it anymore as far as me yelling at Matty.
Reality TV World: So do you think she still would have flipped even if [you hadn't yelled at Matty]? That wasn't the one cause?
Crystal: I think that was the main cause, because before then everything that I knew, Sugar knew. We played a very tight alliance in that game, and I didn't keep any secrets from her. So for her to flip and go with Matty, that totally shocked me. I was like, "Wow!"
Reality TV World: So do you think Sugar still would have ended up flipping and voting you off even if Ken "Kenny" Hoang] hadn't suddenly tried to go after Bob?
Crystal: Um... I think she probably would have, I can't say. If Kenny didn't try to go after Bob, she probably would have gone for Matty next.
Reality TV World: During your exit statement, you admitted that you may have gone overboard when arguing with Matty. If you thought that he was going to go home, why did you keep beating him up?
Crystal: Well the thing is Matty was... He kept harping on the fact that his name was written down and he was paranoid and he was whining about it. He was like "I can't believe my name was there," and we're like "Matty, get over it!"
I mean, my name was up there eight times, and it's a game and it comes with the territory. You will see your name sooner or later, and he could not accept the fact that he saw his name. It just was getting to me.
Reality TV World: And going back now, you had said that you [may have] went overboard. Would you have still addressed it, but just maybe not as much?
Crystal: Yeah, I would have addressed it because the thing is with Fang, the thing I liked about our group even though we lost a lot of challenges, we were very much up front with each other. If we didn't like something, we said it. And it wasn't just me, it was the whole tribe. There wasn't any secrets there about each other.
Reality TV World: Based on the show and the comments the other castaways have made, it looked like Kenny was the one that was really making all the decisions in your alliance with him, was that really the case?
Crystal: Yeah, that was the case. I mean Kenny pretty much would say something and I would help him execute it and we just pretty much protected each other throughout the game.
Reality TV World: Did you ever try talking Kenny out of his elaborate plan to get Bob to give him the idol and then blindside Bob? I mean Kenny's last elaborate plan to flush out the fake idol had just failed three days earlier...
Crystal: No, I didn't try to talk him out of it because of the mere fact that anything goes in Survivor, and so I'm like "Hey, it could be worth a shot, I'm not counting anything out. If Bob gives up the idol, then Bob will be the next one to go."
Reality TV World: So even though you had said that one of your biggest mistakes or regrets was [following Kenny's advice and] not voting for Matty at the last Tribal Council, [you weren't] worried that you would make a similar mistake in this round with a similar[ly] [complicated] plan?
Crystal: No, I think that if I would have voted for Matty, my alliance would now be [Corinne Kaplan], Bob, Kenny, and myself, and Sugar or [Susie Smith] would have been the one to go.
Reality TV World: When you left for Tribal Council, how confident were you and Kenny that Bob was going to agree to give Kenny his idol?
Crystal: We thought that he might, because Kenny went crying to Bob saying "I think that I'm in danger," but we did not know that Sugar was going back and relaying all of the information to Bob. That totally shocked me.
But we knew that we had a shot at it, like I said before we didn't count anything out. If it's worth thinking of, it's worth trying.
Reality TV World: How certain were you that either Bob or Matty were going home? Did you have any idea that Bob, Sugar, and Susie had were all planning on targeting you instead?
Crystal: No, I did not know. I mean, I can't say I was completely blindsided because we are down to crunch time, but I didn't think it was my turn to go, like I honestly thought Day 39. I thought Matty was gonna be the one to go.
Reality TV World: Based on your comments on last week's episode, you seemed at least a little skeptical that Bob's idol was real, but why did you think it had any credibility?
Crystal: Because I ended up looking at the torches and the Immunity Idol that he had around his neck and some of the jewels were missing, and I was like "What in the world!" That's what made me change my mind.
Reality TV World: Did you ever consider what might happen downstream if you guys tried to go after Matty and the idol ended up not being real and he remained in the game?
Crystal: No, I don't know. I mean Corinne probably would've been gone, but I don't think that would have affected my outcome in the game.
Reality TV World: Bob actually showed you the fake idol, and you had actually also gotten to see the idol that Marcus had thrown away before it was thrown into the ocean. Was Bob's version really that close a replica to fool people into thinking it was the real one?
Crystal: Oh my gosh, his idol was good. It looked real. Like, it didn't look like a piece of junk. He had it all jeweled up and it had a little face on it. It was nice, he had a work of art. I was almost convinced.
Reality TV World: So it looked similar?
Crystal: Similar, but it was believable.
Reality TV World: Did you ever talk with Kenny about the chance that the idol might not be real?
Crystal: Um, did I? Yes I did, yes I did. Because he was like "Either way, you vote for Corrine," and he was going to write down Matty's name in order to garner up votes in the jury for himself.
Reality TV World: You and Kenny were clearly ready to get rid of Matty at the last two eliminations, but at least Kenny seemed to be distracted by Bob's "idol" and shifted the plans. If Bob and Corinne had just come to you and Kenny without including the fake idol story, do you think there may have been a better chance of Matty's elimination going through with less trouble?
Crystal: Yeah, they probably would've, because somewhere down the road Sugar would have probably been blindsided, so... Yeah they may have, but we knew there was a lot of deceit floating around in the game, so you had to take your chances.
Reality TV World: Do you know why Kenny felt that he needed to give Matty a third vote in order for his plan to work last week? I mean wouldn't Matty have still just as easily been the second highest vote-getter even if only Bob and Corinne had voted for him?
Crystal: Well he did that because he needed to garner up the trust of Bob and Corinne either way. He was trying to work on his other alliances, and he needed to garner up the trust of Bob and Corinne.
Reality TV World: Okay, I see. And going back to last night's episode, Matty and Sugar seemed to easily break away from you and Kenny. Had there been arguments, or breaks in the alliance before that they didn't show on TV? It seemed like the alliance had been as tight as ever prior to the vote for Matty.
Crystal: No. Well actually... What they didn't show was me and Sugar having a moment by the pond. I just went to her, or actually she came to me, and I just started crying. I was like "it feels like something is weird." And she was like "No [Crystal] you're fine" and stuff.
I didn't know that she was going to turn on me like that. But the whole thing is Matty just kept harping on the fact that his name was written down, and he was treating it as if he was too good to have his name written down. That's what was annoying me.
Reality TV World: And did [Matty complain] additional times to what was seen on the show?
Crystal: Oh yeah he did it several times! Oh yeah.
Reality TV World: Moving on to your gameplay. You were very open that you have very strong emotions will let them be known. [But] a big part of Survivor is the social game, [so] did you ever consider bottling them up a little to prevent rubbing anyone the wrong way?
Crystal: Yes and no. I mean, after I saw how my co-castaways were playing I was like "Fine then. Once we go to [tribal Council] if [Survivor: Gabon host Jeff Probst] asks me a question I'm not gonna hold back," and that's pretty much what I did. I was like the "Tribal Council Queen." (Laughs)
Reality TV World: You're a former Olympic athlete but you struggled with a lot in the physical challenges to the point where some of the other castaways have told us they were shocked to fine out about your past...
Crystal: (Interrupting) Oh yeah! I mean the challenges were really hard. And it wasn't like [I was just] getting on the track and racing around the track. Half that stuff was like... some bold craziness that the challenge crew thought of. (Laughs)
They weren't easy stuff, I mean no person in their right mind would probably do half of those things. But it wasn't any situation that you could train yourself for or prepare yourself for. Whereas with track and field I'm just used to running in a straight line, and the first one to the finish [wins].
Reality TV World: So it was just a different type of thing?
Crystal: Yeah, and once I realized that my strength wasn't the challenges, I was like "Alright, fine. I'm gonna play a social game." And that's what I did.
Reality TV World: A lot of the castaways we've spoken to have said that Kenny has benefited more from luck and strong allies than because of his "mastermind" gameplay tactics. Putting your alliance aside, do you agree with that?
Crystal: No, not really because Kenny was good at some of the challenges, and he pretty much got along with everybody. If someone didn't like Kenny, it's because they rubbed him the wrong way or he rubbed them the wrong way. But Kenny pretty much got along with everybody out there.
Reality TV World: Do you think he started to bite off more than he can chew with his increasingly elaborate plans?
Crystal: Yeah, he wants to be a big power mover and shaker, so... Some of that stuff I was a little bit surprised at. (Laughs) I was like "C'mon Kenny now, let's take small steps." (Laughs)
Reality TV World: Do you think that Bob would have given his idol to Kenny if he felt he was really in danger of being eliminated, or do you think that, like Jeff Probst suggested in a post-show blog entry he posted his morning, he was putting on as much of a performance as Kenny?
Crystal: Oh I definitely agree with that. Bob was not a dumb player, he was very much a physical threat out there. And yes, Bob was putting on a show just as much a Kenny was.
Reality TV World: So, I guess this would probably be for Kenny as much as you, why did you bank so much of your plan on him doing so then?
Crystal: Because anything can happen, you know? Expect the unexpected. And when you have hardly any food out there you're not thinking clearly. So we were hoping that maybe he wouldn't think clearly.
Reality TV World: What did you think of [Randy Bailey's] comments during a Tribal Council a few weeks ago where he called you and G.C.'s actions on Fang like that of a "posse" and a "gang?"
Crystal: Oh my gosh I was appalled. I think that Jeff saw the anger on my face (laughs), and what they didn't show was when Jeff said "Well Randy, what if Crystal called you a 'redneck'" (laughs)
You know, I don't wanna entertain his childish thoughts because I wasn't raised that way, and, you know, I had no major bitterness towards Randy. My bitterness with Randy started when he called me a "B" and I told him "Don't ever disrespect me like that," because he doesn't know me.
That was the moment of me becoming an outspoken person in the game. And I don't think they showed that, but I told him "I'm gonna respect you because your name is Randy, and you're gonna call me Crystal."
Reality TV World: He said he had spoken to you since to apologize, is that true?
Crystal: Yes he did. Yeah, we did speak and he did apologize. We've had minimal conversation since then. But he tried to make amends to some extent and, you know, to some end.
Reality TV World: What surprised you the most about Survivor?
Crystal: I didn't think that my need for food, and my desire to have food would be so great. That's what surprised me the most. I was starving! I lost 25 lbs when I was out there.
But overall it was a great experience, but it's hard as hell, and any person that goes into that situation my advice to them is don't take it for granted, because it looks easy on TV but it is really difficult. I'm glad I did as well as I did to last as long as I did.
Reality TV World: Was there anything that didn't make it on the air that you wish had?
Crystal: Hmm. Yeah, I wish the whole me-crying-to-Sugar thing woulda made it on, then the viewers would see that I do have a soft side because I'm being edited as the angry... the angry castaway.
But what they didn't show too was I spent most of my time joking with the castaways around camp. I think that they showed a lot of times when I was frustrated or bitter, but they didn't show me having a good time with the castaways either because, you know...
I didn't do anything wrong to them. They just thought about me the way they did. It'll be interesting on the reunion come Sunday.
Reality TV World: I'm sure. And going back a little, in retrospect, do you wish you had taken the opportunity to blindside Sugar when you discovered that she had the hidden Immunity Idol but instead voted out G.C.?
Crystal: No, I think that wasn't the moment for me. I think, like I said, my moment would've been to write down Matty's name as opposed to Corinne.
Reality TV World: How were you cast on the show? Had you applied previously?
Crystal: This was the first time. I went to a casting call.
Link: http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-crystal-cox-talks-dishes-her-survivor-gabon-experience-8154.php
marigold:
An interview with Crystal:
Survivor Exit Interview: Crystal Cox Is Still Watching Kenny's Back
Last time on Survivor: Gabon - Earth's Last Eden a false immunity idol started a chain of events that lead to the real Idol having a crucial impact on the way the Final 5 would be sorted out. And Bob would be no help this time.
Sugar showed she's not as hard and cold as everyone thought when she took pity on Matty after he'd been called out for his lack of loyalty to the Fang alliance. It was one fight Crystal Cox (my choice from the beginning) should never have picked.
At Tribal Council, Sugar handed her idol over to Matty, rendering any vote for him invalid. Crystal was the next runner up, and when Jeff Probst announced her name, the former Olympic Gold Medalist dropped out of the race just before the finish line.
But we still get to see her on the jury, and at the Finale, coming up this Sunday night.
I spoke with Crystal on the phone, as she was getting ready for the big day.
Crystal I did pick you as the winner.
Well thank you for the support, I picked me as the winner too.
So nobody was sadder or more surprised than me when you got knocked out last night.
Well, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was shocked about the whole Immunity Idol thing. So it hit me kinda hard.
You felt pretty safe when you went in to Tribal Council, didn't you?
Totally. I really thought it was gonna be Susie or Matty. I did not know it was gonna be me.
But I guess the instant Sugar handed over the Idol to Matty...
Yeah. That's when I knew it. I was like, okay, it's probably me next.
I always say that for you it's been awhile since you got knocked off, but for us it was only last night. How are you dealing with it?
I've been like, okay it's just a game, but then actually watching it and seeing how things transpired, I think I'm back to being angry again. I didn't know some of that stuff took place.
You're the second player to tell me that, that the player beomes spectator, which I find fascinating.
The whole thing kind of shocked me, I was thinking "whoa, I didn't know that person felt like that."
And then last night, that was outright deception on Sugar's part. She just completely lied.
Oh yeah. And I was just like, okay, now she's pinned me as one of the bad guys. I think my whole thing during the game was that I was the outspoken castaway, and any person that I aligned with I was honest and genuine with them. And I looked out for them. And she knew that, because we helped protect each other throughout the game.
Yeah, there was really no deception on your part, you were always forthright.
Exactly. So for them to paint me as an evil player. I was like, okay, whatever.
Do you feel it was your edit that portrayed that quality, or was it the other players?
I think the edit probably did that, but upon leaving the game I really had no hard feelings toward any of the other players and hopefully they shouldn't have any towards me. They should know that we were playing the game, to some extent, but I didn't do any cutthroat deception like you said.
And you know, the reason I picked you, was I looked at "Olympic Gold Medalist" and thought, 'how hard can Survivor be?"
Oh man those challenges kicked my butt, they were so hard. They look easy on TV but they were really hard. A person that's used to being in tip top physical shape, half the stuff had nothing to do with Track & Field, nothing to do with any muscles I would normally use. And I'm like "what the hell did this challenge crew think up today?"
It was just a bunch of craziness. Once I found that out, I was like, okay, now I'll play a social game, and as long as I have numbers on my side, I'll be alright.
I thought being an Olympic Gold Medal winner actually worked against you as far as the perception from the rest of the tribe.
The thing is they didn't know.
They didn't?
Well I did tell Matty, Sugar and Kenny, prior to my going over to Kota. Other than that I never told any of the other castaways. Some of them knew who I was going in to the game, but they never brought it to me.
Gillian mentioned that she knew immediately when she saw you the first day.
Yeah. I didn't even know she knew.
Well word spread quickly. But you say you reverted to a social game.
Oh yeah, I had to. I was stuck on those challenges. I didn't know how to do half of that stuff, so I just decided to have numbers on my side. And I tried to make sure every time I went in to Tribal Council that my name wasn't being written down. Those times when my name was written down, once we merged, when Kota was rallying for me to leave, I had to make sure that didn't take place. They had no reason to rally for me, I was not a physical threat in the game.
Yeah, it was just personal I guess. But that started a beautiful string where you got portrayed as the player orchestrating all the blindsides.
I know! And it wasn't me! That's the thing, it was Kenny. He was the one who would say something, then I would elaborate on it, and then we'd follow through with it.
As a viewer, to me that's the beauty of this game.
You mean the blindsides? It was kind of fun doing it, but it's no fun when it gets done to you.
I know for you it's hard when you're laboring against it, but for the viewer it's delicious.
(laughing) Well, I'm glad we made great entertainment.
It really has been a great year, and it would've been so much better if you'd have been in that final.
That's why I think I started crying, towards the end, because, like I say, I really wasn't a mastermind in the game, and I did play a social game, but I was more the Tribal Council Queen, if anything. And I had just three more days to go, and I was like "man! I can just see it!" But I guess I got cut off.
Of course that means you got to spend three days on the jury. What was that like?
Oh. (laughing) It was the worst day in hell. Kota was so mean to me. They didn't say hello. I think it was a day and a half until somebody said something. Randy and I actually talked first.
Really?
That was the first person I spoke with. And then Marcus was so angry. He was bitter because he thought Kenny knocked him out. He was more angry that he was out of the game. I did everything by myself. I just hung out with Crystal. Until another person came to Ponderosa.
Well, we can't say anything about that right?
Of course not. (laughing)
I always try to see if I can get a slip of the tongue though. So Sunday night is the finale and you get a chance to say what you want. Will you let it all out?
Oh yeah. And I'm glad that Jeff Probst gives me the opportunity to express myself. Like I said I'm Tribal Council Queen.
You were prominent right from Day One. It was unusual. Prominent early players drop away, but you were there the whole time.
For me to last as long as I did, I was like "man! America's gonna know who I am!" It's just been crazy. I hope some doors open up for me from this.
You're a natural for your own show. They gotta make "The Crystal Cox Show."
I know! Maybe you can pull some strings for me.
I'll do my best. I always ask, who would you like to see win the game?
I would like to see Kenny win the game, but I'm definitely casting my vote for a person who played a physical game, a strategic game, but someone who didn't rub me the wrong way. A person who played an honorable game. Because I did. I'm going to give it to the person I feel is most deserving of it.
I would have to say that's Bob then, isn't it?
I don't know. Is it? (laughing) There's Sugar. She's playing a hard game right now. And if you play hard, maybe you deserve to win.
Well it comes down to packing that jury with people who like you. I don't know how well she's done with that.
We'll see.
You can't give me a scoop?
No! You'll find out Sunday night, just like everybody else.
Aww, well, thanks Crystal, for talking with us today. Good luck at the finale!
Thank you! You too!
Link: http://thebiz.fancast.com/2008/12/survivor_exit_interview_crysta.html#more
marigold:
An interview with Crystal:
Exclusive Interview: Crystal Cox of 'Survivor: Gabon'
It was quite an episode full of twists and turns on last night's Survivor: Gabon. At tribal council, it seemed that Matty was done for, as Crystal and Kenny conspired to get rid of him. Then, in a last minute move, Sugar gave Matty his idol and their alliance sent Crystal packing. For weeks now, Kenny and Crystal have been running the show, voting out Kota tribe members Charlie, Marcus, Randy, and Corinne but now, it looks like Kenny is left all alone in this game while Crystal was left all alone at Ponderosa after being voted out. These days, she's got Hollywood dreams on the brain but today, she took some time to speak to BuddyTV in an exclusive interview. Read on to find out who Crystal feels is the real mastermind of this game and why she lost so many darn challenges!
Tell me how you ended up getting on Survivor and what made you want to be part of the show.
I have always been a fan of Survivor so when opportunity presented itself, I went to a casting call in Virginia and CBS called me back.
What was your original strategy going into the game? Did you have one?
Actually, I wanted to be like a low-key player as far as the challenge but definitely garner up a lot of alliances and get the numbers on my side and in the end, not have my name written down at tribal council.
Is there anything that you saw on the show this season, when you watched it back, that surprised you, that you didn't know that people thought of you?
Yeah, I'm quite surprised that, on the show, as many contestants disliked me because I thought I got along well with everybody. It's just that, when they wanted to know something, I told them the truth - especially seeing Sugar last night, conspiring against me, that really hurt. I was rooting for her the whole way and we were in an alliance the whole time.
On last night's episode, if you had it your way, who was your target? Who did you want to see go home?
Definitely Matty. He was the one that I was going after.
Is there anything personal about that or just that he's a huge threat to you?
He was a huge threat and also, he was not stable in the game. He flipped alliances so many times and it was just starting to get frustrating and I didn't know if I could trust him or not.
You did align yourself with Kenny, who has been calling himself the mastermind this season. Is he the mastermind?
Kenny, so far, has been playing a great strategic game and that's what helped us go far but I will label the mastermind this season: Sugar.
In his interview with BuddyTV, Randy said that if you, Kenny, and Sugar made it to the end, he would walk off the set. What is his hatred for you guys? What's the problem?
He didn't like our alliance from the beginning because we were strong. We were Fang and we were losing and we were voting out people so Randy obviously didn't like me then but he made it far in the game and he should be happy that he's able to cast a vote.
You took a lot of heat this season from some of your fellow players because you lost so many challenges. What was going on? I thought you were an athlete.
Those challenges are so hard! I am an athlete, but in the category of track and field. I mean, I spend my whole life training and running around a circle but I get here, on Survivor, and they have me doing some crazy stuff. I was like, "What in the world?" Half those challenges, I didn't even know what to do! I was thrown into a situation, hoping that I would come out alive.
I see this season, on CBS's website, that they're showing life after you get voted out at Ponderosa. How was that for you?
Oh my God, Ponderosa sucked. The people that were there just made me so sick. I mean, it was all Kota people and they didn't like me and I didn't like them.
I was gonna say, they all said they had a good time but I could see where you didn't have that much fun with them.
I totally hated it.
As a member of the jury, what are you looking for when you cast your vote? What kind of player do you want to give a million dollars to?
A player that's been loyal to me and a player that's played a physical and strategic game and they weren't as cutthroat or dirty. That's who I'm gonna give my million dollar vote to.
What's in the future for you? What does life after Survivor look like now?
Hopefully, Hollywood will come calling and they saw some potential that they would be willing to work with. If not, I will probably go into coaching on the collegiate level.
Link: http://www.buddytv.com/articles/survivor/exclusive-interview-crystal-co-25231.aspx
RealityFreakWill:
Interview with TVguide.com
Survivor's Olympian Predicts a Male Winner
Dec 12, 2008 05:06 PM ET by Tim Molloy
Crystal Cox, the latest Survivor: Gabon contestant to be sent home, talked with TVGuide.com about her experience on the show and prediction for Sunday's finale, in which she'll be among the judges who votes on a final winner. She won't make a prediction except to say he or she will be a he: Ken Hoang, Matty Whitmore, or Bob Crowley.
Why not the barely-seen Susie Smith or the plotting pin-up Jessica "Sugar" Kiper? Sugar fell into Crystal's bad graces by turning on her, bringing an end to the Kenny-completing alliance Matty dubbed "The Evil Three."
"You know, she doesn't get my vote," Crystal said in our phone interview Friday.
Crystal, a 2004 Olympic gold medalist in track for the 4 X 400m Relay, also talked about what she learned in Gabon and plans to do after the finale. (It airs Sunday at 8 pm/ET on CBS.)
TVGuide.com: You're a gold medalist, but on the course on Thursday's episode you looked a little lost.
Crystal: Oh my God, yes! I was blindfolded, for one. I tried to visually place it in my mind and obviously I placed it wrong. ... Jeff was like, Crystal, stay on course! Like with any of the challenges, not just the one from last night, they have been very difficult for me. As we know, I didn't play a physical game, I played a social game.
TVGuide.com: Did you feel added pressure to win the physical competitions?
Crystal: Yes, I did! I did! And the thing was, it was like, Hey, how am I gonna do this? Because you know, folks had such high expectations of me. And I was like, I don't even know how to do this and do that. I think what really got me from day one was running up the hill. It wasn't a typical hill. It was a very steep mountain that was gravelly and I fell. I skidded all the way to the bottom. From that day forward I knew: what have I gotten myself into?
TVGuide.com: So if it had been a normal surface there wouldn't have been any contest.
Crystal: Exactly. Surfaces that make me run at least 20 mph. ... No question. Regardless of how famished I was and dehydrated, it wouldn't have been any question.
TVGuide.com: The show's gotten really complicated to follow. Is it even more complicated when you're in the middle of it?
Crystal: I don't think it got too complicated. You just have to know who your alliances are and know who's talking a bunch of BS. And in the end, it's always going to boil down to a numbers game and who wants who gone.
TVGuide.com: When Matty dubbed your alliance "The Evil Three," did that get inside your head at all?
Crystal: Honestly, I'm just like whatever, because watching how the season has been edited so far it's like, they're gonna edit me as a mean, angry person. Which is fine — if that's what's gonna sell and that's what's gonna make Hollywood love me, I'm all for it.
TVGuide.com: So you're planning to act?
Crystal: Yeah, hopefully. ... I can't really commit to anything until this whole thing is done with CBS.
TVGuide.com: How would you summarize the Survivor: Gabon experience?
Crystal: I just enjoyed myself out there and I regretted not voting for Matty the week prior, and I did not know it was going to be a snowball effect like it was. I'm very proud I made it 36 out of 39 days and I think I played a hell of a game.
TVGuide.com: Did you learn anything?
Crystal: Yeah, I've learned that as much as I've lived in denial, I am an outspoken person. And I've learned to step back and just be a little more conservative now. It was an honor to play the game with 18 personalities.
TVGuide.com: Very diplomatic.
Crystal: Yeah, I can't say 18 wonderful people, so I'll say 18 personalities.
marigold:
An interview with Crystal:
Survivor’s Crystal: Ken ‘Deserves to Win’
The reign of CrystalKen has come to an end courtesy of secret strategizing between Sugar, Matty and Bob with just three days left in the Survivor: Gabon series. While Olympic gold medalist Crystal Cox, 29, actually went fairly quietly from tribal council, the North Carolina resident was never at a loss for words during the game or during the following phone interview from Los Angeles.
When did you realize things were going south for you at tribal council?
I had no idea going in. I thought we were sticking with the alliance of five that we had since the merger. When Sugar played the idol and gave it to Matty, I was like, ‘Ok. I’m in trouble.’ It was either going to be either Kenny or myself gone. Day 39 was so close. I could literally see it. I was like, ‘I can hang out here for three more days. I can make it.’
Did you think it should have be Kenny before you?
It should have been Ken because he was the one calling all the shots and I was just helping him execute it. But Sugar felt that I was a bigger threat and a bully. But she never said how I protected her the whole game and let her know what was going on around camp. Her reasoning behind voting me out and getting everyone to agree with it didn’t fly with me. But I can’t do anything about it.
You have been home for a few months…Did watching the blindside and Sugar alliance flip-flop reopen the wound?
Watching it last night with all the stuff that took place behind the scenes, all the conspiring against me, was hard to swallow. I had no idea that all that went down. It definitely opened up the wound again. Once I got home from the show, I had time to let it marinate. I had gotten to the place where I could say it was just a game and I got outwitted. But then watching it play out again last nigh erased all that. I am back to being, not necessarily a bitter Betty, but it does hurt.
Coming into the season, people had high hopes for you physically as you were an Olympian. And then, in all due respect, you sucked at every single challenge.
I did get to that point where I was like, ‘What is wrong with me? Why can I not win anything?’ Those challenges were kicking my butt. They were not easy at all. I’m sure viewers are like, ‘I can do that. That’s so easy.’ But they were not. Once I came to that conclusion, I decided to play a social game and try to keep the numbers on my side.
Have you regretted being so emotional and honest and talking too much?
Looking at it now, I was like, ‘Okay, Crystal, what in the world did you say that for?’ But at the time, no. That’s who I am. The viewers only get to see 10 or 15 minutes of tribal council and it would sometimes be two hours long. When Jeff was talking to some of the castaways, it was like pulling teeth. Everyone is too afraid to say anything. I loved it when he spoke to me because I thought we could make it entertaining. I was like, ‘Jeff I’ll give you what you want.’
What was the first thing you chowed down on after being voted out?
A plate of chicken and rice at Ponderosa. Unfortunately, the rice was there. But when I first got home, I went to an all-you-can-eat buffet figuring they would have everything I could have wanted. I pigged out.
Did you see a physical change in your body at the end and how has it been since you returned to the real world?
I lost a lot of muscle mass. I lost like 25 pounds. My legs felt like sticks. I had no muscle definition left. If I had to drive across town [for a craving], I did it. It didn’t matter how long it took or how much it cost. I found security in food. But then it came to a point where I was like, ‘Crystal, are you going to start training again or pursue other things? I spoke to a few mentors and I think I’m going to retire from professional track and field.
What do you want to do now?
I want to stay involved in track and field probably from a coaching aspect. I want to mentor young boys and girls to hopefully make them better than I was and get them a free education. And I want to get into Hollywood, maybe movies and possibly commentating. Hopefully doors will open up from [Survivor].
In your exit speech, you said you were rooting for Kenny. Does he deserve to win a million? And will CrystalKen still be a thing after the show is done?
I think he deserves to win. We suffered for so long and he helped me through this game and was my No. 1 alliance. We have so much in common. We are both ranked in the world and on Wikipedia. We both have a competitive drive. He’s a good person. I made a friend for life.
Link: http://tvwatch.people.com/2008/12/13/survivors-crystal-ken-deserves-to-win/
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