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by Jim Van Nest Published: June 18, 2003
I'd like to start by saying that I started out rooting for Heidi and over the course of the season, through her actions and words, I turned on her. In some cases I had some real nasty things to say about Heidi and her counterpart, Jenna. Since the end of the show, through interviews and message board postings, I must admit, I've changed my tune on both girls. In my opinion, the fact that Heidi even agreed to chat with me (after some of the things I wrote) shows that there is much more maturity there than we saw in the entire 13 week run of Survivor: The Amazon. So without further ado, ladies and gentlemen...she's one of the most controversial Survivors in the 6 season history of the show, I'm fairly certain she became the thinnest Survivor in the history of the show and she dropped the "bikini heard 'round the world", please join me in welcoming Heidi Strobel to the pages of The Trades. Jim: Let's start from the beginning...when you arrived in the Amazon, what kind of classes/training were you given to help you in the Amazon? And what kinds of rules were laid out for you as far as destruction of the vegetation around you? Heidi: I went through weapons training along with jungle training(machete, how to kill animals, etc.) We were not alowed to destroy anything we couldn't use. Absolutely no killing of animals - except fish. J: Ok, game on...16 strangers are loaded up on a boat and shipped to the middle of a tropical rain forest. From all I've read about you, you're uber-competitive...were you sizing up the competition on that initial ride? And if so, who did you fear (game-wise, of course) and who did you think you might end up aligning with? H: I sized up the competition in training - awhile before the initial ride, in spite of the fact that we were not allowed to talk to each other. I feared Deena game-wise as she showed an intense personality. As we were not aware that it would be men vs women - my thoughts on alignment were with Butch, Shawna, Christy, maybe Dave, maybe Jenna and with the best of luck Deena! J: So, you get to camp and you're assessing your tribe: deaf girl, older woman who's fallen ill, Bible thumper, soccer mom, DA, model, a chick with dreads and you...what did you think of your chances to set up a smooth running camp and more importantly, your chances against the guys? H: Most of the women had a more intense personality than I do, so I never thought things would run smoothly. Eight women - eight personalities - go figure. Being competitive in nature, I felt our chance against the men was even. J: Granola-gate...I've been of the opinion that none of you brought the infamous granola bar into camp. The rules are laid out on this show and I'm pretty sure everyone would follow them. What are your thoughts on the conspiracy theory that the bar was planted by someone connected with the show to stir up some drama right off the bat? H: Difficult to say on this - the debate will last forever! J: Christy...much has been made of the Christy vs. Jenna and Heidi storyline and I don't want to beat it to death, but I've said since episode 2 when she had her little hissy fit about people not working hard enough, that Christy would have been tough to live with and her deafness had nothing to do with it. Would you say this is an accurate statement? And would you say that you and Jenna have kinda gotten an undeserved bad rap from the whole thing? H: Through my eyes, Christy's deafness had nothing to do with anything, I work with hearing impared and disabled children a lot. I saw her as no different than anyone else out there. Christy had just as strong a personality as any of the rest of us - we were all difficult to get along with at times and she was no exception to that rule. As to the "bad rap" Jenna and I got, things were edited and rather skewed so the general public didn't see the whole story. J: "The cute girls"...we get to episode 3 and all of a sudden, there is the division between the younger girls and the older girls. In confessionals, you break it down to the cuter girls and the rest. Did you have any idea how this one little statement would turn out to help make you the "villain" of Survivor: Amazon? And the bathing sequence, I made note that you were the only one NOT to bathe naked...was that a conscious choice, or just the way it turned out? (At the time, I thought it a conscious choice, given your occupation.) H: There was so much more to that "cuter/younger" line - I was NOT separating the younger from the older, I was simply saying that two specific women had a problem with the "so called" younger girls. I had no idea that one simple statement would lead to anything! At one time Shawna, Jenna, Deena and I all made that same statement during the show - I was just the "lucky" one! As to the famous bathing scene - yes, it was a conscious choice - there was no benefit (i.e. food when starving to death) - ha ha! J: Jeanne's ouster...ok, in my column, I blasted you for misspelling Jeanne's name when you voted her out...I've heard that this was not an accident (and what I heard was a bit funny too), would you care to elaborate on the story surrounding your vote for "Gene?" H: OK, so much for humor. It is funny how no one got the joke. At the time, "Jeanne" was trying to be 'top dog' in front of the "guys" so I gave her what she wanted . . . . "Gene"! Writer's aside: I don't know about any of you, but I find this pretty darn funny. J: The merge and PB and Chocolate...this point has been run into the ground SO hard, but I have to go there, lest I lose what small amount of credibility I have. You're standing on the pole for immunity. Did you know going in that Jeff would be offering food at times to jump down? Seriously, how long after Jenna said she'd get naked for pb and chocolate did it take Probst to produce it? For both of you, why not back off your comments about getting naked when you learned you could get the food just by jumping off? Did you feel gypped at all that you and Jenna got naked for food, and then Alex and Dave didn't have the decency to return the favor? H: Jeff said that there would be "rewards" - no mention of food, he also said that not everyone would be offered the rewards and to "make our choices wisely". As to the timing on the production of the Peanut Butter and Chocolate it was not easily produced. Hey the words were "some of you will not get the rewards of this challenge - so make me an offer". For the record, there were four of us that offered to get naked. We were under the impression, this was our only chance for food. For example when Roger jumped off he didn't get anything. As to being gypped - concerning Alex and Dave - as said above, there were four of us! Writer's aside: A-HA!! I bet there's thousands of female Survivor fans that will be bummed to hear that. heh heh Lets sum this up - both Jenna and I knew we were too weak to last much time on the poles, we were going to make sure we got food - so we got to the point and made him an offer. J: It was around the midway point that your weight loss became WAY obvious. How much did you lose and were you, at any point, in danger because of the loss? What did you think when you saw yourself on TV (a medium known for "adding 10 pounds) and saw how thin you got? And for crying out loud, how could you even think about competing in challenges at this stage? H: At my lowest level, I had lost approximately 25 lbs. Yes, at that time I was in danger because of the loss. When I saw myself on TV I looked like "Skeletor" with a wig - it was quite upsetting for both my family and friends and me. I am glad you mentioned that as later in the show I get a bad rap for being "lazy". I saved every bit of energy for a challenge - I had none left. J: Each season one of my favorite challenges (and the favorite of many other fans) is "the Gross Food Challenge." So tell me...how gross was it? H: It is as gross as a person can imagine! I was so dehydrated I had difficulty producing the saliva to get the grasshopper down. It was so gross that I gagged for two days! J: Let's get into the auction...I have really only one question about it...after Christy got her letter and said it was ok to auction off another (and let's be honest, what player WOULDN'T have said ok to that?), everyone knew this was set up mainly for Jenna, because she was so distraught. My question is, why did you start to bid against her, knowing how badly she wanted the letter? H: Jeff said he would end the auction if we didn't bid against each other, if I didn't make a bid then she wouldn't have gotten her letter. If a person does their "math", I had a lot more money left to "out bid" her if that were the purpose. J: Rob betrays the team...I've had a question about the whole Alex boot and the resulting drama between you, Jenna and Rob since the episode aired. I'm curious, just 3 days prior to Alex leaving, you turned on your alliance and voted out Deena, and my assumption is it's because it was the best move for you to make at the time. I'm wondering why you seemed so offended when Rob turned on you the same way you turned on Deena. H: I did apologize to Rob, it is a game and you shouldn't let your emotions take over as mine did. At the time, when you are caught up in it all you say things you don't sincerely mean. Don't we all? Deena promised me that the final three would be me, her and Jenna; I would have kept my promise to the end with her. When I found out that was not her true intentions, I had to turn on Deena because she had already turned on me. However, with Rob, I had done nothing to him. There was no reason to turn on me, hence I was more offended at the time. J: Tell me about your spider bite. What kind of first aid was given to you? And was there any time you thought you may have to leave the game for medical reasons? H: The spider bite was very painful. I didn't feel my leg from the waist down - there was no first aid available. When I couldn't walk because of the bite, I was certain I would have to leave the game. J: Your final Tribal Council...Ok, having watched the show and seen the finished product given to the audience (like me)...you had to cringe when you saw your final speech at the last Tribal Council? I mean...from what we were shown, your speech couldn't have been more off target. The masterminding half the game....the guys being afraid of you...explain where that came from. Also, did you notice how Deena, then Alex and then Christy all claimed to be in charge and in the driver's seat mere minutes before they got tossed? Seems you followed right in their footsteps. Had you backed off your statement at TC, do you think there was any chance you would have stayed? Or was your fate already sealed, so you figured "Why not go out with a bang?" H: Deena, Alex and Christy didn't see it coming. They really did think they were in charge. I definitely knew I was being voted out - that is why I said what I said. I was angry because I knew I played the game really hard and I knew my time had come. Rob, Butch and Matt each told me that I was going to be their vote, so I knew it was coming. Further proof - I wore my "buff" as a top - a true farewell outfit - ha ha! J: Your jury question: a lot of folks took issue with your jury question. Not the original question, which I thought was one of the better questions, actually...but the fact that you followed it up by essentially asking it again. (To remind readers, Heidi's question was "Who deserves to be in the final 2 more than you?") A lot of folks thought you were fishing for one of them to say that you deserved to be there. One more time :-), could you explain what your thought process was there? H: I asked the question for Jennas sake. I knew that Deena and Rob were the wild card votes. Jenna knew I would be voting for her, why would she say my name? I was hoping she would say Deena, Rob or both so she would get both of their votes. When she answered Rob, I asked the question again and was looking at Deena as a hint that maybe she would say "and possibly Deena". J: Were you upset or bitter at all with the way they portrayed you on the show? Sure, you knew in advance that this could happen and blah, blah....but when it actually happened and they set you up to be the bad guy, if you will, did it bother you or did you kind of revel in it? H: It did bother me as it was as if everything I had worked for was crushed in a matter of seconds. So yes, it was hurtful, but know I am strong and won't let it beat me. J: And oddly, something that people want to know about after every show it seems...what goes on after you've been voted off the show? Do you get to see the area? Are you stuck in "Loser's Lounge" for fear that people will see you not in the game any longer, and a spoiler is born? Basically, from the time Jeff puts out your torch, to the time you get back home...what do y'all do? H: Speaking only for myself, I was only ousted for three days and am not allowed to talk about it because of my contract. Writer's aside: That damn Mark Burnett and his contracts. I guess I'll have to get on the show if I want this answer. We all do get to 'hang out as friends' and the game is no longer involved. J: Ok, that'll do it for game-related questions, I have a few "what's up with Heidi now?" questions and that'll do it. So, at the reunion show, you talked about possibly going to med school. Has that come about? Or maybe better wording would be, What does Heidi want to be when she grows up? Ha ha H: Med school is a possibility as well as getting my Master's in Nursing. J: What's life been like for you since your return? Appearances, speaking gigs, etc? H: Life is still very crazy for now! I have been doing alot of charity work as well as autograph appearances and soon to do my magazine tour. J: You and Jenna were so tight during the show...is this a lifelong friendship, do you think? H: Definitely a lifelong friend! There is one important fact everyone overlooks, we genuinely would have given up the winning of the one million dollars for each other. J: And the final question...since I've had an open forum the entire season and in some cases I was pretty hard on both you and Jenna in my columns...how did you feel, as the show was being aired, about the hard times you were getting all over Survivor-land? I don't know if you read my stuff during the show (hell, I don't know if you've read my stuff at all)...but was there a time where you would have just loved to meet me or another writer in a dark alley and "straighten us out" so to speak? It's ok...you can let me have it, if you want to. :-) H: Good Question! I wish you could see me as who I really am, not as a "game show" contestant. It was difficult emotionally being 'beat up' for a person I am not. Don't get me wrong, I can handle 'constructive criticism' - I grew up in a family where we called it 'polishing our mirror'. To constantly dodge strong opinions about a person someone thinks you are is emotionally and physically draining. I have a sincere positive attitude which makes it diffucult to understand where negative thoughts/comments come from and why people dwell on them. It would be just as wrong for me to judge your work as a journalist, regardless of the subject matter. And there we have it folks. I'd like to thank Heidi for taking the time out to chat with me, especially considering I was certainly not nice to her through most of the season. I think this interview helps show how one sided the show of Survivor can be. On the show, Heidi was made to look petty and very full of herself. In real life, that couldn't be farther from the truth. I found her to be very forthcoming and as nice as she can be. If you'd like more information on Heidi and what she's up to, you can check out her not-quite-completed website at www.Heidi-Strobel.com. Again, it's not yet complete, but she's hoping for completion sometime in the next couple weeks. So, that'll do it for me kids...until next time, as always, take care and God bless. Share your thoughts on this interview in our forum. Preview | Ep 1 | Ep 2 | Ep 3 | Ep 4 | Ep 5 | Ep 6 | Ep 7 | Ep 8 | Ep 9 | Ep 10 | Ep 11 | Ep 12 | Ep 13 The S-Ratings at The Trades Ep 2 | Ep 3 | Ep 4 | Ep 5 | Ep 6 | Ep 7 | Ep 8 | Ep 9 | Ep 10 | Ep 11 | Ep 12 | Ep 13 For all your Survivor News and Interesting Tidbits and to see what our guest contributor from last season, Jakey, is up to please check out these sites: Sirlinksalot's Survivor 6 Page | SurvivorNews.net | SurvivorFan.com | Jakey's Corner |
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