Survivor Tonight! (Q & A at Bottom)

Jim and Whitney.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.

I can't wait for tonight's episode of Survivor South Pacific: Trojan Horse.

If you liked last week's challenge, with the coconut smashing and Transformer-inspired wheelbarrow, then you will love this week's challenge.

It's classic Survivor:

Water.

Sand.

Those rope knots.

Puzzle pieces.

Tribal garb.

Oh, and blindfolds. (Awesome.)

Here's a sneak peak at Savaii right before the challenge:

Savaii pre-challenge. I think we look pretty bad-butt. Don't you?

(And I love how Jim looks Samoan standing next to Cochran.)

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.



And here are some additional photos from the CBS Survivor website (www.cbs.com). These are listed under the Episode 6 section.

Each time I look at photos from the game, I'm reminded of just how beautiful Samoa/South Pacific is. Holy beautiful.

PS: I'm also reminded of just how fortunate I am to have had my family's support to go on this incredible adventure. I think I've mentioned this before, but the real "Survivor" story is the one that played out here at home in Utah while I was gone (for a LONG time). My husband tended to our SIX--yes, SIX--kiddos while I played the game. If anyone in our family deserves a million dollars, I think my husband does. Too bad CBS wasn't filming Dave's version of the game. That would have made for some good television. Ha!

Okay, now onto some photos.

Savaii tribe at Sliding Rocks after winning reward and immunity.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.

Jim, Keith, Whit, and Cochran.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.


 
 

Keith and Whitney.
(You all know Keith has a pacemaker, right. See . . . on the R side chest. He's superman.)

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.



 

Whitney.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.


 

Ozzy.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.

Ozzy, Me, Jim, and Whit.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.


 

Ozzy and Keith.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.


 

And just to keep me humble: that dang wheelbarrow!

Ozzy, Me, and Cochran.

(C) CBS, Monty Brinton, 2011.

***

And if you're still reading . . .

Here are a few response to questions people have emailed me this week.


And just as a reminder, I'm under a strict CBS non-disclosure agreement. So I can't answer many/most questions people have. Sorry!


BUT, if you're a die-hard Survivor fan, Jeff Probst Tweets and Touts live during the show each Wednesday night--and typically, he answers most of the questions people ask me. Questions like "How long we were gone," "Where you go to the bathroom," etc. (That's twitter.com. And Jeff's username is @jeffprobst)

How did you get on the show?

I auditioned several times, beginning ten years ago. Yes, 10 years! I came close to making the show several times (and was even cast, then cut, for Nicaragua). My complete story is on the CBS Survivor website. There's a clip called "Survivor Transformed Me" there that details it all.

How long were you gone?

I think Jeff Probst details this when he tweets, but we usually don't discuss time spent filming because it may give an indication of our time in/out of the game. So, I would just say, "a long time." Weeks. No phone. No computer. No newspaper. No contact with my family. (Pretty incredible when I think about it.)

Are you still in touch with the other contestants?

I can't comment on that. Sorry! After the game, I can.

I will say, as a Survivor fan, this cast is a group I would have LOVED to watch.

What are you doing now?

Spending time with my family, doing normal "mom" and "wife" stuff, and teaching one class at the university (which I love).

What are your plans for the future? Hollywood? Fame? Buying a yacht?

Those questions make me laugh.

I love my life and love my work, so I don't know that all that much will change after the show airs.

That being said, there are things I am able to do now as a result of the show and the metaphorical "doors" it opens (attention it brings). So, I hope I will be able to pursue those things on a greater scale in the future (writing, public speaking, and being an adoption/foster care advocate).

How does it feel to be a representative of the Mormon Church?

Short answer: it's humbling.

Long answer: I thought long and hard about my decision to be on Survivor--and the possible impact my appearance may have on my family, friends, and faith. And while I didn't really go on the show as a "Mormon" per se, I do believe that my faith is in intrinsic part of who I am. So, I hope that comes across in my daily life--whether that's on TV, in the classroom, or running to Target. (PS: If you do want to know more about my faith, you can visit http://mormon.org/people/)

Will you speak to our YW group (fireside, etc.)?

I learned so much from Survivor (casting, the game, the cast, the producers, the televised part of it, etc.)--so I hope I will be able to share what I learned with other people.

(If you do have an inquiry about a speaking engagement, you can email me at dawn_meehan@byu.edu)

Did you win the game?

We'll have to wait and see. 8)