by Gina Scarpa

 

Heading into the first tribal council of the season last night on Survivor: Nicaragua, it looked like football coach Jimmy Johnson had a pretty big target on his back. However, his tribemate Wendy Jo DeSmidt-Kohlhoff managed to talk herself right out of the game. She was first pegged as a possibility to vote out because her tribe felt she wasn't a strong competitor but it was her personality that her tribe couldn't quite connect with and she became the first person voted out of the game. Today, we spoke to her in an exclusive interview about being split up by age, her Espada tribe, and who orchestrated her exit from Survivor.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you want to try out for Survivor? Were you a fan of the show in the past?
A. Wendy: You know what? I had never watched the show until my husband got deployed to Afghanistan and asked me to tape it for him. I started watching it and I was like, "I gotta do this! This is awesome!" I was thinking I'd never get the time off but that was one of my retirement goals. I retired in 2008 and my mom died that year and I was in my own little world. I wasn't ready to be on Survivor yet. But the following year, I applied and I got selected! I was totally honored and very excited.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you do any preparation before heading into the game?
A. Wendy: I'm a physically fit person anyway. When my mom died, I kind of slacked off. When you're fit for so many years, it doesn't take much to get back. I did more things than I ever had done. I'm constantly working on the farm and I do physical stuff regularly. I also did the PS90 program which is pretty tough and I watched the railroad tracks! That's not easy to stay on the rails! I studied my brains out by watching all the old Survivor episodes on the internet and taking notes about what was special. I was pretty focused on Survivor from January when I applied to the show.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was your first reaction when you found out that you would all be split up by age?
A. Wendy: Actually, I figured it out! When you get there and you look at the people, there were so many old people. I said it in an interview and people wouldn't say yes or no. When we were put in our tribes, intiailly, I was really bummed. But when Jeff split us up I was like, "I knew it!" I thought I was safe with that group.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you think that forming an alliance so early in the game was a good move?
A. Wendy: No. First of all, I didn't initiate it. Holly did and I never would've initiated it. However, I don't think it had anything to do with my getting out. I wish I hadn't jumped into that because things are said to each other and then she wouldn't talk to me anymore. I don't know that it helped me but it didn't hurt me. The thing that hindered me was that I wasn't myself. I didn't talk much. Nobody really asked me a lot of questions. I wanted to say, "What about me?"

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Is there one person that you feel is responsible for you being the first one voted out?
A. Wendy: Well obviously, I think Jimmy Johnson had a lot to do with it but I do think Marty didn't care for me either and Jill didn't care for me. Holly would sway anywhere. No, it appears Jimmy orchestrated it but that wasn't the case.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Even thought you were only there a short time, are you happy with your experience on Survivor?
A. Wendy: Oh absolutely! I would not trade it for the world. I am sad that I didn't really get to experience being hungry and trying the challenges. One time is not really enough to say, "I know what it's like." I know I should be grateful that I got to experience part of it but I can't say I really, truly know what it's like to be on Survivor. Three days is not a lot. You're supposed to be out there 39 days!

 

Survivor: Nicaragua airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on CBS.

 

(Image courtesy of CBS)

 

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa

 

For more Survivor links, visit SirLinksALot.net