by Gina Scarpa

 

Carter may have played a quiet social game this season on Survivor: Philippines, but that wasn't any less of a threat than his ability to perform well in physical challenges.  On this week's episode, the alliance of four (Lisa, Michael, Malcolm, and Denise) realized that the well-liked track coach from Kansas was the biggest thing standing between them and the million dollars.  Though he tried to make the case to get rid of Abi, because of her unpopularity around camp, he still ended up being the one sent to the jury.  We caught up with Carter today to talk about his love of the game, alliance with Jeff, true feelings about Penner, and how it feels to be sitting on the jury.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you want to try out for Survivor this season?

A. Carter: I've actually been a fan for a long time. I kind of fell in love with the show from watching Danni Boatright (Survivor: Guatemala) play. She lives a few miles away from me and we've become friends. She actually texted me this week. I had a huge crush on her when I was a freshman in high school. I remember telling my parents, "If they vote her out, I'm never gonna watch this show again," and she never got voted out. People underestimated her and I needed that to happen to me. I had my back against in the wall, no more numbers, I needed to make something happen. We were trying to make something happen but Malcolm won.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You were very tight with Jeff Kent this season. When did you find out who he really was and what was your reaction?

A. Carter: I didn't find out until after the show was completely over and I'm actually really happy that I didn't know. Everyone knows him as the baseball player. I know him as the hick from Texas. I really like that I got to know that side of him.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: I'm sure you'd agree with me when I say that we didn't get to know you or see you much in the first half the game. What did you think when you saw the episodes?

A. Carter: You know, I think that my personality just... we're seeing a lot of Abi. She's this fiery Brazilian who's making up things, who did a really cool thing in that auction, so my personality... with three returners and two celebrities, I think I'm just so laid back. I don't bash people a lot and we were winning so early on at Kalabaw, while Tandang was tearing themselves apart.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Now Jeff was very against getting Penner out of the game but you guys did align with him as well for a little while. What were your feelings on him? It was a little hard to tell.

A. Carter: That's interesting because I've seen the show obviously and I kinda watched Boston Rob (Survivor: Redemption Island) walk his way to the final. That was tough and I've always, always said, even when Coach was there, "Why are they keeping this guy around?" You tell yourself, "If I play, it's gonna be all new people," and then you realize there's a reason why this guy is on his third season. Penner's a very charming, very fun guy. Jeff was my first alliance bu I was really happy when it was that guys alliance and we were all together. He hadn't done anything to make us doubt or distrust him. Unfortunately when we got to the merge, things got chaotic. We were so in survival mode, Kalabaw, I don't know. Unfortunately, I chose not to work with him. But to go back to your question, it was rooted in my brain what a lot of people say. They don't want returning players to win but then, you get to know the person and like them. You realize you want to work with them. I became great friends with Jonathan Penner. Like many, I changed my views on him.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: These remaining players have been talking about wanting to go against the best in the end or at least, those that they feel deserve to be there. And yet, I'm talking to you today and not Abi. What happened?

A. Carter: I think they started to smell the million dollars. They were thinking, "We gotta find a way to get to the end." There's a scene on CBS.com where I'm talking to them and I'm giving them all these reasons to keep me and hit them in their hearts. I'm saying, "You love this game, I love this game. This girl has dragged us through the mud." I was basically giving my final speech and maybe I shouldn't have done that. I didn't win immunity and I was just viewed as a threat, not just because of the challenges but because people on the jury had no dirt on me.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you feel like, as a jury member, you can be okay with whoever sits in that final three, so long as it's not Abi?

A. Carter: Yeah! I respect all those people out there and I realize that the good thing about me going home was that I wasn't straight up lied to. I wasn't told all these things but going back to that, those people... Lisa has played with so much heart and is trying to make big moves. Skupin has been awesome in challenges, great guy, and Malcolm and Denise are playing this stone cold poker face, emotionless game that you can tip your hat to.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Yeah well you were definitely likable this season and you're right, it made you a threat on a different level too. In some way, did it make you feel good that you were voted out for those two reasons? You were a physical threat, and you were well liked.

A. Carter: Oh yeah, absolutely. I can't imagine how it feels to be Abi right now and to hear Malcolm call her a bitch and Denise calling it like it is, and rightfully so. They don't dislike her for some random reason. To me, that would kill me. That would kill me for my friends to watch, for my family to watch. As I'm pulling the dagger out of my back, Skupin was saying this guy is like my son or Lisa saying if Jesus played Survivor, he'd play like Carter. I don't know about that, but I guess you don't wanna play Survivor against Jesus.

 

 

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

 

(Image courtesy of CBS)

 

 

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