By Ashley Thompson

"Naked and Afraid" survivalist Charlie Frattini is also a Reality Wanted member! While surviving in Columbia he only butted heads a few times with his partner, but they quickly adapted to each others personality. We caught up with Charlie and here's what he had to say about his challenge and his partner.

RW: How were you cast?
Charlie: I have over 48 tv shows I've done and I'm going to tell you something, this is the most real. I've done them, I'm good at them, I love doing television. I saw the first episode and I loved it and I said, "I have to be on this show". I lobbied myself for it and it took me four seasons. I am the ONLY tv personality capable of doing this show and I am the ONLY tv personality that would do this show, and I've proven that. I was on Discovery previously for a television show that never aired... so I lobbied myself. When I negotiated my HLN contract I negotiated so I could be on both HLN and Naked and Afraid. Naked and Afraid is the most real reality tv show and that's no bullshit. The one's I've been involved with are about 70-75% real, Naked and Afraid without a question is about 98% real.

RW: Which part isn't real?
Charlie: It's a tv show number one. They have a story to tell number two. The entrance isn't scripted but it isn't real. They put you in the truck to talk but they're not taking you to your spot. But the rest of it is 100% real.

RW: Do you think being on tv and being a builder helped you on your challenge?
Charlie: Absolutely. My skills and my confidence, as you can tell by this conversation, prepared me but it allowed me to compete. You're literally on your own, no one helps you. You can chose to have medical help but as you saw I didn't choose that. I actually had to do a release on camera three times because I needed stitches and I said "no". If I was going out there without cameras it's a real thing, there's no doctors. I didn't do this for money, I didn't get a million dollars. I got $7,000 to do this show. That's not what this is about. I did it to prove to myself that I could because it's as real as it is. Another reason is because my father is in pain every day and he doesn't give up and I wanted to show him I was still a Marine and I wasn't giving up.

RW: We saw your miscommunications with Dani early in the challenge. How you feel about your partner now?
Charlie: In my mind was thinking, "I got this, you relax. You're on your period and you're exhausted, sit down...I can handle it." but what I said was something else. I tell everyone what to do not because I'm a megalomaniac but because if they don't listen to me at work they could die. My job is life or death, construction is extremely hazardous. I can count my best friends on one hand and Dani is one of them. I spent 21 days with this girl, not girl, person. She's my personal friend, she's also one of my best friends.

RW: What did you learn from Dani?
Charlie: She taught me that you take what you can eat and eat what you take. You don't need more and I live that to today.

RW: What did you do when the crews left for the day?
Charlie: People always say, "You fool around". You don't fool around! You're dirty. And your with someone half your age you're not interested in that. What do you do? You talk. We played games. We entertained each other. As real as it is it's a show and it has a story to tell, and that was the story. If I could do it again with her I'd absolutely do it again.

RW: You were in the jungle in the Marine Corp., so where would you go if you could do it again?
Charlie: I wouldn't go to Alaska or Himalayas where it's cold. I wouldn't like the desert so because I wouldn't like the desert that's where I'd go. It would really challenge me. I was trained in the jungle and I'm very comfortable in it so I've done that.

RW: What were you most afraid of?
Charlie: My thing is bats. Fear is subjective, I'm not afraid of bats but I don't like them. I'm bothered by them. If you want to hear me scream like a little five year old put a bat near me. ::laughs::

RW: Did your traps or fishing poles ever work?
Charlie: I did try. You can have the best damn trap in the world but if nothing goes in it you ain't getting shit. They made it seem like we didn't eat much but I'll tell you that we had these roots that were like potatoes and I diced them like potato chips. They were like you were eating a pork chop. My mind was saying 'this is a good pork chop' but in reality it was nothing but a fucking piece of root ::laughing::. Your mind tricks you ::laughs::.

Photo credit: Discovery Channel