“You can never play ‘Survivor’ again because people will be gunning for you.’” – Gordon Holmes to Russell Hantz – May 17, 2010
I may be known for my terrible predictions, but that one was dead on…
Russell never got a chance to get started in “Survivor: Redemption Island.” All of the sock burning, trash talking, and back stabbing he’d gotten away with in previous seasons finally came back to haunt him.
I spoke with Russell the day after his removal from the game and found out about his emotional farewell, how he tried to play the game differently, and how he unintentionally helped Ralph find the hidden immunity idol.
Gordon Holmes: Things got emotional last night. What was going through your mind when you broke down after the Redemption Island challenge?
Russell Hantz: Man, I love the game so much. I respect the game so much, and I respect the people involved. It’s much more than, “Oh Russell’s such a baby. He’s getting voted out. He can’t even stand up for himself.” It had nothing to do with me personally getting voted out. It had everything to do with me being supposed to go all the way. It’s really unfair for me because my millions of fans just know I’m going to go all the way. I look at Jeff (Probst) and I see the disappointment in his face. I see the disappointment in the whole crew. And when I’m looking around it breaks my heart because I felt like I let everybody down.
Gordon: After you got it back together, you coughed up some information about the Zapatera alliance. How did it feel to get that last dig in to Ralph?
Russell: The guy stumbled onto the idol because I told him to look for rocks to make the fire pit hotter. He stumbled onto it because of me. And if you notice, when he finds it he tosses it to the side. He still doesn’t have a clue. He keeps saying, “This ol’ boy is pretty good at this game too.” And he outs himself! He was ready to take his idol out of the bag. That’s what I wanted. Really, Ralph? You are a retard. And I use that word as in “The Hangover.”
Gordon: When we spoke after “Heroes Vs. Villains” you said you wouldn’t have a problem voting for someone if they stabbed you in the back. If you had made the jury, would you have voted for Ralph?
Russell: It depends on who was with him. It depends on what he did in the game and what I saw on the jury. But if he played the game the best and he used that idol to save one of his teammates to still have numbers, then yes I would have. But people don’t play like that, they don’t play like me. I save my alliance till the end.
Gordon: I was in the camp that thought you’d never get a chance to fairly compete in “Survivor” again because your tribe would be automatically gunning for you.
Russell: This whole tribe was thinking of getting rid of Russell from day one. It was the “Get Rid of Russell Game” at first. This wasn’t “Survivor.” They must’ve gotten a little extra money to get rid of me, there was a bounty on my head. I’m going to have to ask Mark (Burnett) if they put a bounty on my head, because that’s how they’re playing.
Gordon: I disagreed with getting rid of you so early. I think it’d be wise to team up with you Mick Trimming-style and let you take all the bullets.
Russell: Right and then you’ll be safe. So yes, it doesn’t make sense. But they were so scared of me, it was like I was John Gotti. I’d look them in the eye and they’d start shaking. They were flustered just talking to me.
Gordon: How close were you to getting something going at Zapatera?
Russell: Trust me, dude, I was close. If Julie would have made that switch it would have been a totally different game. My tribe would have went all the way to the end of the game.
Gordon: Did you ever think you had Julie’s vote?
Russell: I thought maybe…Stephanie was like, “Oh no, I believe her.” I was thinking, “I don’t know, but we maybe have a shot.” Because Julie was the one who told me they were going to throw the challenge. So, by her telling me that, I thought maybe it would happen. But time will tell how well she does in the game. But I can tell you this, this is what I would’ve done; I would’ve taken Julie, Stephanie, and Krista all the way to the end. I would have voted out Stephanie, because Stephanie was a very strategic player. And you know what would have happened? Julie would have won.
Gordon: Did you tell Julie that?
Russell: I told her that. I told her I could guarantee her the top five. She asked if she could be my Parvati (Shallow) and I could take her all the way. I said “No.” I wasn’t going to promise that.
Gordon: One of the knocks against you is that you were playing a very similar game to what we saw in “Samoa” and “Heroes Vs. Villains.” Would you agree or disagree with that?
Russell: I was playing different, they just weren’t showing it.
Gordon: What moves were you making that we didn’t see?
Russell: The first people I went up to were Mike and David. And we all fist-bumped and it was on. And then I went up to Stephanie. And then I went back to them because I didn’t want them to think I was doing stuff behind their back. And I said, “If you want her gone, that’s fine. But you have my vote and you have her vote. “
Gordon: Alright, let’s get to know your tribe a little better. We’ll start off with Steve.
Russell: Steve is an NFL football player that is weak. He is weak in mind, body, and soul. That’s why his first injury in the NFL…he quits. It comes with the game, the game’s about life. He’s a quitter in life. He’ll never have nothing. What is he 70 years old and he has nothing? He probably drives a Volvo.
Gordon: Alright, David?
Russell: David knows he made a huge mistake, because he’s the smartest guy out there. If David would have aligned with me, I think I would have done better than I would have with Julie. The only reason I didn’t go with David is because he got into a big argument with Stephanie that they didn’t show. They were cussing and screaming. I thought there was no way he was going to align with me cause that’s her problem, her mouth.
Gordon: Let’s try Julie.
Russell: Julie is the weakest fire fighter. If my house is on fire I’m not calling her.
Gordon: Ralph?
Russell: Ralph is the dumbest person I know on the face of the Earth. He’s trying to do all that stuff for the camera. You know, crowing like a rooster don’t get ya popular, Ralph.
Gordon: Yeah, that’s true.
Russell: And you stumbled over that idol. Don’t think you got the best of me. Cause I’m not even out there and I’m still out there. They’re going to be talking Russell-this, Russell-that for the rest of the show. You can get rid of me here, but not in spirit. I’m still there messing with you.
Gordon: Let’s talk about Krista.
Russell: Krista was my Natalie (White) out there, but Krista was much more aggressive. They didn’t show a lot about Krista, but she’s so honest. She’s such a good person. She’s a Christian girl. She would’ve stuck with me to the end. She was like a Natalie, but with a game. I don’t want to diminish Natalie though, Natalie is a sweetheart.
Gordon: Tell me about Mike.
Russell: Mike is the definition of douche bag. He is that tool.
Gordon: (Laughs) Alright, Stephanie?
Russell: If Stephanie doesn’t go far in the game, it’s a shame. Everybody is going to hate this comment, but I’ve played with the best. Stephanie is just as good as if not better than Parvati. Stephanie is stronger than Parvati, she’s more strategic. The only thing she doesn’t have that Parvati has is that Stephanie has that Sandra (Diaz-Twine) attitude. She can be lippy. But she’s so much better looking than Sandra.
Gordon: Let’s try Sarita.
Russell: They ain’t showing this, but she’s in control. She’s the one I’d see in the corner talking and flaring her arms around and telling them what to do. It’s like everyone else was little puppets listening to her. She was the one nudging dumbass not to show his idol.
Gordon: Last night you said this would be your last time playing. If it is, how would you like to be remembered?
Russell: Twenty years from now when “Survivor” is all over and you ask someone to name three names, it’s probably going to be Parvati, Russell, and Rob. I want to be remembered as one of the greatest players, the most passionate player, that loved the game. I got addicted to that game like crack.
Any questions? Any comments? Our commenting system is down for the time being, but feel free to drop me a line on Twitter at @gordonholmes or chat with fellow “Survivor” fans at the “Survivor” Hall of Fame Facebook page.
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Tags: jeff probst, rob mariano, Russell Hantz, survivor, Survivor: Redemption Island
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