Name: Sophie Clarke
Age: 22
Current Residence: Willsboro, New York
Occupation: Medical Student
Tribe: Upolu
Gordon Holmes: Now I understand you were named the prom princess in a school of 28 students.
Sophie Clarke: (Laughs) I won prom princess in the eleventh grade, it was perhaps the most important moment of my life. (Laughs) It’s kind of a stupid thing. There’s ten girls in the class and five get on the court and five don’t. So, I think I felt pretty bad about it, actually.
Holmes: It says here that one of your pet peeves is smart women who pretend to be dumb. You see that a lot in “Survivor.” Are you concerned that you might run into some of that?
Clarke: Definitely. I think that smart women often pretend to be dumb. It’s not unique to “Survivor.” It’s something embedded in our society that women are supposed to become subservient to men. I think that’s really common in “Survivor” because there are a lot of girls who want a free ride to the end. I can see why they want to do that, but I think men are intimidated by strong women. And I can already tell here a couple of girls who might be looking to do that as a strategy.
Holmes: So you’re already annoyed?
Clarke: It annoys me because there’s so much more to them and I think they either don’t know it or don’t care.
Holmes: I’m thinking you didn’t love what happened last season with Boston Rob (Mariano) and the Ometepe girls.
Clarke: It was pathetic. Especially Natalie (Tenerelli). I don’t even think she was looking to win. I think when he (Rob) said he’d take her to the final two that that was good enough for her, she settled. I mean Ashley (Underwood), she tried to do something in the end but she was kind of a (expletive deleted).
Holmes: Do you think “Survivor” is easy?
Clarke: I’m sure it’s much harder than it is on TV. But that said, I hope it’ll be easier for me than for others. I’ve lived in poor conditions before. I lived in Africa for five months without running water or electricity. I’m not somebody who needs to have my curling iron every day. I think the social game is probably really taxing, although I don’t mind when someone doesn’t like me.
Holmes: Any reservations about lying in the game?
Clarke: I can be pretty damn deceptive. I’ve been deceptive my whole life. I remember when I was five years old stacking the deck against my uncle when we’d play Uno. He was shocked that a five-year-old could do that. He was really hurt. But it’s a game. I think people’s feeling will get hurt.
“Survivor: South Pacific” premieres Wednesday, September 14, 2011 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
More “Survivor” Fun: XFINITY TV sent Gordon Holmes into the heart of the South Pacific to get a first-hand look at the filming of the latest edition of “Survivor.” Be sure to check back for exclusive interviews with the returning All-Stars and host Jeff Probst, behind-the-scenes photos, and Gordon’s personal (and injury-filled) account of what it’s like to compete in an actual immunity challenge.
Any Questions about “Survivor: South Pacific”? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
Tags: jeff probst, sophie clarke, survivor, survivor south pacific
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