Carter Williams (CBS)
XFinityTV is blowing up their coverage of “Survivor: Philippines.” Every Tuesday I’ll be squaring off against “Survivor: One World” favorite Kat Edorsson in this season’s Power Rankings challenge. Every Wednesday briefly after the show we’ll have a full episode recap and every Thursday we’ll have an interview with the latest eliminated player. Follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for all the updates!
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If Carter Williams was looking for a positive to take away from his “Survivor” experience, this might be it…
His physical prowess > Abi’s ability to annoy her tribemates
I spoke with Carter the morning after his elimination to find out about the off-camera moves he was making, his relationship with a potential MLB Hall of Famer, and some negative accusations that were made by former members of Kalabaw…
Gordon Holmes: Good morning, Carter.
Carter Williams: Good morning.
Holmes: How’s it going?
Williams: I was voted out last night.
Holmes: What?!
Williams: I know.
Holmes: That’s some (expletive deleted).
Williams: I agree. It sucked.
Holmes: Every season some players seem to fall through the cracks, we didn’t get to see much of your game. What were you up to that whole time?
Williams: Honestly, I thought that me, Penner, Skupin, and Lisa were tight. I talked to Skupin, I talked to Penner. Lisa and I were really great friends out there, but we never really discussed strategy. I thought it was going to be me, Skupin, and Penner in the final three. I did have a strategy and it wasn’t to ride on the coattails of Penner. But it was with that four. I didn’t know that a handshake didn’t take place and that they felt uncomfortable.
Holmes: When Lisa and Skup tried to set up a final four with you guys, you didn’t know that was going on at that time?
Williams: Yeah, I didn’t see that go down. But, Penner came to me and said, “Look, we got screwed because they’re nervous that I didn’t shake their hand.” So, I was aware that that happened, but I wasn’t aware that they were saying final three with me as the fourth.
Holmes: I was a little shocked last night when Skupin said you were like a son to him. We didn’t see a lot of your relationship on the show.
Williams: We were really close. I don’t know if that’s something I did wrong or did right, but I became good friends with all of them. The merge became a completely different game. The rain stopped, we were on a different island, more resources, more smiles, and I was so stoked to be hanging out with Peter and Malcolm. Skupin and I became really close. We had fun, we’d talk about sports and make up games to play. We’d go fishing. And like I mentioned, I don’t know if it was to my credit or not to become liked by all of those people. I was taken out over someone who has been labeled the most disliked person in the game. It’s an interesting concept, you want to play as hard as you can or as well as you can so you can say to the jury, “Hey, vote for me.” But people stab each other in the back. It’s a mind-blowing thing.
Holmes: It’s a long season. Things were said about you by people who are long gone. I’m referring specifically to Dana saying you were a chauvinist.
Williams: (Laughs)
Holmes: That was of course in the Kalabaw days. Post-merge, it’s like an episode of “Everybody Loves Carter.” I always want to give people a chance to defend themselves. So, why do you think Dana felt that way?
Williams: I think it was because it was team immunities as opposed to individual. Maybe it didn’t get shown, but I’m so competitive. We sat out girls in the challenges most of the time. I think every time a guy competed. I think there was a challenge where I blamed Katie or Dawson on a puzzle and unfortunately, it did probably make me look bad. I don’t know what that was about. I was kind of bummed. Your interviews weren’t portraying me in a good light there, man.
Holmes: That’s why I brought it up. I didn’t want you to go out like that. You can go on the record right now and say you’re not a sexist.
Williams: (Laughs) I don’t think I’m a sexist. I’ve never been told that before. But, “Survivor” you’re living with people 24/7 in harsh conditions and maybe a side of you comes out that you don’t really want to.
Holmes: Before the show started, one of your goals was to show some Ozzy Lusthian skills in the challenges. You managed to kick some posterior, win some immunities.
Williams: Yeah, immunity challenges, I should’ve focused more on other things. When Penner went home my eyes lit up. I thought here’s my chance to dominate this game. Here’s my chance to make everybody notice me. My chance to prove myself as a “Survivor” All-Star. To pull a Danni Boatwright…to pull an Ozzy. I mentioned on Twitter that Ozzy’s my hero and I wanted to do what he did. But, a lot of people pointed out that Ozzy fell short too.
Holmes: That’s true.
Williams: My back was against the wall and the competitor in me lit up. I’m forever going to have to live with that challenge where Malcolm beat me.
Holmes: That’s the problem with being a challenge monster is that you never know what kind of wacky contraption John Kirhoffer is going to come up with.
Williams: (Laughs) Seriously. I don’t think I had to do a puzzle that whole time and if a puzzle had come up I would’ve been in trouble.
Holmes: Alright, let’s get to some word association. We’ll start with Denise.
Williams: (Long pause) You’d think with all of your interviews I’ve read I’d be ready for this.
Holmes: I’m just glad you didn’t prepare beforehand, that would defeat the purpose of this exercise.
Williams: Poker face.
Holmes: Malcolm?
Williams: Van Owen
Holmes: Lisa?
Williams: Timshel.
Holmes: I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Williams: Timshel is from a book from the writer of “Of Mice and Men” and Malcolm’s goes along with the one Penner said about me. Van Owen decapitates the Thompson Gunner.
Holmes: Yikes. OK, Abi.
Williams: Fiery.
Holmes: Jeff Kent?
Williams: Brett Favre.
Holmes: Penner?
Williams: Werewolf in London.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Skupin.
Williams: He’s a good man.
Holmes: You had some celebrities in your midst. What was your reaction when you realized that you’d been playing with an NL MVP and a teen TV star?
Williams: Ninety nine percent of the world knows him as the National League MVP second baseman. I know Jeff as a hard-working Texas hick. (Laughs) I love that me and Jeff got to know each other without the baseball thing. I’ve had so many people come up to me and be like, “Jeff Kent was my hero.” I really got to know the guy and like the guy away from that. It’s cool, it might’ve been different if I’d known that.
Holmes: Have you caught any “Facts of Life” since you’ve been back?
Williams: (Laughs) You know what’s weird? I’d seen Lisa before. I’d seen her face places. I remember getting there and I’m thinking, “I know this lady. I know her from somewhere.” But eventually it just slipped out of my mind. I think there may have been a bit of a generation gap.
Holmes: Yeah, if Zach Morris or A.C. Slater had been on that boat, someone your age might’ve had a better shot of recognizing them.
Williams: Yeah, I’d know those guys.
Holmes: You dropped the name Danni Boatwright earlier. Only a hardcore fan would do that. As I’m sure you know, they’ve been doing these family visits for a long time. I love my mom, but we go 30 days without seeing each other and it isn’t a big deal. What is it about seeing a loved one after 30 days that makes people lose it?
Williams: You go through so many ups and downs out there. I didn’t know what was going on with my family. You start dreaming about them, you start wondering. And 33 days out there feels like a whole year. Just to feel that comfort that a mom represents…to see her come running out there was one of the craziest feelings I’ve ever had. And you saw me, it caught me off guard. I wasn’t ready to get hit with that wave of emotion. Even when we read the letters from home on day fourteen, it killed me. It was this touch of home in this rough, harsh environment.
Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
Tags: carter williams, jeff kent, jeff probst, Lisa Whelchel, michael skupin, survivor, survivor philippines
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