"Survivor: Second Chance" (CBS)
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Name: Terry Deitz
Season: “Survivor: Panama”
Finish: Third Place
Why You Should Remember Him: Terry won five consecutive individual immunity challenges and was the first person to have a “Whaaaaambulance” called for him.
Gordon Holmes: Whenever the topic of returning players comes up, people are always screaming for Terry Deitz. And now here you are.
Terry Deitz: Gordon, this is great. I’ve actually been through the process several times. The other times were just casting and timing. And to be brought back by America? That makes it special. America has given me a lot of lessons on how to be a better player. Obviously my game was kind of one dimensional due to the circumstances.
Holmes: You always hear the term, “Challenge beast.” I’ve been trying to coin “Challenge stallion.”
Deitz: (Laughs) That’s a visual.
Holmes: Have you still got it? Are you going to rattle off 20 more consecutive challenge wins?
Deitz: Well, I’m 55 years old now. I’m going to go out on a limb and say our season was the most athletic season. We had nine big-time athletes. I think seven college athletes. And I’d just never seen a season like that before. Now saying that, all the men here…and even Fishbach is pumped up from Cross-fit…they’re ready to bring it. I’m hoping I can get out there and kick some ass. I’m on the turf every day, throwing the ball with my kids. Doing this, doing that, whatever. Doing lots of adventurous stuff. I’m ready, I’m in good shape. I’m not in ten-years-ago shape, but pretty good shape.
Holmes: Shane was on your season…
Deitz: Are you bummed that he’s not here?
Holmes: Me and the rest of the world. Does it work for you or against you that he’s not here?
Deitz: I was really bummed out. I thought he would be a lock. He’s great TV. And he hasn’t stopped smoking, so the first couple of episodes would probably have been “The Shane Show.”
Holmes: (Laughs)
Deitz: Which is fine. (Laughs) That’s the law of thermodynamics heat transfer. If the heat’s on somebody else, it ain’t on me. He’s gone through a lot of stuff in his life and this would have been a nice stepping stone. He could’ve gotten some closure on some things.
Holmes: Speaking of Panama, Aras’s brother Vytas is here as well. Do you know each other?
Deitz: I met Vytas one time. That was back at my finale. I really enjoy Aras. He’s a great guy. We had our come-to-Jesus moment at the end of our show. Ever since then we’ve been really good friends. He’s friends with my family. Now he’s a new dad and husband…and Vytas too. I’m looking forward to playing with Vytas because I’m friends with Aras and he’s that type of guy. No (expletive deleted), he’ll look you in the eye. Are you ready to go? Let’s do this thing. I’m really looking forward to that. And, he’s playing the new game. I’m an old-schooler. I watch it all, but I’m thinking he’s going to be able to help me with the newer stuff.
Holmes: What do you think people remember about your game?
Deitz: Challenge hog. Very trustworthy. I’m an airline captain. People rely on me to get their family home. I’ll tell you straight up what’s going to happen. And so, I’m relying on that and the fact that rest of these guys are stallion-esque in the challenges. I’ll be able to hold off until after the merge. There’s some strategy involved.
Holmes: You’re a competitor. If it makes sense to you strategy-wise to hold back, can you hold back?
Deitz: Oh yeah. If we’re winning a challenge and Joe or Spencer is leading the way, I’m going to say, “You guys did great! You carried us! That’s awesome! Oh, (expletive deleted) my hammy is back!”
Holmes: (Laughs)
Deitz: There’s going to be twenty losers out there. None of us have won. You can look at the game we’ve played, you can analyze the film like Belichick. But in the long-run we all lost. We can’t play the same game. We can’t make the same mistakes again. Everyone’s going to be doing something different. There are no slackers. Usually there are three or four people who don’t belong on the beach, but for some reason they are there. That’s not the case here.
Holmes: Any worries about an old-school/new-school divide?
Deitz: It’s a concern. There are five old-schoolers if you count Peih-Gee and fifteen of them. But on the other hand, there are a lot of older people; Kass, Keith, Vytas. They’re almost like old-school to me. But I think some of the younger girls or someone like Spencer are going to look to older people to hook up with.
Holmes: If there are any twists, any guesses as to what they could be?
Deitz: I think we’ll start off with two tribes of ten. We’ll each get rid of one, then we’ll go to three tribes. I think the three tribe thing is good TV and it messes with loyalties. If you were loyal to someone in the first days and then you’re gone you have to attach yourself to someone else. Then what happens at the merge? You dump them and go back to your old one?
Holmes: There’s always talk of pre-game alliances in returnee seasons. Have you participated in any?
Deitz: There was stuff on Twitter about the Culpepper house. I really don’t know. I saw some names thrown around, but I haven’t heard what went on. That’s (expletive deleted). I had some people calling me and then they ended up not even being in the final 32. I have met some of these people before, drinking beers with them at Give Kids the World or Temecula Reality Rally. Stuff like that. So, there’s going to be some familiarity. I’ve met Spencer before. He’s the kind of guy that’s really loyal. I might want to get a hold of him and one of the younger girls and say, “You can trust me, I’m like your dad.”
Holmes: Spencer is old enough to have a beer?
Deitz: (Laughs) I think so.
Holmes: Alright, we’re going to play “Align or Malign.” In my hand I have nineteen cards featuring your competitors. You’ll go through them and tell me who you’ll align with and who you’ll malign. Trick is, you only get eight aligns.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Kass because she’s good at puzzles and she’s a Navy vet.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Vytas because I think I can have the same type of good relationship with him as I do with Aras.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Peih-Gee because she’s good at puzzles.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Keith because I think he’s a good ol’ boy and he and I see eye-to-eye on stuff.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Kelly because she’s old-school and she’s good at challenges for a female. And I need a strong female.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Spencer because he’s a sharp, young kid. He’s good in challenges and I think he can help me out with the younger crowd. And I can beat him in challenges.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Jeff because he’s funnier than (expletive deleted) in the interviews he’s done. He’s old school and he’s very loyal.
Deitz: I’m aligning with Andrew for the same reason. And I think I can beat him in challenges as well.
Deitz: Fishbach is on the cusp because he’s smart. He’s got his own podcast. And he and I have talked about aviation. I like him, but I’m maligning him.
Deitz: Kelley…I’m maligning. I’d align with her in the beginning, but halfway through she’d have to be gone.
Deitz: Abi…malign. I don’t think she belongs on the beach in the first place.
Deitz: Shirin…malign. She does not belong on the beach either.
Deitz: Joe…he’s a big threat. He’s a likable guy. He probably got the most votes out of all of us. I want him gone.
Deitz: Kimmi…she was a whiner on her show. Even though she’s a big girl, I don’t think she’s strong in challenges. Malign.
Deitz: Ciera…not good in challenges. She may hang around for a little while. Malign.
Deitz: Jeremy…he’s a good guy. I think his kids play lacrosse. He’s been wearing lacrosse sweatshirts. But, malign.
Deitz: Woo…he was brought to the end because he was clueless. And I think he still is. Nice guy, but maligning him. They’re all nice people, don’t get me wrong.
Deitz: Monica…princess, seems nice. But she doesn’t really belong on the beach. Malign.
Deitz: Tasha… she’s going to be a threat. I heard she can be a little bit annoying though. Malign.
Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
“Survivor: Second Chance” will kick off with a special 90-minute premiere on Wednesday, September 23rd at 8 p.m. ET.
Tags: jeff probst, survivor, survivor cambodia, survivor second chance, terry deitz
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