‘Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X’ (CBS)
Gordon Holmes: I know what you guys are thinking; it was one of the biggest nights of your lives, you were out partying, now you can’t wait to get up at the crack of dawn and talk to the press.
David Wright and Bret LaBelle: (Laughs)
Jay Starrett: It’s a dream come true!
Holmes: Alright, David. You promised to report back to me on this after the pre-game interview; how was the aqua dump?
Wright: For me, aqua dumping wasn’t the ideal way to go to the bathroom. You go in the water, you pull down your shorts, and you do your business. You’re supposed to let the poop float away. In my case, a whole bunch of fish swam up and started eating it.
Holmes: I immediately regret this question.
Wright: (Laughs) It was awful.
Holmes: Was that the worst part of your experience?
Starrett: No, it was the fact that he didn’t work with me.
Wright: That might be it actually.
Holmes: What was your pitch to get David over to your side?
Starrett: I gave that guy so many pitches. He wasn’t biting for nothing.
Watch Full Episodes of “Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen-X”
Holmes: Jay, on a scale of Jason Siska being a zero and Bob Crowley being a ten, how impressive was that fake idol?
Starrett: (Laughs) I don’t even want to rank it and give this guy credit.
LaBelle: I’ll rank it. It was a ten!
Starrett: There you go, Bret gives it a ten.
Holmes: David, how on Earth did you glue that thing together?
Wright: A lot of people thought that was glue. What I was actually doing was mixing the red and white paint to make pink. It was one of the colors that wasn’t available back at camp. That way it wouldn’t look like something we could have done. No glue involved.
Holmes: Jay, the fake idol was so different than the ones used earlier in the game. I know there had been talk in other seasons about having a variety of idols, is that what you were thinking?
Starrett: Honestly, the adrenaline was pumping so hard, I just put it in my pocket and got out of there. The moment I put it away, I never brought it out again until I needed it.
Holmes: You talked a lot of trash as you were handing it over.
Starrett: I know. It was so funny, I’m looking at David the whole time last night. He says he’s going to catch a fish and we were both cracking up.
Holmes: I’ll give you credit for this though, when you were voted out, you had such a good attitude. It was fun to watch.
Starrett: I was tricked, and I was like “damnit, I lost” and that was it.
Holmes: Bret, the argument people would use against you was that your game was more social and not reliant on big moves. How do you think the jury would have reacted to that if you had gotten to the final three?
LaBelle: There were big moves that I tried to make that didn’t work. We had the Jess vote and then David pulled an idol and it didn’t go through. I knew my game was a social game, that’s my strong point. I think if I got to the jury with Hannah and Ken I would have won it. I think these guys would say the same thing. I think Jay wins it, I think David wins it against all of us. Even though I wasn’t the most strategic player in the game, I don’t think you need to flip flop all the time. I also don’t think you need to be like Will and have this great report card to win the game. It’s all about the relationships that you make.
Starrett: (Laughs) Report card.
LaBelle: I’m sick of this report card! Which Survivor aficionado decided that you need to have this great report card? You’re working for CBS with all of this report card crap. You’re trying to make a great show. We’re on Reddit and we think you need this…no…you’re helping CBS.
Holmes: Is that a Gen-X/Millennial thing where Gen-Xer will have a resume and a Millennial will have a report card?
LaBelle: No, that’s a high school thing.
Holmes, LaBelle, Wright, and Starrett: (Laughs)
Holmes: A high schooler has a very different life experience than a Boston cop or a TV writer, did that stand out?
LaBelle: Will had a great social game. Will’s a real likable guy. I don’t know where he got it in his head that he had to make a great move. Jay said he has to do it at the right time. He made a good move, but it ruined him because we went after him the next time.
Holmes: David, when did you first suspect that Ken could be gunning for you?
Wright: This is going to sound incredibly naïve, but Ken was truly the only person I trusted in the game. And I thought at worst it would be a tie and it’d go to a fire-making challenge. When I walked into Tribal I felt really good, but a minute into it I realized it wasn’t going to go my way. And then I was sure that I was going to go home. I think Ken made the right move for him.
Holmes: What was said that tipped you off?
Wright: I don’t remember specifically, but the way the conversation was going…they had no plans of keeping me in the game.
Starrett: I did.
Wright: (Laughs)
Holmes: Jay and Bret, if it had gone to a fire-making challenge and David had lost, and Ken was able to go to the final Tribal saying he had been loyal the whole game, could that have swayed your vote?
LaBelle: Nope.
Starrett: Nope.
Holmes: What was the mood of the jury before that final Tribal started?
LaBelle: I think we were all in a good mood. I think we all knew how we were going to vote. Jay, what do you think?
Starrett: I think you were drunk.
LaBelle: (Laughs)
Starrett: No, I think we were ready to vote and get out of there.
Holmes: Had everyone already reached a consensus that Adam was going to win?
LaBelle: I think he had it. Anyone who sat in that seat would have had it.
Holmes: So anyone who faced Ken and Hannah?
LaBelle: They’re not saying it, but I’m saying it.
Holmes: Adam brought up his mother’s battle with cancer during the final Tribal. Now, this is question I hate to ask, but it’s also “Survivor.” Did any of you have any doubts about what Adam was saying?
LaBelle: That did cross my mind, but knowing Adam the way we all got to know him, that literally left my head fast. I didn’t know him to be that kind of a person. He’s a sincere, emotional kid.
Wright: I agree.
Starrett: He’d told me earlier.
Holmes: Since you knew back in the hammock, did you ever debate using that as a reason to target him?
Starrett: No, that’s out of respect. I can’t do that to the kid. I’m not going to put all of his stuff out there. There’s no way I’d do that because I know I can beat him anyways.
Holmes: That’s a perfect example of what seems to be a very drama-free respectful season. Do you hope “Survivor” continues in this kinder, more civil fashion?
LaBelle: Yeah, cause maybe we’ll get to play again. It was fun to watch, it was fun to play. Take me and Dave, we went head to head and we all have a lot of respect for each other. But, I’m not sure that you’ll see this again.
Wright: As Bret said, we’d vote someone out and the next morning we’d watch the sun come out together. It was really cool.
Holmes: There’s no villain.
LaBelle: I don’t think there’s a villain.
Wright: I agree.
Holmes: How are we feeling about Michelle’s dragon dress last night?
LaBelle: Absolutely fabulous.
Starrett: Hot as hell.
Wright: I can offer that the dragon’s name is “Freckles.”
LaBelle: That’s why I love you, Dave. I never would have asked her what the friggin’ dragon’s name is.
Wright: (Laughs)
LaBelle: Gordon, what was your take on that thing?
Holmes: I think Michelle could wear a barrel and make it look good.
Holmes: Jay, at final six, what was your dream final three?
Starrett: I wanted to go with David and Adam.
Holmes: At this point, it seems like you’re taking the two biggest threats. What argument would you have used with the jury?
Starrett: I would’ve just smiled.
Holmes: You’d get my vote.
Starrett: (Laughs) With David and Adam I’d say, “They’ve been controlling the votes for a while. They’ve been making alliances and I had nothing. And I’m sitting right next to them.”
Wright: Jay was enormously likable. I think he had a lot of jury votes locked. He was a real threat.
Starrett: It would have been such a battle.
Wright: Yeah, I wish we had sat next to each other in hindsight. I would’ve loved to have seen if it’d come out as a tie.
Holmes: David, you said Jay was likable. Are you saying that he isn’t likable now?
Wright: (Laughs) Oh no, he’s completely likable. Jay is more likable with each day that passes.
LaBelle: Except for when he gets drunk and jumps on my back.
Starrett: (Laughs)
Holmes: You’re telling me Jay gets drunk? I don’t believe that for a second.
LaBelle: (Laughs) He’s very reserved.
Holmes: Bret, how about you at final six?
LaBelle: Yeah, at final six, Jay and David had to go and I think I would have had a good shot against anybody else. Now, I didn’t know Adam’s story at that time. So, I don’t know if I could have beat him. I still think I have a shot.
Holmes: How would you have pitched yourself to the jury?
LaBelle: I love Adam, he’s a great kid, but once he started with the waterworks I would have had to have come up with some kind of a gay, cop, my life sucks, story.
Starrett: I just want to clarify; Bret, you’re a cop.
LaBelle: Yeah, I understand that Jay. I have to give Jay props; he called me out but I never caved.
Starrett: (Laughs)
LaBelle: Once you start a lie like that, you can’t go back.
Holmes: Do you think things like your background and Adam’s home situation will sway votes or are jurors focused on what happens in the game?
LaBelle: Personally, it might have swayed my vote. It’s moving that someone can go out with something like that going on in their lives. But, in the same respect, there were a lot of Millennials that didn’t like Adam and I think I could have had a shot against him.
Holmes: David, at final six you were with Hannah and Ken. What’s your final argument to the jury?
Wright: My growth, my moves…my report card. (Laughs) But yeah, I think I had a good story.
Holmes: I’ve been doing pre-game press since Gabon, you might be the first person who I was actually worried for their physical well-being.
Wright: (Laughs)
Holmes: The change has been amazing. What has been the reaction like from people who know you?
Wright: I never intended to cry so much and be so vulnerable. The game tore my walls down, they nearly medically evacuated my due to dehydration from crying. And when I came back, people said I seemed like a different person. Part of that was because I was walking around in a daze thinking, “Did I just play ‘Survivor’?” I think today is the first time that I’ve accepted that it really happened.
Holmes: Alright, word association time for Jay. Let’s start with Mari.
Starrett: Cool.
Holmes: Figgy?
Starrett: Sensitive.
Holmes: Michaela?
Starrett: This is an inside joke; I just thought of CeCe.
Holmes: Michelle?
Starrett: Hot as (Expletive Deleted).
Wright: (Laughs)
Holmes: Taylor?
Starrett: My boy.
Holmes: Chris?
Starrett: Strong.
Holmes: Jessica?
Starrett: Nice. I don’t know.
Holmes: Zeke?
Starrett: Funny.
Holmes: Will?
Starrett: My brain is going so slow this morning. Report card.
Holmes: Sunday?
Starrett: Mom.
Holmes: Bret?
Starrett: Super gay cop.
LaBelle: (Laughs)
Holmes: David?
Starrett: The man.
Wright: Aww…
Holmes: Hannah?
Starrett: Ridiculous.
Holmes: Ken?
Starrett: Different.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Adam.
Starrett: Respect.
Holmes: Alright, you’re up Bret. Let’s start with Rachel.
LaBelle: Who?
Starrett: She’s hot as (Expletive Deleted) too.
Holmes: Paul?
LaBelle: Good guy.
Holmes: Lucy?
LaBelle: Tenacious.
Holmes: Cece?
LaBelle: Funny.
Holmes: Michelle?
LaBelle: Beautiful.
Holmes: Taylor?
LaBelle: Blue eyes.
Holmes: Chris?
LaBelle: Gross.
Wright and Starrett: (Laughs)
Wright: It’s his last dig.
LaBelle: Can I take that one back? I’ll say handsome.
Holmes: Jessica?
LaBelle: Strategic.
Holmes: Zeke?
LaBelle: My drinking buddy.
Holmes: Will?
LaBelle: Report card.
Holmes: Sunday?
LaBelle: Awesome.
Holmes: Jay?
LaBelle: Surfer dude.
Starrett: Atta boy.
Holmes: David?
LaBelle: Brilliant.
Holmes: Hannah?
LaBelle: Flipper.
Holmes: Ken?
LaBelle: Serious.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Adam.
LaBelle: Deserving.
Holmes: David, your turn. We’ll start with Rachel.
Wright: Endearingly sweet.
Holmes: Paul?
Wright: Rock and roll.
Holmes: Lucy?
Wright: Chef, super chef!
Holmes: Cece?
Wright: Spartan.
Holmes: Michelle?
Wright: Call me.
LaBelle and Starrett: (Laughs)
Starrett: Oh, buddy.
Holmes: We also would have accepted “Hot as (Expletive Deleted)” apparently. Taylor?
Wright: Buried treasure.
Holmes: Chris?
Wright: Barnhouse lawyer.
Holmes: Jessica?
Wright: A rock-drawing rock.
Holmes: Zeke?
Wright: Gay me.
LaBelle and Starrett: (Laughs)
Holmes: Will?
Wright: Super fan, cool guy. That’s a lame phrase.
Holmes: Sunday?
Wright: Secret bad-ass.
Holmes: Jay?
Wright: Challenge beast.
Holmes: Bret?
Wright: Life of the party.
Holmes: Hannah?
Wright: Female Jewish me.
Holmes: Ken?
Wright: Loyal abs.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Adam.
Wright: Deserving.
Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
More Whatnot 