‘Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers’ (CBS)
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Oh, Patrick…
Knocking-things-over, making-weird-jokes, screaming-your-head-off, getting-attacked-by-crabs, but-still-good-natured Patrick…
I had a chance to speak to the latest person to Hustle their way out of the game the morning after his elimination. During our chat I asked about his….big…personality, who’s really running the show, and his pre-game relationship with Ali…
Gordon Holmes: War Eagle, buddy.
Patrick Bolton: War Eagle!
Holmes: I’ve got a niece that’s a freshman at Auburn right now. My dad went there, my sister met my brother-in-law there…
Bolton: Really? That’s awesome. My entire family, my dad and my mom’s side of family went to Auburn.
Holmes: Let’s talk about that little TV show you were on.
Bolton: That little TV show…”Survivor!”
Holmes: You’ve heard of it. When you’re watching the show and they’re showing you causing all kinds of trouble, annoying Lauren, being loud, are your friends saying, “Wow, they edited you badly.” Or, are they saying, “Yep, that’s Patrick.”
Bolton: Unfortunately, everyone messaged me and said, “Yeah, I kinda predicted everything you did out there. This is just like Patrick.” And even in the past episode I said, “I don’t think I can make friends if I’m not myself.” Maybe I could’ve toned myself down and still made friends.
Holmes: Heading into Tribal, did you think you had a solid four-way alliance between you, Ryan, Devon, and Ali?
Bolton: I thought I had a super strong alliance. First landing on the beach we made a boys’ alliance. Hey, we’re not going to let the girls vote us out. I was tight with Ryan and Devon, more Ryan than Devon. I know Ali. There’s no chance she’s going to vote against me. I should’ve thought other than that. I thought I wasn’t going home. They didn’t show a conversation between Ryan and I where Ryan spilled out to me, “Hey, there are no worries, don’t look for the idol anymore.” He really spelled out for me a comfort zone, so I relaxed. I had no idea I was leaving. That’s why you can see how mad I was.
Holmes: You mentioned your pre-game relationship with Ali. Could you clear up exactly what that entailed?
Bolton: We were neighbors in college. She lived three or four houses down from me. We’d see each other occasionally. We weren’t best buds. But we had times where we hung out. Showing up for “Survivor,” a show that thousands of people sign up for? And somehow we both get cast for the same season and the same tribe?! And I haven’t said anything to anyone about Ali. And then she tells me, “Oh, I was telling people I knew you for precautionary reasons as soon as I saw your face.”
Holmes: Whenever I meet somebody, I say, “Hey, if we’re ever on ‘Survivor,’ let’s work together.”
Bolton: (Laughs) I definitely regret not working with Ali. I should have made it a point to make connections with her. I really blew it, honestly. As you’ve seen, she came up to me and said, “You need to calm down, I’ve heard your name thrown around.” But, if I thought if my name was on the chopping block, she’d give me that last warning.
Holmes: Well, since I have you here, if we’re ever on “Survivor,” let’s work together.
Bolton: Me and you! We’re going to the end.
Holmes: That Auburn alliance.
Holmes: Were you worried that people would be trying on your clothes the day after you were eliminated?
Bolton: I made sure to not leave my clothes behind. I packed up my shoes, my socks… I was not going to be embarrassed watching them try on my stuff. It was a free-for-all! You saw me try on her jacket. It didn’t look too good.
Holmes: I thought you pulled it off.
Bolton: (Laughs)
Holmes: Simone thought that Ryan had charmed the entire tribe and was running the show.
Bolton: He was. Ryan has played, while I was there, a great game. Thinking back, Ryan offered us nothing except some charm and jokes. He told jokes all the time. I thought he was hilarious. Going back, I’m wondering what did Ryan offer this tribe? He didn’t bring in firewood, he can’t crack open a coconut. I just thought I’d rather be hanging out with Ryan. Ryan definitely was doing a good job there.
Holmes: It seemed like Lauren was really annoyed with you. Put me in your head; were you trying to win her over? Were you having fun at her expense?
Bolton: I wasn’t trying to have fun at her expense or win her over. I was trying to work with Lauren at one point. And I realized I was getting on her nerves. I tried to not be overbearing, but I didn’t succeed. The target was on her back, so she had to throw it on my back. That’s good for her, congratulations. And she should’ve gone home, not me. I should’ve worked with Lauren and Ryan could have gone home. Every small thing you change, changes the entire outcome. I closed that door. I thought of her as a buffer, if she’s around, it won’t be me.
Holmes: Word association time, let’s start with Ali.
Bolton: Charming, nice, backstabbing.
Holmes: Ryan?
Bolton: Hilarious, small, like a wet rat.
Holmes: Devon?
Bolton: Quiet, Buddha.
Holmes: Simone?
Bolton: Crazy, loud…Simone. Simone is a good word to describe Simone.
Holmes: Let’s finish with Lauren.
Bolton: Closed-minded. It’s got to be her way or the highway.
Holmes: And prejudiced against redheads.
Bolton: Maybe in kindergarten a redhead took her lunch money every day and she still hasn’t let go.
Holmes: Again, your edit showed you being loud and clumsy, was there anything that happened out there that you wish they had shown?
Bolton: There was one time where I was snorkeling and I see this shark below me. And I had my spear, but I missed him. It was like a three-foot shark and I was going after it. That would’ve been really cool.
Any Questions? Drop me a line on Twitter: @gordonholmes
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