Name: Albert Destrade
Age: 26
Current Residence: Plantation, Florida
Occupation: Baseball/Dating Coach
Tribe: Upolu
Gordon Holmes: As a baseball coach, you have to deal with a wide variety of personalities. Will that help you in the game of “Survivor”?
Albert Destrade: I think it’s true. The personalities I’ve dealt with as a coach will help me. I have a pretty extensive repertoire of hats I can change into. I can be the serious guy, I can clown around, I can be the leader.
Holmes: Coaches are leaders and leaders don’t do well on “Survivor.” Any concern that that could come back and bite you?
Destrade: I can be the follower. I think that’s an important skill because it’s a very dynamic game. You have to be flexible.
Holmes: Some people come out here with a belief that they can get through the game without lying. What’s your stance on that?
Destrade: Man, I’m prepared to lie as much as necessary. The people that say they don’t want to contradict their morals, I don’t think those people truly understand what this game is about. This game is not real life even though it’s played with real people. It’s a game. And my strategy within the game is to do whatever it takes. I’m not here for fun, I’m here to win a game that’s played with strategy for a million dollars. I will not let anything jeopardize me reaching that goal.
Holmes: You seem very confident. So I’m not going to say “if” you win the million, I’m going to say “when” you win the million, what are you going to do with it?
Destrade: Probably my favorite question so far cause we get to talk about a really positive thing. I want to help my family, I want to help my mother as I got into a profession that’s really not that high earning, they’ve been supporting me with that. Pay off my student loans. I had a baseball scholarship, but I racked up a pretty good amount of debt.
Holmes: You’re a handsome young gentleman. Are you going to use your looks to get ahead?
Destrade: I’m not coming in here to create a showmance. I think those things can put a target on your back when you try to be too flirtatious, but I’m not going to shy away from trying to use that. I actually used to be a professional dating coach. If you’ve ever seen the movie “Hitch,” that’s exactly what I did. So, I know a little bit about the inner-workings of how to win over the opposite sex.
Holmes: What are your first impressions of the cast?
Destrade: The fact that we can’t talk makes it stranger than I thought it’d be. They say, “Don’t talk,” but they never said, “Don’t smile.” A lot of these people have such a negative vibe. There are people who are totally closed off. And there really aren’t that many dominant alpha guys.
“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
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