I don’t think there’s an official “Survivor” challenge rule book. But if there were, you’d think they’d include something about tearing your opponent’s clothes off. After all, you don’t see Joe Mauer trying to pants Derek Jeter when he’s up at the plate.
That’s why it was good to see Jessica “Sugar” Kiper not let a minor inconvenience like having her top removed by villain Sandra Diaz-Twine stop her from scoring during the first reward challenge of “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.”
Unfortunately for Sugar, showing her competitive fire (as well as a few other things) wasn’t enough to convince her tribe to keep her in the game. I had a chance to chat with Sugar the following morning to find out her thoughts on her revealing moment, what really went on with her and Colby, and why she was glad to see her old rival Randy on the Villains team.
Gordon Holmes: You’re obviously an accomplished actress. We’ve seen you on “Gilmore Girls” and in feature films. You also work as a pin-up model and a singer. Did you ever think you’d be able to add “Topless Wrestler” to your resume?
Jessica “Sugar” Kiper: (Laughs) That’s funny. I guess it feels pretty good because it was one of my shining moments last night.
Gordon: Now, don’t you think that should be grounds for a disqualification?
Sugar: No, because she’s a villain and she gets to do whatever she wants. It should be grounds for her to stay, I think.
Gordon: I’m just glad she did it to a contestant with an appealing physique.
Sugar: Like if she’d undone Cirie’s bra, that wouldn’t have been cool with you?
Gordon: I’m not going to name names, but you’re more than welcome to. And I also hope that calling your physique “appealing” is the least romantic way someone has ever described you.
Sugar: Are we being romantic?
Gordon: I’ve had “Survivor” interviews that have gone in much worse directions.
Gordon: There was some talk in the pre-game interviews about you forming an alliance with JT, but that never seemed to come to fruition. What happened there?
Sugar: Who is JT?
Gordon: He won “Survivor: Tocantins,” I believe they called it “The Brazilian Highlands.”
Sugar: No idea what you’re talking about. The southern boy? No recollection of what you’re talking about.
Gordon: OK, fair enough. On the other hand it did look like you were trying to form an alliance with Colby.
Sugar: That was fancy editing. It was me grasping at straws. That’s alright, I guess I’m like Jerri #2 with Colby.
Gordon: So that was you scrambling? Did you know your head was on the chopping block?
Sugar: Dude, I walked into this knowing I was D.O.A. My head was on the chopping block since I got on the airplane to go there.
Gordon: Do you think it earned you any points by showing your guts in the reward challenge?
Sugar: I thought that by rolling out of my bra that Sandra was holding onto and grabbing the bag and making the point that I would prove to my teammates that I was really trying harder in challenges. But I guess it did not help me.
Gordon: What was you initial response when you found out your old buddy Randy Bailey was going to be in the game?
Sugar: Thank God it’s not Corrine (Kaplan).
Gordon: (Laughs) Did you and Corinne ever make peace?
Sugar: She tried to crash my birthday party a year ago and I went ballistic. I don’t think I’ve seen her since then. It’s cat scratch fever.
Gordon: You’d think something as innocent as what she said at tribal council would just be water under the bridge.
Editor’s Note: Corinne had some not-so-nice things to say about how Sugar reacted to her father’s passing during the “Survivor: Gabon” finale.
Gordon: What, if anything, did the players know about Russell Hantz?
Sugar: Nothing, we knew nothing about Russell besides the fact that he did something so brazen or whatever that he was back already after two weeks. We also knew that he might be completely insane because he had just played the game. And when they put him on the Villains side, that should have put a little red flag up for those guys.
Gordon: OK, word association time. Let’s start with Coach.
Sugar: Dragon slayer.
Gordon: Randy?
Sugar: Curmudgeon. I almost said “Sweet.”
Gordon: There are no wrong answers here, Sugar.
Sugar: He’s a sweet, old curmudgeon.
Gordon: JT?
Sugar: (Expletive Deleted)
Gordon: Oof. Tom?
Sugar: Aww…nice boy. I like him.
Gordon: Rupert?
Sugar: Argh!
Gordon: The crunching noise made by Stephenie’s dislocated shoulder?
Sugar: Oooo…
Gordon: Now was that a real noise or did editing put that in?
Sugar: I don’t know. I actually was there, but it was so insane at the time.
CBS Representative: I heard it, I was there.
Sugar: She’s a tough girl for going back in there.
Gordon: OK, let’s get back into this. Candice?
Sugar: Who?
Gordon: Candice.
Sugar: I know. Who?
Gordon: Well played.
Gordon: Do you learn anything about yourself or the game with such a short stay or do you feel like that was just the hand you were dealt.
Sugar: No, I learned these people are way tougher than me. As much as I didn’t want to go home, there was a part of me that was thinking, “What the hell am I doing here?!”
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