Interview With Gregg Carey of Survivor: Palau by Carrie
After seeming to secure himself a position in the endgame, Gregg was voted out after his alliance appeared to turn on him. No one can deny that Gregg played the game strategically and smart, but there's much more to him than just a good mind for strategy.
Hi Gregg! Congrats on a game well-played, and thanks for answering our questions.
What did you think of the tribe-picking twist that sent Wanda and
Jonathan home without even getting a chance to play the game?
I thought it was cruel, but cruel is what makes the game so interesting. Those first few days were delusional, and I think the twist helped to set a tone for what turned out to be a great experience. What's even more interesting than the twist was how different Ulong and Koror ended up being.
Watching Ulong lose time after time, did you have sympathy for them, or were you just grateful that it wasn't you going to tribal council?
You're grateful that you aren't going to tribal council, but you can't help but sympathize with them and their struggle. We were having as good of a time as you can on an island with no food, etc. I know that power of losing and how it instills controversy in the tribe once it happens. I was happy to avoid that as long as possilbe. In some regards though, it makes the game difficult, because you're sitting on your strategy waiting to make your moves and are not able to. It wasn't until day 24 did the game really kick in for us.
You must have realized that your relationship with Jenn would make you a target sooner rather than later. Did you ever think that 'hooking up' with her in plain view was a bad idea?
I think it was played up a bit. You probably saw everything over a 33 day period. Jenn and I had a strong bond and alliance out there, but we were aware of the perception that could be created. We made a point to be separated at all times, unless the group was together. This worked well until I chose her to come on the yacht with me, which ultimately broke down the strategy. The bond was not the problem ... not following the rules of the strategy was.
You were edited as a bit of a schemer, but then reading interviews
and seeing you on the reunion show, we saw a much nicer side of you. Do you think there should have been more of the "nice-guy Gregg" portrayed on the show, or are you happy with your editing?
Thanks! On the island, I was extremely focused and very serious. I was so consumed with the game and observing everyone's actions. However, I got along with everyone and continue to enjoy the friendships that I made out there. Of course, I would have loved to have seen more of who I was, but I'm not bothered by the editing. I went for the adventure and the game, not to introduce myself to the viewers.
After the merge you were all sent to tribal council immediately after
the first immunity challenge, and yet everyone except Coby and Janu
voted for Coby to go. When did you all decide that he would be the first
member of the jury, and did you have a backup plan if he had won immunity?
Earlier that day, we confirmed that Coby would be the first to go. I made a case for Stephenie, because she was from Ulong, but Coby had done so much talking that he couldn't be trusted. If I pushed too strong for Coby to stay, it would have been suspicious. I obliged with the move to vote Coby off, because I wasn't willing to take a risk on someone that I couldn't trust with nine people left. We didn't articulate a back up plan, but it would have probably been easy to vote off Janu at that point. It would have been the least risky.
How did you feel watching the episode when Tom and Ian were plotting to vote for you while you were away with Jenn and Katie on the boat?
Watching it, I was jealous. It was a great move. I just wish that I was the one making it. I think I set myself up for it. I also believe that Tom was willing to stay true to the five person alliance of Ian, Katie, Tom, Jenn, and me, until Ian misled and tainted his perspective. Tom, Ian, and I all agreed that at the final 5, it would come down to immunities, and we all were willing to accept that risk.
If Tom, Ian, and Caryn had decided to vote for Jenn or Katie instead of you that night, still trying to force a tie, would you have changed your vote if you knew beforehand that that was the plan?
I would not have let anyone dictate my vote. I would have liked to hear "why" they are doing that, then probably try and persude them to do what was in my best interest by articulating why it was in their best interest. I felt that the five person alliance gave everyone an equal risk and equal reward, and was truly a balanced situation. I was, obviously, cautious about messing with it.
Why was it such a priority for you to get rid of Stephenie? She
didn't seem to be that much of a challenge threat compared to the likes
of you, Tom, and Ian. Do you think she could have helped you if you had instead taken her in as part of your alliance?
Stephenie was a "unknown." We had no idea how she survived every vote through Ulong. That is dangerous. She could have lied and been completely dishonest. We had no data to understand whether she could be trusted. I also picked up on how Stephenie immediately re-connected with Tom when she arrived. This was obvious. I was nervous that if I approached Stephenie with voting Tom out, it would have been a perfect opportunity for her to tell Tom and vote me out. I wasn't concerned with her physically, I just wanted to remove the one variable that I didn't know anything about. Could she have helped me? Well, I didn't win, so I suppose, but no regrets. I think I made the right move, considering what I knew at that point in the game.
Was it difficult for you to get out of the strategy mindset once you
were voted off? On a similar note, was it hard for you to adjust to your
normal life once you returned home from Palau?
The first couple of days are difficult. I harbored no bad feelings towards anyone, but I kept kicking myself with woulda, coulda, shoulda's. The game is so sensitive. There are so many variables. You can't help but think "what if." It creates great post-game dialog, and is one of the things I love about the game. Only one person at the end wins though, the rest of us can think about what we would've done differently.
Adjusting back to my normal life was difficult. Gaining the weight back is easy, because you can't stop eating. However, psychologically it is challenging. You've just had the adventure of a lifetime, you know the outcome, but you can't share it with anyone. So, it's like your life takes a holding pattern, and you just sit around, enjoy the show, and watch it play out. It's very difficult to get any real traction on your life. I absoluely loved watching the show, but I'm happy to have my life back, and start making things happen again.
What's next for you now? Will you use your Survivor fame to try
something new, or will you return to life as it was before the show?
I have started a charity organization. Similar to how we compete in challenges on Survivor, I have started The Tsunami Challenge. We have adopted a small village in Sri Lanka, and plan to help no less than 150 families get back on their feet. Survivor was an incredible adventure for me, one that I am so forever grateful for. I feel compelled to share the good fortune I've had with others. We are working on adding more information on our website, including movies and testimonials of cast from Palau. It's a worthwhile cause, and a great opportunity to make an impact.
The website is www.thetsunamichallenge.org ... keep checking back for updates or sign up on the website for notifications. This is my top priority, but I've got quite a few other things that I'm working on as well.
Thanks very much for your time Gregg, and good luck with The Tsunami Challenge - it's a fabulous idea and I hope it's a huge success!
Thanks for the questions! Much appreciated.
Don't forget to check out The Tsunami Challenge and help out a great cause.
Questions or comments are always welcome - drop me a line at carrie@realityshack.com.
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