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MzzJoplin
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Kathy's final chat ...
« on: May 29th, 2002, 4:54pm »
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Hi Kathy, welcome and thanks for being here to chat with us today.  
 
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Hello everyone!! It is SO good to be talking to the world out there about SURVIVOR: MARQUESAS!  
 
bobco: Will you continue your career as a real estate agent?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Yes, I am continuing it. I hope to get involved with nonprofit because I went through a mental and physical transformation out there. As a woman at the age of 47 I think it would be cool to get back and try to raise some money to some non profit orgs that assist women in understanding self-awareness and self-confidence so they can lead more productive lives.  
 
Insane_Shark: If Rotu had lost an Immunity Challenge before the switch, do you think you would've been voted out?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I would have been voted out if we had lost challenges one through three because then I learned that it's about connecting with these people and not telling them what to do.  
 
Kathy_Rules: Kathy how did you fell about the major speeches at the final meeting?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: When Tammy started talking -- her first speech -- I was flabbergasted. I knew I had the Jury behind me so I could have won but I didn't know that they were so upset about how Neleh and Vecepia lied about the game and then in turn told that alliance of four (Tammy, the General, John and Zoe) that they were liars, so I was surprised and yet it all was very accurate. You can play the game hard, you can lie and you can cheat, but I don't think you can condemn others for the same actions and then perform them yourself.  
 
PaolodeGuia: Hi from the Philippines. What significance did the waterfall have on you going about the game? We've seen you going there when you were stressed.  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I discovered a second waterfall that the show doesn't accurately portray and I used that waterfall as a refuge during tense moments in the jungle and with the players and that waterfall was double the size of the original waterfall and I returned there often to contemplate how to progress and strategize throughout the game and it gave me strength.  
 
Karen_: Do you think Neleh meant to distract you on the pole challenge?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I don't think Neleh meant to distract me but I was very disappointed that she didn't preface her statement with be careful or don't look now -- she just blurted it out, which I thought was inconsiderate. But again she's only 21 and remember, the only thing we ate that day was one lime and about two quarts of water and we started the day at three a.m. so we were all pretty wasted.  
carij: Kathy: Do you think that Paschal got a raw deal when he drew the purple stone?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: It was funny during that Tribal Council when I negotiated that deal, I honestly felt the tiebreaker was going to be more involved and when Jeff pulled out that bag of rocks I said "I can't believe after thirty-eight days my fate has come down to a bag of rocks" -- but the producers decided not to put it in. At first, I thought it was unfair that our fate was destined to mere chance but after I watched the show I understood -- what else could they do? I was sad to see Paschal go because even though he was my biggest adversary, he was my best friend on the island.  
 
SheilaR001: What made you decide to vote out Sean instead of Neleh?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I spent a good three to five days making that decision because Sean could never come to a definite decision and make it clear of his actions. Even during the day in camp, making a decision didn't come easy for him. He always tried to be just and make sure his decisions were even for all parties. Therefore at that particular Tribal Council I asked him specifically how were we going to go to the Final Two together and he never answered the question clearly, so that solidified my decision that working with him in the future to negotiate towards the Final Two was going to be difficult. He was very difficult to talk with and get to a finite answer. That's why I didn't pick him.  
 
KathyIsTheRealSurvivor: Did you feel you were accurately portrayed?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Yes, I felt I was very, very accurately portrayed and I feel every player was accurately portrayed because we said what we said. Nobody put words in our mouth. Perhaps they don't show when we have a good moment if we have a bad moment, but nonetheless we did say what we said. I totally learned that I was bitchy in the beginning and they showed that I was bitchy in the beginning! *laughs* I learned from that and I'm going to carry that into my real life and get rid of some of that tough exterior. When I hear other players say they weren't portrayed accurately I don't agree with that. They need to admit that they have some faults just like I did.  
 
Jon Spencer: What was going through your mind when Vee struck that deal with Neleh to seal your fate?  
Tammy_Ellis_Bxxtor: So Kathy, what do you think of Vee's change of plan?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: When I fell off the Challenge and my legs gave out because of a muscle pull I was no sooner down and thirty seconds later Vee was stabbing me in the back -- might as well say it! I was shocked. I understand the game takes turns and it flips on a dime but I felt it was terribly unprofessional and poor gamesmanship to do it so quickly. Especially since they proclaimed that they could stay there for hours. Just give me the common courtesy to let me get away from the Challenge area before you strike that deal. I was hurt. I feel this game is also about human relations and group dynamics but Vee doesn't see that.  
 
DDDD: What came first -- a shower or some food? What did you eat first?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: *laughs* I was handed a roll as soon as I got off the island and at the same time I looked into a mirror in this big dining room and I was totally crushed at what I saw. I was emaciated, filthy, my eyes were bloodshot and I just went down and they carried me to my room and I stayed locked in my room for a day and I had about twenty-four hours of post traumatic stress disorder because the jungle was still on the walls of my room but happily CBS allows us a therapist who explained everything to me that this will go away...and it did. I took four showers in the span of an hour and a half. *laughs* I scrubbed myself down and could barely eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. So, it took about fifteen to twenty days to get my stomach back in order.  
favabean: Kathy, what was your reaction when you realized you were picked for the show?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I said you've got to be kidding me! It was a total double dare to apply from a good friend of mine and I felt I didn't have a chance in hell to make it. So, it was a total surprise and I know that Mark Burnett didn't think I was going to make it. He told me to go home and lose some weight or you're going to get voted off number one!  
 
PiperP: Kathy, you are awesome! What was your costliest decision?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Thank you very much, that's so nice. I should have nailed down that deal with Vee and made her understand that it was more solid than solid. Even though I thought the deal was so formed, I should have realized that throughout the game Vee was quiet, deceptive and manipulative and I should have said something to secure the deal we had made knowing those emotions she had.  
 
GinaDeservedToWin: When Vee said that she didn't realize she would be expected to "carry" you, we were all flabbergasted because she had been carried and you had done more than most to carry the others. What was your thought at that moment?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I'll be honest with you: I was surprised at her lack of character. I've been thinking long and hard over the last few months that Vee likes to take information and manipulate it and move it to make it work for her. So, we did have a solid deal and I gave her two ways out during the negotiations when Paschal was voted out, so therefore when we were at the Final Three there was always immunity but she also had me to take her to two. For some reason, she forgot about that and I call it a hole in her character.  
 
teeteearie: Kathy, I bet it felt really good to see your son after the Reward Challenge that one time! Did he give you encouragement to go on...or make you want to go home to be with him again?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Patrick was tremendous at boosting my drive and determination because what they didn't show on the episode was my final question to him, which was "What should I do? I'm confused." Patrick said "Mom, that's the first time you've ever asked me for any advice in my life" and he told me to just be myself and trust my gut. So, I learned another lesson out there -- that we need to ask our kids for more advice and that one lesson in addition to several others is more important than the million bucks.  
 
Grumby: Kathy, what do your close friends think of your SURVIVOR performance?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Everyone here in Vermont has been over the top supportive and thought it was great. They thought I should have won. That I played the game very well and have been wonderful and loving. I couldn't ask for a better situation.  
 
wishbone30: What are some strong characteristics do you think it takes to be on SURVIVOR?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: You definitely need to be flexible, understanding (even if it's deceptive understanding), resilient, adventursome, understand tenacity...those are the better traits. I guess you did need to have a bit of manipulation, whether it's positive or negative, and you need to be a sleuth and physically strong.  
tinkerbelle: What was the one luxury of home that you missed the most during your time away, something you took for granted and never realized?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Clean water. It's a huge plus. I still love having a clean, clean glass of water in a really clear glass. *laughs* Because our water was always filled with sediment or dead bugs. We could boil it but we couldn't get rid of the crud. I still love today to turn on the light switch for light because of the power! We had a fire but we had to build it and put it out, build it and put it out. It was a lot of work.  
 
tyler_survivor: Who do you think played the game the best??  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Obviously, the person that played the game the best is the winner. So even though I don't agree with how Vecepia played the game -- she won. I will always acknowledge the winner but I feel confident that my strategies were blending and flexing to match what was happening, so as an overall strategist looking down at the game I felt I was better than Vee at that.  
 
If Rob Mariano hadn't gotten his cocky personality in the way (by the way, I like him a lot -- I think that he's a good guy) I think he could have won because he knew how to play the game.  
 
dc08: Much has been made of you and Rob's beer and pizza romp, what really happened when the camera faded to black? Smiley  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: *laughs* We were playing that up a little bit about Boston Rob and myself, but nothing happened. The kid is practically my son's age. When you haven't slept on a soft surface for twenty-four days you'd all get a little zany and kooky when you saw those mattresses with mosquito netting, pillows...I can't describe what it's like to sleep outside for so long with the bugs eating us, especially at night with the mosquitos just buzzing around our heads. Being able to take our clothes off and being under the mosquito netting was a sheer joy. Plus you have to remember that Mariano and I are both from the Boston area, so I understand his personality from the South Boston area, so we were really hamming it up and having a great time.  
 
s_man: Kathy -- did you get to see or touch any monkeys?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: *laughs* Alright, nutball who keeps asking about monkeys, there are no monkeys in the Marquesas. Just filthy wild boars, chickens, eels, goats and a ton of creepy crawling insects. Those are the only monkeys I ever saw...  
 
Lolainlv: Kathy, I would like to know if you took any keepsakes home from the island?  
Nicole: Did you bring back any souvenirs from the island??  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: No, we couldn't bring anything back. The producers and creators were very emphatic or worried about that. Plus they used many of the props to raise money for pediatric AIDS and that's what they should be used for. You can get on eBay and click on the SURVIVOR button and buy some of this stuff. It's pretty cool.  
 
SERVIVRWACHER: Kathy, what is the most memorable moment on the island?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: The most memorable moment has been bonding with those people and now having this second family. When Paschal and I left each other after the finale in NYC we were crying about this tremendous experience where you can meet with someone and in thirty-eight days to bond with these people. The second to that would be the challenges, they were so much fun. It was a great, great experience overall.  
utah_girl: Do you have any regrets at all?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I regret not winning -- who wouldn't? It's always a disappointment to lose a million bucks. Other than that, I have absolutely no regrets. I felt every emotion known to mankind. I was involved in a major television show that spared no expense and had all the integrity in the world and besides the cast met some dynamic, creative people.  
 
kawaii_kathy: If you could take one Rotu player to switch to Maraamu with you, who would it be?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I would have switched Zoe for Gina. Zoe was a terrific physical player but was always on the fence about where to go on the strategy of the game. Gina was a good physical player and understood the strategies of the game and was honest. She would have added a lot to the Rotu tribe.  
 
BigJay: Tell us more about your bike ride across America?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: The bike ride across America was for the lung association. There were four hundred of us and we raised over three million dollars. We biked from Seattle, Washington, to Washington, D.C. It was a dedication to my father's struggles and death with lung disease. It was also a terrific experience about bonding with people from a nation's resilience and it was terrific to see our country and fifteen miles per hour on the back roads of America. I recommend it to anybody -- get on your bike out west instead of driving or flying.  
 
KATT: Kathy do you have any gossip for us?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: *laughs* Let's see...gossip...I think Hunter still has an axe to grind from when we were in NY. He's still a little mad. He and Rob Mariano still can't talk to each other and Sean and Hunter were fairly keeping their distance. There's still tension but very light between myself and Vee, and possibly Tammy and Neleh and Vee, but it all got SO softened when we got together at the finale and we brought closure to the game. Life goes on, so you gotta remember we were still playing the game until last Sunday because we hadn't seen each other. We had to watch the show and see what the other players said about each other and we didn't know how the producers were going to edit us, so in reality we were still playing the game. Now that it's over, I think a lot of these emotions will settle back and we'll appreciate all the people we were with. That's an honest answer. I think that will happen.  
 
tyler_survivor: Kathy you played a good game. Who were you closest with out there?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I got the closest with Paschal and he understood me from top to bottom, as I understood him. I was close to Neleh but there were elements of her that she didn't show 100% like Paschal did. The General and I became close in the end because I realized he was just a teddy bear behind all those tattoos and New York bravado. Tammy got sick on the island, which they didn't show, but I nursed her through the night. Tammy also learned that she has a soft side she needs to bring out. She and I realized that we were pretty similar and we somewhat blew it not bonding because we might have done something different when it came to strategy.  
 
kawaii_kathy: What did you think about Tammy saying you should have won?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I was totally flattered that the Jury was behind me. I'm not saying 100% of the Jury was behind me but it was very close. The fact that Tammy felt that strongly just made me realize that Paschal and myself wanted to play with integrity and honesty and felt it should be played that way and it made an impact on Tammy and John and the rest of that alliance.  
Pookaniegirlie: Kathy, did you see any surprises when you watched the shows?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: Yeah! I definitely did. I was surprised at Sean's race remarks from the very beginning -- that was very surprising. I was surprised at home much Rob Mariano was playing people, but he did tell me the truth at the summit meeting that we had. His words were very truthful -- I just didn't know he played people so hard back on Rotu.  
 
I was happy to see that Vecepia's comments backed up some of my thoughts about her; so, I wasn't off in left field.  
 
survivor5winner: Why were the Jury members all wearing black that night?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: That was purposefully done to illustrate to the players that they were going to be very serious about their decision and very unified. It was the General's idea and that alliance that got voted off because of honesty issues was angry that some of the people talking about honesty were not being honest.  
 
sissy: Were you free to wander the island as you pleased, or did you have to have someone with you at all times?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: We could wander through the jungle but there were definitely off-limits. Remember, we were in a deep valley with at least 1000-foot cliffs around and an ocean preventing us from going south, and the terrain was filled with shale and sliding material so it was hard to hike upwards. Believe me, I tried hiking all over that valley looking for food in addition to Zoe. I'm always asked why we don't hike over to Maraamu to get fruit. It would take two days -- people don't realize that the terrain was rugged.  
 
john: Kathy, would you do it all again if given the chance?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: *laughs* For the first three days after getting off the game I'd say I would never do it again and now I'd do it in a heartbeat! I hope Burnett does an All Star SURVIVOR and I get picked!! I'd love to go up against Richard Hatch!!! *laughs*  
 
billd: kathy, what are your plans now that SURVIVOR is over?  
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: I'm back at real estate. I'm forming a foundation to raise money for women's issues (women that are stuck in a rut in addition to that have to contend with life's hardships) it's called the Real Foundation. I have a web site set up: www.realfoundation.com. I'm going to get an agent and check it out so it should be interesting. Right now I'm getting back to life here in Vermont. It's going to be beautiful out here starting Memorial Day. It's great to get back with family and friends.  
 
Survivor Host: Unfortunately, our time with Kathy is up. Kathy, congratulations on making it to the Final Four and thanks so much for being here to chat with us today. Do you have any comments for the SURVIVOR Fans?  
 
Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien: You guys are all wild out there! I think it's been fun. I never had any clue that this was going to be a madcap adventure. Thanks for all your support, it's been a terrific experience. Make sure you take a challenge yourself! Don't sit on the computer all day -- go out and take a hike. Get a group together, it'll make you feel better.  
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