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Shes been ranked the No.
1all-timeSurvivorplayerbyRob Has a Podcastlisteners (twice, in 2011 and 2014) and thebest winnerbyEntertainment Weeklyreaders.
And yes, we discussed theheadbands.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
It was fun to see that people were really there to play.
They got the cast right.
Survivorfans know that youre no stranger to getting heat on day one, and it happened here with Larsa.
You say one thing backwards and then youre banished.
So everyones already freaking out, and then Im extra freaking out.
I already knew people would be suspicious of me because of my reputation fromSurvivor.
Even though it was 15 years ago, that reputation clings to me.
How can I earn peoples trust?
But I dont knowwhoto trust.
It was really tricky from the first moment of the game.
I knew I wasnt going to murder her and she wasnt coming after me.
So we were working together in that sense.
He was the only person who would talk strategy with me.
Other people were like, We dont know about you.
Phaedra wouldnt talk any game with me.
So I really liked having Dan there.
Its a lonely place to be in that castle when youre the Traitor and youre hiding this secret.
I felt like it was a comfort blanket to have Dan there.
I also felt like,Well, theyre going to banish him before me.
Everyones like, Oh, its Dan.
I was able to talk to MJ and all these people who were saying, Its Dan.
And I was like,I can turn on Dan when the time is right and vote with them.
But I didnt want to turn on him prematurely because I felt like he was keeping me safe.
Itcouldhave happened the previous night with the sacrifice.
That was when it could have happened.
I wouldnt have had the votes to turn it on Peter.
Especially because Peter and Trishelle were trying to get Phaedra.
I just thought that was my best bet.
I knew my days were very numbered.
Weve got to talk about Phaedra, whos having an incredible season.
There were moments where you two seemed really tight, and then moments where things seemed icy.
How was your partnership during the game?In the castle, non-existent.
She and I didnt talk to each other.
We barely spoke a word to each other in the castle.
We werent trying to target each other.
In the turret, it was kind of fun.
It was the one time I could let myself be excited and enthusiastic where it wasnt going to backfire.
I felt like Phaedra and I had a lot of fun together in the turret.
I thought she was just excellent with her theatrics and her expressions and her one-liners.
We just bounced things back and forth in a very over-the-top, camp way.
We kind of got that about each other.
Dan was really complimentary toward theHousewives and Bravo folkswhen I spoke to him.
Im giving a word of warning to the next cast ofThe Traitors: Look out for the Housewives.
Their skills translate perfectly: How well can you do when youre being personally attacked?
How well can you make up lies and stories about other people to discredit them and get them banished?
How well can you make it a fun show?
Theres all these different elements toThe Traitors.
Its not just about who wins the money at the end.
Whos the most fun to watch, too?
The Housewives, they are so skilled at that.
I think you could do Housewives or a Bravo show.
[Laughs]
You dont think so?Bravo, sure.
I would lose my mind.
Maybe as a guest judge onDrag Race, then.c’mon!
Yes, I would do that in a heartbeat.
I would host my own drag competition.
I would love that.
Like a queer reality show, like a dating show.
I would host that.
Anything like that I would be thrilled to do, but Im not a Housewife.
In yourPaper interview, you mentioned when you playedSurvivorin your twenties and you got all this negative feedback.
It melts my icy, ice-queen heart to be loved by fans like this.
I took it personally and it hurt.
Its been really fun that the fans get it.
Ive reposted all the stories that the fans are putting up.
Its so fun to have this relationship with this fanbase that I didnt have before.
How calculated were those headbands?Oh, my God.
Well, the first headband, the pearly white headband is so off brand for me.
I dont wear headbands.
I wear yoga clothes.
So me coming in with a pearl tiara on day one, Sandra was so upset.
Sandra was like,Oh, nice headband.
I wish I wouldve worn one.I was overjoyed.
The other cast members were like, Whats the deal with the headband?
And I was like, Well, Im Blair Waldorf, so I have to have headbands.
I didnt really commit hard enough to the headband trend.
I didnt realize it was going to be such a big thing.
But now that it has, Im fully committed.
Im just collecting them.
Hey, for when you get invited back.Oh, boy.Yousaid it.
