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'Survivor's' Russell Hantz: No relationship with Boston Rob, still mad at Zapatera
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It finally happened. Russell Hantz was voted out of a game of "Survivor" for the first time in three seasons. He tells Zap2it about his experience, Boston Rob and what is in store for him now.Are you glad you did "Survivor" again, or do you wish you'd stuck with your two finishes in the final three?
"I have some good relationships with a few people out there, glad that I played 'cause I got to meet them. Plus, I want 'Survivor' to get the respect that it deserves. It's not easy. You can't get to the end every time. I always say that I can and if you don't know who I am and you don't have my playbook, I will get to the end every time. But it's a tough game. I think they're seeing the end of the legend, nothing is forever and you know, they finally got me out of there. I think it's even good for everybody. It's not good for me, but the game is real. Everybody thought, 'Oh this game is gonna be fixed, Russell and Rob at the end, but no, I got voted out first on my tribe."
What did you think of Redemption Island? Did you like that addition to the game?
"I liked it because it gave everybody a shot to come back into the game. And I knew I might go quick and I knew I'd have a shot to come back."
Are you still mad at your tribe or do you see it as a smart move on their part, since you are such a threat to go really far in the game?
"I don't see any strategy in it. This is the facts - if they wouldnt've blew that challenge, we would've been three up. They win the next chalenge. We would've been four up and then I guarantee we would've went to the merge with numbers. My team would've went to the final 5, final 6 again. By throwing that challenge, that could've been a big mistake ... or we'll see, could've been a good thing, but as weak as my team was, as weak as I see that they are, they're about to get some trouble. They're about to go against Rob wihtout me there. They wasn't even playing the game, they were just getting rid of Russell. That's all they cared about."
Who were you hoping would do well once you were eliminated? Just your alliance-mates, or somebody else?
Definitely my alliance. I'm true to the end with my alliance. If I was going to say who I would want to win the game, it would be Krista. Obviously she's supposed to be the one who has what it takes. She's pretty, she's nice to everybody, she has a social game. Natalie did it, so how come she can't do it? And she's a sweet girl. Her or Stephanie [I'm rooting for], but I don't think Stephanie would've won because Stephanie would've been stabbing everybody in the back. The person that wins is the person that doesn't piss anybody off.
How is your relationship with Boston Rob? Have you bonded a little over this season?
"I've never had a relationship with Boston Rob. Never ever. He's just not the type of guy I would hang around with. I think that he is what you see on TV, that 's him in real life. I think he's a vindictive kind of guy, like Sandra. What you see there is what you get. When you see me, ask Jeff - I asked him if he thought I'd have his fight, in a bar fight and he said 100%. I have your back. [Rob is] not like that."
Would you do "Survivor" again?
"I think it would be stupid for me to play again. I have other stuff in the works right now that I can't really talk about, but it's going to be very exciting. I'm not saying I want to move up 'cause 'Surrvivor's' pretty high up there on the scale, but I want to move away from this mainstream reality 'Amazing Race'/'Survivor'/'Big Brother' stuff."
Any messages to your fans?
"All I can say is I tried my best out there and I know they was hoping the best for me. I tried my best. And now my fans have to pull for Stephanie and Krista."
"Survivor: Redemption Island" airs Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.
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Photo/Video credit: CBS
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Sour grapes.He went in there promising a "new" Russell to his tribe and reneged on that promise. Without the immunity idol, he proved he was just an arrogant man who couldn't play a good social game. They had his number from day one. His going down as one of the best players in SURVIVOR history...not quite. His 15 minutes have finally expired everywhere except perhaps his home town....
Going to miss you Russell. You were a man among men and my favorite player by leaps and bounds.
I have your alliance sticks it hard to the idiots at Zapatera.
Good riddance.
I'm sorry. This guy is a tool. I've been watching Survivor since season 1, I think it's a briiliantly conceived, continually morphing feast, I love it. I don't always like the tribe members that win, but I usually respect them and how the play the game. Not this guy. Not one bit. Nasty piece of work. I agree with him though in that I reckon what you see with Rob is what you get and personally I see a nice guy with a good brain for this game who knows how to play smart but also understands the social nature of the tribe. Russell? He may think he's awesome but I think, getting to the end or otherwise, he doesn't understand what it actually takes to win it. It's not just about manipulation and that's why he fails because he can't engage with what is a major element of this game, getting people on board with your game and feeling good about giving you the cash. For the most part, people just don't respect how he plays or what he did to get there. He's good TV though & I wish him luck. My heart runneth over with the news Jeff has signed for another 2 seasons! Awesome.
I hope his future plans include enrolling in a grammar class.
@Amy - Well said! I agree 100%
@BC - Oooh, snarky! I love it. *lol*
Yeah, "poor" Russell. He just doesn't get it. I don't doubt he loves the game, he just doesn't understand it. As far as I know Fabio is the only person to win survivor and not **** anyone off. (Maybe Ethan, I can't remember if anyone was mad at him or not.)
The point is, the winner pretty much always has pissed someone off, it's all just how you do it and how your strategic moves are offset by your strategic social game, which he never has and apparently never will "get."
@BC -- Amen! :-)
@Amy -- couldn't say it any better than you.
@Lou -- a "man among men"? Who cries because his tribemates (GASP!) lied to him? He's the textbook picture of a bully who can't take it when the tables are turned.
@quisquillian -- Earl Cole and Yul Kwon were both well-regarded winners. My memory could be deceiving me, but I don't remember either of them making any enemies.
I HATE Russell, so glad to see him out of the game, hopefully forever. He is a douche, he has no understanding or concept on the game, and he has no social game. He tells his tribe he's change, but then he goes up to his same old tricks, it's ridiculous. He is a sore loser and he is not the best survivor player to play the game. It's ridiculous for him or anyone else to claim he is such a great player when he hasn't ever won the game. Once he's won the game, then he can try and claim he is the best player ever.
I have to say, I can't stand the guy but on other hand I loved the entertainment he brought to the show. I can't believe I'm going to say this but I think I might miss some of his antics that he brought to the show.