It wasn't a surprise when I heard that Survivor Africa winner Ethan Zohn was hotfooting it to Cape Town to run the Two Oceans Marathon.
Neither was it a gobsmack that Survivor Amazon Winner Jenna and Survivor Palau's Ian Rosenberger were joining him 'cos it's the sort of thing you'd expect a Survivor winner type to do.
I was of course thrilled that they were so I could get up to skullduggery for us as I met-up with them the morning of the day before they ran.
As we hooked up I discovered that Jenna agrees with me - running sucks. It's much better hanging round the guys for the race but not actually doing it.
I chatted with all three of them over breckers. Here's what Jenna had to say:
Tashi: How long have you and Ethan been in love? When did you know it was definitely on and who liked who first?
Jenna: He definitely liked me first. I met him at my Survivor finale in the Amazon and at the After Party – I was already like having fun and overwhelmed that I’d just won and he said: “My name’s Ethan blah, blah, blah,” and he gave me a beer but it was half empty and I was like “Wow, he’s so cheap, what a jerk!” and then he just kept calling me – so I think he liked me first.
Tashi: How long have you been together?
Jenna: Almost three years. Three years in June.
Tashi: Will you be getting married?
Jenna: No.
Tashi: That’s a very decisive no.
Jenna: Only because he's got the camera on me and I’m hoping he jumps in and says: “Maybe”.
Tashi: Ethan obviously digs Survivor chicks because he went out with Jenna Lewis before you didn’t he?
Jenna: Um, I don’t know actually. I don’t really get involved in his past personal life. Possibly but I couldn’t care less really.
Tashi: I was gonna ask how you felt about it.
Jenna: I actually like Jenna Lewis – she’s a friend of mine – I think maybe they dated for – I don’t know.
Tashi: So you’ve never asked Ethan about it?
Jenna: I just never really cared. The past is the past. I mean maybe, possibly, they did Eco-Challenge, I like her as a person and she’s really cool.
Tashi: What it is like to be a millionairess?
Jenna: It’s fun – I can’t really complain. When you win a million you can’t complain. It makes life easier and you can do fun things for people who care about. It’s been really good – I’ve been really lucky.
Tashi: What happened to your peanut-butter stripping friend Heidi?
Jenna: She was gonna go to Med School – she’s very much into medicine – but she decided it’s not the thing she wants to do and she’s going to get her masters and then her doctorate in teaching.
She was teaching before Survivor – she’s excellent with kids and she’s such a good a role model for them, teaching-wise. I know people are like: ‘Really? She got naked on TV!” – that was Survivor and when we were on it it was a completely different life than real life and people don’t realise that. I’m really happy for her – she’s living up in New Jersey which is right around New York – where I am – so I’m excited that I get to see her more ‘cos she used to live in Missouri.
Tashi: What was it like doing the Playboy spread?
Jenna: It was so much fun – how often do you get to do the cover of a number one men’s magazine with your best friend? I couldn’t have asked for anything more. It’s kinda like: “Check that off my list.” We just had so much fun – people tried to ask us: “ Was it sexy? Where you guys like playing with each others hair?” and I was like: “No, we were eating pickles and ice-cream sundaes and laughing hysterically at each other.”
They actually yelled at us because they needed us to be sexy but we were laughing too much. They were like: “Be serious.” And we were like: “
Sorry.”
Tashi: Did you agree with Amber winning Survivor All-Stars? Was there anyone else you would have preferred to see win?
Jenna: I would have preferred to see me or Ethan or Tina win or something. If it wasn’t between us I would have liked to have seen Big Tom win. I think he’s a great guy. I think Boston Rob should have won. But I mean, I can’t really say that because she won fair and square.
She played him, he did the dirty work and she stayed back in the shadows and that is a strategy and it got her a million dollars. In hindsight they actually both won because it’s common money for them, so they’re both in good shape.
Tashi: Why would you have preferred Big Tom?
Jenna: I really, really like him and he’s never changed his personality. He’s so consistent. He’s the only the person who’s gotten the furthest in both amount of shows. In Africa he got to the final four and in All Stars he got to the final four/five. His success rate on the show is pretty high.
Tashi: Who’s your fave Survivor of all time?
Jenna: Heidi and Rob Cesternino are really close to me. I love Rob – I’d have to put Big Tom in that group for sure. I also really liked Brandon from Survivor Africa because I like people who are diva’s and start trouble. I thought he was just hilarious.
Tashi: I saw Kill Reality –
Jenna: Oh my God –
Tashi: – with you doing your drunkenly scene falling down the hole etc – I thought you were the best out of everybody.
Jenna: Thank you. When they first gave me the script and there wasn’t a death scene for me I was like: “Argh – please make me die.” I’m a big horror movie fan and Rob Cesternino, who wrote it said: “If you want to.”
Tashi: Do you have ambitions to act?
Jenna: I don’t think so – it’s fun, I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity, I don’t think I’m the best actress – there are people who work a lot longer to become an actress who probably deserve it more than I do.
Tashi: Where do you see yourself in five years time?
Jenna: Mmm – I dunno. I do my business which is Model Challenge USA which is a nationwide model search. We do model searches all over the country, then we have a national finals and we’re doing some great stuff with that.
I still do a show for CBS which is on their website – which don’t go look at ‘cos you’ll find out what happens in Guatemala – I do a show called Survivor Live which is a live internet chat show every Friday. We talk to the person who was voted off the night before. We have people call in – it’s on Fridays on 2pm – and you can stream it from anywhere in the world. They then all go into an archive – all past seasons are there - this is my third season.
Tashi: What’s your fave TV show?
Jenna: Prison Break. I’ve loved it since the very first episode – I could watch it any night of the week. Plus it doesn’t help that Michael Schofield is so adorable.
Tashi: He’s gorge.
Jenna: He’s got so much mystery in his eyes – like now he never smiles. It’s an amazing cast of characters and actors. The others, like T-Bag, they’re amazing.
Tashi: Yes, T-Bag’s hysterical.