Murtzcellanious: Murtz Jaffer Interviews Survivor: China‘s Ashley Massaro

Features, Interviews

It was great getting a chance to talk to Ashley Massaro, given Inside Pulse’s massive wrestling audience. I have been an Ashley fan ever since she won the WWE Diva Search and I found it was very interesting to watch her stint on Survivor. I think that one of the things that stands out about this season is the fact that there are many unique personalities playing the game and a professional wrestler definitely added a unique perspective. When I interviewed her, Massaro talked about how she was cast on the show, the brilliance of Jaime and whether or not she is still dating Matt Hardy. Check it out!



Murtz Jaffer: Hey, how are you?

Ashley Massaro: Hey, what’s going on Murtz? How you doing?

MJ: Not too bad, not too bad. Now, I have to tell you that I am very excited to talk to you! I watched you on the diva search and actually I don’t know if you know this or not but another Survivor friend of mine, Dan Lue is friends with Leyla Milani!

AM: No way! I remember that girl!

MJ: Do you remember Dan Lue from Survivor Amazon? He was the Asian guy. I think he was voted off in the same spot that you were.

AM: Hmm.

MJ: Well, if you get a chance go back and look because he is best friends with her and I am like ‘oh my gosh, now I get to interview you!’

AM: Oh that’s too funny! See, now you can be my best friend.

MJ: Exactly. Well, you’re going to have to separate me from the other 130,000 people that you got on Myspace.

AM: (Laughs). No, I’ll put you in my Top 8.

MJ: Nice, alright, cool. I want to start by asking you how you got involved with Survivor. Did you apply or were you approached to do the show?

AM: It was kind of like a little bit of both. I had an expressed an interest to do Survivor just because I thought that it would be fun. I am an adventurous person and I was like, ‘you know, if I ever had the opportunity to do something like that who would say no?’

MJ: So were you watching the show and that’s why you were like ‘wow, that’s why I want to be on it?’

AM: Yeah, for sure. And then apparently they were doing casting for it and WWE came to me and they were like ‘hey, we got a call ‘ (Laughs). ‘And we’re not sure if want you to do it or not because it’s going to mean that you are going to be off TV for a long time.’ And I basically had to wring some arms and they ended up caving.

MJ: Was there an added degree of pressure on you because all your fans and the other wrestlers would be watching? Were you just like ‘oh I have to do really well because everybody is watching?’ I kind of feel like there was more pressure on you than anyone else.

AM: For sure, but I am that way anyway. I am not going to cry if I lose a challenge. I wrestle. You know what I mean? All it is going to do is make me want it more.

MJ: Right, but then if I was like ‘if I don’t do well in this physical challenge, than everybody in the WWE is going to be like ‘well, what’s happening? She’s supposed to be the strong wrestler.’

AM: Oh yeah, I definitely had a lot more pressure on me than the rest of those people there I think because of all the WWE fans. But I just tried to hang tough and you know what? I got stuck with a heel. I got stuck with somebody that just really didn’t dig me and I would have traded him for James in a heartbeat.

MJ: Do you think being so recognizable was a disadvantage (you know I was telling you about your 130,000 friends on myspace!)? Did any of the other people recognize you from the WWE?

AM: Yeah, I mean just going through the airport. There were little kids like ‘Ashley, Ashley ‘ and I am like ‘don’t blow my cover kids.’

MJ: (Laughs).

AM: (Laughs). So already it was already out and some of the other tribe members recognized me and basically my strategy was just to let it roll off your back and just move on. ‘hey, what do you do?’ You know what I mean?

MJ: Were you ever concerned that leaving the WWE temporarily to do Survivor would cause you to lose your spot in the company, especially after the injury last February?

AM: Umm. There’s always that sort of apprehension that any wrestler has.

MJ: Right.

AM: Unless you’re like Shawn Michaels or something. (Laughs). But no. I feel good about it. My fans have been extremely supportive and they are like ‘hey, Dave’s a friggen tool.’ You know what I mean (for lack of a better word)? (Laughs).

MJ: You’re one of the WWE diva’s and clearly sex appeal is a big part of the sports entertainment. Did you find that looking so good, was that an advantage on Survivor as well?

AM: I don’t think I looked so good. I don’t know what you’re talking about!

MJ: (Laughs). I don’t know. Compared to the other girls

AM: I did the Playboy cover in April and all of a sudden I see myself on Survivor and I am going ‘oh my god!’ I looked awful!

MJ: Well, clearly you haven’t been reading everything because everybody’s like ‘Ashley has redefined what girls are supposed to look like on Survivor.’

AM: Oh lord! I haven’t been reading because I don’t want to read all the negative if there is any.

MJ: Right, right, right.

AM: But that’s nice to hear. Thank you.

MJ: I am sure you are tired of answering questions about Dave, but ultimately what was your problem with him because not only did you say that you would be seeing him soon, but you also called him a tool!

AM: Well, basically Dave was just really abusing out energy. He was wasting it. It became a problem because everyone was just so disheartened. They just didn’t know what to do anymore because he is telling us to go grab vine when we’re supposed to be working on one project at a time like the other tribe.

MJ: Right.

AM: I am watching the show now and I am like ‘I can’t believe they had a structure built and we’re getting rained on and monsooned on every night.’ I think my biggest mistake was ever trusting a former male model.

MJ: That’s classic! Was Dave the main reason you got voted off or was it being sick?

AM: Oh yeah. For sure.

MJ: So you don’t think being sick

AM: I mean Sherea and Jaime had asked to form an alliance with me right off the bat even when I was sick and I was throwing up.

MJ: Really? Were they kind of pushed by Dave to sort of say ‘oh, we have to vote Ashley off?’

AM: Oh yeah. I mean right down to the wire it was me or Dave. And Dave is just a very manipulative person and I have been around people like that before so I knew what he was up to. And I was just you know what? On the sixth day, I haven’t eaten, my tribe hasn’t eaten, let me go and say something. And the girls are coming up to me and saying ‘Ashley we really need food today, we have a challenge!’ A reward challenge! And I was like ‘okay, I’ll take care of it.’ So I go and come to him and say ‘I know you’re trying to build the mega BBQ pit of the century but maybe if we could just use half of it, get a little rice in us and then do well in the challenge.’ ‘NOOO!’ He freaks out! And sure enough, he falls out in the challenge.

MJ: When Jaime was kidnapped by the other tribe, did she bring anything back from over there?

AM: Yeah, she sure did. She brought back some limes and we had nothing on our camp. No foliage that we could eat. There was just nothing. And Jaime, she’s a sneaky little girl. Let me tell you something. I love that girl. She is cool as hell. She went over there she plays this whole ditzy gimmick

MJ: Yeah, exactly. And that’s probably why they picked her right? Because they thought that she was going to say stuff.

AM: Yeah, they thought she was dumb, but you know what? She’s not! Nabbed a whole bunch of stuff. And you know what? She came back and said that her foot was hurting her. She cut her foot. We get back to the camp, she takes her shoe off and there’s fish hooks and limes in her shoe. She’s a hustler man!

MJ: That’s awesome!

AM: I dug it. I thought she was cool as hell.

MJ: I have interviewed many beautiful women from the show, and you are quite possibly the hottest and the only Playboy cover girl. So I have to know if you are still dating Matt Hardy or are you single and what it would take for a guy like Murtz to win over a girl like Ashley Massaro.

AM: (Laughs). I am definitely not dating Matt Hardy anymore and I am single. I don’t know, come meet me in the ring.

MJ: That’s awesome.

AM: (Laughs).

MJ: I am going to Myspace you the link to the interview.

AM: Definitely! That would be awesome.

MJ: Sounds great, thank you so much Ashley.

AM: Alright, thank you.

MJ: K, bye.

AM: Alright, later.


Growing up in Long Island, New York, with a father, brother and uncle who competed in amateur wresting, Ashley Massaro was well-prepared to make it in the World Wresting Entertainment. A former gymnast, she competed in Miss Hawaiian Tropic pageants and was crowned Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA in 2002 and Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada in 2005. She currently works as a model and a professional wrestler with the WWE. She came to the WWE as a contestant in the 2005 RAW Diva Search. After beating out seven other finalists, she received a one-year contract with the World Wrestling Entertainment.

Massaro tours around the world and appears in front of thousands of people at arena shows approximately four times a week. She appears on “WWE Raw,” “Smackdown” and Pay-Per-View Weekly. She has done a tour of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, where she visited the troops with the WWE for the United Service Organizations (USO). She was on the cover of the April 2007, issue of Playboy. She has also appeared in FHM, Stuff, Maxim and the covers of Femme Fatale and FLEX magazines. She hosted several E! “Wild On” episodes and appeared on “Breaking Bonaduce” as his personal trainer. She has also guest-starred on CW’s “Smallville” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and she brought her love of music to Fuse TV when she took part in a special edition of “The Sauce.” MTV’s “Celebrity Death Match” has also featured her in the claymation series. In her spare time, she visits numerous hospitals to boost morale, including the Bethesda War Veteran Hospital in Washington, DC.

Massaro received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in Business from State University of New York. She describes herself as spunky, quirky, optimistic, happy, resourceful, creative, adaptable and relentless. She is obsessed with all things music.

Massaro currently resides in East Northport, New York. Her birth date is May 26, 1979.


Survivor: China airs on CBS on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Survivor: China airs on the Global network in Canada on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Sir Linksalot: Survivor: China

Please credit Murtz Jaffer & RealityDish.com when using this interview. If reposting, please post just an excerpt and link back to the rest of the piece.

It was great getting a chance to talk to Ashley Massaro, given Inside Pulse’s massive wrestling audience. I have been an Ashley fan ever since she won the WWE Diva Search and I found it was very interesting to watch her stint on Survivor. I think that one of the things that stands out about this season is the fact that there are many unique personalities playing the game and a professional wrestler definitely added a unique perspective. When I interviewed her, Massaro talked about how she was cast on the show, the brilliance of Jaime and whether or not she is still dating Matt Hardy. Check it out!



Murtz Jaffer: Hey, how are you?

Ashley Massaro: Hey, what’s going on Murtz? How you doing?

MJ: Not too bad, not too bad. Now, I have to tell you that I am very excited to talk to you! I watched you on the diva search and actually I don’t know if you know this or not but another Survivor friend of mine, Dan Lue is friends with Leyla Milani!

AM: No way! I remember that girl!

MJ: Do you remember Dan Lue from Survivor Amazon? He was the Asian guy. I think he was voted off in the same spot that you were.

AM: Hmm.

MJ: Well, if you get a chance go back and look because he is best friends with her and I am like ‘oh my gosh, now I get to interview you!’

AM: Oh that’s too funny! See, now you can be my best friend.

MJ: Exactly. Well, you’re going to have to separate me from the other 130,000 people that you got on Myspace.

AM: (Laughs). No, I’ll put you in my Top 8.

MJ: Nice, alright, cool. I want to start by asking you how you got involved with Survivor. Did you apply or were you approached to do the show?

AM: It was kind of like a little bit of both. I had an expressed an interest to do Survivor just because I thought that it would be fun. I am an adventurous person and I was like, ‘you know, if I ever had the opportunity to do something like that who would say no?’

MJ: So were you watching the show and that’s why you were like ‘wow, that’s why I want to be on it?’

AM: Yeah, for sure. And then apparently they were doing casting for it and WWE came to me and they were like ‘hey, we got a call ‘ (Laughs). ‘And we’re not sure if want you to do it or not because it’s going to mean that you are going to be off TV for a long time.’ And I basically had to wring some arms and they ended up caving.

MJ: Was there an added degree of pressure on you because all your fans and the other wrestlers would be watching? Were you just like ‘oh I have to do really well because everybody is watching?’ I kind of feel like there was more pressure on you than anyone else.

AM: For sure, but I am that way anyway. I am not going to cry if I lose a challenge. I wrestle. You know what I mean? All it is going to do is make me want it more.

MJ: Right, but then if I was like ‘if I don’t do well in this physical challenge, than everybody in the WWE is going to be like ‘well, what’s happening? She’s supposed to be the strong wrestler.’

AM: Oh yeah, I definitely had a lot more pressure on me than the rest of those people there I think because of all the WWE fans. But I just tried to hang tough and you know what? I got stuck with a heel. I got stuck with somebody that just really didn’t dig me and I would have traded him for James in a heartbeat.

MJ: Do you think being so recognizable was a disadvantage (you know I was telling you about your 130,000 friends on myspace!)? Did any of the other people recognize you from the WWE?

AM: Yeah, I mean just going through the airport. There were little kids like ‘Ashley, Ashley ‘ and I am like ‘don’t blow my cover kids.’

MJ: (Laughs).

AM: (Laughs). So already it was already out and some of the other tribe members recognized me and basically my strategy was just to let it roll off your back and just move on. ‘hey, what do you do?’ You know what I mean?

MJ: Were you ever concerned that leaving the WWE temporarily to do Survivor would cause you to lose your spot in the company, especially after the injury last February?

AM: Umm. There’s always that sort of apprehension that any wrestler has.

MJ: Right.

AM: Unless you’re like Shawn Michaels or something. (Laughs). But no. I feel good about it. My fans have been extremely supportive and they are like ‘hey, Dave’s a friggen tool.’ You know what I mean (for lack of a better word)? (Laughs).

MJ: You’re one of the WWE diva’s and clearly sex appeal is a big part of the sports entertainment. Did you find that looking so good, was that an advantage on Survivor as well?

AM: I don’t think I looked so good. I don’t know what you’re talking about!

MJ: (Laughs). I don’t know. Compared to the other girls

AM: I did the Playboy cover in April and all of a sudden I see myself on Survivor and I am going ‘oh my god!’ I looked awful!

MJ: Well, clearly you haven’t been reading everything because everybody’s like ‘Ashley has redefined what girls are supposed to look like on Survivor.’

AM: Oh lord! I haven’t been reading because I don’t want to read all the negative if there is any.

MJ: Right, right, right.

AM: But that’s nice to hear. Thank you.

MJ: I am sure you are tired of answering questions about Dave, but ultimately what was your problem with him because not only did you say that you would be seeing him soon, but you also called him a tool!

AM: Well, basically Dave was just really abusing out energy. He was wasting it. It became a problem because everyone was just so disheartened. They just didn’t know what to do anymore because he is telling us to go grab vine when we’re supposed to be working on one project at a time like the other tribe.

MJ: Right.

AM: I am watching the show now and I am like ‘I can’t believe they had a structure built and we’re getting rained on and monsooned on every night.’ I think my biggest mistake was ever trusting a former male model.

MJ: That’s classic! Was Dave the main reason you got voted off or was it being sick?

AM: Oh yeah. For sure.

MJ: So you don’t think being sick

AM: I mean Sherea and Jaime had asked to form an alliance with me right off the bat even when I was sick and I was throwing up.

MJ: Really? Were they kind of pushed by Dave to sort of say ‘oh, we have to vote Ashley off?’

AM: Oh yeah. I mean right down to the wire it was me or Dave. And Dave is just a very manipulative person and I have been around people like that before so I knew what he was up to. And I was just you know what? On the sixth day, I haven’t eaten, my tribe hasn’t eaten, let me go and say something. And the girls are coming up to me and saying ‘Ashley we really need food today, we have a challenge!’ A reward challenge! And I was like ‘okay, I’ll take care of it.’ So I go and come to him and say ‘I know you’re trying to build the mega BBQ pit of the century but maybe if we could just use half of it, get a little rice in us and then do well in the challenge.’ ‘NOOO!’ He freaks out! And sure enough, he falls out in the challenge.

MJ: When Jaime was kidnapped by the other tribe, did she bring anything back from over there?

AM: Yeah, she sure did. She brought back some limes and we had nothing on our camp. No foliage that we could eat. There was just nothing. And Jaime, she’s a sneaky little girl. Let me tell you something. I love that girl. She is cool as hell. She went over there she plays this whole ditzy gimmick

MJ: Yeah, exactly. And that’s probably why they picked her right? Because they thought that she was going to say stuff.

AM: Yeah, they thought she was dumb, but you know what? She’s not! Nabbed a whole bunch of stuff. And you know what? She came back and said that her foot was hurting her. She cut her foot. We get back to the camp, she takes her shoe off and there’s fish hooks and limes in her shoe. She’s a hustler man!

MJ: That’s awesome!

AM: I dug it. I thought she was cool as hell.

MJ: I have interviewed many beautiful women from the show, and you are quite possibly the hottest and the only Playboy cover girl. So I have to know if you are still dating Matt Hardy or are you single and what it would take for a guy like Murtz to win over a girl like Ashley Massaro.

AM: (Laughs). I am definitely not dating Matt Hardy anymore and I am single. I don’t know, come meet me in the ring.

MJ: That’s awesome.

AM: (Laughs).

MJ: I am going to Myspace you the link to the interview.

AM: Definitely! That would be awesome.

MJ: Sounds great, thank you so much Ashley.

AM: Alright, thank you.

MJ: K, bye.

AM: Alright, later.


Growing up in Long Island, New York, with a father, brother and uncle who competed in amateur wresting, Ashley Massaro was well-prepared to make it in the World Wresting Entertainment. A former gymnast, she competed in Miss Hawaiian Tropic pageants and was crowned Miss Hawaiian Tropic USA in 2002 and Miss Hawaiian Tropic Canada in 2005. She currently works as a model and a professional wrestler with the WWE. She came to the WWE as a contestant in the 2005 RAW Diva Search. After beating out seven other finalists, she received a one-year contract with the World Wrestling Entertainment.

Massaro tours around the world and appears in front of thousands of people at arena shows approximately four times a week. She appears on “WWE Raw,” “Smackdown” and Pay-Per-View Weekly. She has done a tour of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait, where she visited the troops with the WWE for the United Service Organizations (USO). She was on the cover of the April 2007, issue of Playboy. She has also appeared in FHM, Stuff, Maxim and the covers of Femme Fatale and FLEX magazines. She hosted several E! “Wild On” episodes and appeared on “Breaking Bonaduce” as his personal trainer. She has also guest-starred on CW’s “Smallville” and “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” and she brought her love of music to Fuse TV when she took part in a special edition of “The Sauce.” MTV’s “Celebrity Death Match” has also featured her in the claymation series. In her spare time, she visits numerous hospitals to boost morale, including the Bethesda War Veteran Hospital in Washington, DC.

Massaro received her Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with a minor in Business from State University of New York. She describes herself as spunky, quirky, optimistic, happy, resourceful, creative, adaptable and relentless. She is obsessed with all things music.

Massaro currently resides in East Northport, New York. Her birth date is May 26, 1979.


Survivor: China airs on CBS on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Survivor: China airs on the Global network in Canada on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Sir Linksalot: Survivor: China

Please credit Murtz Jaffer & RealityDish.com when using this interview. If reposting, please post just an excerpt and link back to the rest of the piece.

Murtz Jaffer is the world's foremost reality television expert and was the host of Reality Obsessed which aired on the TVTropolis and Global Reality Channels in Canada. He has professional writing experience at the Toronto Sun, National Post, TV Guide Canada, TOROMagazine.com and was a former producer at Entertainment Tonight Canada. He was also the editor at Weekendtrips.com.