Billy Debney: First I’d just like to thank you so much for taking time out to talk with me.
Susie Smith: No problem.
BD: What made you want to go on Survivor? And what is the story behind how you were picked?
SS: I have loved the show since Borneo, after watching a few times I knew I wanted to TRY playing, just see if I would get on. One night while we the family were watching, I said to my husband, “I would love to play”. And he says to me in front of my son, “There is no way in hell they’ll ever select you, so quit wasting your time”. I was so hurt by what he said, but mostly it upset me that he said that to me in front of my son. I just couldn’t get those words out of my head. So I said to him, “you’re right, probably have no chance”, just to have him be quiet and leave me alone. So the next day I applied!! That was when I applied for Guatemala…I got a call to come out to finals, but I couldn’t do it, I just didn’t feel I had the support at home to keep going, so my mind was not ready. In Jan. 2008 I applied and this time I told my hubby, I’m trying again, he was “oh why do that hon, you went out, they don’t want you”. I said “well I didn’t make it the first time, because I didn’t feel I had the right support from you, I needed you to be supportive, but you weren’t, so this time I’m doing it, I’m going for it again.” And I needed to teach my son that if you just try, just try you can change any part of your life no matter how simple or difficult a task is. Then I wanted to just TRY for me, just be selfish, what the hell, why not, do it and no matter what happens, happens, it didn’t matter as long as I tried and had fun fail or not, it didn’t matter.
As for the story of how I got picked, I think it was because I didn’t hide my true personality. I did my video, my 3 minuets and I used my time wisely. I turned on my oven timer before I started, because I needed to make sure I had 3 minutes and I didn’t want to go over or not have used my time, plus with my son coming home at any minute, I just needed to utilize my time wisely. They found that to be ‘true busy mom” stuff. It was. I told them about why I needed to do this. It was very personal, a personal journey for me. I went and was interviewed and there you have it I was picked to play.
BD: That’s very cool, you totally went for the right reasons.
SS: I believe they want you to be yourself. It was never about the money to me, never. It was about me teaching my son a lesson. Sometimes the very people who are suppose to support your silly ideas are the ones to crush them first. So I needed him to know that no matter what he wants to try or what idea he has, it’s ok to try, fail or not, just try and you’ll be glad you did.
BD: He must have been so proud and excited for his mom…watching the show every week.
SS: Yes he was so proud of me. I felt happy that he got it, he really got it. I mean at the finale I held his face in my hands and looked in his eyes and I said to him, to my son “Do you understand now, do you get it?” He is crying and he says “I do mom!” That was such a sweet moment for me, it made everything I did worth it…
BD: So we all know Fang had a very rough time challenge wise. How hard was that for all of you…seeing Kota getting all these rewards and not having to worry about tribal?
SS: In the beginning I wasn’t really worried, because I had my alliances. It was sad to see us lose, but that’s part of the game, someone has to lose. It was hard for Crystal and Matty, they are very competitive people, and I’m not. I mean I never played sports so I didn’t value the competitive part of it, but I did value having fun at trying, so to me if I won or lost, I still tried, I just didn’t get upset about it like Crystal and Matty. I understand Crystal, good god she is a gold medalist. She is a competitor!! I get that. Matty too. Marcus and Randy all very competitive people. I’m just not that way when it comes to sports, but I am with other types of games, like I love to play scrabble, or pictionary. LOL.
BD: Was it tough seeing them struggle when you moved to Kota? Especially Matty who you had a very close bond with?
SS: Yes it was very sad. Crystal and Kenny and I talked about it at Kota that we wanted to save Matty. I didn’t like seeing them suffer so much. Matty was so hurting. When Kenny and Crystal came over to Kota, it felt good to feed them, to have food for them and catching the turtles, man it was great to see them eat. They needed it. Crystal told me she was blacking out. That was awful, after she told me that I just felt horrible for them, they were my friends.
BD: When they moved to Kota you made your power play and turned on Marcus. Was that a hard move for you to make? Or were you always planning on working with the original Fang when ever you were reunited?
SS: It was very hard, hardest to flip on Marcus. But after talking to Crystal I knew I had to. I knew she had my back from Fang. I always felt Fang though so it was not that hard. I just didn’t want to hurt Marcus, but I had to. And I hoped he would understand, because after all it was a game and I kept telling him that. But he was vague and wasn’t keen on letting me know just how close Kota was. I knew it, it was obvious, but I had to act like it didn’t matter. So when the time came for me to vote out Marcus, there was no other way for me, but bottom 3, not bottom 6. It turned out 2nd, not bad.
BD: Many people asked how you made it so far…even Probst…but in all reality you did deserve it. You made the plays you needed to…you were one of 3 people to win an individual immunity challenge… and you won 2 of them…why do you think people thought this way?
SS: Because I was not visible and did not demand to get airtime. It never mattered to me. I was there to play a game, I didn’t need to be nasty or disrespectful to others, and be an idiot. So I just played under the radar and played it well. I wanted to play Indian, not be a chief. As you seen there were plenty of chiefs! LOL.
BD: HaHa definitely.
SS: Karma is real if you ask me. I mean seriously there are people in this world who need a lot of attention.
BD: *cough*Corinne*cough*
SS: Aw Corinne. She is a gem in her own way. I have respect for her; she played the game she needed to play. I didn’t care for the way she treated some people, it’s not nice. I had a hard time understanding that. She did apologize to my son for saying she wanted to stab me in the face. That was nice of her. I appreciated that and I told her that.
BD: That is great to hear. And speaking of her….was her final tribal questions hard to sit through?
SS: No I don’t care what she said about me, but it was hard to hear her talk to Sugar the way she did. I don’t like to hear that, its just mean to talk to someone who has just lost their father. I found it funny when she asked me about having my vocal cords out…seriously.
BD: Well you did laugh…so that’s good.
SS: It was funny, but it only made her look bad. Yeah I don’t waste time on that sort of thing, just too exhausting being hateful…
BD: I know you don’t have much time so I only have a few more questions for you.
SS: I do need my sleep Billy.
BD: Since the show has wrapped…who do you still keep in touch with?
SS: I stay in touch with Matty, Sugar, Bob, Kenny, Crystal, Kelly, Gillian, Dan a little through facebook, Charlie through facebook, actually Kelly and Gillian through facebook. I don’t hear from GC, Michelle, Jackie, Randy or Marcus. I did get a couple post from Corrine on facebook. That’s it. I don’t hear from Ace.
BD: Always good to hear relationships from the show carry over to real life.
SS: Yes it’s pretty amazing.
BD: And my last question…how has life changed for you since the show has ended?
SS: I try harder to follow through with ideas or silly things that mean something to me, I try harder to do it. Life is just too short. I am working on a project to bring Matty, Sugar, Bob, Crystal, and Kenny to Charles City Iowa in May. Working on sponsorship and we’ll be doing a couple presentations for the high school in hopes to raise funds for the high school band to buy a new trailer to haul band equipment and instruments to competitions. They really need one badly.
BD: That is a very cool thing.
SS: I’m excited to bring some excitement here to the Midwest. People love Survivor here and we want to hear about it from them, so I’m trying to get them here. They know me here, but they want a little bit of reality Celebs here. We love them here too.
BD: Best of luck with all the preparations! I know I would be excited to experience something like that.
SS: Yes it was great fun and I’ll never forget it. And I can thank CBS and seg for their great kindness and generosity. They were very kind and respectful to all of us..
BD: Well thank you so much for your time Susie!
SS: Thanks a lot Billy. I’ll let you know when we get closer to the big day here in Iowa ok.
BD: Yes I would love that!
SS: Thank you much!!
BD: Have a great night!
SS: Bye and good night.
Be sure to check out Susie’s Facebook page
here.
