To many, Tom Westman is one of the best winners in "Survivor" history. During his time in Palau, Tom dominated the game physically, mentally, and socially on his way to winning $1 million and receiving nearly every vote from the jury.
However, this time around on "Heroes vs. Villains" things were very different from the get-go. He was targeted as a threat, ended up in a minority alliance, and was ultimately taken out over someone with a bum leg in James. He literally did everything in his power to stay alive, including using an immunity idol the episode before to take down Cirie.
On Friday I had the opportunity to talk with Tom about his time on the show and his fellow castaways -- and yes, he is just as awesome in real life as he is on TV.
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Matt Carter: Hey Tom, how are you doing?
Tom Westman: What's going on, Matt?
Matt: Not a lot! Just bummed that I'm talking to you now and not later on.
Tom: I know! It's like last time I did these interviews it was all about 'how are you going to spend the money?' Now it's all 'what are you doing home so early?'
Matt: How different was this season for you than Palau?
Tom: Palau was just a much more organic experience where there were 20 players and there was a lot of sitting around and getting to know one another. This one here, everyone came in and already decided 'there's a chopping block for you, and we gotta get rid of Steph,' and everything being so pre-planned. Then, some of these people the only conversation they had was what they did on their season of 'Survivor.' So to listen to one more conversation about the weather in Panama or what it was like in Pearl Islands or what appearances they've done or where they get free food in L.A. -- it's just kind of like 'enough.' Does anyone have anything interesting to talk about out here?
Really, it just got old, and being on the outside of the alliance they don't want to hear from you anyway. They just have an agenda, and you're just holding a temporary spot on the beach, you know?
Matt: Is there anyone from some of the older seasons you would have liked to see?
Tom: I would've desperately wanted to see some of the people from the earlier seasons, and maybe some of the former winners -- people who enough fans connect with like a Tina Wesson or even a Gervase from season one. There was some really good characters who it would have been fun for the fans to see back again.
It would have been a more even balance than this new style of play...it would have left a more even feel to the game.
Matt: Yeah, we may have seen enough of Amanda at this point.
Tom: Yeah, third season in [three years]...really for some of these young kids like James it's kind of a weird way to live your life. Three years, three seasons of 'Survivor,' I'm like 'what else?'
Matt: I just want to bounce an idea off of you here: did you guys ever think about getting rid of JT? The way he's flip-flopping reminds me a lot of Dolly from 'Vanuatu' and they took her down fast for that.
Tom: I always keep a positive thing going with JT because he's swaying back and forth, but if you could catch him swaying to your side at the right time it's great. I was never gonna have -- well I actually did get in with Amanda and James last week. After finding the idol I did get those guys on board before Cirie came and rocked my boat and dumped all of my playing pieces in the water.
I was still holding out the whole time that JT was going to come around. He talked so glowingly the whole time about how he admired Colby and I and the way we played and the way we were portrayed after our season...he wanted that. So I kind of just kept holding out that he was going to come our way and play on our team. But at the end of the day Amanda had more influence on JT than Tom did.
Matt: All right, so my final question before I let someone else jump in is very important: do you regret not eating the chocolate?
Tom: That's the funny thing -- I did eat the chocolate! The plate came down and I was the last guy on the line. I just assumed that it had a lot of chocolate on it and when it got down to me it was empty. Whatever I was doing -- I was tying my shoe or something -- I didn't see the mass refusal of chocolate. So when Jeff gets the plate back and there was like 6 or 7 pieces of chocolate and now there was only 5, he said 'wait, so somebody ate the chocolate.' And there I am chewing away. He was like, "Tom, you're not...' I didn't get the memo on that.
I don't know what that was about -- some macho fierce competitor thing to not eat chocolate. Whatever.
Matt: Well, it was a pleasure talking to you today, Tom. I wish you all the best.
Tom: Thank you so much.
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Were you rooting for Tom on "Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains?" Let me know your thoughts with a comment below and stay tuned for more TV news.
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