Cameron Exit Interview | Australian Survivor: Redemption | Episode 19 | Beyond Tribal

In this episode of Beyond Reality: Beyond Tribal, long-time Australian Survivor producer Hayley Ferguson sits down with the latest player to be eliminated from Australian Survivor: Redemption and the fifth member of the jury - Cameron.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Hi, I'm Hayley Ferguson and this is Beyond Reality. I've spent the past decade working as a producer on Australian Survivor. And now I'm taking you Beyond Trial. I'll be chatting with the players from Australian Survivor Redemption as they leave the game unpacking their strategy, their downfall, and their story beyond the vote. This is beyond reality. Hi Cam.

SPEAKER_00 0:37

Hello, Hailey, how are you?

SPEAKER_01 0:38

I'm good. Thank you so much for joining me. Obviously, this chat is a little bit later than usual. Usually I record these exit interviews straight after the episode's gone to air. But it's been a week since we saw you leave the game. Can you tell me what it was like watching your episode where you left back?

SPEAKER_00 0:58

Oh man, I can't lie. It was mixed emotions, but I felt like my episode was really funny. Like when I was watching it back, I was laughing quite a bit, you know? Like it was just very me coded, you know, to go out in that kind of fashion. Um, there was obviously a part of me that was just like, oh my gosh, I was so close, and maybe if I'd just been a bit more quiet, things could have been a bit different. Um, but yeah, yeah, there was a lot of feelings. Most of them are positive, though. It was it was cool to see.

SPEAKER_01 1:27

It was a really surprising vote, I think, for everyone. How did it feel in the moment?

SPEAKER_00 1:35

Oh, in the moment, it was raining down like crazy. Like that was one of the worst days possible. And there was a voice in the back of my head saying, you know, if you go home today, you're gonna have an opportunity to shower, you're gonna have an opportunity to clean yourself. So in the moment, you know, it probably would have been worse on a nicer night, but in in that moment, I was like, okay, you know, it was meant to be this way. I had a good run, I made it quite far, and you know, I didn't have to wake up to maggots, so yeah, it was okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Well, I mean, you talk about going home to a shower, but you had just come off the back of an overnight reward, yeah, which was a little bit controversial. So, can you talk me through that? And I guess your decision behind taking Keeley and Sally.

SPEAKER_00 2:25

Yeah, a little bit controversial. You know, it's real hard when you're with so many wonderful people, you know, to make that choice. And Sally was an angel out there, and I know that she won the car, I'm very much aware of that now, but um, she hadn't had much of a chance to eat food out there. You know, she had been on Redemption Beach, she hadn't won any food rewards that whole time, um, except for a massive fish that Ben and Blanche took home that was like way too big to even cook properly. So, yeah, she she was hungry, man. And I thought, let me do something nice by her. She was in my alliance, and if I took two members from my alliance, then um Keely, Brooke, Jackson, they could go find idols. So I thought it was smart to bring Keely as well, and maybe you know, mend some of our relationship breakdowns and hopefully be able to see eye to eye a little bit better, you know? So, yeah, that's what I was thinking. But yeah, poor Laws.

SPEAKER_01 3:22

It really is hard. Like in terms of winning a reward like that that everyone wants, it is a really tough spot to be in to have to make that decision because a lot of the time, no matter what you do, it it's going to upset somebody. And it felt like it it really did. I guess at tribal as well, you called it a mistake. Can you talk me through? I guess trying to navigate what to say at tribal council to describe the decision and keep everyone happy.

SPEAKER_00 3:52

It's interesting, you know, because not everyone has to be happy. I just needed three other people to be happy, to be real. Um, so I don't know. I I can't help myself. Yeah, I'm a straight shooter. When I talk, sometimes it gets me in trouble. But like I'm just gonna say think how I see them most of the time. And in that situation, I was like, yeah, I did make a mistake, I should have taken Loz. You know, like I had a lot of love for Loz and I wanted to do right by her, but I was like, come on, we got seven more days left, like one more week, you've done 38 days. Let's stay strong and let's hopefully win a whole heap of money, you know. Um, so I was hoping that Loz wouldn't be too offended and she would understand the sincerity in my apology, but yeah, I guess not.

SPEAKER_01 4:36

While you were on the reward, did you second guess your decision at that point?

SPEAKER_00 4:41

Yeah, yeah. You know, when there's a moment where I realized that Keely had already had a reward because that's part of my decision, too. Like, I was just trying to do right by everyone. Like, there's a side to survivor that a lot of people don't get to see, or maybe you don't fully interpret when you're watching, but it's so hard, yeah. Like really difficult. And I guess the further I got into the game, is like, how can I make these days easier for people and easier for myself? Like, that's just my nature, it's what I do in my day-to-day with work and things like that. So I'm like, if other people are happy, I'm happy. So um, I thought, let me do something nice by Keely at the same time. And then I realized, oh my gosh, she's had the high tea, she's one. Um she found the idol, like she shouldn't be here with me, you know. But as soon as I realized that, I was like, you know what, it is what it is. We've got this wonderful display of foods, we've got a shower, we've got a bed, we've got robes. Like, there could be worse places to be. So um, yeah, there wasn't too much regret. I can't lie. When I had that amazing night's sleep and woke up to breakfast, I was like, I don't really care who's here with me. Um, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:48

I mean, you had finally got the majority in your alliance, and so I can see why this blind side was such a shock. Did watching the episode clarify things for you?

SPEAKER_00 6:03

Uh, not even, man. Like, I was like, I was hoping there was a bit more to it than just like me being annoying, to be honest. Like, I thought maybe, yeah, there would just be, I don't know, some talk of a bit more strategy or bargaining power or something. It felt a bit like um, I don't know, like a bit of anger was built up. Maybe anger's not the right word, but a bit of frustration was built up by people. And I guess me having such a wonderful night and getting so much food and getting spoiled with all the things that I did, then coming in there, and it was like I was basically gloating in front of people's faces. Like, I'm not surprised that it happened, but watching it back, I was like, come on, guys, we could have done better, you know? Like, surely, surely Brooke was a more attractive option at that point. Oh, yeah, even Jackson, because that's where I was headed, but yeah, I guess I guess not.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

Do you think there was a game-ending move for you, or do you think it was a combination of things?

SPEAKER_00 7:01

Yeah, well, you really know. I think that was a game-ending move. Did you see what I said? My game ended, yeah. That was a game-ending move at 100. Um, it probably not taken loss. I think that was the game-ending move. Maybe winning. If you knew how many throws I did before I landed them as well, uh that wasn't even my win. Like, it was everyone else's loss. I'm like, I was missing shots all day. I'm like, someone should have taken that from me and kept me in the game. But um, it's weird because in a way, it's like, you know, you're living a dream, you get the opportunity to be on this wonderful game, but then in the same breath, like it kind of got taken away from me with the best moment I ever had in there. Like that night's sleep in the IKEA bed was by far my favourite moment, you know, like it was such an amazing time and such a great sleep. And yeah, I never had food that good in my life. Uh even to this day, I'm like, nothing has tasted that good. And then, yeah, to then lose it all after that, it was like bittersweet. It's kind of like I got the best moment, but also straight after the worst moment. I don't know the record books or what, yeah, but how many people have gone unanimous at seven? Like, that's gotta be some sort of record, you know, and it's definitely not a good one to have so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:16

Seven usually is a quite an interesting vote, and uh it was yeah, I don't think anyone expected to go it the way it did.

SPEAKER_00 8:24

Yeah, no, me and me included.

SPEAKER_01 8:26

I want to talk about your game a little bit in the sense that we saw a lot of conversations where you were playing both sides and you were talking about making big moves. Yeah. I want to know what was the closest you came to pulling the trigger on one of those moves and going a different way to the way you were going.

SPEAKER_00 8:45

I think it was on the Blanche vote, actually. That was where I was closest to going Ben. And I surprised myself by not going Ben that vote, to be honest. But you know, he he was someone that both of them are people that I actually really enjoyed hanging out with. Like um, Blanche just cracked me up all the time, and she was so much fun, and she felt really solid to me. So I I kind of regretted that a lot afterwards. But Ben was also someone that just like he could just make you smile at any point, and like in those real tough times, it was nice to have someone that could just make you laugh all the time. Um, so it was a really, I felt, yeah, between a rock and a high place, it was a tough decision. But then once Blanche was gone, there was no way in my mind I was gonna get Ben as well. Um, without going after the returnees first. Like once Blanche had yeah, left, there was just no way. But um, it was interesting, it was nice to flirt with it, you know. I you gotta think, I want them to believe me, um, so that they're less likely to do the crazy stuff they were doing and pulling out idols and fake idols and all that stuff. So if they believe I work with them, they're less inclined to feel um paranoid, you know. So yeah, that was that was the reason for it. And in terms of big moves, you see how much I I talk, yeah, right my mouth. Like someone, you know, you talk the talk, you want to be able to walk the walk, you know. And unfortunately for me, I just did a whole lot of talking, but you know, I I didn't want to be the person that talks with no action. I wanted, I definitely wanted the action. So yeah, I got big move idols, I never cured it, but that's okay, you know, the ambition was there.

SPEAKER_01 10:18

Yeah, and I mean, I mean, you talk about kind of those sliding doors moments, that moment where in that tribal council, like one vote could have changed everything on that at the time Blanche went home. Um, another moment, and I think this was like you really showed some good instinct when Arsha went home. You sort of picked up on the fact that something wasn't right. Do you wish you had of trusted your gut a little bit more in the game?

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Yeah, 100%. I wish I had. Um, yeah, it's crazy. It's actually crazy to look back on because I think a part of the fear of losing or going home kind of stunted me a little bit in a way that I didn't expect it to happen. Like I wish I was a bit more open with um yeah, my thoughts, because I I do feel like consistently I had a good read, you know, and I just wasn't able to translate that or to get that message across. And I feel, I don't know, sometimes it's difficult um to convince people of stuff, you know, or I guess the fear of like saying something and as an absolute and then getting it wrong. Um but I definitely wish I trusted my instinct instincts more. There were many times um where I was like paranoid or felt like things were off and I didn't I didn't back my gut. And I guess there was there was talk of that. Like a lot of the attorneys actually spoke about like that's a good skill to have is to be able to know when to trust your gut. And you know, uh so much of this game is strategic, but there is an element of luck, you know. And I guess you can create your own luck, but for me, the luck just wasn't in my favor a lot of the time, you know. But um, thank you. I did feel like my instincts were on point.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

I'm trying to think back, and I don't know the votes exactly, but I'm pretty sure. Like, I mean, Arsha was such a hit to your game because obviously you and Arsha were very close. But if she had played that idol, potentially you could have gone home. Is that right? Because Brooke put a vote on you and then there was a vote on Ben. I don't think there was enough to send him home, so yeah, that could have ended your game so much earlier.

SPEAKER_00 12:29

Exactly. There you go. So, in a way, it kind of worked out for me personally, but uh I should have seen the signs. Like, I I was really suspicious of Brooke, so I don't know why I put that vote on Brooke in the in the end, you know. I felt I genuinely felt like she had an idol. Um, yeah, she was just moving too sheepish, man. And she did that on the back of her bluff to Sally. So it's like, I know you're good at lying as well. Like it just all of it combined. Um, but it was just, I don't know, I I guess I had in that moment I had too much trust in Simon um to be putting vote on putting a vote on Ben. Like I expected, I the way I'd interpreted it is Simon had annoyed people by not throwing the fire challenge. And this was him making it up, was like to vote with us, um, which he was very good at. Like he was very good at kind of playing that um, you know, I guess like Lost Puppy kind of vibes, where he's like, you know, I'm very sorry, let me make it up to you. And you seen him do it consistently, you know, and something about them tears or the way that he spoke, like kind of was really good at convincing people that he was working with you, and sometimes he had he just had the perfect amount of deceit, you know. Um but yeah, I should go in, hit my game, but I guess yeah, I was glad that I didn't go. And to have Brooke as the first person to ever write my name was pretty legendary. Like, I feel like she went at seven as well in her first season. She wrote my name down first. Like, there's some some kind of connection there, I don't know. But it's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_01 14:06

Yeah, that I mean we love seeing that rivalry between the two of you, it seemed like it was like it was clear you weren't working together, but you still tried to pretend, but both of you both knew that it was never gonna happen.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, fret enemies, like we said, like um a lot of I hope mutual respect, you know. But I had a lot of respect for her and her game, and I think she liked me as a person. But the way things were, I'm very hard-headed, I was very stubborn, and I guess as was she in a way, but probably she had more reason to be because if she jumped ship and worked with me, she knows that she's losing people that actually cared for her game. Whereas I didn't have much care to see her play much longer, you know. So, yeah, but outside of it, it's been nothing but love. She's she's lovely and she's been um really sweet and helped a lot with the process, you know. Like she's done this before, so you can always learn from it.

SPEAKER_01 14:59

Looking back, is there anything that you would have done differently?

SPEAKER_00 15:03

Man, I I think I would do a much better job at reading numbers, like something that just was so apparent to me as I was watching it back, and also as I went further in the days, is how like you don't always need the majority to make something big happen. You just need to know where the numbers align, you know. If there's two groups of people going at each other, then if you take a couple people from either side, you can completely flip a vote. And as long as you have mutual interest, um, you know, that could be pretty easy to do at times. And the other thing would be um keeping your relationship strong. That is the like I've said it in another interview, but for anyone that's applying or going into the next season, never assume that you and someone are on good enough terms to vote together without having proper discussions with them and discussions that don't just revolve around the game. Like check in with people, how are you feeling? You know, what's going on? Tell me about your family, tell me about some things in your life. Make sure that they know that you care about them. Uh because yeah, if you don't do that, they'll have reason to get you.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Let's get to the quick fire questions. Who was your favorite person in the game? Who had the most annoying habit and what was it?

SPEAKER_00 16:19

Oh, probably some crying.

SPEAKER_01 16:23

What was the proudest moment of your game?

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Winning the challenge to go um to the IKEA reward. Oh, proudest moment taking Brooke on the family award, actually.

SPEAKER_01 16:34

Most embarrassing moment of your game.

SPEAKER_00 16:36

Can I say getting voted out unanimously? Is that embarrassing enough?

SPEAKER_01 16:39

Yeah, um, what song sums up your time on Survivor?

SPEAKER_00 16:44

Uh, many men by 50 cents. Yeah. Because many men wish death on me, man. The whole everyone turned it on me. So I felt like, yeah, everyone was after me. Many men by 50 cents, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 16:55

Would you ever play Survivor again?

SPEAKER_00 16:57

100%, man. Cool who you know, tell them that we need more of me.

SPEAKER_01 17:01

If you could be on any other reality show, what would you be on?

SPEAKER_00 17:04

Big brother. Big brother, 100%. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:07

Why?

SPEAKER_00 17:08

I just feel like at least you have food out there and the public get to vote, yeah. I'm telling you, when they watched me live, the public would have kept me in, man. It was the it was the people out there that didn't want me. Barack, and if you put the faith into the public, I'll do well.

SPEAKER_01 17:22

Describe your survivor legacy in three words: loud, entertaining, tragic. Thank you so much, Cam.

SPEAKER_00 17:31

Thank you, thank you. Appreciate you, Hailey.

SPEAKER_01 17:33

Yeah, congratulations on making it this deep in the game. Uh, it's not an easy game to play, and the conditions are tough. And you know, that Samoan rain is uh full on. And so uh, you know, you should be really proud of being able to tough it out.

SPEAKER_00 17:51

Thank you. No, I am very proud. I appreciate you and those kind words. Hope you enjoy yourself, and yeah, good luck on the rest of your interviews.

SPEAKER_01 17:58

Thank you so much, Kev. This is Beyond Reality.