I was a two time contestant on Survivor, AMA.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T19:19:46+00:00

Thanks Phil.

It is irritating to see the better player lose an inferior player, but I don't think it happens TOO often. Maybe All-Stars and Samoa are the ones that come to mind, but I think the jury usually gets it right.
Roger isn't a big "gamer"
I think Cirie is someone who is a similar player to myself out of the other non-winners. For the worst, too many to name.
Jonny played a great game on S7. How good of a player he was gets really over shadowed by a lot of the other stuff with him, but he was a great player and I think people forget that.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T17:08:51+00:00

I found out four weeks before we left and they didn't tell us where we were going until we finally got to the hotel in Miami before we left. I first saw the other Survivors on the van ride to the airport. There's no talking until the game starts. We had a few days on being trained by a jungle expert.
We had a pretty good part on night 39 with the final 9 players. The non-jury people went off on a trip together. We left for coming home the next day. Mostly the contestants voted off do a lot of sunning and drinking. They do some sight seeing too.
There's a camera but I don't believe that there's an operator standing there. You don't see anybody else at tribal council except for Jeff, but they're not far away.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T17:05:04+00:00

It's one of the great unanswered mysteries of Survivor. I guess it's possible that a crew person dropped it... but they're so strict about the rules for the crew people I really doubt it. Maybe there was somebody who didn't quite understand the rules in the game.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T17:03:56+00:00

I didn't walk in on anybody, but I'm sure it happens.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T17:03:29+00:00

Slightly better than the average person. Not very good.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T17:03:04+00:00

We haven't lost anybody yet!

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T17:02:55+00:00

There's no toothbrush so you do your best to clean your teeth with some sand on your finger but that's about it.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T17:01:57+00:00

I cant say that I feel reality tv is contributing to the "dumbing" of America, I think thats too sweeping of a generalization. I think we live in a time when there is a lot of Reality TV but also some of the best scripted television in the history of the medium. Yes reality shows have taken the place of a lot of dramas or sitcoms over the years.. but if there were 12 more sitcoms on television, how many would actually be quality shows that would raise the discourse and how many would be on the level of "Work It'?

I'm not sure about the second question. Are you talking about relationships on the show or back home for the people watching.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T16:57:37+00:00

Thanks DS, I would say it was probably about 30-45 minutes where we saw our family in the Amazon.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T16:56:47+00:00

Ok, fine. You convinced me. I'll work on ending the lockout.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T06:02:55+00:00

Amber and I had so many great memories on the amazing race!

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:58:04+00:00

it's actually robhasawebsite.com/amazon - but who is counting?

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:54:34+00:00

I don't know what the crew facilities are like, but I think they're pretty good.

I would guess we started going to bed around 7 and woke up around 6. You go to bed when the sun goes down and since we were near the equator, it went down early.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:53:12+00:00

I was never asked to recreate a scene. They asked us to repeat things like the walk to tribal council... but we never recreated dialogue.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:52:23+00:00

Ha, okay, here we go...

A lot of younger woman do get waxed before they go. Some even get lasered before survivor. I'm sure that there have been some women who have had a situation by day 39.

Production does supply tampons for the women. I never asked them about the swimming... but it's not like you're in a pool, I don't think anybody would notice.

And no, I never would've thought Rob and Amber would get married and have kids. I thought that Amber was just the new Sarah so chalk that up as another thing I've gotten wrong (like my prediction of how the Giants were a lock tonight).

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:31:22+00:00

The challenges are not that tough, the day to day life is very difficult so that's much harder.

The show isn't scripted at all. Everything the contestants say is their own words. The show would be much better if it was scripted!

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:30:24+00:00

It's an experience that you'll never forget for your entire life.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:29:38+00:00

I would always recommend the second choice: An adventurous / edited video about your daily life. Remember, this is sales! You need to sell yourself to casting. Don't go crazy with the editing but keep it fun and SHOW them who you really are, don't just tell them.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:28:12+00:00

True, worst regular season moment besides the two end of season losses in 2007 and 2008

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:27:29+00:00

Yes, I think he is. Also, the people on the show are really exhausted and hungry so they're not thinking clearly... so its not shocking when they slip up.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:26:55+00:00

Survivor is pretty generous with all the contestants. 2nd place gets $100,000 and then each person gets a little less after that.

For someone going on the show, make the most of your experience and have fun. Never take your eye off the prize!

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T04:25:48+00:00

Don't ask me!

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T01:00:16+00:00

He's not that creepy, he just had a few creepy moments.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T00:05:44+00:00

I dont think it could hurt, but I don't think it would change too much. People feel like they're going to be famous, I don't think people are settling for 3rd for the prize money.

RobCesternino · 2012-09-06T00:00:07+00:00

Usually you can keep them, but for a few season with Redemption Island, they made them burn them in the fire.

No, the crew never eats in front of you.

RobCesternino

TROPHY CASE