season 13 episode 5 insider videos

Stephannie's Final Words 

Watch how Stephannie handles being the fifth person voted off Survivor: Cook Islands.

"Well, I was voted out tonight, and that's OK. I'm just so thankful and so grateful to have been a part of Survivor Cooks Island. I had a cast of wonderful tribemates. They were all so sweet and kind to me. I enjoyed being a part of that tribe. This whole experience has been eye-opening, it's been wonderful. I'm just really thankful to have been here. I made it for 14 days. I wanted to go a little bit further, but I guess tonight was my night. I'm OK with that. I really enjoyed the experience. I wouldn't have traded it for the world. I will say that this is a very tough game. It's a tough game mentally, physically, emotionally. I think I was pretty stable for the most part. I'm sure I lost a few pounds. I'm certainly glad of that (laughs). It was a process I couldn't appreciate, but for the most part it's been a wonderful ride. I was thankful to been a part of the experience and I wouldn't trade it for the world. Thanks."

(cut)

"No regrets. No regrets. I would've loved to stay in the game a little while longer but again it comes to a point where if your mind's not there 100% your tribe is going to feel you're not at your best. You don't want to be a weak link to your tribe. This was my case. They obviously suspected I didn't have my mind in the game completely, which I thought that I did, but majority rules. So I have no regrets. None at all."

(cut)

"If anything took me out of this game it was definitely the emotional and the mental, because I really, really, truly missed my husband and my children. I did not expect that being apart from them without communication, I didn't expect that to strike me as hard as it did, but it's just one of those things. My mind was constantly there with them. Constantly. Wondering what they were doing, if they were missing Mommy, just different things. I guess it got to a point where my tribemates sensed and suspected I was just too doubleminded, and wasn't really focused. So they thought by voting me out they'd have a stronger tribe, and I wish them all the best."

(cut)

"While this has been an awesome experience, what I've learned - I've learned so much, first of all - is to really appreciate the finer things in life. The smaller things in life. Just to appreciate the little things. I've learned that I'm tough mentally, I'm tough physically, that my body can be pushed to the brink without breaking or cracking, that I can go several days without a regular quantity of water and food. Your body is more durable than you think it is. I did learn that about myself. I also learned I can get along well with a different group of people from all over the world, and just be able to share, and be a part of a family in terms of our tribemates. I've learned that anything worth having is worth fighting for, and I really gave it my all, 100%; it just wasn't meant to be. Like I said, I have no regrets."

(cut)

"Well, if there's a last message for my tribemates, I would have to say first and foremost, to Manahiki - that's Rebecca and Nate, we all started out together, our five - I'd have to say press on, handle your business. And then collectively to the new tribe that was formed, Rarotona, I'd say you guys kick butt, handle your business, and I don't want to see you back at Tribal Council. Keep all the members. Stay united. That's very important. And God bless. (blows a kiss)"

Stephannie, the Day After 

 Find out how different Stephannie feels about the game and its challenges now that she's been voted out. 

"What surprised me the most with this game was that it was extremely difficult. For some reason I thought it would be a lot easier. When you're at home watching it on TV it seems like anyone can do it. To actually be out here for 14 days, surviving on your own wits and your own catch, it was very difficult."

(cut)

"Actually, I'm extremely proud I made it for 14 days. Sure, I would have loved to have stayed in the game a lot longer, anybody would be, but to say that I was there for 14 days given the size of the portions of food I was eating, very little water to the brink of almost dehydration, I'm pleased. Very much so. I think for me the hardest part was the emotional. I was OK with the physical - I was getting very little food and water, but it's amazing what your body can run on with very little fuel, so that was OK. I was getting very little sleep, but that was OK. I think what took me out of the game was missing my family."

(cut)

"I definitely believe that something has changed in me. I now have a greater @#%$ for everything. Everything. Every little thing. Just water. Food. Just a hug. Just their presence."

(cut)

"I have changed from this experience. I've always had something of a spiritual root, a solid foundation, spiritually, but I think moreso now than ever."

(cut)

"This entire experience was so humbling for me, it taught me to be able to basically rely completely on my faith. That was my strength."

(cut)

"I think I'd been playing the game almost completely as I expected to. I really wanted to be completely low, I wanted to be under the radar, almost just inconspicuous. So much so almost not knowing that I'm there. I wanted to appear when need be, stay out of the confusion and out of the drama, and just step back when not needed. So I thought I was doing a good job of playing the game according to my original strategy. In terms of what I'd do differently, I'd just keep my mouth shut about certain things and keep my feelings to myself, cause there's really no one you can trust in the game. No one."

(cut)

"I completely respect the fact that they wanted someone they thought was there 100%. Apparently they didn't think I was there. They thought because I'd sit off and my mind would wander and I'd be thinking about home, that my heart wasn't in the game. And that wasn't really true."

(cut)

"When your torch is there, and you're standing there, and Jeff says, 'Your tribe has spoken,' (mimics snuffing out torch), and just kind of snuffs out your flame, it's kind of like (makes throat-cutting gesture), that's it. You're gone, you're done. That's it. Your shot at a million dollars is over, you know? It actually becomes reality to you that you are out of this game. When you have to walk away down that lonely path, that's like wow that's it, it's over."

(cut)

"I think what is going to change my life the most is that I was able to meet a group of complete strangers and to actually get close enough with 'em to sleep with them every day, to eat, drink after them. Complete strangers. We're dirty, we're dingy, our hands are nasty, but we're all in it together. It's almost like, 'I was able to do that.' I was able to eat octopus, I was able to do things I normally wouldn't expect myself to do."

(cut)

"My favorite time out on the island would be when our tribe, the Rarotonga tribe, sat around the fire in the evening when it's dark and we just finished our octopus stew, and we were just kind of laughing and telling stories. Just having a good time. Relaxing and getting to know each other. Just sharing, and bonding. That fire just blazing. It kind of felt like home."

(cut)

"I wanted to play this game with integrity. I didn't want to have to lie and connive and sneak. Who knows, maybe down the road I would have had to do that, I don't know, but that was never my intention. And yes I do believe you can play that way."

(cut)

"No, I don't think they made a good choice in voting me out. I really don't. I think I had another few days, at least another week in me. I think I could have stood a lot longer. I think they'll come to regret having me out of the game so early."

Jessica Interview 

Find out how Jessica feels after losing the reward challenge, especially considering her competitive spirit.

"Yesterday at the reward challenge it was a strength challenge, in pairs, one pair of men, one pair of women, and a male and a female. We had to hold onto a rope that was holding weights, and the opposite team got to choose who was gonna hold those weights. I was holding there and they said they wanted the wine, they were gonna get the wine, they were talking up their team, and I was like, 'You're gonna be going home whinING.' Just kinda throwin' some attitude at 'em a little bit, just giving them something to think about. It kinda backfired, since we didn't end up winning the challenge, but it was fun nevertheless."

(cut)

"With roller derby, it's all about attitude. It's the sport on skates, all about, 'I'll knock you out, I'll knock you over, I'll do what I gotta do.' Yesterday, a little came out, just because we were holding in there so strong, I was really proud that Ozzy and I were the last ones on our team to still be holding out. It just ended up that my trash talking didn't work to my benefit, and we ended up losing it. (laughs) I was so bummed at myself that I stretched my arm out thinking I would be able to pull it back in, but at that point, I don't know how long it had been there, holding the weight, but it had been quite a while, and I lost it. I was very disappointed in myself." 

(cut)

"When I started the roller derby, I didn't - I thought everyone was under the understanding that it was supposed to be silly fun like that, and you're not supposed to take things the wrong way. People enjoy watching that sassy confrontation when it comes to a battle and teams. So I just like to throw that out there every once in a while and kind of dance around and rub it in a bit that I'm still holding strong. Some people don't get it and other people think it's great. For me, it's just a performance."

(cut)

"I trust Cao Boi and Ozzy right now, the most, in this game. I think that they're good people, and I can talk honestly around them and be myself, and that's something that I was just kind of lacking with my original tribe, being comfortable and being able to smile at people and have a good time while you're out here. They helped me do that and I really appreciate it."

(cut - interview later on, different setting; she still has the same clothes but a different hairstyle)

"Cao Boi, Ozzy, and I went exploring today. We were hoping to find some mangos and some fruit, and instead we wound the Rarotonga tribe, where we kind of crashed their party. It was kind of a downer for us because it was a very long journey over there, it was very cold and exhausting, and they weren't even gonna share their coconut. Just one coconut and I would've been a happy girl. (laughs)"

(cut)

"Basically, the tribe was sitting around campfire, and they'd just had some stew, and they all seemed pretty happy and content that they were doing really well and it was just pretty awkward. They thought we were gonna be in some kind of weird merge, they weren't expecting to see us, so it looked like we were ghosts in their eyes. It was very strange."

(cut)

"Cao Boi was such an icebreaker for us. He kept communication lines open by just letting people talk, otherwise I think it would have been just dead silence. He was finding out about people and what their signs are and what year they were born, kind of like opening up communication that way. Then he started going off on a bunch of other stuff and people were like looking around going, 'Okaaaaaay.' They didn't understand where he was coming from at all."

(cut)

"Parvati and Adam seemed like they were well-connected, and Adam was not about letting us have any coconut, or about us having anything. He didn't even want Cao Boi sharpening our machete on their soapstone."

(cut)

"In a very friendly way, Cao Boi was asking for some of their stuff (laughs), which...you gotta try. Sometimes if you don't ask, you won't get, so I understand that."

(cut)

"I don't remember anybody being very open-armed to us at all. They did give us a couple hugs, but they were just like (clicks teeth), 'Hey, nice to see ya. Get outta here,' pretty much. (laughs) It probably would have been just as awkward for us. I don't know, I would hope we would have been on better terms than they were, but I think it was just the element of surprise - they weren't ready for it, we weren't ready for it, they didn't know what to say, we didn't know what to say. I was thankful Cao Boi was able to say something to just be the icebreaker." 

Candice Interview

 Cao Boi's incessant talking isn't putting him on Candice's good side.

(morning of day 13, Aitu shelter)

CAO BOI: ...superpower, I had to defeat the superpower.

JESSICA: Ooh, I love those kinds of dreams. It should be a comic book.

(shots of Becky and Sundra not looking happy)

CANDICE (solo): This morning everyone slept in, and we all kind of stayed in the tent. Cao Boi and Jessica started up a conversation and they were just talking as loud as could be, inside the tent, while other people were trying to sleep.

(Sundra leaves; Cao Boi talks about people coming into a village and kidnapping people with a butterfly rope that makes them invisible)

(Yul, Ozzy, Candice look pensive)

CANDICE (solo): They didn't even try to whisper. You know, if you're up and you're talking, get out of the tent, because there's other people trying to sleep. I think that was just a little bit rude on their part.

(Ozzy joins Sundra outside, as Cao Boi continues to talk about the enemies he has to defeat because they want to sell his son)

CANDICE (solo): You just have to take a deep breath and realize, "Thank God I don't have to live with these people in my life forever."

CAO BOI: Interesting, huh?

(Candice yawns)

Christina Interview 

 How did Cristina feel about the unexpected visit the Aitu tribe paid to her camp? Find out now.

"Today, we were sitting and eating, and as we're sitting there we had three surprise visitors to our camp, from the other tribe. It was a shock, it was a surprise, but it was interesting, wondering why they came over to our camp. As soon as we started talking, they started asking for stuff, and some members of our tribe were just not letting go. They were like, 'No you can't have the cocounts, no you can't have this, no you can't have that.' They were just asking for everything they could possibly think."

(cut)

"They were asking for biscuits, they were asking for the spices we won, and we were like, 'No.' (laughs) We worked too hard for that."

(cut)

"Most specific one that was really asking for it, Cao Boi was asking for it, specifically. He was asking for the noni, and biscuits, basically saying he wants to take care of his tribe because they have cuts and stuff. He started telling us stories and sat down and started fixing our fire. It was kind of weird, but as soon as they left we felt a lot more comfortable, we realized we like our tribe members. Everyone gets along great. It was different."

(cut)

"Some of the reactions of my own tribemates were they didn't want to give up the coconuts, they didn't want to give up a lot of the stuff from our island. They were shocked that the other tribe came over. They were shocked that they were asking for so much stuff. They were not willing to part with our belongings."

(cut)

"I was a little shocked, especially when it came to Jessica, cause especially how she was acting yesterday. To me it was just very immature, during the challenge, just making certain remarks, certain comments, and I just didn't respect that. When she came over, she now seems all like, (uses chipper voice) 'Hi, how's it going!' after telling us we were whining and this and that. I don't know, it just didn't feel comfortable."

(cut)

"It was nice to see Ozzy, but I'm so cautious of Ozzy. I just don't trust him. I really don't trust him at all."

(cut)

"I think that Cao Boi is the kind of person that wants attention. He likes telling stories. I think that's just him. That could be an act or could be the way he is. He just seems like one of those characters where that's his personality. I don't think he's the leader of the group though."

(cut)

"The [reward] challenge was very gruesome (laughs). I had surgery on my arm, on both my arms, so having that much weight on my arm, I haven't have that much weight on my arm in a long time, so I could really feel it. But mind over matter. I saw my teammates struggling, so I was like, 'You know what, I've been through worse,' and I really wanted us to win, especially since our team wanted the wine, wanted the spices, I didn't want to let them down. Adam and Brad - I mean Adam and Nate, they were doing such a great job, they were holding so much and sweating. I looked at Brad and we were like we cannot drop this, just hold on, hold on. Brad was great. We were just pushing each other so much, and he was willing to take more weight from me when they were putting the weight on us. It was a great experience. Challenging, but the other team was trying to get us down, and making all these comments, which made us stronger, because we're like, we're not like that. We're gonna win this, we're gonna do this. And we did. It was a great reward."

(cut)

"We won two bottles of wine, some fishing line, two knives, a sharpening device, a bunch of spices, it was great, it was just awesome, it was really good. We all enjoyed the wine last night."

(cut)

"The spices were awesome. We had a paprika, a cayenne spice, salt, pepper, bay leaves, let's see, what else...oregano, and some chili. It was so awesome, because we were mixing it with the coconut, we were mixing it with the octopus, the trokus (?). It was just amazing."

(cut)

"Adam got up early this morning, went out, and came back with an octopus attached to his leg. Then Nate went out and got another octopus, then goes, 'I'm going to go out and check,' and comes back with another octopus. It's just been crazy all day, they've been getting octopuses. It's just been awesome."

(cut)

"All the girls were laying down in the shelter, and all the sudden we hear Adam saying, 'Oh my God, I have an octopus attached to my leg!' He's walking with this octopus attached to his leg, crawling up his shoe, he has a spear in it. We were just like oh my God. It was a funny moment."

(cut)

"At this point we haven't established any more alliances. We're all working as a team, as one. I don't know if anyone else is building an alliance with each other, but so far we're trying to work as a team, and that way not worrying about voting one of ours off. We're trying to work out where we'll win the next challenge and hopefully they're the ones that will vote somebody else off. If we do align with them, or merge with them, then we'll be the ones voting their team off. Stick together. The more numbers we have, the better, so we're going to try to stick with that."

Tribal Council

 Raro heads to tribal council after losing immunity a second time in a row. 

BRAD: You'll be missed, Stephannie. 

CRISTINA: Stephannie, I'm sorry. I think you're a great person. God bless. 

ADAM (Stephannie): You're a great woman, and I think you're great to be around, but I don't think your heart's in this game. 

JENNY: Stephannie, you're a beautiful woman inside and out. Thank you for your spiritual guidance that you've bestowed upon our tribe. 

STEPHANNIE (Cristina): Just because, sweetie. Just because. Nothing personal. 

NATE (Stephannie): I hate to do this, but your heart's not in the game anymore. 

REBECCA (Stephannie): You are a beautiful, beautiful person inside and out, and I thank you for all that you have done and all that you continue to do. God bless. 

PARVATI (Stephannie): I believe you have a big, beautiful heart, it just wasn't 100% in this game. I'm gonna miss you, Mother Soul.

+ CBS Early Show

(morning, around the fire)

STEPHANNIE (solo): We got up this morning. We were all feeling really good. We decided to pray to bring us closer together, and I prayed, for our tribe. 

(Stephannie prays as the rest of the tribe silently pray)

STEPHANNIE (solo): And after that prayer we all felt really good about that. They look to me somewhat as someone who kind of brings hope and encouragement to the tribe.