Survivor: Gabon Exit Interview: Dr. Marcus Lehman

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

Last time on Survivor: Gabon - Earth’s Last Eden, a new twist entered the game when Fang and Kota were all set to make the merge. But it was not to be. Instead the two tribes were shuffled yet again.

The new direction caught Dr. Marcus Lehman on the blindside when new tribe mate Crystal pulled one of her signature backstabbing moves, rallying the others to knock him out of the action. The trend lately is to throw curves throughout the game which render any built up alliances virtually useless. Combine that with Crystal’s strategy of surrounding herself with weakness and it was a recipe for disaster that Marcus could not overcome.

We caught up with the good Doctor and he filled us in on his take for what is decidely no longer your Daddy’s Survivor.

FC: Hello Dr. Marcus!

ML: What’s up man!

FC: I always start by pointing out that for you it’s been awhile since you were voted off, but for us it was only last night. How are you dealing with this? It seems the strong players are dropping like flies!

ML: For me as a player, Dan and Ace I knew was coming, since they had not put themselves in position to have strong relationships. The shock for me came early with the situation where we were dealt with the fake merge. That was the one thing our strategy could really be susceptible to. It was like being up a couple of touchdowns in the 3rd Quarter and the Ref switches the score on you. Technically you can still win but now you’re fighting an uphill battle. I think a lot of us felt that way at that point.

FC: You mentioned you knew it was happening as soon as you saw the number on the stone, but until that moment, had you any inkling that the merge was not going to happen?

ML: Yeah, I don’t want anyone to think for one minute that we did not use all the caution in the world, but literally, what can you do? I mean, it’s almost tiring as a player in the game when they’re gonna switch you again. It’s sort of like if you like watching the NFL and you like the Jets, but every weekend all the players in the NFL just switch, then they’re not the Jets, they’re just a bunch of dudes on a football field. All the strategy you’ve spent time building gets tossed out the window, and that’s fun to a certain extent. But after awhile it really takes away from the enjoyment of the game and the ability to really strategize. I know it’s part of the process, but I think one of the really interesting things is to see how those relationships play out. But it’s sorta hard to do when everything gets shaken up all the time.

FC: Right, like Ace pointed out last week, this is not your Daddy’s Survivor and from a viewer’s standpoint I think I have to agree.

ML: Yeah, it’s an interesting commentary on what CBS is choosing to make the game into. I see Survivor a little bit like a morality play on life, although a really intense version of it, because you’re finding yourself making really difficult decisions on a regular basis and it involves other people and those relationships are difficult, and made more difficult by insecurity and by the whole randomness of the game. There’s a certain element of it though where it’s like, do you pursue those relationships or do you pursue the randomness? Because after awhile the randomness is frustrating. I feel like it takes away from the game, but according to the Survivor staff, they think it adds to it. But that’s the guy upstairs, it’s his call and I certainly appreciate the opportunity to play and I loved it so, I take from it what I got, I knew what I was getting into. It’s disappointing, but at the end of the day it’s another great experience and I feel blessed to have had a life where I’ve gotten a few of these types of things happen to me.

FC: By the same token, I guess Susie would have to say that she’s a fan of the direction that Survivor has taken.

ML: Absolutely, I mean it’s no different than anything in your real life. If you’re one of those people that doesn’t know how to share the spotlight with someone else, and make it brighter, if you are the type to play by hook or by crook, then it plays very well into that situation. I’m trying to be as caring and objective as possible, and I want only the best for everybody, but I can’t say that that’s the way I choose to go about doing things the way that I do. I want to carry as many people across the Finish Line as possible, whether it’s Survivor or real life, cause that’s the way you enjoy it, by sharing that road with somebody.

FC: Well, in your case, the road is not over since you will continue by being the first jury member.

ML: That’s right! I’m very proud of the fact that I am on the jury and I look forward to my role in how Survivor will ultimately play out.

FC: That’s great. Do you have a prediction for the winner?

ML: Well, even if I weren’t on the jury, I wouldn’t want to pick a winner, because the nature of the game is such that you never know what will happen.

FC: So true. Well, thanks for talking with us today and good luck to you in your Medical career!

ML: Thanks! Good luck to you too!

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