Second Time Not the Charm for Survivor

Not many people get a second chance to win a million dollars, but Bobby Jon Drinkard — who was on the constantly losing Ulong tribe on Survivor: Palau — got such a shot during Survivor: Guatemala. While the sweet 27-year-old from Alabama didn't become the sole Survivor, he did achieve his goal of making it to the jury. TVGuide.com asked Bobby Jon about his feud with Jamie and tried to find out why he and Palau pal Stephenie just didn't get along.

TVGuide.com: On your first day in Guatemala, you were hiking through the jungle and ended up dehydrated with your eyes rolling back in you head. Were you thinking, "What the heck did I get myself into?"
Bobby Jon: You totally hit the nail on the head. I didn't know what in the world I had signed up for. After that, I was thinking, "Is this worth it?" Is a million dollars worth your eyes rolling back in your head and you cramping up like you never have before? But I know me and I knew if I got hurt that I would bounce back. That is a confirmed deal there. It just took me a couple of days.

TVGuide.com: But then you had to deal with all these open sores and wounds.
Bobby Jon: It got pretty rough out there. My shoulders were eaten up and I had a lot of bites and scratches, but everybody did. It wasn't just me. I definitely thought I could use a heap of Neosporin.

TVGuide.com: I hope you got some when you got kicked off.
Bobby Jon: Yeah. That, some warm food and a Diet Coke and I was in heaven. I don't smoke cigarettes, but I really wanted to smoke one then.

TVGuide.com: What was your reaction when they called and asked you to do another Survivor?
Bobby Jon: "Hmm… wait tables or Survivor?" The answer was definitely Survivor. I had told other contestants that they'd have to beat me with a whip to get me to go back again. But it does affect you in a positive way, if you swallow it that way. If you go into it angry and go out of it angry then it is a waste of time. But I think you can savor the moment and learn something from everybody.

TVGuide.com: Were you surprised that they picked you as one of the returnees?
Bobby Jon: Honestly, I have never really asked myself that question at all. I just felt like I'm the one getting picked here and I didn't want to sit on my pride and think, "I'm great because they asked me to come back." I'm just a person out there, just another contestant. I was honored and felt respected by being there.

TVGuide.com: Were you upset when you saw that Stephenie was back as well?
Bobby Jon: No. Stephenie is just another person, like me. She puts on one pant leg at a time like I do.

TVGuide.com: You two don't seem to get along so well.
Bobby Jon: We're kind of hot and cold with each other. I annoy her sometimes, and she annoys me sometimes. I think when it is all said and done, we don't have a lot in common, but some of the things we do have in common are our determination and our ability to work hard. We connect on that note. She's strong and I think she deserves to be there.

TVGuide.com: You did try to warn the Yaxha alliance that Steph was a threat. Did you think they listened to you when you saw some votes being cast for her?
Bobby Jon: Honestly, I didn't think they did. I thought to myself that they either came from myself or Danni or somebody. The [Yaxhas] had the numbers by then. You don't have to be liked or not liked. You've got to be on the side with the votes, and she was.

TVGuide.com: Was there anybody else from Palau that you would have rather seen in Guatemala?
Bobby Jon: Well, contestant or not, I really enjoy Ibrehem's company a whole lot. On the island, off the island, he's just a stand-up guy. I would have enjoyed spending time with him.

TVGuide.com: Do you think you would have gotten another three days if Gary hadn't found that hidden immunity idol?
Bobby Jon: I would have. I don't know if I would have gotten another four or five. When he pulled out the idol, I knew I was done. I had no clue he had it. I don't think anybody else did, either.

TVGuide.com: He seems pretty sneaky.
Bobby Jon: Phew, does he! [Laughs] When he pulled it out of the bag, I was like, "I'm going to take the walk of shame."

TVGuide.com: It seemed everybody around you was lying this season. Were you surprised?
Bobby Jon: It is not like you are playing for five or six bucks; it is for a million dollars and people do what they've got to do and don't think twice about it. I did a little bit of lying here and there — like with Blake, I told him I was going to vote for Brian. But I knew he was going home and my vote didn't matter either way and I still had a game to come back to. I would have wanted him to do the same thing. But that is the nature of the beast out there. Sometimes you've got to lie and sometimes you've got to bluff — it just depends on which one you want to choose.

TVGuide.com: Did you try to change up your strategy from Palau?
Bobby Jon: One of the biggest lessons I learned is that being yourself, no matter what, is going to take you to the top through the most evil and hard circumstances. Even if you do have to scheme or swindle your way around a little bit, you still want to be yourself while doing it. If you sit at a coffee table and play cards with people, bluffing is part of the game, but you can be yourself while doing it.

TVGuide.com: What is the deal with Jamie? What started your big feud?
Bobby Jon: I just think Jamie and I had a lot of the same qualities. We are from the same place geographically.

TVGuide.com: So wouldn't that make you friends instead of enemies?
Bobby Jon: We are friends now. We've totally patched things up and I could call him right now if I needed to. [On Survivor] your nerves are running strong and the lack of nutrients and sleep and stuff take a toll on you and you get aggravated. It is like having a bad day at work and you just want to go into your coworker's office and rip his head off and throw it across the room. But then you go back in there and check on him to see if he's doing OK. [Laughs] It's just one of those things.

TVGuide.com: Your bio says you are single. Is that still true?
Bobby Jon: Yeah… [I am] still single for the most part.

TVGuide.com: Did you find any of the Survivor: Guatemala girls cute?
Bobby Jon: You can always pop your eyes at somebody here and there, but I'll tell you what, you are so doggone nasty out there that you would rather lie down with a pot-bellied pig than another person. You are a wreck. I know some people do, but it must be love at first sight if they do. I tell you, I couldn't do it.

TVGuide.com: Would you do Survivor again?
Bobby Jon: I've been given two chances to do this thing, so I'm pretty sure it is time for me to hang up my buff. But if I were asked to do another Survivor, I'm pretty sure I'd be the first one on the boat.