Survivor Heroes vs Villains Interview with Benjamin "Coach" Wade

Hello I am the movie encyclopedia and if no one else will see it, I will.

I have sat here since I interviewed Coach trying to think of what to say about him. Ex-women's college soccer coach, musician, music conductor, writer, actor, dragon slayer. All of these things and more sum up that of the persona known as Benjamin Wade. So instead of trying to create an elaborate intro I'll just leave it at this: Enter the Dragon Slayer.

The Movie Encyclopedia: Damaste Dragon Slayer, good to have you.

Coach: Peace to you young brother.

TME: It was great to see you again this season Coach. I've always been a fan of you and your kayaking stories...

Coach: Do you want to hear one?
TME: No...anyway I've always been a fan and so I gotta ask, were you surprised/not surprised when you were put on the villains team?

Coach:I was and I wasn't. Based on my actions in the past season I thought of myself as a hero and I don't think I really did anything worth branding me as a villain but the polarizing effect I had on the fans of Survivor as well as the general public opinion thought I was a villain. And I knew it. I wasn't ignorant to the fact that a lot of people did not like me. That's just a part of the path I follow. But when they asked me to do Survivor again and they said it was "Heroes vs Villains" I said "I know which tribe I will be on."

TME: Yeah I can see that. One other thing I noticed you do a lot in the past, besides telling kayaking stories, was quoting philosophers. Why do you quote them so often and do you have a favorite?

Coach: I love quoting philosophers. They are some of the greatest minds of the past and their insight is still quite useful and can apply to everyday life. I think it's very important to take some of their lessons to heart. I know its helped me in my life. As for favorite philosophers? I would probably have to say Frederich Nietzsche. He is not only a very deep person whose ideas still ring true today but he was also a great oxymoron. "One of my problems studying monsters, is that looking into them, you become one." He started off trying to fight off monsters and in the end became one BECAUSE he was studying them. It's stuff out of Greek tragedy I tell ya.

TME: So tell me...what were those last three tribal councils like? Tyson voting himself out, you getting Rob kicked out and then you getting kicked out? That must have been a whirlwind.

Coach: Yeah it was devastating. Once Tyson left I knew that are tribe was pretty much on a downward spiral. Tyson, Rob and I were the only one who ever scored points at the challenges and with Tyson gone that meant we lost one of our strongest players. I knew from then on our team would be weaker.

And Russell was so narrow minded and dead set on getting Rob out of the competition that he was blind to the fact that Courtney was obviously the weak link. I begged and pleaded with Rob and Russell to try and meet in the middle somehow. I tried to get Rob to forgive or at least try to bury the hatchet with Russell and I tried to get Russell to do the same. But Russell is a snake and said "Oh yeah I will meet with him." I knew he wouldn't though. He will do and say anything to keep out of trouble. At least Rob had enough honesty and integrity to say he wouldn't meet with him no matter what. But once we got to tribal council that night after losing like I predicted, I knew that Rob would end up going home. I begged and pleaded once again to get Courtney out but it was falling on deaf ears. So yeah my Courtney vote was a throwaway vote and it got Rob sent home but really we would have sat there for hours voting and re-voting if I would have voted WITH Rob. Since then Rob and I have patched things up and he understands what I did and why I did it.

Our team was in a free fall of destruction. We were starving and hungry and weak. Jerri even said to me at one point that we were going to die. And by the time the challenges came I knew we were going to tribal even before we started. None of us had any strength in us and as much as I wanted to win I knew we weren't. As for tribal council when they said my name I was blown away. I hadn't done anything WORTH getting sent home. It was ludicrous and completely foolhardy to eliminate me. With me, Tyson and Rob gone that meant all the strong players were gone. I gotta ask how will they recover from this? Besides Jerri maybe none of the remaining villains are capable of winning challenges. I think these last three councils will be there ultimate downfall.

TME: So who are you rooting for now?
Coach: Definitely Jerri, Rupert, my young dragon warrior J.T. and Colby. I don't think any of the villains besides Jerri have a chance...well maybe Russell will weasel his way in there but hopefully the tribes eyes have been opened to Russell's misguiding ways.

TME: So I take it from that last statement that you do not like Russell, correct?

Coach: I play with loyalty, honor and respect. Russell plays with fear, manipulation and loathing. He sneaks around and does dishonorable things instead of coming at you like a man. If you have a problem, take off the gloves and fight like a man. Don't bury the machete and dump the water. That being said I have no harsh feelings or ill will toward him. His style is radically different then mine but it's hard not to say that he is a great player. He is ferocious and blessed with a small stature, aggressive personality and a restless spirit. He uses these to his advantage and it's worked for him so far. So as much as I wouldn't like to see him win the whole thing, I can't be too mad if he does because he really is a great player.

TME: So how was your overall experience on Survivor the second time around?

Coach: It was beautiful. Even though I had done this before it was an honor to be back. I wanted to go out there and be myself. I wanted to show America the real Coach and that I could truly be a warrior out there during the challenges. And hopefully that's what America saw and I hope to do this again. You have not seen the last of the Dragon Slayer.

TME: Well thanks again for chatting with me.

Coach: Indeed. You shall see me again soon.