Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
Karishma Pateldid not have an easy time onSurvivor.Not with the elements.
Not with the challenges.
Karishma Patel on ‘Survivor: Island of the Idols’.CBS
Not with the knife.
And certainly not with the tribemates.
“The reason it haunts me is because it’s so drastically different than how I lead my life.
Karishma Patel on ‘Survivor: Island of the Idols’.Robert Voets/CBS
Why wasn’t I more assertive?
How did I become a punching bag?
I was overtly aware, yet didn’t do the right things about it.”
Jeff Probst and the cast of ‘Survivor: Island of the Idols’.Robert Voets/CBS
“I was first portrayed as having cultural differences that were causing isolation,” she says.
Up until my last few episodes, I was shown as a joke."
“This is production 101,” acknowledges Karishma.
After the finale, things started to quiet down quite a bit.
The year 2020 came at us all like a freight train.
This past year, I’ve been concentrating on my health and career more than anything.
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
Most people would expect my answer to be finding an idol, or playing it correctly at Tribal Council.
For me, making it to each milestone felt like a feat of strength.
Just getting there, on my own two feet, felt like an accomplishment of a lifetime.
And no gift was grander than seeing Drew’s face through those trees on that island.
I made that happen through grit and perseverance.
And now he is part of this adventure with me forever.
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperience?
I will be upfront I have a lot of regrets from mySurvivorexperience.
The root of so many of my regrets is not having enough courage and confidence while playing the game.
The reason it haunts me is because it’s so drastically different than how I lead my life.
Why wasn’t I more assertive?
How did I become a punching bag?
I was overtly aware, yet didn’t do the right things about it.
Early on, my biggest regret was not bonding more with the girls at Lairo.
There were real sparks there, they just failed to ignite.
I wish I had pushed those insecurities aside and kept at it more for the game’s sake.
I had a lot of trouble putting my tail between my legs and sucking up.
My natural instinct is if you don’t want me, well then I don’t want you.
But that attitude just will not work on Survivor.
I barely talked to Tommy and Lauren, and instead relied on others about where their allegiance lay.
There was opportunity there that Dean saw and seized, but I failed to.
Second, I wish I had told Elaine and Elizabeth about my idol to make a big move.
The first few minutes of conversation felt off to me.
I now know that was because the plan was to unanimously vote me out.
I had no idea at the time.
That’s terrible game strategy!
And third, I wish we would have targeted Dan instead of Tommy at the Tribal I went home.
I still wonder why we didn’t… the plan switched to Tommy.
Maybe if it wasn’t Tommy, Dean wouldn’t have jumped ship.
Maybe if it was Dan, the vote would have worked and shifted the power dynamics.
Oh, and how could I forget!
I definitely regret not being more careful with the darn knife on day 7!
By the way, still can’t feel my index finger!
There is so much that never makes it to TV, I sometimes wishSurvivorhad a live feed format.
But then I think about how much mindless boring walking through the jungle there is, haha.
There’s a good amount of trial and error.
For example, as soon as we were marooned (with no Jeff in sight!)
I believe the vote was unanimous for tools and we made our way to camp.
During confessionals the first few days, I was asked about that decision and why I voted tools.
Then that little “twist” just disappeared.
I bet production decided it was “meh” and dropped it.
I honestly thought the rules were that once a ball fell, you were out.
Then, someone else did the same thing.
So we reset and started again, and this time I lasted a whole lot longer, haha.
Two whole challenges were actually never even aired!
This was for a burger BBQ.
Another was an obstacle course with climbing and digging and throwing you know the drill.
This was for pizza.
I didn’t win either, haha.
Oh, and they are fearless too!
They would randomly jump around the camp at night, on us and even through our fire!
The merge camp, also original Vokai island, is infested with rats.
One jumped in my mouth in the middle of the night!
I know we’re supposed to be super outdoorsy and all, but gross!
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
You know, I could go one of two ways with this answer.
I can complain about production to my fiery heart’s content.
Or I can blame myself for giving them the ammunition in the first place.
I’ll do something in between.
Short answer, my edit was uncomfortable and painful to watch much of the time.
Survivor, as a show, is in the business of telling stories.
I was first portrayed as having cultural differences that were causing isolation.
Tack on some non-game-related, out-of-context discussion about my family, and you have reality gold at my expense!
Up until my last few episodes, I was shown as a joke.
The edit of falling so hard is just the fluff.
What’s real is that I got up, dusted myself off, and came home stronger.
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
There was definitely an adjustment period after I returned.
I remember looking in the mirror one day and thinking, “Am I unworthy?”
AndSurvivorwas just a game.
I learned to accept the experience I had, instead of dwelling on what it wasn’t.
There were 2-3 times during the airing when I momentarily regretted it, but those feelings were short-lived.
My decision to go on the show was absolutely the right decision for me.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?
Honestly, I don’t stay in touch with my cast as well as I should.
Sometimes those are the best relationships to have.
That being said, I think Drew keeps in touchwayyybetter than I do, haha.
The loved ones' bond was real too!
They all had matching t-shirts made to commemorate their time together in Fiji, it’s really cute.
My favorite seasons are Cook Islands, China, SJDS, Ghost Island, and DvsG.
I really enjoyed Winners at War, minus Edge, and some of the Fire Token stuff.
There are still a few seasons ofSurvivorI’ve never seen.
I tried to binge some this past year, but felt a little bit ofSurvivorfatigue.
I’m waiting for just the right time to watch them.
And I can’t lie, I’m pretty stoked that I get to watch them with fresh eyes!
Even though I know who the winners are, haha.
Who’s one player from another Survivor season you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I would have liked to play with Tai.
He was a compassionate person and also an astute player.
The one thing I craved out there more than anything was compassion.
I think our energies would have fit like a puzzle.
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor, what would it be and why?
The change I’d want to make is happening.
When you are represented equally as a part of the world, the world is yours for the making.
I’m proud to have been the first Indian-American person onSurvivorafter 20 years.
There are so many out there for the picking!
Finally, would you play again if asked?
If the timing is right, absolutely yes.
And with a lion’s share of courage in tow this time around.
