It wasn't a surprise when I heard that Survivor Africa winner Ethan Zohn was hotfooting it to Cape Town to run the Two Oceans Marathon.
Neither was it a gobsmack that Survivor Amazon's Jenna and Survivor Palau's Ian Rosenberger were joining him 'cos it's the sort of thing you'd expect a Survivor winner type to do.
I was of course thrilled that they were so I could get up to skullduggery for us as I met up with them the morning of the day before they ran.
This was very strategic just in case they realised how crazy they were once it started and collapsed or something.
As we hooked up I discovered that Jenna knows exactly what so many do which is that running sucks and it's much better hanging round the guys for the race but not actually doing it.
I chatted with all three of them over breckers. Here's what Ethan what had to say:
Tashi: You’re in South Africa, not only for Two Oceans but for your soccer charity - can you tell me a bit about that?
Ethan: A quick history about the charity is that before Survivor, I lived and played professional soccer in Zimbabwe for a team called The Highlanders. While I was there I witnessed first hand what was happening with HIV/Aids and how it’s crushing communities. A couple of my friends got sick, but at the time of my life I didn’t really know what to do about it - I didn’t feel I could do anything.
Fast forward to Survivor and by chance I got brought back to Africa, Kenya. There’s one time during the show when I won a Reward Challenge where I won two goats – I wasn’t too happy about winning the goats – but before I left I was checking out the parking lot of a hospital and all these little children came out.
I had my luxury item which was a happy sack, which is little bean bag you play soccer with. I played happy sack with them, they had great time and later I found out that all those kids were HIV +.
It was weird because there I was in the middle of this cut-throat game of Survivor and I had a real life experience. That was kinda the moment that changed my life and I decided “Alright, I got to do something, something’s got to happen.” I got back, I had a million bucks, I had fifteen minutes of fame and I started Grassroots Soccer.
Basically what it does is that we train professional soccer players in Africa about HIV/Aids and they go into the schools to teach the youth about Aids prevention. We launched it right after I won in 2002 and now we’ve expanded to about 8 different countries.
We’re coming into South Africa in June – right now we’re laying the groundwork and looking for a partner in South Africa in terms of the PR and money side of it. This is why we’re running the Two Oceans Marathon - for Grassroots Soccer – to raise money and awareness for the charity.
Tashi: Soccer-wise – on TV, we always see Soccer Moms. They’re in The Amazing Race, they’re in sitcoms, they’re everywhere. Why does this happen? Soccer isn’t the national US sport and yet you never see Baseball Moms or Basketball Moms. How come?
Ethan: I think it rhymes well. Ha, no, right now, soccer in America is the most popular youth participation sport. It took over from Baseball and American Football – it’s funny because Soccer Moms are basically a mom - I mean, they just take their kids down to their soccer and lose their weekends themselves. It’s a huge demographic – the Soccer Mom demographic is who everyone advertises to – the car companies and hair products and toilet papers.
Tashi: Why do you think soccer took over from football – do you think it’s safer?
Ethan: I think it’s more of a community sport. When they’re younger boys and girls can play together and the teams play mixed - so for parents it’s great. They can hang out on the sidelines with other parents and it becomes this little community.
Tashi: Okay, being a millionaire – what’s that like?
Ethan: Former millionaire.
Tashi: Did you and Jenna keep your winning bucks or have your pooled them?
Ethan: Seperately.
Tashi: What was it like being a millionaire?
Ethan: Ah – it changed my life forever obviously. The money and the fame, that’s gonna go away but the title of Survivor Africa champion – no-one can ever take that away from me. The money’s great and it’s fun, but that’s not the important part. I would go back and play the game for a slice of pizza.
I bought my mom some presents, I got my brothers some presents, I went out for dinner more and took taxi’s instead of public transportation – but until, maybe about three months ago, I still lived in the same apartment, I didn’t buy a car, I didn’t buy new furniture. You can ask Jenna, my place was a piece of *bleep!*.
Tashi: You said you
were a millionaire – did the money go very quickly?
Ethan: It goes pretty quickly. In the US you pay taxes, so for me they took 47% right off the top.
Tashi: So you only end up with about half? Wow. That’s what Richard Hatch has been jailed for – for not paying his. Hehe.
Ethan: Yes, he “forgot” to pay his. Still, it was more money than I ever had in my entire life.
Tashi: Yes, it must have been very cool seeing it your bank account.
Ethan: Totally.
Tashi: Did they do it when they said? Like you didn’t have to wait?
Ethan: No – you have to wait until they announce the winner after the Reunion show – the next morning after that, they give you your check on TV.
Tashi: Who, out of all the Survivors, would you say your fave is as a viewer – besides yourself of course.
Ethan: As a viewer, Jenna.
Tashi: Okay, obviously - besides Jenna and Ian –
Ethan: I’m jaded but Big Tom was a fantastic character – in Africa and in All Stars. Rudy I thought was pretty funny in his time. Big Tom - definitely my favourite.
Tashi: In Survivor All-Stars – were you pleased Amber won? Was there anyone you would have liked to have seen win more?
Ethan: Between the final two at the end – Rob 100% should have won. However it is a game of relationships and he didn’t make any good relationships. He played a great game athletically, Amber let him do all the dirty work – he was pulling the strings and Amber was just riding his coattails the entire way.
He just pissed so many people off that they couldn’t bring themselves to vote for him and Amber won. I thought Rob deserved to win but it doesn’t matter because they’re married now anyway so he won.
Tashi: Yes, they pooled the money. Was their anyone else you were rooting for?
Ethan: Big Tom of course. My opinion of All Stars is that the game is designed for strangers – you can’t get people who know each other to play the game – it just doesn’t work. I baby-sit for Lex’s kid, I hang out at Tom’s home – I dated Jenna and all of a sudden you put us on an island to play a game for a million dollars – it just doesn’t work.
There are so many back stories – people were voted off for reasons other than the way they played the game. There were stories behind-the-scenes that you guys didn’t know about that impacted on the game so it just didn’t work.
Tashi: Without giving away any spoilers - who is your fave contestant in Survivor Guatemala?
Ethan: In Guatemala I like Rafe and Gary Hoggeboom. I like the way Gary’s an athlete, he’s focused and determined – he’s cool, calm – to me Rafe seems to be honest and have genuine feelings about people.
Tashi: How’s Hollywood been treating you? Have you been doing any acting? Do you want to?
Ethan: I don’t want to act, however if something comes my way I’d take it ‘cos it’s fun - but you know people train their whole life to be actors and actresses and they still don’t get jobs in Hollywood – there’s no reason I deserve to be an actor.
I host two Television shows in the United States – both soccer related for kids. Everything that happens on and off the field – soccer fashion, video games, music – in addition to reporting on soccer players
Tashi: In five years time – where do you see yourself?
Ethan: Maybe Jay Bay, surfing.
Tashi: Retired. Ethan: Everybody always asks me: “What are you doing now?” and I’m doing what I want to do. I’m running my charity which is growing – by the end of 2008 we’ll graduate over a million kids. In terms of my professional career, once all this Survivor/Hollywood *bleep!* dies down I have Grassroots Soccer. It’s probably about 75% of my time and the other 25% is hosting TV shows and interviews and wotnot.
Tashi: How do you make money from it?
Ethan: I don’t, it’s a 100% volunteer.
Tashi: So how are you gonna make more money?
Ethan: Doing my TV shows – I get paid to do personal appearances and I do a lot of motivational speaking for colleague students. I can supplement my income through outside stuff.
Tashi: What’s your fave TV show? – besides Survivor.
Ethan: Do you have Grey’s Anatomy?
Tashi: It started recently.
Ethan: It’s awesome – I love Grey’s Anatomy. Reality Show-wise I like The Apprentice – there’s a new one that just started in the US – it’s called Unanimous – it’s awesome. The basic concept is they take ten people, put them in an undergound bunker and the only way to get out of the bunker is if they all uninamously agree who to give 1.5 million bucks to.
Tashi: That’s soo briiillliant.
Ethan: I also watch sports – all the time.