New Interview with Lisa Whelchel on "Survivor" Experience

[JamesG]

Lisa Whelchel "Cried for Almost 3 Straight Days" after Playing "Survivor"
by Dalton Ross
October 14, 2020


Throughout our Survivor Quarantine Questionnaires, we have heard from lots of players who struggled once the cameras were turned off. And those struggles even extend to someone who has lived almost her entire life on camera.

Lisa Whelchel grew up a star on "The New Mickey Mouse Club" and then rose to fame playing Blair Warner on "The Facts of Life". But even someone who was used to the scrutiny and insecurity that comes with fame was unprepared for what happened after making it all 39 days on "Survivor: Philippines".




“For starters, I cried for almost three straight days from the moment I walked away from Tribal Council,” says Whelchel, who tied for second place.

“As a player, I think I just tried to hold everything in to play the game (with the exception of #SurvivorMeltdown, of course!) and the moment I was free to let down, it was like a flood. Thankfully, when I was still leaking tears months later, the Survivor therapist helped me not feel so foolish by explaining that it is not uncommon to experience a kind of grief reaction.”




Indeed, Whelchel’s reaction upon reentering society mirrors those of many of her peers. And the worst was yet to come.

“Unfortunately, I wasn’t prepared for a whole new round of PTSD when the season aired,” says Whelchel. “That was, in some ways, even more traumatic. When I was on television in the eighties, it was before the Internet and social media so, although, I got my fair share of public judgment and even shaming, this was so much more. It didn’t help that I was more raw and open and undefended than ever before.”




While Whelchel won the fan-favorite Sprint Player of the Season award (and the $100,000 that came with it), even beloved players can feel the social media sting, where no one is safe. But ultimately, going through that trial by ire made the runner up even stronger.

“This many years on the other side of it, I’m grateful. It was the equivalent of giving hundreds of people sledge-hammers and submitting myself to a fairly painful ego-annihilation. Ultimately, freedom to just be is on the other side of that, but it sure hurts getting there.”




Now, the sitcom and reality star is helping others overcome their obstacles as a life coach. She is also raiding some of the coolest treasure troves in the world as the host of MeTv’s "Collector’s Call". But even with that busy schedule, Whelchel took some time to look back on her island adventure and everything surrounding it.

Full Interview Here: https://ew.com/tv/survivor-lisa-whel...questionnaire/

[80s Dude]

She was going through some tough times. She was going through a divorced, was having financial problems, and divorced her church. She got herself back on her feet with the help of her Survivor winnings.

[RetroGuy2000]

Thanks!

Of all the work Lisa's done, Survivor is the least interesting to me. I don't really like so-called "reality" TV, but it's cool that she lasted so long that season.

[80s Dude]

Only one person recognize her, who turned out to be the 3rd place in that season. He soon headed to prison afterward.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by 80s Dude

Only one person recognize her, who turned out to be the 3rd place in that season. He soon headed to prison afterward.

There were two guys who recognized her; one on her team and one that was on the jury. The one on the jury in final tribal (I forgot his name) ripped her to shreds. It was hypocritical because he does TV show stints. He was in the first episode of The Nanny. Lisa was robbed of winning because she was a TV star. She played the better game. Once the jury found out she was a TV star from the 80's, it was all over. I loved Lisa's game play. She made quite a few tribal councils fun to watch. The one who won that season, Denise, did nothing. She was just a goat who rode coattails of the big players to get to the end.

[80s Dude]

Originally Posted by Christopher

There were two guys who recognized her; one on her team and one that was on the jury. The one on the jury in final tribal (I forgot his name) ripped her to shreds. It was hypocritical because he does TV show stints. He was in the first episode of The Nanny. Lisa was robbed of winning because she was a TV star. She played the better game. Once the jury found out she was a TV star from the 80's, it was all over. I loved Lisa's game play. She made quite a few tribal councils fun to watch. The one who won that season, Denise, did nothing. She was just a goat who rode coattails of the big players to get to the end.

Lisa still came in second and got the $100,000 fan favorite prize.

[80s Dude]

I think Lisa grew more as a person in 2012 than she did anytime when she was a teenager.

[Lorimar Television]

Yeah Penner was def a hypocrite being that he played Frans ex.

[JamesG]

I can't really bash Penner, he does a lot for ALS as his wife was diagnosed in 2017.

[Christopher]

Originally Posted by JamesG

I can't really bash Penner, he does a lot for ALS as his wife was diagnosed in 2017.

I'm not bashing Penner. I think it's hypocritical for him to tell the jury Lisa was a TV star in the 80's when he does TV as well. It was really irrelevant to tell the jury this because it had nothing to do with how well she played the game. Until that point, Lisa was going to win. Everyone was impressed with how she made it to the end and how she played her game. It's been so long since this season aired but I don't believe Lisa ever had a vote against her in all the tribals she went to. She knew how to play the game.