This season’s Survivor: Redemption Island has brought us a lot of twist and turns, but one of the more memorable moments came when Steve Wright and Former Federal Agent? Phillip Sheppard got into a verbal showdown.
Steve called Phillip crazy, because you know, he kind of is, and Phillip decided the word “crazy” was racist and equivalent to the n-word. Here’s to hoping Kelly Bensimon isn’t reading this and getting any ideas.
In a new interview with PEOPLE following his elimination on the show, the 51-year-old (he’s only 51?) former NFL Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle discusses his time on the show, how his faith helped him, and touches on the whole Phillip issue. Excerpts from Steve’s interview below –
Did you ever play up your “weakness” for strategy?
No. I wear my feeling on my sleeve and if I was saying that I was feeling it, I was feeling it. But I’d also get out of it pretty quick; it just depends on when it was. It’s an emotional, physical, and mental roller coaster the whole time you’re out there. One minute you’re starving and the next you are saying, ‘Okay, I’m just not going to eat today.’ And you just deal with it and get over it. It’s pretty amazing just keeping the faith and setting short term goals and getting through it.
Does faith play a large role this season?
God’s been a big part of my life and I attribute everything to God. Julie had walked away from God and was going through a really terrible time with her divorce and the foreclosure. Mike and I just spent time talking to her and she re-dedicated her life so it was a pretty big topic out there. Plus lying around all day and night, you really get in to what your soul is all about when you’re around each other 24/7. We were going through some pretty crazy and difficult times together and having faith just really helps a lot so we talked about it.
Phillip alluded to being in on the joke that he is “crazy”. Do you believe that?
Any great actor couldn’t act it 24/7 for a month. The real you is going to come out sooner or later and its just really exposing him for who he really is. I highly doubt that he was a special agent or anything like that. I called him “crazy” and all of a sudden he thought that that meant the N-word. I just think he’s mentally and emotionally unstable and I think Jeff did a good job exposing it. I’ve gotten great response from my family, friends, and teammates. The guy is who he is. I think he’s just a few bricks short of a whole load. He’s a bit loony.
Meanwhile on tonight’s all new episode of Survivor, Andrea takes part in her first Redemption Island duel. Back at camp, one castaway plots making a big move that could prove to be costly. The episode airs at 8/7c on CBS.
TELL US – THOUGHTS ON STEVE’S INTERVIEW? DO YOU THINK PHILLIP IS REALLY CRAZY OR JUST PRETENDING TO BE?
