While many will argue that the introduction of “Redemption Island” is SURVIVOR’s biggest twist this season, some… okay we like to think that the far bigger surprise has a little something to do with the fact that for the first time in the history of the series, ousted contestants will have to face off against… us! Yes, you’re reading that correctly, theTVaddict.com is honored to have been asked to take part in the traditional one-on-ones with each week’s eliminated contestant, the fourth of which was Krista Klumpp.
Is it nerve-wracking to watch yourself on screen each and every week?
Krista Klumpp: Oh yeah, I was freaking out every week. Wondering what they were going to show and what I wasn’t going to remember I said or did, but definitely in the end I was happy with how I was portrayed. Particularly of interest was how I was going to be portrayed upon my entry to Redemption Island, my experiences with Matt and our faith based relationship and I was very thankful that they respected that aspect of our lives. In fact, I really couldn’t have asked for them to portray it any better than they did because that’s exactly how it all happened. Before that though, in the game, how they portrayed me with Russell and Stephanie, I feel like I had a lot more to say then they made it seem but I guess that’s what happens when you align with two of the biggest mouths in the tribe so it was understandable that they got a little bit more air time then I did.
Speaking of your alliance with Russell, would it be fair to say that the game isn’t doing the “women’s movement” any favors by constantly showing how women latch onto men for their “survival?”
Maybe. But for the elements, I think you need some of the strengths that men have. Having been on the island, I understand why women tend to attach to men because it’s beneficial, especially at the beginning, to have their muscle around for certain things like shelter building. When tribes are lined up the way that they were this season, they had an advantage on the other side to start a women alliance, and a few of them wanted to do that as you can see and it just didn’t happen. I don’t know, maybe it’s a comfort thing with our culture, but it does happen like that.
Looking back on how things played out, do you regret allying yourself with Russell so quickly?
The way I look at it, when I was playing the game was that I didn’t really have any other options. In the beginning within the first day or two everybody was okay with Russell being there and that was when our alliance really started. So in making my decision to align with him and Stephanie — and there were some others within the mix at that point — I felt pretty confident about it. But then somewhere in that third or fourth day everybody just turned completely anti-Russell and I was on the other side.
Why do you think Ometepe has yet to figure our just how well Rob is playing the game, versus your tribe, which immediately and rightfully so saw Russell as a threat?
To me it seemed more like an ego thing, like our tribe wanted to be the one to get Russell out. And not helping the situation was that Russell created a lot of paranoia, he made all of them think that certain members of their alliance wanted to be with us. It wasn’t a comfortable situation like Rob is making it for the others. But the funny thing is that he’s doing all of this behind their back because they expect Rob to be the nice guy, whereas everybody expects Russell to be the villain. It’s interesting to watch Rob and how he is running the show over there because he’s even hiding things from his tight alliance and they trust him so much. Russell didn’t do any of that with us.
As evidence by your exit episode, faith is an integral part of your life. That said, can a person who is always trying to do right by God really do what it takes to win this game?
I think so because so much of SURVIVOR is a social game. Russell never really had the social game and I think a part of that is having compassion. Faith,, if you have a lot of that, that’s what really wins it in the end. For someone like Matt, if he can get back into the game — unless they see him as a threat, I don’t know how he will be viewed — if he’s sitting in the final three he should get every vote and will get every vote.
Which of course raises the slightly awkward albeit painfully obvious question… Who will you be voting for on Redemption Island tonight?
This week is going to be tough for me! You’ve got my girl Steph, my alliance, competing against Matt, who is someone that I really want to do well and I think can do really well should escape Redemption Island unscathed. Put it this way, whoever wins the duel this week is who I want to see take it to the end. 
SURVIVOR airs Wednesday at 8PM on CBS (Global TV in Canada)