Elisabeth's Final Chat
March 12, 2001 11:00 AM PST
CBS_Moderator: There are tons of great questions, so let's get started!! If you're just joining us, we're chatting live with Elisabeth Filarski. Hi Elisabeth, thanks for being here to chat with us today.
Elisabeth Filarski: Thanks for having me, and thanks to all those out there who have been so supportive. It's good to be on the flip side!
songbird: Liz--I loved how you played the game. Could you please tell us your most exhilarating experience in the Outback, and did that one experience teach you anything about yourself?
Elisabeth Filarski: I'd have to say the most exhilarating experience--not necessarily a good one--was when we came back and our camp was gone, and I don't know where our energy came from. We saw everything gone and had to dig deeply and get down to it and find a new home. We had no choice, and for some reason we got the energy to do it, and it taught me about perseverance. Remaining centered on the things that are important to me is what helped me sustain through anything that went on in the Outback.
Admiring_Elisabeth: Elisabeth--Your smile lights up the sky, at all times :o) How do you manage to maintain such a positive attitude at such times??? You are truly one of a kind!!!
Joel_M: Hey Elisabeth !! You are by far the best !! What attributes do you feel that you had that kept you in the game so long and that made you such a strong competitor? Thanks a lot.
Elisabeth Filarski: The attributes--my faith and also honesty. I think those were my most helpful attributes out there.
Graciello Reyes: What was the main reason why you joined Survivor? Was if for the experience? For the money? The celebrity status? Or a mixture of the three?
Elisabeth Filarski: It was simply the challenge and experience. I just wanted to test myself.
tonio: It appeared as though everyone relied on rice and fish for food. Did anyone try to search out more sources of food, like roots and berries and such?
Elisabeth Filarski: Well, for everything that you could eat out there that you read about and you knew was edible, there was something that looked just like it that was poisonous. It was like playing Russian roulette diving into the veggies.
sir_coolness: Elisabeth, if you had to kill and eat someone from your tribe, who would it have been?
Elisabeth Filarski:
Mike_B: Elisabeth, what was most surprising thing that happened to you in the Outback?
Elisabeth Filarski: That I came out with a great friendship.
mtv: Besides the hunger and boredom, what drove you insane in the Outback?
Elisabeth Filarski: Complaining from various people, and missing those at home.
Glad_Jerris_Gone: Are you and Rodger still close friends?
Elisabeth Filarski: Yes, very. I just spoke with him yesterday, actually.
Kci: If Rodger was like a father to you, was there anyone who was like a brother???
Elisabeth Filarski: I would have to say Nick or Colby.
judyck: Were you surprised to be voted off?
Elisabeth Filarski: Not surprised, but disappointed.
mAdAmKuChA: Elisabeth--Did you ever feel like some of the older members of the tribe were a bit patronizing or overly protective of you because of your young age? (not that it's a bad thing, because I am younger than you) ;)
Elisabeth Filarski: No. If at anytime I felt that anyone was looking out for me--that would be the best feeling you could have out there.
SJS0877: Do you wish that there was someone out there who you could have gotten to know better?
Elisabeth Filarski: Sure, I guess I would have liked to get to know Mad Dog better and Mitchell, and I do wish I had more time with Alicia out there, because she cracks me up!
Noelle: Elisabeth, Who did you form lasting friendships with? Who are you still in touch with? Who have you not spoken to since you left the Outback?
Elisabeth Filarski: Well, we all e-mail, so I've been in touch with everyone. On a regular basis, I speak with Rodger, and Tina and I are very close. I've spent some time with Nick, talked to Colby, and Alicia and I leave messages on each other's voicemail because our schedules never match up.
danaksu: Elisabeth, you were awesome! If you had the chance to do it all again, what would you do differently, if anything?
Noelle: Elisabeth, would you have changed anything you did (strategy, votes etc.)?
Elisabeth Filarski: I wouldn't do a thing differently.
papa: You're obviously in great shape, but what did you do to prepare yourself for the challenges?
Elisabeth Filarski: Well, I run, and also water run, so I did that as much as I could. Mostly I tried to just eat well and have a good base and be healthy going into it. I stopped eating candy to get used to it, and tried to give up eating ice cream! That's really about it.
rodgeceo: You look so pretty on the Early Show. I wish you were my older sister. Where can I get a pair of your shoes?
Elisabeth Filarski: I believe my shoes are being sold through Puma and their new line, which is called Nuala. I don't work there any more, or else I'd have a little more information.
Candy_Lawn: ELISABETH: It doesn't matter if you didn't win the million bucks. For all it's worth, you won the hearts of everyone around the world, and that's something a million bucks can't buy! We love you here in the Philippines!!!
bra_and_undi_tribe: If you were to design a clothing item (or shoe) for each member of Barramundi, what would it be, and why?
Elisabeth Filarski: I would design Rodger a killer fishing rod! I'd design Colby a great helmet for his bike. I'd design Tina a great pair of athletic shoes because she's just so athletic. I'd design Keith a great rice steamer.
Silent: How did you feel when you found out that Rodger sacrificed himself for you?
Elisabeth Filarski: I was very honored, and the whole time, Rodger and I had gone back and forth with discussions on it. We went back and forth telling each other we wanted to be the one to go, but it was what any great friend would do for another, so I was very honored.
littleroo: Elisabeth, I noticed that you were wearing the same necklaces on the Early Show that you wore in the Outback. Is there any significance or symbolism to them?
Elisabeth Filarski: Well, the one necklace that I wore said "Climb High"; that was the silver one. My parents gave it to me right before I left, so I just thought it would be nice to wear; it means a lot. I've worn it every Thursday. The beads on the other necklace are called She-beads. One of Tim's family members made it. Tim had his Aunt put a bead on there for every day he thought I'd be gone.
QuebecLovesBessy: Hello Bessy, you were really the one deserving that million dollars! People in Quebec were all behind you! I even made my own Immunity Hairdress!!! One thing we all wanted to know: did you and Rodger try to make an alliance with Amber?
Coetzer: Elisabeth, why did you and Rodger decide to not try and recruit Amber when it was down to the final six? It seems like if you had done that, you would have been in the final three for sure.
Elisabeth Filarski: No, we didn't. At the time, Amber didn't give us any reason to think that she was solid one way or another in terms of an alliance. We just didn't trust that she wouldn't go back to her Ogakor roots.
Bonneth: Do you think the Survivor experience is in some ways degrading--you guys were basically starving and struggling for our entertainment--kind of like the gladiator events.
Elisabeth Filarski: No, I don't think it's degrading at all.
Candy_Lawn: How have you been dealing with all the fame and attention you've been getting?? Did you adjust to it right away?!?
Elisabeth Filarski: No, I'm definitely still adjusting.
valleyann: Did you learn any survival skills before going to the Outback?
Elisabeth Filarski: Yes, I wanted to be a master of knot tying!
irwin: Hey Elisabeth, you are the best!
LittleBear: A lot of Survivors are saying they look bad because of the editing process. Which Survivor would you say was the most unfairly portrayed?
Elisabeth Filarski: I would have to say Tina, actually. She played a very good game, but she got a bum rap.
Rudy_45: Who do you think you identified most with on the first show?
Elisabeth Filarski: Colleen and Rudy. Colleen because of her good nature, and I thought she was very funny. Rudy, because what you saw was what you got.
SurvivorManiac: Elisabeth, I was just wondering if there was any romance going on between you and Colby, coz you two seemed really close.
Elisabeth Filarski: No romance at all.
LilliHowell4SURVIVOR: Elisabeth, you played in an ethical and moral way, with a hint of kick butt! No wonder you were a favorite. What was waiting for you AS SOON as you crossed the bridge? Was it a hot meal?
Elisabeth Filarski: It was an entire jar of Skippy peanut butter.
Tom__apllied_for_SURVIVOR_3__inNH: What was the most weird thing that happened to you in the Outback ??
Elisabeth Filarski: My hair started to fall out, and one day I lost peripheral vision.
Glad_Jerris_Gone: How did you feel when you first noticed you were losing your hair?
Elisabeth Filarski: It freaked me out quite a bit, and that's when I realized how severe the damage was to our bodies.
momof3kids: What was the funniest moment you remember in the Outback? And the saddest?
Elisabeth Filarski: The saddest moment was when Mike fell into the fire and the whole scenario following that. I think the funniest moment was when we were all trying to get the chickens out of the coop and no one knew what to do except Rodger.
Elisabethfan: Eliz what was going through your mind when Mike had the accident?
Elisabeth Filarski: I don't even know. I think I was all about reaction at that point, and the only thing I knew was that I needed to get in the water with him and take away any pain that I could at the time.
billycarter: Do you think if Mike hadn't been injured, Kucha would have prevailled?
Elisabeth Filarski: Definitely. We would have gone into the merger with the majority.
WELOVELIZ: Liz, you are awesome! It took YOU to change Ogakor's way of voting! Do you think there was anything you could have done to change your fatal vote?
Elisabeth Filarski: Nothing. There was nothing I could do to change that last voting. That had to come from them.
rya: Were you intimidated by Alicia the first time you saw her? What was your relationship with her like?
Elisabeth Filarski: For some reason Alicia and I hit it off as soon as we made eye contact. Right at the beginning at the airport I caught Alicia giving Kimmi this look and I looked at her and her face just cracked me up and we just hit it off right away.
Ophelia: Do you feel any resentment toward the other Survivors, Colby, Tina and Keith, for getting rid of you?
TinaFan: Elisabeth, how did you feel after knowing Tina voted against you?
Tim: Do you feel that Tina was great at deception and lies?
Elisabeth Filarski: I don't hold anything against the Survivors--they're playing the game well. As Mad Dog said, "It's a g-a-m-e--game."
STACEY: WHY THE DISLIKE FOR KIMMI?
Elisabeth Filarski: I don't dislike Kimmi. In the beginning--I just felt we were from different places and didn't have a whole lot in common. As I got to know her, I just realized that her intentions are never bad. I am glad I got to know her.
lis_rules: What did you think of the Kimmi-Alicia fight?
Elisabeth Filarski: I just felt that if I didn't stay in the middle, some punches would have been thrown, and that it was long overdue.
Sleepy: Hi Liz, Great job out there. I wanted you to win really badly. Best of luck to your mom!
Lizzy_Fan: Was it really so hard to live with Jerri?
Elisabeth Filarski: At times, yes.
Misst404: How bad of a cook was Keith?
Elisabeth Filarski: Keith was not a bad cook. Cooking wasn't his problem. His problem was that was for every good thing he said he coupled it with something irksome and instigating. At least Jerri was up-front about what she was thinking.
wee: There are some that said Nick is lazy, while Nick denies it. What do you think about this?
Elisabeth Filarski: Nick's not lazy. He was very sick towards the end. I really appreciated all the things that Nick did to make the place look better. It made it a lot more comfortable for me.
Lizlover: Do you think Amber changed a lot without Jerri around, and do you think it was a good change?
Elisabeth Filarski: I think Amber, once Jerri was gone, was much more herself, and she allowed people to get to know Amber--and that was good. I think that's when she really started playing the game.
spiritwind: Elisabeth, after watching the show on TV and seeing people's talks with the camera, do you feel different about anyone?
Elisabeth Filarski: No, I guess I underestimated the game that Jeff was playing. I didn't realize all the stuff he was up to. He's much more of a gamer than I thought.
ElisabethRox: Elisabeth, do you feel that you are different in real life than you were in the Outback?
Elisabeth Filarski: No. Less whiney because I'm fed!
bob: You reiterate that it's a game, but you've also emphasized that how one plays the game is a reflection of their character and morals. How do you reconcile the two?
Elisabeth Filarski: I don't think that I'm having a conflict of thought by staying to both of those things. It's just a game; I can't hold grudges once it's over it's over. I think that within the game you can hold onto your morals. It just depends on what you're willing to sacrifice.
imhungry: You weren't whiny in the Outback! You were really terrific!!
blackcomb: You are now a role model to many. Who is your role model, and why?
Elisabeth Filarski: My role model is my Mom. She is an incredibly strong woman and way ahead of her time in terms of a lot of things that she's done. She went to law school when we were young, and she always followed what she thought was correct. I really admire that, and admire her strength through her own personal struggles.
Glad_Jerris_Gone: Bessy, we all know you are a great person, but how did life in the Outback make you an even better person?
Elisabeth Filarski: By revealing limitlessness and the ability to rise above circumstance.
rovivus: Elisabeth, when did the "fun" of Survivor disappear for you? Or was it fun all the way through?
Elisabeth Filarski: The fun of Survivor became less and less each day, but there were always moments of fun. It was not so much fun toward the end, but I remember when Colby returned from winning one of his many challenges--he, Tina and I decided to play a Hide and Go Seek, and even though we were too weak to play more than two rounds, we still had a lot of fun.
MSUsurvivor: What was going through your mind when Colby's mom was there?
Elisabeth Filarski:: All thoughts of home, and I just kept replaying the game and that challenge and how I would have loved to have seen my brother there. I know he would have come and played a song on his guitar for us. It was haunting. More than anything else, it was amazing to have a mother's hug.
ScottDockrill: Elisabeth, did you ever feel like saying something but didn't, because you were scared it could affect your game?
Elisabeth Filarski: I probably held back some comments, you know, about Jerri and when she was complaining about how I was cooking rice. I probably should have said something right to her, but I just kind of kept on my way.
meg30minnesota: Elisabeth--Did people smell bad out there? Did you have deodorant and stuff like that?
Elisabeth Filarski: Until we won something well into the game, we didn't have anything to make ourselves smell good. Up until that point we thought we smelled great. I guess that question would be better asked to the cameramen who had to sit next to us the whole time!
winkie: In your opinion, what was the most valuable luxury item, and why?
Elisabeth Filarski: I would say besides my own headdress, Tina's backgammon game, because it kept our minds off of our hunger as much as it could.
kenny: Did you ever read Rodger's Bible in the Outback? If so, what was your favorite verse?
Elisabeth Filarski: I often read Rodger's Bible. He was generous enough to let us. My favorite verses usually came from Corinthians in general.
Joy: Elisabeth, you were an inspiration. Thanks for playing the game.
Noelle: Elisabeth, what did you do with your time (between tribal councils) after you were voted off? Did you get to see more of Australia?
Elisabeth Filarski: Not really, because I was voted off towards the end. We had to stay pretty close so we could serve on the council--the jury. We had a layover in Sydney right before we flew home. Sidney was beautiful, but we only had 24 hours there.
bcb: Hi Elisabeth, I thought you were great. How long did it take your body to get used to eating normally again?
Elisabeth Filarski: Probably I would say a good month and half, because there was a huge rebound effect. My cravings were pretty out-of-control, and it took about a month and a half to normalize again.
maverick: Hi Elisabeth! Just wanna tell u that Survivor2 is so hot in Singapore that we are showing it live as CBS! And the entire country loves u, Elisabeth! u r the winner in our hearts!!!
Jenr: Elisabeth, I am using you as a role model to get in to shape after giving birth to my second. What is your daily exercise routine?
Elisabeth Filarski: Anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour of cardio and some lifting after that. Definitely take a day or two off of every week.
Elizabeth_you_are_the_best: Elizabeth, you are so sweet and pretty, with your body and your personality. Are you going to do some modeling or anything like that in the future? I wish you won the million, but to us you are the winner!
Elisabeth Filarski: Thank you! That's a very, very generous comment. I'm not quite certain of what I'm going to be doing from this point on.
Noelle: Elisabeth, You were my favorite Survivor. What was your video like that you submitted? Do you have any recommendations for future applicants?
Elisabeth Filarski: My video was pretty basic; it wasn't anything staged or developed. It took place in my car, where I was spending a lot of time driving back and forth to work. I had one of my roommates video me in there, and it was kind of on a whim, so it wasn't put together. It was a very grassroots operation. It was basically me driving during a rainstorm. I was trying to focus on my roommate because he was on the dashboard and I went over a pot hole and poor Dave got bumped all over the car. It was more like a bad video than anything else. It was really basic.
irwin: Elisabeth, take care and keep smiling.
katie: Elisabeth--Thank you for being such a positive person in such a negative world.
SurvivorManiac: Liz, Is it true you're going to marry?
Cappuccino: Hello Elisabeth, You are so adorable. What does your fiancé think of all the attention you are receiving?
Elisabeth Filarski: It's true! I'm going to marry Tim Hasselbeck. He is extremely supportive, and has been a gift during this whole session. He's been very calming when I needed, or kind of coached me along as this all unfolded.
Loopy21: Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!!!
sunny: I know Amber received an offer to pose in Playboy. Have you gotten an offer, and would you pose nude?
Elisabeth Filarski: I have not gotten any offer and no, I would not choose to pose nude, but if it works for Amber or anyone else, I think it's cool if it's something they want to do. I'm completely supportive of the other Survivors if that is something they want to do.
ElisabethRox: Rhode Island loves you!!
Liz_Is_Number1: Elisabeth - Thanx for inspiring so many!!!!
Big_Elizabeth_Fan: Elizabeth, can you tell me what you found to be the most rewarding thing that came from participating in Survivor?
Elisabeth Filarski: Good friendships.
CBS_Moderator: Thank you for chatting with us, Elisabeth!
Elisabeth Filarski: Thank everyone for writing and again for all your support. It makes all the starving in the world worth it to know that there are people so into the show and so kind when I came back.
CBS_Moderator: Thanks for joining us everyone. Tune in to an all-new Survivor on Thursday at 8:00pm ET/PT only on CBS. And don't forget to check www.cbs.com/survivor for all the latest Survivor info. See ya next time!!!
chicken4rodgurr: University of Florida loves you Elisabeth!!!!!!!
ching: Good luck Elisabeth!!!
tx_sweetie73: ELISABEHT STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF....AND STAY AS SWEET AS YOU ARE.....YOU MADE AMERICA FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU!!!!!! YOU ARE AMERICA'S SWEETHEART!!!
survivah_: ELISABETH Thank you for giving time to chat with us!
Suvivor_Elisabeth: YOU ROCK ELISABETH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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