Nick's Final Chat
April 9, 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 Nick Brown. We'll get to as many of your questions as we can. Hi Nick, thanks for being here to chat with us today.
Nick Brown: Thank you very much.

MadAdder: Nick, how has Survivor changed your life?
Nick Brown: So far it hasn't changed a whole lot. I'm still in school full time and getting ready to take finals next month, but it definitely opened up lots of opportunities. . . . I've been modeling more and have been getting offers to speak and make appearances.

TyraLene: What was your strategy?

MadAdder: Nick, what was your strategy going into the game?
Nick Brown: I didn't really have a set strategy going into the game other than I didn't want to be the leader, but once I got there I realized that it would be best for me to really lay low and just try to fit in as best with the tribe. I think when you watch the show I come across as really quiet and that was my strategy, although there really wasn't a lot of stuff shown.

kadie: What do you think is the best strategy for winning the show?
Nick Brown: I'm not sure that there is a best strategy. Survivor 2 is so much different than Survivor 1 because we'd all watched the first one and had an idea of what would or wouldn't work. So much depends on your strategy and how it works.

cheetah: Nick, how did you feel when you where voted off?
Nick Brown: I was a little sad to go, but at that point in the game I was just really drained and mentally done with the scheming nature of the game. I tried to play as hard as I could but when my time came - it was my time to go and get clean.

Jeffe13: Nick, I loved you on the show. I thought you played a great game. Did your illness prevent you from getting more involved in the group?
Nick Brown: My illness really affected my motivation to continue playing and my desire to want to be there, but I think a lot of my contribution to the tribe was left out through editing. I think the only thing I didn't help out with was the fishing, but everything else, the other Survivors would tell you I helped as much as anyone else.

cb: If you could change one thing you did in the Outback, what would it be?
Nick Brown: I wouldn't change anything. During the time I played the game I think I played to the best of my abilities, so I try not to look back and say "What if" or "I should have done that," because at the time I thought it was the best strategy and there's nothing I would have changed at all.

BABYBEAR: Nick, I think you got a bad rap and were portrayed as lazy...what are your thoughts?

BiGGDoGG4Amber: What was up with the lazy bit? I know that was how you got portrayed, but they must have had a reason for it?

kangaree: Nick, would you agree that you were just plain lazy out there? Or was this some kind of strategy?
Nick Brown: You know you expect to be talked about behind your back a lot, but being called lazy was the one thing I didn't expect at all. I think that from episode 3, where Jeff called me lazy-- from then on I think the editors tried to play up on that and I think the viewers looked for that. Like I said before, fishing was the only thing I was ever, ever lazy about, but y'know I'm not upset about how I was portrayed because it's all a part of playing the game.

chipster: What was your most embarrassing moment on the show?
Nick Brown: I think it had to be during the last episode once we came back from the food auction and there was all this talk about needing to go to the restroom and the camp smelling foul. When I watched the episode I just thought "Oh my God, my Mom is watching this!"

kangaree: Hey Nick, which player did you bond with the most during your time in the Outback? Who do you still keep in touch with?
Nick Brown: I bonded probably most with Rodger and Elisabeth during the game and I still keep in touch with most of my tribe, and I think all of us to some degree or another are part of this big family and I get e-mails from Ogakor all the time and talk to a lot of people from their tribe as well.

jerridoesdallas: Did you peg any one wrong and later change your mind?
Nick Brown: No, not really. Some of my opinions of people changed once we got to interact outside of the game, and I definitely enjoyed people more when we were outside of the stress and scheming that's involved in the game.

spiritwind: Nick, who was your favorite person in the Outback? Who did you have personality clashes with?
Nick Brown: I never had clashes with anybody, really. I think if you watch the show you notice that not once do you see me talking bad about anybody.

chipster: Nick, there were some hotties on Survivor this season. Were you sexually attracted to any of them?
Nick Brown: I thought there were a lot of attractive people in the game but after a few days you really stop thinking about people in any relationship or sexual kind of way because everybody is so nasty and stressed out it's the last thing on anybody's mind.

BABYBEAR: Nick, did you get to know Jerri at all? Was she really the "witch" everyone thought?
Nick Brown: I didn't like Jerri at all playing the game, but outside the game we got along great and had a lot of fun being on the jury together.

GoColbyAndElisabeth: Did you particularly bond with Elisabeth, since she was your age and in your tribe from the beginning?
Nick Brown: Yeah, Elisabeth and I got along really well from the beginning, and we still talk pretty often and have had a chance to hang out a couple times in Boston together.

BiGGDoGG4Amber: Nick, what was your reaction to Mike's injury? Survivor_Cutie: How did you feel after Michael's accident? sugermag: Hey Nick - good game. Do you believe if Mike hadn't fallen in the fire you'd still be playing right now? Since it put Kucha at a disadvantage?
Nick Brown: Seeing Mike fall in the fire was such a surreal experience and it really affected the members of Kucha. It was one of the craziest things I've ever seen in my life. Once we knew he was okay it was not that difficult to get on with the game, but it definitely hurt our position in the tribe during the game. We try not to put any focus on any one thing that went wrong because there were other things that Kucha could have done to better our position.

wallabee: At Tribal Council, Keith's arrogance prompted you to vote for him. But what was the thinking behind originally making Amber the Kucha target?
Nick Brown: At this point in the game I pretty much knew that my time had come, so Elisabeth, Rodger, and I got together and basically said "Everybody vote who you want to vote for." Keith was getting on my nerves at that point in the game so I just decided to vote for him.

SurvivorMike: Were you bothered as much as Alicia by the way Kimmi acted about the chickens?
Nick Brown: No, not at all. I think they were both in the wrong when it came to their little fight and I think both Alicia and Kimmi made a big deal out of nothing.

Crashmate: So do you have a thing for Alicia? You two would look so cute together!
Nick Brown: No, I have strong friendship with everybody from the show. Alicia and I get along great, but I view her more as a big sister than a girlfriend.

yawn: Nick, Jeff Varner alluded to a "Kucha mole" that was working against the group. Was that you??
Nick Brown: No, it definitely wasn't me, and I have no idea what Jeff was talking about. When Kimmi was getting voted off I told her that everybody was voting for Rodger, so I'm not sure who was telling people to vote for Jeff.

Zale: Did you get a chance at all to bond with Colby?
Nick Brown: Yeah, Colby and I got along pretty well. I talk to him quite often still.

Romello2k: You may view Alicia as a "big sister," but do you think she necessarily views you as a big brother? Would it change your mind if you knew Alicia wouldn't mind being in a relationship with you?
Nick Brown: I don't how Alicia views me. We get along great but we're complete opposites when it comes to personality. I'd be very surprised if she viewed me in any way other than a friend.

prnces1: Did Elisabeth and Amber bond after Jerri left???
Nick Brown: I think Elisabeth and Amber got along pretty well because they're both very close in age, but because I left right after Jerri left I'm not sure how they got along.

kenggg: Nick: Do you think personalities mattered more than alliances?
Nick Brown: Personalities matter because they help you form alliances. You can be in alliance with somebody that you don't get along with, but it's easier to trust people who you get along with. So, personality is more important that alliances.

Survivor_Karah: What did you think about Jeff the host?
Nick Brown: I thought Jeff was a great guy. You see one image of him on TV, but you get to know him a lot better when you talk to him when the cameras aren't rolling.

thenextsurvivor: Do you think either the men or the women on Survivor have an advantage over the other sex?
Nick Brown: I think the advantages that men have can also be a disadvantage, and I think the advantages that women have can be a disadvantage. It's not dependent on your sex but how well you interact, observe, and get along with people.

Up_Front: Everyone looks very weak now. How much weight did you lose? TinaRules: Nick, how much weight did you lose playing Survivor2, and have you gained it back since then? Wendy: Hi Nick, what did you "pig" out on when you got home?
Nick Brown: I lost about 20 pounds during my 30 day stay in the Outback. I actually put on weight before I left in preparation for the weight loss that would happen. Now I'm pretty much back to normal. As soon as I got back, I gorged out on lots of family foods, lots of chips, and a lot of chocolate.

mk: What was the best luxury item someone brought, and what would you take if you were to do it again?
Nick Brown: I liked my Frisbee, actually. It seemed like a silly item at first, but it actually came in quite handy. I also think that Colby's flag and Keith's pan were very useful and the tribe took advantage of all of them.

hope2survive: Besides fish and pigs, were you allowed to hunt anything else in the Outback, eg. turtles?.
Nick Brown: No, everything is pretty much protected by law, including the turtles. I think we all would have liked to make turtle soup but we weren't allowed to kill them.

colby_will_win: Do you think the original Survivor location was more or less stressful than the Outback?
Nick Brown: I think Survivor 1, the location was tougher in some ways, especially when it came to the bugs that were out there. I think Survivor 2 had more serious dangers and overall much rougher conditions because of the snakes and because of the rough terrain.

blueman: How much did you and the others eat in a day on average?
Nick Brown: I would say we ate probably around 2 cups of rice, maybe 3 on an average day. Then there were days where we got to have a piece of chicken, fish or pig.

Journey: What did you have to eat off of the wheel, and was it gross?
Nick Brown: I'm not sure exactly what it was. It was this really slimy, long sea worm or something like that. It felt nasty but didn't taste that bad at all, actually.

rudder: How much sleep did you get each day?
Nick Brown: I would say we got about close to 6 or 7 hours at the most. We just would go to bed when the sun set and got up when the sun came up - if you could sleep.

chipster: Who stayed up the latest at night, and who woke up the earliest?
Nick Brown: I think maybe Kimmi stayed up the latest and Mike was definitely the first to get up in the morning.

MadAdder: Were you disappointed that you never got to sleep in the new shelter?
Nick Brown: No, not at all. I think the remaining Survivors had a tough time.

FLY: In retrospect, how do you feel you could have better prepared yourself for your time in the Outback, physically and mentally?
Nick Brown: I think mentally I was very ready to play the game and there isn't a whole bunch more I could have done. Physically I probably could have worked out and got into better shape, but I was in pretty good shape before I left.

Survivor_Karah: What did you crave (food, sleep, etc.) the most during the show?
Nick Brown: I craved knowledge of what was going on in the real world. Each of us is so cut off of what's happening in society, we have no idea of what's going on in the news or what's going on in our families.

Bub: Out of all the contestants, which one surprised you the most regarding their determination and stamina?
Nick Brown: Definitely Rodger. Without a doubt.

MZJADA: Nick, did being in the Army help you in any way?
Nick Brown: I think being in the army helped me a lot when it came to the physical challenges and it helped me a lot as far as relating with people and knowing how to be a quiet leader and helpful part of the tribe.

MEL: Did the crocs bother you? How could you sleep at night knowing they were close to you all?
Nick Brown: The crocodiles didn't bother me. Although we knew they were out there, they tend to stay away from you. They're more scared of you than you are of them. Most Survivors were more afraid of the snakes than the crocodiles.

MadAdder: Nick, what was your favorite challenge, and why?
Nick Brown: My favorite immunity challenge was the obstacle course where we were all roped together, and my favorite reward challenge was the cliff jump. To me those two were just the most exciting and energizing challenges we had by far.

paulhogan: How difficult was the challenge when you won immunity?
Nick Brown: That challenge required a lot of focus and determination because the second that you stopped focusing on it you would get thrown off into the water.

colby_will_win: What was the least rewarding challenge?
Nick Brown: To me the challenge with the dots and the ropes that Keith won was very, very boring.

Gregg: You were definitely the coolest on Survivor II. What was the funniest thing that happened to you on the show?
Nick Brown: Thanks for the compliment. The funniest thing that happened that didn't make it on the show is after we finally used the toothbrushes and soap and everything we won during the reward challenge I surprised Alicia by giving her a big kiss. I think I really caught her off guard, but it was totally friendly.

treestub: Was Keith as bad of a cook as Jerri has said?
Nick Brown: The only time that Keith cooked I thought it was as good as anybody else out there.

scouter: Since snakes were more a concern for the Survivors, what did you do to protect yourselves from them? What was your closest encounter with the wildlife?
Nick Brown: I think all of us just walked around in groups and tried to make a lot of noise everywhere we went. My closest encounter to wild life was definitely when Mike and I trapped the pig and when Mike killed it.

ICU: What did you do in Australia after you were voted off?
Nick Brown: We just got a chance to hang out and decompress from the whole experience. I think I read a book and got ready to be on the jury.

TyraLene: Australia is cool country, I lived there for a year. What was your impression of Australia? Would you consider returning there?
Nick Brown: I would love to go back to Australia and spend some time there. Sydney was a really fun and beautiful city.

songbird: What was your most exhilarating moment in the Outback, and did the experience change your perception of who you were and who you would like to become?
JSfromRimouskiQcCanada: Nick, in a few words, could you tell us how your adventures in the Australian Outback changed you ????
Nick Brown: Winning the obstacle course challenge was a lot of fun and winning the challenge where everyone was blindfolded was fun. Survivor teaches you about your strengths and weaknesses and really opened my perspectives about what I can be successful at.

Survivor_Karah: What was your happiest moment during the show?
RainingInToronto: What was the best part about living on the island?
Nick Brown: I think my happiest moment or moments were when at Kucha we got a chance to relax after we won an immunity challenge and didn't have to worry about going to Tribal Council to vote somebody off.

BiGGDoGG4Amber: What did you do on your tape to catch the Producers' eye on your tape, and how did you wow them at your interview? What advice would you give future contestants?
Nick Brown: When I made my tape I just tried to be as relaxed as possible and show as much personality as possible. I figured everyone else would do really crazy things on their tapes so I figured I'd stand out by being as relaxed and honest as possible. My advice to people applying to the next Survivor is think about it and make sure you really, really want to do it because there are good things and bad things about being on the show.

TyraLene: Did you watch the original Survivor show?
Nick Brown: I didn't start watching it until after I applied, but I caught all the repeats that they showed during the Olympics.

MadAdder: Nick, who do you think you compare to the most from the first Survivor?
Nick Brown: I don't know if I compare to anybody from the first show. I really don't like the fact that everyone tries to compare me to Gervase because our personalities are opposite. I don't think anyone from the first show can be fairly compared to anyone from the second show - we're a completely different cast altogether.

Survivor_Karah: Your bio says that you are a student. How did you handle leaving school for so long?
Nick Brown: I just took a semester off from law school, so now I'm just going to graduate a semester behind.

Viper: Nick, after all is said and done, do you regret playing the game with a "silent" treatment?
Nick Brown: I wasn't as silent as it seems when you watch the show. I think I just have a more subtle sense of humor-but the strategy worked really well for me. All the louder, more aggressive personalities from my tribe got kicked off way before I did.

BiGGDoGG4Amber: What are you doing now that Survivor is over? I heard you are back at Harvard?
ohsmom: What do you think you will do now? Any job prospects?
Nick Brown: I'm back at school full-time until May, and this summer I'm just going to try and see what type of opportunities come my way. I've been modeling for a couple years and I definitely want to do more of that. I've been getting more opportunities to take advantage of modeling.

Who_will_win: What type of law do you plan to practice? What, if any, impact will your Survivor experiences have on your future career in law?
Nick Brown: After law school I'm going to spend some time in the army JAG corps as an army attorney. After that I may get into private practice, or may not work as an attorney at all. I'm not sure how being on Survivor will affect my law career other than giving me a lot more name recognition.

alaskaboy: Nick- are you treated like a celebrity now, or was it easy to slip into anonymity?
Survivor_Karah: Do people treat you like a celebrity now- asking for autographs, pictures, etc?
Nick Brown: I get treated like a celebrity sometimes, depending on where you go. It definitely has its benefit to be recognized from a TV show. I get requests for autographs and pictures a lot really, just depending on where I am and how big of a fan people are.

ilovelis: Nick, do you watch the show and read what people have to say in chat rooms and on the website? What do you think about what you hear people saying?
Nick Brown: Yeah, I watch the show and I search the Internet sites all the time, and I think that I get a lot of good things and I get a lot of bad things. There are people on some sites who bash me for being lazy and then there are people on my Yahoo! fan club who like me a lot and say I'm their favorite Survivor. So it's a mixed bag.

CBS_Moderator: We have been chatting with Nick Brown. Thank you for being here, Nick! Any final comments?
Nick Brown: It was a great experience. I would do it all again in a heartbeat and I want to thank everybody for watching me and supporting me and I hope they continue to watch the show - it should be good!

CBS_Moderator: Thanks for joining us, everyone! Tune in to all-new Survivor on Thursday at 8PM ET/PT only on CBS. And don't forget to check www.survivor.cbs.com for all the latest Survivor info. See ya next time!

Pete: You were the Best Nick!!!
TyraLene: You're the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
me: Nick - Good Luck to you!
JAT: Thanks for all the fun times, Nick ---you're my hero!
S3Wannabe: Nick-you're the coolest!!
Roo: Hi Nick, too bad you didn't win
paulhogan: You're a Saint, Nick! All the best!
LittleBear: Bye Nick. I was glad to see a fellow Washingtonian on Survivor!
TinaFan: Goodbye Nick! Best wishes to ya buddy :)
Ascarel: Bye Nick! We love you!
TyraLene: Kucha rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brooke: Superb play Nicky!!Bye
elisabethrules: Nick you da bomb!
TyraLene: Nick, you were awsome in the Outback! Best of luck in your studies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rianna: Bye Nick you are the greatest!!!
Fish_Bait: Hi Nick!!! Good Luck!!
Daphne: I love U! Nick!
Nick_is_God: Nick, be my lawyer when you get your degree!
Tobin: Bye Nick, Good Luck with EVERYTHING!!!
sands: Good Job! Nick
TyraLene: We love you here in Canada! You played well, Good luck in your studies!!!!!!!!!!!!
karina: Best of luck Nick!! Spelman Grad!!
amber_is_next_to_go: WE LOVE YOU NICK, YOU DID A GREAT JOB HUN! YOU WENT REALLY FAR! WE ARE PROUD OF YA HERE IN GEORGIA!
Jeffys_Gal: Bye Nick! Thank you for taking the time to talk to us!
colby_will_win: You were the greatest Nick!
elisabethrules: Nick we love you!

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