Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
When I first saw it, I felt I got the cruelest, harshest edit ever, says Billy.
But the former heavy-metal loving wrestler eventually realized that the entire ordeal was actually a blessing in disguise.
Monty Brinton/CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images
Now I look back and understand that it was maybe one of the most memorable edits ever.
You have to have very thick skin to get that edit and still show your face atSurvivorevents.
I think most people could not have handled it the way I have.
My elimination took on a life of its own.
Some past players have found their harsh edits to be more than they can handle.
I’ve shined my brightest since the edit I got aired.
I’ve earned a lot of street cred with otherSurvivorplayers because of how I’ve handled it.
And he shows that strength and sense of humor throughout his Quarantine Questionnaire.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, give the update as to what youve been up to since appearing onSurvivor.
BILLY GARCIA:I’ve stayed busy with my band, Forsakken.
We’ve released two albums and are working on our third.
We have a new lead singer, which is exciting.
The exposure of my time onSurvivorhas helped my music career, as most would imagine.
I think the main boost has been with album sales.
The charity is easily the top thing I didn’t expect to come from my time on the show.
But I’m glad.
I wouldn’t trade any of the charity work I’ve done for anything.
So, between the band and the charity, eventually that left no time for my pro wrestling career.
I believe that it’s probably for the best.
Pro wrestling is painful.
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
I even told a couple of tribemates that I’d rather die out there than quit.
There has been a slew of quitters since I’ve played.
It’s not easy out there.
I try my best not to be too judgmental of those that tapped out.
But I’m proud that I held my ground and didn’t throw in the towel.
My proudest “out of game” moment is how well I’ve representedSurvivorby being super fan friendly.
Fans are the life blood ofSurvivor.Without them,Survivordoesn’t exist.
By being so fan friendly I feel like I’ve made a contribution toSurvivorafter my time.
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperience?
I like to live life with no regrets.
Of course, there are things I could have done better.
But everything happens for a reason.
I’m sure that there would be some sort of trade-off.
You know, that butterfly effect thingy.
I’ll admit that I worried more about the TV showSurvivorthan I did the game Survivor.
But that was the era I was in.
I was expected to be a big character by the powers that be.
I guess I could’ve ignored them and focused more on game play and got farther.
But that’s not a regret.
That’s experience gained.
Wow, where to begin.
I don’t blame anyone for it.
I’ve never sent lawyers after anyone or thrown a tantrum over it.
I view it as bad luck.
The platform dipped and some of the kerosene spilled on my backside.
Well, a part of the ladder disassembled and that halted my assent.
Cristina didn’t notice and kept climbing.
She ended up lighting my kerosene-drenched shorts on fire.
I remember Jeff Probst yelling “Billy’s on fire!
He’s engulfed in flames!”
I didn’t even scream.
My reaction was “that figures.”
Maybe that reaction didn’t make good television.
Maybe they were worried about legal issues.
Or maybe that didn’t fit the narrative of the story they were telling.
I don’t know why it wasn’t shown.
I could have quit and everyone would have understood.
I’m proud I played on and made no excuses.
Cristina has apologized profusely since then.
She’s such a good person, I feel more for her than I do for myself.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
When I first saw it, I felt I got the cruelest, harshest edit ever.
Now I look back and understand that it was maybe one of the most memorable edits ever.
You have to have very thick skin to get that edit and still show your face atSurvivorevents.
I think most people could not have handled it the way I have.
My elimination took on a life of its own.
Some past players have found their harsh edits to be more than they can handle.
I’ve shined my brightest since the edit I got aired.
I’ve earned a lot of street cred with otherSurvivorplayers because of how I’ve handled it.
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
When I first arrived home, my family noticed how quiet I was.
They speculated a lot about what I might have witnessed or what might had happened to me.
Maybe it was a little of both.
I don’t know.
But I bounced back after a few days.
you’ve got the option to’t keep me contained for too long.
I am so glad that I was onSurvivor.It’s a gift that keeps on giving.
I’ve met so many wonderful people and have done so much good with the charity work.
It’s as crazy as it sounds.
I’m part of this over the top fraternity/family.
I have friends of literally every walk of life.
And I’ve made some money along the way.
Regret being onSurvivor?Never!
Puey on that thought.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?
Cristina and I are great friends.
She’s such a cool person who shares my fondness for charity work.
She’s so generous with her time and is so fan friendly.
Cristina is a hero for more than just her time as a police officer.
Cao Boi and I have stayed friends as well.
He’s cut from a different cloth too, so we relate to one another a lot.
Stephannie and I also have stayed in touch and see each other at events as well.
That’s my top three.
It was great catching up and reliving the experience.
We did not argue.
There was no animosity.
I’m not surprised.
Our season had some very wonderful people in it.
I lucked out being a cast member ofCook Islands.
Do you still watchSurvivor,and if so, whats your favorite season you were not on and why?
I never miss an episode.
I’ve watched every season.
My favorite season isHeroes vs. Villains.It has so many of my favorite players on that season.
It was a high-level game with great character arcs.
Season 20 would be a season I would show non-fans to convert them.
It’s a theme that should be repeated someday.
Maybe for season 50?
Whos one player from anotherSurvivorseason you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I wish I would have played with Phillip Sheppard, The Specialist.
He was such a fun character to watch.
His antics were over the top and super memorable.
And he somehow managed to balance that with game play.
That is something I wished I would have mastered when I played.
Phillip made the most of his time on the show.
I would have loved to have been a part of Stealth R US.
I wonder what code name I would have gotten.
Maybe Six String or something like that.
Can you imagine me and Phillip on the same tribe?
That would be pure comedy gold.
Tell me I’m wrong.
I could have fallen in love with the bushido code.
Or did he call it the booshoodoo code?
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor,what would it be and why?
I know I’m a big character.
That’s what got me cast on the show in the first place.
So I naturally want to root for the big characters.
But we dont get the time devoted to developing their story arcs like before.
I would balance the edit of characters arcs and game play a little better.
What madeSurvivorsuch a big mainstream hit in its early days was that it showcased its characters.
I understand that the hardcore fans love seeing the strategic game.
But sometimes I wish that we would see more people stuff so that I could be more emotionally invested.
Maybe its time forSurvivorto go to 90-minute episodes so that theres enough time for both.
Im probably just coming up with an excuse for moreSurvivor.Ha.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
Hell yes I would play again.
When do we leave?
I’ve got 20 more of these tribal skull t-shirts ready to go.
My prize isn’t the million dollars.
My prize is that I fell in love.
Her name isSurvivor!Ha.
