Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
I went on the show not admitting to being gay, says Mitchell.
So I just stuck firm during the auditions.
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
CBS told me numerous times, The press will call you gay.
The fans will call you gay.
David Letterman and Howard Stern will call you gay, says Mitchell.
And I guess I thought Id take my chances.
And I truly started crying.
I wanted to crawl in a hole.
I didnt know what to do.
It was mortifying for me, says Mitchell.
It was a very difficult time of my life.
You want the inside scoop?
Mitchell is ready to deliver in hisSurvivorQuarantine Questionnaire.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, give the update as to what youve been up to since appearing onSurvivor.
MITCHELL OLSON: I lived in NYC when I auditioned and filmed the show.
I stuck around for at least 13 years.
I even did a lot of temp work with some really amazing people and media sources.
So I moved back to rural S.D.
I met my husband about a year later.
One that I never thought would ever be an option for the first 40 years of my life.
My husband Mark and I live in an awesome four bedroom on a lake.
That being said, they adore us, and they love us, and they truly are the best.
I do a couple of those events every month.
Of course, I do them gratis.
Theres an app and anyone can listen around the world.
I also do a similar segment on the local ABC and NBC affiliate.
(I do help out CBS when the opportunity presents itself.
But, ironically the other affiliates brought me in.)
Anyway, that keeps me super busy, and as some would say relevant to a certain degree.
I also have created and am the president of many local festivals.
I love planning stuff like that.
So, all in all, its nothing exciting.
But, in my little world of the 200k residents in Sioux Falls S.D.
It makes me feel completely content, in every way.
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
That made me feel great.
I guess thats not a great answer.
And if youre looking for something scandalous and juicy??
I have no shame sharing further.
My CBS contract 2 decades after the show is fairly loose and weak.
So, Im not afraid to share actual events.
Even the ones they said I could never share.
So, this isnt like the juiciest thing ever, but its something I was proud of.
She was totally on board.
So we discussed who we would choose to be part of our alliance and why.
We chose Amber first, because she would listen to us.
We chose Tina next, because she seemed to have nothing to lose.
So I felt super confident.
And after talking to Tina and Colby we felt confident that they would go along with it too.
So that was a proud moment for me.
Starting the alliance that eventually fell apart, but for a while, it worked famously.
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperience?
Every single Survivor can pinpoint the exact moment they Fd up and it cost them the game.
We all know when it happened, and we all regret it.
But, it happened.
Ill give you two quick examples.
She was useless from that moment on.
Colby had to carry her.
None of us were more angry until after that challenge.
You want to know my biggest regret.
There was no discussion.
We (the alliance) were all voting for Keith.
So, when the camera crews pulled aside to ask who we were voting for?
The answer was the same: Keith.
Our alliance was Me, Jerri, Amber, Tina, and Colby.
Vote one was easy.
We all hated Kel.
He would oddly creep on us while we slept, and we just never trusted him.
And we all agreed.
So, basically we all nominated ourselves, Throw out a vote for me?
But we just needed the majority to pick her.
(This becomes important later, because, with my permission, Keith tossed a vote at me.)
So my biggest regret!
(OMG, Dalton, youre beginning to wish you had never asked me to do this.
Ill be quicker.)
One vote for me (from Keith).
But he was hanging toward the front.
And helping get people down these cliffs and over these rivers.
I just could NOT get him alone.
When normally it was just us.
So finally, halfway through this walk of being ignored, I caught up to him.
Youre not being yourself, and neither is Tina.
So, whats up?
Keith is strong physically.
We keep losing challenges.
And I was mortified!
And I said, We are not voting off Amber tonight!
And then Colby said, Okay, thats fine.
Then lets vote for Jerri?
And again, I emotionally and aggressively turned that option down.
I explained, Tina, Colby, Im just not turning on them in the 11th hour.
We can see Tribal Council from here.
This isnt something Im switching my mind on an hour before that vote.
We gotta stick to the plan!
And that plan is Keith.
And they both looked at me.
And then jokingly said, Maybe if you wont bend, we vote for you?
And we laughed, but it did make me uneasy.
So to say I walked into that Tribal Council feeling safe is a lie.
But I completely felt we were still on the same page.
I knew Amber and Jerri could end up on the chopping block.
But, all in all, we felt strong with our original alliance.
Lets just vote off Keith like we planned and move on!
Well… that brings me to your next question.
So,[Jeff] Probstspoke with us for about an hour.
(Most people think Tribal Council lasts around 1 hour.
But its more like 3-4 hours).
Well, its time to vote.
Colby, youre up first!
And Colby went to vote.
Okay, keep in mind he was the only one to vote so far!
Then Probst said, Mitchell, youre up next.
So, I walk up to vote.
(Quick side note.
They will not hear you.
But there are about 200 cameras, PAs, Sound guys, assistants, makeup, costumers, etc.
200 people watching this vote live.
Most people dont know that.)
I then opened that Tribal-esque canister to put in my vote for Keith.
Devastating is the understatement of a lifetime.
I was in utter shock.
There was nothing I could do but to look at that vote for about 5 mins.
Cuz I was just so stunned.
Remember, you fold the vote, and stuck it in the box.
He placed it inside folded side down, so it was open and my name was clear as day!
I went back, tears in my eyes.
Jerri leaned over and asked what was wrong.
And I said Its me!
Colby voted for me!
And I remember her saying, We will kick his ass out next time!
And I was like, I dont think we have a next time, this is it for me.
And then I knew for sure it was me.
It was a bit strange because CBS wasn’t aware what to do in the event of a tie.
They never shared that lack of protocol with us.
Well, it went exactly the same.
So we sat for another very awkward hour and finally they came up with a make-shift plan.
Probst said: We are deadlocked.
I know Keith voted for me during the Mad Dog Vote cuz we told him to.
We didnt want to hurt her feelings.
So, I raised my hand, I had one previous vote.
And Jeff said then its you.
And he put out my torch.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
This is no slam to the editors.
Its actually a compliment.
If they wanted to make me say the most bizarre things, they could somehow make me say that.
I was reality show naive before I got into this, so I learned quickly.
If you want to know how I felt.
I was presented as boring, a follower, someone who did almost nothing to help physically or strategically.
And I think that’s inaccurate.
But, would I ever blame them?
Pick what works the best.
No worries on my end.
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
As you know, I worked as a temp atEntertainment Weeklymagazine long before my audition withSurvivor.Which was pure coincidence.
My family was sworn to secrecy (contractually), and I stayed as tight-lipped as I could.
In terms of culture or society?
I was very hungry.
We often talked about Taco Bell in the outback.
So, I did partake in that a lot, and I gained a ton of weight.
But I lost 35 lbs on the show.
So it wasnt tough gaining that back!
Overall, not really.
Im so happy I didnt do it during social media.
But it was at the cusp of websites and chat rooms.
And those were difficult to look at and hear people say things about you that werent true.
And, like an idiot, I would fight them back on their post.
But nowadays Ive learned its better for the mental health to just ignore it.
As you may know, I went on the show not admitting to being gay.
So I just stuck firm during the auditions.
And CBS told me numerous times, The press will call you gay.
The fans will call you gay.
David Letterman and Howard Stern will call you gay.
And I guess I thought Id take my chances.
And I truly started crying.
I wanted to crawl in a hole.
I didnt know what to do.
And many other media outlets went with that.
And it was mortifying for me.
But…you know.
Anyway, it was a very difficult time of my life.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?
Easy: Although I fear you want me to list them in order from my season.
And so, I will list them in order from all seasons.
Again, Im sitting a bunch.
But this is a good start.
Do you still watchSurvivor,and if so, whats your favorite season you were not on and why?
I do not watch the current seasons ofSurvivor.My folks do, my friends do.
I know exactly whats going on.
But, in a very weird way, after living it, it is very hard to watch it.
So, I just catch highlights.
Whos one player from anotherSurvivorseason you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I adore all of season 1.
So, truly any of them.
I also love Sierra Dawn.
Weve met many times, and we would be great.
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor,what would it be and why?
I hate the hidden idols.
I didnt play it that way, So, I would cut that part.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
For many years I said no.
But recently, I feel like Ive lived a much fuller life.
