Exclusive: Michael Snow talks 'Survivor: Caramoan -- Fans vs. Favorites' (Part 2)

Michael Snow, a 44-year-old event planner from New York, was eliminated from Survivor: Caramoan -- Fans vs. Favorites' merged Enil Edam tribe during Wednesday night's ninth episode of the CBS reality series' 26th edition.
 
Michael was voted out of his tribe at the season's ninth Tribal Council, the second time the new Enil Edam tribe had an elimination vote.
 
In an exclusive interview with Reality TV World on Thursday, Michael talked about his Survivor experience. Below is the concluding portion of Michael's interview. Click here to read the first half. 


Reality TV World: Phillip Sheppard made some comments at Tribal Council suggesting someone operating with immunity in his alliance was going to be taken out, and Malcolm Freberg expressed how he thought those comments were definitely about him. Did you interpret Phillip's comments the same way Malcolm had -- that Malcolm was getting voted out of the game?

Michael Snow: Yeah, no, I didn't think they were. I didn't know they were going to switch the votes on Malcolm. I still thought it was going to be [Reynold Toepfer] and [Edward "Eddie" Fox]. I mean, he was obviously going after Malcolm, but you know, it didn't seem like they were going to go after Malcolm during that Tribal Council, like they were talking about switching their vote or anything like that.

It all seemed to me like they were still going after Reynold and Eddie. I mean, because he was talking about Reynold at the same time too. He was calling Reynold out for showing the idol and what a dumb move that was and how great [Dawn Meehan] was for showing him -- all this kind of stuff, so.

Reality TV World: So what was your initial reaction then when Reynold went to go play the idol for himself and Malcolm interrupted and told him to give him the idol? Had you guys ever discussed that scenario as a possibility? It sounds like it was completely out of left field as far as you were concerned.


Michael Snow: Oh it surprised me too, yeah, I mean I knew Reynold should play -- I felt Reynold should play his idol. I was hoping he would and maybe [Andrea Boehlke] would go home, you know? I had no idea that Malcolm was going to jump up.

I was totally surprised by that. And I didn't know -- and even walking away, I didn't know what his motivation was. I didn't have that close enough bond with him to know that he was panicked. I thought that maybe he's the one that screwed me over, maybe he knew something that I didn't know.

Reality TV World: Were you surprised that Reynold decided to actually give it to him? Did you have any doubt in the back of your mind that maybe somehow Malcolm was betraying him? It seemed like obviously a pretty risky, bold move, so what was your reaction when Reynold did give it up?

Michael Snow: No, I wasn't surprised at all. Reynold, he played hard, and he was very generous in the way he played, like he offered me the idol earlier in the day.

And so when Reynold jumped up and said, "I'm in trouble!" that was totally playing into something Reynold wants to do. He wants to help you out. He's a very generous guy. So he was like, "Oh God, Malcolm's in trouble!" And I saw the look on his face and he's like, "Here, take it." To me, it felt like it happened in the moment.


Reality TV World: You said Reynold had offered you the idol earlier in the day? There was a point when he thought you were going home?

Michael Snow: We felt that the target was on us, splitting the vote and getting out the "Fans," you know? So we were talking about it for a couple days -- about what was going to happen, how we could play it, who was going to stir it up. Reynold was stirring -- mixing it up and causing trouble so that we could just get something going on.

And so, when we were talking, he was just like, "I'll give you the idol. I'll help you out. It could be a move to get us further." So he was very generous in that way, but it just wasn't -- I thought it was him and Eddie that were going to get those votes. So it just wasn't in me to be like, "Oh, okay, I'll take the idol." No matter what, I just couldn't do it.

Reality TV World: Did you have any suspicion that Malcolm had the other idol? I know you were close with [Corinne Kaplan]. Did she ever give you any hints about that or anything?

Michael Snow: Nope, she was good. She never told me. I guess that's bad, really, but good for her. I knew somebody had it. I had no idea who had it. Malcolm was on the top of my list of whom might have it, because some of them were just too lazy to go looking for it. But I knew that he was a smart guy and playing hard, so I figured he might have it. But I really had no idea to be honest with you.


Reality TV World: Do you think Malcolm would've played his own idol if Reynold had refused to give him his?

Michael Snow: I don't know! That's a good question. Maybe, maybe he would have. I haven't thought about that. Maybe he would have. I don't think he was like trying to screw Reynold over in that moment.

I think his throw-away vote for Reynold was really just that -- a throw-away vote -- because I felt he was running scared from the "Favorites" at that moment. He didn't have time to figure out what to do. [So] yeah, maybe he would've. You never know.

Reality TV World: But it sounds like you think your plan would've worked if obviously they hadn't kind of gotten a sense of it. And it seems like what the fatal flaw in your plan from watching the episode was when Eddie basically came out and told Andrea you guys were going to be voting for her. Would you agree with that or do you feel otherwise?

Michael Snow: And playing an idol. I don't think they were surprised that Reynold would have the idol, but you know, it kind of confirmed that there was an idol and that ultimately, I think more than anything, was what scared her into going after me.


It's like, they didn't think they would give me the idol. They didn't think we were tight, you know? So I think it was a combination of him talking about the idol and telling Andrea -- along with Dawn. Dawn had a lot to do with it.

Reality TV World: It sounds like you don't think Dawn ever really seriously considered voting with you guys then, right?

Michael Snow: No. No, I mean, it was always, I think, an escape path for her more than anything. I think she did believe she was on the bottom of her alliance. I think she did believe that people didn't want to go with her to the end and that they were afraid she would automatically win the million.

I think she did think that, but you know, I think she still was making a ruthless move because she could. I never got to a place where she actually really considered going with me. So, I don't think she ever really considered it to be honest with you.

Reality TV World: Would you agree that it seems like Andrea is more in charge of things on that side even though it's been presented as Phillip if the figure head -- like Andrea is the power behind the figure head kind of deal?


Michael Snow: I don't give the credit to one person. I really think it's Andrea, Phillip, Dawn, and Cochran really working hard together. I think they're playing a great game.

Reality TV World: It seemed like you guys thought you had Erik Reichenbach on your side up until the Corinne vote when obviously he wasn't playing with you guys. When did you realize he wasn't with you? Was it just when Corinne went home?

Michael Snow: I never established an alliance with Erik. That was via Malcolm and that never came my way. That was down the road at the next vote. I knew it was coming, but I never felt any traction with him.

Above is the concluding portion of Michael's exclusive interview with Reality TV World. Click here to read the first half. 






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski