Exclusive: 'Survivor: Cagayan -- Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty' castoff Morgan McLeod talks (Part 1)

Survivor: Cagayan -- Brawn vs. Brains vs. Beauty's merged Solarrion tribe voted out Morgan McLeod during Wednesday night's broadcast of the CBS reality series' 28th edition. 
 
Morgan, a 21-year-old former NFL cheerleader from San Jose, CA, was voted out of her Solarrion tribe at the season's eighth Tribal Council session, which marked the second time Solarrion had attended Tribal together.


Morgan was voted out of the game because none of the members in the majority alliance flipped. Kassandra "Kass" McQuillen appeared to be the only person willing to jump ship, but she and Morgan really disliked each other.

In an exclusive interview with Reality TV World on Thursday, Morgan talked about her Survivor experience. Below is the first half of Morgan's interview. Check back with us soon for the concluding portion.

Reality TV World: So had you thought you were in danger going into Tribal Council, like what had you thought was going to happen? Were you surprised to be voted off?

Morgan McLeod: No, I really was not surprised. I had been preparing myself all day for probably the reality that I was going home, and so I think that's why my reaction was just kind of like, "Okay," like, "I knew this was coming." I didn't cry or was stunned like several other people this season, because I just kind of knew.


Reality TV World: How did you know? Because like Jeff Probst pointed out, you didn't seem to be the obvious choice to be the vote target?

Morgan McLeod: I just kind of knew because Kass made irrational choices and she didn't like that I, you know, made her feel uncomfortable and that I upset her. And she didn't want me around anymore and it really wasn't a strategic move on their part.

They could've -- they should've voted someone else out that was a power player that could've won the million dollars, but they chose me. And I think [Tony Vlachos] wanting to vote me out, he knew that Kass was a little unpredictable, and he knew with me around, it made her insane and it made her go crazy.

So he just wanted me gone to kind of calm down Kass and make her feel comfortable so he could kind of guide her and mold her into voting and being his follower.

Reality TV World: When Jeremiah Wood asked you whom your alliance should vote for, you immediately said Kass and then Spencer Bledsoe interrupted and suggested maybe Tony instead. What was going through your mind at that point? Because it's been questioned whether gunning for Kass would've been a strategic move as well.


Morgan McLeod: Right, and I think I just said it immediately because I was just so mad at her still. I was just like, "Let's get her out." I was, you know, we had approached people -- Latasha "Tasha" Fox and I had approached LJ McKanas, we had approached Tony, and we were like, "Come on. Is there anything we can do? Can we change up these alliances?"

And they had turned us down, so we all just sat down and I was feeling really defeated. We were like, "One of us is getting voted out tonight and there's nothing we can do about it." I think I even said, like, "Our votes aren't even going to count."

I was so, just, defeated. And I just wanted Kass to see her name on that card, but you know, Spencer being the smart guy he is, he's like, "No, let's do Tony. We can try to get someone else. We can try to get Kass -- as much as we hate her -- let's just try to coax her back in."

Reality TV World: Had Spencer shared that conversation with Kass in which he had tried to convince her to flip back with you guys or were you unaware of that?

Morgan McLeod: Oh no, we knew. We all knew. And he was like, "Morgan, come on. Be nice to her; Just say you're sorry." And I was like, "No, I'm not going to get on my hands and knees and beg for her forgiveness and say I'm sorry. That's just not who I am." And, you know, it cost me going home, but I think I have a little dignity left. I'm glad that I didn't beg for her forgiveness.


Reality TV World: Did you have any idea Spencer had found the hidden Immunity Idol, or did he keep that a secret from your alliance?

Morgan McLeod: Ah, man. Gosh, it was so long ago. I'm pretty sure we knew. I just had no idea that he did it right in front of Kass, and so I was just laughing and like cheering him on last night, because Kass was specifically told to watch him and she prides herself on being this sly lawyer who never misses anything. And he found an idol right under her nose, (laughs) so that was just great!

Reality TV World: So how did everyone else think the idol search had ended? Did you guys believe someone had found it or did it just kind of fizzle out? Because everyone seemed really frantic for awhile, and although viewers knew Spencer had found it, it didn't seem like anyone else out there had an awareness of it.

Morgan McLeod: I think they definitely continued to look. Tony, he just never lets anything go. He is just always thinking strategy. He barely slept that night, so he was just always up thinking, and you can tell. He's always just paranoid. So he kept continuing to look.

I think that we -- it was just kind of, we all knew that someone had it, and it was just, who? It kind of caused some tension around the camp because it's the idol and we didn't know if it was that special type of hairy idol, whatever it may be. So, it caused some tension.


Reality TV World: Kass said you had never even talked to her during the game. Was that true? Because you did admit you were ignoring her during one of last night's confessional interviews.

Morgan McLeod: No, a complete lie. We absolutely talked and she told me several life stories. I mean, I don't know if they were real stories because she lied to us, saying she was just a stay-at-home mom and a reindeer handler.

But actually, she's a lawyer. She told me all these stories about how she dropped out of college, traveled the world within the armed services and all these crazy stories. I thought that it was -- I was listening, laughing, asking questions -- but I guess that wasn't enough for her. She needed more.

Reality TV World: You said you thought Kass was a "bitter, ugly old lady" who hates you because you're "cuter than her." Was that just frustration, or do you really feel that way?

Morgan McLeod: (Laughs) I was really, really upset. And I was extremely tired and hungry and dehydrated, so I think I was a little harsh. I think I could take out like the ugly and the old. I do think she was a little bitter of a person, but yeah, I mean, I'm not really like that in real life.


I don't think I'm prettier than everyone and I'm just the queen of the world like I was portrayed. I'm normal, I'm down to earth and, you know, unfortunately, people saw me as I exited the show that way. But I think everyone on the island or on the show -- besides Kass -- can vouch for me and say, like, "No, Morgan's a cool person." 
     
Reality TV World: If you don't think Kass' issue with you was based on looks, do you have any idea or a new theory as to why you two seemed to clash as much as you did?

Morgan McLeod: She's just -- she hated [Sarah Lacina] too for reasons, I guess, Sarah had some power and Kass wanted to be the one with all the power in the decision-making. I just, I don't know.

Something I did, something about me, she just did not like. And maybe it was judging a book by its cover, I'm not quite sure. I honestly don't know. She's very erratic, so I mean, I honestly couldn't tell you why she hated me so much.

Reality TV World: Kass compared you to "an old dog" last night. What was your reaction to that? (Laughs)

Morgan McLeod: Oh my gosh, that was hysterical, because everyone who knows me, knows that I'm not just some lazy person that is just waited on hand and foot. I go to school full-time, I work, I've worked since I was 14-years-old, like, I'm not a lazy person. So it was just funny.

Above is the first half of Morgan's exclusive interview with Reality TV World. Check back with us soon for the concluding portion.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski