Exclusive: 'Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance' runner-up Spencer Bledsoe talks (Part 1)

Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance declared Jeremy Collins the winner of its $1 million grand prize over Spencer Bledsoe and Tasha Fox during Wednesday night's finale on CBS.


Spencer, who previously competed on Survivor: Cagayan, was beaten by Jeremy in a unanimous jury vote. Jeremy received all 10 votes, while Spencer and Tasha both earned none.

Kelley Wentworth finished the game in fourth place, Keith Nale finished in fifth, and Kimmi Kappenberg landed in sixth place.

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

Reality TV World: You said during last night's reunion show you figured you had a "zero percent chance of winning." What votes do you think you had going into Tribal and were you surprised you didn't end up with at least one?


Spencer Bledsoe: Going into Tribal, I thought I had a chance for sure. I didn't really have a read on the jury. They were stone-face up until that point, but I thought I had a case to make, Jeremy had a case to make. I thought I could win; I thought he could win.

As Tribal went on, I started to realize that it was much more likely the latter. And yeah, after Tribal, I thought, "Maybe I got a vote or two." But I definitely had no delusions of winning.

Reality TV World: I want to know what was really going through your mind when Jeremy announced his wife Val Collins is pregnant at the Final Tribal. It's hard to believe you were thinking, "Oh golly gosh, I'm so happy for him," (laughs) because you had to know people who were on the fence with their vote were probably going to lean his way after that.

Spencer Bledsoe: (Laughs) There was that part that's like, "Wow." I was just in shock. I mean, that's huge. That's a crazy thing that Val was pregnant on the loved ones visit. It was actually mind-blowing.

But then, yes, I absolutely realized it's probably not good for my chances of winning. They already weren't that great at that point. And, yeah, I was pretty sure after that, you know, that I was losing. But I thought I was going to lose even before that as well.


Reality TV World: Did you at any point think Tasha was going to get any votes?

Spencer Bledsoe: I actually didn't. I think that [Kass McQuillen] being the first juror really hurt Tasha. Kass had, like, just a seething venom for Tasha. And I think that kind of set the tone and there was a lot of bitterness towards Tasha. It wasn't really shown, but there was a lot of bitterness towards me and a lot of bitterness towards Tasha.

Reality TV World: Stephen Fishbach tweeted last night that Wentworth would've won the game had Jeremy gotten rid of you. And you were once arguing that until you were blue in the face. Did you really mean it at the time, or does Fishbach's opinion surprise you?

Spencer Bledsoe: Yeah, I believed it! So Fishbach's comment didn't surprise me. I think it could've been close, I mean, I would've voted for Jeremy for sure, but I think it could've been close. It just seemed like based on how things went and how people went out, Wentworth was friends with all the people who were going out.

[Ciera Eastin], [Abi-Maria Gomes], Kass, [Joe Anglim]. It really seemed like -- I couldn't see how she wouldn't get those votes just because she really liked those people in the game, and when they went out, she didn't do anything bad to them.


She was like me in Cagayan. I wasn't in control, but people on the jury liked me because I did them no wrong and I was their friend as they were voted out. And I think I had a good shot to win Cagayan because of that.

Reality TV World: If you had won the final Immunity Challenge, would you have actually taken Jeremy and Tasha to the end?

Spencer Bledsoe: Absolutely not. I would've voted Jeremy out. Yeah. I was sort of banking on that at Final 5. Hindsight being 20/20, I think I was done at that point because Wentworth would've beaten me as well, but I would've chosen to lose to Wentworth -- not Jeremy. I would've taken my shot against her because I think Jeremy was really playing the best game.

Reality TV World: Before Kimmi flipped on your alliance and voted Jeremy, were you being truthful to Kimmi about her definitely NOT being fourth in your alliance?

Spencer Bledsoe: Yeah, totally! Because Jeremy and Tasha were not my ideal Final 3 until it got to the situation where I felt like it was the only way I would make the Final 3.


It seemed like if they went out at six or one of them went out at five, I would be going out behind them next. So, I was being truthful to Kimmi. At that point, I would've been happy going to the end with Kimmi, Keith, possibly Tasha. Certainly not Jeremy and ideally not Kelley Wentworth.

Reality TV World: If Keith had whipped out that fake hidden Immunity Idol during the Tribal he went home, whom do you think would've fallen for it? Do you think you personally would have been duped?

Spencer Bledsoe: Probably. (Laughs) I'd like to say I'm smarter but I think I would've fallen for it. I mean, I don't know, that idol looked different! That's an easy thing to sell. Man, I was shocked he didn't. If I had been Keith, it would definitely be something I'd try.

Reality TV World: How much do you think your little speech swayed Jeremy's vote when he needed to decide whether to keep you or Wentworth? Do you think he already had his mind made up?

Spencer Bledsoe: Yeah. He already had his mind made up. He was voting for Kelley. I think he made it seem like he was more up in the air because he knew I could only hurt myself by talking more and more about it. So, I think he just very smartly let me dig a grave there.


Reality TV World: Do you have any regrets about things you said during those last couple of Tribal Councils? I know people accused you of coming across arrogant and that could be because you sort of suggested you could manipulate the jury into all voting for Wentworth to win because you deemed her most deserving.

Spencer Bledsoe: I certainly didn't say I could manipulate the whole jury into voting for Wentworth, but I think it was taken that way.

Reality TV World: Exactly. I wondered if you had offended the jury without realizing it or meaning to.

Spencer Bledsoe: Yeah, I think what I said was that I was going to spend all my energy making sure she won, and yeah, that was the wrong way to put it. Absolutely. I should have said, "I will vote for her and I think she'll win." And I should've left it at that. I just got carried away and I was focused on the fear of getting voted out more than the eyes on the prize of winning.

Reality TV World: I want to ask you about your relationship with Kass. Did you guys sort of play up your hate or contempt for another for the cameras? I just don't recall there being SO much tension between you guys following your first season. Was that all genuine?

Spencer Bledsoe: Yeah, no, it was genuine. Nothing was played up. In and outside of the game, nothing was fake. We absolutely were at each other's throats and had resentment at times. I think we're past that. I mean, are we close friends? No. But we're not mortal enemies.


Reality TV World: You think you'll take her up on that offer to go out for a beer? (Laughs)

Spencer Bledsoe: Ehh, no. I think I would've preferred her vote to a beer, but, (laughs) I can respect her voting for Jeremy. I think he played the best game, so I'm okay with it.

Check back with Reality TV World soon for the concluding portion of Spencer's exclusive Survivor interview.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski