Exclusive: 'Survivor: San Juan del Sur -- Blood vs. Water' eliminee Jeremy Collins talks (Part 2)

Survivor: San Juan del Sur -- Blood vs. Water's merged Huyopa tribe eliminated Jeremy Collins during Wednesday night's ninth episode of the CBS reality competition's 29th season. 
 
Jeremy, a 36-year-old firefighter from Foxboro, MA, was voted out of his Huyopa tribe on Night 24 at the season's eighth Tribal Council. Jeremy's loved one this season, Val Collins, was voted out of the game at the second Tribal Council session on Night 6.


In an exclusive interview with Reality TV World on Thursday, Jeremy talked about his Survivor blindside. Below is the concluding portion. Click here to read the first half of his interview.

Reality TV World: Were you surprised Missy Payne was so willing to go along with Jon Misch's plan so easily?

Jeremy Collins: Yeah, I don't see where that benefits Missy at all either. Missy was the one that was with me right from the beginning, we voted off [Drew Christy], so like, we're all together. I talked to Missy every other day, I think, secretly. And we said, "Alright, this is the plan. We're all set." Boom! And then we would leave each other.

So I don't know why she thought it was a smart decision to get rid of me now when, like, I'm a single. I'm a loose vote. There's no logical explanation for it. I just don't get it. I really don't understand it.


Reality TV World: Had Natalie Anderson and yourself gone into the Reward Challenge planning to give up your win to Jon and Jaclyn Schultz if that turned out to be the case, or was that just a spur-of-the-moment decision?

Jeremy Collins: We talked about doing something for them. We didn't know exactly what we were going to do, but she was like, you know, "I want to give it up." And when she gave it up, I said, "We gotta do it. We're a team. We want to bring them in and make them feel comfortable."

And I think that that was the best move at the time, to really play at their heartstrings and give them a date, you know what I mean? If we give them a date, then Jaclyn is onboard 100%, you know what I mean?

Reality TV World: Do you think the fact you did give away your Reward played any role in their decision to flip on you, like, maybe it made them view you as more of a strategic player and a bigger threat than before?

Jeremy Collins: I don't see that at all. I mean, then again, if it was me by myself, maybe you could've made that argument. But now you have -- there's two of us. What, are you going to go after both of us now?!


Reality TV World: That was the other thing I was going to ask. You've mentioned quite a few times about how you were a "single" in the game, but you and Natalie kind of came across like two peas in a pod. Do you think the perception of you was actually being in a tight alliance with Natalie -- almost to the point where they'd see you as a couple, one vote?

Jeremy Collins: No, everybody knew that me and Nat were together. Everybody knew it. I mean, I wanted to tell everybody, like, "Listen, I know it's loved ones and everything, but basically, that's my sister. So we're in tandem right now," you know what I mean? "So we both gave up the Reward, so now you're going to go after both of us?"

And it's so early in the game. So it's six to four. You take out your other strong man, so now it's five to four and you just showed Natalie that you're at the bottom now. So Natalie, who gets along with everybody, can jump ship and now you just lost your numbers because you wanted to take me out too early.

Reality TV World: We didn't really see Baylor Wilson's reaction to Jon's idea to vote you off or even Jon discussing it much with Jaclyn, who has seemed to come across as the decision-maker between the two of them. What are your thoughts on that? Do you think they were both immediately onboard with the idea, and if so, does that surprise you?

Jeremy Collins: Yeah, I think that when one person says, "Let's do this," and all you have to get is one more person onboard, that's what's so tough about this Blood vs. Water thing. One person can get four votes so fast and not really do much.


It's unfortunate that I got stuck with it, but I mean, it's not even great gameplay. There's no way that Jon is able to get me out right now if this is straight-up Survivor. He's not going to get the votes right now.

Reality TV World: Last night's episode had shown Reed Kelly trying to save himself by attempting to get your alliance to vote for Keith Nale, but then he ended up voting for you himself, and we never saw his alliance bringing him in on the plan to vote you off. Do you think that's what happened or was it just some coincidence that Reed voted for you?

Jeremy Collins: Reed went to them. Reed went to Jon and Missy and said, "We need to get out Jeremy." And at that point in the game, it's not a great strategic move, because Reed is in on every decision to try to go after the singles. Now you're a single because [Josh Canfield] is gone, Reed. But you still decide to go with a single?! Like, there's no logic in it at all.

Nat and I were talking to Reed and telling him, "Relax. Calm down. It's not a play for you. Don't worry." And Reed is really spastic when he's playing this game without Josh. So, you can't really go at him and tell him the whole plan, because he's, like, wild.

He plays really erratic, so we just gave him a little bit and I said, "I can't tell you the whole story right now, Reed, but don't worry because you're all set." And if he just listened to me and chilled out, he could've jumped onboard with Nat and I.


Reality TV World: So do you think that Jon, Jaclyn, Missy and Baylor now view Reed as a new ally and consider that to be a new genuine five-person alliance?

Jeremy Collins: No, I think that they just used him. I think they used him for the vote and that's about it. I think Reed now can jump back and forth. You know, if he wants to go with them, he could try it, but I don't think they'll take him. And he can always go back. But, then again, you just played Natalie, so Natalie can go. The game can change right now.

Reality TV World: Do you think you would've gone home two episodes earlier if Julie McGee hadn't quit or what do you think was going to unfold that night?

Jeremy Collins: Yeah, it was going to be me. These guys were after me, which again, is a bad move by Jon. To leave the alliance that he's been [strong] with to jump and go with Coyopa's alliance that you have no connection with -- and that Jaclyn has no connection with -- it doesn't make any sense at all. But he was going to do it, so.

Click here to read the first half of Jeremy Collins' exclusive interview with Reality TV World.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski