Survivor's First Castoff: Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

"Sugar" Kiper, the first Heroes vs. Villains eliminee, dishes on Tribal Council, boys and betrayal

If you were part of last night's record-breaking Survivor audience of 14.2 million viewers—the largest audience for the long-running reality hit since 2007—you know the knockout punches it delivered felled more than one victim.

After you catch up on all the action in our Survivor Insider recap, get in here for our exclusive interview with the first torch-snuffing casualty from Heroes vs. Villains...

Q&A with Jessica "Sugar" Kiper

Sugar shared her story—without shedding a single tear—with us this morning about her experience with the Heroes (hmph)...and what it was like to watch the edited version last night of her all-too-brief adventure.

Did you suspect you might be the first one voted off?
Yeah, I kind of felt like I was DOA since I arrived. I'm weaker when it comes to challenges. And unless you have a really strong alpha male to keep you through the first half...you're going to go—unless all the weak girls and possibly weak boys team up and get out the stronger players, which is dumb in the beginning because you need to win challenges. I actually did go in trying to win. Maybe that's where I messed up. Maybe I should've tried not to win like I did the first time.

Did you try to form an alliance right away?
A little bit beforehand [prior to filming], everybody is texting and stuff, "Are you on it? Did you test?" I thought that I had a few alliances, not like strong bonds, [but] friends whom I could get together with. That did not happen...I know what happened, and I can't say, but I'm fine with the edit that I got. I must be really bad at puzzles. [Abrupt silence.]

Why did they blame you though? There were four people attempting to solve the puzzle.
I must be really bad at puzzles. [Abrupt silence.] That's the way that is.

Did the Colby situation have anything to do with your elimination, or was that just editing too?
Oh, hell no! That was just edited to show something...If they want to make me look like Jerri No. 2, that is totally fine with me. Still it's embarrassing...I'm actually not even attracted to Colby in the slightest.

Was there anyone on the tribe who really rubbed you the wrong way?
Yes, but I'm going to keep my mouth shut...I really didn't trust anyone at all. At one point Cirie came up to me and said something, and I was like "What? I don't trust any of y'all fools. Don't talk to me—I don't believe you."

Although apparently, watching last night's edit, I should've started ganging up with her. Maybe I should've been with the "gangsta in the Oprah suit"! I laughed so hard when she said that—it was a really good line.

What do you think Cirie's chances are?
She doesn't have too long, unless she gets with someone who's really weak or someone wants to save her because they think they'll win against her in the end. It could be anybody, because these people are sly...like Tom or someone ridiculous, someone who's running around calling the shots—which they did not show.

Do you think everyone on your tribe deserves to be called a Hero?
No. And I definitely don't think everyone on the Villains tribe are villains. I think we're all both. If there were a Crazy team, maybe me and Coach could've been on the same team and then we'd have been riding it out together. I mean they could've had four different teams: Normal, Crazies, People Who Think They're Heroes and People Who Think They're Villains.

Would you do Survivor again if you were asked?
Yeah, if they had the Crazies and the Normal season. Then yeah, because I'll be amongst my compadres.

Would your strategy be any different?
No. I can read up on Samoa, but unless you're literally sleeping outside your own home in the rain, there's no way of getting ready for that.

What about fire? That was so awesome seeing Rob build the fire last night.
We didn't know they built a fire! [The Villains tribe] made it seem like things were way harder off. They totally fooled us on that one. And way to go, Boston Rob!

He's such a stud. Sorry, we're such huge fans of Boston Rob.
Seriously. I am too now! Like [building fire] is hard enough as it is, but in that atmosphere it was so wet. Where did they find dry wood? It was so hard for us to find dry wood, and we had a flint. That was really amazing.