Yahoo Movies Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire: Jenn Brown says her jury was drunk during Tribal Councils
With season 41 of Survivor delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EW is reaching back into the reality show's past. We sent a Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire to a batch of former players to fill out with their thoughts about their time on the show as well as updates on what they've been up to since. Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
Jenn Brown certainly put on a memorable show as a member of the "No Collar" tribe on Survivor: Worlds Apart, but her most memorable moment may have actually occurred off camera. It all started at the season 30 food auction. "I was absolutely LIT during the auction episode," reveals Jenn. "I drank seven shots of rum in a matter of 20 minutes, had zero food in my stomach, and had been given Nicaraguan narcotic painkillers for another thing an hour before it was filmed. It was meant to come with a ton of steaks to layer the tum with, but I didn't eat them and instead medical was just watching from the sidelines like, 'Oh s---, oh s---, oh s---!'"
As amazing as that is, the true comedic gold seems to have transpired after the auction en route back to the "Merica" tribe camp. Admits Jenn: "I then relentlessly hit on a hot producer I had a massive crush on in the car ride back to camp afterwards."
But the boozy exploits did not stop there! In fact, they only increased after Jenn was voted out on day 27. As Jenn reveals in her Quarantine Questionnaire, the jury was getting full-on wasted before heading off to Tribal Council, and when production tried to take all the booze away, the jury members had to get creative. Read on as Jenn explains all, including why she was so miserable at the end of the game, what she's been up to since, and the legend of the famed "poop idol."
Monty Brinton/CBS Jenn Brown of 'Survivor: Worlds Apart'
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, give the update as to what you've been up to since appearing on Survivor.
JENN BROWN: I've been following my passion for the sea! I moved to Europe to work on the water, first as a chef then as a captain. Mostly in Croatia, but occasionally Greece, Montenegro, and Sardinia as well sailing people around on their holidays. It was truly the best time of my life, working the summers in the Med and then taking off September to May to do whatever — be it living/diving in Indonesia and Egypt, working on a superyacht in Miami, or just traveling around seeing friends/family.
Obviously, this past year my plans were a bit halted, but to be honest I had the best time in 2020. I moved to a sailboat in the Virgin Islands in March 2020 and was sailing, diving, and Catan-playing with 20 of my closest friends every day. We were all stuck on the water together away from the news, people, the rest of the world really.
Currently, I'm the Captain and dive instructor on a 57' Catamaran in the VIs, taking people sailing and diving around the Caribbean. Y'all should come out sometime! Check out @sailbarefeetretreat on Instagram. It's a neato boat.
What is your proudest moment ever from playing Survivor?
Honestly, my proudest moment is how proud it made my parents of me. They were already happy for me and my existence, but I had always said as a kid "I'm going to be on that show one day" and it actually happening was pretty damn cool for them and for me.
What is your biggest regret from your Survivor experience?
Wanting to leave at every waking moment for the last five days I was there. Knowing what I know now, I had a pretty damn good shot at doing well in that game and returning to play again had I had a different attitude at the end. But I was young, bored as hell, and knew my friends were off having the time of their lives. It's hard to see the light in the path ahead when you're young and miserable.
What's something that will blow fans' minds that happened out there in your season but never made it to TV?
I don't know if this will blow anyone's mind, but I was absolutely LIT during the auction episode. I drank seven shots of rum in a matter of 20 minutes, had zero food in my stomach and had been given Nicaraguan narcotic painkillers for another thing an hour before it was filmed. It was meant to come with a ton of steaks to layer the tum with, but I didn't eat them and instead medical was just watching from the sidelines like, "Oh s---, oh s---, oh s---!" I then relentlessly hit on a hot producer I had a massive crush on in the car ride back to camp afterwards. It was a great time.
The poop idol fiasco was pretty hilarious. Basically, Nina and Vince hid a piece of cow poop in a palm frond for like two days pretending it was an idol, and when Joe, Hali, and I dug around to look at it, we uncovered a piece of poop. I still laugh about it to this day.
Also, we got booze banned on Tribal Council days from the Ponderosa house because Hali, Joe, and I would show up blacked to Tribal Council and either talk to each other or the contestants or fall asleep. But jokes on him — we hid stuff in our rooms. Tribal Council is waaaaay too boring to show up to sober while in the game, let alone when you're not even a part of it anymore and have no idea what's going on.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
What edit?
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there? Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
Zero culture shock. I mean we got to go to bars and out during the day (under supervision) while at Ponderosa to keep us sane and busy (and to stop the three of us from absolutely rinsing the booze budget for SEG every day at the house) so nothing too wild. I did come back to learn a dear friend and Robin Williams had passed away though, and that was sad.
NBC Jenn Brown of 'Survivor: Worlds Apart'
Was there ever a point either during the game or after you got back where you regretted going on the show?
During the game when there was talk of bringing out the family members, I did not want my dad to come out. I didn't want him to see what awful, nasty people the game created. But regretted? Never.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?
First off who emails people for fun contact anymore? What is this, the '90s? (I say as I type this email to you).
The #dirty30 was the first of its kind on whole family togetherness. Hali is still a dear friend, and I even got to see her on her honeymoon in Croatia a few years back. Max, despite me despising him on the show, is now one of my best friends and confidants. I don't know what I would do without him in my life, to be honest. He's the best. Mike and I still meet up when I get to Texas for the holidays to see my parents and I just love him and Meg. I was just at Joe and Sierra's wedding, and am waiting for their precious babe. I hope they name it Jenn.
I also am buddies with some people not from my season, most notably and bragging-rights-ably Terry Dietz and his amazing fam. I love the Dietz. They're goddamned national treasures. Peih-Gee is great and I have been loving playing games online with her and other survivors.
Do you still watch Survivor, and, if so, what's your favorite season you were not on and why?
I unfortunately do not have the means nor the time to watch much TV nowadays, or past days really. Sailboats and foreign countries and American TV shows shockingly don't mix
Who's one player from another Survivor season you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I would've liked to play with Tony because he seems like an absolute lunatic to play with and that would be entertaining af to be around. I would also like to play with someone who knows absolutely f---all about the game again. Will was like that. He didn't know what an immunity idol was and that ultimately saved me from getting voted out round two, because he just didn't understand why we were trying to vote the way we voted. It's like playing chess against someone who knows nothing about the game other than how the pieces move. You play against them and are constantly questioning if that move has an ulterior motive/strategy that you don't see, and are you about to be f---ed, or do they just have no idea what's going on? I love that.
Again, chaos is the key to entertainment.
If you could make one change to any aspect of Survivor, what would it be and why?
Stop going to Fiji. Make it like a fun surprise again with new round the world destinations. I get that Fiji is great because it's calm water and decent weather so it's easy on the crew and easy to film at, but as a contestant I want something more. Not like San Juan del Sur where we filmed was exotic by any means (there was a bar a mile away I could hear at night), but, like, send me back to China or something.
Also, take it back to basics. No weird advantages, and absolutely if you have been voted out of the game YOU ARE OUT OF THE GAME. Dumbest twist I've ever seen is the BS boring redemption island.
Double also more survivor auctions. Best part of the game.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
Absolutely. I love obstacle courses, love the beach and I love free money. I don't love insane people, but I have a lot more outward patience for the insufferable than I do now.
To keep track of our daily Survivor Quarantine Questionnaires and get all the latest updates, check out EW's Survivor hub, and follow Dalton on Twitter.
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