Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire: Kat Edorsson wishes she could have played in her 30s
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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.
With age comes wisdom. And experience. Which is why often when younger contestants show up on the island to play Survivor, they don't have enough of it, and they pay the price. Kat Edorsson is one such contestant.
Only 22 years old when Kat played Survivor: One World, the then-timeshare rep was overwhelmed by older, savvier players who finally cut her loose on day 33 due to her perceived immaturity. Later, playing as a 23-year-old with then-boyfriend (and Big Brother champion) Hayden Moss, Kat lasted 18 days on Survivor: Blood vs. Water after losing a duel at Redemption Island.
But what if Kat had been in her 30s instead of young 20s while playing the most cutthroat game on the planet? How might things have been different? It's a question Kat often asks herself, and it's a question Kat wonders about in her Quarantine Questionnaire. Not only that, but Kat also names her proudest moment while also revealing that Hayden threw challenges in an attempt to keep her in the game. Read on!
Timothy Kuratek/CBS via Getty Images Kat Edorsson on 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water'
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, give the update as to what you've been up to since appearing on Survivor?
KAT EDORSSON: I am still in Orlando, Fla., living with the love of my life for the past two years. I spend a lot of time with my family, and we recently got a puppy named Jax who has brought so much joy to my life. For the past three years, I developed a personal brand to mentor today's young female workforce, and I am aiming to help inspire women all over the world to experience less stress and more peace through faith and by recognizing the God-given gifts they already possess.
Today, I am top sales VP for the well-known recruiting firm AE Concepts, as well as a nationally recognized speaker who has spoken for some of the largest organizations in the world including PanCan, which carries the daily reminder of being a survivor in every context of the word. After two seasons of Survivor, undergoing two separate heart surgeries, and losing my father to pancreatic cancer, I know and understand, firsthand, what it's like to compete, struggle and lose.
I have been featured in People magazine and Good Morning America for my unique take on personal fulfillment and the secret to inner confidence. This year, I moved forward with a new consulting business, with a website launching next month and providing scholarships to give back for those who need clarity on who they are, what they want, and how to get there. :)
What is your proudest moment ever from playing Survivor?
Wining the reward challenge with my Cousin Rob.
What is your biggest regret from your Survivor experiences?
I don't have any regrets. In the moment, I regretted trusting my alliance to take me to the final 3. I look back now, and I have no regrets, and appreciate how much it contributed to my life now.
What's something that will blow fans' minds that happened out there in one of your seasons but never made it to TV?
During my first season on One World, we made our final 5 alliance on day one, and when we merged at final 12, Kim, Chelsea, Alicia, Sabrina and I wrote the remaining six guys' names in the sand who were going home next.
During my second season, Hayden knew I was on the chopping block for two challenges. He threw both challenges to keep me in the game longer — it almost worked!
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
I was lucky enough to have as much airtime as I did. I wouldn't change my edit. I love to make people laugh, and that will never change.
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there? Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
After my first season, I came home with PTSD and slept on the ground in my living room for a couple of weeks before sleeping in my bed. I also gained a lot of weight after my first season when the game was over.
Monty Brinton CBS Kat Edorsson on 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water'
Was there ever a point either during the game or after you got back where you regretted going on the show?
N.E.V.E.R.... the only thing I think about is how much better I would have played if I was my age (now 32) instead of 22.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your seasons?
Our One World cast is very close, and we all keep in touch. Some of us still speak every week — Kim, Chels, Alicia and Troy and Jaybird are all still close best friends. Monica, Jay, Jonas, Tarzan, Michael, and Sabrina are all still friends. From my second season, I speak with Tina, Katie, Laura, Ciera, Monica, Brad, Colton.
Do you still watch Survivor, and, if so, what's your fav season you were not on and why?
I never miss a season of Survivor. Heroes vs. Villains, Fans vs. Favorites — love them all! China with Todd, and watching my friends and Tony on Winners at War was priceless.
Who's one player from another Survivor season you wish you could have played with or against and why?
I would love to have played on the same tribe as Amanda Kimmel. I have never met her, but I idolized her when playing in China and Heroes vs. Villains. I imaged that is how I would have played now that I am in my 30s.
If you could make one change to any aspect of Survivor, what would it be and why?
I wasn't a huge fan of the Fire Tokens last season and I am not a fan of Redemption Island, I was on Redemption and it was a bad as it gets out there. I prefer a great cast who knows the game, will take risk, and is hungry for $1 million.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
Yes, sign me up!
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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