\Someday I'll get over my Survivor obsession, but it's not likely to happen any time soon. The latest completed edition, Survivor: Pearl Islands, illustrated why millions of folks stay tuned to the show—intrigue; exotic locales; and competitors like fan favorite Rupert, wily Sandra (who won it all), despised and ironically named Johnny Fairplay, and the determined (and, yes, hunky) Burton.
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Burton, who was born in Texas and who currently lives in California. The result was an intriguing conversation that touched on everything from football to undead grandmothers to (of course) health and fitness.
Windy City Times: How do people react when they see you?
Burton Roberts: Most people are really cool. They stop, ask questions, and take pictures. Only occasionally does someone say 'Uhhh, you made a mistake.'
WCT: So you haven't run into any jerks?
BR: Well, occasionally someone will say 'You should've done this'—but I explain the situation. They still think they know better than you do even though they weren't there.
WCT: Yeah, it's pretty easy to be an armchair quarterback.
BR: Exactly.
WCT: If Hollywood came calling, what would you do?
BR: Oh, I would definitely look into what they're offering. I'm not holding my breath for something like that to happen but if it does, I'd consider it.
WCT: It sounds like you're a bit grounded in reality. It seems like some people go on these shows and they expect Hollywood to pound on their doors.
BR: That's exactly right. The problem is that they're taking a great experience and misplacing expectations. They're only going to be let down about [Hollywood not asking for them].
WCT: I looked over your profile and noticed we have a couple of things in common. First, we both like the Dallas Cowboys.
BR: Oh, nice!!! I've been a fan since I could barely walk and I have the jerseys and everything.
WCT: Cool—but, dude, what happened against Carolina? [Note: For those who might be interested, the Cowboys lost to the Carolina Panthers 29-10 in the first round of the NFL playoffs this year.]
BR: Yeah, that was unfortunate but they had a great year. There were a few mistakes and the next thing you know, the game was over.
WCT: The other thing that we have in common is that we both graduated from Northwestern University. Now you went to the business school (Kellogg).
BR: It was amazing. Everything from the faculty to the classmates made it a great experience. I still keep in touch with many classmates and imagine that a lot of them will be friends for life.
WCT: Now let's dive into Survivor. 'Pearl Islands' was one of the more interesting seasons of Survivor and part of the reason involved the outcasts being brought back onto the show [after being voted off]. What was your reaction when you found out you might have a chance to return?
BR: They talked to us a day after I got kicked off. They said that they had good and bad news. The bad news was that we wouldn't get to eat much food, but the good news was that we'd be brought back for a challenge and we want things to be fair. I was so excited just to compete. However, they didn't tell us what the challenge was for; they just said that everyone would want to win. I thought it was for a trip or food or something like that. I just wanted to beat those other guys just to prove a point. Having a chance to come back in was just phenomenal.
WCT: Now what was your initial reaction when you found out that Johnny Fairplay lied about his grandmother's death to win a challenge—and when did you find out?
BR: Jon told me when he got voted out of the game, but I think I was the only player who knew before [that episode] aired. I thought it was a pretty brilliant move from the standpoint of making decisions before the game even started. When my mom visited, I knew that sleeping out there was pretty miserable and I didn't want her to suffer through that—so I didn't plan on winning the challenge anyway. Also, I had a tight alliance with Jon so I'd rather see him win and talk to his friend than see someone else get rejuvenated and come back stronger.
WCT: I noticed that you didn't seem as emotional as the other survivors when your mother visited.
BR: Exactly. It was great to see my mom, but the game didn't wear me down emotionally. I've done a lot of adventure racing— including the Eco-Challenge—and mentally and physically, they're 10 times harder than Survivor. The others hadn't been used to anything like that, so they were pretty beaten.
WCT: I was surprised not to see you in the all-star edition of Survivor.
BR: Yeah, I was really hoping to be on it but it didn't work out. To be honest, I was surprised to see anyone from our season on there. Maybe they'll have another all-star edition; I'd love to be on it.
WCT: Who do you think might win?
BR: You know, I have no idea. Having played the game, I can't imagine competing against other people for whom I have feelings. Competing against strangers is one thing; competing with friends [or lovers] is something else.
WCT: What did you learn about yourself from Survivor?
BR: There's no one specific thing that I can say I've learned about myself but I can say that it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. You don't get the opportunity to live on an island like that too often.
WCT: You competed in the Eco-Challenge. How arduous was that?
BR: That was in Fiji in 2002. It's a 300-mile race that's 7-10 days long. In the year I competed, 82 teams started and about 10 finished the entire course. [My team] made it for 6-1/2 days; we didn't make the cutoff point on the seventh day.
During the time, you sleep for maybe 3-4 hours during a 24-hour period; the rest of time you're on the move. It's so demanding mentally and physically, but there's also the teamwork aspect.
One of the greatest aspects about adventure racing to me is the fact that it is a team sport. Most races are co-ed teams of 3-4 and you're forced to work together as a team throughout the entire race if you are going to finish. Many times, this aspect of adventure racing (team dynamics) is the most important part of training. It is easy to get along with people in normal conditions, but when you are wet, cold, hungry, tired, injured, and lost, it is much more difficult. Knowing your teammates well and training and racing with them definitely increases your chances of doing well. You also get to experience entire races with others, which makes the memories and storytelling that much better.
WCT: How did you train?
BR: In 2002, I was in a lot of adventure races. I was going to the gym 3-5 days a week while kayaking and mountain biking. It's practically a full-time job training for a race of that caliber.
WCT: What's your regular workout?
BR: I [still] try to go to the gym 3-5 times weekly. I also love to run on trails (a lot more than running on the streets). Mountain biking is another favorite activity. The workouts also depend on what I'm training for. If [it's a] a triathlon, I'll throw in swimming.
WCT: So you're pretty much an outdoor athlete.
BR: Yeah. I love the outdoors.
WCT: Unfortunately, Chicago doesn't provide too many opportunities for people to work out outdoors.
BR: Yeah. Chicago is pretty flat and the winters [are pretty rough]. The first winter I was there was in '98 or '99 and there was that ridiculous snowfall over the holidays. It was so cold that I ended up studying in Thailand my second year during the winter semester.
WCT: Do you have a general fitness tip?
BR: Some years ago when I just lifted weights, I got stuck in a routine. Now, mixing things up is important. It helps to balance your body. Trail running, for example, can help strengthen ligaments, tendons, ankles, and knees.
WCT: What about eating? Are you into this whole low-carb phenomenon?
BR: You know, when I was competing in adventure races, I could pretty much eat anything. Now, I try to eat healthfully and watch what I eat—to a degree. I'm not a fanatic about what I eat.
