EW: Let’s talk about Penner outing your past on The Facts of Life just moments before everyone went up to vote. Did that hit you like a bombshell? People’s minds were probably already made up before then, but you’re sitting there fighting for your life and then he comes out and does that.

I should have been expecting it, and I don’t know why I wasn’t. But I was actually shocked when he came out with that. So it absolutely threw me back. I think you’re right, I don’t think it affected the outcome. I’m not saying he didn’t affect the outcome, but he had already affected it at Ponderosa with the many speeches I’m sure he gave there which were just as bitter. But at that moment, I wasn’t prepared for him to out me. Now, stepping back as performer and a lover of the show Survivor, it was absolutely what was needed to bring resolve to that question: Did they recognize you? Who didn’t recognize you? Why didn’t they recognize you? So as far as good storytelling, I think it was an important part of the last chapter.

EW: Well, he was certainly performing and it was a great performance, but it did feel below the belt. I wouldn’t have had a problem if Skupin or Denise had done it since they were still fighting for the money, even though I’m not sure how well it would have reflected on them to bring it up at that point. I could see why someone competing for a million dollars would bring it up. Penner, not so much.

I think he was still fighting to prove the point to Michael and me that when he said “If you vote me out, there is no way you will win the million dollars.” So he was pulling out all stops — not so that his favorite person, Denise, would win. But so that his favorite person, Penner, would ultimately be right.