Early Show Highlights
Survivor: Palau Episode 10 Cast-Off
Janu Tornell

Segment 1:

Julie Chen:   Janu Tornell, good morning.

Janu:  Good morning, Julie.

Julie Chen:   Since quitting the game, any regrets?

Janu:  Absolutely not.  It was the best move spiritually and for the game.

Julie Chen:   When did you make that decision to quit?  Right then and there while Jeff Probst was having this Tribal Council discussion or did you go into Tribal Council that night thinking you were going to snuff out your torch?

Janu:  I think I went into Tribal Council thinking that that's what I was going to do.  Spending that night by myself on the island kind of took me there, so...

Julie Chen:   Why, what happened that night by yourself on that island?

Janu:  It was just amazing.  I was by myself away from the tribe...

Julie Chen:   What a relief.

Janu:   ...and for them as well.  I mean who wants someone who sits on a hammock and does nothing?  It was great to just be by myself.  I got alot of things out of it.  It was a great epiphany.

Julie Chen:   The way it looked to the average person watching Survivor at home last night was maybe you were doing it to save Stephenie.  Because if you stayed in the game it really looked like she was going to get it.  She was a fierce competitor and people wanted her out of the game.  It wasn't to save her?

Janu:  No, it wasn't to save her and she is a fierce competitor.  It was the thing that Koror wanted to do...whoever would come along we would get them out.  Then she came over and it was all this "Stephenie, Stephenie we love you".  Which we liked her.  She always smiled at us during challenges.  I love her.  But we fought against her for so long and she was part of the other tribe.  Why not keep our tribe together all the way to the end?  But then they decided to take Coby out which shocked me and I terribly missed him.  And then I couldn't take anymore.  I just didn't want to compromise my integrity.  And I never did during the game.  I stood for what I believe in and that's it, I took myself out.  But it wasn't to save Stephenie.

Julie Chen:   And was it to play a psychological game with the remaining players in Palau?

Janu:  Sure.  I threw a wrench into their game because I think that they were going to use me as a pawn.  And I wasn't going to be a pawn piece for anyone.

Julie Chen:   If anything it revealed just how committed Stephenie is to this game.  They all must have walked back to the tribe that night, to camp, and thought, "she is definitely next".   She broke down into tears because she thought you weren't giving it your all.  That you were quitting.  She was disgusted by you. 

Janu:  Yeah, I'll never forget that.  We were sitting there and she just really got very emotional which is fine but I thought, that has nothing to do with this.  If you wanted something so badly and I want it in a different way, respect the fact that I want it in a different way.  I respect your commitment to the game, respect mine.  

Julie Chen:   Let's talk about Katie.  You and Katie were not bosom buddies.  And it got a little bit catty when you overheard her gossiping and badmouthing you.  What happened there?

Janu:   Katie is a very unique individual.  I am my own person and we're different.  Obviously that was apparent.  She  couldn't get along with the fact that I was always getting sick and I was falling to pieces and whatever.  And she always has humor in her answers and her interviews and she just kind of got nasty.

Julie Chen:   What was the hardest part of this game?  Dealing with personalities or dealing with the elements?

Janu:  I think both.  We dealt with alot. We dealt with rats.  I had to deal with my stomach every single day.  I had to deal with people that I don't know, that some I have been very close to now, like Coby.  And different personalities, you're in a different element. 

Julie Chen:   How does it compare, because you've been a showgirl in Vegas for nine years, six nights a week, two shows a night.  Which is easier?

Janu:  I can tell you, being on stage.  <laughter>

Julie Chen:   Janu is going to stick around and take questions.

Segment 2:

Harry Smith:   It was big time TV last night, really fun to watch.  Janu welcome back.

Janu:   Thank you.

Caller:  Janu, first I'd like to say, you're beautiful...

Janu:  Thank you.

Caller:  ...and also, I like the drama that you gave us last night, standing up for yourself against Katie.   Do you think the tribe is going to be more scandalous against Stephenie?

Harry Smith:   What do you think is going to happen?  A big chemical change happens because she is still in the game.

Janu:  Absolutely.  I think that I threw them for a loop and now they are going to have to deal with this power play.

Harry Smith:   And you can't really talk because you're on jury...

Janu:  You'll have to watch, I'm sorry.

Caller:  It was evident that Janu was physically soft and mentally spent very early in this game.  Janu, what I find hard to believe is that you decided to just throw down your torch and quit at Tribal Council last night.  What and when exactly was your moment of clarity in regards to just quitting the game and how do you feel about being the second member of the Survivor quitters club?

Janu:  Good question.  I think I came to that realization when I went on the island by myself.  It was my own special moment.  As far as quitting, you know what, it's probably a great club to be a part of if you learn something from the game.

Harry Smith:   It seems clear to me that you really had an epiphany there. 

Janu:  It may not be the same for everyone but for me it was ok.  I don't regret it.

Caller:  I've been watching the show since the beginning of the season and yesterday Gregg made a comment that whoever fits into his plan deserves to be in the game.  I never saw him... in fact his claws are coming out for the first time.  Does anybody else see that on the tribe?

Harry Smith:   It's like he's been under the radar and we at home have been saying, this guy is playing everybody.  Is that what it felt like to you as you were still in the game?

Janu:  Sure, they were using me as a pawn piece.  They needed me.

Caller:  Why didn't you form an alliance with someone after the conflict with Katie?

Janu:  The alliances were made and in my head I thought I was just standing alone.  And after Coby left I was really alone.  So, that's why.

Harry Smith:   It was so interesting, because you were so cold in the water in that challenge last night.  You go off to that island and you end up so peaceful and so happy.  I'm very happy for you.  It was fun watching you play.

Janu:  Thank you so much.