Nathan Gonzales:
Early Show Interview Transcript

(Transcript by James Barber  - 11.27.06)

HARRY : How does that guy Jonathon get away with it? On the latest Survivor: Pearl Islands, he changed sides again when the two tribes merged. To seal the deal, Yul showed Jonathon the immunity idol, and let him decide who should be voted out.

(clips)

HARRY : And Nate Gonzalez is with us this morning. No one more shocked than he. Good morning. Good to see you.

NATE (shakes his hand): How you doing?

HARRY : Really good. We have to go back to last Thursday night, cause this is when the show aired. Things are kind of cruising along, the merge happened, people are sort of lining up with each other. Your side really has the numbers versus the other team, which only has four people. How did - I was thinking as the show was unfolding that Jonathon was toast, he was dead man walking. Did you believe that too?

NATE : Um...to be honest, no. We wanted to save him. Just to keep numbers. In the back of my head I knew we couldn't really trust him. I saw him and Yul talking a little bit, but we need to keep him just for numbers.

HARRY : Right, cause you had to keep the five intact. You guys went after Yul, and when this vote comes down, Probst is up there (deep voice), "1 vote Yul, 1 vote Nate, 1 vote Yul, 1 vote Nate..." As you're watching that happen, what are you thinking in your mind?

NATE : Um...it's funny, when I saw my name come up first, the first time my name come up, I was like, I'm done. It's over. I just kind of had that feeling in my gut. I saw Jonathon and Yul speaking a lot, they were kind of going back and forth, so I kind of knew something was up. The first time I saw my name come up, I was like, the journey is over.

HARRY (laughs): Oh, God. Look at the look on Jonathon's face [in the clip of Tribal Council when Nate is voted out]. Now of course is where the game gets really interested, with the merge and everything. We'll see what goes on. Where you got voted off, there's a little piece at the end of the show, where you just rat-a-tat-tat, not too many good things to say about Jonathon. You called him a "dirty, stanky fruitcake." You want to take any of that back?

NATE (looks a bit embarrassed): Well, I'll say this. Jonathon's actions in the game were definitely what I said. I have to be honest. He was a backstabber and he betrayed us. Outside the game, he's a good father and a good person. We got along, non-talking about the game, he's a good person.

HARRY : He's a good provider, man. He did a lot of fishing out there.

NATE : He was. He's a good person. But in the game, I'm going to have to say he was a backstabber.

HARRY : It's been interesting in this show as well, because it seemed like love was in bloom, at least among certain folks out there. Did you find it particularly comforting to spend time with anyone out there?

NATE : Ooohhhh...you good, my man, you good! You're out there so long. Oh goodness, gracious. [old clips of Parvati and Nate snuggling play on the screen] It's nice to be affectionate with someone out there. It wasn't anything about love. Parvati is a great person, she's kind of like my medicine. It's nice to be affectionate. You're out there alone, you don't really have anyone. It's nice to be affectionate with...I guess you can say your tribemates. No love though.

HARRY : There you go. You're a musician, you've got a hip-hop career. How are things going with that?

NATE : Going good. I haven't played music for a while, to be honest. I kind of took a little break after this, kind of get my head back on. This takes you for a ride, y'know? But things have been going good.

HARRY : Great. Great to see you, Nate.

NATE : Thank you.