INTERVIEW. Jason Brookstein is Survivor SA: Immunity Island's first man out: 'I was backed into a corner.'

by Thinus Ferreira

Jason Brookstein (27), an engineering draughtsman from Johannesburg became the first castaway in Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island on M-Net (DStv 101) to be cast away from the Zamba tribe in the first episode when he appeared oblivious to - and got blindsided by - the alliances being created all around him.

You didn't stay long but what was your experience like?

Jason Brookstein: The experience was absolutely amazing. Nothing less. The way that I had pictured it in my mind - I'm a very visual and artistic person and I picture things - and the way I pictured it and imagined myself in the situation, and when I got there ... it was just the right feeling it was amazing. It was good and bad.

You said during the end credits that you maybe made a mistake in asking too much information too quickly. Can you elaborate on what you think you did wrong?

Jason Brookstein: Look, the situation that I was dealt with being the fire challenge and the immunity challenge - that is just one personality. I was backed into a corner, I had to fight the way I did. I think I fought a pretty good fight. In terms of information, I think information is definitely key and how you use that information is very important.

I would say that you need to be a very good judge of information - it's a different type of aspect and a different type of thinking when you're in the game because there are so many elements that are being thrown at you at the same time. 

When you get information there are so many things to consider. I would say that my mistake was - or if I had to change anything of my strategy - it would be to speak less and listen more. 

Did you see Renier do the finger-pointing behind your back meaning "we're voting for him" or did you really not notice that, and when you watched the episode, what did you make of this?

Jason Brookstein: I really didn't! I really didn't!

You know, thinking about it now, when I saw that moment I thought that Renier was actually standing a little bit weird. It was a very odd position to stand in. I mean, are you relaxing, are you scratching your head, are you not agreeing with me? But not once did I consider that that was going on. It's funny to see something like that. It's a very bad moment but it's content. I see it. 

It was his opportunity to get information. You don't understand the timeframes you're dealing with - the pace you're moving at. It's so fast. It's not him being a bad person or anything. That's how fast things are moving. Things are moving that fast a pace. 

That little moment - he jumped, he took it. Listen, I commend it, I respect it. I'm a fan of the game, I can take it. Well done.

Some of the castaways also remarked that people shouldn't set forward as a perceived "leader" too quickly. Yet you took charge building the shelter being an engineering draughtsman. Do you think it made you a bigger target?

Jason Brookstein: I was aware of that. I was aware of that.

I will say this. Look, so as you can see, we have a relatively young cast. Some people's backgrounds crossed somehow and whatnot. 

It's crazy how there were yoga people and there were people like Survivor fans, and doctors. It's crazy and fun. It was interesting, for me it was an eye-opener in terms of "Sho, we need to put social media down and actually look around to see what's happening around us."

I don't know Dino but I was aware of him. I know he's a superfan because I'm a superfan, and I know of him but I don't know him. 

So, my thinking was that I thought that he would know that I was the structural engineer and draughtsman. That's not the role that I wanted to play. Yes, I'm a rough person, I'm an outdoors type of person. I have a nursery. I'm in the bush - that's me.

I understand that that type of role would have been given to me just based on my appearance and I understand that. But if I said that I wasn't a structural engineering draughtsman, I was scared that Dino would call that out.

So I kind of had to take that role unwillingly, and Renier spotted that. 

Looking back, what did you notice that was interesting?

Jason Brookstein: It was amazing - I wasn't really aware of the way that I think, if that makes sense.

It's fun to see that side of you because you become more aware. It was very clear to me that my personality and the way that I think - I mean I'm an achiever. That's what I do. I can see why I was cast. To see that side in the working, I've never had that opportunity and it was quite cool, I won't lie. It was amazing.

It also looked as if you struggled in the team challenge with the swimming once you got back out of the water and to just take the few steps to the Zamba castaways. You crawled to the line. What happened there?

Jason Brookstein: Yes! Yes! I would like to talk about that!

I would like to talk about that. I would love to talk about that. So. In that Survivor SA episode, I would like M-Net viewers to pause as soon as I come out of the water. I come out with one shoe.

I didn't tie my shoes properly because it's foreign for me to swim with shoes on. I know it's not an excuse but this is why I was tired and why I looked so drained. So I jumped into the water, with this sensation of trying to keep this shoe on, and then, okay, you know what, toss the shoe.

I thought I can do it without the one shoe. I carry on, get out without the shoe, and it's like - there's resistance in the water with the shoe and then there's a lot of compensating physically. 

I'm not unfit but that was a whole lot and it was really draining. As soon as I got out of the water I was finished. That's just how brutal these games are. But it was crazy but that was my fault for not tying my shoes properly. It is what it is.

Were you scared to go and take part in Survivor SA during a Covid-19 pandemic and South Africa in lockdown and to go elsewhere in the country, instead of elsewhere in the world, and what was your mindset around being selected and then going to take part in this?

Jason Brookstein: Look, getting the opportunity to play this game is one crazy achievement that I will hold dear to my heart forever. 

This is an amazing journey and I encourage anyone to do that if you think you've got what it takes - I encourage it because it's really amazing. 

It's so tough and brutal and you sat in the rain at tribal council, but you probably also made new friends although some stabbed you in the back and you'll be back for the reunion episode. What do you take away from the whole experience?

Jason Brookstein: Look, from my point of view I'm a fan of the game.

I really do understand how the outcome happened the way it did, watching it. I'm not mad, although it is a lot to take in. I've been pushing for this journey for forever. 

Listen, that's just my personality and no matter what happens to me, I'm always going to come out on top. I think that's also a reason why they cast me because in case I was the first boot - which I was - and nobody wants to be first and it's traumatic.

Let me tell you, it's kak - a blindside also - how do you take it from there? You need to carry on. You can only expect great things from me now. It's not the last you're going to see from Jason Brookstein, let me tell you that.

Survivor SA: Immunity Island is on M-Net (DStv 101) on Thursdays at 19:30

ALSO READ: INTERVIEW. Noleen 'Pinty' Nkanjeni on her brief Survivor SA: Immunity Island stay: 'The first day was paradise and the rest was hell.'

ALSO READ: INTERVIEW. Lawyer Mike Laws on his exit and final Survivor SA: Immunity Island plea: 'I thought I'll go kicking and screaming'.

ALSO READ: INTERVIEW. Aftercare teacher Paul Cupido on his Survivor SA: Immunity Island exit: 'I just had this feeling that something's up.'

MAKE SURVIVOR SA GREAT AGAIN. From a mankini, a sleeping bag on Lion's Head and a dog ornament from grandma's house, the hilarious - and heartfelt - entry videos for the 7th season on M-Net will make your jaw drop.

As entries are flooding in to "help make Survivor SA great again", ordinary South Africans are surprising with their eye-popping homemade videos that range from funny to heartfelt, and interesting to zany as people show and explain why they want to be contestants in the upcoming 7th season of M-Net's Survivor SA: Island of Secrets.

There's the man in the neon green mankini, the one who recreated tribal council with grandma's glass dog ornament, the one in a sleeping bag on Lion's Head and the woman who reveals her struggle with infertility.

The new season of the Afrokaans produced series that will be shown on M-Net (DStv 101) in 2019 is for the first time only accepting video auditions, with the producers who figured that cellphone camera use in South Africa has become so ubiquitous that it wouldn't limit the type and quality of entries they get. They were right.

Even more surprising - and not that it's necessary for people who enter to do that - is the level of video editing skills displayed by people, who have to tell the producers about themselves in their video, what they do, why they want to be on Survivor South Africa, and why they would make a great contestant.

In just two weeks South Africans using their cellphones have recorded and uploaded humorous and fascinating videos trying to get the producers attention, with entries for Survivor SA: Island of Secrets that close on 30 September at www.mnet.tv/survivorsa.

Jason Brookstein who hilariously wants to "make Survivor SA great again", wants to build a wall that separates the tribes and says he has "lost count how many fish I've caught with my bare hands". As an engineering draughtsman, he says he will build better shelters than previous contestants did on the show. Tarzan is his spirit animal.

Noma Ngubane (36) from Pretoria who says she's a staunch fan of Survivor SA, says former winner Hykie Berg was the best and that she's "ready - physically, mentally - I am so ready. I've been ready".

Guy Dalamakis (20) from Stellenbosch who lives off of grass and plants and who "can sleep just about anywhere" says he will be able to survive on a barren island with little water since he's from the Western Cape.

Nolene Wessels (22) says one of her skills is finding clear water and that she's excellent at building a shelter.

Peet Liebenberg (29), a civil engineer from Cape Town who says being on Survivor has been a childhood dream of his and still is and that he loves the sound of "Island of Secrets", got testimonials from his friends who says "he can braai and he's proudly South Africa", and that he can "definitely cook rice".

Kagiso Katametsi says he would "represent the technical guys, the blue-collar guys" and that "after many years of watching the game I feel like the time has now come for me to enter the game".

Wedding photographer Aline Strydom (29) said she wants to be on Survivor because she is a survivor and revealed her struggle with infertility for five and a half years in her video entry. She says she knows how to "find common ground with all types of people and relate" and that "I want to show that I'm much more than infertile. So choose me, pick me. Let me be a castaway on that Island of Secrets."

The politics student Phumezo Jijana from Port Elizabeth says Survivor "is the best reality game created on Earth. It's gold." He says "it would be a huge check off my bucket list. This is the game to be in".

Frances Bezuidenhout (27) told the producers she's living "in a land far, far away from any paradise. Pretoria". In her video she searches for immunity idols and explain why she should be picked. In the end she lifts her dog out of the plants.

Steven van der Merwe (27) from Benoni who rode a bicycle from Durban to Benoni says he has been working in sales for the past 8 years and can influence people.

Dino Paulo who does skydiving asked friends and family to weigh in on if he should enter, as well as the cat, Bella.

Jason Moses (26) says he's a master builder because he builds Lego with his son. He says he wants to be a contestant to show that "you're more than just an everyday worker".

Marius Heyns (32) from Krugersdorp sat on the stoep, complete with torches, and apologises for not having a Nico Panagio or a fancy dragon at tribal council "but what I do have is "a common little glass dog that I borrowed from ouma's house". If he gets a place on the show, he says he will miss his "sanity sticks" (cigarettes).

Lenny Gorgulho (38) says "I love the game of Survivor. It reflects life greatly, you've got to make the right decisions, the best alliances".

Wayne Vorster (36), a personal trainer who've entered every Survivor SA since the beginning and who says he compares himself to Zavion Kotze, says "I've made a promise to my dad before he passed away that I'll be in Survivor one day and that I'll actually win it. And this is still a promise that I want to keep".