'SURVIVOR' INSTINCTS MORE THAN SKIN-DEEP.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic Surviving has always been the name of the game for television's newest millionaire, Richard Hatch Richard Hatch is a name used by the following people:
Even before he set foot on a small island off Borneo with 15 opponents for the reality show ``Survivor,'' Richard had faced many challenges - a broken home, growing up gay in New England New England, name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The region is thought to have been so named by Capt. and being overweight. ``I grew up in a home where I was the reason for my parents' marriage,'' he said in an interview Thursday, a day after the announcement of his big win. ``They stuck in there because they were supposed to - that's what you did then, you have a child, so you stay married. They had three more together. We were never really happy, I would say. It was not a loving home. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. that any of us remember being told, 'I love you.' '' Much like the environment on ``Survivor'' island, where Richard was seen as a scheming snake who pieced together a rickety rick·et·y adj. rick·et·i·er, rick·et·i·est 1. Likely to break or fall apart; shaky. 2. Feeble with age; infirm. 3. Of, having, or resembling rickets. alliance that helped vanquish his strongest competitors and led to his million-dollar payday. Richard says he was just playing the game. ``I feel good about who I am. I wasn't mean in the game, or nasty, or whatever was attributed to me. I played the game, I wasn't there to make friends.'' He walked away with the money Wednesday after the reality series' two-hour finale was broadcast to a national TV audience of 51.7 million viewers - a figure topped this year only by the Super Bowl. It was the most popular summer season network broadcast ever and the 11th-most-watched episode of a series in the history of television. David F. Poltrack, executive vice president for research at CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) See cell broadcast. , pointed out that ``Survivor'' undoubtedly had more viewers than officially counted. ``About 20 percent of the people in America are on vacation in the months of June, July and August. Those people were surely watching in motels Motels may refer to any of the following:
For struggling CBS, the reality-based show provided a big boost among younger viewers and has network officials optimistic op·ti·mist n. 1. One who usually expects a favorable outcome. 2. A believer in philosophical optimism. op about improved ratings during the fall season and their plans to launch ``Survivor II'' from the Australian Outback right after the Super Bowl on Jan. 30. ``I'm sure that's going to be the most profitable night in the history of television,'' said Leslie Moonves Leslie Moonves (born December 23, 1948 in New York City) is President and Chief Executive Officer of CBS Corporation. He grew up in Valley Stream, NY, and is a graduate of Valley Stream Central High School. , the president of CBS Television. Proving his status as the ultimate survivor, Richard conducted a battery of 60 interviews Thursday - including one in a Humvee limousine - beginning at 2:45 a.m. He insisted the 13-week series didn't capture his real personality. ``I'm one of the most moral and ethical people I've ever met in my entire life,'' he said. Despite his low showing in popularity polls on the show, Hatch claimed, ``I'm not sure I was perceived that way (as a bad guy) - certainly by some people, and I'm happy if that's the image they got. But that's not who I am, and I'm comfortable with the way I played the game. Luckily for me I kept focus. ``I really spent time considering, what has to happen in this format for me to be successful? I have a degree in applied behavioral sciences behavioral sciences, n.pl those sciences devoted to the study of human and animal behavior. , and I'm comfortable around people and I'm very introspective in·tro·spect intr.v. in·tro·spect·ed, in·tro·spect·ing, in·tro·spects To engage in introspection. [Latin intr . I know myself, and I'm well-grounded. So I thought, Here's who I am and here's my goal - What do I need to do to move forward? I had to move through continual scenarios. It was mentally exhausting.'' Richard said the secret of his victory (which had been shot weeks ago but kept under wraps until Wednesday's show) had been kept so effectively: ``My mom could've had a heart attack (Wednesday) night. My sister and my son, Chris, I lied to both of them, blatantly, just to stop the continuous probing. I left them to enjoy the show. It was fun for them. Both thought I had lost.'' Hatch said he's felt like a survivor all his life. ``Imagine being in New England, growing up gay and overweight. You can either go inside your house and never relax with who you are or learn that it doesn't matter what people think and you need to learn who you are. And I am comfortable with who I am.'' A turning point came in his teen years. ``I quit high school in my senior year - my father, stepmother and I didn't get along and I left home,'' he reflected. He took part in a program called Horizon Bound, aimed at troubled teens. ``It built confidence in me, it literally changed my life. It was so life-altering that it bothers me that that kind of thing isn't available today. That program is now defunct DEFUNCT. A term used for one that is deceased or dead. In some acts of assembly in Pennsylvania, such deceased person is called a decedent. (q.v.) , so with my money, I want either to get that one up and running again or do my own to provide a chance for kids.'' For those wondering, here's the Richard Hatch ``Survivor'' slim-down program (Hatch lost about 140 pounds before and during his stint on the island): ``I started with a personal trainer personal trainer person n → (persönlicher) Fitnesstrainer m, (persönliche) Fitnesstrainerin f , three times a week doing what he said. That made me think about what I ate, so I didn't waste time - I limited potatoes, pasta and bread, those carbohydrates Carbohydrates Compounds, such as cellulose, sugar, and starch, that contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, and are a major part of the diets of people and other animals. Mentioned in: Laxatives carbohydrates, n. that were problematic for me. I never cut back on the quantity of food, I just increased the quality, and it really paid off.'' What's next? ``Celebrity and fame are not goals of mine, though I was aware that it came with what I did. . . . I'd be happy to be unknown tomorrow just to have gone through this experience. . . . I've received an amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. number of offers, and I'm trying to figure out the smartest way of handling them and what's appropriate for me.'' The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times contributed to this story. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) Richard Hatch appears completely nude on the ``Late Show with David Letterman'' with his fellow ``Survivor'' castaways. CBS |
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