143
My name's Malcolm Freberg. You know me best from being starved & miserable on Survivor, but I'm hosting a new show this summer called Wayfaring. And I'm here to answer your questions. AMA.
My name's Malcolm Freberg. I did 2 seasons of Survivor, and I'm now hosting an interactive travel show this summer called Wayfaring. You can check it out at wayfaringlive.com and it starts on July 1st. You can also follow on Twitter @wayfaringLive. It's a 20 day road trip around the US starting July 1st, we're producing an episode EVERY DAY of the trip and putting it out the day after, so whatever we shoot on July 1st, comes out July 2nd and so on...
The crazy twist is that we have no control over the trip. Everywhere we go and everything we do is left up to social media voting for the audience.
I will answer ANY question under the sun you have, within the restraints of the legal system and general good taste. Victoria's helping me out today.
https://twitter.com/MalcolmWHW/status/477553468123926528
Thank you so much for participating. This has been a blast. I'm sorry, I Do have to go now. Someone just yelled over my shoulder if the peanut butter smoothies are ready. And check out our campaign if you want to get involved in Wayfaring, please share.
MalcolmFreberg47 karma
The spirit of Wayfaring is that anyone can control it. I'm not going to be upset if we got highjacked. I would be excited if somebody were so invested in the idea. We WANT people to highjack us. That's part of the fun.
tavir29 karma
One thing I've always wondered: what exactly happens after final tribal council when Jeff walks away with the votes? Is there just like an awkward "sooo....are we done now?" moment? Or is there like a "Cut! And that's a wrap!" moment? Does production come in and usher everyone to the exit? Are you given any instruction/debriefing on what to do next? What's it like when the final 3 join everyone else at Ponderosa? Do you guys see or talk to Jeff again at all before you leave for home? And then what happens when you get back to the US, do you just go your separate ways at the airport?
MalcolmFreberg34 karma
After Jeff walks off with the votes, 3 dozen oompa loompas walk onset. They perform a choreographed routine, after which, teleportation machines are brought in to the set that immediately send the finalists and the jury back to their respective homes.
MalcolmFreberg41 karma
Everything that comes out of Phillip Sheppard's mouth is ridiculous and immediately dismissed as such.
There's no problems with libido because you all smell like crap, there's no razors or toothpaste, and you have more on your mind than bumping uglies when you're on the island.
Denise from Survivor: Philippines is still one of my best friends in the world, and John Cochran from Caramoan is one of my good buddies to this day.
I'm sure we smelt like hot death. But because we all smelt that way for over a month, we became used to it.
I once walked up on Denise when she was popping a squat on the beach. I have not recovered from the emotional scarring.
MalcolmFreberg29 karma
A combination of the two? I think Philip was trying to be a character on Survivor instead of play the best game? But I also think he's medically diagnosable.
Yes, the crew has a large base camp far away from our beach. But in addition to that, they have a smaller camp very close to where we live during the game. They get to eat, they get to shower, and we resent them for it.
Tacate22 karma
Oh yeah! We're supposed to ask you for you alcoholic peanut butter smoothie recipe. /u/AndreaSurvivor said in her AMA that you made a really good one. Care to share?
MalcolmFreberg74 karma
When Andrea and I were in Ponderosa, we dined upon Rum peanut butter smoothies non-stop for a week. I will give you the recipe, but don't blame me for the subsequent weight gain.
Add 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 2 shots of spiced rum, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 whole banana, 1/2 cup milk, and 1 scoop of ice cream (if available). Blend, serve, and cancel all your plans for the rest of the day.
plebsareneeded-20 karma
If you had to spend 39 days in a Survivor scenario but with no voting out, just surviving, what survivors would you want to be with?
You also need to get Rob C drunk and then trick him into doing a podcast.
MalcolmFreberg26 karma
That's a good question.
Denise from Philippines because one, she's hysterical, but two, she would get all of the work done around camp on a daily basis and I could sit around doing nothing.
Give it a week.
NapsAndNetflix16 karma
Hey Malcolm, you're my favourite survivor to play. My question is who is your favourite TMNT and why is it Michelangelo?
MalcolmFreberg22 karma
Michelangelo will always be my favorite because he's the silliest. Raphael bugs me, Leonardo was an authority figure, and I don't do well with authority, and Donatello is intimidating for being smarter than me.
marleyring16 karma
Hey Malcolm! Huge fan from canada here. Couple questions:
- How long do tribal councils actually last?
- Do jury members (that you know of) ever regret their vote after they've watched the show?
- Penguins or monkeys?
MalcolmFreberg19 karma
1) From the time we arrive, and then we go through getting mic'd up, going through health checks, and then waiting for it to be completely dark, and then the actual tribal, and then the actual tallying of the votes, and then actually getting home, is about a 4-5 hour process. Tribal council isn't only bad because you have to kick somebody off the island, it's bad because it keeps you up way way later than you usually do when you're playing the game.
2) No one that i know of has ever admitted regret towards their vote. Both seasons I was on, the winner was very clear before we even went into the final tribal council. I know that some members of the jury were surprised at other members of the jury's votes, but i've never heard anyone regret it.
3) Monkeys! 360 days of the year! Winter vacation for 5, I'll take a penguin.
GiveMeDog16 karma
Hey, Malcolm! You’re my absolute favorite Survivor. You’ve got a great social/physical game, and a great strategic mind. But most noticeably, you seem to be very observant of human behavior and it’s something I really connect with and admire. For example, in an interview at Ponderosa right after your Caramoan elimination, you said something along the lines of I played a bit too aggressive this time around and it’s probably because I was trying to compensate for the first elimination. That’s the type of insight that separates you from all the other contestants. I'd love to see you go for another season!
Here are my questions:
Your big move in Caramoan -- the double idol plus immunity – has been met with a lot of criticism but I thought it was a great move and have defended it countless times. The main point of criticism is that you should have let SRU decide who to vote out rather than name Phillip as the target. I’ve argued against that because I figured you had planned for the fact that SRU might have a backup plan in case you had two idols (because Andrea and Cochran had spent a ton of time trying to hash out every possible outcome) and the obvious backup plan would be to vote Sherri or Erik out since they were at the bottom of the SRU alliance. But since you needed both of them to flip (and Andrea as well since she was close to Reynold and Eddie), you decided to target Phillip who wasn’t exactly popular within SRU and was the least likely to flip to your side. Is this true? Or was targeting Phillip an emotional decision rather than a strategic one and in reality, the better play would have been to let SRU decide who to vote out?
Well, you have to marry Elrod... we all know this. Probably ding Eddie... and I'll just kill Malcolm because it's very unlikely he ever reads this. - Andrea in her IAmA. From 1-10, how betrayed do you feel?
I was talking to Cochran and he was telling me a story about a time when you two were out for lunch. You constantly had a flow of girls coming up to you asking for pictures, and at one point, you leaned back and stretched your arms out and said… Welcome to my world, Cochran. So I take it, life has been good since the show? :)
MalcolmFreberg21 karma
We had almost no time to plan our move that night because I found the idol so close to tribal council. Our initial thought was that SRU would target Sherri because she was the new member of the group. So announcing Phillip was supposed to cause more drama and debate than it actually did. Instead, it relaxed the tension of SRU and neutered the drama of our move. I completely agree that announcing Phillip was the wrong move, and to this day it haunts me a little bit. I think that the double Idol play was the correct way to handle the situation, but I don't think we executed it as well as we should have.
Zero. I don't care about the 1-10 system, because it implies I have to be the trade on some level. One of the reasons I got along so well with Andrea was because we approached the game in the same way, like it was a game. It's no betrayal, we play to win. She was brilliant that day, by hounding me, and i don't hold any hard feelings.
I'm not sure i remember that exact story? Cochran is fond of aggrandizing me a bit. He's one of my very good friends to this day. But I absolutely don't think I ever extended my arms cockily and said "welcome to my world" or whatever he thinks i said.
IJustNeedToMention15 karma
Which contestant had the most dramatic jury reveal (was rough looking on the show but then cleaned up really well for jury)?
Was Jeff Probst friendly to you all or was he always sarcastic?
How did you all designate a place to relieve yourselves?
Did anyone get obviously frisky during the show?
MalcolmFreberg30 karma
This is not a joke: I tend to think everyone looks better when they're on the show. There's no overly done makeup. People are tan, people are skinny. I think people look WORSE when they get to the jury because they've gotten fat and they've coated themselves in 3 layers of concealer.
During casting, Jeff Probst defended me in front of Mark Burnett. That story is too long to go into here, but I immediately felt a sense of fatherly attachment to Probst. But once we got on the island, he immediately becomes an antagonist, trying to trick you into screwing up all the time, and you lose all feelings of affection very quickly.
Well, it's much more sanitary (as disgusting as it sounds) to go in the ocean when the tide is out. We only had to poop every few days, because we are eating so little. But when we do have to drop a deuce, doing it straight into the water is the most hygienic way to do it.
There are stories of Castaways fooling around on the island. But I never saw any instances of that happening.
PurelySmart15 karma
Hey Malcolm.
Big fan.
One of the most amazing tribal councils is the one where you pulled out 2 idols. The look on Dawn, Sherry and Chocrine's faces was priceless (ugh I hate them so much). Did you consult Eddie and Reynolds before going into that tribal as to whether to use one idol or both, or did you go in there all out?
You are a bartender so, what's your favorite drink?
MalcolmFreberg24 karma
1) I only found the second idol half an hour before that Tribal council. There was very little time to plan logistics with Eddie and Reynolds. I was able to tell them that we would all be fine, that we were all protected that night, but as far as the exact delivery and scheming of the evening, which I will admit I didn't handle as well as I could, was completely impromptu.
2) I like drinks with alcohol in them.
Sqwat50015 karma
Hi Malcolm!
If you were brought back for a "legends" season with returning players, who are the 5 survivors you would want on your tribe the most, and who are the five survivors you would want on your tribe the least? Thanks!
MalcolmFreberg40 karma
Well, off the top of my head, I would want Boston Robb, because he's awesome; Denise, because she's my Jungle Momma; Andrea, because we think the same way; Ethan Zohn , I've never met him but it would be cool to hang with the guy; and Richard Hatch, because he would make everyone uncomfortable by being naked.
For the 5 people I'd want the least, again, off the cuff: Brandon Hantz; J'dia, because I'm fond of eating; Phillip Sheppard, because i hate my nicknames; and anyone who ever quit shouldn't be allowed to come back.
milksteaklover12 karma
What's up, Malcolm! I was a huge fan of yours on Survivor. I was wondering which Survivor from recent seasons do you admire the most in terms of gameplay? I thought Tony was amazing, although obviously much different from you.
MalcolmFreberg24 karma
I thought Tony was amazing too. I think he played a great game. I always love when players come out aggressively. And Tony had boldness in spades. I love Spencer to death, but he was out-matched by the NJ cop.
BobjumpA12 karma
Hi Malcolm.
- What was the worst part about being on survivor?
- Did you guys talk about how crazy Abi was while on the island? We all saw how crazy she was but the show never really showed you guys talking about how crazy she was.
Thanks.
MalcolmFreberg21 karma
1) It's not the starving. It's not the conditions. It's the people. The cast of Survivor is chosen to create drama, meaning most of your tribe would be crappy coworkers, let alone island mates. The people are the hardest part.
2) The show didn't need to show us talking about how crazy she was, because the footage they had of her acting crazy was enough.
JFX3711 karma
Hey Malcolm! Appreciated your games in both Philippines and Caramoan.
My question is this: What is an event that happened on either season that the cameras did not capture?
Thanks for doing this, and good luck with Wayfaring!
MalcolmFreberg22 karma
Because of copyright laws, Survivor can't show anyone singing popular music on their show. So we could never sing while the cameras were on. But they would give us some leeway late at night after the action had stopped from the day. One of my favorite memories of Survivor that didn't make the show was Andrea singing our tribe to sleep at night.
NickyNickSmiles11 karma
I’ve probably been watching the show since around season one when I was five years old, and one of my biggest goals in life is to one day be a contestant on Survivor. Are there any tips concerning the audition process you could give for someone who dreams to one day get on?
MalcolmFreberg30 karma
Nobody in casting cares about your athletic background or if you have a Navy seal background of 20 years. All they care about is if you're entertaining on camera. The tape that you submit to casting is everything. Make sure you're well spoke and engaging. I would recommend one shot of tequila and one cup of coffee before you make it.
ajasp10 karma
Hey Malcolm! Super pumped about your new show--going into your second season of survivor, how did Jeff know you were a fan favorite before the first season had already aired? If I'm not mistaken, aren't Survivor seasons filmed back-to-back with no break?
MalcolmFreberg29 karma
The story is: Jeff immediately asked me to come back for the next season, which was filming only 2 weeks later. I don't know how he knew I'd be a favorite. I suppose it was some sort of "man crush."
GiveMeDog8 karma
Intelligent, charming, good looking...who would have guessed you'd be a favorite?
MalcolmFreberg29 karma
I honestly thought I would be a villain on the show. I went into Survivor completely prepared to be portrayed negatively. And I didn't care as long as I won a million dollars. Instead, I became a favorite - I'm certainly not upset about that. But I'd rather have a larger bank account.
danilui10 karma
There have been a lot of crossovers between CBS reality shows lately. If asked, would you consider going on The Amazing Race? If so, would you go with a friend/family member or with a fellow Survivor?
MalcolmFreberg15 karma
If I did Amazing Race, it would not be with a family member. My mom is too fond of the comforts at home, my dad is too busy supporting my mom's comforts at home, and my brother is a train wreck. If I did Amazing Race, it would have to be with somebody not in my family.
howtospellorange10 karma
Hey Malcolm! I have to say that you were one of my most favorite Survivor contestants ever.
My question is, were there any life lessons, big or small, that you took away after being on Survivor for about 2 and a half straight months? If so, what were they?
MalcolmFreberg22 karma
I approached Survivor as a game, and whatever lessons you could learn sitting around a board game like Monopoly or Candy Land is what I took away from the game. The caveat to that is you learn a lot about human nature and how awful people become when they are hungry.
Also, coconut water is a laxative.
room3179 karma
Hi Malcolm. What campaign promises for Mister Survivor do you still hope to fill?
MalcolmFreberg15 karma
When I was awarded the illustrious title of Mister Survivor, I always knew that Wayfaring was going to happen this July. And the belt that I was duly awarded will certainly be on the trip, and many pictures across the U.S. will be taken.
GBizz229 karma
Malcolm! What made you want to try out for Survivor? Also, I am incredibly envious of your hair.
MalcolmFreberg8 karma
I grew up watching Survivor. I was 12 when the first season aired and I never missed one. It's always been a dream. I applied and went through the casting process just like anyone is capable of.
mrsurvivor9 karma
Malcolm, it seems I took your proper username. Your a great player but your no Phillip Shepard ;) I got some questions:
Would you ever take over as host of Survivor for Jeff?
Who would be on your dream tribe with you?
Are the three Amigos still together?
Im a 23 year old female, why don't you hit me up? ;p
MalcolmFreberg20 karma
Whoever takes over for Jeff Probst one day is going to be DESTROYED by the audience. No one will ever be able to match what he does. He's become iconic and tied to the show. Just like tribal council and immunity challenges, he's become part of the fabric of what makes Survivor so great.
While we haven't seen each other in about a year, the 3 Amigos are eternally tied to each other in spirit.
Because you just proposed to me over reddit, that's why! ;)
stoptryingtobecute9 karma
Is it hard being so beautiful? What kind of conditioner do you use?
MalcolmFreberg13 karma
The secret to my hair is apathy. I give zero shits about what goes into my hair. I can't explain where the fascination comes from but I certainly don't discourage people from continuing to ask questions about it.
MalcolmFreberg17 karma
I had a great experience teaching overseas for a year. It was one of the highlights of my life. And I still work with children's programs to this day. But my year as an elementary school teacher taught me that I don't have it in me to be a teacher full-time and I have the utmost respect for teachers in the US who I believe are completely under-valued by society.
CarnivalCreep9 karma
Hey Malcolm, loved you on Philippines, it was the season that got me back into Survivor. You and Denise were a dynamic duo -- if you were both brought back for an All-Stars season, would you want to work with her again, or would you see her as too much of a threat?
Also, what was Artis like? He was my pre-season pick, but we saw so little of him on the show.
MalcolmFreberg11 karma
Denise is one of my good friends in real life now. However if we were on the game together, we would approach it the same way, both trying to win, and that's why we're good friends to this day, because we both have the same approach.
TerraMaris9 karma
What was the best part of your Survivor experience that didn't make it to air? Did you give any great confessionals that just didn't make the cut?
MalcolmFreberg24 karma
When the show first came out, I remember being upset that certain brilliant things I'd said hadn't been aired. But oddly, what's shown on tV becomes your reality. What CBS decides to put out colors your memories of how the game actually went. That being said, everything that ever came out of Eddie Fox's mouth was hysterical.
Black_Table9 karma
Hey Malcolm, just wanted to say that you are my all-time favorite survivor, and I really hope to see you play again! My question is, if you could participate in any other game show, which would it be?
MalcolmFreberg15 karma
I was a huge Survivor fan growing up. It was the only reality show I logically would do. That being said, I always wanted to be a rockstar, so American Idol would be my dream. That being said though, I have zero singing ability. I know that's common for Rockstars to not have any ability, but my ego couldn't take the bashing of being the guy that was dismissed so early in the competition.
panic_switch8 karma
Hey Malcolm. Big fan of you on both of your seasons of Survivor.
Is there anything you learned from being on Survivor that you think will help in your Wayfaring trip across the USA?
Anywhere in the USA you hope you do visit or don't visit?
MalcolmFreberg11 karma
I think Wayfaring will be much easier than Survivor. I'm going to be fed, I'm going to bathe, and as much as the public gets to torture me at their will, it still can't be as bad as what CBS did to me.
I'm very excited to visit ANYWHERE. As much as the public perception is that I'm well-traveled, I really haven't seen much of the United States. So I'm excited to do anything, and wouldn't dismiss a place just for reputation.
MalcolmFreberg16 karma
Every morning for the past 3 months, I've woken up, had 3 cups of coffee spiked with Jameson, and watched Frozen 2 times. You do the math.
FinMac378 karma
Hey Malcolm! I'm a huge fan so I have a couple questions!
Can we expect to see you on season 30 or another season of survivor????
Can you tell us a little bit about Wayfaring?
Finally, are/will you watch the World Cup? If so, who are you cheering for??
Thanks Malcolm!!
MalcolmFreberg19 karma
1) I can't say for sure. The powers that be may or may not ask me. But please give me some time to emotionally and physically recover from the last few seasons.
2) I'm simultaneously thrilled and terrified for this July. Thrilled that i get to do a 20 day road trip of the United States. Terrified that I am going to leave all control of my life for 3 weeks in the hands of YOU PEOPLE.
3) Who am I cheering for?!?! AMERICA! Always and forever! I don't care about soccer, I care about patriotism!
MalcolmFreberg13 karma
If you've seen a picture of me recently you'll know I'm imitating him now.
Snoopy_Come_Home6 karma
Psyched that you are doing this, I am sure it will be nothing short of hysterical. I am paralyzed with panic at my desk right now and can't think of a question.. OK here it goes.. If they did a Fan Favorites Vs. Celebrity survivor, what fellow fan favorite and Two A-list celebrities would you want the final four to be comprised of?
MalcolmFreberg10 karma
I don't know that he's a fan favorite, but I thought Coach played a great game and got robbed on one of his last seasons. I understand WHY he lost, but his hypocrisy shouldn't have overshadowed his game. As far as celebrities, I know that Neil Patrick Harris is a huge Survivor fan, and I think he'd be great on the show as an under-estimated competitor. And I'd like to put Probst on the show. I'd like to see how he does when he's not in the comfortable hosting role.
tjstanley6 karma
How would you have changed your strategy on Caramoan had Philippines already aired?
MalcolmFreberg11 karma
Had Philippines aired already, that would have not affected my strategy. What would have affected my strategy was more time in-between seasons. Time to rest, time to rethink things.
MalcolmFreberg12 karma
I'm ashamed to admit I'm not the most comic book literate person on the planet. That being said, Batman is far and away my favorite superhero.
MalcolmFreberg10 karma
She doesn't lack for charisma. She's very engaging and flirty. And well-spoken.
Jacksondog16 karma
First of all best of luck with Wayfaring- I love to travel and a big part of the thrill is going outside your comfort zone- what scares you the most about this road trip?
MalcolmFreberg9 karma
What scares me the most is letting you people, members of the internet community, make all my decisions for me. I'm not going to be able to choose where I go, and what I do each day. I'm not a control freak, but that's terrifying to anybody. I'm sure it's going to be fun, but I've seen how you people torture anyone who slips over anything in the public eye, and I'm completely convinced that you're going to torture me for all of July.
cmcavoy4 karma
If you could have a super power related to one thing, would you rather it be your hair, or your webbed toes? Also, what do you think the power would be?
MalcolmFreberg8 karma
My webbed toes already give me a super power - the ability to beat small children in games of Sharks & Minnows at the local pool.
beernerd37 karma
Are you concerned that Wayfaring might be hijacked by groups like 4chan? If so, what's your game plan?
View HistoryShare Link