Special Reports

Mitchell: 'I Definitely Wanted Out'

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

February 16, 2001 / 4:09 PM EST / CBS

Mitchell Olson is the fourth tribe member to be voted off Survivor: The Australian Outback. He talked with The Early Show's co-anchor, Jane Clayson, about his experience.

"I definitely wanted out," he said. "It was much tougher than I thought."

It was perhaps the most dramatic episode in Survivor history. Having lost yet another immunity challenge, members of the Ogakor tribe had to vote one of their own out of the game. After the first vote resulted in a tie, Olson and tribe mate Keith Famie were each given a chance to plead their case to remain with the group. While Famie made a case for staying, Olson told his teammates that he was ready to go.

"I didn't think I wanted put myself back into the situation where two people didn't want me there, he said referring to Colby and Tina. "It's kind of like the George W. Bush of the tribe. I didn't want to go back where at least 50 percent of the people wished I wasn't there. And so I was ready to go."

When asked what happened, Olson wasn't sure.

"It wasn't even on my mind," he said about being considered for expulsion. "After losing the immunity challenge, I thought, 'at least we're getting rid of Keith.' "

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He went on, "I couldn't have voted for Jerri, I couldn't have voted for Amber. I wish I had been 30 years old playing this game, cause I think I could have separated my friends from the game easier, but I put too much trust and faith in people. These are my friends; I couldn't do it."

When Clayson reminded him that it was just a game, Olson responded, "I knew it was a game. It's just ridiculous how close you become with these people, but I was. I was very close with everybody and I hated voting anybody off."

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