To many, Lisa Whelchel is forever linked with Blair Warner, the spoiled, preppy rich girl she played on the long-running ‘80s sitcom, “The Facts of Life.” But Whelchel may change that image forever with her turn on “Survivor: Philippines.”
“Being on ‘Survivor’ has been a dream of mine since the show first got on the air,” Whelchel told FOX. “I just love the show. I’m a huge fan – I’ve watched every episode!” Whelchel was so eager to be cast on the 25th season of her favorite show, she pleaded her case on two popular social networking sites.
A devout Christian, Whelchel was also concerned about how her deeply held religious convictions would come across on a reality show.
“Going into it, I really didn’t want to even pray,” said Whelchel. “Even though that is a part of my everyday personal life, it usually doesn’t translate well on television, especially in the context of a game.”
Whelchel also wanted to make it clear that she was not asking God for any special favors during the competition.
“There’s a part of me that thinks, ‘Yes, God is interested in each of our lives,’ so if we’re playing ‘Survivor,’ then He’s interested in us playing ‘Survivor,’” explained Whelchel. “But in the big scheme of things, I really don’t think God cares who wins ‘Survivor’ or who wins what challenge. I don’t think He has a favorite a football team or a favorite country, and so I didn’t want it to come across that I was asking God to be on my side to help me win a challenge or win a million dollars. That just doesn’t seem to line up with who God is, and it’s hard to translate having a conversation with God in prayer that’s personal in the context of a game. So, I didn’t even want to pray, even though that’s a big part of my life personally.”
The mother of three did bring a copy of the Bible as her luxury item, along with some trepidation about what most “Survivor” players resort to in order to win the game.
“I was really concerned about the possibility of having to lie on ‘Survivor,’ confessed Whelchel. “I didn’t want to lie and I wasn’t planning on lying if I could avoid it, but I also knew the game and I knew what it took to play the game and I knew that it would be naive to think that you could play the game without lying. Although I was worried about – especially Christians – judging me, because they might say, ‘OK, you say you’re a Christian, you’re supposed representing God and you’re lying.’ And they would have felt it was just an excuse to say, ‘Yes, but it is just a game.’ But the truth is that it IS a game. The rules of the game are, ‘There are no rules.’ Everybody signs up for the same game. I would just hope that I would be able to keep that mindset while playing the game.”
Even if Whelchel had some reservations about lying during “Survivor” gameplay, she’s not too concerned about the cursing and occasional nudity on the show.
“It doesn’t bother me,” declared Whelchel. “Maybe because, personally, I have experienced so much judgment myself, I go overboard on the mercy. So, I have a whole lot of leeway with (my competitors) and I celebrate whoever they are. I have actually really learned to seek out people who are way different from me and way outside my comfort zone, because I find them so fascinating and interesting. It makes me want to get to know them – it’s like going on a trip to a foreign country, learning about something that I don’t experience in my every day life.”
If Whelchel eventually wins to top prize on “Survivor,” she already has plans for the million bucks.
“My brother just started a church in a really poor neighborhood of California, and they have been doing just the most wonderful things, like giving away fully decorated Christmas trees at Christmas, bicycles and backpacks filled with school supplies,” Whelchel said of the Freedom Church in Chatsworth, Calif. “I love what he’s doing and it would be a joy to give away 10 percent to him. Then, after that, I have a daughter that’s getting married in October and another one that’s marrying age, and three in college – so I hope that there’s something leftover for me to start a new career!”
“Being on ‘Survivor’ has been a dream of mine since the show first got on the air,” Whelchel told FOX. “I just love the show. I’m a huge fan – I’ve watched every episode!” Whelchel was so eager to be cast on the 25th season of her favorite show, she pleaded her case on two popular social networking sites.
A devout Christian, Whelchel was also concerned about how her deeply held religious convictions would come across on a reality show.
“Going into it, I really didn’t want to even pray,” said Whelchel. “Even though that is a part of my everyday personal life, it usually doesn’t translate well on television, especially in the context of a game.”
Whelchel also wanted to make it clear that she was not asking God for any special favors during the competition.
The mother of three did bring a copy of the Bible as her luxury item, along with some trepidation about what most “Survivor” players resort to in order to win the game.
“I was really concerned about the possibility of having to lie on ‘Survivor,’ confessed Whelchel. “I didn’t want to lie and I wasn’t planning on lying if I could avoid it, but I also knew the game and I knew what it took to play the game and I knew that it would be naive to think that you could play the game without lying. Although I was worried about – especially Christians – judging me, because they might say, ‘OK, you say you’re a Christian, you’re supposed representing God and you’re lying.’ And they would have felt it was just an excuse to say, ‘Yes, but it is just a game.’ But the truth is that it IS a game. The rules of the game are, ‘There are no rules.’ Everybody signs up for the same game. I would just hope that I would be able to keep that mindset while playing the game.”
Even if Whelchel had some reservations about lying during “Survivor” gameplay, she’s not too concerned about the cursing and occasional nudity on the show.
“It doesn’t bother me,” declared Whelchel. “Maybe because, personally, I have experienced so much judgment myself, I go overboard on the mercy. So, I have a whole lot of leeway with (my competitors) and I celebrate whoever they are. I have actually really learned to seek out people who are way different from me and way outside my comfort zone, because I find them so fascinating and interesting. It makes me want to get to know them – it’s like going on a trip to a foreign country, learning about something that I don’t experience in my every day life.”
If Whelchel eventually wins to top prize on “Survivor,” she already has plans for the million bucks.
“My brother just started a church in a really poor neighborhood of California, and they have been doing just the most wonderful things, like giving away fully decorated Christmas trees at Christmas, bicycles and backpacks filled with school supplies,” Whelchel said of the Freedom Church in Chatsworth, Calif. “I love what he’s doing and it would be a joy to give away 10 percent to him. Then, after that, I have a daughter that’s getting married in October and another one that’s marrying age, and three in college – so I hope that there’s something leftover for me to start a new career!”
