“Boston Rob” Mariano knows something about being a survivor – he is an alumnus of Survivor, appearing on the fourth season, Survivor: Marquesas and on Survivor All-Stars. WWE’s own Ashley got some lessons on survival in Survivor: China, which premieres this Thursday, Sept. 20 on CBS. On the eve of the new season of Survivor, Ashley had an opportunity to get some survival tips from Mariano and talk baseball:
 
Ashley: I am excited to speak to you! Everyone knows you’re “Boston Rob,” the King of Reality TV, and that you met and proposed to your wife Amber on Survivor: All-Stars. Now, I think most people would like to know, how’s married life?
 
Rob Mariano: Married life is awesome. I’ve been married for almost two-and-a-half years now. It’s funny how fast the time goes by. You know, the first time I was on Survivor, it was almost six years ago, and it’s just been amazing. You know, life kinda got turned upside down, and I ended up working in the entertainment field, which is something that no one would have expected. But it’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve had some outstanding experiences. It’s been a lot of fun traveling around the world, doing different things, and I couldn’t be happier.
 
Ashley: That’s awesome. Life flies when you’re having fun, I guess. [Laughs]
 
Mariano: Yeah, it definitely does.
 
Ashley: Well, the last time we saw you and Amber was on Amazing Race: All-Stars. Since then, what have you guys been up to?
 
Mariano: Since last spring, I’ve actually been working on a new project; I’m actually going to be hosting a new TV show called Tontine, which posts the largest prize in reality show history. One person is going to walk away with $10 million.
 
Ashley: Get out of here!
 
Mariano: Yeah, so we’re definitely setting a new standard with the prize. In addition, it’s going to be held in all seven continents of the world. It’s a 100-day competition, so it’s three times longer than Survivor. And it’s a combination of both physical and mental challenges just like Survivor and Amazing Race. It’s everything you love about your favorite reality TV shows put together in this super reality show. But just like other reality shows have a twist; Tontine also has a twist, which is probably going to blow your mind.
 
Ashley: Oh?
 
Mariano: The twist is that the $10 million prize isn’t actually coming from the network. The $10 million prize is actually a collective life savings of all of the 15 contestants.
 
Ashley: No way…
 
Mariano: So, for the first time in the history of TV, the contestants are actually going to have something to lose.
 
Ashley: Oh my god! Wow, they’re really putting their lives on the line!
 
Mariano: Yes, the contestants are putting their lives on the line to compete for $10 million. It’s pretty groundbreaking.
 
Ashley: That’s amazing! That is a twist. Does Amber play a part in the show?
 
Mariano: No, actually. She won $1 million on Survivor and she’s putting me to work now. [Laughs] She’s probably going to show up when we’re in Paris, Europe or Australia, you know, the nice places. But when I’m down in Antarctica, I’m sure she’ll just let me go to work and be on my own.
 
Ashley: Right.  [Laughs] That’s awesome; I’m not going to miss it. It sounds like a really cool show.
 
Mariano: Yeah, we’re excited. We’re looking to film it in just a few weeks or so. We’re finalizing the casting selections within the next couple of weeks, and it’ll be here in the spring.
 
Ashley: Now, which do you prefer more, to be the host of a reality show or actually compete in one?
 
Mariano: You know, it’s funny. When I was first asked to host this show, and after I heard the premise of the show and everything, my first reaction was that I don’t want to host the show; I want to compete in it.  I am competitive by nature, but it’s definitely a good transition for me. The production crew has the benefit of actually having someone who’s competed in the past — I mean, I know all of the ins and outs of the reality TV world, so I won’t let them pull any fast ones on me.
 
Ashley: [Laughs]
 
Mariano: It’s a natural transition, and I’m excited to give it a shot.
 
Ashley: That sounds really cool. So, I’m just curious … what do you put in your tax return these days? Professional reality game show player? Or host?
 
Mariano: I don’t know, my accountant handles that. [Laughs] I can talk to him, and get back to you if you really need to know.
 
Ashley: No, no, that’s okay. [Laughs] Now that you’re hosting your own reality show, would you say that you are more of a Jeff Probst from Survivor kind of host or Phil Keoghan from Amazing Race?
 
Mariano: You know what? Jeff is a good friend of mine, and I’ve gotten to know Phil over the years as well. They both have very unique styles and bring something different to the games that they host. I hope that I have learned a bit from each of them, and combine a little of both with what they have to offer, and add a little bit of my own flair as well.
 
Ashley: Yeah, you’re in the driver’s seat right now. I think that this couldn’t a better position for you.
 
Mariano: Thanks. Yeah, it’s really cool. To host a major show on a major network is a great opportunity. Those guys are seasoned veterans, so I’m definitely looking at what they have done in the past. Obviously, Amber and I are huge fans of both of those shows, and we still watch them all the time. But I think I want to do something that’s a little bit unique to myself as well.
 
Ashley: Yeah, I could definitely see that. Well, you’re definitely a huge inspiration for me. Before I went on this season’s Survivor: China, I watched you on Survivor, of course. And as you know, this season of Survivor starts this Thursday, and I was wondering, with all of your success, what’s the secret to success on the show?
 
Mariano: Well… you know that I had the opportunity to do it twice and compete in the All-Stars. The second time around, I learned a lot from doing it the first time. And I think that the most important thing is to not go into the game with a set strategy, but to be able to adapt to your situation.
 
Ashley: Yeah, you never know what you’re going to get. It’s different for everybody.
 
Mariano: Totally. I mean, you don’t know what type of situation you are going to be in. You don’t know when the tracks are going to switch, or when the next challenge is going to be. But you have to have the ability to be able to think on your feet, think outside of the box and to adapt. I think that’s what helped Amber and I to go a long way the second time.
 
Ashley: Out of all the reality shows you watch, which one is your favorite?
 
Mariano: Well, Survivor, Amazing Race and Tontine. You know, Amber and I were fortunate enough to have the experience to go to Vegas last year for a couple months, and we actually worked and produced our own show about me trying to become a professional poker player. It was called Rob & Amber: Against the Odds. It was a lot of fun because we were in a situation where… you know, everyday Amber and I get pitched different projects and different things to do and some of them were cool and some of them were completely off the wall. So, we decided to take our fate into our own hands, and do a show on something that we want to do a show about. We contacted the people, and I got to fulfill one of my lifelong dreams. I got to meet Daniel Negreanu and Josh Arieh and all of the big poker players, and live the Vegas life for about six months. It was a lot of fun.
 
Ashley: That’s awesome. Now, you are a team that so many people love to hate. You [also] have so many fans that love you, and another contingent that are against you. From what we’ve seen, some of your fellow competitors probably are not coming to your place this Sunday for brunch. What advice do you have for me to get along with others on the show?
 
Mariano: You know what, here’s the thing: Don’t worry about how they’re going to like you after the game or whatever. Amber and I both went in with the mentality to play the game.
 
Ashley: Yeah, you gotta play the game. No matter what, you are competing against these people, and you may be a friendly person and may make friendships, but it’s still a competition.
 
Mariano: You have to stay focused on the game, and don’t let your personal feelings interfere with your task at hand. The hardest thing is that you get voted off one of those shows, and the hardest thing is to know that that adventure is over for you. And a lot of people aren’t able to separate games from hurt feelings.
 
Ashley: It comes with the territory. It’s the same thing as WWE. We compete against each other and say to ourselves all the time, “Okay, I may have lost this match but that’s how it goes.”
 
Mariano: At the end of the day, your friends and your family will still be there for you. Just go into it with a clear head, and don’t go on Survivor and the Amazing Race because you want to have fun. You know what I mean? Don’t do it. Go in there to win. I mean, if you go in there to have fun, don’t cry about it after the fact when you don’t win.
 
Ashley: Oh, cool. One last question before I go, Rob. The goal for WWE Superstars and Divas is to try to win as many championships as possible. What are your goals for the future? Is “Romber” (Rob and Amber) planning on doing more things collaboratively or separately?
 
Mariano: Right now I am 100 percent focused on Tontine, and that’s taking a lot of my time. It’s a 100- day competition, so I’m going to be on the road for a while going to all seven continents. But we are always open to new ideas. I definitely still have a passion for the game of poker, and would like to continue that. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even start a family someday.
 
Ashley: Yeah! Cool, that’s exciting! Well, before you go, I have to let you know that I am a huge New York Yankees fan.
 
Mariano: Oh, well, there goes the interview.
 
Ashley: [Laughs] I’m just saying I think we might beat the Red Sox again this year. Any comments?
 
Mariano: I wouldn’t plan on that. But I’ll tell you what, I’m going to make a deal with you: When the Red Sox and the Yankees are in the playoffs, which they’re sure to do, you give me a call. We’ll get together, and we’ll go see a game.
 
Ashley: I’ll make sure to wear my pinstripes. Alright Rob, I really appreciate the interview.
 
Mariano: No problem, Ashley. Take care and good luck on Survivor: China.

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