Survivors Rejoin Reality

Image credit: Mariano and Brkich: CBS/Landov

REALITY CHECK Brkich and Mariano want to win again

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Amber Brkich

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Hey, Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich: You just won $1.25 million on Survivor: All-Stars (counting Rob's second-place prize); what are you gonna do now? Forget Disney World, they're gonna try and get themselves another cool mil on CBS' The Amazing Race 7 (March 1). We caught up with reality TV's craftiest couple right before they hit the starting line.

When did CBS ask you to do the Race?
AB We just started mentioning it everywhere we went. [Reporters would] ask, ''So what's next?'' ''Well, we want to be on The Amazing Race.'' And CBS caught word, and next thing you know...

Will you not be happy until you've won all the money?
AB Why not?
RM We're just here to have a good time this time. Oh, we're taking the money home, too. Don't get me wrong. But we're here to have a good time.

Many Survivor alumni have pimped themselves out to other reality shows like The Surreal Life. Why haven't you done more?
RM A lot of people don't realize that you're not gonna make a serious acting career out of being on a reality show. And we get that. We're still gonna have fun while we can, but we're not nickeling and diming ourselves to every little offer that comes along. I've always loved Amazing Race, and she has too. For us, it's about having a good time and the money. The image and all that s---, who cares?

Since you guys already have a million bucks, will every other team on The Amazing Race want you out first?
AB Going back on Survivor would be pointless for us, because they would want to get rid of us right away. This show, they can't.
RM Yesterday they had an information meeting about the race. They mentioned the yields [where contestants can stall another team], and I'm thinking, Every single friggin' team is looking at us.... Then again, they can't use the yield on us if we get there before them.

Are the losers of Survivor: All-Stars still mad at you?
RM To some people, that was their life. Since that opportunity's gone, they realize they're not getting another one, and they'll never be able to let that go.

But, hey, at least they've got their moral high ground.
AB [Mimicking the holier-than-thou losers in the finale] ''I never told one lie'' — well, who cares, you didn't win a million dollars, either.