Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire: Alicia Calaway reflects on her infamous fight with Kimmi

With season 41 of Survivor delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EW is reaching back into the reality show's past. We sent a Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire to a batch of former players to fill out with their thoughts about their time on the show as well as updates on what they've been up to since. Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.

It was the finger wave seen around the world. And while the most famous argument in Survivor history is relatively tame by today's volatile reality TV standards, back in 2001 when Alicia Calaway proclaimed "I will always wave my finger in your face" while arguing with Kimmi Kappenberg about how often to eat the tribe's chickens on Survivor: The Australian Outback, it made national headlines.

But that confrontation — and its place in reality television history — often obscures the fact that Alicia was a serious gamer who had a path to win the most watched season ever of Survivor. Had Kimmi not let it slip at the merge to the rival Ogakor tribe that Jeff Varner had a previous vote against him, perhaps Kucha could have taken control of the numbers, and Alicia would not have been voted out on day 24 because she was seen as the biggest threat in the game.

Alicia was such a breakout personality that she was brought back for Survivor: All-Stars, once again impressing in challenges and also making fire for her tribe. This time she lasted until day 30, when she became the third member of the jury.

It's been 17 years since Alicia last graced our TV screens, so we reached out to the old school Survivor legend to get the scoop on how she feels now about her time on the show, that famous finger wave, and what she's up to now.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, give the update as to what you've been up to since appearing on Survivor.

ALICIA CALAWAY: It's been quite a few years since I appeared on the show, but my career path has remained the same. Although I've tried my hand in almost every area of the industry, fitness is my passion and working with people to obtain their goals is what makes me the happiest.

What is your proudest moment ever from playing Survivor?

I'm honestly pretty proud of myself for just having the balls to do the show in the first place. But if I had to boil it down to one moment, it would have to be the challenge everyone seems to remember most... the last Survivor standing challenge when we all stood on wooden poles in the middle of Herbert River. I know I'm stubborn, but I surprised even myself when I outlasted almost everyone except two other players form the other tribe. People constantly ask me how I did that, and I'm really not sure, but I'm glad to know that when it comes to shear will I have that in abundance.

What is your biggest regret from your Survivor experiences?

My biggest regret would have to be the infamous fight I had with Kimmi over the chickens. I'm not proud of the fact that I was unable to keep my cool. You learn a lot about yourself when you watch yourself on TV, especially when you're faced with situations that are way out of your comfort zone. To this day, I'm still working on having patience and staying calm under pressure. It's not easy!!

What's something that will blow fans minds that happened out there in one of your seasons but never made it to TV?

One afternoon in the Outback while we were having a fairly mellow afternoon around camp, we suddenly felt the earth under our feet vibrating as if a freight train was about to roll through our camp. It was a Kangaroo that had to be about seven feet tall! It literally hopped directly passed us so fast that we weren't even sure if it actually just happened. Who knew they grew that big and can move that fast?! That truly was a once in a lifetime moment!

How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?

I love to joke, laugh, and have fun. Not a lot of those moments made it onto the show. I was mostly seen as this serious person who was a bit aggressive and super competitive. After my family and friends saw the show, they asked why they didn't see me smile or laugh more. I regret the fact that the viewers didn't get a chance to see more sides of my personality.

What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there? Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?

It was an absolute shock coming back to regular society after being out there! I was living in New York City at the time, so all the sights, sounds, and smells were overwhelming. It definitely took a while to readjust to normal life.

Was there ever a point either during the game or after you got back where you regretted going on the show?

I have to be honest and say there were a few moments while I was out there that all I wanted to do was quit and go home. The moment that sticks out in my mind the most was when Mike Skupin fell in the fire. When you witness someone get hurt that badly, all you want to do is hug the people you love, stay close to them, and be thankful that you're all safe and healthy. I think if I was given an opportunity to go home in that moment, I might have taken it.

Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your seasons?

I really got close to many of my mates in the Kucha Tribe from Survivor, season 2. But I've both seen and talked to Jeff Varner the most. We had a strong connection while playing the game that has continued to this day.

Do you still watch Survivor, and, if so, what's your favorite season you were not on and why?

I haven't watched in quite a few years. After All-Stars, it truly seemed that the parts of the game that I liked the least became people's main motivation to be on the show. I'm not a fan of watching a group of people stab each other in the back. When I did the show the first time, I was drawn to the physicality of it all and didn't realize how much of the game play would be centered around scheming against your teammates. The second time I did the show, that aspect of it was even more prevalent.

Who's one player from another Survivor season you wish you could have played with or against and why?

I actually don't have a good answer for that. When I watched the show in the earlier days, I saw some of the contestants as people I'd love to meet rather than opponents. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to meet many of them.

If you could make one change to any aspect of Survivor, what would it be and why?

As the saying goes... If it isn't broke, no need to fix it. The formula that they have in place now is obviously working! However, it would be interesting to see what would happen if they continually switched up (maybe through luck of the draw) tribe members so they wouldn't have time to nail down alliances or get comfortable with their standing amongst their other tribe members.

Finally, would you play again if asked?

Not likely. I'm all about moving forward, trying new things, and taking on new challenges. Twice is enough for me!

To keep track of our daily Survivor Quarantine Questionnaires and get all the latest updates, check out EW's Survivor hub, and follow Dalton on Twitter.

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