Two locals clash on 'Survivor: Micronesia'
Two contestants from Chicago's suburbs -- a golf cart-driving mom from Glen Ellyn and a former nude model living in Fox River Grove -- will compete on "Survivor: Micronesia -- Fans vs. Favorites" when it premieres at 7 p.m. Thursday on CBS.
A quick comparison of Kathleen Sleckman and Jason Siska shows that, suburban addresses aside, they couldn't be more different, and there was no love lost between them -- Sleckman didn't care for the clique-ishness of the younger players.
Host Jeff Probst called Kathleen "so wacky that it's peculiar," and predicted before the competition began that she would be the first one voted out. "Bless her heart," he told TVguide.com, "she just doesn't fit with this group. And she has no idea that she doesn't fit."
As for Siska, Probst said, "Comparing yourself to (Cook island runner-up) Ozzy is a big comparison. Ozzy has proven how for real he is. It's gonna be interesting to see if Jason is as good as he says."
Kathleen Sleckman
Age: 45
Home: Glen Ellyn (her family is renting a condo in Wheaton while tearing down and rebuilding their home)
Marital status: married with one daughter
Job: drives golf cart selling beer and snacks at Village Links of Glen Ellyn
Former island home: Guam (in the U.S. Navy)
Unusual former job: plumber in the Seabees
Little-known fact: applied to show six times
One item she took to island: a foam Cheesehead (she's from Manitowoc, Wis.)
Previous "Survivor"-like experience: lived in tent for a month when fighting her mom at 16
"Survivor" role models: Kathleen, from "Survivor: Marquesas," and Yau-Man, from "Survivor: Fiji." Both were older and relied on social skills, intellect and humor without "backstabbing." And "Boston Rob" Mariano of Marquesas, because he was funny.
Telling quote: "Things come out of my mouth and people look at me, ('Survivor' producer) Mark Burnett looked at me … like what planet are you from?"
Jason Siska
Age: 22
Home: with parents in Fox River Grove
Marital status: single
Job: student teacher at Prairie Middle School in Barrington; gymnastics coach at Kids In Action in Barrington
Previous island home: St. John, born and raised
Unusual former job: nude model for art class at Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal
Little-known fact: brother Adam is member of local rock band The Academy Is
One item he took to island: guitar
Previous "Survivor"-like experience: backpacking, climbing palm trees and splitting coconuts with machetes
"Survivor" role model: "Ozzy. He's not like the big muscle-builder type guy, he's more like the lean athletic fit guy who can swim well, climb trees, run fast, go through obstacle courses -- that's me."
Telling quote: "I love the ladies, and it's going to be difficult keeping the game aspect and maybe some romance separate, so we'll see how that plays out."