Baskauskas: I'm happy I outlasted him. I wouldn't necessarily say I was surprised. I was hoping I would outlast him. I knew it was going to be a battle, not just between he and I but with everyone out there. In the end I'm happy I beat my bro and it's something I'll be able to hold over him forever.
TME: Were you shocked when Laura M. teamed up with Tina on Redemption Island in order to help her finish the puzzle before you?
Baskauskas: I was stunned when Laura started giving Tina the solution to the puzzle. Am I bitter? No. She did what she had to do to get further in the game. People say, 'That's cheating.' Yeah, but 'Survivor' is about cheating and lying, and that's the game I signed up for.
TME: What was the hardest part of your 27 day stay on 'Survivor?'
Baskauskas: Getting blindsided. When I got voted to Redemption Island it wasn't a shock, but when Aras got voted to Redemption Island it was completely a blindside. That was difficult because the next tribal council was only a day later and I didn't really have time to get in with any of the other alliances. The elements weren't that tough. I was prepared for a lot worse. It didn't rain that much and even though we were hungry I still caught some fish so we had a little bit of food.
TME: What is different about your relationship with your brother now that you've both shared this experience on 'Survivor?'
Baskauskas: Nothing is wildly different. We're always going to have a healthy rivalry. We're a little closer, and we have this shared experience we'll be able to remember forever.
Baskauskas now becomes the second member of the jury that will ultimately vote on who wins the game. Check out the next episode of 'Survivor: Blood vs. Water' Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.