Sherman Ave Interviews: Alexis Maxwell
Did you know that there was a Northwestern senior on Survivor? We do. We interviewed her. Alexis Maxwell represented us 'Cats on Season 28 of Survivor, which pitted Brains against Brawns against Beauties. Alexis put her SESP and psychology skills to the test in the Beauty tribe before she was ultimately voted off the show. While she may not have won the million dollar prize, Alexis captured the hearts of creepy men on twitter, past Survivor contestants, and two of our heinous writers:
Smangston Hughes: So should we refer to you as Alexis or Alexis-Maxwell-That-Girl-in-Theta-on-Survivor? Which do you prefer?
Alexis: (Laughs) You could cut the Theta part.
Smangston Hughes: Perfect. So besides Dillo Day, how did your Northwestern experience help prepare you for Survivor?
Alexis: Well, I think just what I’m studying helps because I’m a psych major and a LOC (Leadership and Organizational Change) major. LOC is like people management. Psych is knowing where you stand in a group and understanding your role, so I definitely thought that my education applied.
Smangston Hughes: Were you surprised to be on the beauty tribe and not the brain tribe?
Alexis: I definitely was because I think that it is so subjective, being put on the beauty tribe. And I definitely don’t think it's like my strongest quality if you have to pick between the three options, so I would have put myself on the brains tribe but after like three days, I had definitely proven myself to be a beauty and not a brain.
The Infinite Guest: I feel like you’re one of the few students who could pull that off. I don’t think too many Northwestern students are going on the beauty tribe.
Alexis: (Pause) Well, thank you (Laughs.)
Smangston Hughes: You mention in one of your pre-game interviews that none of the guys on the island were hot, do you think that’s because the hot men at Northwestern set the bar too high?
Alexis: (Laughs) Well, I think I’m just very picky. I know exactly what I like and I wasn’t seeing what I like. (Laughs) But I don’t think Northwestern guys played a role in that.
The Infinite Guest: Unfortunate.
Smangston Hughes: Unfortunately you were voted out right before the merge, and it was a very emotional episode.
The Infinite Guest: It was a tearjerker.
Smangston Hughes: Do you think that you shed more tears during that last tribal council (when you got voted off) or during your bid day at Northwestern?
Alexis: There were no tears shed on my bid day. (Laughs) I’m not that sororitastic so it was definitely at tribal council.
Smangston Hughes: And it seems like one of the reasons that you got voted off is because people viewed you as a social threat in the game. Do you think it was solely because of your social connections on the opposing tribe or because your hair is so full of secrets?
Alexis: Well, I think it’s a combination actually. I think definitely being so close to Jefra and LJ really hurt me, and being so separated from them really hurt me. But, Spencer also spoke about how I didn’t come off as trustworthy to him, and he didn’t believe that I was thinking and saying everything that was truthful. I guess I wasn’t perceived how I thought I was being perceived.
The Infinite Guest: Did you ever tell Morgan that she couldn’t sit with you?
Alexis: (Laughs.) No I think she told me I couldn’t sit with her.
The Infinite Guest: Which sucks more? The food on survivor? Or the NUcuisine food?
Alexis: There’s no food on survivor! I’d just eat a little bit of rice if anything every day so you literally have no food options.
The Infinite Guest: Not if J’Tia is around though.
Alexis: ESPECIALLY not if J'Tia’s around.
Smangston Hughes: Okay, so real talk, Alexis-- I’ve tried “friending” you on Facebook twice to no avail. Do you get this kind of attention from all around campus or am I just especially creepy?
Alexis: Well Facebook is a total exception because I don’t think I’ve checked my Facebook friend requests since like ten years ago. I really suck at that.
Smangston Hughes: Yeah, yeah, yeah…
Alexis: Actually around campus it’s mostly been people who are my friends who are laughing with me about it and things like that. No strangers really have recognized me except for a couple times in Chicago which is super exciting for me, but its not as much as I expected. It’s still been fun though.
Smangston Hughes: So you don’t have Justin Barbin popping out of bushes to photograph you on your way to Norbucks or paparazzi following you?
Alexis: No, I have not, unfortunately. I would love that, but none of that happens. It was just my friends mostly making fun of my head looking like an alien.
The Infinite Guest: So some celebrity magazines have been calling you and Chet Haze a new “it” couple given recent instagram uploads. Can you confirm or deny this?
Smangston Hughes: You can’t spell ratchet without Chet.
Alexis: It’s a strong deny on that part. I’m rooming with his ex, so I don’t think that would go over very well.
Smangston Hughes: Oh, snap. (Pause) So there’s a challenge on the show where your opponents try to-
Alexis: The pole challenge!?!
Smangston Hughes: Yeah! They tried to pull you off of a pole. Did this bring back memories of the Keg?
Alexis: (Laughs) No. No one ever tried to pull me off the pole there, and I could stay on all night if I wanted to.
The Infinite Guest: Who are you rooting for now that’s left on the show?
Alexis: Jefra and probably Spencer would probably be the two I would like to see go far.
Smangston Hughes: Did you ever ask Tony what his tattoo meant?
Alexis: No, I haven’t actually. I never really spoke to him in person, which is weird for a lot of viewers to think about. I never was on a tribe with him, so I never got to meet him.
Smangston Hughes: Can you describe your Survivor experience using only Kelly Clarkson lyrics?
Alexis: (Pause) That’s the worst option you could give me! I don’t think I’ve heard any of her songs.
The Infinite Guest: Who would be a more appropriate artist?
Smangston Hughes: Jordin Sparks?
The Infinite Guest: Jordin Sparks.
Alexis: I don’t know. Like, Big Sean?
Smangston Hughes: Big Sean lyrics? I’m down with that.
Alexis: No, he really only says like “Swerve.”
Smangston Hughes: I like that. Swerveee.
The Infinite Guest: But he doesn’t say, “merge.”
Alexis: (Laughs) No, he doesn’t say merge. (Laughs) These are pretty bad options.
Smangston Hughes: I read your bio on the Survivor website and you said that one of your strongest assets in the game was your background on psychology. I’m curious, what do you think Morgan’s best assets were?
Alexis: (Pauses) You got two really, really nice assets that she can use.
The Infinite Guest: Cheerleading experience and a friendly smile?
Alexis: I’m gonna let you guys imagine what they are.
The Infinite Guest: Do you think that if you had made it to the merge you would have flipped tribes?
Alexis: No. I definitely would not have flipped. It just doesn’t make sense in the game of Survivor. You lose five jury votes and there are only 11 people on the jury, and ten people sometimes. If there are five people that won’t vote for you, you lose the game. It wouldn’t have made sense to flip and we all knew that going in so I still don’t get why they thought I was going to.
Smangston Hughes: I heard that Spencer and Kass were secretly banging. Can you assess the validity of these rumors?
Alexis: (Laughs.) Um, no. Spencer and Kass didn’t go off that much together, so I can strongly say that I don’t think that was happening.
Smangston Hughes: On the show Spencer, one of the contestants, accused you of playing dumb. Are you playing dumb now?
Alexis: No. I don’t think I was playing dumb when he was talking about it. I think I was just being dumb. So there was no playing going on. I was just being very honest with him.
The Infinite Guest: Does SESP not go over how chickens work?
Alexis: SESP didn’t cover that. I have to talk to them about their curriculum.
The Infinite Guest: Did this count as your SESP practicum?
Alexis: No. Unfortunately, it did not. I had to take a quarter off from school for this.
Smangston Hughes: Thank you Alexis for your time - we are huge fans. We’re kind of obsessed with you, and it’s a little borderline weird.
Alexis: (Laughs) No worries! Thank you so much. If you want to, vote for me for fan favorite! I’m a pre-merge person but we could still try.
Smangston Hughes: We’ll take that to the White House.
The Infinite Guest: You will have votes! Don’t worry! If you see anyone melting down on [Sheridan] it’s probably one of us.
Alexis: (Laughs) Okay.
Smangston Hughes: One last question. Just based on this interview, and I know it’s hard because you can’t see us, would you place us on the brains, brawn, or beauty tribe?
Alexis: I would place you both on the beauty tribe duh!
Watch Survivor on CBS on Wednesdays at 8/7 Central!
AND, speaking of selling out, you should apply to be a writer for Sherman Ave!!!!!!
