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PEOPLE
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A
nyone who has ever watched Survivor
knows how important alliances can be.
John Carroll, the former nurse, current
law student and contestant from the
fourth installment set on the Marquesas
Islands, will talk about allies and alliances
Oct. 26 at the Human Rights Cam paign Port
land G ala Dinner.
The 37-year-old is warm, open and
engaging (even over a bad cell phone con
nection) and is eager to talk about his expe
riences as a “survivor.” After eight years of
living in West Hollywood, Calif., he has
returned to his native Nebraska, where he is
keen to use his celebrity to promote equality
for gay, lesbian, bi and trans people and (he
is very clear to add) intersex folk because
they have had no allies.
“A llies” is an important word for Carroll.
A t O m aha’s Creighton University School of
Law— a Jesuit college in one o f the nation’s
most conservative states— he recently found
ed the first gay/straight alliance on campus.
He is also setting up a scholarship called the
Alliance of Allies and Advocates, an apt
name considering “advocate” also means
attorney.
Am ong the first things he learned from
the Survivor experience is “that I can only
do so much as an individual. I can only he
outed on national T V once, and then 1
need allies.”
Those allies include his mother, Michele,
a lifelong Republican who left the Grand Old
Party this year because o f the gay issue. He
says he explained politics to her this way:
“The economy doesn’t give a rat’s ass who
controls the House because [Democrats and
Republicans] both screw it up, and they both
He will survive
spend too
surprised to dis
much money.
cover that some
But what matters F or J o h n Carroll, fam e is fle e tin g of the other cast
h u t a d v o ca cy is p e r m a n e n t
are the civil and
aways hadn’t fig
social issues, and it has
ured
it out.
b y F l o y d S k l a v e r
been the Democratic Party
Hel-lo!” he says. “ I have two
that has been the conscience o f the country.”
earrings, a pierced belly button, all the tattoos,
I’m a male nurse working with A ID S patients,
K, OK, I know what you’re thinking: What
and I’m as single as the day is long.”
about Survivor? Carroll is very candid about
Carroll was a huge Survivor fan and says he
his 24 days on the island and promises to applied to be a contestant on all four shows.
give “the nitty-gritty and the details that don’t After viewing the previous openly gay contes
get shown on T V ” when he speaks in Portland.
tants, Richard Hatch and Brandon Quinton, he
For instance, he tells me that since the pro
was a bit wary of how he would be perceived.
gram premiered, “three of us have come out,
“Richard was a schemer, and poor Brandon
and well over twice that many are in the clos
was somewhat vilified because he was the epito
et,” although he steadfastly refuses to divulge
me of the stereotype— the bitchy queen,” he says.
who they are.
“He is a bitchy queen, but he’s also very funny.”
While he has been out since he was 2 L,
Carroll takes the responsibility of being in
Carroll kept a low profile on the island until he
25 million living rooms very seriously: “I had to
was outed by another contestant. Then he was
get the pendulum to swing the other way. I
O
want to represent the people who are like
me— not overly dramatic, without Brandon’s
flair. I’m just trying to be John out there.”
John being constantly followed around by a
camera, that is. Is the camera ever not on the
Survivor contestants?
“Only when you’re taking a dump,” Carroll
laughs. “Believe me, a coconut is a laxative....
If you ever want to lose weight, eat a coconut.
One afternoon I had eaten a lot of coconut,
and suddenly I had to go really badly.”
Carroll dove into the bushes but was followed
by a camera crew who thought he was sneaking
off to strategize. They “had obviously never
taken ballet,” he says, “because they are thudding
through the jungle with cameras and lights, and
I’m trying to get my pants up before they arrive.”
Survivor has given Carroll “the platform to
push me forward” toward a career in politics.
Although he freely admits the show portrayed
him accurately, what TV audiences didn’t see
was his commitment and passion for equality.
Those attending the H RC dinner will hear from
an emerging civil rights advocate who gave up
gay life in Southern California to further our
cause in the conservative heartland. j n
The H uman R ights C ampaign P ortland
G ala D inner will feature a silent auction,
comedian Vickie Shaw and “America's Favorite
Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet" the Kinsey Sicks
6 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Portland Hilton Hotel,
921 S.W. Sixth Ave. Dress is festive or black-tie
optional. Tickets are $150 a person from
800-494-TIXS or www.boxofficetickets.com.
FLOYD S klaver is a free-lance writer in Portland.
Don’t try reaching him Thursdays between 8 and
9 p.m.
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