The Real Gilligan's Island Season 2

Post Show Experience

      In actuality, the "other side of the island" was nothing more than a trip back to a hotel and a one-way ticket home the next morning. It really was a period of mental and physical recovery. I found that I had lost 14 pounds in my week or so on the island. I was so exhausted from my upset that I was passed out the entire way back to the hotel. There is no feeling worse than that feeling you get when you first have time alone and you relive the event again and again. I dreamed of that loss for about six months, and relived it every time I relaxed.

     That night I visited some tourist shops and bought some souvenirs for my family and for myself. I bought myself a whip and a poncho while there. The sad thing is that I wasn't allowed to take anything from the show. I had asked if I could take my coke bottle, which I filled up with sand from the beach, but was told that because it was filmed, it became a prop of the show. Likewise, I thought Mandy left the palm frond hat I made, and was going to take it home to my mom, but was told that it was now property of the show. I couldn't even take seashells, but when no one was looking, I quickly dumped a handful down my underwear along with my green armband, which I was still in possession of.

     I returned home to my family who were curious about my adventure. Though we weren't allowed to exchange contact information, we all managed to track each other down over the internet. Everyone was glad to talk to each other afterward, except for Shawn who assumed everyone hated him. Most did, but not everyone.

     After about a year, a few of us were asked to come film commercials for the show and do some commercials for Snapple. We met up with Shawn and it was actually good to see him. No matter how you feel about someone on the show, in real life, it's a bonding experience. All of them are forever my family. We all keep in contact except for Angie Everhart.

     It had been a half-year since filming, so I wasn't really in my extra-polite, sugary, goofy mood that I was in while on the show. I had reverted back to my normal, wild, risqué self. For the Snapple commercial, we were asked to compare characters to fruit and lots of cheesy little questions. I was asked, "Zac, who looks better in the Gilligan shirt? Shawn or Mandy?" I answered, "Shawn looks better in the shirt, Mandy looks better out of it." Even for reality TV, they were a bit childish and I just couldn't give them what they wanted. Ultimately they didn't show any where I talked about anyone, only the ones where people talked about me.

     In December of 04, I visited Mandy to do a photo shoot with her and to just catch up. While there, we watched the finale of Season 1 together. We both wanted Chris to win since he was the nice guy role, which I played. We were both pretty disgusted when Kate won, but also knew that might not be as much of a bitch as she seemed on the show. Later I got to know some of the cast and found that there was some behind the scenes sneakiness with her as well. Mandy and I both had a laugh because we knew anyone who watched the show would ask us "didn't you see the first season?" when we made similar mistakes.

     In May we were sent down to do a radio junket in Maimi, and were interviewed by over a hundred radio stations. I got to bring my brother Levi and show him a little of the lifestyle. The Turney boys and the Manning boys all got drunk and hung out together. While the first season got to go to L.A. New York, and the Bermuda resort Atlantis for their show promotion, we were equally happy with our solo promotion. I was glad to see that my local radio station 104.1 was there and got to meet Daniel and Blackbean.

     At all of these functions, drinks were free, so of course I indulged a bit. The big event was a concert by the rapper Bone Crusher, who made a remix of the original theme song for our show. I ended up break dancing on stage and somehow got stripped down to my boxers. Erika came up from behind and pants me in front of all the reporters, DJs, and guests. I never thanked her properly for that.

     In the coming weeks during and before the show, I was shuttled to various TV stations for interviews and promotions. I always laughed that I would be happy with a cab and a spot on someone’s floor and didn't need the limo and suite treatment that they were giving me, but I wouldn't complain.

     The night the show aired was on the same night as the Video Music Awards on MTV, so that killed ratings since the key demographic was elseware. They also made the huge mistake of making the show in two-hour episodes, so if you missed one, you missed a lot of plot. At this point, TBS basically cut us off since we had ceased to be useful to them. They ignored our requests for copies of contracts. They told us they would get us copies of all the promo shots, and DVDs of the show, but eventually ignored us all together.

     I ended up actually missing the premiere of my show because I was back in the real world, attending class. All my friends from the Don CeSar did throw me a good party and we watched it on Tivo when I was out of class. It's a weird sensation to see yourself on TV like that. It got me a few dates, but I couldn't stand girls simply coming after me simply because I was on TV, which was a large percentage of them. I did meet a few quality girls though.

     On the episode where I lost, I stayed home and watched it alone. It was just as tough to relive it as it was to do it the first time. I drove home from St. Pete and visited my family who were all in tears by the time I got there. Thankfully, by this point in time, my mother had health insurance, so money was no longer an issue that it was at the time.

     I did get my fair share of fan mail from the show. The majority were people who had offered to help me with my mom. I explained the situation to them and thanked them for their kindness. It really was a nice affirmation of the human race to know that there are so many caring people out there. I also got my fair share of fans. I believe I sent out over 500 8x10 pictures, which cost a pretty penny out of my pocket, but I didn't mind.

     Ultimately, people want to know how much you make doing the show. I don't think I can say the exact amount, but I can tell you that I my money was enough that it got me lasik surgery. The only person who got real money was Charlie.

     That August, my mother's health took a turn, and I moved back home to spend time with her. Unfortunately she passed away on Thanksgiving of this past year. There was no way that she could have been saved, and naturally I still have that "could I have saved her" guilt in the back of my head, but I also know that she was proud to know that I did everything I could for her.

     In February, I was the King of the Krewe of Wrecks boat parade for Marti Gras in Louisiana. I got to spend some time with Charlie, Melissa and Howie while there. Charlie is still like a 2nd father to me and it was fun to see how he lives. He's still crazy and still down to earth. In a sense I'm kind of glad he won the money since he was hit by Katrina. The old roughneck that he is, he weathered it out and is doing fine.

    When the show was released, it was revealed by the Tabloids that Charlie was arrested on drug charges in his teens. However, he told the show's producers about it in his initial interview, so it was no secret. Its exposure was simply an exploitative device to draw more viewers to the show. In the industry, even bad attention is still good attention in terms of ratings.

     In June, one year after the showing, I was a guest at the First National Reality TV Convention alone with Skipper Ken, and Maryanne Randi from my show, alone with Gilligan Gooner, Skipper Jim, and the Millionaires Beavens. Ken and I have always been good drinking buddies at these events and Randi is like my hot sister that I try to keep other guys off of. The convention was a blast and though I hate being a one trick pony, it was a great opportunity to meet some other reality show alumni. This year I met and really hit it off with Dennis from Average Joe, and Christina from Starting Over.

     So while the fan mail is trickling now at only 2 letters or so a month, I will always be known as Gilligan Zac by friends and family. I'd do the whole thing over again even if there were no prize money, or cameras. The experience alone was worth it's weight it gold, and almost offsets hearing, "So have you learned to catch fish yet?" from the odd stranger I meet. Hopefully in the future I'll be writing the shows instead of acting on them.