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“His name is Cochran,” begins the Probst commentary over a montage of Cochran’s graduation from fish out of water to challenge dominator. Never leaving Twitter, sunburn, “I’m not the little Harvard nerd cowering in the bushes." The montage documents Cochran’s arrival at true Probst-approved manliness with a shot of the peanut-butter fingering from Sherri.

Back in the studio, Probst says that Cochran “earned the last name, and dominated." Cochran says this feels incredible. Probst can’t help comparing things to Cochran’s first season where he was “so uncomfortable” and now he has a completely different style! He’s wearing a waistcoat, not a sweater-vest! “My mother helped me,” deadpans Cochran in a pre-prepared joke.

Cochran says that the big difference between then and now is that instead of fighting against the perception of him as a nerd, he has embraced it. This season, because he was playing with people who accepted him for who he was, his nerdiness wasn’t a “source of embarrassment or anxiety” and he was able to focus on playing the game. He compares it to last season, where the focus was entirely on his inadequacies, and it affected his game.

What about other nerds who are dealing with self-esteem issues? Probst blurts out Cochran’s answer before Cochran can say it. “Anybody can amaze you if they believe. Do you get kids coming up to you and relating to you?” Probst asks. “It helps that I resemble an 11-year-old”.

Probst still can’t believe it, because he asks the same question again. “How different you are today. What changed?” Cochran again says that he has accepted his eccentricities as part of who he is, and he’s proud of it.” “No really,” says Probst. “Were you struck by lightning or bitten by a radioactive spider?”

Anyway, Probst asks if Cochran has any tips for future Survivor players. The Cochran advice is to “go to bed every night thinking about the best move for each of your opponents,” and how to counter that move. “You have to be calm without being complacent, and vigilant without being paranoid.”

Also, Cochran graduated. “Are you going law?” asks Probst. Cochran doesn’t want to be a lawyer, though, and he has decided he would like to write. At least that million dollar cheque gives him the funding to make that possible.

Actually, it turns out Cochran is taking over the Big Brother recaps on EW.com, so when he says “writer” he really means “snarky guy with a blog on the internet.” He literally has as much claim to the title of “writer” as I do.

Now it’s time for some ill-advised questions thanks to Twitter. @4greyz wants to know what it’s like being a sex symbol. Cochran says you should follow him on Twitter @johnmcochran, and if she tweets him he will show her. Can you believe he is single?

Before I go any further, I should point out that only the final three and the jury members are up there on stage. The other contestants for the season are all sitting down there in the front row of the audience. On the one hand, I don’t mind because they weren’t going to get spoken too much anyway, and in all likelihood weren’t going to say anything interesting.

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