Two Ts In A Pod with Teddi Mellencamp and Tamra Judge

Episode: By Order of the Faithfuls: Traitor Behavior w/ Carolyn Wiger

Date: November 21, 2025
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Guests: Wells Adams, Dolores, and Carolyn Wiger

Episode Overview

This episode of Two Ts In A Pod welcomes reality TV figure and fan favorite Carolyn Wiger (Survivor 44, The Traitors Season 3), guesting alongside co-hosts Wells Adams and Dolores. The conversation is a candid, lively deep-dive into Carolyn’s gameplay, authenticity, and emotional journey on The Traitors, coupled with reflections on reality TV and staying true to oneself on and off camera. Carolyn’s unique energy and openness create an engaging discussion, blending humor and serious insights about personal growth, game strategy, and public perception.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Dolores’ Engagement Story (03:12 – 06:48)

• Wells congratulates Dolores on her engagement, prompting a detailed, heartfelt story.
• Dolores recounts the surprise proposal that reenacted the day she met her fiancé—at the Apple Store—ending in a home filled with roses and a dinner at their original first date location.

Quote:
“I hope no one makes fun of him or picks on him for doing this because it was so beautiful. It really was the sentiment behind it...it meant the world to me.”
— Dolores (05:16)

Welcoming Carolyn & Her Hesitations (07:27 – 08:32)

• Carolyn joins and jokes about the podcast “dress code” (hats).
• She expresses playful frustration wanting to discuss current episodes, clarifying she’s choosy about interviews and does podcasts for fun, not promo.

Quote:
"I don't like doing this shit. I do this stuff for fun...I'm not fucking rich. What the fuck am I doing?"
— Carolyn (08:32)

Being Authentic & Vulnerable on TV (08:45 – 11:34)

• Dolores admires Carolyn’s raw TV presence; Carolyn self-deprecatingly comments on her appearance (“my lips are so fudgeing fake”).
• Conversation shifts to authenticity: Carolyn and Dolores reflect on being unapologetically themselves, even when it's uncomfortable or misunderstood.

The Traitors: Strategy and Emotional Challenges

Wells' Burning Question: The Vote Against Him (12:49 – 14:51)

• Wells asks Carolyn why she cast the final vote to banish him from The Traitors.

Quote:
"I have to go with the group. I have to. Did I want—like, no, but sometimes…all the votes were going that way…so much of this is luck, it truly is.”
— Carolyn (13:25)

• Carolyn emphasizes the stress of groupthink and how not all moves are strategic—often, they're compelled by consensus, not desire.

Authenticity vs. Deception in Gameplay (14:51 – 17:31)

• Dolores asks how Carolyn stays true as a traitor when the role requires deceit.
• Carolyn recounts an intense moment where she got her period during filming (“it was like a crime scene”), and how Dolores helped her in that vulnerable moment.
• Carolyn discusses being "too real" for the setting and feeling disconnected from the glitzier lifestyles of other cast members, referencing her home in Minnesota.

Quote:
“I know that women exist and we have stuff that comes out. And so it was everywhere and it was really…I just froze…I would have been fine if they even put that on the show. I don’t care. It’s real life.”
— Carolyn (15:22)

The Strain of Serious Competition vs. Fun (17:31 – 18:38)

• Wells asks if Carolyn regrets being a traitor or would prefer being a faithful.

• Carolyn's emphatic: “Hell no. Ain’t nobody want to be no damn faithful with Dylan and his...No. Heck no.”
  (18:09)

• Carolyn expresses surprise about the game's seriousness, wishing for a lighter, more playful reality show vibe.

Game Strategy, Regret, and Gender Dynamics (18:38 – 22:48)

• Dolores recounts how Carolyn tried to steer the group into smarter moves (like not targeting Housewives).
• Carolyn bemoans not being listened to and the emotional toll of pushing against groupthink.

Quote:
“It’s like the story of my goddamn life that, like, again, I play these games as myself...and then I get like...it’s like, what is the point if I get far in a game but nobody takes me seriously or listens?”
— Carolyn (20:16)

• The panel discusses exhaustion, self-doubt, and the internal struggle to balance authenticity with strategic self-silencing.

Embracing “Underestimated” Status & Turning Hurt Into Fuel (22:48 – 24:34)

• Dolores asks if Carolyn feels underestimated.

• Carolyn: “Yeah, which is fine. Which is what I want, right? In games. But of course, I think because I’m playing as myself, of course it hurts my feelings sometimes. But…it’s an advantage.” (22:52)

• Wells compares Carolyn’s mindset to legendary athletes who manufacture adversity for motivation.

Reflecting on Specific Game Moves and Regrets (27:50 – 31:36)

• Wells: “Can you pinpoint one that you thought was, like, the biggest misstep that the traders made?” (27:50)
• Carolyn: Voting out Bob the Drag Queen early unraveled the game. She also references the challenge of trusting Danielle after betrayal, and the pressure of competing with cast members like Phaedra.

Would Carolyn Change Anything? (30:37 – 31:36)

• Carolyn references Survivor legend Sandra’s advice to “lay low” at the roundtable, and regrets defending Tom—who turned out as problematic as warned.

Quote:
"Everyone’s like, he is a narcissist, too. So I’m like, you know what? I’ve been judged my whole life. I’m not gonna do that. Well, it turns out he is the same damn person."
— Carolyn (31:44)

Public Perception, Haters, & Self-Acceptance (33:18 – 35:24)

• Wells brings up Carolyn’s unique voice and the social media imitations.
• Carolyn candidly explains she avoids reading comments or searching her name to maintain her mental health, referencing harsh trolling post-Survivor.
• She only realized her impact from her success on Cameo and positive feedback sent by others.

Quote:
"I don’t read or search my name because I don’t need to read that I’m a crackhead…I need to love myself. And if I can’t love myself without the attention of other people…so I don’t search."
— Carolyn (33:32)

Traitors vs. Survivor: Which Would She Play Again? (35:32 – 36:50)

• Wells: “Would you ever go back on Survivor and would you ever go back on Traders—and if you got offered both, which one would you rather do?” (35:32)
• Carolyn: She’d choose The Traitors. The production treated her “like a queen,” praising the attention to detail and care. Explicit shoutout to Studio Lambert as a positive production force.

Quote:
"Traitors is the answer. Like, it was so amazing…these are great people who actually care."
— Carolyn (36:34)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “I’m okay being like the freaky person on tv. Because like, when I watch reality tv, I want to see people be real…that shit’s not relatable. And so I would rather be my freak ass self.”
  — Carolyn (21:51)
• “Reality shows is about being yourself, and that’s it. It’s yourself. And even in this game…why would you be anybody but Carolyn?”
  — Dolores (30:01)
• “Listen, I gotta say, yeah, ITV studio Lambert, they need to do an all star show and you have to be on it. And I will watch that.”
  — Wells Adams (37:08)

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |-------------------------------------------|------------------| | Dolores’s Engagement Story | 03:12 – 06:48 | | Carolyn Joins, Talks Authenticity | 07:27 – 08:45 | | The Traitors Voting & Game Stress | 12:49 – 14:51 | | Real-Life Vulnerability On TV | 15:11 – 17:31 | | Emotional Toll of Game Strategy | 18:38 – 22:48 | | Being Underestimated & Using It | 22:48 – 24:34 | | Biggest Regrets and Casting Choices | 27:50 – 31:36 | | Social Media, Fame, and Self-Worth | 33:18 – 35:24 | | Survivor vs. Traitors: Which to Replay? | 35:32 – 36:50 |

Episode Tone and Style

Lively, humorous, and unfiltered. Carolyn brings high energy and candid honesty, with Dolores and Wells providing supportive banter and relatable reality TV insights. The tone alternates between playful and earnest, never shying away from difficult realities of reality TV, fame, and self-image.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode offers a compelling inside look at the emotional and psychological nuances of playing reality competition—especially as someone who draws on raw authenticity over calculation. Carolyn’s willingness to be vulnerable, candid about fame’s downside, and hilarious self-acceptance make for both an entertaining and meaningful listen. The conversation touches not only on game strategy and behind-the-scenes drama, but on larger truths about self-worth, public scrutiny, and living “out loud”, whether you’re on TV or not.