On Tuesday, we’re releasing an interview with Joe Del Campo, one of the oldest castaways in “Survivor” history. Joe was 72 years old when he went on Season 32, “Survivor: Kaoh Rong – Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty,” and made it all the way to Day 34 before being medically evacuated after overeating at a reward. He carries with him years of experience as an FBI agent and private investigator, and he’s got tons of great stories to share. Make sure to download the episode on Tuesday to hear them all, and for now, enjoy this teaser.
Joe: We started getting women FBI agents probably two years after I wasn’t around – 1973, I think it was. In the Milwaukee office we didn’t have one, and what happened was they called all the agents in that were in the field working. The boss/special agent in charge says, “We have a potential problem here. We have a bank president who’s being extorted for $50,000. The bad guy wants his wife to have the money, and he’s going to give instructions on the telephone, blah, blah, blah.”
Well, there were no women in the office, and for whatever reason, he picks me with five o’clock shadow. And I had to dress up in drag as a woman and pretend I’m the wife of the hostage.
So, the first place we had to drive was a parking lot where they had payphones. Then, a parking lot attendant walks up to me – and I looked really bad. I’ve got a wig on, I’ve got five o clock shadow, make-up looks like crap, you know? He looks in and says, “Oh my god,” and just walked away. Threw his hands up in the air and walked away from me.
The phone rang. I went over. I was able to talk in a higher voice back then – not now. And they said, “We want you to go to the Boston Store.” The Boston store was two blocks away that you had to walk. Meanwhile, I’ve got FBI agents covering me, and I’m walking down the street with a shopping bag and $50,000 in the shopping bag.
And I see a guy approaching me that looks familiar. I said, “Oh, sugar. That’s that guy that – I see him at the bar. I wave to him once in a while. He doesn’t know I’m an FBI guy.” He’s gonna see me in drag, but I can’t stop and identify myself because we don’t know if the bad guy’s there or there are accomplices or whatever.
So, as I’m walking by, he looks at me like, “Oh my god,” you know? And I keep walking.
Long story short, there were several other places I had to go. I’d drop the money, we’d leave in a car and then they’d make the arrest.
So, a week or so later, I go back to – it was a bar in the neighborhood that we frequented, a lot of police officers and DEA and FBI guys after work, and I see the guy across the bar. So I said, “Well, hell, now’s my chance…”
To hear how the story ends, download Episode 63 of The Fauxworthy Podcast. Make sure you rate, review and subscribe in the meantime, and follow us on Twitter @fauxworthypod.