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Juneau-born Sarah Jones, 24, was one of 16 contestants chosen to spend 39 days on a deserted island in the South Pacific for the CBS reality television show "Survivor: Marquesas."

Each week, two tribes of contestants, Maraamu and Rotu, compete for sundries and the chance to stay on the island, through a series of challenges. Each week the losing team has to vote one of its members off the island. The last person on the island wins a cool $1 million and the title of sole survivor.

"Those bugs on the island were eating her alive, she was miserable," said Walters today. "She called me from New York today and said, 'Don't worry, Mom, I'm fine with it, I had a great time and it's just a game,' so she has a really great attitude about the whole thing."

Jones was unavailable for comment by the Empire's midday deadline.

Last night's show saw Jones on a reconfigured team. Producers did not tell contestants, who had begun to form close-knit bonds and strategic alliances within their teams, that they would be randomly placed on the opposing team. Jones' team strategized and voted her off 3-1.

"I think she's given up and knows she's going," said fellow Maraamu teammate Gina Crews during Wednesday's episode. "Although she's the type of person who probably wouldn't know what was going on around her."

Jones often was portrayed on the edited show as the lay-about, scantly clad, cuddle-pal to fellow contestant Rob Mariano, but Walters said Jones took the portrayal with a grain of salt.

"Sarah told me she's sure she did more work than they showed," Walters said. "But she's OK with it. Although she did say she was surprised some of the things that ended up making it on the show after all the cutting and pasting was done."

Jones' father, Larry, said it was almost a relief to see her leave the island after noting her frail condition. The show was taped last fall.

"When she came home after that she wasn't able to eat and was just so sick," Larry Jones said. "We saw her before Christmas and she looked just terrible. But I saw her this morning on TV looking just beautiful and showing Sarah's true personality. I'm glad America finally got to see that."

Walters said her daughter, who was not allowed to talk to the media until her dismissal from the island aired, began a whirlwind press junket for the show today beginning with the "CBS Early Show" in New York, a stint on the Rosie O'Donnell show and "The Late Show with David Letterman."

"She looked beautiful on the 'Early Show,' " Walters said. "She looked very poised and was well-spoken. She finally looked comfortable."

Walters said Jones will use the "Survivor" experience as an opportunity to revive her photography career. Before leaving for the South Pacific, Jones was busy working as an account manager for a clothing manufacturer, waiting tables and doing free-lance photography near her home in Newport Beach, Calif. Walters said since Jones came back, she left her account manager position but still helps out with the company on occasion.

"I think being out there really made her want get out there and to go back to photography," Walters said. "When she came back she said, 'I just can't work at a desk anymore.' "

Melanie Plenda can be reached at mplenda@juneauempire.com.