By DEANNA BELLANDI
Associated Press Writer
CHICAGO (AP) ‹ Former Illinois first lady Patti Blagojevich is confident she
has the necessary experience to make it in a Costa Rican jungle where she¹ll
soon appear on a reality TV show.
³After being in, you know, Chicago and Illinois politics for this many
years, the jungle doesn¹t seem too scary,² Blagojevich said Friday during an
interview on Chicago¹s WVON radio.
Blagojevich is making the media rounds touting her upcoming stint on NBC¹s
³I¹m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here.² She¹ll appear on the show because
a federal judge barred her husband, ousted ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, from
going, saying he should stay home and concentrate on his defense in the
federal corruption case against him.
The former governor has pleaded not guilty to charges that he tried to
auction off the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama and
used the power of the governor¹s office to squeeze campaign contributions.
Both Blagojeviches are unemployed and Patti Blagojevich has said she
probably wouldn¹t have considered appearing on reality TV if it weren¹t for
her family¹s financial situation. She won¹t divulge how much she¹ll be paid.
The show airs June 1 and Patti Blagojevich is preparing for her trek to the
jungle.
She has gotten the necessary travel vaccinations and has attended yoga
classes inside a room heated to more than 100 degrees to help her acclimate
to Costa Rica¹s hot weather.
Blagojevich is allowed to bring one luxury item and she said she¹s thinking
about taking a pillow. The only other things she can pack are three changes