RHAP: We Know Survivor - Ami Cusack Talks Survivor 49 Ep 2

Episode Date: October 6, 2025

This week, Rob and the Ami Cusack sit down to talk about Survivor 49 episode 2.

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Hey, everybody, what's going on? Rob Sesternino, back with you for this week's old school interview. And such a delight to have here with me a two-time Survivor Great, a favorite of yours and mine. Please welcome Amy Kuzak. Amy, how are you? Oh, you're too kind. I'm great.

Thank you so much for having me. This is an absolute pleasure and an honor. So thank you. Thank you, Amy. And if you're just listening to the podcast that the words are not doing justice to the picture that what a picturesque background that Amy has set up here. And the sun is catching her just perfect. And you look like you just stepped out of Survivor Vanuatu. Oh, well, hopefully I'm a little cleaner than that and smell better. But yeah, I feel like coming

out of the, did you take a bath? Which was, which season was it that you got to take a shower? We got to take a reward. Actually, both of them I got to take a shower. But Vanuatu. We got like the plush as luxurious smell good shower. Yeah, when they had sponsors and things like that. Yes. Okay. Well, Amy, so glad that you have kept up with Survivor into the new era. And we'll talk about everything that's going on in episode two and everywhere else that we go.

How are you doing? I'm doing really well. It's been an interesting year. Sadly, I lost my dad this year. But it's been really beautiful. My friends have been showing up. and my past castmates have been really supportive. It's just been, it's a really big show of who the people are in your life that really

care about you and support you. So it's been, it's been an interesting year. And I'm thankful for all the gorgeous people in my life. Yeah. Really sorry to hear about all that and all the best to you and your family. And it's really great to catch up with you. I think we got to do a podcast one time way back when with T-Bird. and I'm glad that we got to catch up now.

You know, I remember, I don't know if I told you the last time we talked about, that the thing that I remember the most about you is when I met you at the Survivor Vanuatu finale, and I was just so blown away by that you had such a, as to use a word that they use on Survivor now, such an aura. I was like, wow, what a superstar? What a star in the purse? in the flesh. Stop it.

No, I really was. I remember when you were wearing a green dress to the finale, right? Yep. And you look like you stepped out of a movie. Oh, well, thank you. Yeah, I just felt great. I mean, I guess it's all just, it's an attitude towards life. It's just, God, just you got to love it, no matter how tough things get,

no matter what's going on. You just got to be thankful for every day. And I think that's part of being who I am. You just got to be super stoked on waking up each day and say yes to everything. Yeah. Okay. Even saying yes to coming on this podcast. So we appreciate it.

Yeah. Definitely. Like I said, it's an honor. It really is. And I don't know. No, you don't know this. But I never saw Survivor before I did it. I just watched one whole season and one.

one night before I actually did Survivor. And so I've gone back recently and watched the first eight season. Okay. And I got to watch you play. How is that journey? It's been great. I'm getting to know all the players. I wish I would have written notes because I want to remember everything.

But you definitely stood out as a very memorable player. Thank you. And it was really fun watching you. Okay. Well, your season was a men versus women's season, which was a follow-up to the men-versus-women season that I played in. But it went a lot different than the men-versus women season that I played in. Yes, it definitely did. Definitely did.

I think our women were pretty stoked to stay together. There wasn't as much, I think, flirting and going on. And the boys was like, ah, I want to be with the girls. You were like, I'd like to hang out with the ladies. Maybe, I don't know, maybe it was that the guy. were just too tempting on Survivor the Amazon. That's maybe what the women couldn't resist. We didn't have the fat five.

Oh, my God. That's hilarious. No. It was like cast with like they've like tried to find like where are like the horniest people we can find to put them on the show. Totally. I was dying laughing. I was like, oh my God, Rob, I never thought you were that guy, but you were totally that guy.

Yeah. I mean, that was all through casting of, like, this is the guy who, like, really wants to get a date but can't get one. I mean, it was nothing to do with, like, that I knew the show or anything like that. Like, they put me on the show because of that I would talk about that, okay, well, if you put me on a show with these people, maybe someone will date me. And look at you now. You've got the hottest wife ever. You're, like, aging with beautiful grace. you're this handsome man and so long ago you were just a just a boy back then just how we all

drew up the plan way back when but listen enough about me we're not here to talk about me amy okay i would love to hear from you in terms of because you never know when you talk to people who played back when we did in terms of like if they keep up with the show how they're feeling about things so i'm curious to know from you or do you watch all of the seasons as we go along well um there's a sky cam up there um i can't watch all the seasons because when i'm in new zealand i am off grid so i don't have television i don't have wifi i don't like this whole wifi thing is beyond me i like being out in wilderness growing my own food all that so only when i'm in the states do i get to watch and sometimes i get to like catch up um when i go to friends

houses and stuff when I'm in New Zealand. So it's such a treat for me able, for me to be able to watch Survivor while I'm here. And I was lucky this season to hook up with Stephen. I just sent him a message on Instagram. I'm like, hey, where are you going to watch the show? You're going to have a party? And he had a premiere party downtown Denver. Yes.

Okay. Because you say Stephen, I think Fishback. Okay. So, yes. Got it. Stephen Ram. No. Yes.

I love Fishback. But, no, Stephen, and I was nervous about meeting him. I'm like, oh, he looks like a snotty yacht going polo play. Poor man's Ryan Reynolds. I'm not sure if I'm going to. Yeah, exactly. But I met him, and the first thing I noticed was his nails were polished. And I was like, with color.

And I'm like, oh, my God, I'm going to get along with you fine. And we just, like, hit it off straight away. I got to watch the premiere on a huge giant screen with him and all of his friends. So I dove in deep, straight first episode. loving it. And then, yeah, I plan to watch every episode I can until I go back to New Zealand. And then how much of the new era have you caught up with since you've been in the U.S. on the grid? Have you watched any of the older seasons? Or you're just jumping right into 49? Well, no, I started watching. Like I said, I watched the first nine seasons. I got to my season and I just

no i mean in terms of like the new the new new survivor right yeah but i did watch all of 48 so all of 48 i was totally dialed into really excited about super sad about stephanie getting voted off first but loving kyle loving like loved it i enjoyed enjoyed it so much so when 49 came out i was really excited about it how do you feel about the direction the show has gone here in the new era as somebody because you know i had been talking about this a lot recently, Amy, because they talk about it's the new era and we're like the game is new and we're reimagining everything. But when you really think about it, that it's the Vanuatu of the new era. Like this is the ninth time that we're doing the new thing. And

but you could talk about your lived experience, but I don't think that people were talking about Vanuatu as hey there's this new show survivor that's that's on that we're back they didn't call Vanuatu the new I mean it was the post all-stars era but it wasn't like a new show anymore yeah um yeah it's definitely different I yeah it's so different I would rather play old school personally old school is just where it's at not all the idols not all the longer season there's so much about it that I just loved so much more. Like somebody was saying there's only two people over 40 on

this season, which is sad. Like there should be a mixture. It's like all young people and yeah, it's just a completely different game. Completely different game. I think it would be interesting to play this game. I would love to be thrown into this game and see how it goes. I'm really excited

for next season with all the old school players as well as the new school players just to see how it plays out. But personally, I like the old school better, but maybe that's just because those were the days. So when I was young and wild and in the jungle, you know, it could just be that. But I just appreciate the longer season. It seemed a lot harder.

Like now you get medical assistance, which I blew out my knee and they're like, put a t-shirt on it, wrap it up. I mean, Dr. Ado. Yeah, just rubs some dirt on it. That's fine. Seriously. And now they like get bandages and stuff. I'm just like, well, that's not really survivor. There's not doctors out in the jungle.

I mean, there are. But we didn't get them unless it was like death. So I don't know. Yeah, it's just, I feel like it's a softer game. Yes. More strategy and more like deceit, but softer when it comes to the actual game. Yeah, it's interesting because when you frame it that way, and I never heard anybody talk about like, yeah, they have more doctors now. They get more medical attention than we used to get back in the day.

But the game was like such a battle of wills. And, you know, in your season, you know, you gave, you know, your word was your bond. And you had people who like, okay, basically like, that's it. We're going to stick together. And then the betrayals hurt so much more. Whereas now the game is so fast. And I don't think that you connect on the same level. And there's so many, like, gadgets and trinkets where it's not necessarily like you broke your word to me.

It's like, you played your thing on me. And so now I went home because you played a thing. So in a way, it is like, I think a gentler, you still lose, but it's like you lost because, oh, you had a thing and I didn't, as opposed to you broke your sworn oath to me. yeah definitely there's so many layers to it that really and people say this all the time but unless you play the game you just can't get how many layers to the cake that there are because there are there's like that the friendships that are forms like when you are out there and especially for 39 days 39 days there's like a point when you get to about 25 26 27 where you really start getting

hungry because we didn't get rice we didn't get beans we didn't get any like supplemental food it starts breaking you down to another level and once that starts happening you rely on your friendships you rely on your relationships and i don't think the new the new age like really gets to get into that nitty gritty gross like eliza looked like a walking skeleton with eyes popping out it was bad and we were sick and it was it was intense and i think they just don't get to get to that level. Like even Australian Survivor, they take it next level. Like, I love that. Australian Survivor is amazing. Yeah. It's a whole other level.

Were you able to keep up with the Australian Survivor versus the world? Yes. I just didn't get to see the finale. Okay. That was it. I won't spoil.

I think, well, no, no, no. I know who won. I watched highlights. But I think it should have been called the Parvety Show because it was like Parvety just owned it, like a champion.

being like good job girl she just owned it do you have a relationship with poverty because you both were on micronesia together but you weren't on the same side to start and then you were on separate tribes and but you know when i think about like what she did and really like the black widow brigade is a lot like what you were doing in van oatu uh i was curious that are is there like any sort of like a connection there? I think to be just blatantly honest, I think there was some jealousy there on my side from the beginning.

I was like, that bitch. Like, how could she pull it off and I didn't, damn it? But I think now I have a newfound respect for her that, of course, I love the girl. I really appreciate how she played and how she does it and how she just like beguiles you into trusting everywhere because there is a sense about her where she makes you feel like

you're her friend and she cares about you because I remember knowing I was going to get voted off fans versus favorite and I was like lose I was telling poverty across like lose lose vote off one of your your fans and she just didn't get the message but why was I telling her that like why wasn't I telling eliza that and but eliza was scared to death anyways but I felt like she was my friend and she would save me which in reality, she was the first person, Eliza, and I wanted to vote out. So why would she say, yeah, no, she has a special way about her. I have a huge respect for her.

And if I was to spend time with her now, I would definitely be. No doubt. And when I think about her career, you know, from when you played with her back in Micronesia, you know, and really her calling card was that she had the flirt game. I really think that her evolution as a player has taken. her more into the trajectory of like you as a player where I think it's much more that all of the women are just fall under her spell and want to work with her. Yeah, I love it. That's great. I mean, but why wouldn't they? It's so much more fun to play with the women because, well,

the women when they're not flirting with the men, once they start flirting with the men, then it's just like brains are gone. Sorry, ladies. But when it's just like girl power together, It's so much fun and so exciting. And yeah, yeah, she's good at it. She's good at connecting the women, and that's something I love to do. So, yeah, there's a little bit of congruency there. And, yeah, I love that game. I love that game.

What about Surrey also? That is there a relationship with you and Surrey? I love Surrey. I love Surrey. She and I did a goodwill tour through Japan together, and we shared a lot of conversations while we were out hunting crab at sunrise, like really intense conversations. I think that's also part of her gameplay. She shares deep stories of her life with you and lets you feel like you're special and you get to know her deeply. Like she has this beautiful

way of just like pulling you in and sharing who she is. Like she'll tell you secrets. Deep, dark secrets that you're like, oh my God, I can't believe you're telling me this and like rings you in. But we spent time in Japan together. I just think she's super cool lady. Love her. Tons of respect for her. For sure. Okay. I want to go back to Survivor 49. And so Stephen, you had this connection with and you got to meet him in person. So are you very invested in what's going on on that yellow tribe? Definitely. I mean, I think the yellow tribe is amazing. Like, I'm loving them. MC really surprised me this last episode, really think she's just awesome. I would definitely want to play with her for sure and Stephen for sure. And, and, Matt's an interesting guy, like really, really enjoy watching him. So yeah, I mean, there's a few people. I really like Sage. She's really standing out to me. She's an interesting player, but I think

she doesn't have, she doesn't have a chance with Savannah there because Savannah is like, I want to be the queen bee. Savannah reminds me a lot of Parvity. Like there's something about her, her looks especially. Like she'll just flash on the screen and it looks like Parv and I'm just like, oh, interesting. but she's also smart. So she's interesting to watch. I'm having fun watching all of them. It's interesting, getting to know them. And I feel like they did a really good job on the first episode,

letting us get to know the players. I really appreciated how they really spent that two hours is so important of getting to know the players. And I really enjoyed it. What do you think about these smaller tribes that they have? It's always a tribe of six in the new era, as opposed to back in the old days, tribes of nine, tribes of ten. And so they end up having them all in smaller groups.

How do you think that that changes things? Well, it changes things quite a bit because once you come together, once you merge, like they dissect. And however the dynamics were in each tribe, it's just, there's more options. Because sometimes there'll be a tribe that's super strong and like, no, we're not going to take anybody else or we'll take the stragglers, but we're going to stay super strong. Or there's like the other tribes that are disintegrating and they're going to scatter.

Yeah, no, I think it's interesting. I wouldn't want to play that way, but I think it's interesting because if you're on a losing tribe and you lose consecutively, your tribe's gone. Like six players down and you're done. Yeah. So, yeah, I mean, there's pros and cons to it both ways, but it's interesting to watch for sure. How would you play the new era if you were on this group of six? Are you out there, like, really trying hard to put your four together or do you want to feel the group out?

I guess it all depends on who I'm playing with. I would have to get to know the players that are off. It's all about those tiny, tiny details, like literally watching eye movements, hand gestures. I just don't know how Annie did not know that she was like on the outs. It's like, how do you not know? I mean, it must have been not that obvious. But to know that they're all out there talking and you're sitting in camp by yourself, that's got to be a huge red flag.

And I just don't get how she didn't see that. So I would have to know who I'm playing with. Like it would depend on who the people are in my tribe, how I would play. Like, obviously, you just want to win so you don't have to worry about it. Just like keeping the positive vibes, keeping the team. going like waking up every day super pumped and super excited like that's a way to to start the game for sure we've been talking a lot this week about the idea of there always being a disaster tribe where there's one tribe where it just nothing is working and they keep losing and then and then they

get their flint taken away and they get the machete taken away and they get the pot taken away and it just tends to snowball for some of these loser tribes do you like seeing one tribe really having a very hard time. Well, I mean, I don't like it, but it makes for better TV for sure. No, I don't like it because after playing, you know, you could have been on that team. You could have been on that tribe. And so, no, I don't like it, but it makes better TV for sure because you're like, then you're like rooting for the underdog.

Like, come on, pull it together. When they do win, there's like this overwhelming joy of like, thank goodness, it must feel so good. Yeah, no, I don't like seeing anybody just. constantly lose. Do you think Blue is going to pull it together? I don't know. Jake is such a tool. God bless him. I love the guy. The whole shoe thing. Like, why are you doing this to your tribe? You're already sucking. You're already losing. Why are you messing with their minds on top of it? Like, I don't know. That guy, God bless his little cotton socks. Yeah, I would not be messing with my tribe

and trying to like get in their head while we're losing. Like, just wouldn't be doing it. I would be like connecting my tribe and bringing them together and like giving them some something to go off of and something to look forward to not like oh my gosh am i going to have shoes am i going to have shoes i don't know the shoes just keep disappearing why are the shoes disappearing do you feel like that's playing a part in why they're losing that there's too much stuff going on there yeah definitely because they're playing a game within a game and it's not even time for that yet like they're already picking off who to get rid of before they've even lost and and messing with each other's minds and there's this jealousy triangle going on and it's just too much it's just too much they need to focus

on being one and winning yeah you know they play in an era now where there's a final three and so sophy has felt like okay i don't like that i feel like the third wheel sometimes with this bromance that's going on do you feel like that she should be thinking about that or is that not the right way she should look at that relationship well i think at this point in time it's yeah i think at this point in time that's not something to be worried about like get to the final six get to the final 10 like then start worrying about it now you've got your numbers so just run with it until you you get closer to the end. Right now it's not the time to like get in there, get in between the two of them, have a hot threesome, you know, like really bond with those two and and keep

that connection strong. Because with the jealousy, it just makes things worse. Yeah. Like it just makes things. I really think she's going to be okay, Sophie, especially with those two guys, especially if they get to the merge. I feel like that then if there's a shot that comes towards the Blue Tribe. Yeah, I know one of them could win immunity, but they'll vote out the other guy. I feel like that they'll look at like, hey, we need to break up the guys. And I think it's sort of for her, she wanted a meat shield. This is now like a double Big Mac. Definitely. I agree with you 100%. It makes so much sense. I think she's in the best position of that threesome. I think she's definitely in the best position of that because they're so similar that that why wouldn't

At the end, one of them want to vote out the other. Who knows? Who knows? But they are definitely a great shield for her. And I think she shouldn't worry about it so much this early. If you're watching RJP on YouTube, you've seen my new studio setup. You'll never believe that it's all way fair. The paneling behind me, the chair I'm in, the plants, all picked by me and shipped right to my door.

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whether it's a guest room refresh or some holiday flavor for the living room. No running around. I can do it all right here. Get organized, refreshed, and ready for the holidays for way less. Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop for all things home. That's W-A-Y-F-A-I-R dot com. Wayfair, every style, every home. Amy, do you have any feelings on the journeys that the players go on

where a boat comes and takes them away and they have to go play like a little game. Yeah, I would not like to do that at all. Like, not at all. I would not, because being a bad liar, like if you get something, then you have to tell everybody about it. I'm a shit liar.

So having to, like, come back and you'd have to, I'd have to tell the truth. I wouldn't be good at lying about that. Yeah, no, I know. I like, just like old school. I like old school so much better, where it's just like raw, like in your face, basic, real survivor. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, no, the journeys are a definite no. But, I mean, it could save you in the end. So who knows, if you play it right, it could save you in the end. Joanne had to decide if he should take the advantage of trying to get an extra vote or take the tribe disadvantage. Did you have a feeling on what he should have done there? Well, for his position, he definitely did the right thing. Yeah.

He definitely did that. I mean, they were talking about it afterwards, like, oh, well, we were going to vote him out, but now he's got a little bit longer. So now Sage is in trouble. He was, I think he was the first vote that they were going to vote next. And because he did that, it gave him a little leg up. I don't know how long it's going to save him, but gave him a little leg up. Yeah, I agree with that because I feel like an extra vote isn't going to save Joanne at this point. At the rate, it's going.

I agree. Yeah. And Joanne also has to know that he's in trouble because he's out there looking for the idol. What did you think about his idea of taking his bag with him to go out and gather brush? Have you ever seen that before? It wasn't even his bag. And then he took Savannah.

And then he realized it was Savannah's bag. That's such a bad move. You don't empty someone else's bag out. That's like their only thing that they have that is theirs. then you empty it out and take it for a walkabout. Like, no, no, no. If you want to do with your own bag, fine. Like, yes, great.

Go collect twigs with your bag. Makes sense. But to take the bag, oh my gosh, I was just like, seriously, that is not. No, not smart at all. Amy, in that red tribe also, we saw from Nate about how he was feeling like a little bit, he was not connecting with the group 100% in terms of like all of the vibes and the aura fire that's fire yeah do you could you relate to Nate at all well I mean where you got to get it in where you fit in you got to like you got to assimilate you can have to of course that would

be like oh my God seriously can we use some other words but that's that's the lingo so I mean, you just have to go with the flow. Otherwise, you're going to separate yourself on your own. They don't have to do it. You're doing it by yourself. So, yeah, he just needs to fit in. Was there any of that generation gap in Vanuatu where I feel like that, you know, you had the, there were the younger women and then there was like the, you know,

scout and Twyla group. And like, were you like a bridge or a translator in any way between, the, you know, get, here's what, here's what this, you know, 2003 slang is. Um, no, I think there was a lot of trying to help Twyla and Scout understand. Like, these are young girls that want to have fun and are here to like have a different experience than you and your grown-up minds when I remember telling Twyla, like, let the girls braid your hair. Like, just try it. like be girly relax a little bit calm down a little bit like yeah there was definitely a little bit of

that but i mean i just feel like that's life bridging the gap between the right and the left the young and the old the man and the woman like i feel like that's kind of been always my place yeah i think the native is doing a good job of like trying to fit in with that group even though that's not his native language yeah totally i feel like he's doing a great job and And I think you should take it as an honor. I remember Annie saying, like, don't say I'm your mom or don't say grandma or just don't say it. It's like, just take it as a compliment. Whatever, however people can relate to you, just be like, thank you.

At least you're relating to me. And you're not like, I have got nothing in common with this person. I want nothing to do with them. It's like if there's something that they can relate to you with, run with it. Start treating them like your kid. Like, come here, babe. Let me just have a cuddle. Oh, you want to help with that?

do you want run with it why wouldn't you if there's a connection there and not exploit it but i mean no that's such a great point of like okay yeah i only want to work with you on these terms like don't you better not say it i don't want to be don't call me your mom like uh be whatever he wants right anything i'll be your bitch if you want like whatever it is like if if if i'm your sister your grandma whatever i'll play that let's do it let's let's take it all the way. Why wouldn't you? Why wouldn't you take a connection that someone sees in you and nourish that and nurture it and grow it instead of being like, no, I'm not that old. No, I don't want to do that. It's like, why not? Right. So tell me from this group in this season. Is there

anybody else that you're really feeling? Well, I've learned to like Savannah more and more. At first, I did not like her because it's funny because she reminded me of par. And then now I'm liking her more and more because she's a really smart really good player um sage i really like i'm loving jason yeah i'm loving jason he's so much fun he's got such this this interesting attitude towards things um and he's fun to watch mc i'm liking rizzo how much do you love rizzo yeah how much do you love the kid he's been fun he has been fun and watching him win was just so refreshing It was like the comeback kid. That was really great.

And of course, Stephen, I'm going to root for Stephen, my home boy. Oh, and I wanted to bring something else up because I did an interview with Survivor Now. And they were asking me about the idols. And I was like, oh, these idols, I can't believe it's a man and a woman. And they're making the woman be second. Well, on this episode, they gave the queen to the first place winners. They gave the queen to... They mix it up?

Yeah, to Hina. And I was like, oh, good. Okay, I don't have to complain about that. So I need to retract my statement about the idols. They're the... What are they called? The immunity idols. Immunity idols.

Yeah. You know, I had seen that. And it did occur to me a little bit like, oh, that's interesting that they are doing the male idol and the female idol. But it is interesting that they switch. it but you know Amy so when I was getting ready to talk to you today you know I like to like dial up some of like the like you do some research on these podcasts before I talked to a guest and so I had rewatched the beginning of Survivor Vanuatu and you know they separated the men

and the women and Jeff says okay you're going we are experiencing this other culture And they're going to do some things that you may, you may like, and they're going to do some things that disgust you. And they really celebrated the men and they ignored the women. And you were annoyed about that. And it was something that created tension on the show. Definitely. Yeah.

Definitely. We had to sit on the ground. Even when we won the reward of going to stay the night with the tribe, I'm so excited. It was beautiful. I got to hang out with the women, but we weren't allowed to drink kava. We had to go into the forest and the secret place and have stones around us because we were women drinking kava. We couldn't smoke, which I was that kava, by the way.

Oh, my God. It's like no other kava I've ever had. Because I've had kava since then that you go to the bar and get. Yeah. No, nothing, nothing. You saw what happened to chat. I saw, yeah. That stuff was like, woo.

The next level. like that was next level. Can I just say, I'm so curious. Is it like you're drunk? Is it like that you're like, is it like a hallucinogen? Not like a, it's like a happy pill. I don't know like, because I don't do like chemical drugs. So I don't know what to compare it to. It's like this uplifting happiness and being drunk all at the same time. So it was like just joy magnified and being tipsy. And they didn't just have us drink one. I don't think they showed us. They're like, oh, you only are in Vanuatu once drink two. And we're like, okay, that sounds like a great idea. So exactly. Yeah.

So we did it. And it was, and during that time, we had to stay with the women in the kitchen and sit on the floor and do all of that. Well, the boys got to go do whatever they were doing, which was, I'm sure, super cool, like skydiving. and stuff. I don't know. So Eliza and I were sitting in the kitchen, like, hot house. And while we're in this Kava state, the women asked, would you stay with us forever? Because I had that young girl translating for me next to me. She was the only one that spoke English. And I literally, I considered it. I'm like, should I leave this television show and should I stay here with these lovely people? And then I was like, oh, no, they're super sexist. I will end up being some, no, no, no.

Nope, not doing it. Thank you. No, thank you. Could you imagine, though, that somebody is on Survivor and then they end up going on a reward. And they're like, you know what? I like it here so much. I'm going to stay. I'm not going back to the game. I'm going to live here. I considered it. Like, for maybe 20 seconds, I was like, well, I could just stay here. I could just stay here. And then I was like, no, no, no, we're not doing that. We're not doing that. Yeah. But you did, in a way, end up going and living off the grid and sort of like unplugging from all of this. Was any of that decision sort of like born out of the experience of going away to Survivor? 100%.

Doing Survivor, I realized how little I need, how little stuff I need, how little buying and consuming and I like growing and nurturing and listening to the birds and waking. Like I literally have to go outside, walk up into a cow pasture, sit on the side of a hill with a bunch of cows around me to get internet. And I love it. Like I'm taking my mom back with me, so I'm not going to be in that same situation going back to New Zealand. But it was beautiful.

Like I have a long drop. I don't have a flushing toilet, but it's stunning. What is a long drop? it's a big hole in the ground where your pee and poo drops really long down. Sage would love it. I know. I love Sage. Sage can come visit me anytime she wants.

You should be fascinated. Yeah. But it's spectacular. And you composts your toilets and yeah, Survivor definitely changed that for me. No, you're so right. You're so right because, listen, I myself, you know, think about like, okay, I have to have all of these things and then you have to do all of this other stuff to keep the things and then oh wait what if somebody's trying to take your thing so you got to do more and more stuff uh and it's

like to what end amy yeah exactly exactly i think the best way to like resist the system is stop consuming like let go of the stuff and like don't buy any more clothes don't buy any more things this i'll have this until i'm 90 i'll probably wear you probably do an interview with 90 and I'll be wearing this. I could do it. I really, I think I could do the problem. I can't convince my wife to do it. Again, let me talk to your wife. Let's talk. Let's schedule like a Zoom and you could talk to her. Like, hey, like, do you need all these packages? No. No, we don't. We don't. No. No, it's more stuff. Right. It's more stuff and more a landfill and more and I like I hate sounding like the granola hippie chick because that's not

really me it's just like what do you really need survivor taught me you don't need a lot you need good people you need a roof over your head a nice place to sleep and good food and that's really all you need not to harp on this too much do you feel like that the players who do this 26 day experience Do you feel like that they get that same takeaway that you got from going out and having the longer experience? I don't know. I think it's the person because I feel like you could go out for 10 days and get that experience. I think it's all what the person is open to receiving from the experience because you can get so much from this experience. How meaningful relationships are, how important relationships are.

the things that you actually do and don't need, what is important in life? Like, you can either be oblivious to it, or you can really take it in and be like, gosh, do I need, do I need all of these things? Like, there's so many different lessons you can get from Survivor. It's just how open you are to receiving those lessons. In addition to the speed, also, there's just not a lot of downtime.

And I wonder if also that you get that from the experience when it's just go, go, go, go, go, challenge, tribal council you know every other day what is it every other day that they have to have yeah i think so i think that the schedule is basically instead of where for us it was basically like every three days you would have a tribal council i think that a lot of that gets consolidated to every other day and then i think even in the post merge there's a lot of times where it's like you have a tribal council like back to back days yeah no definitely that's a huge difference because those days off when we got to connect and know that we had a day off.

Those were the days we explored. We learned how to spear fish. We like went on adventures together. We really bonded. And I think that's something that when you're playing the game, when you're doing the challenges, when you're at tribal council, you don't have that freedom that special time

to really connect with each other because you're not strategizing during that time. You're not, you're really getting to know each other. and looking for food and building a better shelter and just spending time together, telling story. It's, yeah, I think they're missing out huge, not having that day off. Yeah.

Speaking of finding food, I'm reminded of when Savannah found the crab and Shannon wanted to thank the crab for its life on the island. What did you think of that? Rock on. Why not? I thought it was great. Go girl.

She cracks me. up. She cracks me up. She's bringing a little spice to the whole thing. And like, you know, she's giving people things to think about. Good for her. Like, we should. Back in the day, that's what you did. If you were living in an actual tribe on any continent, that pretty much that's what they do. They honor the animal's life. And there's no reason that we shouldn't do that. I think it's great. Why not? Yeah, why not? And I love that it challenges some people, like their thought process. Most people have never killed an animal and eaten it ever in their entire life.

Like some kids don't even actually know where hamburger comes from. So yeah, why not? I thought it was great. Okay. Let me know, Amy. I know you're typically off the grid, but were the survivor producers able to contact you when they were making a lot of phone calls to people about who might,

come back for Survivor 50 in the hands of the fans. Yeah, no, nobody called me. They could have gotten a hold of me with email, for sure. They have my same email I had from the first time I did Survivor. So they could have emailed me. They didn't. I mean, I saw on Facebook that somebody nominated me for like top 50 maybe, which that was a huge honor, but I'm sure it was just a fan or something.

I don't know. Why not call you? I mean, if they're looking for people from the. old school people who could still do it people who you know you'd want to see that maybe that either they haven't played you know five times uh you know no shade to anybody but why wouldn't they call you i don't know well i still think there's a little like friction between jeff and i because of julie because julie's one of my best friends and right when i did fans versus favorite i could feel favorites. I could feel a little friction between he and I because they had just broken up and

I'm Julie is like my love. She's the best. She is the best. She's the most gorgeous like I love her. I love so many of my castmates but yeah, Julie's top deck. Yeah, I think there's just a little bit of that that's in there and I didn't play my hardest. I had a hard time with fans versus favorites. I was in a unstable place and I should have been more vocal about. about that. I would love to play again, especially after watching the Australia, the Australian survivor. I was so fired up after that. I was like, oh my God, get me back on this show. I am going to nail it this time. I'm like much more mature player, have so many more ideas, understand the game so much more. And, oh, I would love to be back on. Well, maybe that could be

an avenue of if they do another Australian survivor versus the world. Yeah, or if they just just do an Australian survivor because me being in New Zealand makes me that much closer to Australia. Right. And I'm, I'm going to put it out there. I'm just going to, I'm going to send them a little if you by chance, once another player to get to pop in because they've had Russell. They've had Rossell.

They've had Sarah. Yeah. Three, Sandra. Sandra's, didn't Sandra's daughter go and play twice? Yeah. In Australia, I mean. Yeah. She played twice in Australia.

Yeah. And then Parvity, it's like, well, I'm. Pick me next. I'll go. And I have tons of relatives in Australia. So just makes sense. In fact, my great-grandmother, great-great, great-grandmother was the first white woman born in Western Australia to not a criminal. So I've got history. There's a Cusack Street in Western Australia. And a Cusack cottage on Rottness Island. I mean, I am a perfect candidate for Australian survivor. Look, you have my vote. Thanks, Rob.

Yeah. That would be very fun to have you come. back. I would love it. Either American or Australia, I would definitely play again. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. That's shame that they would not call you for this, but, you know, I guess there are other avenues because I feel like that it was a success what they did with Australian Survivor versus the World. Yeah. Oh, I thought it was great. I wish it would have been a longer season. It was kind of a bummer that it's like, oh, here, we're going to put you on fast forward. I would have liked to see a long, drawn-out survivor. But when you're when you're playing with the best in the world, they can be a little bit pristine and say, no, I don't have time for

59 days or whatever. So, Amy, what did you think of the cast they did put together for Survivor 50? It's interesting, I guess. It's interesting. There's so many players now. We have over 600 players. I think it's, I heard Jeff say 751 recently. Yeah. So, I mean, to pick out of 751 players, that's a tough, that's a tough job. it is a tough job i i wish it would have been more players that haven't played five and six times like that would have been nice to see a little bit a little bit broader um yeah or i would say also maybe not as many that played so recently yeah like maybe there's a middle ground same yeah but okay so let me ask you about okay so i'm trying to think who are the people that

you have a connection to who played in survivor 50 who we're going to see next year so obviously Surrey that we mentioned and she's going to be back again. Ozzy. Ozzie. Now, I feel like that fans versus favorites

ended on a, that there was definitely a lot there with you and Ozzy. But I would imagine that you're in good terms with Ozzy after that. I love Ozzy. Yeah. I mean, he's like my little brother for sure. But yeah, he still apologizes to me.

He still to this day, I am so sorry. I voted you out. I'm so sorry. And yeah, but I love him. We talk every now and again. And yeah, there's no shade for Ozzy. I wish he was a better. Yeah, I just wish he was a better strategist. He's just more like he's actually Tarzan with barely any strategy. He's just fun to watch. Like he was fun to play with. He and I would go out into the ocean and go diving. Like we got a clam that was this big together and we had to take out the floaty that was on the the lifesaver and he and I had to push it down underwater underneath this clam to get it up and bring it out because it was so big and we just went on a lot of adventures together which I love

playing with him is fun because he's such an adventure but strategizing he's not yeah and you two had such a close relationship in fans versus favorites do you know each other before you played on that season no not that I remember no I don't think so no but I just loved him like I really loved. He and James, I really adored. Like, I became much closer with both of them after the show. Yeah. So, I don't think there's nobody else that you played

with who's in this season, right? Ozzie, Ceree, there's coach. Who else is playing? Coach. From the old, from the, so maybe, who do you know? Who do you know? So there's Coach,

there's Stephanie. Yeah. Oh, I used to have the biggest, I know Stephanie. Yes. And Colby, yes. I know them all, but played with only Surrey and Ozzie, yeah. Yeah, okay. Of that group, do you have any other rooting interests? No, I kind of want to see, because we've all grown up so much since then.

I kind of want to see how everybody plays. I want to see how they interact, how they treat each other. It's going to, my favorites, I think, are going to emerge after I see a few episodes, which I'm going to have to figure out how to watch in New Zealand. Yeah, we'll have to see. Maybe we'll burn DVDs and send them to you. I think there's easier ways of doing it on this way. We'll figure it out. I think there's easier ways. There were rumors during the spring that they were going to bring back Amanda for Survivor 50.

Well, where is Amanda? Amanda has like disappeared off the grid. Yeah, no, at least I check in and update now and again. Amanda's just like completely gone. she's like yeah she yeah but it was the rumors were hot that Amanda was going to come back and then all of the sudden it was like no Amanda's out everybody oh well oh well oh well I mean she's such an undercover player anyway she's such like a subtle I mean she's not that exciting to watch I love her don't get me wrong and she's a great player because she gets to the end but to watch her is not that exciting. She's fun to watch in challenges because she's really good at challenges.

But overall, her gameplay isn't that intriguing to watch because it's more undercover. Sometimes we forget the things as Survivor fans where, you know,

Kelly Wigglesworth was somebody who she played in season one and then they brought her back in Survivor's Second Chances. And we said, okay, well, this is going to be, we haven't seen her. And I'm like, maybe this is going to be, she now is going to be different. And then, you know, turns out maybe then people, it's not that different. Yeah.

Well, and I think, I think that's kind of my downfall in fans versus favorites is I almost played the same game and I almost had the same comments and the same, it just, I mean, I didn't play the same game because I didn't have the same setup as I did before. But it was like a lot of my comments were the same. and I didn't really switch it up that much, so I get it. I think now it's a whole different story. It's so much longer down the road, and I've watched so many seasons and episodes

that I would definitely play different. It's like you would hope people would play differently, but I don't think Ozzie's going to play. I think a lot of them are going to have very similar games. Yeah. Hit pause on whatever you're listening to, and hit play on your next adventure. This fall, get to.

Double points on every qualified stay. Life's the trip. Make the most of it at BestWestern. Visit bestwestern.com for complete terms and conditions. I, too, came back to Survivor for a second time, and you've watched it recently. And it did not go great for me in the second time. And I have done a lot of soul searching over the years of like, what, could I have done anything different? Do you have that also?

Do you feel like that you think a lot? about the second time? Definitely. Definitely. The second time, well, there was a lot of things that were out of my hands. The second time, like, fair play quitting, that was really out of my hands. The tribe swap, how we got swapped up, that was out of my hands. But I should have played differently. Yeah, of course, we all think about it. We all are like, what if, what if. Do you think about the second time more than the first time in terms of, like, because the first time I should have just stuck to my guns and I would have at least been in the final three

probably the final two the first one it just was like I stopped telling people that I was voting them out I stopped production was like Amy you need to stop telling people you're voting them out and I'm sure they hate me for saying this but they said stop doing it you're ruining the show and I'm like but that's my game that's how people trust me is I tell everyone and with the Eliza vote I didn't tell her

because they said you have to stop and that's what nabbed me and it's like god if i would have just talked to her she'd have been like amy no you can't do that because they're telling me this this and she would have spilled the beans but she didn't because she got scared okay and so interesting so if you would have told her then she would have talked you out of doing what oh that's so that's so because she would have been like scout and twilight are sitting here telling me we're going to vote out leanne she would have told me and and when we won the reward right after that. We're laying in bed and she's like, I wish there was some way I could save you know, but it's too late. It's too late. We messed it up. Because it would have been way more fun to

have Eliza, Leanne, Julie, and I as the final four. That would have been great. But it didn't happen that because I stopped. I told every single person before that that I was voting them out. I sat down and I was like, I didn't say I was voting them out. I said, I'm voting for you. I don't know what everybody else is doing. Who knows? I'm not in control of what everybody else is doing. Yeah. I mean, I wasn't in control, but I was very suggestive. And I just made sense. Like, I made sense why this person should be the next person to go. Like, they said, oh, I hate being here. Oh, I'm so tired of sleeping on the ground. Well, I'm not tired of sleeping on the ground. Are you tired of sleeping on the ground? No. Let's keep playing and get rid of the person that's tired sleeping on the ground. It was just easy. Yeah. So, yeah. So you help the person who is going home. And in a way, you sort of like take the sting off of. that they are going to now feel betrayed. In a way, it's kind of like good jury management.

Yeah, well, definitely. I mean, some of them really didn't like that I was saying, I'm voting for you, and then a lot of other people voted for them, and then they were gone. Like, Rory was just really upset about that. He wanted to burn the camp down. But I think the new age way of playing is different because the second you tell someone,

hey, I'm voting for you, they go full guns blazing. like, no, I'm going to find a way and get you out. And that's where Parvati's magic is when people said, hey, we're going to vote for you. Parv had, like, I have a whole new respect for her after Australia. She would take that and fuel the fire. And then next minute, whoever said, we're going to vote you out, they were the person going home. So she had this magic wand that was like, by the way, you said you're voting me out. Bing, bing.

No, you will be gone now. Yeah. So, yeah, that was my strategy. and it worked, but I don't know if it worked today. Yeah, and also in the U.S. survivor in the new era that they have the shot in the dark. So now you have to blindside people or they're going to play their shot in the dark and then what's going to happen if they hit it and everybody scrambles. Everybody goes crazy.

Which is why these little things are not as much fun because you can, I mean, I guess it's more what's going to happen. I don't know. The shot in the dark could work and that's exciting. But it's not exciting when you're playing the game. You mentioned you watched the last season and that you were a fan of Stephanie. Brandon said that you and Stephanie are friends. How did you two connect?

Oh, this is a cute story. I just think she's adorable. I was so excited for her to play. And I was so excited to watch her. And so after the whole game was over, they were auctioning off phone calls with past survivors. And I was like watching Stephanie's phone call. And I've done how many of those. And nobody had bit on her phone call.

I'm like, ah, guys are idiots. So I bid on her phone call, and then I got to talk to her. Like, I won her phone call, and I got to talk to her and connect with her. And she was, like, so, she was so cute. She was so excited that it was me, and I was so excited to talk to her. It was like we were fan-girling over each other. I'm a big Stephanie Burger fan, too. But you just, from the one episode of the show, you really just felt like, okay, that was my favorite.

I'm going to bid on her? Yeah, well, and I felt for her not having anyone bid on her call. I was like, well, that stinks. Nobody wants to be that. Nobody wants to be left out. So, and I, like, I'd watched her. Like, I really, I love her style. I love her energy.

Like you said, my aura, like, I just loved what she presented. She just seemed like a really fun, loving, good person. I mean, could you imagine that you are a survivor contestant. Nobody bids on your phone call. And then, like, a heralded member of the Survivor alumni is, like, watching the bids and wins. It's like a movie. Rob, I love you. I love you.

You're like, I'm going to feel so good after we get off this call. You made me feel like, yeah. Hey, you should feel that way. Aw, stop it. Yeah. And really, I can't believe that they didn't call you for 50. I know. I wish they would, but that's all right.

That's all right. Yeah. Life is amazing. I got so much going on. I know. I know. It's just that they called so many people. Oh, good. Don't rub it in. I didn't know that. I don't know. That's why I'm mad. Did they call you? They did call me. Yes.

And what they did? I was not on Survivor 50. Did you make it far? I guess I made it as far as like a bunch of people that got not picked. No. Well, you made it a lot further than me. Congratulations. No, it's, as you said, it's a hard decision for them. to make. And it was, I was, I was excited to go, but then I was also excited to not go. Really? You know what? It's, it's, it's a lot to go and, and do all that. And it's just would have been,

I think, a very complicated thing in my life to have gone and to have done that. And I'll tell you, I would have really struggled with if I did not do well. I think it would have been very hard for me to get like if I went and it was a disaster, I think that that would have been very painful for me.

Well, as long as you're not the first person voted out. Well, what if I was though? Then that would be horrible. You'd have to wear a bag on your head for the rest of your way. It's like, I have this nice thing. And then it's like, okay, and actually this would be become like extremely painful for me to do this thing that I enjoy and you know it would have been like very exciting

to go and play the show for me but it also like came with like some major potential downsides yeah but that's life that is that is life that is life but you know like was I going to win you know it would have been maybe I don't think so you're pretty charming and your your your your visor and i am i don't know i don't think anybody lets me get that close to the end so i don't know it would have been fun to do it but i was also like i i am blessed i have a good gig like i'm i was happy to go and and i and i got to go do a different thing yes yeah what different thing well i i went to scotland this summer oh cool oh that's exciting i did not know that yes so yeah so i was everything works out. Oh my God, I love that. Oh, I'm so excited. Yeah, that's great. Yeah. That's great. Well, yeah, I wish I could have done it for sure. I would have done it in a heartbeat. And I would have loved anything except for being voted out first. But then being voted out first, you get a fun vacation and you get paid. No, I would hate to be voted out first no matter what. No, that would. It's a hard pill. And, you know, Nicole had it this season. And, you know, the, about,

My heart always goes out to the person who's the first one. First person. It's like you have that stigma for the rest of you. Like, poor Brooke, he will forever be the first voted out on the Vanuatu. And it, like, crushed his soul because he was the biggest fan. Oh, I have a question for you. Yes. Do you have a favorite going into 50? Do you have somebody that you're like, I really want this person to win?

I would say, so I'll be biased that the person who's my, you know, a friend who's on it is Christian. Christian Hubecki. Yeah. And so do you want your friend to win? Is that like obvious? Yeah, I would love for my friend to win. But I hope more than anything, I hope he has a good experience. Yeah.

Yeah. And it's not the type of thing where he's like, you know what, F this show. I freaking hate it now. Like I, even for the person, you know, all the people that go and do it. I just hope that because I find it, I think it's very sad when people go and either whether it's the first time or the second time that they love. I love Survivor, and then they have a very negative experience, and then they hate it.

And I think that part of me was a little scared that I did not want that to happen to me, where, you know, I go and I have this thing that's given me so much, that I love so much. And I think I would have had, like, I really, like, I would have gone if they said go, but, and I was worried about being out early, but I just find it so sad when there's people who love this thing. And then it turns to something that's painful for them. Yeah. No, I get that. But yeah, I get that.

Because some people don't have perspective enough to be like, it's not about me. It's about the whole thing. And I'm part of the whole thing. And how lucky and how beautiful to be part of the whole thing. Like that is such a great experience. And the amount of connections of really beautiful people I've gotten from the show. Yeah. Like some of my best friends in the world. Like I'm going to stay with Mikey B before I go back to New Zealand. How is Mikey B? I do it every year. I love that guy so much.

He's doing Watertown Whiskey Kid. He's out there working hard. Yeah. He's like, I'm going to retire. And he's a great dad. Oh my God. He's a beauty. His kids are gorgeous. I get to stay with his kids too. Yeah. So I'm going to have him and his kids for two days. My mom's coming. Like the, and I'm going to see Leanne while I'm there. She's going to come and hang out. It's just like, hopefully you'll see Abby. Just like whoever's there. If Aris is there. I'd love to see him. Abby Maria? Yeah.

And it's just like the relationships. Well, wherever you go, you have a friend. Like, Benry came over and we had coffee together this morning. Wow. And just talking about. Denver. Yeah. Yeah.

And we always connect when I come here. And it's just like living in New Zealand, any survivor that comes to New Zealand, anyone out there that comes to New Zealand, you can call me. And I will show you my little island. I took Benry out, Sabrina. like I've taken so many survivors out on Ventures, Eliza, Julie, Leanne, Mikey B, like so many survivors have come to see me on the island and some of them I didn't know before they came. Allie came to see me like that it's just- Which Allie?

Allie who works for CBS now. Okay, got it. Yeah. So it's just been being part of the survivor family, whether like you're mad about it or not is such a beautiful thing. Yeah. it's such a beautiful thing. I can't say it enough that even the people that work for Survivor I've like stayed friends with and still have conversations with. I love it. That's the right perspective. I just have seen so many people that they love the show.

It's their dream to be on the show. And then when that dream does not go the way that they want, they become like very jaded towards the show. And, you know, I always feel like that's very, it's sad. They only have themselves to blame because it's like. expectations. If you expect nothing. The thief of joy. Yes. Yes. If you expect nothing, every part of the experience is beautiful. Even getting voted off, because I've been both. I've been voted off jury. I've been voted off vacation. And to get to experience both sides of that. Like, it's so exciting. So I mean, I hate to be positive penny, but I don't hate to be positive

penny. No. People need to hear this. Yeah. The second you have an expectation, like my survivor experience is going to be, well, then you've already set yourself up. Because life is never what you expect it to be. Things change all the time. And if you're excited about the change, then you continue to find that joy. The second you have an expectation and it falls short, then what a boring way to spend life being upset. No, thanks. No, thank you. That's incredible. Yeah. It's life. I mean, not to say I don't get down now and again, of course, but why add extra to what life is going to give you anyways by expecting. But sometimes we all could use the reminder.

Yeah, definitely. And I'm sure there's somebody who's listening to the podcast that might be saying to themselves, you know what? Okay. Amy's right. This isn't so bad. Oh. No, God.

Think about what's really. what's really going on out there we are we are living our best lives here you know like we're really lucky to have the things that we do and the people around us that we do and the privilege of having a grocery store to go to and getting to talk about game shows yes seriously exactly you get it up yeah that should be the worst thing to happen to lose on a game show exactly didn't get to win a million dollars on TV. Yeah. Well, Amy, this is such a delight to catch up. Anything else fun that you're doing in your real life that you want to talk about? Oh, gosh. I think just going back to New Zealand, I'm really loving being part of the community that I'm in

on Wihiki Island. I want to start doing some fundraisers and I want to get some money together to get an ultrasound on our little island. I mean, we don't have a hospital. We don't have We have a doctor. We have like no 24-hour service. You have to call a doctor at home and they have to come in or you have to call a helicopter and get flown over to Auckland. But so I'm going to do some fundraisers and work with kids and yeah, just living my best life over there. Just do what I can to be part of the community. How did you land in the community that you're in? Like how did you pick that spot? I didn't pick that spot. That spot picked me. I was in the craft beer industry, which is funny because I'm allergic to beer. But I love service. I love taking care of people and laughing with people in the beer industry. The craft beer industry was part of that. And I got brought over there to run a little place called the Cove that was right on the beach and it's craft beer and like a family place. And I had a year contract to work on Wihiki Island. So they flew me over there. And I worked for my year and I ended up doing really well for the business. Had a great time. And then I fell in love. And then I got

married and then I stayed and then I've been there 10 years now. It's been 10 years. I've been living in New Zealand. And your wife is a local from there? Well, my wife and I are separated and we've been separated for two years, but I still adore her. Yeah, she's Māori. And so I got to do a lot of work with indigenous kids, both from America and from New Zealand. We did a lot of exchange program. She is amazing. Bianca is just an amazing human being. She does a lot of work with youth. So we got to do like imagine me in the outdoors for five days, four days, three days, two days with kids from 12 to 18, teaching them how to camp, teaching them how to build fires, teaching them how to be responsible in nature, teaching them how to appreciate what's around them and not make it about them,

like sit in silence in the forest and realize we're in their house. and that's the other way around. And I got to do that for so many years. I got to take kids out backpacking. And I got to bring kids from America and take them around to different Marai in New Zealand to be with Māori there and experience the culture of Māori

who are some of the most resistant to colonization in the world. Like they have the strongest political presence. They're just really strong, beautiful people. like that culture, I have a lot of respect for the Māori culture. And I got to see the inside of it and be silence. Like, imagine me. I would be in these groups and these meetings of young people from America and the Māori people. And I'd be the only white person there.

And I would just sit in silence. Sometimes I would have to go out the door and ball my eyes out because they're talking about colonization. And I'm like, oh, how is my people? That was me. But really taking it in and learning from it and learning how to be respectful of other cultures. It's been the best experience. I think it's really grown me as a person. Did you have all this outdoors experience prior to Survivor or did you get a love of it after you did Survivor? I think I owe a lot of it to Survivor. When I came back from Vanuatu,

I couldn't sleep in this house. I was living in this house. I couldn't sleep in the house. And I had a volleyball pit that was like a homemade volleyball pit. I brought in four tons of sand before I left. And I couldn't sleep in the house. So I built a campfire out in the volleyball pit in the backyard. And I slept outside for three weeks. Yeah. Because I couldn't sleep in walls. I couldn't, it was too confining and too much. So I owe a lot of my love of outdoors to Survivor because I think I'm more like scout now in that I could be the firekeeper and the builder and all of that now, which is when I started, I just kind of watched her. So I think it's like flipped and my love of the outdoors is intensified so much.

Moving to the Caribbean, I started free diving every day. Every day I was going out and underwater and when the second I moved to New Zealand, I got all of my, my spearfire. I got a Hawaiian sling. I got all my gear like I'm going out. I'm going to be underwater. I now go and collect Kenna. That's how my wife really fell in love with me is collecting sea urchins. She saw this white girl dive down and come up with bare hands with sea urchins in my hand.

And she's like, oh, my gosh. And I would go down and collect two or three. It wasn't just like bringing up one. Like, oh, look what I was like part of. Yeah. Yeah. That's amazing that you absorb that experience because, Amy, I have to be honest with you. I got like nothing out of.

Like, I was there for like 38 days. And like, I have like no skills whatsoever. whatever. Well, the skills came later. To be fair, the skills came later because I kept doing it. So don't be too hard on yourself. I didn't get all that on Survivor. Did I level up in any ability? I don't think so. I don't believe that. I think you probably have some skills that you didn't. Nothing related to Survivor. I don't know. Maybe like talking to the camera, I got better by the end, but, like, in terms of, like, living in the outdoors, like, very little.

Yeah. But that's- But I'm so in awe of people that, like, that they really, like, they got it. Like, that's incredible. And maybe that's what, like, if I did go back, maybe that, that would be me. And it helped, it, like, really helped having Ozzy there. Because we were playing. Like, we would go out and play together.

And playing was diving and playing was climbing trees and playing was adventuring. So it also depends on who you're with, because if you're with prissy people that don't like to get dirty and don't like bugs and don't like spiders and don't like, then all of a sudden you're like, oh, yeah, me neither. I don't like that either. But when you're with people that are like adventurous and love being in the outdoors, you're like, oh wait, this is fun. Like we're playing. Maybe that's my problem. There were too many prissy people that were around. Yeah, it wasn't you. It was them. Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. I would love playing with you. But I would have a false sense of trust with you because of like our connection just normally. Yes. Yeah. Why do you think it would be false? Because I don't know. I've also seen you play and you're kind of devious a bit.

You know, well, look, you could you could say that. But I feel like that I am always looking to just find my people. Like I felt like that in in my season, I really was looking to like lock in with somebody. And I never, like, I thought it was going to be Alex and I thought it was going to be Dina and I thought it was going to be Matt. And I just felt like that I wanted to, I really wanted to have like a ride or die. And then they kept like having other ideas like, no, no, no. Why are you doing that? I think we would lock in.

But the thing is, would we lock in like Jake? Oh my God. That was so funny. But I honestly, I think you and I, I think I, no, I know. I would want you to be one of my, one of my numerous noes. Okay. For sure. You're not just saying this, Amy?

No. You know how I play. I'm like, but who knows? I might switch up my gameplay. I am very susceptible to flattery. Me too. And you've been doing it this whole podcast. No, but I really, I have a lot of reverence for everything that you did as a player.

And I always, whenever I talk about your season, I, I try to give you a ton of credit because it was just a really great game that you played. And I always just remember I just feel like being starstruck when I saw you at that finale. And it was a crazy night and Johnny Fairplay got kicked out of the finale. I almost killed him that night. Do you know that I almost killed him? Well, I feel like that you are, are you two still friendly? Are you still close?

So I hated his guts. like hated him more than anything. But then he stopped like doing drugs and stopped doing all the stuff right before we did. He can be charming, yes. Favorites. And he had changed quite a bit. And I was prepared to hate him,

but then I ended up really liking him. And then I went on our little vacation together and he was a hot mess, but he was a fun hot mess and he was a funny hot mess. And then we went to Japan together, had a blast with him. And no, I'm still, whenever I hang out with Mike,

be we call fair play and we talk and how are you and like big props to fair play he's like his he he's his own biggest fan and i'll stand in line to be his fan as well i love i love fair play yeah he really is a creature of his own making and i appreciate him yeah yeah so now yeah we're good okay yeah well amy if you end up putting together that fun that fundraiser uh or anything the other things that you get going come back anytime tell people about what you're doing thank you yeah um this was so nice to get to catch up today definitely same it's nice we get we have to with or without the podcast we should um catch up now and again it's really nice to talk to you always always a pleasure i would love that and maybe who knows maybe i'll be coming by new zealand sometime

bring your wife and i'll help her with her like she would love it she would love it She would love, like, any kind of, like, she, I think is looking for more adventures. Yes. Oh, well, hello. Then when Benry came, the guy had no idea what he was in for. I literally took him on a wild adventure. We ended up staying out all night. I took him to see glowworms.

I took him to see bioluminescence. We snuck into a party that wasn't happening, stole a case of beer, like, went for hikes throughout the night. We had so much fun. We had so much fun. And it was like, and then he lost his show. shoes in all the adventure. Was it Jake? It was Jake.

The shoe bandit. He ended up having to get back on the ferry with no shoes, no sleep. He's like, it's the best night ever. He was just talking about it this morning. He's like, that was the best night ever. I just had so much fun that night. I couldn't handle that night, Amy. Yes, you could.

I would give you the energy and you'd be like, this is, no, you would love it. I promise you. We'll go look for the worms. That's fine. Bial luminescence. But then we're going to sneak. into the party and steal a steel six packs

yeah it was fun and with the only reason we took the beer is because the guy wasn't very nice had he been nice then we would have not taken the beer but we just did it out of yeah it doesn't mean but you know what maybe you get me drinking kava and who knows what happens

exactly you might end up saying on the island and never going back to civilization I might never go back yeah that's right give up all the things yeah all the things we don't need the things okay all right well amy thank you so much thanks everybody so much for joining us for this one i'm sure anybody who made it this far enjoyed it we've got so much more coming back up we're going to we do the live shows amy that it's a whole thing we are going to be in

new york on uh wednesday night and we're going to have like 800 people together to watch episode three of survivor 49 oh i wish i could be there and annie's coming to denver Just a shout out to Annie. She's doing a watch party here in Denver that I'm going to miss because I'm going to be in L.A. But yeah, she's doing that. But I have so much fun. It's such a different energy and such a different vibe when you're watching with a big group of people that are super fans. What do you think all these watch parties?

Like this is new, right? Like that never used to happen way back when. Oh, no, I had watch parties. Oh, maybe you had a lot of friends. For every episode, I had a watch party. um no they're great well now you watch with strangers now it's like people have get-togethers and yeah well the only thing that's important with a watch party is that you can see and hear the show because if you can't hear it i'm not going i'm here to watch the show i'm here to be with you people

as well but number one if i'm going to watch the show i want to see and hear don't talk don't talk to me while it's on i want to focus on what's going on and what the game plays are and like yeah don't mess with me while the show's on just shish okay that's how you know a real survivor fan mm-hmm mm-hmm yeah okay all right amy thank you so much thanks everybody take care of a good one bye