RHAP: We Know Survivor - Kellie Nalbandian Recaps Survivor 48 Ep 4

Episode Date: March 21, 2025

This week, Rob chats with Survivor 45's Kellie Nalbandian about Survivor 48 episode 4.

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apartment, it's Rob has a podcast. And now here's the guy who never gets invited to any house parties. I'm Rob's sister, Nino. Hello, everybody. Welcome back to our recap here of episode four, a fun one to talk about. And I'm so excited to have here with us from Survivor 45 and from the Social Game Podcast. Please welcome Kelly Nalbandian. Kelly, how are you? Oh, I'm great, Rob. I am so happy to be here. Every time I come on RITP, I get a killer episode. We get a banger. Yes. Okay. We get a banger. And Kelly, for a long time, I struggled with pronouncing your last name, but now I can say, and I love to say it,

now Bandy. Oh yeah, you did a great job. I didn't even congratulate you there, but thank you for finally getting it, after hiring me and paying me to do a podcast now. It's worth your time to really know how to say my last name. It's fun to say. It's very phonetic, everybody. It's worth your time to really know how to say my last name. It's very phonetic everybody. It's not that scary.

Yeah. All right. I'm glad you're having fun. Yeah, I am. How are you doing? I'm great. I mean, really enjoying the season. And right now, you know, I'm still working as a nurse. I'm waiting to start my new job. And so I get to hop on here and talk as much survivor as I want. Yeah, well, good. We're going to have some fun time today talking through everything that's going on.

This morning, I got the chance to talk to Thomas. And I know you were so bummed out. I saw all your tweets. What was it about Thomas that you connected with so much? I think a lot of people did. But I feel like what I love about Thomas is just this is like the kind of survivor player that I love to watch which is someone who's very social but also very

strategic and fun. Like he kind of hit all the check marks and I don't know that's like when you when I was going out to play Survivor like that's like you want to like grab it by the horns and play hard, but not so hard that it's like, you're doing too much. And I think Thomas did a really great job. I feel like players like him and Camilla are my absolute favorites to watch for sure. So I'm devastated to lose him.

Yeah, now I wanted to know your thoughts on, now famously, you, some people credit you as bringing back spicy exits from Survivor. I know you're such a big Thomas fan, but are you worried that Thomas may have undone some of your work as he stood up and said, give me a hug, come on! I know, I was like, is Thomas gonna make give me a hug t-shirts? It's like another angle. I didn't see any merch yet from Thomas. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, what do you think about that? I immediately thought about it because what's so funny is I feel like Thomas was like

the quote unquote villain, right? During the game and then he's leaving and he's like the hero. And I feel like mine was the reverse. Like I'm like getting more of a hero style at it And then on the out I'm like you guys But yeah, I mean I did kind of expect Thomas to have a salty exit But it was very classy of him good for him. Yeah, I don't know You know, I feel like Thomas will get around to maybe he can redeem himself there Yeah, Thomas gave me a lot of different things that he was giving notes on. It was a fun exit interview this morning.

Could you give Thomas any notes on his exit? What about if he says like, hey, give me a hug you sons of beep. I would support that way more. I think if you don't get bleeped in your exit, then you did something wrong, honestly, Thomas. I don't have a lot of critiques for the rest of his game. Yeah.

Honestly, Rob, keep that in the back pocket for yourself. Yeah, that's the problem though with being blindsided on Survivor. I think that anything that you come up with that's gonna be good to say is gonna be bad because you thought of what to say ahead of time. If you come up with it pre, it's not gonna be good. Like I don't remember saying what the hell guys, I have no recollection of it.

That's why it was good. Hey, wanna see my De Niro face? Yeah, I mean, peace, love and respect, but that was my least favorite thing ever. So I mean, anyone with a preconceived thing is not. So that's how Thomas felt in the moment. Hey, you wanna see my De Niro face, you? Anyone with a preconceived thing is not. So that's how Thomas felt in the moment. Hey, you wanna see my De Niro face, you?

Okay, that only is like slightly above because of the cursing. Yeah, I got blindsided in Survivor All-Stars. People with. Okay, what did you do? So I got blindsided. I didn't know it was happening, obviously. You know, these six person tribes.

Inherently. This is very tricky. And you know, I six person tribes. Inherently. This is very, this is very tricky. And, you know, I got there and then they started showing my name. I was like, I won a one. I saw my name once and I'm like, OK, maybe this is like, you know, the person that's going home voted for me. And then I saw the second one. And then I just like started like I'm just like mouthing the F word.

Very sad and mouthing the f-word Now I think it's audible Yeah, first thing I had is a bleep I was just like this after the second or third vote I was like yep I'm cooked not an iconic exit by any stretch of the imagination. I did not have any sort of like canned Great thing, you know, I think I would now now. I think I would like have something in my back pocket. You're like seasoned up now. You've done so many podcasts. You know how to make an entrance and an exit.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I had nothing there. I don't know. I don't know what to tell you, Rob. But the only thing I will say that I'm happy for Thomas is I kind of think getting voted out with a black eye is pretty iconic. Yeah. It's like kind of sexy. Yeah, I think so. I don't know. I a black eye is pretty iconic. Yeah.

It's like kind of sexy. Yeah, I think so. I don't know. That was a good look. I feel like he rocked it. That was a good look. I feel like having an injury on Survivor, like Janine's chin, it like adds to your icon status.

And so if he, even though he forgot his version of what the hell guys, at least he got socked in the eye by his number one ally, correct? And Bianca stabbed him. That's right. That's right. You know, it's a fine line in terms of like getting medically evacuated but getting some sort of like cool battle scar during the game is iconic. True, yes. I'm not proponent of injuries. Okay?

What was the worst injury you got on Survivor? Honestly, let me think. I mean, my legs were really scraped up. I don't think I had anything too bad. I thought I got, oh, you know what actually? You get any scars? When I have one, I do have, my legs are totally scarred up, which is, I've used creams and stuff. Like I'm getting married soon and I'm like, I really, you know, don't want anything showing.

But I did have, you know, the challenge where you have to like climb under the, you have to like dig and then they send the small person under the sand. Well, I wear contacts and so I got like a ton of sand in my eyes during that and then I had to like run around and afterwards I'm literally like standing on the mat as Jeff is giving us, and I'm like blinking like, and they had to like wash my eyes out and I was, that was the worst thing that happened to me, which is really not that bad. Sorry. All right, well, let's go back to what's going on with Thomas, who also had some eye-related injuries, as we've discussed.

Okay, and he ends up being the victim of Kyle and Camilla. And I got to thinking about this after I did the exit interview with Thomas of what was it about Thomas that Kyle and Camilla picked? They could have voted out any of the three guys in that scenario And I feel like in a way I think that they went for the riskiest option considering that they knew that Thomas had some kind of an advantage and maybe that's what made him the biggest target But yeah, they knew he lied about that, but then why was he the person they chose out of the three?

Yeah, that's definitely a risky play. I feel like what makes this move great is that it is risky. You know what I mean? Like even the full execution, the possibility of a tied vote, like all of it was risky and it paid off for them. I think maybe Camilla, that just sort sort of because she had that nugget of information From star she was like this is how i'm gonna make the crack in the beginning and then that's the most sensical thing for her to like

Keep moving forward with I don't know or the other option is I don't know if camila's privy to it But maybe she knows like thomas has heard about this and then he's gonna come for her So for camila it makes more sense to like let me get rid of this dude Yeah, it could also just be big brain I think like if you're looking at this California girls alliance, maybe you're like Thomas is the more strategy Sneaky scarier threat than the other two who might be like especially Joe

I feel like is kind of giving this likeer-esque thing going on right now. So maybe that's why as well. Yeah, I think that that's probably the most likely of the different answers that they just looked at Thomas. And I think he just reads as a sharky player. Yeah, I think that a lot of people have this problem. Even, I wouldn't say I'm sharky, but I don't think I did anything initially

to like make myself a threat. And then it was like a stink, I couldn't get off. And I think Thomas, had he made it farther, would probably have also this sort of like, just sort of like a lore around you, like the aura of like, this person seems like they are gonna be a strategy person. It's just like.

Yeah, do you think that, is there something that you can do about that? Do you just read as too capable? Like, do you need to develop some like, I think Thomas also doesn't have like a big weakness, you know, like I think that's like another problem that some people have, like you can even like Caleb or myself or something,

like where it's like, there's not where you can be like, oh, they're terrible at challenges or they're terrible socially, or they don't know Survivor at all. Like, and you have to have, I think, something that makes people feel more, I don't know, less afraid of you. And I think Thomas has very few weak spots as well,

which is, I mean, we all love him at home. You need to assume that everyone loves him on the beach. And then once people start to realize that, it's like, oh, everyone loves him on the beach. Like, this is an issue. Yeah. All right. Here's a question I had for you,

thinking about your season and all of this. Kelly, if Brando and Kendra were able to pull off what Kyle and Camilla did, how is your life different today? I mean, listen, I don't know. Would I still have a threat problem? Probably. I think my chances of being a millionaire are a lot higher. What if Brando, instead of trying to impress Drew Bacille with Pokemon knowledge, said, I hate Kendra. We don't like each other. I mean, I don't lose Kendra either. Right? Like my eye, it was the swap. Like I know that they were,

well, they would have, they would have to dupe them. They would have said, Oh, but I guess they had no idol. Oh, you mean dupe them. Okay. Not throw Kendra under the bus. Okay. Oh, are you kidding me? What if Austin left and I had an idol? I mean, you know, all I do is get through J. Maya. Listen, I can't even go down that rabbit hole rock. Please. But I saw a tweet that was- Who had the bellow idol? Bruce found it right at the end. No one. No one. Yeah, no one had it and then Bruce found it eventually.

No one had the bellow idol because we were too busy sucking at Survivor to look for the idol. But there was a tweet of Kyle and Camilla and it was like the way they communicate without like they're like they're like the quickness that they're able to like the efficiency of their strategy and the way they communicated was like why it worked so well. And that was the vibe that I felt I had with Brando. Like we would talk sometimes for like 15 minutes a day. And I'm watching this and I'm like, oh, it would have been fun if we got the chance to do something, but you know, that's, that's why I have complicated feelings on swaps, you know?

Okay, well good, I'm glad that you're here to talk about it because of all the new era season, the only one that gets a real tribe swap is like you had in Survivor 45. Mm-hmm, I know, like again, we talk about this every time, Rob. It's like, what, how did this happen? I like swaps. There's like a quote.

Did you vote for a swap in Survivor 50, Kelly? I didn't. I didn't vote yet. OK. Are you going to vote for a swap? I think for Survivor 50, I'm gonna, because I want to see like the max meshing of people from all whatever ends up being there. I think that's the correct answer. I agree. I think that'll be fun. And I like a swap. In general, I was convinced when we were going out there that we were going to have a swap. I was hoping it was going to be a three to two.

How did you know? I had spidey senses. I don't know. It had been a while. And then Lulu kept losing. It seems like although I think the swap was pre-planned. I've seen some people be like they only swap because of the disaster try but I don't know about that. What do you think? Do you think that they just do it? It's an interesting question and I really I haven't gotten an official answer about this so I don't want to speculate too much. I feel like that Jeff in the past has always said, hey, we plan everything out. I think they even say like in Palau, we were never gonna, we were never gonna merge. We were always gonna just let it go down until one tribe.

So they they've really stuck to that we everything is always planned out ahead of time. But I listen to the On Fire podcast. I listen to it every week to hear what Jeff has to say about things. And, you know, he was talking about, like, in terms of, like, how they look at the game rules. And we're always having these conversations about, are we going to do this? Are we going to swap? Are we going to like like? And the fact that he's saying, like, are we going to swap?

You know, makes me feel like that he's talking about it, like that that's like a lever they could pull. I don't know why they couldn't just have in our seasons like, hey, if things really go haywire, nobody wants to you know, we can't run our challenges with you know, one tribe has two people. I was the only thing I'm thinking I'm like, are they pre planning for a swap because the challenges are pre planned presumably and like some of them you can't run with two or three people. So they're like we have to build a swap in because in the case that someone keeps losing, which seems to be a recurring theme, then there's just not going to be enough people to run this challenge. And then they just

plan and say, all right, worst case scenario, could we run these with three? Then we don't have to swap. You know what I'm saying? That's why I'm skeptical. Let me ask you this question. And this came up here, so I actually, I was on Tyson's podcast, The Pod is Spoken, and one of Tyson's co-hosts, Riley, asked me this question. I think it was a very interesting one.

Let's say you are feeling like, hey, I've got a really good situation going. Maybe you're Thomas and you feeling like, hey, I've got a really good situation going. Maybe you're Thomas and you feel like, okay, I've got everything on lockdown here on the Loggie tribe. Okay. This, this other green tribe, they've lost two in a row. Do you consider throwing a challenge to prevent a possible tribe swab? If, if, if you are of the mind mind that hey if that one tribe starts getting wiped out

They're gonna pull the tribe swap lever I'm gonna circumvent that by let's get rid of we've got you know Let's star is good to go right now. Let's throw the challenge here take star out Bianca gets her vote back. No, I mean here, I think planning, like throwing it because you think it's gonna prevent a swap is like, that's pretty, that's pretty big gaming there, like I mean, I don't know.

That's a little big brain for me. I never thought of that before. I would like, I am not, before I played Zara I was like I would never throw a challenge ever. And like I still kind of feel that way because it's really hard to in the moment. But having been someone who did not go to tribal pre-merge and I really wish I did. I think it's a consideration you could make if you're on a tribe that doesn't look like they're gonna lose. I mean it's a gamble because you might swap right you always might swap

But I think yeah, that would be a calculated risk from from Thomas, but it might it may I mean listen right now You're like you said it would have been worth it, but you don't really actually know yeah I will say no. I'm just trying to think back to survivor 46 where okay So that the didn't Yon who go down three and they didn't swap So that's why I'm like, ah. They didn't swap after three, but there was the Randin Medevac that they, and then they canceled tribal council,

so that they lost Jalinski and Jess, and then they took out Randin and didn't, and they canceled tribal council. And then they went back again. And then they went back and voted out Banu, and then they had one more vote before they went to... So they did run a challenge with three people, but the Nami tribe had lost Rand in there in that spot. So it wasn't three in a row for the Yanu tribe.

So I guess the way you could disprove this theory is, was the challenge on Jem's boot episode runnable by two to three people? And if it was... Well, I think they didnable by two to three people. And if it was. Well, there was, I think they did have three people then. Three people. Oh, so then they were ready for that. Then they were not planning to swap. Then they were like, whatever.

Yeah. You know what I'm saying? I don't know. That's my theory. I think that they. So you think that's a little too big brain. Don't think about throwing a challenge if you have a good thing going.

You know what? If you want to play that game, by all means, do the big brain. Don't think about throwing a challenge if you have a good thing going. I, you know what, if you want to play that game by all means, do the big brain, but that's not, I think that's too, like you gotta keep your feet on the ground in the game that's happening right in front of you would be my, my advice. Okay. All right. Set yourself up for whatever. So for Kyle and Camilla, this was so fun and so impressive. And I don't think that any two players had ever been able to pull this off. I mean, they had not seen Survivor 47 and in Operation Italy. I saw people on the X.com calling it Operation Guyana.

Oh, I love that. I know the name like actually makes sense with them. Yeah, I, listen, I don't wanna have a controversial take. I think I like this almost even more. Both were great. This is better than Operation Italy. Uh-oh, you know, Andy lives near me, so I can't have this take.

Clip this, clip this, clip this. Don't clip this. Kelly, tell me why you think that Operation Guyana is better than Operation Italy. I think they're, okay. I think they're a little different. And let me give you my two cents here. Like Operation Italy, brilliant.

By the time it's happening, I feel like we know all the players super well. We know that these three are like really strategic. We know they're capable. It's like completely lit I don't want to take away from how amazing it is. They totally smash it But this right here to me is like very pure survivor. The people don't know each other that well yet It's only been a few days. They're putting this like brand new tribe. They don't know everybody

I don't know. I feel like it's just it's very like raw skill-based to me in terms of like, obviously there's advantages in things that play for sure. And I'm not gonna like, there's some luck and some effort in getting that done. But I think it's kind of fun to see, it's like this authentic gamer muscle kind of being flexed here by them, both in the acting and the pre, the lead up,

like it was just chef's kiss all the way through. Respectfully, I would like to disagree. I would like to say that I think that Operation Italy is actually the thing that you were describing of people just getting by with gumption and gameplay over actual overpowered, not even overpowered advantages, that Kyle and Camilla actually got through this situation. Now look, that not to take anything away from the amazing acting performances from

them both, especially Camilla, but they also had an idol and an extra vote at their disposal. So the only way that this could have been foiled was had Thomas played his steal a vote. That was the only, the only thing that could have stopped them. And so they successfully got Thomas to not play his steal a vote. But in a world where Thomas doesn't have the steal a vote, they actually could just show up there like,

hey, we got an idol and an extra vote. Guess what? One of you three is going home. Who's coming with us? Like they could have like basically done like the three amigos to them in, whereas Operation Italy that Andy and Genevieve and Sam actually were in the minority. They actually didn't have the numbers. They successfully. And I will say the thing I love the most about

Operation Italy is like lying about having idols and stuff. I think it's so great when people use an advantage topic but not the advantage itself. I love it's so great when people use an advantage topic, but not the advantage itself. I love that. That's manipulating the game. And that is my favorite part of my operations. I think it's brilliant. In the words of Val Collins, they had nothing. They had they got them to split the vote. Very impressive fake idol. You know, so they got Do you think like the payoff though of what happens? Right? Right. Like, obviously, great move for all three of them. They never end. They don't end up winning. They don't end up winning. We got to see what happens.

Just as a move. Yeah. This was as a strict move. But that does that add to the lore of the move, whether or not it gets you to the end or not. Mm hmm. Yeah. Yeah. I don't want to poopoo on what happened. This could also put a huge target on Kyle and Camilla. So I don't know. They play. Kyle and Camilla played their hand perfectly.

I guess, and I'm not a big poker person, but like they had like a pair of aces that they played perfectly as opposed to Operation Italy. They had like a two and a jack and they were able to get through it. Okay, fair Rob. You can win this argument, but I just meant like, you know, we don't know them as well and they don't know each other as well. And I think there's a lot of great, they don't know each other as well. They have the same favorite movie. Whole and the whole tribe. Yes. I know.

I'm very well aware of Kyle and Camilla. That's better than the name Vula, honestly. Which is too adjacent to other things. No good? Yeah, not my favorite. It should have been the Holes, I guess. Look, four quarters of a dollar. I name tribes, so listen, call me up, Jeff.

You named, you do this for other tribes too? No, well I named my merged tribe is what I'm saying. Oh, what did you name the merged tribe? You don't remember? I don't. Trivia question. I'm very bad, famously, I hate when they just combine the names, but also unless the name is like America,

like I feel like that they're all pretty non a script name at that or be remembered for that My name I'm very proud of my I think it's Daku waka It's a Fijian shark god. Okay most important guy. I thought that's what Fozzie bear says Dwaka waka Okay, that feels, listen, that's an important God, Rob. Okay, don't disrespect the shark. Wait, tell me about the Fugean God.

Okay, so I had got, you know, I was a season 43 alternate and they asked me when I was there pre-season, what would you name the Merge tribe? And I had nothing. I was like, I said some stupid thing. And I was like, I am not getting caught looking dumb with Dalton Ross again So I came prepared to season 45 and so I was looking up like I don't know I just thought it would be cool

I was looking like mythology Fiji and mythology and I came across this shark god who's like their most important god He's like a total badass. He protects the Fisherman whatever and I was like Daku Waka is a dope name. It's pretty cool But I was only knowing it so I didn't look stupid in pregame press. I like was not like, I wasn't like, I'm gonna name the merge tribe. But everyone didn't, no one was really throwing anything

out there and so I threw it out there and it stuck. Kelly, as an alternate, do you feel like that you really aced your pregame press for Survivor 45 that you had like the dry run? You know what, I feel like I could have done better in terms of certain things, but I was a popular winter pick. Yeah, a lot of people like really were very high on you from the jump.

I think it helps because I knew, of course it helps. I mean, I also though, before season 43, I watched the, when I was in the hotel room before we go, I'm like watching the preseason interviews preparing with what I would say. I just didn't prepare this Merge Tribe when I think it didn't come up during the previous one. So I watched everyone's and was preparing, but that's who I am.

I'm like a neurotic preparer over planner. A lot of people aren't like that. So I would suggest doing that. It's also kind of a fun exercise just to get you like, a lot of the questions make you think about your strategy and stuff. So I think it's a good pregame thing to do yeah do you watch the preseason coverage now or you just go in raw dog you know what I watch it here and there I like to see if anyone says anything really funny or anything about me which was lacking this season I mean that's so everybody

all the survivors do that. Yeah, of course. Everyone talk about Charlie this time. Charlie is the star of the season 48 pregame press. Yes. Good for Charlie. Good for Charlie. Yeah.

I mean, in fairness, they just watched his season. That's true. I know. And Kyle just dunked on season 46. I don't think anybody's talked about me since Drew Bacille. And I think it was like Cochrane was before that. Oh, OK. That's why you always have Drew on the podcast.

I love Drew. I love Drew on the podcast. Drew is one of my favorites to have on the podcast. He's got a big brain. Talk about big brain. Kelly, I have so many favorites from the new era. Nobody's benefited more from the new era than me. I don't know. That's arbitrary and reductive.

But there's so many like like, you know, smart young people that have come through and present company included who are so great at talking about the game. You know, some people say like, hey, like, where are all the people that aren't the super fans? But you know what? These are the best podcast guests, okay? Keep them coming, Survivor. I mean, I'm not a super fan. I wasn't a super fan, but I think I became one

throughout the process. Yeah, you were a over-preparer. You were somebody who- I was an over-preparer. But you know what? That's also the nature, I think, of being an alternate, at least, I think. You can ask some other people,

you can ask Shaheen and Rachel what they think about that, but you just have so much time to like obsess. And that is my need. Remind me, what was your survivor origin story? You found it during COVID? I'm a COVID watcher. And then I applied like really late, like in January. And they called me and they're like,

we're basically done casting everyone. But then they like pushed me through and I went out for 43 and then. Yeah. And what was it that attracted you to it during COVID? It was just something to watch or somebody in your life was already a fan? One of my really good friends who's also a nurse,

she's actually gonna be in my wedding. I owe her a lot, clearly. We were like up in Cape Cod over New Year's during COVID, cause there's like nothing to do and no one wants to hang out with us. And so she's like, I've been watching Survivor. It's like, really, I think you'd like it, Kelly, like whatever. So she put on Heroes, Villains. And so like that was done and dusted. I was

like thrilled with it. And then I went back and watched a bunch. Yeah. Oh, well, I went back and rewatched Heroes vs. Villains on the Patreon podcast feed, but more about that later on when I do the plugs. Okay. Love that. Love that, love that. All right, so let me ask you from after this tribal council, big move happens, Thomas goes home. What do you think we see at the start of the next episode when Kyle and Camilla come back to camp with Joe and Shaheen?

Balloons, a party? Wow, somehow I just set off balloons over my thing. I always set off some weird stuff like thumbs up or fireworks. I don't know what I'm doing. Sorry. Anyway, it's not going to be balloons in a party at the Vula beach. I don't think. Um, I don't know. I do feel like Shaheen, especially and probably Joe will kind of be a little like, damn, like a good one guys, you know, like you kind of have to do that anyway. I think they're just going to be, I think they're just going to be like, holy crap,

these, these guys are sharks. These guys are aces, like whatever. And then I may, it'll be interesting, dude, Joe and Shaheen, like try to pick one of them out or do they turn on each other to like preemptively prepare for a potential next tribal? I'd be surprised if they go again, but I was surprised they went this time. So. Yeah. So again, Kyle and Camilla, super impressive.

I lobbied for Camilla to get a solo fishy, but Steven said, give it to them both. But I do wonder that, was it a mistake? And I saw this on Twitter and I wish I had, could attribute it to the person that asked this question That did Camilla and Kyle by proxy make a mistake That should Camilla have voted for Kyle although Yeah, I think I can I can give you the answer. Oh, I see didn't yeah

to at least play off the Hey What Kyle? Why didn't you tell me you had an idol? You. Yeah, that's a good point. I'm thinking about this lie. And I can tell you the answer, the answer why. And you tell me where you think that the risk was. I think so they're back that that was plan A,

Kyle's gonna play the idol. But what if they were lying to everybody and they were gonna put the votes on Camilla? Their backup plan was that they were gonna force the three-three tie on their three votes and then the three guys would have the three votes also. And I believe in having the tie break that way, her passing the extra vote to Kyle allowed Kyle

I still have two votes in the tie break So I think that that's what what they were protecting against whereas that if everything went according to plan It would have been better for Camilla, but they would have then taken this like fail safe Plan B option of if they put the votes on Camilla. So even though this looks inherently more risky, it's actually not as risky. This is the way to cover their, their bus. They were prepared against the only thing that could have stopped them was if Thomas ends up using the vote steal and then taking one of their three votes to then have four votes for the guys and then only two

votes for them and they would have split the votes to two. That's the only thing that the guys, the California girls could have done to prevent this disaster. Yeah. So did you, did you ask Thomas like, did you, why didn't you tell them about the advantage or what, where do you land on that? He, he, what he had said was that he was thinking old school. He said that those guys would not have liked the idea that he was telling a lie to them. He wanted to save this advantage for down the road. He needed to get through this tribal council.

He thought there was a one in six chance that Kyle had an idol from his original camp and he didn't think it was that likely that that was going to happen. He also said that in the part of the story that Camilla really st uh, sold to Joe and she heen, he was not there for, he said he would have picked up on some things that she was saying that didn't add up. He said he had some notes on her performance. And so he's got a lot of notes. He had a lot of notes. I like it.

That's good. Yeah. I mean, I think like it's, I would act. I was going to say he would be a great, a great addition. He will be a new era super fan podcast list. I think like everyone wants to lie about stuff when they go on to, and I am so proponent of that, but like when stuff like this happens, this is why people are honest after the journeys and everyone gets all like up in arms and they're mad, but it's like sometimes it can come

back to bite you because especially the early journeys, especially when everyone's doing the same exact thing, like there's been a few journeys where they do separate stuff or whatever, but like I think it's just, it's getting so hard to like successfully hide a journey lie from like episode two or three, because someone's going to figure it out. The other thing was, I'm a little mad about this. I got yelled at for bench talking, okay? Twice. I always, I saw Claire Rafson and I said, I'm going to do that if I'm on the bench. And the first time I was on the bench, it was me and Brando. I thought we were going to lose that challenge.

Unfortunately we did not. And Dee and Julie were on the side and we had like two seconds of chatting. All I got through was that I'm a nurse and that was it. And they were like, shush. And then me and Emily and I got yelled at for talking to Emily. I'm like, what the heck? Now, this is like a really important bench talk. Because I was going to give credit to Claire Raphson, who was a game changer that she changed

it all up with this bench talk. But then I don't know, I'm trying to think of, has there been bench talk in between now and then where they have let it fly? Not that it made air. I mean, I'm sure, like, I don't know. I think because it was later in the game when I was sitting with Emily and I think we immediately, in true like Emily flipping fashion, it was like immediately gamey where I was like with Dee and Julie. It was very like, oh, like it was early.

And we were like, you know, what's whatever. What do you do? Where are you from? I think Dee told me she was from Miami. I was like, of course. And then I said I was a nurse and that was it. And then they didn't really care. And then the challenge was over. Was it just like chit chat during the challenge? And it wasn't like game talk? It wasn't like, hey, what happened on the journey?

It was chit chat in the beginning. But it was also, it was the third week. I feel like if we were too intense, it would have come off bad. Like, you know what I mean? If you're like super gaming on the bench, especially with two people, it was a little scarier than just one.

But I really got, I was like told to shh with Emily so yeah but anyway props props for using it I think I am so impressed. The new era is fluid. Yeah it's evolving. Who knows? I don't know. Just like the Pokemon that Brando talks about. Yes yeah so alright that, all right, that's gonna be very fun to see how that ultimately plays out, because Shane, he was really sold on Camilla. Yeah, they kind of did shocking dirty with his confessional, I was like, damn. I really thought he was going home.

I was really surprised that it ended up being Thomas up until the point where Thomas had like the last confess had like the last Confessional or the last word of tribal council talking about like his journey. Yeah. Yeah I also thought you know that it that's so so funny because I was like watching that obvious in real time Kyle and Camilla Do their sort of like funeral speech before Thomas and I was like man slow claps They are even nailing their funeral speeches. Like they are, like Mary, you see her tweet,

it was like, if I send you this, I'm committing to the bit. And she's lying in the water. I'm like, this is, they're committing, I think Kyle playing his idol, still committed to the bit, which I am, you know, I'm all for. And then Thomas gave his and I was like, oh, okay. I guess everybody got a chance, but I kind of lost track of what you asked me Rob, to be honest.

Well, I want to ask you about what you thought of Jeff during the tribal council. Cause and Jeff talked about this on the on fire podcast, but I thought that Jeff did a really good job of selling that this is like our tribal council tonight is between Kyle and Camilla and we're basically going to get them. Jeff was like kind of in the, I was like, does Jeff know? Yeah.

I don't think he does. I don't think he really, he actually one time said to me, he like tries to not know that much before, but I think it looks like on screen for a second. I was like, he's like in on the joke. Yeah. Like he's in on the plot. He's like poking the fire, but then he kind of, I think he does, he does kind of do a good job

and not all of it makes air of just like kind of giving everyone an opportunity to do this type of thing. So it looks equal, but he's still secretly stifling the outcome. That would be most interesting to me. It reminded me of the tribal council that's in survivor 44, where it's, and I think it's also a five person tribal council where it's that jam jam and map blank and ship have been switched over. And one of them is going to go out at this tribal council. And that's what, and then Heidi has the block block of vote. But it's basically, what is it? Lauren and Brandon and, and Jamie, right? They have the three votes at that tribal council.

This is like the weird one where, that they, like the half and half. The mini swap. Yeah, mini swap. Yeah, one person left. And basically it was like Matt Blankenship and Jam Jam were like fighting for their lives and they were both like telling their story

and what it meant to them. Oh yeah, Matt Blankenship didn't have a, yes, yes, yes, okay, no. And he didn't have a shot in the dark and anything like that. I was gone, I think, well, this was airing or it was right before, so my memory was blank. Yeah, but I thought that that was like

presented the same way. Well, one of these two people, well, their journey is ending tonight and they both like, and Jam Jam like really was great and he gets like, like talked all about like what the game means to him. And that was like Camilla who was like she was in tears crying she's in tears Which is really I am so impressed yeah

She's incredible but like great method acting of like she really had to like go there of like think about like what this journey means Star and that she's like doing I think it's like I think there might be like you can you can ask Camilla Maybe she's just a stone-cold killer, but I think there might be like truth to what she's saying Yeah, I think that's the I tweeted this about Rachel last season like when she was sitting on the beach I think with Andy I don't remember and she was like getting emotional and crying but manipulating them But she still felt the emotion. Yeah, it was still manipulate I thought of Rachel that remember Rachel's funeral where I think that this is like a new meta in the game of like, you know, that not just people are going to play their idol, but they're going to go through all

of the motions of like that they have to really sell and act like they're going home that night. It's a new era committing to the bit. Committing to the bit. Like this is like, you know, you know, that you have these iconic idol plays and I have to go back and watch Survivor Second Chances. But I don't think that, you know, Kelly Wentworth, like, is like going on about how like it's going to be me. It's going to be me tonight. And there's nothing I can do.

And I work so hard to be here and I got everybody to vote for me. Like in tears. But now players are doing this. Like players are having like the emotional breakdown at tribal council. It's like facing their own mortality in the game before they play the idol. There's just like so much other crap now, though, even the shot in the dark. No advantages. Yeah. You have to convince everybody not to play all these things. To the very last moment that you pulled out of your pocket,

you better make sure nobody else is going to pull any other stuff out of their pocket. So I think that just, you know, incentivizes people to just really go for it, which is fun TV. But I think, you know, I love this move from Kyle and Camilla. I do believe in them. I think like this is a very strong duo. But it's like, when you're that good at this, that is a little like alarm bells for Shaheen and Joe, which will presumably be passed around to the rest of the group. But just one other thing that go back to Mary last week, where Mary, you know, say was really fix it. Why is she swimming? She should be out doing like the players are so smart and so sophisticated about how, okay, a player who's going home is going to be going through

like blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, should be acting this way at tribal council. And it's like, if one thing is off, all these alarm bells go off. Like it's, it's really wild. Yeah. I mean, it's like they're, um, it's like that you're thinking about what they think they should be doing. And then you're to think about what they think you think you should be doing. And now it's like, you're getting to level like four or five, six of the reverse thought, um, at this point, you know, it's like you're getting to level like four, five, six of the reverse thought at this point. It's like, well, Mary is pretending,

but is she only pretending because she wants me to think that she's, you know? How about for Kyle and Camilla moving forward? Okay, let's just say hypothetically, they get through the next tribal council, they get into the merge, but the story of this is going to get passed around to people.

That do you feel like that their threat level, like as a duo, is going to be off the chart when other people hear about what they did? I would think so. The only thing in their favor is they were backed into a corner. Like it wasn't like they just conjured up this plan and like screwed someone up and like, you whatever.

Like went to all these great lengths and they didn't necessarily need to It wasn't like they just conjured up this plan and screwed someone up and whatever. Went to all these great lengths and they didn't necessarily need to or they were in the majority. They looked screwed objectively. They have to full send it if they're in the minority on the tribe. It's like, well, we're kind of forced to doing it. But then they did such a great job. But I don't know, I kind of feel like Seba, the Seba Fords kind of give me a little Reba Four vibes. Like I feel like they're pretty locked in besides

charity and Mitch, I guess. So I don't know. I think that it's, it's going to be impossible to fully wipe that off. Like that is the best move so far, hands down. Yeah, it did seem like when we were going through like the winners and losers of the episode, that if David is linked up with Kyle and Camilla, then David also picked up a bunch of allies that like I definitely could see there being some sort of like alliance at the merge of that SEVA 4 plus whatever

stragglers that David is able to pick up along the way. Yeah, yeah. That's what I'm kind of hoping that the new, the new, I mean, both tribes, either the other two tribes will be either both very interesting to watch Go Tribal. But if new Loggy goes, I would love to see what happens there. Because I'm very, I mean, obviously Mary has been absolutely so much fun to watch and she's in this interesting position here. Like Eva's throwing Star under the bus, David's throwing Charity under the bus, then you got Mary.

I would love to see what happens there and maybe that's where, you know, David and Mary can have a bond and Mary could jump on this alliance. Who knows? But I would love to see that. That's my wish for next week. Let's pick up on the tribe that David is on, which is that he's on new Loggie, and it's David and David's angels there together.

And we saw that David and Eva have picked things up together. And now Eva has a new buddy in David. Now I'm wondering that could Eva be the glue that ends up be connecting David to the guys from Loggy? The guys from the guys from Ologie Joe and Shane. Yeah, that's the thing is then David has to become a a middle esque player, which I don't know if I I don't know him all the all he talks about is milk. So it's hard for me to know like is he this kind of a like is he willing to be sharky? Is he willing to be sharky? Is he willing to like have a double cross? I mean, I don't really I think drinking a lot of milk is weird. I'm sorry David. I like him He hates water Kelly now as a nurse that what's your reaction to that? I mean, that's not healthy David. I know that he really believes in the power of chocolate milk, but like

No, I would not say that's the most healthy. He's very lactose tolerant Yeah, I think half the country could not tolerate David's diet We would have you know wreckage in the public bathrooms if everybody was drinking that much milk So, you know my official nurse what do you say? Does he drink a gallon of milk a day? My official nurse. What do you say? Does he drink a gallon of milk a day? Or a gallon you know what he's totally the guy again David lovingly with a whole jug And he like carries it around with him like the actual jug from the store Yeah, which I I sat on the social game podcast as a bit of an ick for me Which thing of it people that carry the jug of water or chocolate a jug of water but specifically like the plastic jug of water, but specifically like the plastic jug straight

from the grocery store. Like if you put it in your big ass Stanley, fine. Everyone's got a big cup these days. I'm not going to judge you for the big cup. Well, the milk needs to stay refrigerated. Yeah, that is, but I don't know, he's talking about it like he's slinging it back like so quickly. I don't know. Yeah. He's got a special sleeve for his milk gallon. You know, I would like to opportunity that David has like a big Stanley cup that he does. Keeps it cold and he keeps his chocolate milk ready to go. You know what? I, I'm going to give David, maybe I shouldn't. It would be funny if we got him a custom Stanley.

Yeah. What should it say on it? Okay. Got milk feels basic. I feel like we need a nod to the four nipples Or new idea he could open up a bar called the four nipples and only serve different types of milk a Milk bar now that I know far is right in place. Yeah Yes to call it something else. Okay, I mean, but see, I'm all for, like I love the idea of business ideas for David

because I think that it helps solve the problem of like the finance issue. He really broke, he broke my heart. Poor guy. He's like, my girlfriend's gonna break, I don't know. I think his girlfriend did break up with him. Yeah, I think so too. Yeah. Listen.

Sounds like an ex-girlfriend. Ladies, if you're out there and you love milk, you know your guy. I love how he was like he came into this and I feel like he was like, I am a feminist icon. He was like, I love women and I'm going to let everybody know it. And I was like, you know what, David, me too. Mm hmm. Yeah. Cheers to that.

Yeah, now Kelly, your fiancee didn't say to you, Kelly, if you don't win the million dollars, this relationship is over, correct? Correct, she never said that. She literally, knowing me, and confirmed by how I what the hell guys, that was literally just like waiting for the day that she knew I made the jury because she was like, I'm concerned about you if you go home early because I don't think I would handle it well. Yeah.

And so she was just so relieved that I made it like midway that money didn't even matter. She was Yeah, well, I think that We've seen many times it's kind of a reality tv trope that we've seen many people who are parents who they have a story of Hey We need this money. I'm trying to support my family David is I think one of the first reality TV contestants. And I feel like we've seen there's different women who are having issues with conceiving,

and we need this money to start a family. But David is the first person. I probably would have said that had I got to The Final Tribal, because it's expensive to have. That is expensive. That is expensive. But David, I think, is the first reality TV contestant that I can remember to say that, hey, I need this money

for my hypothetical family. Mm-hmm. Look at him. Yet another game changer on this path. Yeah. Wow. I mean, it kind of made me sad, too. I don't know.

But you know what? It humanized him. He's getting a real hero. He's a real hero right now. They love him. He's like that. What is that? Like Wreck-It Ralph? That's who I'm like, akinning him to in my head. He's got the big hammer. He's like, where's my girlfriend? I'm willing to chop down many trees as a lumberjack to find one. Really sweet. Yeah, I like that. You know what? Not for nothing. He's in a good spot in his tribe. So he's doing something right. Even on a swap. He's in a good spot. And you know, I think that for whatever reason, like people are sort of sleeping on David in terms of

a strategic threat. I think that you saw charity who's underestimating him like how David, he's just a big dumb idiot. Like, we'll just tell him whatever. He doesn't care. I just tell him what to do. And he has been showing that he knows more than he's letting on. Yeah, this is like a, like a reverse when you have like someone, I don't know, like who's like small and whatever. Like it's like a reverse of that. Like you can make a new, it's like they're not a threat because they're so tiny, whatever. He's like, if you play, you know, dumb and huge, that might be the new way to actually skirt through this game.

Mm-hmm, yeah. I wonder if that's something in the new era and we haven't seen too many like big guys who are like- Like Austin maybe is like the most successful. Well, I was gonna say even Jonathan in Survivor 42, who's the biggest guy we've seen, gets, he got to the final four fire making where I think you would have said like, nah, like no way that guy will get taken out at the at the merge.

But I think that people like are sleeping on some of these players of like, hey, but did they have it upstairs? Yeah, they're big. But are they, you know, especially, that's why Justin was my winter pick that he has the long hair, but like Austin was like a strong guy and he had long hair.

A long hair is a criteria for your winter picks? Well, no, long hairs, I think people think that they're kind of just a dude, bro. But did people have like a, were they sleeping on Austin in terms of like, I don't know, is he actually smart? I mean, I didn't spend that much time in the game with him. But I think it always, yes, if you're like a big muscly dude, the assumption is that that's been who you are forever.

You've always been, and like Austin had not had that, like he's had a different sort of like journey through his life. So I think that he was a late bloomer. An edge. Yes. Remember his, his sob story. Yeah. Uh, yeah. You know, but I don't think, I think like maybe not because I thought he was like pretty smart, but I'm, I'm more thought other people would target him earlier than they did for being big, which now just people don't seem to care about it. It doesn't seem like that. That's one of the criteria. Like it's interesting in the new era, people don't seem to care about anymore. It doesn't seem like that that's one of the criteria.

Like it's interesting in the new era, people are like, oh, Thomas, okay, he's the guy. We got to go after a Thomas. But a David, like, eh, he's fine. That was the, I mean, I said this in my aforementioned pregame press is just like, I don't think there's no way to define threat anymore in the new era, especially not traditionally. So yeah, if you see someone like David, that could be an absolutely very attractive ally, because you know, you think that if you go to the end against him, you could beat him. And if David can dupe them, then that's great for him. But honestly, I mean, he isn't like,

I'm looking at this tribe, I'm like, he's hands, but maybe Mary's in a better, maybe Mary, but like, he's, he's really in a good spot in this group. I'm like, he's hands, but maybe Mary's in a better, maybe Mary, but like, he's, he's really in a good spot in this group. Yeah. Which is great pre into the merge as well. He's going to have probably the most connections if he, if he can make it there. We saw Eva tell David right off the bat, Hey, uh, I'm offering up star on a silver platter. Go for it. I've never seen that. Wow.

There was actually a lot of things this episode there. I feel like everybody was just like, I'm just saying it like at the swap mats. So I would say it was like, I'm just, this is what's going to happen. And even Bianca was like, I'm so sad to leave. I'm like, keep it a little closer to your chest guys. Like, you know, I don't know. But anyway, yeah, that was, that was, that was a know. But anyway, yeah, that was that was that was a choice. You know, I think that that's what do you say? Okay,

you got swapped? What do you say there? Do you just say like, do you say anything? I'm a feel outer, you know what I mean? I would rather feel out. Honestly, I think what Bianca did is if you're in that's how you should try to approach it. I want to give Bianca flowers for that. It's just like Bianca, like Bianca. Oh, love that for me. Bianca, I want to give her for roses. She and like, Caleb did this as well with us.

It's like, if you are in this position where you don't know everybody and this tribe is very mixed, you should try to one-on-one with everyone and just sort of get a gut check vibe. And if anyone will tell you something, you know, like where they're like, oh, Cedric blindsided me, that's the kind of information you want to get and then decide who you want to throw under the bus or whatever. Cause I think if you're someone who comes in hot and throw somebody else under the bus, the only thing where that's bad is yes, that might get you through right now.

But then someone's like, well, this person is clearly willing to throw this first, anyone, loudly and in front of everybody under the bus, which is risky. Yeah. What do you want to hear? Okay. Let's say you're on the mat, you're going to Tribe Swap. What do you want to hear from people before the Tribe Swap? It's not fun, but I feel like what you strategically want to do is talk about opportunity, talk about making connections, talk about whatever. Keep it fluffy and BS so you don't give anything away. For TV, it's more fun if everybody wants to talk some crap and whatever. But the one time I said, oh, there's a bunch of big dudes over there.

I'm not afraid of big dudes. And I instantly regretted it because I was like, crap, What am I doing? But I was just like I was just like Like an impact I Was just like does it help if I'm like, I'm not afraid of guys like blah blah blah It's not helpful. I don't think I had Because you played in a season that had maybe the most famous of like the Matt chat in the new era when Emily talked about like, Hey, but Bruce, like, you know, he's he's been here before. Like, that's, yeah, that's not right. And how did that change how you looked at Emily?

Oh, I mean, I not that and you came to know her much later. But as first impressions though. Oh, I mean, I was literally, if you asked me all the scenarios that would happen on the mat at the first day of Survivor, that is the last thing I expected anyone to ever do. Like that was truly, and it wasn't just her calling out Bruce,

it was the way she did it and the doubling down. I think she even did it twice, once didn't make it. But she was like, let me push back on it. It was like, we were like, let's play nice. And then she was like, actually, no. And I remember, I think Caleb and Brandon were behind Emily and they were just like, Oh my God. Like everyone was just like gagged. So I was like, this is hilarious. This is great. I'm glad this person's not on my tribe because I don't know if I want to deal with this right now. Um, for as long as it's not going to directly impact you, I think it's great if somebody wants to, you know, kind of show who they are immediately.

You all had known Bruce was going to be on the season, right? Because it had been out there. Okay. That or the Jeff invited Bruce back and the, but we didn't know it was going to be necessarily for the next season. Yeah. Because it was also like that episode, you know, we leave and I think we only left in the mirrors maybe, we left at the, like the whatever, Josh's boot was the last thing. So that's like what? Six episodes? Five maybe? I think it was five.

That was recent. That was six and that was the merge-atory, right? When Jeff was like, and this was me like not having full knowledge of whatever the back end casting as much as I do now, but like, I was like, that feels quick because Bruce was like acting surprised on social media, which I don't know if he was or not. I actually have never asked him. So I was like that turnaround time from like, it's March. Wait, what was he surprised about?

That he got picked? Jeff said that on the podcast. I feel like his social media was like, oh my God, I can't believe this. Like whatever, when Jeff said he would bring him back, it was as if it was a surprise to Bruce, which I guess now probably wasn't. So in my mind, I was like 45 would be

such a quick turnaround. It's probably gonna be 46, but I recognized him immediately in the, he had a mascot, but I was like that, I know that bald head anywhere. Yeah. I think that was the first episode of the On Fire podcast. Oh my God, I think it was.

I think that they started it and I think that maybe they were just like, Hey, we got to do big things like a call up Bruce. He's back on. So if you're telling me that I have the on fire podcast to blame for losing survivor that You talked to Bruce on the first episode of your podcast too, right? Oh Yeah, how could I forget? man That was honestly if you haven't seen that you do big things

podcast Performance their rivals Camilla's tonight. That was incredible. Yeah. Yeah. So yeah, it's interesting in terms of like just how much people take away from these like little interactions on the mat. But then you gotta- Yeah, that means like you, because you, because you don't get to see anyone else, you know? I mean, like you only see them for a tiny time. So in my mind, I was, that's like same with the bench stuff. I was like on the bench, I'm talking to Dee, I'm like, I want to tell people I'm a nurse. That was like my strategy. I was like, everyone loves nurses. I'm going to make it known. So I was like, this is the one thing they're going to know about me. I want to control that narrative as much as I can. And I

think most other people approach it that way too, but some people are like putting on the show a little bit. And then I'd get like my new buff and I put it on and I'd say to my old tribe, bye losers. This is my new tribe now. Otherwise known as the losers. Sorry for you. Sorry for you. Don't give me a hug. I think it happened before Jeff.

Yeah. Rob, you are swearing so much. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're getting crazy with this bleep button. If I swear I swear will automatically bleep me or you have to do that I have to you have to look signal to me that you're going to do it. I'm gonna know And then honestly, I always thought I'm so surprised and I didn't say what the fuck guys, honestly You could have given me a heads up

No, I didn't want to give you a heads up. Okay All right, so I want to give Sam more heads up. Okay. All right. So I want to give Sam more more work. You think Sam edits the podcast? I don't. He does. Like if like something goes wrong on the video, he does. You can make Brandon do it. Yeah. He's used to editing out Michelle and I's bleeps. Actually, I think we leave it in. Yeah, it's fine. Kelly, who on this cast do you really relate to? Oh, hard question. I love, Thomas was really one of my favorites. Maybe like, I feel like Bianca a little bit. And I mean, I love how Camilla played it. I think she's better than me, so I don't want to compare myself to her.

I think like personality wise, I would say Bianca and Camilla and Thomas. Thomas was kind of like if I took like a slightly more evil route, which I kind of thought I would have and then I ended up not. I think that would be, you know. Yeah. Is that an acceptable answer? I mean, that's it's there's no wrong answer. It's maybe Kyle, too. I like Kyle.

I think he's very measured. You know what I mean? Like he plays a smart game. He's very social. He knows how to like connect to everybody. He's so positive, though, and he was like, oh, dude, that's awesome. It was so sweet. But I don't think I would have said it. Kyle, when he talked about David living in the- David, he's just such a positive dude. And I'm like, I have a little twinge of cynicism in me.

What would you say if David told you he lives in a trailer on his dad's front yard? I really walked myself into this one, didn't I? I don't know. I'd be like, wow, it's so nice you get to spend so much time with your dad. With your dad. Like, no, like my dad sucks. What, is that nice? You know what? If there's anything I've learned from survivors is you can rebuild relationships just like Mary and Say. It's possible. It's possible. Yeah. All right.

Well, speaking of Say, we haven't talked at all about the new tribe that she's on. Now listen, you were witness to some people who didn't always have great relationships in your Survivor season. And now... Can you imagine if I just told them to get along like Cedric? My problems would be solved. Yeah. Okay. But Se does not feel so great about Cedric. I mean, Cedric though, I think is under the impression...

As she should. Yeah. But Cedric, I think feels like, hey, this is water under the bridge. We're good. I mean, that's crazy, respectfully. Are you kidding? He voted for her. And I don't know. I think if you look at Say, it's like very, I would assume that she, you know, she plays hard and fast and like she'll always have her game face on, which I totally respect. Like I don't think you should safely be like, oh, this is totally going to be water under the bridge. No problem. Yeah. Like she comes across like somebody who will will harbor that and then, you know, slice it when she needs to.

Okay. Well, I think that Bianca is in such an interesting dilemma and predicaments here in this drive that she has no vote. She's there with two pairs. One of the pairs, the pair that she has engaged with happens to be a dysfunctional pair. And so how do you think that Bianca should handle this? And then how do you think it will go? So this is why it's like, oh, such a bummer she lost her vote. Because if she didn't,

she would be in control of this group easily. I know there's so much, this this is going to be hot take territory, Kelly. And I know there's so much discourse about like, stop taking away the people's votes. But like, isn't this more interesting now? Like isn't this such a predicament? You're not going to get me to agree to lost votes. It's never going to happen. I got burned by them. Two

people get burned by them. Survivor is about voting. I don't like it. Because Bianca, it would be interesting. Bianca would have, she would have so much power if she had her vote, but it's, but she has to, I think this is imminently more interesting that she doesn't have her vote. Sure. Fine. It's slightly more interesting. I'm not happy about it. If you are like me and you are like, okay, well, I'm here to see the chaos unfold. Yeah, that's right.

You know what I feel like now when I like watch Survivor, it's like a little different for me because I'm just like the veil has lifted a slight bit. I mean, I don't know, maybe you're removed a while Rob. I don't know. I feel sad. Like, I just feel sad. sad. I just like think about myself in these people's shoes. Sometimes I'm just like, this sucks if you lose your

vote or this sucks. And that pisses me off because like you come on Survivor to like utilize your, your social capital and your strategy. I think this is like, this is the type of player Bianca is, but if she can successfully do this with no vote, it's even more impressive. So maybe it's an opportunity. That's how I would spin it to Jeff, is it's an opportunity to do something even greater than then what's been done before. It's going to be an interesting obstacle for her to overcome. Like, could it be the thing that kills her game or could it be the thing that ultimately

propels her into a win? I think the answer is we'll see. It's really, this is literally, it could really go either way. I think, I mean, I guess the thing I think maybe she should do is stoke a issue between the Vulas and get them to publicly fight if possible. And so, one of them and just hope that one of them she blows up their game. So she has gotten the information from say that there is a problem between Cedric and say you think the right move for her is to sort of like inflame the situation and get them arguing to the point where maybe say wants to turn on Cedric. Yeah, because I don't think she has any realization

that Chrissy and Mitch aren't that close. And maybe she does, I don't know. If she does, then this makes this even more of a conundrum, but she could probably safely assume that Chrissy and Mitch are a better pair than the two others. So I think maybe the play is, try to get them to be stoking, go to Chrissy and Mitch and be like, by the way, I heard these two aren't getting along like they think they are. But after

the last tribal council, blah, blah, blah, we could keep all of us safe if we just vote one of them out. Like, let's just pick one and make a four. I think that's what she has to try to do. And even because she has no vote, it's like she needs to make it a 3-1. Yeah, it's such an interesting predicament. Yeah. And I look, I totally get what you're saying. Like it's like, you know, hard for the players and unfair. I know that you're like having a balloon party. Balloons again. All I'm doing is stressfully resting my hand on my temple for Bianca. I'm like, man, well, because the other thing for Bianca is like, you want to, what if you don't go to tribal? You want to keep all these people happy with you. So you can't start doing this until you're actually in the hot seat. So doing it too early, it is also a predicament for her. And you know, in talking it through,

like I think that there's some benefit for her hypothetically, if she could get it to a two, two tie at tribal council, because then she do then know, well, I think that there's some benefit for her, hypothetically, if she could get it to a two-two tie at tribal council because then- What does she do then though? Well, I think that she doesn't get a vote, but if the two-two tie isn't on her, then on the tie break vote, right? She's not able to be voted for. They have to vote for the people that were in the tie.

Or in the tie. If it comes down to a standoff, okay, she could end up drawing rocks and not having any say in going to a rock draw potentially. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But she could, like, I think that somebody would flip before it got to a rock draw if, you know. And she might be able to think that.

Yeah. Because she would think that Cedric or something, one of them would flip on each other. Yes, how why would they? The problem with the situation that she's in is that she seems to be from what we've seen closest to say and Cedric it seems like has already gravitated towards Mitch So it seems like that there's already some kind of like three one can say Three person consensus with Chrissy Mitch and Cedric saying like,

hey, let's just vote out Bianca. Yeah, that's why she's got to stoke the fire. She's got to, yeah, she's got to do something to change up her situation. I kind of forgot about Cedric and Mitch's bond. I like the two. If she can force a two, two tie, that would be fun. That would be very exciting Would you come around?

players losing their vote if Bianca was able to navigate a two-two tie to her advantage Maybe a little but I'm like how many times you actually get that outcome, you know once It's like it is like a tribe swap a little bit. Like it's risky on production, you know what I mean? It's like, you could get a great tribe swap like this one, where it's so mixed up, it's like almost ideally mixed. Or you get a boring one where your whole tribe

plus one person is on the tribe. Now, I will say that I will feel it will be more unfair that Justin lost his vote than Bianca. Can you stop me if I'm wrong? I believe her tribe picked who went on the journey. You are correct. So she had it out. Like she could say, like, I do not want to do not send me on the journey.

That's very good point. And I very much sympathize with Justin because I also got sent on a journey. I didn't want to go on. Yes. And what happened? What happened on when you went on the journey? I sat out the challenge and I was mad about it. Yeah.

And then they, Reba used as an excuse to send me. See if we wanted to send... Oh yeah, the sandwich, the three-way shared idol advantage. Yes. Yes. Yes. That's what happened. I didn't want to go on that.

But I would have never gone on a journey. I literally bowed out of every journey like Like who wants to go on the journey? I was always like, not me. Have fun. So it's saying, I don't know. I don't think Justin maybe would have gone either. So that sucks. I didn't listen to his exit press though. So for Cedric, that was crazy. So Justin did not want to go on the journey. What you had something to say about last week's tribal council? I mean, what the hell guys is really what I have to say. I don't know. The rules are

getting so, I got to go watch Dwight's thing. They're getting crazy for me. But you know what I was thinking? I feel a little Mary's moment is so great. But like when Caleb shot in the dark hit, we were kind of lit. It was the whole group. Everyone was like, no way. Like it was crazy. It was like a Renaissance painting. Yeah. And Mary is just like, it's smaller and they're all kind of like shit or screwed. Like I wish she got like she's kind of like alone celebrating which is like sad. But she had America celebrating with her.

She had so many people celebrating. She didn't know yet. She didn't know it yet. But Mary's missionaries. Is Survivor 48 some kind of weird echo of Survivor 45? I mean, we have the shot in the darks hitting, we have the tribe swap. Are there any other similarities between your season and this one?

Yeah, you have the disaster tribe. Disaster tribe, yeah. With an entertaining, you know, girl rising from the ashes, the Emily flipping. Let's think. Hmm. You know what? If Thomas had a big reaction going out, then we could have signed seal deliverance.

I mean, if Thomas could have quit the game. Yeah, we need two more quits that could have been something. But I do wonder maybe that you feel like that if if 45 is going to sort of like echo with 48, do you feel like that that that four person alliance is coming together? Is that C? Are we on a trajectory of like three before? This is the prophecy. The prophecy. They're on the wrong beach though. This isn't Siva on the Lulu beach. Yeah, so that's not the right beach.

So if we were going to map the tribes then, so Siva you think could be like the Reba tribe where there's sort of like two people that are kind of like on the outs of like the greater four person alliance that's actually. Yeah, and honestly, and they're ready to throw charity right under the bus Yeah, like clearly which is like there which they did with J Maya and arguably see food a little bit too. Yeah Okay, which I do think was a good strategic play. Yeah, that's another similarity and then Bella Wins a lot but is completely dysfunctional. I mean, I don't think they're quite as dysfunctional as we are Yeah, yeah dysfunctional. I mean, I don't think they're quite as dysfunctional as we are. Yeah. Yeah. But they have sort of like Star and Eva as sort of

like the Bruce and Katora, like the two people that are not getting along. You know what I will say that gets swapped to a tribe with each other and are still like, hey, that's what happened. We got swapped. The first thing Bruce said to me was like, I want to work with Caleb and get out Katora. I was like, I want to work with Caleb and get out Bruce. I was like, Oh, really work with Caleb and get out Katora. Katora was like, I want to work with Caleb and get out Bruce.

I was like, oh really? So that is very similar vibe actually. That's interesting. Maybe we figured it out. Maybe. So who wins then? Who's the D? Who's the D in the SEVA 4?

Like, could we see that maybe... Camilla. Yeah, I mean, who is it? It's Camilla, it's Kyle, it's Camilla. It's Kyle. I David and then and then Chrissy Yeah So two of us are a little different, you know, it's like it's definitely like a different mapping of the four Yeah, it's not maybe be yeah different like I feel like the the loyalty ran so deep Mm ran so deep with Julie and Dee and also Austin and Dee.

I don't know if they're going to have that same level. They're all very, I don't know. I think Camilla's pretty gamer-y. She might turn on Kyle at some point. Not early, but at some point. She wants to win. she should. Yeah. I really, I think she's so impressive. I really think that I'm pretty obsessed. That was incredible. I think she's so good and that she really has been able

to do what I think like a lot of times like that people like in her archetype like I think are sort of just like presented as like, oh they're just flying under the radar. She's, they're just flying under the red. She's she might be flying under the radar, but she's doing so much. Like it's not that she's just like that people are just forgetting about her. And that's how she's advancing in the game. Then you look up, it's like, oh, they never thought to get rid of her. She's actually playing really hard. Yeah, I think is the big thing big thing will be, can she keep, is she still that under the radar after this?

One good thing is that on paper, she can try to sell it like this is Kyle. Kyle played the extra vote, Kyle played the idol. Really, that was both of them and it was a lot of her. And a lot of her like work, not only in that day of the tribal, but the day before and pre, you know what I mean? Like she's been cooking, that's been simmering for a long time.

So I think people might come onto her a little bit. If they don't, then I mean, watch out, she's just going to rock it all the way through. Kelly, I wanna bring in some questions from the listeners, okay, and Amy Cook wants to know, are you pro or con looking in somebody's bag? Did you ever look in a bag? I never did. Yeah. I wasn't, but like, honestly, I was like,

if someone on Bell had the idol I would have known and then Bruce told me right away. I probably should have thought about that. Here's the thing, I'm pro doing whatever it takes to win. So if it's in the confines of the game and you feel like you need to do it. Is it the little, my gripe with this one honestly was doing it in front of Camilla. I was like, you're just showing her 100% that you're probably going to vote for Kyle. Which I guess they're feeling like they really, I mean, Chauqun just really bought Camilla's

like I'm on the bottom, I'm not with Kyle thing. Because you have to think about like, she just, then that allows them to, even if it's a shot in the dark, which is still in play, then Kyle could theoretically at least play his shot in the dark, which could hit, you know what I mean? So that was my, that was, I was like, that was my problem with the bag search, more than the bag search inherently.

Yeah. We've got our job. Such a weird red line for people. Like it gives people the survivor ick if somebody went through the bag. People have very strong feelings about this. I do think it's just such a funny thing. Yeah, I mean, this was one thing where it's like,

it's with advantages, it's like, oh, even if you find the idol with somebody else, like if it's yours, it's yours. You know, there's kind of these rules that help structure so that you can use them. And this feels like a little, like maybe we're toeing the line a little bit where it's like, is your property supposed to be like sacred? Because otherwise you just have to keep it on your person at all times, which is, or bury it

somewhere else, I guess is the other solution. Should Jeff have gloves to handle some of these idols and advantages that have been like in all sorts of different like crevices and parts of people's like disgusting bodies for 20 days? Yeah you know what as a nurse as a you know practicing a healthcare professional mm-hmm Like is there any danger to Jeff of like, this has been like in somebody's crack for 18 days and now he's handling it at tribal council? If it's been in someone's crack, yes, maybe some danger. Because you don't wanna touch your eye.

Yeah, do you think that Jeff should have like some Purell at his station? Maybe some Purell. I don't think to touch your eye. Yeah. Do you think that Jeff should have like some Purell at his station? Maybe some Purell. I don't think he needs gloves, but like the only risk would be transferring bacteria from the hands. What about tongs? Should Jeff like put the place, the idol like into my tongs and then he'll like hold it up and look at it.

Okay. This is good. You know how like, remember when Sabaya burned her idol, he just like sanitize all, all the idols have to be flame resistant and then you sanitize them by burning them. Mm-hmm I don't know. Listen, I think he would lose Because it's the bacteria is not very risky. Oh, okay. That's good. Why yeah, I obviously love I'm Doctor Joe is like my hero. I think he's so cool So whenever I would meet with him in the medical tent

I would take time to ask him questions because I was not having my medical problems as we established. And he did say like, this is like a much safer bacterial situation than, for example, like- Co-wrong. Micronesia has a real,

yeah, Co-wrong was the heat in bacteria, but Micronesia has like all these really aggressive bacteria. So like James's injury, it's very easy to have like a small cut, get really infected, which is such an unfortunate way to go out. Exactly more than one person. Like that's something's going on there. So this is like, you know, Jeff probably, unless Jeff is like paneling the idol and then right fingers right in the mouth, he's probably okay. So, all right. Let me ask a question about Survivor Neurotic says, what three players do you think are best set up to do well at the merge right now?

Hmm Okay, well, I think there's two categories of being set up well being set up to win the game and being set up to not Get voted out. Right. So I think like, when I'm thinking about people who are really safe, like Chrissy comes to mind, like, I don't know if anyone is going to be gunning for her. Like Mitch I think comes to mind, I don't think I was really going to be gunning for him, although he has been killing it in the challenges. So you never know. But then I think in terms of like winning, like winners, like who's's gonna be like the power players. I feel like next week will be a big one. I would love to see Mary like take some charge there if they go to tribal

council and then she could become this like middle power player between the two tribes. I think that's great. If Kyle and Camilla can keep the threat stink off of them I think they're the strongest strategic duo in the game. So I would, I'm hopeful for them. Yeah. How about this at the merge that do you feel like that let's say Cedric, say and Mary survive this. Do you think that they move as a block of three in the post merge game or do you think that they maybe end up going their separate ways? merge game or do you think that they maybe end up going their separate ways? I would say if they move as a block of three, it will be for like solely the first thing. Like they just want to get through the merge-atory. Um,

I think there's a bit of a, maybe not. I think there could be a bit of a, a gameplay change after the jury starts, because there's like this, everyone wants to make the jury, blah, blah, blah. You might start playing a little more risky after that because you're like, well, at least I'm still here. So I think there could be an, there's a, there's a definitely a fear around Mergetory, which obviously has changed and seems to be less risky post season 47 because not every, half the tribe isn't safe, blah, blah, blah. But either way, some BS is going to go down, you know.

So you, you, I think that they might be like hedging their bets for a sec and then I just don't see it. I think honestly, I think Mary and say have a better chance of working together than Cedric and either of them. I'm just trying to think of like the little like bases of power in the game. We've talked about like the SEVA four. Okay. And so there there's that four and I don't know necessarily like who is coming along with them. Maybe Mary might be the one person that the David is connected to that could come with them. But then, and then there's like Mitch and charity who were kind of

their own thing. But Cedric is a little bit now kind of maybe folded into that. And then you have the remnants of Loggy of, you know, Joe and Shaheen and they're going to bring back Eva. Bianca is kind of like Thomas was the connective tissue to Bianca. So if she gets through it, like where's she going? So I feel like there's kind of like three different pockets that we could be talking about going into the merge. Yeah, I'm looking at the swap tribes now. That is hmm. But I think honestly, like the person and whatever I've talked about this before is like the, it's a very smart move to have someone from your original group or your alliance that you're just like willing to like totally screw over at the merge. So I think that's good. I guess Loggies is star.

Yeah. But if she finds the idol or there's concern about her finding the idol, they might be less willing to do that. I feel like charity, you know, maybe they think that's a good one for them to throw under the bus and Mary Mary they can throw Cedric under the bus like maybe like like When Mariah went home in in 46 like they didn't throw her under the like they didn't throw her under the bus quick enough Which is funny. We were just saying Eva was doing it too fast But like I could see maybe loggy like holding that closer and it seems like I mean at least from David They're just like square charity. Goodbye

that closer. And it seems like, I mean, at least from David, they're just like square charity. Goodbye. Yeah. It's really always been the person who is just like expend one tribe just says, okay, this person will give up this person, which stinks. Sorry. Sorry, girl. Sorry to the people who are calling expendable. Yeah. Change your luck. Okay. You never know the swap could change it. Interesting. Okay. What was the original question? We were talking about who was set up well at the merch. Set up well.

Yeah. Kelly, I'd love to hear about, I know you recently visited the Mohegan Sun, that there was a big survivor casting call. I've never been to one thing like that. What goes on at a survivor casting call? Okay, it was very fun. I'm admittedly exhausted, I'm not going to lie. One thing like that. What goes on at a Survivor casting call? Okay, it was very fun. I'm immediately exhausting. I'm not gonna lie. We got there and the line was huge This thing started at two o'clock It's basically set up like there's like a stage with a bunch of little

camera nooks And everyone can like sign in you get one minute I think basically strictly to go up there What happens after a minute camera turns off? Camera turns off and says good luck I mean from what I was gathering they were being pretty like with it I mean there were it was it was a lot of people There were people who got there at 2 o'clock, which was the start of the event who did not

Make it into audition. This is the biggest turnout they've ever had. So hopefully they'll do more. There's clearly a demand. I had a lot of fun. Kelly, so what's your role in this? So you're at the casting call, everybody's there. Are you like hyping people up? Are you giving them advice? Yes. So we did big a little when we got there We did a little advice speech both about the game and getting on the show And then we kind of just worked the line We walked me Brandon and Jake kind of split up and we would just walk through and chat with people give them advice Both on in person stuff and their videos if they were also maybe wanting to do videos, took some pics.

There was a lot of fans in line with cool stuff. There's one girl who made a custom lock pull box that was extremely good. A lot of funny signs. Now, did you tell anybody at the casting call that they literally could've just stayed home and just done the same thing with their phone and just uploaded it on the CBS website.

When people started to get turned away, I was like, well, you know, it's, it's probably better to do the video. You get three minutes. I mean, do you know what the track record is of people who go to like open calls versus that, because I feel like in my, and maybe they haven't had them too much with like the COVID era and so I don't know. I don't think Mohita hasn't done it since 2022. Okay. But I don't know too many people certainly in the new era who have come through casting calls. Do you?

I did ask my resident like you know on who wants to be a millionaire a friend, Brandon Donlon this question before we went. Yeah. And he said, I think I could someone could correct me if I'm wrong. I think Cassidy was initially discovered at the event. I think she did go through different rounds. Denise the lunch lady. Lunch lady Denise. Yep. Nice. And Sebastian, I think. Seabass. Seabass. That was the three that Brandon was thinking.

What I would tell people is like, if you are like bad on camera and you think you just pop in person, then maybe this is like, or like you don't wanna do like a script and it's awkward to talk to somebody, then maybe this is the modality for you. I know from back in the day,

there were more people like Colleen Haskell, like went to like an open call when nobody knew what Survivor was and things like that. So I don't know how many how much if there's like a better track record or you're more likely to get on the show if you go to one of these things. I feel like statistically there's probably more people applying online. But I would think for me I was like one minute is so short to like get across everything you want to say. I feel like the person who gets cast from these one minute is so short to like get across everything you want to say.

I feel like the person who gets cast from these casting calls is someone who's like dynamite, lightning in a bottle, like a cue or Emily, like someone who just, if they just stood there and talked about their experience that day at Mohegan Sun for a minute, you'd be like, sign me up. And there were people in line that I was like, what you just said to me was literally hilarious because they were just talking with me about their experience. I was like, what you just said to me was literally hilarious because they were just talking with me about their experience. I was like, just do that. Don't even, like just riff.

So maybe I'm hoping maybe someone good came from that. I had a few people I thought were good. Was there anybody that you talked to that you're like, there's no chance in your head? Don't make me say that Rob. Maybe, I don't know if there was or not. Maybe it's like that, you know, everybody was great. I do't know if there was or not. Maybe it's like that. No, everybody was great. I do think, you know,

yes. And I think you try to give any advice to that person that you felt like has no chance. Like, is there anything that you could say to try to get them to? I'm never going to I'm not going to kill anyone's dream. You know what I mean?

But I typically will tell people my advice for videos. And I think you have more control over the video. And also people are so nervous in this line. So I think there's a lot of people with a lot of nerves, which is just going to make you less fun. What'd you do in your video? So my video was, and I actually give this advice a lot. Part of it was me in my car. Oops, I just dropped my phone, my headphone. Me in my car after work, like right after a shift, and I just got in my car and started

talking about why I think nurses would be good at survival, which I always endorse, like get in your world. But the thing that helped me the most was part of it was just me talking, sitting in my apartment and my fiance, Gabby, was like behind the camera. And I started off first by just like talking and then she started interacting with me and I was like saying something like, oh, like, you know, I have a competitiveness problem and she's like, oh yeah. And I'm like, yeah. And then it got me more natural. I think retrospectively, it feels like a survivor confessional because you're not just talking to, which people didn't realize in line, I'm telling them this. They think we're just like looking off into the

abyss and talking about what we're thinking. It's like there is a producer there who's having a bit of a conversation with you. And so even like, I think Jesse Tandemann said to me, he was like, I haven't really seen a lot of people do that. And even though she was off screen, it like, it worked because it made you feel, I mean, it made us feel like we really know

who you are in your life normally. And that made me more natural versus than just doing, you know, monologuing. Yeah. What else do they do at the casting call? Is there like other activities going on? Gambling? Drinking?

Not really. It's really just a giant line. There was like a TV camera there and they were like covering how many people were there and stuff like that, which was fun. They did some stuff. They brought people on, you know, to talk about their experience and why they were replying and things like that. So you might get on the local Connecticut News if you go. Another, you know, plug that might be even harder than getting on Survivor is being the one person picked from line to do that. Bring something crazy. They told me that someone tried to bring a whole canoe in, but God didn't.

Don't bring props. They don't like that. Don't be like, yeah. Honestly. Yeah. That's like, that would get you on Survivor in Survivor one, Survivor two. Everybody's video was like stupid and horrible. And they all did like Gilligan's Island. They don't like gimmicks anymore. Yeah. It's like, to get on Survivor, in Survivor 2, you'd be like, Hey, I'm naked! You know, they're like, alright.

When can you get to Los Angeles? Oh. One thing I did about it was, basically, and this was funny, because everyone thought they were being a little unique with it, but it was like, all these different people were waiting in line for a gajillion hours together and they're like, we're forming an alliance.

You know, like you're making fun of me. Hey people, this is not Beast Games, okay? You don't make an alliance in the casting to get on the show. We're both going to get on. We're making it a life. Yeah, we're doing it. It was cute. It was sweet.

I feel like people finding, you know, like I'm from Connecticut. I didn't know if there's any sort of like survivor community in Canada Yeah, Saul has had a watch party there And so there's people who like are kind of finding each other through it, which is I mean I think from people flew from Texas and Maine came up from DC Just go on the web Jeff every commercial is like literally here's the website It's the community aspect of it, you know know Bryson when it presents does not go to Maine Okay, so I get it. I get it. But why they go to Texas you don't have to fly from Texas to go to the open casting call

That that is true Sam more it's telling me we're going to Boston. So you don't need to That's fine Poor Sam. Yeah, but you know what? I that was nice. I liked the community aspect of it I thought that was nice to get everybody together make them feel like, you know What I always say about Survivor a lot of people watch Survivor in a vacuum and people said they came to this because they heard On the radio and they just showed up. Look I built the whole business around this, you know I want to you know connect built a whole business around this. You know, I want to, you know, connect people

around the world around this thing. Like Survivor is the only show where, hey, you know, your favorite show is George and Mandy's first marriage. You can't go to a party and hang out with George and Mandy and Sheldon and me, ma and crazy choice choice you know yeah I can't do that hey where's Leonard but but you like survivor you go to you're like you're going to like here I'm now I'm hanging out with the cast that's so true Rob just clip this and you know make it an ad there you go mm-hmm a passionate plea you know although I think if they did this more, they would find, you know, everyone's sort of like, eh, super fans, which, you know,

you were just saying you like them. But you could probably find some people who just show up and it would take, it's so much work for them, I think. You might find one or two really, really good people who just decided to walk into this casting call. Right. Like, were there people? Kind of like Mike Turner's accidental video. Well, I don't know, what's Mike Turner's accidental video? Didn't he send in like a really short video? And it was like an accident, he like meant to attach something else and it was just him like talking

for 30 seconds, maybe this is wrong, I don't know. I don't know. That's what I heard. Okay, let me, last brain if I should put that in. I had a great interaction with Mike Turner when we went to the Survivor, Survivor Premier Party. So there was like this like little room where there was like a green room and there was, it was, there was so many fun interactions.

Are we talking about this greener? Yeah, no, when we went to the Premier, yeah. So there was like this little like, they called it like, it was like a green room where all the survivors had their jacket. And thank God nobody had COVID that day or would have taken down the whole survivor community. I would have been in this very tiny room, but there was probably at points, like 25 different

survivors in this tiny room. And I was back there and it was like nothing. Like I was like, dying of thirst, we're drinking like lukewarm diet cokes in this little tiny room. And I'm back there and I see Mike Turner and he's always talking to me about the Mets. And Kelly, are you a baseball person at all? I'm not a huge baseball person, but I am a Mets fan. Oh, okay. Well, just like Mike Turner.

And Mike Turner is like a, like I'm a Mets fan. Mike Turner is really a Mets fan. He's going to every single game. And whenever I see him, he's always like, did you see what happened today? And, and he was trying to, he saw me and he was like mid conversation with Jam Jam and trying to be like a, like a nice guy. He's trying to like, uh, as he wants, he wants to talk to me about the Mets, but he wants to include Jam jam in the conversation jam jam could not be less interested

Free agent maneuverings of the Mets but Mike Turner is trying so hard to keep jam jam engaged in the conversation and Jam jam is just like totally like Trying to be polite but could not care less. And Mike turns like, but they got Soto and now they're bringing Alonzo back. It's happening. It's going to, they've got all the, like, you don't understand Jam Jam. And he's like, Oh my God, we could talk about something you hate and you still think it's

hilarious. It was just, I was just like dying of like, just watching Jam Jam having to like act like, oh wow. You know, it's just, I love this. I love the man. It was so fun. I had, there was this moment where Tony came through and Tony was talking about his time on the traders and that was great.

I was there for that. That was really funny. He was cracking me up. Were you there when he was like holding court and then he was like meeting some of the people from the New Era? And of course he met our beloved friend Brandon Donlin and then Brandon introduced himself to Tony and Tony said, oh, okay, you're from the New Era. Okay.

Oh, did you kill it? Did you kill it? He said the Brandon Donlon and Yeah, something very funny And he said well, hey I was like you, you know says we share He's like, you know, playing the long game. Tony was very funny there. That was like, I feel like that was the most, that was the most time I've ever been like in a room with someone who was on Survivor. And I was like, wow, exactly what you get on TV.

He is not, that is a hundred percent real. And then baby, Andy came through, Andy came in and he's like, Oh, Hey, Tony is wanting to meet you. Also he's like, I just played in survivor 47 them meet you also is like I just played in survival 47 And and okay. Okay. Did you kill it? Did you kill it? Like you kind of killed it. He kind of killed it It was cute. It was really a sweet Moment you cast the super fans Tony was just he was just it was so fun. He was holding court I couldn't believe he was there. I was that was not expecting that that was really fun

I said Tony, let me just grab you here real quick and he was holding court. I couldn't believe he was there. I was not expecting that. That was really fun. I said, Tony, let me just grab you here real quick. Let me take a picture with you before you Irish goodbye this thing and take off. He's like, I'm so gonna do that. I'm so gonna, you're so right. I'm gonna just take off and leave. You just wanna keep doing your Tony impression.

As much as possible. Look, I love Tony. I've only met Tony like maybe two or three times ever. So it was like, that was probably the most time I ever spent with him was that day. That's so funny. Yeah. I met Saree that day, which was great for me. The whole thing was so surreal. Just like in this room of like all these like different, you know, survivor, you know, luminaries coming in and out. Like Saree was back there. Like, you know, Q was back there, you know, just

so many, just people like in and out. Yeah. I, you know, I hadn't met, you know, or been around like so many survivors in one, at one time in like, not like a, you know, live show in forever. It was crazy. And all these wonderful Survivor 48 people, if they're still listening. I know, that's so fun for them. Like literally amazing. Yeah.

All right, Rob, I wanna bring something up. Is it a bone depender? I have not heard of ripe. It's a random bone. It's a little bit of bone. What do you think about the... Call me Sam Phelan, because I'm not excited about this fruit platter. Oh!

On the Revois. Every time they're like, oh, what are you going to play for? The fruit platter is a little... I think it's a little bit of a letdown. Are you with me here? No one's having a Liz Wilcox meltdown for the fruit platter. I don't even know if Liz Wilcox could eat for the fruit platter. I don't even know if Liz Wilcox could eat the fruit. So yeah, that's up for debate. Yeah. It's such a, a throw

in, you know, in the pre merge, you know, they just have the one challenge. There's no reward challenges. So it's the reward is just kind of a throw in and you know, I don't know. I think they try to keep the rewards not that cool because that we really they gave us once It was like a plate of raw fish We didn't we like Jeff was like the fish and we were like, yeah Yeah, he was like, do you remember you're starving? He was mad at our reaction Yeah, he's I asked if it was worth playing for but you know like we're never even gonna see this on television so I maybe they're like hey

look don't even waste any money on a reward because we're gonna see we're gonna go back with the tribe that loses the challenge like here spend go to the farmers market spend 30 bucks on the reward that's it don't waste any more money on this. I guess. Are we really in that bad of a situation, guys? I don't know if it's like, hey, you're gonna get like this amazing- I wanna make something more like novelty.

Like if they don't wanna like feed us well, like give us something stupid. Well, what would be- You know, remember when Cody on season 43 like drank too much coffee and ate too much chocolate? Like that was funny. I mean, that's later on on but I feel like something like that I don't know like like something that's not actually that nourishing but it's just like a fun little moment

And could lead something. Did you get the fruit on survivor? No, we actually lost that challenge. Yeah, um, and then but I did get the fish But I got like the smaller fish because because we came in second I think. Yeah. No, yes, no we came in second. So we got like the smaller fish. I had come back from the journey, so it was cold by the time I got back. And you have to like, like gut it and everything. It was like a ton of work. A ton of work.

We had in Survivor the Amazon that we would lost a reward challenge. And it was the reward, we were playing for like fruits and like some spices and we lost the reward it was just like the biggest like you know spices though you can do you can get creative with the spices I'll never forget this we had papayas at the lulu beach and we brought them to the merge beach and they had like spices from their fish reward because they won the bigger one and they had like pepper. This is going to sound disgusting, but like D was like, let's put pepper on the papaya and we did it.

If it tasted good, we were like, it's steak. It's steak. Well, I was getting sick of, you know, anything. I only think I'd eaten it. It's steak. That's what D would say. Okay. I didn't say that. She even came up with that.

Well, I guess you could really, you know, theater of the mind at that point. Yeah, any new flavor really, besides coconut, is a welcome addition, I would say. Okay, that's not a bad take. Fruit is not such a bad reward. Or not a great reward. It is a bad reward. Yeah, it is a bad reward. Yeah. I think they're just trying to keep us as starvation level as possible and fruit is just gonna like whoosh

Mm-hmm. It's like watermelon like that's 90% water. Mm-hmm. Don't show David He hates water You think we'll see David drinking chocolate milk at any point this season. Oh My god, you have to hope they put it at like the merge feast or something. Mm-hmm. Yeah. He's gonna get like, remember teen, he was like wine drunk a little, David's gonna drink too much chocolate milk and spill the beans.

Like walk around like Mike White with a giant tumbler of chocolate milk? With his new custom Stanley. Big Stanley. Yep. Yeah. Okay. Perfect. Alright, question from B. What are your feelings on disaster tribes and then the subsequent necessity of tribe swaps to even the numbers again?

Necessity maybe we already debated this I think it's funny like you really wonder if there it seems like You've got to know these tribes are gonna lose I don't know if you saw Stephanie burger tweeted her pregame journal being like oh I'm on the disaster tribe. And when we saw Lulu, we were like, how are Austin and Sifu on the same tribe? And then that's yellow. I was also like in my head trying to like always divide up where the girls would go and stuff.

And I never thought that Hannah and Emily would be on the same tribe. I was just like, this doesn't, they had to know that that was not. I've never thought that they do it on purpose. Do you think that this is what they want? I mean, I kind of feel like that they feel like that they don't try to do it, but if it happens, I think they're like, all right. I don't know.

I don't know. I really have a hard time believing ours. I don't know. We had Jake and Bruce and like Austin and Steve. I know that Austin was the alternate, but the other guy he took out was a big dude as well. So like, it was not a fair, that felt, I was like, I mean, this is not fair.

It really wasn't fair. Because in 46, the disaster tribe. Y'all knew I wasn't gonna guess that they were gonna be the disaster. I thought they were gonna be the dominant tribe in season 46. I'm trying to think in 47, was there one tribe that was kind of like-

It wasn't really, they all went many times. Yeah, but was there one tribe that was kind of like really they all they all went many times Yeah Was there but it was there one tribe that you looked at that was kind of look like that they might have been sort of like Outgunned I don't know so I don't think they do it on purpose because I think that there would be like every season it would be obvious I Think maybe like that they make tribes Specifically for conflict. Maybe.

Maybe happened on this Vula tribe. Like they were like, okay, these people are going to butt heads. Stephanie's not going to, you know, that kind of thing. And then that conflict can create disaster tribes if it hits too hard. The other theory I saw online was that people think, like I think Jelinski was talking about this, that Yanu is on the same beach as Vula, which is also the Bello Beach, which is the least food beach. So maybe everyone's just really hangry. And that's where it all... So Thomas told me that that beach is also a wind tunnel. What do you think of that?

Huh. I honestly felt Lulu was more windy than Bello, which is the Siva beach. Because it's like you're the beat, the camp is right on the water. So it was like really... You're very exposed. The elements where Bello we set... Maybe they set their... Their shelter was rough. So Emily Flippen was like, this is the worst shelter ever in one of our previews. Nope. That I think wins the cake. So maybe they just had like...

Wins the cake. A bad shelter. Yeah, wins the cake. I bet it wins the fruit, right? Exactly. Yeah. Give us cake. I bet it wins the fruit, right? Exactly, yeah, give us cake. Let them eat cake, Jeff. Give them a cake, come on. That would be funny. Kelly. Sorry for you

on the smaller cake. Yeah, in icing, that's what it says? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, almost worth playing for? Yep. Okay. Kelly, you posted recently on Blue Sky that you got recognized in Central Park walking around in the top you wore in your Survivor cast photo, and you feel mortified because the person recognized the shirt. Yeah, that was an embarrassing moment.

Why? Why was it embarrassing? Because it's like, oh, is this the only shirt you have? It's like, yeah, first of all, they've probably only seen that photo of me and here I am again. It was like the episode of Seinfeld where the woman Jerry was dating always wore the same outfit? I haven't seen a lot of Seinfeld. That's okay. But some people listen to it. And I just felt like it was like, oh, does it look like I just can't let go? Like, I just love my... I hate my cast photo. I literally hate it. But that's a good workout top

Okay, and I was like on like a walk person clocked you and they said hey Kelly Are you wearing the same shirt as in your cast photo or you? No, no, no, they they say they first they just recognize me and first of that person is probably listening to this podcast That's a fair assessment. That's fair. So shout out to this person. She was very nice. I also talked about this top on Social Game 2. Not to shout it out again, but Michelle, or actually no, it might have been the live we did for you guys. Michelle recognized it and apparently Lauren O'Connell also wore that actually in game.

It's a free people workout top. Yeah. Okay. Highly recommend, but you know, now I'm like afraid to wear it, but you don't like your cast photo. I Hate my cast photo. Did you like your cast photo better from 43? I never saw it Did you like the outfit you were wearing better that time? I Was wearing a green dress Okay, but I was really a mosh At the photo shoot because that was when everyone started to

figure out that I was the alternate. So I wasn't in the best mood. So I'm sure my facial expression wasn't great. As the alternate, sorry, say it again. I'm sorry to interrupt. But as the alternate, do they tell you what clothes color to bring or you bring multiple colors? So the photo show you can basically do, you sent to have it approved, you can do whatever you want.

But yeah, so you have to prepare for all three tribes. So I had wardrobe prepared in all colors. My pants were like more versatile. Like they were like just like a tan, I like a tan cargo type pant thing that were joggers. And then I had these little like safari-esque shorts. And then I would just swap the top was the my blue shirt that I ended up wearing was all was my blue tribe shirt like they were really committed

to me being in like tees like this like ringer tees I wore this Los Angeles shirt for the Cal for Thomas and his California California girls okay yeah okay and then what were you saying about the your cast photo okay the problem with my cast photo was I went first and it was so windy and my hair is blowing back. So I just don't like how I look with, I feel like I look better with my hair like in front of my face. You was like a big fan blowing your hair

when you do a photo shoot. I didn't like it. I don't know. I knew I wasn't gonna like it. It was a bummer. Did Bryce like it? I forget. I think I had my thumb out. I remember I texted him or I DM'd him when I got back and I was like,

listen, I can see my thumb. Like I was thinking about it and he, the photographer was telling me to put my thumb here and I didn't want to do it, but I did it. Yeah. So just don't judge me. He appreciates. And what did the fans say? Hey, are you wearing the same shirt that you wore in your cast photo? Yeah. They said, oh, this is the same shirt. I was like, yeah.

How do you know that? And I said, this is really embarrassing, I think was the first thing I said. And they're like, no, it's not. I was like, but it's a good workout shirt. I don't want to waste it. And that was the extent of the effort. But you were like, but I don't wear it every day. I don't even know if I said I think I probably said and I was just like this is a mortifying experience

Do you think that person's like hey, I just ran into Kelly now bandy and can you believe she's wearing the same shirt? She wore whatever you lose her I'm so glad this is now immortalized You know what I put that on blue sky for a reason Rob because I didn't think anyone read blue sky. That's my safe space. Yeah. It's been compromised. Sorry, our staff is, they do an extensive pre-interview. Yeah.

All right, well, I appreciate the Therones. All right, so Kelly, I'll tell you something that I thought about doing, I didn't end up doing. I recently was going to, I went to South by Southwest and I was considering wearing a buff at South by Southwest because I was mostly there by myself. And I thought that, okay, at least like, I'm worried, okay, well, maybe people are gonna think

I'm a loser, but I think I'd rather, I'll take that risk because I feel like if somebody is a Survivor fan, okay, they're gonna find me if I'm wearing a buff and come talk to me about Survivor. At least I have an opportunity to talk about Survivor and what I do for work. And your company. What do you think about that?

Does that make me a loser if I go into a new city or a conference and I wear a buff? I feel like because you have a survivor themed business and you're kind of promoting the business, a little bit of the cringe is removed from that. But only a little. Yeah, I think it would be worse if it was like your season's buff. Like your buff. Yeah.

It was actually your season's buff. Well, then you should have worn it. Was the merge orange? Is that right? Yes. That's what I had. The merge tribe you can't remember the name of? Yes.

Yes. The Waka Waka. Hey, hey. Yeah. So. Little Shakira? I didn't end up doing it. I didn't end up doing it because honestly the party I was going to go, I didn't even

get in the party I was trying to go I didn't even get in the party. I was trying to go to Maybe if you wore the buff, no, maybe maybe the door would have been like get this guy in here Kelly, are you a big March Madness person? Okay. Um, I my dad went to UNC Yeah, go Tar Heels. He's a Tar Heel Tar Heel so college basketball has been a part of my life Heels. He's a Tar Heel. He's a Tar Heel. So college basketball has been a part of my life forever and my family's a big sports family.

So I'm not currently like, I don't watch college basketball beforehand, but I love sports. So I always have a bracket and I play against my dad's league. And I've been doing great the last few years. Let me tell you, there is strategy to the March Madness bracket.

I wish I was into it. I wish I liked it. Really? Oh, it's fun. I mean, it's like, it's like, I don't, I don't bet that much money, but last year I won. But it's because you have to, you have to play like, who's in your bracket. This is how you make, how you gamify March Madness in an annoying way. Now you tell us. Too bad you couldn't be on the podcast yesterday. True, but this is it's more about It's more about what who you're playing against than the actual picks So like all my dad's friends who I'm playing with went to UNC so they hate Duke so every year my main

My main strategy is to pick Duke to win and then if I do that and they win, everybody else's points go down and I go up. That's my strategy. Last year I won. I'm on a hot streak. Before I started this podcast, I was in first place shared with six people because I picked Creighton correctly. Creighton? Yep. Creighton over, I forget. It was like an eight, nine matchup. So I picked the Yep Creighton over I forget it was like an eight nine matchup. So I think the underdog which I like to do I Got last year. Also, I picked Yale because I went to Yale and they actually won the first round. So I did it again Yeah, let's go Bulldogs. Okay. All right doing better than Justin from Yale did In the March Madness or in the game in the game?

You know what we don't have the best record also Daniel Strong. Mm-hmm. Yeah Even was loading those Stephen Stephen fishback famously, but he he says that he wants to do better than everybody else from Yale Wait, Stephen went to Yale. Yes Big part of his identity. Oh my God, I didn't know. You didn't know that's such a big part of his identity. Oh, wow. Yeah. That's exciting. He probably went to Rio, I did grad school at Yale. I feel like it's a little like asterisks there.

Wow, okay, so he's the best performing Yale grad. I'm not sure if Yule was also through, I get that there's people that really track the Ivy League survivor players very closely. And so I don't want to speak out of my state school ass here. But. Where did you go, Rob? I went to, they call it the Oswego State University.

State University of New York. Yes, at Oswego. Gabby, my fiance went to Binghamton. Oh, okay. The Ivy of New York. Yes. At Oswego. Gabby, my fiance went to Binghamton. The Ivy of New York one would say. Yes. Yes. Binghamton.

That's where I thought you were going. I was about to get really excited. Yeah. Both, you know, we're upstate New York schools. Gotta love it. Yeah. Okay. You're making me want to check my bracket right now.

Okay. Hey, we're almost there. You can check all the brackets. Kelly, I know you're getting married this year. I am, in October. October, okay. Are you ready? You know what?

I could be more, I'm ready emotionally and spiritually. The planning is an aggressive task. It's a lot of work. I did just do my dress, my first dress, like picking out fitting yesterday, which was very fun. And I was obviously I'm like chatting with my lady, the bride old lady, who's like showing me her face. Not your old lady. Not my, who's my old lady? That's like what you say for like, well, when you're married, you call your wife your old lady. Not my old... Who's my old lady? That's like what you say for your like well when you're married you call your wife your old lady.

Do you do that? I've never have but I've heard it's on... Probably for the best! Probably for the best. You know, I wouldn't I would recommend you don't... I called my lady. I didn't know if you're talking about your fiance or... I'm just like a lady and my mom hates it. She's like, why are you calling me a lady? I don't know. So it's kind of a running joke in my family now. Yeah.

Anyway, so I'm talking to this to her and, you know, I have my friend there. I have my mom there. Me, we have some differing opinions. Everyone's supportive and thrilled. But, you know, my mom wanted a little bit of a different vibe than me. And I'm going back and forth with this woman and she's I'm like, she must deal with so many weird dynamics. than me and I'm going back and forth with this woman and she's I'm like she must deal with so many weird dynamics. We've never had a bridal gown saleswoman

on Survivor. I believe that's what Kim Spradlin used to do. Wait really? I believe that was the case. Oh my gosh. Well then my theory is totally great. I was like this is the best prep you could ever do because they're like a really uncomfortable situation going on next to me. Can we confirm that that's Kim Spradlin used to work in a bridal shop? I think I think that's also divorced. I know of her as a home designer. I know of her as like, she's like, isn't she like a interior decorator? Now she does interior design.

Yeah. And are we right? She owned a bridal shop, so I guess is the text I got from Brandon. Yes. Okay. So that confirms my theory that this is an amazing training. It's a tense situation. You deal with a lot of stuff.

You know, I feel like you get like, you know, the mother of the bride or like in-laws, like the whole and the different like dynamics there. She's like making side of the lines with everybody. Kelly, can I ask you a question about your wedding prep? Yes, please. Does Gabby, your fiancee, go with you to go to the bridal shop to buy the gown? Or is there a superstition of,

hey, you can't see your bride in the wedding dress before the wedding? Well, that's the traditional thing, right? And I like what I love about being in a queer relationship is you can kind of define the rules for yourself if you want. We did wanna be surprised by each other. So we have not seen it.

I will say, since we're both wearing white dresses, there was a vague discussion of vibes so that we're not getting the same dress or two similar. Did you go to the same store? Did you get a discount for two for one? No, we didn't. Oh, Kelly, you got to negotiate that. I haven't bought my dress yet. Okay. I'm like, I'm ready to say yes, but I like to sample

it around a little bit. So I'm feeling pretty good. I think I'm gonna do it next week, but you're right, I should have done that. But yeah, we were like, make sure we're not gonna get the same dress. Like, we're seeing too similar. I don't wanna be like, look like twins. But I think that for the bridal shop, I mean, that's, you gotta say,

you got a lot of leverage there of like, hey, you're getting two dresses here on this transaction. For one wedding. For one wedding. For one wedding. We were there different days. Yeah. Can I at least like get like, you know, buy one, get 50% off the other? I went to Klinefeld's, which is like, you know, huge.

So I don't feel like they need, they don't need, you know, they're not motivated to give me a discount. They don't need me. You know what I mean? What do you, you're an influencer yeah you know what I've swung that around a little bit for the wedding and it's gotten me a few good things I'm not gonna lie yeah um but this was not one of them so okay all right I'll try you know what maybe where I'm going to bry I feel like I don't like to set break

saying that and trying to get any sort of, I feel like such a douche. So I can't really do it. That's why you need like a hype person. Okay. Who do you think I should bring? Hmm. Well, maybe it could be, would Gabby do it? Say like, hey, you know, my fiance is an influencer. That's who's done it. She's done that for like, we got a little discount on our photo booth, stuff like that.

That was from her. Because I can't. But she's not coming with me to the bridal shop. We got a little discount on our photo booth stuff like that that was from her Cuz I can't but she's not coming with me to the bridal shop. That's true hmm Brandon Donlin can't do that You know what if any straight man is gonna make it into a bridal shop Purchasing event it's gonna be I feel like that's not his skill set No, but supporting supporting, you know, he's gonna be Brandon. I feel like that's not his skill set. No, but supporting, supporting, you know? He's like the ultimate ally, right?

Yes, yes. Maybe. Is he gonna be in your wedding party? Oh, geez, I mean, I'm not planning on it. Will there be a best man? Is the best man totally out or is there a best man involved? We don't really have, I'm not doing a best man. We might, this is, we're getting into a hairy thing here. Rob, I'm not sure what I'm gonna do.

I think, you know, some of our families- Cause I feel like there's a lot of maid of honor in the gay wedding. In like, in two men getting married. I'm not besting anybody. Like everyone's equal. Yeah. Okay. You know what I mean?

Well good luck with all the planning. Brandon Brandon is Brandon says that's literally my skill set So he's what's literally his skill set being the best man. He'd give a great title shop assistant bridal shop assistant. I Don't know about that We'll see we'll see he can get good deals on things I Don't know we'll put him to the test that could be fun like undercover boss Whatever just put a wire on Brandon and see if he could get like a Okay, all right. Let me hear let me go back to survivor real quick before I get complaints in the comments Okay, Michael O'Brien says can Kelly talk about some of the issues that Shaheen or any other alternate?

Can Kelly talk about some of the issues that Shaheen or any other alternate have to deal with once they hit the beach for real? Is there any advantage of the well? He was an obviously an alternate so we should just target him now or he's already been here and has unfair advantage That you didn't tell anybody you were an alternate right that would have been I was like why would I ever say that? So nobody knows and I went to I made sure that like when I was like, why would I ever say that? So nobody knows. And I went to, I made sure that like when I was at pregame. What about, could you go to Bruce and be like, Bruce, you know, I've been to Fiji before also. I almost did that.

It did cross my mind early days, but then I realized I didn't need to. Like he already liked me. I was like, if I need to build a bridge with him, I'll throw that out there. I wasn't even going to tell him I was an alternate. My plan was just to say I made it really far in casting and they like cut me right at the last minute. So like, I know what it's like and I want us to both whatever like that was going to be my pitch if I, but then he, he approached me and I, I was like, we were having the conversation. I was thinking about saying it and I was like, you know what? There's no need for me to say it. So I'd never told anybody until we were at Ponderosa. But I think Shaheen,

different approach, right? Because he had a lot of fun with his free, his 46 press. And so I think there was possibility that people maybe clocked that this guy was that dude. Which, you know, is maybe fine, maybe not. Like there's some people who might like feel guilty. Like we would talk about, obviously we were thinking about cutting bruises and we were like, man, it would be real cruel if we voted him out so fast again. I was willing to do it, but I think there might be people on the beach would be like, man, that would be kind of mean to like cut the alternate right away. Or it could be kind of savage and fun. So, but yeah, I don't think it's really, I think the, I talked about this with Rachel Lamont a little bit, too

She obviously won and did well I think being an alternate adds pressure because you just have been waiting for it here and you're like I've had all this time I should be the best So I think it just adds a little bit of pressure and stress to your game honestly, but Yeah, otherwise not. I don't think it's a concern I guess if you got pulled in as the alternate, you can maybe be concerned about that. That is a possibility if they realize early enough.

Was there anything to like, sort of like you got the dry run? It's almost kind of like that you when you go to college that they have like an orientation weekend and you can go there and you stay at the college for a weekend and then you come home and then it's like, all right, I'm coming back in a couple of weeks. Like, is there anything to it? Like, maybe this is why I was everyone's winter pick because I knew what to expect during pre that's possible. It is like, it's such a, the waiting is horrible. You're just sitting around all the time. So I think being mentally prepared for that because like you're obviously like stewing in your head for such a long time. Everyone, most

people playing survivor are very outgoing. And so this is the worst time of their lives. You have to be silent for five days. So to be mentally prepared for that, have enough books and iPod situations prepped, I think is helpful. Honestly though, I don't think it's that much of an advantage at the end of the day. I think it just makes it a little honestly hard. Yeah.

How many books do you have to bring with you to ponderosa? It depends how fast a reader you are. Yeah. But you need more than you think. The first time I went, I just brought the Alchemist. I think I read it, and I brought Brave New World. And I read the Alchemist like three times, which is a great book, love it so much.

But you should bring like many books, at least three. Fill up the iPod. I listened to, John Lovett was on the Drop Your Buffs podcast, and I listened to the interview, and John Lovett was talking about how he brought- We asked if he won the Ozzurra Villani award, of which I won. Oh, congratulations.

And he talked about how he had 10 books with him. Like, I don't even think I own 10 books. Can I tell you, I hope this is not mean, nobody was more prepared for pregame than J. Maya. She had a whole grocery bag full of books. Like literally, like, you know, like those reusable bags? Yeah. I mean, she was like, I had 25 books.

25 books. I was like, damn, this girl likes to read. Woo. She was ready. If somebody has so many books though, is it sort of like, boy, I think I'm gonna be at, maybe I'm gonna be out of the game for a long time. Is there a point where that you have too many books,

it's like you're preparing to be voted out? Oh no, that's ironic, because she probably spent one of the least amount of times at Ponderosa because she was the merch boot. Oh. But yes, I did think it was, I was a little surprised by the amount of books, but you know I think she just loves reading like I would like my ipod. I was ready to listen to music and stuff. Um,

And she was just only gonna read. Yeah well, uh incredible people should read more I agree people should read more ding ding. Okay All right. Let me see if I have one more survivor question to ask you Okay, um Which tribe is more likely to lose the next immunity challenge is from ingrid glass This is a hard call because I would have never thought that vula was gonna go Okay Depends on what it is, right? I feel like Never thought that Vula was gonna go Okay

Depends on what it is, right? I feel like The purple tribe is Mary's good at puzzles They might be lacking a puzzle person Or it may be just Mary. Yeah charity did some but I'm not sure if she's actually good at them or not Nothing's really been said And they only have David but Star and Eva are pretty strong. I think honestly though, a lot of times challenge prowess comes down to dysfunction level. So possibly Siva, because they don't really like each other, any of them, could be a problem.

But you got Muscle Mitch though. He's killing every challenge. If there's any more throwing. He's really good. He's got that gym teacher throwing things. It's very gym teacher. He's got like that Keith Nail thing of like anything with like a ball or like a sandbag.

Like a carnival game. He's written, yeah. Like a rental. If you can play it at Dave and Buster's, Mitch is gonna win. Yeah. You know? Yeah.

Honestly, I literally did go to Dave and Buster's beforehand and I was like, let me toss these rings. Hey, it's fun. What do you think about Jeff on the, like, Hey, you think you got what it takes? Nails it with the bean bag. How many takes do you think that took? I don't know. Like, I like to think that maybe Jeff is like, run a challenge. Maybe a newer one though. You know what I mean? Yeah. So he hasn't had much experience with that. Yeah. I mean, he was at that beach drop in New York. It would have been great to see him. I didn't see him partake in any challenges. I didn't see it either. Yeah. I should have

instigated Q to challenge him because he totally would have done it. He would have been like, Jeff, let's go. Yeah. Get on this beam. All right. Well, Kelly, this was so fun to go through everything. Anything else on your mind? Anything else from your notes? Don't call out my notes. What do you mean? You're not supposed to have notes? And people are like, wait, what? Kelly wasn't just like off the top of her head this whole time? I'm overprepared, as we say.

I will say this is an elite level swap. Something I said during the game, which was a little controversial because people get swap screwed. I was like, I think I said, I think a tribe swap separates a good from a great survivor player. I do think we watched that happen today, I would say. When I was talking about that, I was thinking about Micronesia and like Parvati's ability to like basically create this whole new alliance through the swap, even though maybe didn't look so great on paper at the start. That's what I was thinking when I said that but I think this is a proof that you know the gamble of the swap you can get a bad

situation but this is like that's why going to Mohegan Sun is the perfect place to find people. People are already playing dice gambling. I could play risky. Maybe that's why they go there. You'rehmm. Huh. You're on to something, Rob. Yeah, okay. People that are already trying their luck, come on out to Survivor and see how lucky you can get as well. You got what it takes to play the slots at Mohegan Sun to play. Yeah. Also have in our notes, you ran into Izzy from Big Brother's mom on the street. The day after the other person recognized me. It was crazy. It wasn't Izzy's mom that recognized your shirt, right?

No, but she said, not to bring Yale up again, Izzy also went to Yale. Oh, I didn't know that. I was wearing my Yale sweatshirt and like taking a walk and Izzy's mom told me, she was like, I first looked at you because I was like, Isabel never bought me that nice of a Yale sweatshirt. And then, then she realized it was me and Izzy has told me about her mom many times. Izzy and I live close to each other in New York. We like met up very soon after we both got back. It was one of the first people we hung out with like cross whatever. I'm a huge Izzy fan. I'm so excited for her. But her mom was like, came up to me and was like, you know what, you were, it's the same thing. You were so robbed. So sad. And she was like,

but you had the most authentic reaction. She kind of took a stab at Annika and was like, I don't know if I bought that. I was like, Ooh, Izzy's mom. She felt like that that was a little rehearsed. It was less authentic than mine. Less authentic. Wow. I know. Oh man, am I blowing up Izzy's mom's spot?

Anyway, she was absolutely lovely. I was like, Oh, of course it'd be Izzy's mom. Because she was so fun and funny. She teaches at a college here, right? That's why she was there. Or she's like college guidance. I forget exactly what it is, but it was so fun. On Monday, we're having Annika on the podcast.

Can we bring this up? Oh my God. I don't have Izzy's mom's number. I feel, I can't ask Izzy. Damn it. Yeah. Hmm. You know what? Let me let me discuss with my counsel. Okay, fine. Brandon's just gonna be Brandon. My friends are just you know, leaving me high and dry and my moment of need they're off to win reality shows. Um, Okay, that's pretty funny that I feel bad though. We'll find out. Okay, find out. You let me know.

One of my proudest things is that I feel like I let people have this moment at Tribal. I love that. That's in the ripple effects. And I appreciate, Onika, for continuing on the story tradition. Yeah. Until we had Thomas end it. With a hug. Give me a hug. You know what? I'm hopeful of somebody this... Anyway, I love Thomas, by the way. I have to give him a little... I know you do.

Because I've been pumping him up in four weeks as he well deserved. Every episode, I loved his first episode, confessional about his social game. I thought it was A tier, S tier. So anyway, he can take a little heat for the hug. Okay. Kelly, you did a great job talking on the street. Anything else you want people to know? Follow you, get cameos from you. Sure. Please. Get your merch. I

love doing a cameo. If the hug didn't do it for you, you can always order some what the hell is a guy's merch. I always go to close the store and then some random person orders one and so then I'm like I'll suck back in so I March madness bracket advice on cameo Totally. Oh my god. I would love to do that I don't know why he'd ask me and not Sam who was you know CBS paid to give March madness advice See this paid Sam Fallon to give March. I actually don't know. I don't know. I don't know. He was on their page though He did like a CBS collab. Oh, that's good. Yeah, I I actually don't know. I don't know. I don't know. He was on their page though.

He did like a CBS collab. Oh, that's good. Yeah. I was like, oh, good. I love that. I love when, you know, they keep them in the fold. That's great. Yeah.

And then, you know, if you didn't listen to the social game already, we have six evergreen episodes as Brendan always tells us. They're always fun to listen to. Yeah. Arvadi, Andrea, Wes, we made national headlines with Wes's prod, which was interesting. Yeah, that was so wild, right? Because what happened was that you interviewed Wes and he talked about how that Taylor Swift may have been dating Travis Kelsey prior to it being reported.

That was the that was the story. And then weeks later, then it was weeks later, it became us weekly that they picked up the story and ran with it. Rob, it was in People. It was in Newsweek. It was on Billboard. It was on people's Reddit. I think Venus said like, this news, she DMed me, it was like, this news came up just on my thing out of for no Reason and it was I was like this is crazy. Yeah Anyway, so the social game is fun. Go check it out

Yeah, do you know any celebrities that we could like break some news about that? Maybe this will become newsworthy You know, no, I don't think so. Izzy. I sent Izzy a photo. Did you hear that Izzy's mom thinks that Annika might have faked at tribal council? I sent Izzy a photo. I mean, we can't get a Mike Bloom article out of that. Come on.

Oh no. Mike Bloom is going to do one of his like breakdown things like after the Derek On on his e-gleshers mom me and me and I I mean hey This is breaking news breaking news Fire it up. You know me about that Charlie obviously? Charlie, obviously. Charlie was actually the first person. Charlie got the new, he has like the Taylor Swift Google alert and then he got the news. Yeah. He was like, wait a second. I know these people. But he wasn't listening to the social game in the real time and didn't already know this information?

You know what? I don't know. He might not have known that it was so newsworthy. I feel like the level of knowledge about the relationship timelines was crucial information to be a news story. Yeah. Okay. All right. I have a PSA for everybody. It's so important that all of us take time to vote in our elections here. Survivor 50 is in the hands of the fans. Please make sure that everybody goes out and make sure their vote is heard and counted for Survivor 50. It's in your hands, the fans, and just make sure that we're going out there and doing our duty as great citizens of Survivor Nation.

Okay? Sorry, don't mean to get on my soapbox, but just important. Hands of the fans making plans. Kelly, where can people keep up with you? So you know, Instagram probably the best place. Kelly Nalbandian. It's I'm Kelly Nalbandian on TikTok, Instagram, Kelly Nalbonix. Don't go to my blue sky because it's no longer my safe space.

Find me. Is that where people go to post their secrets is on blue sky? I don't know. I started it out May cause I was like, oh, I just went like 2000 people a year. That's where people go to journal and like post like this It was like, you know when like Facebook statuses used to be like you just write anything when you were like 15 Post my private thoughts on blue sky. Yeah every single it's like, you know, it's just more less pressure Yeah, but now it's been ruined. Sorry. Sorry

Okay. All right. Thank you so much for joining us. I love to read your comments about all of this stuff. So Please keep them coming and then we've still got a lot to do still this week Friday. I'm gonna be doing our patreon Q&A We're going to be taking questions from it's in the hands of the fans when I talk to them Friday afternoon on the patreon Q& a then over the weekend on Monday, I will be bringing you club condo with Annika and then our old school interview with Todd. I had a great old school interview with Abby Maria the other day, which was so much fun. It's evergreen, much like the social game podcast. You can listen to it anytime this week. It's not only about episode three of survivor of 48 if you're after it's like, hey

I just listened to two hours and 15 minutes of podcasts You got anything else for me? Check out my interview with Abby Maria. Of course, you can get that go to watch Rhap.com. Thank you so much for joining us. Take care of a good one. Bye You