RHAP: We Know Survivor - Rachel LaMont Post-Season Interview | Survivor 47

Episode Date: January 17, 2025

It’s time for a Survivor 47 post-season interview. Get a look behind the Survivor scenes and catch a fresh perspective from the castaways themselves. Today, Rob Cesternino (@RobCesternino) is joined... by Rachel LaMont to discuss her time in Fiji! Learn more about her strategic choices, alliances, relationships and much much more!

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Starting point is 00:02:57 to be here with you today because we have so much to get to in our power hour today, Rachel. Okay, real quick, since we talked to you, it's been, what, three-ish weeks with you being a millionaire. How has the holidays been the last couple of weeks? It's been wonderful. It's been crazy. I really thought that it would, like, sink in more once it was on TV and everyone knew, and it still feels very crazy and surreal and like i've listened to so many hours of post
Starting point is 00:03:29 game deep dives and it's a little mind-boggling that i'm here for my own and so it's like a dream come true everything i mean it's it's like you know the super fan to survivor winner like it's it's a trajectory not many people get to experience and it's truly a dream. A dream come true is like, it feels like an understatement. Like it's just very, the whole experience has been very surreal. And, um, it's just, it's awesome. Well, I've been thrilled for you, uh, this whole way. And so I'm really glad to be able to get into your experience today. And so I guess let's go back to the early days of Survivor 47. And here you are as part of this Gata tribe. And the first thing that we really get to see you talk about in the show is when we meet Andy and Andy sizes you up as a good person to work with and wants to have this
Starting point is 00:04:27 morning meeting with you. And you think that's a bad idea. And yet, nevertheless, yeah, you're meeting with Andy. Yeah. So I think that like, I feel like what my mentality into this and some of this is like truly colored by the fact that I was an alternate. Right. So like I had put my feet in this Fijian sand before and like had to go home and this was finally my shot. And so like having someone who felt very sloppy and like a little bit like just too overt like i mean part of the reason that john and andy were like on the bottom which is not the whole reason but like was 20 minutes into getting to camp for the first time like they went off by themselves and it was just like you know the four of us looked at each other and we're like well here it is like here's the four you know and so i think that like it already had tendencies both john and andy of like a little bit of like just mess, right? A little too like casual about not being careful. And then him saying like, oh, I just want to wake up.
Starting point is 00:05:31 I don't want to talk strategy. I want to like just get to know you. And I was like, we have all day to do that. Like we can sit across camp together away from everybody and chat for like an hour. No one's going to think anything of it. But like we can't get up in the middle of the night and go hang out. And so like him waking me up, it was so loud. It was like, we're all right next to each other. I'm like, I am not the only person that just woke up. And I go down to the beach again. He says the same thing he said during the day, which was like,
Starting point is 00:05:59 I don't want to talk strategy. I just want to talk. And I was like, in my head, I'm like, I have spent years trying to get here. It is night two. We don't even know if we're going to tribal. Like I am not, I'm not doing this. Like I just was not willing to like, my perception of him in that moment was like, you are just like a messy social player. And I don't want to be taken down and like isolated by everyone else because they think that I'm like trying to work with you. And so it just, I did like Andy and I was like open to working with him, but he, it was just, I had no idea he was on the brink of a, of a breakdown. Like I, you know, I just didn't, I didn't have that contact. And so I'm just like, we do not need to be doing this right now. And this is very suspicious. And
Starting point is 00:06:39 I was just so paranoid about how it would be perceived by the other people that I knew had woken up as well that I just wanted to get back to camp and like be able to kind of write that off as like a that wasn't my idea, guys. And that's the big story that we're following in the show. But from your perspective, what do you remember most about those early days at Ghana? about those early days at Ghana? I really feel like I came into the game worrying that I was going to overthink, worrying that I was going to be paranoid. And I just like wanted to be in an alliance with people, trust them, let them trust, give them all the reasons to trust me. And so Anika and I were felt like we were in the middle of these two groups. And then by the time Andy wakes me up, there were things John was doing that were just kind of like cagey, I think is the best word to describe John in those early days where like he would be like, I feel good about you, but like wouldn't put any kind of like actual commitment or like, you know, this like alliance of four of like Anika, me, John and like that never we never like did that. Like we never came together and said, this is a four, you know? And so like, I just, Anika and I both leaned towards Sam and Sierra because they just felt more steady and more like predict, not predictable, but you know, not like, um, I don't know, like Andy and John both had things that made them feel like a little
Starting point is 00:07:58 bit, um, messy. And so it just felt more reliable to go with this like solid four. Every time we talk to Sam and Sierra, they're like, we're together, we're the four. So it's just, you have to go with the people that make you feel the best that early when you don't really have any other information. And so like, that's what I remember the most is being like, we're in the middle, we're in a good spot just in case something crazy happened, the journey happened, someone loses something. But like, we were definitely leaning Sam and Sierra, even like by the morning of the immunity challenge. Like, I don't think Andy's blow up, like had much impact on that part of it outside of just being able to be like, well, he's the one that like put him and John in the spotlight. So like, we should be deciding between those two people, nobody else, you know, that was
Starting point is 00:08:38 kind of like the only thing for me that like Andy really like his thing at the immunity challenge really like mattered to me. So we know John ultimately is going to go home. Andy is going to stay. What were those next seven or eight days like for you between when John went home and when Anika gets blindsided? Well, certainly a mismanagement of Andy, because again, I think there were so many things that my attempt to like not become too paranoid and not overplay and be seen as too like sneaky made me too complacent. I think like I went too far on the scale to like show that I was loyal and show that I was trusting.
Starting point is 00:09:25 too far on the scale to like show that I was loyal and show that I was trusting. And I just feel like I didn't, um, I didn't try to like keep Andy as like a side option, which you should do. But at the same time, my biggest fear was like, I do this, it gets back to people. And now I'm at the bottom just because I was trying to keep Andy like as an option. Like when I have a majority four in a group of five, like it just seemed so not like it just didn't seem like a good idea and so I just wasn't like I would talk to Andy but like I wasn't really like willing to talk game because I didn't I was not willing to put any of the four's name out there to Andy in case that that somehow backfired on me so like that was that was probably like the thing I was doing wrong during that time but I in a way a way, like, I don't regret doing,
Starting point is 00:10:05 I just feel like with what I know about, especially about Andy now, knowing that he probably would have fed that to Sam and would have, you know, like that could have, I could have been the boot instead of Anika when that ultimately comes. So like, it's just, I feel like I made the decision with the information I had. And like, the thing that I underestimated about Andy was that, and Sam, I guess, was that they were like doing shit in the background that I didn't I wasn't aware of. And I felt like there was just no to me. I was aware of the fact that Sam might want to go with Andy. It was absurd that Sierra would ever flip on Anika and I for Andy.
Starting point is 00:10:39 And like, yeah, Sierra did a really good job of just complaining about him and, and talking about how much she did not like him. And like, just, and you know, after Anika goes home, I spill all of this to Andy. I'm like, they have done nothing for the past week, except talk crap about you. I talk about how much they don't trust you, how much they don't like you, how sloppy you are, all this stuff. And he was just like, Oh, like, you know, and I think that it was kind of planted that seed of like going into the merge where he was willing to flip because I was like, you know, how the hell did this happen? Like, it was kind of planted that seed of like going into the merge where he was willing to flip because i was like you know how the hell did this happen like it was just very it was crazy so yeah do you feel like was there something that you missed on the annika vote when you look back
Starting point is 00:11:16 and think that like okay i should have maybe seen that coming i think there were signs with sierra um i can't think of a specific moment now which which is a bummer. Cause I do wish I had like turned a red flag into like a yellow flag in my attempt to just like believe in my alliance and like not become too paranoid. And I think that like, those were the things that in the beginning of the game, I was not allowing myself to see objectively. I was just like believing the better, the thing I wanted to believe versus like the evidence that was like being thrown at me. But I just, yeah, it was like, yeah. And that like idea of trying to not become too paranoid, just, I like turn the gauge like too far in the opposite direction. So there's so much of your story that I feel like
Starting point is 00:12:16 from the television show takes place once we get to the tribes coming together. But is there anything that happened that you feel like was important to your story that we really didn't get to see before the merge? Yeah, I think the biggest thing was that, okay, well, actually, this really quick anecdote about Rice Gate because it's like not that important, but it's just interesting.
Starting point is 00:12:38 So like- Is it officially a gate? Well, I don't know. That's what we called it in the game. Yeah. It's just like, yeah, I guess it's not a gate. It's just rice. What do we call it? Rice time? I don't know that's what we called it in the game yeah it's just like yeah i guess it's not a gate okay it's just rice what do we call it rice time i don't know um it just sounds this rolls off the tongue i see but um we had drawn shells as a four the god of four had drawn shells
Starting point is 00:12:56 for the first journey because none of us wanted to go but we didn't want andy to go and i drew the odd shell i drew the black shell and like I was petrified. I did not want to go on a pre-merge journey, any kind, I did not want to risk my vote. I did not want to like be seen as suspicious. So I was like very stressed about this. And then after RiceGate happened, everyone had been looking at me,
Starting point is 00:13:20 like Jeff had like called me out in front of everybody and we go back to camp and I was like guys like I don't think it's a good idea if I go on the first journey because I think anything I might say people may not believe me because they now think that I'm sneaky or like conniving and Sam and Sierra were like pretty much like no I don't want to go and Anika was like I'll go instead and so like there's a world where that doesn't happen I don't speak up like i didn't want to go and so like i was happy to like try and push it on someone else but if i had gone and lost my vote like i don't know if that would have changed anything but it is just like an interesting like parallel
Starting point is 00:13:53 universe that you know uh that's that's like the true impact of of rice gate i think was me not going on the journey like i should have okay all right so we end up getting uh with the tribes back together and uh this is when you have uh out of that blindsided, which I think that you really reacted well to that. I think there's a world where somebody gets blindsided and then does not want to try to work with the people from their original tribe. You said you were especially blindsided by Sierra, but it seemed like that you and she were able to patch things up yeah so sierra also did a really good job um post that so we know now that she had been plotting with sam since like day two to vote annika out i did not know that and when we came back to camp after the vote she was like i'll be the first to say i'm so sorry rachel i found out about this just a couple hours ago that annika on the journey, like told everybody that Sam and I were running GATA. Andy found out when he went on his journey and like, they just
Starting point is 00:14:50 told me, and that is why I had to vote her out. Like, I'm, I'm so sorry. And so there was, you know, and because Sam and Andy are sitting there and they're not refuting, like they're, they're giving her this pass to like, continue, you know, lie to me and like keep bonds with me. Like I had no reason to suspect that was a lie. And so I went into the merge being like, she still betrayed me, but like Sierra is my closest person. Sam has obviously been plotting this for a lot longer. So like arm's length of like, I'm not going to burn everybody I'm coming in the merge with. We've been together for, you know, almost two weeks.
Starting point is 00:15:24 Like I can't just write them off and then Andy was very much I didn't really want to work with Andy but also I'd just written his name down so I just figured that he would never trust me again either and so that's kind of like how I went into the merge what I was telling people I was like I feel okay like I was just blindsided I was very Mariah was very much on my brain and I was like I'm not pretending like Mar right right yeah um 46 uh where she went in acting like she was a part of the group that had just blindsided her and i was very not doing that i was like i was just blindsided you know and like these this is how i feel about my tribe but like i am open to like other opportunities and um another thing pre-merge
Starting point is 00:16:02 that was really important i think think is like meeting Caroline and Sue. And I literally on the boat ride back from the hot dog social was like, I could see my, like me, Sue, Anika and myself being the final four. Like, that's how much I really like felt good about Caroline and Sue and Tiana and Kyle as well. But like, it was very, those two were, I was like very focused on them in particular, um, coming out of the social. So that was kind of like, my mentality coming into Merge was like heavy going into Caroline again, and being like, hey, like, I want to work with you. Like, I don't know if I can trust anybody on Gata. And so also, the first person I like talked to on the beach at Merge was Saul. We hugged, I was like, so excited to meet you.
Starting point is 00:16:46 He said like, I cannot wait to work with you. And so we were like, we're going to talk later. We go off later and we basically make an alliance and we were like, okay, we are probably kind of on opposite sides here. And like, let's just work recon, keep each other safe. Like we will like meet up and exchange information. And like, that's how our relationship will go. And so, you know, that's a, a lot of the reason why he sent me that advantage. Like it wasn't just to break up two coups. It was very much because he also wanted to work with me. So. Yeah. So Rome is going to be, uh, sort of the consensus merge, uh, vote that, uh, ends up, uh, being vulnerable being vulnerable here. Was there any part of
Starting point is 00:17:28 your story that overlaps with Rome going home? No, I mean, I probably connected with him the least at the merge. Like I wasn't he wasn't a person of mine and he wasn't someone that I was really gunning to work with. So I just wasn't going to stick my neck out for him. As far as like the Andy Hinckley boat stuff goes again, I've been telling everybody, Andy can't like, I can't work with Andy because Andy's never going to trust me. And so at the merge feast, we're going through every single person that's not there to like bring up who should be the Hinky. And like, everyone's defending Sue's defending Gabe, like a teeny defending Saul. And then like we, Andy is the last person brought up and i'm not gonna say anything because that doesn't align
Starting point is 00:18:09 with the story i've been telling everybody i look at sam and sierra and they just kind of shrug and so like that's how that happened it was not like no one was like yes do andy it was just kind of like everyone had a strong stance for everybody else except andy so it just and i was not the person to be yeah Yeah. So, and I thought it was good luck for you that you end up being on the team that wins that goes there that potentially, uh, that could have been your name that got thrown out. It could have been. Yeah. I mean, I do. Yeah. Um, that's true. I would have to like think harder. I haven't actually thought about that. Um, we don't have that kind of time. So let's talk about the big vote, which really sends your game into high gear, because after that, OK, we have great we're merged.
Starting point is 00:18:56 Hold that thought. We're split up and you get a very unlucky draw where you're with the entire Tku tribe shades of amber burkitts then yeah and i did not have a rob yeah unfortunately well i guess my rob was solved but not in the same way and uh yeah i think that like the biggest thing about this that was so like tragic for my game at the time was like, Tuku were the people I wanted to work with. And so being put in this situation was not only unfortunate because of the draw itself, but it was like now these people that are clearly at least some of them are lying to me, like are the people that I want to try and work with. And so it's just this very complex thing where, um, there's so much about like,
Starting point is 00:19:52 I think looking back, I'm like, Oh yeah, of course I would have played my shot in the dark if I didn't have the advantage. But I went back to my notes that I took when I got home. And like, I said, I was not sure. said, like, in I have a quote here. In hindsight, I should have played my shot in the dark 100% if I was staying. But in the moment, it felt so much more complicated than that I was aware they didn't need my vote. But this was also the most crucial time in the game for making relationships and showing trust. And this was the group I was interested in working with long term. So it felt like even if they weren't targeting me, and I didn't vote with them, what did I just like ruin trust wise?
Starting point is 00:20:26 Would it have basically been a been a burnt bridge anyway? And so like so much more complexity to whether or not I should try and vote with them. Like I knew that they didn't need my vote, but it just didn't like their stories. Tuku's dysfunction that day was like outrageous. Like it was because it was also Tiana was being truthful. Kyle was also being truthful, but they, Tiana wanted Gabe and Kyle wanted Caroline. And then like Sue and Caroline, like we're pretending to want Gabe, but they had said no. And then they changed their mind. And like, it was just, I felt like completely spun
Starting point is 00:21:04 around that entire, entire like that was probably the worst day of the entire game for me because i just was like i feel hopeless and i feel like i'm gonna look really freaking stupid when i go home like like that's how it felt rachel what name were you planning to write down that night uh if i did not play my shot in the dark i believe i would have written gabe's name down okay because i had more faith in Tiana than I did in Kyle. And I wanted to work with Sue and Caroline more than I did Kyle. But a miracle happens. A miracle.
Starting point is 00:21:33 You open your bag and you get a little note. Yeah. A parachute. A little angel. So my instincts were sam or sol and um once i played it i was like it has to be sol because sam's face was so outrageous that i was like if he's acting it's like the worst acting job of all time so i remember being like i think it has to be sol which is why i was so surprised when he immediately was like it was not me and i was like what and so yeah i um played the
Starting point is 00:22:04 advantage i was very paranoid about drawing attention to myself again i'm like it was not me and I was like what and so yeah I um played the advantage I was very paranoid about drawing attention to myself again I'm like this is not a move and yet it will be perceived as one and literally like when they came back into camp gave hugs me and he's like nice move and I was like it wasn't a move I didn't do anything like I was so was this like your first like dress rehearsal for a Rachel's funeral yeah Yeah. I mean, I think that there was like weird parallels for a lot of things in our season, like the final six. Yeah. Well the final, like, so me, like tricking Andy, when Andy's trying to jury manage me, it goes back to like, you know, me, me and Anika trying to trick Andy when Andy's tricking us. Like it's, it's like this weird,
Starting point is 00:22:42 there's these weird parallels, like the, this safety without power thing. Also the Kyle though, which like was a eulogy for Kyle, which was not shown, but like that was where I got the idea for the final six. So like it's, there was just like a lot of these like kind of motifs in our season. Really interesting. Okay. So you come back, you're saved. And is this the point where you started to realize that, okay, wait, I have kind of like a big target on my back. Yes. And no, I mean, like I was very worried. I did like, so I was so mad that I was like, whoever sent it to me, but that was so intentional. I was so much trying to like, take the attention off of myself and be like, I didn't do anything except find this, like, you know? And, um, and so I did feel like there was some heat on me, but then like,
Starting point is 00:23:24 this like you know and um and so i did feel like there was some heat on me but then like um so immediately with the sierra vote happening like i think that that put me in the like position of like a nothing you know in the rob sestromino term uh and i was so much of a free agent that i i knew that i was like in people's minds like also Saul had basically told me from the start that he didn't trust Genevieve long term he was like Lavo is okay right now but like I don't trust Genevieve long term I'm very good with Sweeney and I was also immediately like every conversation I had at the merge with Genevieve I was like this chick gives me nothing like absolutely nothing and so that was like and then I would go to Saul and be like she just like never speaks she just listens to everybody talking and he's like yeah like you should watch out for her and then after the
Starting point is 00:24:09 sierra vote he was like she was trying to get you out and i was the person that like defended you and so that was like i knew that i was in like genevieve's eyesight from very early in the merge i just didn't know like exactly who else was looking at me. Like I was shocked to see, even in the replay that like Gabe and Caroline were both saying that stuff at the Tuku tribal. Like I had no idea that they felt that way about me. Okay. So you come back and this is the day that there's the auction and you are, uh, you know, have a lot to do here this day because, uh, you end up with your money. You bid on one of the covered items and Jeff asks you, okay, Rachel, what do you, what do you think is under here? And you guessed correctly. It's crazy. I, some people are like, do you think you could have, you smelled it? And I was like, maybe, but it just like,
Starting point is 00:25:04 I thought it was going to be a bad item. I was like, when he went back, I was like, this is my item. I don't care. I don't want to lose my boat, but like, I think it's going to be a bad one. And then the way he walked out with it, that is when I was like, it's a burger. So there's no way I smelled it because he wasn't even near me yet. But like, I just, I don't know, something in my body said burger. And so I was just like, well, it's a burger. And I couldn't couldn't believe it. Yeah. And so then more importantly than the burger, you get the scroll, which has the clue to the hidden immunity idol in the fries. Yes. Wild. And what's so interesting is I actually had this very paranoid thought that I wasn't the only person that got the clue. So I had a lot of urgency for getting the idol as soon as possible. I actually tried that night in the dark after everyone was sleeping. But the problem is, is that like the tarp is like Genevieve slept, her head was like two feet below where the idol was in the tarp. And so like the second I started like trying to like use the machete to like, it was so like, I hit, I popped one seam and it was like, definitely loud. And I was like,
Starting point is 00:26:11 oh, I cannot do this right now. It's so quiet out there. And so I just like put it back and that's why I had to do it the next day. But I did like, I had a lot of people are like, it, it like looks so easy. And I was like, okay, these are like the things that are cut out that I feel like add some context. So when we were on Lavo with Tuku that day, they have a swing. We got home, back home, back to Becca Beach. And I was like, guys, you guys had a swing. That's so cool. Can we make one? And everyone's like, oh yeah. Like, I don't think we have enough rope. And so when I was like scoping out the tarp for the idol, the bottom eyelets had like long strings of rope that weren't attached to anything. And I was like, I hadn't said anything about it. But then the next morning when I realized I couldn't get it at night, I was like, I realized we have rope, like
Starting point is 00:26:56 we have extra rope on the tarp. Like, I think we can make the swing. And everyone's like, oh, you know, and then a couple hours later, I like bring it up again, just like casually. And then that gave me license when it did clear out a little bit to have an excuse to be near the tarp with the machete. And so like, I was able to do it so naturally in broad daylight, because like, I think that it's not just no one suspected me, no one came up to me, no one asked me, but like, I think the internal confidence you get when you have a story is like part of like, why I was able to do it in the way that I did, where it's like, I wasn't worried about someone being like, what are you
Starting point is 00:27:29 up to? And I would have like, I was also cutting the underside of the tarp, not the top so that I could flip it back down and no one could see that it was ripped. So like, there were just things that I had put into place to make sure that like, I would not get caught. And so, um, yeah, not important, but just like fun little stuff no but it was daring because uh somebody's like hey wait why are you cutting our tarp like that is uh we need that i know and i would have and then cut the rope and been like i'm getting that rope for the swing and i and when i was done getting the idol i cut the rope off of both sides and wound it up and went back into camp being like i got the rope for the guys and i like put it in the toolbox like i just felt like having the backstory is part of like
Starting point is 00:28:09 what allowed me to not look or act suspicious in the moment yeah okay so then of course this is the tribal council where okay you're feeling like okay we're gonna work with lavo and we're gonna take out somebody from tuku at this tribal council. But meanwhile, Tuku is actually the ones working with Lavo. They're going to work on taking out somebody from your tribe. And there are people who are saying, vote out Rachel. Some people say they vote out Sam, vote out Sierra. They ultimately decide on Sierra.
Starting point is 00:28:42 But you, Rachel, changed the game of Survivor that night. Yeah. I mean, I knew it was clever. I didn't think about its impact. It was such a reactive move. Like people are like, why didn't you bring it up final tribal? It was like such a defensive reactive move in the moment. It was not something I did it so intentionally. So I did not, and I did not want to call attention to the fact that i was left out of the boat again you know like that wasn't something i wanted to like like talk about and bring up on purpose at final travel anyway but um yeah i was sitting there right before we left for tribal i mean the whole day you saw like siri and i being like something's going on but gabe thought it was caroline caroline thought
Starting point is 00:29:21 it was gabe that was a story i believe to be true. Ten minutes before we leave for tribal, they are sitting around the campfire and Gabe's like, he's like throwing his head back in his Gabe way, laughing hysterically with Caroline. And I was like, like, this is not something's wrong. You know, like this is not right. Like even if he thought she's going home, he's not acting this way around her if he's targeting her tonight. And like I remember like I saw the city next to me and I was like, I'm so paranoid right now. And he said, trust me, it's not you. And I was like, what? And then we go to tribal. And I am like spinning, being like, Saul is supposed to be my brand new ally, that he's feeding me all this information. He did not say anything to me until I said something to him. And now I'm like, if I'm the target, that would be what you would say to me. Because you don't want me playing my shot in the dark.
Starting point is 00:30:11 You don't want me being defensive in any way. You want me to be comfortable. And so I'm spinning this whole time. Gabe is talking about, like, he said, Jeff's like, what's this vote about, Gabe? And he was like, I think we're going to look back. And this is going to be the most consequential vote of Survivor 47. And I was like, he is not voting out Caroline right now. Like what is going on? And so I was just so Gabe was so powerful in the game. It was so clear that he was like a power player that I was not willing to write his name down and go back to camp with him.
Starting point is 00:30:42 And so I didn't know what to do. Like I was like, I can't just randomly pick somebody else to vote for. And that is when I was like, Oh my God, I can play my shot in the dark and not vote for anybody. And you see me like rummaging. I had no idea where it was. I was rummaging in my bag at that moment, trying to find it. And while I'm doing that, I'm like, Oh, and then if people freak out, when I say I played it, then I'll know I should play my idol, you know? And so like, that is how that happened. And that's why I never thought about it as a move because it wasn't something that I like plotted. It was just something that I was like in the moment, like, how do I get out of this situation that I'm in? And like, that was what I thought of. Was there any specific reaction you were looking for? Were you looking at any specific person
Starting point is 00:31:21 to gauge for a reaction? Well, the first thing when I stood up to play it, Sue said something, you hear it, I forgot. I always think it's like you go girl, but it wasn't, it was like good for you or something. And I was like, okay, that's, that's not what she would say if she was like scared. And then I think I was looking, my thing was a couple of people can bluff, but like seven, eight people can't bluff. And so I was really just trying to like, look around, look to see if anybody makes eye contact in a significant way. Like, are they like, you know, like, so it wasn't any person in particular. It was truly me scanning the room, seeing, is anyone whispering? Is there anything? And nobody like react, they like look surprised.
Starting point is 00:32:00 No one had any kind of like follow-up reaction. And that is what gave me the confidence that I didn't need to do anything. So it's a new year. You know what that means, setting big goals. Maybe you promised yourself you're gonna hit the gym every day, or maybe you said you're gonna learn to make fire with a flint for once, or the classic save more money.
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Starting point is 00:33:43 Investing involves risk. Acorns Advisors LLC and SEC registered investment advisor. View important disclosures at acorns.com slash robpod. Transat presents a couple trying to beat the winter blues. We could try hot yoga. Too sweaty. We could go skating. Too icy.
Starting point is 00:34:01 We could book a vacation. Like somewhere hot. Yeah, with pools pools and a spa and endless snacks yes yes yes with savings of up to 40 on transat south packages it's easy to say so long to winter visit transat.com or contact your marlin travel professional for details conditions apply air transat travel moves us You get back to camp then. Okay. Sierra has been blindsided.
Starting point is 00:34:29 You said in Final Trial of the Council, this was your worst moment. It was because it was just this idea that like Sam and Andy, or Sam had burned me in the pre-merge with Annika. Tuku had like, was going to vote me out like two days earlier. And now Lavo also turned.
Starting point is 00:34:45 And it was just like, every single person here has already lied and burned me. And it is like, we're halfway through the game. Like I was just completely alone. Sam and I came back. He was pissed at me because he thought I was in on the vote. That's why I was like, no, I blame my shot in the dark because I was worried it was me. And, and so we were both like, okay, like screw everybody.
Starting point is 00:35:04 Good luck. We can't work together. Like that's why we were targeted in the first, like, screw everybody. Good luck. We can't work together. Like, that's why we were targeted in the first place, because they think we're strong. And I, like, laid in the dark that night being like, oh, my God. Like, I, but I think that the mentality that came in where I was like, I want to be in an alliance. I want to, like, work with people. It just, like, that was the moment where it was like, that's not your game and you need to figure out a different way to play.
Starting point is 00:35:27 And like, that is kind of what gave, like I felt like they did the right thing by voting Sierra out because if they voted Sam out, Sierra and I would have stuck together. If they voted Sam out or me out, Sierra and Sam would have stuck together. And like, she was the glue between us. And so they really just kind of decimated us and it had the intended effect. But it also gave me what I felt like was like license to play however I wanted the rest of the game, because I had nothing to lose at that point. Like I felt like I was going to go out in the next vote or two if I didn't do something different.
Starting point is 00:35:57 And so I just immediately I like cried to Sue because she's like, you know, she's like more heart like, oh, I love an underdog. And so I was like, like sue i'm all alone and then like caroline came to me the next morning and was like well i went to her but we talked and she was like look i love sue she's my number one obviously but i want strategic partner i want it to be you and so like we had already had trickles of that and it was like i was so against tuku after that tuku tribal but then at that point i wanted to go back to the people that i wanted to work with if everyone burned me and then i might as well go back to the people that i felt the best about and that's when i really solidified with caroline and sue and even gabe and kyle at that point like i was like in on tuku and that's really
Starting point is 00:36:37 why sam and i went completely opposite directions because he was so in on genevieve and like like lavo and so it was really kind of like, at that point, we never even really like tried to work together again. Okay. So the next vote is the Saul vote. And I think this is something that really in the new era, I feel like it doesn't really come through where that this is like one day later, this is one of the, the, the Saul vote all happens in one day. And I think that for the people at home, I think you still feel like, oh, it's three days in between tribal councils, but this is 24 hours later after Sierra has gone home.
Starting point is 00:37:13 Now this is the Saul vote and you have to go and play the reverse Jenga to not lose your vote. Very fun game, honestly. But yeah, maybe not for TV, but it was really fun for us. Yeah. But then the big thing
Starting point is 00:37:28 in terms of the game that happens is that, okay, Genevieve is looking for votes. And is it Genevieve that tells you or Andy tells you? They're together when they tell me. So I come back. The problem with that day in particular
Starting point is 00:37:41 was that because we were on the journey, I got back to camp like maybe an hour before we left for tribal. It was so late in the day. And so, um, and then I immediately like went for a walk. So it was like, I came back with so little time to spare to actually strategize. And so, um, uh, I get back to camp. Caroline immediately is like, Hey, uh, Andy and Genevieve are going to take you aside and tell you the plan. And that's what we're doing tonight. OK. And I was like, OK.
Starting point is 00:38:08 And I was just so freaking grateful to be in on a vote. That's all I wanted for like three votes. And so we go off with them and they're both like, hey, the vote's all Genevieve's like the vote's all everybody knows except Teenie and Sam. And she's like, if you guys like me and Andy, if you guys want to include Sam, you can, we don't need him. And I, we don't care, but like, uh, he's like, you're more your person than anybody else's. So like, you know, do whatever you want. And so Genevieve walks away, Andy and I are like, let's leave Sam on the bottom. Yeah, that sounds good. Okay. Walk back into camp. And, um, again, Sue, I think Sue and Caroline also reiterated that like we could bring Sam in. And so I was not going to, but then Sam and I are sitting in the shelter and we had agreed when we were like, okay, good luck. We had agreed like to try and help each other if we could, but we're just not going to work together. And so, um, we're sitting there, he's like moping. He's like, nobody's talked to me all day. And he's just like really like just guilting me. And that's why when he starts to like, like, guess, I'm like, OK, yes know, like, and, um, and I didn't want him,
Starting point is 00:39:27 you know, like people knowing that he knew, but I just wanted to reassure him. It was not him. And then he goes and immediately fricking blows it up. I was so glad I told Derek, like this story. And he, I was like, he immediately went and then like, you see the camera guy get up and walk. And Derek was like, I can't believe it was that immediate. I was like, I wasn't kidding. Like he just went and blew it up. And so what are you thinking during that? Well, I'm like, what? You know, I don't know. At first he's bloated up, but then the second that they stopped talking, Saul comes to get me and he's like, what the fuck, man? Like I saved you. And like, you didn't even tell like he and like part of his reaction to that is why it was like never going i was never gonna save him because i felt like that bridge was
Starting point is 00:40:12 burned also okay so save him with your idol or save him with your vote try and flip the like so andy and i had voted with sam teeny and saul we would have saved saul right we had the numbers to do it if we all voted together i forgot when when like Genevieve walked away and Andy and I were there, we had just talked to Saul the night before about working together. And like, I was like, Andy, are we really doing this? Did we just say we were going to work together and like help each other? And he was like, I know, but like everybody knows, like everybody's in on it. Like, and I was like, okay, okay. And so like, I knew that if Andy was not down, flipping had no impact so like if he was we had to vote together if we were gonna like change it and so Saul comes to me he's pissed um I'm like
Starting point is 00:40:53 it's everybody Saul like it's everybody and he thinks he still has Genevieve he doesn't know that she's the one orchestrating it and so um he's like vote Kyle vote Kyle and so like I go into tribal being like what the heck and I was sitting in front of Andy, because this happened so last minute that like, we didn't get to actually talk about it with everybody. I talked to Andy like five times during that tribal and I was like, we're sure, Andy, Sam, Teenie, and me. And I didn't have a game relationship with Teenie. I barely trusted Sam. I didn't trust Andy. Like, and the Saul just blew up at me. I was like, this is not a good idea. You know, like as much as I wanted to keep Saul around because he was a shield, because I felt like I could trust him a little bit. He had just voted out. He was like, let me save you and let's work together. And then he votes out my only ally left. Like it was just like not, it was just not the situation that I felt I should stick my neck out for him to flip for a group that I didn't feel good about.
Starting point is 00:41:58 And so it just like, that was why it happened that way. And mean yeah andy blew it up to teeny and by the end of it it was just a unanimous vote okay all right so saul goes home and uh if memory serves me i i feel like that this is where we see you and andy start to have like a uh a rekindling in your relationship is this is this the the right point when you and andy are starting to you know talk again we're seeing on the show starting to talk again you know like having that moment of being like we're the swing boats in the middle of this like it did help a little bit like us kind of like talk about working together again um but i still just like i was always just like so i wanted my eggs in the cuckoo basket. I wanted Andy as a potential option. And then at some point, he comes to me with Teenie as this final three thing.
Starting point is 00:42:51 And that's when I start to be like, okay, I think that this is an avenue for me. It's my backup avenue because Sue Caroline, me, is my preferred one. But this is a good thing to have these options. Yeah. Okay. So you end up on a reward, uh, with Kyle and Sam to, uh, and, and this is a, you know, you have some chances to, you know, talk some strategy with Sam as you're watching as Sam and Kyle are talking about what, uh, they want to do. And you have a, and you have an opportunity to talk, talk to Sam. This was one of my most disappointed things that didn't happen.
Starting point is 00:43:28 Okay. Or didn't show. We didn't see. And it is so that like same situation with Carolyn and Brandon and Danny, where like Sam is, his back is facing me at this point. He's in the middle and him and Kyle have been talking for like 10 minutes, not including me. And at one point kyle goes my shania says i shouldn't trust the women out here
Starting point is 00:43:50 and i literally popped out from behind sam's back and i just like waved at him and i could not believe that it wasn't shown and i was just like it was like this is like the fruit dropping out of carolyn's mouth i just like it was like so I said it in confessional that day. I was like, it felt very similar to like what I just wrote for 44. And, um, and so as much as like, Kyle was like, I want to go to the end together, Michiganders, blah, blah, blah. I was like, you literally just said you can't trust the women. And like, I don't trust Sam. So like, I don't know what to tell you. Like Sam had just blown up the Saul thing. I was like, he, the Anika thing and then blowing up the salt thing. And like, I have no interest in working with Sam ever again, you know?
Starting point is 00:44:29 And another thing was because I had that permission, even though that was a slip the next morning after Sam blew up the salt thing, I immediately went to Sue, Caroline, Genevieve. And I was like, this is what happened. Cause everyone's like, how did that happen? And I was like, this is what happened. You guys told me I could tell Sam at the last second, I decided to see if I could trust him. And I told him the plan and he literally blew it up five minutes before tribal and we cannot, and they were like, screw Sam, you know? And so like, it was, I very much threw him under
Starting point is 00:44:56 the bus, um, as a result of that to like clear my own name. Um, and yeah, so there was like another, just another thing where I was like, Sam and I are not working together at this point. Okay. So, uh, this vote really is going to come down to, it seems like from our perspective, uh, Gabe or Genevieve, but we see a lot of you talking about how you'd really like to get Genevieve out, not Gabe. was open for either truly like Genevieve felt like a more direct threat to me but I understood why Gabe was a direct threat to everybody like he he just the way that he would turn on at tribal was it was like a completely different person than the person we saw at camp and it was very scary and he could make fire in a literal instant there were moments where we came back from tribal and the fire just poofed like I, I swear to God, he can make it in under five seconds. Like it was unbelievable. And so it was just like,
Starting point is 00:45:47 we cannot let this guy who's already won an immunity. He's like, you know, we can't let him get anywhere near the end because he will be anyone in fire. He's incredibly eloquent. Like I just, you know, he was extremely intimidating and I was more scared of Gabe at that point than I was of Genevieve. It was just that like, I knew Genevieve didn't trust me and i didn't trust her and so like i was always just pushing the genevieve narrative all like i i was anti-genevieve propaganda the entire post merge was like do you ever notice when you talk to her she talks like 10 of the time it doesn't give you anything like you know i i just i would constantly kind of just like like say things to
Starting point is 00:46:23 other people about how genevieve was playing very like covertly when we're, you know, most of us just never shut up. Like we just can't stop talking. And she just never spoke. We didn't know anything about her. Like we had this whole conspiracy theory that someone in her life close to her was like dying because she never talked about her family. Like it was like to the point where it was genuinely like a thing where I was like, this girl will not open up and not tell us about herself. Like there is like, you know, so anyway. Yeah. See, look, too emotionally scarred from Kishan.
Starting point is 00:46:54 Yeah. I, it's so, it's so interesting to see it all and to know her now, you know, like I absolutely adore her, but it's just like, it's so funny. Okay. So Gabe ends up going home and then, uh, oops, uh, Genevieve and Sam and Kyle are really like, uh, firmly ensconced on the bottom. Uh, so much so that you are willing to go and now risk your vote to go on a journey to the person that like helped that happen. Right. So like me having these two final three alliances, like in my mind with this idol in my pocket specifically, like, you know, there's just like,
Starting point is 00:47:31 I talked about a little bit in Exit Press, but it's like, I played a certain way because I knew I had the idol. And so like one of those ways was being like pretty overt about like, hey, this is the five. Like we don't amount to anything. They don't respect us. They don't care about us.
Starting point is 00:47:43 We haven't done anything. And then like, look at these people. And specifically specifically i was like kyle with the immunities genevieve with the sol thing and just being genevieve and then like sam having sierra and having sierra on the mayor pronderosa and then being the only person that tried to save sol like that was like i was just like let's like other the hell out of all of them and like make them the enemy. And if I can get to five with this group, like I am, I will do something flashy with my idol and then I will win. You know, like that was just like my best bet because even anything shenanigans happened, it was like, we're going to get almost all the way there just if we can just keep this group together so yeah yeah well you did something very flashy when you went and won the advantage on the barge which was uh just uh one of the most epic things ever on survivor yeah yeah i it was very crazy like it was fun to watch back because i was like it just it's the most
Starting point is 00:48:37 absurd story it doesn't even sound believable you know like and so yeah it was very fun like i was so happy i completed it. And, um, it was like, I remember being like, you can't speed this up because they can't like edit around this Rachel. You just have to, you have to pull it out. And so, um, yeah, it was fun. Yeah. And I believe this is when you go on a run and where, um, instead of Gabe, uh, they probably
Starting point is 00:49:02 should have voted you out because you're going to be immune from the rest of the game on. Yeah, I mean, yeah. Yes, that's true. I didn't expect that. But yeah, I and I came back again. The block of vote thing was so intentional. I came back. I came back, I told the five immediately because the, my biggest fear was like, if I don't tell them or if I lie, like they're going to believe I have something as powerful as an idol. And I do not want that. And so like, I want to distract them with this pretty useless advantage while I keep my idol like safely behind me, you know? And so, and it worked, I mean, it worked exactly, you know, like between playing my shot in the dark and then having this public advantage, like nobody thought I had an idol. And so, um, and that was also kind of what seeded the things for
Starting point is 00:49:50 the Andy blind side in the sense that like, when I told Andy about the block of vote, he just came out and was like, you're my number one. And I remember being like, no, I'm not, but like, okay. And, um, and so like, I was able to use that, like to guilt him later. I know I have said that in other things, so we don't have to dive too far. So Andy famously six point two five percent chance that Kyle was going to win. Like what were the chances Rachel was going to win the immunities the rest of the way? Yeah. But did you push hard here for Genevieve to be the person to go home instead of Kyle? hard here for Genevieve to be the person to go home instead of Kyle? Uh, or did you get on board with Kyle? I got on board with Kyle because, um, Caroline was hell bent on getting out Kyle.
Starting point is 00:50:31 So was Sue. And so my two closest allies were like extremely passionate. Like Caroline was like threatening jury votes, like was very passionate about getting Kyle out. And then, um, teeny also was like, I just think that we will, if, if we don't get them out now and he gets to the end, like we will look so stupid. And so like, basically everyone I wanted to work with, except maybe Andy was like, we have to get Kyle now. And I was like, okay. And I was like, I kind of want to win an immunity. So like,
Starting point is 00:50:58 I'm also fine with getting Kyle out. So as much as I want to generate, again, it was just kind of like, she was a shield and I was scared of her. Um, but I felt like I had the power. I had the numbers in that time. So like, I didn't need to get her out at that moment. Um, and as I did not ever want to push hard too hard and like lose grip of that five, you know? Okay. So I would love to get your perspective on the events of operation Italy from where, where you were were and, you know, how everything's unfolding from your perspective. Yeah, I mean, to me, I think one of the lapses I had as like going in is just like, I think I'm, you always want to like predict what other people's motivations will be. want to like predict what other people's motivations will be. And I think that like,
Starting point is 00:51:50 what I didn't predict was that, um, to me, Andy flipping on the only group of people, I believe he had a chance of beating at the end. Didn't make any sense. And I did not calculate that. Like in his mind, he didn't just want to get to the end. He wanted to make a move big enough that might get him voted out immediately. But if he got to the end, at least would give him something to talk about. And like, I just didn't calculate that. And so Sue was the one that was like, Andy's going to flip.
Starting point is 00:52:12 And we were teeny. How did she know? She, when they were on reward, she was just like, Andy's Andy's not reliable. Like we can't trust him. And Sue or Caroline,
Starting point is 00:52:22 teeny. And I were like, he's fine. Like we just like dismissed it. Like it truly. And, and yeah, and so, I mean, I did offer to like play the block for like, you know, for Caroline, because we knew she was going to be the target. And, um, she was like, no, I think we're good. And like, she really wanted to like appease him. And I was on board with that in the sense that like, again, I'm, my goal is to keep this five together. I don't really care what else happens. I just want the five to stay together. And so it's like, if anyone's pushing particularly hard for anything, like I'm just going to like be fine with it because ultimately I just need this group to proceed, like get further. And, um, plus I was
Starting point is 00:53:03 like, if I can idle out Genevieve at five, like that's perfect. You know, like that's my beautiful end game, like scenario. Um, and I knew I could beat her at fire. So even if I couldn't get her then that I could get it. So it was just like, I didn't care. Like, and so, um, it just, yeah, that was kind of my mentality. And I think in the very deep pits of my mind, I really didn't think Andy was slipping, but I think in the deep pits of my mind, I was like, I'm safe no matter what and who cares you know so we see after operation italy uh we see where okay caroline has gone home and that there are they pull teeny aside and they're trying to explain everything oh this was just an accident. This was like, Oh, because what tipped me off,
Starting point is 00:53:45 I believe that when Andy blindsides us, he is blindsiding me and teeny equally because we are a three and we both were out of that boat. We get back to camp and Andy goes, teeny, can I talk to you? And I was like, can I come? And he said, no, I just want to talk to teeny. And I was like, what does he have to say to teeny that he doesn't have to say to me? And that said, no, I just want to talk to teeny. And I was like, what does he have to say to teeny that he doesn't have to say to me. And that is what made me, I actually followed them behind the shelter, squatted there in the dark, listening to them for a couple minutes. And then
Starting point is 00:54:15 was like, actually, I think the important conversation is going to be when this group gets together later. And I went back to campus. I didn't want to get caught. And I waited for them to go down to the beach. And that's when I followed them. So like, yeah, it was Andy's like that moment with Andy that made me say like something's going on that I don't know about because he should have the same story for both of us. You know, I had wondered, Rachel, had you ever done something like that at any other point in the game? Spied? Yes.
Starting point is 00:54:41 Um, no, but I think it had occurred to me. I think it had occurred to me. I think it had occurred to me before. And that's why in that moment, I was like, I have nothing to lose at this point. You know, like I believed that it was like teeny Sue and I at the bottom or like it's now three, three. And I have to like kind of understand what they want to do. And so, yeah, that was just I was just desperate enough at that point that I was willing to take the risk, I guess. How did you decide to tell Sue about your idol? I was not going to tell her until I was going to play it.
Starting point is 00:55:13 I knew that they had the votes to like with four. They had the votes to split to two and I couldn't have that. And so like I needed I mean, I was blocking Sam's vote, so they didn't. But my fear was like, okay, yeah, yeah. If they do two, one, and then, um, I don't include Sue, then like now they get to choose who goes home if there's a tie. Right. And so I just was like, I need two votes. And so, um, I was always going to tell her, cause I knew I could trust her, but like, I was going to tell her further. It was her, the day before Operation Italy,
Starting point is 00:55:47 we spent that whole afternoon trying to find an idol. And Sue was like, that's when that stuff of her under the rock face and shit. And she was like, I put my hand in every single hole in there. I was like, oh my gosh, she's going to kill me when she finds out I have this freaking idol. And then I get back and she, so that morning I get up and she is like, you saw, frantically.
Starting point is 00:56:02 And I was just like, I cannot. She's going to kill me if I let her do this. she will not trust me if i continue to let this go on and that is why i told her at that moment so rachel in the episode we see where okay you talk to andy say hey vote with me let's let's take out sam he thinks about he says you know what actually no i don't think i'm gonna do that i think I think that it's going to be you tonight. And we see that where Andy tells you about his game. And ultimately we see Andy get voted out that night. In my interview with Sue, Sue said that she played a very big role in this vote because she could not forgive Andy for voting out sweet Caroline. And she really was the person who said, no, Rachel,
Starting point is 00:56:48 we have to vote out Andy tonight. How big of a factor was Sue in Andy going home? It was the tipping point. Okay. This is what happened. Sue and I, the night before and the morning of are like, Sam's going home. Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam. Sue goes on reward with Judd Ventini. And that's when all this stuff happens at camp where Andy's like, sue goes on reward with genevieve and teeny and that's when all this stuff happens at camp where andy's like you know like and overplaying his hand and jury managing me and i'm like you know it had never occurred to me that you blindsided me like you lied to me three times because i'm giving sam credit for annika i'm giving the seven other people that voted out sierra's credit for sierra and yes he was the swing operationally. I was giving him credit
Starting point is 00:57:25 for that. But even in that, I'm still like, how the hell did Genevieve convince you to flip and not vote her out? Like, I am not giving Andy the credit that, you know, he believes he deserves for these things in that moment. And so like, all of a sudden, I'm like like I wonder how that would go at final tribal and I'm like my calculus was Sam predictable I know what he's gonna say at final tribal Andy unpredictable I have no idea what he's gonna say if I don't travel I'm like genuinely believed I could be both of them did not have the strongest I felt like I needed to get Sam because I had been like like as he was to me saying he was a threat for a long time and at some point I felt like I needed to get Sam because I had been like, like as he was to me saying he was a threat for a long time. And at some point I felt like I had eclipsed him and I
Starting point is 00:58:10 was not worried about him beating me, but like, I was worried about the narrative of me, like saying Sam's a threat, Sam's a threat. And then like sitting with him at the end. And that was why I was gunning for Sam at that moment when I couldn't get Genevieve. But once I couldn't get Genevieve, that was why I played the idol so ridiculously, because I was just like, I can't get the person I actually need out anyway. And so I'm like, Andy, this conversation, Andy, really weird, very interesting. Um, huh. Sue comes back from the reward and is like, I told them I'm voting for Andy. I was like, why did you do that? We talked about Sam like the last like 24 hours. And so, but I was like, okay, actually like, let's just vote out Andy
Starting point is 00:58:46 because it'll make you happy. And I am worried about him because he is a wild card. And so like, she was definitely the person that like solidified the direction we were going. It worked for both of you. It worked for both of us. Yeah. Okay. So Rachel, so much of the very late stages of the game, we got to talk about when you did your exit interview and i'm trying to be mindful of the time so i really would just love to use the rest of our time together to find out from you what what else about your game do you want people to know you know i think like as a big fan listening to hundreds thousands of hours of podcasts like it's just not like everything goes out the window like in my notebook in pregame it said in a split don't like
Starting point is 00:59:33 like if sue caroline and i had been on the majority of split at operation italy this would have never happened and it's like you know to not put people you don't fully trust on the majority split and yet situations like you just can't, you have to play the thing that's in front of you. And like those rules and those like things that you believe to be like biblical are just thrown out the window when you actually go out to play survivor. And I think that's like hard to understand until you do it, but it just, it really like, there's just so many things that I'm like, that was not in the rule book, but I had all the reasons to like, there's just so many things that I'm like, that was not in the rule book, but I had all the reasons to like, to believe that that was the case. And sometimes that does work, right? Like
Starting point is 01:00:10 you, you shouldn't follow the like set things you think are like the things you should do. Um, but like, yeah, I think that that's a big thing. I think the other thing is just like, I never thought I would play this game. I could have written 20 ways that I thought my game would go and this would have not been anywhere near the list. And so it's just like, you know, I never thought I would play this game. I could have written 20 ways that I thought my game would go. And this would have not been anywhere near the list. And so it's just like, you know, the whole Ben Mike thing that wasn't about disrespect. It was about intention. It was about like the fact that like I didn't come into the game being like, I'm going to play this way.
Starting point is 01:00:38 I'm going to be immune from finally. I'm going to, you know, like that was not like they were asking me to reconcile my intentions with like what I actually did. And so like, I think that the game that at some point I was like, this is my only path. Like I don't have another option and I shouldn't be penalized for taking the path that I had left, you know? And I think that that's, you know, like rankings are arbitrary and reductive, but like, it just like, it's not. Yeah. Well, especially when the path you had to go
Starting point is 01:01:10 was harder than the path you probably intended to go. Less respected in this super fan world that we live in. Like, I get it. Like, I get it. But it's just, sometimes you don't have a choice. Sam and Andy were talking about how I would be a long-term threat in the pre-merge. There is nothing I could have done about that. Like there is just, you can't control everything. You think you like say the right thing and you act the right way and
Starting point is 01:01:32 you control everything. It's just not true. Everybody is there to play. Everybody is there. Sam was doing the same thing to me. I was just more successful at it. You know, like we were both just trying to use each other as shields. And like, at the end of the day, I won out, but like his strategy is not a bad one, you know? So it's just like, you can't, use each other as shields and like at the end of the day i won't out but like his strategy is not a bad one you know so it's just like you can't it's not as black and white as we like to think when we like you know digest all of this you know my survivor academy history and everything else like it's i have like notes and notes pages and pages pages of notes i've taken over the years over like what i should and shouldn't do on survivor and it's just like when you start and you hit the beach like it just just goes out the window. Like you just can't.
Starting point is 01:02:08 And so you have to just look at the situation and you can't get blinded by like what you think, you know, you just have to like do. Yeah. Such a great observation. All your knowledge just goes out the window. And is it just gut? Is that, is it just like terrible at just like figuring out when people were lying to me, you know, but like, I think it's more like, it just like terrible at just like figuring out when people are lying to me, you know, but like, I think it's more like, it's like a murder mystery. Like you're like, what stories add up? What makes sense? What doesn't? Did someone slip because they like are tired and exhausted? Or do they slip because that's actually the truth. And like, I think that like doing your due diligence and like cross-checking everything is like truly the best
Starting point is 01:02:42 way because it's just um like i had no like people don't act rationally like teeny flipping after operation italy should have never happened like genevieve burned them like three freaking times like you would never think teeny said after the second time shame burn me one shame on you burn me twice or whatever like was like i will never go back like screw genevieve and then like and like goes back to vote with genevieve like it's just you can't and i would have never known that if i didn't spy which was like, I will never go back, like screw Genevieve. And then like, like goes back to vote with Genevieve. Like, it's just, you can't. And I would have never known that if I didn't spy, which was like, you know, like, so it's just,
Starting point is 01:03:12 it's just so hard. It's forever so hard. That's the takeaway. It's so hard. It is, but you made it look so easy, Rachel. And what a great job you did. You adapted. I loved the description that was, did you say this loved the description uh uh that was did you say this
Starting point is 01:03:26 in the final travel council about uh you you had a stealthiness to your game yeah i think that like and i like i think what i felt like i did the best was like maximize every opportunity i got you know like it's i'm like a a deals deals deals kind of girl and so like i'm always looking for like the the biggest like squeeze and like i felt like that's what i did any any opportunity i saw in the game i just tried to like squeeze every potential out of it that i could and think about it in every way i could i have like a spreadsheet of like advantages in the game and like ways they can be used not the way that they're intended to be and i think that those are the things like that's why i played my shot in the dark the way i did that's
Starting point is 01:04:03 what you know like i i just was trying to leverage whatever I had the tools that I had to like, play the best I could. Okay, anything else you were allowed to like fill out what you wanted you to say. And I said, like, my name is Rachel and I can't wait to meet you someday when I win Survivor. And you signed, Rachel, can't wait to interview you on the red carpet
Starting point is 01:04:38 after you get the check at the finale or something. We were so close to that. We were so close to that being the so we were so close to that being the case isn't that crazy yeah look look at you look at me you manifested it super fan too although i will say the club condo um i will never win twitch so i appreciate i appreciate faith all right we'll see we'll see. Maybe I'm just getting slow played here. But anyway, Rachel, congratulations again to you.
Starting point is 01:05:10 Can't wait to talk much more with you about Survivor in the future. I can't wait. Where can people keep up with you? I'm on Instagram, Rachel A. Lamont. I'm also on other things, but like, I don't know. I don't, I didn't do social media for like two years before I went on survivor. So I'm just, I'm just trying to manage, uh, technically on Twitter and blue sky, but really only active on Instagram. All right. And then of course, uh, we love to hear your comments. Make sure
Starting point is 01:05:36 you're subscribed. Uh, thank you for listening. Everybody take care of a good one. Bye. It's time for another fall lineup at CBS. The season when our champions will do the test. Can you cover every show? Post game, there were thousands from condos. Only one man can really know. So we say, go, go, process toestanino You are the best that we know Just grab your mic and we go wild We live by a simple credo
Starting point is 01:06:16 If Rob has a podcast, we have a hero Rob Sestanino Time to fly Whoa This is your time.

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