Only a few players in Survivor history have matched the impact of Rob Mariano, known to fans as Boston Rob. As the record-holder for the most seasons played, he’s found a good balance when it comes to strategy.

Mariano has competed on Survivor five times, leaving a lasting impression. He debuted in Marquesas finishing 10th place and returned for All-Stars, where he lost in the finale to his future wife, Amber Brkich. After finishing 13th in Heroes vs. Villains, he dominated Redemption Island, winning the $1 million prize. His final competition was Winners at War where he finished 17th place, but he returned as a mentor on Island of the Idols.

In an interview with People, Mariano looked back on his journey and itted that he was ruthless, especially in All-Stars. “I legitimately did everything that I needed to do to get to the end. I cut throats, I killed friendships and I expected them to give it to me at the end,” he shared. His strategy was enough to make it to the final voting, but it failed to get the jury’s votes. While he didn’t claim the title, he still scored a major win by proposing to Brkich during the live finale and leaving with a fiancee. The two have been together ever since and are parents to four girls.

He took what he learned from that season and used it to find a balance between playing the game and understanding that other players aren’t “game pieces,” adding that a good strategy is to focus on being the Sole Survivor while maintaining good relationships with other contestants. “You have to understand they’re people, they have feelings, and act accordingly,” he stated.

Boston Rob has since appeared in other reality competition shows

Beyond Survivor, Mariano has also competed alongside Brkich in two seasons of The Amazing Race, where the couple finished 2nd and 8th place. He was also a contestant on the first season of Deal or No Deal Island, where he was eliminated at the final four challenge. Mariano said he went into the game having a strategy, but his history of playing in reality competition shows made him a target. Despite not winning, he said he was “really happy with my place in the history of all of it.” Now, he’s returning as the host of the after show for season two of Deal or No Deal Island.

As for returning to Survivor, Mariano is interested in coming back if the show’s format makes some changes in of the competition, as he feels like he will be voted out early just because of his history on the show. Survivor host Jeff Probst has announced that season 50, which will start filming this year, will consist of past players, and many fans want Boston Rob back. As of now, Probst remains tight-lipped about potential cast for the milestone season.

Meanwhile, Mariano will be appearing as a contestant on The Traitors season 3, where he will go up against other former Survivor contestants including Carolyn Wiger, Jeremy Collins, and two-time Sole Survivor Tony Vlachos. While foraging for food in the wilderness won’t be a concern this time, the cloak-and-dagger dynamics of the game is the kind of challenge he excels at, and he shared, “It’s going to be frigging awesome.” The Traitors season 3 premieres on Jan. 9 on Peacock.

When her closest allies were eliminated not once, but twice, Sue Smey appeared to be a dead woman walking on Survivor 47.

Despite losing her Tuku tribemates turned besties — Gabe Ortis and Caroline Vidmar — relatively early in the post-merge portion of the game, the 59-year-old (or should we say the 45-year-old?) managed to shift some of her relationships around, building a strong bond with eventual “Sole Survivor” Rachel LaMont that coasted her to the Final Tribal Council.

Although Sue fell short of the million-dollar prize — receiving no votes at the Final Tribal Council — the flight school owner managed to make Survivor history nevertheless, becoming the oldest woman to win an Individual Immunity Challenge and the oldest woman to make it to the Final Tribal Council. How impressive is that?

Despite playing a strong physical game, Sue’s social game equally as sensational, seemingly friends with everyone on the beach (besides Kyle Ostwald). We cannot help but wonder who her closest ally really was, though…

Sitting down with Survivor writer and reporter Mike Bloom for an exclusive interview with Parade, Sue talked some of her relationships throughout Survivor 47.

Just like how it translated onto our television screens, Sue confirmed that her closest ally was Caroline, describing them as “the perfect duo.” She even said they had a mother-daughter type of relationship throughout Survivor 47. How sweet is that?

Delving into the details, Sue continued:

“We would sit and we would talk about certain things, certain people, certain strategies, and then she was the perfect communicator to go and make it work… She was the kind person that always wanted everyone to be happy and be okay, and she worked people very, very good. I mean, I give her credit for that. I was more of just the physical person, and we were number one allies.”

Believe it or not, Sue revealed that she had vowed to never write Caroline’s name down at Tribal Council, making that same promise with two other castaways as well. “I had her back 100%, I had Gabe’s back 100%, and Rachel’s back 100%. I would ride or die with them,” the New York native gushed. Sue also opened up about her relationship with Gabe in the exclusive interview. Although their bond was developed first — with Gabe approaching her within minutes of hitting the shores of Fiji — it was not nearly as strong as her relationship with Caroline, but it was important nonetheless.

Reminiscing on the early days of Survivor 47 — when she was “severely sick” as well — Sue explained:

“I had no idea what to expect or how this was going to fall into place. Immediately, Gabe came running up to me. He grabs my arm. He’s like, ‘Sue, I’ve got you,’ and he said it with such determination that I believed him a little bit… The next day, he pulls the advantage out of his pocket. That sealed the deal. I’m like, ‘Gabe’s my guy. I know he trusts me, because if he is willing to tell me he has something, I’m good with him,’ and that’s what solidified him and I.”

Once she and Caroline started connecting, Sue immediately went to Gabe and suggested the idea of a threesome, and the rest is history. “I felt he always had my back. Whether he thought I was a wounded bird or not, he knew that Caroline and I were so tight that he had to have me on board, and he knew Caroline would come,” the 59-year-old concluded.

Outlasting both Gabe and Caroline, to see Sue’s Survivor journey from start to finish, you may stream the entirety of Survivor 47 via Paramount Plus as we speak. After an impressive performance, host Jeff Probst says she is an inspiration to older women all across the globe!

If you watched Survivor 47 from start to finish, you may recall seeing the good, the bad, and the ugly of 24-year-old Teeny Chirichillo, while they were being authentically themselves (for better or worse) throughout the Emmy Award-winning series.

From drunken moments at the Survivor sanctuary — where they ittedly went “a little overboard” — to picking fights with the picture-perfect Sam Phalen (and everything in between), Teeny did not leave anything off the table!

Although they did not take home the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar prize — falling short of the Final Tribal Council after a final four fire-making challenge that will be written into the Survivor history books — Teeny certainly caused quite a bit of chatter after their Survivor appearance. Based on some social media activity (primarily via Reddit), fans either love or hate the freelance writer, with seemingly nothing in between. How wild is that?

As polarizing as can be, some of the contrasting comments regarding Teeny are as follows:

“I rolled my eyes at Teeny the entire time.”

“I LOVE TEENY.”

As an avid member of the Survivor fandom (when they are not actually in the game, of course), Teeny opened up about this backlash in an exclusive interview with Mike Bloom at Parade, deeming some of the commentary surrounding them to be “complicated.”

“I know you were such a big part of this fandom, and you know there’s an entire secondary Survivor experience of watching the edit and people react to you online. What’s been your experience now to be on the other side of it, watching the fandom react to you as a contestant">Teeny has grown tremendously since Survivor 47 finished filming earlier this year, to see their journey from start to finish nevertheless, you can stream the entire season on Paramount Plus.

24-year-old Sam Phalen might have seemed like the total package throughout Survivor 47 — serving as the perfect combination of brains, brawn, and beauty (and subsequently ticking off his tribemate, Teeny Chirichillo) — but his palate, when it comes to fruits and vegetables, leaves something to be desired.

#ICYMI, throughout Survivor 47, Sam was notorious for trying new fruits and vegetables during rewards at the Survivor sanctuary. We are not talking exotic fruits, though — we are talking completely and utterly normal fruits (like kiwi, pineapple, and watermelon) instead.

Believe it or not, the Nashville resident had never tried some of the most simple fruits before hitting the shores of Fiji… have you been living under a rock, Sam?

Needless to say, this caused quite a bit of chatter via Reddit as more rewards came and went throughout Survivor 47:

“How has this boy not eaten fruit?">Sue Smey making Survivor history, we promise you will not regret this one!

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/not-a-chicken-nugget-adult-sam-phalen-reveals-whether-or-not-his-palate-has-expanded-since-survivor-47/feed/ 0 1816763 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/ive-never-been-so-proud-59-year-old-sue-smey-talks-making-the-record-books-on-survivor-47/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/ive-never-been-so-proud-59-year-old-sue-smey-talks-making-the-record-books-on-survivor-47/#respond Sat, 28 Dec 2024 12:25:11 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816777 This woman defied all the odds!]]>

Sue Smey might not have secured the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar check at the end of Survivor 47 after failing to receive a single vote at the Final Tribal Council, but it is safe to say that she will go down in Survivor history as one of the greatest “mothers” — literally and figuratively (as Teeny Chirichillo would say) — to ever play the game.

If you need a refresher, the 59-year-old — who pretended to be a 45-year-old throughout Survivor 47 — had a great deal of success on the Emmy Award-winning series, despite falling short to “Sole Survivor” Rachel LaMont and runner-up Sam Phalen at the Final Tribal Council. Although she was “severely sick,” Sue’s game was impressive (to say the least). Not only did she find a Hidden Immunity Idol during the pre-merge portion of the game, she also became the oldest woman to win an Individual Immunity Challenge AND the oldest woman to make it to the Final Tribal Council during the post-merge portion of the game. Did someone say LEGENDARY?

Needless to say, the flight school owner defied all the odds throughout Survivor 47, now “making the record books” of the show we know and love. “I know that you spoke a lot before, during, and after the season about wanting to be on [Survivor] to show your generation that they can go play, age be damned. So how do you look at making the record books with your run?,” reality television reporter Mike Bloom asked Sue in an exclusive interview with Parade. Smey could not help but gush about how happy she is with her Survivor experience (despite losing the million-dollar prize).

“I just want to inspire people”

“I’ve never been so proud of myself,” Sue prefaced, prior to delving into the details of what it was like achieving such impressive feats on Survivor, especially as an almost 60-year-old.

I’m going to be 60 next year, so you’re not looking at what life you have left to live. Sometimes you’re just like, ‘Wow, I’m closer to death.’ I mean, anyone near this age, your brain just goes that direction, and I’m like, ‘I just want to inspire people that there’s so much more of life to live.’ Your age is just a number.”

She then transitioned to some specifics about her Survivor journey, adding that “the fact that [she] could go out there, compete on Survivor and have records … says a lot for [her] generation.”

The New York native added that people have reached out to her post-show, “telling [her] they’re inspired, and now their mom is going and doing stuff,” whether that be trying new things, working out, “or just living life a little bit more.” How sweet is that?

Sue concluded the conversation by stating that “there’s a whole bunch of badass older people out there, and they need to know they’re badass!” and we seriously could not agree more.

Nevertheless, to see the “badass, fearless, adrenaline junkie” fight for the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar check, you may stream the entirety of Survivor 47 via Paramount Plus as we speak. As arguably the best season of Survivor‘s “New Era” — with host Jeff Probst deeming one castaway “one of the best overall players to ever compete on Survivor” — you will not regret it.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/ive-never-been-so-proud-59-year-old-sue-smey-talks-making-the-record-books-on-survivor-47/feed/ 0 1816777 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/sam-phalen-reveals-whether-andy-rueda-was-friend-or-foe-throughout-survivor-47/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/sam-phalen-reveals-whether-andy-rueda-was-friend-or-foe-throughout-survivor-47/#respond Sat, 28 Dec 2024 12:09:20 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816793 The pair's relationship was quite the rollercoaster.]]>

While they did not have a feud like Sue Smey and Kyle Ostwald — nor Rachel LaMont and Genevieve Mushaluk — it is clear that Sam Phalen and Andy Rueda had a rather tumultuous relationship throughout Survivor 47.

Switching from friend to foe seemingly every episode, their bond was arguably one of the most confusing on the Emmy Award-winning series, but Sam is finally ready to put the rumors to rest in an exclusive interview with Parade.

For those who need a refresher…

Sam and Andy began on the Gata tribe together, where the latter had one of the worst pre-merge games in Survivor history. We all when Andy had a physical, mental and emotional breakdown after the first Individual Immunity Challenge of Survivor 47, throwing his bestie boo (AKA Jon Lovett) under the bus… right?

With his reputation in the gutter, Andy found himself at the mercy of allies (and rumored lovers) Sam Phalen and Sierra Wright while on the Gata tribe. He somehow survived Tribal Council after Tribal Council all the way to the post-merge portion of the game. After the merge, Andy regained power as he took part in a blindside against Sierra — naturally beginning a feud with Sam, as well as the rest of the Gata tribe — and the rest is history.

Working together for a few votes here and there (notably “Operation Italy,” one of the most iconic blindsides in Survivor history), it was unclear where exactly Sam and Andy stood with one another as a viewer. Survivor writer and reporter Mike Bloom agreed, asking Sam for the piping hot tea…

It was all an act… Until it wasn’t

Interestingly enough, Sam revealed that heading into the post-merge portion of the game, the remaining of the Gata tribe (AKA Sam, Andy, Sierra, and Rachel) had plans to give Andy a hard time. From constantly slandering his gameplay to referencing his physical, mental and emotional breakdown from earlier in the season, it was all a part of their strategy to stay #GataStrong. The 24-year-old then itted that a major mistake “was not checking in regularly with Andy throughout those periods of time, and maybe method acting a little bit too seriously.”

It started to make him be like, ‘Wait a minute. I thought this was a joke. Are we still joking about this, or are you guys actually trying to not play with me anymore?’ but for me, I kind of perceived Andy as somebody who really wanted to be valued and respected by his peers… It was important for me, for both personal and game reasons, to sort of navigate moving forward, keeping that line of communication open with Andy, but letting Andy know that ‘I messed up. That was a mistake.’”

The sports reporter then took total ability, itting that while he did want to work with Andy, his acting skills and seemingly harmless jabs actually pushed him away. “I wasn’t the ally or friend to him that I should have been at that stage in the game, and I was very intentional about that, because you never know when you’re going to need Andy to flip from a five-person majority alliance and help you flip the games,” Sam concluded (cheekily referencing “Operation Italy” once again).

Now that Survivor 47 has come to a close, based on some silly social media activity, it appears that Sam and Andy are on great , sharing a great deal of Instagram pictures and TikTok videos together post-show. Needless to say, it warms our heart seeing that the beef has been squashed!

Nevertheless, to relive Survivor 47 from start to finish — including Sam and Andy’s “frenemies” relationship — you can stream the entire season now via Paramount Plus.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/sam-phalen-reveals-whether-andy-rueda-was-friend-or-foe-throughout-survivor-47/feed/ 0 1816793 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/that-is-so-dangerous-rachel-lamont-its-kickstarting-pseudo-rivalry-after-she-saw-real-threat-in-a-survivor-47-castaway/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/that-is-so-dangerous-rachel-lamont-its-kickstarting-pseudo-rivalry-after-she-saw-real-threat-in-a-survivor-47-castaway/#respond Fri, 27 Dec 2024 18:41:22 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816760 These two had quite the feud in Fiji.]]>

Anyone who watched Survivor 47 from start to finish, knows that Rachel LaMont and Genevieve Mushaluk were undoubtedly the strongest contenders for the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar prize, both playing a strong social, strategic, and physical game.

When 33-year-old Genevieve was eliminated at the final five, it was unsurprising that 34-year-old Rachel was crowned the champion at the Final Tribal Council — as she was the biggest threat between herself, Sam Phalen and Sue Smey, as well as “one of the best overall players to ever compete on Survivor” — receiving a vote from Genevieve (and every other jury member, besides Kyle Ostwald) for the million-dollar check.

Prior to Genevieve’s untimely elimination — as they were seemingly going neck and neck for the victory — what did the relationship between Rachel and Genevieve really look like?

Although it was hinted at on our television screens, Rachel confirmed in a recent interview with Parade that she and Genevieve had a “pseudo-rivalry” throughout Survivor 47. She delved into the details while speaking to Survivor journalist Mike Bloom, who wanted to understand how Rachel played with a participant she “couldn’t work with from the moment [she] hit the beach.”

Given the fact that Rachel began on the Gata tribe and Genevieve began on the Lavo tribe, the two “mothers” — in the wise words of Teeny Chirichillo — did not get the opportunity to work with one another (or attempt to work with one another) until the post-merge portion of the game.

Immediately, Rachel felt threatened by the corporate lawyer, telling Mike, “I hit the merge beach, and I just see Genevieve, and I see the way she operates and the way she moves around. Every conversation, Genevieve is standing there and listening 90% of the time and talking 10% of the time and never giving anything away. I was like, ‘This woman walks into conversations, takes all of the information, absorbs it, and walks out, giving nothing away, and that is so dangerous.'”

According to Rachel, this is when her “anti-Genevieve campaign” began, telling her tribemates things like “Do you ever notice that she only listens to you">Now the only beef that needs to be squashed is between Kyle and Sue…

Nevertheless, to relive Rachel and Genevieve’s “pseudo-rivalry” from start to finish, you may stream the entirety of Survivor 47 — as well as the other 46 seasons of the show we know and love — now via Paramount Plus.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/that-is-so-dangerous-rachel-lamont-its-kickstarting-pseudo-rivalry-after-she-saw-real-threat-in-a-survivor-47-castaway/feed/ 0 1816760 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/i-think-i-could-do-this-survivor-47-winner-rachel-lamont-shares-how-her-upbringing-helped-her-win-it-all/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/i-think-i-could-do-this-survivor-47-winner-rachel-lamont-shares-how-her-upbringing-helped-her-win-it-all/#respond Wed, 25 Dec 2024 19:52:42 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816224 'For the first seven years of my life, I couldn't speak to my own grandfather.']]>

Survivor 47 winner Rachel LaMont is “one of the best overall players to compete” on the show according to longtime Survivor host Jeff Probst. That compliment is already enough of an accolade alone, but LaMont’s success on the show is made all the more impressive given how recently her Survivor journey began. 

LaMont was an exceptionally well-rounded competitor, playing both a strong social and physical game (not to mention her excellent hair braiding skills). Her prowess on the island makes it hard to believe she’s only been a Survivor fan for a few years. “I discovered Survivor in 2017 when my husband Derek randomly put it on the TV,” she told Entertainment Weekly. She found herself “immediately captivated by the game” and began researching how to become a player herself.

“I love people, I love pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I love games, and I love money. Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of Survivor!!” 

“And I feel like, from the start, it was just this idea of like, ‘I think I could do this.’ That’s really what got me hooked on Survivor,” she told Parade. She took action, submitting an audition tape and beginning the process to go from fan to Sole Survivor. After some back and forth with the show’s producers, including being named an alternate in season 46, she was finally chosen to be a bonafide competitor in Survivor 47.

When asked what life experiences helped her prepare for the game, she credited her upbringing with giving her the ability to blend in with any crowd. Though she lives in Michigan now, LaMont was born in Thailand and lived there until she was 7. “I was born in Bangkok, and I didn’t speak Thai growing up,” she told Parade. “And we moved to the US for my mom’s job from when I was seven. And so, for the first seven years of my life, I couldn’t speak to my own grandfather. He didn’t speak English, and I didn’t speak Thai or Chinese.” As a result, she learned how to communicate with people non-verbally and how to navigate different social situations at a young age. 

“… I moved to the US and didn’t understand US culture. So I feel like I just was forced to kind of learn to assimilate in in my own way from a really young age,” she shared. Growing up with two older sisters, LaMont felt “like I’ve always been around people that I didn’t actually fit in with, whether it was age or culturally or whatever … And I just feel like all of those things have just made me really able to kind of blend in with a group and just pick up on the vibe, and just be that vibe too.” 

Her multicultural background helped boost her social game and form alliances with other players, even if those friendships didn’t always make it onto our TV screen. Her stellar social game helped her bounce back when the early elimination of her tribemates caused her confidence to waver. It all paid off in the end, and LaMont was easily one of our favorites to watch play the game. Here’s hoping she returns for Survivor 50! 

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/i-think-i-could-do-this-survivor-47-winner-rachel-lamont-shares-how-her-upbringing-helped-her-win-it-all/feed/ 0 1816224 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/teeny-chirichillo-spills-the-tea-on-getting-drunk-and-going-a-little-overboard-throughout-survivor-47/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/teeny-chirichillo-spills-the-tea-on-getting-drunk-and-going-a-little-overboard-throughout-survivor-47/#respond Tue, 24 Dec 2024 21:31:23 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816106 Tipsy Teeny is the best Teeny.]]>

They might not have taken home the title of “Sole Survivor” nor the million-dollar check, but Teeny Chirichillo certainly showed fans a side of themselves that was 100% authentic throughout Survivor 47.

Teaching their tribemates the latest Gen Z lingo, throwing a temper tantrum over some spaghetti, and mocking the oh-so manly Sam Phalen (on numerous occasions), viewers saw the good, the bad, and the ugly of Teeny. The best part had to be seeing the New Jersey native’s love for wine translate onto our television screens.

After all, the 24-year-old got drunk off of red wine during seemingly every reward at the Survivor sanctuary, even spilling Genevieve Mushaluk’s biggest secret while under the influence. C’mon, Teeny!

Looking back at their Survivor journey, Teeny could not help but laugh at their antics while tipsy, reminiscing on some of their drunken moments while speaking with Entertainment Weekl‘s Dalton Ross.

When Dalton asked about all of the “unaired drunk Teeny footage” — which he deemed the “Teeny Tapes” — the freelance writer let out quite the chuckle, prior to itting they “don’t want the world to get their hands on those… there’s a lot left on the editing room floor, especially after the steak reward with Sue [Smey] and Genevieve.”

Teeny continued the conversation by sharing that they have no regrets about their intoxicated behavior on the beach:

“Before going on Survivor, I was like, ‘If I get the chance to get a little drunk on my favorite show in Fiji, I got to do it.’ Did I take it a little overboard? Yeah. Am I learning things from that as well? Absolutely. But seriously, it’s so funny to watch back… It was super funny, and I think it’s great that it’s a part of my little story on the show.”

Given the fact that Teeny has been described as “the Charlie Brown of the season” — as their gameplay, consisting of failure after failure, is reminiscent of the Peanuts character — having their love for wine be a part of their “little story on the show” certainly added some comedic relief.

To see Teeny’s Survivor journey from start to finish — drunkenness and all — you may stream the entirety of Survivor 47 via Paramount Plus as we speak. Spoiler alert: their untimely exit after the final four fire-making challenge is one for the Survivor history books…

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/teeny-chirichillo-spills-the-tea-on-getting-drunk-and-going-a-little-overboard-throughout-survivor-47/feed/ 0 1816106 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/a-new-lease-on-life-survivor-47-star-teeny-chirichillo-gives-a-major-update-to-their-ever-evolving-identity-journey/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/a-new-lease-on-life-survivor-47-star-teeny-chirichillo-gives-a-major-update-to-their-ever-evolving-identity-journey/#respond Tue, 24 Dec 2024 21:02:11 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816066 "I'm still figuring things out."]]>

If you tuned into Survivor 47, you may recall the beloved Teeny Chirichillo taking hit after hit as they progressed in their rather lackluster Survivor journey, simultaneously opening about some of their struggles with their identity.

Unsure where exactly they fit into today’s society — taking out some of their frustrations with masculinity and gender roles on runner-up Sam Phalen — the fourth place finisher has had a great deal of self-discovery since the show finished filming in the summer of 2023, recently giving a major update to their “ever evolving” identity journey in an exclusive interview with Entertainment Weekly.

According to Teeny, the 24-year-old is finally becoming more confident in themselves, telling reality television reporter Dalton Ross that they now identify as non-binary, using they/them pronouns as opposed to the she/her pronouns that they used throughout Survivor 47.

The New Jersey native also shared that they underwent top surgery earlier this year, which they described as an incredibly “liberating” experience. Teeny gushed:

“I got top surgery in September, so that has been just (no pun intended) a complete weight off my chest. It’s so liberating. It’s something that I’ve wanted for a really long time, and I think it’s given me a new lease on life in many ways. Having a body that I wasn’t always so comfortable in now feel more like home to me is incredible.”

After this transformation, Teeny has shared snaps of their first shirtless swim via social media, as well as the topless outfit that they wore to a Survivor 47 watch party in Los Angeles, California (matching their bestie boo, Sol Yi). Needless to say, we love to see the fan favorite castaway feeling comfortable in their own skin!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Teeny (@teenychilll)

Believe it or not, Teeny attributes their top surgery to their Survivor journey, itting in their exclusive interview, “the fact that I was so open about it out there [in Fiji] kind of allowed me to go into my life and bring that same sort of vulnerability.” The freelance writer continued:

“Some of the things that I talked about on the show were topics and things that I had never spoken about to people in my life. There’s people who I had opened up to, but there’s also people who I hadn’t, so I feel like I got this rare opportunity for everyone in my world to learn who I was while watching me do the thing that they know I’ve loved for so long.”

While Teeny has taken massive strides in their identity journey, they concluded the conversation by stating that they are “still figuring things out” day by day. They elaborated:

“It’s ever evolving for sure, but I can say that I’m still figuring things out, but I am proud to represent the genderqueer, non-binary people out there. I think there’s still a long road ahead for me, and I’m still in a very transitional state with all of it, and to have that sort of snapshot be forever in my Survivor experience is super special. Something I’m super grateful that was included and it’s awesome.”

Regardless, we are so proud of Teeny for being authentically themselves throughout their Survivor journey — tipsiness, tantrums, TikTok terminology, and all — and beyond. To relive said Survivor journey from start to finish, you may stream the entirety of Survivor 47 (as well as previous seasons of the show) as we speak via Paramount Plus.

Additionally, for updates regarding their life beyond the beach, you may connect with Teeny on Instagram @teenychill. After all, their content is truly a ten out of ten!

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/a-new-lease-on-life-survivor-47-star-teeny-chirichillo-gives-a-major-update-to-their-ever-evolving-identity-journey/feed/ 0 1816066 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/humbling-and-enlightening-one-survivor-47-castaway-describes-themselves-as-the-charlie-brown-of-the-season/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/humbling-and-enlightening-one-survivor-47-castaway-describes-themselves-as-the-charlie-brown-of-the-season/#respond Tue, 24 Dec 2024 19:54:09 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816056 After all, their gameplay was rather lackluster.]]>

Based on how Survivor 47 translated onto our television screens, despite becoming a fan favorite castaway, it is safe to say that Teeny Chirichillo found themselves getting kicked while they were down repeatedly during their time in Fiji. Did the edit properly show off their game, though?

Losing their closest allies time and time again — from Aysha Welch to Kishan Patel to Sol Yi — Teeny (somehow) managed to make it to the unprecedented two-part finale of Survivor 47, falling short of the Final Tribal Council after a final four fire-making challenge that will go down in the Survivor history books.

Despite dominating the challenge from the very beginning, some wind eventually caused Teeny’s fire to teeter, allowing their arch-nemesis, Survivor 47 runner-up Sam Phalen — who had never even made a fire before — to slide in for the victory, ultimately securing his seat at the Final Tribal Council. Getting their torch snuffed that fateful night, this was the final loss (of many) that Teeny took, becoming the final member of the Survivor 47 jury.

Using a reference from Survivor 43‘s Owen Knight, Teeny was undoubtedly “the Charlie Brown of the season,” getting the (figurative) football pulled out from under them any time they tried to make a big move. Delving into the details in an exclusive exit interview with Entertainment Weekly, see below for everything they had to say about their not-so successful Survivor 47 journey.

“Do you feel the edit properly showed off your game">“one of the best overall players to ever compete” by Survivor host Jeff Probst himself, chances are you will not regret it…

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/humbling-and-enlightening-one-survivor-47-castaway-describes-themselves-as-the-charlie-brown-of-the-season/feed/ 0 1816056 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/in-a-zombie-state-one-survivor-47-castaway-was-surprisingly-severely-sick-throughout-the-show/ https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/tv/in-a-zombie-state-one-survivor-47-castaway-was-surprisingly-severely-sick-throughout-the-show/#respond Tue, 24 Dec 2024 19:31:10 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.play1002.com/?p=1816043 After all, nobody wants to be ill on 'Survivor.']]>

Sue Smey might have made it all the way to the Final Tribal Council of Survivor 47 — with dirt on her face and all — but her journey on the Emmy Award-winning series was far from smooth sailing. After all, everyone on Survivor overcomes some sort of adversity, but Sue’s might have been the worst we’ve ever heard of…

Despite receiving no votes at the Final Tribal Council — finishing in third place after “Sole Survivor” Rachel LaMont and runner-up Sam Phalen — Sue had a rather impressive run on Survivor 47, winning an Individual Immunity Challenge (and becoming the oldest woman in Survivor history to do so), finding a Hidden Immunity Idol, and more.

In the first few days of the game, the 59-year-old thought that she was going to have to be medically evacuated, though, as she was “battling severe stomach issues” and “a relentless migraine” while on the Tuku tribe. Although it was not shown on our television screens, the New York native told Dalton Ross at Entertainment Weekly in in exclusive exit interview that “it was tough and incredibly worrisome, because the thought of being taken out of the game for something beyond [her] control was devastating.”

Despite her health struggles, Sue was not “taken out of the game,” making it all the way to day 26. Delving into the details later on in the interview, see below for what hardships Sue had to face to get to the Final Tribal Council of Survivor 47.

“I was severely sick,” the New York native prefaced, mentioning that after only a couple days of not eating in the early days of Survivor 47, she suffered from unbearable stomach cramps and vomiting. Poor Sue!

Believe it or not, it even impacted her performance in Immunity and Reward Challenges. Sue reminisced:

“I one of the other tribes, they saw me in the field throwing up, and then we had to go compete. I was severely sick and almost like in a zombie state for easily two days. It was really, really tough.”

Training for Survivor for months, the flight school owner was as devastated as can be, concerned that her chance at the title of “Sole Survivor” and the million-dollar prize was slipping through her fingers. She continued:

“My biggest fear was being taken out because of being sick or something, and my whole training was based on not getting injured. All these other people are training to build their muscles up and be a beast. I was training to not get injured. I was taking weighted vests and running four miles to strengthen my ts. I had a different mindset of ‘Don’t get injured,’ and that was my biggest fear. Being taken out of the game because of an injury or an illness.”

In the midst of her illness, though, Sue’s Tuku tribemates — consisting of Caroline Vidmar, Tiyana Hallums, Kyle Ostwald, Gabe Ortis, and TK Foster — showed her as much love and as possible, even throwing a birthday party for her daughter. Describing the moment as one of the highlights of her Survivor journey, the camaraderie that was built throughout Survivor 47 seriously warms our hearts!

While she did not emerge victorious, to see Sue slay Survivor from start to finish — and to see said camaraderie — the entirety of Survivor 47 is available to stream via Paramount Plus. With this new information, it’s safe to say that we will be rewatching the first few episodes to see if we can spot her sickness…

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