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Why ‘Survivor’s Boston Rob, Parvati Shallow and More Weren't Asked Back for 50th Season
A twist of fate sent Jason Treul on the journey of a lifetime.
While the Survivor season 49 contestant was unanimously voted off the island during the Oct. 22 episode of the CBS competition series, his elimination brought mixed emotions as he nearly didn’t get to play the game at all.
“I think that I have a unique thought on that—or not a unique thought, but a unique perspective—because the reason that I even get to play the game anyway is as an alternate,” he said in an interview with Men’s Journal published Oct. 23. “It’s out of my hands.”
The 32-year-old, along with Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu, were cast as alternate players before both being thrown in just 12 hours before the game officially kicked off, and the unexpected development seemed to prepare him for his short-lived gameplay.
“I was put on the show because of things outside of my control. I was taken off of the show by something that was a little outside of my control,” he continued. “I think that at least I’m playing the game.”
During the season premiere, Jason acknowledged his alternate status while formally meeting his fellow castaways, a moment he expected to be cut from the episode.
“That was my biggest point of anxiety before the premiere,” he revealed. “Not anything that happens on the island, but just like—am I allowed to talk about this really important experience that I had?”
“It was crazy that it happened. It was crazy that they even showed it,” he went on. “I was fully prepared to be like, ‘OK, this is something I can just kind of keep close to my chest and tell my friends.’ But no, I was so happy to see that that was told to everyone.”
Robert Voets/CBS
Jason and MC’s last-minute entry into the game followed the removal of two other players during the show’s sequester period, during which the cast is kept separated in preparation for the season.
“The rules are you cannot talk to each other, for obvious reasons,” Jeff said on his On Fire with Jeff Probst podcast in September. “And in this season, season 49, we had two players who were disrespecting that rule. They just kept talking.”
After being warned about their conduct by producers, the original players were ultimately removed for reaching a “level of disrespect” worthy of disqualification.
“Candidly, the decision was made in that moment to immediately remove those two players from the game and replace them with our alternates,” Jeff shared, adding, “We value the integrity of the game more than anything.”
For more on the cast of Survivor season 49, keep reading.
Robert Voets/CBS
Kimberly “Annie” Davis
Age: 49
Hometown: Portland, Ore.
Current Residence: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Musician
Robert Voets/CBS
Steven Ramm
Age: 35
Hometown: Littleton, Colo.
Current Residence: Denver, Colo.
Occupation: Rocket scientist
Robert Voets/CBS
Kristina Mills
Age: 36
Hometown: Houston, Texas
Current Residence: Edmond, Okla.
Occupation: MBA career coach
Robert Voets/CBS
Nicole Mazullo
Age: 26
Hometown: Long Island, N.Y.
Current Residence: Philadelphia, Pa.
Occupation: Financial crime consultant
Robert Voets/CBS
Jawan Pitts
Age: 28
Hometown: Salem, N.J.
Current Residence: Los Angeles, Calif.
Occupation: Video editor
Robert Voets/CBS
Sophie Segreti
Age: 31
Hometown: Darnestown, Md.
Current Residence: New York City, N.Y.
Occupation: Strategy associate
Robert Voets/CBS
Jeremiah Ing
Age: 39
Hometown: Windsor, Ontario
Current Residence: Toronto, Ontario
Occupation: Global events manager
Robert Voets/CBS
Matt Williams
Age: 52
Hometown: Farmington, Utah
Current Residence: St. George, Utah
Occupation: Airport ramp agent
Robert Voets/CBS
Shannon Fairweather
Age: 28
Hometown: Wakefield, Mass.
Current Residence: Boston, Mass.
Occupation: Wellness specialist
Robert Voets/CBS
Jake Latimer
Age: 36
Hometown: Regina, Saskatchewan
Current Residence: St. Albert, Alberta
Occupation: Correctional officer
Robert Voets/CBS
Jason Treul
Age: 32
Hometown: Anaheim, Calif.
Current Residence: Santa Ana, Calif.
Occupation: Law clerk
Robert Voets/CBS
Savannah Louie
Age: 31
Hometown: Walnut Creek, Calif.
Current Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Occupation: Former reporter
Robert Voets/CBS
Nate Moore
Age: 47
Hometown: Clovis, Calif.
Current Residence: Hermosa Beach, Calif.
Occupation: Film producer
Robert Voets/CBS
Sophi Balerdi
Age: 27
Hometown: Miami, Fla.
Current Residence: Miami, Fla.
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Robert Voets/CBS
Michelle “MC” Chukwujekwu
Age: 29
Hometown: Sachse, Texas
Current Residence: San Diego, Calif.
Occupation: Fitness trainer
Robert Voets/CBS
Sage Ahrens-Nichols
Age: 30
Hometown: Roxboro, N.C.
Current Residence: Olympia, Wash.
Occupation: Clinical social worker
Robert Voets/CBS
Alex Moore
Age: 27
Hometown: Evanston, Ill.
Current Residence: Washington, D.C.
Occupation: Political comms director
Robert Voets/CBS
Rizo Velovic
Age: 25
Hometown: Yonkers, N.Y.
Current Residence: Yonkers, N.Y.
Occupation: Tech sales
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