Survivor Island of the Idols cast assessment: Dean Kowalski is balling
Dean Kowalski shares interesting similarities to last season’s winner Chris Underwood, but can he avoid being an early boot on Survivor: Island of the Idols?
On first glance, Dean might look like a typical alpha male, but that stereotype might fit better with another player on his tribe. Dean is a 28-year-old from New York City who currently works in sales for a tech company. Similar to last season’s Sole Survivor, Dean has a commission-based sales background.
That skill of persuasion will definitely come in handy for Dean, but that wasn’t his main selling point. As we see in his CBS bio, Dean prides himself on being a well-rounded person. He has the ability to be a strong social player, do well physically but understands when to lay back.
Out of the twenty castaways, Dean was the only one to emphasize self-awareness as a reason for succeeding on Survivor. More often than not, we see castaways say bold comments or make rash decisions without thinking how they’re portraying themselves. That’s what separates Dean from that alpha male archetype.
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His humble, realistic attitude will help him to come across as an authentic person. He doesn’t seem the type of player to scramble or panic, and maintaining that cool persona can help Dean mesh with the tribe early. He also has a good sense of humor, as seen in his hilarious and well-done audition video which you can watch below.
On top of being wise and conscious of the game he’s playing, Dean has the athleticism to win challenges. He had success playing basketball throughout high school and college and still keeps up with the sport. So although he might not look as ripped as Aaron Meredith, he’ll still be a force in challenges.
I think Dean’s down to earth personality will help him to avoid being that first or second boot. However, he still looks like a player that can pose a threat, so it’s essential for him to build a strong alliance early. If he’s too laid back, I could see someone else on his tribe taking charge and snuffing his torch before the merge.
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However, if Dean can survive the merge with numbers, watch out. His quiet intelligence definitely gives off the vibe of a potential winner. Watching Dean’s early interactions will be a good indicator of whether or not his social attitude is a winning one.