Survivor: Ozzy Lusth talks Winners at War and his Survivor gameplay
Survivor legend Ozzy Lusth spoke with Rob Cesternino on RHAP where he shared his thoughts on Winners at War and revealed some cool stories from his own seasons.
With all of the legendary Survivor castaways in Winners at War, it can be easy to forget about some of the all-time greats that didn’t win the big one. Ozzy Lusth is known more for his innate physical ability than anything, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that he is the only player to make the merge four times! Not even Boston Rob, Parvati or Sandra could match that feat. He recently spoke with Rob Cesternino on RHAP and gave Survivor fans an awesome podcast. Here are some of the highlights from that conversation.
How he first got on Survivor
Ozzy was a fan of the show from the first season, and he really wanted to be on it but knew that he was legally too young to come out. Time went by and he moved to LA where his roommate had some profitable connections. He informed Ozzy that the Survivor casting team was looking for specific ethnicities, including Latinos, for their upcoming season. Ozzy was interested, and after making a quick video and getting his friend to hook him up, he was talking with casting and landed himself a spot on Cook Islands!
Believes someone on the Edge could win season 40
Switching gears to his take on Winners at War, Ozzy has been loving this landmark season so far. He was thrilled by Denise’s huge move earlier in the season and enjoys the idea of the Edge of Extinction having a strategic element to it. As an experienced veteran at finding ways to get back into the game, Ozzy sees the value of the Edge as a player but still prefers the smaller group mentality from Redemption Island.
He also brought out an awesome point about Sarah’s game. Losing her cool with Tony might have looked like an emotional relapse on Sarah’s part, but Ozzy saw it as a great way to keep Tony in check. It just so happened that after Sarah basically threatened their friendship, Tony told her about his idol, so she knows what she’s doing.
Survivor regrets
It was nice hearing how open Ozzy was about his past performances. He admitted that his biggest weakness has been letting his heart override his instincts. In Micronesia, he was so confident in the relationships he built with Amanda, Parvati, and Cirie, that he didn’t even bother bringing his Hidden Immunity Idol to Tribal Council on his final night.
Ozzy told Cesternino that if he listened to his gut and brought his idol to Tribal, he would have played it because he felt the blindside looming. Imagine how different Micronesia would have been if Ozzy saved himself that night! He also regrets going along with the plan to take Ami Cusak, because he realizes that she was a genuine player that could have helped him out in the long run.
Ozzy sheds light on that unprecedented Cook Islands scene
One of the reasons why Cook Islands was such an awesome season was the fact that it was filled with totally unexpected moments. From Billy’s crush on Candice, to the shocking mutiny, to a hilarious fire-making challenge, Cook Islands was a wild ride from start to finish. Perhaps the most bizarre moment of all happened when Ozzy and two of his tribe members actually rowed all the way to the other tribe’s island!
Ozzy explained that he just wanted to explore and look for more food. So Cao Boi, Jessica “Flicka” Smith, and himself decided to row out to a nearby island. Production didn’t interfere with them at all, as the island they ended up traveling to was actually the home of the other tribe! Ozzy still can’t believe that the producers let them do that. He did wish he actually took that time to bond with some of the Rarotonga members including Nate and Parvati.
Why is he always wearing camo?
Rob asked Ozzy how his iconic camo look came to be. He revealed that it wasn’t the producers that pushed for it, but it was simply what he thought would be practical in an island environment. Being able to camouflage with surroundings crossed Ozzy’s mind, so he decided to wear camo and it has stuck ever since.
Would he return for a fifth time?
There is no doubt that Ozzy would play again if he gets the chance. Throughout this podcast, Ozzy would mention “if production gives me a call”, so he’s just waiting for that fifth opportunity. He’s still busy surfing and skating, as well as running triathlons to keep himself in shape and ready for another trip to Fiji.