40. Stephen Fishbach (Tocantins, Cambodia)
Stephen Fishbach might just be the best runner-up in Survivor history for what he was able to accomplish in Tocantins. Unfortunately, he crashed and burned a bit near the end and his biggest mistake was not taking out “the golden boy” J.T., who beat him unanimously at the final tribal council.
Fishbach was voted to participate in Cambodia and was the first player to utilize the Steal-a-Vote advantage. Unfortunately, he went home at that same tribal council.
Be that as it may, we saw how J.T. did in future seasons without Fishbach, so he might have been a bigger help to J.T. than we previously thought.
39. Kelley Wentworth (San Juan Del Sur, Cambodia, Edge of Extinction)
Kelley Wentworth has such a unique story because she went out pre-merge on San Juan Del Sur and normally would be someone we’d forget about a few seasons later. Instead, she was an option to vote for on the Cambodia cast and was selected.
People must have known there was potential there and she proved that. Her idol play in Cambodia that ended up resulting in Savage going home is still one of the most memorable blindsides to this day and we can all still hear “Wentworth, will not count” in our heads.
Wentworth returned for a third time in Edge of Extinction, but that cast wasn’t letting a returnee win, so she was voted out with an idol in her pocket. I adore Wentworth and her performance in Cambodia was a blast to watch. I’m so glad pre-merge boots are now eligible to return because otherwise, we’d never have had the legendary Kelley Wentworth return.