Since Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans is poised to be a landmark season, observers of the beloved reality show have had a lot to say about virtually everything that is known about it. Most notably, viewers have expressed many opinions about the aspects of Survivor 50 that fans got to vote on and who CBS and Jeff Probst decided to cast for the upcoming all-star season. Similarly, there have been several former players who've also expressed opinions about the 2026 season.
A memorable veteran of the show commented about the upcoming season. After he won Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X, competed on Survivor: Winners at War, and created his audition coaching business, Adam Klein recently joined the conversation. During the discussion, Klein explained why he thinks Angelina Keeley's Survivor 50 potential is being underestimated.
Adam Klein thinks Angelina Keeley is a major threat to win Survivor 50
Klein was asked if he thought any of Survivor 50's players were a threat to win because they are underestimated by fans and likely by their tribemates. Without missing a beat, the former winner explained why he thinks that Angelina Keeley could win Survivor 50.
Since she became Survivor: David vs. Goliath's second runner-up, many fans have known Angelina most for three moments. The most memorable moments from Keeley's first time playing were her pleading for Natalie Cole's jacket, her rice negotiation with Probst, and her climbing a ladder while inebriated.
Klein explained his opinion that if Keeley's fellow Survivor 50 players focus on those moments, they will miss that she is a threat because of her supreme intelligence and social skills.
"I think that people, when they think of Angelina, just like people would think of me and my mom and maybe that being why I won and whatever, they think of the jacket, they think of the negotiation, they think of some of you know the hijinks from David vs. Goliath.
"But what I think about when I think of Angelina is, I think of somebody who was student body president at Stanford University, who has served on boards, and started her own business, and is extremely smart and ambitious and super social. I think that there's so much to her that that most people haven't seen. I think it could give her an advantage if they're focused on the jackets and that sort of thing, then they may be surprised with how strategic and social she is."
To Klein's point, it is an understatement to say that Keeley has led an impressive life. As her LinkedIn page shows, Keeley got a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from Yale University. She also founded a non-profit called Miss Limitless, which seeks to "close the gender gap in elected office," and JoyBabe Studio, a company that provides services to expecting parents.
Klein was also right that Keeley was Stanford University's Student Body President. However, he left out the fact that she served as Stanford University's Assistant Director & Program Manager for its Office of Alcohol Policy & Education.
Anyone who watches Klein speak about Survivor should instantly recognize how knowledgeable he is, how intelligent he is, and that he understands the social aspects of the games extremely well.
For all those reasons, his observations about Keeley's immense Survivor 50 potential should be taken very seriously. On top of that, Keeley's truly incredible life of achievements make it clear that anyone who doesn't respect her is making a huge mistake.