Boston Rob Mariano is one of the most infamous players in Survivor history. Having played the game 5 times, acted as a coach in another, and even written a book on his experience, he clearly knows a lot about the intricacies of the game we all love. As one of the true legends of the game, when he speaks, fans tend to listen.
While some fans may consider Boston Rob overrated, and perhaps he is in some ways, you can't take away the experience he has had in the game. He has made some of his opinions on Survivor 50 known, like many other players and fans have already. While nothing he shared was as earth-shattering as other players, he did have thoughts on how the season would go down.
In his mind, one player specifically may have an off-island protection plan in place that keeps them protected. Is he right, and how will it play out?
Mike White has the White Lotus connection that players dream of
Mike White, originally from Survivor: David vs. Goliath, is making his return to Survivor on the milestone 50th season. Since playing years ago, his hit show, The White Lotus, has blown up in popularity and won multiple Emmys.
It is his role as writer and director of this massive hit that Boston Rob thinks could be Mike's greatest asset. Boston Rob believes it was smart casting on the part of CBS to bring Mike White in, given his show's popularity. But he also believes Mike can leverage that in the game, given his history of casting previous Survivor players into cameo appearances in his show.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Boston Rob had some advice for White and those playing with him.
“Because obviouslyWhite Lotus is, you know, on everybody's mind right now. And from a strategy point of view, who's going to want to vote him out? Everybody's going to be wanting a cameo in the nextWhite Lotus. So if I were him, I would be dangling that up there.”
In the past, Mike has referenced his wealth and fame as a hindrance to his winning and even chance at getting cast again. “You know, had it been just the title of Survivor winner, it would have been easy to fight for it,” White said in an Entertainment Weekly interview in 2021. “But because it was about money and a lot of those people… For me, a million dollars is still a lot of money, but it’s not transformative. It wouldn’t be transformative like it is for some other people.”
His thoughts clearly changed, but will his financial success still be a problem for him? One would think so, but perhaps his connections can protect him as Boston Rob suggests.
Survivor 50 has caused many controversies and criticisms from former players and fans alike, mainly because of who was not selected for the cast. That said, the season still sets up to be fantastic, with a cast of exciting players and personalities. It will be very interesting how Mike factors into this mix, as a player who added humor but strategically was more on the sidelines. Will he shake up his gameplay for the season? We will find out soon enough!
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