Easily one of the most memorable Survivor players ever, Jerri Manthey was such a big deal that she was inducted into the Survivor Hall of Fame in 2015. Despite how notorious she is and how close she came to winning her final season, Jerri was notably cut from the cast for Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans. After she learned that she wouldn't be competing during the upcoming season, Jerri says she is done playing Survivor.
During the three seasons Jerri competed in, she played alongside Colby Donaldson, a competitor who is believed to be one of the most physical players in Survivor history. Since Colby was chosen to compete during Survivor 50, that means they almost played together for the fourth time. According to Jerri, her former tribemate clearly knew that because she says that Colby tried to pregame with her before filming for Survivor 50 started filming.
Jerri Manthey says Colby Donaldson tried to make a Survivor 50 pregame deal
During a conversation with TheThings, the Survivor icon stated that Colby Donaldson tried to pregame with her before Survivor 50 began filming. Furthermore, Jerri addressed Colby directly in case he saw the interview and told him that she never needed him.
"I know that Colby called me multiple times trying to convince me that I needed him in order to get through the series, which I thought was hilarious. And Colby, if you're listening, you know what? Jump in the lake, dude. I don't need you. I never did."
From there, Jerri addressed the relationship she had with Colby after the three times that they played together. As Jerri explained, she walked away from the final time they played together, recognizing that Colby didn't have any interest in being friends with her in a meaningful and lasting way.
"I kind of feel like the last time I played with them, we got to a different place in our relationship. Where I just, I can see very clearly what he was doing, basically just trying to use me to get further in the game, which is fine. That's what we're all out there for. But I didn't ever look into it more than it was. I don't think that he had any intention of creating a friendship that was going to last our lifetime or anything. And so I just didn't put much more thought into it."
Given the context of the state of their relationship, Jerri explained that she found Colby's attempts to pregame before Survivor 50 to be very frustrating.
"For him to reach out to me before 50 and call me multiple times, basically trying to convince me that I needed him in order to get further in the game was quite frankly, a little infuriating and condescending and right on track with the way he's always been. Over the course of the time that I've known him, he has not changed a single bit, whereas I have evolved, and I am in a different place."
In addition to talking about Colby's attempts to build a pregame alliance with her Jerri made it clear that he wasn't the only one who was trying to make moves before the game began. Without being specific, Jerri told TheThings that she had heard about other Survivor 50 players also trying to pregame.
"I've heard some chatter amongst people who weren't on it in terms of people reaching out, trying to create alliances before they got out there."
Given what Jerri said about Colby pregaming before Survivor 50, it is fascinating that she wasn't cast as part of the landmark season. After all, not only is Jerri one of the most memorable Survivor players ever, she is also fearless enough to be forthright when weaker people would have remained silent. If that isn't a recipe for an interesting Survivor player, nothing is.