Yes, Mary Zheng heard about David Kinne’s standing ovation as she was exiting tribal council in Survivor 48 episode 11, "Coconute Etiquette," and she has nothing but positive things to say about the unexpected moment.
After Mary was voted out unanimously in the most recent Survivor 48 episode, fans and players alike were both shocked and amused by David seemingly standing in solidarity with his former ally. While Mary didn’t initially see the moment take place, the gesture did provide some unanticipated comfort after she had just lost $1 million.
Here's what Mary told Parade about David's standing ovation in her exit interview:
“I wanted to cry out of sadness when I got voted out. And I did not expect that I would be crying out of f–king laughter at David standing up. I had heard about that moment. Honestly, I did not see that when it was happening. I was out of body when it was all going down”
While this episode itself has been panned for ending with a predictable boot, it was David’s unprecedented standing ovation that has got the fans talking. As a member of the jury, David is expected to observe silently, with little facial expressions to give away his thoughts on what is occurring.
It appears that no one told the jury that standing was off the table, as David had no reservations showing appreciation for the fifth juror of Survivor 48. Other jurors, such as Cedrek McFadden and Star Toomey, have also given their thoughts on experiencing this moment in real time.
After the episode, Cedrek shared his thoughts about David's behavior at Tribal Council on Twitter.
When you’re filming Survivor, there’s no background music. At first, it takes some getting used to—on TV, you’re used to the drums, the suspense, the music telling you how to feel. Out there? Nothing.
— Cedrek McFadden, MD (@cedrekmd) May 8, 2025
So when something like this happens at Tribal, it’s full, echoing silence. No… pic.twitter.com/H25gPPWED8
Star, who was seated right behind David and was clearly not trying to laugh the whole time,gave her thoughts on the moment in fewer words with a tweet of her own, saying: “Somebody tell this man to sit tf down I’m trying so hard not to laugh #Survivor48”.
In an effort to not spoil the ultimate outcome of the season, the Survivor 48 players will likely not get to share their full thoughts on the players currently active in the game for a few more weeks. The finale of Survivor 48 will air on Wednesday, May 21, at 8 p.m. ET on CBS and Paramount+, where Mary and seven other jurors will vote on the winner of the season.
Stay tuned for more news about Survivor 48!