“Survivor 50” contestants, Jeff Probst on historic finale, live TV mistake and their strategies
to the epic finale of season 50 of our hit CBS series Survivor, capped off with a record setting grand prize. Now, this is a spoiler alert, so I’m going to give you a second if you haven’t seen it. 11 1 2 Okay, roll the tape. The winner of Survivor 50, Audrey. That’s right. It was Abby Broco who was crowned the winner and sole Survivor after playing four seasons in the game.
So, let’s go back to Gail in Los Angeles. Gail, good morning again. Good morning again, Nate. I just have a confession to make. Nate, I overslept this morning. That never happens to me. I slept through all of my snoozes. Hair and makeup was banging on the door. Didn’t hear that. The phone rang. It was a hotel saying, “Miss King, are you all right?” You know, you’re instantly wide awake. So, I am wide awake now.
And we made it on time. I am happy to say. I knew you’d want to know about that. And I I see you in your Marie gold yellow. I like that too. I like that too. The finale was last night. What did you say? I just said thank you. Thank you for the compliment. Yes, you look great. The finale was last night, but you can still feel the excitement.
I am wide awake and on fire this morning. I am so excited about this. This season featured the return of fan favorite contestants over the past 25 years. So, the contestants were trying to win not one but $2 million. That was one of this season’s twist. Many that were voted on by people like you, the fans. Roll tape. 24 former castaways arrived on the beaches of Fiji.
Welcome to Survivor 50. Hoping to survive 26 days. It was a season full of twists. It’s the Billy Isish Boomerang Idol. It comes with a twist and turns. Because tonight, not one, not two, but three players will have their torches snuffed. Wow. Including one that wasn’t quite planned. Anyway, Rizzo, you become the final member of our jury.
Yep, that was true. Rizzo was a final member of the jury. But talk about the spoiler alert. going to figure out what just happened. They didn’t show the fire. Fire hasn’t happened yet. TV host Jeff Propes unintentionally revealed that key detail before the challenge had aired.
Jeff took the mixup in stride. Instead, we did a Survivor twist. It’s the last twist of the season. We called it a peak into the future. So, now we’re going to watch Rizzo lose in fire to Jonathan. Once they were finally down to three castaways, you’re all competing for the best story. One of you is going to win.
What is that story? They had to plead their case to the jury. When people watch me, they know one thing about it. Joe was always willing to be vulnerable. That’s going to be my legacy. I did my homework. I did everything that I was supposed to do. I worked on my speaking. I worked on my puzzles. I worked on my balance.
I just want to show people that it doesn’t matter who you are, your brain, bra, your beauty. If you believe in yourself, you can outlast more than you ever thought you could. But only one would outwit, outplay, and outlast them all. The winner of Survivor 50, Aubrey. And that is Aubrey Broco, who earned eight of the 11 jury votes, beating Jonathan Young and Joe Hunter.
Incredible performance. This season, the 40-year-old secured her spot in the final by winning the last immunity challenge, her first of the season. What a performance. What a challenge. It was a long time coming for the fourtime survivor contestant. She started her survivor journey as a member of the Brains tribe back in season 32.
That was 10 years ago. Aubrey making a lot of progress for the Brains. And fell just short of winning. I’ve come in second place. Gone deep scrapping. Flopped really hard with an idol in my pocket. And I came back and I was more intuitive. I trusted myself. I moved differently. You go, Aubrey.
Jonathan got second place, receiving three votes with Joe receiving none of the votes last night. Aubrey isn’t the only one walking away with the money. The SEO award, you know, the singer CIA is given to one of the castaways every season. Normally, the singer gives her favorite contestant $100,000.
But this year, fans voted who would win the money, and they chose Serei Fields. Every time Serene’s name was called, the crowd went crazy. They love this woman. She was also presented with a one-time spirit of survivor award that Jeff pointed out had just been made by their art department. Also beautiful and she was very very very touched by that. Uh back to you guys in New York.
But you know when I walked in I saw CIA in the audience cuz she said, “Gail, it’s me CIA.” She didn’t have on her Seia face, but I know her so I recognized her. I said, “What are you doing?” She goes, “I’m making a very special presentation tonight.” I didn’t know what it was and that was it. The winner of Survivor 50, Aubrey.
And there she is. That’s the moment that Aubrey Broco beat out the 23 other castaways and was crowned winner and soul survivor of Survivor 50 in the hands of the fans. Joining us now first on CBS Mornings is the lovely Aubrey. I call her now Madam Champion. Hello. Along with the other Final Five castaways. That’s Tiffany. That’s Rizzo.
That’s Joe. That’s Jonathan. And of course, we’re so glad you guys are here. Survivor host and executive producer Jeff Fos, of course, is here. Aubrey, we’re going to talk to you in two seconds, but Jeff, we’ve got to start with you after last night because you seem just as surprised as all of us were when right before the final fire challenge happened and you shut down.
What was what happened? Well, here’s the I mean, you know this world, but what’s happening when you’re doing a Survivor finale is two things. You’re running the show, the episode, and then we’re doing these live hits where I come out and I talk to one of the players. I’m not watching the show.
I’m backstage getting ready for my funny question with Rizzo about if only he had practiced firemaking. So, I come out. We’re all set up on the stage. We’ve got an empty seat for Rizzo. I don’t think anything’s weird. It wasn’t until I started talking to Rizzo about losing in fire that I I I’m telling you, we have,200 people here.
I could collectively feel the energy go to an emoji like this. YES, THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED. THAT IS what happened. Yes. But I don’t know what’s happening. And I’m looking down and I see D on the end saying I still don’t know. So what happened? I’m still not sure. You know, we have a big team.
Mistakes happen, but we just got ahead of ourselves. Yeah. And none of us saw it. But nobody saw it. No. Rizzo even told me later. He goes, I was standing next to you going, I don’t know why he’s going to send me over to the jury. I haven’t even lost yet. So, live TV. But can I just say this, Jeff? And I’m not just saying it just because you’re here.
I thought you handled it so brilliantly because you came on and said, “Look, this is what happened. So, now what we’re going to do is this. You just told the truth and we just moved on.” But you were so good in how you did it. Oh, thanks. You do. It’s live. Well, you’d be surprised that I love live TV, but that’s why some people go, “Oh, we screwed up.” Da da da da.
It was a screw. But you pivoted and you handled it brilliantly. So, I’ll just listen. I was taking notes again. If that happens to me, I’m going to do what he did. But Aubrey, congratulations. Congratulations. I took so many notes on you because during when you were playing, you said you want people to know you mean business.
This is a game of social politics. But what did it mean? Because you’ve been here before where you did not win. Yes. You look like you were having an out-of- body experience. I am always having an out-of- body experience on Survivor. Jeff can attest. But I mean, it’s been 10 years in the making.
Three days ago was 10 years since the finale of Corong. I came up just short. You always taste it when you get that. Always taste. Did you think you were going to win last night? Cuz I I thought you were going to win after you did your when you’re doing your plea to the jury. Then I thought, “Okay, she’s got it.” Before I thought it was going to be Jonathan, but after that, I thought she’s got What did you think? Well, I mean, yeah, I was I knew it was a contest.
You could tell they were fighting, all three of them, and the jury gave them opportunities to fight. The other side of this I think that’s interesting is you look at Jonathan sitting right next to Aubrey who gets three votes. Three people thought you should win the game, but he didn’t. And so that is the the stakes of Survivor are that one person wins and that’s it.
And that’s a hard that’s hard. That’s hard for you. Joe was the second time. I thought you had the best line of the night when you were helping Rizzo build a fire showing him. You said, you know, I think everybody should have a sword. It was such a tender moment when you were helping him. What are your thoughts about last night for you? You know, honestly, I and I can’t tell Jeff this enough and Survivor in general that it really did save my life and just going through the trauma of different things with my sister and and the real
reason why I came on Survivor and they were kind enough to let me play this wonderful game. I’m indebted to them. And so, uh, there’s no such thing as getting third. And if you think that’s losing, uh, you haven’t lived my life. So that’s winning being with him in this entire production. Yeah.
And then Rizzo, listen, Rizzo, I was a little judgy about you. Can I confess guys, this is the first time I’ve watched a Survivor season. My son, favorite son’s into it, favorite daughter-in-law, they are into it. But because we were doing such a big deal, I started watching. You get invested SO QUICKLY AND YOU MAKE SO MANY JUDGMENTS SO QUICKLY. So I was all in.
And RZ, I was like, “God, I don’t know about this RZ god guy. He’s kind of annoying. But then, but then last night, the plea that you said when you said, “How can you be so good and be so bad at the same time? My heart just opened up for you, Rizzo.” Yeah. Tell me about this season for you. Um, it’s been a dream come true, Gail.
Ever since I was an 8-year-old kid, I’ve wanted to play this game. In the last calendar year has been unreal for me. I went from being on the couch to now being here talking to you on the biggest season of all time. Me and Jeff are friends now and I never thought I’d say that. Um, so obviously I never thought you’d say that.
I never thought I’d say that. And falling short twice obviously sucks, but to know that I’m a part of history, uh, is something that I wear as a badge of honor. I know, Rizzo. I feel I’m part of history, too. But I love what you said to him, but now somebody’s watching you, Jeff, when you said somebody’s watching you, Rizzo, who’s eight years old.
Yeah. Yeah, it’s true. I mean, that’s where it, you know, it goes all the way back to like Stephanie and Aussie and Boston Rob and Colby and all those people that we’ve watched and as you’re a kid, you think I could be and there was somebody like there’s somebody what I loved about I just want to hit Jonathan in because I feel like you didn’t get enough credit for changing your game so dramatically.
And I don’t I just want you to hear that because I know it’s hard. Thank you. But dude, you played a great game. And there are there’s a young Jonathan somewhere dressing like you. Like No, there is. There is. I know. Jonathan, I’m going to start dressing like you. Come on. I’m thinking Jonathan looks pretty buff.
He works out. I like it. Tiffany, you were so fun to watch because you really wore your emotions on your seat. When you were pissed, but when you were irritated, we could clearly tell that you were angry. Yes. I mean, I felt all you guys I felt brought your authenticelves to this game.
Tell tell me about what your emotions you were thinking. You know, it’s so hard to regulate your emotions when you’re playing a game like Survivor. You’re hungry, you’re tired, you’re giving your literal blood, sweat, and tears into these challenges. And I look at Survivor like an athletic competition. I love this game so much. It’s so hard not to get emotionally invested.
And above all else, we’re passionate. And it’s so difficult not for that passion to ooze out of my pores when something’s going on or whether things are going good. And you knew I could win the game. You had a Yeah, Tiffany, your passion oozed all over us. We’re going to go to break, but I’m telling you, I so understand this game in a way that I haven’t before.
I thought I could play it. No, I cannot. Welcome to the I cannot play it. Rush. Great. Joe drops. IT’S OVER. AUBREY HAS WON her first individual immunity, guaranteed a spot in the final three of Survivor 50. What a performance. I know there’s Aubrey. That’s a pivotal moment that Aubrey Broco won the final four immutating challenge that got her to the finale where, as you saw last night, she was crowned the winner of Survivor 50 in the hands of the fans.
So, we’re joined once again by Survivor host and superstar executive produc producer. That would be Jeff Rose, of course. And the final five castaways. Tiffany, I want her dress. Rizzo, Joe, Jonathan, Madame Champion. I’m all choked up talking about you. But now is the time. We’ve been waiting for it, Jeff, to present the check, Aubrey.
I’m not sure this cash is at an actual bank, but it’s good. $2 million. Congratulations. Well earned. Nothing is easier. Thank you. Thanks for believing in me, Jeff. Yes. And I love that it’s signed by Jeff, too. I do, too. And it’s from the Bank of Survivor 50. Very official. We all We all have accounts there. But in addition to the $2 million, you also Where did the car idea came from? I thought that was nice.
We thought the car Toyota jumped on board and said, “We’d like to be a part of that.” And we haven’t given a car away in so long. So, it seemed like a perfect partnership with Toyota. Yeah. So cool. So great. So, what was that moment like? Oh my gosh. I felt like I was on the Prices Right.
I was sprinting back there. My family didn’t know what was going on. I felt like I could lick the tires. They were so clean and beautiful. Yeah. And will you We can sit, Patty. Okay. All right. Yeah. Will you leave that big Survivor logo on it? I think I might want to for a few years at least. Can I go back to one of my favorite moments where where the family came where the family comes? Is that something you always do? No.
We used to do it a lot and we haven’t done it in quite a while and we thought we were throwing everything we could at them. We thought, you know what we haven’t done is the very last moment before they have to go make their case to the jury. Let’s give him a little boost. Jonathan, you you tugged at my heart where you go, that’s my brother.
That’s my brother. You were so glad to see him. He was dressed like Mario. He was hard to miss. He had Mario hat and everything. It was really good to see my family cuz Why was that so special for you? Because to me it seemed very emotional for you. It was more than just seeing your brother. I didn’t have a good relationship with my mom and dad and I didn’t get many letters.
So knowing that my mom and dad told my brother that they loved me and that they were cheering for me, it meant a lot. Oh wow. Okay, Joe, for you. I love how you go, is that my lovely is that my tall wife? And I thought that’s kind of a thing to say. Then when she stood up, I went, oh, I see why you said that.
Yeah. Well, yeah. I mean, most people hold hands with their loved ones like this. I hold hands like this when she’s 6’4 barefoot. So, um, in those moments like Jonathan had said that, um, and Aubrey, you know, showed as well, um, there’s nothing like that. I mean, Jeff’s great and everybody’s great out there, but seeing that changes your life.
I mean, we’re so fortunate to have that. It was awesome. Yeah. And Rizzo, for you, what does this mean to you? What will you take away from this? Because I didn’t realize you were 49 to 50. You had how many days before you went? Nine days in between. Wow. That is crazy. It it destroys a player to go to the end physically, emotionally, and mentally, and to turn around and do it again in this group with all these players.
Yeah. I I said it to you, Jeff, out there, but 50 out of the last 59 days up in that point was me living on a jungle playing Survivor against, you know, 40 different castaways. So, to know that I made it to the end and being a part of this monster season is a dream come true.
And Tiffany, you seem to in the end, I actually thought it was going to be Tiffany before you were before you were voted up. Did you think it was going to be you, too? I absolutely thought it was going to be Yes. Yes. You don’t play a game like Survivor 50 coming in not thinking you’re going to be the winner. But Tiffany, at the last at the very last thing you said, I know I’m going off, so I’m just going to get some things off my chest.
Yeah. And then I thought, you’re going so hard. If I was one of the voters, I go, well, she knows she going, so okay. T I F A N Y. But you made a point of you really wanted to Were you trying to square some things? What were you thinking? I was I had a lot that was going through my head that day.
But most of all, I I did know I was going home. Why did you hear that? Why did you know that? They told me. Nobody. But people lie on this show, Tiffany. Oh, I knew they weren’t lying about that. The episode before they all tried to team up to get me out. I knew it was not a joke. I knew I was going home. And at the end of the day, like you said, I wear my emotions on my sleeve.
So, I’m like, I’m going to just get a couple things off my chest and then I’m going to go do my job as a juror and make sure that, you know, we end the season strong. That’s why it’s very important to make friends along the way. You had said, Aubrey, nobody uh deserves it. You have to earn it, but you also have to make friends along the way.
That’s why I see having friends in that jury really makes a difference, doesn’t it, Jeff? Absolutely. I mean, it’s ultimately a game of social politics. And the big twist to Survivor is you’re getting rid of people that then in the end you have to persuade to give you $2 million. That’s a tough thing to do. Yeah. Do you feel you didn’t make enough friends? Oh, not at all.
I think I had too many friends. I think that’s why I was voted out because I was friends with everybody on the jury. And I think that is a part of what makes you a threat. And Tiff is a great example of something we talk about from the producing side, which is we designed the game so that the better you are at it, the more difficult it’s going to be for you to win because the game exposes all of your traits and people start looking at Tiff going, “No way she’s getting to the end. No chance.
You got to take her out.” But that’s what Aubrey’s doing as well. She’s trying to make sure it’s not I got to know when to duck and move and get out of the way. So it’s Tiffany right now. So there’s no single way to play the game. You have to be in the moment of every single moment and decide what to do. Yeah.
But Aubrey, for me, you seem to come out of nowhere. Was that your And I was I watched the thing, but I thought I thought there’s no way she’s going to make it to the end. No offense. So, I was dead wrong, but you you seem to come out of nowhere. Was that your your strategy? I mean, yeah. When you have 23 incredible players, you have to know when to put your foot on the gas. Yeah.
When to slow down. And there are a lot of times I’m like, “Oh, this is happening over here. Let the attention go there.” like Jeff’s talking about. So you can remain in the pocket and wait to strike until it’s your moment. And Jonathan, I think you were the one that said you changed your strategy depending on who you were interacting with.
Was that you said that? Yeah, I did. I thought about survivor every day for four years. Did you? Crazy. Every day for four years. Cuz I played a game that Wow. I knew if you watch me, you didn’t see any strategy. I was just the big guy. So I’m like, if I wear the same clothes, if I act similar, then nobody will believe that I have any strategy.
Most people didn’t. Wow. He clearly did. And that’s what was impressive specifically about your game is you played a very different game. Joe played a I think a similar game where you said, “Look, you know who I am. You know how I’m going to play.” And to be able to do that, Gail, and have people know the game you’re going to play and get to the end again is its own accomplishment.
And that goes back to the same thing. You have to play Survivor your way. Whatever your way is. Jeff, no one asked me anything about what I think, but I think it should be a live finale all the time. Yeah. Is that what you think? I do. Yeah. And Jeff’s like, “Okay, Gail, goodbye.” But final are a blast. There also, guys, is something about watching it with an audience.
You know, normally I’m sitting at home watching it on my TV by myself. There’s something about the Do you feel it’s electric? It It was It was electric in the room and I thought, “How do you guys not do this all the time?” Yeah. Well, we used to do it all the time. Oh, you have You have to bring it back.
Yeah, we have to. Okay, no one pays attention. Let me borrow your pen here. Dale said, “Bring it back.” Bring it back. Got it. Don’t you love it live, too, guys? The energy. No, the energy is great and the audience is great and survivors are the relationship with the fans is unlike any other show ever.
God, do I dare say I love this show. Congratulations. She’s in. Yes, I’m definitely. Gail is in. Finally. Took 25. Congratulations. 50 seasons. It was nice to meet all of you. It was really nice. Huh? You got some nice people. I know, girl. It’s a good job I have. You are the best. You are the best.
