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‘Survivor 50’ Castaways Spill Their Unhinged Reality TV Showmance Hot Takes
What To Know
- Survivor 50 cast members shared a wide range of opinions on showmances on the red carpet at the star-studded premiere.
- Several contestants referenced iconic Survivor couple Boston Rob and Amber Mariano as the gold standard for successful reality TV romances.
- While most castaways were open to the idea of showmances for entertainment or strategy, a few expressed strong opposition.
Reality TV isn’t complete without a little bit of romance, so even though the Survivor 50 cast is mostly already in relationships — check out Swooon‘s full relationship guide! — we couldn’t help asking the Survivor all-stars their opinion on the reality TV showmance.
At the Survivor 50 premiere, Swooon caught up with Kyle Fraser, Dee Valladares, Genevieve Mushaluk, and more Survivor fan-favorites, asking one big question: What’s your biggest showmance hot take? Trust us, these answers alone are well worth the 50-season wait!
Dee Valladares, who has dabbled in a showmance or two herself, kicked us off by telling Swooon, “Don’t do it.” Of course, she followed that up by admitting, “I’m kidding, I’m kidding!” Instead, she advised potential showmance hopefuls on Seasons 51 and beyond to “just be as open as you can be.”
“I think showmances in general are completely fair game,” Emily Flippen told Swooon, “whether they’re authentic or completely inauthentic. When you sign up to go on a competition reality TV game, you are signing up to have your emotions played with in every definition of the word. We’re all signing up to be emotionally manipulated, and if that includes romantic interest, that includes romantic interest.”
Teased a couple of potential showmances, or at least bromances, this season, “I think some of the best showmances are with people that are really just bros, you know? There should be a name for it… Like a bromance,” Rick Devens joked.
Of course, we have a sneaking suspicion we know what Devens was talking about, as Christian Hubicki asked, “I mean, did someone tell you about me and Rick? What happens on the island?” He then added, “Showmances should be part of the game. They should be. I mean, that’s part of the rawness that you have these people who might click in all kinds of ways. Some of that should be romantic. So, as much as they are shunned strategically, nay. I say nay!”
Clearly, Colby Donaldson feels the same way about a good bromance, explaining, “It’s been years in the making, finally Coach and I got to come together, he’s a dude I’ve wanted to play with for a long time. We were pitted against each other decades ago, so it was fun to finally get on the beach as teammates, or tribemates, and play together. So, we had a little showmance going on.”
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Aubry Bracco was among many to shout out Survivor‘s biggest love story: Boston Rob and Amber Mariano. She confessed, “I’m so for the showmance. Rob and Amber are so iconic. How can you not be like, ‘I need some love’ on the island?” Diving deeper, Joe Hunter explained, “I mean, when you look at him and [Amber] getting married on the show, met on the show in an environment that’s complicated, and they did it, and they’re awesome?! That’s the hot take, it’s that they’re awesome.”
Jumping on the bandwagon, Jonathan Young spoke from personal experience, sharing, “The only showmance that I know that worked well was Boston Rob and Miss Amber… It’s not fake. I’ve been to their house many times. They’ve got the real love.” Dividing the beloved couple, Genevieve Mushaluk confessed, “I love Amber more than Rob.”
Kyle Fraser was not shy about sharing his showmance hot take about a series that takes place on another island… or should we say villa? He confessed, “Nicolandria? It’s not real. It’s not real. I don’t care what anyone says.” Similarly, Q Burdette explained, “I would love to be the host of Love Island. Co-host with the current host. I think it’d be cool. I’d bring the energy. Send them to me when you want to rough them up a little bit.”
The Rizgod himself shed some light on a Big Brother showmance. Rizo Velovic explained, “I am very happy in a seven-year relationship, but if you are on Big Brother, get in a showmance because they always do really well.”
Only one castaway, Tiffany Ervin, was fully against showmances. “Showmance, reality show specific, I think it’s stupid and a distraction,” she began. “Survivor specific? Ew! You’re not even washing your but and you’re worried about kissing? No!”
Taking the complete opposite perspective, Savannah Louie revealed she believes, “We need to start casting people for these strategy shows who are geared or more likely to fall into a showmance because it’s so much more fun to watch.” While we’d have to agree, Survivor 48 star Kamilla Karthigesu spilled that there was a showmance her season that didn’t make the final cut.
Survivor, Season 50, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS
