‘Survivor 50’s Jonathan Young Reveals Boston Rob’s Secret Advice — And Names the Legends He Wants Out Early (Exclusive)
Despite being the biggest person this season, the ‘Survivor 42’ challenge beast is planning to stay ‘out of sight, out of mind.’
While Jonathan Young towers above the Survivor 50 cast at 6’4″, he doesn’t think he’s the biggest person on this beach. The way the 32-year-old sees it, he’s surrounded by savvy players, fellow challenge beasts, and outright legends of the game. And so the beach service owner will continue to provide his own beachside service to camp life — albeit with a smaller appetite this time around. And this time, he’s aiming for more of an old-school diet, looking to shirk the new era in favor of more straightforward seasoned players. Perhaps that’s because he spent the past few years “at the feet” of one of the best to ever do it: Boston Rob Mariano.
Read on for my interview with Jonathan, and check in with Parade daily for interviews with this season’s contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 50 premieres on Feb. 25 with a three-hour episode on CBS.
Survivor 50 interview with Jonathan Young
What has your life been like the past few years since Survivor 42?
I sold my beach service. I started a new beach service. We’re in jet skis; we deliver it to people’s houses, and we pick it up at the end of the day. Love it. I started a non-profit, and it’s called “Young Strength Missions.” We go down to Nicaragua. We’re gonna go down to Honduras this year to build houses for the homeless. It’s been a blessing, and I couldn’t have done it without Survivor. Young Strength Missions was born through Survivor.
Well, anyone who follows you on social media knows you became rather friendly with Boston Rob. Did he give you any advice before coming out, considering he knows his way around a returning player season or two?
So Mr. Rob wrote me a letter before I came out here. And he said, open it on the plane. So I opened it, and he gave me three things of advice. Number one is to smile. Number two is to look at the game through the opponent’s eyes, trying to see through their lens. Number three is you can control what you can control. Don’t worry about the rest. If there’s a tribe swap, you can’t control that. There’s no use putting effort into something you can’t control.
You know who else gave me a really good bit of advice was Matt Van Wagenen. I asked him the first go around. I said, “What’s a little bit of advice that you would give somebody like me to make it to the end?” He said, “Don’t get comfortable.” And I never got comfortable. So I think that’s one of the reasons I made it as far as I did.
Well, let’s get into some things you were very comfortable doing in the game. I think a lot of people perceive you as someone who can get your tribe through challenges — sometimes quite literally — and be a provider. The second time around, are you going to steer into that perception? Or do you want to try to curb that, considering how that could make you a threat as well?
The thing is, in this season in particular, there’s so many big threats. I believe I can hide behind them. I haven’t been on the “On Fire” podcast with Jeff Probst. I haven’t won a million dollars. I’ve got nobody from my season here working with me. All of these things, it’s ammunition for the targets. There’s so many big targets out here. You got Ozzy, who’s played what, four times [before]. You have Dee, who’s won a million dollars. I’m gonna enter the game the same way that I did the last time. They see me as a provider. They see me as a challenge beast. But that’s all I want them to see me as. Meanwhile, I’ve been sitting at the feet of a legend for three years, learning from Mr. Rob himself.
As you mentioned, you’re the only person here from Seasons 41 through 44. While there are so many new era contestants out here, do you feel like, metaphorically, you’re on an island in terms of connections?
I feel like I’m a free agent because of what you just said. I’m the only player from Seasons 41 to 44. I don’t think that new school is as close as everybody thinks interesting. I think it’s a facade a little bit. I really do. I think that they go to the parties, they shake hands. But there’s a little bit of still playing Survivor, even when the game’s over. Old school is more bare bones. It is what it is. It’s straight and narrow. Colby, he’s like, Captain America. He’s straight and narrow, Colby. I think that’s the type of player I want to play with, people like Colby. But in the new school, Joe, all these people that have always been reliable, a lot of the new school players aren’t as reliable as the old school players.
Something you and I talked about after your finale was your usual sumptuous diet, and how much you were struggling towards the end of the game from the limited amount of food. So, going into this second season, did you change anything in your prep to make sure your body can better handle the starvation?
The first time I came out here, I was doubling down, eating two meals for every one. But now I switched it up. I’m eating less, and I’m going to gradually eat a little less coming to the game. Because if you have four cups of coffee and you’re a caffeine addict, what’s the best way to do it? You wean off of it. So I’m trying to do a similar thing with food. It’s gonna be a hard process regardless. But if the fans voted for rice, it’d be great. The downside to having rice is [that] the provider in me knows, “Well, shoot, I’m not gonna be as useful without being able to fish for food.”
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 50
Well, let’s go fishing in the sea of the people around you. We’re gonna play a game called “Friend or Foe.” I’m going to give you a name of someone on the cast, and you have to tell me if they’re someone you want to work with, or someone you see as an enemy or threat. Starting with Jenna.
I would like to work with Jenna. I think she’s a Friend. She seems to be down to earth. She was on the first season of Survivor ever. I think she could be used.
You mentioned Colby before. But talk to me more about why you want to work with him.
I want to work with Colby, just because he’s a straight shooter as well. These old school players, they have a way that is completely different of new school. I think I can use that. Knowing how new school kind of plays, I can use the old school to help me.
Stephenie.
Miss Stephenie, I would love for her to be my number one. After seeing Miss Stephenie on other reality TV shows, it made me want to play with her even more.
Why’s that?
The way that she can’t lie. She says what she thinks all the time. Part of the reason she’s out here is because she’s energetic, she’s outgoing. But with that comes she can’t lie. It always comes out with Miss Stephenie. If something’s on her mind, she’s gonna let you know.
Now for someone who’s perhaps on the opposite side of that: Cirie.
Friend for a minute, Foe at the end. Miss Cirie is scary because she’s so good. She could be on the Mount Rushmore of Survivor because of everything that she’s done in the game and around the game with all these different reality shows, winning one. I really think Miss Cirie would be good at first, but, but a Foe at the end.
Ozzy.
Friend. I will tell you this. I hope to God they put me up against Ozzy, and we can see who the real challenge beast is.
There you go! One of those one-on-one physical matchups.
Oh yeah. Like “swim a mile and get that buoy and come on back.” I hope Jeff does that.
How about Coach? You gonna call him “Mr. Coach” out there?
[Laughs.] No, I think I’m gonna keep the “Mr. and Mrs.” out of the game, besides Mr. Jeff. Just because people will notice and they’ll think that it’s a target that I’m working with these people or not working with these people, because I didn’t call him Mr. or Mrs. So it’s gonna put a big target on everybody’s back. So I’m gonna keep it simple, call them by their name. Coach is a Friend. I think he is a little out there. But I think I’ll be able to see it coming when the time is right, I’ll be able to cut him.
Aubry.
Foe. We don’t have the same energy. I don’t have the same energy in the game, and I don’t think it will mix. I’m picking up that she is standoffish. And when you’re standoffish in the game, it normally means something, and it means that it’s not good for you.
Chrissy.
Friend. Even though she’s a challenge beast, I think Miss Chrissy is a really good player and a good person to have on your side.
You can also be like, “Firemaking, am I right?!”
[Laughs.] That’s right! We can bond over that.
How about Angelina?
That’s a toss-up. Middle of the road there. Angelina, that’s up in the air. She’s very bubbly, friendly. I like that, but I don’t know how far it goes in the game, and if it is just gameplay. She’s a hard one.
Christian.
For some reason, I love Christian. I really love Christian. Just his weird personality and how his expressions are all over the place. I love that about him. I’ll be watching him and he’ll be like doing calculations in his head, and I get a kick out of it. I think he’s a good guy. And I would play with Christian.
Mike.
Just so I can get on White Lotus! No, I would love to work with Mr. Mike. I’d say he’s a Friend. He doesn’t have to prove anything being out here. He’s a multimillionaire that’s done so well in life. I think it translates into the game. Everything out of the game comes into the game in some way, shape or form. And so we got a guy that’s a multimillionaire that has a TV show, who doesn’t need to be here. He just loves the game. And I love the game. I honestly don’t need to be here, but I love the game, right? We have that in common.
On that note, give me your thoughts on someone who also showed a lot of love for the game in Rick.
Foe. He’s scary. I would work with him for a minute, but then cut him as a Foe. He’s sneaky, man. How many idols did he find? Honestly, like three or four in one season. And he was on “On Fire with Jeff Probst.” I think there’s so many targets out here that I’m gonna look like a big old fly on the wall. [Laughs.] There’s so many people out here. Hopefully they don’t have a giant horsefly swatter. But I think I can point my finger at least half the people here before they get to me.
Well, let’s talk about possibly one of them as we get into the new era. Someone you mentioned before who’s a winner, as well as a former “On Fire” cohost. Talk to me about Dee.
Foe. You can’t do everything that she did, and think that you don’t have a target on your back. If Dee wants to come and work with me, I’ll work with her. I’ll work with anybody first. But at the end of the day, I think Dee is going to be dangerous because she won the game. That means that she’s very good. And she deserved to win, and then Mr. Jeff knew that she deserved to win and put her on “On Fire with Jeff Probst.” And then she went to The Challenge, and now she’s back here. And what was that, a year, two years ago? Maybe she’s moving real quick through all this stuff, and she’s putting her thoughts out there. When you get on a podcast, and every episode, you spill what you think, then you become a threat.
Emily.
[Pause.] Bro, I’m having a hard time. [Pause.] Which one is Emily? Oh, Flippen?!
She gets a last-name treatment?!
I think of her as Flippen, dude. My bad! I love her last name. She’s so quirky, I would work with her. I’ve been smiling at her for three days. I would work with Emily for sure. She’s good vibes. I think that she speaks her mind too, and she can’t really help it. And that’s great for me, because, number one, if I have people like that around me, her, Miss Stephenie, then it takes a target off me. Because I don’t always say what I’m thinking, but some people have to. And those two have to. [Laughs.]
Related: The 50 Best ‘Survivor’ Challenges Ever — According to the People Who Made Them (Exclusive)
How about Charlie?
Foe. I’m not a Swiftie, Charlie. I’m sorry. I don’t know much about Taylor Swift. Same kind of thing with Aubry.
Q.
[Pause.] Q is a toss-up. But because of how he played, he played a game where he was so up and down. He even asked once, “Vote me off.” What am I supposed to do with that? If that happens to me, I vote him off. I think for a minute Q’s gonna be good. But after a while, I have to cut him. At first, work with Q. Maybe after merge, right after merge, cut him.
Tiffany.
[Pause.] Friend. I have a hard time with all new-school. I don’t mesh as well with new-school as I do old-school. I’ve talked to Miss Stephenie outside of the game when we’re doing these little get-togethers to raise money for whatever we want to raise money for. It’s called “Over the Edge.” And I’ve seen her twice, and I just feel more connected to old school players.
Interesting. Well, let’s continue with the new-school with Genevieve.
Genevieve is scary because she’s very smart. She played a great game, and if she made it to the end, she would have won a million dollars. I think that everybody knows that the only thing with Genevieve is, I think she’s got a good heart. If she wants to work with me again, I’ll work with anybody. But I can’t let her get too far in the game, because she’s almost too lovable.
Going to 48, you mentioned him before. But give me your thoughts on Joe.
I think Joe’s a Friend because of how he played. He was very loyal. He’s a man of his word. He stuck to it. He made it to the Final Three. Joe’s somebody that I could play with all the way to the end.
Kamilla.
Kamilla is a Foe. She’s very sneaky. She got the Final Four just by her and Kyle’s relationship. You’re probably going to mention Kyle next.
Sure am!
Kyle is definitely a Foe. They are very, very good at this game, and if you’re too good, then you need to get out early. It’s a returnee season, right? Everybody’s returning, so why keep the millionaires around?
There’s many, many things I could say to get people to understand how important it is to kick the winners off. You want them to win another million dollars? You haven’t won any money, but they won a million dollars. So why are we keeping them around?
Any thoughts on the 49 players?
The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t. Both of them are Foes. I have no idea about them. One of them could have won. And I think that’s very nerve-racking to everybody around. Two people show up that have never been seen before, good enough to be on Season 50. We know everything else about everybody else, at least somewhat. We know nothing about these people.
They say sometimes when a player returns, they take from the game of the person who won their original season. Is there anything you’re taking from Maryanne’s game into Season 50?
Maryanne, she played a very out of sight, out of mind game. She wasn’t seen a lot. She didn’t come out until she wanted to make a move. So if I’m able, I’m going to stay out of sight, out of mind. But being 6’4″, that’s going to be hard. It’s hard to play a game like anybody else. Even Mr. Rob, I’ve thought about it for years now. I can’t play Rob’s game. I can’t play Mike’s game. I can’t play Maryanne’s game. But what I can do is take a bit from each so eventually I have a game that works for me.
Which previous player do you wish were out here on the island with you right now?
Oh, my main man, Mike. I wish Mike was out here. He deserved it. I think Mike would have been a great accomplice through all this. I would put me and him through firemaking if it’s around!
Finally, what celebrity or fictional character would you bring out for a Loved Ones visit? Last time, you said Lauren Daigle. Is there someone else you’d like to answer with now?
Iron Man. He has to be in the suit at all times. His little face mask would lift up and that’s it. I want to see Iron Man. He’s one of the smartest people in the world! Maybe Iron Man or Batman. Both pretty great.
