‘Survivor 42’: Why Many Fans Are Turning on the Sia Award Recipient
Musician and Survivor superfan Sia didn’t give out her annual fan-favorite prize last season but returned with the Sia Award for Survivor 42, gifting it to Drea Wheeler. However, many fans are now turning on the once-well-liked competitor.
The ‘Survivor 42’ Sia Award went to Drea Wheeler
Survivor superfan and artist Sia had awarded various amounts of money to her favorite players since season 32’s Kaôh Rōng when she gifted finalist Trai Trang $50,000.
Because she missed last season, many fans thought it disappeared due to Sia’s “cancellation” in 2021 as a result of her controversial musical. However, the artist returned with the award in Survivor 42 with a $100,000 gift to Drea Wheeler.
Usually, Sia hands out the check at the live reunion. However, as season 42 didn’t have one, she reached out to the show, which connected her with the fan favorite.
The official social media accounts shared the emotional video in which Sia calls her “amazing,” adding she believed the competitor “played the game so smooth.” The artist thought Drea went home “way too early” but noted that she admired “the way you handled that situation at Tribal,” calling it “so grateful.”
Omar Zaheer has since called out Drea for spreading ‘malicious’ lies about him at Ponderosa
Therefore, Sia awarded her the money, closing with, “you’re a good person, and you deserve to be rewarded for being a good person. I love you. Keep going.”
The “Chandelier” speaker refers to the emotionally-charged Tribal Council on Day 17, in which Drea and eventual winner Maryanne Oketch addressed a pattern after noticing Chanelle Howell and Rocksroy Bailey, Black players, were the first two members of the jury.
Not wanting to become the third person of color ousted from the game in a row, Maryanne and Drea played their immunity idols to ensure their safety.
After Drea won the Sia Award, her former ally Omar Zaheer, who he blindsided, revealed she spread “malicious” lies about him at Ponderosa following her elimination in the Deep Dive podcast with Rob Cesternino. Believing she created the rumors to “poison” the jury against him, Omar admitted the experience was “traumatizing” and since sought therapy.
Omar said Drea suggested he lied about the death of his father
After his blindside on Day 23, the strategic player claimed the others immediately called him out for being a “malicious, evil person” who “systematically eliminated people of color” and threatened to expose him if he would have made it to the Final Tribal Council.
Wanting to “acknowledge and validate their feelings,” Omar admitted he began doing some self-reflection and questioned if he was a “bad person,” at one point revealing he nearly regretted applying for the show. However, he says he has since realized, in the months following the season, that Drea originated the rumors.
According to Omar, his former ally claimed he used his Muslim religion as a way to ask producers about the time so he could strategize before Tribal Council. However, the Ontario native denies this. He also claimed she suggested he lied about his father’s death to their mutual friend, Hai Giang.
Additionally, when Drea revealed her Knowledge is Power advantage, which contributed her to blindside, she reportedly told others that she confided in Omar “in a moment of weakness” and accused him of taking advantage of racially charged issues. Finally, he claims Drea spread lies about others as well but neglected to name anyone. Following his revelations, many viewers have turned on Drea, who was once a fan-favorite. She hasn’t responded to his claims yet.
