‘Survivor 44’: Josh Wilder on His Bad Lying and Yam Yam Calling the Tea
You want to be sneaky when playing Survivor, but when you’re caught, it’s hard to recover. Showbiz Cheat Sheet talked to Josh Wilder about this very problem over Zoom on April 6 and what he wishes he did differently.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Survivor 44 Episode 6, “Survivor With a Capital S.”]
Josh Wilder wishes he teamed up with Tika on ‘Survivor 44’
Q: My first question is we’re going to go to the end of your journey and then back. What were Carolyn Wiger and Yamil “Yam Yam” Arocho’s relationship like on your last day?
Josh: Oh, my gosh. It was up and down through and through side to side. It was so chaotic. But looking back at it with hindsight is 20, 20. They’re amazing people. But being out there with only two other people, my gosh, your mind is just thinking all the time.
So my last day there, I kind of knew I was on the outs, and I thought I was going to go home that night for sure. Just knowing what happened when Carolyn got back from her journey. So it was the last day I went to bed early because my mind, was just drained, and it was actually calm because we were like, ‘Oh, we’re not going to Tribal.’ So I passed out and went to sleep.
Q: And during mergatory what was it like? Because you’re both you and Yam Yam have the same strategy. Basically, we’re going to throw each other’s names under the bus. What was your conversation like with Carolyn? Was she telling you that maybe she would vote Yam Yam? Or was it something else?
Josh: Me and Carolyn, I felt we were good up until she went on the journey and got back and thought I was with the meat brigade. And then everything changed. I could just feel it right there on the beach, with us three sitting there.
And that’s why I said, ‘Well, I have an idol, so it doesn’t matter.’ Try to get off my butt. That was hilarious. That didn’t go down very well. But ever since then, I couldn’t get a finger on if Carolyn trusted me or she didn’t. But she did vote Kane. She did not put my name down.
I just–yeah, I wish I could have capitalized more so on being with Yam Yam and Carolyn that last day when we did not go to Tribal. I wish I would’ve been, like, ‘Uh, it’s a fake idol! Laugh, laugh laugh. Now let’s work together.’
But I thought we were Soka strong, and I was trying–maybe I was playing too slow or old school for that. But I wish I could go back and be with those two, and we make it a powerhouse.
When Josh realized Soka was targeting him
Q: I mean, that was my dream. I’m like, once Tika got down to, like, all queer. I was like, work together, but of course, if you’re going to tribal, you can’t work together. Someone has to be on the outs. So, I get it. My question is when, if ever, did you realize your position on Soka wasn’t as good as you thought? Did you talk to your other tribe members after the season and then realized? Or it was like that last day during mergatory?
Josh: So it was the last day. Like, I thought we were pretty cool, pretty close. We had talked before when were at Soka when we were winning that let’s stay Soka strong. We can go this all the way through.
So when I swapped tribes, I still had that mentality. And so when I got we got to Merge Beach, immediately I went to Frannie Marin and Matt Blankinship, and I started just spilling all the tea I had and what was going on. And they took that and ran, and I get it.
I was a threat to them. So but I wish we could have stayed Soka strong because that was my mentality. But yeah, so knowing it on that beach, I found out.
Q: Let’s talk about why you’re seen as a threat. Your gameplay included a lot of lies. One of which you’re not a surgeon, you’re a personal trainer, but then you’re wearing a suit.
Josh: The blazer, oh, gosh. I was cold out there, by the way. So I always had it on. And I guess oversight, wasn’t really thinking my clothes would tell you much. But it’s Survivor. Of course, everyone’s looking at you.
I was trying to make myself look as small as possible. Being a surgeon, I’m used to being a leader, being the head of everything, taking control. But I thought if they saw that side of me, they would think I’m aggressive.
Being a black gay man, you’re always looked at in different lights. So I was just trying to downplay who I was, make myself as small as possible, win things for my tribe. So they say, ‘Oh, he’s valuable. Let’s keep him around. That’s awesome.’
But I was considered cagey, so I didn’t really know how to not be aggressive and in control. I was letting Danny [Massa] do that, and I will just stay in the background. But it worked against me.
When Josh made his fake idol
Q: When did you make your fake idol? Because we don’t even see it. We see the after-effects.
Josh: I made it at Tika when they were gone talking, and I just literally Yam Yam called the tea. It was the tree mail thing. And I twisted it up, and I tied it so nicely and pretty.
And when I first got out and showed them when Carolyn was on her journey, I think he believed me then. But then, when she got back, and her whole attitude changed, and then my emotions got the best of me.
I said, ‘Yeah, it’s right here. And I pulled it out.’ Immediately I regretted it. I’m like, ‘Oh, no.’ So I tried to snatch it back. So I just made it real quick.
It wasn’t anything fancy like Matt’s. Oh my God, that was amazing. So it just it didn’t work out, and I wish it would. But playing Survivor and being able to play a fake, I just like…I love it.
This interview has been condensed for this article.
Other Survivor 44 Exit Interviews:
‘Survivor 44’: Maddy Pomilla Knew Her Exit Would Be a ‘Crazy History-Making Thing’
‘Survivor 44’: Helen Wants ‘More Original Puzzles’ and Talks Accessibility for Pregaming
‘Survivor 44’: Claire on Jeff Probst Calling Her out and if Her Exit Will Spark a Trend
‘Survivor 44’: Sarah Wade Planned to Have a ‘Boomerang’ Idol With Her Inheritance Advantage
‘Survivor 44’: Matthew Grinstead-Mayle Reveals Ratu’s Alliances and Merge Plan
