By John Powell – GlobalTV

Way back in 2005, she became a tribe of one on Palau when her entire tribe was voted out. She had to survive and play alone. Now, 21 years later, through all twists that changed up the game, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick saw her allies being voted out one by one, yet somehow she still survived. Stephenie claims if it wasn’t for Joe playing the middle she might have still been in the running to win Survivor 50.

John Powell: Stephanie, thanks for taking the time to talk to us today. How are you?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Hi, I’m good. How are you?

John Powell: Fine, thank you. You will always be to me the “One-Woman Tribe”. You will always be to me the Survivor who dislocated her shoulder and acted like she broke a nail. We know it’s Season 50. Why come back? Is there a personal reason? Did you feel that you had something left to do on the island? Why did you return?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Oh my gosh! I mean, listen, if you’re asked to go back on Season 50, you do not pass up that opportunity. Okay? I am a sucker for adventure. I love a good adventure and I love Survivor. It’s a huge part of my life. I mean, it’s been in my life for 21 years now. So, to be able to come back now at 46 years old, after having three children, and try to finish the job that I never had a chance to finish and prove to my kids like, “Mom’s still got it”? I was coming back.

John Powell: We saw that chaotic Tribal Council, I’d use other words, but you know, this is family viewing. How much did the MrBeast twist throw a wrench into the game?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: It threw a huge wrench. Obviously there was a cluster back at camp, right? Names were flying around left and right. My name hasn’t come up yet all season. Here we are, Episode 10, and out of nowhere the whole plan gets flipped on me, which is totally ridiculous.

But then the MrBeast situation throws a whole wrench in it because after the cluster back at camp, we all kind of talked, we all regrouped, and then we all went back to, I mean, it was my understanding, we all went back to, “Okay, let’s go back to Devens or Aubry.” That’s what it’s been for weeks now. You know, I’ve given you really no reason not to trust me.

I did go and clear the air with both Cirie and Ozzy. And I fessed up to, “Yes, Ozzy’s name was thrown out there. I did consider it only because Ozzy was telling people he didn’t trust me.” Ozzy admitted he said that. We kind of made amends.

Then, Cirie admitted to considering writing my name down and you see that part where I’m like, “Are you serious? Why would you write my name down?” And she’s like, “Well, you lied to me because in front of Tiffany, you told me it was Devens.” And I’m like, “Right? Because I’m not with Tiffany. I don’t know where Tiffany stands. So I’m waiting to get you alone to discuss with you: This is what I heard. What are you thinking?”.

And here we are, and that’s why I’m telling you now, like, I did hear Ozzy [was targeting me], I considered it, because apparently Ozzy doesn’t trust me. He was throwing my name out there.

So, we all kind of talked like a big happy family and decided to make amends and go back to the original plan. And then MrBeast shows up and Devens does the coin flip, and Devens is safe. So now I’m like, “Oh boy, this is not good.” But I’m like, hopeful that people will still stick with the original plan. However, because it did turn back on Devens, Devens threw me under the bus, threw Jonathan under the bus, threw everything out there to save himself and it all turned on me, unfortunately.

John Powell: Did you volunteer to flip the coin?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I did. I did at one point consider it. Devins was definitely wanting to flip the coin, like no ifs, ands or buts, but I also considered flipping the coin. I said to Jonathan and Cirie, I’m like, “You know, do you think I should flip the coin?” And they both said, “Do you want to?” And I said, “Well, do I need to?” Jonathan’s like, “Cirie?” and Cirie is like, “No, you do not need to.” I said, “Okay, so what if Devens is safe, right?” Then she’s like, “Aubry.” And I’m like, “Are you sure? Like, I’m trusting this, guys.”

Because here’s the thing: If Devens and I would have fought that out then he was never going to back down. And if I wouldn’t have backed down, we would have gone to a rock draw. So everybody would have been at stake. Nobody wanted that. So, you know, maybe I should have forced that.

John Powell: Joe and Jonathan voted against you. Were you surprised by that?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Well, Joe went and told Cirie the whole plan. I’m not convinced that Joe’s not trying to play both sides at this point. Joe, when I told him about the Steal-a-Vote, also you didn’t see that, Joe was so mad that I didn’t tell him sooner and I just think he couldn’t get over that. Which, Jonathan handled it fine. Jonathan was like, “Okay, so let’s use it.”

I told Cirie Day 1 and she talked me out of telling anybody. She made a good point because everybody knows everything around here. So I was waiting for the right time to tell you and I fully intended on telling you. Today’s the day. Maybe we can use it. I said the same thing to Joe and Joe got super emotional about it and bent out of shape. Joe just, I guess, never got over it.

Joe goes and tells Cirie, “Me and Jonathan want to get out her number one, Ozzy.” And this isn’t the first time Joe’s done that. Joe, when Coach and Chrissy went, and we had no idea that Cirie was the one that came up with that plan, Cirie told Joe the plan, and Joe never even came and told us.

So this isn’t the first time. This is now the second time. So now I’m wondering: Is Joe trying to play both sides and not, like, really with Jonathan? Because maybe you’re not with me and that’s okay, you’re not going to hurt my feelings, but you’re definitely supposed to be like Jonathan’s number one, right? They think they’re together. So what’s going on here, Joe?

John Powell: You were able to watch everything back, even things that you weren’t able to see, weren’t party to on the island. What has surprised you most about what’s been going on?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: I’m surprised that Cirie turned on our alliance so early. I never even got on the same beach with her until Day 13 or 12, I think. I know that she was with us from an old-school standpoint. Yeah, we had spoken before the game but also we all said, you know, “Go out there, meet everybody.” Like, it’s not like “old school to the end” strong, definitely everybody, you know, make friends, meet people, right?

I’m surprised that she made Rizo her number one so early on and actively took out every person she possibly could in my alliance from as soon as she possibly could. That was really surprising because I had never given her a reason not to trust me, right?

Even up until when she asked me in front of Tiffany and I said, “Devens,” yeah, I still had not given her a reason not to trust me. And then I even went and told her, “No, it really was Ozzy. I just didn’t want to say it in front of Tiffany, and I wanted to get you alone.” I owned up to it.

So again, I’m not a great liar, and especially to people that know me. We have known each other for so long and she’s always told me I’m like family to her. I’ve always felt she’s like family to me and I had no intention of lying to her. Now, do I want to take her to the Final Three? I don’t know but let’s get there.

There’s ten of us left still and we talked about all of this before the game. So that was really surprising to me. And also Joe. I mean, Joe is really the reason I went last night, because if Joe didn’t tell Cirie we may have been able to pull off the Ozzy vote. Then we could have dealt with Cirie later but because Joe immediately went and told Cirie, the whole plan flipped on me.

John Powell: I’ve covered every season but this seen we’ve seen a lot of interpersonal things after the game. Do you think it’s because of the friendships? Is that getting in the way? Are some people not able to separate the game from friendships?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: You know what? It is a game and if you outplay me, good for you! I applaud you! I’m not a sore loser! I’ve never been a sore loser but when the game’s over, just admit it. Just admit like, “Hey, I didn’t trust you at this point, so I had to turn on you,” right? Just, just give me the respect.

Same with Joe. When Joe knew about the Coach and Chrissy situation, I actually called him. And I was like, “Joe,” because that’s the first time I saw of it. I go, “Oh, my god! Cirie told you the whole plan in the hammock! What were you thinking?” Because at this point it was supposed to be, he even said it, I said, “I’m with Jonathan and Joe, myself, and I think Cirie and Ozzy, so that’s five.” Cirie is like, “No, no, we gotta go Coach and Chrissy.” He’s like, “No, I want Devens. This is our chance, kill two birds with one stone.”

Why would he immediately not come and tell us? So I called him. You know what he said? He said, “I didn’t know.” I go, “It aired on television! What do you mean you didn’t know?” He’s like, “Oh, well, I didn’t trust you.” I’m like, “Why?” I’m like, “You don’t know about the Steal-A-Vote yet. That’s next week, Joe.” It was lack of communication. Survivor is all about communication.

I love Joe. He was my favorite on 48. I couldn’t wait to play with a guy like him. He’s like a Tom Westman to me. He’s like a Colby (Donaldson) to me. I’m like, “Oh, this is a great guy, would love to play with.” I’m a loyal person. Like, “Let’s go.”

Because I didn’t tell you about a Steal-A-Vote, you’re going to throw our entire alliance away because I’m going to tell you about it later? That’s a little too emotional for me. I am kind of disappointed about that and I tried to talk to him about it and he’s still denying it and that’s fine.

I will see Joe in LA and I will give him a big hug and hold nothing against him. And same with Cirie, I would gladly give her a hug and say, “Great game. Well played,” right? But just just be honest. You know what I mean? Like, I’m so honest; like, it’s brutal. Like, I’m brutally honest. So just don’t, don’t lie. Just tell the truth and let’s call a spade a spade. We can agree to disagree. Whatever it is, let’s move on. We’re both part of 50 for the rest of our lives. How cool!

John Powell: Is there anything about your journey that you wished fans could have seen?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: Probably my social game. I mean, they don’t show me talking a lot. And when Q went… Q and I were so tight, nobody even understood why he would like, even kind of put his neck on the line for me a little bit. I mean, we crabbed for hours on end and talked. And I know, like, his family history, and I know about his wife and his baby, and he knows about my family and my past. I mean, we got to know each other so well. We were so tight.

And when he came to me and I said, “I’ll play my Shot in the Dark.” And he was like, “No, let me see if I can get Mike to put one vote on me.” And I was like, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” like, because that made me nervous, right?

Then he insisted, and then he went basically for me and it should have been me. I was out of numbers. I came back to camp after I lied to Angelina and I tell her, I was like, “Listen,” you know, we have a whole talk about it, and I fess up. And I’m like, “I’m sorry. You know, it was my chance to break up the three, and this was my opportunity, blah, blah, blah, blah.” And I apologize to Ozzy.

So they’re not showing that. Like, if you really look at it, right, every person I’m aligned with goes constantly: Kyle, Q, Colby, Genevieve, Coach, Chrissy. Like, how am I still hanging in and my name is never mentioned, right? I obviously have a pretty decent social game. I’m not just floating by. I’m not a floater. I’m very vocal. I’m a very vocal person. I’m very personal. I talk to people all the time. I don’t keep my mouth shut. They’re showing me just keep my mouth shut.

John Powell: As a juror, what were some of the things you thought about when it came to picking a winner?

Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick: You know, it’s 50! A huge season! So I want the winner of 50 to be remembered as the person that kind of encompasses everything. Maybe like Old-School and New-School play and somebody that’s great in challenges and has a great strategic game. You know what I mean?

I feel like you need to have all of it, the whole package, and not just like one thing or another, or not just be social, or not just be strong. You’ve got to have it all to win my vote. It’s hard. It’s hard to have it all. So when it comes down to three left, you just try to pick the one of the three that has kind of the majority of the qualities and that was my mindset, yeah.