The winner also explains what happened after the cameras turned off.
CBS
Rachel LaMontwasn’t good enough to playSurvivor 46,but she was good enough towinSurvivor 47.
RACHEL LAMONT:You know what, I was so nervous at that final Tribal Council.
Rachel LaMont on ‘Survivor 47’.Credit:CBS
I was definitely spinning on those things.
So yeah, of course I’m going to rub it in to him.
I have no doubt you were doing jury math in your head walking into Tribal.
Rachel LaMont of ‘Survivor 47’.Robert Voets/CBS
What were the votes you were least sure about?
The votes I was least sure about wereKyleandGabe.
I was pretty sure I hadCarolineandGenevieve.
Rachel LaMont and Jeff Probst on ‘Survivor 47’.CBS
I had a feeling I hadSierra.
There were a few indications as I kept coming in with the necklace.
She was just grinning at me.
Rachel LaMont on ‘Survivor 47’.CBS
I was like, “I know she’s going to be very conflicted.”
And so there were definitely things where I was like Shoot!
And then the way that Andy was, I don’t know.
Kyle Ostwald, Rachel LaMont, and Sam Phalen on ‘Survivor 47’.CBS
And then to have him have such a strong final Tribal.
When Jeff went to read the votes was the most scared I was for a week.
So the confidence really wavered throughout those last couple days.
Rachel LaMont on ‘Survivor 47’.CBS
Robert Voets/CBS
You were right about Kyle.
He did vote for Sam.
Why were you worried about Gabe?
Just sort of a brodown throwdown situation?
And so I knew that that would appeal to him.
you’ve got the option to’t read other people’s minds.
And so I do think that there were moments where I was nervous.
But if I didn’t have those tools, I wouldn’t have played the same way.
Genevieve was throwing my name out super early.
And you could call that threat management, but I was at the bottom of the tribe.
Sometimes people just choose you as a target.
Genevieve was like, like sees like.
How can I stop her from seeing that I’m a similar pop in of player to her?
I can’t do that.
She’s not an idiot, I’m not going to fool her.
We had very few talks out there and she just knew.
All these other reasons that he just kind of wanted me gone without blood on his hands.
If that’s the option, let’s do it."
What happens next after the After-Show and the cameras turn off that night?
A shell-shocked zombie goes back to Ponderosa.
I mean, truly.
It was funny, someone asked me, “Are you excited to see the After-Show?”
And I was like, “I am because I have no memory of it.
The pressure of final Tribal Council is unlike anything that I’ve ever felt in my life.
The pressure and everything lifted and I was able to relax.
And truly it felt like the first time, watching the After-Show back.
How did I do it?
It was so crazy.”
I slept for two hours, and I was like, “This bed is so uncomfortable.
I’m a dirt napper.
Where’s my dirt?”
And just the acclimation back to normal things.
Even the lights going up at the After-Show!
Tribal is one of the places where you don’t really see the cameras.
Also just the brightness.
I felt like I was being burned by the lights.
Just all of it.
It was so, so shocking.
We met out in Fiji for the Survivor 46 pre-game, whenyou were an alternate.
I think there’s so much waiting and it’s kind of awkward.
You’re trying to look without looking.
You’re trying to suss people out without looking too weird.
You’re reading other people’s body language, but you’re trying to give off good body language.
And so it’s a very weird cat and mouse kind of game.
I was like, “I needSurvivor.”
It felt freer and lighter and more like, “I really want this.”
I don’tneedthis, I want it.
I was the backup quarterback at the Super Bowl and then I got to play the next year.
She was by far my number one from almost the night Sierra was voted out after Tribal.
We talked that night until her boot.
The Sue, Caroline, and Rachel one was long before the Teeny and Andy one.
So it’s just interesting how we don’t always get to see all relationships.
Jeff Probst told meyou were on of the franchise’s “best overall players.”
What does it feel like to hear that?
That’s high praise.
I mean, I did not know that.
Of course you care!
I’m a hugeSurvivorfan.
Of course, I want to be somebody that people are like, “She’s the worthy winner.
She’s a good winner.
That season was great.”
I want that just as much as anybody else.
And so to hear Jeff say that just made my morning, Dalton.
Winners tend to come back and play at some point.
Would you do it again?
How could I not?
This is the most incredible adventure.
And if they called, of course I would go.
