Warning: This article contains spoilers forSurvivor 46episode 11.
Venus Vafaknows you think she’s the villain ofSurvivor 46.
But the opinionated 25-year-old data analyst doesn’t actually hate that.
Venus Vafa on ‘Survivor 46’.Robert Voets/CBS
“I’m going to storm in on you during your alliance conversation.
I’m going to storm in on you during your idol hunt, Hunter.
I did everything with the best of intentions, truly.”
CBS
“Because I quite honestly did not do anything to warrant the amount of hate I was getting.
It psychologically really messes you up.
I was in a very dark place and it sucked that I had no one to talk to.”
CBS
VENUS VAFA:Oh my god, that’s the question of the hour.
Everyone’s like, “Why didn’t you play it?
I like to take big risks, and I knew it was a risk.
CBS
But it was one that I thought would be the determining factor of my endgame.
What are they going to do without me?
Now it’s going to be so boring.
When you found that idol, you said you werent going to tell anyone about it.
Why did you then give a very obvious hint to Charlie that you had something up your sleeve?
[Laughs] I’m so cheeky!
Honestly, it wasn’t the correct move.
And I was struggling to find that from the very beginning.
So for me, it was a story of trust.
Oh no, no.
I think I should have kept my mouth shut and said nothing.
And I know that now!
But we live and we learn.
I shouldn’t have even started this conversation.”
But when once I started, I had to commit through.
So he got nervous and for that reason, the vote switched to me last minute.
Other people didn’t think I had an idol but he was very adamant that I had an advantage.
I was so upset!
You couldn’t have kept that conversation between us?
It would have helped him.
I would have used the idol with him in the next vote but I was expecting too much.
CBS
You said you know it was going to be you.
When did you start to suspect that your name was going to come up on parchment?
And that was as Jeff was about to read the votes.
And in that moment, I knew, “Oh, s—.
He has made his mind and it’s not me.
It’s Q that’s staying.”
I knew in that moment.
I should have played the idol.
Well, yeah, if you knew it was you, why didnt you play your idol?
It’s so weird.
Because I remember in the moment it felt like everything was in slow motion.
I don’t know.
It clicked in my mind that I was in danger.
I kind of just missed the mark.
And for the first time, I was like, “Ignore your gut, Venus.
For once, just trust someone on this island.”
And that was my downfall.
I should not have trusted him at all.
You would think so.
I don’t look at what others have done to dictate what I want to do.
So in that moment, I was just thinking of myself and my game.
Sure, it wasn’t the right move, but I love taking risks.
And I would take that risk again.
Who do you blame for your exit?
It’s Charlie, 100 percent.
Charlie could have swung the votes either way.
He had three people on both sides.
That conversation is what sunk my game.
That speaks to a lot of the chaos cloud he created.
Sitting on your couch, it’s easy to watch and be like, “How stupid are you?
It’s happened three times before, how do you not know?”
I think that was the downfall of those before me.
Don’t underestimate chaos Q.
What has surprised you the most about watching this season back?
And I knew that might rub some people the wrong way.
People forget thatSurvivoris a social experiment.
I feel like people saw me for these characteristics that don’t really define who I am.
I lead with confidence because I struggle with self-confidence.
But it was a great lesson.
We have to talkabout the Soda vote.
That was freaking hilarious.
you’re just going to say yes in the moment, right?
You’re not going to say no, it wasn’t me.
That was my pitch because realistically, no one likes me.
It was honestly heartbreaking for me because I really liked Tevin going into the game.
No one deserves to be ostracized like that.
Whats something that happened on the island that we didnt see in the episodes?
I would use the sand as like a little lip scrub.
I would do my little haircare routine.
I enjoyed the island makeup and it’s fun to see people like confused on how I look.
Oh my god, everyone gets island hot.
Was anyone in particular catching your eye when they got island hot?
Oh, hell no.
I hated everyone out there!
They were all so vile and rude to me that I had zero attraction to any of them.
What were the vibes like at Ponderosa?
The vibes were terrible.
I was terrified going to Ponderosa because I was like, “All of these people hate me.”
Silence, did not speak to me.
It was a very difficult time.
I felt even lonelier at Ponderosa than I did in the game.
The best time was just playing Scrabble with Hunter that was the only time I enjoyed Ponderosa.
