Getty "Survivor" alum reveals behind-the-scenes secrets
Season 37 castaway Alec Merlino recently spilled behind-the-scenes “Survivor” secrets during a Q&A video posted to his YouTube channel.
Merlino covered various topics in the April 21 video, touching on everything from his reunion show controversy to how contestants go to the bathroom.
Here’s what you need to know:
Alec Merlino Spills ‘Survivor’ Secrets
Is the show real?
Merlino started the video by answering a fan who asked, “was the experience real?” The White Lotus star assured the fan that “Survivor” is indeed real, stating, “yes, the experience was real…There wasn’t anything that wasn’t real about the show. If there was, I would tell you guys. I’m not lying. I’m telling you it’s 100 percent real.”
How Do Contestants Go to the Bathroom?
Merlino also responded to fans who inquired about how “Survivor” contestants go to the bathroom.
“Everyone’s asking where did you go number 2, the bathroom situation,” Merlino said with a smirk. “Well, if you had to pee, you could just go pee wherever. If you had to go number 2, they called it an aqua dump. You’d go in the water. Other people would sometimes dig a hole.”
He went on to say that production wasn’t happy with the hole-digging method.
“Production did get mad about that sometimes,” he said.
“They’re like, ‘dude, you guys need to figure out a communal spot to go number 2 because people are laying landmines everywhere,'” he continued. “I think production was actually stepping in it- which is kind of nasty.”
Is Jeff Probst Nice?
Merlino answered a question from a fan who asked, “was [Jeff Probst] nice?”
The former Goliath had nothing but kind words to share about Jeff.
“He’s exactly what you [would] expect,” he told viewers. “Always smiling, always happy. I [would] say he’s a very interested soul. Very intrigued, and it’s very sincere and genuine.”
Alec Merlino on Being Banned From the Reunion
“Survivor” fans may remember that Merlino was banned from the season 37 finale for posting a photo with season 37 castaway Kara Kay. The two began dating shortly after filming wrapped.
According to TMZ, the post violated the non-disclosure agreement contestants’ sign before going on the show, which states contestants cannot post photos of each other on social media. The post caught the attention of production, and Merlino was formally uninvited from the reunion.
Merlino opened up about being banned from the finale in the video.
“In my mind, when we got home from the show, people were following each other on Instagram, and I’m like no one knows who we are, the cast hasn’t been announced yet. Kara and I had just started dating,” he told viewers.
“I’m excited. I [want to] post stuff, and I posted a picture. I put on the caption ‘f*** it,'” he continued. “Someone took that picture and submitted it to TMZ and made it look like I was saying f*** it to production when, in reality, I wasn’t.”
Merlino told fans that it “sucks” he was banned from the finale, calling it a “bummer.”
“Survivor 42” airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on CBS
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‘Survivor’ Alum Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Secrets