Survivor 42: Jonathan Young Responds to Accusations of Racism

CBS Jonathan Young in "Survivor 42."

“Survivor 42” contestant Jonathan Young was one of the season’s biggest breakout characters. Near the beginning, Jonathan became highly popular for his nearly unprecedented challenge prowess, single-handedly carrying his tribe to victory in a number of noteworthy challenges.

However, Jonathan, a 30-year-old Alabama native, also faced accusations of misogyny and subconscious racial bias, both on the island, as well as from viewers back home. Since his exit, Jonathan has responded to what went down during the infamous episode 9 Tribal Council.

Jonathan Says He and Drea ‘Love’ Each Other

CBSDrea Wheeler and Jonathan Young on “Survivor 42.”

In the episode 9 Tribal Council which led to a deep and personal discussion of how race and implicit bias impacts the game of “Survivor,” Jonathan pushed back against Maryanne and Drea’s shock at unexpectedly seeing two black people (Chanelle Howell and Rocksroy Bailey) sitting on the jury bench.

“I don’t feel like this is right because y’all are coming at this as like we’re racists,” Jonathan said during the Tribal. He then went on to call Drea “aggressive,” then told her and Maryanne to “calm down.” When the two women pointed out that subconscious perceptions and biases may come into play when playing a social game like “Survivor,” Jonathan responded aggressively. “No, that’s saying that I’m subconsciously racist,” he said at the time, “and that’s not true.”

By the end of the Tribal, however, Jonathan seemed to understand and take in what the two women were saying. “I’m glad that it’s cleared up that it’s not the tribe that has made them feel this way,” he said. “If I could I would love to let ’em know that I love ’em.”

In his exit interview with Parade, Jonathan opened up about what took place after that Tribal Council, explaining that things are all good now between him and Drea. As soon as he, Maryanne, Drea, and Lindsay Dolashewich got back to camp that night, he had a discussion with Drea.

“Drea and I were fine,” said Jonathan, adding that they are still in touch to this day. “I love Drea; Drea loves me. Everything is good between Drea and me. Everything that happens in the game can relate to real-world things. And we actually jumped back in the game pretty quickly. So yeah, everything worked out great.”

Jonathan Seems to Be on Good Terms With Maryanne

When it came to Drea and Maryanne’s response to Jonathan’s behavior, both seem to be on good terms with him, despite Maryanne’s desperate attempts to save her ally Lindsay at the final 5 at Jonathan’s expense. In her own exit interviews, Drea expressed a similar sentiment toward Jonathan as he did to her, explaining that although they had a few rifts on the island, they were still close.

As for Maryanne, the newly crowned winner hasn’t spoken out much about Jonathan specifically, but it may be safe to say that they are still on good terms, even though Jonathan was the lone juror not to vote for her in the end.

Recently, in fact, the 24-year-old Canadian has sent out her love to her entire cast. While not naming Jonathan specifically, she did say in one Instagram post last week, “THANK YOU to my new family!!! … I am so blessed to have met every one of you, pictured or not pictured, and you are NEVER. getting rid of me!!

“Survivor” airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS. Season 43 will premiere in September 2022.