YouTube Natalie Bolton asks her jury question in "Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites" (2008).
Parvati Shallow is widely considered to be the master of the “flirt” strategy in “Survivor.” It was what helped her dominate the game in her second season, “Micronesia,” along with the rest of her infamous “Black Widow Brigade,” which included “Survivor” legends Cirie Fields and Amanda Kimmel, as well as “Fans” Alexis Jones and Natalie Bolton.
Natalie, who placed fourth that season and played a key role in the infamous blindside against Erik Reichenbach, was also known for having a rather flirtatious relationship with Parvati, culminating in a jury question in which she asked Parvati how her “flirt” strategy “resonate[s] for you in the bedroom.” Though this question has caused some confusion among fans, and even jury members at the time, Natalie has been vocal since her time on the season about what her real intentions were behind that question.
Here’s what you need to know:
Natalie Wanted Parvati to Earn Her Vote ‘Just a Little Bit’
YouTubeNatalie Bolton and Parvati Shallow in “Survivor: Micronesia.”
Natalie’s intimate and provocative jury question to Parvati from “Survivor: Micronesia” went as follows:
You have labeled yourself as a flirt. You’re probably the most masterful person in the history of ‘Survivor’ to play the flirt card, which is great. My question to you is, how does that resonate for you in the bedroom? How do you take that to the next level as far as strategy in the game, how does that translate your layers?
You’re a flirt. You flirted with me on several occasions. Not complaining. So how does being the flirt parallel to your intimate life?
In a recent interview with Tyson Apostol on the Ringer Thursday, Natalie spoke of the reality behind that jury question: she knew the whole time that Parvati was getting her vote, but simply wanted to make her “earn it just a little bit.”
“She hands down had my million dollar vote,” Natalie said of Parvati. “There was no question. She hands down was easily, easily, effortlessly getting my vote. So, [I thought], ‘how do I make this slightly uncomfortable for her, and make her earn it just a little bit? Let me just put her in the hot seat and call her out and see if I can embarrass her at all and just make her think quick on her toes.’ That’s literally all that question was.”
Natalie: Parvati Had the ‘Greatest Personality’
YouTubeNatalie and Parvati talk in “Survivor: Micronesia.”
When asked by Apostol if Parvati answered the question the way she had hoped, Natalie responded affirmatively. “Yeah, yeah,” she said. “You know Parv, she’s got the greatest personality, she rolls with punches, and she’s quick on her feet and she’s hilarious and she answered it exactly how I expected her to.”
Parvati’s answer to Natalie’s jury question was as follows:
I think my strategy in this game has been infused with my personality, and being flirtatious is a big part of my personality. At home it gets me what I want. I’ll flirt with girls to get my way, or I’ll flirt with guys to get my way, and I think I honestly can develop genuine relationships with people without flirting with them but it is an old standby, not gonna lie.
The close friendship between Natalie and Parvati was not a secret during the game, and it is not surprising Natalie was so intent on voting for Parvati to win in the end. In episode 12, when the girls’ alliance was forced to turn on each other after Erik won immunity, Parvati and Amanda decided to vote for Alexis over Natalie because, as Parvati explained in her voting confessional, “I gave my word to Nat I would take care of her and protect her through this vote, so it’s gotta be you this time. Sorry babe.”
Their friendship was only so strong, however. At the final 4, Parvati, Amanda, and Cirie were forced to cut Natalie in favor of the “Favorites”-strong alliance formed on Day 7. In that voting confessional, Parvati once again made it clear how much Natalie meant to her:
You know how much I adore you, and I think you played an amazing game and you’re a very strong person, and I love you and I’ll miss you.
YouTubeNatalie’s jury vote for Parvati in “Survivor: Micronesia.”
Natalie of course ended up giving Parvati her million dollar vote, writing alongside the parchment “Rock on sister!” above a flashing heart.
“Survivor” airs Wednesdays 8 p.m. Eastern on CBS. The two-hour season 42 premiere will air on March 9.