CBS The cast of Survivor: Thailand
The production crew for a season of Survivor is roughly 400 people, so you wouldn’t think there would be anything they would miss, right? Well, back during season five, Survivor: Thailand, production missed a huge fight between two castaways. Here’s what happened.
Robb Zbacnik and Ken Stafford Got In a Huge Fight in the Woods
Jed Hildebrand was voted out third during Survivor: Thailand, much to Robb Zbacnik’s dismay because they were allies on the Sook Jai tribe. When he confronted Ken Stafford about it, the two of them got into a “super heated argument,” but production missed the whole thing.
“Ken and I got in a SUPER heated argument in the woods, and the producer who was on the scene didn’t have a camera crew yet, so none of it made it to air,” Zbacnik told Entertainment Weekly in a recent interview. “The poor dude kept trying to get us to calm down and wait for the camera crew, but we were both so upset. Basically, I told Ken that I thought he was full of sh*t and I was super upset that they had recently voted off Jed, while Ken was trying to convince me that he had to save my neck because they wanted to vote me off first, which I knew was a complete lie.”
Zbacnik also said that he thought the edit he got on the show was fine — he’s glad they showed a different side to his personality before he was voted off.
“They chose to show the very competitive and aggressive side of my personality for most of the season, and I can’t be upset, because that side of my personality exists and I think they made a good character out of that side of me,” said Zbacnik, adding, “I am happy that they finally showed the super positive and gracious side of my personality on my farewell episode, because that side of me definitely exists too, and it’s the side I tend to spend a lot more time embracing.”
Zbacnik and Hildebrand Are Still Tight
Zbacnik also revealed that he and Jed Hildebrand are still close even all these years later.
“I still regularly text and chat with JED! The guy is a legend and such a standup human being. I’m going to visit him next summer in Texas to stay at his boathouse and go wakeboarding. I honestly can’t wait for it!” said Zbacnik, adding that he also stays in touch with Stephenie LaGrossa, who is “even more of a warrior now than she was when [they] played the game.”
“She runs/hikes probably 10 miles a day or something insane. She’s gnarly and I love her.”
Finally, Zbacnik, who works as an actor and photographer in Los Angeles, said he would love to play Survivor again if given the chance. And if you’re curious, his Instagram is full of beautiful photographs he has taken over the years. He is quite a talented photographer.
Survivor hopes to film seasons 41, 42 and possibly 43 in the spring of 2021.
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