Sue Smey wished to show that she might grasp with the youngsters on the market on Survivor 47, and the 59-year-old (who pretended to be 45) positively did that, making all of it the way in which to the top of the sport and sitting in entrance of the jury on day 26. Sadly, that jury didn’t reward her with any votes, as a substitute giving Rachel LaMont a 7-1-0 victory over Sam Phalen and Sue.

How does Sue really feel about being shut out by the jury, particularly by allies Caroline Vidmar and Gabe Ortis? Why didn’t the true age reveal make a much bigger influence? And what was it like having to go from the loss straight into the after-show? We requested Sue all that and extra, together with her present ideas on rival Kyle Ostwald.

Survivor 47 finale recap: A victory a year in the making

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Okay, most essential factor first. What number of Christmas timber do you’ve got up in your home proper now?

SUE SMEY: I feel proper now I’ve 5.

Okay, not extreme in any respect. Sooooo… are you able to clarify all that filth we saved seeing in your face? What offers, Sue?

Nicely, to be sincere, right here's the factor: I've at all times been like a tomboy. I grew up within the woods. I grew up spending my summers dwelling on an island with my household, and we had nothing to do however to play on the island all day. I'm not afraid of getting down and soiled, and that's precisely what I did on the market. I used to be continuously in search of idols, and though I had one, I nonetheless wished extra. I wished extra benefits.

And it's boring, so you bought to search out one thing to do. Unbeknownst to me, like wiping your face or no matter, I by no means actually realized how soiled I used to be. And I used to be much more shocked that nobody instructed me! So a couple of times Rachel could be like, “Sue, you bought a bit filth proper there.” So I'd be rubbing it and she or he'd be like, “No, a bit bit extra. And we’d attempt it after which I might inform it wasn't coming off and I lastly could be like, “Simply overlook it, it's no massive deal.” Simply because I didn't notice how dangerous it was!

So even while you splash your face within the morning, you set a bit sunscreen on — there's a distinction between filth and soot, and perhaps there was filth right here and there. I did sleep within the filth, and generally I'd get up and your head's form of on a shirt, however you then're within the filth and rinsing it off. We didn't have cleaning soap. Or I misplaced the cleaning soap alongside the way in which.

Rachel LaMont reveals the lie she told at Survivor 47 final Tribal Council

So how have been you feeling about your possibilities of successful as you walked into that last Tribal Council?

I actually thought my entire recreation plan from the start was to cover my age from the youngsters. As a result of if I instructed them I used to be actually 58 — I knew I used to be turning 59 — if I made it to the top, they'd have already got me within the grave. So I figured in the event that they're not going to essentially listen, I’ll I say I'm in my 40s. No person actually cared, they simply knew I used to be older. However I didn't need them to know how a lot older I used to be. So I actually thought between my efficiency of discovering an idol, successful an immunity problem, coming in second place twice behind Kyle…. I wished Kyle out so dangerous as a result of he killed my probabilities. If Kyle weren't there, I’d've had three necklaces round my neck.

So in my mind, I'm like, I'm going to be given this chance to essentially allow them to see that I wished TK out, TK left, I wished Kyle out, Kyle left. I did make strikes. I did have plans. Andy was my largest goal. I wished Andy out. It was extra of a revenge factor, though he drove me loopy with all the lies, I couldn't take it anymore. And a minimum of with Sam, I knew the place Sam was. He wasn't mendacity to me. We knew we have been on reverse ends of the spectrum. He was there, I used to be right here. I used to be good with that. It was simpler to know what I had with Sam than with Andy. You simply by no means might belief that what he was saying was going to be true. After which with the entire Caroline factor, I wished him gone for Caroline.

So these have been my strikes. Rachel actually was threatened by Sam, and I'm like, “You might do no matter you need. I'm writing Andy's title down.” So I felt like I influenced loads. I did stick true to my phrase. I stayed loyal to the individuals I used to be loyal to, and I helped them, and I wished all of my alliances to go so far as I might. And I actually hoped that they’d see that as effectively. And I actually felt like as soon as they noticed that I used to be form of badass at 58, 59, they'd be impressed by that and be like, “Wow, perhaps she does deserve that million.” In order that was my entire thought course of.

Sam Phalen says it 'stung' not getting Sierra's Survivor 47 winner vote

So then how shocked and or disenchanted have been you to not get a minimum of Caroline and Gabe's votes from the jury? These have been your largest allies.

I’m assuming once they're at Ponderosa, all of them wished this season to be an epic season. They usually have been all targeted on the intense gameplay, Rachel, I imply, my God, she was a beast. if I wasn't successful it, she deserved to win it as a result of she was a beast. So it was onerous to see that not one particular person put my title down, however I’ve to respect their decisions and the place they felt everybody would place their votes. And I actually felt like they form of got here into right here in a method already having an thought of the conversations they have been having at Ponderosa to provide you with this concept of who they felt was one of the best participant.

You had that massive bombshell revelation about being 59 in your birthday as a substitute of 45. How did that go over with the jury?

I really feel like all of them simply began laughing. I didn't actually see too many [reactions] as a result of I used to be simply attempting to concentrate on what I wished to get on the market earlier than I used to be shut down. All of them have been like, “Whoa.” I feel Andy particularly. I felt they have been shocked, however I don't know. And I suppose it wasn't sufficient to make them have the respect for somebody that's going to be 60 subsequent 12 months that I made it this far.

I felt I did actually good within the challenges. Possibly I wasn't a head runner at occasions, however I by no means held something again both within the competitions. One, I gained. And even with the bucket, I made the remark to Kyle. And he had been struggling already, and in my mind I'm like, “Do I keep and simply beat the blokes though I'm performed? Or is that going to place a goal on me?” As a result of I nonetheless believed in my recreation and I believed I might perhaps win one other one or two challenges. So I hoped that they'd be impressed by the truth that as previous as I used to be, I did fairly rattling good.

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What was that emotional whiplash wish to go from not getting any votes to the grins and champagne of the After-Present?

Nicely, I knew the outcomes, and the final couple days it tears me up as a result of one, I'm unhappy it's over. And two, it was unhappy that I didn't get any votes. And I used to be attempting to carry it collectively final night time watching it with everyone there and with the love of my household and my associates, it choked me up a bit realizing I didn't get any votes. It sucked. It's onerous, however I used to be nonetheless happy with myself for doing what I did and sticking by and being robust and pushing by.

I actually was pushed to my restrict many occasions, bodily, mentally, emotionally. And I at all times say when you’ll be able to simply keep there and it will get higher, you come out like, “I freaking did this!” and also you're so happy with your self. And that's one other factor, I wish to be an inspiration for individuals my age that age is simply the quantity. And I saved saying that every one alongside is that anyone can do something. You simply bought to have the need to attempt as a result of what's left is the grave. So get out and do reside your life and simply do the whole lot you presumably can do.

You had fairly the journey with Kyle. He then twists the knife by giving that one vote to Sam you don’t even get the second place cash. What's the deal now with you and Kyle, as a result of clearly you two had a rollercoaster trip.

Nicely, I really like Kyle and I need it to be clear, I really like Kyle. He's a beautiful, great man. And to mainly put it on the market, I felt like he has an excellent story. He had a tough childhood. That was a narrative that you just don't wish to sit subsequent to it at last [Tribal]. He's a contest beast. That's one other factor you don't wish to sit subsequent to. And he's a very good man. And he had such an excellent relationship with everybody that he's somebody you need out.

And he was the one which held me again. Truthfully, he held me again as a result of he did beat me, and I beat all of their asses aside from him twice. So he was my competitors in my thoughts and I wished him out. Do I really like Kyle? Sure. Was I attempting to affect the opposite individuals to perhaps have a look at him in a different way and see we bought to get him out? I actually rallied onerous to ensure I knew I wished him out, however I wished to ensure that the following alternative we had, that we might get him out. However he's a very good man. I really like Kyle to dying.

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What was it like for you having to look at that montage of all of the stuff you have been saying about him?

I don't even bear in mind it! [Laughs] I used to be blown away. And the hate I bought was fairly extreme. And I want individuals might perceive that once we're in the course of this, you're talking to different individuals the way in which we're having a dialog now the place when individuals exit to dinner, you're having your conversations. You're saying one thing, and yeah, I used to be annoyed with Kyle. He wished me out and I maintain a grudge, no matter. I wished him out as a result of he was my competitors and I wished him out as a result of he did write my title down.

And, to be sincere, the day that we have been going to Tribal, him and I went for a very lengthy stroll and we had a very, actually good dialog. And his phrases to me have been, “You're a mama and my girlfriend is a mama, and I'm not going to write down down a mama's title. I’ve different choices.” So I actually by no means anticipated him to write down my title down. I assumed he would possibly write Caroline's title down as a result of I knew with TK, we had the vote swung already. However I used to be shocked that he had instructed me he wouldn't write my title down that day. After which he did. So there was a bit little bit of stuff occurring, however nonetheless, he's an excellent man. It's a recreation.

I perceive you have been very sick in the beginning of recreation. What was occurring there?

Yeah, I used to be severely sick. I feel after a pair days of not consuming, and I don't know what occurred, however I had abdomen cramps and was vomiting earlier than one of many challenges. I bear in mind one of many different tribes, they noticed me within the discipline throwing up after which we needed to go compete. I used to be severely sick and nearly like in a zombie state for simply two days. It was actually, actually robust.

My largest worry was being taken out due to being sick or one thing. And my entire coaching was based mostly on not getting injured. All these different individuals are coaching to construct their muscle groups up and be a beast. I used to be coaching to not get injured. I used to be taking weighted vests and working 4 miles to strengthen my joints. I had a special mindset of: Don't get injured. And that was my largest worry was being taken out of the sport due to an harm or an sickness. And it weighs in your head. It's actually, actually robust.

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That might be my nightmare, getting on the market and being sick on day one.

God, it's loopy. And it occurred to some of us that we have been very sick. After which another individuals all through the time bought very sick and there may be nothing you are able to do however pray you're simply going to really feel a bit bit higher to make it by the following day..

What’s one thing that occurred on the market this season that didn’t make it to TV that you just want we bought an opportunity to see?

I feel a very powerful factor and probably the most touching factor to me is when it was, I feel day two, I can't bear in mind. And it was my daughter's birthday and these guys have been simply getting to fulfill one another, however they knew it was Chelsea's birthday. I used to be very sick. I bear in mind simply laying on the bamboo, simply not realizing what's going to occur to me. They usually shocked me. They constructed an enormous, enormous hearth and sang “Joyful Birthday” to Chelsea.

It was most likely one of the crucial touching issues {that a} group of strangers might do for somebody on this scenario. And that proper there bonded me with all of them. I want that they confirmed that as a result of it was an exquisite factor and it was an exquisite neighborhood coming collectively to assist one particular person and a stranger they don't even know. In order that they're lovely individuals, And that was one thing that if the world might see what Tuku did for Tuku, they’d simply fall extra in love with the present.

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