The problem is, she kept telling people about them.
Omar alerted Mike, who passed off the idol leaving Drea vulnerable and sending her to the jury.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So, what went wrong?
Drea Wheeler on ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
Why are you here talking to me right now?
DREA WHEELER:I trusted Omar.
You’re not the first person to make that mistake.
Mike Turner and Drea Wheeler on ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
[Laughs]You know what, kudos to him.
His strategic game is emotional.
But, for him, it was just all gameplay.
Drea Wheeler on ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
So that’s how he got me.
I noticed a pattern with you this season where you kept telling people about your advantages.
And I’m screaming at the TV screen as you’re doing it.
So the reason I told Swati and Tori was because people were already talking about it at camp.
So they knew that there was something that happened there.
And in my mind, I just knew someone had gone through my bag.
[Laughs]So I thought that they already knew about it.
They probably did, but who knows?
And I genuinely wanted to do a girls alliance.
I’m a girls girl to the heart.
I really wanted to work with Tori and Swati.
We were the three, in my opinion, strong players on our team.
And I thought that we could go farther in the game together.
So it was strategy.
And it was also like, let’s build this bond together, ladies.
let’s work together.
So tell me about the decision to tell Omar about the Knowledge is Power advantage.
All you have to do is go to Tribal and use it and you’re in great shape.
He was going everywhere, talking to everyone.
And he was just getting a little sloppy.
So people were starting to notice that he was talking to everyone.
I think he was becoming a bit aware of the fact that people were watching him as well.
So it would not benefit him taking me out so soon because that’s just how I thought.
So that’s why I told him we needed to work together.
That’s how I felt, like, help me help you!
We can go after each other later in the game, but let’s get the firefighter out.
I’m like, “I’m playing my extra vote.”
I honestly forgot about the Shot in the Dark because it was just so new to the game.
And then I always knew that if I was ever in that position, I would never not vote.
That’s the one power you have in the game, right?
So I’m gonna just do my two votes.
So we gotta get Mike out because Mike was relating to everyone.
His social game was amazing in my opinion at that time.
So I was just like, it’s a game.
I gotta go up and I gotta play.
I gotta play everything I got.
And I hope someone else believes in me.
You obviously had a huge moment at that double Tribal we saw a few weeks back.
People didn’t know that I was a part of the all-male alliance!
[Laughs]I was the one girl in the all-male alliance.
So I had ties in everything.
So when I saw him there, I basically realized that something went down at that camp.
I was very close to Rocks and we hid it so no one knew.
We had this interaction at Ika where we just had a heart-to-heart that no one saw.
And after that heart-to-heart, I was like, “Okay, Rocks has my back.”
I didn’t think Rocks liked me.
And then we talked and he was like, “I do like you!”
I was like, “Oh, okay.
“[Laughs]Cause I was like, Iwannalike you.
I knew that Rocks had my back and I had Rocks' back.
So I was just processing everything.
And then, don’t forget, I’m allergic to coconut and seaweed.
So while everyone else is eating, I’m starving.
And then my emotions just took over and I just started crying.
That was my way of telling her, I got you.
And I did have her.
That was my goal was to have Maryanne’s back.
But it was emotional.
It was an out-of-game experience.
Jonathan called you aggressive at that Tribal, and obviously a lot could be read into that.
What did you read into that in the moment?
In the moment, I kind of just was like, he doesn’t understand.
Jonathan and I had very heart-to-heart conversations at camp.
I had social connections with most people at camp.
And then I realized that I just don’t think he understood.
So when I said to him “No, it’s not you.
We’re friends” this was a genuine moment.
I just really wanted him to know that “I don’t wanna be aggressive.
I’m not trying to.
“[Laughs]Because you forget about everything.
I was in shock.
So what was it like for you watching that entire Tribal play back on TV?
I don’t cry.
My family, my friends, they were all shocked because I’m usually the rock, you know?
Because it was like such a powerful moment.
I knew that no one will let me get to the end.
And I needed to just speak my truth.
I think I would’ve won for sure.
I was Drea in the game.
If anyone who knows me saw me, they were like, you were yourself.
I related to people.
I told people how I truly felt.
They knew where I stood.
I would’ve given honest answers to the jury.
I would have won.
I genuinely feel like I would’ve won.
[Laughs] Yeah!
And then I would get scared.
I came toSurvivorto have zero regrets.
When that challenge came, I hate peanut butter and jelly.
And then I was weighing the benefits and the risk vs. benefit costs.
So I was just like, “I don’t like peanut butter.
I’m going to be losing so much energy.
And then I won’t have anything for the immunity challenge.
I thought about every move.
I really weighed the pros and cons.
What would benefit me?
I really just didn’t care.
So that was just like, come on!
Jonathan, you’re going for the wrong people.
I would have taken you to the final three because I wanted to play with strong people.
And then Omar, he can’t keep a secret.
And what he’s telling you is probably a lie.
So listen to that.
Or maybe you’re smart enough to get rid of him now.
And then Romeo, start playing because you’re always the decoy.”
I love Romeo, but Romeo was just fading at the end.
And I was just like, “Your name is always out there.
So no, it was very intentional.
And then Maryanne was just Maryanne.
What’s something that happened out there that never made it to TV that you wish we had seen?
That’s a good question.
You’re the fisherman!
[Laughs]I’m from Texas.
I can go hunt and shoot and stuff like that.
But you’re our Aquaman.
I need your help.
I’m not trying to be aggressive, but I’m starving!”
I needed him to understand that as much as he hasn’t eaten, I am starving.
My body was going to ketosis.
I need your help.
And he was very receptive and was like, “I’m sorry too.”
