Yase seemed to be a strong foursome headed into the merge.
Why did the Yase alliance fall apart?
Did Evvie take a stab at build something with other women at the merge?
Evvie Jagoda on ‘Survivor 41’.Robert Voets/CBS
And what happened out there that wedidn’tsee?
That’s on me, Evvie.
EVVIE JAGODA:I mean, it clearly was all your fault.
Evvie Jagoda on ‘Survivor 41’.Robert Voets/CBS
I can sleep well thinking that.
I can take the heat.
You said at Tribal Council that you were 75 percent sure your plan would work.
Evvie Jagoda on ‘Survivor 41’.Robert Voets/CBS
You saw us go on our journey together early in the game, and we really, really bonded.
And when we got to the merge, we really did want to work together.
I did really want to work with this person."
The one that Tiffany was voted out on, he pulled me aside.
Let’s do some damage together."
And then we continued those conversations the next day.
So I really felt like I did have a good relationship with Deshawn.
He definitely knew I was with him.
So I thought it made sense, but obviously Danny was much less into that idea.
He’s like, “What do you mean?
We’re obviously getting Evvie.”
So I think we were just playing antithetical games.
So it makes sense that he didn’t go with me.
Danny was happy to receive information from Xander and push him where he wanted to go.
When Danny said to Xander, “I’ll do whatever you want to do”?
No, he wasn’t going to do whatever Xander wanted to do.
Was there any discussion at all of Xander playing his idol for you?
Like, he had been saying since Yase, “Oh, I’ll play an advantage for you.
If it comes to a swap, I’ll give you the extra vote.”
I’ll give it back to you if there’s no swap."
And then he was like, “No, I’ll give you the fake idol.”
I wasn’t going to put my cards in that.
So I was really trying to make a different plan happen.
Was it Deshawn sort of calling you at Tribal?
Honestly, it was very surprising to me as well that Yase totally imploded after that.
Because when we got back from Tribal, it was all hugs.
We didn’t know how close we were going to end up being."
And honestly, Xander is a gamer.
I don’t think he took it personally, but I think he was a bit wary.
And then the next day, I think Xander decided his best strategy was to totally ditch us.
And he literally did not talk to me and Tiffany at all.
I think he just really wanted the perception of, “I’m a free agent.
I’m not part of the Yase three.”
But if we’re not three, there’s nothing for them to even flip to.
But again, he’s playing an individual game and he’s still there.
What was behind that?
And I think the show portrayed it well.
I love her so much, and she wants play a big game.
She wants a big move.
She was always thinking that Xander was going to be like Joey Amazing.
And there’s six Luvu, so we’ve got to get one of them out."
And then what if we got out Tiff?"
And to me it was just like, “Well, how would we do that?
These are the only people in the game that we actually have these long-term relationships with.”
I think if it wasn’t for that hourglass that she wouldn’t have wanted to come for me.
And she actually let me read the note.
It was honestly surprising, but I also did see it coming.
I was like, “Oh, I’m just so nervous.
But I love her.
She has her own game, and it seemed like the right move for her at the time.
You really wanted to ride with an all-women’s alliance at the start of the game.
And one of the first conversations I had at the merge was with Shan.
That was definitely the vibe.
But the merge was crazy.
There were so many things going on, and it was so fluid and jumbled up.
We don’t want to go to the end with Deshawn and Danny.
Let’s get this back together.
And I was like, “Hell yeah!”
So it was definitely always floating around.
Do you buy that though?
Because Shan seemed pretty obsessed with getting Erika and Heather out.
Everyone knew I wanted to work with them and was available to work with them.
And when I was still around, they were down for it.
So if I hadn’t pulled the rock…
So let’s play a game of “SurvivorWhat If?”
What do you think happens if the tribes don’t get broken up?
The names I was hearing floating around were Erika and Naseer.
I really think it could have been a split on those two.
And power to Erica for winning an immunity that I think she really needed on that side.
But I really was not in the cards for that day.
I firmly believe that.
Give me something else you wish had made it on air but didn’t.
This is a wonderful group of people.
Two moments in particular stand out to me.
Because it was so obvious that me winning immunity meant that she was probably going home.
And she was like, “Are you crazy?
What are you talking about?
What are you sorry about?
I’m so proud of you.”
It actually made her happy that I won, even though that was it for her.
And that’s just amazing in a million-dollar game.
And a similar moment: Right before the merge vote, I was freaking out.
Go in there with your game face on.
You got this!”
Even though he was totally against me.
I just love that.
We saw you dominate that one puzzle, which you practiced on with beads at home.
Did you do that with other puzzles as well?
So that was fun, because I literally made that the day I left [for the show].
My partner was going to get the vaccine and she’s like, “You have to pack.”
And I was like, “Wait, really quick.
I’m just gonna make this puzzle.”
I also did the fish puzzle where the fish alternate.
I’ve got that one.
The others are not like that.
So sorry to youSurvivorfans, practice other ones.
What does it mean to you to get that message out on the air?
That’s, uh…
I’m getting emotional even talking about me.
To me, that’s why I did the show.
You know what I mean?
My queerness brings me so much joy and has unleashed so much more of myself.
And it’s the happiest thing in my life.
And I’m just really, really, really happy I said that and that it aired.
Honestly, seeing that was worth a million dollars to me.
This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.
