Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.
Dean Kowalski’s endgame onSurvivor: Island of the Idolswas pretty legit.
He won two immunity challenges.
Dean Kowalski on ‘Survivor: Island of the Idols’.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty Images
He successfully used an Idol Nullifier.
He prevailed at the final four fire-making.
So why was he routed by Tommy Sheehan in jury votes at the end?
Dean Kowalski on ‘Survivor: Island of the Idols’.Robert Voets/CBS via Getty Images
“I needed to be closer to people than Tommy was,” says Dean.
DEAN KOWALSKI:SinceSurvivor… seems like a while ago now!
The pandemic has seemingly somehow compressed and sped up time simultaneously.
Dean Kowalski, Noura Salman, Lauren Beck, Tommy Sheehan and Janet Carbin on ‘Survivor: Island of the Idols’.CBS
Nonetheless, our season aired 9/2019 - 12/2019 and that was an absolute whirlwind.
(near Penn Station for easy access).
The other memorable party was the episode before the finale.
Like all, the pandemic threw a wrench into normal life.
Since May, I am fully back in N.Y.C.
What is your proudest moment ever from playingSurvivor?
Winning the final four fire challenge.
I remember vividly being so dialed into my fire I never once looked over to monitor Lauren’s progress.
Solidifying my spot in the final three via fire was my proudest moment.
What is your biggest regret from yourSurvivorexperience?
Namely, I needed people to want to give me the million dollars.
I needed to be closer to people than Tommy was.
That was clearly not the case.
This was a special win because it was my 29th birthday!
I’m still attempting to get a copy of that film.
Actually, another memorable string of events that never made it to TV followed another reward challenge.
This one was probably with six or so people left in the game.
I remember returning to camp to an immediate food coma.
Later that night, however, I can confidently say I had the worst night of my life.
It was pouring rain and I did not sleep a wink.
The next morning, while everyone went about their day as normal, cooked breakfast, etc…
I remained in bed.
I stayed there until one of those I.O.I.
boats pulled up and everyone forced me to come down to read the message.
This is when I was then randomly selected to go visit Rob and Sandra.
My stomach issues and bathroom trips continued while on the journey to I.O.I.
It wasn’t until I ate Rob’s fish when I started to come alive again.
How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?
I laugh to myself thinking about the edit.
It was a wild ride.
I do wish they were somehow able to show more of Final Tribal Council, however.
That was a four-hour ordeal with a lot of juicy back-and-forths that I feel were omitted.
What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there?
Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?
This was a tough transition.
Instead of returning immediately to N.Y.C.
and my job, I proactively scheduled a week in between to readjust.
I spent this time at my parents' house in N.J.
Even the no teeth brushing persisted out of habit for a couple of days.
I also remember being fascinated by utensils and towels.
I eventually researched that the non-WiFi messages cease to go through after a couple weeks of failed reception.
Once I did get back to N.Y.C.
Every time it would rain.
We were freezing, not sleeping, no fire, not making rice, wet clothes.
Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?
That’s my boy.
We had some good bro-bonding near the end of the game and with our proximity (N.Y.C.
to Long Island) we’re able to see each other here and there and have a good time.
It’s a hoot.
Other than that tall, lanky, pale, red-headed guy, I keep up with Elizabeth.
Jack, Elizabeth’s boo boo is an amazing guy with whom I love spending time.
AndJason it seems the tides have turned that he’s all busy with a newborn now.
I just want to be friends!
Still watch, of course!
I feel like it’s my duty moving forward.
Only season 40 has aired since mine and I watched that with my family during the pandemic.
Who’s one player from anotherSurvivorseason you wish you could have played with or against and why?
Also, I wouldn’t mind hanging on an island with my earlySurvivorcrush, Brenda Lowe.
If you could make one change to any aspect ofSurvivor,what would it be and why?
In a similar vein, the Fire Tokens rubbed me the wrong way in a Teeny way.
The Tokens were gifted by recent vote-offs to folks still within the game.
In my mind, this goes against the organic nature of the game: to vote out threats toyourgame.
Finally, would you play again if asked?
Call me, Jeff.
I mean, why not?!
It’s such a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I would feel guilty if I were to turn it down!
