Survivor 50 has been a journey that's been "In the Hands of the Fans," a thrilling experience replete with celebrity-branded idols, twists, and rewards. And now, with just one more fan vote left, we're on the cusp of a collision of epic proportions.
Host Jeff Probst announced this exciting news with dramatic flair, standing on Fijian rocks during an ad break on tonight's episode of Survivor 50. "Well, this season has been In the Hands of the Fans," he said in the video. "And now there's just one fan vote left to make. Since 2016, global pop star and Survivor super fan Sia has given away over a million dollars of her own money to players who moved us with their gameplay. This season, she's turning that honor over to the fans, trusting you to celebrate the kind of player she always recognizes."
So, what exactly does this mean? It means that starting at the end of tonight's episode, fans can vote at survivor50cbs.votenow.tv for their favorite player of the season, and the winner of what has been dubbed the Sia Fan Favorite prize will be revealed during the May 20 finale on CBS. Not only will the winner be revealed, but they'll walk away with a cool $100,000.
Sia's generosity began when she appeared on the Survivor: Kaoh Rong stage in 2016 and shocked Tai Trang by gifting him $50,000, along with another $50,000 for charity of his choice. And that was just the beginning. Over the years, Sia has given money to 16 people and/or their charities, including $100,000 each to seven different contestants (Rick Devens, Elaine Stott, Janet Carbin, Drea Wheeler, Jesse Lopez, Carolyn Wiger, and Katurah Topps) – often surprising them over Zoom, like when she presented $200,000 to various members of the Survivor 43 cast. However, she finally closed the purse after Survivor 45. Topps, Kaleb Gebrewold ($15,000), and Jake O'Kane ($15,000) were the last recipients of Sia's unparalleled generosity.
Now, five seasons later, the Sia prize is back. Although it is unclear if she is providing the money this time (our guess is that it's simply branded with her name thanks to her extensive past giving), there is no official word yet as to who is actually footing the $100,000 bill.
As for who from Survivor 50 is likely to win that $100,000, one would have to assume that Cirie Fields already has her name printed on the check. At least that's our not-so-bold prediction. And we will further predict that previous Sia winner Rick and Ozzy will be runners-up to the big prize. But the power to prove us wrong now lies in your hands!
