Sydney Segal Says It Was An 'Honor For America' To Watch Her Compete On 'Survivor 41'
(CBS) - Despite being on TV for over two decades, Survivor still finds a way to deliver firsts. Last night Survivor 41 did just that as Sydney Segal became the first player to use a "Shot In The Dark" at Tribal Council. Unfortunately for Segal and "The Sydney Segal Community" that shot missed and her time in the game came to an end.
CBS' Matt Weiss caught up with Sydney to discuss her time in the game, her duty to America and what it took to eliminate her from the island.
MW- Hey Sydney, unfortunately your time on the island came to an end last night but you had a pretty good run, definitely left an impression. As you reflect on everything today, how do you feel about your time on Survivor?
SS- There's good and bad, but I think the good definitely outweighs the bad. I had a great time, I came in like, very, very scared. Honestly, I applied for The Amazing Race originally but when I heard about Survivor I was like how could I not do it.
I felt like my fear was going to manifest itself physically, like I thought it was going to be physical pain because of hunger and exhaustion. I ended up having so much fun though.
I was concerned about how I'd be in nature cause I mean, I know I'm a mermaid but I'm also Beverly Hills. I love my drip, I need my Italian espresso. I went into it thinking this is way too natural but I had a great time.
MW- So you almost psyched yourself out but then you got into that tribal lifestyle...
SS- Literally. It's like definitely one side of me that I enjoyed and I hope to do it again.
MW- You were so close to winning immunity towards the end but then Ricard just swooped in there and wrestled it away. What's going through your mind when you're in that challenge?
SS- So in the the challenge I was just focusing on myself. I actually missed one of the bottom pieces, I forgot to move things around to put it in which I was like, damn, I'm so good I got the base down while missing a piece. Like, that's how good I am.
Anyways, I lost to a dancer so if I'm going to lose to someone a dancer was good for me. So I was like whatever because at the end of the day my goal as much as it was to win, my first goal is don't embarrass yourself. I'm a winner but that's always my first goal. So I proved yet again I am a threat in challenges and that's good for me.
MW- You definitely represented yourself well out there and as we move forward a little bit did it hurt when you saw Deshawn put your name out there? I know it's part of the game but there is the human element of someone you worked with turning a corner on you.
SS- Exactly, there is the human element and I know they showed the shot of Deshawn saying my name but at that point everyone was saying everyone's name. There was a point where me, Deshawn and Evvie were all talking so like, there's only one option at that point, Danny.
No one actually wanted Danny out, but what are you going to do at that point? So yeah, Deshawn was definitely in it for himself, which I would have been in it for myself too. At the end of the day, he used an extra vote to try to save me. He was a little slimy, but luckily for our current friendship, he didn't slime me.
MW- And I'm always curious to hear, what it's like watching yourself on TV in that environment?
SS- Like I said on TV I'm very self obsessed, so every time I see myself on the screen, I'm like, I'm that b****, it was so fun. [laughs] I mean, on a personal note, I had an incredible time just like looking at myself. I have three or four mirrors in my room so like, I love looking at myself.
Seeing myself on TV and to have America seeing me, it was just such an honor for America. It was a gift for America from CBS for them to get to know me, so it was great. But then also on a more selfless off-brand note I loved it for my family, I loved it for my friends, I loved it for friends of friends.
It was so fun For the Sydney Segal Community, like my kingdom, I loved it for them. I was very surprised at how much I almost wanted it for everybody else more than myself.
MW- As we get closer to that last tribal council and things start to break down for your alliance, when did you get the sense that things weren't going your way?
SS- So Liana getting clowned by Xander was kind of the moment because that was supposed to benefit me. But nothing in the game surprised me and I just kind of figured my vote wasn't really going to matter that much. Just reading the room and being as self aware and intelligent as I am I was like, based on where the idols are, based on where the paranoia is and based on how the alliances are looking I was exactly where I wanted to be in the game.
It's all about voting blocks so I'd rather be between two alliances than in one. So I was right where I wanted to be but like based on where things were at that moment I realized I could be collateral damage. So I realized I was actually an option.
So I'm like, I would rather put my fate in luck than with these losers. Everybody that I wanted to work with voted with me, every single person on both sides of the alliances. It speaks to exactly where I felt like I was in the game and that was exactly where I wanted to be and that's exactly where I was. So yeah, it was a good way to go out because the only way you can get me out was having it become an epic tribal and that was the only way, like literally the only way.
MW- And you made history as the first person to ever play your "Shot In The Dark."
SS- Oh, I love that for me, like literally. People have asked me if I regret playing it because then I probably wouldn't have gone home and I'm like do I regret making history? That's a dumb question, next.
MW- And so you already answered this, but I'll give you a chance to elaborate on it. If you get the chance are you going back to Survivor?
SS- Hundo percent, hundo percent. I'm going and I'm going to play the exact same way I played before because I did nothing wrong. The only thing I would probably do differently is probably spear fish more to get away from people more often.
Mental health matters on the island too so it's pretty therapeutic to go spear fishing and get away from everybody that you have to live with on this island. But yeah, no, I'm 100% doing it, like hundo percent.
I couldn't do America that disservice of not accepting the invitation. So even if I didn't want to I'm nice, I feel like I'm a nice person so I would do it for them. Also for the haters, because haters are just fans in disguise.
MW- That's right, shout out to the Sydney Segal Community, they deserve it.
SS- Thank you. I agree.
MW- Well thank you so much for the time today Sydney, it's been a fun one and all the best moving forward.
SS- Appreciate it!
Tune in for brand-new episodes of Survivor 41 Wednesday nights at 8:00 PM ET/PT on CBS or available to stream with Paramount+. Check your local listings for more information.