S40: Ethan Zohn

[Whimsy]

Winner of Survivor: Africa

[LanceM]

Cast bio

https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/216305/

 

"The last time I played this game was in 2004 on Survivor: All Stars... there were no Idols, hidden clues, advantages, or ways to get back into the game. And get this—we actually had to survive! The game has changed and so have I. I plan to adapt, have fun and push my mind, body, and spirit to the max."

[LanceM]

ET Canada interview.  I am very interested to see how he plays this time around given that when he played there were no immunity idols,vote steals, etc.

 

 

[peachmangosteen]

He's even better looking now than he was back then!

[fishcakes]

He does look better now. I was never a fan of the Sideshow Bob hair.

[LanceM]

Dalton Ross did interviews as well.

https://ew.com/tv/2020/01/16/survivor-ethan-zohn-winners-at-war-interview-season-40/

"Yeah, I look at the way Adam played. He played kind of an old school game. He had a loyal relationship. Parvati, she played with one person all the times she’s played. She was loyal to Russell in the second time, she was loyal to Amanda. So those are old school values in the new school game. You have to have one or two ride or dies. So like that’s my Lex and Tom."

Not surprised he wants to align with Parvati given the fact they have been friends for years. In fact she one of the few "Survivor" guests at his wedding. She has also done a lot of work helping raise money for his charity

 

Him wanting to align with Adam would not be surprising either:

 

"I thought about it and he was probably like 10 years old when I was on. You can imagine like, “Oh there’s another Jewish guy on the show I can identify with.” He lost his mom to cancer, he’s a compassionate guy he plays with his heart. That’s someone I can identify with. 

Edited January 17, 2020 by LanceM

[tvgoddess]

Cancer survivors unite! I can't even compare myself to him though, he went through hell. I got off so easy in comparison. Rewatching Africa now and remembering how glad I was that he won.

On 1/16/2020 at 10:42 AM, peachmangosteen said:

He's even better looking now than he was back then!

Aside from the hair, he's always reminded me a little of Matthew Fox. 

[ratherbereading]

Does anyone else think Ethan looks a little like Mark Ruffalo? 

 

It's great to see him back, looking good and doing well. 

I hope he goes a long way. 

 

[Hera]

17 hours ago, ratherbereading said:

Does anyone else think Ethan looks a little like Mark Ruffalo? 

My husband thought he looked like Matthew McConaughey. I don't really see a physical resemblance to Mark Ruffalo, but I do think that they both have a very likeable air about them. I've never watched Africa and he wasn't on All Stars long enough to make an impression, but he is a very rootable player.

Edited February 14, 2020 by Hera
To add a missing "never".

[SandyToes]

Watching Africa for the first time.  If I didn't know Ethan wins, I don't know that I would make it very far in the season.  That old/young business with the Sumboohoo tribe was hard to take. Hoping he does well this time. I'm glad to see him looking so well. What a tough ride...

[Jextella]

On 1/23/2020 at 4:34 PM, tvgoddess said:

Aside from the hair, he's always reminded me a little of Matthew Fox. 

 

17 hours ago, ratherbereading said:

Does anyone else think Ethan looks a little like Mark Ruffalo? 

 

13 hours ago, Hera said:

My husband thought he looked like Matthew McConaughey.

I see Matthew Fox with small dabs of Mark Ruffalo and Matthew McConaughey. 

[LadyChatts]

Ethan, like the other old schoolers, really doesn't look much different (minus less hair, and more gray, but other than that he looks the same).  Rob actually looks the oldest out of all of the old school players.

I can't say Ethan was ever a big favorite of mine, but I'm glad he's doing well, and happy he's back.  I loved his TC voting confessional when he said as much.  I wish they had included the likes of Tina and Vee to get more old schoolers in the mix. 

[Jextella]

On 2/14/2020 at 3:27 PM, LadyChatts said:

Ethan, like the other old schoolers, really doesn't look much different (minus less hair, and more gray, but other than that he looks the same).  Rob actually looks the oldest out of all of the old school players.

I can't say Ethan was ever a big favorite of mine, but I'm glad he's doing well, and happy he's back.  I loved his TC voting confessional when he said as much.  I wish they had included the likes of Tina and Vee to get more old schoolers in the mix. 

I think I'm enjoying the current Ethan over the younger Ethan.  Maybe because he's so happy and upbeat.  And also, I find him FAR more attractive at his current age than I did as a younger man 🙂

He and Yul seem to be enjoying their time back in the public.   Jeff is right.  Technology and online media have changed so much since they played that this has to be a really new experience for them.  It's fun seeing them enjoy it.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Jextella

[LadyChatts]

4 minutes ago, Jextella said:

I think I'm enjoying the current Ethan over the younger Ethan.  Maybe because he's so happy and upbeat.

He and Yul seem to be enjoying their time back in the public.   Jeff is right.  Technology and online media has changed so much since they played that this has to be a really new experience for them.  It's fun seeing them enjoy it.

I felt like if Jeff really wanted to date Amber and Ethan's previous seasons, he could have gone with "Myspace wasn't even a thing back then!"  I think it would have been interesting to make the game more old school, and make the other players not be able to just rely on idols and advantages and twists.  I was kind of annoyed with some of the new schoolers implying that this is the way it is now.  They aren't wrong, unfortunately, but I'd like to see them actually have to strategize their way to the end, and not just get lucky with idols and advantages.  We saw Ben and Kim struggle a little bit as it is (well, I say Ben struggled, others might say he was just a star struck big mouth). 

[LanceM]

Parvati tries to teach Ethan how to lie (sorry i've only seen this posted on CBS All Access)

https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/video/6A11ED81-59C9-3B8D-E8EF-5F9AE821FB02/survivor-winners-at-war-secret-scene-parvati-coaches-ethan/

 

I would love to see more if these two together. This also supports my theory that Ethan is Parvati's #1 and not Rob

Edited February 21, 2020 by LanceM

[amazingracefan]

On 2/18/2020 at 11:33 PM, LadyChatts said:

I felt like if Jeff really wanted to date Amber and Ethan's previous seasons, he could have gone with "Myspace wasn't even a thing back then!"

It's like Probst is sponsored by Apple.

[fishcakes]

Bringing this over from the episode thread.

12 hours ago, EllenB said:

Some people sure make it hard for people who have had cancer to get past being a permanent CANCER PATIENT.  Ethan's been cancer-free since 2013.  That's seven years.  I'm sure he just LOVES the constant pity parties from so-called fans. 🙄

 

3 hours ago, tracyscott76 said:

Not to assume I can read minds, but I'm guessing the comments here generally stem from Ethan's own comments in the first episode, about how even after the cancer treatments he was in fear of the cancer returning, and he said that being out there playing Survivor was very enjoyable for him ("THIS is living!"). I'm sure he doesn't want a pity party, but I think people are allowed to feel some disappointment on his behalf that his game was cut short (EoE aside), based on what he himself said.

I don't think anyone is pitying Ethan either or saying he should be carried to the end of game, but cancer is a huge part of his life. In his first season, he talked about how his dad had cancer when he was young (and eventually died because of it), and his mom interviewed that Ethan missed out on a lot of high school stuff because he was helping to care for his dad. Jenna Morasca's experience was similar in that her mom had cancer starting when she was in high school and she said she spent most of her weekends even as a young woman just hanging out with her parents and watching movies. So I always thought that at least some of what bonded Jenna and Ethan was their similar life experience.

Ethan's own cancer has been an aggressive form of lymphoma. From what I've read, it didn't respond well to chemo, it metastasized, and he's already had two recurrences. From his own comments about it, I get the sense that it's not a matter of if this will kill him, but when. His confessional in the first episode about how when he was sick, he wanted to get well so he could play Survivor again was touching because to me it meant he just wanted to go back and experience again some of what it was like to be young and healthy and have that sense of immortality that only young people can have. So his going out early has to be disappointing, especially since he was playing what looked like a really solid game and is only out because he fell victim to the Edgardo gambit.

Edited March 2, 2020 by fishcakes
Gerunds!

[Never Again]

On 3/2/2020 at 12:01 PM, fishcakes said:

Bringing this over from the episode thread.

 

I don't think anyone is pitying Ethan either or saying he should be carried to the end of game, but cancer is a huge part of his life. In his first season, he talked about how his dad had cancer when he was young (and eventually died because of it), and his mom interviewed that Ethan missed out on a lot of high school stuff because he was helping to care for his dad. Jenna Morasca's experience was similar in that her mom had cancer starting when she was in high school and she said she spent most of her weekends even as a young woman just hanging out with her parents and watching movies. So I always thought that at least some of what bonded Jenna and Ethan was their similar life experience.

Ethan's own cancer has been an aggressive form of lymphoma. From what I've read, it didn't respond well to chemo, it metastasized, and he's already had two recurrences. From his own comments about it, I get the sense that it's not a matter of if this will kill him, but when. His confessional in the first episode about how when he was sick, he wanted to get well so he could play Survivor again was touching because to me it meant he just wanted to go back and experience again some of what it was like to be young and healthy and have that sense of immortality that only young people can have. So his going out early has to be disappointing, especially since he was playing what looked like a really solid game and is only out because he fell victim to the Edgardo gambit.

This, a million times!

[peachmangosteen]

Ethan's comment on Michele's video has me rolling:

[Jextella]

3 hours ago, peachmangosteen said:

Ethan's comment on Michele's video has me rolling:

Would you be able to share a link to the video?

[peachmangosteen]

12 hours ago, Jextella said:

Would you be able to share a link to the video?

I have no idea where the video is from, I just saw that cap on another site..

[Jextella]

So, I'm spending WAAAYYY too much time on Twitter today, but this is so fun I thought I'd share. 

 

 

 

[peachmangosteen]

I'm sure Ethan found that somewhere, but I like to imagine him making it himself lol.