“It was just really disappointing.
It just bummed me out.
I was just like, ‘This really, really sucks.'”
Lydia Meredith on ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
Why did Lydia make the big move to take out big Jonathan?
Was she surprised her closest allies voted against her?
And what does she make of the hourglass twist that undid their immunity victory at the play-in challenge?
Lydia Meredith of ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
We asked the waitress all that and more, and she served up some delicious answers.
LYDIA MEREDITH:I’m a walking ad!
No, I’m not, unfortunately.
The Vati tribe on ‘Survivor 42’.Robert Voets/CBS
I’m more of a Chili’s girl.
Why are you here talking to me?
And I saw your profile picture and it’s the zombie, but I never looked at your account.
So I thought you were an actor onThe Walking Deadfor literally the longest time.
Until theSurvivorstuff and was like, “Oh, okay.
Now I know!”
So you thought I was someWalking Deaddude that just really likedSurvivor?
I did not look into it as much as I probably should have.
And then it all made sense.
And in terms of ending up on the show,Jeff Probstfell in my lap.
I’m just at this random party.
and he’s just like, “Oh, okay.”
And that I’m here after this insane experience…
So let’s talk about the end of the insane experience.
Yet they both voted you out.
How surprising was that to you?
We were definitely tight.
But when it happened, I kind of had a feeling it was Hai.
To me, it was just kind of like… why?
And that was my whole strategy, too.
It’s a little frustrating sometimes.
I feel like I’ve gotten criticism just for playing a very passive game.
So there are different strategies.
It kind of doesn’t make sense to me.
I mean, it is what it is.
Hai was playing his own game, and unfortunately, that’s the way it happened.
And also, I don’t think I was really on anyone’s radar until the twist.
So I feel like it’s just unfortunate all around.
You talked about playing a passive game, but you didn’t seem passive in this episode.
What made you want to turn on Jonathan right after making that eight-person alliance?
I was just like, it seems like the obvious one.
Those are the types of players that really do go on streaks.
It’s like, “We’ll get him out later,” and then who knows?
So that was just like my initial thought.
And also, I just wanted anybody but me.
So I was just kind of like, “Yeah, I’ll say whatever.”
I’m not like trying to pull this big thing, you know?
But at the end of the day, it still got twisted by Omar.
And watching it back, was I turning on them and everything?
And it was all twisted and everything, but good for Omar.
So who first said Jonathan’s name?
Was it you, or was it Romeo or someone else?
I heard it from so many people.
Those two days were insane.
Everyone’s name was out there, but I heard it from somebody else first.
I wasn’t the [one who] initially thought of it.
It definitely wasn’t me.
And if Tori doesn’t win immunity, does none of this happen?
Does everyone just vote Tori out?
Yeah, I think Tori was dead on arrival.
She was raked through the mud.
Chanelle was pretty raked through the mud and then Tori.
It was those two, definitely.
Sydney and Danny were definitelynot fans of the hourglass twistlast season, withDanny saying they were lied toabout it.
What do you think of it?
I was also honestly kind of confused.
This is kinda weird."
And especially because I did work my ass off, too.
So the physical portion of it, obviously, I’m not gonna do great.
Like, we won immunity!
So it was just really disappointing.
It bummed me out.
But there’s no reason not to break it, you know?
And also all of his allies were in the other group… or Ika was on the other thing.
[Laughs] We don’t know who Rocksroy’s aligned with!
We have no idea who he was aligned with!
But it just sucks.
Tori was just like, “I don’t want him over here.”
And, of course, no one’s gonna argue.
Tori was just like, “No.”
And then the Taku folks were saying that Lindsay was really hungry and everything.
And knowing Lindsay, she’s a dietician, the girl needs to eat!
Did you or anyone from your winning team consider trading spots with Rocksroy to get that mystery power?
Well, you put a huge target on your back.
Yeah, and not only that, but at that point, you’re giving up immunity.
You don’t know what the power is, but you’re giving up immunity.
In hindsight, you probably should have, but also you don’t know.
But I was totally blindsided.
Because I played a very social game, and I was definitely talking to everybody.
So I was totally blindsided.
Rocksroy was the only member of this new eight-person alliance tonotvote for you.
Do you know what that was about?
Was that due to your journey together or something?
Could not tell you a single thing.
He’s a mystery to us all.
And he voted for Lindsay, the person that he said “Oh, she needs some food.
I’m happy the tribe picked her over me.”
And then he votes for her.
But everything else that I witnessed, I was like, “Okay, I did know that.”
I knew who was on the outs and everything, and that Tori needed to win that immunity.
Let’s go back to that tie at Tribal Council a few weeks back.
Done in the moment, like, “All right, bye!”
It was really clear.
I wish they would’ve shown Jenny fight a little bit more.
And we’re all like, “No.
How hard is it to be that close to the merge and jury but just miss out?
you’ve got the option to just wait a little bit longer.”
It was like another dagger in my heart.
I was like, “Noooooooo!”
It was so sad, but I think it was also harder because I met everybody.
I was in there with everybody!
It felt like a merge!
And then them being like, “Yeah, and you’re not a part of that jury.”
I was just like, “Are you kidding me?”
It was just dagger after dagger after dagger.
I really can’t complain.
Our first seven days were so lovely.
Obviously, we hadn’t gone to Tribal yet.
We were cracking up.
Mike was cracking us up.
We all were just bonding and just having a great time together.
And then there was our very first night, too.
We had this half-built shelter and the stars were so beautiful that night and the Vati beach was unreal.
It was so beautiful.
And we had this natural canopy, but there’s a small opening.
It was such a beautiful night.
We were falling outta the shelter.
That was like such a sweet moment that I’ll hold with me.
I remember the one night I spent on Exile Island in Panama being awestruck by the stars on display.
Oh my gosh, it was unreal.
There was one more moment too where this was the first time I s— in the game.
I was severely constipated.
It felt like a hug.
The stars were like a hug every time I needed it.
