Survivor 50 contestant Charlie Davis has hinted at a potential pregame alliance that may have impacted the course of the season. Davis’ allegation involves fellow competitors Dee Valladares and Rizo Velovic. He was ultimately voted out following a dramatic double elimination twist during the March 25 episode.
Did pre-game politics play a role in Charlie Davis’ elimination?
Davis suggested that Dee Valladares and Rizo Velovic may have formed a connection before the filming of the show even began. The former contestant alleged that Valladares had a FaceTime call with Velovic before the season began, which could potentially provide an unfair strategic advantage to both contestants.
“I heard through the grapevine that Dee had FaceTimed Rizo before the game,” Charlie told Page Six. He further explained that the connection came to be through a common friend, Sophi Balerdi, a former Survivor contestant. “I believe Sophi [Balerdi] knew Rizo, and Sophi and Dee are friends in Miami. So I think that’s how that connection happened.”
In a game where building trust and forming alliances are crucial for survival, he believes that it gave both Valladares and Velovic a competitive edge. It must be noted here that Charlie’s allegations are merely a suspicion at this point, as nothing has been proven yet. In fact, an alliance that reportedly involved Dee and Rizo ultimately proved costly for Charlie, and he had to leave the show.
“Nobody else knew Rizo was going to be out there,” he said. “So for Dee to have that connection, I think that’s a huge advantage.”
Furthermore, Charlie stated that the bad blood between him and Rizo was “island beef,” and he didn’t take it personally. To him, conflict is the signature style of the gameplay of the show, and he has no hard feelings about his elimination.
“I don’t hate Rizo. I mean, maybe out there I had some island beef with him, but even on the island we shared some fun moments and good moments of connection,” he added.
Do you think the show runners should be stricter with vetting potential pregame alliances before the show? Let us know in the comments section below.
