Kathy O’Brien Talks Survivor

RHAP: We Know Survivor

Survivor Know-It-All, Rob Cesternino

After Shows, Tv & Film, Tv Reviews

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 17 November 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Kathy O’Brien Talks Survivor
It’s time to take a trip back to the Old School! All season long, Rob Cesternino is bringing legendary Survivor alumni onto the podcast to break down Survivor 49 through the eyes of those who played in the game’s early days.
Rob Cesternino catches up with Survivor legend Kathy O’Brien, known for her memorable performances on Survivor: Marquesas and Survivor: All Stars. Kathy shares updates on her life in Vermont, emphasizing her active lifestyle with hiking, skiing, and sailing. She reflects on her unconventional path to Survivor, her unique game approach, and her experiences as a woman over 40 competing on the show. The conversation spans Kathy’s thoughts on recent seasons—including her views on Survivor 49 and 50—game strategy, casting choices, and the show’s evolution, especially the shift toward emphasizing personal growth over ruthless gameplay. The pair reminisce about Survivor All Stars, production secrets, and challenges, and discuss Kathy’s ongoing career in real estate and her passion for community activism. Personal anecdotes dominate, from signature Survivor moments (including the infamous sea urchin rescue) to behind-the-scenes stories and travel memories. Kathy also shares insights on her family, her social media presence, and her time spent protesting for causes she believes in. The episode offers a mix of nostalgia, game analysis, and life updates from one of Survivor’s most authentic voices.
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Transcript

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0:30.6	Hey everybody. What's going on? Rob Sisternino here and I'm just delighted today to get the chance to catch back up with one of my all-time faves.
0:43.6	Here she is.
0:45.3	Of course, from Survivor Marquesa from Survivor All-Stars and so much more.
0:51.7	It's Kathy O'Brien.
0:52.8	Kathy, how are you?
0:57.0	I'm great. It's so good to see and hear your voice. It's great to see and hear you because you first, if I may say, you look great.
1:04.3	And of course, you sound great too. Yeah, yeah. No, life is good. But of course, I grab life, right?
1:12.1	I enjoy it.
1:13.2	I'm positive about it all, despite everything going on in Washington and whatnot.
1:18.4	Sure.
1:19.1	You know, it's just, it's a joy just to be healthy, you know, and suppose I live in a healthy state, right?
1:25.6	So I'm going across this.
1:26.9	Vermont or a state of mind?
1:47.9	No, both. Yeah. State of mind, but also Vermont. I mean, you know, we eat well. We're outside. We ski. We hike. And I think it keeps you young. You got to do it. Yeah, I was going to ask you, what's your secret? Yeah, it's totally, you have to keep moving, right? I mean, I hike mountains, ski, snowboard, swim, sail. You snowboard?
1:48.6	And yes, yes, I learned to snowboard.
1:52.3	You know what happened is after Survivor All-Stars, the local ski area gave me this promotional package that every Sunday they picked me up with five friends and we went to J.P.K.
	...

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