“I Believe I Can Win” — Gabe Ortis from Survivor 47 Discusses His Journey on the Show

The highly anticipated Survivor Season 47 is set to premiere on CBS on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. This season features an exciting and diverse cohort of 18 castaways hailing from various backgrounds.

Renowned host Jeff Probst will return as the showrunner, guiding the contestants through a captivating adventure on the breathtaking islands of Fiji, where they will face unexpected challenges and a thrilling, “twist-packed”experience. Competing for a grand prize of $1 million, each contestant will strive to outperform their rivals and claim the title of winner.

One of the contestants, 26-year-old Gabe Ortis, a radio host, joined the competition with the belief that he could secure the winner’s title. In an interview with The Baltimore Sun, published on September 16, 2024, Gabe shared that his decision to become a castaway came after binge-watching the series.

“And the more and more I was watching, I just kind of had this moment of, you know, not only could I go do this, I think I could go win this thing,”Gabe said.

Growing up watching the survivalist show with his family, Gabe later fell behind on the seasons. His passion reignited after moving in with roommates who were ardent fans of the show.

Gabe Ortis: Insights on Role Models, Strategy, and Production in Survivor 47

As a devoted fan, Gabe recognized the legacy certain players have created on the show, often celebrated as role models. However, when asked about his inspirations, he emphasized his desire to carve out his unique identity in the game.

“I want people to watch the seasons after mine and say, ‘Wow, that person played like Gabe.’ You know, I kind of want to create my own legacy,”Gabe expressed.

Initially, Gabe had planned to avoid building friendships or alliances to focus on honing his individual game strategy. However, he later acknowledged, “Survivor is a bonding game.”

Gabe elaborated that the relationships formed on the show arose naturally, as they shared similar experiences and challenges during their stay on the island.

“I have a very special and a very unique bond with all the people that I got to play with out there. We all went through something that we can only relate to each other. I can’t come back home and talk to my dad about starving on an island because he’s never done that before,”Gabe explained.

When asked about the most unexpected aspect of being on the island, Gabe cited the show’s “insane production”as a surprise. He noted that, while only a few cameramen were present on regular days, the challenges felt like a big-budget Hollywood production. Gabe praised the crew’s efforts to create what felt like a “Hollywood-level”experience.

In discussing game strategies, Gabe highlighted the need for players to seize opportunities to “siphon information”from other castaways, emphasizing the importance of a cautious approach in these conversations.

“For a lot of people who don’t have that experience, they just want to blow up the conversation, or go up and say, ‘What are you guys talking about?’ All that does is paint you as this chaotic, erratic, paranoid player who gets ostracized and people don’t want to work with,”Gabe stated.

As a resident of Baltimore, affectionately known as Charm City, Gabe aims to showcase his hometown positively. He is determined to reshape the “national narrative”surrounding Baltimore, portraying it as one of the greatest cities in the world, and he aspires to use “a large platform like CBS”to make his city proud.

Survivor Season 47 will premiere its first episode on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, at 8 PM ET, exclusively on CBS.

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