Over the last 26 years, “Survivor” has established itself as one of the most dramatic, high-stakes reality competition series on television. That being said, the franchise hasn’t fallen short when it comes to providing viewers with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to lighten the mood.
Whether it was Angelina Keeley asking – albeit in vain – to have Natalie Cole’s jacket after the latter was voted out on “Survivor: David vs. Goliath,” or Aubry Bracco accidentally spitting on herself while trying to look tough during her “Survivor: Kaoh Ring” showdown against Kyle Jason, the hit CBS series has frequently, if inadvertently, reduced fans to tears with hilarious one-liners, faux-pas and blunders since its origination in 2000.
Now, “Saturday Night Live” is capitalizing on the hidden humor of the longrunning series with a spoof of its own that sees some of the late-night sketch variety show’s top comedians going head-to-head in the all-new (entirely fictional) reality competition series: “Backstab Island.”
Teyana Taylor IS Here to Make Friends in ‘SNL’s ‘Survivor’ Spoof
The “Backstab Island” spoof sketch – designed to appeal to fans of series like “Survivor” and “The Traitors” – aired on the most recent episode of “SNL” on Saturday, January 24, featuring cast members Marcello Hernandez, Ashley Padilla, Chloe Fineman, Kam Patterson, Jane Wickline, and Mikey Day as they posed as contestants on the fictional “stab or be stabbed” competition series.
While the “SNL” cast members regurgitated stereotypical reality show lines like, “I’m not here to make friends,” as well as showcasing their willingness to lie, cheat and steal their way to winning the show’s cash prize, singer-songwriter Teyana Taylor – who appeared as the celebrity host of Saturday night’s episode – offered a hilariously different take on the traditional attitude of game show competitors.
“I am here to make friends,” says Taylor’s character in the “Backstab Island” sketch, adding, “It’s the only reason I’m here. I love people!”
GettyMikey Day’s character even makes reference to Johnny Fairplay’s iconic “dead grandma” moment from “Survivor: Pearl Islands” by saying, “I need the prize money cuz my dad is sick,” before adding, “Sike! My dad’s not sick!”
‘SNL’ Has a History of Poking Fun at ‘Survivor’
This isn’t the first time “SNL” has spoofed “Survivor,” however. In 2016 the longrunning NBC series staged its “100 Days in the Jungle” sketch, inspired by the CBS staple’s now-defunct endgame family visits. The sketch’s “Survivor”-inspired contestants – portrayed by comedians like Taran Killam, Cecily Strong and Pete Davidson – were joined by the episode’s host, Russell Crowe, for the spoof.
More recently, backstage photos from “SNL”s currently-airing 51st season revealed that a sketch inspired by the finale of “Survivor 49” was also planned, and potentially even filmed, before being cut from the program’s Christmas 2025 episode.
The snaps revealed cast members dressed as longtime “Survivor” host Jeff Probst (Mikey Day) and Season 49 finalists Savannah Louie (Sarah Sherman), Sophi Balerdi (Ashley Padilla) and Sage Ahrens-Nichols (Chloe Fineman), as well as a fifth redacted character that fans have since speculated to be James Austin Johnson reprising his Donald Trump character, riffing off the fact that the President’s December 17 address to the nation interrupted the most recent “Survivor” finale.
The cut sketch follows more than three years since the last “Survivor” X “SNL” crossover when Probst made a cameo appearance in the “Joker Wedding” sketch during the show’s Halloween 2022 episode alongside that week’s host and musical guest Jack Harlow.
