On Wednesday (May 6), Oscar “Ozzy” Lusth became the 17th person voted out of “Survivor 50,” bringing an unfortunate end to his record-matching fifth appearance on the longrunning CBS reality competition series.
To make matters worse, the episode marked the second time in “Survivor” history that Lusth was voted out with a Hidden Immunity Idol in his pocket.
In a March 7 interview with Parade’s Mike Bloom, Ozzy reflected on the devastating blindside, revealing the real reason he decided not to play his Idol, as well as opening up about his now-complicated relationship with his “Cirie’s Rizard of Oz” ally, Rizo Velovic.
How Did Ozzy Lusth Get Eliminated on ‘Survivor 50’?
Ozzy’s blindside on “Survivor 50” came as part of this week’s split Tribal Council ceremonies, where the nine remaining players were separated into two groups of four, with the winner of the Individual Immunity Challenge – Jonathan Young – having the privilege of being able to vote in both eliminations.
While Ozzy’s ride-or-die ally Cirie Fields attended the first Tribal of the night, narrowly avoiding elimination herself thanks to her Extra Vote advantage, Lusth found himself joining Rizo Velovic, Joe Hunter, Aubry Bracco and Jonathan at the evening’s second Tribal.
Lusth was wary heading into the ceremony. Despite his perceived alliances with both Rizo and Aubry, Ozzy admitted in the voting booth that he wasn’t sure if he needed to play his Immunity Idol or not.
In the end, the fifth-time castaway decided to save the advantage for another day, not knowing that Bracco and Velovic had orchestrated a plan to blindside the “Jungle Boy” out of the competition.
Following the unanimous vote and a wounded farewell, Ozzy became the 7th member of the “Survivor 50” jury, joining previously eliminated castaways Dee Valladares, Chrissy Hofbeck, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, Christian Hubicki, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick and Emily Flippen, who was voted out just moments before.
Ozzy Says Not Playing His Idol Was a ‘Really Stupid Mistake’
CBS“I’ve been on the chopping block so often this season,” he told Parade, explaining why he ultimately decided not to use his Idol. “Once it finally came to the real moment I was on the chopping block, because I’d had so many other times, it just didn’t register how it should have.”
“The signs were there the whole entire day,” Lusth continued, revealing that he’d actually had a “premonition” of his elimination the night before his torch was snuffed. “I woke up that morning after having a nightmare that was so vivid.”
Despite his gut pulling him in one direction, Ozzy’s alliance members were insisting that he had nothing to worry about heading into Tribal Council.
“After the whole day of my alliancemates being like, ‘Dude, we’re cool, we’re cool, we’re cool.’ Still, when we’re on that beach, I’d be like, ‘Damn, why are they talking so long? We’re locked in. What’s there to talk about? This is not a good sign,’” he explained. “But then it was like, ‘No, we’re cool.’ So again, it’s like one of those things. Do you listen to your mind, or do you listen to your heart, your gut, your intuition?”
“I listened to my mind,” he said, answering his own question. “I made the wrong decision…It was a really stupid mistake, you know, a $2 million mistake.”
Lusth Opens Up About His Relationship with Cirie Fields
The fallout from Ozzy’s elimination remains to be seen, though the ramifications will almost certainly put a target on Rizo’s back after the “Survivor 49” returnee flipped on his long-standing alliance with Lusth, particularly when it comes to their third alliance member – Cirie Fields.
All season long, Cirie has made it her business to tear down anyone who even suggested targeting Ozzy. It’s no surprise, given that Season 50 is the pair’s third season competing alongside one another, following 2008’s “Survivor: Micronesia” and 2017’s “Survivor: Game Changers.”
“Cirie is a mastermind, masterful observer,” Ozzy gushed over Fields. “It was such a pleasure to work with her to see how she moves through the game, to see how she is just, hands down, one of the best players to ever play any of these types of reality games. Not just ‘Survivor.’ We’ve seen her just do so well at so many other games. And I’m lucky enough to call her a friend.”
CBSLusth added that, despite his determination to win the milestone season, he would have “happily” put his game on the line to help Cirie take home the “Sole Survivor” title instead.
“For me, that is part of the beauty of being who I am. I’m okay with losing to somebody that I think is an amazing player. I really am,” he explained. “I don’t have that sort of ‘cutthroat, stab you in the back, I’m going to get rid of all the best players so I can sit next to a bunch of people that don’t deserve it, so that I can win.’ I would rather sit in the end with people that are the best of the best and to win that way. I just think that’s the best way to win ‘Survivor.’ A lot of people will disagree with me. A lot of people will say, ‘Well, that’s not how you win.’ And you’re right. I never won!”
Ozzy Reflects on Rizo’s Betrayal & Where They Stand Today
Despite Ozzy’s intentions to sit next to both Cirie and Rizo in the Final Three of the season, he never anticipated that Velovic would turn on him with mere days left in the competition.
While Rizo tried to apologize for the move as Lusth moved to collect his torch at Tribal Council, Ozzy brushed him off, devastated by the betrayal, especially given that Cirie hadn’t been there to witness or prevent it.
Opening up about his feelings regarding “Rizgod,” Lusth told Parade: “I always had doubts about Rizo, just because you don’t know his game. You don’t know how he’s going to play. He doesn’t really like much of the ‘Survivor’ game, except for Tribal Council and being able to have a lot of cutting remarks about people. He’s a self-proclaimed ‘Rain Man’ of ‘Survivor.’ I mean, he could list off the boot order of Season 9 if you asked him. And that’s the way that some people want to play. For me, I love camp life. I love getting out there in nature. I love all the aspects of ‘Survivor.’”
Ozzy added that, despite his feelings, he doesn’t “blame” Rizo for turning on him.
“He’s trying to play the best game that he can,” Lusth said. “I think it’s short-sighted. I think that he’s now opened himself up to some other risks…So I hope he learns a lesson, and I do hope he goes far.”
