Tiffany Ervin Admits Feelings About Charlie Davis Are 'Complicated' Heading Into 'Survivor 50' (Exclusive)
Tiffany Ervin is returning to the beaches of Fiji with a "carefree" attitude and a much shorter list of people she’s willing to trust. After being blindsided in Survivor 46 with an idol in her pocket, she's ready to erase that mark from her résumé going into the milestone Season 50.
The L.A.-based artist, 34, may be "good friends" with her castmates in the real world, but she admits that her feelings toward Charlie Davis are "complicated" following their previous run. "The day I went home, me and Charlie made plans to do something the next day, and Charlie kind of stabbed me in the back," Ervin exclusively told Men's Journal on set.
As for her other Season 46 castmate, Q Burdette, Ervin is even more blunt, labeling him her "arch-enemy"–within the confines of the game, of course. "History has shown when you give a man a second chance, nine times out of ten, he's going to show you why you shouldn't have given him a first one," she said.
Ervin plans to play "a little more reserved" this time around, especially when it comes to information. "Trust needs proof, and I'm not just going to go into the game trusting people off the bat," she explained. "I'm going to be a little more open to the nonverbal cues, the gut feelings…I didn't follow my instincts the first time. We see how that ended up."
Below, Ervin futher breaks down why she’s keeping idols to herself this time, her stance on the winners in the cast, and why she’s praying her competitors continue to underestimate her.
Men's Journal: So you come into the game with two other people from your cast. How are you feeling?
Tiffany Ervin: I'm excited. I am so excited. There is a level of just carefree that I'm carrying around these days that I did not have the first time I played. And obviously, there's a level of: will people perceive a trio in the game because two people on my cast are here? But, like, whatever. There's so many other people here that I can like—please. I'm not scared at all. I'm excited.
Men's Journal: How have the vibes been at Ponderosa?
Tiffany Ervin: It's so hard to gauge vibes when you're not allowed to speak to each other and there's minimal contact. I mean, obviously, there's a smile or a "thank you" for somebody letting you walk through a door first. But other than that, you really don't have much to go on. These are people that have played the game before, so they're not giving away much.
Men's Journal: Is it different than your first time around?
Tiffany Ervin: For sure. The first time around when I played, some people were really eager to kind of make eye contact and winks and all that stuff. People here are more stone-faced, like, "I'll talk to you when I get in the game." Nobody wants to risk their spot, and I can't blame them. They're not messing around. And for the first time, we got our own rooms; we're not sleeping in tents. Ponderosa is perfect. But they also told us, "If you guys f--k around, we’re putting y'all in the tent." Everybody's like, "Please don't do it."
Men's Journal: How does it feel being a part of Season 50?
Tiffany Ervin: It feels amazing. I'm just gagged. I'm like, "How am I here?" But also, I know why I'm here, and I just feel honored. I think that's the word: honored. Because there were so many other people that could have been here, but Jeff [Probst] chose me.
Men's Journal: In terms of strategy, do you plan to play a similar game or switch it up?
Tiffany Ervin: I think the game that I played the first time served me well, but I am going to switch it up a bit, only because I didn't win. So obviously I was doing something wrong. I won't be telling people about any advantages or idols that I get for obvious reasons. And I think I'm going to play a little more reserved when it comes to information and trust. Trust needs proof, and I'm not just going to go into the game trusting people off the bat. If you want to work with me, show me. Do something to make me believe that you're really on my side. I'm going to be a little more open to the nonverbal cues, the gut feelings, the "I just don't feel right, so I'm not going with it." I'm a person that usually needs evidence to believe something. This time around, I'm not doing it because a lot of it is luck and instinct, and I didn't follow my instincts the first time. We see how that ended up.
Men's Journal: Well, we have your friend Q here. Is this good or bad?
Tiffany Ervin: I think it's both. It's a good thing if Q gets out there and knows how to act, but it's a bad thing if Q gets out there and loses his mind again. So it's hard to gauge because in the real world, Q and I are actually really good friends. And in the Survivor world, we are arch-enemies. So will some of that bleed over? Is he going to turn over a new leaf? I doubt it. History has shown when you give a man a second chance, nine times out of ten, he's going to show you why you shouldn't have given him a first one.
Men's Journal: What about Charlie? How are you feeling about him?
Tiffany Ervin: I'm indifferent about Charlie mostly, but also, I like Charlie in the real world. Charlie is super cool. We're also very cool in real life, but in the game, Charlie sent me home. The day I went home, me and Charlie made plans to do something the next day, and Charlie kind of stabbed me in the back.
Men's Journal: He didn't get your vote at the end.
Tiffany Ervin: He sure didn't. And not because I was bitter, but just because I really thought Kenzie [Petty] was more deserving of my vote. But yeah, I think my feelings toward Charlie are a little more complicated than my feelings toward Q. Q was black and white; either you show your ass or you don't. Charlie was a little more difficult to read.
Men's Journal: Is it nice knowing Seasons 37 and 48 also have three people each out here?
Tiffany Ervin: It is nice to know, because in the game people watched me and Q go at each other, but in real life people do watch us hang out. So people can only assume; they don't know what our relationships are or how it will play out out here. So the minute somebody starts yelling "trio, trio, trio," I'm pointing in another direction. We're not the only ones.
Men's Journal: How do you feel about the tribe divisions?
Tiffany Ervin: I won't say there's anybody particularly that I don't want on my tribe. Obviously, I'm a little nervous if Q ends up on my tribe because it's going to be like the floodgates open from day one. But I am a little nervous about the old school versus new school, particularly because I don't know where everybody's heads are at. Do the old school people want to kind of just wipe out the new school people like they have something to prove, and vice versa? Some people may be stuck in their ways; some people may be a little more fluid, so it's hard to gauge.
Men's Journal: I was going to ask about that. Do you feel like it's going to go that way? Are you hoping it's not?
Tiffany Ervin: I feel like it's going to go that way, but I hope it doesn't. I'd be willing to cross era lines and find some new allies. But at the end of the day, how much can you really trust that what they're feeding you is true? Old school players might be like, "Yeah, yeah, we totally trust you," but then they could be using me for a vote. You can never know.
Men's Journal: Was there anyone that you saw where you were like, "Oh, that's pretty cool that I'm playing with them"?
Tiffany Ervin: Obviously, it was super cool to realize I'm playing with Christian [Hubicki] and Aubry [Bracco]. We got some winners on the cast. I'm like, "Are you kidding me?" I love Kyle [Fraser]. He's super dope, and I just watched him play a good game. Him and Kamilla [Karthigesu]—I was excited. So now I get to see them in action.
Men's Journal: What do you think about the winners out here?
Tiffany Ervin: I'd be willing to work with a winner. I'm obviously not going to take a winner to the end with me, because I'm not giving anybody an opportunity to get a double win on my back, but I wouldn't put them out of the game. Nothing's ever that simple in Survivor. We can say, "Oh yeah, it's easy, let's get the winners out," but does anything ever go as planned in this game? No. I'm fluid.
Men's Journal: For you, how do you prep for the game, if at all?
Tiffany Ervin: Obviously, I worked out a bunch. But for me, most of my prep was just mental—rehashing out the things in my mind that I did wrong, refortifying the things that I want to do differently, and just kind of reinforcing the idea that a lot of this game is mental fortitude. You see the winner of my season: a freaking 5'2" pixie that was floating down the beach every day collecting seashells. It's not about being the biggest or the strongest; it's about working with the hand that you're dealt. I could go in the gym and lift 300 pounds a day; that's not going to guarantee me a win.
Men's Journal: Do you feel like you have unfinished business, or anything you want to do that you didn't get to do your first time?
Tiffany Ervin: I want to play a little bit further. I was a little salty that I got out right before the fun individual immunity challenges. I think a lot of the ones that I participated in were the grueling endurance ones. And then as soon as I'm out, it's puzzles and freaking balance beams. I'm like, "Oh my gosh, this is the stuff that I was waiting on!" Those iconic Survivor challenges. I want to be a part of that. So obviously I would like to make it further so I could participate in some of those challenges. And then, the idol thing—I need to erase that off my resume.
Men's Journal: Your season was rough with idols...
Tiffany Ervin: So bad. But at the same time, I told somebody earlier: that is the mark of a really good social game. Imagine how much you have to get gaslit and lied to and convinced to go home with the idol after you see three other people do it before you.
Men's Journal: I know you were super vocal on the jury. Do you plan on doing that again, advocating for someone that you feel deserves the win?
Tiffany Ervin: To be honest, I don't know if I can help that. I'm a very vocal person. I am going to stay true to who I am. I'm going to voice my opinion. Obviously, I'm always going to be respectful about it, but if there's something that I feel very passionate about, I have no problem opening my mouth and letting everybody know.
Men's Journal: How do we feel about these 49 players?
Tiffany Ervin: I don't really like the unknown in a game where everything else is going to be unknown, so I could do without that. I'm open, but I don't really know them.
Men's Journal: What vibes were you picking up from either of them?
Tiffany Ervin: No vibes. The guy, I believe his name is Rizo [Velovic], he seems a little more light and airy. The girl, Savannah [Louie], I think she’s been stone-faced. So I'm like, "Okay, killer, I see you."
Men's Journal: What do you think of the 26-day game versus the 39-day game, and all these advantages and idols? Do you think some of the older players might have trouble catching up?
Tiffany Ervin: I don't think all of them will have trouble. There will be a learning curve, obviously, because this game moves fast and some of these advantages are nuts. But if any of the old school people have been keeping up and watching most recent seasons—which I'm sure they have, knowing they're coming out—they'll catch on. I think it might be tough for them to be out here with no rice and no comforts that they had the first time around. It's a little rougher this time, but I don't think they'll have an issue. They are out here for a reason.
Men's Journal: Do you think fans are voting for no rice?
Tiffany Ervin: I hope they are not [voting for rice] because I don't think rice is a necessity. Hungry people make for a better game. I went 11 days with no rice my first time around. My tribe sucked, so I know I can do it, and maybe that'll give me an edge over everybody else.
Men's Journal: Who else are you looking at to align with?
Tiffany Ervin: I would like to align with Kyle. I know that's crazy because he's a winner, but he gives good vibes. I think he'd be fun to play with. I would like to align with Genevieve [Mushaluk]; she seems really dope. I really liked watching her play. And Christian. Christian is such a cutie. I don't know what it is, something about his cheeks—I just want to pinch him. I would love to work with him.
Men's Journal: Who do you see as an early target?
Tiffany Ervin: I don't see anybody as an early target, just because this is Survivor and saying that would be foolish. But it probably would be easier to push votes towards the 49ers only because nobody knows who they are. We are all fighting the unknown by being here. Do we really want to add another element of unknown people? We did that the first time around. This is a returning player season; it’s a different game. We don't have any information about these people. I think that would just be the easiest way out.
Men's Journal: Could it help you that people might underestimate you since you didn't get as far as you wanted in your season?
Tiffany Ervin: I hope so. I'm actually betting on that. I'm hoping that people will look at me like, "Oh yeah, she was on a terrible tribe, and she didn't make it that far, and she didn't win individual immunity challenges." I am praying that people underestimate me. I feel like that is a great position to be in versus somebody who's coming in with already a million dollars under their belt. I'd much rather be where I am.
Men's Journal: If you don't get to the end and you don't win, what would you like to get out of this experience? How did you feel after your first season?
Tiffany Ervin: Aside from winning, I would love to just feel proud. I want to walk away from this game being like, "Damn, you know what? I didn't win the million dollars, but I did everything I possibly could to get there." And more than that, I want the people watching to feel proud. I want people to be like, "Whether she won or lost, we are so happy that she got chosen for this season."
The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.