Survivor 43 had multiple analogies for gameplay. But the one that won is ali-gabler! Showbiz Cheat Sheet talked to Mike Gabler over Zoom on Dec. 15. This is what he had to say about the multiple ways he made his mark on the game.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from the Survivor 43 finale, “Snap Some Necks and Cash Some Checks.”]
Gabler reveals how the Ride or Die alliance started on ‘Survivor 43’
Q: My first question, since we got to see very little of this alliance, when did the ride-or-die alliance start?
Gabler: Ride or Die started with Jesse [Lopez] and Cody [Assenmacher] back in Vesi, and when we got to the merge and after we orchestrated that blindside on Elie [Scott], which I kind of, I orchestrated. But we kind of worked together on that one.
Cody came up to me on that one episode and just brought me in. It was a secret alliance that continued throughout the game. I think it was the most important alliance of the game because nobody knew about us. Nobody knew that me and Cody and Jesse were working together until the final tribal council.
And we throughout the whole thing, I looked like a free agent. Jesse looked like a free agent. Cody and Jesse were buddies, but who knew if they were really working together? Or if Cody was.
So we were able to get a lot of information, a lot of Nicole, and we were able to come back and then process it and make sure it was, one, the right information and what to do about it. So the three of us were in ride-or-die right up until the end, and it was awesome.
Ride or Die’s strategy to stay hidden
Q: I think recently it was kind of apparent that other castaways weren’t sure if Cody and Jesse were working together, which shows the audience is like, ‘How are they missing this?’ So can you explain a little bit of how they kept that under wraps?
Gabler: So I would only talk to Cody in the mornings. So when we–the sun would come up, as soon as the sun would come up, you know, once it gets about, you know, that high off of the ocean, it gets hot.
So we would immediately, about 5:30 in the morning, we’d walk down the beach, and me and Cody would do a little, some stretches. We would talk a little strategy, real quickly, like five minutes. Like, hey, this is what I know. This is what Karla’s doing. This is what Owen’s doing. This is whatever is doing.
And then we would go to our beach wells, and everybody just thought it was us being, you know, Cody’s livin’, Gabeler’s Gabler. And we would talk, and then later in the day, I would walk by getting wood or something or go get water to well with Jesse. And we would have another two to three-minute conversation. That’s all we needed to do, because I would talk to Cody in the morning first thing to process last night as well as my, you know, throw out ideas for the day. And then I would circle back with Jesse late in the day before tribal, and we would get our ducks in a row.
We’d never talk to each other openly. We never three sat down, like, huddled up, and no one had any idea. But when Jeff [Probst] said, ‘OK, it’s time to vote, Gabler.’ I would go up and do exactly what the ride-or-die was going to do. And, you know, my strategy, actually. But some of my favorite players were Rupert and Sandra, and…Sandra’s strategy, was anyone but me any time.
I took that and changed it a little bit. I said, any threat, any time they’re available will work for me. So we would have opportunities to take a shot at, say, [Cassidy Clark], and then Cass would be in the challenge beast she turned out to be would win a challenge. So it’s like, okay, well, now, Noelle [Lambert’s] sitting here, and we’re looking at that and going, we all love the well, but this is our opportunity. If we don’t do it tonight, we may regret it.
Gabler reveals his estimate of his historic fire-making time
Q: You made some big feats. One is that you made history for being, I guess, the fastest to make fire. How fast was it? Because you didn’t get that time.
Gabler: You know, it was just over 3 minutes. So it was pretty quick. I don’t know the exact time I did ask them about it, but I don’t know the exact time. But it was the fastest time in Survivor history, which was really cool. You know, Nicole, to make fire is one thing. To make fire in front of Jeff with your life on the line is a whole other box to tacos right there.
Q: Let’s also talk about another way you made history. You decided to donate all of the money for veterans. When did you make that decision that if you won, this is what you’re going to do?
Gabler: I made it before even going into the game. When I was back home, while I was talking to a veteran buddy of mine and my wife. And we were just almost tongue in cheek, said, ‘You know if you win this thing. Whatever, you know, the chances of that are, you know, it’s not an easy game, right? But if you win this, you know, what about doing some good at the money and donating to charity? You know, half of it or all of it?’
And it’s what we talked about it, the more it made sense. And I told my wife, I said, ‘Hey, are you cool with this? If I win this, if we do this?’ And she’s like, ‘Absolutely.’
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So then I came back, and I said, ‘Hey, darlin.’ And I had to tell somebody, right? I kept it a secret to everybody except for her. And I’m like, ‘Hey, darlin, I won.’ And I hope you’re still cool with our agreement before the game. And she was, of course. And we’re doing a lot of good with that money. A lot of people need that help.
Q: Do you know specifically which organization you’re going to get the money to?
Gabler: I created a donor-advised fund I got with a lawyer and an accountant, and we created a donor-advised fund which guarantees that every penny that it’s put into there has to be spent on charity. It cannot be a 503c or something like that.
It has to go to the charities, for sure. So all the money we got wired in yesterday, I haven’t looked at all of it yet, but it’s all wired in there, and it has to be used for charity. One of them is Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions. That is one of the foundations that I’m going to definitely be supporting. And Big Ben from a few seasons ago also supports that charity.
This interview has been condensed for this article.
More ‘Survivor’ exit interviews from Showbiz Cheat Sheet
‘Survivor 43’: Cody Doesn’t ‘Blame’ Jesse ‘but, We All Need the Damn Money’
‘Survivor 43’: Sami Felt Guilt For Blaming Gabler, Explains His Connection With Karla
Noelle Says ‘Survivor 43’ Told Her Story ‘Perfectly,’ Answers if She Planned to Turn on Jesse and Cody
‘Survivor 43’: James Gives His Fix for the Knowledge Is Power Problem, ‘It’s Not Meant to Be Fair’
‘Survivor 43’: Ryan’s Secret Goal in His Merge Alliance Pitch, ‘It Was More of a Trap’
‘Survivor 43’: Jeanine Says ‘Kudos’ to Jesse Keeping Her ‘Baby’ in the Game
‘Survivor 43’: Dwight on That Idol Mystery and a Jesse and Karla Preseason Theory
‘Survivor 43’: Geo Responds to Cassidy’s ‘Sassy’ Comments and Says ‘Karla Had the Bullets’ Not Her
‘Survivor 43’: Lindsay Hates You Think She’s out for ‘Paranoia’ and Not Karla’s Strategy
‘Survivor 43’: Nneka Talks Struggling in That Challenge, Bonding With Cody, and More
‘Survivor 43’: Justine Says ‘Hats off!’ to Cody for Clever Idol Hat, Shares What the Edit Left Out
Morriah on Disappointing the Dad of ‘Survivor 43’ and Not Believing Gabler
