There were rumblings that Survivor 44 would have two people getting very close. But would that strengthen their chance to win or ruin their game? Showbiz Cheat Sheet talked to Claire Rafson over Zoom on March 16, 2023. She talked about Frannie Marin and Matt Blankinship’s showmance and why she tried to push one of them out of her tribe.
[Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Survivor 44 Episode 3, “Sneaky Little Snake.”]
Claire Rafson was close to Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt and Frannie Marin on ‘Survivor 44’
Q: Was Heidi [Lagares-Greenblatt] your number one? Because I was very curious about who you considered as your number one on that tribe.
Claire: I felt like, and this is how I’m like my social life is, honestly. I feel like I’ve a lot of people I’m very close with. Heidi, I thought, was like somebody I was incredibly close to personally. Me and her, probably other than Frannie, had the closest individual bond, like outside of the game.
I would want to meet her and do all that because we talked so much about our families. She reminded me of my mom. And so that was it. I was one of the few people who was talking strategy with her. So like, she was definitely up there and just somebody I wanted to work with.
I thought she would be a little bit more rational than she ended up being. But, like I thought she rational. I definitely feel like Frannie was also kind of my number one, despite I knew her and Matt were number ones too, but again and I wanted to keep the options open.
Why Claire pitched to Frannie to vote out Matt
Q: We’ve seen you pitch to Frannie, OK I think it’s easier to take out Matt. From our perspective we already, and you saw it, too. They’re flirting. They’re very close. What made you think that that angle was going to work with her?
Claire: To be completely honest, on that day. Once I knew, I was kind of…talked to Danny. I was gung-ho with whatever Frannie wanted. And Frannie really wanted Josh [Wilder]. So, yes, I definitely like in the episode said that, and at some point on island, I definitely said maybe Matt.
Especially early game, like for the first two tribals, Matt was kind of the person that me, Heidi, Danny [Massa], and Josh were agreeing around. So I was trying to bring Frannie in being like because I was going to probably go that way if three people were going to do it. But I wanted Frannie to be clued in and part of it, so I let her know.
But on that day, when my back was against the wall, Frannie was, and Matt wanted to work with me. And Frannie wanted to get Josh out. And so I was like, ‘You say the name, I will do whatever. And all we need to do is get Heidi.’ Which we did not. So it was definitely like Josh was the target that day. And kind of the only focus I had was trying to get Heidi to see me as something of value.
Claire on the origin of her famous meme and being against PDA
Q: You have a memorable meme of you looking disgusted after their flirting. But do you remember what you were actually making that face to or why was it them?
Claire: I would guess it was something stupid, Danny said. I feel like I made that face most at Danny. But I also definitely could have made it.
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Like I now know having watched the show back, that I am no poker face, incredibly expressive, and like, I definitely like I’m person like, I just don’t I don’t like PDA. It’s not for me. I love that they got to make the strong bond.
I would have done a little bit sneakier, but like I don’t think I was at them. Like I was so pro them being. I think you hear me in this past episode being like, they can go geek out. They can go do their thing. I was never worried that them being close would mean that I wasn’t part of them.
And so, like for me, I love that reel because it was so funny, and I got to like, laugh about it. But, like, I’m pro them. And so it was really funny to see it. And I think I just probably gave the best reactions of the bunch. But yeah, it was like I was peeing my pants, laughing, watching that, and I’ve used that meme now like 12 times because I just think it’s so funny.
Claire loved seeing Frannie and Matt together as a super fan
Q: Was there a lot of PDA going on?
Claire: Not like PDA, but it would just be you just hear them giggling. Like they’d look at the stick bug giggling. They’d be talking about their whatever, like they were just so drawn to each other in this, like, gorgeous way. Like, I love it. It does feel like, you know, I grew up on Survivor, so I remember watching All Stars and being like, watching Rob and Amber slowly, like, fall in love and come together.
And so, even as a super fan, you’re watching your two closest allies get close. And I’m just [leans in happily], you know. It’s so cute.
But like, honestly, they were getting close in a way that it like, yes, they were talking strategy. I’m sure I knew that. But like they were really just forming like a personal connection and bond and like, I was forming bonds with people. I was learning about people, and it was just like really cool to see two people whose maybe paths would have never crossed get to just start to, like, know about each other.
And you can see them coming out of their shells and becoming more and more. Matt, as you see, he’s starting to get more confident. He had a couple shakeups early on, and it’s like really fun to see the ways that Frannie helps bring that out. Other things bring it out. And so I loved it. I do hate PDA, and I also think that nerds are funny. And so that together gave me some reactions, but like, I I’m a stan.
This interview has been condensed for this article.
Other Survivor 44 Exit Interviews:
‘Survivor 44’: Bruce Perreault’s Memory Was Shortly Affected By His Concussion, ‘I Find Some Pieces That I Still Do Miss’
‘Survivor 44’: Maddy Pomilla Knew Her Exit Would Be a ‘Crazy History-Making Thing’
‘Survivor 44’: Helen Wants ‘More Original Puzzles’ and Talks Accessibility for Pregaming
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