Survivor: Leann Slaby reveals tons that we didn't see on Vanuatu

With Survivor filming for seasons 41 and 42 indefinitely postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, EW is reaching back into the reality show’s past. We sent a Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire to a batch of former players to fill out with their thoughts about their time on the show as well as updates on what they’ve been up to since. Each weekday, EW will post the answers from a different player.

So much happens on Survivor that we never get to see, as 72 hours of activity has to be condensed into around 43 minutes. And once you put in the challenges, Tribal Council, the preview for next week, and the credits, it’s less than half of that. And even that footage is being divided up between different players and different tribes. So suffice it say, the vast majority of activity that occurs out on the island never even makes it to TV.

With that in mind, as part of our Survivor Quarantine Questionnaires, we’ve been asking former players to share something that happened that never made an episode, and many players have delivered some doozies. But none of them are Leann Slaby. Leann was not content to share one thing that never made it to TV. Instead… SHE SHARED 10!

We are going to need an entire cleaning crew to pick up all the beans that Leann is spilling about her time on Survivor: Vanuatu. In addition to all the unseen intel, the seventh place finisher also explains why a challenge failure qualifies as her proudest moment, reveals her biggest regrets, and offers some suggestions for the show’s future. Prepare yourself for our first Survivor: Vanuatu Quarantine Questionnaire.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First off, give the update as to what you’ve been up to since appearing on Survivor.

LEANN SLABY: Yikes, that’s a 16-year update!

I was going through a divorce when we were in Vanuatu. A year or so after coming back, I moved to Los Angeles. I had been doing some commercials in Milwaukee and Chicago prior to Survivor and got the acting bug, and since I basically had to quit my life (at the time I had a job, a band, and a modeling career) to go on the show, there seemed to be no better time.

In 2008, my new L.A. best friend and I decided to run a marathon in support of the Team in Training/Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Neither of us had ever run before, so it was a pretty big ask. But we did it, we finished! It was a huge accomplishment, plus we raised a bunch of money for a good cause. In a cruel twist of fate, this friend of mine, who remained my BFF through the years, was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia three weeks ago and died five days after diagnosis. It’s been devastating.

On a happier note, the same year I ran that marathon, I met the love of my life, Seth. We were married in 2011 and he was and continues to be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Since then, we’ve been tackling the ups and downs of life together and are currently living in Redondo Beach with our fat deaf cat, Chuck.

What is your proudest moment ever from playing Survivor?

There was a challenge I really blew. We had to move tiki pieces along a rope through a water obstacle course. I was third in line to go through the course for Yasur. Poor Eliza never even had a chance to go because it all stopped with me. The waves and swells overwhelmed me. I was so close to giving the signal to the underwater crew that I needed saving. I remember hearing Ami screaming at me “YOU CAN DO IT! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!” over and over. It was so exhausting, but I kept trying. Eventually, I got lapped and Lopevi finished the challenge. But my tribe cheered me on as I was determined to finish the course. Obviously, I was upset that I lost the challenge for my team, but I saw it through and never gave up.

I just finished re-watching our season after not having seen our season for maybe 15 years (thank you quarantine, but here's a question: Where are episodes 1 and 4 on Hulu? Suspicious!), and I had a completely different perspective this time. I don’t think anyone who hasn’t played the game can imagine what it feels like to be on Survivor. Assessing the game and the gameplay of the other castaways is colossally different when you’re actually a part of it. As a viewer, you have the benefit of editing and complete observation. This time watching it, I had the realization that at any point things could have gone so differently. I was really lucky to survive our first Tribal Council!

Aside from any particular moment, the Survivor experience gave me confidence and an independence that continues to this day. I’m proud of how I overcame the physical and mental challenges that test you when playing this game.

What is your biggest regret from your Survivor experience?

Ugh. Why couldn’t I just keep my mouth SHUT?!?? It’s one thing to want to “play with integrity and stay true to your word,” but there’s also a little thing called QUIT TALKING! I blew it when I told Scout that she wasn’t in my final four. That’s my biggest regret by far.

Other lesser regrets include not journaling everything immediately after getting voted out, throwing away the clothes I wore after the game because they were disgusting, not letting myself be more prominent because I was worried about it affecting my future acting career (BAHAHAHAH!), being too trusting, not being effective at separating game from relationships, and that point right around my demise…I WAS cocky!

What’s something that will blow fans’ minds that happened out there in your season but never made it to TV?

I don’t know that any of these would qualify as mind-blowing, but here are a few lesser-known facts:

At one point on the Yasur tribe, we saw cows walking down the beach. Turns out they belonged to a local farmer, and we were told we could not make them hamburgers.

I celebrated my 35th birthday with my tribe of women, and they formed a bridge with their hands as I walked through while they showered me with love and compliments. How do you beat that?

We were all given one pair of shoes and one pair of socks. Unfortunately, if you went into the ocean you had to wear your shoes because of the coral. This meant we were often forced to wear our wet shoes. Let me tell you, that messes up your feet in a big ugly way. There should have been more coverage of our gross feet.

When Scout went to the voting area, we could usually hear who she was voting for. She was so loud! I think someone eventually told her to keep it down. I wish they hadn’t done that.

Prior to the trip, we were given a list of items we could and should pack. But the night before the game started, in our sequestered huts, we were told what we were actually allowed to bring. It was kind of cruel. No underwear! And the only person who got any type of long-sleeved clothing was Scout. Rude.

There was a lot of talk about pooping and lack of pooping.

I am an animal lover through and through. But when we had to take care of a pig, I wanted no part of him. I hated that pig. It was hard enough taking care of myself!

If it hadn’t rained 12 hours straight, we never would have considered keeping Chris over Eliza. What might have happened with a change in weather?

Twila and I had an alliance from day 1, so it really did hurt when she betrayed me. It’s hard to remember it’s a game when you’re living it 24 /7. It’s easy to scream “It’s just a game!” at your TV during a 50-minute wrap-up of three days at a time.

Before people started calling it Ponderosa, I called it Loser Lodge. We had many, many awesome parties at Loser Lodge. We ate and drank ourselves sick.

How do you feel about the edit you got on the show?

I think I’m funnier in real life, and definitely not an under-the-radar kind of person. I also know I swore too much and sang too much, neither of which they could air.

I also wish I would have talked more about being a living kidney donor. I donated a kidney to my father in 1998, and wanted to demonstrate how it hasn’t changed my life, except of course that, thankfully, it extended my father’s life. That kidney lasted 12 years. He was fortunate enough to receive another kidney from my second cousin in 2011. My father passed away five years ago. When he died, I was in the middle of training for a Ragnar Relay (team relay race running 200 miles over Southern California) with an entire team of living kidney donors. As we crossed the finish line, we all held up giant photos of our recipients. He would have been so proud of that.

What was it like coming back to regular society after being out there? Was there culture shock or an adjustment coming back?

“Fish out of water” was the phrase I remember using. I wasn’t discerning over pillows or blankets or beds, I was just happy to have them. There was an immediate and intense appreciation for all the things we take for granted. That lasted a really long time. Aside from the material things, I had next-level appreciation for my family and friends. That never went away.

Was there ever a point either during the game or after you got back where you regretted going on the show?

The first night, I was scared out of my mind. We had no shelter, it was freezing, and I was surrounded by a group of strangers under a clump of palm fronds. I remember thinking, “What the hell did I do?” But I never regretted it. Oddly enough, around day 15, everything started to normalize. My periods and digestive system stabilized and being dirty was actually comfortable. (Even now, during the pandemic, I embrace the dirty. Shower shmower.)

Whom do you still talk, text, or email with the most from your season?

Ami, Julie, Eliza, Chad. It’s been a while since I’ve seen Chris, but I get a kick out of him. There’s definitely a divide between pre- and post-merge people. I just didn’t get a chance to get to know a lot of the pre-merge people. But watching it now, I’m really missing everyone. I wish we could have a reunion!

A little over three years ago, Julie, Eliza, Mikey B (from Fans vs. Favorites) and I went to New Zealand to visit Ami, who lives there now with her wife. That was one of the most spectacular trips I’ve ever taken. It was incredible to reconnect with my Yasur ladies and we took advantage of every moment.

Do you still watch Survivor, and if so, what’s your favorite season you were not on and why?

I’ve watched every episode of every season and will watch until there is no more Survivor. Even when it makes me mad.

It’s tough for me to name my favorite season because, as much as I love watching the show, they fade from my memory really quickly. I’m in awe of the superfans that know every detail about every season. I do like seeing a season of brand-new contestants, although I thoroughly enjoyed Winners at War (or maybe it’s just the freshest in my horrible memory…?) So many great strategists. Subconsciously I think I try to learn from some of these amazing players, because although I know I would not be called back, part of me envisions it from time to time…being better, being smarter.

Who’s one player from another Survivor season you wish you could have played with or against and why?

I can think of plenty of people I wouldn’t want to play with! Maybe Ethan. He was my motivation. Of all of the winners in seasons before Vanuatu, he was the only winner that had played with integrity and honesty from beginning to end. Cirie is one of my favorites. I think she and I would totally hit it off.

If you could make one change to any aspect of Survivor, what would it be and why?

First and foremost — more suffering. That part of the game has gotten much less attention in recent years, and I don’t really understand why. Physical tolls really do a number on the psyche! And that’s interesting!! Part of what made it hard when we played was trying to make rational decisions when you’re sleep-deprived and starving. Secondly, less gimmicks and fewer idols/advantages. I’d love to see a season of “old-school” Survivor where they aren’t given a boatload of food and shelter supplies at the beginning of the game. And the rewards have gotten out of hand, too. I understand having to adapt the concept and make it exciting for the audience, but too much is left to chance now. Your entire game could be decided by someone else’s advantage. How is that being outplayed?

Finally, would you play again if asked?

I’m probably in better shape than I was in 2004, and I have a better handle on who I am and the nature of people, but let’s face it — I’m 51 years old now and most people don’t remember me. They’ll never ask me back. And, as much as I want to go back for a do-over and lie, cheat, and steal like nobody’s business, it’s not in my nature to betray my character. And that’s just not good TV. I have been considering applying to The Amazing Race with my work wife. We’d rock that.

Here’s an idea — Survivor should bring back everyone they can for a season vs. season extravaganza! Imagine the drama…

To keep track of our daily Survivor Quarantine Questionnaires and get all latest updates, check out EW's Survivor hub, and follow Dalton on Twitter.

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Survivor Quarantine Questionnaire: Leann Slaby reveals tons that we didn't see on Vanuatu

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