Her reaction is as emotional and full of strength as fans might hope after hearing that she won’t be appearing in Survivor 50.
She shared that she was heartbroken after being left out of the historic Survivor season in a video she uploaded to Instagram. After supporting the game for 25 years with passion, Manthey said she was surprised and hurt by her exclusion.
You can imagine that I’m shaken by what’s happened, she said in an emotional Cameo to a fan. All the positive responses and encouragement from everyone on the internet have made it easier for me to begin healing, but I’ll be honest: I feel mad, disappointed, sad and I sometimes have the same question: How am I going to get past this?
A Pioneer as well as a Powerhouse
Jerri Manthey was part of the cast in the most-watched season of the franchise, Survivor: The Australian Outback. She quickly drew a lot of attention as the show’s first antagonist, even though these days, many people view her as a brave woman who refused to keep her thoughts to herself.
For her second time on Survivor, in All-Stars, she left the stage at the reunion when the crowd booed her. It was her part in Heroes vs. Villains that turned her into one of the series’ favorite players. Her lively, playful bond with Coach Wade, plus her knowledge of the game, helped her to the final four and earned her new fans.
“I know firsthand what I’ve gone through,” Manthey explained in her latest video. Anyone who could watch season 2 as it aired — they get what I’ve been through and what I’ve given up for the series.
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It Seems Like I Vanished
Manthey is not just disappointed because they are unable to play another match. It’s an especially hard loss for her, after all the dedication and time she gave to the sitcom that made her famous.
“I’ve spent some time reflecting on what happened,” she said, “and it shows just how little respect they have for me and for the role I have played in Survivor over the past 25 years.”
She also wondered if her age had something to do with her exclusion from the TV show. Manthey, who is now 54, said it is difficult being a woman in her 50s because society often values youth and overlooks someone’s experience.
“Being a woman at this age can be tough,” she said. Over the years, I’ve often heard that once you are in your 50s, you are no longer seen as important and I can tell that starting to happen. This is actually evidence that it is going on.
I Get to Write the Conclusion of My Own Life
Even though she suffered a great loss, Manthey wants to control her own story once again.
“My Survivor stories are complete,” she announced. Still, no one will finish what I’ve started except for me. It wasn’t Jeff, Matt or CBS’s people. No one has the right to take away my ending.
She pointed out other strong women who didn’t make the final roster and noted they deserved another try.
“I love watching this game and seeing all the talented women,” she said, including Maria (from Survivor 46), Abi-Maria and Karla. If you’re looking for something new, include the women who kicked ass from the start. Come on! This makes me so upset! Not only because I am not on social media, but also because there are certain people on it.
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Probst Gives His Opinion
In a recent statement, Jeff Probst admitted the Survivor 50 cast was difficult to put together. On CBS Mornings, Probst said that the list of people who could return began with 750 names and was reduced to just 24 potential competitors.
Probst said, “We ranked at 200 on the list, then went to 100, 80 and finally to 50.” The last set of 26 came with extremely heartbreaking Scott changes. This is true even now.
It seems Manthey was victim to what many longtime followers call a particularly nasty end, as she always seemed like a key part of the show.
Things Did Not Go Our Way, But We Did Not Lose
Though Jerri Manthey will likely never visit Fiji again, her contributions, spirit, and unique voice will always be a part of Survivor. Her time on the show was filled with strong emotions and bravery and was always interesting, even if her ending wasn’t the best.
She finished by making sure fans understood that her story is still unfinished.
Absolutely, I am not going to give up. “Not now. Not ever.”