One 'Survivor 48' Player is Trying to Make the Best of a Second Impression (Exclusive) (2025)

They say often you never get a second chance at a first impression. Shauhin Davari–appropriate to his career as a debate professor–is the argument against that rule. One year ago, Shauhin was sitting in the islands of Fiji, the male alternate for Survivor 46. But even though he didn't make the final cast for that season, in my preseason interviews, he was essentially the 19th castaway.

Shauhin was the most talked about player during my time on the set of the CBS reality series last year. Whether positive or negative, nearly everyone had something to say about the man with the beard, leaving his reputation as hairy as his face. Though he didn't make the final cast, Shauhin was given the chance to come back to the exact same spot one year later to join the cast of Survivor 48. So the question is, how do you play the preseason now that you're armed with the knowledge of what a group of complete strangers thought about you before?

"I absolutely did go back and watch the pregame interviews from 46," Shauhin told me during this round of preseason interviews. "And you see, they're all like, 'He's smiling too much. He is staring at me.' And it's like, 'Yeah, man! I wanted you to talk about me!' And I got exactly what I wanted. Did I think that many of them would talk about me? No.That's crazy. I did not see coming. But that also tells me something. I don't need to do that much, and I'm still gonna be talked about. If I did nothing, I still would have been talked about at least a little bit, I think. But I did a lot, and so that ended up leading to a little bit more of an overcorrection."

In talking with the players of Survivor 48, Shauhin indeed does not need to do much to stand out. Though many did not know about the myth of the man with the beard, when I asked the new castaways who they were picking up good and not-so-good vibes from in the preseason, he was once again a popular choice. Once again, the reaction was mixed. For some, he comes across as an interesting person, with one player even believing he looks like he owns a surf shack. For others, he's difficult to read, and therefore dangerous. And, for Kamilla Karthigesu, his reputation precedes him.

"So I am a fan of the show. I read all of the pregame stuff," the software designer told me. "And I know that for 46 there was someone that everyone talked about, a bearded individual with the initials SD. There is a bearded SD here. As soon as I saw what, as soon as I heard SD, I freaked out. I'm like, 'This dude has a beard. Could this be him?' But he seemed chill. I don't know if he got a talking to last time, because what I heard was he was making eye contact with everyone. I heard stuff about, him trying to pass notes and stuff. And he didn't do any of that this time. I don't trust this guy at all. His eyes kind of scare me because. I don't know what it is. But when I look at him, sometimes there's too much. The white in the eyes, like the irises, are small, and that's a little scary look. I don't like that. But he's giving me Tony vibes. And so I don't want to play with that. I want to get that out of here."

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Luckily for Shauhin, he's not the only name on the lips of the 18 players. Similarly, Charity Nelmsreceived a lot of polarizing attention. While some are hoping the flight attendant becomes their co-pilot, others are ready to ground her game. David Kinne's physique has his presence bulging as much as his muscles, earning nicknames that range from "Captain America" to "Gigachad." Surgeon Cedrek McFaddenhas gotten a positive prognosis from many of his fellow castaways. And many have talked about a tall blonde woman who they were vibing with in Stephanie Berger–though opinions differ on the art she was apparently creating at Ponderosa.

Take a look at the video and transcription below to hear the Survivor 48 castaways give their first impressions on the other players.Survivor 48 premieres on Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. with a special two-hour episode on CBS.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 48

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There's an older woman. And she's always smiling. It's weird to me that everybody just sitting there so stoic and just in their little books and taking down notes. And I'm trying to smile at people, just be nice, because, again, that's just me in the real world. And it's just so weird, how stoic and how, I guess, unenthusiastic people are. And so the few people that do smile and do give me at least something, shows me that they are humans that I pick up on. And so she has been very nice and just pleasant. Just again, we don't talk; we don't really say anything. And it's just the quickest of smiles, but you can just tell that she's sincere and kind. And I really like that. I think kindness goes a long way.

And that's why I look forward to allies. Because when someone's kind, they're more than likely gonna be honest as well. So that's what I kind of look for, is people that are kind in the game, and I'm gonna be friends with them and try to make alliances with them. And so she's at the top of my list. Don't know if she's on my tribe or not. Also, there are a few others. There's a man with glasses. He's also doing the same. He's always looking around, trying to be friendly and just smile. And you can kind of pick up on things, people who say thank you to those who are around. Even if it's something like picking up a dish, and they'll just say, "Thank you," whereas others don't. And to me, that goes a long way.There are those two for sure. And I think, honestly, there's this shorter Asian guy, and I have a feeling he's gonna do really well in the challenges. I don't know why. But I just have a feeling that he's very athletic, you can kind of tell from his physique. But I think he's gonna be a force to reckon with, for sure.

Are you looking at him as a possible meat shield, then? Or someone to get rid of?
I want to get rid of him. I mean, I want competition. But I wouldn't say big competition. But I would definitely keep my eye on him, for sure.

Anyone else you're not picking up vibes from?
There's a Maryanne-looking girl. And I think she, once again, is kind of giving off that very kind, very sincere vibe. I love to be friends with her. I hope she's on my tribe as well. But aside from that, I mean, I've taken my little notes on everybody that's come across. But those are the ones that kind of stand out so far. Everybody else is still up in the air.

I mean knowing myself and that I'm an athlete, and I look at everyone else in the view of an athlete, this is a competitive, physical game as well as a mental game. I see people who look athletic, and I'm like, "That's someone that I think I could work with." Because oftentimes, people who are very strong and are built, they're hard workers. You put in a lot of time and effort to get those muscles. And to have that strength in sports gives you lots of different morals that people who don't play sports don't have about hard work and teamwork and many things in general.

So, I saw two guys over the last couple days that I think I'd really like to work with. One of them, he's a Black guy who looks very strong, great smile. The guy was wearing a lacrosse shirt at one point. I was like, "Lacrosse is pretty close to hockey." That's someone that I think I could get along with. That would be a great ally to have. As well as there's a Asian man who looks about my age as well. Also looks muscular. A guy who's smiley; I like the happy people. And so seeing him too, I think he looks like someone who I could get along with. He just seems like a fun, nice guy. And so those are two people that I'm hoping I could get one of them on my tribe.

Looking to the other side of things, is there anyone giving you red flags? Who you're putting in the proverbial penalty box?
I mean, there are people that I just think are annoying. There's this Black woman who she just has been–we're supposed to be quiet, right? And she's just often been making little comments or doing little extra things that I'm just like, "Dude, chill!" And it's just been kind of getting on my nerves. I don't think I would want to work with her. There's also been a few people that I've still seen them wearing makeup and big hoop earrings. And we're we're out already, sleeping in tents every night. We're in the wilderness a little bit already. And I'm like, "Why are you still getting ready to look nice?" It just seems very contradictory to my thoughts on this game. So these are people that I know that I'm very different from, so I don't think I would be working with.

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There's this tall girl. When I first saw her, she had curly hair, but she's been tying it back a lot. If she told me to jump off a cliff, I would jump off a cliff for her. She could tell me to do anything, and I would do anything for her. Her eyes, her smile, everything. It is about her. It's very dangerous. But I would want to keep her around with me, because other people would be like, "Oh, she's dangerous, not me." So I would love to get to know her, work with her.So there are three Chads that they found. And out of the three of them, they actually found Gigachad himself, and he is here on this beach. The dude's biceps are the size of my thighs. He's got like the jaw, the face. I want him to be on my tribe so that he can Jonathan Young us through all the swimming challenges, because I'm not a strong swimmer. I just want to be tossed through the Pacific Ocean, and I hope he could do that for us.

What about on the other end? Anyone giving you red flags?
Okay, so I am a fan of the show. I read all of the pregame stuff. And I know that for 46 there was someone that everyone talked about, a bearded individual with the initials SD. There is a bearded SD here. As soon as I saw what, as soon as I heard SD, I freaked out. I'm like, "This dude has a beard. Could this be him?" But he seemed chill. I don't know if he got a talking to last time, because what I heard was he was making eye contact with everyone. I heard stuff about, him trying to pass notes and stuff. And he didn't do any of that this time.

But if it's the same SD–and if it's not, I feel so bad for this poor guy. He's just cursed by having the initials SD and having a beard. It's his fault. He should have shaved before he came out here. I don't trust this guy at all. His eyes kind of scare me because. I don't know what it is. But when I look at him, sometimes there's too much. The white in the eyes, like the irises, are small, and that's a little scary look. I don't like that. But he's giving me Tony vibes. And so I don't want to play with that. I want to get that out of here.

So there is a there is a taller blonde woman who I think just seems very fun. She's not afraid. When we were in the dinner line, we bobbed and weaved and sort of danced a little bit. She just seems like she's very comfortable with herself and would like to have fun. I think it'd be fun to work with her. I want to work with somebody who is smart, but also wants to play this game in a fun way, not dictate to one another. I've heard players talk about how it's nice to have somebody who views the game the same way you do. And I'm a fun person, so I think it would be fun to work with her.

I'm sure everybody's doing it, but I keep on making up stories for everybody in my head. There's another guy, Superman. I call him Superman. I mean, he literally looks like Clark Kent. And I could say this because I'm sure that I'm not being creative here. I'm certain he's been called this throughout his entire life, or at least the past two/three years. Because he just looks very physical, and he would do well in this game in that manner. But he also kind of comes across to me as a very teddy bear sort of dude. Just seems like a genuine person from what I've seen so far.

We'll go from Superman to Lex Luthor here. Who are some people that you're not necessarily vibing with at the moment?
I would not say that there's somebody that I'm not vibing with. I really tried to keep it tampered during this pregame. I don't know; I hope I've done a good job of that. But there is one person I can't get a read on, this gentleman with a beard. He's got a large beard, and he's got a well-groomed sort of mullet, wavy sort of hair deal. And it's not that I don't vibe with him. I just can't put a read to him. Like I mentioned, I've been making backstories up for everybody in my head. Obviously, those will go by the wayside on Day One. But him, it's really hard to get a read on. There's nothing really consistent about him, and that's not scary to me. But it puts a little bell on my head that I gotta look into this a little bit further. Who knows if that's even worth doing?

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So there's this taller Black guy with kind of like a fro. Not really, but maybe one inch. And every time the servers take his food, he says, "Thank you," and either does like a praying motion, or puts his hand on his heart. And I'm like, "You know what? He seems like, a very, very sweet boy." And yeah, I would be down to play with him. There is the gay guy with the mustache. He just reminds me when my friends at home. He's been really kind to me as well. Because even though we can't talk, I mean, you can feel people's energy. You can feel when they are happy to see you or find you amusing when you do something on accident, stuff like that.

I would also really like to work with this one. I think he's Asian, he's tanner. He's maybe mid-30s or something. He and I, I think, have in common that we have rich inner landscapes. Because everyone out here is journaling to some capacity. But when you look at most people's journals, it's like the first three pages. They literally got a journal because they were like, "Well, I'm gonna be out here. I want to process and learn and discover about things about myself." But [with] me and this guy, our journals are almost done, which means we actually journal in everyday life. That's something that I've been doing since I was 17, almost every day. So I feel like, if I were to work with someone like him, he'd be thoughtful. And I think he would really think things through, and I would appreciate that in an alliance partner.

Anyone you're picking up red flags from?
I would say that it's hard for me to get a read on this one girl who sits in front of me. She has dark hair, a lot of hair. It's really thick. I'm actually kind of jealous. I'm like, "Dang, I wish I had that hair!" But it's hard for me to read on her. She reminds me of some people who I've met in my life who judge me for being loud or chaotic and thinking that I'm only one-dimensional and that I don't have deeper thoughts.

There's actually somebody who surprised me, a little bit of a gentleman. He has the mohawk, curly black hair, very vibey. Not too tall, not too short. Not super buff, but you can tell he works out. He looks like he owns a surf shack. I like him because I feel like he does multiple different things. He's not mysterious in the sense [that] I know he's an artist, or I can come to definitive answers about who he is. But it's also the fact that I feel like, if he's in a room with a group of people, he can get along with every single person and not try too hard. That's what I like. I don't like people who are forcing a connection. I feel like we would just vibe, just a vibe.

And on the negative, I'm assuming–this is my favorite part, because I'm very judgmental. I hate to be that girl who's like, "I get along better with men." But I'm about to be that girl I get along better with men. So the women attention-seeking is not my thing. I like people who speak when they have something impactful to say. That's why I'm attracted to Drea. She didn't speak much, but when she did, she had something that was actually gonna change the game. So there's a few here. I'm gonna describe them. One always wears her hair pulled back. And she could surprise me, I don't know. But she's always doing something, whether it's the over-the-top yawn or the "I gotta stand up and work on the circle for a few minutes." Or " I gotta spritz some perfume on me," even though you're gonna sweat it off in the next five minutes.

And then there's the other girl, she's also artsy, but she wants you to know she's artsy. She has blonde hair. She paints whenever she gets a chance. Listen, my mom and my sister are both kick-ass artists. They both can draw. I'm the only one that gene skipped over. So I know what it's like to be around true artists. I don't want to say she's not a true artist. But artists who have humility. Like, they paint, and they don't make a big to-do about it. They don't go across the room and get drinking water to dip their paintbrush. And I was like, "No, she didn't. That's literally what she did.

Oh, she's actually making art at Ponderosa?
She's literally making art. "Okay, cool. Love that for you." So that's a biggie for me. But she's looking for the round of applause, of like, "How amazing is this moment?" Truly, if you're just in your artistry, I feel like you would be like, "I want to have this moment for me. This is something for me. I don't have to actually walk around once it's finished and act like I didn't mean to show it to y'all. And when we acknowledged that we saw it, 'Oh, stop, stop, stop, stop.'" I hate performative qualities. Just be you! When it's time to be still, be still. When you want to talk, talk. I'm fine with that.

I have "razor's edge" people, which is like, "Hey, either this person has to be my ride or die, or I need them gone." And that is…she's got blue eyes. She's gonna hate me for this at some point. But she has the tattooed sleeve, and she has three different crosses tattooed all over her body. She is suspect of me. I feel it from jump. I know people like her; they are suspect of me. But if I can get them on my side, they're my biggest advocates. They can call me on my nonsense. They can be my ride or die.I need someone like that because I have hair-brained ideas, man. I have all kinds of different arguments that happen in my own head, and I need someone to be the arbiter. I have a very low perception of threats against me. I think everybody wants to be my friend. So I want someone who I know isn't necessarily my bestie to be my bestie. Other than that, the person that's on a razor's edge, MZ I think is her initials. Shorter, Asian girl who's jacked. That girl, I would love for her to be my ride or die. Because I think she's a razor's edge for me too, someone who doesn't really like me, but if I got on her good side, I think we would ride forever. And then the dude who ate Tom Cruise. That guy. I want him on my team.

[Laughs.] Okay, this is an image I need described.
Captain America, the biggest dude. He's got a giant, beautiful face for camera. He's, for sure, been in movies or on stage or something like that. Because this dude brought toothpicks out here after lunch so that when he does get his face seen, he's not got anything in his teeth. He's thinking, in a way, I think, that is unlike anybody else out here. He is more cerebral than I think most people will give him credit. And so I need a strategist, and I know that's not me. I'm an idea guy. I need someone that's gonna give me the strategy. I'm a social player. I can make the strategy implemented. I'm not the brilliant strategist. I'm the idea guy.

I know that you spoke about your "razor's edge" people that will either be your close ally or worst enemy. But is there anyone you're just straight-up picking up red flags from?
My bad vibes people [are] the people that I don't get a read on at all. Because if I can't read you, that's a problem. I can read anybody. That's my skill set. And so this could all change. I could fall in love with a person very easily. But the smallest person on the cast, I have no read on her, zero. Black hair, no read on her whatsoever. [Pause.] SB as well. I call her Santa Barbie. Because she has blonde hair. She's a painter. She's been painting out here the entire time, like amazing paintings. Actually, I want one. But I can't really get a good read on her, but who knows?

Oh, I love the Rock. The Rock is out here. He is a delight. I just saw him fold a shirt. And the way he did it was like, "Oh, dude, he's the sweetest man ever." He was walking out of the bathroom in the middle of the night, and he closed the door, which is far away from where we're sleeping. But I was walking to the bathroom, and the way he closed the door was like a father exiting his little girl's room after he kissed her on the forehead good night. You know what I mean? Just so gentle. And for a guy that big, that buff, that strong, to be that gentle, that juxtaposition, oh my God, I love that guy.

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I will tell you, and I am not ashamed to say. And if I get any backlash, I don't care. This is the finest-looking "face card does not decline" Survivor cast ever, really. And once again, I'm sorry, but we're fine! We baddies, from the men to the women. Everybody looks good! And that's the problem. At least before you had tobe like, "Oh, she has a smile. Oh, she has the looks. Oh, she has the body. Mmm, gotta worry about [that]." No, everybody looks good! Everybody literally has the smile. Everybody has the face. Everybody has probably the charisma and the personality to follow along with it. And I feel like that's what's gonna actually throw everything off. How can you know if this person is telling the truth? Because they smile just like you! And so I will say I did notice about that. Everybody looks good.

Captain America. I don't know his name, but he looks like Captain America. He's built. He's strong. That's somebody that I want as a friend, because I need strength. As you can see, I'm a little skinny. I got muscle, though. Don't let these bones fool you! Don't let it fool you. I'm strong. It don't matter the size. Remember little Charlie from Season 46, that skinny thing, he was strong! But Mr. Captain America, I want him on my team. It's a couple of people I've seen. Somebody she looks like a mom, a little older. I want her on my team as well, because I feel like those are the ones that can go under and and be your silent assassin. They can hear and come back to you with the details. "Hey, they're talking about you. Hey, your name is getting brought up, whether good or bad." I need somebody to tell me, because I might not be the in the popular crew. I might be with the quiet ones. Who knows?

I don't know until we get there, because everybody's personality is hard to tell. Are they like me? Are they not? Who's the loud one? Who are the cool kids, the athletes, the geeks? What's going on here? And I'm everything. I'm a Harry Potter lover. I'm a vampire lover. All the vampire shows, I'm there. Every vampire show, I will watch it. I've literally been watching going crazy. So that's the thing. I'm a good mix of everything. I can hang with the cool kids, but I could also be with the quiet people, because I'm shy as well. If it's a group of cool kids, I'm gonna shut up because now I gotta watch and see what y'all gonna do. Especially because I used to be bullied in elementary school, so that little childhood me still comes in as a shell. Because it's like, "Are they gonna like me? Will they not? Will they think I talk too much? Will I be too much?" But at the end of the day, you just gotta be yourself. And I feel like being myself, whether it gets me past in the game, or gets me out on the first day, I'm here for it. But of course, I'm not trying to go out on the first day. My worst fear is being Francesca. Sorry, Francesca, girl!

Is there anyone who you're getting red flags from? Who could be the garlic to your vampire?
It's hard to say who I'm not vibing with. It's more so who I'm looking sideways at. It's a couple of people I'm kind of looking like, "I don't know if I want to talk to you."

Describe them to me.
You're gonna get me in trouble. [Laughs.]

Listen, this could end up being your best friend!
You're right, this could be my best friend. So there's this one girl. She has braids and she just looks like she's just a little high maintenance, a little bit like won't really work on the island. It just looks like she won't have to pull her weight is what she's giving, just from the certain things that I'm seeing her do right now. She's not getting up to throw her stuff away. That's a tell. Why aren't you getting up to throw your stuff away? You're two feet from the trash can. That doesn't make sense to me. I'm 10 feet from the trash can. I'm still getting up. I's just little things like that. I mean, it's a hot day; maybe that's a factor. But also, too, we're all hot. What makes you so special?

But, once again, I could be saying this now and then when we get on the island, and we could be the best of friends. And I'll tell the girl, "I was talking about you like a dog." [Laughs.] But, till then, it's just something about that. And then, I mean, there's a couple of people, I think, are looking at me funny. But also, too, I'm not sure if it's in my head or if they're really looking at me funny. Nobody can be like, "Oh, I'm gonna use my looks." We all got looks! So what you gonna use for real? You can't just use your smile. We all got smiles!

I'm sitting next to a guy, he has a mustache and fairer colored hair. And every time I look over at his iPod–because we're only allowed to have old-school iPods here–his iPod is playing the same music as mine. That's gotta be my guy, right? He's bumping the new Charli XCX album. Also, I'm playing Cowboy Carter. He's playing Cowboy Carter. We're clearly listening to the same stuff. There's something really nice about we, at a bare minimum, could go to the dance floor together. You could take a dance partner and turn them into an alliance partner!

There's a guy with glasses who keeps asking me, I'm one of the only folks who, I think, brought a watch out here. Note to future Survivor players: Bring a shitty watch to Ponderosa. It's a good idea. That way you can know just how slowly time is moving. And he's asked me the time a couple of times, and there's just a kind energy about him. And I think when you're looking around, I'm not looking for folks who are feeling like gunners, you know? I'm looking for folks who are feeling like they want to work together. Because ultimately, I think that that's at least where we start.

Now, let's move to the opposite side. Are there some people in mind that you do not want to work with?
Look, the Cirie Fields tenets for emotional intelligence are you don't cut anybody out. She's never gonna tell you that you should be like, "Oh, I'm not gonna work with that person." But there are some people who are less smiley, less warm, seem super focused. And I wonder how that's going to play out in the game. You got somebody who's jumping in the front of the food line. Are they going to be like that on the beach? We are all wearing masks right now. It is Mardi Gras in there. Everyone's wearing a mask. Everyone's in a costume. But it's a peculiar choice to me for the costume to be, right after we get to the airport, to sit down with your notebook and immediately start scribbling about whoever. I'm taking those, but they're in my head. And I'm writing about my notebook when I get home right like at the end of the day. I'm not trying to do it in front of everybody.