Suchismita Ghosh
Season 33 of CBS’ reality television series ‘Survivor,’ titled ‘Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X,’ had quite a few unexpected twists and turns as the contestants lived with the bare minimum on an island while vying for the coveted cash prize of $1,000,000 and the title of ‘Sole Survivor.’ Among several interesting personalities, it also featured a few well-known names as participants. One among them was David Wright, the television writer.
While he started the season as one of the underdogs, within no time, David made his presence felt. His journey was a treat for the fans, especially since they could root for someone, as he managed to conquer all odds, including his OCD and paranoia, to become a force to reckon with. While it’s been quite some time since the season wrapped up in 2016, fans must be wondering about the whereabouts of their favorite castmate.
David’s Gameplan Made Him A Threat To Other Castmates
A writer from Sherman Oaks, California, David Wright had a rocky start to the season. He felt consistently shunned due to his OCD, paranoia, and anxiety that constantly plagued him during the initial days. However, his ability to strategize was seen quite early when he crafted a fake idol before the start of the game. Despite his meek nature, he soon became known for his ability to build alliances and make well-planned moves. Even though he struggled to earn the trust of his fellow tribesmates, he was able to grow a bond of loyalty with Ken, with whom he formed an alliance after finding the Hidden Immunity Idol.
Soon after, a twist allowed four people representing each tribe to appear on the summit. This was when David began to observe Paul as a potential threat while noticing his interest in being the center of attention. However, he decided to turn the tides in his favor by blindsiding Paul Watcher, the leader of the Takali tribe. When the tribes got merged, his game slowly started to pick up as his alliance began to eliminate the threats. Despite losing Jessica Lewis to a tiebreaker against Zeke’s alliance, David’s alliance quickly managed to regain lost numbers and strategically oust the competing alliance.
Meanwhile, his performance too picked up and he left everyone impressed during the Rewards Challenge. His growing confidence, however, turned him into a threat to the others, including Ken McNickle, his closest ally, who eventually blindsided him right before the Final Tribal Council. David held no hard feelings about his exit, even though one of his most trusted allies blindsided him. He eventually voted in favor of Adam Klein, who he believed was the most deserving of the finalists.
David Has Been Dealing With Unexpected Changes In His Personal Life
After ‘Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X,’ wrapped up in 2016, David also appeared in ‘Survivor: Edge of Extinction,’ where he lasted till the final 10. David’s life witnessed an unexpected turmoil. After losing his mother to complications caused by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in June 2021, he also lost fellow ‘Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X’ castmate Summer Burquest to cancer in April 2021. Both losses were close to him, and he took quite some time to recover from them. He credits ‘Survivor’ for having taken him out of his shell.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the writer shared, “I’m in a much better place for having played Survivor, so I don’t regret saying yes to the adventure of a lifetime. Before Survivor, I had completely retreated from the world. Post-Survivor, I fell in love for the first time, which breathed new life into my zombie heart.” However, when talking about readjusting to his life, things weren’t as great. The 49-year-old further added, “Readjusting to regular life was difficult when I returned home from Millennials vs. Gen X. On what would have been day 41, I walked around my Sherman Oaks neighborhood barefoot, in a daze, periodically stopping to shout, “Kennnnnn!” to the heavens.”
David continues to keep in touch with most of his castmates from both seasons and keeps an eye on the newer seasons of the show. However, he doesn’t intend on returning to the show. On the personal front, David found love with Laura and often posts loved-up pictures on his social media with her. He also credits her with having provided him with insight into how he was to have handled his time on ‘Survivor.’ The funloving writer from Los Angeles now spends most of his time with his friends and family while also actively contributing with his writing to the success of various shows such as ‘The Gimmicks,’ and ‘Family Guy.’ He also makes public appearances and connects with fans on podcasts and charities.
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