Remember when 'White Lotus' creator Mike White was on 'Survivor? He almost won it.

USA Today

16-02-2025

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Mike White is a familiar face recognizable both for his role in "School of Rock" and, of late, as the visionary behind the smash hit series "The White Lotus."
But three years before "White Lotus" debuted on HBO to widespread critical acclaim, the actor/writer/director was scheming and competing his way through one of the more popular seasons of "Survivor."
White, a well-known "Survivor" superfan, made it clear in interviews and confessionals during the season's airing in 2018 that appearing on the long-running reality competition series was no mere branding gimmick, but a lifelong dream. A reality television junkie, White had by then already appeared twice on another CBS series, "The Amazing Race," with his dad Mel.
While White placed 6th and 10th in two "Amazing Race" competitions in 2009 and 2011, he fared much better when he tried his hand on the 37th season of "Survivor" – making it all the way to day 39 and earning a few votes to win the million dollar prize.
In the years since, White has even invited a few of his fellow "Survivor" castaways to make cameos on the Emmy-winning "White Lotus." White not only created the series, but writes and directs every episode.
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Now that both "Survivor" and "White Lotus" have new seasons due out in February, here's a look back at White's incredible "Survivor" run.
'White Lotus':When does 'The White Lotus' Season 3 premiere? Date, time, cast, trailer, how to watch
What was 'Survivor: David vs. Goliath?'
Premiering in 2018, the biblically-titled "Survivor: David vs. Goliath" initially pitted a group of apparent underdogs against players who seemed to embody traits that, at first glance, made them appear to be physically stronger or more accomplished.
White, as a Hollywood veteran, was initially grouped with the "Goliaths" – a tribe that included a CEO, a professional wrestler, a SWAT officer and a physician, among others. Those in the "David" tribe, meanwhile, were composed of some blue collar workers, but also counted a robotics scientist, an MMA fighter and a public defender among their ranks.
Despite the initial groupings, the "David" and "Goliath" labels largely melted away as the game progressed and players formed ever-shifting alliances – particularly when they were merged into one tribe late in the game.
The eclectic cast members were part of what defined a season also lauded among fans for its creative strategic gameplay and the widespread use of in-game advantages players could find or earn.
Mike White makes it to Final Tribal on 'Survivor'
While prominent figures like celebrities or professional athletes have historically not fared well on "Survivor," White managed to stave off elimination by forming tight bonds with many players.
One of his stronger partnerships was with Nick Wilson, the eventual winner of the season, who even dubbed their alliance the "rock stars" due to White's role in "School of Rock" as Ned Schneebly – a film he also had a hand in writing.
White's affable nature and strong social game endeared him to many of his fellow castaways, even as he began to play more cutthroat and aggressive late in the game by orchestrating several blindsides.
White managed to win an individual immunity challenge and, in a dramatic moment, won a tie-breaking firemaking challenge to make it all the way to the end of the game, referred to as "final tribal."
As one of three players eligible for the title of "sole survivor," White earned three votes, including one from fan-favorite Christian Hubicki, one of the targets of White's blindsides. In casting his vote for White to win the season, Hubicki praised White's "transformative game," saying, "I hope this changes how the game is played."
But it was during the finale that White's celebrity status was theorized to have finally worked against him, as a "David" ultimately vanquished a "Goliath." Wilson, who was seen among the eliminated players to have played a more strategic game, also earned some sympathy – and all seven other jury votes – when he shared his story growing up in poverty.
While White told Entertainment Weekly that he largely was "really happy with the result," he said he regretted that he "was afraid to kind of push too hard and try to dismantle the other people's game."
"I just wussed out," he told Entertainment Weekly after the finale aired. "I want to win. It just was hard. There's a big conflict that I just didn't know what I wanted in that moment."
Mike White's lasting influence over 'Survivor'
But White's "Survivor" legacy isn't just limited to his time on air.
In 2014, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst told Entertainment Weekly that White – before he even was a contestant on the show – convinced Probst over a dinner to ditch the Redemption Island twist, which allowed voted-out players to get back into the game.
Probst then revealed to Entertainment Weekly in 2021 that White's advice also influenced producers to do away with an in-game currency known as "fire tokens" that were introduced in Season 40 of the show, "Winners at War."
Probst even hinted in a recent episode of the his podcast that he'd be open to hiring White as a "Survivor" producer – once "White Lotus" concludes, of course.
How to watch 'White Lotus' Season 3
Season 3 of "The White Lotus" will premiere Sunday, Feb. 16 at 9 p.m. EST/PST on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes will drop weekly.
How to watch "Survivor' season 47
Season 48 of "Survivor" will premiere in a two-hour episode at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Wednesday, Feb. 26 on CBS. Episodes will shift to 90 minutes weekly starting Wednesday, March 5 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
The season will also be available to stream on demand on Paramount+.
Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [e-mail]