Survivor legend “Boston Rob” Mariano is undoubtedly the star of NBC’s Deal or No Deal Island. And if the network brings its newest reality competition show back for a second season, Boston Rob has the perfect potential cast member in mind.
Deal or No Deal Island’s inaugural season kicked off with a crop of contestants new to the limelight. But, among them was the Robfather, a former winner of Survivor and five-time player. At the time of this writing, nine episodes have aired and Boston Rob is one of five hopefuls remaining on a quest to battle the Banker in a final showdown worth millions of dollars.
It’s fair to say that the show has relied on its casting of Rob to pull in reality show viewers. He eats up the most screen time and is involved in most of the gameplay, whether it’s him strategizing or players plotting his demise.
In an interview published by Parade, Boston Rob was asked if there was a reality television alum he’d want to see carry his torch next season. In short, he pointed to four-time Big Brother star and reality competition staple Janelle Pierzina as a great casting option.
I mean, I think it’s gonna be really hard after I set the precedent and go through this for them to go out there and not have huge targets on him. I think maybe somebody understated from one of the [non-Survivor] reality shows, The Amazing Race or Big Brother. I’ve always been a big fan of Janelle. I watched her play in The Traitors. I think she has a mind for strategy. She had a huge target on her. But ultimately, I don’t know that big past reality contestants are going to be able to get out there and have the success that I’ve had so far without being targeted. So they got an uphill battle for sure.
We last saw Janelle on The Traitors US season 2 earlier this year. She was a major threat from the get-go, and although she proved to be a solid Traitor hunter, she was banished around the mid-way point of the game. Although Janelle has never won Big Brother, her competition prowess and strategic mind always made her a fan favorite. Like Boston Rob, Janelle has been around the reality scene since the 2000s. Her first foray into the competition world was in 2005 during Big Brother 6, and later, she appeared in seasons 7, 14, and 22. The 44-year-old also played in The Amazing 31 and was a co-winner on Snake in the Grass.
Boston Rob brought up a solid note in the interview — the next reality star to venture onto the Banker’s “private island” will likely have a big target on their back considering how he’s dominated most of the competitions thus far. Further, Deal or No Deal Island is a difficult game to traverse due to the random and lucky nature of the Deal or No Deal showdowns. So, whoever shows up for season 2 will have their work cut out for them, just like Boston Rob’s had in season 1.
Does Janelle want to come back to reality TV?
Well, would Janelle even accept NBC’s offer to join season 2?
After her elimination from The Traitors US, she spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the potential of returning to Big Brother and her interest in starring on another reality competition show. She emphatically shut down the idea of playing Big Brother again, saying, “As much as I love the show and I’m respectful of what it’s given me in my life and what it’s done for me, I really don’t want to do that. I don’t want to sit in a house and talk and talk and talk to people all day long.”
As for another show, she left things up in the air. “I don’t really even know if I’m going to do any more TV after this,” she said. Janelle revealed that she thought she was done with reality television after her time was cut short during 2020’s Big Brother 22 — CBS’s second iteration of All-Stars when she was the third houseguest evicted.
But, a couple of years later she signed on for USA Network’s Snake in the Grass, which she won alongside a fellow Big Brother champion, Rachel Reilly, and Boston Rob’s former fellow castmate Cirie Fields. Janelle said she jumped at the opportunity because of the quick three-day filming experience and the fact Rachel would be on it with her. And then, of course, she played The Traitors, which filmed within a few weeks.
During the interview, she passed on the notion of playing Survivor, a game that has some of the same themes as Deal or No Deal Island. “After I did Snake in the Grass, I don’t think I can do Survivor,” Janelle said. “Yeah, the bugs were getting to me sleeping in the jungle. It was really not for me.”
However, Deal or No Deal Island’s cast had a luxurious glamping set-up, and if anyone has seen Janelle on a reality show, they know she is a gamer through and through, and loves the thrill of competition. So, in terms of Janelle facing off against the Banker, never say never.