For the past few episodes, Survivor legend ‘Boston Rob’ Mariano and reality TV rookie Kim Mattina went toe to toe on Deal or No Deal Island. However, the competition veteran got the last laugh as he eliminated Kim from the show during episode 4, which aired on NBC on March 18. And, well, Kim admitted she was “out villain-ed” by the Bostonian.
Although Boston Rob was the most notable figure to sign on as a contestant for the network’s newest project, Kim marked herself as a notable character to follow from the get-go. She manipulated players, made a power move that sent an unsuspecting hopeful packing, and declared war against the “Robfather” and his pack of allies.
But, after Boston Rob survived a one-on-one collision with the Banker during the fourth Deal or No Deal showdown, he emphatically closed the door on their rivalry. With the power to choose who to eliminate from a crop of players, he evicted Kim from the “private island.“
During her post-game interview with NBC, Kim gave Rob his due. She said he drew people in with his “boyish grin” and charm and admitted that he had an “incredible” ability to win people over with his charisma and “average Joe” persona, and then exact control of the game.
The 63-year-old said in a confessional during episode 1 that it was her dream to be on reality television — and if she could be remembered as a “villain,” even better. Well, she absolutely earned her villain stripes on Deal or No Deal Island. But, she tipped her cap to Boston Rob, who she said bested her in the devious department.
“Rob out villain-ed me because he kept it to the confessionals, as opposed to the players,” Kim said. “With the players, he’s like, ‘I can’t believe that she would call me that. Oh, my daughters are gonna have to watch that on TV!’ Every single bit of it was definitely game manipulation. He out villain-ed me 100 percent. He’s experienced at it and I’m not experienced with that. Even though that soundbite says that I say I’m going to be a villain, I didn’t say I was going to be a villain. I said, ‘If I’m thought of as a villain, so be it.’ A villain move would have been telling Dawson, ‘I won’t put you in against The Banker, and then turn around and put him in against The Banker.’ That’s a villain move. I definitely used strategic play in a lot of it.”
“I had some mean moves but I didn’t have villain moves,” she finished with a laugh.
Although Kim’s out of the game, her work placing more crosshairs on Boston Rob wasn’t for naught. He’s been highlighted as the biggest threat in the game, and many of his non-allies are seemingly foaming at the mouth to end his quest of becoming a two-franchise king.
