Season 32 of CBS’s staple franchise Survivor featured the unique theme “Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty,” and it was a contestant representing the latter tribe who took home the $1 million grand prize.
The iteration was filmed on the island of Koh Rong, Cambodia, in mid-2015 and began airing in February 2016. It pitted 18 rookie players against each other with each having strong characteristics that were in line with one of the three tribes.
After 39 days and 15 hopefuls had their torches snuffed, Michele Fitzgerald was crowned season 32’s queen over Aubry Bracco and Tai Trang with a 5-2-0 vote.
Michele became the ‘Sole Survivor’ after skipping every Tribal Council until the merge
Michele joined season 32’s cast as a 24-year-old bartender from Freehold, New Jersey. Placed in the Gondol (Beauty) tribe, Michele quickly went to work with her social game by forging relationships with several players. However, she didn’t have to put her alliances to the test at Tribal Council until more than halfway through the game.
Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty had one tribe swap after five contestants left the island, and later, the 11 remaining contestants merged into one tribe. Michele didn’t sit down with host Jeff Probst at Tribal Council to cast a vote until day 22 — the merge’s first Tribal Council.
Although on paper the Brawn tribe appeared like they’d dominate the immunity challenges from the get-go, they suffered losses in the first three or four. To Tang (Brawn) dropped back-to-back immunity games and lost two members of their six-person tribe by day six. Chan Loh (Brains) was then sent to Tribal Council on day eight, and after a three-person tie played out, Liz Markham was given her walking papers.
After an exhausting physical challenge on day 9 that forced the tribes to compete in the Cambodian heat for around an hour, the Beauty tribe lost their first member. Caleb Reynolds — the man known as “Beast Mode Cowboy” from Big Brother 16 — had his second stint on reality television cut short. The grueling challenge left Caleb laying on his back in the sand while on-site medics tended to him. A scary scene showed Caleb going in and out of consciousness while wearing an oxygen mask. The lead doctor worked to lower his temperature and heart rate, but he was ultimately evacuated from the game (he made a full recovery).
Other cast members suffered from heat-related illnesses as well, but they all recovered and continued in the game. Besides dealing with the emotions of seeing her fellow tribemate get medically evacuated, Michele was okay.
The Brawn tribe lost another immunity challenge that same episode and they fell to three tribemates after Alecia Holden was eliminated.
The 5-5-3 split ushered in a tribe swap that formed two tribes with Michele moving over to Chan Loh. After two more rounds of gameplay, Michele had yet to lose an immunity challenge. Her former Gondol tribe was sent to Tribal on days 13 and 16, and Michele lost Anna Khait, one of the survivors she formed an all-women’s alliance with early in the game.
The cast officially merged in episode 7 to create the Dara tribe. At this point, three original Brawn players remained in the game, as well as four Brains and four Beauty. Unfortunately for Brains’ Neal Gottlieb, he suffered an infection in a wound on his knee and was removed from the competition. His departure happened after the merge’s first immunity challenge, and Tribal Council was subsequently canceled.
Michele and the rest of the former Beauty tribemates teamed up with the three ex-Brawn members to form a six-person alliance. However, the alliance shattered quickly. In the merge’s second Tribal, which marked the eventual winner’s first time in the hot seat, Michele and Julia Sokolowski (another original Beauty) decided to team up with the rest of the women (and Joe Del Campo) to vote out Nick Maiorano, a former Beauty competitor.
Michele was in the majority during the next Tribal Council as well when Debbie Wanner was sent packing. However, in episode 10, Michele found herself on the wrong side of the votes for the first time when Aubry Bracco spearheaded a move to take out retired NBA player Scot Pollard.
In the next episode, Michele notched her first individual immunity win. But at Tribal Council, she was forced to preserve her social ties with the majority by voting out Julia, someone she wanted to continue working with.
On day 32, after failing to win back-to-back immunity challenges, Michele saw her name come out of Jeff’s urn for the first time. They were courtesy of Tai Trang, her final remaining former Beauty tribemate who was set on voting her out. Further, Tai had an advantage that allowed him to cast an extra ballot. But, the two votes weren’t enough as the majority wanted Brawn’s Kyle Jason (known as Jason) to take a seat with the jury.
Episode 13 then marked the third time in Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty a Tribal Council was canceled due to a medical evacuation. This time, 71-year-old former FBI agent Joe del Campo fell ill after winning a reward challenge and enjoying a feast. The on-site doctor determined it was best that he’d exit the game.
With only four players remaining and the final Tribal Council looming, Michele came in clutch and won her second immunity necklace. The vote locked at a 2-2 tie between Aubry — the last Brains —and Cydney Gillon, the final Brawn. They dueled in a fire-making contest and Aubry cemented herself into the final three.
Michele was then victorious in the last reward challenge which allotted her the power to remove one member of the jury ahead of their vote to determine the season’s winner. She elected to eliminate Neal; she viewed him as a sure bet to toss Aubry a vote to win the game.
After the other seven jury members sealed their votes in the urn, the final three had to wait a year before learning the result at the live finale. Season 32 was actually filmed before season 31’s Cambodia, but the powers that be chose to air Cambodia first, thus lengthening the amount of time Michele, Aubry, and Tai were put on ice.
It was worth the wait for Michele, however, as she beat out Aubry and Tai with five votes.
Michele returned for season 40’s Winners at War and has played on multiple iterations of The Challenge.
Survivor’s 32nd season wasn’t the last time Michele appeared on a reality competition show. Michele was invited back for season 40’s Winners at War and placed third; she’s never been voted out of Survivor. She’s also crossed over to MTV’s The Challenge.
She appeared in season 37’s Spies, Lies & Allies, as well as season 38’s Ride or Dies. Michele’s also set to hit television screens on August 10 for The Challenge: USA season 2, which will air on CBS and Paramount Plus.
