The fan favorite blames himself for falling off the casting radar and defends season 50 choices.

Shane Powers says he has ‘lost the right’ to be on *Survivor and *‘most of that is my fault’

The fan favorite blames himself for falling off the casting radar and defends season 50 choices.

By Dalton Ross

California Dreams was better than Saved by the Bell. There, I said it.

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Published on August 5, 2025 10:30AM EDT

Shane Powers on 'Survivor: Panama — Exile Island'. Credit: JEFFREY R STAAB/CBS

Shane Powers was one of the most entertaining, aggravating, hilarious, and enigmatic contestants to ever play *Survivor*. Which is why, on the surface, it is somewhat remarkable that he has only been tapped to play the game once while other players from his season of *Survivor: Panama — Exile Island* have returned without him.

There have been times when he got close. Shane was definitely in the mix for the *Heroes vs. Villains* season and was on the fan-voted list for the *Survivor: Cambodia — Second Chance* installment, yet did not make the cut.

But if there’s anyone Shane blames for not being brought back, it’s himself. Especially after one disastrous time he decided to put himself back in the *Survivor* casting ring.

“I was so drunk, and I was lying to everybody saying, ‘I'm not drunk,’” he tells *.*

The evidence said otherwise. “I peed like a 0.28 to the physical and took the psych test drunk with Dr. Liza.”

Shane Powers on 'Survivor: Panama — Exile Island'. Monty Brinton/CBS

After the fans spoke on their *Second Chance* ballot, “that was the end of it,” says the fifth-place *Panama* finisher. But would Shane Powers have done *Survivor 50* if the powers that be had invited him? For the player, it’s almost impossible to consider because “I would not have been called. And most of that is my fault.”

And why is that his fault? (Beyond the drunk psych test, that is.) “I have lost the right to be considered for that show because I have been mean and grumpy and nasty with the guy who created… or didn't create the show, but that's his baby," he says.

That would be Jeff Probst. Shane had strong words about the host and showrunner after longtime *Survivor* casting director Lynne Spillman was let go from her job, but if you think the player is ready to rage again after not being considered for *Survivor 50*, think again.

“He's been a wonderful host, and he's been an amazing executive producer," he says. "And I've made the choices I've made, and I really respect who he is and what he's done with that whole thing. It's been really beautiful.”

Shane Powers on 'Survivor: Panama — Exile Island'.

BILL INOSHITA/CBS

Looking at the big franchise picture, Shane thinks the run to season 50 has been nothing short of remarkable. “Do I have criticisms as a fan? Sure. But for anything to be on 50 seasons is insane. It's *Meet the Press* s---!”

And he has no qualms about not being part of the season 50 celebration. “They wouldn't have called. I'm not one of the people that should have been on 50. There are 24 other dudes that should have been on there before me that have meant what they've meant to the show.”

For his part, Shane is a big fan of the group selected for 50 and believes there was simply no path to making all fans happy.

“Some people are complaining about the casting, but there's no way to win. Any cast they would've thrown up would've been a drag," he says. "Do I think they were a little heavy on [seasons] 40 to 50? Sure. Do I think they could have done this, that, or the other? Sure. But for what they had to get done, and for what they're trying to accomplish, for them looking into the future of what the show is, I think they did a really good job.”

And the cast that did film *Survivor 50* out in Fiji in June has this one former player pumped to watch when the season unfurls in early 2026.

“The more and more I look at the cast, the more excited I am, man," he tells EW. "It's gonna be a really cool celebration of a show that's been on for a very long time. It’s part of the human lexicon. It's a beautiful thing.”

Shane Powers revisits absolutely losing his mind on 'Survivor'

Shane Powers considered using 'Survivor' cocaine before challenges

The one thing that Shane does *not* find beautiful is criticism from other former contestants who were ultimately not selected. “I watched all these people complain about not getting cast and how it ruined their lives and this, that, and the other. And I get that they're sad. I get that they're super upset and disappointed and frustrated, and they're hurt because they're personalizing not being cast. But at the end of the day, just because you go through the process doesn't mean you're going to be cast.”

The way Shane sees it, any prior *Survivor* contestant who has already been through the casting ringer knew what they were signing up for when being considered for 50.

“Everybody made a choice to put themselves through that meat grinder. And that meat grinder, it's not like it was new. It's not like they didn't know that was going to go on. You can't be upset at *Survivor* or Jeff or the casting because you didn't get cast. You're not entitled to anything. You're entitled to the opportunity to see if they want you. They didn't do anything wrong. They're not out there to hurt anybody's feelings. They're just trying to do the best that everybody else is trying to do. I heard these people complaining. You're not a victim! You chose to start this. You put yourself in this process.”

Shane Powers on 'Survivor: Panama — Exile Island'.

BILL INOSHITA/CBS

The player also sympathizes with the host’s irritation over *Survivor* players taking their fame over to other shows like *The Traitors, Deal or No Deal Island, House of Villains,* and *The Challenge*, but says there is simply no stopping it. “I understand Jeff's frustration with like, ‘I grew you motherf---ers and now you're gonna go do this other s---?’ But by the same token, he's got to understand that that's where we are, right? The cat's out of the bag and you can't get the toothpaste back in the tube.”

While Shane says his time on *Survivor* is over and that “The answer is no, I would not go on the show again,” is there another show he *would* consider?

“I have had opportunities for that,” Shane reveals. Lynne Spillman, who's the absolute GOAT, she never bothers me with this stuff, but she hit me once. I think it was for *Deal or No Deal Island* or *The Traitors*, one of the two. This was before they had gone on the air and blown up. And I met with the casting director and they're like, ‘It’s $250,000, but we can't tell you what the show is and we can't tell you where you're going and we can't tell you how long.’

Shane Powers on 'Survivor: Panama — Exile Island'.

MONTY BRINTON/CBS

That was a non-starter for Shane. “I'm like, ‘I'm an adult. You can't ask me to take this seriously without answering.’ It was supposed to be a big secret, but at the time I was like, I'm just not going to commit to anything and not know anything like it. That just seems insane.”

There was also another nagging feeling that Shane could not shake.

“All of these shows, I love watching them, but there's part of me where I would feel like I was betraying *Survivor,*" he says. "The only reason any of these people would want me on is because of what I did on *Survivor*. And *Survivor* is the thing that's bigger than anything else. I don't have any interest in going and doing fake challenges.”

Nor does he want to start cycling through shows like some of his reality TV peers.

“The whole reality star industry is a thing now," he says. "Like, there's people making real money every year. Being a reality star, that's become an occupation. So God bless all those people that'll go do whatever it is they want to do, but at the end of the day, it's like, I'm selling Chevys for NBC and I don't believe in their product and I don't want to do their show.”

The Gitanos tribe on 'Survivor: Panama — Exile Island'. Jeffrey R. Staab/CBS/Getty Images

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Although there is one reality competition program he *would* consider. “I think about *The Amazing Race*," he admits. "I think about me and Cirie being on *The Amazing Race*. That might be a fun thing to do. And I really like *The Amazing Race* as a thing. That show is different.”

And while Shane says his time on *Survivor* is over due to his own actions, you never, ever, ever really know if that door is completely shut.

“I was reading something recently, and Jeff mentioned me in a sweet way and I was blown away," he says. "And a little stunned. And I was like, ‘Well, that was very sweet of him.’ I don't have any issues with him. He has every right to do whatever he wants to do with his show. He has earned that right. I wish them nothing but the best.”

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL TV”