After decades on the air, there’s not much that we haven’t seen play out on “Survivor” at this point. But on “Australian Survivor: Heroes Vs Villains“, we got to see something that had never happened before.
Taking on a puzzle challenge, we watched as Heroes Benjamin Law and Paige Donald communicated via Australian Sign Language (Auslan). It was a powerful moment, not just for the Heroes who won the challenge, but for the viewers as well.
Chatting to POPSUGAR Australia over the phone, Ben told us what the response has been like.
“The amount of messages and DMs that I’ve gotten from the Deaf community and from the broader Deaf community — people who know Auslan or might be children of Deaf adults, it’s really meant a lot to them,” he said. “It meant a lot to my cousin, who taught me how to finger spell way back when we were little kids.”
He continued: “One of the most touching messages was from a woman who was actually nursing her child while watching ‘Survivor’ late at night. She saw that episode and she told me that she was crying while watching it because her child had just been diagnosed recently as being Hard of Hearing. [It] changes your perception of what’s available to your kid in the future — she saw us use AUSLAN not just to communicate, but as a weapon!”
While it was “really cool” that he and Paige were able to win the challenge for the Heroes tribe, Ben said that it also drove home “the importance of knowing Auslan”.
“I don’t know much Auslan,” he said. “But even just the alphabet is something everyone should know, if you’ve got the time to learn, you know?”
He laughed. “It definitely helped us!”
Ben Hopes Nina Twine Will Win “Australian Survivor: Heroes Vs Villains”
Last night, Ben was eliminated from the game, making him another victim of the villainous Spice Girls alliance of George Mladenov and Shonee Bowtell (along with Gerry Geltch and Stevie Khouw).
Now, Ben is ready to cheer for the Princess of “Survivor” herself, Nina Twine.
“I really like Nina Twine a lot, and I think she has an amazing story to tell,” he said.
Nina competed in last year’s “Australian Survivor: Blood Vs Water” alongside her mother, Queen of “Survivor” and two-time winner, Sandra Diaz-Twine. Nina was playing a great game, until she was forced to withdraw from the competition early when she fractured her ankle during a reward challenge.
“Her mother won [“Heroes Vs Villains”] in the US as a Villain, and the idea that she could win it as a Hero could be amazing,” Ben said. “And Nina is smart. She plays the game, she plays it subtly, she’s a weapon.”
Noting that Nina is “much more shrewd” than her time thus far on “Heroes Vs Villains” has given her credit for, Ben said that her social game is also one of her greatest strengths.
“As much as she went for me, she knew when to keep me in the game, or keep me informed, and she gets along with everyone!” he explained. “You know, plenty of fractured relationships have come out of this season, but Nina’s one of those people who genuinely can get along with people, and that social game is really important.
“And she’s way physically stronger than she looks,” he added.
What’s Next for Ben After “Australian Survivor”
One thing about Benjamin Law? He’s a busy guy!
When he’s not appearing on “Australian Survivor”, you can find him hosting pop culture show “Stop Everything” with Beverly Wang, which airs at 10am on Friday mornings, on the ABC Listen app. But that’s not all. He’s also got a new show, Wellmania, coming out on a little streaming platform called Netflix.
“The next big thing that I’ve got coming up is Wellmania, which is a show that I’ve co-created, co-written and co-executive produced that’s coming out on Netflix globally on March 29,” he said. “Everyone loves Celeste [Barber] as Instagram’s favourite clown, and as a fundraiser for bushfire victims, but I think a lot of people don’t know that Celeste is a really, really good actor, and I can’t wait for people to see that on the show!”
Would Ben Do Another Season of “Australian Survivor”?
“Oh God, it’s like asking someone who’s just given birth ‘are you gonna have another?!’” he exclaimed.
“Look, whatever happens, I played this game in the last year of my 30s, and it was a beautiful, hilarious way to see out that decade,” he said. “Whatever happens from here, I’m not going to be one of those people who begs and prays and hopes for another run. If this is the only time I get to do it, I’m thrilled. And if another opportunity comes up, I would… wear different clothes!” he laughed.
“Australian Survivor: Heroes Vs Villains” will premiere at 7.30pm, January 30, 2023, only on 10 and 10 Play on Demand.
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Stephanie Anderson
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