The robotics professor also explains his “narrative warfare” strategy.

Christian Hubicki wanted to tell Survivor 50 pre-gamers to ‘f--- off’ (or so he claims)

The robotics professor also explains his "narrative warfare" strategy.

By Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. *Survivor* is kind of his thing.

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February 9, 2026 9:15 a.m. ET

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Christian Hubicki has a theory. I mean, of course he does. The man is a professor for crying out loud. But he has a theory when it comes to *Survivor*. It’s a lesson he learned from the man who bested him on *David vs. Goliath*, Mike White, and it is a theory that winning *Survivor* does not come from strategy, or idols and advantages, or challenge wins. Rather, it comes from something quite simple: stories.

The 40-year-old fan favorite enlightened us to the new strategy he is ready to employ on *Survivor 50* (premiering Feb. 25 on CBS) when we sat down in Fiji for an in-depth chat just days before the game began. And that’s not all he provided. The seminar also included a lecture on why “normal” people are actually the biggest threats in the game, a revelation of a secret baby, and an explanation as to why he wants to tell pre-gamers to “f--- off.”

Pencils out, class is now in session.

*(This is one of 24 deep-dive, on-location interviews with the *Survivor 50 *cast. Links to the other interviews will be posted at the bottom of this article as they become available.)*

Christian Hubicki of 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**: **Okay, professor — give everyone the update of what you've been up to since people saw you on *David vs. Goliath.*

**CHRISTIAN HUBICKI:** After I got off *Survivor*, I became a robotics professor. I was teaching my very first class while my season was airing, which was a fun thing to have me running around in my underwear during the season. I got tenure, started my own research lab, and I have employees, I have research budgets, I have grants, and we're winning awards. It's been wonderful.

And my girlfriend from the show, Emily, we got married and I'm thrilled to have her in my life. And I think that *Survivor* came with enough time in between that I think my life is in a stable enough place that it makes sense to come back.

**Why come back and do this again?**

First, it was the most intellectually interesting thing I've ever done.

**That’s saying something, Christian.**

Well, that's kind of you to say. I love my research projects. I do what I do because it's interesting. In the engineering business, someone told me that the principle for the career is just do cool s--- until you die, and it was just so interesting. Yes, I got to play a real big game and I got to do a lot of things I wanted to do on the show, and people liked me, and that's something that I really honestly care about a lot.

But there are other avenues of this game to explore, and it is unsatisfying that I have not cracked that puzzle, which is: How does someone like me win? One of the things that bothered me is when people would tell me after, “Oh, Christian, you did great, but at the end you didn't stand at a chance.” And I took that as almost a challenge. There are more things I could have done. There's more I could have worked out. I could have figured out that Mike White was a bigger threat to my game earlier. I could have realized that Davie was a far better ally than Mike White ever would have been earlier. I could have done this, I could have done that.

Do I lay awake at night thinking about these things? I don't. I just acknowledge that there were things I could have done better. And while there's no way I could come back and play a perfect game, I know that will not be the case. But I do want another crack at that apple. I do want to take what I've learned and show that I've grown and can apply these ideas that I come up with in a way that wins and that really proves that I got something here that I've cracked something new in this.

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor 50'.

**Tell me why you're going to win *Survivor 50.***

I have the actual right view of the game that no one has actually had before. I learned enough from my first time playing that I can perfect my underlying understanding of how it works, and it's what I call narrative warfare. That *Survivor* is basically a war about stories. I learned this from good old Mike White.

I watched and learned from him, and unfortunately, I'm going to have to steal his power this season. The reason that I was a big old threat that first time — you could say it's puzzle solving or people like me too much. Nay! Nay, I say! I mean those are parts of it, of course. But it was the fact that Mike White said to everyone — and it's a very simple idea, like *Inception*, buried deep enough and it grows. It was that *Christian is the ultimate David. He will slay Goliath if you let him get anywhere close to the end.* And that took hold for the entire season. And so long as he was there pushing that story, I didn't stand a chance.

And now it's a new season, no theme other than “In the Hands of the Fans.” So there's a lot more malleability towards what stories should drive the season. And it could be different from person to person. If I can figure out why someone is here in their own mind and I can cast other people as villains other than me, or tell them a story that maybe they haven't thought of themselves and tell it well enough, it will drive their thinking.

That is my overarching strategy. And doing it as warfare has very clear objectives. You want to gain territory. If you hear other stories being repeated by other people, you have to head it off at the pass. You want to find out who is spreading those stories and those are the rival storytellers and those are the people that whoever they end up being will be the biggest threats and the people I want gone.

**You took people by surprise last time. Mike picked you for that first challenge because he thought you’d be easy to beat. How will that be different for you this time coming in as a threat as opposed to maybe an afterthought in some players’ minds?**

Totally different now. But here's the thing that keeps me going that I have a shot here. One is I think my theory of the game is correct. It's more correct than it has ever been in my mind about narrative warfare. Number two, everyone is scared. Everyone is scared on some level. ** **Like Coach. He's scared. He carries himself in a way that projects as though nothing can bother him. He's Zen, he's above all this. But there are moments that pop out in the tent where he just panics a little bit and it shows.

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**What kind of moments?**

I remember this really scared me a little bit. I was in the tent and I wanted to get out of the tent, but Coach had his feet up right in front of the entry. I go up to get out, and he doesn't budge a millimeter. I'm like, *Oh my God! *So to the point where I have to kind of inch around him, and I opened the flap of the tent and gingerly close it so it doesn't ricochet and flap into his body.

I'm being so polite, didn't move a millimeter for me. I'm like, *This guy hates me. Has this guy already had a pregame alliance that says he wants me gone and this is his signal to that? *But then five minutes later, he started to go, “I can't take it anymore. If I had anxiety, I would run out of this tent right now! I'd run off into the forest right now!” And I’m like, *Oh, this guy is scared and he needs validation.*

And nothing made him more animated than when we were on our photo shoot and the producer came in and was like, “Coach, we need one last shot for you.” He's like, “One last shot. Yes, absolutely!” And he rushes off as he needs that validation. And that's just one example.

I mean, you tell me Cirie is not scared? Maybe she's got nothing to lose, but on some level these people are worried. Tell me Kyle's not scared. He was just on television winning what many people thought was a hilariously dominant game. Kamilla just bragged about how much she loves to lie on camera to everybody. She's not scared?

These people are scared. Dee's not scared? Charlie? They're scared and they're going to try to huddle together in their groups with the people that they know. And you have to harness their fears in a way that you tell them a story that's more comforting to them, so long as they're doing what you say.

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor 50'.

**And other people being scared gives you comfort?**

Yes, I'm a target. Absolutely. And I'm a target also because I'm from one of the three seasons that are trios. I have to be clear-eyed about that, that people could just be coming for me. But when we hit that beach, there are ways to determine if you are the target. I mean these people, they are not gods. They're all mortal. Even Cirie. Sometimes I doubt that, but she is.

Let's say the old schoolers had an alliance going in. I don't know, maybe they do. There's an art that I learned the first time of “interrogation without interrogation.” If you ask anyone a question about the fake plan, it will be inherently more shallow than the real plan. And people forget this. People get complacent. People don't think through the fake plan as much as they should. My point is there are techniques. It does scare me. Yes, I am scared. But so is everyone else.

**You mentioned old schoolers possibly having an alliance already together. I've been covering these returning player seasons long enough so I know the way these work. Tell me about your pregame process with other players.**

So, look, I don't make calls. Here's the thing I want people to believe. If someone calls me and says they're going to be on season 50, I have to say, “That's wonderful. I think that's a great thing. I'll see you out there.” Okay, that is what I do. And is that a scary way to pregame? Yes, because I am afraid that people have a target list and that I'm on that target list, but I don't know who talks to who.

I don't know that if I pick up the phone and talk to Charlie, who is he going to talk to? I could probably still be framed by saying, “Yes, it sounds great. We'll work together.” I'm sure that could be screenshotted and sent to someone. But I try to handle that as optimally as I can.

Look, I wish I could just tell 'em to f--- off, to be honest. I hate it. I hate it more than anything. And I hate it that I even pick up the phone when these people call. But, at the same time, I understand that these people are reaching out to me for a reason. And just like you can't say no to an alliance, you can't say no to a phone call.

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor 50'.

**You mentioned the three of you from *David vs. Goliath* here. Do you think that ultimately helps you or hurts you?**

It hurts me on the whole, and it hurts me specifically because of the two people they decide to bring back with me, it's hard to think of two who were more adversarial to me in the whole season. The best thing that I have going for me is Angelina ... because she's making goo-goo eyes at every person she passes by around here.

Nothing was more telling than when we were on the plane and Angelina was seated across from Coach, and Angelina needed help with her bag, and this was her entry point to give Coach the goo-goo eyes. Coach kind of helped her out and she's like, “Thank you.” [Makes aggressively flirty eye contact] And he just stared at her and said “No talking,” and then went back to his seat. So I don't think the charm is working on people.

So do I wish for Angelina to go early? No, but I think that the way that she is acquitting herself around Ponderosa, it could put her in that position and she'd be an easy pickoff. But on the whole, it does draw attention to ourselves. Thank God for 46 and 48. Thank God for that.

7:23 The Cast of ‘Survivor 50’ Reveals Who They Want to Vote Out First

**What about Mike? You talked about Mike earlier and him undoing your game last time. You're back together. How much do you want to work with or trust him?**

I think he's sincere and he doesn't want to target me this time for now. I mean, the guy put me on *The White Lotus *in a cameo. It was very nice. That was a complete coincidence, by the way. We happened to be traveling around Thailand. Carl and Natalie, they got the full actor treatment. They got everything, which is great for them. They got featured, and I loved how Emily and I were kind of in the background. It was perfect. It's exactly what I wanted. My family missed that I was on the show. Fantastic.

But Mike White is an incredibly capable player. I voted for the damn guy to win a million dollars. He just has a way of saying a couple of words and completely changing your thinking on a matter. I had one dinner with him back in May before any of us got any calls for season 50, and he had this way of redirecting any topic that he wanted with a flip of a sentence. Maybe it's the power imbalance, or maybe he's just that confident in how he delivers a line. He's so good at that.

I think he likes me in so far as he likes a lot of people. Is he going to lay down his game for me? No. It is one of his greatest regrets that he didn't stand at that final Tribal Council and tell everyone, “You'll regret not voting for me for the game I played.” I'm not supposed to take that seriously? Of course he's here to win! I think he would trade at least one or two of his Emmys for a *Survivor* win. The dude has everything and he'd rather come here and have nothing and eat bonefish with Jonathan Young. This is what he truly loves.

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**Who are some other people that you specifically want to work with or are wary of?**

I've never met Rick Devens, but I think that he is actually incredibly compatible with me as a *Survivor* player. He is the Captain Kirk to my Mr. Spock. He's the man of action who will go on the away mission, stand up at Tribal Council, do some big play, and I would hopefully be part of the brains behind the operation.

I don't know if we'd ever be on a tribe together based upon the way I hypothesize the season has been cast and the tribes will be broken down. I have my own hypothesis for that, but he's a person on paper that we should never have to turn on each other.

We both were huge threats on our seasons. We both have had that experience of not being able to work with anyone down the stretch. Why not each other? And I think he's great.

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor 50'.

Robert Voets/CBS

**Who are the people you’re worried about?**

It's the normal people. The people who you just, “Wow, you're very talented, but you are so goddamn normal!” And frankly, that's Charlie. That's Kyle. And frankly, Dee, too. They blend in. And something I realized, especially at Ponderosa here, I can't blend in. I just can't. I'm trying. We spend a lot less time around each other [at this Ponderosa as opposed to last time]. Thank God. We're in our own rooms this time, which is nice. I'm in adjoining rooms with Angelina, which is hilarious. She asked the hotel staff to murder all the hornets in her room.

But I'll go like, *Oh, Colby's at this table. I’m going to sit at a nearby table.* And I grab a juice, try to go to pull the cap off the juice ever so coolly and gingerly, and I managed to break the bottle top so I can't pull it off. And I just kind of slowly slide it off to the side and be like, *I hope Colby didn't see that. *I realized this would be so funny on camera. And I'm not trying!

So I can't be Charlie. I can't blend in like he can. And he's so clearly situated at the center of so many of these new-school [players]. I think a lot of people like him. So Charlie and Kyle, they'd be at the top of my list. And Dee. Genevieve is another person.

**Give me your hypothesized tribe breakdown. Who's in what tribe?**

The entire cast is cast in trios. There are three strong alpha males. There are three strong challenge females. I don't know who's going to be on literally each tribe, but there will be man, woman, a strong challenge person. That's your Jonathan, Ozzy and Joe. Those are the three men. Chrissy, Tiffany, and Stephenie for the women.

Then there are the charismatic storytellers. They want to just do good confessionals. That's me, that's Rick Devens, that is Mike, that is Kamilla, that is Emily Flippen, and that is Aubry. That's their roles. Then you have people who are drama who are there for the drama. Obviously, Coach, obviously Q, I think I go so far to say the RizGod probably falls into this category. I don’t know what kind of God he is, but we will find out what the Pantheon is.

And obviously you're going to have Angelina. Jenna Lewis — I listened to podcasts from her from 2005, and she's a spitfire. And currently I have Savannah in that category, but I'm not quite sure about that. And then finally you have the people who are frankly normal. These are the favorites. They are relatable, but also they just don't have these crazy traits the rest of us have. And they're also good at the game. And that's your Charlie, that's your Kyle, put Colby in that category, the all-American hero, right? That's your Genevieve, your Dee, and those are your favorites. And if you let all those people go to the merge, one of them's poking through at the end.

That's eight different categories, three tribes of 24. You evenly divide them up in a way that makes sense. Then you have one of those character types on every tribe and your tribe is balanced.

**How do you handle the unknown factor of the [season] 49 players?**

I did some research on the RizGod, I opened up my theology textbook and I found that he's a huge super fan. I found that he does all these live reality games of *The Mole* and the *Big Brother*. He’s a tall, athletic Ryan Ulrich. That's what he is, right? Savannah — she's a tricky one. She could either be Abi-Maria or she could be Parvati. Those are the two things that make sense to me.

But I did bump into her actually accidentally on the shuttle from the airport to the hotel. I had no idea who she was, and I get onto the bus and I get to the back and she's like, “Oh sir, do you want to have a seat next to me?” I'm like, “Oh, it's okay.” I just go stand in the back by myself and I realized that later: That's fricking Savannah!  My wife actually called me while I was on that bus, one last phone call before the hotel. I'm glad I kept it in hushed tones because I accidentally almost blurted out my biggest secret for the season.

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor: David vs. Goliath'.

**Which is what?**

That six weeks ago, we had a baby.

**Congratulations! Boy or girl?**

Boy. His name's Michael. He's six weeks old.

**How are you doing being out here without him? I know that's tough.**

It's tough. I am getting through it. I'm able to focus. I think that when I'm in game mode, I'm not thinking about him, but I did everything I could to make sure Emily's in good hands with him. I prerecorded me reading some baby books for him. I made a blanket smell like me that he can have so he has a reminder of my scent. I bought a robotic baby bed, so it'll help rock him to sleep a little so Emily gets a little more sleep. But it's not a replacement for being there and it really recontextualizes why I'm here.

I don't want my son to accept limitations on what he can do. And someday he will watch this. And I think that me showing that I'll do what it takes to win and I will not accept limitations on how well I'll do, that can be an inspiration to him to not accept limitations in his life. He's my secret weapon. These people don't know I have a child. Everyone knows that Angelina has these two beautiful children she loves dearly and will do anything for. People think I'm a goofy robotics professor who can't open up bottles in front of Colby.

Christian Hubicki on 'Survivor: David vs. Goliath'.

Robert Voets/CBS via Getty

**So you're sitting at final Tribal Council. What happens as far as that? Do you drop that intel?**

I don't know. The reason you would not do it is if it felt like it would somehow be forced. But, of course, it's crossed my mind. I saw *Cambodia*, but at the same time, there has to be a way you would delicately handle that. I am very lucky that we got to have this baby. Not everyone wants to have a baby. Not everyone can. And the idea of using it like I deserve it more because of my child — that's not what I want to say because that's wrong. I don't deserve it more. I have a child. It would have to be an explanation of why I was playing. That's what it has to be about.

***Want to be kept up with all things Survivor? Dig deep and sign up for 's free Survivor Weekly newsletter to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox. ***

**Other *Survivor 50 *deep dive player interviews:*****• Survivor 50* star Ozzy Lusth opens up about hitting 'rock bottom of my life'**• *Survivor 50* star Aubry Bracco opens up about the 'freedom when you fall from grace' **• Colby Donaldson reacts to playing *Survivor* for the first time without Jerri**• Angelina Keeley refused to do *Survivor 50* unless they gave her a jacket**• *Survivor 50*'s Coach goes deep on evolving from an 'arrogant ass' into the… Tide Walker?** • *Survivor 50* star Jenna Leiws-Dougherty is 'here to f--- you over in every way, shape, or form'** • Cirie Fields says winning *The Traitors *does not take sting out of *Survivor* loses** • Mike White on how he is handling *Survivor 50 *castmastes angling for *White Lotus* cameos** • Chrissy Hofbeck opens up about controversial season 35 finish and being bashed by previous cast** • Rick Devens explains why he is a lunatic that wants to play with other lunatics** • Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick wants to prove that 'mom really is a badass'**

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