‘I go out to win!’ Parvati Shallow admits she would’ve cut her ‘Deal or No Deal Island’ family members, teases her ‘Survivor’ future

Welcome to Reality Derby, our weekly deep dive into all things reality TV, hosted by Gold Derby senior editors Marcus James Dixon and Denton Davidson.

Joining us this week is Parvati Shallow, aka the Black Widow, who placed fourth on Deal or No Deal Island Season 2. She's also a four-time Survivor contestant, winning for Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites, and was one of the titular villains on The Traitors Season 2. She will next be seen on Survivor: Australia v The World, due out in July on Australia's Network 10. But what are her thoughts on America's Survivor 50? Watch our video interview above.

Parvati calls her Black Widow persona "an archetype of a woman who is unapologetic for being strategic, for being bold, for making moves that serve herself, and cutting ties with her family or people who love her, whenever she needs to, to advance herself in the game." Originally created in her winning 16th season of Survivor, the gamer now realizes her spidery alter ego keeps following her. "I can't shake it, so I just embrace it now."

"Oh, I loved the family!" she exclaims about her tight-knit alliance that included her "husband," David Genat, and her "son," Dickson Wong. "The best alliances happen organically without being forced," Parvati explains. Since Dickson was a fan of hers from Survivor, and David was the "golden god" of Australian Survivor, the three of them together felt like "stars aligning."

SEE ‘Deal or No Deal Island’ Season 2 cast photos, spoilers, boot list

However, Parvati readily admits, "If I needed to cut David or Dickson to win the game, I would have done it. My priority was to win the game. I don't go out here to help other people win. I go out to win! Even if I have real relationships, I always think, 'Ask for forgiveness, not permission.'" She smiles, "I would apologize at the end."

Luck was on Parvati's side for much of the season, until she faced off against the Banker in the penultimate episode. She made a "bad deal" and was eliminated in fourth place. "Luck feels like an added element to the game," she tells us. Comparatively, "on Survivor, nature is the added element that you're playing with." She explains that on DONDI, "We have our basic needs handled — showers, food, beds — so we're not suffering in that way. But when you're going out to play these challenges, it matters what order people go in, which suitcase you get, when to jump, who to partner with. ... There are so many unknowns on Deal or No Deal, that the island rewards people who can surrender control."

With the DONDI finale set for March 25 on NBC, what is Parvati most looking forward to while watching it on TV? "The experience of the final temple was mind-blowing," she proclaims. "It felt like a spiritual experience, like we were all taken to church that night. It was a baptist revival. People were speaking in tongues, seeing stars. Jesus came down from wherever Jesus is!"

Ready for some of the wildest pronunciations of Parvati's name that she's heard over the years? "Havarti," "Parmesan," "Poverty," and "Pavarotti," she tells us while giggling.

Since Survivor: Winners at War "wasn't great" for Parvati, would she want to return to the jungles of Fiji for Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans? "I would have a hard time," she predicts, "because it doesn't seem like people want to play with me, or they haven't in the past. So, I'm not really feeling compelled to go out." She compares her upcoming stint on Survivor: Australia v The World to the "Olympics of Survivor" and calls it a "wild ride."

Finally, Parvati says she's rooting for Natalie Bolton to return in Survivor 50, because she's one of her "Black Widow Brigade sisters." What do YOU think of Parvati's time on Deal or No Deal Island Season 2? Sound off below, and be sure to join the discussion in our reality TV forum.

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