‘Survivor’ 46’s Bhanu Finds Deliverance in the Hands of God and His Prophet, Kenny Rogers

Survivor is tough. With little food, little sleep, and little protection against the heat and rain, the show is known for breaking the spirits of even the strongest players. When you’re stuck on an island with a bunch of strangers and run through a wringer of exhausting physical challenges, even an atheist has to pray to something — and never has that been more apparent than in Survivor, chapter 46, verse 3. SPOILERS ahead.

God’s touch was present throughout the episode, from the very beginning to the very end — and the sequence of events that shall henceforth be known as “The Miracle of Bhanu” kicked off with a quote from God’s prophet, Kenny Rogers.

Yes, that Kenny Rogers.

Reeling from Jess’ elimination and still all up in his feelings after a chaotic tribal council, Bhanu Gopal had a — let’s call it a come to Kenny moment during his nighttime confessional.

“They’re saying, ‘You don’t have to give honest answers to Jeff Probst. You can just give him any kind of crap.’ But I can’t do that. They said that you should know when to… what is it? When to show? When to shut? Something like that — I don’t know that proverb. Something… fold, huh… You have to know when to fold, when to hold… I’m not an actor. I can’t do that. Yeah, so… that’s where I’m at.”

What Bhanu was trying to quote was a lyric from the Kenny Rogers song “The Gambler,” which goes: “You’ve got to know when to hold ’em / Know when to fold ’em.” That lyric has, of course, grown beyond being just the chorus of a #1 hit country song from 1978. While it sounds like a malapropism, those lyrics have kinda become a proverb in the literal sense. God bless you, Kenny Rogers.

But that’s far from the only time that Bhanu convened with a higher power. After narrowly — and I mean narrowly — losing the immunity challenge for the third straight week in a row, God shone down upon Bhanu. Certain that he was the next to go home, Bhanu got the opportunity to go on a journey and win an advantage.

“When I prayed this morning and was giving gratitude,” said Bhanu, “I asked God,’Show me a sign that you exist, that you’re listening to me.’ And there you go, the journey.” Like — I’m sorry, but even the most hardened agnostic has to admit that this is soul-stirring stuff. Maybe it’s because Bhanu always has the on-edge energy of a character in Act 3 of an Oscar-bait drama, but I know I was moved! And as if that’s not enough, Bhanu even drew the blue rock that sent him on his solo mission to win the advantage. Of course Bhanu doesn’t win the advantage, almost as if he forgot to pray for that one specific thing.

But it turns out that Bhanu’s prayers alone would not be enough to keep the Yanu tribe from a three-peat appearance at tribal. In a twist, Nami tribe member Randen Montalvo ended up being removed from the game due to a pinched nerve that the show’s medical professional was concerned could be a bulging disc pressing on his spine (as Randen says over the closing credits, he’s made a full recovery). A medical evac means no tribal council — which means another player’s prayers were answered.

Yeah, Tiffany was praying for a miracle, too! “Literally, I said a prayer like, ‘God, this is going to be hard tonight. Can you please give me a sign?’ And then you [Probst] walk in five minutes later!” Bhanu and Tiffany, by your prayers combined…

But what was really touching about this joyful moment after a stressful episode and the heartbreaking evac of Randen was Bhanu’s goodbye speech to Jeff, which he’d been practicing between prayers: “I came here because you inspired me to be on Survivor, and because you’re my guru. That’s what brought me here.”

God bless the story producers and editors on Survivor, because Bhanu calling Jeff Probst his guru takes us all the way back to the very beginning of the episode during Bhanu’s Kenny Rogers speech, where he tearfully says that he can’t lie to Jeff Probst. What at first seemed like a failing on Bhanu’s part — come on, Bhanu, you know the game you’re playing — now seems like a kind of spiritual strength. Jeff Probst isn’t just the host of this show to Bhanu. Probst is his guru through a journey where Bhanu’s God keeps giving him signs. As Bhanu said, “I’ve been praying all day and guess what? I’m still in the game, baby! This is the first time I’m actually smiling and laughing!”

God knows when to hold ’em and knows when to fold ’em.