Boston Rob Could've Been a Doctor, but Now He's a Reality Star Instead (EXCLUSIVE)

One of the most recognizable names in reality television is “Boston” Rob Mariano, a five-time Survivor competitor (one-time winner), a two-time Amazing Race competitor, and even a contestant on The Price Is Right. But his 2024 return to being a reality television competitor is historic because it’s the first time he’s been in the premiere season of a show, thanks to Deal or No Deal Island, or DONDI, as the fans like to call it.

No one knew what to expect with DONDI but the starpower of Boston Rob (along with host Joe Manganiello) helped bring it to its must-watch status among reality television viewers. The show combines adventure-like physical challenges, similar to those in Amazing Race and Survivor, with the original Deal or No Deal. But with Boston Rob on the island, alliances and rivalries are sure to form, so he spoke exclusively with Distractify about his experience out on the island.

“We didn’t really know what to expect,” he said to Distractify. “Obviously, I watched Deal or No Deal when it was on years ago and I was a big fan of the show but with this format, we didn't know what to expect. So I drew on my experience from Survivor and The Amazing Race and other competition shows that I played, but at the same time, I try to keep an open mind thinking that maybe not everything that I know from those shows is applicable here.

“Obviously there's no voting. There's alliances, but what's the accountability for those alliances because there's no jury at the end?” he pointed out. “So I took certain elements, but at the same time, I tried to just be adaptable and adjust the strategy on the fly,” Rob said.

Rob's adaptability is one of the things that makes him such a great player on any reality show. Although DONDI is over eight episodes in, Boston Rob is still there despite being one of the biggest targets from Day One, thanks to his reputation as a “fierce competitor.”

Of course, it was Kim Mattina who first pointed out Rob’s social and strategic prowess to the group, which put a target on her back. “She was a big pain in my a--,” he admitted. “She really was. Truth be told, I could see Kim's game from the outset. And I think had she treaded a little bit more carefully, she could have played her cards differently and been a real force to be reckoned with.”

“It was really tough out there this season, they were all against me,” Rob added, which anyone who’s watched DONDI can see clearly. “I get it, my reputation after 20 years of doing this. It is how it is. But I just think Kim went too hard too early, and she forced my hand.” Luckily, not everyone is against Rob.

One of DONDI’s central relationships is the alliance between Rob and Aron. Rob clearly trusts Aron a lot, but Aron appears wary of Rob in his confessionals. In the end, Aron is definitely on Rob’s side.

“We couldn't be more different but at the same time, there's parts of our personality that are actually really similar. I don't know if you see it so much on screen, but Aron is actually really sarcastic, and I can appreciate that. And I love that. I think it's a Northeast thing,” he joked. It’s possible the tables could turn with Rob and Aron, though.

“I'm kind of bringing him along a little bit as I have a lot more experience but at the same time, I get it. He's pretty opportunistic and wants to try to find an opportunity to get rid of the mentor, but I tried to tell him out there that I've taught him everything he knows, but I didn't teach him everything I know. So be careful, buddy.” That’s the Boston Rob we love to watch — trustworthy, but also just conniving enough to stay on top.

Rob’s alliance with Aron is proof of how important social awareness and fluidity can be in reality competitions like DONDI and Survivor. It’s not just about being strategic but about making connections. And the only reason Rob is still in the game, despite the huge target on his back, is because of his likability, his willingness to adapt, and his ability to read people.

When Rob joined the cast of Survivor in 2002 at 25 years old, he may not have realized his psychology degree would come in handy as much as it did. “I wanted to be a hockey player,” he told us. “I grew up in Boston. I wasn't good enough, but that's what I wanted to be and then I went to college at Boston University, and a lot of people don't know this, but I actually got accepted to the seven-year medical program at the University of Miami,” he revealed.

“I thought I was going to be a doctor because I really like to use my hands and operating and that kind of stuff, fixing stuff. And I ended up going a different route into construction with a psychology degree and then ended up with a reality TV career. So I think it just goes to show that you never really know what's going to happen. The kind of people that are able to go with it and figure it out as you go, they end up doing OK. I did anyway.”

He may not have become a doctor, but Rob still uses his psychology degree to his advantage. In an episode of DONDI, he’s able to tell who’s bluffing immediately by reading body language. “When you're trying to bluff, you're trying to act unnatural or give an assumption to your opponent that's not accurate, and it's easier to spot a lie than it is to spot the truth because they're usually doing something to try to conceal or cover up that lie,” he revealed.

It’s clear that after many seasons of dominating reality television, there’s no better mentor on (or off) screen than Boston Rob. Watching the master at work is always a treat, especially when he has a mentee like Aron as his right-hand man.