Meet the 'Survivor 46' Cast! Salon Owner Kenzie Petty Specializes and Stylizes in Vulnerability
Kenzie Petty
Everything Kenzie Petty has done in life, it's been accomplished quickly and successfully. From writing up a business plan for her hair salon in four days to moving her now-fiancee in after two weeks of dating, the 29-year-old has lived a life guided by her instinct and innate social savviness. And, after one time applying, she's here on Survivor, ready to charm and disarm, playing down her smarts. Can the salon owner's people skills make her a cut above the rest, or will her admitted big mouth cause her to get clipped?
Read on for my interview with Kenzie, and check in with Parade.com daily for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 46 premieres on February 28 with a two-hour premiere on CBS.
Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 46
Interview with Kenzie from Survivor 46
To start, give me your name, age, and occupation.
Kenzie, I'm 28, and I'm a hairstylist and salon owner. I've owned the salon for four years. COVID happened right after our first birthday.
It's a COVID baby!
That's it. COVID baby. And I mean, I was a baby when I opened it. I was 24 when I opened it.
So what was the path to that happening? I had assumed you were a stylist before and felt that you could go your own way?
I started doing hair when I was 15. When I got my first salon job, I was either going to do hair, or I was going to marry an old, rich, dying man. Those were my life plans. But now I get to be my own old rich man! So I had done hair for a long time, worked under some different salon owners. And I just thought I could do it better. And a space opened up, opportunity struck. I wrote a business plan in four days and was negotiating a lease a week later.
I mean, that's really building the plane as it flies. And what better way to prepare for something like Survivor, which is similar?
100%. I'm very much someone who takes what's in front of me by the horns and with grace and a smile on my face and succeeds. Everything I've ever wanted in life, I've succeeded. Maybe some bumps in the road. But I just tumbled through them. I keep it moving.
So, what brought you from the salon to the island? Why Survivor?
Honestly, I was watching Survivor, and Russell was in charge of his tribe at the time. And I was just like, "I could do this better. I think the tribe needs better leadership. He's kind of a bully." And so I told my fiancee, "I'm thinking about applying for Survivor." He's like, "You're literally born and bred and built for this. You should definitely do that."
So did you apply for Survivor back during Russell's days then?
I only found Survivor during the pandemic. I'm a Survivor fan baby, but I devoured it all. It's funny. During the pandemic, my psychic lived in my apartment building. And I needed a roll of toilet paper, so I went to her apartment to get a roll of toilet paper. And she had Survivor on; she's a super fan. And I was like, "What is this?" And she was like, "Survivor!" And I had already watched everything on TV. So I was like, "Sure, I'll watch a 40-season TV show." I devoured it. I got obsessed with it. I got obsessed with the game, obsessed with the human connections and breaking those connections and the backstabbing and the friendships. We all love it. It's magical. There's nothing else like it in the world.
Now, you didn't know then that your psychic knew you would be on the show, which is why she had it on in the background!
She had her crystal ball out before I came to get the toilet paper! "Kenzie, the premonition. It's coming to me!"
So your fiance said you were born and bred and built for this. What's the skillset you possess that makes you agree with him?
To be a hairstylist, you have to be socially savvy. To be a business owner, especially a young woman, you have to be socially savvy. Not only with the people who work for me, but to earn my seat at the table with other entrepreneurs and other business people in my city. It doesn't come easy, especially to someone that's heavily tattooed, someone young, a woman. I really have had to navigate my way through earning respect. And I do it with a smile on my face. And I love that.
On top of that, I am very smart. But it doesn't come across that way. I know I come across like an airhead. That's all a part of the plan, the divine overarching plan. So he was like, "You're smart. You're funny. People love you. You can do this." He has been my number one sport since I even had the wine night idea to apply.
The biggest question is, we just saw a hairstylist win Survivor. So, how are you going to navigate this?
I know! I'm really just gonna navigate it the same way I would have if I didn't see him win. I'm gonna just play my game. And yeah, it kind of sucks that that just happened. But a good player can get through anything. Yam Yam winning, sure, bad timing for me. But I can't change that. I'm not going to change my game that I've been playing my entire life to navigate this bump in the road, which I feel like will help me in the game. You can have a plan, but something's gonna mess it up. Sometimes you gotta change it. But, right now, my gut is telling me to just play the same way I would have if we wouldn't have watched Yam Yam win.
From your recent diving into Survivor, give me one winner and one non-winner you identify with the most.
Non-winner, I identify with Carolyn 100%. I love her.
You've got about as many tattoos as she has!
[Laughs.] I think I have a little more. But she's weird. She's authentic. She's herself. I am very much that and love myself. I've been through a lot. I saw her, and I literally cried over how much I loved her and felt seen by her. I really liked Cassidy from 43. I thought she was really cool. I don't know if I wanted to be her friend or if I liked your game plan. Probably both. I really like Amanda Kimmel. I love her. I feel like she could have won if things would have gone differently. I think she had a good social game. Love her. Liked Andrea a lot. There's a lot of non-winner women that I like.
You spoke about your perception beforehand. Do you think people out here are going to look at you and make those assumptions that have been made previously in your life?
I mean, we as a society like to look at decorated things. We like Christmas trees. We like the Sistine Chapel. We like beautiful women with tattoos.
[Laughs.] That really is the Holy Trinity of spectacle.
[Laughs.] I'm right there. So yeah, people are gonna look at me. And I'm sure I'm one of the easiest ones to point out in the group. "The one with all the tattoos." I know what I look like. I like what I look like. I'm no fool to that. So I'm sure people are gonna perceive me as probably a mixture of Yam Yam and Carolyn and think I'm really dangerous. And you know what? I am! So they're not wrong for thinking that. But that's up to me to be like, "No, I'm stupid!" [Laughs.]
Yeah, how are you going to try to play up that? To steer away from that very dangerous curve?
I think I'm gonna play up being dumb a little bit. And then I think I'm really just gonna go for the hard connections to the point where people don't want to get rid of me. They're like," No, I can trust her. I need her. I'm vulnerable. I know she'll vote with me." And maybe they don't, but I need them to believe that. And I am good at making connections. That's what I do in my job. Anyone can cut hair. Trust me; it's not that hard. But it takes someone special to get someone to feel comfortable and vulnerable and keep coming back to you. I have clients that have been coming back to me for over ten years. They keep coming back. And that comes from me giving them a place to be vulnerable and safe and someone they like to be around. I think that's important out here. We're going to be starving and getting rained on and terrible. We're going to need some morale, okay? And I'm bringing morale.
In the final Tribal Council of 44, Yam Yam talks about that twinkle in the eye that he'd see when he knew people were telling the truth. Is that something you pick up on as well, from the personal connection aspect that your career relies on?
Oh yeah. From the moment someone walks in the door, even if they're not my client, if the vibe is different. If something happened, I know. If they're in a place where they want to talk about it or not, and I know if I should bring the Kleenex over to the station or not, okay. It's a vibe thing. It's genuinely caring about other people and their emotions and what they're going through. And yeah, in this game, I'm gonna have to use that in a way I don't normally use and use it against people. And it is what it is. I've come to terms and peace with that. And I'm grateful to have that tool in my bow.
Do you value anything specific in a number one ally?
I'd love to find my lobster! [Laughs.]
[Laughs.] Little Mermaid style! You do have the Ariel look as well, so the nautical comparison makes sense.
You get it; you get me. So I would love to find someone funny. I want to have a good time. I think trust would be amazing to find. I am open to it, but I'm not banking on it. I think it's a really hard thing to find out here. In the olden days, I feel like you could find your ride or die and go to the end with them, and you don't really see that much anymore. You did with Yam Yam and Carolyn, but it's very rare in the new era. So, I'm going with a "trust for today" kind of person. I have no problem pulling a Kim and weaving between everyone. I'm good with that.
When it comes to perceptions, is there anyone in this time before the season that you're eyeballing as people you do or don't want to work with?
The guy with the beard, we've been giving each other the brows. I feel like I'm getting a good vibe. I saw him skipping after an interview. Loved it. I was like, "That's my guy!" [Laughs.] A man skipping? Loved it. So yeah, I would love to like figure that out.
[Author's note: The contestant Kenzie was describing was an alternate cast member for 46 and ultimately did not make the season's final cast.]
The girl with the curly red hair. She's cute. I just like her hair. [Laughs.]
[Laughs.] From an occupational perspective, I would imagine that's the first thing you think of. "Split ends, can't work with you."
[Laughs.] I'm judging everyone. We didn't get a haircut before we went on TV? What happened here?! [Laughs.] No, everyone's hair is actually in pretty good shape. We are a beautiful cast. Everyone is hot. So I'm like, "Cool, fitting right in."
Is there anybody you're not picking up good vibes on right now?
I'm really trying to not invest my energy in that thought. Because I know people are nervous. I'm just trying not to place judgment. But if I was, here's the tea. The woman who's older with the dark hair has not smiled at me one time. Not once. And I've tried. I've tried. So I'm hoping she's just missing her kids or something. I don't know. And then there's one guy with a shaved head who's tan. Not a smiler. And I value that in a person. [Laughs.] We're not just smiling because Jeff Probst walked by? That's [expletive] weird.
What would you say is your biggest superpower in your life, and how that may play into your game?
I would say my ability to make people feel vulnerable. To be vulnerable with other people. I think that goes so deep, especially now. [In] the new era, people and human connection is really important. It's so fast. There's not a ton of time, so you have to put those connections on superspeed. And I live my life fast. I do everything fast. I moved my fiancee in after two weeks of dating. Fast, fast, fast as I can.
Were you the one who asked him to move in?
He just never left! And I was like, "You live here now. I should put your name on the list so you can get a pool pass". And he was like, "Okay." I just live my life fast. Like I said, I applied one time and got it. I'm a fast girl. When I want something, I get it. As quickly as humanly possible.
That being said, let me throw out a scenario for you. Let's say a boat shows up at your camp on Day 2, asking for one person to go on a journey. Would you want to go?
I think the first journey, no. But I would go for the second one for sure. Like how Lauren did the rock thing, brilliant. I'm doing a stick thing this season. Like, "Pick the shortest one." I thought it was brilliant. I would definitely volunteer to do something like that. We're here to play Survivor. I'm not sitting on my couch anymore. I'm in it. And I don't want to go home thinking I could have done something. So I'm doing everything. We're doing it all.
How do advantages play into that? Are you hungry to look for them, even though they can be both a blessing and a curse?
Yeah, I'll be searching for sure. I'm definitely gonna do my best to not tell anybody. I would love to keep it secret. But I have the gift of gab. I'm a blabbermouth. I am a big mouth. So, I'm really trying to lock it up this season. [Laughs.] Keep it together. I'm hoping I surprise myself by keeping it secret and using it for me, or surprising my lobster.
Is that something you've tried to prep for ahead of time? Like, "Tell me a secret. I'll see if I can keep it for two weeks?"
Yeah, and I suck at it. [Laughs.] When I have a secret to tell, I literally do this with my body. [Leans forward anxiously.] And I'm like, "Ah!" It's bad. But I have been actively grounding and working on grounding. And this is my game. I'm not gonna mess it up by my big mouth. [Laughs.] This is not regular life.
What have you been doing in preparation for Survivor?
Well, I got a tanning membership. [Laughs.] Because I'm pale, I had to get a base. This is my base! And I'm really bad without it. But no, on a more serious note, I've been hitting the gym, I've been swimming. I went to the American Ninja Warrior gym, doing a ton of puzzles, watching a ton of Survivor. Journaling, grounding, meditating. Basically, anything I can think of. I've been fasting, hitting everything I can physical, spiritual, mental, studying the game.
Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 46
Talk to me more about that spirituality. Because it's so interesting to hear about grounding yourself as a part of preparing for the game. But I think, on a show where you're second, third, and fourth guessing yourself, the ability to ground yourself it super valuable.
It's really interesting. Because I'm not a super spiritual person in general. Well, I guess I can be. But it's not my bread and butter. So, I'm working harder to get more in touch with myself and who I am underneath the funny girl thing. I had my first interview, and I just cried the whole time. And I was like, "What's happening? This is never me. This is not what I generally do." But I am funny. I am a showman all the time. But this journey of Survivor is just mine. I do so much stuff for other people at the salon. With my family, I'm constantly doing stuff for them. But Survivor, this is my 26 days where I just have my moment. I could cry again! And it's really special. And I'm just grateful to be here and to learn about myself and push myself.
I think that's beautiful. Talk to me about decision-making. As a business owner, it's tantamount to your success. But when you make decisions in real life, are you someone who thinks through every option? Someone who goes more with their gut?
I am definitely a gut person. But I am open to hearing other's opinions. My fiance owns a business right next door to mine. He owns a photo studio. So we have the same landlords and deal with the same vendors and stuff like that. So I will just be like, "No, we should do this." And he's like, "Well, what about this, this, and that?" Sometimes, my gut is right, and sometimes, his more analytical mind is right. So if I can find someone like that out here who's got more of an analytical mind that I can bounce my gut off of, that is ideal, because I am a "fly by the seat of my pants" [person]. Like a "We're doing this; let's go" kind of girl.
Is there a decision that someone made on a past Survivor season that you remember disagreeing with?
Thinking about last season, let me think. [Pause.] Wow, there's a lot of things I probably wouldn't do. Danny bossing Heidi around really hit me deep. I was like, "Why is he talking to her like that? That is not an efficient way to communicate!" But sometimes it is. Because Boston Rob did it and it worked. And then I guess it kind of worked because the vote went the way Danny wanted. But it didn't work for him long-term because no one wants to work with someone like that.
Is that a personality type that you would just give the flat no to if they were out there?
No, I am never a "flat no" girlie. But it's definitely a like, "What if they weren't here? Wouldn't that be fun?" [Laughs.]
What would you say is your hottest Survivor take?
I don't know if it's that hot. But this is one that I have argued about on the internet. I like the "wokeness"! I think it's here to stay. And I'm sorry if there are people at home on the couch that won't watch anymore because Jeff doesn't say, "Guys." They can kiss my ass, as far as I'm concerned. Because the world is changing. The nation is changing in a way that I am stoked to represent, stoked to be a part of. And I want it to catch faster, like wildfire. I'm here for the wokeness. I love the diversity. I love the representation. I want it to stick around.
Amen! And I can imagine, from your own perspective, encountering so many different types of people in your day-to-day, you see what this country is capable of and what can be represented on screen.
Yeah. I mean, Survivor is a microcosm of life. We've been saying that for 20 years. I've been saying it for three, but the collective I'm a part of now. It's a microcosm of life. So why not reflect that on such a big platform? Give some people who haven't always had a voice, a voice and a platform to get their stories out there. That's beautiful! It's been a white man's club for way too long. No offense.
None taken. I'm working on my base tan. [Laughs.]
[Laughs.] Palm Beach tan, baby! But I'm here for the wokeness. I love it. I'm here for the girls, the gays, the theys. I'm here for everything in between.
What celebrity or fictional character would you want to come out for a Loved Ones visit?
Can I please bring two? The host of Catfish Nev Schulman. [Laughs.] Or Detective Elliot Stabler from Law & Order: SVU. I love Christopher Meloni. I would love a Stabler moment.
I feel like both would also be able to suss out for you who's lying. So you're not just bringing them out for the star worship; you're putting them to work!
Yeah, I'm not dumb! Look dumb, big smart.
Finally, what's your emotional cocktail right now? How are you feeling as the big day gets closer and closer?
It's a little bit of everything. I had my good cry out. I've had a good cry in the shower. I've gotten my good cries out. And now I'm just excited. I'm ready. I feel very prepared, as prepared as you can be. I'm surprisingly a lot more zen than I thought I would be. I don't know if it's the meditating, not talking for days thing. So I'm feeling very zen. I'm just ready. I feel like I have my dancing shoes on, and I'm waiting for the club to open. I'm just ready to go at this point. Just ready to party.
Next, check out our interview with Survivor 46 contestant Jessica "Jess" Chong.
