Four-time Survivor castaway Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick says she “misspoke” in an Instagram video that included an antisemitic remark aimed at fellow show alum Eliza Orlins.
In a since-deleted video uploaded via Instagram on Sunday, August 17, LaGrossa Kendrick, 45, fired back at Orlins, 42, who had published a piece to her Substack titled, “The Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick Files: MAGA, Misinformation, and Deleted Receipts.”
“Eliza tried to bury me about Donald Trump. Don’t come at me with your political status when you’re f***ing Jewish and your parents are 1 percent of the population of wealth,” LaGrossa Kendrick said in the video. “We were poor as f***. I worked my ass off to get where I am right now.”
“Don’t you dare try to say I’m some right-wing bigot,” she continued. “If you think you’re gonna try to f***ing ruin me for one second, you’re sadly mistaken. Good luck, bitch.”
LaGrossa Kendrick, who is married to former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Kyle Kendrick, issued an apology for her comments, saying she and her husband had been drinking wine at the time of the video.
“During a conversation in which I was calling out someone for what I perceived as a lack of support for the Jewish community, I misspoke in a way that was abrupt, poorly worded and offensive,” she said. “What I meant to express was frustration that someone who is Jewish was not standing up for their own community in a moment that called for unity and support. However, the way I said it was wrong, and I take full responsibility for how it came across.”
“I want to be absolutely clear: I stand fully and unequivocally in support of the Jewish people,” she continued. “I condemn all forms of antisemitism, discrimination and hate. My comment was not meant to target the Jewish community in any way, and I deeply regret that it may have come across that way. To those I hurt and offended: I hear you and I am truly sorry. I am committed to learning from this and continuing to be a vocal ally for all marginalized communities, including the Jewish community.”
Orlins, for her part, said she wasn’t surprised by LaGrossa Kendrick’s tirade.
“I’m not surprised by Stephenie’s defamatory or bigoted remarks because I’ve known her for nearly 20 years,” she told the Daily Mail. “I didn’t know she was antisemitic — but again, given her history and the fascistic president she supports, it’s not surprising.”
LaGrossa Kendrick’s comments, meanwhile, put CBS in a difficult position. The one-time fan favorite has already filmed Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, which is set to air in early 2026.
“My heart sank and my blood ran cold,” a Survivor crew member told the Daily Mail. “Stephenie is a huge part of Survivor, and she’s going to be a big character on the biggest season ever for the franchise. We’ve already filmed, so I guess there’s not a lot we can do.”
