Rob Cesternino, Tyson Apostol, and Danny Bryson are back with another entertaining episode of News AF, where they dive into the week’s most peculiar and amusing stories.

Today, Rob, Tyson and Danny talk through the week’s most newsworthy stories.

To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com

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Survivor 49 takes center stage as Rob Cesternino and Mike Bloom dig into the twists, cast shake-ups, and most memorable moments from a season that refused to play it safe. With a focus on what really worked in Survivor 49, Rob and Mike look back at the season’s biggest format shifts, including the return of two-tribe swaps, the end of “mergatory,” and smarter journey twists that gave players more choices and fewer automatic penalties. This is the episode for fans interested in re-examining the wild moves and standout personalities that defined Survivor’s 49th outing.

Rob and Mike start by revisiting the game’s structural changes, pointing out the excitement—and occasional frustration—surrounding the double tribe swaps, more fluid gameplay, and meaningful opportunities for castaways to interact. They take a closer look at the cast’s breakout stars, especially Rizzo, Sage, Jawan, Savannah, Soph, and Kristina, discussing how their alliances, rivalries, and emotional moments shaped the season’s narrative. The hosts break down Rizzo’s clever idol maneuvers, Sage’s surprising strategic game, the legendary Sage-Shannon handshake standoff, and the snake bite incident, each giving Survivor 49 its unpredictable flavor. Along the way, Rob and Mike highlight confessional gold, wild challenge wins, and the messiest Tribal Councils—exploring the unique tone and gameplay choices that separated this season from the rest.

– Two-tribe swaps and bold format changes set the tone for an unpredictable merge

– Rizzo’s idol play—fake and real—sparked chaos and kept everyone guessing

– Sage’s rivalry with Shannon produced one of the season’s most talked-about confrontations

– The emotional beats: Jawan’s journey from outsider to power player and Kristina’s heartfelt challenge moment

– Uli tribe’s strong edit and core alliance, shifting post-merge dynamics, and underdog breakthroughs

Will the twists and cast chemistry of Survivor 49 inspire future format experiments, or do the highs and lows serve as a cautionary tale? Can Rizzo’s inventive approach or Sage’s emotional gameplay become the new Survivor blueprint?

To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com

Chapters:
0:00 Holiday Spirit and Survivor Reflections
6:09 Highlighting Survivor 49’s Format Changes
14:34 Swaps Reshape Tribe Dynamics
18:48 Mergatory Finally Removed This Season
24:43 Journeys Mechanic: New Direction
34:03 Uli Tribe’s Standout Cast Members
44:09 Sage and Jawan’s Power Shift
54:06 Savannah’s Tenacity and Confidence
1:05:13 Blue Sophi’s Underrated Strategic Moves
1:13:54 Rizzo’s Puzzle Comeback Victory
1:15:12 Real Danger: Jake’s Snake Bite
1:21:05 Sage Versus Shannon Showdown
1:25:40 Blindside Chaos at Tribal Council
1:36:05 Survivor 49’s Unusual Place in History
1:40:03 Finale Predictions and Jury Dynamics

Never miss a minute of RHAP’s extensive Survivor coverage!
LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed
WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Rob Cesternino (@robcesternino) and Akiva Wienerkur (@keev26) need a podcast and every week, Rob and Akiva spin a wheel of listener-submitted podcast ideas, and whatever the wheel lands on is what they podcast about next. This week, Rob and Akiva guess whether or not listeners calling in are Canadian.

For the link to the spreadsheet that Rob and Akiva use to compile ideas, check it all out here: Rob and Akiva Need a Spreadsheet (compiled by the great Will from America).

To submit an idea for a future episode of “Rob and Akiva Need a Podcast” to be discussed on the mailbag, submit it on this form: Rob and Akiva’s Mailbag Form.

Past Episodes of Rob & Akiva Need a Podcast

Rob Cesternino, Jessica Liese, and Mike Bloom are back for another incredible journey around the world watching The Amazing Race! Our TAR experts will be back with a recap each and every week! Make sure to also tune into our weekly exit interview with the eliminated team.

Today, Rob Cesternino, Mike Bloom and Jess Liese discuss the finale, episode 12, of The Amazing Race 38.

On this episode, the Rob, Mike, and Jessica gather to recap the finale of Amazing Race 38, celebrating Jag and Jazz’s victory and scrutinizing the highs and lows of the final leg. The team brings in insights from the city where the race concluded, New York, providing on-the-ground context.

Rob, Jessica, and Mike discuss:

• behind-the-scenes exit interview anecdotes.
• the leg design and wonder about the lack of detours, while also championing a more competitive shake-up in future seasons.
• the need for harder tasks in the finale and ways to enhance the Cookie Monster challenge, like a cookie-making task and subway travel over taxis.
• the cab driver factor, the logistics of repelling the Empire State Building, and the simplicity of the fabric-delivery challenge
• the crossword puzzle task, pointing out its ease and lack of New York authenticity

The episode rounds out with reflections on the Big Brother crossover, season-long trends, standout teams, and speculation on future reality TV themes and contestants. Listen in for interview highlights, commentary on leg design, and hillarious banter!

Pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, at http://www.robhasabook.com

Race on over to Twitter to follow these hosts and share all of your thoughts with us on Twitter by tagging @RobHasAPodcast and using the hashtag #RHAP!

Rob Cesternino @robcesternino
Jessica Liese @HaymakerHattie
Mike Bloom @AMikeBloomType

Join our Facebook group at robhasawebsite.com/targroup

Survivor 49 is reaching its breaking point, and Rob Cesternino teams up with Survivor 48’s Shauhin Davari for a recap of the penultimate episode. With the finale days away, Rob and Shauhin spotlight the rapidly-shifting alliances, dramatic advantage plays, and emotional reward moments that have shaped the hurricane of strategy at camp. Every move matters as players like Sophi, Savannah, and Rizzo jockey for position on their way to Tribal Council.

Rob and Shauhin dissect Sophi’s high-tension Knowledge Is Power play, debating whether her shot at flipping the game came just a bit too late. Rizzo’s idol theatrics spark major debate, with Shauhin providing insight into the bluffing and social reads that let him slip through more than one dangerous vote. The duo weighs Savannah’s clutch challenge wins, and how being a physical force keeps her in the spotlight (and on everyone’s target list). Plus, the impact of the loved ones letter reward leads to an honest take on how family support shifts players’ motivations and endgame plans.

Key topics include:

– Sophi’s Knowledge Is Power moment: was it bold enough to change her fate?

– Rizzo’s inventive idol strategy and what it reveals about social perception

– Savannah’s immunity run and why it drives the final five’s vote calculus

– The evolving bonds between Sophi, Savannah, and Rizzo

– Real parallels between Shauhin’s Survivor journey and this season’s emotional crossroads

This episode leaves one big question: Can Savannah and Rizzo stay one step ahead, or will a last-minute flip topple the power balance right before day 26?

Chapters:
0:00 Intros
6:31 Sophi’s Crucial Idol Decision
13:36 Emotional Impact of Family Reward
20:49 Social Bonds Shape Jury Perceptions
27:41 Comparing Savannah and Joe’s Paths
34:01 Savannah’s Direct Communication Examined
43:40 Powerful Family Stories Emerge
50:30 Savannah and Rizzo’s Unbreakable Alliance
53:13 Sophi’s Knowledge Is Power Downfall
59:14 Clutch Immunities Shift Endgame Odds
1:07:31 Sage’s Authentic Moves Analyzed
1:14:10 Seasons for New Survivor Fans
1:18:44 Survivor Deepens Family Connections
1:29:16 Reading Nonverbal Cues on Survivor
1:32:29 Survivor 49’s Unique Win Conditions
1:39:00 Who Shauhin Would Work With
1:57:52 Final Reflections on Survivor 49

To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com

This episode of the podcast is brought to you by our friends at Manta Sleep. Summertime is officially here! The days are longer, the sun is brighter, and while all that extra daylight can feel energizing, it can quietly sabotage your sleep. Later sunsets disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythm, making it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed.

Manta Sleep is here to help. Whether you’re blocking out daylight or tuning out the sounds of summer nights, taking control of your sleep environment helps you get deep, restorative rest, no matter how long the sun stays up.

To take advantage of 10% off your first order, visit https://tinyurl.com/2nsptcy3 or go to www.mantasleep.com and use promo code RHAP49

Never miss a minute of RHAP’s extensive Survivor coverage!
LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed
WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Rob Cesternino, Jessica Liese, and Mike Bloom are back for another incredible journey around the world watching The Amazing Race! Our TAR experts will be back with a recap each and every week! Make sure to also tune into our weekly exit interview with the eliminated team.

Today, Rob and Jess interview the final four teams from The Amazing Race 38.

Chapters:
00:00 Jag and Jas
16:50 Taylor and Kyland
34:00 Joseph and Adam
50:00 Izzy and Paige

Pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, at www.robhasabook.com

Race on over to Twitter to follow these hosts and share all of your thoughts with us on Twitter by tagging @RobHasAPodcast and using the hashtag #RHAP!

Rob Cesternino @robcesternino
Jessica Liese @HaymakerHattie
Mike Bloom @AMikeBloomType

Join our Facebook group at robhasawebsite.com/targroup

Rob Cesternino (@RobCesternino) interviews the latest castaway voted off the Survivor 49 island, followed by This Week In Survivor History with Jordan Kalish (@JordanKalish) where Rob plays against an RHAP patron.

Survivor 49 is back with Rob Cesternino leading an in-depth Exit Interview after one of the wildest Tribal Councils of the season. Rob is joined by Steven Ramm, known as the rocket scientist, who shares his firsthand account of what went wrong when the votes suddenly flipped against him. This episode dives deep into trust, shifting alliances, and one big plan that unraveled just when Steven thought he was safe.

Rob and Steven break down all the chaotic events after Immunity, including the confusion over the “Knowledge is Power” advantage and the shocking moment when Sage and Kristina chose to betray Steven. Listeners get an insider perspective on the signs of betrayal Steven noticed, why he stuck with his original plan, and how Survivor’s unpredictable alliances can change the game in an instant.

• Steven recounts the uneasy feeling he got when Kristina and Sage had secret beach discussions without him—setting off alarm bells.
• Rob asks Steven to reflect on whether playing his advantage actually put a bigger target on his back, and if not having it could have kept him in the game.
• Steven reveals why he didn’t trust Yellow Sophi after being lied to, and instead saw Savannah as a more reliable, if dangerous, ally.
• The duo explores how Rizzo’s idol theatrics might have annoyed the jury and why Steven didn’t see Rizzo as a big endgame threat from his vantage point on the island.
• Steven opens up about the complexity of working with allies who didn’t always seem to “play basketball the same way,” and how missed connections led to his blindside.

Heading into the finale, Rob and Steven weigh whether the tight alliances on the other side have made it impossible for underdogs to make a comeback. Will loyalty hold strong, or is another shocking blindside around the corner?

To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com

Chapters:
0:00 Intros
6:32 Tribal Council Betrayal Revealed
12:28 Alliance Loyalty Questioned
15:08 Space Fact Missed Opportunity
17:24 TWISH

Never miss a minute of RHAP’s extensive Survivor coverage!
LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed
WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Survivor Know-It-Alls is back as Rob Cesternino and Stephen Fishbach dig into the latest drama from Survivor 49, week 12.

To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com

To pre-order Stephen’s novel Escape!, visit stephenfishbach.com

To request a limited edition Escape! map, email proof of hardcover pre-order (within the US) to escapefishbach@gmail.com with the subject line MAP. Previous hardcover pre-orders are also eligible!

Buy tickets for Stephen’s book events here! stephenfishbach.com/events

Never miss a minute of RHAP’s extensive Survivor coverage!
LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed
WATCH: Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube
SUPPORT: Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!