Meet the 'Survivor 48' Cast! Attorney Kyle Fraser is Playing With a 'People First' Strategy (Exclusive)

Before becoming an attorney, Kyle Fraser was a teacher. His two years in the classroom took him from an affluent boarding school to a juvenile detention center, causing him to adapt to kids from all walks of life. It's that experience that informs the 31-year-old's "people first" strategy that he's bringing into the game, hoping his tactics and charm will get him to the end, where he can approach a very different jury than he's used to on Day 26. Kyle admits his impulsivity might bring his chances down. But, regardless of whether he'll sink or swim, he's committed to literally taking the dive.

Read on for my interview with Kyle, and check in with Parade.com daily for interviews with this season's contestants and other tidbits. Survivor 48 premieres on Feb. 26 with a two-hour premiere on CBS.

Related: Meet the Full Cast of Survivor 48

Interview with Kyle from Survivor 48

To start, give me your name, age, and occupation.
I'm Kyle Fraser. I'm 30 years old, and I'm a lawyer.

What type of law do you work in?
So I work for a judge. Right now I'm a litigator, so stereotypical, sort of courtroom arguer attorney. But right now I work for a judge. I did labor and employment law the first year out of law school. I worked for a larger law firm. And then, right before I went to clerk for a judge, I did white-collar criminal defense. So I'm hoping to sort of segue at some point into public defense or federal public defense.

We know the label of "lawyer" on Survivor comes with a lot of stereotypes. Are you going to lie about your job a la Julie, or be more forthcoming a la Jake?
So I'm 100% on the Julie side of things, with a caveat. Watching that season was so rough for me because I can't say I'm a lawyer. It worked for Jake somehow, but I know strategically for me that's just not gonna work. And stereotypically, it doesn't work. But it's not that I think that lawyers are this omnipotent incredibly strategic group of people. It's just I know that I can't say it. So I'm gonna say I'm a teacher. I used to teach for two years, right before I went to law school, so I think it'll be good. And I miss teaching and working with kids, so I think it'll be believable.

What did you tell your work when you were given the offer to come out and play?
Well, clerking is a one-year stint that you do for a judge. [It's] very intimate, and you work closely with two to three other people. So it wasn't something that I could just get up and leave for without giving some sort of explanation. So had a sort of confidential talk with that, obviously cleared it through other people. But my judge is aware that something is going on, not exactly what it is. And I actually have to end up doing, like a lot of my work in advance to sort of be able to come out here.

Well, let's talk about why you're out here. What made you decide to approach the jury bench in a very different way, hopefully, when it comes to the Survivor jury? What's the reason why you're on the island right now?
So I started watching Survivor, actually Season 40, oddly enough. I think it's similar to Charlie's story, because during COVID, I was in law school, finishing up my second year, and it hit. And my girlfriend– now my fiancé–was like, "Maybe we should just leave and go live with my parents." It was the beginning of COVID, so we thought it was gonna be for a week. So long story short, we drove to North Carolina thinking it was gonna be a week, and we stayed at her parents' house for three months. And I had just met them, but her mom was watching Survivor one day. It was literally the episode where Denise idoled out Sandra. And I was like, "Holy shit. What is this game?" I thought Survivor was like Fear Factor, just eating worms out on the island. But it's something completely different, this social strategic game.

No, you're eating each other, not the worms!
[Laughs.] Yeah, exactly. And so that drew me in. I thought I would just like it for the strategic stuff. But after sort of plopping around, I just love the concept in general. Just this idea of being dropped somewhere with a diverse group of people. You don't necessarily know each other's backgrounds, but you can sort of use your strengths and weakness. I don't know. It's just such an interesting game.

Considering your recent love of the game, give me one winner and one non-winner who you identify with the most.
So winner is really tough. But I would probably say Wendell. So that's probably like too on the nose for me. But he's a lawyer. He's a Black man who kind of sheds this box in a lot of ways by doing different things and sort of making different life decisions that I just found were so interesting. I think where I identify with him the most from a game perspective is just is social game. I think that one of the reasons Wendell was able to beat out Dom was because you could see from the snippets that we had that he actually really cared about the other contestants. Not saying that Dom didn't. But that just came across so starkly for Wendell in a non-"greasy" way. And I'm hoping that's how I can play this game. I love people, I hope to make connections. I could see myself picking up a seashell and giving it to a guy like Sebastian, holding onto it for him. His game resonated with me.

And then non-winner, that's also very tough, but I'd probably say Jay from Adam's season. I loved his game. I thought he was he full package. Listen, I'm an athletic presenting person, I think. I don't know if that's gonna completely be my game. I hope that I can pull out a challenge or two. But what I loved about him was that he was sort of good at challenges. People respected him, and he respected other people. And because of that, he strives socially. He just seemed like a free-flowing, easygoing guy. But underneath it all, he really kind of had these ambitions. He talked about, how he was different than "Figtails." With Taylor, he was like, "He's my buddy. But I have these other ambitions." I feel as if my upbringing was very similar to that.

What's your favorite moment in Survivor history? Does it connect back to the one that started it all for you with Denise idling out Sandra?
There's two, for very different reasons, that come to mind. The first is Keith–rest in peace–one of my favorite players. Him driving the tuk-tuk on the island is one of my favorite things. That was one of the first seasons that I watched. We watched Season 1, then bounced around after I watched Season 40. And that was one of the first scenes that I can visually remember. And I was like, "Here's this guy with a complete group of people that he would have no business being around, excelling with them and connecting with them." And the tuk-tuk scene just tied that all together. And then the other one is just on Ben's season, when Dr. Mike says, "He has a ferocity that transcends this game. I think that is one of the most underrated Survivor lines in the entire world. I mean, it's hilarious, and the very definition of a deep cut.

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You talk about being "athletically-presenting." So what was your prep process coming out to the island?
So, from a physical perspective, it's actually really funny, I fluctuated 15 to 17 pounds in a matter of two and a half months. I first bulked up because I was like, "Oh, I need to be strong." But then I like, sort of realized, "I don't need to be that strong." So then I started what I thought about the best scenario being, putting on a bunch of weight so I can get as strong as possible. And then I shed a ton and started conditioning too. Because I think endurance matters the most for pregame. And then, two weeks prior to coming out here, I've just been freaking wrecking burgers and just putting on a ton of fat. I read an interview with Malcolm from years ago were he talked about his McDonald's diet. I feel like I'm in great shape. I've definitely put on some pounds, but I know I have those fat reserves.

And I focused a lot on flexibility and just concentration. They say great strength is the most important thing. I have one of those little grippy things I fiddle around with at work every now and then. Mentally, listen, I'm not a puzzle guy. I'm not gonna be good at puzzles. So I kind of just decided, "You know what? I'm gonna put that to the wayside and focus on other things mentally." I really tried to just incorporate Survivor into my everyday life. I have not had a disagreement with a coworker. But maybe we see something differently. I think about, "How would I approach this in the game?" And try to implement that, work on controlling emotions, or thinking through what emotion you're feeling in certain circumstances. Little things like that over time where I feel like I'm ready to play this game.

What's one life experience you feel has prepared you most for the game?
So like I mentioned, I was a teacher. I actually taught at a boarding school for two years. But during the summers, I taught at a juvenile detention center. It was a charter school attached to a juvenile detention center, and they were able to earn credits in money, so when they get released, they would have something to go out into the world. And that was a really hard experience. Learning when you're in a juvenile detention center, I couldn't imagine. Learning was hard enough for me as a kid in school. I mean, this is outside of Maryland, so it houses kids from Baltimore and DC and areas that were that that were not easy environments to grow up in. And trying to connect with them when they're trying to figure out, "When the hell am I gonna get out of jail" was really hard. But I figured out a way to do it in different circumstances. Some days were really, really hard and painful to see what they're going through, painful to sort of try and connect with them. But you've got to keep on pushing. And I feel like I kind of have to have that same mentality in Survivor.

Yeah, I mean, it's all about making connections under arduous circumstances. And even when you don't necessarily feel like you're in the mood or in the state to do it, it's sort of an inevitability that needs to happen to get an end goal. So I think it totally feels like a one to one to one comparison.
It definitely was. And even going from teaching at a different boarding school that was in a very affluent sort of community, very expensive to go to, it was hard to connect with those kids, too. I think another thing that will be helpful is going from that community that was so starkly different, to my juvenile detention center community and figuring out ways to navigate both of them in a way that helps the kids. And I think that's what Survivor is, too. There are going to be so many different players from different backgrounds that will need you, not to be a different person, but meet them in the way in which they want to play the game in a different way. Somebody wants to be super strategic and super-calculated, and somebody may just want to have fun. And I think it's important not to just play your game, to meet other people where they're at. Game-wise, too.

Give me your biggest superpower and your biggest piece of kryptonite when it comes to this game.
My biggest superpower is charm. I hate using the word "charm." But I do love people. I've been this way since I was a kid. My mom talks about me running onto the playground the first day of school as a five-year-old. I can be pretty persuasive. I can also just be charming in a way that I like to connect with people. And I think people see that I'm genuinely interested in them. So I think that that will be very helpful to me. It could be a weakness in that I'm really gonna focus on one-on-one connections. I'm not trying to be the guy that's outwardly courageous or running the room. But I think charm and sort of that persuasion, if you want to call it, that would be a superpower. Weakness, I'm an impulsive person. I guess that's not stereotypical for a lawyer.

Listen, you're not the judge, you're the lawyer. So impulsivity is okay.
[Laughs.] Yeah, exactly, exactly. If an opportunity presents itself, I want to go for it. If I see a Beware advantage, I'm opening it up. I think, more importantly though, it's the people around me. This is not a game where you can just say whatever's on your mind. Oftentimes that's fun in real life. But if you say something like just has any bearing on the game, that could plant the seed in somebody's mind. "Oh, he's got to go." How many times have we heard that? "She likes Aubry? She's got to go." You got to watch your mouth.

From that perspective, what do you think people are going to perceive you as? Again, given your athleticism and that self-proclaimed charm, are you trying to steer into being an alpha male?
No, that is the exact opposite of what I want. I do think that I can be a leader in real life sometimes. But I wouldn't always cast myself in that role, nor would I want to be that out here. I think kind of what I was touching on earlier is what I want people is what I want people to perceive me as: A friend. Actually, my motto throughout this game is going to be "people first." I want to connect with people to then build a foundation to play the game. I think we see too many strategic players who don't have the social foundation to get far in this game. What do I think people will perceive me as? I don't quite know. I'm really hoping that they see me as somebody genuine. But I could totally see a situation where I'm off talking with a lot of different people genuinely. And somebody thinks, "Wow, that guy's trying to work the room a little too hard." So I'm gonna try and tamper that down. I hope people see me as a genuine, authentic person who can help them in any way they need, whether that's camp life or, hopefully, challenges. But I know at least if I'm not doing all the challenges, I can work my ass off at camp and help that way.

Related: Everything to Know About Survivor 48

So let's talk a little bit more about your competition. From your time together in the preseason, who are you picking up good vibes from?
So there is a there is a taller blonde woman who I think just seems very fun. She's not afraid. When we were in the dinner line, we bobbed and weaved and sort of danced a little bit. She just seems like she's very comfortable with herself and would like to have fun. I think it'd be fun to work with her. I want to work with somebody who is smart, but also wants to play this game in a fun way, not dictate to one another. I've heard players talk about how it's nice to have somebody who views the game the same way you do. And I'm a fun person, so I think it would be fun to work with her.

I'm sure everybody's doing it, but I keep on making up stories for everybody in my head. There's another guy, Superman. I call him Superman. I mean, he literally looks like Clark Kent. And I could say this because I'm sure that I'm not being creative here. I'm certain he's been called this throughout his entire life, or at least the past two/three years. Because he just looks very physical, and he would do well in this game in that manner. But he also kind of comes across to me as a very teddy bear sort of dude. Just seems like a genuine person from what I've seen so far.

We'll go from Superman to Lex Luthor here. Who are some people that you're not necessarily vibing with at the moment?
I would not say that there's somebody that I'm not vibing with. I really tried to keep it tampered during this pregame. I don't know; I hope I've done a good job of that. But there is one person I can't get a read on, this gentleman with a beard. He's got a large beard, and he's got a well-groomed sort of mullet, wavy sort of hair deal. And it's not that I don't vibe with him. I just can't put a read to him. Like I mentioned, I've been making backstories up for everybody in my head. Obviously, those will go by the wayside on Day One. But him, it's really hard to get a read on. There's nothing really consistent about him, and that's not scary to me. But it puts a little bell on my head that I gotta look into this a little bit further. Who knows if that's even worth doing?

So you mentioned before that "people first" is your motto. But you also spoke about your impulsivity when it comes to idols and advantages. So are you planning to just hunt out whatever comes your way?
No, absolutely not. So let me be clear when I say "people first," it's more so you can't play this game without people. You can't just come out here and be like, "I want to make this move." You need people as a foundation. These aren't just pieces or cards. You've got to be able to sort of build a foundation before you can play. But that said, I'm good at keeping a secret. I'm a lawyer; I have to keep clients' information confidential. There are certain part of parts of my life that I just don't feel comfortable sharing with people, and I'm totally cool not blurting out. When I'm impulsive, it's more so with things that can affect me in the moment. Like, I can't dive. If I get up on a challenge, though, and I see that there's an opportunity to go for it, I might. And I might belly flop. [Laughs.] But that's what I mean.

It's a great metaphor for the game.
[Laughs.] Yeah. Who knows? And the next time, maybe I'll land the dive. But I'm keeping that stuff to myself, unless I have to, like Tiffany last season. That's a situation you got to.

On that note, what's your main takeaway from Seasons 45 and 46 that you're bringing into your gameplay?
It's gonna sound dumb, but again, it's people first. We're talking about different blocks of time in Survivor. If you look at the 30s, we have this voting bloc idea that comes into play. And I think that, when Seasons 45 and 46 were being played, even 44, they all acted like it was this voting bloc, sort of game. But it wasn't. You have the Reba Four, you have the Tika Three, and you have Charlie and Maria. Or if you don't want to do Charlie and Maria, you have the "goat four"–which they call themselves, I'm not calling them goats. Those are not voting blocs. Those are people who actually trust each other. Even though you have all this extraneous talk about number ones being taken out, the people who run the game are the people who actually trust each other pretty much close up until the very end. That's my takeaway. That's why this "people first" thing is sort of my strategy. But the other takeaway is everything is just dangerous. You've got to keep your head on a swivel.

What is your hottest Survivor take?
This is difficult. You can tell some of the 30s are on my mind recently; I did some rewatching of those. I'm gonna go back to Adam's season. I think that Adam was a phenomenal player. But I think that there are four players on that season that were better Survivor players than Adam, Hannah number one; justice for Hannah. And then, in no particular order, David, Zeke, and Jay. I think, pound for pound, that season had so many great players. And it's not talked about because every single one of them had a legitimate shot to win the game. And they were all great, including Adam. And maybe this is what makes him the winner of that season, his timing was impeccable. I really enjoyed watching him, too. But I just came away from that season thinking I loved all those players. Even Ken as well! His game was kind of a little roughshod, but I really thought that was a great play. So I think that's my hot take. Four of them were better than Adam. I'm making it hot.

There we go! If you could pick a celebrity or a fictional character to bring out for a loved one's visit, who are you picking and why?
I'll bring out Stringer Bell from The Wire. Has that been said before? I feel like maybe out of those two–this might be the hot take–I'm probably Avon. When I first watched The Wire, I was like, "I'm like Stringer for sure." Well-poised, put together. But the second watch, I was like, "I'm more of Avon." I wear my heart on my sleeve, and that gets me far enough. But I need somebody to ground me. So I would bring Stringer Bell and just walk through every scenario with him and then, and then execute after that.

Lastly, how are you going to make your mark on Survivor 48 to make sure you return for Season 50?
That is a really difficult one. Listen, I'm not saying that I'm going to be the winner. But if I win, I think it has to be a dominant game. I run the sort of scenarios in my head. I don't know how I can hide in a lot of ways. I have to come out, and I have to play hard. I mean, we've seen it with Dee, we've seen it with a lot of different players. But I think that you can play a dominant game in the new era. I don't think you have to hide. I don't think you have to wait for the exact moment to strike. I think you can actually play hard the entire time. People might not see it. I mean, Charlie almost did it. But I think you can get it done. So I think I can get it done in a dominant fashion. And I think that would leave my mark on the game for sure.

Next, check out our interview with Survivor 48 contestant Kamilla Karthigesu.