Sia Crashes “Survivor” Finale To Award Gay Finalist With Generous Prize

The pop icon said she felt inspired by this season.
From: NewNowNext

 Sia stopped by the live Survivor finale on CBS Wednesday night, and gave one of her favorite players a generous gift to reward his outward animal rights activism throughout the season.

“We’ve had nearly 500 people play this game, but we’ve never had anyone like Tai,” host Jeff Probst told the live audience while introducing a highlight reel featuring Tai Trang, the 51-year-old gay Vietnamese gardener from San Francisco who made it to finale night as a finalist.

During the season, Trang was noted for his close relationship with Caleb Reynolds of Big Brother 16 fame, and his friendship with a chicken he protected from slaughter early on.

“Your authenticity and your care for animals really inspired me,” Sia told Trang after emerging from the audience.

Sia announced that she was so inspired by Trang, she would be donating $50,000 to him personally as well as an additional $50,000 to an animal rights organization of his choice.

“I just want to say thank you for showing America how to be kind to animals,” she said.

In a post-finale interview with EW, Probst discussed his close friendship with the global pop icon and revealed how her advice will affect forthcoming seasons.

“Sia and I are friends. We met through Survivor, specifically through John Cochran, whom Sia befriended the year he won,” said Probst. “I know her as my friend who is so passionate about the rights of all humans and animals. Whether it’s LGBT organizations or a random chicken on Survivor, Sia is someone who really cares deeply about equal rights and being a good person regardless your status in life. She’s a really kind soul who happens to write amazing music.”

Added Probst:

“As a side note, Sia was over at the house watching an episode of Survivor this season and she randomly said, ’Jeff, I have to tell you something. It makes me uncomfortable when you do the marooning and you have chickens racing around a boat frightened. People are chasing them and tossing them off the boat into the water. They didn’t ask to be there. I know they will get eaten and I understand that, but do you have to put them in such trauma?’ It really struck me. So for our 33rd season you will see that the chickens are in cages at the marooning. That came from Sia challenging me to see things differently.”

Check out the emotional moment below: