Boston Rob Mariano’s Surprising Take on Returning to Competitive Reality TV: What’s Behind His Lack of Interest?
- Boston Rob Mariano has participated in Survivor, The Amazing Race, Deal or No Deal Island, and The Traitors
- Mariano shares that, after The Traitors, he is “kind of just hanging out” in terms of his TV career
- The reality star is currently competing in The Irish Poker Open in Dublin, sponsored by PokerStars
Boston Rob Mariano has established himself as one of the fiercest competitors in reality television.
However, after a significant power move led to his early elimination from season 3 of The Traitors, Mariano, 49, has indicated that he doesn’t plan to return to television right now.
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“At this point, I’m kind of just hanging out,” he explains. “I don’t have a desire to compete again at the moment. I’m taking a little break since the kids are off for the summer.”
Despite this, the six-time Survivor player assures fans he will “be on your screens again soon.”
“I truly feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world,” Mariano reflects. “I never expected to still be doing this after 25 years, so never say never. You never know what might come next.”
Currently, Mariano is employing his television skills and strategies to compete in The Irish Poker Open, which is Europe’s longest-running live poker series taking place in Dublin. The Amazing Race alum notes that some of his opponents recognize him from his TV appearances, “so I have to always be on guard.”
In Europe, he finds that fans mostly associate him with Traitors. “The Bravo world has introduced a whole new audience to me,” he notes. “It’s fun to see younger viewers going back and discovering my earlier work in Survivor and Amazing Race. It’s great to see them engage with what I’ve been doing for the past 25 years.”
Poker players globally are experiencing his strategic gameplay throughout the tournament.
“Many of the skills used in competition reality shows translate effectively to poker,” Mariano explains. “Awareness is critical; you need to assess the situation and adapt. Just like in Survivor, Traitors, and Deal or No Deal Island, there’s a mix of skill and luck involved, and you can’t control everything from the start to the finish.”
The calm demeanor Mariano exhibits while forming alliances and making deals on reality TV proves beneficial at the poker table as well.
“The key is to maintain balance,” he advises. “This is especially challenging if you’re on a losing streak. Typically, people’s gameplay deteriorates when they’re losing. Staying self-aware is essential, accepting that some days won’t go your way, and remembering that tomorrow is a new opportunity. Treat it as a game to keep the experience enjoyable.”
Mariano enjoys the fact that new generations are discovering his previous shows and doesn’t mind that they refer to his younger self from Survivor as “Hot Rob,” a nickname brought up by Ciara Miller at the recent Traitors reunion.
“I find it amusing,” says the Massachusetts native. “It’s funny to see how people react to clips of me from 20 years ago.”
Even his wife, Amber Brkich, and their daughters—Lucia, 15, Carina, 14, Isabetta, 12, and Adelina, 10—“love it.” “They are very supportive of all of this,” Mariano shares. “We all get a good laugh out of it.”
