Rupert Boneham is one of Survivor's most legendary players and one of the most beloved contestants to come out of the show's early days. In his four seasons of the show, Rupert impressed fans with his distinct voice, his bombastic personality, and his close friendship with Survivor: Pearl Islands winner Sandra Diaz-Twine. His performance on that season led to reappearances on All-Stars, Heroes Vs. Villains, and Blood Vs. Water.
Throughout all of his appearances, Rupert has been a sound bite generator for fans, who have memorialized some of his biggest triumphs and missteps in quotes that are still referenced today. Rupert has earned his place in the Survivor hall of fame, and his quotes continue to bring fans laughter and tears to this day.
"Say Whatever You Want, Because It Doesn't Matter Anymore." - Heroes Vs. Villains
Always willing to play up the theme of a season, Rupert saw himself as a hero diametrically opposed to the dastardly villain Russell Hantz on Heroes Vs. Villains, the show's landmark twentieth season. Desperate to show the other villains that Russell was not to be trusted, Rupert provoked the aggressive strategist into blowing up at him.
Russell did blow up at Rupert, calling him out for his perceived piousness and greatness. Rupert responded with this line indicating that he got what he wanted from Russell, who had this episode in front of the rest of the players. However, it was not the saving grace Rupert needed, as Russell still outlasted him, making it to the final three.
"From The First Day We Were Blood Brother And Sister." - Pearl Islands
In Pearl Islands, Rupert and eventual winner Sandra formed an inseparable bond very early on. Sandra was blindsided by Rupert's exit from the competition in eighth place, but she went on to be in the final two. When casting his jury vote, it was clear what choice Rupert would make between Sandra and runner-up Lill Morris.
It's what Rupert said when he cast his final vote that's so memorable for fans. Amid a heartfelt speech about how proud he was of Sandra, Rupert delivered this line demonstrating just how close they were. Although Rupert's Survivor career was never as successful as Sandra's, the two will always be linked in fans' minds by their Pearl Islands experience.
"I'm Honored That I Get To Write Your Name Down Again And Give You A Million Dollars." - Heroes Vs. Villains
Heroes Vs. Villains marked several iconic moments in the show's history, including the reunion of Pearl Islands allies Rupert and Sandra. In a similar situation to their original season, Rupert went home in sixth place, and Sandra made it to Final Tribal Council. Although Rupert and Sandra did not have as strong a strategic bond on this season as they had on their first (Sandra even voted Rupert out), Rupert still cast his jury vote for his longtime friend.
In his voting confessional, Rupert once again expressed his pride for Sandra, including this sweet note about how honored he was to be a part of Sandra's historic second crowning. It's a heartwarming ending to a story arc years in the making.
"I Love Survivor, But I Love My Wife More." - Blood Vs. Water
At the very beginning of Blood Vs. Water, one tribe of Survivor alumni and one tribe of their loved ones each had to vote a tribemate off to go to Redemption Island at the very beginning of the game. Cook Islands player Candice Cody and Rupert's wife Laura Boneham were the victims of this twist. However, host Jeff Probst offered Rupert and Candice's husband John Cody the chance to swap places with their loved ones.
Rupert didn't hesitate to step over and switch places with Laura, heading straight for Redemption Island. At the first Redemption duel, Rupert lost and had to be the first to leave the game officially. Here he expressed his love in this way, indicating that he had no regrets about letting Laura play the game in his place.
"We Have Ripe Bananas All The Time, But We Let Them Ripen." - Heroes Vs. Villains
Bananas were a constant concern in the camp life of Heroes Vs. Villains, from James Clement discovering that the other heroes expect him to follow "banana etiquette" to Rupert's exchange with Danielle DiLorenzo at the first merge tribal about the food situation at their combined camp.
Rupert's concern that the villains are eating too many plantains and leaving bananas to ripen comes through in this hilarious quote that stands out in a tribal already packed with iconic moments. This quote also inspires Parvati Shallow's now-legendary announcement before her double idol play: "I think it would be downright depressing to sit and watch green bananas turn yellow without my debaucherous little villains."
"So Much For My Dreams." - Pearl Islands
It's always tough to be voted out of Survivor, especially when it's a player's first time in the game and the idea of a returnee season isn't around yet. When Rupert was blindsided at the final eight, his last words included this oft-quoted line that broke many fans' hearts at the time.
Rupert was such a looming presence in this season and in the hearts of fans, that these words not only perfectly encapsulate his own sadness about losing the game but also the sadness of viewers at home seeing him leave. His dream of winning wouldn't come true, but he would get to play the game he loved again three more times, making this scene bittersweet in hindsight.
"I Didn't Know They Made Such An Animal." - Pearl Islands
On the beaches of Pearl Islands, Rupert became an important asset for the Drake tribe when he started spear-fishing for them. During his adventures in fishing, he even discovered fish that he never knew existed, leading to this hilarious Rupert-ism that perfectly demonstrates his appeal to fans.
The fish in question was a saltwater catfish, and Rupert's delivery of the line propelled that little fish into Survivor history and himself into the hearts of America. This goodwill eventually led him to win "America's Tribal Council" and a million dollar payday during All-Stars.
"Digging Into The Sand Is The Dumbest Idea I've Ever Had In My Life." - All-Stars
Early in All-Stars, Rupert got into an infamous fight with Jerri Manthey over the building of the Saboga tribe's shelter. True to form, Rupert wanted to stand out from the crowd by building a log cabin, complete with a foundation dug into the sand. Jerri, however, saw problems with that plan right away.
As it turns out, Jerri was right, and the shelter was destroyed quickly by the first rainstorm Saboga faced. Rupert's self-deprecating confessional about how he was wrong to build the shelter this way and ignore Jerri's objections has become a legendary piece of dark humor in the Survivor fandom.
"Pirates Pillage. Pirates Steal. Pirates Take Advantage." - Pearl Islands
The theming of Pearl Islands was all about pirates, as could be seen all throughout the set and challenge design for the season. Rupert took to this aesthetic very quickly, stealing the Morgan tribe's supplies during the first challenge when they were left unattended. This move solidified itself into Survivor history as one of the most creative strategies in the show's history.
Rupert's justification for his thievery is this full of memorable quotes ("I've always said I will lie, cheat, and steal to win this game" comes to mind), but it's this catchy description of what pirates do, and therefore what Rupert does for the Drake tribe, that stands out all these years later.
"Who The Hell Voted For Me!?" - Pearl Islands
Rupert is known, generally, as a pretty positive guy, although his Survivor presence doesn't always corroborate this element of his persona. One of the show's most famous outbursts, in fact, comes from Rupert who received a vote from Johnny Fairplay unexpectedly at the previous tribal council.
Coming from Rupert's gruff voice, the question comes out with a roar heard around the Survivor world. This moment is still one of fans' most remembered Rupert moments, and it's a prime example of the controversy within the fandom surrounding Rupert's fan-favorite status.