‘Survive the Raft’: Meet the Cast (PHOTOS)
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Those who enjoy watching shows like Survivor, The Amazing Race, and Naked and Afraid will probably want to check out Discovery‘s Survive the Raft, premiering on Sunday, July 30.
Based on a 1973 social experiment to see if humans can work together as a peaceful, unified group to achieve a common goal, the series is hosted by Nate Boyer and sees nine diverse contestants set sail on the Acali II for 21 days to test whether personal interest will sabotage the team’s chance to win a fortune together. TV Insider is exclusively introducing the cast and sharing key facts about each contestant, below.
On Survive the Raft, each successful mission adds money to a communal cash pot that will be divided equally among those who make it to the end. Every week, participants will be tasked with completing physical and intellectual challenges designed to disrupt and divide the group. At the end of each episode, the crew must decide whether to continue as a group or swap one of their own for a new participant. Will the good for all outweigh the good for one?
Scroll down to meet the cast of the new competition series.
Survive the Raft, Series Premiere, Sunday, July 30, Discovery Channel
CJ Duffie, 29 (Miami, FL)
- As a Marine Biologist, he has worked internationally on boats for months at a time, with a small, often disparate crew, so he’s ready for this adventure.
- In close quarters, getting along is a means of survival and CJ knows what it’s like to meet people of all walks of life and quickly get them to work together.
- He has 20 years of freediving experience all over the world, clocking over 17,500 hours underwater in the last year alone.
- CJ gravitates towards ‘real’ and ‘down to earth’ people.
- He has extensive knowledge in fish species, and knows how to catch, clean and cook them with minimal gear.
Elliot Capella, 30 (Richmond, VA)
- Born in San Antonio and raised all over the United States, Elliot was your typical military brat, always having to find a way to fit in every time the family moved.
- He was an all-star athlete all of his life, but now he focuses solely on body building.
- Elliot is as friendly as can be, but he has a cunning nature. He grew up playing team sports, but he was not afraid to play dirty to score a goal.
- With an engineer’s mind and an Apollo physicality, Elliot has the brains and brawn to make it to the end of the challenge.
- He can build and fix anything without an instruction manual.
Jonathan Dade, 38 (Georgetown, TX)
- Jonathan studied to become a Rabbi and now leads a congregation of more than 100 people.
- He’s a warm, open-minded leader but is unafraid to stand up for himself or his community. Jonathan is very protective and will fight to keep his place of power.
- As a black man in Texas, Jonathan has faced plenty of discrimination. He says, “Racists get mad when you have a voice” – and Jonathan’s unafraid to shout.
- Diet, exercise, meditation, hygiene and avoiding tobacco and alcohol are huge proponents of his lifestyle that won’t just disappear because he’s living on a boat.
- Jonathan’s oceanic and boat-driving experience comes from his service as a naval officer.
Lashanna Lintamo, 36 (Dunnigan, CA)
- A fourth-generation metal welder, Lashanna is a grade-A badass.
- As a foreperson, she is used to managing a large group of often badly behaved men, so she will have no problem donning her hard hat on the boat and taking control.
- Lashanna tries to live sustainably by growing her own food at her home.
- She’s also an avid outdoor enthusiast and loves to hike and camp. She is accustomed to sleeping on dirt floors and walking miles for water in her African travels, so this experience should be a piece of cake.
Maddie Witt, 25 (Chattanooga, TN)
- Maddie is one hell of a shot with a gun (her family calls her Annie Oakley) and she’s great at archery, which she practices often.
- Alpha boomer men are usually her worst enemies, especially those who assume she isn’t strong or capable.
- Maddie’s survival knowledge extends from her childhood growing up in the water.
- She now lives on a river in Tennessee and spends her free time renting out kayaking and water sports equipment to tourists.
- Maddie also works as a non-profit coordinator, helping out charities.
- Maddie also has knowledge and experience in deep-sea fishing which will help out on the boat. With great hand-eye coordination – developed with her fire-throwing skills – she’ll be able to learn new skills on the boat quickly.
Merissa Underwood, 29 (Missoula, MT)
- Growing up in a farming community in rural California, Merissa watched in horror as pigs were mistreated at county fairs and local Future Farmers of America events. Inspired to stop animal abuse, she became vegan and dedicated her entire life to animal rights.
- After moving temporarily to Montana, a state where her parents lived and has always felt like a second home, she represented Montana in Miss USA, the biggest beauty pageant in the country.
- Merissa is trained in both CPR and First Aid. She is also a skilled horsewoman, which has helped her get good at tying knots.
- A strong swimmer, Merissa was also a river rafting instructor.
Russell Ellis, 38 (Stafford, VA)
- Russell grew up as a mountain boy from North Carolina and is now a father of five kids.
- A skilled interrogator, he will read people and use the information he gains to manipulate the game to his advantage.
- He will sleep with one eye open and his tough talk is not for the weak.
- Like any good southern boy, he can hunt and fish, but his time in the military also taught him survival techniques to withstand extremely cold, hot, windy, or wet terrains.
Summer Homayed, 41 (Dearborn, MI)
- With four sons and a daughter, Summer knows what it’s like to be the mama bear and protect what she loves.
- Summer is loud, fierce, and brutally honest, with unending energy. In everything she does, she brings passion and determination.
- Since she is a trained chef, she wants to cook to get on people’s good side. Summer knows cooking brings people together and it’s a great activity to get to know each other.
- She grew up on a lake so she’s familiar with boating, fishing and basic survival skills.
Tara Colucci, 36 (Long Island, New York)
- Her mother died when she was 12, and Tara was left alone in the world. She made it her mission to start a family of her own to give her future kids the pure childhood she never had.
- Unapologetically patriotic and steadfast in her conservative beliefs, Tara is known to ruffle the feathers of her liberal Facebook friends.
- She wears being put in “Facebook Jail” as a badge of honor, and she’ll post her Trump 2024 support anytime and anywhere she can.
- Tara is scrappy and a fighter: her relentless fire and determination will get her far.
Conversation23 Comments
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R
Marissa, needs to look in the mirror because she is a Karen.
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O
Marissa is one of the worst people I’ve ever seen on reality tv. She pretended to feel threatened by a situation that had nothing to do with her because she clearly felt uncomfortable with diversity. Rather than use this experiment to grow and unlearn racist stereotypes/ attitudes she used white fragility to get someone kicked off the show. Marissa is the definition of trash
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G
Absolutely agree 100%!!
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B
I think Jimmy and Garrett are very conniving and just suck as people. I hope karma gets them both
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O
I am glad that they voted Lashaunna out. Hope they vote Russell out next!
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G
Summer homayed is 41! 🤣🤣 im 41 but thank you.
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C
🤔
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P
I think it’s a show of narcissist for narcissist and find no entertainment value at all. Guy who manipulates the rest and claims to be the captain now would shoot his own mother in the back for a chance to steal the Pennie’s off a dead man’s eye’s. The rest couldn’t tell he was playing them like a well worn Stradivarius. Had enough of the show and will find something more entertaining.
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B
What do I think.. hmmm, I think Tara and Marissa are going to tear the team apart. They both have the mentality that everyone should think exactly like them, completely disregarding the fact that everyone brings a uniqueness and a different mentality to the table. I think Elliot, Maddie, and Russell are the Best players in this game. They should have kept Lashauna and CJ though. Even tho they had their differences they were working thru it. I don’t know how everyone didn’t see thru Marissas play when she got Lashauna thrown out. She pulled the little scared white girl card and no one even caught on. Like Lashauna was really going to hurt her on a filmed experiment. Come on now people. And Tara saying she had to make sure everyone felt safe…
That was just wrong.
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P
Problem with this world too many people can’t see past the color of someone’s skin, you included. We all fall short of the Glory of God.
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P
I think the mean girls group is failing to see the big picture here. Its a competition not a high school popularity contest. Tara and Marissa ( the cry baby) are hypocrites.
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C
Didn't marissa cussed then out for bringing the chickens, 'fuck you guys " she said. Fear for her life since when? If it was a marissa talking about the chicken, they will listen? Nope
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B
Summer Homayed was born in 1981.
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J
I think this show is idiotic. I personally like Tara she isn't afraid to speak her mind and I love that in people. Can't stand people who kiss ass or try to compromise just to keep peace. And now that I read she is a Trump supporter she's my favorite and I want her to win all the money. If I was doing this challenge thought I would want to be holding Maddie.
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V
I think that Russell is the most rational person on the raft. He is trying to have understanding of the people on the raft. He is there trying to be a willing participant. He was hurt and still tried to help the other people on the raft. He appears to have an open mindset. We need more people like him. He was willing to put his neck on the line for the common good of the group. God Bless!
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B
he’s definitely playing the game with a winner’s mentality, he’s got everyone on that boat eating out of his one good hand.. lol 🤷🏻♀️
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R
Merissa and the others who voted LaShauna off the Raft have ruined it for me.
Let's call it for what it is...RACISM! Merissa was uncomfortable being in such close quarters with a Black Person (LaShauna). The others were just as bad. Instead of questioning Merissa's unreasonable "fear" they supported it.
There was nothing that transpired that should have left Merissa "in fear for her life". What BS!!!
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C
Not a rabbi, a messianic Christian
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C
All Christians are "messianic"
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R
Merissa and the rest of the girls are clearly racist. Thank you for revealing this!
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O
Merissa is a definition of a Karen.
White women who have gotten whole black communities and many black men killed in past history.
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V
I was actually triggered by some of the verbiage that was taken against Lashaunna. "I was scared for my personal safety" That is something that I have experienced in my life as a women of African decent. Black women are not protected but, as soon as a white women says they feel scared for their safety they are believed whether it is true or not. It brought me back to the Central Park incident when the women called the police on the black man bird watching. As a black women you can't get upset because you are considered an "angry black women." I cried because I felt her pain. I couldn't sleep that night I watched this episode. I was so triggered by what she went through. I think that this was not the experiment it should have been because how can you learn about people from all walks of life when you eliminate the "Threat." I think that if they decide to do an experiment like this again it needs to be more inclusive so that there is a better understanding of people from all walks of life without elimination. The experiment is not true to the 1973 experiment. I don't feel that lashaunna felt protected either. God Bless!
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R
Merissa and those who followed her lead in getting Lashauna kicked off the raft are the true racist here. This is an absolute clear example of how racism plays out in the American society. I was actually enjoying the show until this happened. Just lost a viewer, thanks to Merissa and the rest of the Klan.
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