Reality TV star Jonny Fairplay is mourning the loss of his beloved grandmother, Ellen Jean Hauser, who passed away on Friday at Embrace Hospice House in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The cause of death was kidney failure.
A Reality TV Icon’s Infamous Lie Comes Full Circle
Jonny, known for one of the most infamous moments in Survivor history, first gained notoriety when he faked his grandmother’s death during Survivor: Pearl Islands in 2003 to gain a strategic advantage. The deception, which shocked viewers and contestants alike, was later revealed as a complete fabrication—cementing Jonny’s status as one of the show’s most notorious villains.
Despite the backlash, Survivor host Jeff Probst called it “the greatest lie in ‘Survivor’ history”, though he also criticized Jonny, labeling him “completely despicable” and “an absolute jackass”.
Ellen Jean Hauser: A Larger-Than-Life Personality
Jonny says his grandmother embraced her unexpected fame following the viral Survivor moment, even sporting a “Dead Grandma” vanity license plate as a humorous nod to the controversy.
Beyond her association with reality TV drama, Ellen led a fascinating life. She was married seven times, and Jonny shares that she dated country music star Faron Young and even had a fling with actor and singer Robert Goulet.
A Loving Grandmother Above All Else
Despite the legend surrounding her connection to Survivor, Jonny insists that his grandmother was much more than a pop culture anecdote.
“I’ll miss her every day. It’s easy to think she was just part of one of the biggest lies in TV history, which made me famous, but I look at her place in my life as a loving grandparent who only wanted the best for me in my life, and she’d do anything to help me get it, which she did.”
Jonny also shared his grandmother’s final words, revealing her unshakable sense of humor even in her last moments:
“Her dying words were something like, ‘Jonny, I want to see you on ‘Survivor 50,’ ‘Traitors,’ and ‘Deal or No Deal Island.’ I had no idea she had so many streaming services.”
Remembering Ellen Jean Hauser
Ellen Jean Hauser was 90 years old at the time of her passing. Though she became part of reality TV lore, she will ultimately be remembered by those closest to her as a devoted family member with an adventurous spirit and a great sense of humor.
RIP, Ellen Jean Hauser.
