Survivor 5: Thailand

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Jeff Probst Chat Transcript 09/17/02

SURVIVOR Host: There are lots of great questions, so let's get to as many as we can! If you're just joining us, we're chatting live with SURVIVOR Host Jeff Probst. Hi, Jeff! Thanks for spending some time to chat with us today. Are you ready for some questions? Jeff Probst: Let's get to it! Visitor: Hey Jeff, what is your favorite part about hosting SURVIVOR? Jeff Probst: Grilling the people at Tribal Council. I love a good give-and-take, and I love playing with really smart players. Visitor: Is Thailand going to be a lot different than the other settings SURVIVOR was taped in? Jeff Probst: It's different in a couple of ways. One difference is that this island has caves. It used to be a prison, then the prisoners rebelled and became pirates and took advantage of unsuspecting tourists. They would steal their money and hide the money deep in these caves, and these caves still exist and have bats in them. So, it's got a scary component, and it's a great cover from the rain. Visitor: What makes Thailand a difficult challenge for the contestants? Jeff Probst: The other fifteen people: this is a really combative group. From a weather point of view, it's hot like Africa, but it's also really humid and it zaps your energy quickly, so these guys were really tired three days into the show. In addition, it's the monsoon season, so at night they often got a heavy downpour of rain, which made it uncomfortable to go to bed because they were wet, only to wake up in the morning and start all over again. Visitor: Which SURVIVOR location do you think has been the hardest for the contestants? Jeff Probst: Africa, no question. They were living in huts made out of elephant poop, it's 100 to 115 degrees every day, and they had absolutely no water for relief. Visitor: Jeff, how would you compare this cast to previous ones? Jeff Probst: This is the most combative cast we've had, and they were very physical. In fact, in the third episode all three days on the island, at the challenges and at Tribal Council, it's very physical and tense. They were combative with me as well, which made for a very fun game. Visitor: Who picks the location of SURVIVOR? Jeff Probst: The locations are picked by a group of people. We all have input. We send a location team out to scout the location, and based on the ability to put our base camp on this island, which has to house 400 people, and the ability to find two good camps for our tribes, and knowing that we can get our gear in and on and off the island, we then attempt to make a deal with the government of that country. So, it's a very involved process to find a location. Visitor: Is there ever going to be a cold snowy location ? Jeff Probst: We pick locations right now that are tropical, because we've found that's what works best. We want the relief of water, we don't mind a bit of skin and bathing suits, and for the audience I think it's a bit more fun than going to a cold environment, because imagine Colby and Elisabeth dressed up in parkas! It wouldn't be as much fun! The other problem with a cold environment is that it's harder to survive because your body shuts down. I don't think it would be very entertaining either. Visitor: How many applications do they receive for SURVIVOR? I thought mine was good, maybe too good, that is why I didn't make it. They probably thought I was psycho biting the head off a snake in my video (it was a rubber snake), but the fake blood was a nice touch. Maybe I'll make #7! Jeff Probst: We get about 50,000 videos for each season, and rather than responding to your tape, I'll give everybody advice on what we look for. You're looking for relatability, meaning, if you're a young mother of two, you probably don't want to portray yourself as a stripper. If you're a young, 23-year-old college female, you want to be active, athletic, adventuresome. In addition, you have to have a point of view. We look at you and say, what would you give us on our show? Which character will you be? So, biting the head off a snake might be funny, but what does that say about you as a person? So, the next time you do a video, all we're looking for is WHO YOU ARE. There is no right or wrong answer in applying for SURVIVOR, but it's important that we know you are who you say you are. That's where people make the mistake in their videotapes: by trying to be too clever when they should just be clear. Now, go work on tapes for number 7! Visitor: How much latitude do the producers have on creating rules on the fly? i.e.: When in Africa you all of a sudden had people changing tribes. Jeff Probst: Zero. Nothing is done on the fly. Everything is charted out in advance. We knew we were going to switch tribes. We knew what day, and within a couple of hours we knew what time. There is a lawyer from CBS on site at all times whose job it is to make sure that the game is fair. Visitor: Jeff, what's your favorite Thai dish? Jeff Probst: I'm big on noodles: noodles and spicy sauce. I've had enough Thai food to last me for a while, though. I'm sticking to Mexican for the time being. Visitor: Do you ever eat what the Survivors eat? Jeff Probst: I always try every Food Challenge before we do it. I ate the grubs in season 1, I ate worms in season 2, I drank cow's blood in season 3 (which was warm and salty, by the way) and I even tried that nasty fish call Fafaru. Visitor: Jeff, you rock, and so does SURVIVOR. My question: Were you ever attracted to anyone on any of the SURVIVOR shows? Jeff Probst: [laughs] Someone just asked me this question at lunch. Yes, I have been attracted to a couple of Survivors whose names I won't mention. I think that's natural when you remember that I've met now 80 Survivors, which means I've met 40 women, and lots of them are pretty. And I'm single. [laughs] The odds are good that one of them will be attracted to me, or me to them. And while I'm not attracted to Colby, I have become very good friends with him, which is a nice benefit of this job. Visitor: Who was that sexy brunette you were seen with at the Primetime Emmys this past weekend? Jeff Probst: [laughs] Wow! That is my girlfriend, and she is verrrrry sexy. She's an artist who lives in California, and I think I had the sexiest date there that night. Visitor: Do you get lonely being away from home for so long during the year? Jeff Probst: The traveling for SURVIVOR is a good news, bad news scenario. You're away from home for a long time, you miss your girlfriend, you miss your friends, and at times you get very homesick. On the other hand, I got to spend two months in Africa, waking up with giraffes, elephants, zebras not 200 feet away from me. That's a trade-off I'm willing to make at this point in my life. Visitor: Did you stay in Thailand the whole time, or do you leave from time to time? Jeff Probst: I had one day where I was able to leave for several hours, and I took a boat to a small village called Hat Yai, where I had the only decent meal. [laughs] I stopped in at a Sizzler. Can you believe they had a Sizzler in the middle of nowhere in Thailand? The best chicken sandwich I ever had, and then it was back to the beach. Visitor: What are your living arrangements while away? Tent? Or do you get better accommodations? Jeff Probst: For the most part, we all live in tents. We build a place we call "Tent City" that houses 400 of us. We put in showers, which are nothing to write home about; we put in toilets; we build an area to eat; we create an area for our marine department, which transports everyone by boat to Challenges; we have a place for our helicopter; we build a building for our medical staff; we build a production office; we build a Challenge office and we build an Internet cafe so the crew can stay in touch with their families. So, you can imagine how massive this production is! Visitor: Hey Jeff, did you have a good time in Thailand? I have always dreamt of visiting it; the scenery looks beautiful! Jeff Probst: I had a lot of fun in Thailand and you're right, it is beautiful. In fact, during the afternoon when I had a couple of hours free, I used it to learn to surf. Some of the best surfing in the world is there, and the people are absolutely delightful. Visitor: What kind of wildlife can we expect to see in Thailand? Are there monkeys? Jeff Probst: There are monkeys, there are monitor lizards, there are snakes. Two snakes in particular: the world's longest snake, the Reticulated Python, and the King Cobra. I had a run-in with the King Cobra, but I think the high humidity had gotten to him, because when he went to strike, I think he fell asleep, so I walked on by. Visitor: Jeff, is it true it will be boys versus girls? Jeff Probst: No. How's that for an answer? That's part of the fun that we like to have with the audience, and we know the audience likes to have fun with us by guessing, so with only two days left, I can tell you it's not boys against girls. I wonder if you can guess what it might be? Visitor: Jeff, what was your favorite SURVIVOR show to date? I just love watching you with the Survivors; you're a great host. Jeff Probst: Thank you for the compliment. My favorite seasons are the first one and the second one. The first one because it was the first, and there will never be anything like that again. The second one because it all came together: an amazing cast, fires, floods, a pig-killing, a guy falling in the fire, they run out of rice as a tribe and have to trade me their entire camp to get more, and the incredible finish where Colby takes Tina instead of the sure thing, Keith. I don't know if it can get any better than that. Visitor: Which Survivor was the biggest jerk? Jeff Probst: I have to limit it to one? That's an unfair question, because the conditions are so tough that many times people aren't putting their best selves forward. But there have definitely been some people on the show that if I never see them again, it won't bother me. You can probably figure out who they are. Visitor: I was wondering how many cameramen you have filming a Challenge--on the average? Jeff Probst: On average, we have between ten and fifteen cameramen. That includes cameramen that are getting tight close up shots and cameramen who are half a mile away on a rock with a really long lens, and our cameraman up in the helicopter getting those great aerial shots. The key to covering a Challenge is not how many cameras you have, but what you do with them. Visitor: About how many hours of tape do you film a day? Do you film 24-7? Jeff Probst: Yes, our cameras never turn off, which is why we have 300 hours of tape for every hour that's on the air. Our cameramen and producers are with them when they go to bed and when they wake up and all day in between. Visitor: Hi Jeff. What are your day-to-day responsibilities during the show when you are not actively on-camera? Jeff Probst: I'm part of the team that decides how a Challenge should work, that decides what we want to accomplish at Tribal Council. All of those decisions on the show I've been lucky enough to always be a part of. So for me, the show is always going; you're always working. Being on-camera is just one element of it, but the preparation is much more significant. That's where all the decisions are made. Once the cameras get there, you're flyin' by the seat of your pants. Visitor: Have you ever secretly rooted for a Survivor? Jeff Probst: I think in the first season, to be totally honest, I probably was rooting for people in the beginning, but within the first few days I realized two things: one, my rooting wasn't going to help or hurt anyone, so why bother? And two, we had a great show no matter who won. So now, I don't root for anybody, and I tell them that at the beginning. I don't care who wins; I just want it to be fair. Visitor: Jeff, is there ever going to be an All-Star SURVIVOR? Jeff Probst: I think there probably will be. We've talked about it quite a bit. The scary part is, the Survivors themselves have talked about it even more. There are already secret alliances on the Internet, so we have to find another way to play the game. Otherwise, Richard Hatch doesn't stand a chance. Visitor: Would you ever have tried out for SURVIVOR if you had the chance? Jeff Probst: I would LOVE to be on SURVIVOR. I couldn't win SURVIVOR. My ego and my big mouth, sooner or later, would get me in trouble. It takes incredible discipline to succeed at this game. You really have to know when to bite your tongue or, as Kenny Rogers says, "Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em". Visitor: Have you ever been injured on this or past SURVIVORs? Jeff Probst: On Season One I was stung in the nether regions by a jellyfish. That hurt. On Season Two I peed accidentally on an electric fence. That really hurt. On Season Three in Africa I was stung on the Achilles heel by a scorpion. THAT killed! In Marquesas, while diving on an off day with Mark, I got nitrogen narcosis and tempted my fate by getting too close to a shark. We wound up very far from our dive boat and were very lucky we didn't run into trouble. And in Thailand, as I mentioned earlier, I had a run-in with a King Cobra. Fortunately, he was too lethargic to do anything but sleep. Visitor: I heard that the first Survivor cast made fun of you when you said, "the tribe has spoken." Have you been mocked every season? Jeff Probst: No, only the first season and only the first few Tribal Councils. I knew it was funny, but I also knew that we were creating something original, and the only way for it to work was to commit to it and stick with it and hope that the audience would understand by the end of the show that I was in on the joke. Visitor: Have you ever sneaked any items to Survivors? Jeff Probst: On a daily basis I pick out the really cute girls and try to toss them an extra Snickers or diet Pepsi, and then I invite them back to my tent to chat. WHAT, ARE YOU CRAZY?! Do I think I'd risk the best job on TV by doing anything like that?! I love it when they're starving. It makes me laugh. I'm sick that way. You've heard of Dr. Evil? Welcome to Dr. Jeff! [laughs] Visitor: Why do you wear the same shirt and shorts on every show? Jeff Probst: [laughs] I'm laughing because it's funny--you're right. The truth is, those shirts only come in khaki and blue, so this season we actually dyed some a different color because I (like you) was sick of light blue. But just to be sentimental, I did wear a light blue shirt in the first episode as a goodbye. Visitor: How has being the host of SURVIVOR changed your life? Jeff Probst: From a career point of view, I now have a career, which affords you other opportunities in your profession. So much of this profession is based on your past success, so you need success before you can get the opportunity to have any more success. On a personal level, it's changed me dramatically. It would be hard to explain over the computer, but I'm a very different person in how I look at life and what's important. I now realize that ultimately all that really matters in my life is whom I love and how I love them. I know that may sound a little corny, but that's what spending five seasons on an island will do to you. Visitor: Has there ever been any sex on the show that you know of? Jeff Probst: I don't think so. Maybe Greg and Colleen. Maybe Jenna and Gervase. I've heard that rumor a lot, that Greg and Colleen were a decoy, but I don't know how they would have hidden from our cameras, If I had to bet, I would say no one has had sex...on the show. After the show's over? Well, that's a whole different story. Visitor: Hi Jeff, do you get to hang out with the tribe members once they have been voted off? Visitor: Where do the Survivors go after they are booted? Jeff Probst: They're taken to a secret location, and I usually go over at some point and check in to see how they're doing, to say hi, but that's it. They're out of the game, but the game is still going, and that's where my attention is focused. The time for making friends can only come after the show is over. Visitor: Hey Jeff--your sense of humor is what makes SURVIVOR interesting. Do the cast members get to see a lighter side of you? Jeff Probst: Definitely. We joke around a lot. I realize that this is an amazing experience for them, and I want them to have as much fun as possible. Having said that, I'll tell you what I tell them before we begin the show: this is going to be an adventure of high highs and low lows, and when you're down, that'll be me with my foot on your chest, and when you're up, I'll be the first one to high-five you, but nothing in between. Visitor: Anyone ever try to bribe you? Jeff Probst: [laughs] No, but I did have a fun wager with Ethan in Africa. We were getting ready for a challenge, and I picked up a rock and said "I'll bet you 500 African dollars that I can hit that tree (which was about 60 feet away)." He still had money left over from the auction and said "Okay." I launched the rock and split it right down the middle! At the next challenge, Ethan brought me my shillings. That was a fun and funny moment. Visitor: If you were to get hurt/sick during filming, who would step in for you and fulfill your duties? Jeff Probst: Great question! This just came up in Thailand, because we lost so many crewmembers to mosquito-borne illnesses. Mark said we would stop the show and wait for me to get better, but that was Mark trying to make me feel important. You and I both know he's itching to get his hands on that snuffer. So, I imagine that Mark Burnett would step in himself and finish the show. Visitor: Is it becoming more difficult to keep the outcome of the show a secret? How do the producers intend to keep it hush-hush as the show gets more popular and attempts to discover details become more common? Jeff Probst: Keeping the secret is our biggest challenge once the show is over. Ultimately, there is no way to absolutely ensure the secrecy. It comes down to trust. Many of our crewmembers know what went on, and certainly the 16 Survivors know what went on. We try to make them realize that we are all part of this together and that any one of us talking will only spoil it for everyone else. We've been very lucky so far. I hope our luck continues. Visitor: If you were a contestant, what would be your luxury item? Jeff Probst: Good question. Let me think...I would probably bring a book, if they would let me, called "The Hero with A Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell, because secretly that book would help me with my strategy. Jeff Probst: I might even try gluing a different cover to the outside of the book to see if I could get away with it. Visitor: Do the Survivors see or smell the food that the cameramen, etc., eat? Jeff Probst: No. Our base camp is a long way from their camp, but sometimes just for fun I'll leave a little bit of chocolate on my upper lip when I show up for a Challenge. Visitor: What was the luxury item you thought was the funniest? Jeff Probst: Gabe's teddy bear. I mean, come on, Gabe! I love you, but what were you thinking?! Visitor: Are there rules for the luxury items? Why wouldn't someone just take a Swiss Army knife? Jeff Probst: Your luxury item cannot be survival-related. The idea behind a luxury item is something that has value to you emotionally: a picture of your child, an American flag might have value for someone, a favorite good luck locket, that kind of thing. So, they submit a list of five items, and we tell them which one they can bring. Visitor: Have you kept in contact with any of the past Survivors? Jeff Probst: I'm very good friends with Colby. In fact, I just appeared on the Caroline Rhea show, and they surprised me with a visit from Colby. I also stay in touch with Ethan and Gina and Lex. Visitor: What was the funniest mishap that ever happened in any Challenge? Jeff Probst: Another good question. There have been lots of funny moments. The first one that comes to mind is the Challenge in Africa, when the huge boulders rolled over the Survivors. What makes that particularly enjoyable for me is that when we planned the Challenge, that's exactly what we hoped would happen. Visitor: Jeff, the new season starts Thursday. What can we expect to see on Thursday's show? Jeff Probst: A very fun and new way to begin the show, a little bit of nudity, an exciting first Challenge and the most ornate and beautiful Tribal Council we've ever had. We built our Tribal Council based on the Thai temples, and there is incense burning and shiny gold things hanging and their torches are made of gold, so it was funny to see smelly, gross Survivors walking in to what looked like a palace. SURVIVOR Host: Well everyone, our time with Jeff is up. Jeff, thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us today. Any final comments for the fans? Jeff Probst: GREAT questions today! You really made me think of how much fun this show is. Just know that when we are producing the show we are always thinking of you guys (the audience). We always want to keep it exciting without ever betraying the show that we know you've come to expect. SURVIVOR Host: Thanks for joining us, everyone. Tune in to premiere of SURVIVOR: THAILAND this Thursday at 8pm ET/PT, only on CBS. And don't forget to check www. cbs.com/survivor for all the latest SURVIVOR info. See you next time! Visitor: Thanks Jeff. Visitor: Love you, Jeff. Visitor: We love you, Jeff. You're a great host! Visitor: Thanks, Jeff....very interesting! Visitor: Bye, Jeff Visitor: Thanks, Jeff. You ROCK! Visitor: Bye Jeff! Visitor: Thanks! Visitor: Thanks for making us laugh, Jeff. Visitor: You are the hottest thing on SURVIVOR! :) Visitor: We love you! Visitor: Looking forward to it! Visitor: Thanks a million! Visitor: See you Thursday, Jeff! Visitor: Bye Jeff. Visitor: Have fun! Visitor: We love you, Jeff. Visitor: Bye Jeff. Visitor: Great job, Jeff. We love you!