As a gamer who’s spent countless hours binge-watching reality TV shows, I can’t help but appreciate the theatrics and showmanship that Jeff Probst brings to Survivor. His elaborate vote deliveries were always a highlight of the series for me, especially the jet ski stunt from Season 6 – that was pure gold!
The Paris Olympics, which were fantastic by the way, ended with a little nod toward Los Angeles’ upcoming hosting gig in 2028. The movie star of all movie stars Tom Cruise jumped from the top of the Stade de France and landed in the middle of the stadium, where he took the Olympic flag from Simone Biles and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and then jumped on a motorcycle. After boarding a plane, he was later shown skydiving onto the Hollywood sign and doing some alterations to make the iconic landmark look like the Olympic Rings. The over the top spectacle was well-received by most viewers and went viral immediately, but for fans of Survivor, it generated some additional feelings too.
The process of grabbing something in a really showy and outrageous manner and dropping it off in another location via an elaborate video package involving strange modes of transportation is the Jeff Probst special. At the end of every season of Survivor, each member of the jury votes for who they want to win. Those votes are then placed in a distinctive urn. Nowadays, they’re read immediately at Tribal Council, but when Survivor was at the peak of its popularity, they would be read during a reunion special. For awhile, the show went through a phase where it would have Probst grab those votes, walk off set and travel back to The United States in an elaborate video montage that would involve an unusual method of travel.
Following Tom Cruise’s Olympic skit, Entertainment Weekly contacted Probst, but he wasn’t a newcomer to such inquiries. Friends began texting him right away, and it’s clear that he enjoyed the interaction. This is what he shared with the publication…
I found the comparisons delightful. Many people messaged me saying, “Probst, it seems Tom Cruise is doing his own Survivor! He’s bringing the votes back from the island, just like you!” This led to my first thought: Could it be that he’s copying me, or have I been emulating him all this time?
Fans of Survivor are always debating about which stunt host Probst did that was the best or most outrageous, but in my opinion, it’s undoubtedly Season 6. At the conclusion of Survivor Amazon, he picked up the votes and hopped onto a waiting jet ski. He then performed a playful U-turn to splash water, and a montage suggested that he was jet skiing all the way from Brazil to New York City – an astonishing distance of over 3,000 miles! Afterward, he took the subway to reach the Ed Sullivan Theater for the reunion special.
Although his stunt may seem similar to something Tom Cruise might do, it’s important to note that Jeff Probst also had an adventurous moment when he piloted a prop plane back to the U.S., jumped out and parachuted down, then rode a motorcycle all the way to CBS Studios in Los Angeles. Looking back, Probst acknowledges that while it was exciting, he’s not quite in the same league as Tom Cruise, a realization that became clearer to him after watching the Olympics.
Man, I’m no Tom Cruise. That dude jumped on his motorcycle and rode through the streets, and then jumped out of a helicopter. I’m surprised he didn’t catch a bad guy in the progress! That was super fun.
For quite some time, enthusiasts have been advocating for the return of complex vote deliveries in Survivor, but since the reality competition series altered its format due to Covid-19, there hasn’t been a necessity for it. The seasons became shorter, numerous twists were introduced (some might argue, excessively), and crucially for this narrative, the reunion show where votes are read began to be filmed promptly.
In this format, the competitors exhibit genuine and unfiltered emotions without prolonged waits to learn the winner or potential betrayal in the final round of voting. This setup is likely less costly for production as well. However, as Season 50 approaches with all returning players, some viewers anticipate a traditional reunion show might be featured. If that’s the case, there’s a strong possibility we could see another emotional montage starring Jeff Probst once again. Here’s hoping!
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2024-08-25 16:37