Image Credit: CBS

Each week, host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of ‘Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites’. Here, he talks about Sunday’s finale and reunion show.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So Cochran wins in a landslide. This is a guy that almost talked himself into getting voted off at the very first Tribal Council in South Pacific. Is this the biggest maturation of a player we’ve seen from a first season to a second?
JEFF PROBST: I can’t think of a bigger transformation than Cochran. It was on all levels. His emotional intelligence is already very high but I think he said it best at the live show — he accepted who he was and turned what had been paralyzing quirks into devastating assets. One of my favorite winners of all time. I’m really proud of him and happy for him and I love what he represents for people brave enough to go for their dream. READ FULL STORY »

Image Credit: CBS

Each week, host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of ‘Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites’.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I’ve always said there is little upside to winning the loved ones challenge. You either piss people off by not selecting to include them, or become too likable by giving up your own visit for others. And yet people keep trying to win the damn thing! Give any future Survivor contestants reading this a compelling reason to win this challenge.
JEFF PROBST: CONTROL. And often FOOD. Two big reasons that it’s hard to pass up. I agree with you that it can be tricky to navigate and if you don’t feel comfortable with your people skills or on the fly negotiating then maybe best to not worry so much about this one. No question in my mind I would play to win and I would use my power to negotiate. Nobody ever comes out and says — “How badly do you wanna hang with mom?” While you can’t enforce any promise in this game, it’s still huge leverage. Then I’d say to my mom “Love ya, mom, but I’m trading you in for a vote!  I’ll see ya back home. Now scat!” READ FULL STORY »

Image Credit: Greg Gayne/CBS

Each week, host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of ‘Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites’.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Let’s start off with a question about the first immunity challenge in which the players had to balance their feet on narrow footholds. I’m too lazy to go compile stats to back this up, but these types of challenges always seem to clearly favor women with smaller feet. Much in the way that strength challenges are now done by percentage of body weight so that bigger men do not have an unfair advantage, has there ever been any thought to evening these types of contests out somehow — especially considering how the two smallest women went for hours longer than anyone else?
JEFF PROBST: Nope. Maybe we should. Our goal is to keep the challenges uneven, unpredictable, and yet hopefully still as fair as possible. There certainly isn’t a science to it and there is always room for improvement even when things aren’t broken. I’ll bring it up to the challenge department. It’s a note worth exploring. READ FULL STORY »

Image Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Each week, host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of ‘Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites’.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Jeff, you have to explain it to me because it drives me batty every single time. I know they are all starving. I get that. But why do people at the food auction not wait and spend every single dollar of their money on the items that can help them in the game? Malcolm and Cochran both got their idol clue and challenge advantage for less than $500! How can that happen?
JEFF PROBST: The beauty of Survivor is that there are always, I repeat, always people who are certain they are safe. For those people the auction is free food! There is also a strategy that says even though I am not certain I’m safe, if I show my alliance that I am concerned by going for an advantage at the auction they make think I am planning a move of my own and it may backfire, so better to stay with the crowd and go with the flow. As for how Cochran and Malcolm stole the clue and advantage – that is a good observation. I’m guessing people were so focused on the food in front of them they just stopped paying attention. Those who pay attention are often rewarded. Onward now, grasshopper. READ FULL STORY »

Image credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Each week, host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of ‘Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites’.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I was never a fan of the smoothie food challenge because I felt putting the contents into liquid form toned down the gnarly factor a bit. So I was very happy to see the contestants back to suffering while attempting to put down the food in its original form. But why the decision on your end to go old school as opposed to smoothie style?
JEFF PROBST: Typically it goes like this — if we have great, organic, unusual types of food for them to eat then we do it “old school.” Sometimes we want to do a gross food eating but we only have typical sea creatures like octopus or squid — not unusual enough to warrant the old school approach so we try the smoothie. I do agree with you however and think the smoothie approach may be retired. Once again, Dalton Ross impacting the future of Survivor. Now if we could just get rid of that final three. READ FULL STORY »

Image credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Each week, host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of ‘Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites’.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Please say something about Julia since we did not hear her say anything all season long. And what are your thoughts on the flavor vanilla?
JEFF PROBST: Julia. Well, in fairness to Julia I think part of the reason you didn’t hear much from her is because she was playing in the shadow of Phillip, Brandon, Shamar, Cochran and others. Julia is a young person and young people often suffer on our show due to limited life experience, but Julia had life experience so we took a chance. I’m not surprised she was quiet, she was on the quiet side in casting but we really found her endearing. Sometimes those qualities just don’t make it into the game.  Now to the topic of Vanilla. Vanilla Ice was clever for a moment. Vanilla Sky is underrated. Vanilla Frosting isn’t worth the calories. Milli Vanilli is almost the same as Milli Vanilla.  Finally, Vanilla spelled backwards is Allinav. READ FULL STORY »

Image credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

Each week, host Jeff Probst answers a few questions about the most recent episode of ‘Survivor: Caramoan — Fans vs. Favorites’.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: I asked you before the season started if Brandon was really emotionally stable enough to come back and play this game again, especially after we saw what happened to him last time. Now that we’ve all seen the result, I wonder if you can speak more on the decision to bring him back and how you all determine where the appropriate line is in terms of who is psychologically fit enough to handle this experience and who isn’t.
JEFF PROBST: Regardless whether you are a new player or a returning player, every contestant on Survivor undergoes an evaluation from our show psychologist each time they play. We never let anybody on the show who can’t pass the psych test. Brandon passed. He was also great in our interviews before the show began. We were actually very excited because he had a new approach to the game. He said he wasn’t going to be as emotionally reactive and felt that after playing once he was better prepared for the 39 day adventure. We felt Brandon had the potential for a true underdog story of a young man who was overwhelmed the first time he played and was seeking redemption.

READ FULL STORY »

Image Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

If you’re a big Survivor fan, then you know what that picture above means.  It means trouble. At least for one of the contestants. And it goes down in tonight’s episode of Survivor: Caramoan — Fans Vs. Favorites. In addition to some exclusive pictures, we also got host Jeff Probst to weigh in with some teases on what we can expect tonight. “Anytime you see me approaching the Survivors’ camp, followed by two doctors, it’s not good news,” says Probst. “Somebody may be going home without a visit to Tribal Council…” Ah, but who? Whichever poor sap requires the medical attention, his or her outlook for staying does not look to good judging by the comment overheard in a CBS promo by the doctor that “I would like to pull you from the game.” Traditionally, if medical wants you out, then you’re out.

But that’s not all! Just check out the photo of the dude below. Who is he? Why is he so happy? And who is his dentist? Probst offers an answer…at least to the first question. “One tribe wins a visit from a local who radically improves their camp, and he is one of the funniest characters that’s ever been on the show,” says Probst. “If we could invite him back we would!”  (Oh, but you can, Jeff! It’s called Fans vs. Favorites 3: The Reckoning.) READ FULL STORY »