Image credit/Monty Brinton/CBS

Math was never my strongest subject. But it doesn’t take a genius to perform simple arithmetic, and by my count — not including the All Stars or Fans vs. Favorites type seasons — Survivor has now brought back nine returning players to compete alongside newbies. And only one of those nine — Stephenie LaGrossa in Survivor: Guatemala — was a woman. The rest — Bobby Jon Drinkard, Russell Hantz, Boston Rob Mariano, Ozzy Lusth, Benjamin “Coach” Wade, and now Michael Skupin, Russell Swan, and Jonathan Penner on Survivor: Philippines — have all been dudes.

What gives with the discrepancy? I went to the host himself for answers. While on location for the new season (premiering Sept. 19 on CBS), I asked Jeff Probst why the show keeps bringing back men instead of women. “There just aren’t as many colorful women characters in Survivor history, and we’ve used up the ones we can,” says Probst. “For whatever reason we’re loaded with interesting guys.” READ FULL STORY »

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Jeff Probst called it the scariest moment in Survivor history, and we’re not arguing with him. When Russell Swan’s eyes rolled back into his head and he collapsed during a challenge in Survivor: Samoa, it looked like it might be game over for the player. And we’re not talking about his actual game (which was cut short as he was helicoptered out to safety), but his life.

So why, after that brush with death, is Russell back to tempt fate again on Survivor: Philippines? “My wife is extremely worried,” Russell told EW.com while on location the day before filming began. “We had to have some long conversations about me coming back here.” But what was Russell’s reaction when he first got the call asking if he’d like to return? He shares his initial response in the video below, as well as his reasons for why he ultimately decided to come back. Just click on the video player to learn the method behind Russell’s madness. And for more Survivor news and views, follow me on Twitter @DaltonRoss. (P.S. DRINK WATER, RUSSELL! LOTS OF WATER!) READ FULL STORY »

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Life can be cruel sometimes. In a position of power on a tribe with superior numbers with the merge closing in, Michael Skupin dozed off by the fire, severely burning both of his hands. That lead to him being helicoptered out of Survivor: The Australian Outback in 2001. Now, 11 years later, Skupin is finally getting another chance. But does the now-50-year-old still have what it takes? After all, his fellow Australian Outback castmate Colby Donaldson seemed far less dominant in his two follow-up appearances.

Skupin, who comes into the game looking as fit as a fiddle, claims he will once again be a physical powerhouse. “I still think I’m that 39-year-old guy, that 38 year old guy that played 22 seasons ago. I still think I’m that guy — just a smarter version.” (He means 23 seasons ago, but you get the point.)

To hear more from Skupin on why he’s ready to do some damage, click on the video player below. Speaking of damage, check out the in-game footage: Is that already a big cut on Skupin’s head? Can this guy ever not injure himself?! And for more Survivor news and views, follow me on Twitter @DaltonRoss.

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We all know how Blair Warner from The Facts of Life would do on Survivor — the super snob would quit five minutes in once she got her first mosquito bite. But how will the woman who played her, Lisa Whelchel, do when she (bathing) suits up for Survivor: Philippines? We asked the host with the most, Jeff Probst, about Lisa’s chances while on location in the Caramoan Islands right as the game kicked off. And while he was excited to have the sitcom star and self-proclaimed super-fan on the show, he worried about how the 49-year-old would fare.

“I think her biggest obstacle is going to be her age,” says Probst. “In the grand scheme of life, she’s not old. On Survivor, she’s older. And I don’t know how to get around that.” One thing Probst does not think will be a problem for Lisa, however, is her past. (Click on the video below to see what he has to say about why her fame will not be a hindrance.) READ FULL STORY »

Image Credit: Monty Brinton/CBS

I was embedded with the contestants before filming began on Survivor: Cook Islands, and after seeing the way the players reacted to each other in that environment (even without speaking) I was sure of one thing: that Sekou Bunch and Jonathan Penner would be the first two people voted out. Well, turns out I was half right. Sekou was, indeed, the first person eliminated, but Penner not only had a nice run — finishing in 7^th place — but he even became a Jeff Probst favorite and was asked to play again in Fans vs. Favorites and the upcoming Survivor: Philippines.

Now, Penner reveals that he was close to appearing in Heroes vs Villains as well…until a new face with a similar affinity for headgear burst upon the Survivor scene right before filming commenced. After Russell Hantz showed up in Survivor: Samoa (which filmed right before Heroes vs Villains), Penner got a call informing him that his services (and Alan Alda sound-alike voice) would no longer be required. “They said, ‘There’s a guy out here that the producers say has to come back,” Penner says the folks in casting told him. “‘He’s the ultimate supervillain.’” READ FULL STORY »

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Lisa Whelchel not only is about to have the honor of starring on two iconic TV shows three decades apart — The Facts of Life and Survivor — but that means she will have also starred alongside two notable TV hunks: George Clooney and Jeff Probst. Which got me thinking: What’s better, sharing a show with Probst or Clooney? I asked the woman formerly known as Blair Warner that exact question, and was surprised by the answer. READ FULL STORY »

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Jonathan Penner and Jeff Probst have a habit of mixing it up. Turns out the player doesn’t like getting sassed by the host and usually has a biting reply on the tip of his tongue. So perhaps it is no surprise to learn that it takes but a few seconds for them to go at it again at the start of Survivor: Philippines (which debuts Sept. 19 on CBS). In the video below (shot on location in the Caramoan Islands), Probst gives the lowdown on what happened when he tried to give Penner an ultimatum at the outset of the game. Penner’s response is…well, pure Penner. READ FULL STORY »

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The theme tying together the players brought back to compete again for Survivor: Philippines is that they were all medically evacuated so never got a chance to see how they would have fared had their bodies not betrayed them. That certainly makes sense with Mike Skupin (who fell in the fire in Survivor: The Australian Outback) and Russell Swan (who passed out due to dehydration in Survivor: Samoa). But what about the third player, Jonathan Penner? While he was forced to leave Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs Favorites due to an infected knee, that was his second time playing. He faced no such medical complications in his first time out, coming in 7^th place in Survivor: Cook Islands. So is including Penner here as someone who didn’t get to play a complete game a bit of a cheat? READ FULL STORY »