Survivor is one of the longest-running reality competitions left on television, and has been the inspiration of countless other series. Oftentimes, those series do not just borrow certain aspects of the show format, but actually borrow cast members themselves.
Amazing Race, Big Brother, The Challenge, Snake in the Grass, The Anonymous, House of Villains, Fight to Survive, and The Traitors all have cast players who formerly played Survivor, and that list is just the tip of the iceberg. While Survivor casting has often gotten some negative publicity and reactions, that so many shows cast these players speaks to the quality of many players they do find.
This is a fact that Jeff Probst does not let people forget. He has previously thrown some jabs at other shows for taking players from his series. One of these shows, The Traitors, has just thrown some shade back, casting a Survivor legend that was stunningly left off of the milestone Survivor 50 cast.
Of course, we're talking about Rob Cesternino!
Jeff Probst speaks about players heading to greener pastures
In the past, fans have assumed that Jeff Probst has a his against players who go on to play other shows after Survivor, especially ones for networks outside of CBS. It has reportedly impacted his decision to cast players for all-star seasons in the past, although only Jeff and CBS casting know that for sure.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, though, he denies that bias:
"The other side of the coin for me is that I want former players to do as much as they can, and to have as many experiences as they can, and to make as much money as they can."
"Some of the people that are on these shows are incredibly compelling. They're fantastic storytellers. They are fun to watch, and they're just as entertaining as any scripted show. You talk about somebody like Boston Rob or Sandra — they're such known quantities, you should want them on your show."
Probst adds to his support of the players by stating that, while he wants to protect his former players, they should be looking for more opportunities and what is best. But perhaps there is a little bias in there that Jeff does not readily want to admit.
"I wish all the players the best in what they do after Survivor," Probst says. "And some players don't want to do anything. We've had many players call us and say, 'I only want to do Survivor again.' That also makes an impression on us. We take note of that loyalty, and we appreciate it. But we definitely don't demand it. We wish them all well."
That last piece about noting loyalty is a strong indicator that perhaps, the rumors about casting are true. Maybe the bias is not in the direction of negative, or cutting a player who went elsewhere, but rather the direction of the positive, in guaranteeing casting to loyal players.
Jeff throws shade and gets it right back
While Jeff may not have dissed the players, he did take some jabs at the casting that selects them.
"I have two thoughts on it," Probst tells Entertainment Weekly. "We obviously take a tremendous amount of pride in the people we find to play Survivor. And regardless of what the Emmys might think, there is no better casting team in our genre than ours. And that is proven out by how many other shows want Survivor players."
"So I've been really happy to see this proliferation of shows that don't have a casting department. They just rely on other shows. It's a smart way to produce, but it also shows how difficult it is to do. It's very hard to find great people — very hard. And that's why I take a lot of pride in being a part of a show that finds the very best people. I'll say it again, no show touches ours in terms of casting — none."
Essentially, what he is saying is that these shows copy Survivor because they can never do as well as them. In a way, he is not wrong. Survivor has succeeded because of the players, and the same players who are compelling on an island are equally as compelling in other locales as well. At the same time, that does not mean Survivor does not make mistakes.
One of the greatest recent mistakes is the casting for Survivor 50. Fans are mad, especially with who is missing. One of the players that has gotten the most buzz is former all-star and podcasting legend Rob Cesternino, which is why the biggest rival show, The Traitors, picking him up is a clap-back at Jeff's shade.
The Traitors are delivering what fans wanted Survivor to. The same Survivor who claims they have mastered casting. Perhaps they have mastered, or at least succeeded better than most, at newbie casting. When it comes to returnee casting, though, they leave a lot to be desired, especially more recently.
This is where shows like The Traitors and other "poaching" shows can capitalize. Grab up the mistakes, and oull fans to their side. That is precisely what happened with Rob C., and I am sure it will not be the last. If fans make enough noise, perhaps their favorites will get even more opportunities. Jeff will just have to stew on that, and maybe learn from the reaction.