In the latest On Fire episode, Survivor host Jeff Probst, Survivor 45 winner Dee Valladares, and producer Jeff Wolfe delve into the tenth episode of Survivor 46. They focus on the growing significance of the ‘voting out your number one ally’ strategy in the New Era, with Probst emphasising the crucial role of timing in its execution, as well as discussing Liz’s reaction during the reward challenge and Q’s response to the situation.
The most prominent topic, however, was Applebee’s and how it has become a staple in Survivor lore. Probst reveals that an Applebee’s chef is flown to Fiji with everything they need to prepare the delicious feast the audience saw on their screens and that Applebee’s is one of the best partnerships Survivor has ever had during its long run. “It’s a win for Applebee’s, it’s a win for Survivor, and it’s a win for the players,” Probst says to reiterate his point.
Wolfe later asks Probst which of his favourite sponsorships Survivor has ever had. “Well, we’ve done cars, which led to the car curse,” Probst answers, as he later explains that the so-called car curse was that every person who won a car on Survivor never won the game. “And we’ve also done lots of big-box stores like Target, Home Depot, Sears, Marshall’s. We’ve done hygiene products. We did Herbal Essence…one of our better ones was Charmin toilet paper, and we even gave them an outhouse.” Who can forget the iconic scene from Survivor Panama: Exile Island where Bruce Kanegai and Bobby “Bob Dawg” Mason got drunk and fell asleep in the outhouse? Peak Survivor right there.
Liz’s emotional reaction after losing the reward is also brought up, and how Probst himself was also affected by the situation. “Well, my reaction on the day is very similar to the reaction I had just now. Hearing it again on this podcast is obviously upsetting. That’s real emotion, absolute vulnerability, and this is the kind of moment on Survivor where a lot of people will make fun of and will be mean, but imagine that’s you, and for whatever reason, you’ve been triggered in the same way. That is proof you forget about the cameras; there is no façade. I have a lot of empathy for Liz, but it is also part of the adventure that comes with playing this game.”
Lastly, Probst is asked his thoughts regarding Q’s decision not to bring Liz to the reward. Wolfe asks Probst if Q “owed” Liz the reward due to the social contract on Survivor, to which Probst responds the society the players form on the island is their world, and only they get to set their own rules within it, including deciding what is ‘owed or not’.
Probst remarks, “In Q’s point of view, it’s just business, and remember, Liz did vote for Q at the last tribal council. I mean, there is a consequence for that vote.”
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