Jeff Probst, the host of ‘Survivor’ fame, recently consulted with Mike White on his new show ‘White Lotus.’ The two discussed everything from how to build a tribe to what it takes to win the game.
Jeff Probst, the host of Survivor, was consulted by writer Mike White about his new show White Lotus.
When the Emmy-winning series returns for its 41st season on September 22, CBS Executive Producer Jeff Probst will host.
On the 41st season of “Survivor,” award-winning presenter Jeff Probst turned to an unexpected source for inspiration: “White Lotus” author Mike White (who also happens to be a “Survivor” veteran). Continue reading to see what significant changes Probst made to Season 41 after speaking with White, as well as the four phrases that were crucial to the strategy going forward.
Jeff Probst Invented a Difficult ‘Capitalist Society.’
Play this video to see how Jeff Probst totally reworked ‘Survivor 41.’ 2021-09-14T10:04:03-04:00
Probst stated during the season’s broadcast on TV that fire tokens were here to stay after coming up with the idea for “Survivor: Winners at War,” telling “Entertainment Weekly” in April 2020 that fire tokens would be “a foundation” they could build on as they work their way to 50 seasons.
“What keeps us going is when we get ahold of a fresh concept, like the notion of a Fire Token and then the idea of a currency… it’s a foundation.” We may be able to expand on it. Now that ‘Survivor’ has a currency, maybe the next ten seasons can be built on. There is a ‘Survivor’ mayor. Oh my God, on Survivor, that man is a millionaire. He possesses a large number of Fire Tokens. He, on the other hand, has no pals. He is unable to purchase anything. It’s insane! Nobody will cooperate with him despite the fact that he has all the money! Then you’re back in this society’s microcosm, and you’ve got something. At the moment, Probst remarked, “That’s what we’re trying to find out.”
However, the epidemic halted television production, giving them almost a year to figure out how to organize Season 41. Probst was still adamant about the notion of money… Until he contacted Mike White, the runner-up on “Survivor: David vs. Goliath” and the writer and/or creator of “School of Rock,” “Enlightened,” and the highly praised HBO series “The White Lotus,” which premieres in 2021.
White’s contribution “completely altered everything.”
“I was in my garage with multiple whiteboards, working on creativity for ‘Survivor 41,’” Probst said “Entertainment Weekly” in a September 2021 interview. Mike was contacted for his opinion on a plot point. As I explained the concept to him, he respectfully listened. It was a complex and intricate ‘Survivor’ capitalist society in which players earned money (Fire Tokens) and spent it on things like housing, prizes, and advantages. I asked him what he thought when I completed my pitch. ‘Well… that sounds… in-ter-est-ing,’ he replied after a little pause. Is it, nevertheless, enjoyable?’
After speaking with White, Probst claimed he “couldn’t erase the whiteboards fast enough.”
“I had worked on this concept for well over a year, and yet it felt so wonderful to toss it away since it was so obvious that it was a dud! ‘Forget everything we’ve been working on!’ I told [executive producer] Matt Van Wagenen. Toss it out! ‘From now on, the only thing that counts is having a good time!’ remarked Probst.
White, according to Probst, gave him a “gift.”
Play this video to see how Jeff Probst totally reworked ‘Survivor 41.’ 2021-09-14T10:04:03-04:00
Probst stated that after speaking with White, the TV/movie writer “truly handed [him] a gift,” since if Probst hadn’t spoken with White, he wouldn’t have been able to get out of “an concept that would have really slowed down the game.”
White also “linked [him] to a much larger concept,” according to Probst, namely that “after all we’ve gone through with COVID, we just need to have some fun.”
The quest of fun became “the primary creative emphasis for Survivor 41,” and they quickly discovered that “the greatest type of Survivor fun is the hazardous kind.”
That’s why Probst has been comparing “Survivor 41” to a “horror movie monster.”
“We approached Survivor 41 as if it were a terrifying creature from a horror film. You can either eat the monster or the monster will eat you. It also inspired a lot of ideas by giving the game the characteristics of a monster. Everything became conceivable all of a sudden. There was no twist that was too huge, frightening, or contentious. It didn’t make a difference. “The monster is the game, and let me be clear: the monster is hungry,” Probst teased.
What a clever ruse. We can’t wait much longer. The 41st season of “Survivor” premieres on CBS on Wednesday, September 22 at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific time. In the spring of 2022, the 42nd season will premiere. Seasons 43 and 44 are now casting, so if you’ve always wanted to audition, now’s the time!
READ NEXT: WATCH THE FIRST 3 MINUTES OF ‘Survivor 41′ PREMIERE ON VIDEO
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- the white lotus
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