Email this topic to a friend Printer-friendly version of this topic Bookmark this topic (Registered users only)		Previous Topic | Next Topic
Conferences Survivor Spoilers Forum (Protected)
Original message

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 09-29-23, 09:15 AM (EST) "S45 How to get on Survivor: Behind the scenes of casting" LAST EDITED ON 10-03-23 AT 10:35 PM (EST) Jeff Probst Says Articles   Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Subject     Author     Message Date     ID    S45 Jeff Probst Says Articles Sheldor 10-03-23 1  S45 How to get on Survivor: Behind ... Sheldor 10-03-23 2  That is a very clear quit Sheldor 10-03-23 3  Women being voted out early on Surv... Sheldor 10-03-23 4  Why Survivor just made a huge rules... Sheldor 10-10-23 5  RE: S45 How to get on Survivor: Beh... Sheldor 10-11-23 6  Emily 'a very irritable person' Sheldor 10-25-23 7  mid-game interview: Emily Sheldor 11-08-23 8

Lobby | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic

Messages in this topic

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 10-03-23, 10:33 PM (EST) 1. "S45 Jeff Probst Says Articles" I meant to make the original post "S45 Jeff Probst Says Articles" and then post multiple articles here. Can't change the original post's Subject line so just going to start replying to the original post with more Jeff Probst Says Articles...   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 10-03-23, 10:36 PM (EST) 2. "S45 How to get on Survivor: Behind the scenes of casting" I missed this EW Dalton Ross article posted 11 days ago. Seeing how much casting is being flamed for casting Hannah who Quit, I thought this article (where The head of casting, Jesse Tannenbaum complains about Adam Klein coaching business) is interesting to read. Note: Jeff and Jesse also complain about coaching on the official Survivor Podcast (On Fire with Jeff Probst)! How to get on Survivor: Behind the scenes of casting season 45 We've got all the intel — and audition videos — showing the disparate journeys five players took to make it onto the new season. By Dalton Ross September 18, 2023 at 12:00 PM EDT http://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-behind-the-scenes-casting-cover-story/ Survivor is the ultimate contest. The OG and gold standard of reality programming pits players against one another in a brutal test of endurance to see who can outlast the competition to reach the promised land. And that's before the show even begins. Because as difficult as defeating 17 other contestants out on the island may seem, it is nothing compared to the 25,000 Survivor hopefuls an applicant must best just to get there. That's what it takes to get on Survivor, and that's what the 18 players that comprise the cast of Survivor 45 (premiering Sept. 27 on CBS) had to do before they could dramatically jump off a giant barge into the crystal-clear waters of Fiji. How does one make it through the gauntlet of application videos, interviews, callbacks, more interviews, and more callbacks? And what exactly are producers looking for in a Survivor player? "First of all, there has to be drive," says host and showrunner Jeff Probst. "That should seem obvious, but it's not always the case. Sometimes people apply and even though they say and do all the right things, you can tell that the drive just isn't there. And if we don't sense a real need to be on this show, then we know it's not the right time for you." The second thing Probst is looking for is simple self-awareness. "Do you know who you are?" asks the host. "If you haven't spent time reflecting on who you are or if you don't have a circle of friends who will tell you who you are, you need to know how you see yourself. And it really helps if you have an idea of how the world sees you because they're not always the same." Probst notes that trying to put on an act — especially an act the show has already seen before — is unlikely to move the needle. "Where some people can trip themselves up a little is trying to be something that they're not. If you try to anticipate what you think we're looking for, or if you see somebody on a season that was really popular and you try to emulate what they did, it's not going to work." (Photo: The cast of 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) The final tip of the casting trifecta is finding players who are simply good at… talking. "You have to be able to tell a story," says Probst. "Because we task the players with a giant responsibility. They are the narrators for their season. Everybody thinks they can tell a story, but the truth is, it's a specialized skill to be able to sit down and say, 'Okay, here's what's happening,' and tell that in a way that is entertaining or dramatic, but also clear and concise." While all applicants who make it on to Survivor must possess all three characteristics — "I'll have a pretty good idea whether you're going to be on the show or not after 10 minutes," says Probst — no two contestants are the same, and neither are their journeys through the Survivor casting process. Kendra McQuarrie did her casting interviews while making a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. Emily Flippen ended up on the show after sending in an application video because "I was really angry that morning after watching Mike Gabler win, and I decided that that was not okay in my book." (She got a call back that same day.) Julie Alley ignored her daughter's pleas — "Mom, that's so embarrassing!" — to stop texting a casting producer after getting ahold of her number. And Bruce Perreault essentially got to skip the entire process for season 45 since he went through it the previous year before being injured just minutes into Survivor 44. What is an actual voyage through the Survivor casting process like? EW went behind the scenes to present the stories of five different players from the new season and how they ended up on the show. It's a tale of youthful exuberance, second chances, last-minute substitutions, cocky charisma, and good old-fashioned social media stalking. This is the casting story of Survivor 45, as told by those who went through it. The Annual Applicant The official casting process for Survivor 45 — which would commence filming in April of 2023 — began in August 2022. That's when casting producers started poring over the thousands of videos already submitted since the end of the previous casting cycle. The head of casting, Jesse Tannenbaum, estimates there were already 16,000 videos waiting for them when they began work for seasons 45 and 46, which were cast simultaneously because they filmed back-to-back. Tannenbaum's casting team — which includes four other producers and two managers — then reached out to applicants they thought had potential, leading to multiple interviews and often reshot audition videos. "Sometimes we give them pointers like that it's okay to be vulnerable and open and tell us about who you are," explains Tannenbaum. "So the producers will work with them to create a great audition video." The casting producers are not just the gatekeepers to the Survivor kingdom at this point — determining which hopefuls they will present to Probst, executive producer Matt Van Wagenen, and co-executive producer Hudson Smith III — they are also cheerleaders doing everything within their power to help their favorites along. "We're not just passionate about the show," explains Tannenbaum, "but we're passionate about the people we meet with. Those are the people that spark a fire and those are the ones that we want to see on the show." Every fall, Tannenbaum sends the best audition videos — scaling thousands down to a few dozen — to Probst and the show producers, who then pick out the folks they want to meet. After the producers make their selections, that group of approximately 30 hopefuls per season moves on to the first round of what are called "casting finals." At this stage, anyone still in the running meets with the show's psychologists, completes a background check, and sits down for more interviews with the casting department, show producers, and executives. The approximately 24 people who make it past all of that are eventually brought out to Los Angeles in February for the in-person meetings that constitute the last round of casting finals. "If a player is going to panic, this is the stage where it happens," says Probst. "The pressure ratchets up when the room is full of producers and CBS executives. This too is by design. If you drop the ball at this stage, you probably won't get on the show this season." Once those in-person L.A. interviews are complete, the casts for the next two Survivor seasons are finally set. It's a long, arduous experience. But for Brandon Donlon, the casting journey started much, much earlier than all of that. Brandon still remembers watching Survivor for the first time during the Gabon season in September 2008. "It felt like this religious experience," he explains. "It felt like I was watching some higher power who was like, 'This is going to change your life. Whatever this thing is, you have to do it.'" He immediately sent in an application. Just one problem: Brandon was 11 years old. (Photo: Brandon Donlon on 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) "I sent in videos before I was 18 and eligible to apply," he laughs. "Which I understand now, having met with casting people — very annoying." Once Brandon turned 18, the videos continued. Every single year. As did the radio silence back from the casting department. "I knew that I had the sauce," says Brandon. "But Survivor did not care about my sauce. Zero percent interested in my sauce." However, another CBS reality show was interested in tasting the sauce, as Brandon went to an open casting call for Big Brother and in 2019 made it all the way to the finals for season 21 of the summer series. "I watched the Edge of Extinction merge episode where Rick Devens comes back while I was in California at Big Brother finals," recalls Brandon, now 26 years old and a content producer at Temple University. "I was in a room with Ovi, and Cliff, and Jackson Michie." But being cut at the very end from Big Brother turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because by this time, Big Brother's casting director, Tannenbaum, had taken over Survivor duties from original casting legend Lynne Spillman. And when Brandon finally got his callback for Survivor (actually for seasons 43 and 44), the superfan felt more prepared because of his Big Brother experience. "Like any kind of formal interview, if you have any experience, you are much better through those processes," says Brandon. "I went in with a little bit cooler of a head in that I knew what I was expecting." Brandon's preparation even surprised Probst, who hopped on a Zoom with the prospective castaway for the first time back on Sept. 27, 2021. "I was like, 'Jeff, I don't know if I'm ever going be able to talk to you again,'" remembers Brandon. "'So I have 10 questions that I have always wanted to ask you, if you don't mind me running through them.' And he was like, 'Nobody's ever done this. By all means, kick off your questions.'" Apparently, the approach — which also included Brandon crying in excitement at some point in every single interview — worked. "A super fan who is desperate to prove he can play this game and win," read Probst's notes from that first interview with the hopeful. "He's engaging, self-deprecating. He's very aware of the influence social media has had on his life and shaping who he is." After a later meeting, Probst wrote, "With every interview, he's getting more comfortable and more likable." (Photo: Brandan Donlan of 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) Even so, when it came to the final list of Survivor 44 players, Brandon's name was not on it. Just like with Big Brother, he made it through every step but the last one. He even remembers the date: March 16, 2022, "I got a call around when the 44 folks were getting their calls saying that 'You're on,'" remembers Brandon. "I got mine saying, 'You're off.'" Calls like the one Brandon received for season 44 are not easy for the Survivor casting team to make. "It's hard because we get invested in their stories," says Tannenbaum. "We care. We don't treat our cast like pawns in a game of chess. We treat them as people. This process is so long that those calls are really hard to make, but it's really important that we call them and not just send an email. We would never even consider doing that." Rather than giving up after years of fruitless applying, Brandon kept hoping, and that hope was rewarded when a year later he got the news he was waiting for: He was going to be on Survivor. But even that featured a few twists and turns. Caitlin Moore from Survivor casting had reached out to tell Brandon that things were looking really good for season 45 and to expect a call soon, only there were problems keeping the line clear at the home he shared with his parents in Sicklerville, N.J. "My mom was on the phone with Verizon," recalls Brandon. "I grabbed the phone and I just hung up. She was like, 'What the f--- are you doing?'" Two days later, Brandon finally got a text telling him to jump onto a Zoom, only he was visiting the Museum of Natural History in New York at the time and couldn't get service in the "dinosaur diorama room." A day later, he was back in his basement in New Jersey, finally on a Zoom with Moore. Once she pressed the record button, he knew. "I'm like, 'Oh s--- !' I was already crying before she even said it. I lost it." At the same time, Brandon Donlon also won. He had finally made it onto Survivor. (See article for Brandon's Audition Video) The Social Media Savant When it comes to Survivor casting, Dee Valladares is an anomaly. Like notorious Mike Gabler detractor Emily Flippen, she came in very late in the Survivor 45 cycle, submitting her audition video in December 2022, just two months before the cast was locked. And the video she sent almost got her banned from the process. The video itself was not the problem. It's what Dee did with it. Like all the other Survivor hopefuls, she submitted the clip through the official casting website. But then, not unlike the Grinch, Dee had an idea. An awful idea. A wonderful, awful idea. "I told myself, 'How can I get above the noise?'" says Dee. "Because there are thousands of people that are auditioning for Survivor. And then I'm like, 'You know what? I'm just going to post my audition video on Instagram.'" And she did not stop there. Dee then had "all my loved ones, friends, family, people I don't know, people I met once, ex-boyfriends…" comment on the video, and tag casting director Tannenbaum in the process. "I was stalking him," Dee reveals. "He was on a trip to Hawaii. I was like, 'Okay, this is the time zone difference. I need to tag him when I know he's in bed scrolling on Instagram.'" "I don't turn my phone on silent just in case there's a family emergency," says Tannenbaum. "So I remember trying to go to bed one night hearing ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. She had asked everyone that follows her, and their friends who follow them, and their friends that follow them to tag Jesse Tannenbaum. And I was just like, 'Oh my God, I hate her.'" (Photo: Dee Valladares on 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) "The video kind of blew up," laughs Dee. "The very next day, I get a call from a casting person and she's like, 'Hey, I need you to take down that video. You're driving my boss crazy.'" Dee's reaction? "I'm like, 'Okay, that's good. That means he saw it, right?' And she's like, 'Yeah, he definitely saw it.'" While both Dee — who took down the video — and Tannenbaum strongly advise against such guerilla tactics ("That's not the way to go about the casting process," says the sleep-deprived victim), it kicked off what Tannenbaum refers to as "a playful love-hate relationship" between the pair. "I feel like Jesse and I vibed as people," says Dee. "But he was annoyed for sure. I would tell him, 'Dude, I would be annoyed if I were you. I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry.'" As for Tannenbaum, he concedes that "I loved working with Dee… eventually." Part of that love came from the applicant's unbridled energy. It's an energy that threw the 26-year-old entrepreneur from Miami into the casting mix even though she was months late applying. "I knew it was late, but I also knew that if I'm able to get that call and have a Zoom interaction, then I'm in." (Photo: Dee Valldares of 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) But she first had to get past Probst. "My very first interview with Jeff was an hour after I landed in Iceland," says Dee, who had a layover on her month-long Nordic vacation, but didn't want to risk doing her one-on-one in a crowded airport. "So I landed, had to run and get the rental car, and then booked a hotel room. I'm like, 'I need a room right now! Do you have any rooms available?'" After procuring a space, Dee and the host chatted for 15 minutes about family, business, and dogs… and not necessarily in that order. (Probst's attention-starved Bernedoodle Stevie — named after Stevie Nicks — kept interrupting the proceedings for kisses from the host.) Like Tannenbaum, Probst was won over. His notes from that first interview read as follows: "LOVE HER! So engaging and bright. Instantly likable out of the gate. She's funny. She is super likable. I love her, love her, love her. She really LISTENS. She picks up on every cue. She's very tight with her family. She knew she would be an entrepreneur. I see her on the show. Great winner. Could win." "I was in 100 percent within the first three minutes," Probst adds now. "I was always in. I knew she was going to be on the show. It was just a matter of will she end up on season 45 or 46." A few months later, when Dee hopped onto a Zoom and learned she had made the cut for Survivor 45, she was already all dressed up for a big dinner out with the girls. Yet after receiving the news, she started her celebration with someone even closer. "My dad was downstairs, so I go downstairs and I start crying and I'm like, 'Dad, like I'm going to be on the show!' We cracked a Corona outside, and we were just like, 'Wow, this is happening. And my life is about to change.'" (See article for Dee's Audition Video) The Natural Jesse Tannenbaum's phone was ringing, and it was Daniel Gradias on the line. Nothing unusual about that. Like a regional sales force, the folks that work in Survivor casting all cover different areas, and Daniel's territory for seasons 45 and 46 included British Columbia. Communication is common between Tannenbaum and the rest of the department, but there was an uncommon fervor in Gradias' voice when Tannenbaum picked up the call. "Jesse, you are going to freak out when you see this guy's audition video." Tannenbaum's response: "Okay, let's do it." Gradias forwarded the video and Tannenbaum pressed play. "Within 30 seconds, I was like, this guy's a star." That guy was Kaleb Gebrewold. Like many in the Survivor 45 cast, Kaleb started watching Survivor during the pandemic. Because he naturally gravitates toward the villains ("I love the style points, the flair, the personality"), he began his binge by looking up the greatest villain seasons ever. "I watched them just all in a row — season 1, seasons 6, 7, and 8, then seasons 19 and 20. Then I went back and watched all the other great seasons. And then I just went back and watched everything else." (Photo: Kaleb Gebrewold on 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) A Canuck himself from Vancouver, Kaleb was excited when Canadians won seasons 41 and 42. "And what do they do on season 43?" he asks. "They don't even put a Canadian on the cast! I was so morally upset." It was time to take action. The 29-year-old software salesman was confident he could kill in an interview ("I knew once I got the callback, I'd be good"), but was less assured about how to construct his three-minute video ("I've never done anything in three minutes my whole life"). So he turned to a professional. Casting coaches have become a resource for wannabe reality TV contestants looking for tips of the trade to help their audition videos pop and cut through the clutter of 25,000 other clips. But they come at a cost. The man Kaleb hired, Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X winner Adam Klein, jumped with both feet into the casting coach game, charging $225 for a 45-minute audition video review. He also has "Premium" and "Fresh Start" packages reaching up to $445. For his part, Tannenbaum takes a dim view of casting coaches and thinks they can do more harm than good. "Quote me on this in capitals and bold letters," says Tannenbaum. "Don't hire anybody to help you through the casting process. Don't pay anybody to teach you how you should be, because now you're being someone that you might not be because someone told you this is what we're looking for." Tannenbaum also doesn't like the thought of people having to part with their hard-earned cash in the hopes of getting on television. "You shouldn't have to spend any money to apply for any of my shows — or any show in general, to be honest," says the casting director, who insists Kaleb would have gotten on Survivor without any help: "Kaleb never needed that." (Photo: Kaleb Gebrewold of 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) In fact, Tannenbaum was so high on Kaleb that he quickly identified him as a "Fall on the Sword" candidate. Fall on the Sword is, essentially, the hidden immunity idol of the casting process. If an applicant has a bad interview or for whatever reason looks like they are not going to make the cast, someone from either the casting or production side can Fall on the Sword. Explains Probst: "If the casting producer said, 'Look, I know it didn't go well. I'm falling on the sword,' that's them saying they need to be on the show. And that person will be on the show. It's over. You fell on the sword. That person's on the show. Let's move on." Of course, it didn't come to that with Kaleb. Probst remembers the cocky applicant showing up for his Zoom interview with his shirt unbuttoned down to his belly button. "He had this beautiful look," he recalls. "And he was walking around his apartment basically just saying, 'Jeff, I slay in life.' And I found myself going, 'I want to come watch you do that!'" The notes Probst took from the interview reflect the host's enthusiasm. "He's amazing!!! I love him. So charming. He leaps off the screen. An incredible story of resilience. Fans will love him." And while Probst definitely took note of Kaleb's "swagger," he also is quick to point out that while the self-assured applicant may have acted cool, it certainly was not too cool for school. "There are people that want to just kiss your ##### in the casting process," says the host. "I don't need that. Don't worry about kissing my #####. I kiss my own ##### plenty of times. But what I do like is somebody who's respectful of the process and that we're spending an enormous amount of money to get to know you. And Kaleb, for all of his confidence, was very respectful. He showed up on time, he asked questions, he understood when we needed one more meeting that we weren't trying to mess with him. I was all in from the go." Just as Kaleb predicted. (See article for Kaleb's Audition Video) The Alternates Kellie Nalbandian's Survivor story begins like so many others. She sent in her casting video. She did all her interviews. She made it through the casting finals. She got on a plane to Fiji. She sat around for five days at Ponderosa (where the contestants stay before filming and after being voted out). She sized up the other contestants and took notes on whom she might and might not want to work with. But then, on the day the game began, she flew home. That was in April 2021. And the season was Survivor 43. No, Kellie did not suffer a game-ending injury in the opening moments. Instead, she flew out to Fiji as an alternate. The show now brings one male and female alternate to location every season, and when no other women were subbed out in the days leading up to the game, it could have been the end of Kellie's Survivor journey. Instead, it was only the beginning. The thing that ultimately kept Kellie off of season 43 was timing. A critical care nurse in New York City, Kellie was inspired to apply to the show from her experience dealing with the rigors of the COVID-19 outbreak. "It was after a really scary experience for me," the 30-year-old recalls, "and coming out the other side made me realize that I should just go for whatever I wanted to do and that I'm capable of a lot more than I thought." After a push from her girlfriend (now fiancée), Kellie sent in a video (seen below) talking about how her job of working long shifts in the worst conditions had prepared her for Survivor. The video was great. The fact that she sent it in on New Year's Day 2022 was not. It still got Kellie a call back from casting producer Caitlin Moore, who then reported back to Tannenbaum. "I remember specifically when Caitlin called me about Kellie," says the casting director. "She's like, 'This girl is a force of nature. She was dealing with being a nurse during the height of the pandemic while in grad school at Yale. She's funny, charming, competitive.' She kind of reminded Caitlin of an East Coast version of Parvati. And when she said that to me, I was like, 'Sold.'" (Photo: Kellie Nalbandian on 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) While Moore informed Kellie that it was too late for seasons 43 and 44, "I kept doing more interviews and they were asking for more information," says the nurse, who had to pound Red Bull and coffee to stay up for interviews after pulling all-night shifts at the hospital. "I was like, 'Okay, what's happening?' Because I thought there was no chance." But Kellie kept impressing everyone she spoke with. "F---ING HOME RUN!" Probst wrote down after his first interview with the hopeful. "She's really comfortable. She's a great talker. She's hungry. She can play. She will be devious. She can win. Only question: Squeeze into 43 or wait for 45?" All the time, time was running out. "I remember meeting her and saying to Jesse, 'What's the decision?'" recalls Probst. "Do we bump somebody from 43 or do we just hold her for 45?" When Kellie received her answer, she was just settling in for a meal at the Cheesecake Factory, "which is a good place to receive bittersweet news." It wasn't a yes. But it wasn't a no, either. Instead, Kellie was asked to fly out to Fiji with the rest of the season 43 cast as an alternate, meaning she would only play if one of the other female contestants had a medical issue or for some other reason did not pan out in the pre-game time out on location. "Obviously, in my head, I was like, 'I'm gonna kick someone off the cast,'" laughs the nurse. "We talked to her," says Probst, "and we said, 'Look, we love you, but in fairness, it's respecting the people that have been in the process.' We're not just constantly trying to upgrade people. If we tell you you're on the show, we're trying to keep our word that you're going to be on the show." While the chances of Kellie playing on season 43 were slim, once she traveled out to Fiji with the rest of the cast, she had to mentally prepare like a relief pitcher who could get called into action at any moment. "My two people I wanted to work with the most were Cassidy and Owen," she reveals of sizing up the 43 cast. "Owen was sitting near me and looking at me a lot. Very smiley. He's kind of bro-ey, but also kind of nerdy, and that's totally my vibe. And I just liked Cassidy's vibe. She gives off this very positive flower girl aura. And I remember sitting across from Jesse on a boat the last day and getting this vibe from him that was like, 'He's serious. He's here to play.'" (She also notes that "I was pretty shocked by the winner, I'm not gonna lie.") (Photo: Kellie Nalbandian on 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) Eventually, the jig was up. The official cast photo was taken, and Kellie wasn't in it (although the male alternate who traveled to location, Geo Bustamante, was after getting elevated to the main cast). "Everyone's like, 'Okay, why is she not in it?'" Kellie recalls of the cast realizing she was an alternate. "I was obviously upset about it. Anyone who wants to play Survivor would be a little sad — and would not be a good Survivor player if you didn't want to play." But Kellie was just down, not out. Moore reached back out in August 2022 once casting began for seasons 45 and 46, and the New York City nurse was fast-tracked through the process, not even having to fly out for February casting finals in Los Angeles since she had done so the year before. Exactly a year later, Kellie found herself back in Fiji, and this time she wasn't an alternate. Not only was Kellie now on the show, but she had a leg up on her Survivor 45 castmates — at least ones not named Bruce Perreault. "Every alternate who's ended up on the show — who came out, went home, and then came back — has said it was a massive advantage," says Probst. "Because for them it's like, 'I'm able to breathe a little more a second time because I now know the pace. I know how many days we're going be out here. I know what it's like to not talk. I know how to examine other people and take notes. I've refined my note process. I know how to pick up on little clues, things that might indicate what's going to happen in the game that nobody else can see.' So there's a lot of upside." Kellie backs up what the host is saying. "It was nice for me to have an idea of the pacing of the week and what things entailed. I wasn't shocked by 'Oh, we have to wake up at three in the morning to get on a boat.' I was prepared to sit in this hot sweaty tent for eight hours while I waited to go talk to Dalton for a press interview." (See article for Kellie's Audition Video) While Kellie was a seasoned veteran of the process by the time she showed up to chat with this EW writer for Survivor 45, Austin Li Coon thought he was out there for his own future training. Like Kellie, he had applied — more than once, actually — and like Kellie, had received an invitation to fly out to location as an alternate. "Super likable, smart, excitable," read Probst's notes from his interview with the contestant. "Understands the game is about one thing: relationships. Will play the first time like he's playing the second time. He grew up insecure, so he still has that underdog living inside him. And that's very appealing in terms of what we want to do with younger viewers in terms of inspiring them. Kids, women, men — everyone will love Austin." Austin was in a business graduate studies class at the University of Chicago on Feb. 27 when he got the call informing him of his Survivor fate. He ran into a conference room to take the call from casting producer Penni Lane Clifton, and as soon as he heard her voice and tone, he could tell it wasn't good news. But when Clifton put Tannenbaum on the line to deliver the verdict that Austin had been selected as an alternate, the hopeful figured that "for bad news, it's the best bad news I could get." (Photo: Austin Lee Coon on 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) Austin returned to class but was "completely zoned out the entire time" because he only had a day to mull over the alternate offer — an offer that involved ultimate uncertainty in terms of future plans and not knowing whether he was putting his entire life on hold for just a week or over a month. Ultimately, Austin decided that even if he accepted and never actually made it onto the show, "I still get to meet the cast of Survivor, which is super cool. I still get to hang out with Jeff Probst for a little bit. I still get to go to Fiji and do all these really cool things. I really would only regret it if I did not accept it. And once I had that clear in my mind, there was no other option for me." But that choice brought other complications. Namely, his studies. Since Austin had no idea how long he would be gone, he wasn't sure if he should take the whole semester off or continue being enrolled and risk paying "insanely expensive" extra tuition should he end up getting elevated at the last minute to the main cast. Austin's mother — a massive Survivor fan since day one of the show — advised her son to not play the middle ground, telling him he should either drop out of school and be an alternate or not be an alternate at all. For Austin, "I felt like it was too risky. Since I was an alternate, I had to be like, 'Okay, I probably shouldn't drop out of school for a small chance of actually playing the game'. So I stayed in classes." (Photo: Austin Li Coon of 'Survivor 45'| CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS) The 26-year-old Austin traveled to Fiji assuming the worst so he would not be disappointed, but even still could not help occasionally getting his hopes up, like when one of the cast members showed up an hour late to the airport: "I was like, 'There are nine guys, there are 10 women here. This is amazing!' And then finally that tenth guy came and I was devastated again." He saw other players writing in their journals obsessively, but could not bring himself to do the same. "I'm like, 'I guess I should take notes'" recalls Austin. "I took some half-##### notes, but I was not looking at, 'This is who I want to work with.' I didn't want to let myself think about being in the game too much because I knew that there was a 90 percent chance I wasn't going to be in the game and I didn't want to be all sad about it again." Austin was more confused than sad when contestant manager Michael Diefenbach (who helps shepherd the cast members from place to place and keeps them from talking to one another) informed him that they needed to take some extra photos in case he made it into the game. "They position me overlooking this beautiful valley jungle thing," the player remembers. "He takes his phone out and then a helicopter goes above us, and he's like, 'Okay, I just got to wait while the helicopter's going by." And, I was like, 'Wait? Why? Just take the picture!'" (See article for Austin's Audition Video) But Diefenbach was not actually taking a picture. "He starts recording. I'm thinking he is taking pictures and I'm just smiling. And he's like, 'So, you're on!' I'm like, 'WHAT?!' And at that point, I didn't even know how to react. I remember almost falling down and putting my hands to my face and saying 'Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!' I kind of froze because 90 percent of me was like, 'This is the best day of my life!' The other 10 percent is like, 'Oh my God, in three days I'm going to be starving!'" The cast was now complete. After eight months, a pool of 25,000 applicants at long last narrowed down to just 18 contestants. But before Austin could fully and finally agree to join as the concluding cast member of Survivor 45, he had one unusual request after a most unusual casting journey: "Can I tell my mom that I need her to drop me out of school right now? Because I'm still registered."   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 10-03-23, 10:50 PM (EST) 3. "That is a very clear quit" Survivor host Jeff Probst on player exit: 'That is a very clear quit' The host also weighs in on Brandon's tough start, Emily's tough attitude, and a tough new competition. By Dalton Ross September 27, 2023 at 09:30 PM EDT http://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-jeff-probst-premiere-player-exit-quit/ Survivor 45 kicked off Wednesday night on CBS with three new teams battling it out, but let's be honest — when it came to intrigue, drama, and dysfunction, it was all about the Lulu tribe. There was Emily Flippen challenging Bruce Perreault, who returned after being medically evacuated just minutes into season 44. Then, Brandon Donlon had a panic attack during the very first challenge and could not climb up a ladder. Finally, Hannah Rose threatened to quit (without actually using the word) unless her tribe voted her out, so they did exactly that. Below, Jeff Probst weighs in on all of that and more from the premiere, including whether Hannah's actions count as a quit. Jeff Probst on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Obviously, a very tough few days for Brandon, a guy that has been applying to be on the show since he was 11 years old. What was going through your mind when he could not get up that ladder? JEFF PROBST: I was thinking the same thing with Brandon that I think anytime something like that happens: This is why you are out here. And I know that might sound uncompassionate, but it's the opposite. My hope for every player is that you get what you need out of this adventure. Nothing more, but nothing less. Brandon will never forget that moment. Yeah, it was dramatic and emotional and taxing, but he survived it, and as a result, he's different and he's still in the game. That's what this adventure is about. The game is designed to take you on this journey. It's the McGuffin, that moment. It will be as important in Brandon's life as anything else that's going to happen on this show because he was humiliated and panicking in front of everyone in the game he most desperately wants to do well on. Well, that's part of Survivor. That's why I always say players are courageous when they agree to do it. It's not for the faint of heart, as Brandon just found out. I loved in the next challenge when you basically say that to him as he's struggling and you were like "This is what you wanted!" It's analogous to having a vote at Tribal Council. I always say to the players in the pregame before we start, that I feel for everyone who gets voted out. But I also know that without a vote-out, there are no stakes. And that's why it's so satisfying when you survive another Tribal Council. It's the same with Brandon. If the challenge was easy and all you had to do was walk and didn't have anything to take you out of your comfort zone, then what's the point of doing it? Every time somebody jumps into the ocean they're reminded, "Oh my God, the ocean is turbulent!" Even on a calm day, the ocean is tough to deal with, and now you have a rope ladder which is unsteady, and you're trying to pull yourself up with your body weight, and that's not something Brandon does every day. And on top of it, you hear me yelling at you, and all of your tribemates saying, "Hurry!" It's a lot to manage. That's why he is out there. Sean Edwards, Brandon Donlon, Janani "J" Krishnan-Jha, and Julie Alley on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS Where did the inspiration come from to have the two tribes compete against each other in a Sweat and Savvy competition, and how surprised were you neither of the teams completed it in time? Well, we wondered how it would impact things if we had them do it in front of each other — just adding that peer pressure of watching the other tribe also trying to do what you're doing. We actually anticipated it would have the opposite effect and that both groups would end up finishing. So I was shocked when I got word that neither group finished it, because we put our Sweat and Savvy tasks through the same rigorous testing every time. And in our testing, our Dream Team completed it as . But it's just another reminder that you can never fully predict what will happen until you turn it over to the players. And I'll admit from a game design, I was delighted to see them fail because it created more uncertainty and it forced the players to adapt in new ways and that's always what we want. Also, after a few seasons of people getting it done — albeit struggling with getting it done — it's nice to have them fail just for the sense of, this is not automatic. As a viewer, you might think, "Oh, it's tough, but you get it done." But well, maybe not. Well, it's a really good point you bring up because in the previous seasons when they did complete Sweat vs. Savvy, they usually completed it right at the end of the time allowed. And we always were very proud of that because we spend a lot of time testing the Sweat and Savvy to make sure that if we say you have four hours, that it's going to take you most of those four hours. So it only makes sense that there was going to come a time when somebody just wouldn't get it done. They picked the wrong pair, or the day was very hot, or they got a cut very early and it was bothering them. So many things can impact that, but I agree with you — glad to see the fail. The Lulu tribe on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS I don't even know if I necessarily have a question about Emily, but I just love her energy so much and in a weird way, it's refreshing to have that contrarian personality out there and the drama that gives you. As a host, when she's saying all that stuff at Bruce at the marooning, are you just beaming inside? I know what you mean, so I guess I'm beaming, but that's sort of in my subconscious. Emily is already one of my favorite players, specifically because of her willingness to be herself and play the game on her terms. And in her case, that includes speaking her mind seconds into the marooning. I love that she laid Bruce out because he was trying to get a reaction. I was also really impressed by Bruce's calm response, which is probably part of the advantage of being a second time player because he could just sit there in the stillness and assess what he wanted to do. What I'm most curious about now is if this is going to be Emily's approach the entire game and if she can sustain that, or if she's doing this as a bit of a test and she's going to gauge the reactions and then adapt her gameplay to suit her tribe. Because I don't know if you can go 26 days at that speed, but based on what happened at Tribal Council, she might've gotten a second life, and now the question will be what will she do with it? Hannah Rose on "Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS Hannah seemed to be quitting without actually saying the word quitting. What was your take on her asking the tribe to vote her out, and then threatening to leave if they didn't? Oh, that's a quit. Yeah, 100 percent. That is a very clear quit. I think what Hannah was doing was giving her tribe a fair warning that if you do not vote me out or agree to let me go home right now, then this tribe of six will quickly be down to four because I'm not staying. That's what I read. And as difficult as it is, especially if you were in an alliance with Hannah, when someone is that dead set on quitting, I think the smart move is to let them quit and then adapt your game. Because it was very clear to me this was not a typical, "Oh, bamboo's really rough to sleep on." This was, "Yep, I made a bad decision and I'm going to course correct right now and go home." And the first call I made was to Jesse Tanenbaum and Dr. Liza, our head psychologist, to say, "Add this into our data, because we got it wrong. We missed something with Hannah. She shouldn't have been on the show." I missed it too, in the sense that when I spoke to her before the game, I thought she was so enthusiastic and excited to get out there. So I was really surprised. I think Hannah is a reminder that Survivor is 100 percent real, and that's what she offers us as an episode 1 quit, because as everybody else was suffering the same way she was, nobody else even considered going home. I mean, quits in general are very rare on Survivor anyway. And it could happen again. She might not be the last person to quit, but it's good news for everybody else. This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 10-03-23, 11:04 PM (EST) 4. "Women being voted out early on Survivor" Jeff Probst addresses women being voted out early on Survivor Is the three-tribe format to blame? "I don't feel like four seasons is really enough data for me to make a conclusive decision," the host tells EW. By Dalton Ross October 03, 2023 at 10:30 AM EDT http://ew.com/tv/survivor-jeff-probst-addresses-women-being-voted-out-early/ There was a disturbing trend happening on Survivor when the "old era" ended in 2000 after the Winners at War season. While the first 25 seasons of Survivor had an almost exact split of winners when it came to gender, with 13 men and 12 women taking home the million-dollar prize, something shifted after that. The 15 seasons encompassing Caramoan to Winners at War featured 12 male winners and only three female champions. Even worse, seasons 35 through 40 featured six consecutive male winners. Not only that, but in that six-season span, men received 62 final Tribal Council votes for the million dollars, while the women sitting next to them got a total of six. 'Survivor' winners However, things have been much more even-steven when it comes to winners and final Tribal Council votes in the "new era" of Survivor that began in season 41. In the four completed seasons, there have been two women (Erika Cusapanan, Maryanne Oketch) and two men (Mike Gabler, Yam Yam Arocho) that have won the game. And men and women have received 16 votes at final Tribal Council each. However, there is still a gender imbalance when it comes to who is getting voted out in the early stages. While four of the first five players to be voted out of Survivor 41 were men, the script since then has been flipped pretty dramatically. Of the first four folks voted out each season on seasons 42 through 44, 11 of those 12 contestants have been women. Zach Wurtenburger is the only man to be voted out in the first four Tribal Councils from those seasons. (This does not include Jackson Fox and Bruce Perreault, who were medically evacuated and not voted out by their peers). Morriah Young, Justine Brennan, Nneka Ejere, and Lindsay Carmine of 'Survivor 43'. Maddy Pomilla, Helen Li, Claire Rafson, and Sarah Wade of 'Survivor 44' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS VIA GETTY That trend continued last week when Hannah Rose was cut loose by her Lulu tribe on the season premiere of Survivor 45. And while Hannah essentially quit the game and forced her tribemates to vote her out, all indications in my reporting indicate that it would have been another woman, Emily Flippen, to be eliminated had Hannah chosen to stay. So what's going on? Why have women the past few seasons been consistently cut loose in the early stages of the game? One popular theory is that the three-tribe format — in which tribes have only six players each as opposed to nine or 10 on a traditional two-tribe season — puts a much bigger premium on physical strength and keeping strong male players, and therefore a two-tribe format with more players per team would be more equitable. We asked Jeff Probst what he makes of the recent trend of early female exists, and if the three-tribe format could be to blame. "I've definitely heard the discussion and read people's thoughts about it," Probst tells EW. "And this may be a frustrating answer, but you can't design the game out of fear, in the same way that you can't play the game from fear. And so that is factually a reality. The question is: What's the conclusion to draw from it? And I don't feel like four seasons is really enough data for me to make a conclusive decision." Hannah Rose and Jeff Probst on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS That's fair enough, in that the pendulum definitely tilted the other way on Survivor 41, and we have yet to see how seasons 45 and 46 (which have both already been filmed) play out. But what if that trend continues? There's also the argument (which many Survivor players and fans would make) that strength in the game cannot and should not be measured in terms of sheer physicality. "My advice to anyone who applies to be on the show is figure out how that's an opportunity," the host says. "Because it's a crazy assumption to say that it's always going to be a woman who is the weakest player in a game which has so many layers to it like Survivor." In terms of switching back to a two-tribe format, Probst says you have to consider all the pros and cons. "The bigger question for us is trade-offs. We like tribes of six because there's nowhere to hide, so you have to start playing immediately. Three tribes make tribe switches and the merge much more complex, but also offers more opportunity for the smart player. And three tribes gives you more contrast between tribes in terms of watching how they live together and how they work as a unit while conspiring against each other." For that reason, Probst says they would not necessarily make a move even if they did spot a trend. "There's a lot about three tribes that we really like, and while we'll still keep paying attention to who's voted out first and if there are any real patterns that we need to pay attention to, it doesn't necessarily mean that we would change our approach." Jeff Probst on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS But the drumbeat for change could get louder depending on what transpires over the course of the next two seasons. Or, the entire point could become moot should the stats flip yet again. Plus, the issue of protecting the strong and voting out those deemed "weakest" early is clearly not considered by all players when making their decision, or else it would have been Brandon Donlon, not Emily, who was the intended target at the first Tribal Council. Regardless, it will be worth watching how it all shakes out over the next few weeks, and if what we are seeing on the show is merely an anomaly or a full-blown pattern.   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 10-10-23, 06:10 AM (EST) 5. "Why Survivor just made a huge rules change" Jeff Probst explains why Survivor just made a huge rules change The host also clarifies how Shot in the Dark transfers work. By Dalton Ross October 04, 2023 at 09:30 PM EDT http://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-jeff-probst-explains-huge-rules-change/ The Sandra Sit-Out Bench is about to have a lot more visitors. That's because on this week's episode of Survivor 45, the franchise unveiled a big rules change when it comes to challenges. When Survivor first started in the summer of 2000, the show always had two challenges per episode — a reward challenge and an immunity challenge. And often one tribe might have more members than another, so in those cases the rule was that a tribe could not sit the same person out of both challenges in that one-episode cycle. However, over the years, reward challenges became the exception and not the rule, meaning the no-sitting-out-back-to-back challenges didn't really make sense, because there was usually only one challenge per episode, and therefore players were allowed to sit out back-to-back immunity challenges. Jeff Probst on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS But as host Jeff Probst announced in episode 2 of Survivor 45 this week, that is no longer the case. For the first time ever, a tribe cannot sit out the same player in back-to-back immunity challenges. So what went into the change? "In the early seasons of Survivor, there were always two challenges: a reward challenge and an immunity challenge," Probst tells EW. "The sit-out rule was designed to force a critical decision, because if you sat out of the reward challenge, you were forced to compete in the immunity challenge. So it came down to strategy. If you really wanted to win reward, you might sit out your weakest player, but if you did, that weak player would then have to run in the immunity challenge. And Tribal Council was always the reset, which meant it was a clean slate with the next challenge." Of course, that was then, and this is now. "In this new era, we often only have one combined reward/immunity challenge," Probst says. "So tribes could sit someone out of the challenge, then Tribal served as a reset, and the next challenge they could sit the same person out again." (Claire Rafson, anyone?) Kendra McQuarrie on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS For Probst, that has taken all the interesting decision-making elements away from the process. "There was no dilemma. It took us longer than we should to realize our old system was broken! In fact, I think it was a fan question on our podcast, On Fire, that made us aware! Either way, we've changed it and we're back on track." Speaking of rules, with Emily Flippen giving her Shot in the Dark cube — which allows a player a one-in-six shot at immunity when played at Tribal Council — to Sabiyah Broderick, we could not help but wonder: Does that mean if Sabiyah keeps it, that she can play two Shots in the Dark? Each player is told before the season they can only play it once, but that is because they are only given one cube. If they procure another, does that mean they can play it twice? "Yes, it does!" reveals Probst. So, yes: any player given a second Shot in the Dark cube indeed gets a second chance to play it. "And I am waiting for this to happen!" However, there is one important caveat: "You can still only play one Shot in The Dark at a Tribal, so you don't get two shots at the same Tribal." While the point could become moot in this particular instance if Sabiyah gives the cube back to Emily — as she promised she would — it is still an interesting wrinkle in that Shots in the Dark can be traded like idols, advantages, or even Fire Tokens (R.I.P.) as active and powerful currency in the game. And now, like Probst, we're just waiting for it to happen.   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 10-11-23, 06:56 PM (EST) 6. "RE: S45 How to get on Survivor: Behind the scenes of casting" Survivor retired some puzzles for season 45 due to 3-D printers "We're aware and we're on it," says Jeff Probst. By Dalton Ross October 11, 2023 at 10:30 AM EDT http://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-retired-puzzles-3d-printers/ Carson Garrett broke Survivor. The NASA engineering student took challenge preparation to an entirely new level by 3-D printing pretty much every Survivor puzzle and solving them before he ever hit the island for Survivor 44. In truth, Carson was not the first person to do such puzzle prep. Folks like David Wright and Evvie Jagoda had also figured out specific puzzles before going on the show. While it didn't really help David in the game when he returned for the Edge of Extinction season, Evvie stunned host Jeff Probst on Survivor 41 when they recognized a buoy puzzle they had been practicing at home and proceeded to solve it within seconds. After Carson then showed up and easily solved many puzzles he had diligently 3-D printed out and practiced at home, the question became: Have players now cracked the code on difficult brain teasers and taken the drama out of what was supposed to be a dramatic mental battle? Had rote memorization replaced genuine mental acuity? And had the players finally caught up to producers? Carson Garrett on 'Survivor 44' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS VIA GETTY IMAGES The game between producers and players on Survivor is almost as intriguing as the one between the contestants. Players are constantly seeking a way to gain any advantage in the format — and much in the same way Russell Hantz once realized you did not need to wait for clues to find hidden immunity idols, Carson gamed the system on the belief that he could figure out often recycled Survivor puzzles from the comfort of his living room. And that is what he did. So now the new question becomes: What are the producers going to do about it? We reached out to Jeff Probst to ask him exactly that, and the host and showrunner reveals that Carson was not the first Survivor applicant to use that tactic. "The backstory is we had been aware for years that players were making 3-D puzzles, because we would see it in their audition videos," reveals Probst. "And we jokingly anticipated that one season things are going to line up and a player was going to end up on the show who actually made a 3-D puzzle and that same puzzle will be in the season." Which is exactly what happened on Survivor 44. "When it happened, we really liked it," says Probst of Carson's puzzle prowess, "because we felt like it was a bit of a reward to the superfan, and we appreciated the meta moment of something like that." Sabiyah Broderick and Brandon Donlon on 'Survivor 45' | CREDIT: ROBERT VOETS/CBS While the host enjoyed one particular player winning that round against producers, it is not a trend he wants to see continue, which is why steps have already been taken to counter it. "We understand that the idea can run its course and we feel it has," says Probst. "So we did retire some puzzles, and we have new puzzles in season 45, so I think it's unlikely that we will find ourselves in that spot again simply because we aren't looking for it anymore." Of course, as much as producers change the game — including a brand-new coral puzzle in episode 2 of Survivor 45 — there are always contestants anticipating one step ahead. "Never say never," Probst warns of more puzzle-busting. "Survivor players are very crafty, and they could surprise us, but we're aware and we're on it." Consider that a challenge, all future Survivor cast members.   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 10-25-23, 08:51 AM (EST) 7. "Emily 'a very irritable person'" Emily Flippen from Survivor 45 calls herself 'a very irritable person' "I feel like a good way to describe my personality is I am both happy and irritated at the same time — constantly." By Dalton Ross Published on October 18, 2023 http://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-emily-flippen-very-irritable-person-pet-peeves/ Pet Peeves. Everyone has them. And when we asked the cast of Survivor 45 to tell us all about their pet peeves, we got some answers you might expect — stuff about slow walkers and a heaping helping of heebie-jeebies due to loud chewing, excessive slurping, and the scraping of teeth on silverware. We also got some unique responses, such as Austin Li Coon's declaration that, "I really hate banana-flavored things. You pick it up and you think it's a lemon-flavored item, and then it's banana. But I can't waste it, so I'll still eat it, but it just sucks." Truth. And Brando Meyer came to play by announcing that, "My one biggest pet peeve is definitely when you walk up to a urinal, you're going to the bathroom, someone else comes in, the whole row is open, and they take the one right next to you. It's like, 'Bro, give me some space.'" Again, truth. Emily Flippen on 'Survivor 45'. Robert Voets/CBS However, nothing could have prepared us for the greatest answer in the history of answers. Yet that is exactly what we got when we asked Emily Flippen about her pet peeves. The 28-year-old investment analyst from Maryland came hot out of the gate in the game — needlessly taking jabs at Bruce Perreault and then stirring things up on her own Lulu tribe. But that shouldn't necessarily be surprising from someone who only applied to the show because she was so angry at Mike Gabler's Survivor 43 victory. So when we inquired as to Emily's pet peeves, the floodgates opened… and they opened wide. "I'm actually a really irritable person," says Emily. "I hate that aspect of myself. I really wish I wasn't like this, but I get very irritated very quickly by any number of things. So if somebody is singing? Irritated. Chewing too loudly? Irritated. If you're being too serious, probably irritated at you. If you're making too many jokes, probably irritated. Mildly uncomfortable? Mildly moist? Probably irritated. In fact, I feel like a good way to describe my personality is I am both happy and irritated at the same time — constantly." First off, they should hang that answer in the Louvre, right next to the Mona Lisa. And while by her own estimation Emily may be the most irritated Survivor contestant ever, she is also one of the most self-aware — fully acknowledging her Negative Nancy persona. It's what makes her so fun and fascinating to watch. Speaking of which, you should get to watching her right now! To see Emily talk about how irritable she is — and also take in the pet peeves of the entire Survivor 45 cast — watch the video above. If you don't, Emily might get irritated. Then again, if you do, she will also be irritated. So do as you please.   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Sheldor 4289 desperate attention whore postings DAW Level: "Jerry Springer Show Guest" 11-08-23, 07:10 AM (EST) 8. "mid-game interview: Emily" Survivor 45 star Emily Flippen reveals why she voted Brando out in exclusive mid-game interview The comeback kid says she was "completely shell-shocked" to make it to the merge episode. By Dalton Ross Published on November 1, 2023 http://ew.com/tv/survivor-45-emily-flippen-reveals-why-she-voted-brando-out/ It's been a wild ride for Emily Flippen on Survivor 45. The 28-year-old investment analyst called out Bruce Perreault just moments into the game, and then set her sights on the dominant alliance of her own Lulu tribe. All that drama and negative energy had Emily's neck on the line at the first Tribal Council of the season, and she would have been voted out right then, on day three of the game, had Hannah Rose not threatened to quit unless the tribe voted her instead. That reprieve gave Emily a second life, and she has made the most of it — forming an alliance with Kaleb Gebrewold that flipped the script on Lulu. She then ended up in the all-powerful swing vote position when a tribe swap put her on a tribe with two original Belo and two original Reba members. With both sides wooing her, Emily eventually sided with Drew Basile and Austin Li Coon over Brando Meyer and Kendra McQuarrie — voting Brando out. With all three tribes combining onto one beach for tonight's "mergatory" episode — when players will battle to make the merge — Emily was the natural choice for EW's regular in-season merge interview. What does she make of her 180-degree turn in the game? What were her highest and lowest points during the first 11 days? And why did she ultimately side with Drew and Austin over Brando and Kendra? We asked Emily all that and more. Emily Flippen of "Survivor 45'. ROBERT VOETS/CBS ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: After all the turmoil you experienced, what was it like to make it past the three-tribe portion of the game, on the precipice of the merge? EMILY FLIPPEN: I'd like to say that I was excited, but the reality was that I was completely shell-shocked. I was still grappling with the reality that I should've been voted out at the very first Tribal Council, which, for an already insecure person, certainly made me that much more doubtful of my own gameplay. However, the bright side that came with this new reality was the realization that every day I was on the island, I was essentially playing with house money. I wasn't supposed to be there; I had already made every mistake in the book, so screw it! How much worse could it possibly get? What's something interesting that happened in the pre-merge portion of the game that never made it to TV? Kaleb approached me about voting out Sean early during the day of the third Tribal Council, before we swapped the vote over to Sabiyah. He felt that Sabiyah (along with her idol) could be an asset for us should there be a merge or tribe swap. Sean, on the other hand, was extremely social and "go with the flow," which could give him more options. However, we decided Sabiyah's idol could be used against us if we lost another immunity challenge, so we swapped the votes over to her. I still think about what might have happened should we have stuck to Kaleb's original plan to vote for Sean. Sabiyah Broderick and Emily Flippen on 'Survivor 45'. ROBERT VOETS/CBS How worried were you that Kaleb would not believe you and think it was a ploy to save yourself when you told him Sabiyah was gunning for him? Initially, I wasn't worried at all. Kaleb had gone out of his way to bring me into the fold, both strategically and personally. He independently approached me about swapping the vote onto Sean, so I was fairly confident that I was in a swing position. I felt it made little sense for us to not vote together, and believed I was putting my neck on the line for him should the vote result in a 2-2 split. However, doubt initially sprouted up shortly before Tribal Council when Sabiyah and Sean told me details about a private conversation I had with Kaleb, making me realize he was still sharing information with them. It's embarrassing to say, but that's when I panicked and realized it was possible Kaleb was playing me and could still write down my name. What viewers saw in the third episode was a last-minute scramble on my part, attempting to ensure Kaleb was aware that if he did not write down Sabiyah's name, he was going home. In reality, Kaleb was already aware of this and already voting with me, so he took my panic in stride. The Lulu tribe on 'Survivor 45'. ROBERT VOETS/CBS What was it like going from being on the bottom of what might be the worst Survivor tribe ever to all of a sudden being the all-powerful swing vote on Belo? Weirdly enough, I much preferred playing from the bottom of Lulu than being in a more influential position on Belo. I had little to lose on Lulu — anything decent I did was just gravy. On Belo, I had to be much more conscious of what I said and how I acted. When Belo lost immunity, I knew that my decision on aligning with former Belo or former Reba members would have a lasting impact not just on my game but on others' games as well. That was an incredible amount of pressure, especially when my starved brain could barely form a coherent sentence (sorry, Brando - not Brendo!). It was strange to suddenly have options, and I was not well-prepared for my position to change so dramatically so quickly. The Belo tribe on 'Survivor 45'. ROBERT VOETS/CBS Realizing things can change moving forward, at that point on day 11 of the game, what made you pick Austin and Drew over Brando and Kendra? I had an immediate connection with both Drew and Austin, in part because we seemed to have similar communication styles. Both of them, but especially Drew, were very direct and honest, which made me feel comfortable. Moreover, they both included me in their conversations. While I knew the two were closer with each other, they talked to me like an equal rather than attempting to direct me. They gave me information about the dynamics of the Reba tribe and wanted to create an alliance between the three of us. Brando and Kendra were a bit more complicated. While Kendra and I got along surprisingly well, in part thanks to her unadulterated authenticity, I still had lingering doubts about her allegiances given her previous visit to Lulu camp on the night of the first Tribal Council. She never told me about her vote that night. Brando wanted to work with me during the swing vote, but I didn't get the impression he was truly interested in creating an alliance that would survive the merge. I could make a compelling case for both sides, and there were points where I legitimately found myself unclear about what the "right" decision was. At some point, I had to accept that I couldn't know what the best choice would ultimately be, so I voted with my gut instinct. Brando Meyer and Jeff Probst on 'Survivor 45'. ROBERT VOETS/CBS What was your favorite moment you experienced this season leading up to the merge? For some reason, the first memory that comes to mind is our very first night on Lulu beach. We had no shelter, and everyone was lying on the ground, trying to sleep. I suggested to the tribe that we should go around and share interesting facts about ourselves to get to know each other better. I went first, sharing with the tribe that I could swallow my tongue. I thought it was a fun fact! However, the rest of my tribemates opened up about very personal and meaningful stories from their lives. I remember laying there thinking to myself, "Emily, you are so stupid!" While my failure to open up really isolated me at Lulu Beach, it's hilarious to look back on, made even better by the fact that my fellow castaways were able to have a good laugh about it as well. What was your lowest moment leading up to the merge? This is easy: the days following Hannah's quit when I realized I would have to change aspects of who I was in order to be better at the game of Survivor. I mean, I shouldn't have been surprised! After all, since when does conflict and bluntness win you any friends? But it was still somewhat painful to discover that key qualities and traits of my personality, some that I previously prided myself for, were looked upon so negatively. While "weird aggressive Emily" is not a complete picture of me, it was (and still is) a very real part of who I am.   Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

Lock | Archive | Remove

Lobby | Topics | Previous Topic | Next Topic

Select another forum Lobby The Amazing Race Message Board Forums (Conference)   |--The Amazing Race Fanatics Forum (Protected)   |--The Amazing Race Basher Forum (Protected)   |--The Amazing Race Spoiler/Speculation Forum (Protected) American Idol Message Board Forums (Conference)   |--American Idol General Discussion Forum (Protected)   |--American Idol Individual Contestant and Judge Discussion Forum (Protected) Big Brother Message Board Forums (Conference)   |--Big Brother Fanatic Forum (Protected)   |--Big Brother Bashers Forum (Protected)   |--Big Brother Live Feed Updates And Spoilers (Protected) The Mole Message Board Forums (Conference)   |--The Mole General Discussion Forum (Protected)   |--The Mole Clues & Spoilers Forum (Protected) Survivor Message Board Forums (Conference)   |--Survivor Fanatic Forum (Protected)   |--Survivor Basher Forum (Protected)   |--Survivor Spoilers Forum (Protected)   |--Survivor Games Forum (Protected)   |--Spoiler Island Fantasy Game Forum (Protected)   |--Survivor 6 Spoiler/Speculation Forum (Protected)   |--Survivor 8 Spoilers Forum (Protected)   |--Survivor Book Forum (Protected)   |--SurvivorMarket Forum (Public) Other Reality TV Shows (Conference)   |--America's Got Talent Forum (Protected)   |--America's Next Top Model Forum (Protected)   |--The Bachelor / The Bachelorette Forum (Protected)   |--The Biggest Loser Forum (Protected)   |--Dancing with the Stars Forum (Protected)   |--Flavor of Love / I Love New York Forum (Protected)   |--I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Forum (Protected)   |--Jon & Kate Plus 8 Forum (Protected)   |--Hell's Kitchen Forum (Protected)   |--HGTV Design Star Forum (Protected)   |--Laguna Beach / The Hills Forum (Protected)   |--Project Runway Forum (Protected)   |--The Real Housewives Forum (Protected)   |--The Real World / Road Rules Forum (Protected)   |--So You Think You Can Dance Forum (Protected)   |--Top Chef Forum (Protected)   |--Trading Spouses / Wife Swap Forum (Protected)   |--Other Reality TV Shows Forum (Protected) Off Topic (Conference)   |--Temporary Off Topic Forum (Protected)   |--The Help Forum (Protected)   |--Off-Topic Forum (Protected)   |--Off-Topic Sports Forum (Protected)   |--Story Competitions Forum (Protected) TemptationIslandSucks.com Message Board Forums (Conference)   |--Temptation Island Everything (Protected) TheOsbournesSucks.com Message Board Forums (Conference)   |--The Osbournes Everything Forum (Protected)