I'm not really sure where to post this, but this may have implications for our discussions of spoilers this season, so I posted it here.

I have found evidence that Jeff Probst can make judgment calls concerning reward and immunity challenges.

In the first episode of the first season, while explaining the rules to the Quest for Fire challenge Jeff said the following:
"Don't put me in the position of having to make a judgement call. I don't want to, there's too much at stake."

This is a direct quote. I reviewed the tape three times to ensure I got it correct, word for word.

He isn't shown making this statement again, either in the first season or in the second season.

• RE: Jeff Probst can make a "judgement call",dabo, 01:19 AM, 09-13-01
• RE: Jeff Probst can make a "judgement call",Mitrelleum, 02:30 AM, 09-13-01
• RE: Jeff Probst can make a "judgement call",VampKira, 08:19 PM, 09-13-01
  • RE: Jeff Probst can make a "judgement call",PepeLePew13, 08:07 AM, 09-14-01
    • Agree,AyaK, 08:47 PM, 09-17-01
      • That Raises a Question...,IceCat, 09:23 PM, 09-17-01
        • Cameramen,AyaK, 11:57 AM, 09-18-01

During the S2 ep10 ic (fire building) Probst gave Keith a warning about cheating. From Keith's reaction it seemed he understood that Probst has authority during challenges, this is probably explained to all the players before filming begins.

"If the race of man should be left naked upon a desert island, we should become extinct in six weeks. A few individuals might linger, but in a year would become worse than monkeys." (Samuel Butler, "Erewhon")

Just for the record, I don't know if you guys have seen the UK Survivor website, but the host (Mark something-or-other) took immunity away from teams twice for not finishing the challenges properly.
The first time it was "Quest For Fire" and one tribe made it all the way to the end just to be disqualified for missing one torch. So indeed, Jeff is responsible for judging the challenges. Too bad he didn't see Colby cheat in front of Amber in the rope maze reward in E11.

Why does this bring to mind the Colby/Liz broken plates challenge?

"Come to me. Come to me because only I, and my like, can end the lonliness you feel." - The Vampire Lestat

Du ar min hjälte, Supermänniska

I think you're right, Vampy. I recall that JiffyProbe announced at the beginning something to the effect that the last person with a plate "intact" would win and Colby's last one had a chip in it, which technically wasn't fully intact. Jiffy made, in my opinion, a 'judgement call' right there to allow Colby to continue and win immunity.

"Permit me to introduce myself. I am Pepe Le Pew, your lover."

No question that Jeff has always had first-line judging authority on "Survivor". I agree; the "chipped plate" was completely his call. I think the plate was OK as long as the name was intact, BTW, although I agree that the edited version of Jeff's explanation indicates otherwise. Anyway, if the contestants didn't think the chipped plate was still OK, they would have screamed bloody murder (this was a key immunity, after all). I also agree that it was Jeff's call whether to DQ Colby in the rope challenge and that he blew it. Would the right call have made any difference in the long run? Perhaps, but we'll never know....

LAST EDITED ON 09-17-01 AT 09:26 PM (EST)

If Jiffy is the final arbiter in the case of rule intepretation, how does he view all participants in a foot race. Does he just run along with the lead group? Does he review all of the race footage before the winner is declared? The logistics are more complicated than just acting as a referee during the competition itself.

I'd say the real interpretation of the rules occurs at the producer level.

Oh damn... I hope I don't get a 'Stacy-subpoena in' the mail tomorrow!

Edited cuz I couldn't spell subpoena... so sue me! No - wait!

I doubt that the rules would require the review of a tape. I think the cameramen/crew would be expected to report any obvious violations; otherwise, it's just based on what Jeffy and probably an assistant producer see. I'd be surprised if MB came to most of the challenges, because many of them tend to be lengthy and dull in real time. He might come to a few, like the cliff dive (when he choppered in and then issued his famous command about preventing the two tribes from talking -- "Separate the f@#kers!"), but I doubt very much if he was at "Paired Off" or the pole-standing challenge. Jeffy and the assistant producer could call MB if they needed advice, but MB wouldn't be a referee, just an oracle.

This would be in keeping with normal game show practice, which puts the main responsibility for detecting a problem with the contest in the hands of the host and an assistant producer.