LAST EDITED ON 02-26-02 AT 08:55 PM (EST)

I haven't seen this interview cited in any threads yet:

http://www.nandotimes.com/entertainment/story/270566p-2484694c.html

Possible poilers/hints include:

On the general attitude:

"What we learned (in Africa) was the lack of available water worked against us," he continued. "They were so miserable. Their misery showed. "We didn't like the in-fighting in Africa. I did not like what they were doing," he said. "I don't like it being a soap opera. "You'll see from the first episode in Marquesas a different vibe, a different group dynamic," Probst said. Being back on a tropical island means a better mood, Probst said. "There's more joking." In fact, the contestants cheer for each other when someone completes a difficult task, Probst said. "There's much more camaraderie and much more levity," Probst said about "Survivor: Marquesas." "It's more like the first season. "There's a feeling here of 'This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,'" Probst said.

On the challenges:

"The immunity challenges this time are fairly simple. In Africa, we had huger challenges. In Marquesas, we went for small and simple, like a coconut toss. We don't have that as a challenge, but it was about how simple can we be."

SB NOTE: Does this mean fewer challenge vidcaps (since should be obvious what the challenge is) or more (since it will possibly be harder to tell who's winning.)

On the water:

"We have some moments when someone's afraid of the water," he said. "This is in an ocean. You're going to the water to live; there'll be at least one immunity challenge in the water. "But everybody encouraged that person," Probst said. "We learned from 'Survivor: Africa' that it's about the characters, not the environment," Probst said.

SB NOTE: Doesn't this contradict all the "the environment is the 17th survivor" crap Burnett and Probst have been saying for almost 2 years?

On winning:

Probst said he was surprised Ethan Zohn, the nice, quiet guy, won by "flying in under the radar" on "Survivor: Africa." He had expected Lex, the ruthless guy, to win, just like Richard Hatch had in the first "Survivor."

SB NOTE: You can bet that he wasn't saying this BEFORE they "settled" with Lex on 2nd place money.

Success on "Survivor" boils down to being adaptable, Probst said. He noted Rudy Boesch in the first series learned to simply be in the background and form his alliances. "Survivor" is a game involving deception, and morals can get in the way, Probst said. "He (Richard Hatch) said, 'There aren't any morals. It's an amoral situation. It's a game.'" It's the closest thing to office politics, Probst said. "Every day you're working with people you like, some you don't like as much. You're forming relationships and alliances. "I think they (the contestants) are a little more savvy; they're aware this is a popular television show. It's something we have to combat."

SB NOTE: In other words, it doesn't sound like an Ethan-type personality wins again this time.

On the players:

"Hunter is a natural born leader," Probst said about the former Air Force pilot, who was decorated for his service. "Sarah is definitely the pinup girl," Probst said. "Sean is one of the three funniest guys on the show. Gabriel is Christopher Atkins of 'The Blue Lagoon,'" he said. "He looks like he was born on the beach."

SB NOTE: You wouldn't think he'd be bothering to be wasting his time talking much about the first players to be out of the game, so can we rule these folks out as bootees for the first few episodes?

-SB