LAST EDITED ON 05-08-03 AT 02:21 PM (EST)Today at noon Jiffy Probe participated in a conference call with the media -- below are some of my notes (there's not much spoilish info here, but I figured better to be safe than sorry)
- Jeff feels this is truly one of the best seasons ever. The good characters lasted deep into the show this time (cites Hunter and Gina as a failure in past shows for this to happen.) Rob is the smartest guy to ever play the same, Heidi and Jenna are one of the most memorable "couples" (his words) ever.
- Jeff was asked to clarify the "I never expected either of the Final 2 to be in the Final 2" comment. First he said that with the exception of Rob, he wouldn't have expected any of the other four to make the Final Two. Then he followed it up by saying when he first met Rob he thought Rob'd be first or second out because he was kinda the outcast of the guys -- not as physically strong as the rest, probably used to being picked last for everything in sports, etc. He also said his first impression of Matt was that he had "zero" social skills, that the "cute girls never last," and that you always think someone like Butch will never make it, but one of them always does.
- Jenna is "finally playing the game" starting with her outburst at Rob last week
- Rob is playing the game like Richard Hatch
- Christy had one of the best confessional speeches ever
- Question was asked about the editing of Heidi and Jenna -- Probst replied "we don't put words in anyone's mouth... do they deserve some of the heat they are taking -- sure"
- Janet had the second best confessional speech of the season (the "midlife crisis" commnet, which Jeff disagrees with though)
- The idea for Jenna to strip was completely her own, and if anything, Jeff says HE was the victim of editing as it was actually 45 minutes after Jenna made the peanut butter suggestion that they got the peanut butter and chocolate out to him. He says he probably looked when they stripped, but he claims not too remember because he was too concerned about trying to make sure they got the right camera shots, etc. (guess he doesn't consider it very memorable 
)
- Among the prime topics at the reunion will be Heidi, Jenna, Rob, the nature of Alex and Shawna's relationship, and Christy's experiences
- Helen Glover popped in and asked a question as a reporter for the Providence Journal. She asked if the show is happy with the role models that Heidi and Jenna have set for young girls and pointed out this is family hour television. Helen called them an "embarassment" and that their stripping for strippings sake was foolish, although it might have been more understandable if it at least had something to do with the gameplay to fake the boys out of the challenge. She talked about all the other beautiful women who've been the the show before (she rattled off 6-7 names) who "never resorted to that." Jeff kinda brushed her comments off saying that the show never knows what the players are going to do, the sexual energy was "so amped up" in this edition but that the nudity was "not an indication" of the type of stuff the producers are looking to show on future editions of Survivor. He then added that "the Final 4 in Thailand was one of the most boring Final 4's we've ever had" because, as Helen knows, the players were all older, more predictable, and because of Jan's lack of gameplay, Helen didn't have any chance to win. Helen thanked Jiffy for that reminder...
- The Christy thing was a "wierd dynamic" and it was partly Christy's fault, partly the fault of the women, and partly due to the deaf/hearing difference. "Christy was not a walk in the park either" and he'll be asking about this issue at the reunion.
- Jiffy is not sure if the Shawna/Alex relationship was real or if Alex was trying to play Shawna, he seemed to get over her very fast and he'll be asking about this at the reunion
- Talking about how you get to the Final 2, he said Ethan knew "what role to play" in his edition of the show and it "wasn't an accident" that he won -- "bullshit" to people who say otherwise (there was some surprisingly frank language in the call) and if you look at Ethan now and talk with him it's clear that he knew what he was doing.
- Asked for his Top 3 more favorite shows, he said his favorite edition is Survivor Borneo -- like your first girlfriend it holds a special place in your heart. Next is S2 and S6 (kinda a tie.)
- He is not obligated to talk to everyone during the reunion and his goal is to "have a show that's entertaining." But the "humane part of him" likes to try and give everyone "one last chance to be on TV" but some feedback from the media on the call convinced him to drop this idea and go with "the best show possible." (guess we can forget about ever hearing from some of the boring pre-jury boots.)
- Asked about other reality shows he said the one show he is really sad he missed (he only saw the finale) is NASHVILLE STAR, he thought the program looked great and featured real singers and real songwriters and genuine folks who have been struggling at this for a while (seemed to be taking a dig at American Idol.) Also said he enjoyed "American Chopper" on Discovery? -- some show about motorcycles and a father and son. He's curious to see what happens to AI from here on out, because the situation with them is like "we were after Survivor 2" in that they are getting all the press and then the press moved on to something else (I can't remember the exact phrasing, but this is what he implied.) Asked about Mr. Personality he called it "spooky -- seeing those guys in masks is kinda spooky."
- He says ROB is playing the game the best that anyone has ever played it -- he's been figuring out everyone else best move and then figuring out his best move, ...and then while the players are figuring out how to keep themselves in the game Rob walks up and tells them.
- Says "CHRISTY BLEW IT" (and adds that you can put that in caps) -- she could have still been in the game
- Confirms the final IC "plays out at the Tribal Council" (no further info) and since they are already there the vote immediately follows. The Final 2 will have a final day together, but honestly the Final IC/TC change is "not a big story"
- ROB has been successful because of his previous knowledge, and you could agrue that Hatch could not have had the same success if he were palying today because "no one needs to be led any more" The gameplay continues to evolve, the best thing for the show would be for more people to learn to play the game like Rob -- again with the Nash references, he says Nash detailed all this years ago with his "So Long Sucker"
- He thought that in the early days the Men tribe were idiots and would have loved to have seen the women run the table and booted them all as the first 8 bootees. Says he's personally "not a guy's guy."
- Shawna "knew what she was doing" in playing the guys and if she had been stronger she could have been there with Heidi and Jenna
- Jiffy told Ryan when he first met him that Ryan would be the first one out and Jeff took a little joy in snuffing Ryan's torch knowing that "he knew that I knew"
- The reaction to Rob from fans is "love/hate" and he's played an "incredibly solid game of Survivor" Funny guy. Repeated some of his favorite Rob jokes, etc.
- Heidi and Jenna -- "there are lot of guys who want to sleep with them and a lot of girls who want to slap them"
- Asked to talk about previous winners, he said he can't help but love Richard Hatch... initial response about Vee is "where'd she go?" -- she got the money and disappeared, fixing up her house, becoming a mother, etc.
- Said one of the best friends in his life is Colby. Asked for an update, he said Colby is living in LA and a "big part of the Survivor family" but he wants to be a legit actor and is avoiding other reality show appearances, etc. Jiffy has faith that Colby will succeed.
- Asked about the chances of doing "men vs. women" again he said it "played out terrifically," but they "lost sleep" when it started, the "last thing we wanted was 8 men" in the finals. They don't like to repeat ideas, but the concept "was a home run" and "only the futire will tell."
- CBS Media Relations confirmed that at last count 30-something former survivors will be attending the Finale
-SB
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), but I don't think these comments in any way forclose Rob in the F2. 
