Jeff Probst just pissed me off again

[lazarus]

first, he said those of us who hate Russhole aren't real fans, whatever that means. Then there's this, from his latest blog. "He" is Russhole, of course:

As many days as he lasts in this game, he earns them all. I feel that way about every contestant. Whether they sand bag it like Sandra or come out swinging like Russell. You earn it.

Sand bag it?!?! My beloved Sandra played one of the greatest social games in history and won the freaking game, twice.

After hosting for a decade, Jeffrey apparently still doesn't understand this game. He thinks numbers are important at the merge. He thinks large alliances are better than small, tight ones. He thinks big beefy alpha males are challenge monsters and should always be kept in the game. He thinks every time someone is voted out is a blindside. He thinks we need constant colour commentary during challenges.

I sometimes wonder if things wouldn't be better if Jeffrey was no longer a producer, so he could regain some objectivity about things. I think a big part of his bromance with Russhole is the ratings he supposedly brings in (which, the ratings this season are the lowest they've ever been, so, no).

Either that, or replace him with Mike Rowe.

[romana]

1. Social game

I think Jeff recognizes that there is a social game, but I don't think he appreciates it nearly as much as he should.

Russell, on the other hand, not only doesn't appreciate the social game, he doesn't understand it. He could not modify his play strategy in the least to accommodate the social game, and it finally bit him on the ass.

[lazarus]

2. someone just talked me down a bit

possibly, maybe, Probst meant that Sandra was intentionally sandbagging the strategising to play the social game better. I doubt it, though, because Probst is all about the alpha males.

[travelingtypist]

3. So you think Julie was a showmance?

Or a beard?

I'm so glad that Sandra is perched up there so high, maybe displacing the porn star on your favorites list. :)

[lazarus]

4. heh

I think she was a showmance. Probst just loves his bromances, is all.

Heidik is still my favourite one season winner, but Sandra won twice, so...

[travelingtypist]

6. Maher on bromances.

http://rackjite.com/archives/5842-New-Rules-Bill-Maher,-Stewart-Colbert-wrong-on-Left-Right-equivalency.html

I don't know if you saw this, but just sayin'...

[dr.strangelove]

5. well

Its fun to hate russell, so I get that point of view. I also agree that he puts it all out there. His style of play is strange, but its fun to watch him go down for it finally.

The "sand bag" it comment on Sandra is odd. I suspect he meant that she played badly on purpose to not seem like a physical threat or a social threat, but who knows. I agree that Jeff seems to prefer the Rob/Colby Alpha Dog style of play. Though I disagree that he thinks large alliances are better than small, tight ones. Alot of what he says at tribal is to get a resonse, not to state his opinion.

I hate the constant commentary during challenges too!!!

All in all, I like Probst.

[lazarus]

7. I still like Probst, to a point

I think he spends way too much time at reunions on stuff he shouldn't (a whole segment on Jimmy Johnson? Really?). And he doesn't really understand the game at all. But he's mostly a good host.

The only two replacements I could see working are Boston Rob or Mike Rowe.

[dr.strangelove]

8. I disagree

The reunions are meant to deal with fan issues. MB has always been in front of social media. He started using the survivor website to check fan favorites and villains in the second season. My understanding is that MB and Probst review the comments on the website, the polls, the comments in the games on the website and those silly text games, to judge what issues are important to the fans. While I did not like the Jimmy J lovefest, Jimmy J does have a big following in the target demo, and having Terry Bradshaw and Jimmy Johnson talked about the show on the football radio and TV programs they are on, well, its marketing. Its a business, and any chance to open up to a new audience must be pursued.

Anyway, I think he understands the game better than you think he does. I think he is trying to drive ratings as well.

[lazarus]

9. I agree with your last sentence

I think his drive for higher ratings takes precedence over anything else. Hence the love of Ressel and Na Onka and Jimmy Johnson, and the disdain for Sandra.

The thing is, the editors create these characters, so they could have made Sandra fan favourite if they had chosen to. Instead, they chose to make Ressell fan favourite, twice. They pushed Rupert on us, when it could have been anybody else, especially on All Stars.

So production is to blame for a lot of this. Characters become popular due to editing; they're not edited a certain way because they're popular. And Probst goes right along with it. I do wonder how much say he has in the character creation, though.

[dr.strangelove]

10. That I disagree with completely

Your comment that the editors create these characters is completely off base. The editors certainly pick which characters to highlight and which moments of these characters to show, but the people themselves exist long before they get to the island. Not a single "character" has ever been revealed to be made up, except the Fairplay thing, which was his doing. They could not have made Saundra a fan favorite because she simply is not charismatic. Fans who love her, love her for her play, but she will never be the type of person that is the cetner of attention. Thats why she won both times, by keepign attention on others. Its her strength and she played it well. But on a TV show, they have to air people who are can draw ratings, otherwise the show is canned.

They never tried to make Ressell a fan favorite, they showed him for what he is. the first time, it was surprising so it was interesting to me. I loved to hate him. the secodn time, it got old quickly and I stopped wanting to see him any more. This time, I was done with him before it started. But he was never marketed as a babyface, he was pushed as what he showed, a strong player who was just a jerk. Rupert was a big dumb oaf. It was appealing the first time, but in All-stars with all the opther good characters around, it was not as appealing. they work the hand dealt.

Anyway, ratings are important, as they should be. But no characters are created through editing. The characters are there and the show is edited to present the best moments, or at leas thte moments MB feels will get the most interest in tuning in a few more times.

[lazarus]

11. thing is

they do shove certain people down our throats. Ressell broke all kinds of records with the number of confessionals he got both his first two seasons; is it any wonder fans thought he was special after that?

Rupert was highlighted in both his first seasons, which is why he won fan favourite in All Stars even after being shown to be a complete doof.

Maybe I misspoke a bit. By creating a character, I mean that they pick and choose what they're going to show, and that makes certain people appear a certain way. An old school example: Hatch's going naked on his birthday was played up as a big deal. We found out after the season that every person on the tribe went naked quite a bit, and nobody really cared about nudity after the first couple of days.