From Newsgroup: alt.tv.survivor

Jeff Probst Breaks Down rCySurvivorrCO 50rCOs Celeb Collabs, Promises They DonrCOt rCyOvershadowrCO the Game: rCyOur Show Is Not ChangingrCO

When Jeff Probst began planning rCLSurvivorrCY 50, he knew he had to go big. As always, that began with the cast rCo sifting through the 700+ castaways
who have competed over the last 25 years to find the most memorable and
iconic ones to return. Then, Probst quickly moved onto designing the seasonrCOs theme.

As revealed in the first trailer for this season, rCLIn the Hands of the FansrCY will include twists featuring Billie Eilish and Jimmy Fallon, and cameos from Jimmy rCLMrBeastrCY Donaldson and Zac Brown.

But donrCOt fret, rCLSurvivorrCY loyalists: Probst isnrCOt losing the plot.

rCLOnce we committed to turning the game design over to the fans, the next question became: rCyHow far can we go with this idea!?rCOrCY the host and showrunner tells Variety. rCLWe knew some of rCySurvivorrCOsrCO biggest fans happen to be celebrities, so we thought sprinkling a few of them in with
their own unique twists felt like a fun way to make the game even more unpredictable! It definitely caught the players off guard in some really exciting ways, and added another layer to this celebratory season.rCY

This is the largest cast to ever play, and the castaways will, as
always, be the real stars of the season rCo even when there are
game-changing twists with celebrities attached. Variety was on set in
Fiji for two of the collaborations, and can confirm that rCLSurvivorrCY
still feels like rCLSurvivor,rCY even when A-list names are attached.

rCLI think itrCOs a legitimate concern when you start adding layers like celebrities, that they can overshadow the game and take it off course.
Our job was to make sure that we stayed true to what werCOre doing on rCySurvivor,rCO which is exploring this continuous social experiment. And
now werCOre adding another layer,rCY Probst says. rCLAnd when you bring in a celebrity like Zac Brown or MrBeast or Jimmy Fallon, you now add
idolatry, and you add different perceptions and reputations. Suddenly,
people can get off track a little bit, or they lean in, and they want something to do with Jimmy Fallon. A lot of the players said, rCyIrCOve
always dreamed of being in a MrBeast video.rCO So the twist is designed to
see if you can stay on course with the thought process you should rCo or
how is it going to shift your thought process, and will it do you in?rCY

He also adds that he didnrCOt go out to celebrities and ask who wanted to
be involved rCo it was through his own friendships and relationships that
each collaboration came about. And it was the celebrityrCOs idea.

rCLWith Jimmy Fallon, it was on his show. Jimmy texts me ideas all the
time about rCySurvivor,rCO and we put some of them in the show, and werCOve always talked about this idea,rCY Probst says. That idea, for now, wonrCOt
be shared rCo but it is an exciting one, which is hinted at during the trailer, and didnrCOt go at all how Probst thought it would. rCLI think
people will see, when they see these play out, I think theyrCOll
understand these are legit rCySurvivorrCO fans who wanted to be a part of 50.rCY

The biggest collab of the season, however, will be the one with MrBeast; Probst appears on Season 2 of rCLBeast GamesrCY and Donaldson shows up for something on Season 50 of rCLSurvivor.rCY The cameos were filmed days apart from each other in June in Fiji.

The crossover conversation began when Lori DelliColli, VP of
communications at CBS, was eating breakfast, and her kids showed her a
MrBeast video. One of his team members, Karl Jacobs, was wearing a rCLSurvivorrCY buff and talking about the show. She flagged to the marketing team, who invited Jacobs, along with rCLBeast GamesrCY co-creator Sean Klitzner, to participate in the influencer experience filmed ahead of
Season 49.

No one knew at the time just how big of fans they were of the franchise. Executive producer Matt Van Wagenen recalls Klitzner applying and
getting close to being cast on an earlier season. In 2020, Jacobs DMrCOd
Van Wagenen on Twitter (as it was then), raving about the show. Van
Wagenen mailed him a crew T-shirt and when Jacobs posted it on social
media, the producer started hearing from friends and family. He had no
idea how big JacobsrCO following was. Once they re-met in Fiji, rCLit felt like this was a conversation we never finished,rCY Van Wagenen says.

During the influencer experience, Klitzner pitched Probst on some sort
of collaboration rCo and rCLthe camaraderie was instant; my respect for them was instant,rCY says Probst. rCLAnd then it was LorirCOs idea to say, rCyThat felt like some synergy there.rCO WerCOve never said, rCyLetrCOs collaborate with
another show.rCO Ever. We are our own tiny little world trying to just
stay out of the way, and do our show.rCY

A main part of the crossover, though, was logistics; the calendar for rCLSurvivorrCY Season 50 and rCLBeast GamesrCY Season 2 were already set. But the Prime Video reality competition series was willing to bend: They all wanted to make it work.

rCLI said, rCyJeff, if you really want to do this, rCyIrCOll push my entire shoot. IrCOll fit your dates no matter what,rCOrCY says Klitzner. rCLWe had a kick-off meeting where they pitched us what we should do for our show.
They said, rCyWe donrCOt want to overstep.rCO We said, rCyWe want you to overstep in every sense of the word.rCO They said they could shoot it with their crew and could build challenges. They came in, designed everything
from soup to nuts. And of course, then our team came in, and we put rCyBeastrCO into itrCa There was not one moment that Jeff went, rCyI donrCOt know
if we can do this.'rCY

Though rCLBeast GamesrCY and rCLSurvivorrCY are both reality competition shows,
they have very little in common.

rCLThey have a chaotic approach. They have cameras everywhere; they break
the fourth wall all the time. They talk to players whenever they want.
ItrCOs a completely different form of storytelling, and it works,rCY Probst says. And Donaldson is a very different type of host from Probst. rCLHerCOs not focused on a longer-term story. He seems more focused on an
in-the-moment reaction, and they bounce from one reaction to another, to another. ItrCOs similar to his online environment, which is this constant
hit of another moment, another event, one after another. rCLOn rCySurvivor,rCO werCOre looking at the long game. We want to introduce you to somebody,
let you know who they are, where theyrCOre from, what their
vulnerabilities are, and then we add things to the game to exacerbate
that uncertainty and force adaptability.rCY

And DonaldsonrCOs style was rCLexhilaratingrCY for Probst to see, allowing him a look into such a different production than herCOs used to. rCLWho knows
what influence I will take from that?rCY Probst says. rCLIrCOm sure in some ways, I will take things from my time with Jimmy and go, rCyI could use
some elements of that in rCySurvivor.rCOrCY

In a way, it was rCLlike I was in a video game and just trying to keep
up,rCY Probst says of being part of the rCLBeast GamesrCY episode. rCLHe just goes wherever he wants. He, like me, is the producer of his show. He can decide to do whatever he wants, and he does. He doesnrCOt hesitate to say, rCyI think IrCOll just bribe you with money right now.rCO It was fascinating to be inside their world and watch them.rCY

Of course, having Probst by his side was a huge learning experience for Donaldson rCo both as a host and as a producer. After the first part of
the collab is filmed, Donaldson says: rCLIrCOm a little more monotone. Jeff projects his voice, and has a swag with certain things rCo like Island
swag! I would love to have more presence with my voice like he does.rCY

From a producerrCOs standpoint, Donaldson realized while in Fiji that
maybe rCLBeast GamesrCY has rCLover-indexed on changing things. HerCOs essentially done similar vibes for 25 years, and itrCOs still cool. People like familiarity, and I usually try to mix things up, but that makes the production way harder,rCY says Donaldson. rCLItrCOs helped me realize that not everything has to be fresh, because sometimes fans just like things, and
if they like it, do it over and over again.rCY

But after figuring out how rCLSurvivorrCY would be incorporated into rCLBeast Games,rCY it came time for Probst to figure out how to mix MrBeast into
his show.

rCLThe key point for me was, our show is not changing. Jimmy will come in,
and werCOll bring the aspects of rCyBeast GamesrCO that we want to explore on our show,rCY says Probst. rCLIf you look at the two shows, rCyBeast GamesrCO asks one question: What will people do for money? rCySurvivorrCO asks a different question: Who are you when yourCOre stripped of everything?rCY

What DonaldsonrCOs role is in rCLSurvivorrCY 50 needs to stay secret for now, other than whatrCOs shown in the trailer: He shows up with his briefcase. LetrCOs just say, whatrCOs inside has major potential to change the game.

rCLWhen you take people who are being stripped of everything,rCY Probst
says, rCLand then you bring in maybe the most well-known person for unpredictable moments, it took the uncertainty to another level.rCY

rCLSurvivorrCY premieres on CBS Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. ET.

Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/jeff-probst-survivor-50-celebrity-collabs-mr-beast-jimmy-fallon-1236622622/
--
Brian
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.tv.survivor

On 1/6/2026 1:10 AM, Brian Smith wrote:

Jeff Probst Breaks Down rCySurvivorrCO 50rCOs Celeb Collabs, Promises They DonrCOt rCyOvershadowrCO the Game: rCyOur Show Is Not ChangingrCO

When Jeff Probst began planning rCLSurvivorrCY 50, he knew he had to go big. As always, that began with the cast rCo sifting through the 700+ castaways who have competed over the last 25 years to find the most memorable and iconic ones to return. Then, Probst quickly moved onto designing the seasonrCOs theme.

As revealed in the first trailer for this season, rCLIn the Hands of the FansrCY will include twists featuring Billie Eilish and Jimmy Fallon, and cameos from Jimmy rCLMrBeastrCY Donaldson and Zac Brown.

But donrCOt fret, rCLSurvivorrCY loyalists: Probst isnrCOt losing the plot.

rCLOnce we committed to turning the game design over to the fans, the next question became: rCyHow far can we go with this idea!?rCOrCY the host and showrunner tells Variety. rCLWe knew some of rCySurvivorrCOsrCO biggest fans happen to be celebrities, so we thought sprinkling a few of them in with their own unique twists felt like a fun way to make the game even more unpredictable! It definitely caught the players off guard in some really exciting ways, and added another layer to this celebratory season.rCY

This is the largest cast to ever play, and the castaways will, as
always, be the real stars of the season rCo even when there are game-changing twists with celebrities attached. Variety was on set in
Fiji for two of the collaborations, and can confirm that rCLSurvivorrCY still feels like rCLSurvivor,rCY even when A-list names are attached.

rCLI think itrCOs a legitimate concern when you start adding layers like celebrities, that they can overshadow the game and take it off course.
Our job was to make sure that we stayed true to what werCOre doing on rCySurvivor,rCO which is exploring this continuous social experiment. And now werCOre adding another layer,rCY Probst says. rCLAnd when you bring in a celebrity like Zac Brown or MrBeast or Jimmy Fallon, you now add
idolatry, and you add different perceptions and reputations. Suddenly, people can get off track a little bit, or they lean in, and they want something to do with Jimmy Fallon. A lot of the players said, rCyIrCOve always dreamed of being in a MrBeast video.rCO So the twist is designed to see if you can stay on course with the thought process you should rCo or
how is it going to shift your thought process, and will it do you in?rCY

He also adds that he didnrCOt go out to celebrities and ask who wanted to
be involved rCo it was through his own friendships and relationships that each collaboration came about. And it was the celebrityrCOs idea.

rCLWith Jimmy Fallon, it was on his show. Jimmy texts me ideas all the
time about rCySurvivor,rCO and we put some of them in the show, and werCOve always talked about this idea,rCY Probst says. That idea, for now, wonrCOt be shared rCo but it is an exciting one, which is hinted at during the trailer, and didnrCOt go at all how Probst thought it would. rCLI think people will see, when they see these play out, I think theyrCOll
understand these are legit rCySurvivorrCO fans who wanted to be a part of 50.rCY

The biggest collab of the season, however, will be the one with MrBeast; Probst appears on Season 2 of rCLBeast GamesrCY and Donaldson shows up for something on Season 50 of rCLSurvivor.rCY The cameos were filmed days apart from each other in June in Fiji.

The crossover conversation began when Lori DelliColli, VP of
communications at CBS, was eating breakfast, and her kids showed her a MrBeast video. One of his team members, Karl Jacobs, was wearing a rCLSurvivorrCY buff and talking about the show. She flagged to the marketing team, who invited Jacobs, along with rCLBeast GamesrCY co-creator Sean Klitzner, to participate in the influencer experience filmed ahead of
Season 49.

No one knew at the time just how big of fans they were of the franchise. Executive producer Matt Van Wagenen recalls Klitzner applying and
getting close to being cast on an earlier season. In 2020, Jacobs DMrCOd
Van Wagenen on Twitter (as it was then), raving about the show. Van
Wagenen mailed him a crew T-shirt and when Jacobs posted it on social
media, the producer started hearing from friends and family. He had no
idea how big JacobsrCO following was. Once they re-met in Fiji, rCLit felt like this was a conversation we never finished,rCY Van Wagenen says.

During the influencer experience, Klitzner pitched Probst on some sort
of collaboration rCo and rCLthe camaraderie was instant; my respect for them was instant,rCY says Probst. rCLAnd then it was LorirCOs idea to say, rCyThat
felt like some synergy there.rCO WerCOve never said, rCyLetrCOs collaborate with
another show.rCO Ever. We are our own tiny little world trying to just
stay out of the way, and do our show.rCY

A main part of the crossover, though, was logistics; the calendar for rCLSurvivorrCY Season 50 and rCLBeast GamesrCY Season 2 were already set. But
the Prime Video reality competition series was willing to bend: They all wanted to make it work.

rCLI said, rCyJeff, if you really want to do this, rCyIrCOll push my entire shoot. IrCOll fit your dates no matter what,rCOrCY says Klitzner. rCLWe had a
kick-off meeting where they pitched us what we should do for our show.
They said, rCyWe donrCOt want to overstep.rCO We said, rCyWe want you to overstep in every sense of the word.rCO They said they could shoot it with their crew and could build challenges. They came in, designed everything from soup to nuts. And of course, then our team came in, and we put rCyBeastrCO into itrCa There was not one moment that Jeff went, rCyI donrCOt know
if we can do this.'rCY

Though rCLBeast GamesrCY and rCLSurvivorrCY are both reality competition shows,
they have very little in common.

rCLThey have a chaotic approach. They have cameras everywhere; they break the fourth wall all the time. They talk to players whenever they want. ItrCOs a completely different form of storytelling, and it works,rCY Probst says. And Donaldson is a very different type of host from Probst. rCLHerCOs not focused on a longer-term story. He seems more focused on an in-the-moment reaction, and they bounce from one reaction to another, to another. ItrCOs similar to his online environment, which is this constant hit of another moment, another event, one after another. rCLOn rCySurvivor,rCO
werCOre looking at the long game. We want to introduce you to somebody,
let you know who they are, where theyrCOre from, what their
vulnerabilities are, and then we add things to the game to exacerbate
that uncertainty and force adaptability.rCY

And DonaldsonrCOs style was rCLexhilaratingrCY for Probst to see, allowing him
a look into such a different production than herCOs used to. rCLWho knows what influence I will take from that?rCY Probst says. rCLIrCOm sure in some ways, I will take things from my time with Jimmy and go, rCyI could use
some elements of that in rCySurvivor.rCOrCY

In a way, it was rCLlike I was in a video game and just trying to keep up,rCY Probst says of being part of the rCLBeast GamesrCY episode. rCLHe just
goes wherever he wants. He, like me, is the producer of his show. He can decide to do whatever he wants, and he does. He doesnrCOt hesitate to say, rCyI think IrCOll just bribe you with money right now.rCO It was fascinating to be inside their world and watch them.rCY

Of course, having Probst by his side was a huge learning experience for Donaldson rCo both as a host and as a producer. After the first part of
the collab is filmed, Donaldson says: rCLIrCOm a little more monotone. Jeff projects his voice, and has a swag with certain things rCo like Island
swag! I would love to have more presence with my voice like he does.rCY

From a producerrCOs standpoint, Donaldson realized while in Fiji that
maybe rCLBeast GamesrCY has rCLover-indexed on changing things. HerCOs essentially done similar vibes for 25 years, and itrCOs still cool. People like familiarity, and I usually try to mix things up, but that makes the production way harder,rCY says Donaldson. rCLItrCOs helped me realize that not
everything has to be fresh, because sometimes fans just like things, and
if they like it, do it over and over again.rCY

But after figuring out how rCLSurvivorrCY would be incorporated into rCLBeast
Games,rCY it came time for Probst to figure out how to mix MrBeast into
his show.

rCLThe key point for me was, our show is not changing. Jimmy will come in, and werCOll bring the aspects of rCyBeast GamesrCO that we want to explore on
our show,rCY says Probst. rCLIf you look at the two shows, rCyBeast GamesrCO asks one question: What will people do for money? rCySurvivorrCO asks a different question: Who are you when yourCOre stripped of everything?rCY

What DonaldsonrCOs role is in rCLSurvivorrCY 50 needs to stay secret for now,
other than whatrCOs shown in the trailer: He shows up with his briefcase. LetrCOs just say, whatrCOs inside has major potential to change the game.

rCLWhen you take people who are being stripped of everything,rCY Probst says, rCLand then you bring in maybe the most well-known person for unpredictable moments, it took the uncertainty to another level.rCY

rCLSurvivorrCY premieres on CBS Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. ET.

Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/jeff-probst-survivor-50-celebrity-collabs-mr-beast-jimmy-fallon-1236622622/

The headline states that the celebrities won't overshadow the game, but
the very presence of this article kind of indicates otherwise. Probst
is a notorious celebrity groupie, and this article just offers further
proof of that. I'm just glad Tyler Perry and Sia won't be there (as far
as we know).

The real headline for S50 was supposed to be the "in the hands of the
fans" part, with the fans designing the season as the key feature, but
we've heard virtually nothing about that. I think there may be one
sentence in the article referencing the fan design element, and way too
may sentences about the crossover with Beast Games. I'm beginning to
think the fan design element is going to end up as a big nothing.
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2

From Newsgroup: alt.tv.survivor

On 1/6/2026 8:28 AM, Rick wrote:

On 1/6/2026 1:10 AM, Brian Smith wrote:

Jeff Probst Breaks Down rCySurvivorrCO 50rCOs Celeb Collabs, Promises They >> DonrCOt rCyOvershadowrCO the Game: rCyOur Show Is Not ChangingrCO

When Jeff Probst began planning rCLSurvivorrCY 50, he knew he had to go
big. As always, that began with the cast rCo sifting through the 700+
castaways who have competed over the last 25 years to find the most
memorable and iconic ones to return. Then, Probst quickly moved onto
designing the seasonrCOs theme.

As revealed in the first trailer for this season, rCLIn the Hands of the
FansrCY will include twists featuring Billie Eilish and Jimmy Fallon,
and cameos from Jimmy rCLMrBeastrCY Donaldson and Zac Brown.

But donrCOt fret, rCLSurvivorrCY loyalists: Probst isnrCOt losing the plot. >>
rCLOnce we committed to turning the game design over to the fans, the
next question became: rCyHow far can we go with this idea!?rCOrCY the host >> and showrunner tells Variety. rCLWe knew some of rCySurvivorrCOsrCO biggest >> fans happen to be celebrities, so we thought sprinkling a few of them
in with their own unique twists felt like a fun way to make the game
even more unpredictable! It definitely caught the players off guard in
some really exciting ways, and added another layer to this celebratory
season.rCY

This is the largest cast to ever play, and the castaways will, as
always, be the real stars of the season rCo even when there are game-
changing twists with celebrities attached. Variety was on set in Fiji
for two of the collaborations, and can confirm that rCLSurvivorrCY still
feels like rCLSurvivor,rCY even when A-list names are attached.

rCLI think itrCOs a legitimate concern when you start adding layers like
celebrities, that they can overshadow the game and take it off course.
Our job was to make sure that we stayed true to what werCOre doing on
rCySurvivor,rCO which is exploring this continuous social experiment. And >> now werCOre adding another layer,rCY Probst says. rCLAnd when you bring in a
celebrity like Zac Brown or MrBeast or Jimmy Fallon, you now add
idolatry, and you add different perceptions and reputations. Suddenly,
people can get off track a little bit, or they lean in, and they want
something to do with Jimmy Fallon. A lot of the players said, rCyIrCOve
always dreamed of being in a MrBeast video.rCO So the twist is designed
to see if you can stay on course with the thought process you should rCo
or how is it going to shift your thought process, and will it do you in?rCY >>
He also adds that he didnrCOt go out to celebrities and ask who wanted
to be involved rCo it was through his own friendships and relationships
that each collaboration came about. And it was the celebrityrCOs idea.

rCLWith Jimmy Fallon, it was on his show. Jimmy texts me ideas all the
time about rCySurvivor,rCO and we put some of them in the show, and werCOve >> always talked about this idea,rCY Probst says. That idea, for now, wonrCOt >> be shared rCo but it is an exciting one, which is hinted at during the
trailer, and didnrCOt go at all how Probst thought it would. rCLI think
people will see, when they see these play out, I think theyrCOll
understand these are legit rCySurvivorrCO fans who wanted to be a part of >> 50.rCY

The biggest collab of the season, however, will be the one with
MrBeast; Probst appears on Season 2 of rCLBeast GamesrCY and Donaldson
shows up for something on Season 50 of rCLSurvivor.rCY The cameos were
filmed days apart from each other in June in Fiji.

The crossover conversation began when Lori DelliColli, VP of
communications at CBS, was eating breakfast, and her kids showed her a
MrBeast video. One of his team members, Karl Jacobs, was wearing a
rCLSurvivorrCY buff and talking about the show. She flagged to the
marketing team, who invited Jacobs, along with rCLBeast GamesrCY co-
creator Sean Klitzner, to participate in the influencer experience
filmed ahead of Season 49.

No one knew at the time just how big of fans they were of the
franchise. Executive producer Matt Van Wagenen recalls Klitzner
applying and getting close to being cast on an earlier season. In
2020, Jacobs DMrCOd Van Wagenen on Twitter (as it was then), raving
about the show. Van Wagenen mailed him a crew T-shirt and when Jacobs
posted it on social media, the producer started hearing from friends
and family. He had no idea how big JacobsrCO following was. Once they
re-met in Fiji, rCLit felt like this was a conversation we never
finished,rCY Van Wagenen says.

During the influencer experience, Klitzner pitched Probst on some sort
of collaboration rCo and rCLthe camaraderie was instant; my respect for
them was instant,rCY says Probst. rCLAnd then it was LorirCOs idea to say, >> rCyThat felt like some synergy there.rCO WerCOve never said, rCyLetrCOs
collaborate with another show.rCO Ever. We are our own tiny little world
trying to just stay out of the way, and do our show.rCY

A main part of the crossover, though, was logistics; the calendar for
rCLSurvivorrCY Season 50 and rCLBeast GamesrCY Season 2 were already set. But
the Prime Video reality competition series was willing to bend: They
all wanted to make it work.

rCLI said, rCyJeff, if you really want to do this, rCyIrCOll push my entire >> shoot. IrCOll fit your dates no matter what,rCOrCY says Klitzner. rCLWe had a
kick-off meeting where they pitched us what we should do for our show.
They said, rCyWe donrCOt want to overstep.rCO We said, rCyWe want you to
overstep in every sense of the word.rCO They said they could shoot it
with their crew and could build challenges. They came in, designed
everything from soup to nuts. And of course, then our team came in,
and we put rCyBeastrCO into itrCa There was not one moment that Jeff went, >> rCyI donrCOt know if we can do this.'rCY

Though rCLBeast GamesrCY and rCLSurvivorrCY are both reality competition
shows, they have very little in common.

rCLThey have a chaotic approach. They have cameras everywhere; they
break the fourth wall all the time. They talk to players whenever they
want. ItrCOs a completely different form of storytelling, and it works,rCY >> Probst says. And Donaldson is a very different type of host from
Probst. rCLHerCOs not focused on a longer-term story. He seems more
focused on an in-the-moment reaction, and they bounce from one
reaction to another, to another. ItrCOs similar to his online
environment, which is this constant hit of another moment, another
event, one after another. rCLOn rCySurvivor,rCO werCOre looking at the long >> game. We want to introduce you to somebody, let you know who they are,
where theyrCOre from, what their vulnerabilities are, and then we add
things to the game to exacerbate that uncertainty and force
adaptability.rCY

And DonaldsonrCOs style was rCLexhilaratingrCY for Probst to see, allowing >> him a look into such a different production than herCOs used to. rCLWho
knows what influence I will take from that?rCY Probst says. rCLIrCOm sure in
some ways, I will take things from my time with Jimmy and go, rCyI could
use some elements of that in rCySurvivor.rCOrCY

In a way, it was rCLlike I was in a video game and just trying to keep
up,rCY Probst says of being part of the rCLBeast GamesrCY episode. rCLHe just
goes wherever he wants. He, like me, is the producer of his show. He
can decide to do whatever he wants, and he does. He doesnrCOt hesitate
to say, rCyI think IrCOll just bribe you with money right now.rCO It was
fascinating to be inside their world and watch them.rCY

Of course, having Probst by his side was a huge learning experience
for Donaldson rCo both as a host and as a producer. After the first part
of the collab is filmed, Donaldson says: rCLIrCOm a little more monotone. >> Jeff projects his voice, and has a swag with certain things rCo like
Island swag! I would love to have more presence with my voice like he
does.rCY

-aFrom a producerrCOs standpoint, Donaldson realized while in Fiji that
maybe rCLBeast GamesrCY has rCLover-indexed on changing things. HerCOs
essentially done similar vibes for 25 years, and itrCOs still cool.
People like familiarity, and I usually try to mix things up, but that
makes the production way harder,rCY says Donaldson. rCLItrCOs helped me
realize that not everything has to be fresh, because sometimes fans
just like things, and if they like it, do it over and over again.rCY

But after figuring out how rCLSurvivorrCY would be incorporated into
rCLBeast Games,rCY it came time for Probst to figure out how to mix
MrBeast into his show.

rCLThe key point for me was, our show is not changing. Jimmy will come
in, and werCOll bring the aspects of rCyBeast GamesrCO that we want to
explore on our show,rCY says Probst. rCLIf you look at the two shows,
rCyBeast GamesrCO asks one question: What will people do for money?
rCySurvivorrCO asks a different question: Who are you when yourCOre stripped
of everything?rCY

What DonaldsonrCOs role is in rCLSurvivorrCY 50 needs to stay secret for
now, other than whatrCOs shown in the trailer: He shows up with his
briefcase. LetrCOs just say, whatrCOs inside has major potential to change >> the game.

rCLWhen you take people who are being stripped of everything,rCY Probst
says, rCLand then you bring in maybe the most well-known person for
unpredictable moments, it took the uncertainty to another level.rCY

rCLSurvivorrCY premieres on CBS Feb. 25 at 8 p.m. ET.

Source: https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/jeff-probst-survivor-50-
celebrity-collabs-mr-beast-jimmy-fallon-1236622622/

The headline states that the celebrities won't overshadow the game, but
the very presence of this article kind of indicates otherwise.-a Probst
is a notorious celebrity groupie, and this article just offers further
proof of that.-a I'm just glad Tyler Perry and Sia won't be there (as far
as we know).

I saw the other week that Tyler Perry is having some big legal issues
that go back a while. Is Sia even around anymore? In Jeff's defense, the
Mr. Beast stuff originated with a CBS exec and probably Matt Van
Wagenen. The Beast Games producer had applied and was nearly cast on
S41. I have a feeling that Mr. Beast's appearance is going to be used to
get rid of at least one player via a nice instant payout if they agree
to drop out of the game. BB has done this in the past minus the celebs. lol

The real headline for S50 was supposed to be the "in the hands of the
fans" part, with the fans designing the season as the key feature, but
we've heard virtually nothing about that.-a I think there may be one sentence in the article referencing the fan design element, and way too
may sentences about the crossover with Beast Games.-a I'm beginning to
think the fan design element is going to end up as a big nothing.

Tribe flag colors! I also think they'll give the whiners a live reunion
show and then punish them by using up all the time to talk to the celebs
and one of Boston Rob's kids.
--
Brian
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2