The Eyes– The Host With The Most

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When analyzing the game of Survivor, it is important to look at EVERYTHING. Survivor is a very complicated game, which is the main reason why it has lasted for ten seasons, and still remains a top five show.

So far this off-season, we have looked at various aspects of the game, and I have attempted to use each resource to give future players of this game advice on how to handle it. We have looked at the first people voted off and the winners. We have looked at the Jury. Last week, we went into the challenges and handled that aspect. This week, I’d like to really narrow it down and look at one part of this game that can be really annoying for players to deal with. This person is a lot more significant than you might realize, and it’s his job to poke you and prod you and try to elicit as much information as you can from him.

I am referring, of course, to Jeff Probst. I would be remiss if I did not dedicate a complete column to this man, because I truly believe that without him, there would be no Survivor.

Mark Burnett may run the show and make many decisions, but Jeff is the one who’s right in there with the castaways at Tribal Councils asking the tough questions. While he is not a player, he has a role. He is just one more factor that castaways need to be mindful of when planning their strategies for this game.

So what exactly does Jeff do? Well, he is moderator of the challenges, and obviously, his word goes. There really have been very few problems with this facet of his job in the past.

The real heart of his job is the dreaded Tribal Council. It is here where he just bombards the tribe with questions, and he is not afraid to ask tough questions. He asks about anything: camp life, alliances, voting plans. If you, as a future player of this game, are not careful, you will fall right into his trap, and before you know it, you will be revealing things that you never intended to let other people know about.

So how SHOULD you handle Jeff Probst if you ever find yourself facing him at Tribal Council? What exactly does he do to get to the heart of tribal matters, and how can you get away with giving just enough information so that he can’t push anymore and you haven’t given out pertinent or devastating information?

Well, to start with, let’s take a look at some prime examples of some of his biggest questions to get a general idea of what he’s after. Then, after looking at that, I can try to give some Jeff Probst Survival Tips.

Before we do that, let me quickly analyze some brief things we know to be true about Jeff:

1) He is very talented at getting things done in one take, such as challenge instructions or stories he needs to tell for listening challenges; it got him the name of the “One-Take Wonder” per the Australian Outback castaways.
2) He is VERY good at reading people. He can get right to the heart of a sensitive topic just by hearing just one measly little sentence you or someone else utters. And the important thing to remember is that he does not care about your game….he is just doing his job, which is to be just one more obstacle between you and the million: someone reminding you that this experience is real and is not something to be taken lightly.

One key example that comes to mind is the very first season of Survivor. Now, remember, this is when this show was new to everybody. It was new to the castaways and to the American public, and Jeff himself was still trying to find his place and define his role. However, even at this early stage of the series, you can see evidence that Jeff is good at reading people and is not afraid to be blunt and to-the-point. At one Tribal Council after the merge, Jeff asked Susan flat-out: “Is there an alliance?”

If you have this on DVD or on tape, go back and watch this episode and gauge Sue’s reaction. You can tell that she is completely thrown for a new loop by this question, and she says no. Richard is more prepared and gives a more confident answer to the same question, but the damage has been done. In one simple move in one Tribal Council, Jeff Probst has defined his role. He is there to be annoying and direct and brutally honest.

As the series has progressed, he has become more and more confident. I have heard many people complain that he has become TOO direct and TOO straightforward. I have heard many people complain that he has expanded his role so much that he is affecting the game. The biggest example of this came when Janu decided she was tired of being a pawn, and that her night alone on an island had been the revelation she needed to be satisfied with her experience, so she laid down her torch. After this, many fingers pointed to Jeff saying that he encouraged her and caused her decision so that fan-favorite Stephenie would remain in the game instead.

I am here to tell you today that it is NOT TRUE. If you ever want to play this game, you need to accept the reality of Jeff’s presence. You need to realize that his job is to be direct and straightforward. His job is to get to the heart of tribal politics so that you will be kept on your toes as players and so that there will be compelling television. He is there to stir up drama. He does not cause it by doing anything to interfere: he simply asks the right questions that hit the right nerves that get people talking and saying things they may not want to say and may very well get them in trouble later, and as the players have gotten savvier with their approach to the game, Jeff has had to harden and update his role, to, in order to keep up.

Just look at the example I provided with Sue in Borneo. He asked a very direct question, and she was caught off-guard. Right there you see what I mean. Did Jeff cause the alliance? No. Did he come right out and say “Hey, guys, wake up because this alliance is going to beat all of you.” No. He simply asked flat-out if there was one. That is perfectly valid, and there is nothing wrong with asking those types of questions. Why? While it is his job to ask the questions, it is the player’s job to always be on top of his or her game.

That is one thing I have been stressing throughout all of these strategy columns: personal responsibility for your own game. As a player, you need to be ready at all times to adapt and change to new situations, no matter whether it is at camp or right at Tribal Council, and at Tribal Council, Jeff Probst is at the heart of what you need to adapt to. Whether it is a question directed at you, or a question that elicits a surprising answer from another tribemate, you need to be prepared to respond accordingly. A good poker face comes into play here.

So how do you do it? As a future player, how should you handle these questions so that you don’t fall into the trap?

The simplest thing to do is prepare beforehand. Normally, a tribe will have a few hours at least to prepare for Tribal Council. While the largest portion of this time should be spent building and checking with alliances and preparing for the vote, it would be advisable to spend a little while mentally preparing to deal with surprising questions. After ten seasons, you should have at least an idea of the questions Jeff likes to ask, namely, really specific ones. The easiest way to tackle this would be to just run through some scenarios in your head. Think about some different tribal politics that are being discussed?

You could easily kill two birds with one stone here. By thinking up possible Jeff questions based on tribal politics, you are giving yourself practice by trying to formulate your neutral answers to them, and you are also giving yourself a mental review of where the people in the tribe actually do stand. This gives you a better view of the current game situation, which is always a good thing to do, Jeff or no Jeff.

However, scenarios are one thing. It’s only one part of the picture, and while it’s good to practice, there’s no way to know what will actually be asked. Always remember that Jeff feeds off what you and others tell him, so the conversation at TC could go in multiple directions, and it’s impossible to predict. By practicing, you are helping yourself develop a poker face, but what really counts is you respond at the actual TC. It’s exactly like studying for a test. You can mentally prepare and “study” all you want, but in the end, what really counts is the day of the “test”: Tribal Council. Plus, in a way, you will be “graded” because the other tribe members may judge you based on your responses.

It is always important in Survivor to keep your cards close to your chest, and Tribal Council is a place, thanks to Mr. Probst, where the cards can easily fall away.

It can be hard to keep a poker face, especially when you’re starving and you’re in a high stress situation like Survivor. However, you can do a lot just by remember that you should master the art of saying something while saying nothing at the same time. Jeff is a great BS detector, so it may take a TC or two to get used to this craft. Practice it before you even leave for the show so you’re better prepared. Watch older Tribal Councils to get a good idea of some specific questions he asked, and try to formulate your answers.

Just like anything else we’ve talked about, the key to this is preparation, and honestly, this is the hardest thing to prepare for because you have no idea who you will be with and what kinds of tribal situations develop. The best thing you can do for yourself is to always remember that it is Jeff’s job to touch upon sensitive issues in the hopes of bringing drama to the front and center. It is nothing personal, and it is also nothing that you can’t combat.

Remember: you must learn to adapt or you will be voted out of the tribe.

“See” you next week!