A Day in the life of Jeff Probst

Behind the scenes of Survivor China: A Day in the life of Jeff Probst

Go behind the scenes with Jeff Probst as he takes you through a day on SURVIVOR: CHINA.

Video:

Transcript (thanks to James Barber): 

Jeff: It's 5:39 on day 15 for Survivor: China. This is going to be a day in the life, what it's like, an average day on Survivor. It starts a little earlier than I wish it did. I get asked a lot of times to sort of describe the scene out on location.

<cuts to outside>

Jeff: There are so many perks to working on Survivor, and one of them is free laundry service. The only thing is you have to make sure it's the right day. Today is Monday. It's your day if you work in the following departments...producers is me. That's my bag. I can drop it off here along with all the others, come back in a couple of days, fresh clothes.

<goes to lunch area>

Jeff: Every day on Survivor starts with a good breakfast. We have an incredible kitchen staff that cooks a couple hundred meals several times a day. Ironically, I'm either very early or very late, because I'm the only one here. (gives an ID on his badge to someone working there) You have to have one of these to get in anywhere. That's mine. It gets me into challenges, Tribal, and P, Ponderosa - that's where the Survivors go when they're voted out. Alright, back to catering. We have a lot of food because we serve a lot of meals every day. This season we have meals for our Chinese crew and we also have a more traditional Western breakfast with eggs and bacon and sausage and all of that.

<moving on>

Jeff: I'm gonna pop in on the white board meeting and see if I can get our director to see if I can tell us what it is.

<goes over to director>

Jeff: Hey, Dave. We're doing a day in the life of Survivor - explain really quickly what a white board meeting is.

Dave: OK, a white board meeting is when our challenge producer, John Kirhoffer, exposes us to what he has planned and what the art department has built, and then our challenge crew and cameraman, we get together here, we basically lay it out like it's a football game. We assign positions for each of the cameras, we talk through the action, usually we get out and rehearse it. Having shot it once, we'll go back, view tape as a group, and make some fine-tuning modifications for the actual shoot.

Jeff: Thanks.

<another cut>

Jeff: Because today's challenge is taking place on the water, we're of course getting there by boat. Sam, hello. Take us to the challenge. (boat goes faster) One of the best parts of the job. All free boat rides.

<another cut>

Jeff: After a nice boat ride, we've arrived at the challenge, where people are getting ready, our crew is getting ready, starting to set up. Doing a little weedwhacking so we have room for the puzzle part of this. Out there the other part of the challenge will take place. A lot goes in to get the challenge set up. Obviously because the Survivors will be here and this is an actual challenge, and not a rehearsal, I can't show it to you. I'll see you after the challenge.

<another cut>

Jeff: Well, the challenge is over, and I can tell you this. Challenges are designed to stimulate reality. Two of our producers will concur, without saying anything, that this challenge definitely stimulated some reality. By the time you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about. Hope you enjoy it. Heading back to base camp and another rehearsal.

<cut>

Jeff: Challenge is over, we're back now for a quick meal. This is more like what it's normally like. (Jeff gives his number) Everybody back eating.

<cut>

Jeff: We're now at an afternoon rehearsal for this challenge. This is back to season 1, where Survivors have to come into different rooms and look for various clues. There are all kinds of rooms. Some are gonna be dummy rooms, some are gonna be the rooms that actually have a clue in them. Right now we're trying to figure out how to light it, how many cameras we're gonna need to shoot it, and how we're gonna pull it off.

<cut>

Jeff: We're having a bit of controversy, because one of the Dreamteamers figured out what the answer to the puzzle is, so now she can't participate. She's very disgruntled. Very disappointed. What happened?

Lindsay (mock pouting): I figured it out and now they won't let me play.

Jeff: That's what happens when you're too smart. Being a Dreamteamer's not all fun and games. You're gonna sit this one out, Lindsay. (mock crying from her)

<cut>

Jeff: This rehearsal is over. Now heading back to base camp, take a quick shower, grab some grub, go to Tribal Council and vote somebody else out. Nice long, full day. Right now it's about 4 o'clock.

<cut>

Jeff: Now it's about time to go to Tribal Council and that means one very important decision...what color blue shirt to wear? Yes, believe it or not, they hang these shirts, along with Survivor hats. They give me a choice. I'm gonna go with this green right there.

<cut>

Jeff: Alright, it's 6:30. We always like to shoot Tribal Council right at dusk, so we've got another 15-20 minutes before the Survivors get here. My favorite part of the show by far, because no matter what Survivors say at the beach, no matter what they say at challenges, the truth always comes out at Tribal when they cast their votes. I love being a part of that Q&A. I'm gonna take the next 15 minutes to sit down and figure out what we're gonna talk about at Tribal. I will catch you after Tribal is over.

<cut>

Jeff: That right there is a smoking torch, which means Tribal Council is over. That is the end of one long day that started at 5:30 this morning. Sorry I couldn't show you more detail - that's why you should watch the show. Hope you've enjoyed a day in the life on Survivor. Now it's time for me to go.