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00:00Eric, Survivor 50 really taking off.
00:02People are getting invested, as they always do,
00:04but even more so now with this sort of all-star vibe
00:07and celebration of their 50th season.
00:10You've been interviewing the cast as they leave.
00:13What has your take been on this season so far?
00:15I have been a Survivor fan for so, so long.
00:18And, you know, this is when they first announced the cast,
00:20there was a bit of mixed reactions to the 24 all-stars that they selected.
00:23But four episodes in, it has been just banger after banger.
00:26It's been so good.
00:27The ratings are sky high.
00:28I, CBS and Jeff and the cast put so much, you know, press into this.
00:32And I think it's really paying off.
00:34I'm loving it.
00:34And I just think some of these people haven't played in so long.
00:37They casted people from season one all the way to season 49
00:40across all the eras of the show.
00:42And I think it's really paying off to see all these different characters.
00:45You know, they're people, but to us as the viewers, they're characters.
00:47So it's been so fun to see them all interact.
00:50And, you know, an added bonus for me is I get to chat with them every Thursday,
00:53you know, the day after the episodes air when the person gets voted out.
00:56And so it's just been such a joy to watch.
00:58And I've kind of been hearing, seeing that on social media
01:00and hearing that from friends and family of mine that watch.
01:02And so I think that Survivor really kind of stuck with the landing with this so far.
01:07I mean, we still have a lot of season left,
01:08but I think it shows that there's a lot of interest in seeing returning players come back
01:12because they feel invested in people that they've watched 20 plus years ago.
01:15So I'm loving it.
01:17I have a friend who does a Survivor pool.
01:20I'm in one.
01:20Are you really?
01:21Sure am.
01:21Okay, so how are you doing in it?
01:22Okay, so this year there's 11 of us.
01:24So we were able to pick two people because it's an expanded cast this year
01:28because to celebrate the milestone season.
01:30I picked Dee and Rick Devins.
01:32Those are my two picks.
01:33They're still in.
01:33They're still in?
01:34Yeah, so we each have two picks.
01:35A couple people are knocked out already, obviously, because we're a couple episodes in.
01:38Winner gets $200.
01:39So I'm hoping Dee or Rick Devins pull it out for me.
01:41So I'm $200 richer.
01:42I need one of them to pull it out.
01:44And Dee's a former winner, actually.
01:46So let's see if she can do it twice.
01:47Okay, I have faith that she can.
01:49I hope so.
01:49You've talked to a few of the cast members as they've left.
01:51What has their reaction been to being part of the show and going back and playing again?
01:57It's been fascinating.
01:58And, you know, the first boo of the season was Jenna Lewis, who first played in season one.
02:03So that was a huge get for them to get her back.
02:06But it was also heartbreaking to see her come back after all these years and then be the first boo.
02:09There was something kind of weirdly poetic about it.
02:11But I have to say, she was in such good spirits.
02:13And that's been the same for the three, four people that I've interviewed since her.
02:17I think they all feel so lucky to have been asked back and to be a part of this season.
02:21It's kind of historic.
02:23Yeah, and there's been hundreds and hundreds of people that have played.
02:25And for them to pick these 24, if you're one of those 24, how could you not feel gracious towards
02:29CBS and Survivor and Jeff and stuff?
02:31So they all have been in such good spirits.
02:33And it's been really, really fun to kind of, like, you know, get more behind-the-scenes stuff.
02:37I'm able to have, like, 15, 20 minutes with each of them every week.
02:39And there's only so much that you could see on the show that the editors can show.
02:42So it's really fun for them to give us kind of what goes on behind the edit and stuff.
02:48And it's been so fun to chat with them.
02:51Well, this week, the big one.
02:52The big shark left.
02:54Mike White.
02:55Mike White.
02:55White Lotus creator.
02:56Spoiler, everybody.
02:56Emmy Award winner.
02:58Mike White, which was huge for them to get back.
03:00I agree.
03:01For backstory, he came in second place on season 37.
03:03This was pre-White Lotus.
03:04So this was post some success.
03:06I mean, School of Rock, one of my favorite films of all time.
03:08So Mike White was a, you know, known entity.
03:11Yeah, he was in the...
03:11Absolutely.
03:12When he first went on the show.
03:13But that was...
03:14I believe his first season was 2018.
03:16And then COVID, White Lotus, 2020.
03:19Obviously, he blew up.
03:20And he's arguably one of the most important men in television now.
03:23Definitely, yeah.
03:23So for them to get him back during break between season three.
03:26And I believe they're going to France to film season four this summer.
03:28So he was able to make time in his schedule.
03:30And Jeff has gone on record and said, like, Mike White said, like, oh, season 50?
03:34Count me in.
03:34It wasn't like they were knocking down his door, calling his managers, his agents and stuff.
03:38So it was...
03:39He's part of the family.
03:39He really is.
03:40And he does love the show.
03:41And he's built real relationships from the show.
03:43So it was so fun to watch him play.
03:45Unfortunately, we only got four episodes with him.
03:47But he was really bringing it.
03:48By the way, I don't know if you saw, but there was, you know, memes everywhere that he had abs.
03:52Like, he worked out real hard.
03:53I mean, of course, he can hire a good Hollywood trainer to prepare for this.
03:57But he looked amazing.
03:59He was doing great in the challenges.
04:00He had the strategy, the social game.
04:01But, I mean, how do you not feel inclined to take Mike White out?
04:05You know, yeah, he kind of put a target on his own back just with his popularity.
04:10And I feel like in that realm, it's probably one of those things where you're like, we all know Mike
04:15White.
04:16So we kind of got to go for him.
04:17Sorry, Mike.
04:18And an interesting thing that kind of played out before his boot was Ozzy, who's a very popular player, was
04:24loving Mike White and wanted to keep him around.
04:26And Christian, the one who was responsible for Mike White's boot, kind of said, like, Ozzy is clamoring for that
04:31White Lotus season for a cameo.
04:33Because if people don't know, Mike has given cameos to certain Survivor players that he's friendly with on all three
04:38seasons so far.
04:39So a big talk about him being on the season 50 was like, are people going to keep him around
04:44because they're like, put me on White Lotus.
04:46It's the most popular show on television by far now.
04:49So I think people kind of wanted some screen time on White Lotus.
04:51And gamers have strategies off the field, too.
04:54I don't blame them.
04:54Listen, who doesn't want to be on White Lotus, even if you're like a waiter in the background for two
04:57seconds?
04:58Please.
04:58It's still something.
04:59And they film on location.
05:00So hi, please send me also to the South of the Friends.
05:03I'm available, too, Mike White, by the way.
05:05So it was a bummer to lose him, but he still brought a lot and it was fun to see
05:08him.
05:09And I think Survivor itself was happy he joined because that's a lot of press for them.
05:13Just the fact that White Lotus creator Mike White, just that headline alone, is, you know, a really good deal
05:17for them.
05:18I also love for him that he's not like he obviously takes himself and his work seriously, but he's not
05:24like above it now.
05:25He's not like, oh, I'm too good for Survivor.
05:27That's how I feel with him going back and really committing to the game.
05:30It's not like, oh, well, now I'm this big time producer.
05:33I've created this amazing series.
05:35I'm an award winner.
05:37I don't have time for that.
05:38He genuinely is like, no, he loves the game.
05:41He knows where he came from.
05:42And he's not taking himself so like, oh, I'm too posh and I'm too Hollywood for this now.
05:47I love that.
05:47Somehow Mike White stayed humble despite the White Lotus success.
05:49He even mentioned Survivor in one of his multiple Emmy award-winning speeches.
05:52I believe when he won a couple Emmys for season two, the Italy season, he mentioned Survivor in one of
05:57his speeches, which is amazing.
05:59So it is nice to see him such have love and appreciation for the show.
06:02And I'm like, where's Mike White 3.0?
06:04I want him to play again.
06:05I know, right?
06:06He's a busy man.
06:07He's going to be especially busy coming up because they're ready to shoot season four soon.
06:10I know.
06:10And they just announced him about the cast, which is huge.
06:13Yes, it seems like it's pretty much the full cast set.
06:16It seems like almost everyone, I would assume, has been announced now because it's a big group.
06:19I saw they announced Charlie Hall, who is a very good looking Nepo baby, son of Julia Louis-Streyfus.
06:23Oh, yes.
06:24So there is some interesting people there.
06:26And it's always fun to see the stories that Mike White creates for these people because it's truly the most,
06:31I mean, of course, how could we forget the brother incest story from season three?
06:35I mean, I don't know how this man comes up with these things, but a lot of people were saying
06:38like, oh, did Mike White get some inspiration when he was out on the island for season 50 for White
06:43Lotus season four?
06:44So I will be watching every episode and knowing if there is any Survivor 50, you know, references there, because
06:49obviously I'm watching there nonstop.
06:51So it'll be interesting to see if he got a little inspired when he was out in Fiji.
06:54I mean, how could you not?
06:55Yeah.
06:55But I'm excited for White Lotus.
06:57As we said, he's going to be so busy.
06:58So unfortunately, he has ended his time too soon on Survivor 50.
07:04But we'll see him around now that we're going to get more White Lotus, which is super exciting.
07:08There are so many players that are still in the game and just as a Traders fan, I'm like, oh,
07:16Sari is back.
07:17Thank God you said that.
07:18And already making waves because in some of the interviews that you've been doing, the cast members that have been
07:23booted, they've kind of all been mentioning her.
07:25They have.
07:25She's always on everyone's lips.
07:27The thing with Sari is she's played so many times and she's so engraved in the reality TV world.
07:32And like you said, she won Traders.
07:34She was on Big Brother with her son a couple of years ago.
07:36So she's got a lot of connections and there's been talk about like pregame alliances and stuff, all kind of
07:41allegations.
07:41But these players have brought this up almost every week that I've been speaking to them.
07:45But Sari is on a good spot.
07:47And the thing about Sari is it's like when she gets far enough, then she goes real far because she's
07:52just so lovable and lovely, but so dang manipulative that she's that good.
07:57And I'm like, you people watch Traders season one.
07:59I hope you should see what she's capable of.
08:01Like, get her out.
08:02No, that was crazy.
08:03And in Traders season one, just to your point, like she was so manipulative.
08:08But if it were me, I would be like, I didn't even realize I was being manipulated.
08:12She's just so lovely.
08:13She's smooth.
08:13She's lovely.
08:14She really seems genuine.
08:16And then she just goes for the attack at the right time.
08:19Her strategy from Traders was really impressive.
08:23She won Survivor before, right?
08:25No, she's never won.
08:25She's never won Survivor.
08:26So this is her fifth time playing.
08:28And then she also was on Australian version of Survivor.
08:32Then she has the Traders win.
08:33She has a big brother appearance.
08:34So she needs that Survivor W.
08:36And everyone's hoping that it happens on season 50.
08:39And as a fan, like something about Sari winning season 50 would truly just like just be a perfect story
08:45after all of her experiences on the show.
08:47But like, I think she could do it because if she gets far enough, like I said, like she really,
08:51like people don't come after her.
08:52And if she's sitting in the end, like you can't not give her the money.
08:55She's just so nice.
08:56I want to give her the money.
08:56I'll give her my own money.
08:57I know.
08:58I loved the end of Traders too when she, I mean, her season of Traders was reality stars mixed with.
09:06They've changed that since.
09:08Commoners?
09:08I don't know what they call them.
09:09Civilians.
09:10Us civilians.
09:11Normies.
09:11Normals.
09:13And she was like very upset that she had to screw over her friends, but was also like, you know,
09:18I have a son.
09:18I have to look after my family.
09:20So she just makes like this human element.
09:22And then you are like, okay, you know what, Sari, that was diabolical in the best way, in the gamer
09:28way, but also like good for you.
09:30I want to see Sari versus Rob Rauch on Traders All-Stars because people praised Rob.
09:34And I think a lot of people didn't watch Traders season one because it was a mixed cast and the
09:38show really blew up in season two.
09:40But I think people forget like Rob was good.
09:42Sari was really good.
09:44And so I would love to see them face off on a future Traders season potentially.
09:47Would you cast one as a Trader, one as a Faithful, both as Faithfuls?
09:51That would be interesting.
09:52Both as Traders.
09:52I know because like do they get sussed out real quick if they're both Traders?
09:55But like to see them in the turret working together or against each other would be fascinating.
09:59It would be.
10:00I'm sure that a Traders All-Star season will come at some point.
10:03I hope it's not too soon because I want them to keep, you know, welcoming new people into the Traders
10:07family.
10:07But I would love to see both of them do it.
10:09Oh, I mean, everybody in this office knows I would watch 100 seasons of Traders.
10:13Me too.
10:13It's addictive.
10:13It's addictive.
10:14It's so addictive.
10:15Frustrating.
10:16Very frustrating with those Faithfuls.
10:17However, I do think that people don't understand like how hard it must be to be a Faithful.
10:21You have like zero information.
10:22Right.
10:22Poor Tara and Johnny.
10:24But like it's such an addictive show and I could watch it over and over again too.
10:27And I love when they bring in the other reality stars.
10:30That's why I think this season of Survivor is so interesting too.
10:33Kind of bringing people back and having those big names try it, try it again.
10:38And then you're watching and you already have a, not a relationship with them, but you already have a TV
10:42connection with them.
10:44Those shows are just so good too.
10:46I'm like, I mean, I could never go on Survivor.
10:48See, I've always preferred to go on Big Brother because I want to live in a house.
10:52I want that air conditioning.
10:53I want the shower.
10:54Like I want all that.
10:55Of course, if I had the opportunity to go on Survivor as a fan, I would.
10:57But throw me in the Big Brother house.
10:58I'd much rather that.
11:00I think I need to be able to wash my hair.
11:02I just.
11:03I don't know.
11:04It is shorter, much shorter than Big Brother, but still animals.
11:08Not an animal guy.
11:09No.
11:09There's a lot of animals going on over there.
11:10I give a lot of props to everybody that goes on Survivor no matter what season and how far they
11:15make it.
11:15Because what do you mean?
11:17You have to figure this all out on yourself, on your own.
11:19Making a fire.
11:20Don't know how.
11:21Someone teach me.
11:22Probably wouldn't just survive, not because of the gameplay, but because of what I would have to try and accomplish.
11:27On the back end.
11:28The Survivor part of the show called Survivor.
11:30Yeah.
11:30Not my bread and butter.
11:31A little difficult.
11:32Okay.
11:32So you have your two top that you're hoping wins so that you can win your pool, obviously.
11:37Are there any other front runners for you or who do you think is going to take home the prize?
11:41I do think Sari has a really good shot.
11:44I think that Christian has gotten a lot of airtime.
11:48He was responsible for Mike White getting out.
11:50He's been a huge character, arguably the biggest character four episodes in because he's been on The Losing Tribe, so
11:55he's going to Tribal.
11:56But I do think he'll be a target.
11:58So I think people are loving Genevieve and how she's been doing so far.
12:02Dee is going to have an issue with the fact that she's a former winner.
12:04So at some point you're going to want â and she's the only former winner left.
12:07The others are out already.
12:08I'm going to throw my lot in with Sari.
12:10I swear to God, I think she could do it, which is like I'm not just saying that because I
12:13love her and we were just talking traitors.
12:15I really think that she could do it.
12:16She's got a lot of relationships.
12:18She's in a good spot.
12:19Once you get to the merge, you're not worried about her and the challenges.
12:21She is â I think Sari could do it.
12:24And I hope â I won't win money from her.
12:26My sister will win the money in the draft that I'm in.
12:28But I would still be really happy for Sari winning.
12:30So that's my hopes.
12:31Well, you know what?
12:31You have your two that you can hopefully win you money and then you have Sari.
12:35So now you have three people to reach for.
12:36As long as one of those three.
12:37I'll be very happy with any of those outcomes.
12:39As long as one of those three is on the top.
12:40Well, I'm looking forward to your continued exit interviews because those have been super fun.
12:45It's been cool to see the behind the scenes.
12:47As a fan, you ask all the questions so you know what's up.
12:50We'll keep an eye out for those.
12:52Thanks, Eric.