Jeff Probst Admits: There Is A ‘Survivor 49’ Player Who Can Dethrone Parvati Shallow As Queen!
Jeff Probst Compares ‘Survivor 49’ Contestant to Parvati ShallowJeff Probst Admits: There Is A ‘Survivor 49’ Player Who Can Dethrone Parvati Shallow As Queen!
During the November 19 episode of his “On Fire” podcast, longtime “Survivor” host Jeff Probst finally addressed the ongoing controversy regarding whether or not former contestant Parvati Shallow should be considered, alongside Sandra Diaz-Twine and Tony Vlachos, a two-time series winner after she emerged victorious from “Survivor: Australia vs. the World” earlier this fall.
In addition to his own comments on the debate that has sent the “Survivor” fandom ablaze in recent weeks, Probst also responded to “Las Culturistas” hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang’s impassioned defense of Shallow’s victory, named the four former players on his “Survivor” Mount Rushmore, and even compared one “Survivor 49” contestant to the infamous “Black Widow” in a discussion about the show’s recent lack of “villainous” players.
Jeff Probst Breaks Silence on Parvati’s Two-Time Winner Status
While Probst has done his best to stay out of the drama that has unfolded since his “On Fire” co-host Jeremy Collins declared Shallow a “one-and-a-half-time winner” last month, the 64-year-old host was forced to address the controversy this week after he was called out on the award-winning “Las Culturistas” podcast.
GettyHosted by comedian Matt Rogers and “Saturday Night Live!” star Bowen Yang, the podcast mistakenly criticized Probst during its popular “I Don’t Think So Honey” segment as its hosts defended Shallow’s recent “Australian Survivor” victory.
During a discussion of the controversy on his own podcast, Probst reminded listeners – and the “Las Culturistas” hosts – that it was Collins who made the comments about Shallow’s victory, not himself.
“The thing is, I like that podcast, and Bowen [Yang] was great to me when I was on ‘SNL,’” said Probst. “He welcomed me and kind of relieved some pressure that you kind of feel when you’re there. And I like both those guys. So Matt, I hear you, and it was funny. You got the wrong guy! Retape that with Jeremy, and Jeremy, you can take all the grief.”
Probst Declares Parvati One of ‘Survivor’ Four Best-Ever Players
While the response marked Probst’s first public acknowledgement of the ongoing “Survivor” drama, he failed to provide his own opinion as to whether or not Parvati should be inducted into the two-time winners club alongside Sandra Diaz-Twine (who agrees she should) and Tony Vlachos (who agrees she shouldn’t).
That being said, the host did reiterate his opinion that Parvati is “one of the most dominant to ever play,” adding that she’s “incredibly charming, mischievous, devious, and duplicitous.”
Probst similarly named Shallow – who competed on “Survivor: Cook Islands,” won “Survivor Micronesia,” and later returned for subsequent runs on “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” and “Survivor: Winners at War” before winning her second “Sole Survivor” title on “Survivor: Australia vs. the World” – as one of the four best players the game has ever seen.
Joining Parvati on Probst’s personal “Survivor” Mount Rushmore are Sandra Diaz-Twine – who won both “Survivor: Pearl Islands” and “Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains” – Tony Vlachos – who won both “Survivor: Cagayan” and “Survivor: Winners at War” – and Rob “Boston Rob” Mariano, a five-time player who, until recently, held the record for most days of “Survivor” played.
Probst Responds to Calls to Cast More ‘Villains’ on ‘Survivor’
Probst then strategically used his “Mount Rushmore” players to address another controversy that’s racked the “Survivor” fandom in recent weeks: the show’s lack of old-school villains.
“All four of them are villains,” said Probst, referring back to Sandra, Rob, Tony and Parvati. “Celebrated villains. Villains we love.”
Network 10The host’s comments, which were likely in response to a Variety article published earlier this month regarding his personal disinterest in casting “mean-spirited” players and its effect on the show’s success, continued as he declared: “Let me be clear, if you know a Rob, a Sandra, a Tony, or a Parvati waiting to play ‘Survivor,’ please give them my personal number because we will put them on the show immediately.”
He clarified, however, “But if what you’re talking about in the kind of villains you want is sort of that throwback, and we’ve had some that are just sort of mean-spirited, they’re not fun. It’s ugly. Yeah, those people, no, we don’t want them. They can apply to other shows.”
Probst Compares Season 49 Star Savannah Louie to Parvati
Probst concluded his argument by stating that “Survivor 49” contestant Savannah Louie is “making a case to be a villain – kind of in the mold of Parvati, a little bit actually.”
CBSAlongside her ride-or-die ally Rizo Velovic, Savannah has certainly been dominating the post-Merge game this season, not only securing an Individual Immunity win, but also scoring an extra vote alongside it.
Despite a blindside that sent home the duo’s ally Nate Moore at the Merge, Savannah and Rizo have managed to manipulate the game in their favor, playing from the bottom up so successfully that Rizo has been able to hold onto his very public Immunity Idol for three consecutive Tribal Councils.
The pair’s post-Merge gameplay adds fuel to ongoing rumors that both Savannah and Rizo were invited back to compete on “Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans” after wrapping filming on Season 49.
