Host Jeff Probst has become synonymous with Survivor in his many, many seasons guiding contestants on the competition. We've gotten a look at the video that helped him land the gig, and, well, it's not at all what you would expect. His audition tape recently surfaced while Probst was making a talk show appearance, and it's almost unbelievably hilarious and embarrassing. Take a look.
Oh, boy. Well, if you were expecting a video that showed off Jeff Probst's talents as a tough outdoor adventure man, I'm sure you were shocked by what he used to get the hosting job on Survivor. I don't think it puts too fine a point on it to say that this must be one of the most embarrassing audition tapes to ever get anyone gainful employment. Probst appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon ahead of the Survivor: Game Changers premiere, where they surprised him with a copy of the demo reel he submitted to the team behind Survivor to try and get the job. After seeing that video, the big question we probably all have is who the hell else was applying to host the show? A bunch of serial killing clowns?
For some reason, Jeff Probst thought it would be a good idea to start his reel with a doll that approximated his general Probstness, and then let the tape go on to show him in some of the goofiest, least dude-who-could-be-in-charge-of-a-group-of-wild-reality-show-competitors moments from his various jobs as host, commercial actor and corporate video talking head. He shows off his John Travolta-like Saturday Night Fever strut in silly clothes, his ability to tumble over park benches, the ease with which he could get a trucker to blow his air horn and how good he is at pointing to squiggly lines on weird electronics. All in all, I still have to wonder: How in the hell did Jeff Probst get this Survivor job?
As anyone who has seen Survivor, or, really, even just a commercial for Survivor, knows, Jeff Probst is the show's host with the most, and he's filled that position for a whopping 34 seasons across 17 years of screen time. Since the cast of competitors changes every season, he's pretty much the face of the show. Probst has done an amazing job looking right at home in crazy, remote locations while leading the cast through challenges and elimination ceremonies. He's done such a good job, in fact, that he won the first Emmy for Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality - Competition Program when the award was introduced in 2008, and then went on to win it a total of four consecutive times. So, Jeff Probst is no slouch at the competition host gig, and it's lucky for Survivor fans everywhere that that silly audition tape actually got him the job.
Survivor: Game Changers premieres Wednesday, March 8 on CBS. Check out our midseason TV premiere schedule to see what else you can watch in the coming months.
