Lowkey jarring question, and has rhetorical written all over it.
The truth is we can all recognize how personal this question is. How we answer it decides what version of ourselves we’re feeling at the moment and sets a precedent for the way we want others to perceive us. Do I pick someone with poise and sophistication like Michelle Obama? Do I go all literary and say Holden Caulfield (yikes, I know, but think about the ducks and let’s talk about them if you hate him so much)? Maybe, I should go with the historical answer some of you might expect from me and say Eliza Hamilton or Alexander Hamilton (god, I’m so sorry)?
As you may have already guessed, I’m not going to go with any of these....
My favorite narrator is Jeff Probst. Yep, there’s a lot to unpack here. “Survivors Ready?”
Our first in-class day, we talked about applying narrative theory to audiences separated from the field of academics. Allyson got to talking about the reality show “Vanderpump Rules,” and I was like “Yaaass.” Reality television has reshaped, redefined, and re-purposed the consumption of television for some viewers. While I don’t keep up with the Kardashians, I get it. There’s something about looking into other people’s shit shows that makes ours a little less accentuated. Sure, reality television isn’t reality, but what even is? (Looking at you Rachel.)
I want to be clear that what I’m writing here isn’t satire. I HAVE A CBS ALL ACCESS PASS, and I have a problem, probably. I started watching Survivor on May 31, 2000. I used a calculator to do some math and determined that I was 6 years old when I started watching. That was almost 20 years ago, and I am still anxiously anticipating season 37. As a small child, I was thrilled by the challenges the survivors had to participate in...Maybe I should back up a bit. If you’ve never seen Survivor or heard of Jeff Probst (please hang out with me, and we can watch a season together because this is my favorite thing in the world to do- yes, watching a season of Survivor with someone who has never seen it before is my favorite thing to do JFC leave me alone) I should probably give you a run down. Survivor is more than a reality show; it’s a competition, and Jeff Probst will tell you that it is the greatest social experiment on television. (If you’re familiar with the show feel free to skip to the next paragraph.) Typically, a group of about 20 people (give or take) are split into two tribes and taken to a secluded area where their tribe is separated from the other (there are variations of this split- of note are Survivor Cook Islands where contestants were divided by their ethnicity- led to a lot of awkward moments for Probst- as well as Survivor One World where the two tribes were on the same island) and they have to thrive off of their surroundings to...well survive. Castaways participate in challenges as tribes to win resources and immunity. Immunity allows a tribe to avoid Tribal Council. The losing tribe faces Tribal Council, if you’ve ever heard the phrase “The Tribe has Spoken,” maybe Jeff Probst is also your favorite narrator. Anyways, at Tribal Council (which I feel compelled to capitalize because Probst is the best narrator) the castaways vote out one of their tribe members, who is then (typically) out of the game. As the game progresses generally the tribes merge, and immunity becomes individualized. Now, here’s the best part, when there are about 13 people left castaways still vote out tribe members, but instead of being off of the show, these contestants form The Jury. When there are two to three castaways left, The Jury decides who wins one million dollars. THE DRAMA
One of the reasons Jeff Probst is my favorite narrator is because he plays a significant part in making the show not only enjoyable but approachable for all audiences. As a kid, I always thought that Probst was so passionate when he would narrate challenges. He runs alongside the contestants as if he is trying to get immunity for himself. As a pie-eyed adult, I enjoy the social intricacies of the game as well as the way Probst interrogates them. You see, as an aspiring narratologist, I find that Probst is in a unique position as a narrator. Probst knows about the forthcoming twists and turns as well as the dynamics of each tribe, but he isn’t a mind reader and he can’t play God. For example, a group of women in season 16 (Survivor Micronesia) slyly formed an alliance known as the “Black Widow Alliance” and convinced an unsuspecting castaway named Erik Reichenbach that he was a part of their inner circle. Reichenbach won a post-merge immunity challenge and was convinced by the alliance to give one of the women his immunity. He did, and everyone was shocked (and extremely bad at hiding it). Reichenbach was promptly voted off. Probst could not believe what was happening. Sure, reality shows are produced, but the events that play out on Survivor still lie in the hands of the contestants. Probst is a narrator who gets to live in the action. Some narratologists suggest that narration cannot happen until after an event is complete. In reality television, moments move rapidly, and even the smallest of moments constantly lend themselves to a narrator. However, these moments don’t just lend themselves to a narrator, they depend on their narrator to keep the social game afloat. Castaways' interpretations of events lead them to decide their next move, and Probst consistently calls out those who refuse to accept that every single decision has a consequence.
Yeah, I never really thought I would be saying that a 57 year old man who regularly wears ball caps is my favorite narrator, but here we are. I’ve got this idea in my head that my whole life is an audition to be the next Jeff Probst, and through this idea I’ve figured out a lot about myself as a person. Probst engages the castaways in a way that allows the audience to identify with them as well as himself. He also digs deep into the interpersonal aspects of the contestants to figure out what makes them tick and what motivates them. He encourages the castaways to keep going and to overcome obstacles as well as failures. Probst gives space for both contestants and viewers to reflect on the implications of every decision. Probst also makes it a point every season to acknowledge the value and unique qualities of the countries and physical spaces the castaways visit. Many hosts separate themselves from the action, but Survivor allows for Probst to give a space for analyses of the situation physically, mentally, emotionally, individualistically, holistically, and spatially. Yes, reality television is produced, and, perhaps, Probst is just saying lines that are fed to him, but he is so good at it that I forget there is an even bigger production happening beyond him and the castaways.
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I want to be clear that what I’m writing here isn’t satire. I HAVE A CBS ALL ACCESS PASS, and I have a problem, probably. I started watching Survivor on May 31, 2000. I used a calculator to do some math and determined that I was 6 years old when I started watching. That was almost 20 years ago, and I am still anxiously anticipating season 37. As a small child, I was thrilled by the challenges the survivors had to participate in...Maybe I should back up a bit. If you’ve never seen Survivor or heard of Jeff Probst (please hang out with me, and we can watch a season together because this is my favorite thing in the world to do- yes, watching a season of Survivor with someone who has never seen it before is my favorite thing to do JFC leave me alone) I should probably give you a run down. Survivor is more than a reality show; it’s a competition, and Jeff Probst will tell you that it is the greatest social experiment on television. (If you’re familiar with the show feel free to skip to the next paragraph.) Typically, a group of about 20 people (give or take) are split into two tribes and taken to a secluded area where their tribe is separated from the other (there are variations of this split- of note are Survivor Cook Islands where contestants were divided by their ethnicity- led to a lot of awkward moments for Probst- as well as Survivor One World where the two tribes were on the same island) and they have to thrive off of their surroundings to...well survive. Castaways participate in challenges as tribes to win resources and immunity. Immunity allows a tribe to avoid Tribal Council. The losing tribe faces Tribal Council, if you’ve ever heard the phrase “The Tribe has Spoken,” maybe Jeff Probst is also your favorite narrator. Anyways, at Tribal Council (which I feel compelled to capitalize because Probst is the best narrator) the castaways vote out one of their tribe members, who is then (typically) out of the game. As the game progresses generally the tribes merge, and immunity becomes individualized. Now, here’s the best part, when there are about 13 people left castaways still vote out tribe members, but instead of being off of the show, these contestants form The Jury. When there are two to three castaways left, The Jury decides who wins one million dollars. THE DRAMA
One of the reasons Jeff Probst is my favorite narrator is because he plays a significant part in making the show not only enjoyable but approachable for all audiences. As a kid, I always thought that Probst was so passionate when he would narrate challenges. He runs alongside the contestants as if he is trying to get immunity for himself. As a pie-eyed adult, I enjoy the social intricacies of the game as well as the way Probst interrogates them. You see, as an aspiring narratologist, I find that Probst is in a unique position as a narrator. Probst knows about the forthcoming twists and turns as well as the dynamics of each tribe, but he isn’t a mind reader and he can’t play God. For example, a group of women in season 16 (Survivor Micronesia) slyly formed an alliance known as the “Black Widow Alliance” and convinced an unsuspecting castaway named Erik Reichenbach that he was a part of their inner circle. Reichenbach won a post-merge immunity challenge and was convinced by the alliance to give one of the women his immunity. He did, and everyone was shocked (and extremely bad at hiding it). Reichenbach was promptly voted off. Probst could not believe what was happening. Sure, reality shows are produced, but the events that play out on Survivor still lie in the hands of the contestants. Probst is a narrator who gets to live in the action. Some narratologists suggest that narration cannot happen until after an event is complete. In reality television, moments move rapidly, and even the smallest of moments constantly lend themselves to a narrator. However, these moments don’t just lend themselves to a narrator, they depend on their narrator to keep the social game afloat. Castaways' interpretations of events lead them to decide their next move, and Probst consistently calls out those who refuse to accept that every single decision has a consequence.
Yeah, I never really thought I would be saying that a 57 year old man who regularly wears ball caps is my favorite narrator, but here we are. I’ve got this idea in my head that my whole life is an audition to be the next Jeff Probst, and through this idea I’ve figured out a lot about myself as a person. Probst engages the castaways in a way that allows the audience to identify with them as well as himself. He also digs deep into the interpersonal aspects of the contestants to figure out what makes them tick and what motivates them. He encourages the castaways to keep going and to overcome obstacles as well as failures. Probst gives space for both contestants and viewers to reflect on the implications of every decision. Probst also makes it a point every season to acknowledge the value and unique qualities of the countries and physical spaces the castaways visit. Many hosts separate themselves from the action, but Survivor allows for Probst to give a space for analyses of the situation physically, mentally, emotionally, individualistically, holistically, and spatially. Yes, reality television is produced, and, perhaps, Probst is just saying lines that are fed to him, but he is so good at it that I forget there is an even bigger production happening beyond him and the castaways.
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