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Jeff Probst, 'Survivor'
Jeff Probst, 'Survivor': Probst has served as the face of "Survivor" since its 2000 debut and earned an Emmy for producing in 2001.
(Monty Brinton / CBS)

Jeff Probst, 'Survivor'

By Christy Grosz
June 11, 2008
JEFF PROBST 'SURVIVOR'

AFTER 16 locations, innumerable contentious tribal councils and six trips to the Emmy Awards as a producer, "Survivor" host Jeff Probst might have reason to feel jaded about finally being eligible for an Emmy for his on-camera work on the CBS reality series.

But Probst, who has served as the face of "Survivor" since its 2000 debut and earned an Emmy for producing in 2001, says he's excited about the academy's decision to create a reality host category. "We're out months at a time on 'Survivor' working hard, trying to tell compelling stories. It feels good to be included as part of the family."

Although the reality format has taken its fair share of knocks, Probst sees the move as a positive sign for the genre. "People are starting to accept that, although it's a different form of storytelling, it is still a legitimate form of storytelling. 'Survivor' is very similar to 'Lost' . . . where you have big dramatic stories that are arcing."

There's sure to be some drama within the new category too, considering that it encompasses everything from slick, studio-based productions to jungle-based location shoots. "When you think of the traditional hosting roles, you think of someone like Ryan," Probst says. "On 'Survivor,' the story's constantly changing without warning, so the host's job is to help the survivors navigate through this adventure. You might have to reconsider what a host is in reality [TV], because I don't think there's a traditional definition."

--Christy Grosz

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