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Survivor Cambodia’s Publicly Voted Cast Idea Came From Jimmy Fallon

By Daniel George

Jeff Probst, host of SURVIVOR, themed "Game Changers." The Emmy Award-winning series returns for its 34th season with a special two-hour premiere, Wednesday, March 8 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The season premiere marks the 500th episode. Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2017 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Jeff Probst, host of SURVIVOR, themed "Game Changers." The Emmy Award-winning series returns for its 34th season with a special two-hour premiere, Wednesday, March 8 (8:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The season premiere marks the 500th episode. Photo: Robert Voets/CBS ©2017 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved. /
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Despite Jeff Probst taking credit for the idea, it was superfan Jimmy Fallon that came up with letting America vote for the Survivor Cambodia cast.

Jeff Probst’s notoriety through Survivor has made him a star. Because of this, he gets all the benefits that come with celebrity, including introductions to and friendships with other celebrities. However, as he is the host of a popular reality game show that has taken on so many twists and turns over the years, it means he also gets pitched ideas from almost everyone he meets.

Celebrities have pitched Survivor ideas successfully in the past. Tyler Perry infamously suggested the super idol to Jeff Probst; the very same one that led to Tony Vlachos’ success in Survivor Cagayan. Survivor Cambodia was supposedly an original idea from Jeff Probst and the production crew, but as revealed yesterday, that isn’t the case.

Jeff Probst was on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon yesterday, revealing that Fallon has constantly pitched him Survivor ideas for twists and turns over the years. In preparation for that show, Probst looked back over those suggestions to see that Jimmy Fallon suggested the idea for letting America vote for who gets on a season of Survivor.

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Survivor Cambodia followed that exact formula, letting America decide from a gaggle of past players who never won the game who would get their second chance. After a public vote, it culminated in a star-studded reunion for Survivor Worlds Apart, saving what was otherwise an uninspired reunion show.

Survivor Cambodia is one of my favorite seasons of all time because of that desperate nature these players embodied in an attempt to service the fans that voted them in. We saw huge idol plays, a tribal council where nobody received a counted vote, huge personalities, hidden immunity idols at challenges, and fan favorites from seasons past.

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Now knowing that Jimmy Fallon was ultimately responsible for this season’s existence in the first place puts everything I know to be true in fundamental doubt. Keep on pitching ideas for Survivor, Jimmy Fallon. Who knows what future twists may become credited to you.

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