Survivor 49 is just days away, and our fearless host with the most, Jeff Probst, is already teasing what's going to be a great season. In a new interview, Probst revealed the player whom he's most excited for fans to meet in the Survivor 49 premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 24.
According to TV Line, Probst is "enamored by" Rizo Velovic, the 25-year-old from Yonkers, New York. He's the self-proclaimed Rizgod, as he introduced himself in the teaser for the new season way back during the Survivor 48 finale.
Why Jeff Probst can't wait for fans to meet Rizo
In the TV Line interview, Probst opened up and shared his reason for why he can't wait for fans to meet Rizo in the season premiere. This is a long quote, so buckle up. It's probably the most Probst has revealed about any single player this season in any interview, so yes, it appears the Rizgod has left quite the impression on Probst.
"Rizo is such a delight. He doesn’t shy away from his enthusiasm. What I like about Rizo is he’s full of life. He has a vernacular that is fantastic. And in fact, there’s a great moment where he is trying to teach Nate [Moore] some of the language that is being used by Rizo’s generation. You now have a situation where Nate has to work hard to not be the guy saying, ‘Wait, tell me again. The word cinema means what?’ It’s a really fun thing because it encapsulates what Survivor’s really about: taking a cross section of people that have to live together and get along on some level. But while they’re doing that, they’re conspiring against each other. And Rizo is somebody that I think people will latch on to very early, and I think if they’re willing to take a ride with him for a moment, they might see that there’s a lot to this confident, boastful kid that’s really appealing.”
We need players with a lot of enthusiasm. Survivor is a fun game, but it's also grueling, challenging, and sometimes difficult to watch. We know that these players are going to be put through the ringer early in the game because of the heat. Probst has also revealed that this is one of the hottest seasons in the show's history. Having a player like Rizo keep the positive vibes going and keep the energy up while everyone is zapped is going to be a good thing.
Rizo, the way he's being talked about so far and his interviews, reminds me a lot of Rome Cooney in Survivor 47. Rome was all over the place that season, but it was in a good way. It was wildly entertaining. I don't know if Rome had what it took to win Survivor because no one could keep up with that energy. Rizo might have the same problem. The players who have won Survivor recently, like the last three seasons, have been relatively chill players who let the game develop in front of them and then pulled all the right strings to win it at the end. You can say that about Kenzie Petty, Rachel LaMont, and Kyle Fraser. Those players that come on too strong often flame out around the merge, but hey, here's to hoping Rizo has what it takes to make it to the end.
Who is Rizo Velovic?
If you want to know more about Rizo, you should definitely watch the pregame video Survivor shared, introducing him to fans. He's definitely going to be a little bit polarizing after boldly announcing himself as "the man, the myth, the legend, R-I-Z-G-O-D. Rizgod, baby!" in this intro video. But, if you keep watching, Rizo also has a very touching story. He's still living at home, helping support his parents, who immigrated from Albania to New York before he was born. His brother is also on the autism spectrum and has had a hard time making friends.
"He kind of had life rough and didn't have many friends," Rizo said. "So, I was his best friend, which is a badge of honor I take proudly."
But, if you thought Rizo, because he loves Survivor, is just coming out for a good time, you are very mistaken. He also lets fans know just what he wants to do on Survivor 49.
"I want to come here and be the best," Rizo continued. "Like, I want to be on that Mount Rushmore. I want people to watch this season and say, 'Wow, that Rizgod kid left an impact on Survivor."
Sandra, Tony, Parvati, and Boston Rob better look out, because the Rizgod is coming for the crown. Man, it's easy to see why Probst won't stop talking about this kid.
I have a feeling the rest of the Survivor world is about to get to know Rizo very well in the next couple of months.
Watch Rizo and the rest of the Survivor 49 cast in the season premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. ET.