Some Survivor moments really stand out from the rest. These moments are not necessarily times when gameplay occurs or even moments that actively impact how the game is played. Instead, they are the more human elements of Survivor. They are the scenes that remind us that Survivor is, in essence, a human experiment about how people interact with each other and find a way to survive.
So far in Survivor 48, we've had a few of those moments. It likely comes as no surprise that in Survivor 48, episode 2 we had a truly human moment between host Jeff Probst and Mitch Guerra, the first Survivor player in history with a speech impediment.
Prior to the immunity challenge, Jeff took the time to start a discussion with the contestants about how things were going five days in. And he chose to start with Mitch. As we all know from the very first episode, Mitch has a speech impediment. And it is something that comes out quite clearly when he’s trying to carry a larger discussion with someone.
Thankfully, CBS shared a video clip of the interaction with Jeff and Mitch from episode 2, "Humble Traits."
Prior to the challenge, Mitch's speech impediment was noticeable while he was trying to talk about how things have been going at camp, and it led to a discussion that many people should be aware of. After he finished speaking, Jeff asked Mitch if he would want someone to step in and help him to finish the answer to the question. I truly appreciated, not only the fact that Jeff actually asked him if this was the help that he would want, but also that Jeff was interested in how Mitch responded. Mitch basically said that while it might come across as being helpful, he wants to be able to use his own voice.
You have to respect someone who is willing to say, I want to speak for myself. Mitch has basically told the world that, yes, I have a speech impediment, but I can use my own voice to be heard.
As Jeff pointed out, this is a learning moment for everyone, and he’s not wrong. This is a chance for everybody, including the players in the game, the producers and crew, and the audience, to better understand someone's needs.
It also reminded us of the importance of a game like Survivor. The game is as much about winning the prize as it is about learning about yourself and others for these players. There is plenty of the game to be played, but these little details matter. These are the moments when we connect with the players, and they allow us to better root for them while also appreciating their journey.