MONDO EXTRAS

Probst reveals that when he got the gig, he was given a folder of all the bios and he went over them with his wife.

Burnett stresses that these people are not "outrageous personality types." Not even Greg? Probst says he was asked to be aloof and shadowy as host. Mission accomplished. Except for the "shadowy" part. Jeff says that he didn't meet the contestants before the contest, and that the first words he said to them were right before the cameras rolled, when he told them they had two minutes to get their stuff off the boat.

Both Burnett and Probst stress that the very first bits of the show were crucial because there was no way they could go back and do them again. Probst says that even then he knew, "We've got something good here." He even smiles evilly. Clips are shown to break up all the dialogue.

Burnett addresses FCC concerns about quiz shows, and how because there were prizes involved, nothing could be staged and all the contests had to be won fair and square.

Jeff talks a bit about the challenges of filming and sound on an island. He mentions Burnett's Eco-Challenge show and how his crew was really happy to have such a huge challenge. Hey, that's not what we heard. Some of the lights and sound equipment, including the tribal challenge stage, are shown. Probst also shows off the place where everybody on crew eats, the one phone they all have access to, and the Survivor home office.

Burnett looks a little like a healthier, more kid-like version of Peter MacNicol. Probst talks about how hard it was to remain impartial. He says that it was hard, but "delicious" when Jenna didn't get her tape from her kids. ["'Delicious'? Dude, Dr. Evil much?" -- Wing Chun] He said as it was happening, he knew it was good TV. Bastard.

Burnett talks about how they thought B.B. would be a kind, grandfatherly type, but how he ended up being a hard-ass. Probst talks about how Greg was disrespectful during the first tribal council and how it pissed him off. Probst makes it sound like he had an epiphany that Greg was actually a great guy and his weirdness would make good TV. Yeah, bullshit. I'm sure you all edited the hell out of him as revenge. ["There was a lot in the book about Probst hating Greg for messing him up by being interesting." -- Wing Chun]