Fans of Survivor couldn't imagine anyone else being front and center. Jeff Probst is best known for his straight-talking, one-liners, honesty, and directness. Jeff became Survivor host in 2000 and was the presenter for all 40 seasons in his 20-year reign.
Fans love Jeff for his dry wit, direct approach, and his ability to say exactly what the fans are thinking. That said, Jeff sometimes takes things a step too far and makes the whole situation very tense, which is why the fans just can't switch off. Between Jeff, Coach, and the other contestants, Survivor has given fans some epic quotes, but Jeff really has made some moments extremely awkward.
When He Asked The Awkward Question
"Erik, Are You Still A Virgin?"
Jeff was known to ask awkward questions and pry into people's lives like no one else. He might not have been one of the cringiest players, but as the host sometimes he added his own cringe element.
At the Survivor reunion show, Jeff was on form, and while talking to Jaimie and Erik, questioning them about their dating life, he asks Erik if he's still a virgin. He didn't show himself in the best light, and even fans took a sharp breath in at his words.
When He Delivered Some Home Truths
"You Can Keep Your Buff, I Won’t Give You The Honor Of Throwing That In The Urn. We’ll Keep That Reserved For People Who Compete.”
Colton Cumbie was a Survivor villain who lasted a lot longer in the game than anyone expected, especially the other contestants. Colton was not only disliked by the other players, but also by fans. He got taken out of the game for alleged appendicitis and returned to just essentially quit.
Jeff took umbrage to this, uttering the above words to diss Colton. Fans loved the fact that Jeff said out loud what minds all over the country were thinking but it was certainly still awkward.
When He Said What Everyone Was Thinking
"Maybe If It Were Love He Would Have Given You The Immunity Necklace"
Candice Cody and fellow cast member Adam Gentry started a romance on the show, and fans her choosing mutiny against her tribe to reunite with Adam. Candice wasn't one to hold back, especially not when she received the most votes at the tribal council.
Candice was voted out, and she decided to say goodbye in a way Adam wouldn't forget as she ionately kissed him in front of everyone. If it wasn't awkward already, Jeff then uttered these words, suggesting it might not be true love.
When He Spoke To Mother Nature
"Kimmi, The Tribe Has Spoken And So Has Mother Nature."
Jeff's iconic phrase is "the tribe has spoken" but sometimes he doesn't leave it there. Kimmi Kappenberg had been voted out of the show, and Jeff uttered the words "Kimmi, the tribe has spoken and so has Mother Nature."
Not only was Kimmi leaving but from that point onwards she believed that everyone was against her. Jeff made Survivor what it is and while fans can't agree on what the best season is, what they can agree on is that without Jeff, Survivor just wouldn't be the same!
When He Was Beyond Honest
"You Are The Least Likable Final Four Ever."
Season 5 of Survivor has gone down as one that fans don't seem to like very much. Luckily, the show already had a huge fan following. It still did well despite lacking drama, ambition, diversity, and what fans believed to be a good cast.
The slow moving show had fans upset and they weren't the only ones to not be impressed. The final four were Brian, Clay, Helen, and Jan, when Jeff Probst noted they were the least likable four ever. For such a competitive four, that must have been a blow to their confidence!
When He Questioned Heidi's Intelligence
"Heidi, Your IQ Is Off The Charts But Why Didn't That Come Out In The Show?"
There's a fine line between being confident and being cocky, and fans believed Heidi was borderline. On paper, she was smart and didn't mind telling everyone, but she didn't often show it. Fans got infuriated by Heidi's ability to rub everyone up the wrong way with her arrogance, but Jeff soon brought her down a peg or two.
He poked fun at Heidi when he told everyone how Heidi had the highest IQ and then continued to ask why she didn't exhibit her intelligence on the show. Jeff Probst didn't always have the most popular opinions, but for the most part, fans agreed with every word.
When He Brought Reality Home
“When Everyone Is Laughing At You, It Means They Think You’re Full Of It.”
Jeff's known for pushing the contestants as well as the boundaries, this is exactly why he's a fan favorite. Some contestants find the challenges harder than others, and Abi did struggle. This didn't go unnoticed with fans or with Jeff. He often made comments when Abi sat out of the challenges, even asking her at one point how many challenges she'd actually been in.
Abi's tribe won immunity, and Jeff continued to tease, telling Abi she doesn't deserve to hold the idol. But what fans loved about Jeff was his honesty, and his shining moment with Abi was when she didn't know how she came across to fans, and Jeff stole the moment with this comment. Abi was certainly a Survivor contestant who was out of touch with reality!
When He Used Sarcasm
“Let Me Guess, Some Chief In A Small Village?”
The combination of Jeff and Coach on Survivor was genius. Fans loved watching both, and when they were on screen together, fans knew they were going to get TV gold. Jeff loved jibing with Coach, and fans loved watching it.
Coach talks about his warrior mentality and continues to claim he didn't give himself that name, it was a title given to him. Jeff, without missing a beat, answered "Let me guess, some chief in a small village?" Fans of Survivor loved Jeff for his quick wit!
When He Used Humor
“Phillip, Did You Have A Collision With A Hawk?”
Jeff wasn't always giving shade to the contestants but when he did, he did it with style. Jeff had the gift of saying exactly what the fans were thinking, he didn't sugar coat it, and he just let the words roll out of his mouth.
Phillip turned up to a challenge with a feather wrapped around his head, so Jeff asked him if he'd had a collision with a hawk. Jeff didn't hold anything back and fans were in hysterics with his comedy gold.
When He Put Down The Men
“The Men Continue To Be Pathetic In This Challenge.”
For contestants needing a confidence boost, Jeff isn't the person to do it. He has no problem telling anyone if they need to buck their ideas up. He's a master of one-liners and zingers. He has always wanted contestants to try their best, push themselves and make the most of their experience.
In One World, Jeff shamed them for taking the easy immunity win in the first challenge. Jeff was quick to make this savage comment and though he couldn't force the contestants to do certain things, he could try and shame them for their decisions.