A hallmark of long-running reality show Survivor has not survived the era of woke speech.
For over 20 years, Survivor host Jeff Probst welcomed participants to challenges with the signature phrase, “Come on in, guys.” But in the first episode of season 41 that premiered last week, he asked the cast if they were comfortable with the gendered slogan.
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“I love saying it, it’s part of the show,” Probst said. “But I, too, want to be of the moment. So my question to you is, in the context of Survivor, is a word like ‘guys’ OK, or is it time to retire that word?”
Evvie Jagoda, who identified herself as part of the LGBTQ community, answered that she felt it was fine.
“I personally think ‘guys’ is OK,” she said. “It’s such a signature expression, and I, as a woman and as a queer woman, do not feel excluded by ‘guys.’”
Because no one else objected, Probst said to “mark it down as discussed and decided.”
But three days later, at a different challenge, another contestant said that after taking more time to think it through, he wasn’t on board with the word.
“I don’t think we should use the word ‘guys,’” said Ricard Foye, who is also in the LGBTQ community. “I don’t really agree with it. The reality is that Survivor has changed over the past 21 years, and those changes have allowed all of us — all of these brown people, black people, Asian people, so many queer people — to be here simultaneously.”
Probst eagerly accepted his feedback.
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“I love that you thought about it. I love that you had the courage within a million-dollar game to stand up. I’m with you. I want to change it. I’m glad that was the last time I will ever say it. I realize in this moment somebody right now is on social media saying ‘Aw, he caved,’ @jeffprobst on Twitter. I’ll probably never read it anyway. All right. I love that. We just made a change. From now on, it is: ‘Come on in.’”
People on Twitter who rejected the change included previous Survivor contestants such as Russell Hantz and fans accused liberal politics of ruining it, among them Barstool Sports blogger Tommy Smokes.
I mean this is just ridiculous. This is being woke just for the sake of being woke. Absolutely pointless. You’re only losing audience with this move. Nobody is now tuning in because you dropped “come on in guys.” Pathetic @JeffProbst #Survivor
— Tommy Smokes (@TomScibelli) September 23, 2021
This will be the lowest rated survivor in history and you’re watching the beginning to the end! It’s over GUYS!
— Russell Hantz (@russellhantz) September 23, 2021
