Over 24 years ago on the Asian island of Borneo, host Jeff Probst declared Richard Hatch the winner of Survivor’s first season. Now in its 47th iteration, Paramount Events brought the islands of Fiji to UNC on Nov. 2 for an exclusive screening of the Emmy-winning reality tv show’s latest episode.
Although the event was scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m., the line for entry began to form around the Carolina Union — the venue for the showing — at 5:00 p.m. Survivor fans of all ages chatted in line about their love of the show and their excitement for the evening's screening.
“Survivor always has such a great and accepting community,” Drew Bailey, a senior from Appalachian State University who traveled to see the screening, said. “Just meeting people, getting to be a part of that community will be an awesome time.”
Like many others in line, Bailey wore his love for the show on his sleeve. He sported an outfit made of buffs — elastic scarves that Survivor players wear to distinguish their tribe membership — that he said cost over $200.
In each season of Survivor, the 16-20 contestants are divided into tribes on the first episode, where they receive the buffs. The players then spend the next month marooned on a remote island in Fiji with limited supplies and food, and they must vote each other off the show until two or three people remain. At that point, the previously voted off players, or the jury, vote on who the winner of the $1 million cash prize should be.
After signing a nondisclosure agreement, Survivor fans made their way into the Great Hall. While enjoying refreshments, attendees partook in Survivor-themed photo ops and had the chance to write the host a question via pen and parchment — the manner in which players on the show cast their votes for each other — to be answered on his podcast, “On Fire with Jeff Probst.”
The pre-prescreening events didn’t end there. Survivor players from throughout the show's history came out to take pictures, sign autographs and answer questions about their time on the show. Players present included two-time Survivor winner Sandra Diaz-Twine, UNC alumni Crystal Cox and Sabrina Thompson and host of the prescreening, Rob Cesternino.
Cesternino has hosted many live Survivor events through his podcast, 'Rob Has a Podcast,' watching the events of an episode unfold in real time with fans.
“It’s a different experience when you watch Survivor by yourself,” Cesternino said. “Sure it’s good, but when you watch Survivor in a room full of people, all of a sudden it’s like you’re watching the Super Bowl.”
