The tribe has spoken. Thanks to bumbling encounters with leeches, poison-oak TP, and crotchety castoff B.B. in Reebok's Survivor campaign, wannabe islanders Nate (Jake Safford, 29) and Brian (Don Lee, 20) are almost as famous as the real Pulau Tiga castaways.
CASTING CALL
Because of the SAG strike, ''we weren't dealing with
seasoned actors,'' says the ads' cocreator Michelle Novella. ''We
just had all these normal guys showing up. These two walked in
and were totally themselves.'' Adds Lee, who squirmed memorably
in the first spot: ''I did a good job making it look like I had
to go to the bathroom.''
POST-SURVIVOR LIFE
Lee: ''Ex-girlfriends call.''
Safford: ''Everybody likes me now.''
BARK WORSE THAN BITE?
According to Reebok spokesperson Denise
Kaigler, viewers lodged more complaints about ''Sugar,'' in which
the duo mistakenly hunt the titular lapdog, than the
below-the-belt ''Venom'' ad when each first aired.
WHAT'S NEXT
Trying to jump-start a Nate and Brian movie or TV
series; possible new ads for the run of Survivor II — the pair is
under contract to Reebok for 12 months.
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