After a second top-rated season, Survivor executive producer Mark Burnett can claim an immunity idol of his own. Here's his spin on the final Tribal Council, as well as the next Survivor, which will take place in Kenya.
Did you know who the winner was in advance?
Of course I knew. Do you think I'm crazy?
Who else knew?
Me and Jeff [Probst] had to deal with it in the last couple of days. No point to deal with it before you had to.
What about the cameramen when the jury voted?
There were no cameramen. There were locked-off [unmanned]cameras. We think about these things. Me and Jeff sealed [the votes] until we had to cut the last five minutes of the two-hour show [two days before it aired]. Holding the secret for two days is very easy.
Considering the live ending, why did you handle it this way?
'Cause I will do anything to not upset my show. It's a game of cat and mouse. You guys play with us, we play with you, and the Internet plays with everybody.
Did you think Tina would win when you first met her?
No, I didn't think that about anybody. I stopped that after I was so wrong about Richard Hatch.
Do you plan any tweaking for Survivor 3?
Probably, but not at this point. I'm focused on my African living issues right now. I don't run this like a game show. I run this like a drama and a character happens to be the land. I know I'm going to get my 16 characters, I know I've got Jeff, but the land speaks volumes.
When will it shoot?
July or August. I don't want to give the actual dates because I just don't need more journalists booking their tickets and crawling through the bushes and trying to drop Hershey's bars.
Will Survivor 3 conclude with a live show?
We'll always do a live show now. I learned so much from it. And for our live show to beat ER is awesome!
Do you have any idea where Survivor 4 will be set?
No, 'cause I haven't done any scouting for it. I've got to think about the time of the year, the hemisphere that I need to be in for the weather, and all these issues.
If there is a celebrity edition of Survivor, will you participate yourself?
No. You don't compete in your own contest. Maybe I should go on Weakest Link or something.
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