Everything seemed normal at first. Players on Survivor 48 showed up at a reward challenge, and host Jeff Probst explained what they would be eating at said reward — in this case, fried chicken and waffles.
But then he said it again: fried chicken and waffles. And then he told the contestants to say it with him: fried chicken and waffles. And next thing you knew, the host and the players were all chanting “fried chicken and waffles” over and over again like some sort of deranged, starving cult. One member of the tribe, Shauhin Davari, even started freestyling, going so far as to rhyme the words eat and sweet… perhaps as some form of foreshadowing to the instant rap classic “My Enemies Be Plottin’” which would be performed by tribe mate Star Toomey later in the episode.
But what the heck got into Probst? What inspired the host to start chanting “fried chicken and waffles” like some sort of complete madman ready to drown himself in a bath of Mrs. Butterworth’s? The chanting enthusiast revealed all on the latest episode of his On Fire with Jeff Probst podcast.
“I think this is a really fun example of where the game is right now in terms of the playfulness of the players with each other and with me,” Probst says on the podcast. “The how something like this happens is really just everybody being open to having some fun and taking some chances.”
Okay, but why fried chicken and waffles, exactly? “The phrase fried chicken and waffles is just so fun to say,” Probst explains. “And it conjures up this fantastic meal. So I thought maybe I should see if we could just all start chanting it.”
It turns out they could! The host also admits to taking his cue from a prior impromptu challenge moment. “I think it was inspired by Shauhin earlier in the season doing his tribal chant. So it kind of was building this vibe.”
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fried chicken on top of waffles
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Probst then asked his On Fire cohost (and Survivor 47 winner) Rachel LaMont about how such an odd event might be perceived from a contestant’s perspective. “For me, the why is just looking to bond with the players and bring some levity into a very tough game,” Probst says. “Because Survivor is hard, but when it’s over, it should be something you look at with joy. So when I talk about that playfulness, did you feel that when you played?”
For LaMont, that playfulness was not just between host and player. “I think that not only with you, Jeff, but with each other. We’re living out there together. We’re essentially roommates, and so there are all sorts of inside jokes and things that we’re always spitballing about.”
Concludes the Survivor 47 champion, “And then to have you there as well, willing to partake in the fun, it’s a good time. Whether we’re joking about balls or chicken and waffles, there’s always some kind of narrative coming through.”
And sometimes it comes with a side order of syrup. For more from Probst on the episode, check out the latest installment of On Fire.
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