Jeffrey Lee "Jeff" Probst (born November 4, 1962)
is an
American game show host,
executive producer and a
reporter. He is best known for his role as the host of the U.S. version of the
reality show Survivor.
Biography
Probst was born in
Wichita, Kansas, but grew up primarily in
Bellevue, Washington. After graduating
Newport High School in 1980, he attended
Seattle Pacific University, and worked at
Boeing Motion Picture/
Television studio as a
producer and
narrator of
marketing videos. Probst was
divorced from his wife of five years, Shelley Wright, in 2001. In his spare time, Jeff is active in the
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.
Career
In addition to
Survivor, Probst previously hosted the
FX network's original half-hour show dedicated to answering viewer letters,
Backchat (1996). Probst's second television exposure was that of the host of the
VH1 series
Rock & Roll Jeopardy!, which he hosted for three seasons (from
1998 to
2001), and was a correspondent for the syndicated program
Access Hollywood, during which he traveled a reported 300,000 miles. He has also written the screenplay for and directed an independent film, released in 2001, called
Finder's Fee. Jeff also does voice work for the
animated television program
Fillmore, as Vice-Principal Raycliff.
People magazine named Probst one of the "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2001. He often contributes to
Jeopardy! by giving
Survivor related clues from the show's venues, and has twice appeared on
Celebrity Jeopardy!, first in 2001 and again in 2003.
He is also a frequent guest star on the sketch show
MADtv, guest starring once a season since the show's 9th season.
In May 2008, Probst confirmed that he has signed on to host 4 more seasons of
Survivor, putting him through
season 20.
On
October 20,
2008,
TV Guide reported that Probst is developing a new reality TV series for
CBS called
Live For The Moment [1] that will feature people with terminal illnesses being taken on "the last adventure of their life" before they die.
[Jeff Probst Hopes to "Inspire" with New Reality Series" TV Guide. October 20, 2008. Retrieved on October 24 2008.]
On
April 1, 2009, Probst appeared on the
CBS reality television special I Get That a Lot, in which he worked a cash register.
Probst is also rumored to be the top candidate to play super-hero 'Weapons-Man' in the upcoming Brent Barsness film.
Personal life
In 2005, Probst began dating 26-year-old
Survivor: Vanuatu contestant Julie Berry, an
East Carolina University graduate who was an athletic scholarship softball player. In a March 2008 interview with the
Philippine Daily Inquirer, Jeff revealed that they are no longer together.
[Nepales, Ruben V. (March 9, 2008). "Jeff Probst has survived and seen ’em all". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved on September 25, 2008.]
Probst was ordained as a minister by the
Universal Life Church in 1999. He remarried his parents for their 35th
wedding anniversary.
[USA WEEKEND Magazine]
Probst keeps the snuffer that he uses to snuff the torches when a contestant is voted out of the game as a
souvenir after every season of
Survivor.
Probst has stated that he is a superfan of
The Howard Stern Show. He participated in a celebrity superfan trivia contest on Stern's show on
Sirius Satellite Radio with
Jimmy Kimmel and
Jerry O'Connell. Probst lost the contest to
Jimmy Kimmel. He has also dated singer, actress
Kristin Chenoweth.
Awards/Nominations
On September 21, 2008 Probst won the first
Primetime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program.
['Mad Men,' '30 Rock' take top Emmy awards]
On September 20, 2009 he again won the same award.