RHAP: We Know Survivor - Australian Survivor: JLP’s Shock Exit | First Reactions: Reality Flash

Episode Date: June 30, 2025

Jonathan LaPaglia is Leaving Australian Survivor: Reality Flash Australian Survivor fans, brace yourselves — the ultimate blindside didn’t happen on the beach, but behind the scenes. Jonathan LaPaglia, host and face of Australian Survivor for over a decade, has been unceremoniously axed by Channel 10. In a move no one saw coming, JLP was told […]

No Frills delivers. Get groceries delivered to your door from No Frills with PC Express. Shop online and get $15 in PC Optimum Points on your first five orders. Shop now at nofrills.ca. Breaking news are happening now. Hi everybody, and welcome to the Reality Flash. My name is Mike Bloom and I am ordinarily here to bring you the flashiest breaking news in the wild world of reality TV. But sometimes the bad news gets in. The world's full of bad news and unfortunately today is no different as it has come across my desk very recently that Jonathan La Paglia, the much revered host of Australian Survivor, will be departing after this most recent season. Before we get into all that, you know my usual spiel, therealityflash.com. Make sure you

rate and review the podcast. Send me any tips that you might have, any news items. Go ahead, just tips at the realityflash.com. But we gotta get to the matter at hand, because we are losing what some would consider a true pillar of Australian survivors since it returned in 2016. Only fitting for a man that's filled a career with ball puns for us to feel like we've been kicked in them

With this news and of course, I'm not alone here joining me in my state of mourning We had to bring on our chief international survivor correspondent Shannon Gus on behalf of your entire country. I am so so sorry for your impending loss. I mean, you didn't be sorry. I feel like we brought shame on the world. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry that we as a country have done this. I'm trying to be really somber because I'm so upset, Mike.

Obviously today has been a day of mourning. But then I was kind of losing it because of your very reflective, reflective, reflective green glasses. And then I was thinking, you kind of look like an extra from Joseph in the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. And then I was like like maybe blanketing was not the vibe, but we are really sad We're devastated today on this day of mourning that our country has done to the world. All right. Well, let's get into it Shall we maybe I will shed my oh Joseph no, not Joseph's like Ruben. Let's talk about

JLP Jonathan La Pallia. He is an actor Let's talk about JLP, Jonathan La Paglia. He is an actor, but he sort of disappeared from his, you know, scripted roles without a trace, quite literally, to make his way onto Australian Survivor in 2016, where he has served as the host since. And there has been some scuttlebutt in the past, you know, around 2020. I remember a couple of rags putting out these reports of like oh pay disputes JLP might not be coming back to Australian Survivor that ended up not being the case so when reports started showing up first in the Daily Mail on Saturday or perhaps Sunday depending on which time zone you exist in of the fact that JLP is apparently, allegedly, not coming back for Australian Survivor

following the airing of Australian Survivor, Australia versus the World, a season which he did film, did complete, will be appearing on. I think a lot of people, you know, were trying to take this with a grain of salt because we have been here before, and look, we live in this wild media landscape or any piece of non-information could get out there and spread like wildfire and then much like a wildfire it requires buckets upon buckets of verified

sourcing to try to put that out. But our worst fears got confirmed officially just about 12 hours ago or so from when Shannon and I are talking. So here are the facts. Channel 10 put out an official statement on their Instagram page reading quote, we can confirm that the upcoming season of Survivor Australia versus the World will be the last series hosted by the formidable Jonathan La Paglia. JLP has brought a unique blend of authority, intelligence, and empathy to his role as host of Australian Survivor over the last 10 years. Acting as a referee and managing the intense pressure of the game while also acknowledging the human drama unfolding, JLP has been a compelling and memorable figure in the world

of Survivor. We look forward to JLP hosting the next epic installment of Survivor, Australia versus the world, coming soon to 10. We extend our sincere gratitude to JLP for his outstanding contribution over 10 years on Survivor. We wish him continued success in his acting and presenting career. I should note, we'll get later on

into a lot of the feedback from the survivor community This post now has a limited comments on it on Instagram because Twitter. Yeah, the news was not taken incredibly well, perhaps Exacerbated understandably so from a statement released by none other than Jonathan La Pallia himself Let me read this in full. This is also on Instagram. Australian Survivor has seen some of the most epic blind sides over the last 10 years, but this one might just be the craziest of them all because it happened to me. I received a call from the network thanking me for all my hard work and dedication to the show, but for next season

they are quote going in a different direction. Ratings had dipped a bit recently and they wanted to do something drastic to shake things up. So for the first time ever, this is not a tribe swap, but a host swap in all caps. Yes, you read that right. I wish I could say before we go to vote tonight is a little different. No one's going home. But I can't. None of that non-alim bullshit tonight. Someone is going home. Lick the tail, Peeta.

Again, make a nice crack. You know, make us all smile a little bit amidst the devastation. And with no idol in my back pocket, that someone is me. I have loved and will dearly miss the immensely talented crew, all the crafty players, and our loyal, sassy audience. I'm a huge fan of this incredible game, always have been, always will be. It has been one of the greatest adventures of my career to helm Australian Survivor, so it is without a doubt the hardest challenge of all to stuff my own torch.

But here goes. JLP, the tribe has spoken. But don't pull out your hankies just yet. I'll still be at the helm for Australia versus world. Probably our best season ever. P.S. Whoever said a blindside is the most humane way to put someone down is an idiot. It hurts like a bitch. Hashtag. We did say that.

David, Janet, surprisingly, coincidentally said that, I think. Wow, all two things. So yeah, I mean, we heard this straight from sort of the horse's mouth, both parties here. Again, it has resulted in a public outcry to say the least. But Shannon, I gotta go to you here. Talk me through what you're feeling right now, because I would imagine it's enough to fill an entire

Australian survivor season of runtime. I think it's pretty clear that I feel very happy and elated I'll take a felt. Oh my god. The light is okay taking off for the people listening to the audio you missed The commitment to the bit. I'm so much tragedy there. So tragic that JLP is gone So tragic that he came out with the statement that I do not think was vetted by the network. Um, talking about how he was let go, how it wasn't his decision. So tragic that the Daily Mail was correct, you know? A lot of unfortunate things happening. Yeah, so that onion article, right? The worst person in the world just made a good point. Just made a good point, yeah, I thought the same thing.

So look, this was a whirlwind 36 or so last house. Can we just talk through the whirlwind of this? Because I want to take it from my perspective, from maybe many people's perspective. You didn't know that this was something that was happening. Maybe you had a similar journey to me. Maybe not, but let's talk it through. The Daily Mail and then other people from that, other publications start saying that JLP is gonna go. I'm like, I haven't heard this. And then I'm like, but why would they do that?

And then I'm thinking, maybe. They have made some baffling decisions before. And I'm outraged, obviously. Like my first emotion, I know that that's not how grief goes, right? But like my first emotion is that I'm so angry because I'm like, that's a terrible decision that's indefensible and I'm so angry and then I you know over the next 24 hours before it was announced I thought well you know

we don't know all of the facts maybe JLP is walking away even to the point like after they put out their statement confirming he was gone I was like maybe he's walking away maybe there's logistics that we don't understand financially which I want to talk through about why JLP can't do the show. But if they like decided to do it creatively, indefensible, financially concerning, which we'll talk through. So then I cut, but I came back to a place of like, grace of like, this is just really unfortunate and people are so mad, but maybe they're not thinking about it from the network's perspective. Then JLP put out his statement. So I was like, Oh, well I unfortunate, people are so mad, but maybe they're not thinking about it from the network's perspective.

Then JLP put out his statement. So I was like, oh, well, I'm outraged again, because the way that he said it was like he was he said he was blindsided. Like there was a level of tension, clearly in the state. Yeah, I just realized actually, were we reading JLP's extended final words? Yeah, he got a lot of them. And he got blindsided. And this is him sitting in the proverbial chair talking to the camera and they just transcribed it

Maybe he should just kind of say the last line, especially if it's a particular person blindsided him, which we can talk it through But yeah, then I was like outraged with JP and the way that he said it He said he quoted going in a different direction These were all the things I was fearful of when I was outraged 24 hours prior Before I'd gone on a journey just to get right back around to where I was now in a full 360 degree loop. The idea that they were going in a different creative direction or anything like that, again, we'll talk it through. Not good. But then, in the few hours since then, I've thought, well, it could be, you know, like we don't understand, we don't know. And to be fair, one of my least favorite things that I do that everyone does is we like speculate on things we don't understand, we don't know. And to be fair, one of my least favorite things that I do that everyone does, is we like speculate on things we don't know about.

And to be fair, like now we have quite a lot to speculate on because JLP's statement was wild. Absolutely, we have more than you think. And what was so unfortunate again, was that the Daily Mail was correct about every single part of it. I was like, well, just because he's leaving, doesn't mean the Daily Mail was right and he was fired.

He was like, I was fired, they were right. I'm like, damn it, JLP, please give me a second with this. I do wonder if there's a world out there where like, if we really get a huge verified survivor spoiler source, they could come out with their own publication called the Daily Tree Mail. Okay. Well, yeah, that's actually pretty good. Someone should actually do that. It'd be better than the Daily Mail.

It would be as correct as they were in the last 36 hours. But I kind of think like this must often happen where I speculate, people speculate. I see it happen online often I see people speculating. I'm like, I know at least a little bit more than you and you're so wrong then I'm like I'm probably doing that and people looking at me and they're like you're so wrong and I think about that and I'm like We might be doing it in this situation Like I want to be the idiot who's like don't do that and it's like they kind of for JLP or something like that Which we can talk through why he might have gone, but I just want to caveat everything as always endlessly

that we don't know anything other than the incredibly telling statements we were given today. Yeah, which again, really does pull back the curtain here as we put on the blanket. I mean, it's so wild because within both our culture overall and even within the reality TV community, Shannon, you and I can both speak to the fact that there's a lot of division and polarization in terms of players, opinions, seasons. No, I don't think so.

But like, the sole overall exception to that rule is Jonathan La Paglia. It's insane. I think especially watching him grow kind of over the evolution of Australian Travier, I mean the dude did this for nearly 10 years and not to say when he started off he was like, you know, a complete rookie, but getting to see him really become so comfortable in the position that he's taken, you know, being able to obviously see what these players are giving him in the moment, whether emotionally, strategically, comedically, and be able to banter that back and forth or try to sort of digest those feelings and

have them hopefully deliver something in the moment, has been so incredible to watch, to the point where a lot of people have said that they felt like JLP has even surpassed JP, handed him the L in a manner of speaking, and gotten an even better job of emceeing the entire shindig than Jeff Probst. And so it's also not even a thing of like, when you sometimes lose hosts or judges of these programs Look, we can certainly get into the state of Channel 10 and how they've certainly shed their fair share of hosts and judges

Over the past few years when it comes to reality shows, but sometimes it's like, okay Well, you know Simon Cowell has been at Idol for one seasons too many. It's time that he'd go like JLP was was limited up, you know, and he was doing an incredible job It's clear as he expressed in his Instagram post. He is incredibly passionate about the product He is not the showrunner unlike Jeff Probes, but like it's clear he puts every ounce of his Fantastic muscle mass into everything he does when it comes to Survivor, which makes this news even more depressing Yeah, there's a there's a lot here. I mean What do we as a survivor community all agree on like genuinely and I put this and I tweeted this and then someone was like

We all agree. It should be 39 days. It's like fine We do want it to be 39 days, but some people are like it's fine. And also that's a complaint What do we all positively agree on? I've never seen the outpouring of love that Jelki got today But it's not just about today. Because obviously people are sad to him today and the statement was a lot and it's like very devastating. But like, even before today, I don't know if I've ever heard anyone complain about JLP.

And people complain about everything. Often I'm the one complaining. Like with every single facet of the show, I don't think anyone at any point over the last nine years was like, you know what we need to improve? The host. Like no one has said that. And the thing that's so impressive about that

is that he stepped into shoes, a mold that Jeff Probst has created. And Jeff is so iconic and you have to be a version of Jeff. Like you gotta be wearing a similar outfit, being a similar demographic and like be Australian Jeff. And he is in many ways Australian Jeff, but he like made it so much his own and he elevated it to the point where I think many would say

that he's their favorite host. I mean, he's my favorite host and you shouldn't have favorites, children or castle hosts, but he is my favorite host and he has been, because I just think that he seems like a standup guy. Again, I don't know him, but he seems wonderful. And also he's just a great host. He has those little personal elements.

He has like the funny things and I think he handles it really, really well. So for this to be such a huge change that they're making, I don't know where, that's why I want to talk about the reasons he could be gone. Yeah, let's look at why. You can already stretch off from leaving. Because listen, that's the thing.

That's unfortunately something that, and there is a petition that is going around out there that I can certainly put into the show notes. Listen, we were able to bring Big Brother Canada back from the edge of extinction. Maybe we'll bring JLP back as well, or Redemption Rock, I suppose, in this case. But I think the big question

that a lot of us are asking right now, and again, I think JLP was maybe able to shed some more light, at least from his perspective, than a lot of departures know, departures from this variety in reality TV is why this happens and why now. Yeah, but why? But a more pained why than how you just said it, like why? That's kind of what- Exactly. Like, sit to your knees, scream up at the sky. Yeah, like the sunglasses and the, yeah. Why?

Well, in the 20 minutes or so between when when they posted an EBO, I think I messaged him, I'm like, good, I have a lot to say. I'm glad we're podcasting. And then like he put up the statement, I'm like, I have a lot to say, but those things are different now. Like, so we take the JLP did not walk out on his own terms. So that was one of the reasons

that we're just moving on past that. Why would he be cut? It's gonna be one of two reasons. The first is creatively, they just made this decision without logistically needing to. Let's stop down on that. Why? You know, like if that is what it is, it is so indefensible and it's so concerning. And this is also what I want to say as well. I've just said JLP is my favorite host and I think he's wonderful. 10 out of 10, no notes for JLP. I don't think that I've ever given him a note. I have so many notes all the time. So many, I don't think I've ever done that.

And my thing with that, even so, even though JLP is so good, I do strongly believe Survivor has to be able to evolve past its hosts. Like I do think that. I think that for me, I want Survivor to go on for all time. I want it to be like a sport. I want it to be like in a hundred years,

I'm still here doing all the iterations of Survivor. Like I want it to outlive me. And like, so lifetimes, you know? So I do think we need to be like in 100 years, I'm still here doing all the iterations of Survivor. Like I wanted to outlive me and like, so lifetimes, you know? So I do think we need to be able to evolve past hosts, stepping away, finding other opportunities, retiring, like things no longer working out. And I do think that Survivor is a bigger show than its hosts. I think that the format's incredibly important. Like if they were able to say, you're not putting each other out anymore, that wouldn't be Survivor.

I think that the cast are very important. And I do think the host is important and the JLP did it very well. But I also think we need to be able to exist without JLP. If JLP was leaving on his own court and people were like, I'm never gonna watch it again, I would say, give it a chance, that seems unfair. And I think we can do it together.

And I do believe that. For me, it's the issue of the decision-making. And that's why when I talk about if it was a creative decision, the concerning thing, and I'm for many the the angering thing is why are they doing this? Why did they make this decision where it wasn't him? And then it becomes it's not I'm not watching because the LP is not there, which I wouldn't agree with. But for some it might be I'm not watching because I don't trust you make good decisions about the show the same way that I'd be mad about a bad twist. This is like the worst twist of all that you've made for creative reasons, if that's the case.

I still think again that three person fun fire making and voting. You think that's worse than this? I mean, there's at least had again, maybe rationale behind it as exactly. It was more screwed. But if there's one person coming down from from on high being like, all right, this is my decision. Maybe it was more screwed. But if there's one person coming down from on high being like, alright, this is my decision. Maybe it was Danny again. Can you imagine? Firstly, do you think production are making fire to decide who gets to fire JLP?

Well, they're starting fires online by doing this stuff. Actually, I never thought that anything could be worse in Final Four Fire until I saw something with fire today. But yeah, I mean, look, it couldn't be fewer people voting than we had in that. This is why I think JLP or Baden both screwed in Australian Survival History. That's the question we're going to have to ask ourselves. Yeah, and both Braun in their own manner of speaking. So yeah, when we try to get into what the possible reasonings might be. So I am looking at this from a bit of a bird's eye view. And I also know that news came out after Brain versus Brawn,

that David Forster, who was the show runner for the past few seasons, also departed around Australian survivor, Australia versus the world. I believe that Mark and Aiden might have said that he was not the show runner for that. He wasn't the show runner for that, yeah. But he still participated in some capacity. So part of me wonders if, obviously,

with a new show runner or just a new person sort of setting But he still participated in some capacity. So part of me wonders if, obviously, with a new showrunner or just a new person sitting in the big chair behind the scenes for the next season moving forward, if we can certainly talk about financial reasons, but if they wanted to look at it, it's kind of like the new era of Australian survivor. Because that's not a controversial term at all

when it comes to the discourse that maybe they feel like you know if there was for whatever reason an opportunity to wipe the slate clean and adopt a different host and be like aha this is going to be sort of a new form of Australian survivor because again as JLP brings up, ratings are not particularly the best. Maybe this could be seen as some sort of gambit of like, okay, well, I agree that, you know, I think that these reality shows should not necessarily be defined by their hosts necessarily, unless it is like a RuPaul's Drag Race where it's personified as like RuPaul. That does feel important. Yeah, it was like making good decisions.

But still, I think that this is a thing where the stars are not necessarily the host, RuPaul's Drag Race where it's personified as like RuPaul. That does feel important. Yeah, it was like making the decisions. But still, I think that this is a thing where the stars are not necessarily the host, but the players themselves. But if they feel like there is going to be some sort of big name or big personality that might draw in a different type of audience, that would be the reason to do it. I say almost like half shrugging my shoulders because again, I don't think the ratings issue would necessarily come reason to do it. I say almost like half shrugging my shoulders because again I don't think the ratings issue would necessarily come down to JLP and if they are truly thinking about bringing someone on to help the ratings that I don't think they're picking the right host

You know I think anyone who would bring more eyes specifically because of that host choice to Australian Survivor Unless you really find a fantastic MC and famous face who's also an out and out survivor fan, you're basically gonna have just a random person kind of standing there talking to people when they know the game probably less than the super fans that are out there.

Yeah, Dani from Brains v. Brawn, if you made this decision, I don't wanna put it all on you, but it just makes no sense because, I mean, the players that have been rumored we can talk about, you know, I think is the right player choice. The question is, is any player the right choice? And then the question beyond that is any non-player the right choice? I mean, but here in Australia, I can't think of any, like what, just Hugh Jackman? Is it Hugh Jackman? I would give Hugh Jackman a go. Is it because there's been comparisons as well with JLP, the Wolverine of it all. I would test out Hugh Jackman. But if it's anyone other than Hugh Jackman, like it should be an Australian. We don't have anyone famous enough that I feel like that's

the person. Isn't Nicole Kidman? Kylie Minogue? All of these people actually I would screen test. It wouldn't be fine. I still would prefer JLP, but I would kind of see the method to the creative madness. But yeah, I mean, JLP is massive in the survival world, and you would have to have someone with their only legitimate fans to bring in people that are going to counter how many fans you've lost because they're mad that you did this to the show, and they become fans of JLP in the 10 years of being loyal to your show, which is great. So I can't imagine the creative reason one would do this other than also there is such thing as like, no publicity is bad publicity. Now I'm sure the channel 10 PR department are really, really contradicting that today

given that the comments have been turned off. But maybe if it's like, well, I'm interested to see how this host does. Maybe it's about it. Maybe it's kind of like about a cheap bump to the ratings, which I also would not condone. So if that's the creative reason of he's not right, I disagree. And no one's ever said that. If it's about let's get in some fresh blood, get people interested to see a new thing, disagree.

Like if the ratings are low, it's not because of JLP in any way. It's not because people are bored of JLP. And I do think you will lose ratings by losing JLP. And any you might gain, which especially hearing that people are rumored in the survivor community and even people outside of the community, I can't imagine we'd bridge that gap. I don't think it's the problem. So I don't see this as a solution creatively at all. That's why you're shrugging your shoulders when you give it because it doesn't make sense creatively at all. So the reason then I more so would attribute to it, and again, this is speaking on my own rear end though, is that maybe it's less creative and more so financial. I mean, you can speak to this more than I do. Channel 10 is not-

I can speak to Channel 10's financial cuts. I don't think that that's- Exactly. You have no experience whatsoever. But- What a wonderful club. But they've been through some hard times to say the least as of late. You know, they're trying to bring back Big Brother for the umpteen time. You know, it's clear that they're losing a lot of things left and right. My best guess as to what would happen. And again, this is based on really nothing outside of my own personal level of experience with these types of shows is that, you know, perhaps Channel 10

came to production, this new team or, you know, perhaps channel 10 came to production, this new team, or, you know, team to inherit the show with like, okay, you used to have this amount, now you have this amount. And so if you have people trying to figure out the bottom line, if JLP is asking for a certain salary, and you feel like you're not able to meet that without taking away other things from the show then As sad as it to say I guess I guess that would make sense But that makes things as you mentioned even scarier if that assumption is to be believed Because it's like okay if you can't afford your host can you afford going 40 something days anymore? can't afford your host, can you afford going 40-something days anymore? Can you afford having 24 players anymore?

Can you afford going to Samoa anymore? And then you sort of see the death by a thousand cuts that could occur here. FanDuel Casino's exclusive live dealer studio has your chance at the number one feeling winning which beats even the 27th best feeling saying I do. Who wants his last parachute? I do. Enjoy the number one feeling winning in an exciting live dealer studio exclusively on FanDuel Casino where winning is undefeated. 19 plus and physically located in Ontario.

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Download the BetMGM Ontario app today. You don't want to miss out. Visit betmgm.com for terms and conditions. 19 plus to wager, Ontario only. Please gamble responsibly. If you have questions or concerns about your gambling or someone close to you, please contact Connects Ontario at 1-866-531-2600 to speak to an advisor free of charge. BetMGM operates pursuant to an operating agreement with iGaming Ontario. Yeah, exactly. It's like if it's a creative decision, it's an outrage. And if it's a financial decision, it's very concerning.

Like then the JLP stuff almost feels like the least of my worries. Like if they kind of fall... It's more the canary in the coal mine, yeah. Yeah, if they kind of fall the disparity between JLP's salary to another person. Now, we'll just talk, I'll just say it now, whatever. We've implied it enough. The person that's being rumored, which we know nothing about, we could be completely wrong, again, speculating is dumb, but the person that's being rumored by the Daily Mail, which unfortunately has a wonderful in-rate on this, is David, Janet the Golden God. Now David did recently have an interview with you, where he said that he kind of wants to just do any other opportunity now that he's a multi multi multi multi multi millionaire thanks to Deal on Odo Island and maybe he's willing to maybe he's paying them maybe he's

like hey what did I do with this money which would be funny because the domino is like the small domino of like David on Deal on Odo Island to this would be kind of crazy but if there's a disparity in the payment and that that's the reason, then firstly, I'm going to feel kind of dumb to be like, and I'm going to I'm about to do it, by the way, but I'm still going to feel really dumb to be like, they should just pay him the money. I mean, I don't know the financial situation. And I want to talk about some of the recent things that have happened at 10. Where, yeah, in terms of this, which may be concerning, and everyone should know that

network television in 2025 is a difficult game. But like if that's what it is, because I think that if it's a financial, but then again, I'm going to feel stupid saying this, but I think if it's a financial concern, you have to find a way to do it. Like JLP is so essential to the show. I just said as they should evolve past the host. But like if you can get JLP and he wants to do it, you should really try and throw a lot at that. But I don't know enough about the money. But my thing is like, OK, so if they cannot afford it,

like they don't have the money, then I'm like, are we like on death's door? Like, is this the beginning of the end? And then I'm concerned just outside of everything happening. Yeah, I mean, it's really tough if that's the case to not extrapolate further and be like, okay, if they indeed can't afford the host, does this also mean that it's a very make or break time

for Australian's Reviver, where what we thought was a very make or break time for Australian Survivor, where what we thought was a constant is actually a little bit more of a variable? And especially when you think about, okay, from that perspective, they have to really succeed in these next couple of seasons from a ratings perspective in order to essentially justify continuing

to be on the air. You know what would not necessarily help that make or break threshold? Getting rid of the air, you know what would not necessarily help that make or break threshold? Getting rid of the host, prompting universal outrage from the fandom. Yeah, and that's why I'm saying that I think there'll be financial loss with losing JLP. Like I think that if you and but again, if they can't afford it, then they're having to just accept that financial loss. And then that's very concerning in and of itself. So again, to talk about network television.

Now there was a show being filmed at 10 Melbourne with some lovable people that everyone loved that was cut, but enough about talking tribal. The project, our international listeners will not know this, the project was like 10's flagship show. Now if you think I've heard of the project, it's because I was complaining. Yes. Like before multiple seasons before the premiere They had the winner on and it's not their fault including wasn't David himself on the project

David and Brooke were on the season after Pia It's hard to forget it when it has see it into your mind the whole time Like they wouldn't do this again, but they they did and but that still they they shouldn't have been canceled for doing that Most many many years ago, but they they they channel 10 cut the project a few weeks ago, they had their last week last week. That's like a flagship show that's like a modern kind of new show for the network that's on, like, they cut JLP and I sound like the international audience and the national audience is outraged and it's been uniform. But it's like not the biggest cut that 10 has made in the last few weeks. So, if that gives a little bit of context to what they did, again, concerns abound. However, and again, I don't want to speculate. I don't know any of this stuff, but like, let's just call a spade a spade.

That seems kind of concerning. I don't want to speculate. I don't know any of this stuff. But let's just call a spade a spade. That seems kind of concerning. Yeah, 100%. And so again, maybe it also, going back to the creative side of things, as unfounded as it might be, give a network, sort of like the last gasps of a dying horse, like, OK, well, we need to boost our ratings somehow for one of these shows, one of these things that's

helping keep us afloat while we get rid of all of our other mainstays. Okay, let's bring in somebody here. And on that note, indeed, if David is the person who, as heavily speculated, is replacing JLP as the host moving forward, what are your thoughts about it? Because we have the previous player angle, for what it's worth. David does have previous hosting experience before he became this multi multi multi millionaire. As you mentioned, he did host, I believe it was called Rush, which is sort of like this amazing. Yeah, this like amazing race type of show. As you mentioned, as he told me, basically, like he felt that Dondi was quite literally

writing him a blank check to pursue anything he wanted to do creatively He didn't feel like he had to like settle by going on to all these other types of shows that he's like, okay I can just commit to the projects that I want to do So the project cuz that's gone exactly. I need to do other things. Yeah, so for what it's worth I don't think it would necessarily be a thing of like well They wrote David a giant paycheck and he's basically there just to cash it and not really care about what's going on. I think if anything, the thing that people

are more concerned about is the fact that he is too passionate about Australian survivor rather than not passionate enough about the job. Yeah, I mean, I have a few things. I'm firstly before David, like we've spoken, you said, you know, or maybe, you know, Australian survivors not a given. I, you know, in the world of covering international survivor, like nothing's

been a given, like it's been tricky. And like, we've always talked about this with Australian survivor. It's not Australian survivors fault. It is the public. It is the people who were wrong. They're watching married at first sight and the block instead of survivor. And they are simply wrong. So it's up against really difficult things.

And as I said, like television in general is really hard at the moment. Media is hard. Stupid 19 year olds, 13 years ago made stupid decisions while getting into industries that are difficult. Okay. And especially for network television, people are on their phones and then they're streaming and then they're like getting, you guys know this, watch more network TV, I guess, but and not married at first sight.

And then they're watching married at first sight and the block and the strain survivor is always against that. And the ratings have struggled for that, not because of JLP and honestly not married at first sight and then they're watching married at first sight and the block and and the strain survivor is always against that and the ratings have struggled for that not because of JLP and honestly not because of really any reason other than that and that's just difficult i do think the ratings were slightly better for brave people on 2 than time for your rebels so but again like none of that against the P myth that is married at first sight it's very hard to move the needle on David um again this total speculation we don't we really don't know no um we're going off the Daily Mail at this point and possibly other rumors. I think David is a good choice to be honest. Like if anyone has to do it, if JLP was leaving of his own accord,

I would think that David would make sense as a host. It's like if Jeff left and Boston Rob came in, like Boston Rob has a lot of TV experience. That fellow Dondi standout. Is that the pipeline? If you want to be a replacement host on Survivor, you have to go through Deal or No Deal Island. I don't think you have to go through Deal or No Deal Island. I think it's like you waited out at your low No Deal Island until the host will leave it to you, or it will be left to you, not leave it.

But yeah, I mean, I think that David is, if not one of the biggest names, maybe the biggest name in Australian Survivor. And also not just in the show, but now I think in arguably outside of the show with the experience that he's had in America with Dondi as well. And like this was like a big news item that he won all that money. And just in general, like David's a larger than life presence. From like a context perspective, I think it makes sense. I'm not really bothered by it being a play. I know some people are like, but what about the conflict of interest?

There are much bigger issues. Okay. The conflict of interest is the least of my concerns. I think that he, I haven't watched him host on rush, but I think he's phenomenal TV. I think it is very different as a character to a host, but I'm definitely willing to see him try. I think the thing that's upsetting is of course, like how this has happened and taking JLP out at all.

But I want to say as well on David, the hate on David is absurd to me. I mean, I guess some people already have extreme feelings about David and it's manifesting here. Like David, if he was offered this opportunity should take it. Anyone I think would do that. This is a phenomenal opportunity

and it's his right if he's been offered it. And it's not his fault. Like it's really not his fault. Like if JLP is gone, it may be production's fault or they don't have money. It's either really angering or really sad, but it's not David's fault. So I just think that the hate I'm seeing to David

as if that's gonna make this better is really not the solution at all. Yeah, it's kind of like if you were to be broken up with and then your boyfriend moves on to a new person and then you hate the person and there's no like crossover either way it's not her fault okay i think we've all learned that so it's not really fair today but i think all the hate that i've seen getting yeah i think especially preemptively as well and again to your point i can understand how some people will carry in a lot of baked in opinions about David into if indeed he is hosting

his you know uh what changing sides I suppose on tribal council concerning that we are actually going to see him play Australian survivor again I don't know if this performance will reflect at all upon this decision apparently if he has made host of like okay does he go on and win and be like all right jlp my turn or is he like you know evis he go on and win and be like, all right, JLP, my turn or is he like, you know, eviscerated as the first boon is like, all right, I need some redemption now. I need to become the face of the show. So everyone remembers who I am. I mean, I know they once said that, you know, you don't, you're like, you're undateable if you don't make the merge. I think you should make the merge. I think it's pre-merge, they shouldn't have made the merge. I'm joking.

But how long will this pre-merge be? I mean, there's 14 players there. Um, I think he should have a fairly good show in an AUV world. No, I'm joking. I really do think David of anyone, I think David's great TV. Like I think David is like a once in a generation TV character, reality TV character. Does that translate to a host?

Not necessarily, but I'm definitely interested to see it. And I think it makes sense for the context of the show. It doesn't make sense in the context of we need new ratings. So let's just get a big player from the show. JLP is already on, where everyone loves JLP and I guess has extreme feelings either way, but it's very positive about David. I know that like a lot of the casuals, especially and maybe more than the super fans, really, really love David. But the thing is, the casuals love JLP. So many of my friends say the casuals,

my relatives, my art texts to be like, say it ain't so. I'm like, it is. And they're making me say that to my aunt, which is upsetting. So yeah, I think that getting someone who is possibly more controversial and in the same fan base as JLP doesn't make sense. But I, for me think that David, again, if it was on better terms, is the pick that makes most sense to me in the world, except for Hugh Jackman. Exactly. That is the one asterisk we put on there. I mean, it is also going to be a bit untested waters, considering that, to your point, at least from an English speaking survivor perspective, we have not had a former player host.

And while I do trust someone like David to be, you know, fairly objective, I think the interesting thing is that, you know, he was cast on reality TV as this sort of like type A personality that knows how to sort of commandeer a conversation. And I would trust he would have the best instincts to know like, okay, now that I'm the host, I don't need to necessarily guide the conversation like I'm an actual player. We'll see, it might take a few tribal councils to sort of work that out from just his instincts of like, okay, I'm on Survivor, I guess I better start guiding these conversations. I think that's what

some people have had reservations about with like a Jeff Probst, which again, has made JLP the preferable host of some people is like, there are some and I say this as a Jeff Probst lover, like there have been some times in Italy where like, Jeff will sometimes bring the conversation back to himself or like, really try to like, you know, guide the conversation in a certain way. I think most of that is trying to get answers out of people when he feels like he's not able to do so just organically. But I know it can definitely wear on the audience. And if David kind of goes through the same behaviors here, which again, might just be sort of an instinctual perspective from being a former player,

it might be a little rough going initially. Yeah, I mean people they don't like that extreme personalization of the very stable host role, which seems unfair to paint David with that brush when we only see him as a character who's there to be the biggest character and he's great at that, unless you watch Rush, in which case let us know. But that's a very different show as well. And I think the thing that JLP did so well is he was so good at balancing that personal element where you felt like you did get to know him. Like, look how much people clearly think they get to know him.

Like, he's not just like there to kind of, you know, shuffle them around and say, the tribe has spoken. Like, he had like, that's my favorite things. You know, obviously we talk about like, the innuendos are funny. And the one line is, my favorite thing is definitely the iconic JLP laugh, which I do think Hugh Jackman could kind of do. But like, yeah, I love like when they get JLP to laugh like that, I guess like Kailin did it at the challenge in the last season when he goes like,

and it's like gravelly voice, I can't do it. But it's wonderful. And like, I feel like we had those little elements of him without ever pushing it to the point where people were ever complaining about him. And Jeff has had that. I mean, beyond like a producer role where people are like, oh, you're like, why are you talking about like millennials texting and kind of taking it in that direction? So I think he was really good at that. I think it's unfair to kind of judge David before he gets down. I think it's a wonderful opportunity at the same time as it's an unenviable role. I mean, seeing this today, no one wants that, you know, no one wants to come in and be, I mean, you do. It's one, again, an incredible opportunity that no one would turn down. However, it is a very, very difficult space because no one wants to lose JRP. And yeah, I'm not going

to be hating on David and I'm definitely not going to be judging him before I see him. And I would wish him the best in that role if it's him or whoever it is. Whoever it is, is not getting hate from me on it. Totally agree. I want to give them a fair shake because to your point, it's an unenviable role, especially given the way that things were left. You know, knowing that JLP seemingly got dismissed over things that were completely out of his control is so frustrating, so maddening, especially on his behalf. I wish him nothing but the best. I hope he does find a place to land from an emceeing perspective, because again, I really think he has come into his own as a fantastic host that, to your point,

has been able to really tread this fantastic line between becoming this sort of relatable, constant in a lot of these people's lives. Like, I've seen such an outpouring of positivity from the alumni community, specifically towards JLP, and we'll get into that a little bit, I think, in your plug, Shannon. But like, I think it's because amidst all the emotional, physical, mental turmoil with these people who are out there for a month plus starving their brains out, like, they knew they could talk to JLP. You know, they could go there and they could see his smiling bearded face

and be like, okay, this feels at least from a comfortable place. And I think he was really able to create this interesting atmosphere that felt accommodating, you know, down to his pun filled final words at the end of every episode to, you know, trying to make non-eliminations work to the best of his ability. I love, by the way, that like now he kind of feels like he's a little un-muzzled now, Shannon, that like, all right, now that I'm no longer attached to the show, F non-eliminations. Yeah, I once interviewed JLP and they rejected so much of it and then they didn't let me ever interview him ever again. And it wasn't even, it wasn't anything bad. He just gave like kind of his opinions and they were like, that's probably too many opinions.

And now he's giving those opinions, but he's like, I don't like the non-Olems. I'm just going to say it. The first thing I want to talk about, I really never liked the non-Olems. I think he's even said that as host. I mean, I have questions like why, but also for you, it was interesting to me that they announced him leaving

without announcing the replacement. I guess in my mind yesterday for that 24 hours, I imagined that they would be like, JLP is out, but like this person is in. Like, don't just be mad about this, be mad about also this other thing. No, I mean, like, you know, like, here's a new thing to talk about. Like maybe try make more of a celebration, like welcoming blank. I was wondering if maybe, okay, maybe that would have been a really bad idea because it would have been pure hate.

Now everyone can kind of get the upsetness about JLP, that JLP happens more, which I do think is better. And then maybe celebrate a new person. Maybe they're thinking that although I don't think it will go that way. Or I wondered if, I don't know if it was even messy. I mean, seeing like a statement like JLP, I wonder if it's like, and the leaks coming out. I wonder if they didn't intend for it to be today.

They're not ready to like press go on a new person logistically. And it's like, JLP is gone. TBD on where we're going with this? Yeah, I have a couple of minds about it. I could see on the one hand where things had gotten a little out of control with very verified sources kind of affirming that, yes, JLP is leaving and there's a new host coming out and intends like, well,

we got to be the official word on this. Because again, we're in the flux of the preseason right now for a you We don't even have a premiere date yet for Australia versus the world and you would imagine that like alongside they news They would want to try to roll this out or that they would want to try and roll it out I would imagine without any of this, you know Sourcing and rumors coming around they would probably want to make this announcement like closer to, if not at the end of Australia versus the world. Yeah. Instead make it this the celebration of like 10 seasons, JLP, congratulations.

We'll miss you. I would imagine the primary reason for me is again, if I am in the camp of believing that David is the replacement hose, that they don't want to announce that because they don't want people to go into Australia versus the world with any sort of perspective. It's like, well, he must do well because he's going to be the next. That's the least of their concerns. You think that's the problem? They usually have pre-emergers out there freaking commentating the AFL Grand Final. I'm looking at you, Abby. You were

meant to be on All Stars. Why were you out on that field? It was a spoiler and it was unfortunate. No, I think that I don't think it's about people going in with frequency notions of David. I think maybe it's about the narrative. No, I think that I don't think it's about people going in with frequency notions of David. I think maybe it's about the narrative. Again, this whole podcast has been speculating. This is exactly what I was trying to avoid. This is great. But I would have thought you definitely want

to do it after the season. It's like, and apparently the season's great. So if the season's great, have a run in it. Best ever according to JLP. Yeah, have a run in it. And you know that he wouldn't say it if it wasn't true because he's unleashed now. Which is also controversial in and of itself

that if he's saying like a 14, 15 day season is the best one ever. Nah, that's fair. I think, I mean, look, let's see. Like that's a tough check to cash and we'll see if they do it. But yeah, I mean, I definitely would think it's like, it's a celebration.

Now let's wreck the celebration though. It was a celebration and, but like chronologically now JLP is out. Like it's so weird and asking about being like, but he's still here for a UV world, but there's clearly bad blood. Like I think it might've, must've been about the narrative, but I don't know, that doesn't make sense to me.

Cause they're going to go out soon and film the next Australian survival season. So they couldn't do that because clearly any new hosts and that will start coming out and they have like no control over that. So yeah, maybe that's what it was. Yeah, I mean, Shannon, I think this is a lot of you and I just kind of like talking through our feelings in the moment. This is literally just why.

I mean, it is really us trying to get to the bottom of it. And look, it is almost as an enviable job as whoever replaces JLP, as like us trying to really get into the heads of network executives to be like, why did they make this decision? Which I would consider one of the most like uproarious reality TV decisions in some time in terms of reception. The closest I could come to it is probably when big brother Canada got rid of the live feeds a couple of years ago, considering from that community's perspective, it very much was like there is no big brother without live feeds.

Like call it whatever you want, but like, if it's not live like, there is no big brother without live feeds. Call it whatever you want, but if it's not live feeds, it's not really a show for me. I'm actually seeing a lot of similarities here where maybe JLP is a lot of Australian Survivor fans live feeds. In that way. Yeah. That's what I disagree with. Oh yeah.

But from their perspectives, this is someone who they really felt represented a lot, you know, not just, hey, here's this big well-spoken beefcake that I get to stare at for 24 episodes, but more so as we mentioned before, like this is someone who has been part of the show from the very beginning, is incredibly good at his job. If he got let go, what does this mean? Yeah, I mean, I don't think that any host of Survivor, even Jeff Probst, is the live feeds equivalent of Big Brother. Like, I think that that's what the show is meant to be about

for many people. That's the whole point of literally Big Brother. It is in the name. As we said, we didn't call it the RuPaul's Drag Race equivalent, we didn't call it JLP, Australian Survivor, and maybe we should have, and maybe that was a mistake that we made many years ago. But no, I don't think that's the same thing.

I think we can evolve past the host, but can we evolve past the show making confusing decisions that we really don't agree with? Or can we evolve past the show having so little money that there is no show? Or there's some secret third thing that's worse than those two things. Like the decision, the decision is not good.

So those, any one of the three things, money, creative wrong decision, secret third bad thing that I can't think of right now, anything else, like none of it's leading to anything good. So that to me might be the equivalent of the live feeds. I mean, I'll be here watching and I'm definitely giving whoever it is a fair shot. And I hope to really enjoy it, but it's definitely like devastating to lose JLP. And as you said, like the players coming out

and supporting him, it shows his character because that could go one or two ways. You know, like if he doesn't need to be kind to them out there, like it could just be like, we're rolling and we're making funny puns and having great guns, which was, Yeah. And then when the camera stops rolling, he's like, all right, I'm done. Where's my trailer? And that doesn't seem like the vibe at all. So I think that speaks to JLP. And it is a very, very, very sad loss, but with also possibly more worrying connotations. And that's been my unfiltered

1am rant about the news that we had today. And we absolutely love it, even if we don't love the news. I regret a lot of this. I really said a lot of my thoughts about what I think the financial things are happening at 10am and I don't know and it's really inappropriate and I can only apologize. So obviously let us know your thoughts in the comments on social media about this news again It was some upsetting stuff to deal with considering again how Shannon and myself and seemingly the entirety of the Australian Survivor fandom Absolutely loves JLP the good news is we have one more season of him and given how again incredible

He is at the role I imagine he will be no different in what ended up being Retroactively his last time on Australian Survivor, but I know Shannon this will not be the last time you are talking Australian Survivor nor JLP, what would you like to plug both in the short and long term for the listeners? Yeah, I mean there's a lot going on with Australian Survivor, some of it's shocking, some of it genuinely shocking clearly as we're here today. So I'm going to, you know, have a little bit of the JLP, um, yeah, a little bit of the JLP memorial. Um, I did text this to Hayley Leake, I texted a few players saying like, I'm going to do a bit of a podcast, I'm going to do a podcast with Chrissy, who's my co-host for this because she loves

JLP and she's the best. And I invited a few players to like come and talk about JLP just for a few minutes and like rotate through and Hayley was like what happened to JLP? And I was like oh you don't know I love how awful you know off the grid you are that's amazing. He was fired. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. So she might be there. We're gonna do this on I think it's gonna come out Friday, Australia time, Thursday. It's gonna come out, yeah, Thursday ET, America time. Not the Australian Survivor player. Yeah, one at a time.

Then we're gonna have, yeah, so we're gonna have me and Chrissy talking about JLP, some of the best moments, and some players coming through and talking about their best moments, and then Australia V World, the pre-season, will start for a premiere date that I don't yet have and I'm going to be talking about every player that's on Australia V World every couple of days from next week probably starting July 7th. Yeah, it's American time I think. Yeah, I think that's what we're probably going to do and then every second day we'll do a podcast with an expert, maybe you know, present company included, about each player.

But Mike, what's your favorite GLP memory? Oh my god. God, I'm really trying to think of... It's tough because with so many episodes of Australian Survivor, to be completely candid, right? What, like 240 episodes? Essentially, it's always really tough to think of like an incredibly specific one. I think I just love and this is more of a macro than a micro thing. Him actually putting Battle of the Big Boys into the vernacular.

I mean, I, of course, in the full bloom variety always have to go for him talking about like how heavy your nutsack gets in particular. But like the fact that he was able to again, he was having to step into his own unenviable role of like, everyone loves Jeff Probst, be Jeff Probst, but don't be Jeff Probst at the same time. And he was like, bull jokes. Jeff Probst has been doing that a little bit as well. He had a nutsack joke recently. But I think the fact that, you know, JLP was able to sort of come out with his own phrases, considering how much of this stuff has still been used from American Survivor, come on in, the tribe has spoken,

got nothing for you, want to know what you're playing for, etc, etc. Like the fact that he could create his own little chestnut to utilize, that's always kind of hung with me, not just because, again, that's Australian Survivor in a nutshell is sort of battle the big boys in terms of their casting. Yes, exactly. But this idea that like, he was able to take this and make it his own, you know, complete with his own phrase that hopefully David or whomever is going to bring moving forward. So I know it's not a specific example, but like, it's a little bit of an iceberg type of moment for me. Yeah, I mean, I love the laugh. I really love the JLP tweets. And now I look back and I think,

Oh, you know, JLP, so JLP was hacked like two years ago and it was awful. Maybe that was the first sign. Yeah, that was the beginning of the end in hindsight. It's like now you look back at the JLP tweets and it's like JLP is gone. Twitter is not the same. Like it's really like a- Coincidence, I think not. Yeah. Yeah. So it's just like, wow, it makes me feel old. It's like, wow, nothing's like it used to be. I'm like old woman yells at cloud.

And I want JLP back. So I'm angry about it. And it's upsetting. Well, we're gonna blanket up right now. Of course, if you have any more news from the wide world of reality TV, you know how to reach me, just tips at therealityflash..com and hopefully your news items are sunnier than the unfortunate news we just had to talk about right now.

And of course, make sure you subscribe at the reality flash.com to make sure if you're like a Haley leak and you had no idea stuff like that, I'm so sorry. She has a child and she has so much. No, listen, we all the kudos to her for having, you know, that fortitude. But, you know, we hope that we'll be able to fill you in if you're missing moments like this, even if they are moments of abject devastation. Shannon, thank you so much for coming on talking through all your feelings right now. Again, this is sort of the grieving process, right? It's a little messy, it's a little unfiltered, but we knew when this news dropped, we had to get something in your feed as soon as possible

in an emergency podcast fashion. I cannot wait, Shannon, to listen to essentially the JLP open casket funeral, where, you know, a lot of these players get to come in and continue to vocalize how great he was out there to them. I did say to Chrissy, I like told her the whole idea and we were planning it and then I mentioned it as a funeral. She was like, what funeral? I'm like, no, for JLP. She was like, okay, you gave me a heart attack. And I was like, I have been freaking players out all day.

So yeah, I mean, that will be good. And again, speaks to the relationship that he has with the players. There's a lot of love out there for JLP. JLP, if you're listening, we're really, really, really upset. And you were, thank you for being a great host. You know, thank you for steering the ship. Like, I truly mean this, you know, like the Australian franchise, when the Australian franchise started, like I was worried, I'm like, are they going to embarrass us in the global survivor community? And JLP has done such a good job. He is a point of pride, I think, for the Australian survivor community that we've had globally. We've always been able to say, at least we have JLP. and it's really upsetting not to have that anymore. So,

JLP, we will really miss you. Glad we have another epic season to watch with you and we are not in favor of this decision. Totally agree. So again, let us know your thoughts about this news on the comments, on social media. I'll be back in your eyes and ears soon with more reality TV news as it breaks. Thank you all again so much for listening. Shannon, thank you as always for coming on and giving your sage words. Until next time everybody, you've just been flashed.