Jeff Probst does not want to do 'a bit' during “Survivor” vote-offs

Leave the shtick at home, future players.

The script is always the same when Survivor host Jeff Probst is busy snuffing a torch. "The tribe has spoken," he says pre-snuff. After the fire is extinguished, he adds, "It's time for you to go." Occasionally he'll add a hug, if asked, but that's usually about it.

So it was notable on this week's episode of Survivor 47 when Kyle Ostwald was voted out by the tribe and asked the Hostmaster General for a hug. Not only did Probst accommodate the soon-to-be jury member, but he also added a few words for good measure, telling Kyle, "Thanks for coming out."

Those four words caught the attention of Probst's On Fire podcast cohost Jay Wolff, who points out to Probst, "It's one of the first times I've heard you speak after you say 'The tribe has spoken' to someone who's leaving. What motivated that here?"

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So why did the snuffer address the snuffee in such a fashion this week? "I just felt it was the right thing in that moment," Probst answers on the podcast. "And I still feel that way hearing it back."

However, that doesn't mean the host is not concerned about the possible ramifications of extended interactions during vote-offs. "I do want to say to future players that I also trust my gut enough that if I ever felt this was becoming a bit and somebody's like, 'Let me see if I can get Jeff to give a shout-out to my friend,' then I would stop it, because I don't want to be a part of that."

It sounds like Probst does not want Survivor to turn into a carbon copy of the Big Brother live voting, where contestants give shout-outs to everyone under the sun, yelling a parade of names as they exit the Diary Room. Of course, those episodes of Big Brother air live, so editors are powerless to remove them (unless they want to cut their mics off), while Survivor can edit out whatever they want. Still, Probst is hopeful that contestants on his show will honor the impact of the moment and not turn it into a premeditated showcase.

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"I hope it doesn't," the host says about interactions becoming over-the-top. "I really like the relationship I have with players today, and I'm aware that it could easily become contrived, but for the moment I'm going to trust that what happens in these moments or other moments throughout the show are authentic."

To that, On Fire cohost (and Survivor 46 runner-up) Charlie Davis recalls Probst's deadpan reaction to Danny Massa's Robert De Niro impersonation during the torch snuffing. "Well, that's a really actually perfect bookend to Kyle's moment," Probst responds. "And I like Danny too, and he was funny, and he was trying to have a funny moment, but it was clear he had rehearsed in his mind, 'When I go out, I'm going to do that.' And so my face was probably registering a little bit of, 'I don't even know how we're going to be able to cut this out of the show. We probably have to keep it, I guess I'll respond.'"

That is exactly the interaction Probst hopes to avoid in the future. "That's what I'm pleading with: Players, don't do that. Not at the Tribal Council when we're voting someone out. Let that be pure."

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But what if Danny's De Niro was not premeditated and was just a case of Danny — who also broke wind during a challenge — being Danny? "That is also what makes Survivor interesting," Probst says, "is that maybe Danny would say, 'I didn't, Jeff. I actually didn't plan that. It just came up. That's my personality.' And then I'd have to say, 'Okay, well, then it was authentic.'"

Regardless, it's clear that when it comes to yapping it up while having your torch snuffed, the host believes this to be a case of less is more. For more from Probst on the most recent episode of Survivor 47, check out the latest installment of On Fire.