Former Obama speechwriter and Pod Save America co-host Jon Lovett has joined the cast of Survivor. Lovett appeared in the teaser trailer for the reality show juggernaut’s 47th season, which will see a fresh cast of competitors duking it out in Fiji for the grand prize.
The host of Lovett or Leave It, says, “I have no outdoor skills. What am I doing here? I went camping as a cub scout, I threw up and went home.”
Lovett has the support of his Crooked Media co-founder Jon Favreau, who tweeted in support of Lovett’s new gig:
Lovett’s casting is an exciting development for Survivor fans and Crooked Media fans alike. Throughout his podcast career, Lovett has earned fans for his quick wit, his intelligence, and his vulnerability. The excitement around Lovett’s casting feels akin to a close friend getting cast in the show. Will Jon Lovett showcase some surprising outdoorsy skills, or will he spend his time searching the jungle for a cold Diet Coke?
His casting reminded us of another super-fan celebrity casting on Survivor. The White Lotus creator Mike White joined 2018’s Survivor: David vs. Goliath. White played a strong game, starting off low-key before making a series of decisive moves at the tribal council. He ultimately finished as the runner-up. White later cast several Survivor co-stars in cameos in the award-winning HBO series.
In an interview with NPR, White said “Survivor is not that dissimilar to [The White Lotus], which is a lot of times just people kind of kvetching about who’s tending the fire or they’re hangry because they haven’t had anything to eat.”
Season 47 is currently filming in Fiji, and will air sometime in the fall.
