The discussion surrounding whether or not “Survivor” champion Parvati Shallow should be officially inducted into the two-time winners club has continued to rage amongst fans and former players alike in recent weeks.
In a rare off-air battle between alumni, Shallow’s recent “Australian Survivor” victory was called into question on the “Survivor” official re-cap podcast after former champion Jeremy Collins refused to call the infamous “Black Widow” a two-time winner, labelling her instead as a “one-and-a-half time winner.”
Now, even celebrities from series like “Saturday Night Live” are weighing in on the debate after the reality TV drama was breached on an episode of iHeartRadio’s “Las Culturistas” podcast.
‘Las Culturistas’ Hosts Jump to Shallow’s Defense on Hit Podcast
While plenty of “Survivor” alumni have taken their sides in the ongoing debate in recent weeks, including the show’s previous two-time champions Sandra Diaz-Twine and Tony Vlachos, the recent episode of “Las Culturistas” – hosted by “Wicked” and “SNL” star Bowen Yang and comedian Matt Rogers – brought the issue to the forefront of mainstream media.
During the podcast’s popular “I Don’t Think So Honey” segment, which challenges its hosts and special celebrity guests to go on a minute-long rant about any topic that’s bothering them, Rogers capitalized on the opportunity to jump to Shallow’s defense.
“Jeff Probst, you’re not gonna get away with calling Parvati Shallow a one-and-a-half time winner of ‘Survivor.’ She won two times,” Rogers opened, misattributing the quote to the show’s longtime host.
Though Probst, who co-hosts the show’s official “On Fire” podcast alongside Collins, has yet to weigh in the debate, he is the one who posed the question to Jeremy in the first place, effectively kicking off the ongoing debate surrounding the validity of Shallow’s second “Survivor” victory.
Matt Rogers Proclaims ‘Australian Survivor’ is Superior to U.S. Version
“[Parvati] won ‘Micronesia’ and you know that,” Rogers continued. “And she just won ‘Australian Survivor,’ which is, I’m gonna say it, not only a more difficult version of ‘Survivor,’ but a better produced version of ‘Survivor.’”
Network 10The main reason that some fans and former players have been hesitant to count Shallow’s recent victory on “Survivor: Australia vs. the World” as a “real win” is because of the spin-off series’ length. While the premise and format of the competitions are the same, the international season – which saw competitors from “Survivor” franchises around the world travel to Australia to compete for the title of “The Greatest ‘Survivor’ Player of All Time” — was only 16 days in length compared to the 39 days that Shallow played when she won “Survivor: Micronesia” in 2008.
The U.S. flagship series has since shortened its own seasons to 26 days, while the Australian spin-off typically hosts seasons lasting between 45 and 55 days when not hosting international competitors.
“American ‘Survivor,’ you better get it together, because they are lapping you,” Rogers added. “They are outclassing you around the world.”
Rogers Hails Parvati as the New ‘Queen’ of ‘Survivor’
“I’m a die hard fan of the show for years and I don’t think it’s getting better. So for you to pick on one of the great, iconic winners of the show…I don’t think so honey. Nothing but respect for the Queen, Parvati,” Rogers concluded.
Parvati is a long-time friend of Rogers’ and Yang’s “Las Culturistas” podcast, having not only appeared as a guest on the series in 2020, but also joining the duo at their debut Las Culturistas Culture Awards earlier this year to present the inaugural Eva Longoria Award for Tiny Woman, Huge Impact to “Abbott Elementary” star Quinta Bronson.
Want to know more about the ongoing Parvati Shallow vs. Jeremy Collins battle? Check out Jeremy’s latest comments on the situation here.
