From Rob Cesternino’s “Rob Has a Podcast” to Tyson Apostol’s “The Pod Has Spoken,” it has become standard fare for “Survivor” alumni to launch their own podcast series focused on dissecting the Emmy-winning reality competition and its players after appearing on the show as contestants.
The most recent addition to that list comes to fans from “Survivor: China” champion Todd Herzog, who launched his “Beyond the Torch” podcast, featuring longtime friend and fellow “Survivor: China” alum Leslie Nease as co-host, on Tuesday, August 26.
New Podcast Will Look Closer at Players’ Lives Beyond ‘Survivor’
Ahead of the podcast’s recent debut, Todd and Leslie sat down with Reel Faith’s Dewayne Hamby to discuss the new project, revealing that “Beyond the Torch” will focus on getting to know some of “Survivor’s” biggest stars and forgotten players on a “deeper level” that extends beyond their time on the show.
“The majority of [‘Beyond the Torch’], honestly, is not ‘Survivor,’” said Herzog, explaining that the podcast will instead focus on interviewing former series stars about the real life experiences that led them to audition for “Survivor” in the first place, and how their lives have transformed as a result of competiting on the show.
“The thing that’s really limiting about reality TV is that, especially for someone like me, who was out early, [is that] I was a very one-dimensional character,” added Nease, who was voted out on Day 9 of the 2007 season. “People only saw one part of who I am…So what’s exciting for me is some of these people who didn’t last until the end, getting to hear their story and seeing them as more multi-dimensional, because that’s who we really are.”
While the full roster of “Survivor” alumni scheduled to appear on the podcast remains, at least for now, a mystery, Nease teased, “These interviews are so good […] We’ve got some really great ones coming up. It’s just so fun. I love this. I can’t believe I get to do this.”
Herzog and Nease Break Down About Their Unlikely Friendship
“Beyond the Torch” will feature both Herzog and Nease as its co-hosts, joining forces 18 years after their original appearance on “Survivor: China.” Speaking with Reel Faith, the duo opened up about the origins of their unlikely friendship on the season as well as what life has thrown at them since.
“I think that being stranded in the jungle with the elements and craziness of life happening just makes you bond with the people that you’re with [on ‘Survivor’],” said Herzog, explaining how he bonded so quickly with Nease despite her being 16 years his senior. “Leslie was instantly the mom figure. She was mama out there, and she was always making sure that we were taken care of, always making sure that we were warm or comfortable.”
Despite falling into an easy friendship as the game began, their age difference wasn’t the only barrier the duo had to surrmount before becoming the lifelong friends they are today.
“Back then, we had very different opinions on life and religion and whatnot,” added Herzog, now 40, who was already openly gay when he joined the 2007 season. Meanwhile, Nease, now 56, started her “Survivor” journey as a devout Christian radio host and is best remembered by fans for refusing to finish a Buddhist welcoming ceremony on the season due to her own spiritual beliefs.
“I think being on ‘Survivor,’ meeting Todd and the others, it was the first time I had really been out of my Christian bubble,” said Nease, “I was in the Bible Belt. I was a Christian radio host and a speaker and a writer. I was encuraging people in their faith and very sold out, 100%. Then I went on ‘Survivor,’ and I realized the world is big. My little protective bubble burst.”
Sharing the memory of her first conversation with Todd, Nease continued, “The first time I asked Todd a question. I think it was night one, and only because I was curious. I had no idea he was gay, but I was like, ‘So what struggles have you had to overcome in your life that have made you the man that you are today?’”
According to Nease, the eventual “Survivor: China” champion immediately got defensive, responding in turn: “Is that your way of asking if I’m gay?”
Herzog subsequently admitted that he assumed Leslie was being “passive aggressive,” under the assumption that, “usually when people who are Christians find out I’m gay, they want nothing to do with me.”
“It was the first time, I think, I realized how the way that [Christians] see the world affects other people,” said Nease, who similarly explained how she returned to the Bible Belt after her nine-day stint on the show with a new perspective.
The duo have since remained close friends, coaching one another through their own difficult journeys after their time on “Survivor,” including Herzog’s battle with alcoholism.
“We have been through super high highs and super low lows, and we are still friends,” added Herzog, “So I feel like because of that, our relationship is pretty solid. I don’t think you could break us, because we’ve been to the bottom and we’ve picked each other up.”
Herzog Reveals He’s Been Contacted to Play ‘Survivor’ Again
While neither Herzog nor Nease have returned to “Survivor” since their singular appearances, they added that they’d both love to play again.
“Old school ‘Survivor’ players are legendary,” argued Nease before adding that she doesn’t think she’ll ever be invited back to the series. “I was only on for nine days, three episodes. Todd, though, I think there’s probably a chance he could play again.”
CBS/GettyThe former champion admitted that he has been contacted by CBS to play again in the past, but “it just never went through.”
“It’s one of those situations too, where I would play again in a heartbeat, but I also don’t have to, because I’m so proud of how my game went. I don’t want to ruin that,” Todd added.
