Survivor host Jeff Probst is no stranger to the wild antics of the contestants, but one recent move from Survivor 47 contestant Rachel LaMont has him both scolding and admiring her boldness. During a recent episode of his podcast On Fire, Probst revealed how he felt about LaMont’s attempt to steal rice during a challenge—a move that he described as a “mob boss move.”
LaMont’s actions occurred during a tricky immunity challenge in the second episode of the season, where the castaways were tasked with transporting a bag of rice from the ocean to the beach. Once the bag was on land, they had to cut it open to retrieve a ball, which was needed to complete the puzzle in the next stage of the challenge. While her fellow tribe members were focused on solving the puzzle, LaMont secretly slipped handfuls of rice into her pockets.
Probst, who was overseeing the challenge, saw the move unfold in real time. “Rachel tried to steal rice in front of me,” he recalled. “In front of 20 camera operators, in front of the challenge department, all our judges, in front of standards and practices, in front of all of our producers. That’s a mob boss move! And I respected it.”
Despite the sneaky maneuver, Probst wasn’t furious with LaMont, acknowledging that it didn’t break any major game rules. “It was playful, it was in front of everyone. She knew what she was doing,” Probst explained, adding that she almost certainly knew she would get caught. When asked about the rice, LaMont jokingly responded, “You didn’t see anything,” but ultimately, she was asked to empty her pockets and returned to her camp with nothing.
In fact, Probst found her lighthearted response to the situation refreshing, saying it added a layer of fun to the challenge. “What Rachel did was fun,” he said. “It was playful. It was almost certain she’d get caught, but she had a very playful attitude about it.”
The Rice and Its Role in the Challenge
The decision to use rice in the challenge was deliberate, with Probst and his team knowing it would add an extra level of difficulty. Rice becomes heavier when it gets wet, making it a challenging element for players. However, Probst admitted that it could also be somewhat cruel, given the minimal food the contestants have in the game.
“If we don’t need rice, maybe we should consider sand or something else,” he suggested. “This is not a time when we want to taunt them, and maybe that’s what ended up happening with Rachel.”
Why Did LaMont Try to Steal the Rice?
While Probst doesn’t know exactly why LaMont attempted the rice heist, he speculated that it may have been a calculated move to show another side of her personality. “Maybe she wanted to make a statement in the game, or maybe she just wanted people to see that she’s not as quiet as they think,” he mused.
Whatever the reason, LaMont’s rice-stealing stunt is sure to go down as one of the most memorable moments of Survivor season 47, adding an element of fun and strategy to the fierce competition.