Jeff Probst, the host of “Survivor,” announced the end of the “Sia Prize,” a unique award given by pop star Sia to contestants for their personal merits, marking the conclusion of a distinctive eight-year tradition within the show. Over 14 seasons, Sia has awarded over $1 million to 19 players, with the prize originating from her admiration for contestant Tai Trang’s compassion during the “Survivor: Kaoh Rong” finale in 2016.
Jeff Probst announced the end of the “Sia Prize” on Survivor, a unique award funded by pop star Sia for eight years, benefiting 19 players with over $1 million for their commendable actions or characteristics on the show.
Oh, wow. So, Jeff Probst just dropped a bombshell on all the Survivor fans out there. The “Sia Prize”? Yeah, it’s no more. Can you believe it? After eight years, 14 seasons, and 19 players getting over $1 million in total, it’s all coming to an end.
It all started back in 2016. Remember that? When Sia, yes, THE popstar Sia, showed up at the Survivor: Kaoh Rong finale. She was totally moved by contestant Tai Trang’s love for a chicken. So moved that she gave him $50k. Just like that. Everyone was pretty much in shock.
That moment? It was the birth of the “Sia Prize.” And oh, the joy it brought to so many players over the years. Straight from Sia’s heart.
Now, let’s take a quick detour. Ever wondered about all the Survivor winners over the years? Where they are now? Well, there’s a whole article on that. Survivor’s been around since 2000, and it’s been a wild ride. Jeff Probst has seen it all, from the very first $1 million winner to the latest champion.
Back to Sia. She’s given away a ton of money to Survivor contestants. Anywhere from $14,000 to $100,000. And she tried to keep it under $15K to avoid tax issues for the players. Pretty thoughtful, right?
Probst is full of gratitude for Sia’s generosity. It’s been a unique relationship, to say the least. Sia’s basically in the Survivor Superfan Hall of Fame, according to him.
And about the process? Probst loved being part of it. Sia would be in the audience or hanging out in his dressing room during the live reunion shows. She’d watch, decide who gets the “Sia Award,” and then boom, they’d find out right then and there. Powerful stuff.
But why is it ending? Probst didn’t say. Leaves us all wondering, huh?
In other news, Probst has been talking about the “new era” of Survivor. It’s going to be just as tough, if not tougher, even though they’ve cut it down from 39 days to 26. According to him, try going 18 days without food, and then we’ll talk about tough.
So, there you have it. The end of an era and the start of a new one. Survivor keeps evolving, but some things, like the Sia Prize, will be missed.
