For as long as I can remember, my mom has loved to watch both “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” when new seasons aired, and I always loved to watch both shows with her.
When I was in middle school, my mom and I started watching “Big Brother” together and it instantly became our show. We looked forward to watching it every summer, but were unable to watch it together this year since the season started when I was already back at school.
Since I can’t watch it with my mom, my roommate has assumed her role as my watch partner. We started with “Big Brother” and have continued to binge other shows like “Survivor,” “The Amazing Race,” “The Challenge USA” and “Love Island USA.” It has been such a great roommate bonding experience for us, and we look forward to new episodes every week.
One part of each show that we always talk about is the hosts. Recently, I have been pondering the question if any of these hosts could win their actual game shows.
Here is who I think could win the show that they host, and who would probably get bested by the other contestants.
Phil Keoghan: Where None of the Contestants Know Him
Keoghan has been hosting the show “The Amazing Race” since the show was created. He actually auditioned to host “Survivor,” but ultimately lost to Jeff Probst, so CBS offered him the host position for “The Amazing Race” instead.
Keoghan is an avid cyclist, having biked 3,500 miles from Los Angeles to New York City in 2009, and has made it his personal mission to fully live his life by accomplishing exotic goals and taking risks.
I think he could easily win his show, whether or not the contestants know him. He should have great stamina, and his ability to face his fears in some of the challenges that the show presents would make him a great competitor.
Phil Keoghan: Where All of the Contestants Know Him
Because the show is a race, not a show where contestants have to vote each other out, I still think Keoghan would easily win if the contestants all knew who he was. Keoghan has the competitive edge as a producer of the show to know what to anticipate, but he still has to be capable of completing the tasks efficiently.
I think because of his background producing shows, as well as his overall adventurous spirit, Keoghan could take home the win against any competitor. The real question is, who would be his partner?
T.J. Lavin: Where None of the Contestants Know Him
While T.J. Lavin was not the original host of “The Challenge,” he has certainly become an icon of the show. If he competes on a season where none of the other contestants know the show or him, however, they might think he was the actor who played Nick from “New Girl.”
I think in a season where others do not know him, given his impressive background in BMX, I think he stands a fair chance at winning.
T.J. Lavin: Where All of the Contestants Know Him
Given the nature of the competition, I think that Lavin is likable enough that he would make it past the team portion of “The Challenge.” However, I think when there is no longer a team protecting him, his name might get thrown around in the Hopper enough times to send him home before the finale.
I think the other contestants will see him as a physical threat, which will ultimately lead to him being sent home.
Julie Chen Moonves: Where None of the Contestants Know Her
While I am unsure if Julie would be a physical threat when it comes to “Big Brother,” I can easily see her being a social threat. Chen Moonves is very charismatic when she interacts with contestants on the show, and I feel she could easily carry that over as a competitor.
I also think when it comes to puzzle and strategic competitions, Chen Moonves may have a few HOH or Veto wins under her belt. However, I do not see the host of the show pulling out the win in this game.
Julie Chen Moonves: Where All of the Contestants Know Her
I think if Chen Moonves enters the BB house as a contestant where all of the housemates know her, they would be very wary of why she is there. However, once the initial shock settles in, I can see the contestants wanting to bring her into their alliances because of her strong social game.
While I see Chen Moonves going far in this scenario, I do not see her making it to the final two. If she did get that far, I am not sure if the jury would vote for her. I think her “Big Brother” run would end somewhere around the jury.
Jeff Probst: Where None of the Contestants Know Him
Probably one of the most well-known reality game show hosts, Jeff Probst, has been hosting “Survivor” since its inception. If he played in a season with contestants who knew absolutely nothing about the game itself or who he was, I think he stands a chance at winning.
I can see Probst being at a distinct advantage when it comes to searching for idols and being fairly decent in physical competitions. I also feel he would develop a strong social game that would probably carry him to the finale. However, I think having to sleep on the beach and the fight to have any type of food would be his downfall, knowing that he could have a nice bed and delicious food waiting for him if he simply was not participating.
Jeff Probst: Where All of the Contestants Know Him
In a season where all of the contestants know Probst, I think he would make it to the merge. I do not see him getting much farther than that though, because the contestants would most likely view his extensive knowledge of “Survivor” as a huge threat. Probst would have to win several individual immunity challenges or live off idols to make it farther.
Overall, I think it would be incredibly fun to watch these seasoned TV hosts take a shot at trying to win the game shows they host. I feel that whether the contestants know them or not, each of the hosts’ statuses will get them past merges or to the juries. But who takes the cake at winning it all on their show, without a doubt, would be Phil Keoghan.
Which host do you think would be capable of winning their own show?