Latest news with #TheAmazingRace
The Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
'White Lotus' creator Mike White to compete in 50th season of 'Survivor'
The 54-year-old Emmy winner placed second on the show's 37th season in 2018. Photo: TNS CBS has spoken. Mike White, the writer of the hit HBO series White Lotus , is returning to the island for Survivor Season 50. The 54-year-old Emmy winner placed second on the show's 37th season in 2018. He is one of 24 returning players who will compete in the milestone season, which will be filmed in Fiji. 'Mike, after he finished playing, said, 'I want to play again,'' host and executive producer Jeff Probst told CBS Mornings on Wednesday. 'Then White Lotus hit, and I thought, 'Well, he'll never play again.' But he kept texting and saying, 'Look, I'm serious. If you ever do anything where you have returning players, I want to play again.' So we're happy to have Mike. Other returning fan favourites include Cirie Fields, Ozzy Lusth, Colby Donaldson, Jenna Lewis-Dougherty, Aubry Bracco and Benjamin 'Coach' Wade. White, whose other credits include School Of Rock and Enlightened , told the New Yorker in a 2021 interview how the show has inspired him. 'I still feel like, even on the most contrived reality show, the people are human and they're more interesting than some of the most well-scripted drama,' he said. 'And for me, as a writer of drama, I aspire to do what reality television already does. To create characters that are surprising and dimensional and do weird s– and capture your attention.' White also competed with his father Mel on two seasons of The Amazing Race . The White Lotus has already been given a Season Four renewal. Survivor 50: In the Hands Of The Fans will head into production this summer and air in February 2026. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
West Australian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- West Australian
You'll have to wait for more of The White Lotus, creator Mike White is competing on Survivor first
When The White Lotus wrapped up its third season in April, its creator Mike White gave an interview in which he talked about the pressure to start pre-production for a fourth season. 'We were supposed to start scouting in April, and I was like, 'You guys, I haven't been home in three years',' he told The Hollywood Reporter. Maybe White doesn't like to be home, because the writer and director has just joined the 50th season of Survivor as a contestant, which is sure to pack him off to some locale far from Los Angeles. It might seem like a surprising and rogue move, but it's actually classic White. He competed on the show's 37th season, and was runner-up, and with his dad Mel was twice on The Amazing Race, in 2009 and 2011. The man loves reality TV. Survivor host Jeff Probst announced White's casting on CBS Mornings, revealing, 'Mike, after he finished playing, said, 'I want to play again'. 'When The White Lotus hit, and I thought, 'Well, he'll never play again'. But he kept texting and saying, 'Look, I'm serious. If you ever do anything where you have returning players, I want to play again'. So, we're happy to have Mike.' As you can glean from his spiky, uncomfortable and comedy-forward shows and movies, White is not a conventional Hollywood type. Who else could've gone from a writers room to a Survivor set, and come in second place? When he joined Survivor in 2018, he already had a successful career with credits on Dawson's Creek, Freaks and Geeks, created Enlightened and wrote the screenplays for School of Rock, Beatriz at Dinner, and a raft of other comedies. In 2021, he recalled to The New Yorker when he joined The Amazing Race for the first time. 'I remember I was at a party at Courteney Cox's house – I'm not really good friends with her, but I was there. And I was just about to go on Amazing Race, and Jennifer Aniston was there, and I was so proud and excited. 'I was like, 'I'm going on Amazing Race with my dad'. I could see Jennifer Aniston's eyes being like, 'Why the f—k'. That's not anything that anyone aspire to, to be a reality contestant.' On that season of Amazing Race, the 18th, White and dad Mel finished sixth when they were eliminated on a leg in Thailand. White said one of his initial hesitations about shooting the third season of The White Lotus there was because of those elimination memories from Amazing Race. The pair returned two years later but was eliminated on the third leg and finished in 10th. Like White, Mel was also a writer but his involvement in the performing arts was different. He was a prominent clergyman in the Evangelical movement and had written and ghost-written projects for the likes of conservative firebrands Pat Robertson, Billy Graham and Jerry Falwell. In 1993, Mel came out publicly as gay and published a memoir, Stranger at the Gate: To Be Gay and Christian in America, but was essentially cut off by his former friends in the church. Because of his family history, White grew up attending Christian churches and camps, but turned to eastern philosophies, which he put to use in The White Lotus, during a stressful period while showrunning his series, Cracking Up in the mid-2000s. A devoted Survivor fan – '(It's) the only show I really devotedly watch' – White looks to the drama of Survivor to fuel his own TV writing. He told The New Yorker in 2021, 'Part of my job and my way of life is studying people and analysing motivation and character. I still feel like, even on the most contrived reality show, the people are human, and they're more interesting than some of the most well-scripted drama. 'For me, as a writer of drama, I aspire to do what reality television already does. To create characters that are surprising and dimensional and do weird sh-t and capture your attention.' With another season of Survivor soon-to-be under his belt, White will have plenty of more inspiration for the next season of The White Lotus.
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'The White Lotus' creator Mike White joins 'Survivor 50'
Mike White, screenwriter and creator of HBO's The White Lotus, is set to return to Survivor for its milestone 50th season. Host Jeff Probst confirmed the news during an appearance on 'CBS Mornings,' stating, 'In between writing and directing seasons of 'White Lotus,' Mike White is back.' White previously appeared on Survivor in 2018 during its 37th season, staying for the full 39 days and finishing as runner-up. His time on the show reportedly influenced The White Lotus, the acclaimed anthology series that premiered in 2021. The show's third season, which aired this spring and featured Parker Posey, Carrie Coon and Walton Goggins, drew over six million viewers for its finale. Before Survivor, White competed twice on The Amazing Race alongside his father. He has described reality television as a source of creative inspiration. 'For me, as a writer of drama, I aspire to do what reality television already does,' he said in a 2021 interview with The New Yorker. Survivor's 50th season, scheduled to air in 2026, will include several returning contestants, such as Jenna Lewis-Dougherty from Season 1, and veteran players Cirie Fields and Ozzy Lusth. Filming is set for this summer.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Eastern Connecticut State University featured on Amazon Prime Video show
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. (WTNH) — An Amazon Prime Video series featuring Emmy-nominated producers spotlights Eastern Connecticut State University, college leaders announced Tuesday. The university can be seen in episode 7 of season 14 of 'The College Tour.' 2 Connecticut colleges named most beautiful in the country by Condé Nast Hosted by 'The Amazing Race' winner Alex Boylan, the show travels the country to tell the story of different colleges. It's all in an effort to help students make decisions about their future without having to travel themselves. 'Eastern offers students an extraordinary experience, and we're so excited to share that on The College Tour,' Alex Boylan said. 'For students, choosing which college to attend is a monumental decision, and this episode gives prospective students a first-hand look at what makes this school so special.' The show's production crew visited the Eastern campus for about five days this past fall. These Connecticut towns named most laid-back beach towns in the Northeast 'We are delighted to be featured in season 14 of The College Tour,' Eastern President Karim Ismaili said in a statement. 'This nationally acclaimed series uses the stories and experiences of 10 Eastern students and alumni to provide a visual narrative of what life is like on our beautiful campus. We are very proud of our 10 star students/alumni and invite viewers to discover on their own what makes Eastern special by scheduling a campus visit,' Ismaili said. The trailers for Eastern's episode are now being shown at the Mansfield Movieplex and Cinemark Buckland Hills, with more theaters coming soon. The trailers can also be found on the university's YouTube. You can watch 'The College Tour' on Amazon Prime Video. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Amazing Race' host Phil Keoghan reveals the most ‘physically insane thing' he's ever done
Phil Keoghan's one amazing race! The New Zealand native is no stranger to traveling the world, especially while hosting 37 seasons of 'The Amazing Race.' Keoghan, 57, himself has had quite the adventure around the globe — with one in particular being the craziest. 'I did retrace a 1928 Tour de France on an original 1928 Tour de France bicycle that weighed twice as much as a modern bike and had no gears,' he exclusively told The Post at a fundraiser for the Widows, Orphans & Disabled Firefighter's Fund put on by the Television Academy Foundation last Sunday. 9 Phil Keoghan attends the 2025 Emmys Pickleball Slam presented by the Television Academy Foundation at The Calabasas Pickleball Club on Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Calabasas, Calif. Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP 9 Phil Keoghan talks to Alexandra Bellusci of the New York Post. 'I road 33 hundred miles in 26 days completely circumnavigating France. That was probably one of the more physically insane things that I have ever done.' Along with the physically grueling challenge of a 1928 Tour de France, the television personality revealed the places that rank highest as his favorites. 9 'The Amazing Race' host Phil Keoghan kicks off his cross country bike ride on March 28, 2009 in Santa Monica, California. WireImage 9 Phil Keoghan hosts 'The Amazing Race.' CBS via Getty Images 'I love going home to New Zealand because I'm originally from there,' Keoghan shared. 'I love going anywhere new. Someplace I haven't been before. I've been back to India — goodness knows how many times. Literally 20 something times. I love Italy because I love food and the culture. What's not to love about travel in general? South America is awesome. I love Buenos Aires, it's an incredible city. I just love traveling.' One place in particular he's looking to cross off the bucket list is a very chilly continent. 'I've got to get to Antarctica,' confessed Keoghan. 'I really, really do. I really, really want to get there. A lot of people talk about the Drake's Passage that you have to get through if you take a ship. If you go from New Zealand, it's a seven-hour flight or something like that, but I think the Drake's Passage would be a good one to tick off the bucket list.' 9 Host Phil Keoghan greets the racers at the first Pit Stop in Fort Christian, St. Thomas U.S. Virgin Islands. CBS via Getty Images 9 'The Amazing Race.' CBS via Getty Images And when it comes to travel tips and tricks, the connoisseur has it covered. 'I say you've got to really plan for things going wrong. Getting stuck on a plane, and you've got to fill in time,' Keoghan told The Post. 'So take a good book,' he continued. 'Or make sure you take a camera, definitely a good one to have. Eye mask, earplugs. A layer to keep warm. It can get very cold in airports if you're delayed and stuck in an airport. But the most important thing would be just take something that can keep you occupied and just chill.' 9 Phil Keoghan on 'Amazing Race.' philiminator/Instagram Keoghan has hosted 'The Amazing Race' since the CBS reality television competition show's debut in 2001. The TV vet has seen people from all walks of life take home the $1 million dollar prize after competing on a 23,800-mile race around the globe. 'I have to say, if you look at all the winners on 'Amazing Race' they are all so vastly different,' he said. 'There's not a blueprint and that's one of the reasons the show works.' Keoghan called the show 'unpredictable' and said the winners are 'varied and vast.' 'We really pride ourselves on having a really diverse cast in terms of really representing all of America, regardless of who people vote for, what their ethnic background is, who they chose to love, where they chose to live,' he told The Post. 'Whatever it is, we try to, as much as possible, show the audience all of America.' 9 Emmy winning host Phil Keoghan hosting 'The Amazing Race.' CBS via Getty Images Keoghan noted, 'We've been doing that from day one. Because of that diversity, you're going to get people who think differently, act differently, compete differently, and I think that's one of the strengths of the show.' In 2023, the Emmy winner shared some casting secrets while speaking with The Post. 'I think the No. 1 thing is don't try to be like any other team that's ever been on 'Amazing Race' for a start. There will never be another globetrotting team,' Keoghan stated at the time. 'There will never be another set of cowboys … Every team that we've ever had on 'Amazing Race,' we try to cast because they're unique and they're different, and there's so much of that in America.' 9 Phil Keoghan hosting 'The Amazing Race.' CBS 'So my advice to anybody is just be yourself. And be enthusiastic,' he reinforced. 'And trust me, if you stick out like a sore thumb for whatever reason, and we see it's real, then you've got a good shot.' 'But there really is no magic formula because if you look at the difference between the teams and all the different teams that we have — what was that song on Sesame Street? 'One of these things is not like the other.' If you look at every single team, they're just so different. They're tall, short, black, white, old, young, married, not married, siblings, best friends. The dynamics are also different, and that's why the show works, I think.'
