Mike White, the creator of The White Lotus, is making a triumphant return to Survivor, and he's not afraid to express his thoughts on the fan base. During an appearance on The Tonight Show, White explained why he joined Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans, the milestone season celebrating 25 years of the reality competition. This new season empowers viewers to vote on key aspects of the game.
"The fans—they're suckers. Because fans are, like, cruel," White quipped on The Tonight Show. Host Jimmy Fallon quickly jumped in with a defense: "No, the fans are great!" White continued by describing them as "sadistic," before adding: "I mean, I love fans. Thank you, fans."
White first competed on Survivor: David vs. Goliath in 2018. He said he didn't want to "miss out on something that could be super cool." "I never thought it would work with my schedule, but then when I found out the dates, I was like, 'I actually could go.' That would be so gnarly to go again," he added.
White even adjusted the production timeline for the fourth season of The White Lotus to participate. Host Jeff Probst told Variety it was entirely White's choice, saying: "We did not go ask Mike White, 'Please change your White Lotus schedule.' He said, 'I will change my White Lotus schedule if you'll have me.'"
