Canucks may make Survivor
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Cdnjan

Friday, September 27, 2002 - 12:25 am EditMoveDeleteIP
A positive sign for us Canucks
Canucks may make Survivor
But legal issues could pose problems
By STEVE TILLEY -- Edmonton Sun

Outwit, outplay and outlast - eh?

Future instalments of CBS's reality-TV phenom Survivor could be open to Canadian contestants, if series creator and executive producer Mark Burnett has his way.

During a media conference call yesterday to discuss Survivor: Thailand, premiering tomorrow night at 9 on CBS, The Sun asked Burnett why he hasn't yet allowed Canadian citizens to become contestants on the show, which traditionally draws an even higher ratio of viewers north of the border than it does in United States.

"It's a bona fide question and I don't see any reason, going forward, that we couldn't include a Canadian or two," said Burnett.

"(Canada) is so closely aligned with the U.S. that it's not going to be a jarring thing, like putting a person on the show from China who doesn't speak English," Burnett said, adding he planned to discuss the idea of Canuck contestants with CBS president Les Moonves.

So far the only Canadian presence on Survivor has been Survivor: The Australian Outback's Kel Gleason, who was punted off in the second episode after it was hinted he was hoarding a stash of beef jerky. Gleason, an American citizen who worked as a U.S. army intelligence officer, spent part of his childhood in New Brunswick.

A CBS spokesman said there could be legal issues involved in allowing non-American citizens on the show, but Burnett vowed to pursue the matter anyway.

"Americans and Canadians have the same kind of accent, a bit, apart from you keep saying 'eh' all the time," said Burnett.

"I think it's a bona fide question, and I'm kind of embarrassed actually that we haven't attempted it before, because we have such a great viewing audience in Canada and I've worked there so much. So far I haven't stopped to think about it, and I will today."


http://www.canoe.ca/JamSurvivor5/sep18_survivor-sun.html

Mware

Monday, September 30, 2002 - 12:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
This could cause a problem if the Canadian survivor were to win. Would the winner be paid $1 million U.S. or $1 million Canadian?

Obviously the winner would want $1 million U.S., so they could go back to Canada and spend it like about $1.3 million. Just as obvious, MB would rather pay the $1 million Canadian, which would only be about $700,000 U.S.

What is he going to do?

Cdnjan

Wednesday, October 02, 2002 - 02:07 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Actually as of today it converts to $1,581,800 CDN
Our dollar is in very bad shape. Just spent amonth in the States it was rough but great fun.

Bastable

Sunday, October 06, 2002 - 08:05 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Canadians do NOT say "eh" all the time. I'm not even Canadian and I'm sick of that old saw!

Canadians would kick ass on that show. They know how to get along with everybody. And they also generally live closer to the land than Americans do. I'd love to see some Canucks on there.

Tabbyking

Sunday, October 06, 2002 - 08:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
burnett would probably love a canadian to win so he could pay whatever it is in american dollars that converts at the time to canadian one million! imagine only having to pay 600,000 american dollars!
i think it would be great to have canadians play. and not a token 1 person. we could even have two tribes--one canadian and one american, before the merge. and i know who would clean up! i lived in quebec for a year and my (french-canadian) boyfriend could fish the st. lawrence with no fishing hook, trap, make shelter from nothing, knew which plants and berries were edible, etc.