Survivor’s Jeff Probst will replace “come on in guys” catchphrase with gender-neutral language

Jeff Probst shared that he thinks it may be time to “retire” the use of the word “guys” when referring to contestants on the show.

Probst, who has hosted all 41 seasons of Survivor, says “come on in guys” to invite competitors into challenges on the show.

In the first episode of the show’s latest season, which is the first to air in 497 days because of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting production, Probst asked the cast what they think of the phrase.

“I need your guidance on something,” he said. “For 20 years, I have used one phrase to call people in for challenges, ‘Come on in guys.’ Love saying it. It’s part of the show. But I, too, want to be of the moment. So my question to you, to decide for us: In the context of Survivor, is a word like ‘guys’ OK or is it time to retire that word? What do you think?”

At first, there was no objection to the use of the word, with one of the LGBTQ+ players, Evvie Jagoda, even saying that it doesn’t bother her.

She said: “I personally think ‘guys’ is OK. ‘Come on in guys’ is like such a signature expression. I, as a woman, as a queer woman, do not feel excluded by ‘guys.’”

Other players confirmed to be members of the LGBTQ+ community during the season’s opening episode were Genie Chen and Ricard Foyé.

The latter later voiced concern over Probst’s question, stating that the catchphrase should be changed to be more inclusive.

“I don’t agree that we should use the word ‘guys,’” Foyé told Probst after it was said to call the group together. “I fully agree that we should change it – whether it just be dropping ‘guys,’ changing it to something else. I just don’t really agree with it.

“The reality is that Survivor has changed over the last 21 years; and those changes have allowed all of us, all of these brown people, Black people, Asian people, so many queer people, to be here simultaneously.”

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