Jack Vita Show: Entertainment | Reality TV | Survivor | The Traitors | Big Brother | The Challenge

From February 13, 2021 — Dubbed "The Future of 'The Challenge" in an article written by Jack last week, Jay Starrett visits the Jack Vita Show to discuss his latest run on The Challenge (The Challenge: Double Agents), his rookie season (The Challenge: Total Madness), his time on Survivor 33 (Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X), how to prepare for reality television, what life on The Challenge is like, how it compares to life on the island, where his drive and love for competition comes from, what Survivor contestants should go on The Challenge, what's next for him, and so much more!

From April 6, 2020 — With the United States living in a temporary period of "social distancing", it's a very fitting time for Jack to check in with Survivor: Edge of Extinction contestant Reem Daly to discuss the topic of living in isolation.

Reem was the first person voted of Survivor: Edge of Extinction, the show's 38th season, which aired in spring 2019. In a shocking twist, castaways voted out had an opportunity to win their way back into the game, but first, they had to live on a desolated island known as "the Edge of Extinction." Reem spent a total of 32 days on the Edge, making her a one-of-a-kind Survivor contestant. Reem reflects on her Survivor experience, discusses life after Survivor, the show's newest season, Survivor: Winners at War, social distancing, creating Cameos for fans, and LOTS more!

Watch Survivor: Edge of Extinction, and all of the 39 other seasons of Survivor on Paramount Plus. Get a free one-week trial when you sign up through this link: jackvita.com/paramount.

From May 18, 2020 — Jack is joined by Valparaiso University sports information director Aaron Leavitt and television producer Aimee Van Der Heyden to recap the Survivor: Winners at War finale, and discuss where the season ranks historically.

What were the season's greatest strengths and weaknesses? Is it the greatest all-star season yet? How can Survivor top this format in their next returning players season? Where does the franchise go from here? Is it time to return to the basics of Survivor? How can season 40 be topped by future seasons? Will there be a Survivor season in the fall? They also discuss Ben's decision to allow Sarah to vote him out, breakout stars from season 40, favorite moments from the season, and Tony's entertaining and masterful game play.

Watch Survivor: Winners at War, and all of the 39 other seasons of Survivor on Paramount Plus. Get a free one-week trial when you sign up through this link: jackvita.com/paramount.

From February 8, 2020 — Jack welcomes Aaron Leavitt to the show to preview the 40th season of Survivor, Survivor: Winners at War.

For the first time ever, Survivor will be airing a season consisting only of people that have won Survivor before. Who will outwit, outplay and outlast in order to claim the $2 million prize? Which returnees have the biggest targets on their backs entering the season? How did we get to this point in Survivor history, and this monumental season? And how many years does the franchise have left? It's a podcast episode that's 20 years in the making!

Watch Survivor: Winners at War, and all of the 39 other seasons of Survivor on Paramount Plus. Get a free one-week trial when you sign up through this link: jackvita.com/paramount.

From August 18, 2022 — A pair of Survivor legends, Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick (Survivor: Palau, Survivor: Guatemala, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains) and Cirie Fields (Survivor: Panama, Survivor: Micronesia, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, Survivor: Game Changers) visit the Jack Vita Show to reflect on their time on Survivor, and discuss their latest endeavor: USA Network's Snake in the Grass.

Stephenie and Cirie reflect on their time on the doomed Heroes' tribe. Why couldn't the Heroes get it together, and why did both Stephenie and Cirie exit the game so early? Find out some behind-the-scenes information about the dynamics of the Heroes' tribe, Stephenie and Cirie's time at Ponderosa (and pre-jury trip), how Survivor has changed over the years, what Stephenie and Cirie would change about modern Survivor, and much more!

Later, they preview and discuss their new show, Snake in the Grass, with their episode airing on Monday, August 29 at 11pm ET. They will also be teamed up with Big Brother stars Janelle Pierzina and Rachel Reilly! Find out about how this opportunity came about, how these two Survivor greats prepared for their return to reality television, and what we can expect from their upcoming episode! Get ready to laugh, because it's a hilarious edition of the Jack Vita Show you will NOT want to miss!

If you missed Stephenie's first appearance on the Jack Vita Show from 2021, you can check it out here: Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick talks 'Survivor', life and Philly sports.

We also chatted with Janelle and Rachel in anticipation of Snake in the Grass, which you can check out here: Janelle Pierzina, Rachel Reilly talk 'Big Brother', 'The Amazing Race', 'Snake in the Grass'.

You can follow Stephenie (@StephLaGrossa38) and Cirie Fields (@Ciriesurvivor12) on Twitter, and don't miss their upcoming episode of Snake in the Grass! They are also on Instagram @Steph_LaGrossa_Kendrick and @cirie_fields.

From August 24, 2022 — A pair of Big Brother legends, Rachel Reilly Villegas (Big Brother 12, winner of Big Brother 13, The Amazing Race 20, Amazing Race 24, Amazing Race 31) and Janelle Pierzina (Big Brother 6, Big Brother 7: All-Stars, Big Brother 14, Big Brother 22: All-Stars, Amazing Race 31) visit the Jack Vita Show to reflect on their time on Big Brother and The Amazing Race, and discuss their latest adventure: USA Network's Snake in the Grass.

Rachel and Janelle look back on their time on Big Brother and discuss how the franchise has changed over the years. Janelle first played in 2005 and most recently played in 2020. What was it like being disconnected from the world in the chaotic year that was 2020? What would Rachel and Janelle change about Big Brother, and why does Janelle think Big Brother should entirely get rid of its live feeds? Why did Rachel and Janelle say "no" to CBS' The Challenge: USA, and what are their thoughts on the new show thus far? What do these ladies feel is changing reality television for the worse, as a whole?

Later, they preview and discuss their new show, Snake in the Grass, with their episode airing on Monday, August 29 at 11pm ET. They will be teamed up with 'Survivor' stars Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick and Cirie Fields! Find out what we can expect from their upcoming episode! Get ready to laugh, because it's another hilarious edition of the Jack Vita Show you will not want to miss!

You can follow Janelle (@janellepierzina) and Rachel (@rachelreillyvillegas) on Instagram.

From February 18, 2020 — Jack is joined by Survivor Hall of Famer and reality TV legend Jonny Fairplay. Jonny tells the full story behind one of reality TV's biggest moments, his "dead Grandma" lie (for those unfamiliar - he created a lie that his Grandmother died in order to gain sympathy from his fellow Survivor contestants, which his competitors bought hook, line and sinker).

What was the public's reaction to the lie and how did people react to seeing Jonny on the streets? Hint: it wasn't good. Jonny details the creation of his reality TV persona "Jonny Fairplay" and tells of what his goals were going on to Survivor. What happened to Jonny on Survivor: Micronesia? Why did he leave the in the show's first episode? Later, Jonny tells Jack about how he became a born-again Christian in the years after Survivor, when he got baptized, and how God has recently changed his life. How did Jonny go from being someone that made fun of Christians, to a Christian himself? Tune in to find out!

From July 14, 2022 — Survivor legend, reality television icon, decorated soccer coach, musician, orchestra conductor and renaissance man Coach Benjamin Wade visits the Jack Vita Show.

Coach discusses his time and experiences on Survivor: Tocantins, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, and Survivor: South Pacific, his life outside of Survivor, how young people can improve their lives and find meaning, coaching soccer and leadership, his faith, his upcoming projects, and more. Coach shares some juicy information from Heroes vs. Villains and South Pacific that didn't make the air, and enlightens us with plenty of philosophy and wisdom along the way! Coach has retired from podcasts, so this is a rare interview!

Coach has been coaching soccer for over 20 years. He competed on three seasons of Survivor (Survivor: Tocantins, Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, and Survivor: South Pacific). On his third attempt, he placed second, lasting all 39 days, but losing a jury vote at the final tribal council to Sophie Clarke, who would later appear on Survivor: Winners at War. Even as a young child, Coach was a musical prodigy, as one of the south's best trumpet players. An extremely gifted musician, Coach plays several instruments, is a conductor and has written ballets. He currently teaches music at a local high school in Susanville, California, while coaching his son's soccer team. A true renaissance man, he has already lived a rich life full of experiences.

We talk with Coach about life, coaching, philosophy, Survivor, sports, and much more! Find out what happened at the end of Survivor: South Pacific and why he and his fellow tribemate Albert Destrade came up short of the million dollar prize. Hear about his time on the Villains tribe alongside larger-than-life characters Boston Rob Mariano, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Russell Hantz and Parvati Shallow. Find out how Coach passing on a returning player season opened the door for his close friend Tyson Apostol to eventually win Survivor. And just WHAT happened the night Tyson voted himself out of the game, and how would Heroes vs. Villains have shook out had their alliance made it through the Tyson vote? It's an episode you will NOT want to miss!

Check out Coach's YouTube channel, Twitter (@the_real_coach), Instagram (@dragonslayercoach) and coaching lessons coming to mintted!

From September 21, 2021 — Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick is a Survivor great and a baseball wife. Her husband Kyle was a member of the 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies, but Stephenie is a star in her own right: she starred as a Division I all-conference lacrosse player where she won a conference championship, and a few years later, she quickly became one of the most popular, famous Survivor cast members the CBS show has ever had. She made Survivor history on Survivor: Palau when her tribe lost every single immunity challenge, and she survived and outlasted her entire tribe to be a tribe of one! She later returned for Survivor: Guatemala where she lasted all 39 days and finished in second place, and returned a third time for Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. We were very blessed to have Stephenie visit the Jack Vita Show for a longform conversation about her upbringing, her athletic career, her time on Survivor, the Phillies (as well as the rest of her favorite Philly sports teams), life as a baseball wife, and much, much more! Find out how Stephenie got on Survivor, what drew her to the show, where her drive and strength comes from, her thoughts on her experiences on Palau, Guatemala and Heroes vs. Villains, what reality show she would have gone on had she not been on Survivor, and what her kids thought after watching her seasons of Survivor for the first time!

Watch all three of Stephenie's seasons of Survivor (Survivor: Palau, Survivor: Guatemala and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains) and all of the 38 other seasons of Survivor on Paramount Plus. Get a free one-week trial when you sign up through this link: jackvita.com/paramount.

You can follow Stephenie on Instagram, @steph_lagrossa_kendrick.