Does (or should?) Mark Burnett reward controversial Survivors?

[Jadis]

Here's a question that occurred to me last night, and it's purely speculation. I've heard that the candidate selection for Survivor is pretty carefully considered and some people are picked purely for the fireworks that MB and the other staff thinks they'll create. After all, controversy and adversarial relationships are what draw the ratings on this show.

So, with that in mind, is it possible that MB rewards his more controversial contestants outside the realm of the show? I'm thinking specifically of this season's Rob, whose machinations basically made this season worth watching. Without Rob, this season probably would have been a big snoozefest.

Now, since Rob didn't win, but he was certainly largely responsible for this season's ratings, do you think that MB makes any provisions for rewarding non-winners who really boosted the success of the show?

[Speaker for the Dead]

I doubt it. It would create a big uproar with the more... money-favouring surivors.

[Jadis]

Well, I'm not necessarily saying that additional compensation should be made public. I was thinking more along the lines of whether MB *could* or *should* go that route.

[stolichnaya]

Being interesting tends to be its own reward.

But I do think it's a little strange that nobody but the winner gets paid on these shows. It's such a scam, but there seems to be no shortage of people who will perform for free.

In short, there would be no reason to pay these people when there are hundreds who would take their place in a second. So the producer of the show can keep the extra money for himself.

[Munch]

Originally posted by stolichnaya
But I do think it's a little strange that nobody but the winner gets paid on these shows.

Wrong. 2nd place gets $100,000 and everyone else gets paid on a drastically sliding scale.

[Ethilrist]

Given that HeiDDi and Jenna stripped naked for a plate of oreos and peanut butter, I have to assume that the discretionary fund is a little skimpy, so whatever he'd pay people for doing entertaining stuff (on the scale of women stripping naked...) probably wouldn't amount to much.