The Ed McMahon Award- Best Reality Personality

Named For: Ed McMahon (Star Search)
Awarded To: The best reality competition personality of the season
2011 Winner: Ryan Seacrest (American Idol)

10. Michael Simon (Next Iron Chef) 0 points

9. Chris Harrison (Bachelor Pad) 2 points
4th by Me

8. Phil Keoghan (Amazing Race) 4 points
3rd by Cecil

7. Ben Folds (The Sing Off) 4 points
3rd by T-time

6. Tim Gunn (Project Runway) 5 points
2nd by Jaydon

5. Tom Colicchio (Top Chef) 5 points
1st by Jaydon, 5th by Me

4. T.J. Lavin (The Challenge) 14 points
2nd by Tyson, Cecil, and Mags

3. Blake Shelton (The Voice) 21 points
1st by Tyson, 3rd by Me

2. Ryan Seacrest (American Idol) 23 points
1st by Rizzo, Larry, and Jack, 1st by Me

and the Poolie goes to...

1. Jeff Probst (Survivor) 26 points
1st by Cecil, T-time, and Mags, 2nd by Me

This is Jeff Probst's first nomination and win for the best reality competition personality of the season. Last season he was nominated for the reality personality you love to hate.  Here to discuss Probst's success this year is Poolie voter, T-time.

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I’m probably one of the newest Survivor fans around. I’ve seen two seasons in their entirety, and parts of the previous two. It wasn’t long into that run that I began to dislike Jeff Probst. “He’s affecting the game,” I complained and disparaged his leading comments at tribal councils. I shook my head as he stirred the conversation in specific directions, perhaps undermining the careful alliance-building I had just seen. “Just shut up,” I found myself saying as he narrated every challenge with repetitive notes on which player was doing well.

It wasn’t long after that I began to love him, and for all the same reasons that had so angered me previously. When he smugly stirs the pot at council, that’s what brings the good stuff to the surface. Without Probst, these affairs would be a bore. A less skillful host could have me hitting the fast-forward button. While on other shows, the elimination can be a dreadful bore. On Survivor, even when we know who is going home, the debate is always watchable.

Even the narration became a positive thing. “Troyzan’s making progress,” “Kim’s on her second bag.” It’s not insightful, but knowing that the footage is going to be cut up, what else can you do? It has become humorous, familiar. Like Probst himself, Survivor wouldn’t be quite the same without it.

by Tim Forcella