Sia will no longer dispense cash bonuses to her favorite “Survivor” players, CBS reality competition host Jeff Probst announced Friday on Instagram.
“It’s the end of one of the most unique eras in the history of ‘Survivor,’” Probst posted to his Instagram story. “After eight years, 14 seasons, 19 players and over $1,000,000 awarded, ‘Survivor’ is officially bringing the Sia Prize to a triumphant end!”
The “Chandelier” singer began her random, ultra-generous donations eight years ago at the “Survivor: Kaoh Rong” live reunion. She joined third-place finisher Tai Trang on stage and told him she was going to give him $50,000, plus another $50,000 to the charity of his choice.
“She was so taken by Tai’s commitment to protecting a chicken from being eaten that she awarded him $50,000 of her own money,” Probst recalled. Sia is a vegan. “Tai was shocked, the audience was shocked, I was shocked! What was happening? Sia was on stage in her wig handing out money to a ‘Survivor’ player!?”
Since then, the Grammy-nominated singer has given money to more than a dozen people or their charities, including $100,000 each to Season 40 contestant Rick Devens, Elaine Stott and Janet Carbin of “Survivor: Island of the Idols,” Season 42’s Drea Wheeler and Carolyn Wiger, Season 43’s Jesse Lopez and Season 45’s Katurah Topps.
“Over the many years Sia has brought so much joy to so many players and it was always straight from her heart,” Probst added.
“So it is with tremendous gratitude and admiration to Sia that we bring to a close one of the most unique relationships a TV show could ever have with a pop star of Sia’s global wattage. I’m really honored for ‘Survivor’ to have this one of a kind association with Sia. She’s in the Survivor Hall Of Fame of Superfans!” he concluded.
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