Jon Lovett of Pod Save America is a contestant on Survivor’s upcoming 47th season

Jon Lovett, the gay former speechwriter for President Barack Obama and co-host of the podcast Pod Save America, is reportedly joining the cast of Survivor season 47.

During the finale of Survivor Season 46 on Wednesday evening, CBS aired a teaser ad for the upcoming season that prominently featured Lovett. While the ad did not officially name contestants, Lovett’s appearance did not go unnoticed, igniting a wave of reactions on social media.

Inside Survivor, a fan site, fueled earlier speculation about Lovett’s participation. Inside Survivor reports that season 47 is being filmed in Fiji’s Mamanuca Islands and will include 18 new contestants competing for the $1 million prize and the title of Sole Survivor. This season will span 26 days and feature three tribes, with episodes airing on Wednesday nights starting in the fall. The exact premiere date has yet to be announced, but it is expected to be in late September.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Lovett’s involvement was further confirmed when his colleague and Crooked Media co-founder Jon Favreau shared the teaser on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption, “What did I tell you? Eat Pray Lovett.”

In the teaser, Lovett admitted his lack of outdoor expertise, saying, “I have no outdoor skills. What am I doing here? I went camping as a Cub Scout, I threw up, and I went home.”

Lovett’s casting has generated excitement among fans and commentators alike. Shea Serrano, creator of Amazon Prime’s Primo and the Netflix comedy Neon, tweeted, “AHHHHHHHHHHHH ONE OF MY FAVORITE REAL-LIFE PEOPLE IS ON SURVIVOR THIS IS THE GREATEST DAY OF MY LIFE.”

Others have compared Lovett’s casting to the high-profile inclusion of bisexual filmmaker Mike White, who finished runner-up on Survivor season 37 in 2018.

According to the blog Surviving Tribal, the new season will keep its time slot on CBS as part of the network’s renewed commitment. The blog reports that executives have already green-lit the 48th season of the show, which is expected to air in spring 2025. Long-time executive producer Jeff Probst will continue to host the award-winning show, and longer 90-minute episodes will feature throughout the show’s new era.

One enthusiastic fan remarked, “Pod Save Survivor, indeed!”