Do you think Survivor will ever cast a bigger celebrity than Jimmy Johnson?
Or whoever you think the biggest pre-Survivor celebrity they've had is. The argument could certainly be made for Lisa Whelchel or maybe even Jeff Kent, but considering half the country sees Jimmy Johnson on TV every Sunday for a third of the year, I'm going with him.
I think it would take a lot to get a real, household name on the show. First off, there would probably be some contractual hoops to jump through, especially if it is someone who is still at the height of their career. They have to accept the fact that they are giving up a month of work for at most a million dollars, which is probably a fraction of what they'd make during that time anyway. And they have to be willing to accept the fact that their status immediately increases their odds of being voted out early.
But, if they are a big enough fan of the show, I could see it happening where someone throws their hat in the ring. Amazingly enough, Jimmy Johnson wasn't a recruit - he wasn't cold-approached by casting; he was a fan of the show who submitted an application/video the normal way. Now, did his celebrity status get his application ushered right to the front of the line? I wouldn't doubt it. But the fact remains that we've had it happen once. I could see it happening to someone even bigger.