Steve Havens took house $250,000 when he received Season 3 of The Ground. The Ground is a sport present the place 100 contestants every stand on a spot on the ground with a class that they’re consultants in. The contestants face off in duels, and whoever wins the duel wins that a part of the ground till the complete flooring is received by one particular person.
The finale got here all the way down to Havens, Andrew Edwards, and 19-time Jeopardy! champion, David Madden. Edwards and Madden dueled and Edwards took down the risk. Then, Edwards and Havens competed in three duels: Boy Bands, Cosplay, and Worldwide Meals. Worldwide Meals was the tie-breaking duel, and it was picked as a result of it was the one class that had by no means been performed on The Ground. With Havens being a chef, he might need been at a little bit of a bonus, however, everybody had the identical period of time to check the class forward of time.
TV Insider spoke with Havens about what he plans to do together with his winnings, his research plans, his emotions on the ultimate class, and extra.
Lorraine O’Sullivan/Fox
Do you suppose that you just had a bonus going into the final duel with Worldwide Meals because you’re a chef?
Steven Havens: As a result of everybody was advised, we got here from an excellent enjoying floor. As a chef, clearly, it’s meals, in order that’s after all going to provide me somewhat little bit of a leg up. All of us had the chance to check. If the tie-breaker class had been one thing like a sports activities class, I’d have been up a creek. I did get fortunate that it was Worldwide Meals.
I’ll inform you that between Episodes 9 and 10, a few contestants linked these dots. They usually began working behind the scenes to get me out, which was a wise sport transfer on their half. It ended up with David being the larger risk, so it form of shifted the goal off of my again and onto David’s. So, thanks, David.
What are your plans along with your winnings?
Just lately, I obtained my masters diploma, in order that I can educate along with being a chef. I’m additionally a professor at a few universities right here in Portland. So, the masters diploma clearly got here with some pupil loans, so it’s not attractive, but it surely’s going in direction of pupil loans. And I’m additionally going to take a position again into my catering enterprise. I’m all for wanting into the meals truck scene.
What made you wish to audition for The Ground?
So, my husband is a sport designer, so he watches numerous TV sport reveals and he found The Ground in Season 1. And we fell in love with it once we watched it collectively. There have been numerous fascinating methods.
A technique that I picked up from watching was when the clock counts down, you title issues from the class to your self, which places your mind within the headspace of what you wish to take into consideration, and never take into consideration the cameras and lights. I had lots of people asking me if I used to be praying.
What number of days in whole do you really movie?
5 days in whole. It’s tremendous intense, typically you’re filming three episodes in a day. You will have perhaps an hour in between episodes to check. So, on the present, TV magic, it seems as if we now have every week to check, however in actuality, between the semi-final and closing, we had about 45 minutes, and that goes actually quick.
In that, time you additionally should go to hair and make-up to get them touched up. However, fortunate me, I don’t have a lot hair, so it solely took me about 5 minutes. So, I used to be capable of benefit from research time, whereas a few of my co-contestants needed to spend extra time within the salon chairs, and they’d be learning on their telephones as they have been getting their hair completed.
You will have about an hour, an hour and a half in between, and in a single day for a couple of of them. However, you’re not getting again to the lodge till late. You bought to rise up early. You must eat. There was not as a lot learning as you would possibly suppose, particularly in direction of the top.
You’re standing all day, so it must be much more tiring.
Yeah, it was extra grueling than I anticipated. Simply the act of standing there and retaining a smile in your face all since you’re on digicam all day. It was extra grueling than you would possibly suppose. Grueling but additionally numerous enjoyable.
Did you wish to battle 19-time Jeopardy! Champion David Madden or have been you cheerful you versed Andrew?
What occurred was between episodes we strategized on methods to take him out. He put an enormous goal on his again. The technique was that if he needed to play a popular culture class within the finale, we might beat him. He was very sensible, however we needed to decide the precise class. Andrew helped me research cosplay, in case I needed to play David in cosplay. As we have been strolling up there for the ultimate duel, he was like “When you beat me in cosplay, in spite of everything of that… after I helped you research.”
It must be exhausting to make associates on the ground, duel them, after which they get eradicated. What’s that feeling like?
You see that occur rather a lot within the final episode. For good TV, producers need there to be some drama, in order that will get performed up somewhat bit. On the finish of the day, all of us knew we have been right here for a contest, however there have been some real friendships that began on the ground.
Was there angst within the sport as a result of there have been folks like Brian [O’Halloran] or David or The Bachelor stars, competing in opposition to on a regular basis folks?
There may be undoubtedly a Reddit contingent that thinks it ought to simply be on a regular basis folks. I feel it was fascinating to have the couple from The Bachelor on there. I don’t suppose they’d any extra of a shot than anybody else. As for David, I feel it made for actually fascinating TV for somebody to be so sturdy, particularly as a result of he didn’t get randomized till the top. You suppose he’s actually nice as a result of he was on Jeopardy!, however you don’t know as a result of he didn’t go till the top.
Personally, I feel it made actually nice TV. Sure, Brian’s an actor, however whilst an actor, he nonetheless must earn a dwelling. So, I don’t begrudge Brian’s winnings. He did an excellent job. He received numerous duels. He deserved each penny he obtained.
Was there any class you didn’t wish to duel?
Oh, completely! We got the checklist of classes, you didn’t know which one was yours, however you got the checklist a couple of weeks earlier than the present. I highlighted them pink, yellow, and inexperienced, so as of how exhausting they have been and the way a lot I needed to research.
Something to do with sports activities or actuality TV, I needed to research rather a lot. The automotive duel, I didn’t know the primary one. So, there was undoubtedly numerous luck concerned. Traditional vehicles was nonetheless on the board within the semi-finals and I wanted folks to take that off the board for me.
What was your technique for the sport?
Getting in it was “a 3rd data, a 3rd preparation, and a 3rd luck.” I simply obtained fortunate. My saying was “When you play, you may not keep.” That’s a fairly good technique to start with, however within the second half, should you don’t play, you don’t have any energy. So it shifted a bit because the present went on.
What’s one thing concerning the filming course of or one thing followers don’t see on display that will shock them?
I used to be all the time skeptical about individuals who obtained emotional concerning the bonds and friendships they made and being upset once they left. I used to be so blown away by how shut you get to folks on this high-pressure scenario in such a brief period of time. By day two, there have been those who I believed we have been going to be associates for the remainder of our lives, and I used to be upset once they obtained despatched house. I discovered it actually fascinating, and I don’t suppose lots of people would decide that up at house.
The second factor is there may be numerous off-screen alliances occurring, like a major quantity. There have been numerous backdoor alliances. When you’re near somebody, you’re like, “Now I’m gonna get you out.” There’s numerous alliances and wheeling and dealing occurring that you just by no means see on digicam. I nonetheless keep up a correspondence with them. We have now a WhatsApp thread with all 100 contestants. And I’m on Yhreads with about 10 to fifteen those who I obtained near.
My husband advised me, “You’re not there to make associates, you’re there to check.” Everybody would go to the bar, and he advised me I wasn’t allowed, however I wished to get down there as a result of folks have been making alliances.
What was your technique for learning?
I used Gemini, some form of AI program, to generate photographs. Then, I plugged them into PowerPoint so that they could possibly be randomized as a result of some folks had binders of classes, however your mind memorizes the order, so what’s arising subsequent. So, the good factor with utilizing Powerpoint, is it’s in a distinct order each time you play it.
Do you get to work together with Rob Lowe other than when you find yourself known as up for a duel?
No, there was Covid going round. So the producers have been clear, until Rob Lowe needs to shake your hand, don’t work together with him. He was very good and an excellent host, however clearly he was managing his well being. We misplaced a few producers to Covid.
What recommendation would you give somebody who makes it on the present?
Observe. Observe with associates, in entrance of individuals as a result of even some actually sensible folks when the lights are on, and Rob Lowe’s there, they simply froze.
Congratulations in your win!
Thanks! It’s been somewhat little bit of a whirlwind, however I feel it’s lastly sinking in somewhat bit.
The Ground, Season 3, Streaming on Hulu