Bedimpled Survivor emcee Jeff Probst is the creator of his own reality show concept, one which he pledges will take its subjects "on the last adventure of their life." The crucial word there is "last," as Live Like You’re Dying hinges on the stultifying premise that a different, terminally ill individual will have their wildest dreams enacted weekly, to the delight of millions of weepy Americans everywhere. In that sense, it could just as easily be called Survivor: Forget About It—anything, really, besides Live Like You're Dying, a title in which the word "like" seems entirely out of place. (Face It, You're Dying?) An enthused Probst explained the pitch further to EW.com:
That adventure will include reunions with lost friends or formerly feuding family members, a “legacy moment” that will ensure their name carries on forever, and living out a personal dream. “It could be playing guitar with Eric Clapton or jumping out of a plane into a volcano,” Probst explained to EW.com. “Whatever it is that you’re still desiring to do in your life — we want to make it happen.” [...] Probst insists the show will be inspirational rather than depressing. “The focus of the show is not death,” says Probst. “The story we’re going tell is about living. This is a show that is intended to inspire everybody to get the most out of their lives every day.”
The strenuous vetting process will require that all participants provide definitive proof that they are at most six months from shuffling off to the hereafter; as part of the application procedure, therefore, hopefuls must agree to a full medical assessment by a panel Dying-approved physicians. Only once they deem the cancer or congenital heart disease to be sufficiently fatal will they sign off on the chance to backup sing for the Dave Matthews Band. Should some miracle occur that allows them to survive past that period, they'll be required to reappear for a follow-up episode in which host Probst will question them for 55 minutes about their progress, then press the button that will administer the fatal injection to their IV.