When Jeff Probst learned he had been nominated for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program category, he was surprised -- but it had nothing to do with the nod from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

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"The funniest part of the whole announcement to me was hearing that I was getting married!" Probst told People from Gabon, where he's currently filming Survivor's seventeenth season.  "Considering I'm not even in a serious relationship, that was a big shock to me."

Nominations for the 60th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were announced yesterday morning in Los Angeles by Pushing Daisies actress Kristin Chenoweth and How I Met Your Mother actor Neil Patrick Harris.  However during the announcement, Chenoweth added some extra commentary after Harris revealed Probst's nomination.

"I had a date with him... he's totally cute," said Chenoweth.

"Maybe there'll be a second [date]?" Harris joked.

"No, he's marrying someone else," replied Chenoweth.

Chenoweth apparently went on a date with Probst four years ago -- shortly before he began dating former Survivor: Vanuatu castaway Julie Berry (Probst revealed that the pair had ended their relationship earlier this year).

"Perhaps in addition to being talented and beautiful, Kristin Chenoweth is also psychic!" Probst told People, adding he received 75 emails congratulating him for the Emmy nod. 

"The first email I got said, 'Congratulations on the nomination AND Kristin Chenoweth!' I thought, 'What does this mean?' And so I wrote back, 'What are you talking about?'"

He subsequently found out when somebody sent him a clip of Chenoweth's announcement.

"It was a funny story," Probst told People, confirming he did date Chenoweth. "We went on a date several years ago. We met at a charity function, and she's beautiful, talented and funny. I think the only reason we didn't go on a second date was timing. We had different schedules. We were living in different cities."

Probst received a nod in the Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program category along with American Idol host Ryan Seacrest, Dancing with the Stars host Tom Bergeron, Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel and Project Runway host Heidi Klum.

Probst added he received emails from Bergeron, Seacrest, The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan and The Biggest Loser host Alison Sweeney after the nominations were announced. 

The Amazing Race -- the most successful reality show at the Emmys with 10 statuettes, including three last year -- received six nominations this year and was once again nominated in the Outstanding Reality-Competition Program category, which it has won every year since the Academy first created the Emmy Awards category five years ago.

Despite The Amazing Race's Emmy dominance, Keoghan failed to receive a nod in the Outstanding Host For A Reality Or Reality-Competition Program category.  

"I made a joke to [Seacrest], 'Well, now when I stand up to let Phil Keoghan walk past to collect the Emmy for best show, I can let you walk past to collect the Emmy for best host, as well!'" Probst told People. "And he wrote back and said, 'Fat chance -- I'll be out on the red carpet, asking what you're wearing.'"


About The Author: Christopher Rocchio

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