‘Survivor 49’s Kristina Mills Responds to ‘Uncle Jeff’ Nickname Backlash

Survivor viewers have been debating the “Uncle J” nickname that Kristina Mills has been calling Jeff Probst throughout Season 49. She’s used the nickname before Episode 10, and Jawan Pitts called him “Uncle Jeffrey” in an earlier episode. But for whatever reason, “Uncle J” became a point of contention on social media since the last two episodes. Kristina has responded to the discourse on Instagram, confirming that it’s inspired by Julie Chen‘s “Auntie Julie” nickname from Big Brother and that Probst has no issue with the name.

Kristina is one of the final six castaways remaining in Survivor 49. She called Probst by the nickname in Episode 10 in a vulnerable moment when grieving her late mother, but it wasn’t the only time she called him that. Fans online have been going back and forth on Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and more. People are split between finding it “cringe” and wanting it to stop, while others aren’t bothered at all and don’t see what the fuss is about. The talk got Kristina’s attention. She posted an Instagram reel responding to it on December 8.

“I did not think this⁣was something I would ever have to address or talk about, but I’ve seen Reddit threads, and I’ve seen articles and ⁣lots and lots of comments, and so let’s talk about⁣the whole Uncle J thing,” she said in the video. “If it bothers you, if it gets on your nerves, if it’s cringe for you, I’m very, very sorry, but from the bottom of my heart, truly, and I cannot stress this⁣ enough, I don’t care. I’m really sorry. There are ⁣more things in the world to care about than someone⁣ being called uncle on TV. Also, please stop saying, ‘Stop it.’ What do you guys want us to do? Do you want us to go back and film everything we filmed months ago? I can’t just magically stop.”

She then explained her “Uncle J origins” for those curious, saying that she’s been calling Probst by that name since before she was cast on the show.

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“I’m a huge Big Brother fan, and from the first time⁣ Chelsie [Baham] called Julie ‘Auntie,'” I looked over to my husband, and I said, ‘Hey, if Julie is ⁣the OG auntie of reality TV, then Jeff is for sure the OG uncle,” Kristina said. And I said, ‘If I ever get the chance to meet him, then I’m gonna tell him that.’ Fast forward, and I⁣ actually get to meet him. And so in my first interview with him, I called him Uncle Jeffrey, and⁣ he had no problem with that. He’s told you guys that ⁣he doesn’t care about it. And also, if he did, then I⁣ wouldn’t have made it on the cast because this was the⁣entire casting process that I called him that. Also, ⁣the producers and the crew and everyone have no problem telling you to knock something off. And so if it honestly was an issue, then again I wouldn’t have been cast, or they would’ve told me to knock it off, and I would’ve stopped.”

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She explained that her mother always taught her to put a label in front of her elders’ names as a sign of respect.

“I’m a Southern girl⁣raised by a Black mama. If I ever tried to call⁣someone by their first name, my mom would literally look at me crazy and say, ‘You better put a handle on it.’ This is a manner thing for⁣ me. It’s not a race thing,” she said, adding, “If you’re older than me and ⁣we’re not colleagues or friends or anything like that, then ⁣I’m probably gonna put a handle on it on it until you tell me to do otherwise.”

Kristina has taught her kids to do as her mother taught her.

“My poor babies, again, regardless of race, if you’re close to⁣me, they think we’re related to everyone because they have⁣to call them auntie or uncle. They have to put a handle on it. Finally, you are all by⁣yourself on Survivor, and you do not have a village. And that’s something I’ve never experienced in my entire life. And so it honestly, at the end of the day, it became kind of a comfort thing.”

She capped her comments off by reminding people that she’s 36 years old and Probst is in his 60s, so “he actually is old⁣ enough to be my uncle.”

Viewers on social media who don’t like the nickname are saying that it’s too familiar of a nickname to be given to the host of a TV show. But for Kristina, it’s a sign of respect.

Survivor, Wednesdays, 8/7c, CBS