Jeff Probst Explains Why He’s Rapping and Doing Impressions on Survivor 50: ‘I’m Willing to Be the Butt of the Joke’ (Exclusive)

Jeff Probst is in on the joke.

The host and executive producer of Survivor has called filming its milestone 50th season “the most fun I’ve ever had” on the show. That playfulness has manifested in audiences seeing a different side of Probst — from him rapping a tribe swap reveal to doing impressions of three players (including Christian Hubicki, who was sitting just feet away) at a tribal council.

Speaking exclusively with PEOPLE, Probst says, “I’m willing to be the butt of the joke. I’m fully aware I’m usually the butt of the joke. I don’t take myself seriously.”

The Emmy winner, 64, adds that there was more than just a chance to laugh behind those amusing moments: Probst wanted to show the cast that he also has “skin in the game.”

Probst explains that players have to be “very vulnerable” on the show, from speaking about their personal life experiences in interviews to having their game moves analyzed by millions of viewers. “Survivor doesn’t exist without people who are willing to come out and be incredibly vulnerable,” he says.

“I really applaud that,” Probst says. “I wanted them to know, I’ll give you my version of that, which is a bad impression.”

Probst also teases that the rapping and impressions “won’t be the last time I make a fool of myself this season.”

“There’s another episode coming up that I’m sure fans will really enjoy because it will probably make everyone say, ‘It’s about time,’ ” he hints.

Probst tells PEOPLE that filming the 50th season was the “most personally joyful time I’ve ever had doing anything work-related in my life.”

“I was genuinely celebrating every day,” he says. “I was full of gratitude that our show was still on, that we could still make it, that people would still show up to play. Then I’m looking around, and I’ve got this crew, and they’re working their ass off every single day and every single one of them smiling all day.”

The showrunner adds that he spent a lot of time taking in the moment rather than constantly looking ahead to the next thing to be done.

“It’s always been important to me because we move at such a fast pace, and especially if you’re in a job like in Hollywood where the network wants the next episode and you’ve got to have the next idea, I just like to remind our crew it is okay to take a step back and say, ‘I’m proud of that challenge I just built,’ or ‘I’m really proud of the episode I just produced,’ ” he adds. “So that’s what 50 was for me.”