Arts & Entertainment

Marilyn Monroe Statue Sports "Survivor" Buff To Celebrate Season 45

Swing by to take photos in front of the "Forever Marilyn" statue in Palm Springs' for a chance to be featured during #SurvivorBuffTakeover.

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Local landmark, Forever Marilyn, looks snazzy in her red "Survivor" buff during the Season 45 Survivor Buff Takeover. The bands bedeck famous statues, icons and landmarks from coast-to-coast with enormous adaptations of the reality show’s signature Buffs.
Local landmark, Forever Marilyn, looks snazzy in her red "Survivor" buff during the Season 45 Survivor Buff Takeover. The bands bedeck famous statues, icons and landmarks from coast-to-coast with enormous adaptations of the reality show’s signature Buffs. (Photo Credit: Karim Kanfoudi, courtesy of Catalina Productions)

PALM SPRINGS, CA — The Palm Springs Marilyn Monroe statue is ready for "Survivor: Season 45" with her new red "buff" scarf around her neck.

According to producers, it's all part of the CBS show's national campaign, which is both immersive and interactive. "Survivor: Season 45" debuts at 8 to 9:30 p.m. PST, Wednesday on CBS and Paramount+ streaming services.

But why a buff? The buff, a colorful band bearing the show's logo, has been the staple of every "Survivor" cast member since the show's inception. It unifies tribes, becomes an essential wardrobe item over lengthy island stays, and is either burned ceremonially when your torch is snuffed out or kept by the season winner, making it an ultimate symbol of strength for the sole survivor.

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"Each of the landmarks or characters symbolizes the concept of strength in its unique way," according to a show spokesperson. "Together, these landmarks parallel the different examples of strength exemplified by the contestants on the show throughout SURVIVOR's 45 seasons."

Along with Forever Marilyn in Palm Springs, find buff-covered landmarks across the country:

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  • Green Giant in Blue Earth, Minn.
  • Make Way for Ducklings in Boston, Mass.
  • Forever Marilyn in Palm Springs, Calif.
  • Ripley's Believe It or Not! in Hollywood, Calif.
  • Monster Monument at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Del.
  • Gulfstream Park's Pegasus and The Dragon in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
  • Tuska statue at the University of Alabama
  • Ralphie statue at the University of Colorado, Boulder

All you have to do is find your closest "buffed" landmark, engage with your "augmented reality lenses" over Meta, Snapchat, or TikTok, and become part of the show.

Or you can snap a picture and hashtag it with the #SurvivorBuffTakeover tag.

Follow @SurvivorCBS on Instagram, Twitter/X and @CBSSurvivor on TikTok for upcoming specifics on the campaign, and use #SURVIVORBuffTakeover to join the fun.

Remember to watch Wednesday on CBS, Paramount+ 90-minute episodes each week – up from the longtime 60-minute episodes. Also, watch live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs).

If you took a picture of yourself with Forever Marilyn's Survivor buff, send it to your Patch editorfor a chance to be featured on Patch.

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