MAHOPAC, N.Y.—Mahopac mom (and Yorktown Trader Joe’s employee) Jeannie Geyer wants you to watch her climb a mountain.
The 57-year-old Mahopac resident and mom of two is a contestant on a new reality television show called “The Summit,” which is currently airing new episodes on CBS every Wednesday night.
The premise of The Summit is simple enough. At the base of a remote mountain in New Zealand, 16 strangers are given a backpack that holds their share of $1 million in prize money. Within 14 days, they must ascend the mountain together—or forfeit the entire prize. Throughout the journey to the mountain’s peak, various challenges will test their physical mettle and psychological strength.
But no matter how the show ends, Geyer is coming out on top. That’s because the journey to being cast on a reality show fulfills Geyer’s long-held dream—one she refused to give up on.
From the moment she first saw the shows “Survivor” and “The Amazing Race” in the early 2000s, Geyer imagined herself as a reality television show contestant. She said she realized, “you don’t have to be an actress to try out for this stuff. And it was all about obstacle courses and adventures…I ride motorcycles, I used to ride jet skis, quads, everything. So I’m thinking, this has my name written all over it.”
The self-described “thrill-seeker” started looking up casting calls after she put her young children to bed. And whenever it was possible, she would audition. When her children were old enough to attend elementary school at Austin Road, Geyer’s dream became a family affair. She started to bring them on the casting calls with her, and recalled standing in long lines talking to anyone and everyone with her kids while she waited her turn—moments she recalls as a bonding experience.
She easily rattled off the names of the many shows she tried out for. “Survivor,” of course, but also “The Price is Right,” “Minute to Win It,” “The Amazing Race,” and “Family Feud.”
“I even tried out for ‘America’s Got Talent,’” Geyer said, laughing. “I didn’t have any talent. I just figured I would come up with something along the way.”
Most people would have given up after a few auditions, but Geyer grew more determined. She began to see her dedication to getting cast as something bigger than herself. She wanted her kids to see that endurance and determination can pay off—though as the years wore on, she did wonder if casting directors would start to overlook her because of her age.
In her moments of doubt, Geyer said she returned to a quote often attributed to Denzel Washington.
“I read that if you hang around the barbershop long enough, sooner or later, you’ll end up with a haircut,” she said. “And it happened—I finally did get my haircut!”
And when she got the call to let her know she had been cast on a reality show after no less than 20 years of trying out, Geyer said it felt “like I won a million dollars.” Her kids, now in their twenties, celebrated her success by sending her inspirational memes and cheering her on, even as she flew out of the country without any idea what the premise of the brand-new show would be.
“I just told them I was going to New Zealand and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do,” Geyer said.
But her kids, who Geyer said “wanted it as bad as she did,” weren’t worried.
“They didn’t need to know what I was going to do” she explained. “All they needed to know was that I was going to have confidence in myself and never give up.”
In retrospect, Geyer said she is glad those other shows didn’t work out. “The Summit,” she noted, felt like the perfect show for her. And from the premiere episode, Geyer’s excitement is contagious as she cheers on other contestants, forms alliances with other moms on the show, and keeps her energy up despite the daunting physical challenges.
Geyer can’t yet reveal whether she made it all the way up the mountain—she encourages viewers to tune in to find out. In the meantime, she said she plans to return to work at Trader Joe’s, where she plans to work until she retires because of how well it suits her personality.
“I’m a very people person, and I like the hustle and bustle of it!”
As far as what else might come next, Geyer said she hasn’t figured out what her next adventure will be—but she hasn’t ruled out another reality TV show.
“CBS knows that if they call me for anything, I’m in,” she said.
“The Summit” airs Wednesdays on CBS at 9:30 p.m.
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