TV producer found his niche and fortune in reality

Mark Burnett expects the first line of his obituary to read: Found the American Dream.

Not the mastermind behind “Survivor,” “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” and “The Apprentice.” Not the man who made reality TV a staple of American network programming.

“Think about it,” the British-born Burnett said. “I came here with 200 bucks, no education, and was given a chance because, in America, everyone gets a chance.”

Burnett’s latest endeavor is “Jingles,” an hourlong series in which eight teams vie to create the best ditties for commercials. The winners get $100,000 and, perhaps, jobs with an advertising agency. The weekly-elimination talent contest is set to premiere on CBS later this year.

We recently spoke to Burnett about the upcoming series, his legacy and how he’d fare as a contestant on one of his biggest hits.

Q: I had to laugh hearing the “Survivor” music while I was on hold.

A: That’s so funny, because I’m not on hold that much. So I forget it’s there. But I’m so happy that exists. That show has been so great for this company (Mark Burnett Productions). It’s hard to believe we’re about to shoot Season 17 and we’re prepping 18. Who would believe there would be 18 seasons of “Survivor”?

Q: True. The lifespan for unscripted shows can be pretty short.

A: I’m very lucky. … Through this year, we will have shot “Survivor” 18, and in a few months we’ll have shot “Apprentice” 8. “Martha Stewart,” my daytime show, is ordered for Season 4. We just did “The Contender” Season 4, the boxing show, and “Are You Smarter?” Season 3. In a world that seems to be transient, we’ve done quite well.

Q: Tell me about “Jingles.”

A: We can all remember (he sings): “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.” “Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat.” “Folgers in your cup.” “I don’t want to grow up, I’m a Toys ‘R’ Us kid.” These are all incredible jingles. Well, here’s a show with eight teams and a sponsor. The sponsor will come in and present — “Here is what we’re looking for, here is what this product stands for. Go out there and create a jingle that would be the sound of this campaign.”

Q: For all your shows: Do you come up with the ideas, or do people pitch you?

A: It’s a combination. It used to be very small, me and couple of other people. Now we have a huge development team, and we get pitched ideas every week.

Q: The stories about you always say that you went from selling T-shirts on the beach to producing “Eco-Challenge.” There has to be more to it than that.

A: Not really. I was just trying to make a buck. I’d come out of a British army parachute regiment, and I always felt some affinity and was missing the mountains and the jungles. My mother around that time had terminal cancer, so I started to look at what was important in life. I had a list of things I wanted to do. I wanted to make more money, and I wanted to do it through adventure, and I wished there was some entertainment value to it. “Eco-Challenge” combined all those things that made me stop selling T-shirts and take a risk.

Q: What kind of “Survivor” contestant would you be?

A: I’d be really good at suffering. I don’t like whining. I don’t. But I’d probably get voted off because I would lead from the front. No one does well by leading from the front on “Survivor.” In normal real life, you don’t just vote someone off. It takes a while for them to get on your nerves properly. In “Survivor,” every three days they get to say “you’re done.” So very few people can lead from the front.

Q: You also make shows families can watch together.

A: That is very important to me. I’m married to Roma Downey from “Touched by an Angel.” Roma says, “Don’t make anything our kids wouldn’t be allowed to see.” Quite frankly, I made a lot of money and success catering to families, so I’m really proud to hear you say that.

Q: You got married last year, you’re getting a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, you’re rumored to be creating your own TV network. Is this the best time in your life?

A: It’s a great, great time in my life. The important thing is Roma and I and the three kids. Life is great in that way. I’ve got a good company, I’m happy, and business opportunities have always been good for me. It’s about making the right choices.