Can it
already be that time again????? Get ready, Survivors. The new season premiers Thursday, February 12th. It seems the last season just ended! :think:
This is going to be a long post, so bear with me. I like to read their info. to get a feel of how their gonna play the game. I had to edit the bios a bit since the post was too long.
To see their pictures & read all about them, you can go to:
http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor/Benjamin "Coach" Wade (37) (Single)
Hometown: Bolivar, Mo.
Occupation: Soccer Coach
Benjamin Wade is known by many names. As the head women's soccer coach at the Southwest Baptist University in Missouri, he is called "Coach Wade," but he also goes by “Maestro” due to role as an artistic director and conductor of a California symphony orchestra. A skilled musician, Benjamin was traveling the world playing the trumpet before most kids could even spell "trumpet."
If Benjamin was asked to wear just one hat, it would be that of "Renaissance Man." Aside from setting the world record for the longest solo kayak expedition on the ocean (an amazing 6,132 miles), Wade has also been attacked by a tiger shark, stalked by a jaguar in the Amazon and has been bitten by a piranha on his right hand. Coach's dominant personality will be a force to be reckoned with in the game.
Brendan Synnott (30) (Single)
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Raised by a single mom in Connecticut, Brendan pulled himself up by the bootstraps to be the co-founder and CEO of Bear Naked, a natural food brand that was recently acquired by a major corporation. Despite his financial success, he is not all about the money.
Synnott has always wanted to combine his love of the outdoors with his skills as a leader. In school, he played both football and baseball, and still stays active as much as possible. He loves to compete and says it's a driving force, even in business.
Candace Smith (31) (Single)
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Occupation: Attorney
Candace Smith grew up as a tomboy and athlete, competing in soccer, basketball and track.
Growing up in the inner city of Dayton, Ohio, Candace worked hard to receive a full academic scholarship to the University of Dayton. She went on to graduate from Northwestern University School of Law and began working as a commercial real estate attorney. After becoming Miss Ohio USA, she decided to move to L.A. to pursue other aspirations, including modeling, acting and opening her own consulting firm.
Although Candace no longer practices law, she still utilizes her legal skills in everyday life. Candace has also learned how to relate to many different types of people from traveling all over the world, including England, Spain and Cuba. Aside from traveling, she also enjoys running, cooking and writing. She is currently working on a book of her memoirs.
Carolina Eastwood (26)
Hometown: West Hollywood, Calif.
Occupation: Bartender
Born in Panama, Carolina spent the first six years of her life living in poverty until her father, an Army solider, moved the family to the Untied States so he could have the opportunity to provide a better life for them.
Three years ago, with only $250 in her pocket, Carolina made the move from Florida to Los Angeles to accomplish personal goals and to fulfill her desire to help provide for her family. Life has not been easy for this California bartender but rather than succumbing to the negative pressures, she decided to face her inner demons and live life with a positive, compassionate outlook.
Carolina describes the relationship with her mother as an emotional rollercoaster but admires the woman that was able to overcome adversity and become a self-sufficient mother of three. Her mother has shown Carolina what dreams are made of by giving her a life that would have been impossible in Panama.
If she becomes the next sole SURVIVOR, Carolina plans to give back to her mother, help her brothers with school, and donate to various organizations that aid victims of rape and domestic violence.
Debra "Debbie" Beebee (46) (Married w/5 kids)
Hometown: Auburn, Ala.
Occupation: Middle School Principal
A self-described people person, Debra Beebe is a middle school principal and married mom from Auburn, Alabama who believes that her natural leadership abilities and tactful problem-solving skills will contribute to her success as a castaway on SURVIVOR.
The fact that she is one of the older castaways will not be a hindrance for this woman who previously trained alongside Olympic athletes and still rises every morning at 4:30AM to get in her daily workout before tackling a day filled with hundreds of pubescent teens, pre-teens, parents, faculty and staff. Not one to be intimidated (even at a tiny 5’2”), Debra juggles work, her husband and her children. It’s no surprise that this go-getter won “Alabama’s Principal of the Year” award yet still finds occasional free time for shopping and dancing.
Erinn Lobdell (26)
Hometown: Waukesha, Wis.
Occupation: Hairstylist
Erinn Lobdell is a hairstylist and make-up artist who is out to prove she's not just another pretty face. After recently going through a very personal growing experience, Erinn is ready to prove that she can make it on her own and rise to the challenge SURVIVOR will bring.
As a runner, Erinn is very athletic and is constantly training for the next big event. She recently completed training for a marathon and works out everyday to stay in great shape.
Jerry Sims (49)
Hometown: Rock Hill, SC
Occupation: Sgt. – U.S. Army
Growing up in a poor family, he was one of 10 children who had to learn, very early on, the skills to help him survive in the real world. Jerry has been passing on those survival skills learned from his childhood to soldiers in the Army National Guard for the last 20 years.
A 1st Sergeant and specialist in Nuclear Operations, Sims just recently returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. No stranger to being in a leadership position, Sims was in charge of 100 men and not only knew how to manage them, but also earned their respect. "With this big smile and this convincing attitude, I get them to do exactly what I want them to do!"
He's always been a strong proponent of the team concept, a skill that came in handy growing up in such a large household, especially around dinner time "where you had to be on time!" Jerry is also a family man, who's been married for 25 years and has both an adult son and daughter. He has no qualms about saying he's doing this for the money.
Raised on a chicken farm in South Carolina, Jerry also knows how to live off the land and involve everyone in the daily chores.
Joe Dowdle (26) (Single)
Hometown: Austin, Texas
Occupation: Real Estate Sales
This 26-year-old southern gentleman and savvy businessman was raised in a single parent household along with his sister. Joe is eternally grateful to his mother for all the sacrifices she made while he was growing up. He currently works in real estate investment sales and enjoys spending his free time strumming his guitar, tossing around a football and hanging out with friends. He is definitely a man who takes pride in hard work and being a Texan.
Joe truly is a genuine Texas Cowboy. After a rigorous selection process in combination with a high GPA from the University of Texas at Austin, he was selected to join the Texas Cowboys, which is a service organization where members act as ambassadors for, according to Joe, "the greatest university in the world," the University of Texas. When he is not working or volunteering his time, Joe enjoys playing basketball and golf in addition to spending time working out and running.
James "JT" Thomas Jr. (24) (Single)
Hometown: Samson, Ala.
Occupation: Cattle Rancher
A cattle manager raised in Samson, Alabama, JT operates a registered Angus Cattle Ranch. In addition to preparing the land and working the cattle, this southern charmer is responsible for all the paperwork and marketing associated with running the business.
This ambitious 24-year-old gets fired up when people insult his intelligence and says "I'm not a dumb hillbilly, so don’t think it!" However, this may be just the strategy that JT chooses to use and isn’t above playing the “dumb and innocent country boy role” in an effort to gain alliances with the women. JT attended Troy University and is the first in his family to earn a Bachelors Degree. His is in business administration.
Sandy Burgin (53)
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Occupation: Bus Driver
A country girl through and through, Sandy Burgin grew up and still lives in Kentucky, where she takes pride in being the state champion of the School Bus Rodeo. A night owl by occupation, Sandy works the graveyard shift transporting construction workers to their work sites. As a professional driver for 30 years, she isn't a stranger to cat calls, especially since she is the one doing it. On one occasion she called out to a tall thin man, commenting on his physique when, to her surprise, he turned around and was clearly a priest!
She likes to unwind by crocheting or listening to country, oldies or some good old fashioned rock and roll. Her penchant for reading "do it yourself" magazines in addition to her fishing skills just might make her a valuable member of her tribe.
Sierra Reed (23) (Single)
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Occupation: Model
Sierra Reed wants to make it clear right off the bat that she has the ability to find her place in any situation, anywhere in the world, through her perseverance and strength. Despite the fact that she is strong-willed and determined, she is one who will wear her heart on her sleeve. Not intimidated by age, ("I'm 25 and if you're 45 that's great, but if we have differences, I'm going to let you know"), Reed will speak her mind, yet she does it with purpose and passion.
This fashion student and model is no stranger to roughing it. After moving to Taiwan by herself at a very young age, Sierra is used to living in places with no running water and filled with grime and bugs. Sierra is a self-proclaimed adventure junkie who "loves to experience new things all the time" and she believes that those experiences make her a prime candidate for SURVIVOR.
Sierra claims she isn't a "very stereotypical model," because she doesn't do it for the notoriety; she does it because modeling can help facilitate new experiences and allows for travel to amazing locations which is something she enjoys tremendously.
Spencer Duhm (19) (Single, gay)
Hometown: Lakeland, Fla.
Occupation: Student
Soon to see his teenage years in the rear-view mirror, Spencer Duhm is ready to look forward to the journey ahead of him. A fan of SURVIVOR since day one, which began when he was still in grade school, Spencer can practically do a Castaway roll-call all the way from SURVIVOR: Borneo.
Born and raised in Lakeland, Florida and currently a student at the University of Florida, Spencer majors in telecommunications and minors in business and European union studies. Aside from being the recruitment chair for his UF crew team, where he also rows competitively, Spencer is a huge sports fan.
With a resume like his, it’s no surprise that this self-professed lover of "water cooler gossip" can't stand slow-talkers or laziness and is very ambitious and very outgoing. He is even willing to face his fear of heights for one million dollars but there is one fear that he refuses to face. When asked what he would not do for a million dollars he responded, "Snakes in general, I just don’t do snakes."
Stephen Fishbach (29) (Single)
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Occupation: Corporate Consultant
Aided by his quick wit and prankster personality, this Internet marketing director could very well be a major player behind the scenes. A Yale graduate, Stephen certainly has the right mix of brains and charisma to disarm his fellow castaways. This New Yorker believes people will be inclined to trust him but claims "that would be their mistake, because then I strike!"
In his free time, Stephen keeps himself active and fit by boxing and lifting weights. He also takes part in urban combat activities, namely the Idiotarod, which he describes as a great event where "five idiots drag a shopping cart from Brooklyn to Manhattan."
Sydney Wheeler (24) (In a relationship)
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Occupation: Model
Sydney Wheeler is the girl next door. Beautiful and smart, Sydney learned early on to adapt to any situation after spending her childhood being shuttled between her conservative parents.
Growing up in Raleigh, North Carolina, Sydney decided to move out to the west coast to try her hand at modeling and interior design. She plans to use the skills she's learned working with different clients to help navigate the social game of SURVIOR. She's also not afraid to use her looks to further herself in the competition.
Forced to mature at an early age, Sydney knows what it really means to live life to its fullest. At age 19 she lost her sister Laura in a tragic car accident, but throughout it all has maintained a positive attitude. "God put us on Earth to do good things, big things and that's what I'm trying to do and achieve in life."
Tamara “Taj” Johnson-George (37)
Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.
Occupation: Former Pop Star
Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George already has a lot on her plate, but can't wait to add SURVIVOR contestant into the mix. A Grammy
-nominated singer, successful author, wife of a former NFL pro and mother of two wonderful boys, Taj believes she will be the "most underestimated player" in the game.
A Grammy
-nominee for her soul group SWV ("Sisters With Voices"), Taj says "her group was the one to beat." Selling over six million records, her time as a singer has prepared her for the spotlight.
In addition to her music career, Taj is also an accomplished writer. The author of “Player HateHER: How To Avoid The Beat Down And Live In A Drama Free World," she tries to practice what she preaches as her true pride and life’s focus lies within her family. The wife of Heisman Trophy winner and former Tennessee Titan running back Eddie George, she warns all opponents, "I'm not the average NFL wife and mother."
Growing up in Brooklyn, Taj overcame both physical and mental abuse in her life. With her background, it's no wonder she says she's "naturally distrustful." Taj goes on to say "I am literally, truly a survivor, who has survived more things you can ever imagine." She is used to beating the odds and plans to do it again.
Tyson Apostol (29)
Hometown: Lindon, Utah
Occupation: Professional Cyclist
Witty, charming and arrogant is how Tyson Apostol describes himself. This former pro-cyclist and swimmer believes that his natural athleticism, combined with his "life of the party" personality, will get him far in he game. His favorite movie is "The Jerk" and that’s how some people just might describe him.
A Brigham Young University drop-out, he is actually very well traveled and skilled in street smarts, previously spending two years in the Philippines as a Mormon missionary, in addition to six years as a cyclist in Switzerland, Belgium and Austria.
In many ways Tyson can be brash, egotistical and unapologetic but, oddly enough, he has no tolerance for "know-it-alls" or individuals who lack common courtesy. In addition to, as he describes it, "looking awesome," his favorite hobbies are exercising and sunbathing. If he becomes the next sole SURVIVOR, he plans to use all of the money for selfish purposes, starting with "the most smoking motorcycle around."