Tom Buchanan

Tom Buchanan was a contestant in Survivor: Africa and in Survivor: All-Stars. He placed 4th and 5th respectively. During his time playing, he was affectionately referred to as "Big Tom."

Profile
Retrieved from CBS.com

Born and raised in Rich Valley, Virginia, Tom Buchanan currently works as a self-employed goat and cattle farmer on the ranch that has been in his family for three generations.

Buchanan attended Rich Valley High School, where he played football, basketball and baseball. He also served as student body president. He then attended East Tennessee State University as a football walk-on and later earned a full football scholarship, serving as team captain his senior year. After college, he returned home to work on the family farm. Known to his friends as "Big Tom," his hobbies include softball, fishing, bird hunting and riding his motorcycle. He is a member of the Virginia Cattleman's Association, Rich Valley Farmer's Club and Rich Valley Presbyterian Church.

Tom Buchanan has been married to Sandy Buchanan. They have one son, Bucky Bo, who is currently attending Cumberland College in Williamsburg, Kentucky. Tom's birth date is October 30.

Survivor: Africa
"Big Tom" was well-liked by the Boran for his comical father-like personality and distinct (albeit unintelligible) accent. Despite this, he immediately revealed his bad side after losing the first Immunity Challenge. This was when Clarence Black made a mistake in judgment to eat a whole can of beans (together with Diane Ogden) without the tribe's consensus. Fuming about Clarence's mishap, he decided to vote for Clarence two times (after losing again another Immunity Challenge). Nonetheless, Big Tom's comedic demeanor returned in time for the third Immunity Challenge (an SOS signal challenge), where he decided to strip down with a feather between his butt cheeks. This oddly granted them their first immunity win. Tom and the rest of Boran will also be safe for another three days after winning another Immunity Challenge in Day 12.

Things were shaken were Tom, together with Kelly Goldsmith and Lex van den Berghe were asked to transfer the opposing Samburu tribe, while being replaced by Teresa Cooper, Silas Gaither and Frank Garrison, much to Tom's chagrin, who wanted to go back. Upon reaching the Samburu camp, he and Lex became disappointed of how murky their water hole was. As the former cleaners of Boran's water hole, Lex and Tom found themselves doing their old jobs. After winning the fifth Immunity Challenge, fellow ex-Boran Kelly discovered that Lindsey had past Tribal Council votes. While being targeted by remnants of the younger Samburu alliance, Tom, Lex and Kelly turned on Lindsey despite Brandon Quinton's valiant efforts to vote against him instead, because if there was a deadlock tie vote between the ex-Borans and the original Samburus, Lindsey's previous votes will be recounted, thus eliminating her. This was materialized, giving the original Boran tribe with a 6-4 voting advantage over the Samburus.

Despite Teresa's strong strategic game play, the former Samburus still failed to come together as a unified alliance, with Boran successfully eliminated them one by one. Teresa was the last of the Samburus to be voted out, but not before turning Tom into Lex by keeping to tell Tom that Lex was persistent on keeping Brandon beforehand. With only Borans left, Ethan, Lex and Kim J. felt that Tom's goofiness was just a front to conceal his ulterior strategic motives, and was eliminated in a 3-1 vote. Tom felt that Ethan more congenial personality made him more deserving to win and voted for him.

Survivor: All-Stars
In 2004, Tom returned to compete in the Survivor: All-Stars series. In this series, Tom began in the Chapera tribe. Tom joined the existing alliance of Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich. With Rob leading the alliance, Tom was able to play a quiet game and avoid making enemies. (One tribemate Tom did not get along with was Sue Hawk and after she quit the game, Tom celebrated by dancing and singing Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead.) However after a tribal shuffle brought Rupert Boneham and Jenna Lewis into the tribe, Rob and Amber also formed an alliance with them. After the five players had voted off all of the other competitors, Rob's worries that Tom might betray him caused him to decide to favor his alliance with Rupert and Jenna over his original alliance with Tom. Tom was voted off by the other four on the 36th day. Tom, angry over Rob's betrayal, voted for Amber in the final vote against Rob, which she won in a 4-3 vote. However Tom later forgave Rob in the reunion.