Bobby Jon Drinkard is a contestant from Survivor: Palau and Survivor: Guatemala.
In Palau, Bobby Jon was one of the last two members of the the ill-fated Ulong tribe. After the duo lost the last tribal Immunity Challenge, he was eliminated after losing the fire-making tiebreaker challenge to his last remaining tribemate, Stephenie LaGrossa.
Bobby Jon returned alongside Stephenie in Guatemala, where he developed a fierce rivalry with Jamie Newton. After their intended target Gary Hogeboom played his Hidden Immunity Idol at the final nine, the majority Nakúm Alliance switched their target to Bobby Jon for being a physical threat.
Profile[]
Retrieved from CBS.com
Born and raised in Troy, Alabama, Bobby Jon Drinkard graduated from Charles Henderson High School, where he lettered in football. He was also a member of the Future Farmers of American for four years. After high school, Drinkard was accepted at Troy State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations/Print Journalism in 2003. He was previously employed as a personal trainer, lifeguard and farmer. In the Spring of 2003, Drinkard was voted Alabama's most eligible bachelor by Cosmopolitan Magazine. He enjoys hunting, fishing, lifting weights, running, going to concerts and reading the bible. He describes himself as determined, bold and righteous. His perfect day begins with a workout, followed by fishing and then grilling with family and friends in the evening. His father is his hero because Drinkard believes he leads by example and never complains. Drinkard is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Currently single, Drinkard moved to Los Angeles in August, 2003 to pursue a modeling career. His birth date is May 10, 1977.[1]
Born and raised in Troy, Alabama, Bobby Jon Drinkard graduated from Charles Henderson High School, where he lettered in football. He was also a member of the Future Farmers of American for four years. After high school, Drinkard was accepted at Troy State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Relations/Print Journalism in 2003. He was previously employed as a personal trainer, lifeguard and farmer. In the Spring of 2003, Drinkard was voted Alabama's most eligible bachelor by Cosmopolitan Magazine. He enjoys hunting, fishing, lifting weights, running, going to concerts and reading the bible. He describes himself as determined, bold and righteous. His perfect day begins with a workout, followed by fishing and then grilling with family and friends in the evening. His father is his hero because Drinkard believes he leads by example and never complains. Drinkard is a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. Currently single, Drinkard moved to Los Angeles in August, 2003 to pursue a modeling career. His birth date is May 10, 1977.[2] |
Survivor[]
Palau[]
Bobby Jon was chosen by Jolanda Jones to be on the Ulong tribe during the Schoolyard Pick. He jokingly commended her by saying "good choice". Bobby Jon then picked Stephenie LaGrossa to be on the tribe. Ulong lost the first Immunity Challenge and he blamed Angie Jakusz because she was perceived to be the weakest member of the tribe due to being picked last. He campaigned to get Angie out of the tribe but most of the tribe blamed Jolanda for this immunity loss and she was voted out instead.
At the following Reward Challenge, Ulong won in a landslide. Later, Bobby Jon realized that he judged Angie too quickly and was impressed by her performance in the next challenge. However, despite Ulong seemingly being the physically stronger of the two tribes, they lost every single Immunity Challenge to their rival Koror tribe, sending them to Tribal Council every few days. Bobby Jon was nearly voted out during the Double Tribal Council on Day 12 when he tied with Angie at Tribal Council for the most votes. In the revote, the tribe decided to keep him for his athleticism and work ethic.
As the days passed, Stephenie formed an alliance with Bobby Jon. They promised each other they would never vote for each other, though she did cast a vote for Bobby Jon on Day 12 before switching to Angie on the revote. He also formed a budding friendship with Ibrehem Rahman who, along with James Miller, shared Alabama as their home state. Ulong won its final Reward Challenge on Day 14 for a trip to Jellyfish Lake. Despite having more in common with the men than Stephanie on the surface, he ultimately decided to vote out James and then Ibrehem in the following Tribal Councils. Ultimately, he and Stephenie were the last two members left from Ulong and lost to Koror for the final time on Day 21. That night at Tribal Council, because there were only two people left, a fire-making challenge was held. Stephenie's flame lit her torch first, eliminating Bobby Jon from the competition in an unusual fashion. The duo said goodbye and Bobby Jon told Stephenie to "win this thing". Host Jeff Probst said before he snuffed Bobby Jon's torch, "The tribe definitely did not speak tonight. Nonetheless, it's time for you to go."
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | None | Race to Shore | Immunity | Lost | |
| Ulong | Supply Dump | Reward/Immunity | No | Lost | |
| 2 | The Gauntlet | Reward | No | Won | |
| Heads Up | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 3 | By Any Means Necessary | Reward | No | Won | |
| Hot Pursuit | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 4 | Build a Better Bathroom | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Sumo at Sea | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 5 | Sea Salvage | Reward | No | Lost | |
| 6 | Shooting Gallery | Reward | No | Won | |
| Build It Up, Break It Down | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 7 | S.O.S. | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Floating Puzzle | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 8 | Cool Hand Balut | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Under Current | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| Eliminated, Day 21 | |||||
| Episode | Bobby Jon's Votes |
Voted Against Bobby Jon |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Angie | - |
| 2 | Ashlee | - |
| 3 | Kim | - |
| 4 | Kim | - |
| 5 | Angie; Ineligible |
Angie, Stephenie; -1 |
| 6 | James; James2 |
- |
| 7 | Ibrehem | - |
| 8 | No Vote | |
| Eliminated, Day 213 | ||
^1 In "The Best and Worst Reward Ever", the vote ended with a 2-2 tie between Bobby Jon and Angie, forcing a revote. On the revote, Bobby Jon did not receive any votes to be eliminated.
^2 In "Jellyfish 'n Chips", the vote ended with a 2-2 tie between Ibrehem and James, forcing a revote. Bobby Jon did not change his vote on the revote.
^3 In "Neanderthal Man", there was a fire-making challenge instead of a vote at Tribal Council between Bobby Jon and Stephenie. Bobby Jon lost the challenge and was eliminated from the game.
Guatemala[]
Bobby Jon and fellow Palau tribemate Stephenie LaGrossa returned for Survivor: Guatemala, and Bobby Jon was initially placed on the Nakúm tribe. After the opening eleven-mile hike, in spite of Nakúm winning the challenge and the better campsite, Bobby Jon felt very weak and had a hard time moving his legs. In addition, his eyes rolled back in his head while he was resting. Margaret Bobonich, a nurse practitioner by profession, took care of him until he regained his health. Because most of Nakúm's male players got sick after the hike, the tribe lost the first Immunity Challenge and voted out the injured Jim Lynch at Tribal Council.
During the Tribe Switch on Day 12, Bobby Jon, along with Blake Towsley, Brandon Bellinger, and Danni Boatwright, were all swapped to the Yaxhá tribe. The former Nakúm members held the majority over the original Yaxhá members, but they lost it when Bobby Jon and Danni voted against Blake for his obnoxious behavior at camp concerning his fraternity stories.
Bobby Jon, Danni, and Brandon voted with Gary Hogeboom to eliminate former Yaxhá members Brian Corridan and Amy O'Hara, narrowly missing being eliminated. Some of his tribemates believed that he did not deserve a second chance since they were all on their first one.
The tribes then merged into the new Xhakúm tribe on Night 18. The Yaxhá Alliance was down in numbers and Bobby Jon was targeted for being a huge physical threat. However, Bobby Jon appealed to Stephenie to at least allow him to make it to the jury this time. Stephenie and the Nakúm Alliance obliged and Brandon was voted out at Tribal Council, securing Bobby Jon's spot on the jury. After the next Immunity Challenge, the Nakúm Alliance set their sights on eliminating Gary. However, when Gary revealed at Tribal Council that he had found the Hidden Immunity Idol and used it on himself, the majority was forced to change their plans. They ultimately voted for Bobby Jon, who was thus made the first jury member.
At the Final Tribal Council, he voted for his ally Danni to win.
| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nakúm | 11-Mile Hike | Reward | No | Won |
| Paddle Battle | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 2 | Web Over Water | Reward | No | Won | |
| Dragged Through Mud | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 3 | Blind Build | Reward | No | Won | |
| Holding Court | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| Switched Tribes, Day 9 | |||||
| 4 | Yaxhá | Rows and Throws | Immunity | No | Won |
| 5 | Slave to the Grind | Reward | No | Won | |
| What's for Launch? | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 6 | Boulder Smash | Reward1 | No | Lost | |
| 7 | Spooling Around | Reward | No | Won | |
| Tomb Raider | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| Tribes Merged, Night 18 | |||||
| 8 | Xhakúm | Pot Head | Immunity | No | Lost |
| 9 | Atlatl | Reward | 7th2 | ||
| Bridge It | Immunity | Lost | |||
| Voted Out, Day 24 | |||||
| Notes: ^1 Both tribes were sent to Tribal Council. The tribe that won the Reward Challenge earned the right to compete in an individual Immunity Challenge.
^2 The reward was dependent on each castaway's finish in the challenge. Bobby Jon originally finished 8th, but moved up to 7th place after Jamie volunteered to take last place. Also, Judd shared his first-place reward with Bobby Jon. | |||||
Post Survivor[]
- From 2008 to 2013, Bobby Jon hosted an Alabama TV show called On the Job.[3]
- On January 9, 2010, Bobby Jon attended Survivor's 10-year anniversary party.
- Bobby Jon is married to Hayley Cofer and they have two daughters named Vivian and Drew.[4]
Trivia[]
- Bobby Jon and his Ulong tribemates Ibrehem Rahman and James Miller were all noted on the show to come from the state of Alabama. However, while Ibrehem and James still resided in Alabama at the time, Bobby Jon had already moved to California prior to filming.
- Bobby Jon is the first contestant to be eliminated after losing a fire-making challenge.
- Bobby Jon is the only contestant to be eliminated from a tribe reduced to two remaining castaways.
- In Palau, Bobby Jon became the only castaway to outlast more than half of the other castaways in a season, but be eliminated before the jury stage.
- Bobby Jon is the lowest ranking contestant from Palau to return and the only returning player from Palau to never reach the Final Tribal Council.
- Bobby Jon was the first man (and second overall, after Shii Ann Huang) to return for a second season after being eliminated during the tribal stage of their original season.
- Bobby Jon and Stephenie LaGrossa are the first returning players to be placed on a tribe of new players on their subsequent attempt at Survivor.
- Bobby Jon is, thus far, the only contestant to have been both the final pre-juror and the first juror. He was the final pre-juror in Palau, and the first juror in Guatemala.
References[]
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