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Coby Archa is a contestant from Survivor: Palau.

An outsider on the Koror tribe, Coby is best known for his personality clash with tribe leader Tom Westman. Koror's winning streak allowed him to reach the merge, but he was voted out at the final nine for being a physical threat, becoming the first member of the jury.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com

Born in Abilene, Texas, Coby Archa has also lived in Durham, North Carolina, New York City and Lansing, Michigan. Archa admits to some misguided teenage years, in which he got in trouble with the law and ended up quitting high school. When he was 17 years old, he was arrested and charged with larceny. He was sentenced to seven months in jail and five years probation, an experience that forced Archa to make a conscious decision to turn his life around. He thanks his mother, Bonnie, for sticking by his side and helping him become the man he is today.

Archa studied at the Aladdin Beauty College and received his license from the Texas Cosmetology Commission. He currently co-owns a hair salon with his best friend, Amanda. He enjoys traveling, taking photos, visiting museums or painting. He has acted in local and professional theatre and loves being involved in anything artistic.

Archa, currently single, lives in Athens, Texas. His birth date is September 8, 1972.[1]

Survivor[]

Coby, upon seeing Angie Jakusz, knew he was not going to be the only odd man out. The two bonded over the course of the day. On Day 2, it was revealed that the tribes would be formed by a Schoolyard Pick, and that the last two unpicked would be eliminated. Coby was selected by Jenn Lyon to be on her tribe. When it was his turn, Coby opted to pick Caryn Groedel over Angie. Coby's tribe would be called Koror. At the first Immunity Challenge, the tribe decided to only take a fire-making kit. This would give Koror the win. When offered to move to a new beach, Tom Westman convinced the tribe to moved to the uninhabited beach. Coby formed a friendship with Janu Tornell. Koror would generally dominate in challenges over the unorganized Ulong.

On Day 9, Tree Mail asked the tribes to pick a representative for the Reward Challenge, which was a construction project. Coby, Caryn, and Janu wanted to do it, but Tom ignored them in favor of Ian Rosenberger or Gregg Carey. Coby realized that Tom, Ian, Katie Gallagher, Jenn, and Gregg were in an alliance, leaving him, Janu, Caryn, and Willard Smith in the minority. Koror won the challenge, having a construction team remodel their shelter. At the Immunity Challenge, Coby proved he was a force in challenges when faced offed against Ulong's James Miller and defeat him twice, giving Koror its fourth immunity. After the challenge, Coby noticed that Jenn and Gregg's friendship had turned romantic in nature. The next challenge was purely for reward, with the stipulation that both tribes go to Tribal Council. Koror won, winning for themselves beef stew and the right to spy on Ulong's Tribal Council. Tom deemed Willard the next to go for being a liability who could float all the way Final Tribal Council. Coby preferred Katie to get the boot, but he knew that voting against Katie would only isolate him from the tribe. Gregg told Coby that once it was down to seven, he and Jenn planned to shift allegiances to Coby and Janu. Coby was delighted by the revelation.

The day after Willard's disposal, everyone did chores at camp. Katie still did not do as much as the other though, annoying Coby and Caryn. Coby participated at the next Reward Challenge with Tom, Gregg, and Caryn against Ulong's last four members. Although it came down to the wire, Ulong won when Caryn missed a target. Ian, Katie, Jenn, and Janu won Koror immunity again. In the next Reward Challenge, tribes had to build a distress signal. Coby agreed with Katie, Caryn, and Gregg doing the challenge for creativity, work ethic and strength respectively. The trio gave Koror another win. Coby was responsible for Koror earning its sixth immunity straight. Coby thought it was mind boggling that a tribe could do so well. At camp, Coby was getting increasingly frustrated by Jenn and Katie's lack of work ethic and Janu's increasing moodiness. He also believed that the men were waiting on them hand and foot, encouraging the women's lazy behavior. Coby and Gregg won immunity for Koror again, ensuring that all of Koror would be on the jury.

On Day 21, bored, everyone noticed something. It was a boat paddled by Ulong's last member, Stephenie LaGrossa. She handed them a container, which contained a fresh new brown buff and a note telling them that the individual phase had started. Coby was thrilled, as he was ready to tell Stephenie about everything in the tribe, alliances and all. At the first opportunity, he revealed to her the alliance of Tom, Ian, Katie, Jenn, and Gregg, among other things. The others were irked and terrified by the predicament. A Palauan fisherman came to the beach, wanting people to come with him. Coby insisted the other men to go while he made bait, so he came just be away from them.  At night, everyone feasted on fish and rum and other things. At the first Immunity Challenge, Coby was the first to jump in for donuts and iced coffee. Janu quickly followed him The challenge was eventually won by Tom. Tribal Council was held immediately after the challenge. Coby was deemed both nuisance and a too big of a threat to go unchecked. Coby was voted out in a 7-1-1 vote, becoming the first member of the jury

At Final Tribal Council, Coby berated Katie for her attitude, weakness in challenges, and poor work ethic. He made it very clear that if he had written Katie's name down for the million dollars, it would be a vote against Tom, not a vote for Katie. Coby told Tom that he played as much of a dirty game as Coby wanted to play, whether he admitted or not, and would decide his vote based on the answers he gave to the other jurors. Viewing Katie's answers as honest, he cast his jury vote for her. Coby's sole vote for Katie prevented Tom from completing the first "perfect game" in the series.

Episode Tribe
Affiliation
Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out? Result
1 None Race to Shore Immunity Lost
Koror Supply Dump Reward/Immunity No Won
2 The Gauntlet Reward No Lost
Heads Up Immunity No Won
3 By Any Means Necessary Reward No Lost
Hot Pursuit Immunity No Won
4 Build a Better Bathroom Reward Yes Won
Sumo at Sea Immunity No Won
5 Sea Salvage Reward No Won
6 Shooting Gallery Reward No Lost
Build It Up, Break It Down Immunity Yes Won
7 S.O.S. Reward Yes Won
Floating Puzzle Immunity No Won
8 Cool Hand Balut Reward Yes Won
Under Current Immunity No Won
9 Perch Immunity Lost
Voted Out, Day 24

Episode Coby's
Votes
Voted Against
Coby
1 Koror Tribe Immune
2 Koror Tribe Immune
3 Koror Tribe Immune
4 Koror Tribe Immune
5 Willard -
6 Koror Tribe Immune
7 Koror Tribe Immune
8 Koror Tribe Immune
9 Janu Caryn, Gregg, Ian, Jenn,
Katie, Stephenie, Tom
Voted Out, Day 24
Voted for
Sole Survivor
Katie

Post-Survivor[]

  • Coby named his adopted daughter after his Koror tribemate, Janu. In December 2013, Coby adopted his second child, Tyler.[2]
  • On January 9, 2010, Coby attended Survivor's 10-year anniversary party.
  • Through his adopted daughter Janu and her boyfriend Tanner Keys, Coby welcomed his first grandchild, Brynnlee Elizabeth Keys on August 21, 2022.[3]

Trivia[]

  • Before being voted out, Koror gave Coby an oar from their boat in respect of him. The oar was taken away by production.
  • Coby is the only juror in Palau to vote for Katie Gallagher, thus preventing Tom Westman from achieving a "Perfect Game".
  • After filming was wrapped, production gave Coby the recipe of the beef stew they ate during their reward in "The Best and Worst Reward Ever".
  • Coby was considered for Micronesia, but was not chosen.[4] Coby himself claimed that he was originally cast for the season but was cut when the season was changed from an "All-Stars" season to a "Fans vs. Favorites".[5][6]

References[]

Survivor: Palau Castaways
 Angie
Ulong
S10 angie t
 Ashlee
Ulong
S10 ashlee t
 Bobby Jon
Ulong
S10 bobbyjon t
 Caryn
Koror
S10 caryn t
 Coby
Koror
S10 coby t
 Gregg
Koror
S10 gregg t
 Ian
Koror
S10 ian t
 Ibrehem
Ulong
S10 ibrehem t
 James
Ulong
S10 james t
 Janu
Koror
S10 janu t
 Jeff
Ulong
S10 jeff t
 Jenn
Koror
S10 jenn t
 Jolanda
Ulong
S10 jolanda t
 Jonathan
No tribe
S10 jonathan t
 Katie
Koror
S10 katie t
 Kim
Ulong
S10 kim t
 Stephenie
Ulong
S10 stephenie t
 Tom
Koror
S10 tom t
 Wanda
No tribe
S10 wanda t
 Willard
Koror
S10 willard t
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