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John Kenney, Jr. is a contestant from Survivor: Vanuatu.

John K. was on the outs of the all-male Lopevi tribe, which was controlled by the five older men. His pleas to stay fell on deaf ears, and though he seemed to have been given a lucky break after the men ended up with the majority on post-swap Lopevi, he was voted out over both women because of his laziness around camp and both of the said women integrating themselves better.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com

Originally from Branford, Connecticut, John Kenney attended Branford High School, where he played basketball, lacrosse and baseball. He then attended college for two years at Northeastern University in Boston, where he studied Media Arts and Design.

After college, Kenney moved to Manhattan, New York to pursue a modeling career. While there, he also modeled in Paris, Milan, Korea and Miami. Approximately two years ago, Kenney relocated to Los Angeles and most recently worked as a mechanical bull operator at a saddle ranch bar. He aspires to teach art and film and considers himself an artist, particularly with computer graphic design. He has previously worked as a construction worker and an x-ray technician.

Kenney describes himself as friendly, warm and a people person who at the same time is very competitive. John enjoys playing basketball and hiking and is most proud of the fact that he has traveled so much and met so many people in his young age. His hero is his mom because she works hard and enjoys what she does. His primary motivation for being on Survivor: Vanuatu is to win the money but also "the experience of doing all this crazy intense challenge stuff that although may not be enjoyable while I'm doing it, will be amazing to look back on." He also believes that he can be the Sole Survivor because he has the ability to read people well.

Kenney is currently single and living in Los Angeles. His birth date is September 26, 1981.[1]

Survivor[]

After the welcoming ceremony, John K. joined the rest of the season's male contestants on the Lopevi tribe. On the way to the camp, Rory Freeman wanted to separate to have a better chance to find the camp flag. Everyone made camp life comfortable, but the men were unable to make fire. At the first challenge of the season, the men had the initial lead. The Yasur women was able to win because because Chris Daugherty couldn't cross the balance beam. After the humiliating loss, John K. aligned with the other athletic men: John PalyokBrook Geraghty, and Brady Finta. John K., John P., and Brook felt that Chris was the weakest for costing them the challenge. Brady felt that Rory would be a problem for being an individualist. The younger men asked Lea "Sarge" Masters to vote out Chris. However, Lea felt that once Chris is gone, the athletic men will pick everyone else one-by-one, including him. Lea recruited the other men on the tribe and they voted out Brook in a 5-3-1 vote.

The men were miserable because without fire, they were unable to boil water or keep warm at nights. The men lost the chance to earn flint, once again due to a balance beam. Thankfully, Lea paved the way to victory at the Immunity Challenge. Noticing that Rory's independent personality was annoying Sarge, John K., and his allies lobbied against him. When they saw the women next, they were shocked that Dolly Neely was voted out. The next challenge was for both reward and immunity. However, immunity was individual as both tribes was going to Tribal Council. Lopevi won the reward part of the challenge and John K. won the individual immunity. In one final twist, John K. would stay at Yasur camp to decide who would be immunity at the women's Tribal Council. He ask the women to divide into two groups to discover who voted out Dolly and expose alliances. Eliza Orlins talked to John, saying that she voted out Dolly to only save herself. At the Lopevi Tribal Council, he was praised for his strategic thinking in dealing with Yasur. The main alliance stayed strong and John P. was voted out. He gave individual immunity to Ami Cusack to avoid altering the original plans. John K. was by the shape of the tribe, angered that "Five fat dudes" were running the camp. Lopevi lost the Reward Challenge again, costing them the expertise of a Local bushman. John K. and Brady tried to sway Sarge to vote out Rory. Yasur won the Immunity Challenge. When the vote came, John K. was forced to vote against Brady to save himself. 

Two local Ni-Vanuatu men came to the camp, asking for a chief. Sarge volunteered and they gave him a chief staff. At the next challenge, everyone had to drop their buffs due to a tribe switch. John K. was assigned by Scout Cloud Lee to the group which had Chris, Julie BerryChad Crittenden, and Twila Tanner. Sarge selected John K.'s group to be the new Lopevi. A challenge was held immediately, and Lopevi barely beat the new Yasur. The reward was for Pringles and Beer at a local waterfall. Lopevi won the next three challenges, winning the tribe immunity twice and Steak and Eggs. John K. was bored and tired, while everyone worked at camp chores. Noticing this, Chad and Chris viewed John K. as coasting throughout the game. Yasur made a comeback and won the next two challenges. John K. lead a campaign to eliminate Chad for being under the radar and being the biggest jury threat because of his artificial limb. He tried to sway Chris and the women. In the end, John K. was unanimously voted out.

Episode Tribe
Affiliation
Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out? Result
1 Lopevi Fire Starter Reward/Immunity No Lost
2 By the Numbers Reward No Lost
Four on the Floor Immunity No Won
3 Great Escape Run Reward1 No Won
Immunity No Won
4 Remembrance Reward No Lost
Tribal Tiles Immunity No Lost
5 Dive Masters Reward No Won
Outwit, Outplay, Outrig Immunity No Won
6 Pig Pen Reward No Won
Strung Out Immunity No Won
7 Jo-Coconut Reward No Lost
Shoot Your Way Home Immunity No Lost
Voted Out, Day 18
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.

Episode John K.'s
Votes
Voted Against
John K.
1 Chris -
2 Lopevi Tribe Immune
3 Rory Individual Immunity
4 Brady -
5 Lopevi Tribe Immune
6 Lopevi Tribe Immune
7 Chad Chad, Chris,
Julie, Lea, Twila
Voted Out, Day 18

Post-Survivor[]

  • John has since married and has three kids.
  • After being voted out, Kenney returned to modeling. His career since the show has only risen as he's appeared in DNA, Men's Health, and modeled in Paris, Milan, Korea, Miami, and NYC. He now pursues a film making career.
  • In 2009, John and Guatemala castaway Blake Towsley auditioned for The Amazing Race.[2]
  • On January 9, 2010, John attended Survivor's 10-year anniversary party along with all of his Vanuatu cast mates.

Trivia[]

  • John is the youngest man to compete on Vanuatu and thus the youngest member of the original Lopevi tribe.
  • John is the first contestant to win a pre-merge individual Immunity Challenge.
  • John is the only contestant to be voted out of the post-switch Lopevi tribe.

References[]

Survivor: Vanuatu Castaways
 Ami
Yasur
S9 ami t
 Brady
Lopevi
S9 brady t
 Brook
Lopevi
S9 brook t
 Chad
Lopevi
S9 chad t
 Chris
Lopevi
S9 chris t
 Dolly
Yasur
S9 dolly t
 Eliza
Yasur
S9 eliza t
 John K.
Lopevi
S9 johnk t
 John P.
Lopevi
S9 johnp t
 Julie
Yasur
S9 julie t
 Lea
Lopevi
S9 lea t
 Leann
Yasur
S9 leann t
 Lisa
Yasur
S9 lisa t
 Mia
Yasur
S9 mia t
 Rory
Lopevi
S9 rory t
 Scout
Yasur
S9 scout t
 Travis
Lopevi
S9 travis t
 Twila
Yasur
S9 twila t
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