Meet the Survivors

Without further delay, here is my preview of the contestants for Survivor Panama, Exile Island.

Bayoneta younger women, ave. age 26.5
Courtney, Danielle, Misty, Sally

Courtney 31, performance artist
Los Angeles, CA

Teaches the ancient art of "fire dancing" (???). Has traveled to 30 countries (just another cheap holiday in other people's misery?)

Danielle 24, medical sales representative
Pompano Beach, FL

Raised outside of Boston, college athlete. Her regular workout includes kickboxing and soccer (both sports of the future).

Misty 24, engineer
Dallas TX

Raised in a military family; Miss Texas Teen USA 1999. Undergrad electrical engineering Southern Methodist University, working on her masters. Training for a marathon.

Sally 27, social worker
Chicago, IL

Born and raised Duluth, MN. Applied to be on Survivor five times.


Casaya older women, ave. age 40.25
Cirie, Melinda, Ruth Marie, Tina

Cirie 35, registered nurse
Waterloo, SC

Raised in Jersey City, NJ. Attended nursing school in Pennsylvania. She claims skills in fishing and carpentry (we'll see . . . )

Melinda 32, singer
Sevierville, TN

Music major at East Tennessee State University, has sung with a few bands. Extensive experience in various forms of dance and gymnastics.

Ruth Marie 48, director of retail leasing
Greenville, SC

BS criminal justice, has worked as a narcotics officer. Chi Omega sorority and cheerleader in college. She was also a flight attendant for Eastern Airlines.

Tina 46, logging sports promoter and performer
Heyward, WI

Raised in a logging sports family and part of the World Champion Lumberjills "Chicks with Axes." I am not making this up. She should do well in balance challenges because she has experience with rolling logs.


Vivero younger men, ave. age 26.25
Aras, Austin, Bobby, Nick

Aras 24, yoga instructor
Santa Monica, CA

Played basketball at UC Irvine. MBA. Played professional basketball in Lithuania then lived in Capetown South Africa for a while.

Austin 24, author and model
Highpoint, NC

I think he's just here to advance his modeling career, but he has had severel books published and he has an agent. I don't think he'll do well.

Bobby 32, attorney
Los Angeles, CA

Raised in South Central, Los Angeles, managed to get into a prep school and went on to graduate from Amherst College in Massachusetts cum laude while playing baseball, then went on to Stanford Law School.

Nick 25, financial sales
Tempe, AZ

Grew up in Wyoming, attended Montana State University before transferring to and graduating from Arizona State University. Applying to law school.


La Mina older men, ave. age 47.75
Bruce, Dan, Shane, Terry

Bruce 58, karate instructor & high school art teacher
Simi Valley, CA

Fifth degree black belt shotokan karate, has also instructed police officers in the tricky use of the side-handle baton.

Dan 52, retired astronaut
S. Hadley, MA

Attended high school in Louisiana. BS electrical engineering Cornell, Masters and PhD electrical engineering / computer science Princeton. Taught at University of Michigan for a while (offered tenure). Into bioengineering. Dan has spent 734 hours in space on 3 space flights and conducted 4 space walks. (I can't believe they let underachieving slackers like this on Survivor.)

Shane 35, entertainment marketing
Los Angeles, CA

Born and raised in Omaha, NE. Has his own marketing company.

Terry 46, retired Navy fighter pilot
Simsbury, CT

Graduated from the US Naval Academy. Served on the aircraft carriers USS Enterprise (qualified for Officer of the Day duty) and USS Carl Vinson (fighter pilot). Also was a F-14 pilot instructor before retiring to be a commercial pilot for American Airlines.