A big article in today's local paper. Nothing of Spoiler value...but they did have this great photo. (I hope I posted it correctly)
I'm not sure if I should post the entire article...but since you have to register to read it...I will take the chance on making a newbie mistake and paste the whole thing.
Here is the article:
22-year-old Ventura native Jeff Wilson, a personal trainer, joins 19 others in Palau competition
By Brett Johnson, bjohnson@VenturaCountyStar.com
February 15, 2005
If the clean look -- and we mean really clean -- counts for any points on "Survivor," then Jeff Wilson of Ventura might win this season's edition. That's right, Ventura has its own "Survivor." Wilson, a personal trainer who turned 22 last week, is among 20 contestants vying for the top prize when the 10th season of the show, called "Survivor: Palau," gets under way Thursday night on CBS.
Wilson spent part of his childhood in Ventura before moving to Santa Maria. He moved back to Ventura a couple years ago after graduating from Righetti High School in Santa Maria, said his father, Michael Wilson.
As it turns out, dad was a big fan of the show even before the family connection, citing the typical tropical settings, the struggles the contestants go through trying to survive, and the various conflicts and interactions between them. Now, seeing his son amid that will add layers he can only imagine.
"It's going to be an experience," said the elder Wilson, a 50-year-old mortgage broker in Santa Maria. "I don't know how it's going to go. It could be embarrassing ... but it's only TV."
Mum's the word
As for how long Jeff Wilson lasts, no one's saying -- and the elder Wilson said he doesn't know. The folks over at "Survivor" would not allow an interview, perhaps fearful that he would reveal the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden, unveil the mysteries of the U.S. tax code or, worse yet, divulge the outcome of the show.
"He can't say a word, not even to me," Michael Wilson said. "They have to sign a pretty thick confidentiality agreement."
Actually, of course, they don't want to spoil the fun; after all, a $1 million prize for the winner is at stake along with crucial ratings points and demographics for the network and advertisers. That means everyone has to play along until the season finale on May 15 -- if Jeff Wilson lasts that long.
"Survivor," as devotees know, is the show where contestants get voted off until one remains and is declared the winner. This year, the show starts with 20 people. The list will be trimmed to 17 after the first episode, with more eliminated on succeeding shows until the end. Typically, contestants are dumped into a remote tropical location, in this case the South Pacific archipelago of Palau, a cluster of islands near Guam that saw several World War II battles. The islands that make up Palau are known for their reef life, dense jungles and waterfalls. Physical endurance and challenges are part of the game -- more so than in previous editions, show officials say.
In shape
Jeff Wilson certainly has that part down. Even "Survivor" host Jeff Probst has noticed.
"Jeff is a very physically fit guy," Probst said in a conference call with reporters last week. "You see that in the very first minutes of the show. He's in great shape and seems to be a guy who's not only in great shape but has a good understanding of why he's in good shape and how the body works and nutrition."
Probst also unveiled one of Wilson's habits -- shaving his body, every day in the shower. The host said he asked Wilson about shaving his chest and thighs and added that "Jeff was only too happy to tell us he shaves (his) entire body."
"I said, 'Jeff, the only reason I would shave my entire body is if my woman wanted that from me, and she would have to be one hell of a woman for me to do that,' " Probst recalled. "And he said, 'It has to do with women. They like it.' "
But the women in the room during casting, Probst indicated, said they didn't necessarily prefer hairless men.
Probst also said Wilson has an engaging personality and is fun to be around -- characteristics that might come in handy. Wilson and other participants received no information on the first day about formation of tribes among contestants or how the game would proceed, a wrinkle that Probst said added another twist to the game.
Outdoorsman
The show's format and location suit Jeff Wilson fine, according to his father.
"He's always been an adventurous kid," the elder Wilson said. "He loves to fish, and he's a real water guy."
Jeff loves to hike in the mountains above Santa Barbara, and also kayaks off Ventura. As a kid, the elder Wilson recalled, "every time he had the opportunity he took off -- sometimes scaring his parents." Jeff was born in Santa Barbara, moved to Ventura when he was 3 and stayed until the fourth grade (attending E.P. Foster Elementary School), when the family moved to Santa Maria. His bio on the "Survivor" Web site states that he is a member of the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
The elder Wilson said he and his wife, Shauna, a 50-year-old teacher, watch "Survivor" all the time. As he described it, Jeff would watch the show occasionally but was not as big a fan. Then last summer, Jeff sent in a tape, and CBS responded.
The Wilsons plan to throw a big party for Thursday night's premiere. They will count down like the rest of the "Survivor" viewers and, of course, root for Jeff to continue on. If so, the parties might become regular.
"Hopefully," said Dad, "we will have the opportunity to do a few of these."
http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/television/article/0,1375,VCS_234_3547873,00.html
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