Lex van den Berghe
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Born: June 18, 1963
Hometown: Palo Alto, California Occupation: Marketing Manager Seasons: Africa; All Stars Placing: Third (Africa); Ninth (All Stars) Tribes: Boran; Samburu (v2); Moto Maji; Mogo Mogo; Chapera (v2); Chaboga Mogo Total Challenge Wins: 16
Days Lasted: 65 Votes Against: 17 Awards: Challenge Beast (Africa); Strategy With A Smile (Africa); Best Strategic Move (Africa); Bamboozled! (Africa; All Stars); Chillin' Like A Villain (Africa); Worst Strategic Move (All Stars) |
Survivor: Africa
Lex was one of the contestants who felt aggravated after the beans fiasco on Day 3, saying that he could not fully trust tribemate Clarence Black. He formed a solid alliance with Tom Buchanan and Ethan Zohn. Even with a Day 13 tribe switch, in which he was switched to the rival Samburu tribe with Tom, Lex remained loyal to their alliance. At their first post-merge Tribal Council, Lex received two votes, one of which came from Clarence. Disturbed, Lex tried to unearth the caster of the second vote. Trusting his gut feeling, he mistakenly accused Kelly Goldsmith of the "mystery vote." Lex persuaded the Boran alliance to turn on Kelly. Not backing down, Kelly switched to the Samburu alliance consisting of Frank Garrison, Kim Powers, Brandon Quinton and Teresa Cooper.. Though Kelly felt safe after joining a new alliance, the Boran alliance managed to convince Quinton to join them, effectively eliminating Goldsmith. Days had passed, and Lex's peculiar demeanor started to grate on his tribemates, especially when boredom set in, leaving them conspiring several plots to oust him. Despite having an alliance to rely on, Lex received the ire of his alliance partners when he tried to save the lazy yet outspoken Brandon over the lonesome and unpopular Frank. With this, Lex's only solution was to win individual immunity. And with three immunity wins, Lex became indispensable. He, along with the rest of the Boran alliance, managed to systematically eliminate the ex-Samburus, leaving Teresa as the last former Samburu on Day 34. Not wanting to leave without a fight, Teresa finally revealed that she was the owner of the "mystery vote" as well as turning Lex on Tom because of the latter's previous attempts to save Brandon, to possibly break their trust. Despite this, Teresa still left the game, leaving the remaining Borans to turn on each other. Teresa's last-minute moves sent the final four castaways into an uproar, with Lex and Tom debating about trust issues. Adding insult to injury, the intended plan of an all-male final three was ruined when Kim Johnson won the Day 37 Immunity Challenge. On Day 38, a stomach upset caused Lex to ultimately forfeit the Final Immunity Challenge. Kim J., perceiving that she couldn't beat either Ethan or Lex at the Final Tribal Council, decided to eliminate Lex, for she deemed that Ethan was more deserving. At the Final Tribal Council, Lex voted for his ally Ethan to win.
Voting History
Episode |
Lex Voted For |
Voted For Lex |
1 |
Diane Ogden |
--- |
2 |
Jessie Camacho |
--- |
6 |
Lindsey Richter Lindsey Richter (Re-Vote) |
--- |
7 |
Clarence Black |
Clarence Black; Teresa Cooper |
8 |
Kelly Goldsmith |
Kelly Goldsmith; Frank Garrison; Kim Powers; Teresa Cooper |
9 |
Frank Garrison |
Individual Immunity |
10 |
Frank Garrison |
Individual Immunity |
11 |
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12 |
Individual Immunity |
|
12 |
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12 |
--- |
Kim Johnson |
13 |
For Sole Survivor: Ethan Zohn |
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Survivor: All Stars
Lex started the game on the Mogo Mogo tribe. He formed close bonds with Kathy Vavrick-O'Brien and Shii Ann Huang, most notably Kathy. Losing Jenna Morasca due to her decision to quit, Mogo Mogo was immune for the first four eliminations. At the next Reward Challenge, the losing tribe would be dissolved into the two remaining tribes. Saboga lost the challenge, and Ethan Zohn and Jerri Manthey were sent to Mogo Mogo. After losing the Immunity Challenge, Lex and his allies voted off Richard.
The new Mogo Mogo tribe continued its losing streak, and Lex approached Jerri about forming an alliance and blindsiding Colby. Jerri was all for it, wanting revenge on Colby from her previous season. He then told Kathy and Shii Ann of the plan. At Tribal Council, Colby was blindsided, and only Ethan voted with him. Continuing their losing streak, Lex broke the news to his friend Ethan that he would be the target at the next Tribal Council. Ethan was upset and asked Lex to vote off Jerri who was less useful in challenges and at camp, but Lex viewed her as an easily controllable pawn. Ethan was still voted off.
A surprising second tribal swap occurred, and the Mogo Mogo tribe was switched to Chapera while Chapera was switched to Mogo Mogo. Only Amber Brkich remained on her original tribe Chapera, which put her on the outside of Lex, Kathy, Shii Ann, and Jerri. After the new Mogo Mogo tribe won immunity, Rob Mariano caught Lex after the challenge and told him that he would take care of him during the merge if he could save Amber at Tribal Council. Lex and Kathy debated keeping Amber or Jerri, and eventually decided to vote Jerri, a loyal ally, out for fear of Rob's wrath and hoping to get further in the game.
Chapera and Mogo Mogo merged, and Rob was overjoyed to see Amber still around. At the Immunity Challenge, one man and one woman were capable of winning. Rob and Kathy won. Before Tribal Council, Rob sat down with Lex and Kathy and told Lex that he would be going home that night at Tribal Council. Lex was furious with Rob and argued with him over friendship and promises, which eventually made Kathy cry. She told Lex she would give him her necklace, but he wanted her to keep it. Rob betrayed Lex and made him the first juror.
At the Final Tribal Council, Lex gave a fiery, hateful speech towards Rob and Amber, saying that the money they win will not buy back the friendships they crushed along the way. He voted for Amber to win out of spite
The new Mogo Mogo tribe continued its losing streak, and Lex approached Jerri about forming an alliance and blindsiding Colby. Jerri was all for it, wanting revenge on Colby from her previous season. He then told Kathy and Shii Ann of the plan. At Tribal Council, Colby was blindsided, and only Ethan voted with him. Continuing their losing streak, Lex broke the news to his friend Ethan that he would be the target at the next Tribal Council. Ethan was upset and asked Lex to vote off Jerri who was less useful in challenges and at camp, but Lex viewed her as an easily controllable pawn. Ethan was still voted off.
A surprising second tribal swap occurred, and the Mogo Mogo tribe was switched to Chapera while Chapera was switched to Mogo Mogo. Only Amber Brkich remained on her original tribe Chapera, which put her on the outside of Lex, Kathy, Shii Ann, and Jerri. After the new Mogo Mogo tribe won immunity, Rob Mariano caught Lex after the challenge and told him that he would take care of him during the merge if he could save Amber at Tribal Council. Lex and Kathy debated keeping Amber or Jerri, and eventually decided to vote Jerri, a loyal ally, out for fear of Rob's wrath and hoping to get further in the game.
Chapera and Mogo Mogo merged, and Rob was overjoyed to see Amber still around. At the Immunity Challenge, one man and one woman were capable of winning. Rob and Kathy won. Before Tribal Council, Rob sat down with Lex and Kathy and told Lex that he would be going home that night at Tribal Council. Lex was furious with Rob and argued with him over friendship and promises, which eventually made Kathy cry. She told Lex she would give him her necklace, but he wanted her to keep it. Rob betrayed Lex and made him the first juror.
At the Final Tribal Council, Lex gave a fiery, hateful speech towards Rob and Amber, saying that the money they win will not buy back the friendships they crushed along the way. He voted for Amber to win out of spite
Voting History
Episode |
Lex Voted For |
Voted For Lex |
5 |
--- |
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7 |
--- |
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8 |
--- |
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10 |
--- |
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11 |
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14 |
For Sole Survivor: Amber Brkich |
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Trivia
- Lex's luxury item in Survivor: Africa was his son's baby shoes.
- After the Merge in Africa, Lex received votes whenever he did not win individual immunity.
- Lex was the first person to win multiple but non consecutive individual Immunity Challenges.
- Lex won the most individual Immunity Challenges in Africa, with 3.
- Lex was the only male contestant from the original Mogo Mogo tribe to make the merge in Survivor: All-Stars.
- Lex holds of the distinction of being the first returning player to be a Jury member more than once.
- Lex was the first castaway who was the first juror in one season and the final juror in another season. He was followed by Kass McQuillen.
- In Survivor: Redemption Island, Jeff Probst referenced Lex's decision of keeping Amber in doing Rob a favor. Steve Wright also brought up Rob's betrayal of Lex after this same favor in an attempt to turn Ometepe against Rob.