Tom Buchanan
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Born: October 30, 1955
Hometown: Rich Valley, Virginia Occupation: Goat Farmer Seasons: Africa; All Stars Placing: Fourth (Africa); Fifth (All Stars) Tribes: Boran; Samburu (v2); Moto Maji; Chapera; Mogo Mogo (v3); Chaboga Mogo Total Challenge Wins: 18
Days Lasted: 73 Votes Against: 13 Awards: Meal Ticket (Africa); Best Strategic Move (Africa); Bamboozled! (Africa) |
Survivor: Africa
"Big Tom" was well-liked by his Boran tribe for his comical father-like personality and distinct (albeit unintelligible) accent. Despite this, he immediately revealed his bad side after losing the first Immunity Challenge. This was when Clarence Black made a mistake in judgment to eat a whole can of beans (together with Diane Ogden) without the tribe's consensus. Fuming about Clarence's mishap, he decided to vote for Clarence two times (after losing another Immunity Challenge). Nonetheless, Big Tom's comedic demeanor returned in time for the third Immunity Challenge (an SOS signal challenge), where he decided to strip down with a feather between his butt cheeks. This oddly granted them their first immunity win. Tom and the rest of Boran would also be safe for another three days after winning another Immunity Challenge on Day 12. Things were shaken when Tom, together with Kelly Goldsmith and Lex van den Berghe, were asked to "go on a quest," which ended up transferring them to the opposing Samburu tribe, while being replaced by Teresa Cooper, Silas Gaither and Frank Garrison, much to Tom's chagrin, who wanted to go back. Upon reaching the Samburu camp, he and Lex became disappointed of how murky their water hole was. As the former cleaners of Boran's water hole, Lex and Tom found themselves doing their old jobs. After winning the fifth Immunity Challenge, fellow ex-Boran Kelly discovered that Lindsey had past Tribal Council votes. While being targeted by remnants of the younger Samburu alliance, Tom, Lex, and Kelly turn on Lindsey, despite Brandon Quinton's valiant efforts to vote against him instead, because if there was a deadlock tie vote between the ex-Borans and the original Samburus, Lindsey's previous votes were taken into account, thus eliminating her. This was materialized, giving the original Boran tribe a 6-4 voting advantage over the Samburu tribe going into the merge. Despite Teresa's strong strategic game play, the former Samburus still failed to come together as a unified alliance, with Boran successfully eliminated them one by one. Teresa was the last of the Samburu's to be voted out, but not before turning Tom on Lex by telling Tom that Lex was persistent on keeping Brandon in the game beforehand. With only Borans left, Ethan, Lex, and Kim J. felt that Tom's goofiness was just a front to conceal his ulterior strategic motives, and was eliminated in a 3-1 vote. At the Final Tribal Council, Tom felt that Ethan's more congenial personality made him more deserving to win and voted for him.
Voting History
Episode |
Tom Voted For |
Voted For Tom |
1 |
Clarence Black |
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2 |
Clarence Black |
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6 |
Lindsey Richter |
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7 |
Clarence Black |
--- |
8 |
Kelly Goldsmith |
--- |
9 |
Brandon Quinton |
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10 |
Frank Garrison |
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11 |
Individual Immunity |
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12 |
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13 |
Ethan Zohn; Kim Johnson; Lex van den Berghe |
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13 |
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Survivor: All Stars
Tom returned to compete in the Survivor: All-Stars season. In this season, Tom began on the Chapera tribe. Tom joined the existing alliance of Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich. With Rob leading the alliance, Tom was able to play a quiet game and avoid making enemies. Except, there was one tribemate Tom did not get along with was Susan Hawk, and after she quit the game, Tom celebrated by dancing and singing "Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead". However, after a tribal dissolving occurred it brought Rupert Boneham and Jenna Lewis into the tribe, Rob and Amber also formed an alliance with them. After the five players had voted off all of the other competitors, Rob's worries that Tom might betray him caused him to decide to favor his alliance with Rupert and Jenna over his original alliance with Tom. Tom was voted off by the other four on the 36th day. On Day 39, Tom, angry over Rob's betrayal, pretended to hold out his hand and when Rob was about to shake it, Tom pulled his hand back and snapped "Don't be stupid, stupid" and voted for Amber at the Final Tribal Council, which she won in a 4-3 vote. However, Tom eventually forgave Rob at the Reunion Show.
Voting History
Episodes |
Tom Voted For |
Voted For Tom |
4 |
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10 |
--- |
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11 |
--- |
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12 |
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13 |
Individual Immunity |
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14 |
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14 |
For Sole Survivor: Amber Brkich |
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Trivia
- Tom was the first male contestant to finish in fourth place.
- Tom was the lowest ranking contestant from Africa to return.
- Tom is the first male contestant to win individual immunity in two separate seasons.
- On All-Stars, Tom became the 100th person voted out of Survivor.
- Tom lasted the longest on All-Stars without receiving a vote.
- Tom was the highest ranking castaway on All-Stars to not improve on their previous finish.
- Tom held the record for days played over a Survivor career with 73, until the record was broken in Survivor: Micronesia by Amanda Kimmel.
- Tom was strongly considered for Survivor: Heroes vs Villains, but was ultimately not chosen.
- Tom declined the offer to appear on Survivor: Blood vs. Water due to the production of Family Beef.