CBS Reveals ‘Survivor: Guatemala’ Players

Although Big Brother still has ten people remaining and Rock Star: INXS has eight more potential singers left, CBS is already looking forward to Survivor: Guatemala, which premieres September 15, and has revealed its sixteen contestants. Yes, 16 – while we have gotten used to more players in recent seasons, it looks like they may be going back to basics. Or is there something we don’t know? Let’s take a look at the players.

Amy O’Hara is a 39-year-old police sergeant detective in the major crimes unit in Revere, Massachusetts – where she was born and raised. In fact, she is the first female sergeant in the history of the Revere police department. There is also a note indicating she once played professional football, but no further explanation on that – though she definitely enjoys physical sports. Amy believes she can motivate her team on Survivor and also knows how to convince people to do things. I, however, wonder if she will be able to bring herself to lie in the way that is usually necessary in this game.

Blake Towsley is 24 and both a commercial real estate broker and a model. Of course. He was born in San Francisco, grew up in Tulsa, and now lives in Dallas. Blake has been a president of every organization he’s been part of (though it’s unclear if that’s one or 20). He thinks he’ll win because he is “so competitive it’s ridiculous,” but admits he isn’t the kind of person to scheme and backstab. Actually, that really does not sound like a recipe for winning.

Brandon Bellinger is a 22-year-old farmer/rancher from Manhattan, Kansas, where he was born and raised. He enjoys a variety of physical activities and claims to be fearless. Not much more to say about Brandon at this time.

Brian Corridan is also 22, but is listed as an “Ivy League Student” from New York City. However, this bio indicates that he just graduated – from Columbia – with a degree in psychology. Brian was the valedictorian of his class and has a degree in psychology – so I’m thinking that he may be pretty good in the mind games department. As I read through the rest of his bio, it appears he’s thinking along the same lines, because he talks about leaving his ethics at the door and just breaking loose with the psychological mind games to cheat, steal, and flirt. Brian also says he has studied the game since he was 17, he has written papers on the game, and he knows how to manipulate people. Sounds like he has some potential – though I do have to wonder how many patients he’ll get as a psychologist if he really lets loose with that kind of behavior on national TV!

Brianna Varela is 21 and has been dancing since she was a young girl. However, now she works as a makeup artist at an upscale department store. Brianna believes that her ability to use a Hawaiian sling and be creative when cooking will help her in the game. I, on the other hand, doubt it.

Brooke Struck is listed as a law student at Pepperdine University in California, but once again we see that she actually has graduated already. At 26, Brooke describes herself as athletic and intelligent, and thinks this will help her in the game. I guess we’ll see…

Cindy Hall is a 31-year-old zookeeper in Florida who has an identical twin sister. She has been a fan of Survivor since Australia and has applied four times. She looks and is describes as being athletic, but it’s unclear how she will play the mental part of the game.

Danni Boatwright is a former beauty queen, having competed for Kansas in the 1992 Miss Teen USA competition – she came in third. She moved on to the Miss USA pageant in 1996 where she came in second. She has also been a model, but is now 30 and a sports radio talk show host in Tonganoxie, Kansas. (So she went from totally using her looks to having a job where nobody can see her.)

Speaking of sports, we have Gary Hogeboom, former NFL quarterback for the Cowboys, Colts, Cardinals, and Redskins. At 46, Gary looks much older in his Survivor picture than I would have expected (ah well, everybody ages), and is most recently a real estate developer. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Gary and Danni team up, since she is so into sports.

Jamie Newton is another identical twin (uh oh) this season. He was born and raised in Douglas, Georgia, but is now a water ski instructor in North Hollywood, California – of course, he is considering going into acting, too. In college, he was the regional champion wrestler, so he definitely has some physical ability. And he seems to think he has an “uncanny ability to read and connect with people” (so says his bio). I have a gut feeling that points in the opposite direction, though.