why does it seem people who win on Survivor are morons?

[saldana]

'Survivor' winner lied to get time off work

Friday, May 26, 2006; Posted: 12:48 p.m. EDT (16:48 GMT)


COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- A former winner on "Survivor" lied to get time off from his job as a state highway worker to join a promotional tour for the reality TV show in Europe last year, an investigation found.

Chris Daugherty, 35, who won the ninth season of the CBS show, filed a false claim that he needed time off because he was under stress and suffering from depression, an Ohio Department of Transportation hearing officer ruled Thursday.

He landed the $1 million prize in 2004 for "Survivor: Vanuatu -- Islands of Fire," but returned to his $34,000-a-year job with ODOT, working on roads in central Ohio.

But Daugherty could face penalties ranging from reprimand to dismissal, ODOT spokesman Andrew Gall said.

"Daugherty's claim that he had an illness which just happened to coincide with his 'Survivor' tour is simply not credible," wrote ODOT chief investigator Les Reel.

After his requests for time off were denied, he submitted a false doctor's excuse saying he was suffering from anxiety and depression and needed a month of medical leave, ODOT's investigation found.

ODOT said Daugherty's initial requests were refused because he had already used all but 29 hours of his vacation days, sick leave and personal time. Officials said he even submitted a request for military leave -- despite never being in the armed services -- because the "Survivor" tour was scheduled to visit a military base in Germany.

ODOT officials said Daugherty acknowledged afterward to investigators that he used the time off to attend the CBS-sponsored "Survivor" tour in Germany and Italy last September 25 through October 8, for which he was paid $8,000. He took an additional two weeks off after the tour before returning to work, ODOT records show.

Thursday evening, Daugherty said that he did not want to comment until consulting with a lawyer.

[Mustang]

They won by manipulating a system to their advantage. Guess it carries over...

[ISiddiqui]

They won by be manipulating a system to their advantage. Guess it carries over...

Beat me to it...

Though I guess their opposition on the show was dumber than their opposition in real life!

[Lorena]

This guy was a big time liar in the game as well. He basically sold his dignity for the million dollars.

[saldana]

This guy was a big time liar in the game as well. He basically sold his dignity for the million dollars.
i agree, he was one of the most undeserving winners i have seen...iirc, that whole season was pretty lousy

[stevew]

I don't know how that highway crew is going to be able to get along, with one less guy watching the rest of the people work.

[Mustang]

I don't know how that highway crew is going to be able to get along, with one less guy watching the rest of the people work.

What if he was the SLOW sign holder? You'll have chaos...

[Maple Leafs]

He makes $700 a week, and had a chance to make $8,000 on a two-week trip around Europe? I can see "jerk", but where does the "moron" part come in?

[Pumpy Tudors]

What if he was the SLOW sign holder? You'll have chaos...
Until a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have known what you meant by this. Now I drive to work on a two-lane highway, and they were doing some work on it a few weeks back. Every day, there was a young lady holding the SLOW sign. She was a cutie. You mean other places don't have cute girls holding the SLOW sign? You might want to move!

[sabotai]

This guy was a big time liar in the game as well. He basically sold his dignity for the million dollars.

How I'd love to be able to sell my dignity for a million dollars....

[sabotai]

Until a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have known what you meant by this. Now I drive to work on a two-lane highway, and they were doing some work on it a few weeks back. Every day, there was a young lady holding the SLOW sign. She was a cutie. You mean other places don't have cute girls holding the SLOW sign? You might want to move!

No.....it's usually a fat guy in his 40s....

[stevew]

Until a couple of months ago, I wouldn't have known what you meant by this. Now I drive to work on a two-lane highway, and they were doing some work on it a few weeks back. Every day, there was a young lady holding the SLOW sign. She was a cutie. You mean other places don't have cute girls holding the SLOW sign? You might want to move!

Yeah, I rubbernecked on some fine lass holding a road sign the other day. Normally they are fat old guys, but this chick was pretty hot.

[Raiders Army]

Yeah, I rubbernecked on some fine lass holding a road sign the other day. Normally they are fat old guys, but this chick was pretty hot.
Somehow they're not as hot to me. All I can picture is the fat old guys gangbanging the hot chick. That kills it for me.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Somehow they're not as hot to me. All I can picture is the fat old guys gangbanging the hot chick. That kills it for me.
I have to watch fat old guys gangbanging a hot chick every Thursday. I guess you just get used to it after a while.

I just got home from work. I need to wash my hands.

[saldana]

He makes $700 a week, and had a chance to make $8,000 on a two-week trip around Europe? I can see "jerk", but where does the "moron" part come in?


i would say this part qualifies for "moron" status, no?

Officials said he even submitted a request for military leave -- despite never being in the armed services -- because the "Survivor" tour was scheduled to visit a military base in Germany

[AlexB]

How I'd love to be able to sell my dignity for a million dollars....

My first thought! Hey - the winner had a low-grade job and had a chance to win $1m? Hell, I might be a little devious given the circumstances ;)

[Bearcat729]

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,19431,00.html?fdnews

"Survivor" Winner Goes to the Dogs

by Natalie Finn
Jul 5, 2006, 6:40 PM PT


Survivor contestants may have to spend weeks living in primitive conditions, but now one has been accused of turning into a real savage.

The winner of Survivor: Thailand was arrested early Tuesday on misdemeanor battery and animal cruelty charges after his wife called Atlanta police to report that her angry other half had shot a puppy with a bow and arrow. He was taken into custody and later released on a $6,000 bond.

Police said that Brian Heidik, 38, fired an arrow at a 12 to 16-week-old shepherd-hound mix named Edgar that had wandered into his yard, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday. The pooch, which was shot below its ribcage, survived the injury.

"You can equate it to seeing a kid going across your property and going and beating the heck out of him," Douglas County Chief Deputy Stan Copeland told the Journal-Constitution.

Heidik, who had compiled a short list of adult film credits under the name David Roth before hoisting the million-dollar Survivor prize, has since stated that he thought he had come across a fox or a coyote.

Heidik's wife, 34-year-old Charmaine Heidik, told police that her estranged husband (the two are currently separated but still living together) had been out with friends the night of the shooting and that she woke up at about 3:30 a.m. to the sound of a dog yelping. She then went to the back porch, saw Heidik shoot the bow and arrow at the pup and then heard the Survivor champ say, "I am tired of stupid dogs on my back porch."

According to Charmaine, she then locked herself, their five-year-old son and another dog that had been wandering outside into one of their bathrooms, where she proceeded to call the police.

That call may have been long overdue. In an interview with authorities on Wednesday, Charmaine said that Heidik had grabbed her by the face and pushed her a few weeks before the animal-related incident.

Charmaine told the Journal-Constitution that since Heidik's Survivor stint he has been "spiraling out of control."

"I don't think he's ever adapted to real life since then," she said. "He thinks he can do anything. He thinks he's invincible."

Unfortunately, you lose your immunity once you leave the island. While Heidik's season of the CBS show was airing, Charmaine was arrested for spousal abuse after allegedly smacking him in the nose. She agreed in December 2002 to enter counseling.

Heidik's more mainstream acting credits include spots on Baywatch Nights and Days of Our Lives. The former North Carolina State football player also spent time as a used-car salesman, utilizing that experience on Survivor to wheel and deal his way into the winner's circle.

[Wolfpack]

The former North Carolina State football player....

If he was ever on the football team, he was a walk-on or something because just about everybody on the State board is going "WHO??"

[JonInMiddleGA]

If he was ever on the football team, he was a walk-on or something because just about everybody on the State board is going "WHO??"

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor5/survivors/bios/brian.shtml

Brian Heidik was born in Burtonsville, Maryland, and attended Paint Branch High School, where he played football and ultimately became an All-State quarterback. Upon graduating, he was recruited by North Carolina State. While in college, he studied finance until a knee injury during his sophomore year ended his football career.

[sachmo71]

back when it was cool to be a skinny quarterback, i guess.

[saldana]

nice...i dont really remember him at all, but it seems that my thread title continues to be accurate.

[kingfc22]

I do not remember this guy at all.

[saldana]

i hope he doesnt try to not wear clothes here....

'Survivor' sent to Oklahoma prison
Lawyer: 'It's bad for Richard, who is an outdoor person'

Monday, July 24, 2006; Posted: 11:09 a.m. EDT (15:09 GMT)


Richard Hatch was convicted of failing to pay taxes on his "Survivor" winnings.
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (AP) -- Richard Hatch has been sent to a federal prison in Oklahoma as he serves a 51-month sentence for failing to pay taxes on the $1 million he won on the debut season of "Survivor."

Hatch, 45, of Newport, Rhode Island, arrived last week at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City.

It wasn't immediately clear why Hatch was moved or whether he will serve out his prison sentence at the facility.

The Oklahoma prison is a hub for prisoners transferring through the federal system.

A federal jury convicted Hatch in January of failing to pay taxes on the "Survivor" prize and other income.

He was sentenced in May to 51 months in prison by a judge who said the reality TV star had lied repeatedly on the witness stand.

Hatch had previously been held at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts.

He would prefer to serve his sentence near family in Rhode Island or in Florida, said his lawyer, Michael Minns.

"He should be in a camp," Minns said. "The camps are the most comfortable of the uncomfortable. They are still jails, but they get to see the sky and be outside.

He added, "It's bad for Richard, who is an outdoor person."

Hatch became known on the CBS show as the "fat naked guy" for refusing to wear clothes.

[Raven Hawk]

The saddest thing that I learned in this thread that there have been at least nine seasons of Survivor. I thought that the well had gone dry after 1.5 seasons . . .

[Lorena]

51 months? Damn, how much did he owe?

[Noble_Platypus]

"He should be in a camp," Minns said. "The camps are the most comfortable of the uncomfortable. They are still jails, but they get to see the sky and be outside.

He added, "It's bad for Richard, who is an outdoor person."

Well, at least Hatch is accostumed to anal sex, so his cloud has a silver lining.

[Lathum]

51 months seems a bit excessive.

[Vince]

The judge said he lied multiple times on the stand. That makes 51 months seem less excessive to me.