Month: August 2009

Mike Borassi
Age: 62
Hometown: Marina del Ray, CA
Occupation: Personal Chef

CBS Bio
This California transplant, originally from New York, will do or say anything to become the next SURVIVOR. After a career as a college football coach at Boston University in the 1970’s and over 30 years in the food industry, he currently works as a personal chef.

Married without children, he enjoys gardening, reading, working out and spending time with friends. He is funny, dependable and quiet, yet, he is never afraid to tell it like it is. He can’t stand bad drivers, republicans or bigots and admits that the easiest way to make him angry is to move around his kitchen equipment.

At 62 years old, he has been preparing for his experience on SURVIVOR by working out with a personal trainer on a daily basis and has lost over 30 pounds in preparation for his chance at the million dollar prize. A true SURVIVOR fan, he has watched every single episode from the very beginning and came close to being part of the cast last season. His strategy includes remaining cooperative and low-key so the “stupid, cocky ones self-destruct.” Rather than making aggressive moves, he plans to allow his leadership qualities to emerge naturally which may mask the fact that he can, at times, be competitive and almost predatory.

Mike resides in Marina del Rey, Calif. and his birthday is March 13.

Mick Trimming
Age: 33
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Doctor

CBS Bio
Smart, funny, charming and a doctor, Mick is every single woman’s dream and every single man’s nightmare. At 33 years old, this Idaho import is a resident anesthesiologist at UCLA who takes great pride in his intense occupation. He is highly motivated to do whatever it takes to win the million dollar prize in order to pay off the hundreds of thousands that he owes in student loans.

Involved in an all consuming residency life, Mick’s pet peeve is when patients, who have neglected their health throughout their whole lives, come to him with extraordinary demands. With all of the stress in his life, he candidly describes his perfect day being one where he is able to sleep in until 7:30 (or maybe 8:00) a.m. In addition to reading trade magazines, he enjoys the Wall Street Journal, Time Magazine and the ones hidden underneath his mattress.

A man of humor, another one of Mick’s pet peeves is when people cannot admit they are wrong. He also admits that the quickest way to get him angry is to throw dirt clods at him. Definitely a conversationalist, topics that are off limits to Mick are ridiculous situations that people find themselves in, and he absolutely refuses to talk about the sexual escapades of people’s grandparents.

In addition to his desire to pay off student loans, he hopes to buy a vacuum cleaner with the winnings. Oddly enough, the wildest thing he would do to win would be to “give a homeless person a tongue bath” but he would never go as far as disabling someone … well at least not permanently.

Currently, Mick resides in Los Angeles, Calif. His birthday is May 10th.

Marisa Calihan
Age: 26
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Occupation: Student

CBS Bio
Marisa Calihan is no stranger to surviving off the land. This 1st generation Appalachian was born on a farm in Ohio and learned many of her survival skills from her father. Growing up with eight siblings, in a blended family with many adopted children, Marisa learned from an early age how to take care of herself. “I am paying my own way through school and have been on my own since I was 17.”

Aside from her early roots in farming, Marisa also has experience working in third world conditions. While abroad, she worked with street children in poor countries with no plumbing or running water and it changed her life. Although after eight years of being a free spirit and living abroad in such places as El Salvador and Spain, Marisa returned home to go back to school and help take care of her family.

For Marisa, the money would go a long way in making her family’s lives better and helping her achieve a few long term goals. “There are so many things I can do if I just had a nest egg to start with. I won’t have to fight tooth and nail for everything, if I just had a little bit of money.”

Resourceful and creative, Marisa believes she has what it takes to persevere and become the sole SURVIVOR.

Marisa is single and currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her birth date is July 26th.

Laura Morett
Age: 39
Hometown: Salem, OR
Occupation: Office Manager

CBS Bio
Laura Morett is a 39-year-old Hawaiian mother, wife of 21 years and also a grandmother. Her beauty is complimented by the fact that one of her occupations is fitness instructor, which helps her stay in shape and gives her the energy to keep up with her three kids and two-year-old grandchild. When she is not spending time with her family, working out or riding her Harley, this conservative Christian is running the lobby message center at the Oregon State Capitol building for over 400 lobbyists.

Similar religious and political beliefs, as well as the fact that her daughter had a child at 18, has Laura referring to herself as a, “fit version of Sarah Palin.” Laura enjoys listening to Christian music and is studying women’s ministry. In addition, Laura counsels couples in her church based on her experiences in a long-lasting marriage with a man she describes as her other half.

Determined and competitive, she freely admits that she wants to win SURVIVOR for the money but in doing so claims that she would never do anything to compromise her faith to get it.

Currently, Laura resides in Salem, Ore. and her birthday is July 30th.

Kelly Sharbaugh
Age: 25
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Hairstylist

CBS Bio
A free-spirit with an edgy twist, Kelly prefers to take life as it comes and embrace the unknown. Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, she now lives in Southern California, arriving there after one of many cross-country treks.

Self-described as spontaneous and passionate in her desire to live life to the fullest, Kelly makes her living as a hairstylist, which fuels her creative side.
As homage to her outlook on life, she has chosen to place fairly permanent markings on her body that represent some facets of her personality and life. Among her multiple tattoos are the words “cuidado” (Spanish for “careful”) on her forearm and “trouble” on her left foot.

Her unconventional life experiences and choices have resulted in a positive outlook on life and her belief in the power to change. She feels that making small attainable goals end up contributing to the greater good which is, ultimately, what she wants to do. Her open and straightforward communication style allows her to delve into the deeper meaning of life and provide insight to those closest to her.

With a highly addicting and sociable personality, Kelly is certain she will stand out in the game of SURVIVOR.

Kelly resides in both San Diego and West Hollywood Calif. and her birthday is December 26th.

John Fincher
Age: 25
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Occupation: Rocket Scientist

CBS Bio
John Fincher claims “winning” is his favorite hobby, and because of that he should have no problem playing the game of SURVIVOR. Being a rocket scientist probably will not hurt his chances either. This charmingly cocky genius believes he possesses the analytical skills necessary to take him far in the game while helping him create a mastermind strategy. In addition to brains, he is a former semi-pro soccer player, who is also going to pose a physical threat in the game.

Fincher says that he is at his best during high pressure situations and times of complete chaos. He finds idiots or “unskilled” people amusing, and has no problem telling them to their face. John has traveled extensively in South America, Europe, South Africa, and Canada, and he plans to use his experience of dealing with people from diverse backgrounds to his best advantage.

John is no stranger to creating conflict and thinks it could work to his advantage in the game. Although, John also believes his good looks and charm will help even out his aggressive personality, especially with the ladies. He also will not apologize living a privileged life and claims that he will party his way around the world with his winnings.

John resides in Santa Monica, Calif. His birth date is August 16th.

Jaison Robinson
Age: 28
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Occupation: Law Student

CBS Bio
Both physically and mentally prepared for the game of SURVIVOR, Jaison is a very educated 28-year-old, who is currently working on his law degree from the University of Chicago. Before deciding to obtain his undergraduate degree from Stanford University, this goal-oriented academic was given a congressional nomination to attend both the Air Force and the Naval Academy. Even though Jaison chose a route other than the military, he still contemplates one day working in the armed forces in order to serve his country.

In addition to his current focus on education, this Eagle Scout is extremely active. Named “Mr. California” by Cosmopolitan magazine, Jaison is also an avid sports lover and enjoys basketball, football and hiking – he has even scaled the top of Venezuela’s Angel Falls, the highest waterfall in the world. He also feels that one of his greatest achievements is making the U.S. National Water Polo team. In addition to his love for physical activities, Jaison plays both the piano and the cello.

He dreams of waking up to the view atop Mount Everest and boasts that, for a million dollars, he would snowboard all the way down. His favorite board game, “Diplomacy,” gives a bit of insight as to how he plans to play SURVIVOR. Much like SURVIVOR, “Diplomacy” is a strategy game that uses communication, negation and deception in order to win. Even though he plans to use positive elements such as strength and intellect to win, he will not hesitate to betray others if it wins him the title of Sole Survivor.

Jaison resides in Chicago, Ill. His birthday is September 25th.

Erik Cardona
Age: 28
Hometown: Ontario, CA
Occupation: Bartender

CBS Bio
Proud womanizer, Erik claims that he can date four to five women at the same time without any issues. He has no qualms about chasing after a taken woman (as long as she is not married) just for the fun of the chase. He says, “There’s nothing sweeter than taking another man’s goods.” His top hobby is skirt chasing. Even though he can be found chasing multiple women at once, he says that he does have a special female in his life … his dog, Adrian.

Erik holds two degrees from Pepperdine University in Psychology and Sociology but has chosen a career as a bartender. When asked why he has chosen that specific career route, he explains that he likes waking up around 10:00 a.m. and running on the beach instead of being stuck pencil-pushing in a cubicle. He says that he enjoys life while the “sell-outs” do not.

He greatly admires his father because he has sacrificed everything in life for him. In raising him, Erik observed his father’s mental and physical strength as well as endurance for raising an active boy. He feels that his father’s example has provided him with tools that will help him win this game. In addition to his father’s influence, Erik is self-motivated by his competitive nature and desire to prove to himself that he has what it takes to be the next Sole Survivor.

Currently, Erik resides in Los Angeles, Calif. His birth date is April 13th.