1. PERSONAL INFORMATION

First Name: Eric

Last Name: Burton

Nickname (if any):

Street Address: 510 SW 34th St Apt 22

City: Gainesville                                State: Florida         Zip: 32607

Phone Number (home): (352) 376-5318                                (work): (352) 392-1374 Ext. 7258                              (cell):

Fax Number: (877) 569-3351

E-Mail: ericb321@ureach.com

Gender: Male

Interview City (1-10 from list above): Atlanta, GA

Age: 31                Date of Birth: May 6, 1970                   Social Security Number: 478-08-9866

Marital Status / Significant Other:  Single

Married:  ?  If so, how many times?  _____ Divorced:  ?  If so, how many times?  _____

Boyfriend/Girlfriend: Currently unattached (but hoping)

If you have children, please list their names and ages (please list any step children too):

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What is your current occupation? Computer Programmer

In which other occupations, if any, have you been employed (please list the last three (3))?

Camp Counselor

Apple picker

Mail room clerk

What is your level of education and what school(s) did you attend?

I went to Appalachian State University in Boone, NC (about a half hour's drive from Morganton, NC where I attended Freedom High School), then finished my AA at Santa Fe Community College here in Gainesville. I'm hoping my time at the Crisis Center this semester will help me decide what program to apply to at UF.

Name three of your favorite hobbies.

1. Sculpting
2. Juggling, hacky sack
3. Writing

Not including your current place of residence, in which other cities and/or countries have you lived and for what period of time?

I should mention that although I've been in Florida for a few years, I still consider myself very much a Carolina boy, and if I had my druthers ("druthers" is a North Carolina word meaning "million dollars") I'd probably move back.

Place	Amount of time there	Reason
Greensboro, NC	10 years	My stepmom was in medical school -- we went where she needed to go for education, residency, etc.
Durham, NC	1 year	"
Chapel Hill, NC	3 years	"
Burlington, NC	2 years	"
Morganton, NC	3 years	Moved in with my mom and went to high school there.
Boone, NC	3 years	Appalachian State
Gainesville, FL	9 years	Working

Have you been treated for any serious physical or mental illness(es) within the last three years? No

If yes, please describe in detail, citing dates, diagnosis and any on-going problems:

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Please list any allergies you have (medications, food, hay fever, dust, etc.) and your current treatment for them: None

List three adjectives that best describe yourself:

1. Talented
2. Determined
3. Goofy

If you could hold any political office, what would it be and why?

Maybe I'm supposed to be enthusiastic about this, but honestly I find the idea of holding a political office extremely unappealing. I love the idea of our political system, but elected officials should be people who are drawn to politics in a way that I am not.

You know how a lot of kids want to grow up to be President? Well, one time when I was a kid I told my dad, "Dad, when I grow up I want to be just like you." And Dad felt right then what I imagine any dad would feel -- pride in himself, love for his son, and humility at the honor of such unsolicited praise from the innocently sincere mouth of a child. And then I said, "No... no, wait -- I want to be Wonder Woman."

Admittedly she's not my first choice of role models anymore, but I'd still rather be a superhero than a President, or even a mayor.

What is the accomplishment you are most proud of?

I'm proud that I've finally gotten around to volunteering at the local Crisis Center. I'm in the middle of an intensive 6-week training right now, and it has already been a challenging and rewarding experience. I spoke to a man one time who was getting ready to be a counselor at a camp for troubled kids. I asked him why he was doing it, and he said "to see if my heart is as big as I think it is." He is my inspiration for volunteering at the Crisis Center.

And, as a long-time fan of the Reader's Digest joke sections (my identical twin brother Adam and I used to read our grandmother's entire collection every time we came to visit), I tend to mention to people that I got a couple of anecdotes published in there a few years ago. I know that's not so unusual really, but back when I was a kid I couldn't believe that I could get a whole $400 just by sending in a story, so my inner kid was very happy to get my contributions in print. I took my inner kid out to dinner when I got the check.

Do you have pets?

Yes

If so, please list their name and type:

I have a black cat named Midget (she's on the small side even though she's fully grown -- and I didn't name her; she was a pre-owned cat).

Are you a vegetarian or do you eat meat?

I eat meat.

What is your favorite TV Show?

Survivor.

What is your favorite movie?

Comedy: Austin Powers/Leslie Nielsen
Action: anything Jet Li
Sci-Fi: The Matrix
Quirky and heartwarming: Amelie

What is your favorite music to listen to?

Lately I like Big Band music, Steely Dan, They Might Be Giants, and various rap artists.

If you watched SURVIVOR 1, 2 or 3, which previous SURVIVOR contestant did you like most or least?  Why?

I like Colleen the most because she's breathtakingly pretty. I like Ethan for his desire and ability to weather Survivor with his integrity intact. Sean Kenniff's indecisiveness was really annoying. Both Frank and particularly Mike Skupin were too high on themselves. Yeah, double that for Mike. And Richard Hatch was in an entirely different universe of dislike-ability.

Describe your perfect day:

I would love to be a camp counselor again, and if finances were not a concern I'd go back to Vermont for the summer. The camp where I worked carried the Vermont tradition of skinny-dipping a step or two further -- not only was nudity allowed at the lake, it was also allowed in the garden, and the outhouses and showers were unisex. It was a healthy-feeling experience (and not at all "sexually charged" the way my friends suspect) and I benefited from the summer as much as the campers, I am sure. My perfect day would be a cool summer day in Vermont with old and new friends at the camp, giving the kids juggling lessons and joking around with them in the afternoon, and then maybe taking a swim when the afternoon activities were over. Late that night after hanging out in the farmhouse the other counselors and I would take an excruciatingly hot sauna followed by a naked leap into the cold lake, howling in the light of the full moon, and when it was bedtime I'd make the stumbling trek back to my three-walled cabin on the pitch dark hillside and fall into a deep, completely relaxed sleep.

Have you applied to be a participant on a prior edition of Survivor? If so, which one?

Yes, I've applied before -- I applied right after the Outback series aired.

What magazines do you read?

Consumer Reports. And sometimes issues of other magazines when they have Survivor members on the cover.

To which other reality shows, if any, have you applied? 

none

Have you ever been on TV?

Only in the "Hi Mom!" sense, and I don't remember any particular instances.

If so, list the shows and the time periods.

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Do you belong to any affiliations or organizations?

I'm a volunteer at the local Crisis Center.

I'm a member of a men's group which I've attended biweekly for about 8 years.

I'm a member of a writing group.

I have also been discussing terms with a repertory theater in starting up a local chapter of "No Shame Theatre", something my identical twin brother Adam participates in up in Iowa (he's on their Board of Directors). I was in a skit with him last time I went to Iowa City and want to get the same thing going here because it was so fun.

As an aside, my twin and I have sometimes considered joining twin-related organizations or visiting Twinsburg, Ohio for the yearly twin festival, but I guess we're identically slow about it. We have registered with a couple of research groups because he is gay and I am straight.

In other respects we remain similar (both of our parents work in psychology-related fields, so you can ask them about the nature-nurture stuff).

Are you a member of SAG or AFTRA?

No

Do you have any body art ( piercing, tattoo, etc. )?

No

If so, please describe:

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What is your favorite sport?

To watch: football & basketball. To play: racquetball

Who is your hero and why?

My hero is a sort of modern performance artist: Eric from www.emotioneric.com. I think of him because he had an original and fun idea, put it on the web and got a lot of attention, and still has not succumbed to the temptation to make a profit from it (all proceeds go to charity). I admit, I envy the originality of his idea, and I admire his refusal to make a profit even though his project has become so successful; I don't really know the reason behind his choices, but to me that comes across as a decision to keep his work in the category of "art for art's sake," and as an artist that is what I admire.

List three (3) items you would take with you to the remote location, if allowed and why?

1. A blank book and pen/pencil so I can write and draw (and take note of my tribe-mates' personal details for later challenges)
2. A toothbrush and toothpaste so I won't offend my tribe-mates while I'm whispering to them.
3. A boomerang so I can learn to hunt with it.

What would be the craziest, wildest thing you would do for a million dollars?

For a million dollars I would cross the Grand Canyon on a zip line.

What would you NOT do for a million dollars?

I wouldn't bring irreparable physical or emotional harm to myself or another person. I would risk harm to myself, yes, but not do something that would make irreparable harm absolutely inevitable.

What is your favorite topic of conversation at a dinner party? What topics are off limits?

My favorite topics are interesting scientific theories/breakthroughs, and funny things that happened to people. My least favorite topics are politics and intense geek-talk. Especially geek-talk. There is nothing so boring and annoying as uber-geeks competetively demonstrating their knowledge of the esoterics of network administration during a perfectly good social gathering.

Have you ever been arrested?

Yes

If so, what was the charge(s) and were you convicted?

I was just a kid! I was going to take a traffic sign but got caught. The charge was "tampering", to which I pleaded no contest, and since I was only 16 I got a warning and community service.

What skills do you bring to SURVIVOR that would make you a useful member of the group?

I keep looking for solutions even (especially?) when someone else thinks a thing can't be done. I have great determination and willpower. I am physically dexterous, with experience in martial arts (Cuong Nhu, Tai Chi, Kung Fu) and juggling, and I have an artist's eye for detail. My mom dated an Outward Bound instructor for 10 years of my childhood, so I got a lot of early exposure to camping, canoeing, hiking, and some rock climbing, and I feel comfortable and at peace when I'm surrounded by only the elements. Those skills and sentiments were reinforced during my summer in Vermont as a counselor at Tamarack Farm, a Farm & Wilderness camp near Plymouth, VT.

My experience as a camp counselor (during which time I was also the guy who organized campers into dishwashing crews after meals) also gave me a good feel for my ability to work within and lead groups, and I am confident in those skills, which I use in the office environment on a regular basis. The bottom line is that I will be evaluating and actively contributing to the decisions of the group, rather than blindly following any self-appointed or "elected" leader in a direction that appears detrimental to our survival as a tribe.

Regarding challenges, between skydiving (twice), facing the sifu of my old Kung Fu school (a few times), and receiving a sometimes quite painful form of acupuncture each month, I know how to "feel the fear and do it anyway."

And on a different tack, my dad used to fast occasionally for spiritual reasons and I would often join him, so I'm accustomed to consciously and intentionally dealing with the sensation of hunger, which I know will be dragging down the spirits of the tribe if we can't immediately establish a food source. That will leave me requiring less from the group in one of the most difficult situations, which will help. I know that there will be many situations which I cannot predict, but no matter what happens I will make sure that the group benefits from my presence.

What types of people would you choose to have with you on SURVIVOR?

It would be nice to have people there with whom I can connect and develop friendships. To me, that means people who are kind and honorable even if they want to win a million dollars. Survivor is a grueling experience, and emotional support can go a long way in that kind of situation..

What types of people would you choose NOT to have with you on SURVIVOR?

My initial thought is that I wouldn't want to have somebody like Richard Hatch in my tribe, but in fact I would enjoy getting rid of a guy like him. The kind of person I least want with me on Survivor is someone who is willing and able to fool me into thinking they are sincere when they really aren't.

If you were stranded, who would you most want to be stranded with?

The first priority would be that it be someone who could help hunt and gather food. If that person happened to be an attractive and available woman who enjoyed my company, that would be great. Barring such great fortune, I'd settle for the Crocodile Hunter, cause I figure he could keep me from stepping on anything that might get mad at me.

What is your primary motivation for being on the show? What is your secondary motivation for being on the show?

Fame and fortune, and I'm not really sure about the order.

Why do you believe that you could be the final Survivor?

Aside from being physically and mentally capable, I am socially and emotionally capable, and that is a tremendous survival skill. Without the love of the tribe, the individual dies. I see myself as a likeable and caring person, and I believe in being there for people. A fortunate side effect of that sincere trait is that people learn to trust me, and I feel that that, my physical ability, and my wits will keep me in the game till the end. Beyond that, I have my heart set on the prize. It would be impossible for me to give less than my absolute best performance for the challenge of Survivor.

Once when I was in Vermont a few of us hiked through the rain to another camp that was in the same family as the farm-based camp where I worked, and we attended a "naming ceremony" in which some of the campers were given new names which were intended to reflect their best qualities. That night, in preparation for the ceremony, a bonfire about 20 feet in diameter was built, and people were instructed to step around it to the beat of the drums, lifting their knees as high as they could with each step, and to stop moving each time the drums stopped. Whenever someone failed to stop or lost their balance when the drums fell silent, they were taken from the circle. I felt myself go into a trance, in the background hoping that I would be the last, but in the foreground simply moving and stopping with the beat of the drums. Out of about 60 people I was the last one dancing. I had to be told that it was over; I felt like I could have gone on forever.

I know that I can win Survivor.

What is the closest airport to your home?

GNV, the Gainesville Regional Airport

Are you available to be a contestant in a future SURVIVOR program if you are not selected as a contestant in this SURVIVOR program?
If so, are there any time periods in which you would not be available?

Yes, I am available. Now and in the future.

Please read, sign and date the following statement:

I hereby acknowledge that: (i) I have read, and I meet and agree to be bound by, the eligibility requirements; (ii) I have answered the previous questions honestly and accurately; (iii) if any of the above information is found to be false, this will be grounds for my dismissal from the SURVIVOR contestant selection process, and/or from the SURVIVOR contest, if selected; (iv) even if I meet the eligibility requirements, the Producers have no obligation to interview me, and/or select me as a contestant; (v) even if I am selected as a contestant, Producers have no obligation to conduct the contest and CBS has no obligation to broadcast it, even if conducted and (vi) all decisions by Producers concerning selection of the contestants is final and not subject to challenge or appeal.

Signature:_________________________________________________

Date:____________________________________________________

PLEASE SIGN AND DATE THE FOLLOWING NAME AND LIKENESS RELEASE.
By submitting this application I hereby consent to the recording, use and reuse by the Producers of the Program (defined below) and CBS Broadcasting Inc. and any of their respective licensees, assigns, parents, subsidiaries, divisions, business units, or affiliated entities and each of their respective employees, agents, officers and directors (collectively "Releasees") of my voice, actions, likeness, name, appearance and biographical material (collectively "Likeness") in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity, in or in connection with the reality based television series currently entitled SURVIVOR (the "Program"). I agree that Releasees may use all or any part of my Likeness, and may alter or modify it, regardless of whether or not I am recognizable. I further agree that Releasees exclusively own all right, title, and interest in and to the application video that I have provided in connection with the Program (the "Video") and all rights therein and thereto including, without limitation, the right to use the Video and my Likeness in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. I further agree that Releasees may use my Likeness and the Video in connection with any promotion, publicity, marketing or advertisement for the Program in any manner whatsoever. I grant the rights hereunder whether or not I am selected to participate in the Program. I release Releasees from any and all liability arising out of its use of my Likeness and/or the Video. I agree not to make any claim against Releasees as a result of the recording or use of my Likeness and/or the Video (including, without limitation, any claim that such use invades any right or privacy and/or publicity).

I have signed this release on the _________ day of__________________________, 2002

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