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Know
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| Contestant-related press and rumors |
| Source |
| Amy Bentley-Smith ,
reporting for the Long Beach Gazette |
September 14, 2006: Local press mentions
JP's weight loss from filming (hat tip: Prydefull):
"Local Bartender, Volleyball Coach Becomes 'Survivor'
Can a local volleyball coach and bartender
be a survivor? Only
the upcoming season of Survivor: Cook
Islands will
tell.Tonight (Thursday) is the season premiere of the hit
CBS reality television show, and one of its 20 contestants
is Long Beach resident John 'J.P.' Calderon.
Calderon is not talking about his
fate on the show — his
contract with the producers prohibits him from discussing
the details. But if being athletic is key to winning, Calderon
has as good a chance as anyone, say his co-workers at The
Silver Fox, where he tends bar part time.
'He’s
very in shape,' The Silver Fox manager
John Barnes said. 'I know he is competitive and he
is somebody who is out to win.'
Calderon’s main
competitive outlet has been on the volleyball court. The
30-year-old is a former Long Beach State men’s volleyball
player (1997-98), and after graduating in 2000, served as
assistant coach for the women’s
volleyball team for five years. Currently he is head trainer
for the all-girls Mizuno Long Beach Volleyball Club.
Barnes
said he didn’t know much about Calderon’s
time on Cook Islands but said one thing was evident: Calderon
had lost weight while he was gone. 'Hopefully that means
he lasted a while,' Barnes
said.
Calderon, a Southern California native, having been
born in Santa Monica and raised in Marina del Rey, will be
a member of the Hispanic Tribe. This season’s Survivor divides contestants by race, which has been stirring up controversy
among the show’s fans.
To cheer on Calderon, The Silver
Fox, one of the city’s
most prominent gay bars, will be have its televisions turned
to Survivor each Thursday night beginning with
tonight’s premiere. Survivor airs at
8 p.m. on CBS. 'All of us at the bar are very excited
for him,' Barnes
said."
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August 23, 2006: Officially revealed as a Survivor:
Cook Islands contestant on CBS's The Early Show.
From his official CBS bio:
"Born in Santa Monica, California, John "J.P." Calderon
grew up in Marina del Rey, California. He received a full volleyball
scholarship to California State University, Long Beach, where
he played on a nationally ranked Division I Men's team. He
graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor's Degree in speech communications.
 Calderon
spent five years as an assistant coach for the nationally
ranked Long Beach State University Women's Volleyball team.
He also coached many youth teams to medal at the Junior
Olympics. In 2004, Calderon began a pro-beach volleyball
career. In addition, Calderon is currently co-director and
head trainer for the all-girls Mizuno Long Beach Volleyball
Club. Calderon enjoys being a mentor to kids and hopes to
one day open a sports facility for children. He is also dedicated
to helping young girls receive college volleyball scholarships.
Calderon
is an accomplished swimmer and has been outrigger canoeing
since he was very young. He is a self-proclaimed fitness
fanatic who loves to spend time in the gym, and enjoys
lifting weights, running and hiking. Calderon also does
occasional print and fitness modeling.
Calderon's mother
passed away from breast cancer when he was nine years old
and his father passed away last year from a brain tumor.
Calderon hopes to work with charities and organizations
designed to benefit cancer research.
Calderon currently
resides in Long Beach, California, with his Jack Russell
terrier, Frankie. His birth date is September 5, 1975. "
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