S2: Australian Outback
S25: PhilippinesChallenges: MPF percentile
NA
Seasons: 2 | Days: 56 | Wins: 0 | Final Three: 1
- Survivor 2: The Australian Outback (2001) - 11th place, 6th out.
- Medically removed after falling into a fire in Episode 6, "Trial By Fire" (Day 17).
- Survivor 25: Philippines (2012) - 2nd place (tie), one jury vote.
- Received 1 jury vote, to tie for second (6-1-1), in Episode 14, "Million Dollar Question" (Day 39).
| Challenge stats | Tribal council stats | Jury stats | Overall stats | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | ChW | ChA | ChW% | VFB | VAP | TCA | TC% | wTCR | JVF | TotJ | JV% | SurvSc | SurvAv |
| S2: The Australian Outback | 0.97 | 1.53 | 0.64 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0.57 | 1.87 | - | - | - | 1.21 | 1.84 |
| S25: Philippines | 4.05 | 13.36 | 0.30 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0.75 | 5.25 | 1 | 8 | 0.13 | 1.18 | 10.05 |
| Career | 5.02 | 14.88 | 0.34 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0.72 | 4.33 | 1 | 8 | 0.13 | 1.12 | 7.21 |
Mike Skupin - Performance ranks
Tribal: VFB% percentile
94%
Tribal: rVAP percentile
64%
Challenges: MPF percentile
74%
Tribal: VFB% percentile
77%
Tribal: rVAP percentile
94%
Performance ranks are a quick visual measure of the contestant's season vs. historical data from all prior contestants, in three basic (scorable) categories:
1. Performance in individual challenges (MPF), as a measure of "physical game";
2. Ability to vote people out consistently (VFB%, or VFB/TCA), or "strategic game"; and
3. Ability to avoid being voted against (rVAP, or TCA-VAP) - which scales better than a percentage would - for "social/strategic game."
See also: Full glossary for all these abbreviations.
Mike Skupin - Challenge record
Tribal/team challenge record (6-for-10):
- Australian Outback, Ep. 1 RC/IC: "Bridge the Gap" - Kucha manages to capsize its raft, and loses.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 2 RC: "Butch Cassidy" - Kucha loses again, thanks to slow, slow Rodger.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 2 IC: "Tucker'd Out" - Kucha wins on the tie-breaker, thanks to Kimmi.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 3 RC: "Water Torture" - Mike's stick breaks, then Kucha loses on the tie-breaker.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 3 IC: "Lock Step" - Kucha wins, narrowly.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 4 RC: "Master Mind" - Kucha wins chickens, in about thirty seconds on a slide puzzle.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 4 IC: "True or Falls" - Scores the first point as Kucha wins again.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 5 RC: "Triage" - Carries from the start, Kucha wins.
- Australian Outback, Ep. 5 IC: "The Maze" - Kucha, with two extra people in tow, loses big (5-2).
- Australian Outback, Ep. 6 RC: "Blind Leading the Blind" - Paired with Elisabeth, and belatedly, Kucha wins.
Individual challenge record (0-for-0):
- The Australian Outback: None.
Hero challenge/ duel record (0-for-0):
- The Australian Outback: None.
Tribal/team challenge record (4-for-11; 2 2nds; 1 sit-out):
- Philippines Ep. 1 RC/IC: "Share the Wealth" - Does rowing stage, Tandang then blows the lead, ends up second (2nd*/3).
- Philippines Ep. 2 RC/IC: "Manila Folders" - Hauler. Tandang 1st (1st/3).
- Philippines Ep. 3 RC/IC: "Deep In Thought" - Dives, gets bloody. Tandang second (2nd*/3).
- Philippines Ep. 4 RC/IC: "Swing Break" - Competes, Tandang wins (1st/3).
- Philippines Ep. 5 RC: "Idol Hands" - Beats Penner with a creative statue toss, Tandang wins.
- Philippines Ep. 5 IC: "Thrash, Splash & Bash" - Competes again. Tandang wins.
- Philippines Ep. 6 RC: "Bog Roll" - Lead negotiator as Tandang surrenders.
- Philippines Ep. 6 IC: "Philiping Out" - Finally sits out, Tandang still wins.
- Philippines Ep. 8 RC: "Catch of the Day" - Part of losing team (with Carter, Pete, Artis, Abi-Maria).
- Philippines Ep. 9 RC: "Muddy Waters" - Part of losing team again (with Pete, Artis, Lisa).
- Philippines Ep. 10 RC: "Snare the Drum" - New partners, another team loss (with Denise, Penner, Lisa).
Individual challenge record (3-for-11): (Mean % finish: 65.1%)
- Philippines Ep. 7 IC, "Wrist Assured" - Out first for the men (7th/7).
- Philippines Ep. 8 IC, "Snake in the Grass" - Eliminated (by inches) in first stage (4th/10).
- Philippines Ep. 9 IC: "Paddle Out" - Wins immunity, miles ahead of everyone else (1st/9).
- Philippines Ep. 10 IC: "Push Your Luck" - Narrowly loses to Carter at the final knot (2nd/8).
- Philippines Ep. 11 IC: "Brains and Brawn" - Missed one trivia question, eliminated in 2nd stage (tie-4th/7).
- Philippines Ep. 12 RC: "Mud Slinging" - Does not win reward, but gets to spend the day with his son (tie-2nd/6).
- Philippines Ep. 12 IC: "Fish and Game" - Does well on the fishing part, but not well enough to win (tie-3rd/6).
- Philippines Ep. 13 RC: "Sliders" - Narrowly wins, 5 rings hooked to Malcolm's 4 (1st/5).
- Philippines Ep. 13 IC: "One Track Mind" - Early lead, but stuck on the maze puzzle at the end (tie-2nd/5).
- Philippines Ep. 14 RC: "Dragon Slayer" - Loses, not close on the puzzle (4th/4).
- Philippines Ep. 14 IC: "The Ball Drop" - Wins, despite Malcolm's "advantage" (1st/4).
Hero challenge/ duel record (0-for-0):
- Philippines: None.
Career totals - challenges
| Wins: | 10 |
| 2nd place: | 2 |
| Played: | 21 |
| Win%: | 0.52 |
| Sat out: | 1 |
| Wins: | 3 |
| Played: | 11 |
| Win%: | 0.27 |
| Mean % Finish: | 65.1% |
| Wins: | 0 |
| Played: | 0 |
| Win%: | - |
| Mean % Finish: | - |
Mike Skupin - Tribal Council record
Idols held/played: (0/0)
- The Australian Outback: None.
VFB - Votes for the person booted (2/2):
| Tribal | Voted | Boot (totals) | VFB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep1 | Debb | Debb Eaton (voted out, 7-1) | Yes |
| Ep5 | Kimmi | Kimmi Kappenberg (voted out, 6-1) | Yes |
| 2 | TOTALS | 2 | |
VAP - Votes against (0):
- The Australian Outback: None.
Jury votes made (0/0):
- The Australian Outback: None.
Idols held/played (0/0):
- Philippines: None.
VFB - Votes for the person booted (6/8):
| Tribal | Voted | Boot (totals) | VFB? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep7 | Penner | RC Saint-Amour (idoled out, [0]-4-2) | - |
| Ep8 | Jeff | Jeff Kent (voted out, 5-4-1) | Yes |
| Ep9 | Artis | Artis Silvester (voted out, 5-4) | Yes |
| Ep10 | Abi-Maria | Pete Yurkowski (idoled out, [0]-3-2) | - |
| Ep11 | Penner | Jonathan Penner (voted out, 4-3) | Yes |
| Ep12 | Carter | Carter Williams (voted out, 5-1) | Yes |
| Ep13 | Abi-Maria | Abi-Maria Gomes (voted out, 4-1) | Yes |
| Ep14 | Malcolm | Malcolm Freberg (voted out, 3-1) | Yes |
| 8 | TOTALS | 6 | |
VAP - Votes against (0):
- Philippines: None.
Jury votes receiv ed (1/8):
- Philippines, Ep. 14: Received one jury vote, from Carter Williams (but lost, 6-1-1).
Career totals - Tribal Council
| Idols found: | 0 |
| Idols played: | - |
| Votes voided: | - |
| VFB: | 6 |
| Tribals: | 8 |
| VAP: | 0 |
| Made: | 0 |
| For winners: | - |
| Received: | 1 |
| Total jurors: | 8 |
Mike Skupin - Pictures
-
The Australian Outback intro shot -
The Australian Outback intro shot -
The Australian Outback intro shot (Louder Than Bombs edition -
The Australian Outback intro shot (en fuego edition -
On the plane, S2 opening sequence -
Deboarding the plane -
Hometown intro shot -
The tribes begin the hike to their camps -
Splashing hands in the water: Foreshadowing? -
Complimenting his own leadership in setting up the shelter -
Enjoying some late-night yelling by Kimmi -
Sigh. Kimmi. -
Listening to the Ep1 RC/IC treemail -
Heading out to the first challenge -
Kucha arrival, Ep1 RC/IC -
Pre-challenge lineup -
Kucha trailing -
Whoops -
Trying to right the raft -
Kucha reaches the beach, far too late -
Kucha heads to the Ep1 Tribal Council -
Kucha, Ep1 Tribal -
Listening to Probst -
Talking to Probst -
So long, Debb -
Explaining his unasked-for early-morning rice bonanza as helping the tribe, early Ep2 -
Kucha eats the rice Mike cooked -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep2 RC -
Kucha eventually hauls its crate onto the beach -
Plotting to make himself indispensible by catching food -
Kucha thanks God for making Mike the leader -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep2 IC -
Facing off vs Maralyn in the first gross food item -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep3 RC -
Standoff still going... -
Right before the stick breaks, sending the Ep3 RC to a tiebreaker -
Starting line, Ep3 IC -
Kucha hits the water -
Kucha wins immunity! Ep3 IC -
Collapsing on the victory table -
Overseeing Kucha's pointless chicken coop construction project, Ep4 -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep4 RC -
Kucha works the slide puzzle -
Kucha wins chickens. Yay, etc. -
Planning an early-morning chicken kill, to keep the tribe fed -
Discussing the chickens with Nick and Rodger -
Finally getting around to killing a chicken, with Rodger -
Mmm, tastes like chicken -
There's a pig. In the camp. -
Just killed a pig on national TV -
Discussing butchering options with Rodger -
Doing his best to leave the game full -
A man and his butchering -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep4 IC -
Listening to Probst -
Ready to go, first question vs. Mitchell -
Alicia gets it right, and Kucha wins, Ep4 IC -
I *warned* Kimmi, for her own self-preservation, not to get too attached to the chickens. Early Ep5 -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep5 RC -
Carrying Elisabeth -
Kucha wins reward! -
Kucha bathes. Even Kimmi. -
Pre-challenge lineup, Ep5 IC -
Kucha... trailing -
Talking with Kimmi about the vote -
Foreshadowing? Ep5 Tribal Council -
Claiming everyone else is also a leader -
Getting too close to the candles in a rainstorm, early Ep6 -
The longer I'm out here, the more I want to be out here -
Another unnecessary shot of Skupin leaning over the fire -
Let's kill the chickens, so they don't eat all our chicken feed -
Starting line, Ep6 RC -
Carrying water -
Kucha races to the finish line -
Kucha wins reward! -
Enjoying some Doritos -
Back at camp, just caught fish. Trouble looms. -
He's hurt -
Medical is on its way -
Kucha tries to comfort Mike -
Medical help arrives -
Bandaged up, getting checked out -
You know what to do, guys. You know what to do.
-
Philippines intro shot -
Philippines intro shot -
Philippines pre-game interview -
Pre-game interview -
Returnee introductions -
Day 1, with the raft -
Early camp shot -
Waiting for the first IC -
Diving in, Ep1 IC -
Directing the Tandang puzzle -
Group hug after second-place finish, Ep1 IC -
Hauling sleds, Ep2 RC/IC -
More hauling -
Puzzle retrieval, Ep3 RC/IC -
Bleeding -
Post-wounding, in camp -
Malcolm joins the tribe, also: cookies -
Partially visible in the mud, Ep6 RC -
In the process of losing, Ep8 RC -
Losing again, Ep9 RC -
Checking in with Lisa -
About to get passed by Carter, Ep10 IC -
Auction, Ep11 -
Correctly answering questions, Ep11 IC -
Getting to the next round -
Hoping Malcolm picks him, Ep12 RC -
Enjoying Malcolm's largesse after the Ep12 RC -
Family time, Ep12 -
Ready to go, Ep12 IC -
About to vote against Carter, Ep12 tribal council -
Clearing barriers with ease, Ep13 RC -
Yay! Slides! -
First to the tossing -
The tossing of the rings -
Picking someone to accompany him on the whale head-butting reward -
Playing for a spot in the final four, Ep13 IC -
Oh dear -
Well, this is confusing -
Final four RC, playing for advantage -
*Another* puzzle? F4 RC -
Something has got to fit somewhere -
Final four IC, delightfully puzzle-free -
Guaranteed a spot in the final three -
The Philippines final three
Mike Skupin - Interviews
Pre-game interviews
- None found?
Post-game interviews
- Jessica Shaw at the EW.com (3/12/01): "Survivor's Mike isn't the pig you might think"
- SurvivorOz podcast interview (12/16/11): "Mike Skupin Interview"
Pre-game interviews
- Gordon Holmes at MoreWhatnot.com (9/17/12): "Pre-Game Interview: Michael Skupin"
- CBS pre-game interview (YouTube)
Post-game interviews
- Rob Cesternino at RHAP (12/17/12): "Interviews with the Survivor Philippines Final Four"
- Dalton Ross at EW.com (12/17/12): "Mike Skupin blames Ponderosa for his loss; says he was blackmailed by one juror"
- Gordon Holmes at MoreWhatnot.com (12/19/12): "Michael Skupin: Jury Member Tried to ‘Blackmail’ Him"
Mike Skupin - Bios
From his official CBS Survivor: The Australian Outback cast bio page:
"Michael Skupin co-founded a software publishing and distribution company in 1992 where he currently serves as president. He also founded the CCA, which is a motivational speaking company. He attended Western Michigan University where he earned a bachelor of business management in 1984. His previous employment includes office equipment sales, surgical and operating room equipment sales, and a water-ski instructor. He is most proud of his wife Peni and his three children, Michael (12), Kalyn (9) and Emily (3).
Skupin describes himself as adventurous, a thrill-seeker, and a risk taker. His favorite television shows are ESPN's SportsCenter / Primetime (to compare notes with his son) and Seinfeld while his favorite motion picture is Meet Joe Black. Although he's a big fan of Faith Hill, he listens to a variety of music including Top 40, Country, Christian and has a soft spot for Oldies. His favorite sports teams are any team from Michigan, especially the University of Michigan Wolverines. Amid his hectic schedule, Skupin finds time to hunt, barefoot water-ski and play ice hockey. He'll also play a good game of Scattegories if time permits.
Originally from Farmington Hills, Michigan, Skupin currently lives in White Lake, Michigan with his wife and three children. They have 2 Black Labradors, Thor and Simeon and lots of wild fish and wild birds. His birth date is January 29, 1962."
From his EW.com pre-game interview, by Dalton Ross:
"'For 22 seasons, I’ve thought about playing this game again,' the 50-year-old Skupin told EW.com while on location in the Caramoan Islands the day be'ore filming commenced, but he is not looking at this outing as a shot at redemption. 'I’m not here because I fell in the fire or to prove to the world anything,' he says. 'I’m here to play the game again, from start to finish. This will be a whole new adventure for me.'"
Excerpts from his CBS.com Survivor: Philippines bio page:
"Personal Claim to Fame: I have seven of them that I feed everyday – my children. And, ranking 23rd on TV Guide and TV Land's List of the 100 Most Unexpected TV Moments. It’s an honor to have been there when it all started!
Inspiration in Life: My dad, a true warrior who lost a battle to cancer when he was 28 and my mom who battled emphysema for 17 years and never complained. She taught me what tough was.
Hobbies: Sports and fitness, coaching my kids and anything to do with water… in it, on it, over it, looking at it or listening to it.
Pet Peeves: Negativity and pessimism. The glass is always full.
3 Words to Describe You: Adventurous, spontaneous and competitive.
If You Could Have 3 Things on The Island What Would They Be and Why? 1) Animals to hunt for food. 2) An impenetrable shelter. 3) An unbreakable alliance.
Reason for Being on Survivor: To avenge a long-standing internal battle, wondering if I can win this game in spite of the changes and my 12 year absence. No matter what any returning player may say, you never stop thinking about going back. And: 7 cars when they turn 16, 7 college educations, 7 weddings… I want to be there for my kids at all times when they need me.
Why You Think You’ll 'Survive' Survivor: The physical part I’m ultra prepared for. I never stop moving. The survival part won’t be an issue. I grew up in the woods. My crazy family life has prepared me exceptionally for the mental part. I’m surviving seven kids!
Why You Think You Will Be the Sole Survivor: There is no other returning player in the history of this game with more to prove than me. I’ll find a way to win, whatever it takes! I won’t give up… ever, ever , ever, ever!"