Tyson Apostol (born June 17, 1979) is an American
reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early ...
personality, best known for his appearances on multiple seasons of the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
reality television show ''
Survivor''. Apostol originally competed on ''
Survivor: Tocantins'' in 2009, finishing in 8th place. He returned as a villain on ''
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains'' in 2010 and came in 15th place. In 2013, he returned again and was eventually crowned the winner of ''
Survivor: Blood vs. Water''. Apostol competed for a fourth time on the show's 40th season ''
Survivor: Winners at War'', finishing in 11th place. He also competed on ''
The Challenge: USA'', a CBS spinoff of the
MTV franchise.
Apostol is a former professional cyclist and also appeared on
''Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 2'' with his partner, Rachel Foulger. He co-hosts three podcasts: ''News AF'' on
Rob Has A Podcast
''Rob Has a Podcast (RHAP)'' is an entertainment podcast hosted by former '' Survivor'' contestant Rob Cesternino. The podcast primarily provides commentary of reality television game shows.
Overview
Cesternino started ''RHAP'' in 2010, in ord ...
, ''The Pod Has Spoken'' on
The Ringer and PicklePod.
Personal life
Apostol was born in
Provo, Utah, on June 17, 1979, and raised in
Lindon, Utah
Lindon is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo– Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 10,070 at the 2010 census. In July 2019 it was estimated to be to 11,100 by the US Census Bureau. ...
. He spent two years in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
as a missionary for
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...
.
He attended
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d ...
on a swimming scholarship, but did not graduate. Apostol cycled professionally in
Switzerland,
Belgium
Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
, and
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, including for between 2005 and 2007. Once back in the United States, he managed a Utah bicycle shop.
Apostol proposed to his girlfriend of six and a half years, Rachel Foulger, during the finale of
''Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 2''. The episode aired on March 13, 2015.
On March 15, 2015, Apostol and Foulger confirmed that in the time since filming ''Marriage Boot Camp'', they had gotten married. Apostol's ''Survivor: Tocantins'' co-star, Stephen Fishbach, performed the private ceremony on February 8, 2015 in Utah.
Foulger and Apostol have two daughters, Bergen (b. 2015) and Marlowe (b. 2018). He currently lives in
Mesa, Arizona.
''Survivor''
''Tocantins''
On the
18th season of ''
Survivor'', Apostol was placed on the Timbira tribe, initially sticking with the majority alliance and forming a particularly close bond with
Benjamin "Coach" Wade, who dubbed Apostol his "assistant coach". Early on, Apostol wanted to blindside fellow contestant Erinn Lobdell; however, he eventually sided with the majority and voted out the ill Jerry Sims. At the merge, Apostol won the first individual immunity by outlasting former tribemate Debbie Beebe. He went on to win immunity again with nine contestants left as well. Wade and Apostol aligned with
Stephen Fishbach,
James "J.T." Thomas, Jr., and Beebe, blindsiding Brendan Synnott with the cooperation of Lobdell and
Tamara "Taj" Johnson-George. Sierra Reed became the target, but Thomas, Lobdell, and Fishbach joined the other group, deciding that Apostol was a bigger threat than Reed; Apostol was voted out and became the second juror. He eventually voted for Thomas to win the game.
Jeff Probst
Jeff Probst (; born November 4, 1961) is an American reality show host and executive producer. He is best known as the Emmy Award-winning host of the U.S. version of the reality television show '' Survivor'' since 2000. He was also the host of ...
stated that Apostol was one of his favorites of the season because he was maniacal and unpredictable.
''Heroes vs. Villains''
Apostol accepted an offer to participate again, in the show's
20th season, where he was assigned to the Villains tribe. His tribe dominated the initial immunity challenges. He formed an alliance with
Jerri Manthey
Jerri Lynn Manthey (born September 5, 1970) is an American actress and television personality. She was a contestant in '' Survivor: The Australian Outback'', where she placed 8th, '' All-Stars'', where she placed 10th and '' Heroes vs. Villains' ...
and fellow ''Tocantins'' participant
Benjamin "Coach" Wade. Apostol appeared to be safe after joining the alliance of
"Boston Rob" Mariano,
Sandra Diaz-Twine
Sandra Diaz-Twine (born July 30, 1974) is an American television personality who became known for her appearances on the reality game show '' Survivor''. She won the first two seasons she appeared on, '' Survivor: Pearl Islands'' and '' Survivor ...
, and Courtney Yates, along with Wade and Manthey. This group held a majority over the bloc of
Russell Hantz
Russell Dennis Hantz (born October 10, 1972) is an American television personality, best known for his appearances on the U.S. reality show, '' Survivor.'' ,
Parvati Shallow
Parvati Shallow ( ; born September 21, 1982) is an American television personality and was the $1 million winner of the reality television series '' Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites''. She had previously competed in '' Survivor: Cook I ...
, and Danielle DiLorenzo. When both the Heroes and Villains tribes had to vote someone out consecutively, Mariano directed his alliance to split their votes due to Hantz's possession of a hidden immunity idol. The plan was to have him, Mariano and Diaz-Twine vote to eliminate Hantz and Yates, Manthey and Wade vote to eliminate Shallow. If Hantz gave Shallow the idol or if Hantz did not play the idol at all, on the revote, Hantz would be eliminated. If Hantz played the idol for himself, on the revote, Shallow would be eliminated 4-3-0. Hantz manipulated Apostol into disobeying Mariano's plan, and instead of forcing a tie, Apostol switched his vote to Shallow. After Hantz gave Shallow the hidden immunity idol and she played it, Apostol was the sixth contestant eliminated by a vote of 3–2, with Hantz's idol negating four votes against Shallow.
If Apostol voted along Mariano's plan, he and Hantz would have tied 3–3, and Hantz would have been eliminated on the revote. Thus Apostol was the sixth survivor and the second Villain to be voted out of the season. His switching votes has been called "one of the dumbest moves in Survivor history." His vote switch caused huge ramifications on the game as Hantz and Shallow both would make it to the Final Tribal Council despite both losing to the more heroic, Diaz-Twine.
''Blood vs. Water''
Apostol returned for ''Survivor''s 27th season, ''
Blood vs. Water''. This time, he and his longtime girlfriend, Rachel Foulger, were both cast as contestants. He was assigned to the Galang tribe, while she went to Tadhana. Foulger was the third person eliminated from the game after being the second contestant to be voted out in a Tribal Council.
Later on, a tribe switch put Apostol on a tribe with fellow former Galang members
Gervase Peterson
Gervase Peterson (; born November 2, 1969 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American television personality and actor who was a contestant on '' Survivor: Borneo'', the first edition of the popular CBS reality television series '' Survivor'', ...
and
Aras Baskauskas
Aras Vydunas Baskauskas ''(Lithuanian: Baškauskas)'' (born September 26, 1981) is an American yogi, musician, and reality TV personality who won '' Survivor: Panama'' and competed in '' Survivor: Blood vs. Water''. He releases his music under th ...
, as well as former Tadhana members
Hayden Moss
Hayden Garrett Moss (born May 27, 1986), is a reality TV personality from Mesa, Arizona. He was the winner of the reality TV show '' Big Brother 12''. He subsequently competed on '' Survivor: Blood vs. Water'' with his then-girlfriend, '' Surv ...
, Ciera Eastin, and Caleb Bankston. Using the clues to the hidden immunity idol's location, given to him verbally by Moss and Bankston, Apostol found the first idol by himself and kept it a secret. He also formed an alliance with Peterson, Moss, Eastin, and Bankston. At the merge, this alliance joined with Monica Culpepper and Eastin's mother, Laura Morett, to take out Baskauskas and his brother, Vytas, as well as
Tina Wesson
Tina Marie Wesson (born December 26, 1960) is an American nurse, motivational speaker, and reality TV personality who won $1,000,000 as the winner of the second season of '' Survivor'', on '' Survivor: The Australian Outback'' in 2001. Wesson re ...
. From here, Apostol began looking further past this alliance of seven, orchestrating Morett's return to Redemption Island and voting out Bankston, who was conspiring to blindside him. In this Tribal Council, Apostol used his idol, even though no votes were cast against him and Bankston still received the majority of votes.
With the sudden revelation that he had had the idol all along, Apostol began facing rebellion within his alliance from Moss and Eastin, who continuously appealed to Culpepper to switch her vote and go with them to vote against Apostol and Peterson. However, Apostol maintained control of Peterson and Culpepper, and even found the idol a second time, utilizing the clue that Eastin was given. Apostol later won the final two immunity challenges, thus guaranteeing himself a spot in the final three.
He then decided to vote out former Survivor winner Wesson, who had just returned from Redemption Island, recognizing she was his only remaining threat for jury votes. Thus he went to the finals alongside the less-liked Peterson and Culpepper, who were both widely viewed by the jury as riding Apostol's coattails, letting him make all the decisions, and doing little to play their own games, with Culpepper especially being criticized for failing to make a big blindside move against Apostol and Peterson despite numerous opportunities to do so. Culpepper was also razzed for her lack of social bonds with any of the other players outside of her alliance, and she broke down crying during Final Tribal Council. Though Apostol was responsible for most of the jury members' eliminations, his method of playing the game was praised, and he was voted the $1 million winner, receiving seven of the eight jury votes (with Culpepper receiving the dissenting vote, from Vytas Baskauskas).
''Winners at War''
Apostol once again came back for the show's 40th season, ''
Winners at War''. He was a member of the Dakal tribe. He was targeted by
Yul Kwon
Yul Julius Kwon (born February 14, 1975) is an American television host and former government official, lawyer, and management consultant based in California. He first gained national recognition and popularity as the winner of the reality TV ...
early in the game for having close ties with other players outside the game, such as
Rob Mariano
Robert Carlo Mariano (born December 25, 1975), known by the nickname Boston Rob, is an American television personality, known for appearing in the CBS reality show '' Survivor''. He placed 10th in the show's 4th season '' Survivor: Marquesas'' ...
and
Kim Spradlin-Wolfe. After Dakal lost the fifth immunity challenge, Apostol became the fifth person voted off and went to the Edge of Extinction. He rejoined the game at the merge after winning the return challenge against the other Edge of Extinction contestants. However, Apostol was voted off again on day 25 and returned to the Edge of Extinction. He was defeated in the second return challenge by
Natalie Anderson
Natalie Jane Anderson (born on 24 October 1981) is an English actress, singer and television presenter. She is known for her roles as Stella Davenport in the medical drama ''The Royal'' from 2005 to 2008 and Alicia Metcalfe in the ITV soap o ...
, for whom he later voted to win the season, though she would lose to Tyson's former Dakal tribemate
Tony Vlachos
Anthony Vlachos (born September 10, 1973) is an American police officer, best known for competing on the reality television competition series '' Survivor'', of which he is the second person to win two seasons. He won the show's 28th season, '' Su ...
, who won the season and became the second-ever two-time winner in ''Survivor'' history.
''The Challenge''
Apostol was a finalist on ''
The Challenge: USA''.
Filmography
Television
Poker
Tyson Apostol started entering poker competitions around 2016.
In 2018, Apostol appeared on the CBS Sports show Poker Night Live where he played a session of $5/$5 NLHE cash game with fellow
Survivor cast members Boston Rob Mariano, Kim Spradlin, and Jeremy Collins.
As of 2021 he has won $21,822 in live tournament winnings, in 9 different events.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Apostol, Tyson
1979 births
Latter Day Saints from Utah
American male cyclists
American Mormon missionaries in the Philippines
Brigham Young University alumni
Living people
Survivor (American TV series) winners
People from Provo, Utah
People from Lindon, Utah
Cyclists from Utah
The Challenge (TV series) contestants