Erik Reichenbach

Erik Reichenbach is a contestant from and .
Erik entered the game in Micronesia as a longtime superfan, often finding himself in awe of playing with castaways he had previously watched on the show. He eventually became the last man standing after all the others had been eliminated by the cutthroat Black Widow Brigade, seemingly set on making it to the final four after winning individual immunity. However, he was goaded into handing his Immunity Necklace to Natalie Bolton by the Black Widow Brigade, who then promptly voted him out. This is widely considered to be one of the dumbest moves in Survivor history.
In Caramoan, Erik returned to the Fans vs. Favorites format as a Favorite. He again made it deep into the game due to his low-profile strategy allowing him to hide behind the more bombastic personalities in the alliance, finding himself the swing vote at several crucial Tribal Councils. However, he was medically evacuated from the game at the final five due to low blood pressure, ending his game prematurely.
==Profile==
Retrieved from CBS.com
<tabber>Micronesia=
Erik Reichenbach was born and raised in Pinckney, Michigan. He is currently in his senior year of studying art at Eastern Michigan University, and is a member of the college's track team. Reichenbach works at an ice cream parlor called "Screams" in Hell, Michigan, where he also designs t-shirts, hauls canoes and entertains his customers. He previously worked in landscaping, construction and as a freelance graphic designer.
Reichenbach's hobbies include drawing, writing comic books, rock-climbing and studying philosophy/religion. He describes himself as animated, earnest and familiar. He is very proud of his running accomplishments during his senior year of high school, where he set the school's 400 yard record (49.3 seconds), and being able to run in the Nike Outdoor Nationals in Carolina. Reichenbach is a member of the Eastern Michigan Cross Country and Track team, Pinckney Pirate Track and Field Alumni and a rock climbing club.
Reichenbach believes he'll go far on Survivor because he is a good listener, entertaining, optimistic, athletic, a creative thinker and can easily be a leader or a follower.
Reichenbach is currently single and lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with his cats, Furrball and Kittyfizzle (K-Fizz for short). His birth date is November 27, 1985.http://web.archive.org/web/20230321180444/https://www.cbs.com/shows/survivor/cast/109/
==Survivor==
=== Micronesia ===
Erik was placed on the Airai tribe consisting of "diehard" fans. Erik quickly proved himself to his favorite Survivor player Ozzy Lusth during the first individual Immunity Challenge when he beat Ozzy to the beach. Although Erik was in a comfortable position on his tribe, on Day 6, Joel Anderson wanted to blindside Mary Sartain because of how close she and Mikey Bortone were and how controlling Mikey B. was trying to be. At Tribal Council, Erik sided with Tracy Hughes-Wolf's Older Airai Alliance and joined Joel's plan in blindsiding Mary. At Airai's next Tribal Council on Day 11, Erik joined the majority of the tribe in blindsiding Mikey over the weaker Chet Welch.
When the tribe switch occurred on Day 12, Erik along with Tracy, Chet, and Joel were moved to Malakal where he bonded with Ozzy. When Malakal lost the Day 14 Immunity Challenge, Erik joined Joel in voting out Chet for being a burden in challenges, though Cirie Fields gathered the numbers and blindsided Joel for being a strategic threat. Despite being in the minority of the Fans vs. Favorites lines on Malakal, Erik was spared for his challenge strength and he joined the Favorites in voting out Chet and Tracy at Malakal's next two Tribal Councils. While it seemed like Erik would be the next to go after Malakal lost immunity again on Day 21, Erik told Amanda Kimmel, Cirie, and Ozzy that Ami Cusack had been scheming with Tracy's alliance to get Ozzy out ever since Joel's elimination. At Tribal Council, Erik successfully convinced the Favorites in voting out Ami for being untrustworthy.
On Day 22, the tribes merged with Erik coming up with the tribe's name as Dabu where he joined Ozzy as a member of the Malakal Couples Alliance. At Tribal Council, Erik joined the rest of the tribe minus Jason Siska in voting off the tribe's outcast Eliza Orlins. At the next Tribal Council, Erik stuck with Ozzy in voting for Jason for being Eliza's only ally, but the women of a new alliance led by Parvati Shallow named the Black Widow Brigade minus Amanda took the opportunity to narrowly blindside Ozzy with a Hidden Immunity Idol in his possession. Erik won the next Immunity Challenge on Day 30. At Tribal Council, Erik joined the women in blindsiding Jason with the rehidden idol in his possession, but was unaware that this was part of the women's plan to annihilate the men. After James Clement was medically evacuated the next day, Erik was in danger as the women targeted him for being the last man standing. But Erik managed to thwart their plan when he won the Day 33 Immunity Challenge, forcing the women to turn on each other. At Tribal Council, Erik joined the majority in voting Amanda, but she played the idol that was rehidden after Jason's elimination, negating four votes against her, and Alexis Jones was blindsided for being a potential social threat.
Erik won the next Immunity Challenge, thwarting the women's plan once again. However, Cirie suggested that Natalie Bolton attempt to try to convince Erik to give the Immunity Necklace to her, arguing that it would redeem himself in front of the jury and that Cirie and Natalie would agree to vote out Amanda only if Erik saved Natalie. At Tribal Council, Erik fell for the women's ruse when he gave the Immunity Necklace to Natalie and was ultimately blindsided, with James on the jury jokingly saying that he lost his reign as dumbest Survivor player ever.
At Final Tribal Council, Erik respected Amanda over Parvati, but questioned the former for throwing him under the bus at his last two Tribal Councils, even calling her out for trying to apologize after it was too little, too late. Despite that, Erik voted Amanda to be the Sole Survivor, but she lost to Parvati in a close 5-3 vote.
<tabber>Challenge History=
Episode 	TribeAffiliation 	Challenge 	Challenge Type 	Sit-Out? 	Result
1 	rowspan=7 	First to Shore 	Immunity 	No 	
1 	Reinventing the Wheel 	Reward/Immunity 	No 	 	
2 	Smash and Grab 	Reward/Immunity 	No 	 	
3 	Beach Bash 	Reward 	No 	 	
3 	Nut Bucket 	Immunity 	No 	 	
4 	Diver Down 	Reward 	No 	 	
4 	Crosswalk 	Immunity 	No 	 	
colspan=6 	 	 	 	 	
5 	rowspan=7 	Cat and Mouse 	Reward 	No 	
5 	A Stone's Throw 	Immunity 	No 	 	
6 	Build It Up, Break It Down 	Reward 	No 	 	
6 	United We Stand 	Immunity 	No 	 	
7 	Money Roll 	Reward 	No 	 	
7 	What-er Drag 	Immunity 	No 	 	
8 	The Gauntlet 	Reward/Immunity 	No 	 	
colspan="6" 	 	 	 	 	
9 	rowspan=9 	Last Gasp 	Immunity 	 	
10 	Bai Bai 	Reward 	 	 	
10 	When It Rains, It Pours 	Immunity 	 	 	
11 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	
11 	Pool Party 	Immunity 	 	 	
12 	Body Slam 	Reward 	 	 	
12 	Shoot to Thrill 	Immunity 	 	 	
13 	Survivor Roots 	Reward 	 	 	
13 	Dash, Dig, Decode 	Immunity 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
Notes: This challenge was played for individual immunity at each tribe's first Tribal Council. Erik gave up his immunity to Natalie at Tribal Council.	Notes: This challenge was played for individual immunity at each tribe's first Tribal Council. Erik gave up his immunity to Natalie at Tribal Council.	Notes: This challenge was played for individual immunity at each tribe's first Tribal Council. Erik gave up his immunity to Natalie at Tribal Council.	Notes: This challenge was played for individual immunity at each tribe's first Tribal Council. Erik gave up his immunity to Natalie at Tribal Council.	Notes: This challenge was played for individual immunity at each tribe's first Tribal Council. Erik gave up his immunity to Natalie at Tribal Council.	Notes: This challenge was played for individual immunity at each tribe's first Tribal Council. Erik gave up his immunity to Natalie at Tribal Council.
|-|Voting History=
Episode 	Erik'sVotes	Voted AgainstErik
1 	 	
2 	 	
3 	 	
4 	 	
5 	 	
6 	 	
7 	 	
8 	 	
9 	 	
10 	 	
11 	 	
12 	 	
13 	 	
 	 	
Voted forSole Survivor	colspan="2"	
 In , the vote ended with a 4-4 tie between Chet and Mikey B., forcing a revote. Erik changed his vote to Mikey B. on the revote. In , Amanda used a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating Erik's vote against her. In , Erik had won individual immunity, but gave it to Natalie during Tribal Council.</tabber>
=== Caramoan ===
Erik was placed on the Favorites tribe of Bikal. His tribe won the first Reward Challenge but lost the first Immunity Challenge. At camp, he was angry on how Phillip Sheppard came up to him and said (though worded differently), "You can join us, but if you don't, we already have the numbers, anyway." He sided with Brandon Hantz, Brenda Lowe, and Francesca Hogi in the first Tribal Council, casting his vote for Andrea Boehlke, but since Francesca was voted off 6-4, Erik was left in the minority. 
Thanks to Brandon's personality and being useful in challenges, Bikal won the next three Immunity Challenges, and after the tribe switch Erik was switched to Gota. Luckily, everybody on Gota were great at challenges aside from Sherri Biethman, and Gota won all of the challenges after the tribe switch.
Erik then entered the merge, and was now placed on Enil Edam. Erik's alliance became very successful. Erik won individual immunity on Day 33. Referencing his costly mistake in his first season, Jeff asked him if there's any chance Erik would give up immunity again at Tribal Council, to which Erik replied "I'm way too scared to do that again!". However, Erik did give Andrea the Hidden Immunity Idol after he found it (out of courtesy though, since the clue did belong to Andrea). Furthermore, the idol put a target on Andrea back, setting her up to be blindsided, this time with Erik successfully voting her off after his unsuccessful attempt way back on Day 3. Nearing the end of the game, Erik started to feel extremely hungry, even attempting to climb an extremely tall tree to get coconuts. Tree Mail then came to say that their loved ones were coming, and Erik then began to feel more confident than before. Brenda then won the Loved Ones Challenge and chose Dawn Meehan to enjoy her loved ones time. However, two loved ones were coming and Brenda had to choose between Dawn and her or Erik and the rest of the tribe. However, Brenda chose Erik, Eddie Fox, John Cochran, and Sherri to have time spent with their loved ones. Because of this, Cochran, Sherri, and Dawn chose to blindside Brenda, but Erik stayed loyal to her and voted for Eddie.
After that night of Tribal Council, Erik began to feel lightheaded. After the medical team came and said Erik's blood pressure was too low, so he couldn't compete. After a sad elimination, Erik left the game finishing in the same place he ended up in his first season.
At the Final Tribal Council, Erik commented on how Sherri did not play the game well, and how all of the jury members knew this. They began to argue over the case, so Erik just stopped. Because of that, Erik gave his jury vote to Cochran, just as all the other jurors did.
<tabber>Challenge History=
Episode 	TribeAffiliation 	Challenge 	Challenge Type 	Sit-Out? 	Result
1 	rowspan=8 	Water Slaughter 	Reward 	No 	
1 	It's a Long Way to the Top 	Immunity 	No 	 	
2 	Plunge, Pull, Pop 	Reward/Immunity 	No 	 	
3 	Cell Block Sea 	Reward/Immunity 	No 	 	
4 	Head and Shoulders 	Reward 	No 	 	
4 	Smash and Grab 	Immunity 	No 	 	
5 	Nut Bucket 	Reward 	Yes 	 	
5 	Crate Outdoors 	Immunity 	No 	 	
colspan=6 	 	 	 	 	
6 	rowspan=3 	Crate Outdoors 	Immunity 	No 	
7 	Hot Pursuit 	Reward 	No 	 	
7 	Phoenix Rises 	Immunity 	No 	 	
colspan="6" 	 	 	 	 	
8 	rowspan=11 	Caramoan Catering 	Immunity 	 	
9 	Jump Shot 	Reward 	No 	 	
9 	Last Gasp 	Immunity 	 	 	
10 	Muddy Waters 	Reward 	 	 	
10 	Keel Hauling 	Immunity 	No 	 	
11 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	Survivor Auction 	
11 	Drop A Log 	Immunity 	 	 	
12 	Bermuda Triangle 	Reward/Immunity 	 	 	
12 	Fun Climb 	Immunity 	 	 	
13 	Dizzy Gillespie 	Reward 	 	 	
13 	I Hold On 	Immunity 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	
Notes: Bikal opted to forfeit the Immunity Challenge, giving the win to Gota by default. Brenda gave up her reward to the tribe.	Notes: Bikal opted to forfeit the Immunity Challenge, giving the win to Gota by default. Brenda gave up her reward to the tribe.	Notes: Bikal opted to forfeit the Immunity Challenge, giving the win to Gota by default. Brenda gave up her reward to the tribe.	Notes: Bikal opted to forfeit the Immunity Challenge, giving the win to Gota by default. Brenda gave up her reward to the tribe.	Notes: Bikal opted to forfeit the Immunity Challenge, giving the win to Gota by default. Brenda gave up her reward to the tribe.	Notes: Bikal opted to forfeit the Immunity Challenge, giving the win to Gota by default. Brenda gave up her reward to the tribe.
|-|Voting History=
Episode 	Erik'sVotes	Voted AgainstErik
1 	 	
2 	 	
3 	 	
4 	 	
5 	 	
6 	 	
7 	 	
8 	 	
9 	 	
10 	 	
11 	 	
12 	 	
12 	 	
13 	 	
14 	colspan="2"	
 	 	
Voted forSole Survivor	colspan="2"	
 In , the vote ended with a 3-3-3 tie between Andrea, Malcolm, and Reynold, forcing a revote. Erik did not change his vote on the revote.</tabber>
==Post-Survivor==
* On January 9, 2010, Erik attended 's 10-year anniversary party.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQ5_o4vGO6g
* At the Reunion Show, Erik was nominated for the "Dumbest Move in Survivor History" for giving up his immunity to Natalie Bolton and getting voted out unanimously. Erik lost to Heroes vs. Villains castaway J.T. Thomas for giving his Hidden Immunity Idol to Russell Hantz.
* In an interview with EW.com, Erik called the live Reunion Show disrespectful, ridiculous, and "a farce", since he and half the jury were not given a chance to talk.https://ew.com/article/2013/05/13/survivor-caramoan-erik-reunion/
* Since , Erik has worked as a graphic designer, where he makes Survivor related caricatures. He posts time-lapse videos of his work on his YouTube and Instagram accounts called "Dabu Doodles," named after the merged tribe in .https://dabudoodles.com/
* Erik married medical transcriptionist Dana Ruff on August 21, 2014.https://twitter.com/dm3r/status/502412983687868416https://people.com/tv/survivors-erik-reichenbach-marries-dana-ruff/#:~:text=Two%2Dtime%20Survivor%20contestant%20Erik,of%20Lake%20Michigan%20on%20Thursday
* Erik previously worked on a mobile app for Apple and Android users called Islands of Chaos before it was cancelled in February 2019.https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1022705222/islands-of-chaos-the-strategic-adventure-mobile-ap/posts/2401924
* Erik, along with James Clement, appeared on stage at the .
* Erik, along with nineteen other former Survivor contestants, competed in the first Survivor-themed mini-competition of Sequester on May 23, 2020. He was eliminated in the eighth round, finishing in 13th place.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMzXEA5_0W8
==Trivia==
* Erik originally applied for .http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-erik-reichenbach-dishes-on-biggest-survivor-blunder-ever-7088.php
* Erik is the youngest contestant to compete on .
* Erik won his first individual Immunity Challenge on his 22nd birthday.
* Erik is the third contestant to give away individual immunity at Tribal Council, following Jenna Morasca and Burton Roberts. They would be followed by Brandon Hantz, Chris Underwood and Heidi Lagares-Greenblatt. Erik is the first to do so and be eliminated at that Tribal Council, followed by Brandon.
* In a 2012 interview, host Jeff Probst stated that Erik giving up his immunity was his third favorite Tribal Council moment of all time.http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/10/03/survivor-jeff-probst-top-5-tribal-councils/
* Erik is the only Fan from a "Fans vs. Favorites" season to compete multiple times.
* Erik was an alternate for .https://www.reddit.com/r/survivor/comments/dsa9ay/who_were_all_of_the_alternates_for_hvv/f6oajjm?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x
* Erik is the highest-placing Favorite in a "Fans vs. Favorites" season to not improve on his previous finish.
* Erik is one of six castaways to finish in the same position twice, by placing 5th in both of his seasons. The others are James Clement, Sandra Diaz-Twine, Candice Woodcock, Jonathan Penner, and Tony Vlachos.
** Erik is the second person to finish in the same position and play the same number of days. The first was Sandra, who played 39 days twice. They would be followed by Tony, who also played 39 days twice.
** Erik is the second person to finish in the same position and with the same number of castaways. The first was Candice, who finished 8th out of 20 castaways twice. Coincidentally, Candice was also the youngest castaway on her first season.
* In 2020, Erik explained that his medical evacuation in was caused by a reaction to penicillin.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3j8adqTF4PI
* Erik is the only castaway to compete on both "Fans vs. Favorites" seasons, and the only castaway to be both a Fan and a Favorite.
* Erik designed the tribe flags for both Dabu and Enil Edam.
* Erik's favorite season aside from his first was .https://www.reddit.com/r/survivor/comments/1efgn6/erik_reichenbach_of_survivor_fans_vs_favorites/c9zp31y
* Erik designed the cover of Rob Cesternino's audio book The Evolution of Strategy.
==References==
Category:Contestants
Category:Male Contestants
Category:Youngest Contestants
Category:Contestants Appearing in Multiple Seasons
Category:Micronesia Contestants
Category:Caramoan Contestants
Category:Micronesia Jury Members
Category:Caramoan Jury Members
Category:Airai Tribe
Category:Dabu Tribe
Category:Bikal Tribe
Category:Enil Edam Tribe
Category:5th Place
Category:Evacuated Contestants
Category:Survivor (U.S.)
Category:Survivor (U.S.) Contestants
Category:Survivor: Micronesia
Category:Survivor: Caramoan
Category:1985 births
Category:Living people