| Simon Drysdale | |
|---|---|
| Contestant Profile | |
| Birth Date | October 19, 1965 |
| Hometown | Wilmington, Delaware |
| Occupation | Air Force Pilot Café Owner |
|
| |
| Tribes | Abidjan Azzot |
| Placement | Co Runner-Up (2/18) |
| Alliances | H.I.P. Alliance (reneged) Simon's Final Four Alliance |
| Challenges Won | 10 |
| Votes Against | 9 |
| Days Lasted | 39 |
|
| |
| Tribes | Gunung |
| Placement | 17/20 |
| Alliances | Simon's Gunung Alliance |
| Challenges Won | 4 |
| Votes Against | 7 |
| Days Lasted | 10 |
|
| |
| Tribes | Otemanu Otetape |
| Alliances | Otemanu Majority Alliance Simon and Nathaniel Wilhelmina's Otetape Alliance Nathaniel's Otetape Alliance |
| Challenges Won | 8 |
| Votes Against | 5 |
Simon Drysdale is a contestant from Survivor: Ivory Coast, Survivor: Lombok - Fan Favourites and Survivor: Legacies vs. Redemption.
In Ivory Coast, Simon was best remembered for his strong work ethic (earning him the nickname "Superman Simon"), his overall likability and late-game emergence as a sharp strategic player. Simon was not afraid to make moves that benefited him, including blindsiding alliance members who he felt hindered his game. However, he is also noted for his closeness to eventual winner Kryshelle Borton, which resulted in him confiding in her for a lot of things and crying after he was betrayed by her. At Final Tribal Council, despite his likability, Simon was viewed as being gullible and manipulable and had betrayed numerous allies. This resulted in him receiving zero votes to win and finishing as a Co Runner-Up.
Simon had a much more disappointing run in Lombok. His desperation to shake off the "gullible and manipulable" tag led to him playing a much more paranoid game, alienating Johannes Wilkins and Kryshelle Borton for fear they'd manipulate or betray him later on. This would be his downfall as a mutiny gave the opposing alliance an extra member and Simon was turned against by the two of them for his lack of trust in them.
Determined to win on his third try, Simon approached Legacies vs. Redemption with a more under the radar strategy. He aimed to make moves where he wouldn't take heat, which included the Kris blindside and working with Nathaniel to frame Maverick for it. He made it to the merge despite falling in the minority, and defected to Wilhelmina's alliance, feeling it was his better option. Falling in the minority again, he made a deal with Nathaniel to save himself, but acting on that deal at the final nine exposed it, along with the group's lack of trust in him. Ashanda lobbied hard for his elimination and got it the very next vote.
Profile[]
Ivory Coast[]
Name (Age): Simon Drysdale (51)
Tribe Designation: Abidjan
Current Residence: Wilmington, Delaware
Occupation: Air Force Pilot
Claim to Fame: Serving overseas for my country. It's one of my proudest moments, and a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Inspiration in Life: My fellow US war heroes; army, navy and air force veterans who give their life for this country.
Hobbies: Running, renovating my house (I love a good DIY project), attending church fundraisers and donating my time to the church.
Pet Peeves: Intolerance and misunderstanding of religion. I'm a practicing Catholic, and it drives me nuts when people make fun of that, or automatically assume I hate the gays because of it. I also can't stand ungrateful youths.
3 Words to Describe You: Calculated, strong-willed, strategic
If You Could Have 3 Things on the Island, What Would They Be and Why: 1) A bible- this needs no explanation 2) Family photos- I love my family to death 3) Some jazz music- Jazz is my favourite genre by far. It calms me, and I'll need calming out here.
SURVIVOR Contestant You Are Most Like: Vecepia Towery. Both of us are highly religious people and proud of it, and I'm a strong competitor and loyal friend, just like her.
Reason for Being on SURVIVOR: I've always wondered what it would be like, and after seeing my nephew Jason do it, I want to see if I can do better than him.
Why You Think You'll "Survive" SURVIVOR: I'm incredibly comfortable outdoors, I know how to build a strong and sustainable shelter, and I'm used to adapting myself frequently.
Why You Will Be the Sole SURVIVOR: I won't let my faith get in the way of playing the game. I'll be a strong competitor, strong ally and I will not be afraid to deceive to get ahead. I'll be one of the most dominant competitors this game has ever seen.
Lombok[]
Name (Age): Simon Drysdale (53)
Current Residence: Wilmington, Delaware
Previous Finish: Ivory Coast, Co Runner-Up
Not much has changed for Simon since Ivory Coast. He still lives with his wife, Emily, and loves her dearly; he still attends Church and practices faith regularly, and is still a huge fan of Survivor along with his family. However, one thing has changed: his determination. He began Ivory Coast looking to please everyone and stay true to his faith, which earned the ire of his tribemates as he betrayed them and started making moves for himself. Receiving no votes to win at the end hurt him. Desperate to shake the "gullible and manipulable" tag, Simon is going to be wary of who he trusts and wants to let people know he's playing for himself from the start. He wants to own up to his game and make moves to benefit himself, not playing like he did for two thirds of the Ivory Coast game. If Simon sees an opportunity, he promises to take it. He hopes his newfound attitude will carry him to the end a second time and take him one step further, to claim the million dollar prize.
Legacies vs. Redemption[]
Name (Age): Simon Drysdale (55)
Residence: Wilmington, Delaware
Occupation: Café Owner
Twitter Handle: @SDAFSTwitter
Previous placement(s): Ivory Coast: 2/18 (Co Runner-Up) & Lombok: 17/20
What is your legacy? My legacy is being Superman Simon around camp but not being able to live up to that in the game. In my first season, I couldn’t find the balance between trying to please everyone and doing the things The second time, I had Ivory hanging over my head and couldn’t balance wanting to play harder and keeping the social game I had the first time around. With a few small tweaks I could have played well both times, so I guess you could say my legacy is being so close yet so far.
What is your strategy this time around? As I’ve gotten a little older, I’ve settled down with my wife and we’ve opened up a little café. I haven’t prioritised my strength and I’m not quite going to be the Superman Simon I was, but I can still very well hold my own. The advantage to that is that it opens me up to playing the game entirely differently, more under the radar, and I hope that will allow me to finally find the balance in my strategic and social game.
“So close yet so far” is how Simon would describe his games both times he has played. In Ivory Coast, he was unable to balance pleasing his alliance and justifying his moves. In Lombok, wanting to shake the gullible tag, he could not balance his social game. He feels that, with a few key differences in both games, he could have been known as more than just Superman Simon.
In the time since Lombok, Simon’s life has changed quite a bit. He and his wife have opened up a café in Wilmington, and as his priority has turned to that, he has focused less on his strength. As a result, he will not quite be able to live up to the Superman Simon moniker, but will still very much hold his own and is excited for the new opportunities this can bring.
One thing Simon hasn’t been able to do is play under the radar, something which he’s hoping to do this time around. With this being his third time out, Simon would love to be able to play a third different game and find the winning strategy for the million dollars.
Survivor: Ivory Coast[]
Survivor: Lombok - Fan Favourites[]
Voting History[]
| Simon's Voting History | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode | Simon's Votes |
Voted Against Simon |
| 1 | Abidjan Tribe Immune | |
| 2 | Abidjan Tribe Immune | |
| 3 | Abidjan Tribe Immune | |
| 4 | Abidjan Tribe Immune | |
| 5 | Abidjan Tribe Immune | |
| 6 | Rowena | - |
| Kimberly | - | |
| 7 | Wyatt | Kryshelle, Wyatt |
| 8 | Abidjan Tribe Immune | |
| 9 | Jasmine | Betty-May, Jasmine, Kimberly |
| 10 | Bruce | Individual Immunity |
| 11 | Ricky; Ricky Ricky [1] |
-; -; - |
| 12 | Kryshelle | - |
| 13 | Individual Immunity | |
| 14 | Betty-May | Kryshelle |
| Kimberly | Kimberly | |
| Jury votes for Simon |
- | |
| Co Runner-Up, Day 39 | ||
Notes:
^1 In Sound the Idiot Sirens, the votes tied between Ricky and Winona, forcing a revote. Simon did not change his vote. When the votes were deadlocked, the vote went to a unanimous decision tiebreaker. Simon did not change his vote.
^2 In God Doesn't Live in Ivory Coast, Kimberly used a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating Simon's vote against her.
^3 In Where's My Star to Wish Upon?, Simon played a Hidden Immunity Idol, negating 3 votes against him.
Lombok[]
| Simon's Voting History | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode | Simon's Votes |
Voted Against Simon |
| 1 | Gunung Tribe Immune | |
| 2 | Misty; Misty [4] |
- |
| 3 | Gunung Tribe Immune | |
| 4 | Kendra | Adrian, Jacob, Jason, Johannes, Kendra, Kryshelle, Misty |
| Voted Off, Day 10 | ||
Notes:
^4 In Stop and Smell the Roses, the votes tied 5-5 between Johannes and Misty and a revote occurred, in which Simon did not change his vote. The votes remained deadlocked and a rock draw took place. Simon drew a black rock and was safe.
Legacies vs. Redemption[]
| Simon's Voting History | ||
|---|---|---|
| Episode | Simon's Votes |
Voted Against Simon |
| 1 | Cleo | - |
| 2 | Otemanu Immune | |
| 3 | Kris | - |
| 4 | Otemanu Immune | |
| 5 | Maverick | - |
| 6 | Luca | - |
| 7 | Otemanu Immune | |
| 8 | Otemanu Immune | |
| 9 | Kerri | - |
| 10 | Jensen | - |
| 11 | Kerri | - |
| 12 | Prudence | Ashanda, Forrest, Josephine, Nathaniel, Prudence |
| Voted Off, Day 30 | ||
| Voted for Sole Survivor |
Ashanda | |
Post-Survivor[]
Trivia[]
- Simon is the uncle of Survivor: Montserrat castaway, Jason Drysdale.
- Simon, along with all his original Abidjan tribemates, holds the record for the longest time spent in the game without attending Tribal Council, with 15 days.
- Simon was the only man to cast a vote against Bruce Arthur in Ivory Coast.
- Simon is the highest ranking male of Abidjan.
- Simon won every single post-merge reward challenge in Ivory Coast.
- Simon, along with Abraham Chippendale, is the first finalist to receive zero votes to win.
- Simon, also with Abraham, is the first person to finish as a Co Runner-Up.
- Simon is the first person in Tangle's fanon series to receive the second-highest number of votes at the Final Four Tribal Council and not go on to win the game.