Matthew von Ertfelda is a contestant from Survivor: The Amazon.
Matthew knew little about the game and initially found himself at the bottom of the main alliances. He tried to improve his position by using his physical strength and survival skills to become the tribe's hardest worker and main provider. Despite this, he became an outcast due to his "creepy" behavior, such as his obsessive sharpening of the machete. Viewing him as an easy pawn, Rob Cesternino made Matthew his "student" and taught him about the strategic side of Survivor. Eventually, with Jenna Morasca winning the last two Immunity Challenges, Rob's teachings would backfire as Matthew formed a Final Two alliance with her, ultimately getting him to the end. However, the jury viewed Matthew as a socially and strategically lacking player who rode Rob's coattails throughout the game, and he became the first finalist to lose in a landslide 6-1 vote.
Profile[]
Retrieved from CBS.com
Name: Matthew von Ertfelda
Age: 33
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Restaurant Designer
Hometown: Washington, D.C.
Luxury Item: High School Wrestling Jacket
Born in Hong Kong, Matthew von Ertfelda has traveled all over the world. He was raised on a horse farm in Massachusetts and attended Middlesex School where he graduated with honors and served as co-captain of the football team. He received a Bachelor of Science degree with distinction at the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in New York. In addition, he attended the Taipei Language Institute where he studied Mandarin Chinese. He also holds a culinary diploma with honors from L'École de Gastronomie Française Ritz-Escoffier in Paris. von Ertfelda currently designs restaurants and bars for a global lodging company. He has previously worked as a restaurant and bar developer in Hong Kong, a print model in Asia and a chef's apprentice/cook in Paris.
von Ertfelda enjoys screenwriting, foreign language study, cooking, rock and ice climbing, weight lifting and hardcore adventure. In 1994, he successfully crossed the Darién Gap, a storied stretch of jungle linking Panama and Colombia. In the summer of 1998, he organized a deep jungle trek into unmapped areas of New Guinea to track cannibals. He dove for sunken treasure off Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands and participated in Earthwatch research expeditions to St. Croix and Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. In the past, he has also competed in sprint triathlons and marathons.
In 2002, von Ertfelda was listed as one of People Magazine's Top 50 Bachelors. He describes himself as unique, multi-faceted, hardworking, mentally and physically strong and tenacious. He credits his older brother, Eric (a bodybuilder and writer), with teaching him respect and humility at a very early age. If von Ertfelda could hold political office, he would like to be Director of the CIA because he loves the cloak & dagger operations and the inherent risks. If he wins the $1 million, he will buy a bottle of 1929 Château d'Yquem to share with close family and friends. von Ertfelda's favorite quote is "The things you regret most in life are the risks you didn't take."
Currently single, von Ertfelda resides in Washington, D.C., with his vivacious fish, Reggie. His birth date is July 24, 1969.[1]
Survivor[]
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| Episode | Tribe Affiliation |
Challenge | Challenge Type | Sit-Out? | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tambaqui | Unchained | Immunity | No | Lost |
| 2 | Flip Out | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Total Recall | Immunity | No | Won | ||
| 3 | Matchmaker | Reward | No | Lost | |
| The Great Escape | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| 4 | Light My Fire | Reward | No | Won | |
| Gone Fishin' | Reward/Immunity | No | Won | ||
| Switched Tribes, Day 14 | |||||
| 5 | Jaburu | Up The Creek | Immunity | No | Won |
| 6 | Log Jam | Reward | No | Lost | |
| Piranha Feast | Immunity | No | Lost | ||
| Tribes Merged, Day 20 | |||||
| 7 | Jacaré | Perch | Immunity | Lost | |
| 8 | Mud Bungee | Reward | Lost | ||
| Face Off | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 9 | Weapons | Reward | Lost | ||
| Amazon Menu | Immunity | Won | |||
| 11 | Survivor Auction | ||||
| Q and A | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 12 | Paddle | Reward | Won1 | ||
| Shoot 'n' Shuffle | Immunity | Lost | |||
| 13 | Try Again | Reward | Won | ||
| Out on a Limb | Immunity | Won | |||
| 14 | Braille Maze | Immunity | Lost | ||
| Will Power | Immunity | Lost | |||
| Runner-Up, Day 39 | |||||
| Notes: ^1 Matthew initially gave up his reward to the tribe. In a surprise, he ended up receiving his reward anyway.
| |||||
| Episode | Matthew's Votes |
Voted Against Matthew |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Roger | - |
| 2 | Tambaqui Tribe Immune | |
| 3 | Daniel | - |
| 4 | Tambaqui Tribe Immune | |
| 5 | Jaburu Tribe Immune | |
| 6 | Shawna | Alex, Shawna |
| 7 | Roger | - |
| 8 | Dave | Dave |
| 9 | Deena | Individual Immunity |
| 11 | Alex | Alex, Heidi, Jenna |
| 12 | Christy | - |
| 13 | Heidi | Individual Immunity |
| 14 | Butch | - |
| Ineligible | - | |
| Jury Votes for Matthew |
Butch | |
| Runner-Up, Day 39 | ||
Post-Survivor[]
- On January 9, 2010, Matthew attended Survivor's 10-year anniversary party.
Trivia[]
- Matthew is the first contestant to reside in Washington, D.C. during filming.
- Fluent in Mandarin, Matthew frequently spoke the language with tribemate Daniel Lue.
- Matthew is the first person to receive only a single jury vote at the Final Tribal Council.
- He is also the first male finalist to receive fewer than three jury votes at the Final Tribal Council.
References[]
| Survivor: The Amazon Castaways | |||||||||||||||
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