Survivor winner J.T. Thomas goes back to the farm

James Thomas Jr. admits it was probably his thick Southern drawl and innocent country boy persona that got him on reality TV, and helped him to win the show’s $1 million prize and a $100,000 fan favorite bonus.

Family and friends who have known him his whole life know him as “J.T.” – as do the millions of American viewers who fell in love with him as the winner of “Survivor Tocantins.”

Since the show ended in May, life is somewhat back to normal for the Samson native. He has returned to his job as the manager of a cattle ranch in Mobile, where he still lives in the house his boss provides him and drives the truck that comes with the job.

Most of the money he won has been invested.

“I put the million dollars up,” says J.T., as he greets fans at his father’s fireworks stand on Highway 167 near New Brockton Sunday afternoon.

The money will help pay for the college educations of his 11 nieces and one nephew, who range in age from one to 22. He also hopes it secures his future. “I’m hopeful it will pay for more than their college,” he says with that sheepish grin Survivor fans grew to expect in every episode. “Maybe I could retire by the time I am 45. The $100,000 I kept for me.”

Since his big payoff, the most expensive item J.T. has purchased has been a $400 guitar. He also paid off his student loans. J.T. holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration/marketing from Troy.

His lifestyle has not changed, he said, except for a lot of autograph appearances at charity events, from Boston to Cocoa Beach. These events take up most of his weekends, but J.T. does not accept any compensation for the non-profits.

“I do it all for free. It’s how I got where I am now. I’ve always felt like what goes around comes around. For sure. I’m pretty simple and down to earth, I guess. I’ve never had that much money,” he says. “I continue to work full-time and I live like I’ve been living.”

J.T. still owns the truck he had in high school, a 2001 GMC 1500 with 230,000 miles on it. He has had to change his cell phone number, however, which he’s also had since high school. Lots of folks have wanted to renew their friendship with him.

J.T.’s family has been a fan of Survivor since season 1, but it was his mother who printed off an on-line application for Survivor and urged her son to fill it out. He die, and was asked to come to a casting call in Dothan, then send in a video.

A buddy taped him surrounded by cows. He patted their heads as he talked about being an outdoorsman from South Alabama. J.T. then got asked to come to California for an interview. Two weeks before departure time, in October 2008, he learned he’d made the show, which was filmed in Brazil from Nov. 1 to Dec. 13.
“I never thought I really had a shot. It’s really hard,” he said. “It’s harder than you think. The harder it is, the better TV it is. That was good TV – seeing us starve!”

J.T. lost 16 pounds and has regained about half of it. Once the show was over and he arrived back in the United States, via Miami, the first American restaurant he saw was a McDonald’s. “I ate two double cheeseburgers, a large fry and a large Coke.”

The drama viewers see is also real, he said, though he tried not to get caught up in it. He said he made alliances with everyone and tried never to show anger. “Everybody is going to lie in the game. You try to do it with class,” he said. “You don’t hurt people’s feelings and you don’t forget what you’re there for.”

J.T. may represent the beef industry for the Alabama Cattleman’s Association, and for the national group. There have been other small opportunities, he says, and if that big acting job gets pitched his way?

“I might try it, but it would be hard. I was myself on the show. It would be hard to be somebody else.”

And something else the show has brought him?

“I feel more self-confident,“ he said.