Archive through October 10, 2002
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TV ClubHouse: Archives: Clay Jordan: Archive through October 10, 2002

Amac

Thursday, August 15, 2002 - 09:19 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Clay Jordan

Clay Jordan
Age: 46
Hometown:
Monroe, La.
Occupation:
Restaurant owner

Spygirl

Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 05:08 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Unbelievable!!! A local guy to root for! I'm gonna find out what restaurant he owns....might have to go by and watch the show from there

Lajewel27

Saturday, August 17, 2002 - 05:26 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
hey spy girl we need a local to win whether it be from ark or LA cause im orginally from ark but live in LA so this ones a good choice

Buttercup

Tuesday, August 20, 2002 - 10:50 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh my heck! I know this man!!!

I am treated to eat breakfast or lunch at his restaurant every two weeks or so. A couple of weeks ago I went with a friend who has been going there for over 20 years. My friend asked where Clay was, and we got a grin and a shrug of the shoulders from the waitress who said he'd been gone for over six weeks--it's all coming clear to me now

Buttercup starts seeing dollar signs for all the money she is going to make selling her restaurant pen on ebay.....roflol

Buttercup

Whoami

Wednesday, August 21, 2002 - 09:51 am EditMoveDeleteIP
How awesome Butter! Now we can get it straight from the horse's mouth on how correctly these people are portrayed!

Buttercup

Wednesday, August 21, 2002 - 03:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Was invited for lunch tomorrow. Evidently business has picked up quite a bit at the restaurant already

I also learned today that a colleague and friend is the father-in-law of John Raymond who also is a contestant on the show!

Buttercup

Kady

Friday, August 23, 2002 - 09:54 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Which restaurant is it Buttercup? Maybe we need to meet there for lunch one day. :)

Azriel

Friday, August 23, 2002 - 11:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I wanna go, too! :)

Bmh

Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 12:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
ummm this guy looks like a loser..probably be one of the first few to go

Neko

Sunday, August 25, 2002 - 05:45 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
And of course, people to leave and be voted out on Survivor only goes by looks... **Sarcasm Alert**

Awareinva

Monday, August 26, 2002 - 08:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
LOL Neko!!! :)

Crazydog

Tuesday, August 27, 2002 - 02:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Monroe Louisiana, isn't that where Krista Stegall of BB2 was from? Maybe she was a waitress at his restaurant?

Spygirl

Tuesday, August 27, 2002 - 03:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
She was from Opelousas -- south Louisiana.

Webkitty

Tuesday, August 27, 2002 - 03:35 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Cool Buttercup!
Actually, when these Survivors were previewed last week (or the week before, can't remember) on The Early Show, I taped it, and it looked to me like this man was getting along with everyone and having a good time. (the preview showed snippets of them on the Island)

Woo Hoo! Maybe just maybe we can have some info that Acme doesn't have this time! (don't like Acme)

Twiggyish

Monday, September 02, 2002 - 04:10 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
GREAT! We have an insider. =)

Car54

Tuesday, September 10, 2002 - 02:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Former Levelland resident ekes out existence on 'Survivor'


By JOHN DAVIS
AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

The eyes of West Texas may be upon one former Levelland resident as he attempts to be the million-dollar winner on "Survivor: Thailand" in September.

Clay Jordan, 46, is one of six people from or living in Texas and 16 total contestants on this season's reality survival challenge show.

Though Jordan cannot conduct interviews until after the show has aired, his wife, Linda, said her husband's main goal has been to be a contestant.

"My husband is a 'Survivor' fanatic," she said of the 46-year-old restaurant owner. "From day one, he has watched every episode because he's an outdoorsman. And, from day one, he's said, 'I am going to be on that show.' "


Clay Jordan, formerly of Levelland, is one of six people with tie to Texas who will try to win the $1 million prize on "Survivor: Thailand," which premiers Sept. 19 on CBS.
CBS


When he sent in his application and three-minute video at the end of January, his wife thought he had little chance of getting on the show. One contestant was picked for every 35,000 people who auditioned.

But, Clay's mother, who died of brain cancer a year ago, encouraged him the most to get on the show.

"I think one of the biggest things was his mother's encouragement," Linda said. "I think he heard his mother's words. When he would sit with her and tell her he wanted to do this, she would say, 'Just do it. If that's what you want to do, then go do it.' "

Still, Linda thought Clay was dreaming that he'd get picked — that is, until they got the final word in April.

Clay Jordan
• Born Dec. 30, 1955, in Canyon.

• Graduated in 1974 from Levelland High School.

• Attended South Plains College.

• Lives in Monroe, La., and owns a restaurant.

• One of 16 contestants to be on "Survivor: Thailand," which premiers at 7 p.m. Sept. 19 on KLBK-TV Channel 13 (Cox Cable Channel 7).

• Luxury items: Golf club and ball.


"My daughter and I were kind of teasing him about it," she recalled. "But when he got the first call, we stopped. When we found out, we were just as excited as he was. We didn't know what to expect. I was afraid. I said a lot of prayers. I was scared. I worried about how hungry he would get."

Almost immediately, the couple began running up bleachers at the University of Louisiana at Monroe trying to get Clay into shape for the show. Clay managed to quit smoking — something he'd done since he was 16.

"Having a goal like that helped," Linda said. "He would work out at the gym every day."

Linda said her husband moved from Canyon to Levelland when he was in the fifth grade. He was the second eldest of four boys in a single-mother household.

She and her husband fell in love in junior high school and dated throughout high school.

They graduated from Levelland High School in 1974, and both attended South Plains College in Levelland before moving to Odessa in 1976.

They moved to Monroe, La., 18 years ago and have run Jordan's Family Restaurant since 1984.

The couple has a 23-year-old son, Andrew, and a 17-year-old daughter, Shanda.

Clay's absence also took a toll on Linda, she said.

"The hardest part of all of this was no contact," she said, explaining how she and her husband were out of touch for the 39 days the show was being shot. "We'd never really gone more than three or four days without contacting each other. Even my husband said that's the hardest part, because the lack of food was really severe, but no contact was really hard for him."

While Clay was on the island, however, Linda faced her own survival challenge — running the restaurant alone.

"I've always been kind of the sidekick as far as the restaurant goes," Linda said. "I had to learn real quick to speak up. During the time he was gone, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. So, I had a crash course in everything. I did a little of everything.

"I felt like I did OK."

She said the biggest lesson to come out of the experience for the couple so far is the importance of family.

"We're both really family oriented, but probably, we've both learned how important people are and how unimportant material things are," Linda said. "His whole reason for going was for the money. It's kind of like you realize the best times are when you take the kids out to roast hot dogs and weenies — that kind of fun — that's the most important thing.

Rick Thompson of Lubbock, part owner of South Plains Textiles, is Clay's brother-in-law. He said he knew Clay was a shoo-in for the show.

"I felt like if anybody could do it, he would get on," Thompson said. "I saw the tape he turned in, and I thought he had to get picked. I mean, it was hilarious."

Thompson predicted Clay would bring lots of laughs to the island.

"He's always full of laughs and keeps everyone laughing," he said. "He's full of life all the time, and he's constantly scaring people. I remember we were all sitting around the pool talking about lightning, and about that time a bunch of firecrackers went off. My wife thought she'd been hit."

Steve Alexander, senior vice president of commercial lending at PNB Financial, said he's known Clay since he was 10 or 11 years old.

He said the other contestants had better watch out for Clay's smooth demeanor of getting his own way.

"He's very much a people person," Alexander said. "He's got a great personality, but he's pretty much headstrong on what he wants to do. Hope he wins it, too."

Car54

Friday, September 20, 2002 - 01:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
From the News-Star online:

First-week survivor
Hometown fans root for Jordan
Chuck Cannon
Posted on September 20, 2002
Friends, family and employees gathered at the Holiday Inn Holidome Sports Bar on Thursday night to cheer as Monroe resident Clay Jordan survived the first episode of the CBS reality series "Survivor: Thailand."

"I flew to Dallas, then drove through a rainstorm to get here," childhood friend and Lubbock, Texas, resident Rick Thompson said. "I wouldn't have missed this for anything."

Jordan - dressed in blue jeans, a red, white and blue shirt, and safari hat - made his way through the bar before the show began, greeting guests and having his picture taken.

Dave Taraba, manager of the Holidome, said that he would host a party each week, "as long a Clay stays alive. If he goes all the way, we'll have a big party after the last show in the dome."

Jordan seemed to revel in the spotlight - although just prior to show time he told the crowd, "I'm just a little short guy who went out and tried to do something."

Jordan said he was anxious to watch the first episode, "because all I know is what I did and said about everyone. I want to see what they said about me."

He also told those gathered about the weekly party in the sports bar.

"We're going to do this every Thursday until I get kicked off or leave the island. Who knows - this could go on until December."

As the show began, there was a loud yell when Jordan's face, name and hometown appeared on the television screens scattered throughout the bar.

The show's first segment showed the contestants being divided into teams. Ron Humphries said he was happy with Jordan's team.

"I think they are enthusiastic and have the ability to use their heads," Humphries said.

During the second segment, a member of Jordan's team - John, a pastor from Slidell - played a trick on the rest of his team members. After finding the team's water supply, John made as if it was contaminated.

"Can you believe he did that?" Jordan asked. "And he's a preacher. I didn't see the humor in that."

During the program, Jordan's team lost the first "challenge" and faced a vote among team members for who would be booted off of the island. When team member Helen, from Middletown, R.I., voted to boot Jordan, a loud boo was heard through the bar.

But the boos quickly changed to a loud cheer when John was the one voted off of the show.

"I think Mr. Jordan was a leader, and very helpful to everyone," said Taylor Grubbs, a friend of Jordan's daughter Shanda. "He's friendly and unselfish, and I think he's going to win."

Jordan addressed the crowd after the show, thanking those who came out.

"I appreciate your support," Jordan said. "I won't be here next week - I'll be in Lubbock - but I'll see you the week after."

Taraba said for next week's party the dome would host its own Survivor Food Challenge.

"You won't know what it is until you eat it," Taraba said. "And whoever wins, we'll make it worthwhile for you."

Becky Morrison works for Jordan. She said that she had personal reasons for rooting for her boss.

"If he wins the $1 million prize, I'm getting a pay raise," she said.

Csnog

Sunday, September 29, 2002 - 09:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
He must have stayed for quite awhile because he lost 32 pounds while gone.

Fluff

Friday, October 04, 2002 - 09:53 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Clay has the best sense of humor, so far.

Silksmoke

Friday, October 04, 2002 - 03:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I'm a Clay fan. I think he looks like a great guy with a leprechaunish charm. I was furious when Robb manhandled him then verbally attacked him.

Glad Robb was eliminated from the competition for making contact outside of the zone, but worry that Robb is now gunning for Clay. Robb continued to make disparaging remarks about Clay after they got back to camp and readied themselves for TC.

At any rate, I hope Clay makes it far in the game.

Wiseolowl

Friday, October 04, 2002 - 03:28 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Is Clay the follickly deprived one that Ghandia referred to? He looks pretty good in that picture at the top and at about the same level of defeathering as me. Too bad the red berets didn't have time to impart some basic barbering survival skills while they were there. He seems to be making an effort to fit in. Wish him well -us old guys have enough trouble without jerks like me making fun of our own.

Suitsmefine

Friday, October 04, 2002 - 03:39 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think Robb is atroublemaker, big-mouthed, jerk....with not a whole lot going on upstairs (SKATEBOARD ON SURVIVOR?????????!!!I never heard Clay whining while the big caloot had him by the neck!!!!(although I wish Clay had kicked the jerk either in the shins or a more sensitive area before being shoved into the water!!!) But as soon as they got back to camp he started ranting about Clay and calling him all sorts of names as well as FIB about just what happened, I DO NOT LIKE ROBB!!! I hope SheiAnn and Jake go after him next!

Suitsmefine

Friday, October 04, 2002 - 03:42 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh, and also Clays comments after Ghandias fit was HILARIOUS!!!!!!I LAUGHED SO HARD!!!!!I think he has a great sense of humor.JMO.

Goddessatlaw

Thursday, October 10, 2002 - 06:57 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I want him to go away VERY VERY soon. I think he's a jerk (ps I'm glad Ghandia left tonight, though)

Cassie

Thursday, October 10, 2002 - 07:01 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Yup, me too, Goddess. A small man in many ways.