Joel Klug
By Ben Laurro, Pure Publicity
Over 38 million people have viewed and witnessed the strong will and determination of blonde haired, blue-eyed Joel Klug as he competed to become a millionaire. The smash hit CBS series "Survivor" turned Joel into an instant, overnight celebrity. Joel was already successful in his career as a fitness specialist and health club consultant when friends encouraged him to enter a contest from CBS. Producers were creating a new show where sixteen individuals would be left to survive on an abandoned island with few supplies. Joel's self-confidence and adventuresome attitude would quickly serve to his advantage as this intense competition began in the late summer of 2000.
Joel grew up in the countryside with his three siblings just south of Green Bay, Wisconsin. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard before his senior year of high school and served in New Jersey and Wisconsin. After a year, Joel received an honorable discharge. He was always active in sports (including football, baseball and basketball) so it was a natural evolution to go into sports management, where he educated people in diet and exercise. In 1997, at the age of 25, Joel was recruited by a financial management company whose client base was health clubs.
Joel became so successful in his career that he almost passed on the opportunity to audition for "Survivor." He never imagined the show would become one of the largest phenomena in the history of television. Joel did not walk away with the million-dollar prize, but he did leave the island a changed person. "It was the opportunity of a lifetime that will stay with me always. I learned so much about life, others, and myself."
Joel has been featured on the cover and in the pages of numerous publications including TV Guide, People and Entertainment Weekly. He has also displayed his candid and witty sense of humor on various television programs, including The Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Early Show, MSNBC, E! True Hollywood Stories, The Rosie O'Donnell Show, Sally Jesse Raphael, Lover's Lounge, The Test, and The Weakest Link, among others. Joel has displayed his acting skills and charisma by co-starring in episodic television programs such as Nash Bridges and Baywatch Hawaii.
Joel makes charity appearances and speaks to groups regarding everything from what it was like to be a part of "Survivor" to health and fitness awareness. His hobbies include traveling to exotic locations (of course!), sports and movies. Joel currently resides in Los Angeles and works for the same publicity firm that represented him during the crest of his fame.