J. P. Calderon
Encyclopedia
John Paul "J. P." Calderon (born September 5, 1975) is an American
professional volleyball
player, model
and reality television
participant. He first appeared on television as a contestant on Survivor: Cook Islands
, the 13th season of the CBS
reality show. Later, he returned to television by appearing in several seasons of The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency
. As part of his experience there he made an appearance in the February 2007 cover story of Instinct
magazine.
and grew up in Marina del Rey, California
in a Roman Catholic family. He attended St. Bernard’s Catholic High School and then California State University, Long Beach
, where he played for the school's nationally-ranked men's volleyball team. He graduated with a degree in speech communication in 2000. Calderon is of Costa Rica
n descent.
Calderon was an assistant coach for the Long Beach State University women's volleyball team for five years. He began his professional volleyball career in 2004 and became a nationally ranked Association of Volleyball Professionals
player.
, Calderon started off as one of five members of the Hispanic "Aitutaki" tribe. After the tribes were merged on day eight he became a member of the "Rarotonga" tribe. Calderon was the fourth cast member voted off in a 7/2 split.
. Stating that he had for a long time wished to model, Calderon came to an open casting call held in the first episode of Season 2. He was called back in episode 2 and eventually signed to the agency. The third episode saw Calderon being approached to appear on the cover of Instinct
magazine, a publication that requires that its male cover models be openly gay. Calderon came out
as gay
on his appearance in the February 2007 issue, which included the cover, a photo spread, feature story and interview. "All of my fears, everything that I was scared of... it was the complete the opposite," he said. "It's been great. All of my friends, the volleyball world, absolutely everybody has been supportive. No one has shut me out."
It was announced during the 4th season finale of The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency that Calderon will head the male division of the agency when it moves to New York City. Calderon is also signed to KULT Model Agency in Germany
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
player, model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
participant. He first appeared on television as a contestant on Survivor: Cook Islands
Survivor: Cook Islands
Survivor: Cook Islands is the thirteenth season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor, having premiered on September 14, 2006...
, the 13th season of the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
reality show. Later, he returned to television by appearing in several seasons of The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency
The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency
The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency is a reality television series that debuted on Oxygen on June 6, 2006. The show has completed four seasons...
. As part of his experience there he made an appearance in the February 2007 cover story of Instinct
Instinct (magazine)
Instinct is a monthly American magazine geared toward gay men, published by Instinct Publishing, Inc. since 1997. Distributed by Curtis Circulation...
magazine.
Biography
Calderon was born in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
and grew up in Marina del Rey, California
Marina del Rey, California
-Demographics:-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Marina del Rey had a population of 8,866. The population density was 6,094.6 people per square mile...
in a Roman Catholic family. He attended St. Bernard’s Catholic High School and then California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
, where he played for the school's nationally-ranked men's volleyball team. He graduated with a degree in speech communication in 2000. Calderon is of Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
n descent.
Calderon was an assistant coach for the Long Beach State University women's volleyball team for five years. He began his professional volleyball career in 2004 and became a nationally ranked Association of Volleyball Professionals
Association of Volleyball Professionals
The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
player.
Survivor
On Survivor: Cook IslandsSurvivor: Cook Islands
Survivor: Cook Islands is the thirteenth season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor, having premiered on September 14, 2006...
, Calderon started off as one of five members of the Hispanic "Aitutaki" tribe. After the tribes were merged on day eight he became a member of the "Rarotonga" tribe. Calderon was the fourth cast member voted off in a 7/2 split.
The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency
In 2007, Calderon joined the cast of The Janice Dickinson Modeling AgencyThe Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency
The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency is a reality television series that debuted on Oxygen on June 6, 2006. The show has completed four seasons...
. Stating that he had for a long time wished to model, Calderon came to an open casting call held in the first episode of Season 2. He was called back in episode 2 and eventually signed to the agency. The third episode saw Calderon being approached to appear on the cover of Instinct
Instinct (magazine)
Instinct is a monthly American magazine geared toward gay men, published by Instinct Publishing, Inc. since 1997. Distributed by Curtis Circulation...
magazine, a publication that requires that its male cover models be openly gay. Calderon came out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
as gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
on his appearance in the February 2007 issue, which included the cover, a photo spread, feature story and interview. "All of my fears, everything that I was scared of... it was the complete the opposite," he said. "It's been great. All of my friends, the volleyball world, absolutely everybody has been supportive. No one has shut me out."
It was announced during the 4th season finale of The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency that Calderon will head the male division of the agency when it moves to New York City. Calderon is also signed to KULT Model Agency in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
External links
- J.P. Calderon's Survivor profile
- J.P. Calderon's Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency profile
- J.P. Calderon's Association of Volleyball Professionals profile