Born: 8 April 1961
Birthplace: Newport, Rhode Island
Best Known As: Winner on the TV series Survivor
Hatch gained his place in pop culture history by winning the first edition of the CBS “reality show” Survivor in the year 2000. A corporate trainer from Rhode Island, Hatch outwitted and outlasted 15 other contestants on the island of Pulau Tiga to win a $1,000,000 first prize. Hatch reportedly weighed 350 pounds before losing 100 pounds prior to the show’s filming; after the show he lost more weight via much-publicized liposuction surgery. Hatch made no secret of being gay, and after his victory the website Gay.com called him “the most famous gay man in America.” After his return from filming the show Hatch was charged with second-degree child abuse after his adopted son Christopher accused him of rough treatment; the charges were later dropped. Hatch’s book 101 Survival Secrets was published in November 2000. In 2004 he was back on TV in Survivor All Stars, a best-of-the-best competition set in Pearl Islands, Panama.
Hatch is not related to actor Richard Hatch, who starred in the 1970s TV series Battlestar Galactica… Other legends of reality TV include Darva Conger and Rick Rockwell.