Janu Tornell
Encyclopedia
Janu Tornell is an American
reality show contestant and former Las Vegas
showgirl
and beauty pageant contestant of Cuban
descent.
, the daughter of Juan and Maria Tornell. She attended Valley High School. She then went to Spain
, later moving to Los Angeles
. She then studied at Los Angeles Valley Community College, before moving back to Las Vegas and pursuing a career as a showgirl.
title and went on to represent Nevada
at the Miss USA
pageant broadcast live from Mobile, Alabama
. She failed to place at the pageant, which was won by Gretchen Polhemus
of Texas.
The following year she competed in Miami's Nuestra Belleza Internacional pageant, and was 1st runner-up.
. She became the thirteenth person eliminated when she voluntarily laid down her torch in a shocking twist, partially to save Stephenie LaGrossa
, who was destined for elimination by her tribemates, but also because she did not get along well with the other players, particularly with Katie.
Tornell was the fourth person to quit the game since Survivor's start in 2000, and the first player to quit the game and still be allowed to participate in the jury, and her final words were aired during the closing credits (the first to quit the game, Osten Taylor of Survivor: Pearl Islands
, did not get his final words aired when he quit).
After competing on Survivor: Palau, Tornell was considered for Survivor: Micronesia
, but was ultimately cut along with fellow Survivor: Palau castmember Coby Archa.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reality show contestant and former Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
showgirl
Showgirl
A showgirl is a dancer or performer in a stage entertainment show. Showgirl is also often used as a term for a promotional model in trade fairs and car shows, etc...
and beauty pageant contestant of Cuban
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
descent.
Early life
Tornell was born in Las Vegas, NevadaLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, the daughter of Juan and Maria Tornell. She attended Valley High School. She then went to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, later moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. She then studied at Los Angeles Valley Community College, before moving back to Las Vegas and pursuing a career as a showgirl.
Pageants
In 1989, Tornell won the Miss Nevada USAMiss Nevada USA
The Miss Nevada USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Nevada in the Miss USA pageant.While Nevada did well in the early years of the Miss USA pageant, they only placed once from 1987 to 2000...
title and went on to represent Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
at the Miss USA
Miss USA
The Miss USA beauty contest has been held annually since 1952 to select the United States entrant in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operates both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA...
pageant broadcast live from Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. She failed to place at the pageant, which was won by Gretchen Polhemus
Gretchen Polhemus
Gretchen Lynn Polhemus-Jensen is a former Miss USA and second runner-up to .-Early life:Prior to competing in Miss Texas USA, Jensen was working as a cattle broker and real estate agent in her home state....
of Texas.
The following year she competed in Miami's Nuestra Belleza Internacional pageant, and was 1st runner-up.
Survivor
Tornell was one of twenty contestants who competed on Survivor: PalauSurvivor: Palau
Survivor: Palau is the tenth season of the United States reality show Survivor. Its preview appeared during the final episode of Survivor: Vanuatu. Survivor: Palau premiered on February 17, 2005. The complete season, including the Live Reunion Show, was released on DVD by CBS Home Video on August...
. She became the thirteenth person eliminated when she voluntarily laid down her torch in a shocking twist, partially to save Stephenie LaGrossa
Stephenie LaGrossa
Stephenie LaGrossa was a contestant in Survivor: Palau, Survivor: Guatemala, and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains. She was one of the most popular players ever to play the game, with her popularity peaking at 97%...
, who was destined for elimination by her tribemates, but also because she did not get along well with the other players, particularly with Katie.
Tornell was the fourth person to quit the game since Survivor's start in 2000, and the first player to quit the game and still be allowed to participate in the jury, and her final words were aired during the closing credits (the first to quit the game, Osten Taylor of Survivor: Pearl Islands
Survivor: Pearl Islands
Survivor: Pearl Islands is the seventh season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed in 2003 and debuted in the United States on CBS on September 18, 2003....
, did not get his final words aired when he quit).
After competing on Survivor: Palau, Tornell was considered for Survivor: Micronesia
Survivor: Micronesia
Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites is the sixteenth season of the American CBS competitive reality television series Survivor, being the show's third to include contestants from past seasons, after the all-returning contestant pool from Survivor: All-Stars, and Survivor: Guatemala in which...
, but was ultimately cut along with fellow Survivor: Palau castmember Coby Archa.