Jonny Fairplay

On Survivor: Pearl Islands, Dalton constructed what host Jeff Probst called "the greatest lie in Survivor history."[3] Prior to leaving for Panama to compete on the show, Dalton concocted a plan with a close friend of his named Dan, whom Dalton had designated to participate in a challenge that would involve contestants' loved ones. To generate sympathy for Dalton and give him an advantage in the game, Dan would dishonestly inform Dalton that his grandmother had died. In the season's eleventh episode, Dan did so in front of the remaining competitors, who allowed a seemingly distraught Dalton to win the challenge in order to give him the opportunity to spend time with Dan and obtain more information about his grandmother's alleged death. Though the remaining contestants would not discover the truth until after the season had completed filming, it was quickly revealed to the television audience that Dalton's grandmother had not died but was, in fact, at home "watching Jerry Springer".[2]

Probst also publicly said:[4]

... [then] you have Jonny Fairplay, who's completely despicable. It was actually fun to work with Fairplay on the show because he's a producer's dream. When he shows up drunk or flips somebody off, he's bringing you gold every time. I wish we had a Jonny Fairplay every season. Personally, however, he's an absolute jackass whose actions at the Vanuatu finale after-party pissed me off so much that he's banned from any event that I'm at from now on. I'm done with Jonny Fairplay.

On October 2, 2007, at the Fox Reality Really Awards, Dalton was invited to present an award and was loudly booed by the audience while speaking on stage. Actor and political commentator Danny Bonaduce approached Dalton on stage and said, "They're booing because they hate you." As Bonaduce then began walking away, Dalton followed and leaped on top of him, causing Bonaduce to react by flipping Dalton over his head and dropping him to the floor hard on his face. Dalton immediately left the stage, visibly bleeding from his face and allegedly losing a number of teeth.[5][6][7]

In an interview with website TMZ soon after, Dalton stated that he had filed a police report over the incident and that authorities were waiting to review video of the incident before pressing battery charges against Bonaduce.[8] On October 5, 2007, three days after the incident, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Boxer announced that Bonaduce would not be facing charges, stating that there was "insufficient evidence" that Bonaduce's actions were criminal. Boxer noted that Bonaduce's actions "fell within the realm of self-defense", as Dalton had initiated the physical conflict.[9]

At the 2008 Fox Reality Really Awards, Dalton and Bonaduce appeared together onstage and joked about the previous year's incident. In a scripted scene, Dalton kissed Bonaduce on the lips, and Bonaduce subsequently spit an object out of his mouth which he joked was another one of Dalton's teeth.[10]

On January 3, 2008, it was announced that Fairplay was the only pre-All-Stars castaway who accepted an offer to join the tribe of returning contestants in Survivor: Micronesia — Fans vs. Favorites, the show's 16th season.[11] However, Fairplay asked his tribe to vote him off in the first episode so that he could return to his pregnant girlfriend.[12]

Fairplay did not participate in Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains in 2010.[13] When asked about the reason for this, Jeff Probst remarked, "The reason that Fairplay isn't here is that this season is called Heroes vs. Villains, not Survivor Quitters."[14] Fairplay acknowledged in a 2010 interview that there is animosity between himself and Probst, stating, "It's no secret that Jeff Probst hates me, and I don't go out of my way to be his friend either."[15]

In 2013, Fairplay was inducted into the Xfinity "Survivor Hall of Fame," alongside Kim Spradlin and John Cochran. Fairplay was the only non-winner inducted into the Class of 2013.[16]

Dalton and his wife Michelle appeared on The Celebrity Newlywed Game, on which he beat the Monkees' Davy Jones and his wife; as well as on Dr. Phil in an episode titled 'Reality TV Stars' Real Life Drama' .[17] He has also appeared on Celebrity Poker Showdown, Celebrity Fear Factor, Pawn Stars, and Camp Reality.[15]

Dalton is also under contract with Wizard World to appear at its comic book conventions.[15]