RIVALS II - The Live Reunion Revealed: Drew's View

* Views expressed in Fan's View are only those of the interviewees and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of DC Cueva or DCBLOG.

*** This post contains brief adult language. Please read with discretion. ***

By DC Cueva, with Drew Consolo

> @DC408dxtr, @DrewConsolo

Nearly one week has past since the season finale & reunion of The Challenge: Rivals II, and it's only now that many of us Challenge fans have fully recovered from the euphoria of a foursome of our favorite veterans deservedly winning the Final Challenge and the spontaneity of the first-ever LIVE Challenge reunion show, highlighted by a smack to the face that got the twitter-verse buzzing. And the buzz begins yet again already for another Challenge that, presumably, will start taking place later this month, and a new Real World season continuing filming in San Francisco which will premiere early in the new year, with a trailer to likely come during the holidays.

   As everyone knows, an end of season tradition for every RW/Challenge season, as well as some other MTV shows, is the reunion, where the castmates get together to discuss and look back on everything that went on from the premiere right up to the finale. And it's almost certain that there's gonna be some or more so the same drama that we saw during the season, along with some things that your didn't see or hear unless you were one of those lucky people in the studio with a front row seat to the fireworks.

In our first Reunion Revealed article that we posted a few days prior to Rivals II, we uncovered the wraps of the Real World Portland reunion with my fellow followers Kevin & Kaitlyn, from covering the conflict that took longer than it was on TV to talking about everything else of that chaotic season in Oregon which I enjoyed so much earlier this year. This time around, we'll look at the first-ever live Challenge reunion with a unique firsthand perspective of being the audience, watching that drama unfold, and covering everything that took place in Thailand in a tighter timeframe of one hour instead of a longer, five-hour session (like the RWPDX one) which is then paired down to 43 minutes to air a few weeks later after the finale & sometimes with certain items being left on the cutting room floor.

   As neither Kevin nor Kaitlyn could make the trek to Times Square this time around, I had to scour Twitter & Instagram to find new Challenge fans to get their two cents on this. The fan I found was Drew Consolo, a Brooklynite who's a huge RW/Challenge fan and also was in the audience for The Challenge BOTS reunion with Kevin, along with America's Got Talent & other NY-based reality shows. 

As for RWPDX, this post will add more to the account of a blogger & great twitter friend who was also there last Wednesday night, more on that & his stellar year in RW/Challenge land at the end of this post. For now, here's what you've here for, let's cut right to the chase. Here's Drew's View...

DC: What was the atmosphere in the studio like?

Drew: It was very and energetic at first. They all enjoyed being together again.

DC: How did everyone look like in person?

Drew: Everyone looked exactly the same.

DC: Tell me what the filming process was like.

Drew: During one of the commercials I think Johnny or CT said "Better than Ten-Take-TJ."

DC: Who do you think were the better looking cast members?

Drew: They all look amazing. Very fit and very handsome/beautiful but quite honestly, I'm most attracted to Cara! I told her she's gorgeous and that was the first time I ever told anyone straight up that they're attractive.

DC: What was it like meeting the cast members, or at least watching them from a distance?

Drew: Well when I met the few I met, it was like hanging out with friends. They're funny, sweet and themselves. They're not big famous celebrities so it's not like they have a ton of make up and security so they're able to interact with everyone.

DC: Considering all of the drama that took place in Thailand, what was the tension like among the cast? 

Drew: I didn't sense any.

DC: What was your thoughts about this being a live reunion rather than one that's usually pre-taped & lasts longer than the hour we see on TV?

Drew: Much faster and real.

DC: Did they show the Final in the studio before the reunion began? And what were your reactions to that episode?

Drew: Yes, they did. And my reaction? Um... I don't  care if Cara had a bug in her mouth of still kiss her. Hahaha.

DC: What's your thoughts on the final? Of the competition this season?

Drew: Intense.

DC: Compared with recently, the general consensus is that the right teams won Rivals II, which was echoed by TJ & Johnny. Do you agree?

Drew: CT deserved to win after so many years and yes, I believe CT & Wes and Paula & Emiy were the strongest teams!

DC: What was your reaction to Knight's punch on Frank and all the events than ensued of him being escorted off stage & Frank leaving temporarily?

Drew: First, it was a slap/mush. There was no fist. And I mean, Knight is dumb cause, 1: She's his ex. 2: He fucked her over in Thailand with the ketchup.

DC: As Brian Cohen & others suggested on twitter, do you think Knight's behavior was premeditated or influenced by alcohol/drugs? And do you think he was out of line?

Drew: Way out of line.

DC: Who do you think was the bigger person in this, Knight or Frank? And who do you side with in this matter?

Drew: Frank all the way. Everyone had Franks side in the studio.

DC: They talked at length about Diem, including her post-cancer battle & the events in Thailand. What's your thoughts on her, and of how the vets came to her rescue to show their support?

Drew: I love Diem! She's one of sweetest and strongest women I know. Everyone came to her rescue. CT mentioned after the show that he was happy Johnny interrupted her because she was about to breakdown.

DC: What are your thoughts on Frank, the way he played throughout the season, & on him squashing his beef with Jemmye?

Drew: As I said and as everyone else said, you play the game and win at all costs.

DC: What's your thoughts on Cara Maria and how they treated her as the outsider?

Drew: I love Cara! She's just different from everyone. 

DC: How about your thoughts on Johnny Bananas?

Drew: He's actually a really nice guy. There's a big difference between playing a game and real life.

DC: What's your thoughts on CT & Diem's relationship? Do you think their storyline was played out too much on this season or not?

Drew: If you're in a house with an ex and you two are still attracted to one another... Hey... You do you.

DC: What's your thoughts on Jonny interrogating CT, and CT's response?

Drew: CT is hilarious! He was busting Jonny's balls. But he's right. It's nobody's business what he does with his life.

DC: What's your thoughts on the hookups in the house, esp. those by Marlon & Jordan? 

Drew: Well I met Marlon and Jordan. They really sweet and nice. But hey, you're stuck in a house with attractive people, why not make a move. Jordan like pretty girl.

DC: How about your thoughts on the drama in the house? (Aneesa's fight w/ Trishelle, Camila's breakdown, Knight's fights)

Drew: Knights kind of an asshole. Trashelle oh wait Trishelle... Yeah.

DC: Twitter & social media played an important role in this season, from a finals pair to beefs that emerged as the season aired. What's your thoughts on social media's impact on Rivals II?

Drew: You do what you gotta do. Who knows what goes on in the people's heads.

DC: What are your thoughts on the rivalries this season? Do you think some of the rivalries were far fetched rather than being genuine ones?

Drew: Been waiting to get this out! Some of them were kinda dumb. Mostly the Portland rivalries... Jordan and Marlon are like Bestfriends. They never had it out that bad... As for Jess and Ana... Come on! They're too sweet and frenemies. What about Avery and Nia?! Those are REAL rivals!

DC: Were there moments during commercial breaks when producers had to come out on floor, particularly after the Knight/Frank incident?

Drew: Not really. Host pure shock. But I could see it in Knights eyes that was sooooooo premeditated!

27. How do you think Jonny did as host? And if you had to pick, would you choose him or someone else to host it?

Drew: Jonny's a cool guy. And he's kind of a doof 

DC: Has your perception of the cast members changed, both on the show & at the reunion?

Drew: Not at all.

DC: What's your overall thoughts on the season in general? And of your reunion experience? What's been your favorite moment?

Drew: Meeting the cast and having conversations with them.

DC: Finally, if you could pick the format for the upcoming 25th challenge, what would it be? And who would you want to be on that season?

Drew: I'll watch it no matter what. To be honest, I'm only 19 and haven't seen much of the real world... I only started watching it when Brooklyn came on, that's where I'm from! I saw Brooklyn, San Diego, St Thomas, BOTS, Portland and Rivals II.

And that's that. If you got to be in the audience of a reality show reunion - RW, Challenge or others, then you're lucky to have experienced it with your own eyes. And unlike usual reunions that are taped in advance (for which there's then an embargo that prevents you from talking about what happens until after it airs), this one was broadcast live & unedited, with a 7-second delay for the censors. The question of whether live reunions will become the norm for the RW/Challenge franchise won't be answered until the next RW season, but it was a very entertaining one nonetheless. And with that, a very special thanks to Drew for giving me his perspective on all the madness of this Challenge: Rivals 2 Reunion, or shall we say, "Drew's View." And if he goes to the next reunion, expect me to talk to him (or any of my followers, for that matter) about that too. Follow him on twitter at @DrewConsolo.

   As we did on the first Reunion Revealed, a person who was in the audience, and also got a mention here, was blogger Brian Cohen, @BusDriversRoute. Check out www.busdriversroute.com for his own account of the live reunion, along with his lengthy post on the RW Portland reunion and see how both of them compare. And this reunion might as well be his own handsome reward for the season he has had in the interview department. After talking with Anastasia, Averey, Johnny, Jordan & Nia during RWPDX, he followed that up with an even stellar showing for Rivals II, talking to eight of the competitors & some of The Challenge's big names: in order - Frank, Knight, Zach, Johnny Bananas, Leroy, Jordan, Marlon and Wes, along with veterans Kenny & Laurel, Leroy's 2nd Rivals partner Mike, and even TJ. To paraphrase Mr. Lavin, Brian has killed it with the interviews he's had, and his rookie season of doing these podcasts has been as impressive as Team Portland's. Can't wait to see what BDR has in store next when the Real World Back to SFO cast & some new Challengers come a calling in the new year.

Though this season of The Challenge has ended, DC Blog's coverage of Rivals II isn't over quite yet. In the coming days, I'll be presenting a season in review where I'll be looking back at the season that was, as well as handing out season awards. And if you're a Real World/Challenge alum who might happen to be reading this, I'll also be writing a thank you note on here very soon for this great ride I've had of interacting with you throughout this year, just ahead of the next Challenge and before you get to welcome some new members into your fraternity come this winter.

   And as we conclude, from his Instagram @CiaoBrooklyn, here's Drew with some of the Rivals II stars as he & they left after the reunion. For now, thanks for reading and congratulations to the winners.

- DC

Drew with, in clockwise order: Marlon & Jordan, CT, Diem, Preston, Johnny Bananas & Cara Maria.

Pictures courtesy of his Instagram @CiaoBrooklyn and his twitter @DrewConsolo