BY DC CUEVA
The game has changed considerably on The Challenge: Battle of the Bloodlines as we have a Double Shot of back-to-back episodes coming our way tonight to end 2015. By way of both an elimination and two injuries, THREE teams were eliminated last Wednesday including two veterans with finals experience and a third who made his mark this year on MTV. And in place of one of them comes a popular Challenge veteran who's also the boyfriend of a top contender in Turkey. That provides the context for this dedicated edition of DC ExtraTime, as DCBLOG once again takes you beyond the screens for a unique look at the MTV Trifecta and its people.
Now, a Challenge tradition here is that if there's a rookie competing for the first time or if there's someone returning to the show after a long hiatus, then we provide a capsule of them in an early-season feature we call, "Who Are These Newbies?". Every new competitor since Rivals II has been profiled there, and if you were with us for our Bloodlines preview, we introduced passionate Challenge fans to Christina, Cory, Dario and Tony, and newcomers to veteran KellyAnne.
This time, with this season turned completely upside down and a new castmate & bloodline coming to Turkey to replace an injured Tony & brother Shane and returning to this world, we thought that we would introduce the newbie/returnee to you in a much different manner than we usually do here. For some inspiration, I had to look beyond this world and to my other primary passion of the sports world.
If you're a football fan who watches NFL Network, a staple of the channel's schedule is the documentary series A Football Life, which profiles various figures in the league - players, coaches, owners & the like - with stories told by them and interviews with everyone associated with the subject. That provides the inspiration for a post I like to refer to as, A Challenge Life, and with so many great Challenge veterans out there, simply doing a simple, brief write-up wasn't sufficient enough.
The addition of Abram to this Bloodlines season is the perfect subject for this special edition of DC ExtraTime that will look at his career on the MTV airwaves. And instead of doing an entirely original write-up on him, this will be a combination of both an original portion written by me - which will be provided later in the post, and a portion in letting the man himself do some of the talking as well.
We went into the MTV.com archives to dust off some nostalgia from when he first made his MTV debut on what was then part of the original MTV Trifecta - Road Rules South Pacific all the way back in 2003. Here starting after the jump, we'll share you a bio written - and some of 20 Questions answered - by the fearless veteran back from when he first earned his MTV stripes. Then, we'll offer some reflection on The Challenge Life of Abram Boise.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS: ABRAM
First, here's the nostalgia. Usually our way here of introducing first-time or returning Challengers is doing an original write-up combining portions of their original MTV.com bio of the show they first made their debut on, followed by what happened on both that and, in the case of some Challenge vets, succeeding seasons. But in a departure from that, we felt the right way to introduce Abram is to dig into the MTV.com archives to dust off two gems from when he began his ride on MTV in a time well long ago.
Taken from an earlier incarnation of MTV.com from all the way back in 2003, here's Abram's MTV.com Autobiography.
> ROAD RULES SOUTH PACIFIC - ABRAM'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY
"And so, I'm sitting alone at this brown park bench that sits on the deep green lawn of a city park here in Bozeman, Montana - my own little forest in the city. Incredibly tall trees surround me, and an old man plays with his dog among them. I sit alone and think about the old man. I think of how he could so easily be me in some far off future. I think about how I could be sitting here at this park bench watching myself in the future, here in the present. I see his young black Labrador and wonder, "Will I have a friend like you when I am old and grey?" Could this old man be me, looking at myself and thinking of who I was in his past? Might he be remembering his deeds in life that make him who he is? That is what I am thinking of now; about the things I have done in my life, and how they have made me who I am.
…I smile in satisfaction…
I am Abram Boise- now a young man of twenty years into life. I am a person who loves life in all its beauty, birth, death and ugliness. I was born Abrahm Boise, son of Steven and Laura Boise on super bowl Sunday in Los Angeles County, 1983.
…It snowed that day…
I don't remember being born, I don't remember my first word, and I don't remember much of my earlier life growing up in southern California. All of my memories of growing up are here in Montana; playing with my brothers down at the river, building forts, cliff diving at the dredge, hiking and camping- even in the freezing cold.
…life was fun in the snow…
I could ski before I could walk, and was snowboarding before I could talk. Due to the lengthy winters here in Montana snowboarding and skiing are major social aspects during those cold months - think of it as going to the beach in the summer. Above and beyond that, it's a heap of fun.
…High School…
I don't remember much of high school: I was on varsity wrestling; got in a few fights; started smoking dope; never liked where I was at or what I was doing- actually that's not entirely true. In high school I was happy when I followed my own path, but as far as memory serves me, there was a lot of push to be "keeping up with the Jones's." I felt like my individuality and beliefs were suppressed as I simply followed the mob mentality. I had an enormous amount of potential - as I believe all people do - that I squandered getting high and never realizing that there was something beyond where I was, what I was doing, and what I knew of the world about me.
…all that changed…
My first real taste of travel was when I toured France my sophomore year in high school with my French class. I could only describe my experience as poetic because of the beauty and power of that period of time. The friends I made and the experiences we shared… but the culture, the art, the buildings, the food, the people, that is what made it so spectacular. That journey awakened an unquenchable thirst and desire for new perspective and understanding that has only grown with each of my travels.
…new places brought new understanding and perspective…
I traveled to Mexico twice with Youth Reach International, a group I helped to originally establish, and then travel with to give out love and service to orphan children. Just playing with them while they attempted to teach Spanish to me was an awe inspiring experience so great that it brought me to tears. I also must say that I did not realize the enormous impact those trips had on me until some time later, and even today I am still realizing the beneficial effects.
…I learned how lucky I have been in life…
I got suspended quite a few times, still made the honor roll, but eventually got expelled. I do look back sometimes and see how I could have avoided many pains and troubles, but I make it a point not to dwell in regret - I have no remorse whatsoever for my choices because I have made good on my end.
…expulsion from high school was a blessing…
Military reform school at the Montana National Guard Youth Challenge Program: I went there voluntarily, happy to be able to go somewhere new, but I also went because I had screwed up a good life. They shaved my head, took away my music, my TV, my clothes, my friends, and my reputation. All the things I had previously depended on as a source for defining my character was stripped from me. They marched us for hours and miles calling cadence, eating without talking, making us clean our dorms for hours on end, waking up a 5 a.m. to go do push ups, sit ups, and running. We were kept under an extremely watchful eye and had to maintain strict discipline.
…I liked it, as a matter of fact, I loved it…
I thrived. I had been given a second chance and I seized it and ran with it. There was no one there to say what I was like and how I couldn't change, no reputation that preceded me, nothing - it was a rebirth. I had a golden opportunity to change anything and everything about myself I had ever wanted to. To become my own person established by my own standards.
…I became who I wished to be…
Six months of epiphanies, trials, and hardship later I graduated the program and received a full-ride scholarship for two years of college. I cannot convey how happy it made me to have achieved that scholarship. I prayed for it five times a day, and everything I had done while in the program was done with the scholarship in mind.
…I fulfilled a dream…
College- success and a great deal of happiness was discovered there. I was extremely active in every way I could find. I wrote for the school newspaper, was elected to the student senate, joined clubs, and last but certainly not least, I traveled around Montana with a Shakespearean acting group - the Lord Chamberlain's Royal Players. I gained new perspective and awareness, and excelled academically. I did so well actually, that my scholarship was extended for two more years.
…I had been blessed again…
One of those more profound experiences I had while at the University of Montana Western was when I spent a summer on the US Virgin Island of St. Croix. I had an amazingly wonderful time, and I loved the beaches, ocean, people, and the culture. One can only imagine what I felt, what I saw, breathed, smelled, tasted, touched, or heard; the drunken nights and singing bad karaoke at the bars, and the streets that smelled of Cruzan rum, vomit, and marijuana -which in memory is a pleasing aroma. My life changed and I don't think I could ever find again that simple rhythm and time of the tyranny of pettiness. There was one day that exemplifies my experience, and I would like to share a page from my journal from that day:
"This morning I was in America's paradise, on a remote island small enough that you never lost sight of the ocean, but big to the extent that it was hard to tell if you were really on an island at all. Just yesterday I was sitting in an ocean kayak, and diving for lobster in water so warm, so clear, so blue that I became lost in its beauty - forgetting that land had ever existed in my life, or ever would again. The coral heads stacked up in amazing columns and arch ways, and as I strolled across the white rippled sand of the ocean floor, I laid back weightless and suspended in my free floating form, and I watched my bubbles flutter away like a flock of doves being set fee from their cages and flying straight heavenward for the sun and all its glory and wonder. In those moments of swimming naked among those coral reefs that scraped the surface of the water and then dropped 30 feet to the sandy white ocean floor, with fish of every color, pattern, and shape swimming in schools of thousands. In that place I found myself wondering who could have created such magnificence in this world - the creation of such a beauty and the silent harmonies of the ocean - like a symphony without players or instruments, but rather the sound of perfection. It was magnificent, and now I am set to thoughts of other memories of that paradise that was mine."
That day was one the many moments in my life when all things come together and give inspiration and meaning. On the other hand however, during my time in that tropical paradise I was deeply impacted by the racism against me, because it was the first time as a white male I was in the minority. This put a lot of things in a very new perspective, but I still enjoyed it and was glad that I had learned from such. The new knowledge from studies and traveling revealed a paradox of good and bad in the world. I discovered a sense of loneliness in the universe, or more, I found the world to be harsher than I had always idealized.
…despite all things, I still dream and believe…
I am now 20 years old, a young man very enthusiastic about everything I do. I love being at college very much, and yet sometimes I wish not to be exposed to the unforgiving cruelties that exist in the world. Yes, there is a great deal of happiness in my life, but the realization of sadness and suffering that exists in the world is overwhelming to even contemplate. The new understandings I have found through college and my travels throughout the world have made me aware of not only so much in the world, but more, what is inside me.
…With knowledge and freedom comes responsibility…
So, I sit at this park bench, and reflect upon my life and the deeds that have made me who I am. I realize now at the thought of it, that it was not what was done, but what it did to me, and how I reacted to it.
…life is good, as it should be…
And so, I end with this: from time to time for the past few years I think back on my life for a moment and realize this, "My life has been full and meaningful, I may die happy now. Anything after this moment is beyond all that I could ever have imagined." I had one of these moments just before I jumped from the top of the space needle in Auckland, New Zealand on one of our missions. And now is another of those moments, here on this park bench.
…to the world, the essence of all life, I am thankful…"
In addition to having him writing his own autobiography, MTV also asked Abe to take part in that favorite game of ours, 20 Questions. Here's a sampling of his answers.
> ROAD RULES SOUTH PACIFIC - 20 QUESTIONS WITH ABRAM
● 1. Why did you audition for Road Rules?
"Why not? I had nothing else to do that day. Besides, a cute ex who I wanted to see lived in the same town the auditions were being held in."
● 2. When you found out you were going to be on the show, what did you do?
"I jumped up and down, ran around in circles, did summersaults on the floor, screaming and yelling all at the same time for a good ten minutes, then I did it all over again. I eventually ended up telling just about everyone I knew. I got the call while sitting around on my brother's couch watching TV."
● 3. What questions were going through your head before the trip?
"How come I can't start tomorrow? I don't want to wait a month before I go. I found myself daydreaming while at work, thinking of tropical beaches and beautiful girls in bikinis--and sometimes no bikinis--serving me tiki drinks on the beach.
On my flight into Fiji I sat next to this old dude that reminded me of James Bond, and we both took full advantage of the complimentary in-flight booze. By the time we arrived in Fiji, we were so tanked and having such a good time I forgot what I was in the South Pacific for. I guess I didn't really have any expectations, except that it would be cool."
● 4. What were you doing before the show? Describe a typical day in your life, pre-Road Rules.
"Wake up fairly early, make my bed, and go to the window to give a morning prayer of thanks to God for his blessings. Usually I turn on some tunes--something that inspires me a great deal such as Beethoven's symphony, Ode to Joy--the greatest of inspirations in the morning--or maybe Led Zeppelin, Metallica, or CCR; anything that instills the attitude of kicking ass at anything I do. I clean up my pad and head for classes. I am involved in a lot of things on campus including Student Senate, UMW Ambassadors, and an outdoor club, Terre Verde to name a few. Because of this I can be found engaged in a variety of activities such as giving campus tours, voicing student concerns in campus committees, or gone fishing. I go to the gym to play basketball, lift weights, swim laps, or some other workout at least once a day. I usually end up at a friends place in the evenings, and we get down to the bars a couple times a week. During the winter I'll be snowboarding all four days of the weekend, and partying and drinking with friends at night."
● 5. What are you passionate about? What do you love? What inspires you?
"Wooing women, I believe it is the epitome of passion. Above and beyond that, I have an intense desire to learn, I love being at college, and try to pursuit of deep appreciation for the life that God has provided me. I love to play pick-up games of football on the lawn at campus with my good buddies on a Sunday afternoon. I love to be in the outdoors, backpacking, camping, rock climbing, anything. I really like sports, I'm big on soccer, and I have been trying to get a rugby club going on my campus for the past few years without success. Swimming, snowboarding and skiing are obviously a big love. Also, wake boarding has become synonymous with summer and friends at the lake on my bro's new boat. I really like anything that is mentally and/or physically challenging, like cliff diving. I love the mountains, the ocean, and the wide variety therein. I love the females, chicks, babes, women, girls, ladies, the opposite sex. I'm also a big flirt. I like to chase girls around. Sex, sex is also very high on my list. No explanation needed (except that it only ranks high if with the right person). I love to spend money on good food and wine--pretty girls and good food make this world a better place. Boy there is so much out there to love, I guess I love to love. Oh yeah, and I love my mommy. The possibility of the impossible is my greatest inspiration, as well my belief in the untapped unlimited potential of human beings."
● 6. When you started Road Rules, what was your romantic status?
"A few months before the show I had broken up with the only girl I had ever had a serious relationship with. It had been a long distance relationship and I had tried breaking up a few times, but she always seemed so sad I could never do it. I also had been with a couple of other girl, I felt guilty and thought I would be being selfish if I didn't end it even though I did not want to break up. I was with a couple of other girls after that, but nothing ever became serious, and they didn't compare to my ex. Other than that I have never had a serious relationship in my life. "
● 7. Have you ever had your heart broken or broken someone else's heart?
"The only time I can think of that my heart was really broken was somewhere around the 7th grade. I don't remember much, except the huge feeling of sadness, and that I cried."
● 8. What do you find attractive? What turns you on?
"I really dig sporty chicks, the kind I can go backpacking and camping with. At the same time I like girls that are dainty physically, but can still handle themselves. I like girls with musical talent (I love the violin and the guitar), if she is in college, a girl that wants to take care of me. It's a combination of a lot of things, but primarily of beauty and her approach to life. To be more precise though--I like brunettes, red heads, and Asian girls, but I like blondes best I think, and freckles can be real cute. Blue or green eyes. I guess my ideal is a surfer chick that lives in Montana. Boy, come to think of it there are tons of girls here in Bozeman that are the ideal girl.
- Big turn on's: Mini skirts, massages, roller skates and bikinis, cfm shoes; when she's physically assertive - that's a big one. I love it if a cute girl grabs my ass, I wish it would happen more often (don't we all?). Obviously a girl with a healthy libido (to match mine), and a willingness to be wild.
- Turn offs: When a girl thinks she can control me or own me in some way. I can't stand it when a girl thinks she can lead a guy around by the nose because she knows she's fine. I have no respect for her if she acts like that, and have no hesitation whatsoever to show her the door."
● 9. Before this trip, what was the coolest place you'd ever traveled to?
"I toured France spring break of my sophomore year in high school. It was my first time overseas and internationally, and it awakened a thirst for travel that will never be quenched. It was also where I first started to journal a lot. A sacred thing to me now."
● 10. Before this trip, what was the most physically challenging moment you had ever faced?
"Every time I exercise, go for a run, lift, swim, whatever, I am always trying to push the envelope and take my body farther than it can go. So I guess I face that moment at least once a week."
● 11. What is your favorite quote, or do you have a philosophy you live by?
"Quote:"Laugh or cry, happiness is a decision." -Pops Boise
Philosophy: Have faith, and God will provide all. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things."
● 12. Describe your Road Rules experience in three words.
"Rad. Supercallifragallisticexpialidocious. Truth."
● 17. If you could hang out with any celeb, who would it be?
"Britney Spears! Duh. That was a dumb question."
Those two pieces of nostalgia above were posted all the way back in 2003 when Abram was 20 years old and all of us were a dozen years younger. Yes, it feels so long ago and in ancient times of all things, but Abram joins this Challenge with brother Michael as replacements and have no doubt turned this game on its head. It's the same spot his girlfriend, Cara Maria, was in on Rivals II two years ago when she replaced Naomi (who flew home to attend to her ill dad) and teamed with Cooke to nab 2nd place. It's always the most unenviable position to enter a Challenge at this stage when the game is already on, but it's a challenge Abe & Mike look to relish in Turkey. It also provides more of a sense of veteran leadership to this season where the first MTV appearances for more than half of this season's original competitors have come in the past five years.
When he first made his MTV debut, his Road Rules bio wrote that "Abram is not someone to get lost in the shuffle" in being part of a family with nine other siblings. The Montana guy has been a thoughtful one since very young, where he once went into the Montana wilderness for one weekend as a teen to look at what life has to offer in this unique part of the country. It's an intense persona yes, but he also had a more devious side too in struggling to get into a committed relationship before heading down south. And the bio adds, "Abram is the contemplative guy in the back of the class, with a deep perspective on life who cares more about new experiences than scoring high on a math test."
On Road Rules South Pacific - which also introduced us to David Giuntoli who's gone on to bigger & better things as star of NBC's Grimm (and two other girls, Cara & MaryBeth later being showcased in Playboy Magazine), Abe began his MTV stint on an RV going all around New Zealand, Fiji and Oceania. Being the great adventurous guy and being used to this made it easier for him to bungee-jump off the tallest tower in New Zealand and all those missions that TV's first reality competition series was known for. But that first go-around was cut short by way of his temper when he got into a fight with big fella Donell and immediately got the red card.
But that was just the rather explosive start to his MTV career, as afterwards he would become a Challenge staple, and in MTV lore there's no one quite like Abram. He's fiercely intense, a sensitive soul who's very emotional, and also finds the time to both enjoy life to its fullest and to be creative as well. He can be thankful for having the frontier of Montana as both his playground and his home too.
When Abe made his way into Colorado for The Gauntlet, he made a name for himself almost immediately with a deep run in his first go. He and Challenge OG Mike "The Miz" faced off in a late-season elimination that the future WWE Champ & Hollywood upstart would win. But as a consolation prize, Abe got a rather fitting send-off when fellow Challenge/RR originals Veronica & Rachel lured him into the bubble-filled hot tub & the shower with a good old threesome. On the field, he would bounce back on Inferno I the next year and won over a Real World team featuring CT in his first Challenge and queen bee Coral.
"And so, I'm sitting alone at this brown park bench that sits on the deep green lawn of a city park here in Bozeman, Montana - my own little forest in the city. Incredibly tall trees surround me, and an old man plays with his dog among them. I sit alone and think about the old man. I think of how he could so easily be me in some far off future. I think about how I could be sitting here at this park bench watching myself in the future, here in the present. I see his young black Labrador and wonder, "Will I have a friend like you when I am old and grey?" Could this old man be me, looking at myself and thinking of who I was in his past? Might he be remembering his deeds in life that make him who he is? That is what I am thinking of now; about the things I have done in my life, and how they have made me who I am.…I smile in satisfaction…
I am Abram Boise- now a young man of twenty years into life. I am a person who loves life in all its beauty, birth, death and ugliness. I was born Abrahm Boise, son of Steven and Laura Boise on super bowl Sunday in Los Angeles County, 1983.
…It snowed that day…
I don't remember being born, I don't remember my first word, and I don't remember much of my earlier life growing up in southern California. All of my memories of growing up are here in Montana; playing with my brothers down at the river, building forts, cliff diving at the dredge, hiking and camping- even in the freezing cold.
…life was fun in the snow…
I could ski before I could walk, and was snowboarding before I could talk. Due to the lengthy winters here in Montana snowboarding and skiing are major social aspects during those cold months - think of it as going to the beach in the summer. Above and beyond that, it's a heap of fun.
…High School…
I don't remember much of high school: I was on varsity wrestling; got in a few fights; started smoking dope; never liked where I was at or what I was doing- actually that's not entirely true. In high school I was happy when I followed my own path, but as far as memory serves me, there was a lot of push to be "keeping up with the Jones's." I felt like my individuality and beliefs were suppressed as I simply followed the mob mentality. I had an enormous amount of potential - as I believe all people do - that I squandered getting high and never realizing that there was something beyond where I was, what I was doing, and what I knew of the world about me.
…all that changed…
My first real taste of travel was when I toured France my sophomore year in high school with my French class. I could only describe my experience as poetic because of the beauty and power of that period of time. The friends I made and the experiences we shared… but the culture, the art, the buildings, the food, the people, that is what made it so spectacular. That journey awakened an unquenchable thirst and desire for new perspective and understanding that has only grown with each of my travels.
…new places brought new understanding and perspective…
I traveled to Mexico twice with Youth Reach International, a group I helped to originally establish, and then travel with to give out love and service to orphan children. Just playing with them while they attempted to teach Spanish to me was an awe inspiring experience so great that it brought me to tears. I also must say that I did not realize the enormous impact those trips had on me until some time later, and even today I am still realizing the beneficial effects.
…I learned how lucky I have been in life…
I got suspended quite a few times, still made the honor roll, but eventually got expelled. I do look back sometimes and see how I could have avoided many pains and troubles, but I make it a point not to dwell in regret - I have no remorse whatsoever for my choices because I have made good on my end.
…expulsion from high school was a blessing…
Military reform school at the Montana National Guard Youth Challenge Program: I went there voluntarily, happy to be able to go somewhere new, but I also went because I had screwed up a good life. They shaved my head, took away my music, my TV, my clothes, my friends, and my reputation. All the things I had previously depended on as a source for defining my character was stripped from me. They marched us for hours and miles calling cadence, eating without talking, making us clean our dorms for hours on end, waking up a 5 a.m. to go do push ups, sit ups, and running. We were kept under an extremely watchful eye and had to maintain strict discipline.
…I liked it, as a matter of fact, I loved it…
I thrived. I had been given a second chance and I seized it and ran with it. There was no one there to say what I was like and how I couldn't change, no reputation that preceded me, nothing - it was a rebirth. I had a golden opportunity to change anything and everything about myself I had ever wanted to. To become my own person established by my own standards.
…I became who I wished to be…
Six months of epiphanies, trials, and hardship later I graduated the program and received a full-ride scholarship for two years of college. I cannot convey how happy it made me to have achieved that scholarship. I prayed for it five times a day, and everything I had done while in the program was done with the scholarship in mind.
…I fulfilled a dream…
College- success and a great deal of happiness was discovered there. I was extremely active in every way I could find. I wrote for the school newspaper, was elected to the student senate, joined clubs, and last but certainly not least, I traveled around Montana with a Shakespearean acting group - the Lord Chamberlain's Royal Players. I gained new perspective and awareness, and excelled academically. I did so well actually, that my scholarship was extended for two more years.
…I had been blessed again…
One of those more profound experiences I had while at the University of Montana Western was when I spent a summer on the US Virgin Island of St. Croix. I had an amazingly wonderful time, and I loved the beaches, ocean, people, and the culture. One can only imagine what I felt, what I saw, breathed, smelled, tasted, touched, or heard; the drunken nights and singing bad karaoke at the bars, and the streets that smelled of Cruzan rum, vomit, and marijuana -which in memory is a pleasing aroma. My life changed and I don't think I could ever find again that simple rhythm and time of the tyranny of pettiness. There was one day that exemplifies my experience, and I would like to share a page from my journal from that day:
"This morning I was in America's paradise, on a remote island small enough that you never lost sight of the ocean, but big to the extent that it was hard to tell if you were really on an island at all. Just yesterday I was sitting in an ocean kayak, and diving for lobster in water so warm, so clear, so blue that I became lost in its beauty - forgetting that land had ever existed in my life, or ever would again. The coral heads stacked up in amazing columns and arch ways, and as I strolled across the white rippled sand of the ocean floor, I laid back weightless and suspended in my free floating form, and I watched my bubbles flutter away like a flock of doves being set fee from their cages and flying straight heavenward for the sun and all its glory and wonder. In those moments of swimming naked among those coral reefs that scraped the surface of the water and then dropped 30 feet to the sandy white ocean floor, with fish of every color, pattern, and shape swimming in schools of thousands. In that place I found myself wondering who could have created such magnificence in this world - the creation of such a beauty and the silent harmonies of the ocean - like a symphony without players or instruments, but rather the sound of perfection. It was magnificent, and now I am set to thoughts of other memories of that paradise that was mine."
That day was one the many moments in my life when all things come together and give inspiration and meaning. On the other hand however, during my time in that tropical paradise I was deeply impacted by the racism against me, because it was the first time as a white male I was in the minority. This put a lot of things in a very new perspective, but I still enjoyed it and was glad that I had learned from such. The new knowledge from studies and traveling revealed a paradox of good and bad in the world. I discovered a sense of loneliness in the universe, or more, I found the world to be harsher than I had always idealized.
…despite all things, I still dream and believe…
I am now 20 years old, a young man very enthusiastic about everything I do. I love being at college very much, and yet sometimes I wish not to be exposed to the unforgiving cruelties that exist in the world. Yes, there is a great deal of happiness in my life, but the realization of sadness and suffering that exists in the world is overwhelming to even contemplate. The new understandings I have found through college and my travels throughout the world have made me aware of not only so much in the world, but more, what is inside me.
…With knowledge and freedom comes responsibility…
So, I sit at this park bench, and reflect upon my life and the deeds that have made me who I am. I realize now at the thought of it, that it was not what was done, but what it did to me, and how I reacted to it.
…life is good, as it should be…
And so, I end with this: from time to time for the past few years I think back on my life for a moment and realize this, "My life has been full and meaningful, I may die happy now. Anything after this moment is beyond all that I could ever have imagined." I had one of these moments just before I jumped from the top of the space needle in Auckland, New Zealand on one of our missions. And now is another of those moments, here on this park bench.
…to the world, the essence of all life, I am thankful…"
> ROAD RULES SOUTH PACIFIC - 20 QUESTIONS WITH ABRAM
● 1. Why did you audition for Road Rules?
"Why not? I had nothing else to do that day. Besides, a cute ex who I wanted to see lived in the same town the auditions were being held in."
● 2. When you found out you were going to be on the show, what did you do?
"I jumped up and down, ran around in circles, did summersaults on the floor, screaming and yelling all at the same time for a good ten minutes, then I did it all over again. I eventually ended up telling just about everyone I knew. I got the call while sitting around on my brother's couch watching TV."
● 3. What questions were going through your head before the trip?
"How come I can't start tomorrow? I don't want to wait a month before I go. I found myself daydreaming while at work, thinking of tropical beaches and beautiful girls in bikinis--and sometimes no bikinis--serving me tiki drinks on the beach.
On my flight into Fiji I sat next to this old dude that reminded me of James Bond, and we both took full advantage of the complimentary in-flight booze. By the time we arrived in Fiji, we were so tanked and having such a good time I forgot what I was in the South Pacific for. I guess I didn't really have any expectations, except that it would be cool."
● 4. What were you doing before the show? Describe a typical day in your life, pre-Road Rules.
"Wake up fairly early, make my bed, and go to the window to give a morning prayer of thanks to God for his blessings. Usually I turn on some tunes--something that inspires me a great deal such as Beethoven's symphony, Ode to Joy--the greatest of inspirations in the morning--or maybe Led Zeppelin, Metallica, or CCR; anything that instills the attitude of kicking ass at anything I do. I clean up my pad and head for classes. I am involved in a lot of things on campus including Student Senate, UMW Ambassadors, and an outdoor club, Terre Verde to name a few. Because of this I can be found engaged in a variety of activities such as giving campus tours, voicing student concerns in campus committees, or gone fishing. I go to the gym to play basketball, lift weights, swim laps, or some other workout at least once a day. I usually end up at a friends place in the evenings, and we get down to the bars a couple times a week. During the winter I'll be snowboarding all four days of the weekend, and partying and drinking with friends at night."
● 5. What are you passionate about? What do you love? What inspires you?
"Wooing women, I believe it is the epitome of passion. Above and beyond that, I have an intense desire to learn, I love being at college, and try to pursuit of deep appreciation for the life that God has provided me. I love to play pick-up games of football on the lawn at campus with my good buddies on a Sunday afternoon. I love to be in the outdoors, backpacking, camping, rock climbing, anything. I really like sports, I'm big on soccer, and I have been trying to get a rugby club going on my campus for the past few years without success. Swimming, snowboarding and skiing are obviously a big love. Also, wake boarding has become synonymous with summer and friends at the lake on my bro's new boat. I really like anything that is mentally and/or physically challenging, like cliff diving. I love the mountains, the ocean, and the wide variety therein. I love the females, chicks, babes, women, girls, ladies, the opposite sex. I'm also a big flirt. I like to chase girls around. Sex, sex is also very high on my list. No explanation needed (except that it only ranks high if with the right person). I love to spend money on good food and wine--pretty girls and good food make this world a better place. Boy there is so much out there to love, I guess I love to love. Oh yeah, and I love my mommy. The possibility of the impossible is my greatest inspiration, as well my belief in the untapped unlimited potential of human beings."
● 6. When you started Road Rules, what was your romantic status?
"A few months before the show I had broken up with the only girl I had ever had a serious relationship with. It had been a long distance relationship and I had tried breaking up a few times, but she always seemed so sad I could never do it. I also had been with a couple of other girl, I felt guilty and thought I would be being selfish if I didn't end it even though I did not want to break up. I was with a couple of other girls after that, but nothing ever became serious, and they didn't compare to my ex. Other than that I have never had a serious relationship in my life. "
● 7. Have you ever had your heart broken or broken someone else's heart?
"The only time I can think of that my heart was really broken was somewhere around the 7th grade. I don't remember much, except the huge feeling of sadness, and that I cried."
● 8. What do you find attractive? What turns you on?
"I really dig sporty chicks, the kind I can go backpacking and camping with. At the same time I like girls that are dainty physically, but can still handle themselves. I like girls with musical talent (I love the violin and the guitar), if she is in college, a girl that wants to take care of me. It's a combination of a lot of things, but primarily of beauty and her approach to life. To be more precise though--I like brunettes, red heads, and Asian girls, but I like blondes best I think, and freckles can be real cute. Blue or green eyes. I guess my ideal is a surfer chick that lives in Montana. Boy, come to think of it there are tons of girls here in Bozeman that are the ideal girl.
- Big turn on's: Mini skirts, massages, roller skates and bikinis, cfm shoes; when she's physically assertive - that's a big one. I love it if a cute girl grabs my ass, I wish it would happen more often (don't we all?). Obviously a girl with a healthy libido (to match mine), and a willingness to be wild.
- Turn offs: When a girl thinks she can control me or own me in some way. I can't stand it when a girl thinks she can lead a guy around by the nose because she knows she's fine. I have no respect for her if she acts like that, and have no hesitation whatsoever to show her the door."
● 9. Before this trip, what was the coolest place you'd ever traveled to?
"I toured France spring break of my sophomore year in high school. It was my first time overseas and internationally, and it awakened a thirst for travel that will never be quenched. It was also where I first started to journal a lot. A sacred thing to me now."
● 10. Before this trip, what was the most physically challenging moment you had ever faced?
"Every time I exercise, go for a run, lift, swim, whatever, I am always trying to push the envelope and take my body farther than it can go. So I guess I face that moment at least once a week."
● 11. What is your favorite quote, or do you have a philosophy you live by?
"Quote:"Laugh or cry, happiness is a decision." -Pops Boise
Philosophy: Have faith, and God will provide all. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things."
● 12. Describe your Road Rules experience in three words.
"Rad. Supercallifragallisticexpialidocious. Truth."
● 17. If you could hang out with any celeb, who would it be?
"Britney Spears! Duh. That was a dumb question."
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A CHALLENGE LIFE: ABRAM
Those two pieces of nostalgia above were posted all the way back in 2003 when Abram was 20 years old and all of us were a dozen years younger. Yes, it feels so long ago and in ancient times of all things, but Abram joins this Challenge with brother Michael as replacements and have no doubt turned this game on its head. It's the same spot his girlfriend, Cara Maria, was in on Rivals II two years ago when she replaced Naomi (who flew home to attend to her ill dad) and teamed with Cooke to nab 2nd place. It's always the most unenviable position to enter a Challenge at this stage when the game is already on, but it's a challenge Abe & Mike look to relish in Turkey. It also provides more of a sense of veteran leadership to this season where the first MTV appearances for more than half of this season's original competitors have come in the past five years.When he first made his MTV debut, his Road Rules bio wrote that "Abram is not someone to get lost in the shuffle" in being part of a family with nine other siblings. The Montana guy has been a thoughtful one since very young, where he once went into the Montana wilderness for one weekend as a teen to look at what life has to offer in this unique part of the country. It's an intense persona yes, but he also had a more devious side too in struggling to get into a committed relationship before heading down south. And the bio adds, "Abram is the contemplative guy in the back of the class, with a deep perspective on life who cares more about new experiences than scoring high on a math test."
On Road Rules South Pacific - which also introduced us to David Giuntoli who's gone on to bigger & better things as star of NBC's Grimm (and two other girls, Cara & MaryBeth later being showcased in Playboy Magazine), Abe began his MTV stint on an RV going all around New Zealand, Fiji and Oceania. Being the great adventurous guy and being used to this made it easier for him to bungee-jump off the tallest tower in New Zealand and all those missions that TV's first reality competition series was known for. But that first go-around was cut short by way of his temper when he got into a fight with big fella Donell and immediately got the red card.
But that was just the rather explosive start to his MTV career, as afterwards he would become a Challenge staple, and in MTV lore there's no one quite like Abram. He's fiercely intense, a sensitive soul who's very emotional, and also finds the time to both enjoy life to its fullest and to be creative as well. He can be thankful for having the frontier of Montana as both his playground and his home too.
When Abe made his way into Colorado for The Gauntlet, he made a name for himself almost immediately with a deep run in his first go. He and Challenge OG Mike "The Miz" faced off in a late-season elimination that the future WWE Champ & Hollywood upstart would win. But as a consolation prize, Abe got a rather fitting send-off when fellow Challenge/RR originals Veronica & Rachel lured him into the bubble-filled hot tub & the shower with a good old threesome. On the field, he would bounce back on Inferno I the next year and won over a Real World team featuring CT in his first Challenge and queen bee Coral.
Both her and Abe would later be involved in a memorable Challenge hook-up and a romance that lasted for some time afterwards. He would also achieve further Challenge success, which saw him be on all three Inferno's: going to the final on the 2nd one with the bad boys but losing, and coming back on the 3rd one and winning. There on Inferno II (in between an early exit on Battle of the Sexes 2), he was part of a memorable elimination tussle, beating RWSD1's Brad in the same Balls Out game we saw twice last year on Free Agents (one of them won by Abe's girlfriend incidentally enough).
He was part of the one-off Road Rules: Viewers' Revenge in 2007, where he was sent home again for a fight he had with RR OG Adam L. (he's one of two to be sent home for bad behavior, the other being Adam R. on both RW Vegas XXV and Rivals I - back-to-back seasons). And then Abe had another early exit losing elimination #2 on The Island; but not before having to feel the sting of dozens wasps in Panama and later going about his day as normal...that's the epitome of toughness.
But it was on Cutthroat that Abe's Challenge life would be taken to a whole new level and would ultimately bring a sense of calmness to his otherwise wildcard personality. Newly single coming into Prague after an engagement didn't turn out well, he was attracted by the great appeal that is Cara Maria. With both as part of the Grey Team, the team won six challenges, but when they made it into the final, he fell severely ill midway through the "Czech Point" final race and dropped out of the 2nd place jackpot. But through he did receive his share of $20,000 for previous challenge wins, his prize was the red head herself as the two fell in love that season and stayed together afterwards.
He was part of the one-off Road Rules: Viewers' Revenge in 2007, where he was sent home again for a fight he had with RR OG Adam L. (he's one of two to be sent home for bad behavior, the other being Adam R. on both RW Vegas XXV and Rivals I - back-to-back seasons). And then Abe had another early exit losing elimination #2 on The Island; but not before having to feel the sting of dozens wasps in Panama and later going about his day as normal...that's the epitome of toughness.
But it was on Cutthroat that Abe's Challenge life would be taken to a whole new level and would ultimately bring a sense of calmness to his otherwise wildcard personality. Newly single coming into Prague after an engagement didn't turn out well, he was attracted by the great appeal that is Cara Maria. With both as part of the Grey Team, the team won six challenges, but when they made it into the final, he fell severely ill midway through the "Czech Point" final race and dropped out of the 2nd place jackpot. But through he did receive his share of $20,000 for previous challenge wins, his prize was the red head herself as the two fell in love that season and stayed together afterwards.
But one night, an inebriated Abe had a run-in with the police that saw him make news for the wrong reasons when he went to jail. His night of peeing in the car and then him treating three cells as his own toilet of all things (pee, poop & all) made it to TMZ and led Cara Maria to pull the plug. The couple would later reconcile, and on Battle of the Exes, they came to the Dominican Republic looking to make their on-again, off-again relationship more consistent on the positive side. And though they would lose the 5th elimination, they would emerge out of it boyfriend & girlfriend once again, and remain so to this day. They are one of the few reality TV couples who've been together for a great amount of time in an age where couples come & go, and are among MTV's most-beloved couples.
Amidst all this, Abram has expanded his horizons beyond being one of The Challenge's most well known veterans. As we told you during the last Trifecta cycle, Abe has made some documentary films, including one showcasing American art in his native Montana to an exhibition in China and gained top prize by way of a strong twitter vote & Team MTV's support. He has something in common with Kailyn from Teen Mom in that they've both penned children's books. He owns two pieces of real estate in Montana: designer of energy-efficient homes and maintaining a performance space. Abe also travels across America doing contractor work to events across America, from last season's College Football Playoff Championship in Dallas, to running into Mike "The Miz" at a WWE card in Louisiana earlier this year. And just recently, Cara's Rivals teammate Laurel moved from New York City to join them in their Montana home base, which has seen everyone from challenger Cohutta to Ryan from Are You The One? S1 escape the busy pace of the city and pay a visit to life in the wilderness in Big Sky country.
And how can you best explain Abram from the viewpoint of those who've shared an MTV stage with him? Fellow Challenge and Road Rules vet Derrick Kosinski put it this way after Abe's wild night: "Abe is one of the most fascinating fellows I have ever encountered in my entire life. His extremes in life are far out, bizarre, and enlightening at times. He's smart but wild. He's caring but really doesn't give a crap, no pun intended. When he's sad, he's really sad. When he's angry, he's really angry. When he's enjoying life, he's really really enjoying his life to the fullest. I've seen so many sides of Abram and I feel like I've got a good feel for him. You're a nice guy but you're a madman. You're on tour selling and signing your children's book but you've branded yourself with a hot knife 9 different times. Abe....I love ya, but this is a really crazy situation you've gotten yourself into. You're story sits in between Charlie Sheen's rock star lifestyle taking on the world and Mel Gibson's tirades. And for some reason...it really doesn't surprise me. Glad you're alive and well, my friend. Cheers." (link)
Battle of the Bloodlines is Abram's 9th Challenge and 11th show overall in his twelve years on our MTV airwaves. Over time, he's collected over $100,000 in prize money by way of four finals appearances and winning both Inferno's I & III. Abe's MTV career has given us a varied resume of adventure, emotion, competition and fearlessness, and many moments that have made us drop our jaws. He is one of the remaining members of a breed that was a precursor to The Challenge, Survivor and all others 20 years ago, and like Aneesa he brings a seniority to this Challenge of both familiar & fresh faces from a time when this show was just a simple Road Rules vs. Real World competition.
Yes, it's been quite a dozen years Abram has enjoyed, and now with him & brother Mike parachuting into this Challenge as replacements and joining his girl Cara Maria in Turkey, he's about to write another chapter in that book he's authored called, A Challenge Life of Abram Boise.
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| Abe & "The Miz" at WWE stop in Baton Rouge, LA (Credit: IG @MikeTheMiz) |
And how can you best explain Abram from the viewpoint of those who've shared an MTV stage with him? Fellow Challenge and Road Rules vet Derrick Kosinski put it this way after Abe's wild night: "Abe is one of the most fascinating fellows I have ever encountered in my entire life. His extremes in life are far out, bizarre, and enlightening at times. He's smart but wild. He's caring but really doesn't give a crap, no pun intended. When he's sad, he's really sad. When he's angry, he's really angry. When he's enjoying life, he's really really enjoying his life to the fullest. I've seen so many sides of Abram and I feel like I've got a good feel for him. You're a nice guy but you're a madman. You're on tour selling and signing your children's book but you've branded yourself with a hot knife 9 different times. Abe....I love ya, but this is a really crazy situation you've gotten yourself into. You're story sits in between Charlie Sheen's rock star lifestyle taking on the world and Mel Gibson's tirades. And for some reason...it really doesn't surprise me. Glad you're alive and well, my friend. Cheers." (link)
Battle of the Bloodlines is Abram's 9th Challenge and 11th show overall in his twelve years on our MTV airwaves. Over time, he's collected over $100,000 in prize money by way of four finals appearances and winning both Inferno's I & III. Abe's MTV career has given us a varied resume of adventure, emotion, competition and fearlessness, and many moments that have made us drop our jaws. He is one of the remaining members of a breed that was a precursor to The Challenge, Survivor and all others 20 years ago, and like Aneesa he brings a seniority to this Challenge of both familiar & fresh faces from a time when this show was just a simple Road Rules vs. Real World competition.
Yes, it's been quite a dozen years Abram has enjoyed, and now with him & brother Mike parachuting into this Challenge as replacements and joining his girl Cara Maria in Turkey, he's about to write another chapter in that book he's authored called, A Challenge Life of Abram Boise.
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Before we wrap up, two additional notes.
● Just today - as this is being posted on Challenge Wednesday, December 30, our favorite video recap host, Ace Nichols (@AceNichols33), has just posted her recap for Episode 4. As mentioned in the epilogue of our Wrap yesterday, the video was delayed due to the holidays, and check it out here - which includes the always-interesting question of, "Who does Ace's intro?" Find out right there.
● And second, the first MTV Trifecta cast interview webcast of 2016 will belong to Ashley Hill-Weitzel (@AshleyWeitzel) on Saturday Jan. 2nd at 3PM ET, she will chat with part of the three teams eliminated on last week's episode - Candice. Of course, they will be discussing her exit, her season and more on Google+ and YouTube, so be sure to join them then here.
● And second, the first MTV Trifecta cast interview webcast of 2016 will belong to Ashley Hill-Weitzel (@AshleyWeitzel) on Saturday Jan. 2nd at 3PM ET, she will chat with part of the three teams eliminated on last week's episode - Candice. Of course, they will be discussing her exit, her season and more on Google+ and YouTube, so be sure to join them then here.
As always, be sure to follow my dedicated twitter hub devoted to live coverage, DCNOW at @DC408DxNow for live and real-time tweets of tonight's Double Shot of The Challenge Bloodlines. While you watch the episode (west coast viewers only) and then in my late-night DC Forum feedback, join the conversation at my custom hashtag #DCChallenge...you may see your comments in this week's DC SocialPulse journal. Speaking of those, be sure to rejoin us here for not one, but two 'Pulse posts for Week 5 with a special Holiday Extra in addition to the main episode post, along with DC WRAP as well.
Until we talk on DCNOW later tonight, thanks for reading and of course, Happy New Year.
- I AM DC
Bibliography: MTV.com - Road Rules 12: Abram's Autobiography and 20 Questions (links not available due to recent site redesigns), Ultimate Challenge Radio
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