Due to the sensitive nature of the topics being covered in this week's posts, comments have been turned off. To share your thoughts, tweet to yours truly at @DC408Dxtr and include the hashtag #DCChallenge in your posts.
SPECIAL EXPANDED EDITION
BY DC CUEVA
■ @DC408Dxtr @ TW / IG / YT
In case you've forgotten about it by now, it was the drunken tirade by a popular Challenge star on one of this MTV ecosystem's most beloved people that has gotten everyone talking and has swayed public support away from her and more to his side. But amidst the trash that dominated last week's episode, there was an epic elimination battle that took place amidst the chaos, and we'll also have the chance to discuss what this means for those who took part in that. Join us here as we wrap up last week's episode for you ahead.
DC FORUM: IN-DEPTH
RACE HITS THE CHALLENGE
It was at just about this point of entering the third month of the last Trifecta cycle last fall -- week 8 of Real World Bad Blood -- that we discussed at length what happened that week in late November in Seattle. In case you didn't get to see watch that, it was there where Tori's ex Mike used the N-word during a conversation he and his roommates had where he admitted to having had a rougher lifestyle than we first got to meet him the previous fall on AYTO Season 3. Without the potential of perhaps getting into heated arguments with the rest of the house, Mike decided to leave the house - just as he did after his argument with Amanda in the finale in Hawaii. And it was after that that the house went to a Black Lives Matter protest and saw this themselves, with one of them - Theo's cousin Kassius - taking the mic to speak in the streets of Seattle.
So, nine months after that aired in December 2016 -- and when an African American was in his last days as President and before what many see as the start to a tumultuous time in our country with his successor taking over, now here we are once again discussing the topic of race in the MTV Trifecta. And it's the second time that something like this has happened on this season of The Challenge, just after what happened early on in the Redemption House when a talk about race inadvertently led to a fight that no one saw that, in turn, led to two players kicked out for house violence.
And coincidentally enough, the night this episode aired - another cable pioneer was put under the microscope for controversy as well. In recent months, ESPN has been under intense scrutiny in not covering sports as it usually does, but letting politics slip into the door. There, Jemele Hill was put in the line of fire by many for similar racially insensitive comments in reference to the President, and her employers were forced to apologize afterwards. Back to our subject at hand...
The week prior, we had seen Tony and Camila kiss after a drunken night out on the town, and once again this gave people reason to go off on him for once again cheating on the baby mama back home: in this case, it was his skeleton in Chicago - girlfriend Alyssa, and mom of his second baby, and two years after he cheated on the first one - Madison before he became dad for the first time. But given what happened there - and what we are about to see coming up in the next episode, this instance was tame compared to what we saw this past week with the person who he kissed.
Here, we saw Camila being clearly inebriated and just behaving in a really bad manner, and calling him an idiot and then making a racial low blow that we won't want to say on here. And then she proceeded to dig even deeper in mocking Leroy and then hitting him with a pillow, just after Bananas did the same at her. She then had to be restrained and then when she picked up dumbells with the intention of going after him again, the producers did the right thing to say enough and escorted her to the hotel for the night.
And coincidentally enough, the night this episode aired - another cable pioneer was put under the microscope for controversy as well. In recent months, ESPN has been under intense scrutiny in not covering sports as it usually does, but letting politics slip into the door. There, Jemele Hill was put in the line of fire by many for similar racially insensitive comments in reference to the President, and her employers were forced to apologize afterwards. Back to our subject at hand...
The week prior, we had seen Tony and Camila kiss after a drunken night out on the town, and once again this gave people reason to go off on him for once again cheating on the baby mama back home: in this case, it was his skeleton in Chicago - girlfriend Alyssa, and mom of his second baby, and two years after he cheated on the first one - Madison before he became dad for the first time. But given what happened there - and what we are about to see coming up in the next episode, this instance was tame compared to what we saw this past week with the person who he kissed.
Here, we saw Camila being clearly inebriated and just behaving in a really bad manner, and calling him an idiot and then making a racial low blow that we won't want to say on here. And then she proceeded to dig even deeper in mocking Leroy and then hitting him with a pillow, just after Bananas did the same at her. She then had to be restrained and then when she picked up dumbells with the intention of going after him again, the producers did the right thing to say enough and escorted her to the hotel for the night.
It would've been the smart thing for production to take her aside and say, "Sorry, but you have to pack your bags and leave the house and this game." But because this game is different and there's no way for them to stop until it's necessary, they just let her back into the house as everyone's feelings for her have gone sour in the course of 24 hours as they recognized how unacceptable her behavior was in the wake of the previous night. And instead, they opted to let her stay in the house unlike what happened last year when she & Tony were sent home for their nonviolent fight.
At the same time, the respect Leroy already had as the most likable person in the house and perhaps of the entire Trifecta community -- something he has had in every Challenge house as well as in the Real World Back to Vegas suite, was made even more deeper in how he stayed composed in the heat of Camila's biggest meltdown to date. He then took the chance to bring the stage to him and her provided that opportunity for her to apologize, the only thing he got to do for someone who's always been stoic and has always been everyone's friend.
In the following Pulse Extra, below are reactions from social media from the parties and from those in the house and outside in the Challenge community, starting with the person at fault.
►#DCSocialPulse EXTRA: TEAM MTV SPEAKS OUT
CAUTION: contains adult language below, please read with discretion
● CAMILA/@CamilaMTV
- Apology 1/Twitter: "I am deeply sorry for how I treated Leroy and take full responsibility for my actions. He handled himself with grace - I wish I could say the same of myself. From the bottom of my heart, I meant no disrespect and I wish I could take back every word I said. But, I can't and I have to live knowing that I disrespected a human being whom I care for very much. The last thing I would EVER want to do is to put anyone in a box based on skin color. I have a deep love for humanity and sincerely regret my reckless words and abhorrent behavior. Moving forward, I am 100% committed to never letting anything like this happen again."
- Apology 2/Instagram (since been deleted): "I just want to address some things and clear the air a little more. From the bottom of my heart and with the most sincerity, I really really do regret my actions towards Leroy and how I handled the situation and want to apologize again. The reason I didn't apologize to Leroy immediately was because I was extremely intoxicated that night and had no recollection of the events that happened until it was brought up. I have apologized to Leroy on and off camera. I still have so much love and respect for him, but I cannot expect him to forgive me and that's just something I have to deal with no matter how much it breaks my heart.
While me being much it breaks my heart. While me being extremely intoxicated does not excuse my words, I completely understand that they were in fact, racially insensitive. Especially in our current political and social climate today, those words are completely inexcusable and do not contribute toward the fight to end racism. I don't ever want to feed into stereotypes or make anyone feel less because of their skin color. As a minority, I want to uphold myself to a higher standard as well and treat everyone with the respect they deserve. Race should not determine how someone should be treated and I want to support those marginalized groups who've faced constant racism and oppression.
Regarding my behavior, it was irresponsible of my to become that inebriated and I wholeheartedly regret how the entire situation went down. I know people have come to know me as the girl who is trying to fight everyone but that is not who I am. I agree that yes, I do struggle sometimes with speaking up for myself in a more controlled manner, but I wish my bad moments did not entirely reflect who I am because it is simply not a real representation of the kind of person I am. It's not easy to fix my flaws but I'm working on myself everyday to become a better person for not only myself but everyone around me.
Again, I understand that my words towards Leroy were completely racially insensitive and I will have to live with that mistake for the rest of my life. I want to take this opportunity and use it as a learning experience in bettering myself and improving the way I handle things. Never again will I let something like that slip out of my mouth or even cross my mind. It's just not who I am. I really hope you guys understand and I'm sorry again for the way things went down. I'm going to keep fighting the fight and doing what I can to make a better me.
I would also like to take a moment to thank you all for not condoning my actions. I believe that it is only by understanding there is a problem or an issue that we can solve it. I hope to be able to someday show all of you and the rest of the world that positive change is possible."
- Apology 3/Instagram Story: "I regret deeply every word I said to Leroy. The reason I did not instantly apologize to him is because I didn't even know what had happened the night before. Regardless, it does not excuse anything I said. I am deeply sorry. These words did not come from any real place deep in my heart. I hope you can forgive me as I am having a real hard time forgiving myself. I am truly sorry for all the harm and offense I have caused. I feel as if I have failed you and God and my only goal from now on is to never make the same mistake again. I hope to change and become a better person. I am sorry."
● LEROY/@Bruce_Lee85
"Funny how @CamilaMTV is so quick to jump on social media and apologize to strangers but is yet to reach out me directly 🤔 #thechallenge"
● JEMMYE/@JustJem24 - Camila's partner on Rivals II
- Response #1: "For months, I've been thinking about what to say about tonight's episode. And I still don't have the words. All I can say is this: Leroy didn't deserve that. Black men don't deserve their own fate a lot in this country. Racism hasn't ended, it's adopted and tonight we saw proof of this. As a woman who will probably raise a black son one day, I just want better & I'll do my best to make better happen, my life commitment is to raise a black son who feels safe in the world as my white son & I'll do my whatever it takes to make that happen. Finally, Leroy was such a man tonight. May we all raise men like him."
- Response #2: "I've seen a few tweets asking why I remained friends with Camila when I said what I said that night about her, etc.
After filming rivals 2 in 2013, Camila and I came out of that situation with an amazing, genuine friendship. However, that friendship ended/came to a halt in the fall of 2016 (over personal reasons). Prior to filming dirty 30 we reconciled, I think both of us knew it would be better to try to be friends again than to come into a challenge house with tension. However, the relationship was broken & we weren't able to repair it during filming. I think we both were trying to save something the unfortunately had died.
Coming out of the house (even after the Leroy stuff) we both tried to remain friends etc but it just hasn't been possible, I did say things about her which may not have been the right thing to do but she has also done things which I won't comment on out of respect for the love I had for her in the past, I am not gonna kick her when she's down.
People change. She's changed. I've changed. And at this point, I just hope she gets the help she needs & I will always wish the best from her, but it will be from a far."
● CARA MARIA/@CaraMariaMTV
"For the record: i spoke w @CamilaMTV after nominations.apologies mean nothing w no change. Repeated behaviors bad. Offered to go sober w her. / @Bruce_Lee85 is a stand up example of how people should hold their ground against racial and other unacceptable attacks. What a man. 🙌 / If you do the same behavior season after season.... stop. Stop that shit. Or stop doing challenges. Its a problem. Hard to watch. 🤦🏻♀️ / You guys DO realize certain interviews make the episode and some dont. Whatever fits the narrative. 100hrs of footage of 30 cast members. / Glad @mtv brought this to light. Its refreshing to see a POSITIVE example of how to act in face of anger/hate. Needs to be seen/discussed. 👍 / To make it clear: i do not support or condone racism. I do support and encourage the way @Bruce_Lee85 handled it. End of story."
● CANDICE/@MTV_Candice - Leroy's cousin and partner on Bloodlines
"@CamilaMTV all in my cousin face was strike 1. I'm literally shaking bro! She is so lucky I wasn't there cause I would've put that bitch head through that glass window!
@CamilaMTV drunk, not drunk racist, not racist. You still disrespected my cousin on so many levels and for that... I'm beating your ass. What does @t_raines33 have to do with this? The first person she should've called outside was Lee. Bitch save the crocodile tears!!!! #Thechallengexxx
For all the cast members that not only stood up for Lee but stood up for what was right.. Thank you! Thank you so much! My heart hurts cause I wasn't there to defend my cousin through that bullshit. He didn't deserve that. #Thechallengexxx"
● BANANAS/@MTVBananas
- On Instagram: "In the face of the incendiary, and disgusting comments that were spewed in his direction, my man Leroy handled himself class, and dignity. The self restraint he displayed tonight speaks volumes of the quality of his character, and is a testament to why I am proud to not only call him a friend but a brother. Luh you Lee ✊ @challengemtv #thechallengexxx @mtv"
● VERONICA/@v_cakes
"U didn't see Camila coming in2 our room saying MANY racist comments while @MTV_NellyT was lying there biting his tongue Claiming SHE was the one that was a victim of racism bc she had to leave the house, Her white Brazilian self had a big black man in her face & since they chose to remove her from the house. They they were being racist against her, while not giving a shit that @MTV_NellyT was stuck there listening to her TheChallengeXXX"
● JENNA/@JennaCompono
"The way you handled this situation is just amazing @Bruce_Lee85 you didn't deserve that at all. Leroy way to take the mature route! 💪🏼 you handled it so well and you know everyone in that house has your back!"
● TONY/@t_raines33
"We can learn alot from the way @Bruce_Lee85 handled himself tn I know I'm taking notes thank u for setting a great example #TheChallengeXXX"
● ANEESA/@AneesaMTV
"My first time seeing this footage. I'm just fucking sad. Thanks @Bruce_Lee85 for being such a good representation of how to handle ignorance"
● AVEREY/@ave_tress - RW Portland, 2-time Challenger, & Leroy's Rivals III partner
"@Bruce_Lee85 You handled that like a gentleman. I'm so sorry that you had to deal with that. No one deserves that."
● ARISSA/@MissArissa - Real World Las Vegas-2002
"The HILARIOUS thing about people who get drunk and say inflammatory racist things: that is how they TRULY feel... IDC. I should have NEVER watched that clip. I'm hot. Being drunk just gave them permission to say what they don’t have the guts to say sober... and, the excuse of 'being drunk' is used as a defense for the indefensible... Furthermore, more often than not; the apology comes not as a way to actually show remorse and maybe learn."
Our unbiased observation of all of this? Well, it's not easy to discuss something that distracts from what you & I enjoy about The Challenge: the great people we see each season, exciting competition, the big drama that takes place in between, and various aspects of this show that brings you in the moment you tune in. But, we have seen so many times in what we call the Trifecta real life take over, and what we saw last Tuesday was hard to watch at times and the perceptions we had for someone who we met back on Spring Break in 2010 have no doubt changed like night and day.
►#DCSocialPulse EXTRA: TEAM MTV SPEAKS OUT
CAUTION: contains adult language below, please read with discretion
● CAMILA/@CamilaMTV
- Apology 1/Twitter: "I am deeply sorry for how I treated Leroy and take full responsibility for my actions. He handled himself with grace - I wish I could say the same of myself. From the bottom of my heart, I meant no disrespect and I wish I could take back every word I said. But, I can't and I have to live knowing that I disrespected a human being whom I care for very much. The last thing I would EVER want to do is to put anyone in a box based on skin color. I have a deep love for humanity and sincerely regret my reckless words and abhorrent behavior. Moving forward, I am 100% committed to never letting anything like this happen again."
- Apology 2/Instagram (since been deleted): "I just want to address some things and clear the air a little more. From the bottom of my heart and with the most sincerity, I really really do regret my actions towards Leroy and how I handled the situation and want to apologize again. The reason I didn't apologize to Leroy immediately was because I was extremely intoxicated that night and had no recollection of the events that happened until it was brought up. I have apologized to Leroy on and off camera. I still have so much love and respect for him, but I cannot expect him to forgive me and that's just something I have to deal with no matter how much it breaks my heart.
While me being much it breaks my heart. While me being extremely intoxicated does not excuse my words, I completely understand that they were in fact, racially insensitive. Especially in our current political and social climate today, those words are completely inexcusable and do not contribute toward the fight to end racism. I don't ever want to feed into stereotypes or make anyone feel less because of their skin color. As a minority, I want to uphold myself to a higher standard as well and treat everyone with the respect they deserve. Race should not determine how someone should be treated and I want to support those marginalized groups who've faced constant racism and oppression.
Regarding my behavior, it was irresponsible of my to become that inebriated and I wholeheartedly regret how the entire situation went down. I know people have come to know me as the girl who is trying to fight everyone but that is not who I am. I agree that yes, I do struggle sometimes with speaking up for myself in a more controlled manner, but I wish my bad moments did not entirely reflect who I am because it is simply not a real representation of the kind of person I am. It's not easy to fix my flaws but I'm working on myself everyday to become a better person for not only myself but everyone around me.
Again, I understand that my words towards Leroy were completely racially insensitive and I will have to live with that mistake for the rest of my life. I want to take this opportunity and use it as a learning experience in bettering myself and improving the way I handle things. Never again will I let something like that slip out of my mouth or even cross my mind. It's just not who I am. I really hope you guys understand and I'm sorry again for the way things went down. I'm going to keep fighting the fight and doing what I can to make a better me.
I would also like to take a moment to thank you all for not condoning my actions. I believe that it is only by understanding there is a problem or an issue that we can solve it. I hope to be able to someday show all of you and the rest of the world that positive change is possible."
- Apology 3/Instagram Story: "I regret deeply every word I said to Leroy. The reason I did not instantly apologize to him is because I didn't even know what had happened the night before. Regardless, it does not excuse anything I said. I am deeply sorry. These words did not come from any real place deep in my heart. I hope you can forgive me as I am having a real hard time forgiving myself. I am truly sorry for all the harm and offense I have caused. I feel as if I have failed you and God and my only goal from now on is to never make the same mistake again. I hope to change and become a better person. I am sorry."
● LEROY/@Bruce_Lee85
"Funny how @CamilaMTV is so quick to jump on social media and apologize to strangers but is yet to reach out me directly 🤔 #thechallenge"
- Response #1: "For months, I've been thinking about what to say about tonight's episode. And I still don't have the words. All I can say is this: Leroy didn't deserve that. Black men don't deserve their own fate a lot in this country. Racism hasn't ended, it's adopted and tonight we saw proof of this. As a woman who will probably raise a black son one day, I just want better & I'll do my best to make better happen, my life commitment is to raise a black son who feels safe in the world as my white son & I'll do my whatever it takes to make that happen. Finally, Leroy was such a man tonight. May we all raise men like him."
- Response #2: "I've seen a few tweets asking why I remained friends with Camila when I said what I said that night about her, etc.
After filming rivals 2 in 2013, Camila and I came out of that situation with an amazing, genuine friendship. However, that friendship ended/came to a halt in the fall of 2016 (over personal reasons). Prior to filming dirty 30 we reconciled, I think both of us knew it would be better to try to be friends again than to come into a challenge house with tension. However, the relationship was broken & we weren't able to repair it during filming. I think we both were trying to save something the unfortunately had died.
Coming out of the house (even after the Leroy stuff) we both tried to remain friends etc but it just hasn't been possible, I did say things about her which may not have been the right thing to do but she has also done things which I won't comment on out of respect for the love I had for her in the past, I am not gonna kick her when she's down.
People change. She's changed. I've changed. And at this point, I just hope she gets the help she needs & I will always wish the best from her, but it will be from a far."
● CARA MARIA/@CaraMariaMTV
"For the record: i spoke w @CamilaMTV after nominations.apologies mean nothing w no change. Repeated behaviors bad. Offered to go sober w her. / @Bruce_Lee85 is a stand up example of how people should hold their ground against racial and other unacceptable attacks. What a man. 🙌 / If you do the same behavior season after season.... stop. Stop that shit. Or stop doing challenges. Its a problem. Hard to watch. 🤦🏻♀️ / You guys DO realize certain interviews make the episode and some dont. Whatever fits the narrative. 100hrs of footage of 30 cast members. / Glad @mtv brought this to light. Its refreshing to see a POSITIVE example of how to act in face of anger/hate. Needs to be seen/discussed. 👍 / To make it clear: i do not support or condone racism. I do support and encourage the way @Bruce_Lee85 handled it. End of story."
● CANDICE/@MTV_Candice - Leroy's cousin and partner on Bloodlines
"@CamilaMTV all in my cousin face was strike 1. I'm literally shaking bro! She is so lucky I wasn't there cause I would've put that bitch head through that glass window!
@CamilaMTV drunk, not drunk racist, not racist. You still disrespected my cousin on so many levels and for that... I'm beating your ass. What does @t_raines33 have to do with this? The first person she should've called outside was Lee. Bitch save the crocodile tears!!!! #Thechallengexxx
For all the cast members that not only stood up for Lee but stood up for what was right.. Thank you! Thank you so much! My heart hurts cause I wasn't there to defend my cousin through that bullshit. He didn't deserve that. #Thechallengexxx"
- On Instagram: "In the face of the incendiary, and disgusting comments that were spewed in his direction, my man Leroy handled himself class, and dignity. The self restraint he displayed tonight speaks volumes of the quality of his character, and is a testament to why I am proud to not only call him a friend but a brother. Luh you Lee ✊ @challengemtv #thechallengexxx @mtv"
"U didn't see Camila coming in2 our room saying MANY racist comments while @MTV_NellyT was lying there biting his tongue Claiming SHE was the one that was a victim of racism bc she had to leave the house, Her white Brazilian self had a big black man in her face & since they chose to remove her from the house. They they were being racist against her, while not giving a shit that @MTV_NellyT was stuck there listening to her TheChallengeXXX"
"The way you handled this situation is just amazing @Bruce_Lee85 you didn't deserve that at all. Leroy way to take the mature route! 💪🏼 you handled it so well and you know everyone in that house has your back!"
● TONY/@t_raines33
"We can learn alot from the way @Bruce_Lee85 handled himself tn I know I'm taking notes thank u for setting a great example #TheChallengeXXX"
● AMANDA/@MTV_AMANDAG
"Idk how the fuck she didn't get kicked off the show for that?????? As sad as it is to say....drunken words are sober thoughts....She's a DISGUSTING person and we all knew that bitch would self destruct!!! Her apology is FAKE AF. Just trying to save face for social media ✌🏼 @Bruce_Lee85 is a good freakin man and the way he handled that was beyond commendable! 🙌🏻#TheChallengeXXX"
● ANEESA/@AneesaMTV
"My first time seeing this footage. I'm just fucking sad. Thanks @Bruce_Lee85 for being such a good representation of how to handle ignorance"
● HUNTER/@hbarfield13
"@Bruce_Lee85 handled himself with class and dignity. Absolutely no place for racism. I'm appalled and disgusted at her behavior!"
● BRIANA/@blacuesta
"RACISM IS REAL. Camila is not EXEMPT just because shes been on a television show for a while. Its disgusting. Being DRUNK isn't an EXCUSE. So much respect for @Bruce_Lee85 for the way that man handled himself. He is a class act and deserves so much better. We ALL need to do better to educate the people around us and ourselves on the issues that go on in this country every single day. Just because some issues are not televised DOESNT mean its not happening. Take it upon yourself to stay educated. Knowledge is power."
● AMMO/@loveistheammo
"RACISM is a plague that can only be cured with love, teaching, and grace. @Bruce_Lee85...you are the love doctor. Props to you. ♥️ I didnt see last nights episode until this morning...deeply saddened by the hateful words that were said. Sending love to you @Bruce_Lee85 💕 If I had been in the house during last night's episode ya'll could have expected a little leak part 2 lol ...but seriously, not about it. 😡 Thankfully, in today's America...when you say even ONE racist thing: YOU. ARE. CANCELLED. k byeeeee. ✌🏼"
● LATOYA/@TeaTimeWithToya
"The liquor just exposed Camila-hater for the filthy drunken racist trash that she is. She needs prayers... not excuses #TheChallengeXXX"
● DERRICK K./@DerrickMTV
"SHOUTOUT to @Bruce_Lee85 for keeping his cool under some bullshit! Race aint got nothin to do with shit!It's about treating ppl like ppl. When you have kids of your own, keep the racist bullshit away from them. The bottom line is that everyone is different."
● DARRELL/@mtvrrdarrell
"My dude! @Bruce_Lee85 I salute you 👊🏿 @ChallengeMTV #thechallengexxx #proudofyou"
● DERRICK H./@imdroc15
"I take my hat off to Leroy for how he handled that situation! Much respect bro ✊🏾💯!! We can all learn a lot from that man! @Bruce_Lee85 As a black man that experiences racism often... Leroy definitely encouraged me to respond in the right way during those situations!"
● LAUREL/@laurelstucky
"Some people and alcohol DON'T MIX. (I am one of them.) If you drink to the point of embarrassing yourself AND hurting other people, stop drinking. Here's the problem: behavior speaks for itself. At some point, apologies become worthless air. #TheChallenge"
"@Bruce_Lee85 You handled that like a gentleman. I'm so sorry that you had to deal with that. No one deserves that."
● MARLON "J-Deezy"/@TheJDeezy - RW Portland and Rivals II finalist
"I'm dry asf right now I'm all about handling situation properly but damn how long will this turn the cheek mess keep going. I'm not a promoter of violence at all but until there is a real negative consequence for racist crap it's gonna live on. You wanna give the benefit of the doubt but with all the things going on in America her saying this... how can she really be sorry. I'm all for second chances but as a minority in America looking at all the cheek turning..... we need to stop immediately."
● DEREK/@MTVDerek - RW Cancun and 3-time Challenger
"Such a sloppy fucking piece..so embarrassing 2 have someone like this be a "star" of this show.. it's sad. She got issues and needs a break. You're not fucking anyone special @CamilaMTV and I'm glad that @Bruce_Lee85 handled that in a great manner. Fucking ridiculous."
● JASMINE/@JazMTV
"last nights challenge I'm in complete shock 😲😡 @CamilaMTV . @Bruce_Lee85 super proud how you handled that situation! 👊🏾✊🏾"
● EMILEE/@IWantMyEmTV
"in 2017, calling someone the N word is not acceptable. Spreading hate is not acceptable. @Bruce_Lee85 I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. On another note, if anyone ever said that word in front of me I'd push their ass off the balcony and drop the mic when I got sent home."
● TORI HALL/@ToriFiorenza - several-times Challenger and Cutthroat champion
"Being drunk isn't an excuse to act like an a**hole, stop drinking or get help. Hats off to Leroy for being a stand up human#thechallengexxx"
● THEO/@iamtheophi - RW Bad Blood and Challenge Invasion competitor
"People's true emotions, feelings, and thoughts come out when they're under the influence or mad. Just sit back and listen. @Bruce_Lee85 handled himself with supreme class. My respect just raised for you way more than you know. #RacismGottaGo"
● ZACH/@ZNichols15
"@Bruce_Lee85 you're the definition of class and composure. And @MTVBananas you throw a pillow second to none."
● CHEYENNE/@CHEYnotShy
"wow just watched @ChallengeMTV so sad..she shouldn't be allowed back. I am late but that was crazy.. drunken words sober thoughts.. it will be interesting to see if @mtv allows her on another show. @Bruce_Lee85 handled the situation the best that he could.. a lot of people couldn't have done that."
"The HILARIOUS thing about people who get drunk and say inflammatory racist things: that is how they TRULY feel... IDC. I should have NEVER watched that clip. I'm hot. Being drunk just gave them permission to say what they don’t have the guts to say sober... and, the excuse of 'being drunk' is used as a defense for the indefensible... Furthermore, more often than not; the apology comes not as a way to actually show remorse and maybe learn."
● HEATHER M./@heathermarter - Real World Back to Vegas and Exes 1
@Bruce_Lee85 has always been a class act & the voice of reason in tough situations. Glad to hear things haven't changed.
● TYLER A./AYTO Season 2 @tabron27
"I've never lost more respect for someone on a challenge in my life #TheChallenge30 absolutely disgusting. That is all. And FYI, that "sorry I was drunk" shit does not fly. You say the things that you REALLY think when you're drunk... #TheChallenge30"
● TYRANNY/AYTO Season 5
"@ItsAll_AboutTee: I don't even know @Bruce_Lee85 but he carried himself so well and im very proud .I'm so sorry you had to go through that . #TheChallengeXXX"
● ANDREW KIRK/@CSUGradAkirk
"people need to stop personally attacking the person in defense you don't know them no need to make them feel worse then what they did in my opinion yes what she said is wrong but attacking her won't make the situation right let MTV deal with that situation and she'll face the consequences for her actions."
OUR THOUGHTS...
Our unbiased observation of all of this? Well, it's not easy to discuss something that distracts from what you & I enjoy about The Challenge: the great people we see each season, exciting competition, the big drama that takes place in between, and various aspects of this show that brings you in the moment you tune in. But, we have seen so many times in what we call the Trifecta real life take over, and what we saw last Tuesday was hard to watch at times and the perceptions we had for someone who we met back on Spring Break in 2010 have no doubt changed like night and day.
In the seven years we have enjoyed Camila's presence, she has had her moments: that pepper that got her hospitalized on Spring Break that night in the Exes house where her alter ego was born, her & Bananas taking advantage of a slumping CT to win that season, that fight with Jemmye in Turkey and another one with Theresa that got them paired on the first two Rivals seasons, and a lot that we can't think of because a lot has happened in her ten appearances out of these last 11 seasons, both as an entertainer and as a competitor: three finals appearances and one title is certainly not bad. And in the case of this site, we also showcased her hidden talent of doing music on the side as well.
Given the position I take of being neutral in every scenario of this matter, it would be simply unjust for me or this site to join the others who have taken their shots at Camila and have pulled their support in light of her latest antics. Without elaborating on what might be coming up down the road, this might be one of our last times seeing her on a Challenge - and when that comes to pass we will have a chance to revisit this and discuss what might happen there then. And given the sensitivity of the subject matter, once again we will not discuss this further other than for what we have written above. Thus, we won't call her a racist or anything on that matter, nor will we discuss something that was brought up by Allan Aguirre in his Medium site which you can read there.
But it is our hope if that Camila can take some time away from this public attention she has had to endure in recent days, and take this time to have some time with herself. Issues with her mental health, vanity and being self arrogant have now caught up to her, and she's realized that what she did in going after the most likable person in the MTV reality community was flat out the biggest mistake she can ever do, just by taking a shot at the color of his skin. Obviously, it's a low blow that will take so much time for ones friendship with another to ever be repaired in the wake of what's happened, and it's cost her friends with many people in this system - including one as seen above with Jemmye.
In being able to take this break, think about what she's done and take in where she's at now, she will have the time she needs to improve herself, her public image, her well-being and improve relationships to those around her, as well as to take necessary steps to curb or cut all the drinking and the toxic stuff she has now, then she can be a better person. Her moving from Omaha where she went to college to Vancouver being close to her bloodline sister and being able to get a fresh start with a new set of friends is just the start, and being able to live life just regularly without distractions from TV or social media (no posts for the past few days) are a step in the right direction.
Two examples of someone who's turned themselves around is Adam Royer: on Real World Back to Vegas he was like Camila: someone who had been drinking a lot and epitomized what, and who we then saw get into bad behavior and was kicked off two straight MTV shows... years later in his non-MTV days he's become a dad and a lawyer. The other is CT: a man who we first saw in Paris as that typical Bostonian who went on to become an all time Challenge beast, who then got into a fight with a Paris castmate on a Challenge, endured the death of his brother and had a longtime love with a iconic Challenger… he took a break, returned last season and has two titles. If those two can come back from the depths, then she will too.
As for the man who was once Adam's rival, Leroy is obviously the only winner in this whole drama. He is someone who has become friends with everyone who's touched base with him both in and outside the bubble, and, as I posted, is someone who has a much greater and entirely unanimous approval rating than that of our current President. It was obviously a lowball moment for someone like Camila to go after him when she was clearly in that worst state. But the thing that is everyone's takeaway from him was of how he was reserved in this chaotic moment, of how restrained himself from taking a shot at this Brazilian hothead, and just doing what everyone does of just telling her to stop. Sometimes it's just the power of being silent that endures more than just saying something out loud.
No doubt, the respect people had for Leroy after this episode has increased by several fold among those in the Trifecta and those fans who have followed him since he came to Vegas six years ago. He no doubt has gained so many more supporters just by staying cool, calm, collected and reserved in the face of a cyclone that went his way. His standing in the power rankings have no doubt jumped because of this, and if he goes on to win this season, he would be a popular champion.
In all, seeing what went down when race and The Challenge collided was the uneasiest moment of this season. For many, this was the last straw for someone who we loved for the entertainment value but whose night of going overboard may have cost her an invite for future seasons. For another, it was his finest moment in just letting this all play out and not sacrificing a chance to escape being usually composed and respond to what she did to him. And in this season's theme being all about being dirty, this might've been the dirtiest moment of this Dirty 30 season, and it didn't have to do with anything relating to what those of us who come to this show for: the competition. Speaking of that…
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STRATEGY ROOM
THE YOUNG BUCKS: WHAT'S NEXT?
We have seen the threesome aligned themselves well during this season, even as Cory has made news for him revealing out in the open his plans to take out the veterans starting with Darrell and then every guy who's been champ. Him being sent into elimination at every chance was the veterans' reply and eventually he would succumb but not before a solid elimination battle with Hunter that saw his friend take the win in a close battle. That validated the Floridian's status as a legit competitor after a good rookie showing last season, although of course this win was bittersweet after Hunter was chosen as the Double Cross by Jordan.
Then, there's Nelson, who came to The Challenge as a replacement in the aftermath of what happened to Briana on Rivals III. Yes, his partner in that season Amanda made quite a splash with being the pop off queen, but what we have seen from Nelson in the course of the past couple seasons has seen him now take on a role that we first thought would belong to Cory when he debuted on Bloodlines but has instead been bestowed upon him: someone who has the capability of becoming an elite challenge competitor. He came within a few minutes of making it two surprises in the Invasion final when he finished closer to CT in the final. And so far this season, he's added more to his resume.
Yes, it was not easy for Hunter to get voted into back to back eliminations, and against alliance members in both of them. Same with Nelson when the history of voting in came back when Tony himself got put in three times this year by T., and for the second time this would be a battle where it would be against friends and whatever the result may be it would not be of celebrating in the end. And just as it was the previous week, this one would be an epic elimination battle, which channeled the famous backpack moment with CT and Bananas that is the defining moment of this show.
When I first got to sample a modern day Challenge, Devyn told AfterBuzz TV on their After Show during Battle of the Seasons II that the experience of seeing an elimination battle play out in front of your own eyes is much better than rewatching it months later on TV. Just being there in the heat of the moment with your fellow competitors watching two slug it out is better than the edited version, which would then not give this live experience justice. It's with that in mind that, even with multiple camera angles, this elimination still didn't capture the true essence of what battles such as this one have, of the players grunting and the sure aggressiveness that goes with any elimination as physical as this one.
The first round of this best of three -- which came after their AYTO castmate Britni took down Nicole in the female battle -- sees Hunter win going away. But it's what goes down in the second heat that Nelson turns on the after burners to drag Hunter down and tie matters up. And in the tie breaking round, it becomes more of an endurance battle to be that last one standing, which sees Hunter resort to fingers to try and get the win… only for Nelson to eventually prevail. Yes, it's a win, but when you do it competing against a close friend, obviously it's no easy task and it always leaves those who compete with a sense of emptiness when they leave the elimination venue.
Now, it's just Nelson who's holding up the Young Bucks flag in the house… but at least temporarily as we will see the Redemption House get another chance coming up with either Cory or Hunter rejoining him. The reason Nelly T. has had all of this success recently has been of, as noted in Allan Aguirre's analysis on Medium, a better physique and complete body than that of his fellow compatriot in Team Ohana. Without those aspects of strength and endurance, he may have not completed that final on Invasion and the complexity of what happened in Thailand would've changed.
After what's now his fourth straight elimination win and now being 5-1 in the win or go home battles, Nelson talked about how he considers himself the "1" in being 7-1: seven other players playing against him in trying to take him out at next chance. But now he's been gaining some momentum thanks to having more of a physical edge over some of the remaining guys in the field, and being able to hold his own size-wise with the veterans. Now the task at hand is not only trying to stay afloat knowing that he'll have one of his own rejoin him, but also try and sway fellow newcomers to join their alliance because, after all, the strength of many is better than just the strength of 1 or 3.
As a fan responded to Allan, if Nelson or either of the YB's can ask Kailah, Jenna, Britni or Tori to hop on, and also persuade a couple other guys to jump ship and join them, they can have a better chance to go deep late and they might have the chance to take out Bananas and turn this game upside down yet again. All they need is look for someone who might have the smarts in that rebel group, and Tori would no doubt fit that mold of being the brains of the group in doing the house politics.
For now, the Young Bucks is just a Young Buck, but now comes the daunting task of having to be the last one standing… just for now. And for Nelson, what he's done in the past couple seasons have now made him into once again looking to crash the bash… and this time, it would be no surprise.
#DCBLOG LOOK AHEAD
A CHANGE OF PLANS...
Finally, a small change of plans. There's no change to our usual schedule of bringing you our Pulse diaries, which will now be doubled to two to cover Are You The One? Season 6 in addition to this business half of The Challenge XXX... and of course, we'll have those for you coming up over the weekend. And as we did earlier this year, we'll once again combine our original coverage of episodes of both shows into a combined weekly WRAP which follows those two posts, and will begin here with next week's posts... and thus making things much more busier for yours truly. But a change now to one thing that I had looked forward to.
As you all know, I have been teasing to all of you since back in May about the opportunity to do a recap of the shows that I cover and also giving other programs a chance to be covered also in what is the Reality Debrief. And on Labor Day, I got to post an abbreviated Part 1 which covered just Season 5 of Are You The One? from earlier this year, and its Second Chances spinoff that came on after. And I had planned to do Part 2 which would have covered the entire cycle of The Challenge that came on before Dirty 30 began back in July.
But after some thought and consideration I've had in the past few days, I have decided to table, for now, Part 2 of the Debrief. Having been waiting all this time for replies back from those who I have planned to have on and this now being mid-September and with summer now over, as well as us getting closer to AYTO Season 6 and those of you who've been enthralled by what's taken place in the Big Brother house, I have decided to make this tough decision.
As much as it is frustrating to announce this, it does finally free up the time I have to devote time and energy to doing all of the great stuff I've been wanting to do for this cycle and had planned as well, and will finally have the chance to do them after they have been in this holding pattern while I have been waiting for this to finally take place, sometimes patiently and sometimes impatiently. My longer-term blog schedule - the stuff not related to weekly episode coverage of this Challenge - has been affected by this delay caused by the waiting in the Debrief to finally take place, albeit just a small bit of it as it turns out.
The holiday season is, of course, the ideal time for media outlets to provide a look back at the year that was, or will about to be... and that's where we'll be moving our look at the year in The Challenge to in the month of December as part of our traditional, year-end Reality Debrief recap of the year of 2017 in this genre. In now moving our look at this busy Challenge year in covering Invasion, Champs vs. Pros, this current Dirty 30 season and Champs vs. Stars that comes on after that to the end of the year will now allow me to concentrate on weekly episode coverage and Pulse diaries, this site's signature, great original stories, and other things such as our Revealed post covering the upcoming Dirty 30 reunion later on. In addition to covering just about everything that's taken place on there, we'll have the chance to see the progression of how certain competitors' years on this show went, and also get into talking AYTO Season 6, and this year in Survivor and Big Brother among other things.
This move from what's still technically summer to the beginning of the winter season should not dilute our ability to take a look back at this year that was and hopefully we will still remember every single detail from this Challenge year to provide a thorough recap of this year when all of you are enjoying the Christmas decorations all around town. Provided that their schedule gives them whatever free time they have during the busy time of the holidays, I should be able to ask the likes of Andrew Kirk to rewatch all of the seasons from this year in advance so that when they're prepared, we'll be able to discuss all of what has been an eventful year for fans of the Trifecta and outside of that. That way, those of you who visit this site and expect us to provide the deepest and most unique coverage anywhere can get that in the Debrief, even if it can take until posting well past the end of last year to post Part 2 - January 18th of this year when that was posted.
So for now, you all will have to wait for the thoughts from me, from Andrew, maybe from someone else, on what's been an exciting and eventful year in The Challenge, and everything else that's been taking place in the reality TV world. But when we do get this chance to get together and recap all of this while you are all doing your holiday shopping (and I just saw some holiday decor up in the hometown Big Lots store this past week), we promise to give you, the loyal readers of this site, an an entertaining and informative review of the year when the jolliest season of all takes over. It'll be worth that wait for an extra few months as you all feel winter in the air and presents under the tree.
So to all of you, thanks once again for your continued support and loyalty. We'll continue to meet your expectations to offer the exceptionally high quality coverage content you expect from this site with the awesome stuff we have planned for this fall, right up until we put the bow on the year when we talk Challenge and everything else in our Debrief. As we say, stay tuned... the best is yet to come.
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And with that, we wind up this week's WRAP of The Challenge XXX. As you expect, there's more to this story, as well as the prelude into Wednesday's AYTO season premiere, and for now until then here's where you can check it all out:
● Last week, Andrew Kirk (@CSUGradAKirk) turned back the clock some five years as he and Ace Nichols (@AceNichols33) were joined by Marie as they talked about this Challenge season and caught up on some old times after we first got to know her on the Virgin Islands. Check out that chat here on his YouTube channel and Blog Talk Radio, as well as Ace's recaps on YouTube including that of the most recent episode before this past one.
● Aside from its usual discussions on things of interest in this world of ours, The Brain Candy Podcast with Susie and Sarah have also been doing plenty of Challenge coverage on their premium Patreon site. In the past few days, they have talked with a number of your favorite Trifecta alumni and they will be posting those discussions on that Patreon site in the coming days along with their weekly episode discussions as well.
● Last week's episode once again gave the hosts of the MTV RHAP, Brian Cohen (@CohenBrian__ and Ali Lasher (@LashTweets) plenty to talk about in regards to Camila, which you can check out at robhasawebsite.com along with its coverage of Big Brother, the new Survivor season, and AYTO Season 6 where Ali will be joined by Adam Bungiovanni (@AdamBongo) coming up soon.
● Check out the Medium site and fellow blogger Allan Aguirre (@FebreezyFresh), where he provided his honest thoughts on Camila's biggest meltdown yet, his appreciation for Nelson after his elimination win, what winning this season could mean for the remaining competitors, and just today - a preview of tomorrow's second Redemption battle.
● And for those who can't wait for Wednesday's premiere of the guilty pleasure, check out The Perfect Match Podcast with hosts Rand and Reg as they break down Are You The One starting with their evaluations of the entire cast and last week's casting special which you can listen to at Podbean, and they're also following Team AYTO's progress on Dirty 30 as well too.
We are not done quite yet with this week's posts... coming up on a bonus edition of ExtraTime, we'll be joining the Dirty 30 cast, sans a couple people, as they get to enjoy the Big Apple in taping the reunion and meeting their biggest fans once again. Rejoin us for that when we return.
- I AM DC
