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Last weekend, life-changing news was granted to several members of Team MTV, involving either a baby being born, the announcement that a baby is forthcoming, or in one's case - him being the latest in the MTV community to settle down as a newlywed. Two of them are alums of The Challenge, a third was part of the most-recent Real World season, and two more from a revolutionary show of years gone by, but whose influence is seen in its much-more popular spinoff series and a show that debuted last year to great interest in the channel's most-coveted slot.
VINCE
Just after filming the upcoming Reunion of Vendettas in a New York City shut down by the latest blast of winter, this past weekend Bananas flew down to Florida to partake in the biggest day ever for his cousin. When we watched Battle of the Bloodlines two years ago, Vince Gilatta was a former college football player but whenever you get partnered with the winningest player in Challenge history you're expected to step up your game. What happened in Turkey became something that became a bit hard for us to comprehend in him not being able to live up to what his well-known partner has been able to accomplish. Vince not being able to compete nearly as well as Bananas was a big story to come out of Season 27, and not surprisingly the one who went on to taste victory, Cara Maria & Jamie, beat Bananas & Vince in elimination. Then Vince was paired with Jenna on Rivals III and they went on to the final, finished 2nd to his cousin and Sarah and became witness to that steal.
Before he joined Bananas to offer a consolation prize of a club night on Spring Break with two members of the losing AYTO Season 5 cast in ultimate heartbreaker Tyler and fellow South Floridian Michael, it was a year ago on a weekend's retreat to his state of birth of Ohio that Vince got on one knee, popped out an engagement ring to his girl Sam, got down on one knee and asked the magic question of whether he would want her to be his wife... and she replied, "About Time!" And this weekend, Bananas and family headed down to Florida to see him and her say their "I do's." Then and now, Vince and the new Mrs. Piggy (as he refers to her) received words of congrats from those who competed with him on his two Challenges, from friends and adversaries of his cousin and of course from those who know them best: family & friends.
EVAN
When The Challenge expanded its boundaries in the summer of 2006 to include those who have not been cast on a Real World or Road Rules season, one of those Fresh Meat was Evan Starkman, who came to us from north of the border not bearing the usual stereotype of being that down to earth Canadian. Instead, as his original bio wrote of him, "He loves to provoke people and, despite being infamously cocky, is well-liked by his peers. Evan is a natural flirt and can't seem to help himself when it comes to sweet-talking the ladies... A dominating force on the playing field with an over-the-top winning personality, Evan is determined to plant a Canadian flag for Challenge victory."
In a storied draft class that also included Diem Brown, Big Easy and future 3-time champ Evelyn Smith, and while he was partnered with another Challenge icon, Coral, Evan quickly forged a bond with Kenny Santucci down in Australia. And when Johnny Bananas did his first Challenge in The Duel in Brazil the following year, the show's most notorious trio was born and did several seasons together. With the traits of being cocky and aggressive, yet bigger-than-life, friendly and sweet-talking, along with being a very good competitor, Evan made it to three finals -- part of the Veterans team that infamously lost Gauntlet III, bouncing back to gain the crown on The Ruins with Bananas and Kenny, and before that winning it all by himself on The Duel II when he edged out Brad.
The last time we saw him compete was on Rivals I, when him being paired with nemesis Nehemiah he did what he can to manipulate him and get out of the game... which he did in the ladder part of the season. Because of what happened off-camera on The Ruins, we haven't seen either Evan or Kenny on a Challenge since, but ever since Evan has settled down and this past week he and his wife welcomed their first child. Mr. Beautiful got to visit the new baby boy and captioned below on Instagram, "We finally made it happen! Thanks to @rachaelkari for giving us the child we always wanted! Haha jk It’s a boy!!! Congrats Evan and Rach on their baby boy. Dylan Cole Starkman #unclekenny #godfather #secondnephew".
TYARA
During Season 32 (where her Bad Blood counterpart was Kim and together did a high school parody of America's Next Top Model), and after her closest friend in the house and she hooked up with, Theo, was sent home for getting into a fight with his cousin Kassius, Tya received some surprise news. After having trouble sleeping one night and having forgot to take her period becoming flying up from the South, she decided to take a pregnancy test and found out that she had been pregnant for most of her time in the Emerald City. She left the show shortly after to deal with it back home but then suffered a miscarriage. But just last last week, a video Tya posted on IG announced that she has been given a second chance to becoming a mom.
She captioned, "FIRST OFF!!!! I’m in tears of appreciation right now. A lot of you guys have been begging me to tell my story as to what happened when I left the show on mtv !! Well...here it is: I found out I was pregnant and when I left the show I unfortunately lost my child. I was depressed literally starring at the wall not eating (hints my weight loss) and losing my mind...but Years later here I am BEYOND grateful to announce that today I am expecting a little one (MAYBE TWO!!! Yes bitchhh I said two👀😅) as a result of a true unconditional loving relationship that I have been blessed with. I honestly didn’t think I would get this moment again 😭 and now here it is staring me in my face every moment I look down at my growing belly. I thank my fans (Family.And.Newfriends) for your love and support. EVERY single one of you that stop me in the airport, or store or restaurant it means so much to me to feel the energy of love. I really can’t wait to share this journey with you all !!! 💯❤️"
The biggest new MTV hit of the past twelve months has just wrapped up its first season when Siesta Key had its Season 1 finale last week. In the homestretch of the freshman hit's winter half, the Florida clique's dynamic changed dramatically, when Kelsey's plan to win back Garrett was turned away by his new love interest. The once great BFF friendship of Juliette & Hannah found itself on the rocks by way of a feud the ladder had with the former's boyfriend Alex, which led to a big blowup on the finale. And the infidelities Brandon has had was enough for his relationship with Madisson to grind to a halt, just as her sister Paige got it on with one of Brandon's crushes, Canvas.
Those who watched Season 2 of Laguna in 2005 were witness to a love square that saw the town's resident player, Jason Wahler, break the hearts of not one, but three girls in town. Eventually, the last one to feel the love and then heartbreak from the bad boy was the central figure of those memorable first two seasons in Lauren Conrad. And their journey would take the two up the way to the first season of The Hills, and for him to several other TV shows afterwards as well as a public battle with addiction, substance abuse and alcoholism before becoming a father & husband just last year.
And before Alex M., it was Jessica Evans who got to date Jason, and all after her boyfriend, good guy Dieter Schmitz, went off to college. Those who watched the first season saw the tight bond Dieter had with the man at the heart of the biggest romance in Stephen Colletti (who of course saw LC and Kristin Cavalleri battle for his heart so memorably) and the socially conscious Trey Phillips. Who can forget Dieter complaining to Stephen about his car running over an expensive bottle of cologne on their way to that black & white party?
In as a rather coincidental scenario as Kristin being the only girl to dress up in the dark to that black & white party, last weekend both Alex M. and Dieter announced that they would becoming new kids nearly a decade & a half after their show was the talk of Orange County. A photo taken by Taylor and posted on Alex's Insta announced, "Baby brother on his way this July 💙 #JulyBabies," just as Taylor herself joined her fellow Laguna alums as new moms. And Dieter announced his IG, "Some exciting news from the Schmitz’s!!! Our family is growing!!!," and messages from both a teddy bear and pet revealed, "Our greatest adventure begins September 2018."
Outside of Laguna, The Hills and of course Jersey Shore, there are practical reasons why those who we loved for years on The Challenge and the rest of what we refer to as the Trifecta decide to not do shows anymore... they are, of course, ordinary people like you and I, and have lives to live and families to build. The past several Challenge seasons have had those who've seen their lives change a bit by becoming parents or in a few's case with significant others back home, and eventually the time will come for them to step aside and let a new generation have their day. But for now, we send our congrats to those above as the next chapter of their post-MTV lives begin.
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Ahead this weekend, DCBLOG will focus on this week's episode of The Challenge Vendettas... and if you think the game has been going on for a while, the serious stuff is about to begin. Find out who survives the latest invasion to take over Spain, plus the return of Winter Break: Hunter Mountain, as you get to enjoy your St. Patrick's Day weekend. Make sure to be with us then.
- I AM DC
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