BY DC CUEVA
■ @DC408Dxtr @ TW / IG / YT
However... amidst all of what's taken place in this first half, there seems to be an emptiness to a CVS season that's already had it all... one that's considered in the record books as an exhibition but is delivering the goods just as good as a regular season. This is only the third time since 2009 that Johnny Bananas has decided to take a Challenge off: only Fresh Meat II in 2010 and Battle of the Seasons II in 2012 has he had not been selected to compete and do what he does best. This time though, he decided to take this third installment off not because of health or fatigue, but for what makes these spinoff seasons special.
The special nature of Champs vs. Stars is that those players who compete also get to serve as benefactors to the charities, foundations and causes they are most passionate about, and where all of their winnings will go to once they win or not. And given that he is one the most notable celebrity supporters of Special Olympics - and one of his biggest fans getting to serve as a coach in last winter's dominant Champions season that he got to be a part of, Johnny knew that he had done what he set out to do and compete and win for an organization he's volunteered with many times and for which it celebrates its 50th anniversary this summer.
But, it would not be a true Challenge season without making an ode to Bananas, and this past week those who prefer to stay in, or got home early on Cinco De Mayo Saturday, got a chance to see a whole different side of this six-time champion.
For those who decide to stay in on a Saturday night and be entertained by the timeless classic that is Saturday Night Live, what comes on in many cities after the host bids good night from Studio 8-H at 30 Rock (in the case of last week, Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino) is a show produced by NBC's owned & operated TV stations division and its lifestyle programming unit LXTV. 1ST LOOK TV offers those who are still up at 1AM or Midnight the chance to sample restaurants, shopping, fashion, nightlife and entertainment of America's major cities, and where The Hills co-star Audrina Patridge once hosted this show - born out of the concept of "hyper-local" programming that originated at both New York flagship station WNBC and noncommercial indie TV station NYC TV.
Last week, Bananas was the subject of an entire episode of 1ST LOOK, where he served as guest host as they got to show the many sides of him when he is not competing or training for a Challenge. There, an audience that is, theoretically, larger in reach (this airing on terrestrial free-to-air television compared to the cable channel he's been on for a dozen years) got to see what those who watched him in his sixteen Challenge appearances, the first two Champs vs. Stars and his Real World Key West season have known all along, that behind the persona of being the resident villain of the fifth major sport is someone who loves to have fun and loves to try anything.
SUMO
Having competed with and conquered competitors of every shape and size, it pales in comparison to the challenge he is up against when Johnny faces off against with Yama, the heaviest Japanese Sumo Wrestler in history - weighing in at a staggering 601 pounds.
GENTLEMEN'S GUILD
We just saw this newly single man get close in the Vendettas house with Natalie from Big Brother and who together hosted the preview special for Ex on the Beach. But what does it like to actually man up and be a gentleman? Bananas gets a lesson on the proper etiquette on attracting a woman before going on a date with a member of the cast of E!'s Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.
CHILDREN'S CHOIR
With proof in two of his biggest fans -- Matt from Special Olympics and his #1 fan Kasey Harvey -- along with him sharing life as a babysitter on SnapChat, Johnny loves kids. Next, Bananas joins the West L.A. Children's Choir to rehearse with them before joining them on stage at one of their recitals.
HAVANA BANANA
And what would any show with Bananas be without something out of the ordinary? We've seen him dress up in a Banana suit, then dress up as Justina Valentine last year... and here, he finds himself having to learn the unique art of male burlesque, all before taking the stage to perform at a local club. And yes, he dresses up in drag (what else?!).If you have watched Bananas throughout his MTV run, you know that there is more to him than the persona of being the most loved and hated man of a show that's stood the test of time and still be on the channel even as new viewers are coming in this renaissance. He is more than that man likes to manipulate competitors and prove that he is top dog, even if he can ruffle feathers along the way. There is that side of him who loves to have fun when not competing on every single Challenge: take him dressing up as Scooby-Doo in his Real World audition tape. And if you have been entertained by 1ST LOOK offering this look at the fun side of Johnny, perhaps brace yourself for what he has to offer next.
▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Tonight is the kickoff to DCBLOG's 5th Anniversary Weekend... it was on May 11, 2013 that this site first took flight, and we are now five years old. In addition to covering this week's Champs vs. Stars and tonight's episode of Ex on the Beach, we're also featuring additional ExtraTime stories such as these, and a special EOTB edition of our traditional Challenge rookie introduction post "Who Are These Newbies?". Plus, my social media avenues including Twitter @DC408Dxtr is featuring some of this site's most memorable stories and moments as well... follow them for all of those.
Tomorrow, we'll have our look at this week's Champs vs. Stars, where a demanding challenge may cause both physical and emotional consequences for those competing. We'll see you for that then.
- I AM DC
#DCBLOG
