DC SocialPulse: The Challenge USA - Sabotages, Bumper Cars and Surprises

*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content and spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

We welcome you back Inside MTV Reality @ DCBLOG, and again we thank those of you who continue to support this site while also being mindful of the present situation of the blogger. Yesterday (Aug. 23rd) marked one month since the passing of my dad, and this weekend private funeral services will take place as my whole family will all gather to say a final farewell. We hope you share our understanding in that blog content that usually goes out here in a timely manner is being temporarily scaled back to allow for me to spend as much quality family time as possible... but as we draw nearer to the fall TV season, our regular blog coverage will soon return full-blast with all the quality content you come to expect. Now, onward with the business at hand...

This summer in Challenge Nation has belonged to one show -- The Challenge's first trip into the world of network TV in The Challenge: USA has certainly been quite the inaugural season of this spinoff. Last time we were in Argentina (and in this site's calendar, ten days ago), the game started to get a bit more mouth-watering... and it's not officially a Challenge until TJ Lavin becomes a quizmaster as he unleashed his annual game of trivia to the CBS alumni. There, Alyssa served up that cold dish known as revenge at the last man standing of The Cookout in Xavier... and then Tyson laid claim to being odds-on favorite in this season by slaying a swimming daily and setting up an arena that sent Cinco to the showers and shockwaves throughout the Argentinian compound.

The Sole Survivor/master of a first pitch fastball might have an easy time with this game thanks to how he's been beasting these dailies, but after pulling off that blindside he will now to maneuver through those bumps in the road -- and that includes what he has to deal with in the next two episodes we're covering: a partner who is less than 100% and one who might not be the best partner for him despite their common show link. Tyson and co. will all have to get through two challenges above the water and then having to drive with blindfolds on as sabotage, choices and surprises, along with another Teej-bomb dominate Weeks 6 & 7... and we'll have it all covered on here next on the DCBLOG Challenge Pulse before Episode 8 airs in just a few hours from now. And welcome to VMA Week, kiddies...

DC ExtraTime: Asaf The Ninja Warrior

 FOLLOW-UP  From Summer '17:

 "The Many Sides of Asaf"

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BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Courtesy: Elizabeth Morris/NBCUniversal

Seven years ago at this time in the summer of 2015, a young man traveled all the way from the Middle East out to Los Angeles to pursue the most ambitious of any American dream: making it big in the entertainment world. It's a journey that has taken Asaf Goren from the stage of perennial FOX summer staple So You Think You Can Dance to a slew of reality television shows both here in the U.S. and back home in his native Israel, all while achieving a resume both on television and in other forms of this industry of arts & entertainment that would sure make his family proud.

A year after making the Top 16 on SYTYCD, Asaf went onto Season 4 of MTV's Are You The One?... and later on, he flew back to the homeland to compete on a celebrity season of Big Brother Israel and came away with the top prize. Two years ago, Asaf competed on The Challenge: Total Madness and was in and out of Europe in one week... and if you have a good enough knowledge of this whole MTV Reality world -- even including shows you might not watch, then he also went on a date with Teen Mom's bad girl Farrah Abraham. And those are just reality shows: he also appeared in a Britney Spears music video, walked a runway at New York Fashion Week, and collaborated with 80's icon Boy George.

Just a few weeks ago came the latest addition to that amazing CV that Asaf has put together over these past seven years: trying his luck on a show that one fellow and reviled Challenger has mastered. But when a show like one that airs outside the Paramount Global ecosystem features that same kind of high-flying action but with a different kind of game and setting than what we're used to, then the transition from being an all-around reality star into a "Ninja" was a smooth one for this jack of all trades.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge USA - A Mid-Summer's Double Shot

*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content and spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Welcome back Inside MTV Reality at DCBLOG, and we appreciate all of you who continue to support this site and this blogger. Understandably this been a tough time for yours truly as, outside this world, my family and I have continued to deal with the death of my dad a few weeks ago... and that's the main reason why things have been off in terms of getting these posts out to all of you as promptly as possible. As you'd expect, this tremendous loss has been a bigger deal to me than anything else... and it's been tough to try and get back into the right frame of mind of doing what I love doing in covering these passions for all of you out there. But my papa would've encouraged me to just "go for the gold" and rage on... so with that in mind, let's proceed with all this and continue onward on here.

We are a few weeks into this new iteration of The Challenge: USA as the show makes its debut on network television this summer, and things have been going good so far in bringing this show we love to the CBS network. And last we were in Argentina, things were picking up stream in Week 3... and the house was dealing with one-third of The Cookout getting eliminated in Kyland and Tiffany losing in the arena. Their loss put into focus who is and isn't being faithful to each other in this totally new game, while The Algorithm's way of randomly coupling the players every week has made for some interesting teams -- one of whom showed the flaw of lack of chemistry. In that case, James & Tasha were shown the door by Dom & Cashay after volunteering himself in, and Angela & Kyland ascended to power team after surviving a puzzle challenge that, for a while, we thought we were watching Wheel of Fortune.

A serendipity to what has happened to me is that this time around we have not one, but two episodes to feature in this post... and whenever we get to the midseason's point in any iteration of the fifth major pro sport, then things are starting to get a bit juicy. First, it's not a Challenge without the one time where anyone can win -- and all you have to do is try to survive TJ Lavin becoming an Alex Trebek... that means, trivia is on offer in Week 4. And what happens there might bring back a vendetta from just a year ago at this time into trying to get the ultimate revenge, just as what happened with Hunter sending home Ashley on War of the Worlds after that $1 million Final Reckoning betrayal.

And in Hour #2 of this -- and Week 5 officially, the focus turns to a difficult water-based challenge that may become an ultimate test of who might survive what is always a most challenging task for anyone on this game of tackling the water. Once again, the minds of everyone in the compound is on something big: whispers around the room suggest that a mighty alliance might be on the outs, just as one of the players going into this new venture may just stamp themselves as the odds-on favorite to take home the big money at summer's end. And we'll have that all covered here next on this midseason double shot of the DCBLOG Challenge Pulse... and again, welcome back.

DC ExtraTime: MTV Royalty Takes Over Miami Swim Week

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

The state of Florida: it is many things to many of us -- starting with the joke that the shape of the state itself looks almost like a private part. To some, it's that state whose tropical climate this time of year sees a scorching hot sun, high temperatures and humidity, and an always present risk for severe weather headlined by it being located in hurricane alley. To others, it's that state with a rather different approach when it comes to politics that's made it both a laughingstock and a haven in this divisive America... just the actions of its governor and a notable resident of a district in Palm Beach will suffice.

But Florida is also a place that's become a capital in two worlds: some of reality television's most buzzworthy series have the backdrop of the Sunshine State, from The Real Housewives franchise on Bravo & Peacock, to Miami being part of the community of VH1's Love & Hip Hop. And Miami has become a rapidly growing destination in the fashion world, and nowhere is it prevalent than in the Fashion District in the Wynwood neighborhood, where major clothing retailers and distributors are located in the area, along with a slew of fashion agencies located all around Greater Miami.

Following the Memorial Day weekend, South Florida welcomed back the fashion industry for the first time in twenty-four months when Miami Fashion Week took place in early June. And before the eyes of the industry in this multi-billion-dollar business turn to the major shows in New York and Europe, earlier this month the big wigs again returned for a couple notable fashion shows taking place just before the major autumn shows -- and where the focus turned to everyone's favorite kind of clothing in this part of the country: the swimwear. And there, we find three leading ladies in MTV Reality land get to strut their stuff on the runway, and in one's case, follow in the lead of an all-time queen in this world.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge USA - "Declarations of Independence"

*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content and spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

And so on this last weekend of July, welcome back... and needless to say, this has been the toughest time of my life as my family & I have been dealing both personally and privately with the passing one week ago today of my beloved father, Mariano Cueva. We have received an outpouring of sorrow and support that has helped us get through these past seven days... and on behalf of my family, yours truly would like to say thanks to everybody who has sent us their positive energy our way during this week of mourning. To our extended family and to my social followers, we appreciate all of you for being there for us as you have shared in our grief in this extraordinary and unprecedented time. But as life goes on amidst this sadness, we at DCBLOG are now ready to resume our MTV blog coverage. 

If we thought that The Challenge: USA was gonna be a different kind of spinoff series compared to what we have gotten to enjoy so much with the three All-Stars seasons, then it turns out the CBS show is really holding up its own half of the bargain through the first two weeks of this season. When we left Argentina at the end of Week 2, as is always the case we got a bit of clarity in where things stand in this game... but before that, TJ Lavin unleashed his latest Teej-bomb in revealing the Algorithm: the pairs that compete each week will not be the same from week to week -- at least, not now. The week 2 challenge saw the players tackle both the water and got to put their inner crossword expertise to work, which saw Tyson stamp his position as the early favorite, and saw Tiffany get blindsided as James & Shannon came away with the win in elimination.

As we return to the compound, the knocking out of one-third of The Cookout has left everyone both shook and unsettled... and that has also put into the conversation the question of who is loyal to one another --- and as some of the alliances that came here staying true to one another, others are going by the wayside. One powerful duo will find themselves beginning to open up their suspicions on where this game is headed, while a pair of imperfect challengers will have to tackle one flaw to the randomness of the teams being recoupled: lack of chemistry... all as they try to again utilize their puzzle skills: this time, in a staple of your family dinner time.

After the break, we return to our regularly scheduled programming as we bring you a back-tracked edition of the DCBLOG MTV 'Pulse as we cover Week 3 of The Challenge: USA.... and we're glad you're with us.

DC FORUM: 7/24/22 - A Note from Me...

A Note From The Editor...

A pleasant Sunday to all of you... if you are fine and okay, then good for you. You should be able to enjoy this summer's weekend, whether you're going out to enjoy the sun or just being at home and indoors when either the conditions of either a meteorological or health concern doesn't allow otherwise. But no matter what, we are all here... and be thankful for that.

Let's get the important thing out of the way: the content that DCBLOG had planned to feature this weekend -- including Week 3 of MTV's The Challenge: USA and a blog recap of my 2021 trip to Las Vegas -- will not be posted on here either today or the next few days. Sure, I will be working on those posts on here off-air but, posting it right now would be the farthest thing from my mind considering what has been happening over the past few days... and this site's regularly scheduled programming will return here hopefully next weekend or perhaps later at the appropriate time.

Instead, this will have to do... and it involves something that represents one of those things that always take priority in family, and one of the reasons why there has not been as much busy activity on this site this year as it has been in the previous ten years. And if you can indulge in what I'm about to discuss on here, then make sure to have a box of tissues next to you. This is going to be a tough one.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge USA - "Oh Say Can You See Tiffany"

*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content and spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

In a few hours, the best in Major League Baseball will take to the field for the 92nd renewal of the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. Tomorrow night will mark that annual day on the sports calendar where none of the four major sports are in action... but other than for the ESPY Awards and Day 6 of the first-ever World Track & Field Championships to be held in the United States up in Tracktown -- Eugene, Oregon -- and just as it was during the pandemic-caused sporting shutdown of two years ago, the spotlight will belong to MTV's The Challenge, as the USA edition is underway on CBS.

Once the verdict was delivered on Season 3 of All-Stars back on July 6th following the long holiday weekend, the attention turned to a totally different version of the show as twenty-eight alums of the Eye network's reality programming stepped up to the plate to face TJ Lavin. In a field full of alumni from Big Brother, Survivor, Amazing Race and the CBS run of Love Island, it was a mixture of them that excelled down a rope and a skyscraper in the season's opening daily, including a Sole Survivor used to playing games like this and someone pegged for big success considering his NFL background. And just after we began what might be another one of those seasons on THAT show, it was one-third of The Cookout that took the season's first elimination in a familiar game to Challenge Nation, Knot So Fast.

At night's end, the host duked out his latest Teej-bomb to what is undoubtedly the largest set of fresh meat he's ever had to welcome out of the gate: the pairs who are teamed up each week will not be the same from week to week... and an Algorithm will recouple the players at the end of each night in the arena. And as we return, the Americans will doubt be stung by this latest twist... but they have not much time to ponder that as they face a life-like game of Scrabble combined with everyone's favorite place to wipe out on a place like this: in the water. This week represents an opportunity for a legend of the island to put their stamp on this game two weeks in, while the looming shadow of a summer houseguest might be too much to handle -- including our favorite alternative word for getting backstabbed.

After the break, DCBLOG brings you the 'Pulse of Week 2 of The Challenge: USA... and welcome back.

The Look: The Life We Live - A Return to the Poconos

*** CAUTION: Videos Embedded Below Contain Adult Language and Content Intended for a Mature Audience. Viewer Discretion is Advised. ***

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

As DCBLOG marks its tenth anniversary over the course of the next eighteen months, there's been one thing that we have covered just about as often as any other topic we have featured on here... perhaps, even more than most others. No, it's not anybody we've documented in the dozens of series and seasons we have covered Inside MTV Reality on this page... but something that was inspired by television's most unique reality programming, and which this site has followed every step of its journey since we first came across it back five years ago.

Instagram @Dre.Media

It was during this very same week in July 2017 that Andres Rodriguez from Secaucus, New Jersey got to go and meet the cast of The Challenge XXX: Dirty 30 when most of them were getting together in New York to launch the pioneering reality series' first $1 million season. Obviously, there was a lot of buzz going into the big season -- and for those of us who got to sit through all of that, we had to swallow a bitter pill at how it all ended. But other than getting to discover both Siesta Key and Floribama Shore along with Cory Wharton becoming a dad, maybe the best thing to come out of the second half of 2017 was the thing now affectionally referred to as Dre.Media.

The reason we were brought to Andres in the first place was that he was the creator, producer, editor, host, occasional competitor and main protagonist of a wide array of original YouTube content, including "live reality games" -- homemade versions of existing reality television shows. Dre has created twelve seasons of The Caucus Challenge, which began when he was a high school junior in this New York suburb best known for its many and countless connections to the sports world, and which has continued to entertain those in the YouTube community. And this site has covered every step of the Caucus journey here since, with a new season just now streaming.

However, there was a time during this tough time in our world that Dre couldn't get to put on a season of his beloved show... and he had to resort to doing something else -- such as, getting some of his friends and their friends together for a weekend excursion. So gave birth to The Life We Live... and for its eighth season, TLWL got to do something it had never done before: venture back to the scene of a crime.