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As you settle into this week after the biggest roller-coaster of an Academy Awards in recent memory, it's time for us at DCBLOG to refresh your memories of last week in the MTV Trifecta ahead of tonight's Invasion of the Challenge Champions and this week's Are You The One?.
Last week, we saw the last four tickets being punched to the Oasis via a twister of a last challenge and a grueling final elimination of the qualifying round, all as the Champions are about to invade Thailand. And in the Caribbean, the house finally had a chance to get down and dirty, both in the challenge and in a carnival soiree, only for them to go back down to earth by more struggles in the shot at $500,000.
Ahead of us, a recap of last week's episodes, fantasy scoring, poll results and a look at the Match Math. Then on ExtraTime, we'll look at Anthony's hook-up fest on his original AYTO season, as well as a birthday for Baby Tadison. See you there...
Welcome on back to DCBLOG as we roll along on our look at the week in the MTV Trifecta. And after bringing you the last chance for the underdogs to make a stand on The Challenge, as well as the debut of Stranded with A Million Dollars, it's time to give you some dessert to round out your weekend as we look in on Episode 7 of Are You The One?.
Last week in the Dominican Republic, the guys' best friends came in to break "Bro-Code" and spilled embarrassing secrets about the men to the girls. Meanwhile, Tyler was again the focus of the girls as a confession to one of the guys about him coming to the show just to get it on with the girls instead of looking for long-term love ruffled the feathers of his crush, Shannon. Once again, Alicia did what she can to break Girl Code by making a play for Hannah's crush Ozzy, a week after her infamous night with Kam's crush Eddie. And though with no change in lights, Kari's strategy saw them have an idea of what they have to do in order to salvage a game that seems to not be a winnable one.
This week, the bad blood that's been brewing between Alicia and Hannah boils over, just as tensions amongst the many love triangles in the house erupt. No AYTO season would be complete without a lavish, elaborate big-time party, and this time it's a Dominican Republic Carnival, taking place during the time of Carnival celebrations around the world. Meanwhile, Hayden finally realizes what the house wants him to do, as he decides to make a move towards a deeper relationship with someone other than Gianna. And with two-third's of the season through, the house grapples with how to deal with non-match couples, as they try to get out of a place in between a rock and a hard place.
Coming up, all the action, reaction and interaction of Team AYTO from this week, as well as Devin and Rashida appearing on this week's Aftermatch, and The Challenge making its way to Spring Training. And on this Oscars Sunday, on ExtraTime after the diary join an AYTO original and three of her Trifecta friends as they touch base with one of the most notorious men in all of Hollywood.
• As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-) • Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.
A carnival, new moves and old ways, and Dashida returns... Join us after the jump for the 'Pulse of Are You The One?.
As you all get to enjoy your late winter/early spring's weekend - whether you're in the cold or in the sun in unseasonably warm places across the country, how about if you can take a break with us here at DCBLOG, as we now bring you the 'Pulse of Week 3 of The Challenge - Invasion, and the last week where the spotlight is solely to the newbies.
Last week in Thailand, we saw Ashley and Hunter get close - both in the shelter and on the field when they took that week's mission, while her San Francisco roommates Cory and Jenna made it a sweep in the elimination. But of course, all the attention was on what happened there in the cliffs of Thailand, where Theo decided to quit in front of TJ Lavin, leading to him being the latest to get scolded by the guy who doesn't like to see people give up.
This week as the season's first two challenge and elimination winners have already punched tickets to the Oasis, six Underdogs are left to battle it out for the last four tickets to the Oasis. Paranoia decides to get the best of the oldest of the Underdogs and forces him to lash out, while romances bloom in the Shelter as they and everyone else anticipate the end of their stay by the beach. And after a demanding final elimination of this season's first phase, the real game begins.
Coming up, all the action, reaction and interaction of the week that was leading into Challenge Tuesday, up to the moment the champions making their entrance. And if you're fond of the old-school vets, after the diary ExtraTime will catch up with an Original of the Real World and The Challenge and tell you of some of the great people he has met in the 20 years since his MTV debut.
• As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-) • Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts.
It's the last chance saloon for the underdogs before it gets underway for real... join us after the jump for the 'Pulse of the Invasion of the Champions.
It's the last Friday of February, which means cyclists are riding tonight through the streets of big cities at rush hour. In Hollywood, preparation is in full swing for Sunday's Oscars extravaganza, while in New Orleans it's Mardi Gras Weekend as the Big Easy's biggest party goes into overdrive. And down in Arizona and Florida, Spring Training baseball is now underway.
And for us here at DCBLOG, it's time to take you on our ride through a busy week in the MTV Trifecta. Coming up, Challenge underdogs look to make one last impression before the champions come to town, while the Are You The One? hotties are getting down & dirty. But first, something new to kick off your weekend.
A few weeks ago, we took a Look at what could be MTV's next big thing in Stranded with A Million Dollars, the channel's push into the survivalist form of reality competition shows as they will put 10 strangers on an island for 40 days, with $1 million in hand and plenty of obstacles awaiting them. Well, with their tie-in to The Challenge - including airing after the the big show and a poll of who viewers think could make the jump to that show, we've decided the give them the unique treatment we offer here at DCBLOG: our signature Pulse diary of the episodes as the cast sees them, and a mini-Wrap of the episode's key moments.
This week, it's the premiere as Alex, Alonzo, Ashley, Bria, Chris, Coy, Eilish, Gina, Michael and Makani all move into that remote island in Fiji with nothing but their clothes and all that cash. In addition to the usual first impressions and "get to know you" vibe of any premiere, the group finds temptations all around their surroundings as any purchase of items crucial to surviving a month & a half will cut into their winnings should they go the distance. And after what we've seen in recent seasons of the Trifecta, could just this premise of being on this island for all this time lead one of the competitors to give in?
After the jump, it's week one of Stranded with A Million Dollars to kick off the weekend look at the week in the MTV Trifecta at DCBLOG.
As you all head back to work and school after the three day extended holiday, welcome back on in DCBLOG as our coverage of the MTV Trifecta rolls along with a WRAP of last week ahead of what's about to go down on The Challenge tonight, Are You The One? tomorrow, and the debut of MTV's newest series Stranded with A Million Dollars.
Last week, we saw yet another Challenger go down the route other would not want to go down in deciding to quit in front of TJ Lavin, while a pair with common roots of living in the countryside took the week's second challenge all ahead of the champions' Invasion waiting to happen. And over in the Caribbean, the attention was once again on Tyler for his side comments catching the attention of the girls, and Alicia deciding to swoop in yet another guy, all as the guys are hearing secrets from their closest guy friends.
Ahead on this Double Shot WRAP, a recap of last week's key moments, fantasy scoring, poll results and the interesting backstory involving this very challenge elimination and its host. And then on ExtraTime, find out about the time Hunter found himself in hot water for convincing the girls about something under his clothes, and appearances by a wedding ring and baby balloons. Join us next.
We at DCBLOG hope you are enjoying this extended holiday weekend to go out and play in the snow, enjoy the sun or just relaxing or working these next few days. And considering the busy slate we have covering the current Season 5 of Are You The One? or the new season of The Challenge, let's take a moment now to focus not on our usual thing of bringing you the weekly 'Pulse of the episodes and focus on something uniquely different. And if you watch the former - the show some say is the guiltiest pleasure on TV - have kids in your family, then this slice of ExtraTime might be of interest to bring them along to your desktop or mobile to check out -- even if they might be a bit too young to watch those shows intended for an audience of those above middle school age.
A year or so ago, we had the usual tradition of inviting our relatives to come over to our house for my niece's 7th birthday - one of the many times that gives everyone in my inner circle reason to get together for much needed family time. Not only were my aunts, uncles and cousins there to join my family on that summer day: having a young member of your family celebrate their biggest day of the year also meant fellow classmates and members of their respective families were at our house enjoying a good time and good old family fun.
The theme of that party revolved around Disney's enormously-successful animated film Frozen, which chronicled the story of sisters Elsa and Anna, their family and a snowman, and for which my kids have been huge fans of that movie since it premiered in theaters in 2013 and became an enormous hit for the Mouse & friends. We had a lady dressed as a princess from that movie come over to entertain my niece, nephew and all of their friends as they had the time of their lives. That offers the context for a fun look at what it's like to be a Princess.
As many of you are staying in this holiday weekend because of the cold weather outside - or in the case of those in California a major rainstorm rolling along, we at DCBLOG have the perfect cure for those winter weather blues in our MTV Trifecta coverage. And as things have been cool Stateside, in the Caribbean it's been heating in the Season 5 Are You The One? house.
Last week in a week that saw betrayals plenty in MTV land, there was one in the AYTO house when after he and Kam became the house's first perfect match, Edward spent his next to last night going off to do his thing with her best friend, Alicia, as she became the house's latest public enemy. We also saw the house being put under the lie detector, and Gianna stringing Hayden along when she decides to actually play this game in going into the closet and kiss Michael in the closet. Despite getting the season's first light beam, things in the matchup department remain stuck at neutral.
This week, the guys are put under the ringer again, this time with their guy best friends coming in to spill some embarrassing secrets as they break "Bro-Code." Meanwhile, Tyler is once again put under the microscope as well as a confession he makes causes one of the girls he's broken their hearts reexamines the intentions she has for him. And what is next for Alicia after what happened last week? Obviously, she's not done just yet.
Ahead, all the action, reaction and interaction of Team AYTO, plus them marking the single biggest day in romance - Valentine's Day, and the Wednesday aftermath from The Challenge. And afterwards on ExtraTime, we'll head down to the Bayou to meet the most controversial man in reality TV as he talks to an Are You The One? original as she has now become a local TV reporter, as well as meeting another man who's about to be Stranded with A Million Dollars.
• As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-) • Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.
Knowing the Bro Code, Alicia's rebound guy and Tyler tells all...join us after the jump for the 'Pulse of Are You The One?.
As we begin a new year, so does another year of highly anticipated movies, with the most recent Golden Globe Awards ushering in the countdown to the Oscars. And being one who actually went to three movies over the holidays last month and watching them in more spacious seats & theaters, the slate of what's ahead in 2017 on the big screen might actually give me a reason to come to the movies a little more often this year.
This winter sees the sequel to Fifty Shades of Grey -- Fifty Shades Darker, plus Sleepless with Jamie Foxx, Fist Fight with Ice Cube, and Kong. As spring arrives, so will the next chapter in The Fast and The Furious saga in The Fate of The Furious, The Power Rangers Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and the live-action Beauty & The Beast. Of course, all eyes are on the summer blockbuster season with Baywatch, Wonder Woman, The Mummy, Transformers, Despicable Me, Spider Man 3 and Blade Runner 2049. And that's only a handful that's ahead in these next 12 months.
Brittney on the cover of
Dig Boston Magazine,
from IG @TheJohnnyHickey
There's another anticipated film dropping this year, but it's likely you won't see it unless you live in Boston or those six states in the Northeast known as New England. Those who follow the Trifecta know that the entire region has been a proud hub for alumni of the RW/Challenge franchise and Are You The One?, and the newest member of this fraternity is Boston native Tyler, taking a break from modeling down in Florida to look for love and money in the Caribbean. Of course, all eyes are on the upcoming Challenge as champions Cara Maria, Zach and Camila appear headed for a collision course with underdogs Bruno and Dario among others.
That film that's headed to local theaters in the New England area later this year is called Habit, an low-budget horror thriller produced and directed by independent local director Johnny Hickey, and has been in production for over a month now. Given that they've been filming over the holidays, they have had to endure the cold of sub-20 degree conditions and sometimes having to film with no heaters inside some old mental institutions where the movie is being situated and filmed in. It feels very much appropriate for a film with such a dark and chilling theme.
In a photo posted on its Facebook page, Habit's plot sees this story take place at a EDM event in an abandoned underground mental hospital where 8 young adults experience not only the time of their lives, but also the last day of their lives. A party girl named Ray-Ray brings her friends to the rave at the hub of the area's electronic dance music scene, invited to come there by a drug dealer with connections to dance music. She had previously had a sexual encounter with the dealer, but is dared to renew acquaintances with the manipulating promise of supplying she and her group with what's known as "Molly" - official name MDMA. It's best known by its alternative name of ecstasy (E), that recreational drug commonplace at raves, and that leads the group to not only get high, but find themselves in what's more like a real-life Halloween horror movie than a EDM gathering.
Director Hickey's first film in 2011 was called Oxy Morons, which co-starred a childhood friend of his, David Burns - the Bostonian on Real World Seattle best known for his infamous late night meltdown inside the car of his love interest at the time and the one who cast him - Kira - on that season 19 years ago in the same city that just saw some bad blood roll through. As he set about his second movie from the director's chair, Johnny looked to cast not Hollywood big shots - as is usually the case for these indie flicks, but to that MTV acumen he gained from having David the first time out to ask three recent alumni of the Trifecta and a Challenge legend to dive into the acting world for the very first time.
He explains in Dig Boston magazine, for which the cover is pictured above: “The biggest thing is to get people you know you are going to jibe with in your cast. My cast are no-name actors—they’ve never done acting before, but we have four MTV personalities.” And in the realm of having three shows for this site to cover and for me to watch & follow very intently, and the region being a favorite of MTV casting directors, each of them will have representation in the cast of Habit.
As a fan of Are You The One? from the very beginning - and whose Season 1 premiere will be three years ago next weekend, all of you who were there to witness that enormously successful first chapter with that brilliant cast of Originals in the Hawaiian island of Kauai will be most excited to find out of the news that Brittany will be playing that female lead of Ray-Ray. Since most of you last saw her on Exes 2, she's been balancing filming this film during the day in what she feels is a haunted hospital of sorts with working after hours at Boston TV station WHDH, and doing hosting work for both regional sports network NESN and a local website.
Joining Brittany in this new endeavor of acting in front of the cameras rather than just living their lives and/or competing within their view is Sabrina from last spring's Go Big or Go Home Las Vegas season of Real World, who we saw write and record music and meet her biological mother for the first time, all the while staying sane in the madness of what happened there in downtown Sin City. And to complete the triple threat of Trifecta girls shifting their attention to screaming and running from the bad guy trying to kill them, there's Emilee from Real World Cancun of eight years ago (for which we did an In-Depth post on her cast hanging out with LMFAO on Thanksgiving), who we then saw on The Challenge: Cutthroat and most recently being part of a short-lived love triangle with her, Jessica and Dustin on Free Agents.
Emilee says, "It started off a little rocky, but it’s progressed into something amazing. For me, the camera [on reality TV] amplifies your personality. I’m all for the dramatic, though, so the acting comes naturally." And Brittany adds, "The Tewksbury [hospital] is haunted as f... It would be totally cold over here, then totally warm over there … It got you more in the mindset. We were going upstairs, and the energy just straight dropped into cold air."
And for the big one and much like the friendship he's had with David, Hickey has had a history with C.T. since the two were six years old when they lived in the projects -- the much-talked public housing in Boston. The director adds, "He’s one of my best friends, and now we’re making a movie together, which is amazing … I didn’t want him to be the handsome star. I wanted him to be a killer." The Rivals II champ adds, "It’s a pretty gruesome character—something no one’s seen from me before. We used to shovel driveways together for money, and Johnny would go house to house to house, get his deposits, and then leave everyone hanging. He’d be sledding down Suicide Hill while the rest of us were still shoveling."
Dig Boston Magazine did a feature on the filming of the film, which you can check out here; the exact release date for the film is not yet known. There's also a story on C.T. that's largely been overlooked after the passing of his longtime girlfriend - the late Diem Brown, and we'll share you that story during our upcoming coverage of The Challenge: Invasion for which he will be part of the Champions group coming next month.
We've arrived at the extended holiday weekend as the country marks President's Day. And while the nation is divided over what's going on in Washington, there's one thing that brings millennials together: the MTV Trifecta. And we here at DCBLOG are here to bring you all that of the week that was, starting with week two of The Challenge: Invasion of the Champions.
Last week saw a two-hour premiere where eighteen underdogs arrived in Thailand with hopes of cashing in on their first Challenge title with no idea that eight former champions would be ready to rain on their parade. There, a wall saw who came here to win, which then produced a betrayal of two Chicago roommates when Sylvia went with her Thailand alliance and voted her Skeletons roommate Tony in, garnering the wrath of her former roommates. And not only does Tony win over Bruno, Kailah does the same and solidifies her status as someone to watch in Thailand.
This week, the competitors settle into their second challenge of the season as the players channel their own Stephen Curry and go for a little ride on the lake as guy-girl pairs battle to see who gets to join Kailah, Tony, Nicole and Dario in the Oasis. After his surprise elimination last summer, one player decides to take a gamble for a shot at going to the lap of luxury, all while the champions begin to make their way towards Asia. And what happens when the pregame talk actually doesn't deliver on their promise? That happens to one player in a terrifying elimination.
Coming up, all the action, reaction and interaction of Week 2 of The Invasion, which also includes Team MTV enjoying music's biggest night in the Grammys. And afterwards on ExtraTime, what do an NBA Hall of Famer, an multi-talented NFL tackle and a man wearing a panda hat all have in common? We'll share you the link they have to one of the Trifecta's most notorious alums.
• As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-) • Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these po
Shooting baskets, taking risks and, the Q-word. Join us for the 'Pulse of the Challenge...next.
Happy early Happy Valentine's Day to all of you from all of us at DCBLOG. And as you all await what Cupid will be bringing to this February 14th day, along with a box of some beautiful chocolates we have this DC WRAP Double Shot as it's time for us to recap last week in the MTV Trifecta before we head into Episode 2 of The Challenge Invasion coming up tonight and the second half of Are You The One Season 5 coming tomorrow.
Last week, we saw two betrayals in two members of the Skeletons cast leading to one of them facing another castmate in the season's first elimination in Thailand, while the other took place in the Caribbean immediately after the season's first confirmed perfect match in the Truth Booth. We also saw appearances by a wall, a lie detector, a mean girl and a couple who just can't seem to get off one another in that singles pad.
Coming up in this combined edition of the WRAP, we'll recap both shows on you with the key moments of the Challenge premiere, what we've learned the past few weeks in Thailand and the particulars on the past week. Plus, we'll learn more about the deep bonds among some of the Invasion underdogs and share you a travelogue from Thailand. Join us for all that next.
As much of the country is being snowed in by a major winter snowstorm impacting the east coast, you've found the right spot to get yourself warmed up as DCBLOG proudly brings you the other half of our 'Pulse doubleheader as we look in on Episode 5 of Are You The One? Season 5.
Last week in the Dominican Republic, we saw Hayden & Gianna head into the Boom Boom Room, while Tyler and Shannon got close as did Taylor and Andre. The latest love triangle emerged with Edward being the center of attention to the attraction of Kam and Alicia, while the group's best hope to be a perfect match went unanswered when Tyranny & Osvaldo went to the Truth Booth with high hopes but emerged out with tears and running fumes.
This week - and a night after seeing Sylvia betray her Real World Skeletons roommate Tony on the premiere of The Challenge Invasion, we see another roommate put a friend under the bus upon the results of the latest truth booth. We also see the cast be put under the microscope of a favorite toy in the lie detector to see who's telling the truth and who is frontin'. And as the reigning couple of the house continues to not take their eyes off of each other despite being a no-match, a South Beach hottie reignite sparks with one of them.
Ahead, action, reaction and interaction of this fifth act from the Caribbean, plus we'll have the aftermath of that Invasion premiere, which we covered here late last night. And what if you're given the chance to win yourself some money & prizes to a larger audience than MTV actually serves? After the diary, ExtraTime will join an AYTO alum and a Virgin Islands heartthrob as they try their luck on daytime game shows...you'll want to check that out.
• As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-) • Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.
Another betrayal, getting caught by the detector and more of the Gia & Hay Show... Join DCBLOG for the 'Pulse of Are You The One?, straight ahead.
This week marked one year to go to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, taking place in the winter resort town of PyeongChang, South Korea. If you know me, the Olympics are the one sports event I look forward to more than any other, and embodies the philosophy of diversity I have watching all sports and appreciating the athletes who compete on sports' grandest stage. DCBLOG can cite one very important partner of the Olympic Movement as an inspiration of sorts to how this site gets to present our coverage of the Trifecta here and the stories of this ecosystem.
Aside from my MTV connections, I've always had an equally great relationship with NBC Sports in being a loyal viewer, big fan and tremendous admirer of their exceptional work covering the sports world. You might say that anything that airs on the weekend on the network or during the week on NBCSN, Golf Channel and the CSN regional networks where I live is better quality-wise than the hot takes taking over their 3-& 4-lettered rivals in the sports media world. Them also being the Olympic broadcaster for 30 years also makes having a 17-night appointment with sports' biggest event feel that much more enjoyable for me.
NBC's way of telling the stories of the athletes who compete for gold serves as a template to how I get to tell the stories of the people of the Trifecta to all of you on here, in addition to offering everything else DCBLOG offers each week...sharing that passion for quality that I put forth in these posts. And Thursday, a transition of power took place at its most prominent position.
Credit: NBC Sports Group
Bob Costas began his broadcasting career in the 1970's where he went to college, at Syracuse University as a proud alum of that upstate New York college. There started a career in sportscasting that would ultimately take him around the world, which included stints in St. Louis calling the ABA Spirits on radio powerhouse KMOX and in Chicago with the Bulls, among others. In 1979, an icon of the TV business Don Ohlmeyer, who was executive producer of NBC Sports at the time, called him up and asked him to bring his talents to a national audience, and Bob made his debut covering a weightlifting event shortly thereafter... The rest has become history.
In 37 years at the Peacock, Bob has represented the heart & soul of NBC Sports, becoming one of the network's most recognizable faces and voices. Virtually every event - big & small - that NBC has covered, he has contributed at in some sort: spanning the NFL, the golden age of the NBA on NBC, Triple Crown horse racing, golf, NHL and beyond. His love of baseball - best exemplified by having a Mickey Mantle baseball card stuffed in his wallet - flourished there as a play-by-play announcer on NBC's baseball Game of the Week in the '80s, which has parlayed into having a prominent part of the MLB Network in addition to writing several books on his favorite game since childhood.
His versatility of hosting, play-by-play, reporting and interviewing has also afforded him to host several talk shows including the late night Later with Bob Costas; contributing to NBC News the exclusive interview with disgraced Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, and providing bold halftime commentary on the NFL's off-field dealings. And that has translated into winning 27 Emmy Awards - more than any other broadcaster in history and spanning the three main TV genres of sports, news and entertainment; plus many other awards, accolades and acclaim from his industry peers.
But to both the passionate sports fan and those casuals who don't watch sports regularly, Bob is best known to everyone as the longtime primetime host of NBC's Olympic coverage. In 1988, he hosted late night in Seoul, and four years later his Later executive producer (and a protege of influential ABC Sports & News executive Roone Arledge) who had become executive producer and NBC Sports head, Dick Ebersol, upgraded Bob to the big chair. There in Barcelona where the Dream Team debuted - and in every Olympics NBC has broadcast since (spanning all but two since summer '92), Bob has proudly served in that position for eleven Games, taking viewers from venue to venue, interviewing athletes and newsmakers, and all else that makes the Olympic host job as highly-coveted as any in the television business.
That journey has taken him to Atlanta, Australia, Salt Lake City, Athens, Italy, China, Canada, London, Russia and, most recently, to Rio de Janiero...traveling a good portion of the world as much as my parents have as of late. He, like everyone else, watched in awe when Muhammad Ali lit the cauldron in Atlanta, stood in Tienanmen Square a day after the bold Opening Ceremony in Beijing, flew into Vancouver via a seaplane, chronicled the entire journey of Michael Phelps, and interviewed hundreds of medal winners and newsmakers including two Presidents. You pretty much knew this was gonna be Must See TV the moment you heard Bob's voice in the opening tease that began NBC's primetime broadcast to the tune of John Williams' Olympic score.
Credit: NBC Sports Group
On Thursday - one year before the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Games, Costas - now in his mid-60's - announced on NBC's Today Show that he will be stepping down from his Olympic hosting duties and passing the torch once held by Jim McKay - who crafted the mold of hosting an Olympics at ABC - to another fellow Syracuse alum, former ESPN & ABC broadcaster Mike Tirico, starting next February. Last year, this site looked at how pivotal Tirico's move from ESPN to NBC was in being a game-changer in sports media, as viewer habits are changing, talent are switching networks and those who've been in this business for very long, including Bob, are either retiring or reducing their work load.
With him being one of the best broadcasters of his generation and also one of the most versatile and hard-working as well, there's been wide industry sentiment, including at his old employers, since yesterday that no one is more deserving of inheriting the Olympic host job than Mike. Having developed 25 years' worth of his craft hosting and calling the NFL, NBA, golf and so many other sports, plus hosting the past two FIFA World Cups and returning to Rio last year as a NBC daytime host, Tirico has accumulated the credentials necessary to handle the job of hosting an event that attracts a routinely large audience every night for two weeks, which was once of the key factors in him making that move. And ironically, Mike was the first recipient of a sportscasting scholarship made in Costas' name at Syracuse back in 1987, making this all come full circle when he moved to NBC last summer and gaining this promotion to primetime.
As someone who stood literally many feet away from him when I was at the Niners/Seahawks game on Thanksgiving in 2014, I have enjoyed Bob's company for those two weeks every two years since I was in elementary school. He has no doubt enjoyed a tremendous run as NBC primetime host, doing that for a record 181 nights over 24 years, which doesn't include of course that well-known bout with pinkeye that saw him miss a week's worth of competition at the Sochi Winter Games earlier that year. As he now inherits an emeritus role at NBC Sports similar to what longtime NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw has at NBC News, Costas says of his successor, "NBC has made the right choice and I could not be more happy about that."
Tirico tweeted afterwards, "Thanks to Bob, the entire NBC Sports team and so many of you who reached out today. So excited for this new chapter with the NBC Olympics family." Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth had similar sentiment: "Mike Tirico is the gift that keeps on giving. He will be a great Olympic Host. Lucky to have him at NBC. Bob Costas never flinched when it came to journalistic integrity at the Olympics. Harder than you will ever know." And over at ESPN, Mike & Mike co-host Mike Greenburg added, "Congrats to Mike Tirico on the Olympics, the biggest gig in the industry. You couldn't be more deserving than he is. And congratulations on a job brilliantly done for 24 years by Bob Costas, the best there has ever been in our line of work. #Respect."
While Bob will be dearly missed on the host chair - and considering what happened recently in the nation's capital, you simply can't ask for a better or smoother transition than with Costas passing over his Olympic hosting job to Mike Tirico. One versatile broadcaster who's been the best sportscaster of his generation for as long as I've been around, now passing the torch to one who's already had a great career and is on the verge of greater things, and also is appreciative of Mike's broad resume.
This move echoes what happened in 2009 at NBC Sports' other high-profile property of the NFL: when John Madden retired from Sunday Night Football after a classic Super Bowl XLIII, Collinsworth was brought in from the studio to take over alongside Al Michaels. That transition was likened by those at NBC as "going from Joe DiMaggio to Mickey Mantle," and SNF has remained the gold standard among NFL broadcasts, much the same way as the Olympics and all of NBC Sports' content over the years are around the industry.
That chair will no doubt be in great hands going forward with the network's long-term Olympic partnership stretching over the next decade. And while it came as a little bit of a surprise to some that this move has come a little earlier than planned as it was thought this was going to occur at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, it's no surprise Mike Tirico has earned his moment to debut in a year from now in South Korea, and Bob Costas has earned his place as the best of all time in sports television.
Below is a video of Bob hosting NBC's Football Night in America from Levi's Stadium on Thanksgiving night 2014.
As you all settle in on this Friday night and this weekend, it's time for us at DCBLOG to bring you the 'Pulse of a new season of the fifth major pro sport, as we look in on The Challenge - Invasion of the Champions from Thailand. First, the 'Pulse of the Premiere.
This season will feature, at first, 18 players who have not win a single Challenge will come for a chance to win their first title in what should be just a competition just for them. But they have no idea of what will be awaiting them, as later on a group of eight previous champions will arrive like a cyclone to put a wrench to those well-laid plans on grabbing the lion's share of $350,000 to those who outlasts everyone else for that title.
This week as it all kicks off, it's a double premiere - two hours in fact, and our competitors will begin to settle into their unusual beachside settings in a run-down hut called "The Shelter," and almost immediately things get heated among the newbies trying to make their mark for the first time. After the season's first challenge, a newcomer emerges into the most unpopular player in the game and must figure out how to handle being disliked by most everyone. And another rookie finds themselves at the crossroads of trying to stay loyal to the friendships she's made with having to deal with the pressure of an always fascinating part of this game. All of this occurs while a surprise is looming ahead that they don't have any idea about.
Ahead, DC SocialPulse will bring you all the action, reaction and interaction from all the castmates and Team MTV, along with all of the moments from this two-episode opening act from this past Wednesday. This also includes a nod to a Challenge legend in C.T., who was honored with his own Hall of Fame special airing as a pre-game to the premiere. And after the diary, we'll look at a transition of power that took place in the sports media business this week, and offer an appreciation for a job well done by one of sports' great broadcasters.
As we begin, again if you're checking us out for the first time, welcome on in and get comfortable around this site. DCBLOG offers fans of the MTV Trifecta a unique look at The Challenge, as well as Are You The One? and Real World. The 'Pulse is an signature feature offering a look at the other show that takes place concurrent to the madness of what we're seeing on TV. It's the social media interaction between cast members, alumni and fans that becomes equal to the big show as they wrap themselves around the communal viewing experience of watching themselves on TV.
Presented to you here each weekend to begin our weekly set of posts, these unique, exclusive running diaries are specially designed, curated and pieced together by yours truly in real-time - tweet by tweet and uncensored - to bring the hookups, drama, action and all else to you here. This is a service to all of you fans - both those who just want to relive the action, reaction and interaction in real time, or for the many who might not have experienced the buzz at the time of the episodes' ET airing and want to catch up in these diaries, posted to you here after it airs on MTV wherever you are.
This is only part of the DCBLOG Trifecta experience: with episode Wraps, thoughtful & in-depth analysis, and ExtraTime original stories, we go beyond the drama to cover the people and the stories that take you beyond the hype, the headlines and the hookups. And it's presented by this long-time MTV fan who loves these shows as much as you do, and now covers them on this blog.
Now, the following are the actual tweets of the cast, alumni and fans as we got to see the premiere, along with the buildup to, and the aftermath of, the premiere and of course episodes 1 & 2. • As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-) • Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.
Betrayals, newbies and so much more. Join us after the jump for the 'Pulse of the The Challenge - Invasion of the Champions.
*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language and objectionable content for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***
Hi, hello, what's up and welcome to the weekend, which also means it's time to take our weekly ride through the MTV Trifecta on DCBLOG. Ahead, betrayals, lies and challenges galore as we cover the premiere of The Challenge Invasion and Episode 5 of Are You The One?, among other things planned for you in these next few days. But first...
This past week saw not only the lead up to the new season of the fifth major pro sport - which is the basis for this bonus post, but also the finale of the latest season of the biggest sport in this country. Super Bowl LI saw a comeback for the ages last Sunday, and we'll be featuring how Team MTV saw the epic both in the tweets below, and then afterwards on ExtraTime.
Again, sometimes if you look at the collective total of all the tweets posted in our weekly series, the lead up to them might be too long to post in our regularly scheduled posts, and thus this is being posted first before covering the episodes themselves in posts coming up later, all to lighten the work load on all of you if you get to read these posts top to bottom.
- Please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. If you're mature enough, please read with discretion. :-)
Join in for this special 'Pulse Extra following the jump.
Alright, it's late night, and as you all have taken a breath after the events of last night, once again I have taken to this site for a brief post to get something off my chest here after dark while most of you are asleep and where Twitter activity isn't as busy. Yes, I know it's after dark and most of you should be in bed with your eyes shut, but between you & I, if you got a moment to listen to me, it'll be most appreciated. So, here we go...
As all of you recover from the epic that was Super Bowl LI last night, we at DCBLOG have a cure for that Super Sunday hangover as we welcome you on back here for the second of our two Are You The One posts covering Episode 4 from this past week. In case you missed it, we got to see Taylor and Shannon get close as did Taylor and Andre, while Edward find himself in the middle of Kam and Alicia's attraction. We also had to endure another non-match not only staying together but also going into the Boom Boom Room in Hayden & Gianna. And we saw the group's best hope to be a perfect match in Tyranny & Osvaldo go unanswered, but the group keeping steady in the light department.
Ahead, some analysis from the Strategy Room of this week's picks plus a fan's incredible math on coming up with the possibilities of who could become matches, along with fantasy scoring and poll results. And there's two new babies to discuss in ExtraTime...more on all those ahead.
It's the first weekend of the month of February, which means sports fans across the country and around the world are awaiting the final act of the NFL season and Super Bowl LI taking place down in Houston, TX. But as you all await Super Sunday tomorrow evening, on this Saturday we at DCBLOG are pregaming for both that and the new season of The Challenge Invasion with some dessert: Are You The One? Season 5.
Last week, the house looked to pick themselves back up in the aftermath of suffering a blackout at their second matchup. As they desperately needed help in the wake of that, love squares emerged and caused chaos as exes were forced to swap partners. The result was not only the cutest date ever in the couples enjoying time with monkeys, but also a getaway date from hell, too. Tyler took on the role of being the house F-boy when he broke Taylor's heart making moves on three girls in the house. And there was bad news and good news game-wise when they squandered a chance at making a truth booth trade when they really needed the money, but made up for it getting four beams.
As the look to play off of regaining some momentum from the ultimate mood-buster in any AYTO house, this week the focus turns to the resident Georgian, who has her eyes set on finding her match and convinces them that she may have found the one. What we saw from Tyler sparks another's aspirations on making his move for the girl he broke her heart for. And in what's become an alarming trend for those who watch this show, the non-match relationship for one couple heads to Poundtown.
Coming up, you'll see how Team AYTO saw this episode and all else from the week that was in the Trifecta, plus the countdown to that new Challenge. And imagine being a fan of the Trifecta given the chance to live out your MTV dream on a brand new show...after the diary ExtraTime will introduce you to one of them about to get Stranded with a Million Dollars, while also doing a great service of serving our country.
- As we begin, please note there is explicit language in many of the tweets below, but they are kept uncensored in order to retain the heat of the moment. So if you are mature enough, please read with discretion. :-) - Plus, if you haven't watched the episode yet, then do not proceed with reading this post. But need not worry...DCBLOG will compile all of these tweets into these posts after every episode so you won't be in the dark of how your favorites saw this all unfold.
More for that couple, heartbreak turns into a new chance and a best shot at a match in the chamber of lasers... DCBLOG has the Pulse of AYTO straight ahead.
We have arrived at Super Bowl weekend as the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons are preparing to do battle down in Houston, TX on Sunday. And for those who follow the MTV Trifecta, all is calm ahead of what kicks off two nights after Super Sunday, as America's favorite sport gives way to the fifth major pro sport, as a new season of The Challenge kicks off with the Invasion of the Champions coming up on Tuesday. DCBLOG will be here all the way to bring you all angles of this season, as well as the current Are You The One? Season 5, with everything covered top to bottom, including our preview post posted last weekend.
Before beginning any of these Challenges - or shortly after they begin, it is our philosophy that we want to make sure that you never meet a new or returning competitor for the first time on this coming week's premiere, and to give them the proper respect & recognition they rightfully deserve. It's a tradition for us here to go in-depth and provide more background & context on those who take their first steps on the fifth major pro sport. This serves a purpose for those hardcore fans to get to know the newcomers to this season, and new viewers of this show to learn more about the veterans returning to this game. We have profiled each & every new competitor since Rivals II, and in case you're new or need a refresher, check out our posts from seasons 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28.
This season, the underdogs will have more of the spotlight with eighteen Underdogs competing in Thailand, and will ultimately be joined by eight past Champions when they arrive at some point in the next few months. And after integrating this feature into our season previews the past two seasons, this time with the influx of rookies and returnees we felt that we had to move that section into its own post this time to make it a little more easier for all of you to soak in veterans and those we've seen recently, as well as the 'Pulse from when this all began on the same day as the AYTO Season 5 premiere.
From two almost off the plane from the Pacific Northwest to two from a time when an RV was once the third jewel of this reality TV crown and many in between, there's a dozen people making either their debuts or returning from as many as a 7 years' hiatus for a chance at glory. There is indeed something for everyone with this season's cast, and it's also the case for those featured here in our introduction to these twelve competitors.
So, we ask ourselves once again, "Who Are These Newbies?" We'll meet them after the jump.
