DC ExtraTime: The Miracle Kids, and the New Dad

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

With the new take on love known as Ex On The Beach giving those who watch Jersey Shore Family Vacation a chance to stick around afterwards (and many of you have done just that and getting buzz from Ellen DeGeneres to The Soup on E!), it's only fitting that the show that brought romance to the MTV reality scene and helped to create what we at DCBLOG call the MTV Trifecta is making a big mark this spring. Those who will be part of the latest chapter of that show will no doubt have a tough act to follow following the biggest underdog story to surprise this community since a Road Rules outcast became a Gauntlet queen 15 years ago.
   Are You The One? is responsible for giving us one of the ten singles who have moved into the EOTB house - Taylor, several of the exes who we'll be seeing as this maiden voyage goes along including two from her own cast, and even three alumni to Champs vs. Stars despite them not being champs themselves. One of those people there also happens to Derrick's ex and, as was revealed on the Dirty 30 reunion, who also had a phone-hacking moment similar to what Angela did to his phone in the Shack of Secrets. Another of Taylor's Season 5 castmates -- one who hooked up with the man she's dating right now and has hatred for her -- is still to come, but they are notorious for being the only AYTO cast to leave the show with no money... but after what we saw with Kam going to the final on the most recent Challenge they are pretty much alright.
   For some background to this story, you gotta go through AYTO's whole history, which we have covered every step of its entire six-season run on here. Season 1 took place in these Hawaiian islands in 2014, where another ex who we'll see later, Shanley, first made her mark from the outset. Her most notable moment came midway through that season when she got into AYTO's first big blog-up with someone who would go on to do three Challenges, Simone, just after the most intense Truth Booth ever. Season 2 introduced us to two girls who then did two Challenges, Briana and Christina, the always honest Southerner Ellie and her tattooed perfect match Nate, and two who we last saw being spotted on Dr. Phil, Brandon and Jasmine. We'll later see Cameron from Season 4 who was part of a notable romance with his match Mikala before that ended badly, and Joe from the most recent season of last fall... and if you watched his season then you know who his ex is.

While Season 5 provided us with a fifth of this entire EOTB cast and Shanley's Season 1 cast being the most beloved for that they they have the only perfect match who are together, married and are parents in Amber & Ethan Diamond, the AYTO cast that has accomplished a lot since their season aired is Season 3 - who like the Originals won in our 50th state. The CV that the group as a whole has racked up since we first saw three years ago is so decorated, you might say that they have the most intriguing resume of any MTV cast this decade, and no doubt have the AYTO equivalent of what Johnny Bananas' Real World Key West cast have been able to accomplish.
   Until Joe's Season 6 cast ascended into "Eleventh Heaven" last December in New Orleans, it was Season 3 that pulled off the biggest comeback in AYTO history - and one of the biggest shocks in recent MTV history. Faced with potentially being the first cast to lose, Devin Walker went into his celebrated bag of tricks, popped out a quarter from his pocket and put together red Solo cups to use his head and utilize his playbook. Their goal was to try and figure out how to get from 2 lights where they were most of that season in Week 9, to 10 beams in Week 10 and win the jackpot, which was $750,000 after they recorded a blackout that cost them a quarter of their $1 million bounty. He put together a complex strategy that, in the end, netted them eight lights in the last matchup which, until last December, was the largest 1-week netgain, and the cash too.
   Devin is, of course, the most famous member of that Season 3 cast who pulled out that "Miracle in the Islands" and gave them our Underdog Award in our 2015 Reality Debrief. And after making the Rivals III final as a rookie and winning the AYTO spinoff Second Chances, he has brought his game to Champs vs. Stars after famously taking out his rival Johnny Bananas in elimination on Vendettas. But the apprentice of master manipulator and JB's biggest nemesis Wes is hardly the only person from that cast who has made some headlines... in fact, it's a lot of them:

♥ The girl Big D was with all season and who were in the most intriguing relationship of that season - and one of the most memorable in AYTO history, Hooters girl Kiki Cooper, first made waves even before she went on the show when gossip sites discovered that she was one of the ex-girlfriends of Ryan Edwards, himself an ex to Teen Mom OG's Maci Bookout who last month got 'cuffed again for breaking his probation order on a past heroin possession charge.

♥ Kiki's perfect match, Mike Cresecenzo, had a tumultuous relationship with Popoff Queen Amanda Garcia including a fight on the finale where he left the house afterwards, then became the boyfriend of Derrick's ex Tori who then went to Real World Bad Blood, left that house and broke up with the blonde who dressed up as Hulk Hogan on this week's Champs vs. Stars when she found that he cheated on her with a roommate in Seattle.

♥ After that Week 2 blackout, Southerner Britni Thornton found herself in love with Hawaiian bad boy Chuck Mowery, and upon breaking up with him after over a year together then went on to do the past two Challenges, and this winter landed a champion who emerged from both an 8-year Challenge hiatus and a divorce of his wife who he met on MTV, Brad on Vendettas.

♥ Canadian filmmaker & funny man Zak Longo scored Season 3's other blonde bombshell in New Yorker (and Nick Jonas fan) Hannah Rathbun, and are still together as they have documented their world travels for their hundreds of thousands of social media followers, and with help from Devin, Tori, Mikala and others prank called fellow AYTO alumni.

♥ Amanda, Nelson Thomas and Hunter Barfield have all done multiple Challenges together, with Nelly T. making it to the Invasion final and almost stole a victory from CT (and who also got to hang with Jerry Springer and Steve Aoki), and her & the ladder also making deep runs on The Challenge, the ladder especially. And Devin's match, Rashida Zakiya, partnered with him to win Second Chances... not to mention turned an AYTO After Show stage into a hip-hop club.

♥ And of course, by way of what happened last winter when this EOTB season was filmed and was revealed to tremendous interest on social media before Christmas -- Devin's Rivals III partner Cheyenne Floyd shares custody of her 1-year-old baby son Ryder K. with Cory.

That brings us to the latest member of the Miracle Kids to bring some buzz to this vaunted group: in that last matchup, Britni was paired up with Texan Austin Sheets, who when we met him was an former Army member from the Dallas area. He was one of those who wasn't involved in much drama or screen time on Season 3, but did get some heat for opting to choose to play for dates rather than go with strategy in one of their getaway challenges - shocking considering his background..
   Aside from a collection of designer watches, high-end cars and big estates that would make you think he is a rapper, Austin is an entrepreneur who has a bit of intelligence beneath those tattoos. When we saw him on AYTO, he was part of network marketing company Team Fusion whose Facebook synopsis read, "We empower people to dream big, strive for their highest potential with hard work and perseverance achieve their goals and dreams!" And those who've been to his social media pages have seen videos of words of wisdom and thoughts to live by from the man himself, who has also taken the stage to speak to fellow network marketing enthusiasts, post-MTV.
   And this past week, Austin revealed some extra news as well: on Instagram, he posted a caption that read, "Nixon Austin Sheets, 8.5lbs and 20inches. 4/24/18."  He joined Ms. Chey Not Shy as parents among the Season 3 cast, as well as not only Amber & Ethan but also Gianna & Hayden of Season 5, among many others, in those who not only have been on AYTO but also found the love of their lives in new babies. Kiki (who was paired with him in their blackout) wrote, "So happy for you!!!!!!", while Zak added, "I’m a Godfather 👋🏽😂." Our congrats go to Mr. Sheets.

Ima dad now. pic.twitter.com/nhkTaav0EQ

— Austin Sheets (@in_my_SHEETS) April 26, 2018

- I AM DC

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach USA - "Exed Out"

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

As your Sunday and this last April's weekend is winding down, spring is just getting getting warmed up just a few weeks away from the wildly-acknowledged start of summer come Memorial Day weekend. And as the weather now is starting to warm up, so is the show of our principal focus in the MTV beat with week two of Ex on the Beach.
   Last week, a couple people familiar to everyone who watches MTV arrived on the Big Island of Hawaii and the phattest house on the island as Challenge/Real World alum Cory and Are You The One? beauty Taylor did not take long to get cozy... and so did some other personalities from the reality TV world and a few social media stars diving into what they thought was just another romantic reality show. Instead, Romeo Miller broke the news that their exes will crash the singles bash, and it also didn't take long for another familiar MTV name to invade Hawaii as one of the three exes who got to put a scare out of our new cast.
   That guy who goes by the simple nickname of Team Chocolate finds himself in the middle of this week's drama and he and his ex -- a member of the Bad Girls Club family -- are whisked down to a dungeon downstairs where they will be forced to bring out all of their secrets... and what happens there bears a similarity to what he had to go through the last time he dated a reality star. Meanwhile, a new ex arrives with a secret that will soon have everyone lose their minds... and another one familiar to MTV viewers shows up again at the most opportune time. And just when you think it gets more twisted, it becomes a true reality show when something standard makes its way here.

All the action, reaction and interaction of Week 2 of Ex On The Beach is ahead on this diary, as well as a few of the couples deciding to take their bickering to the most expansive platform there is... and we have the full blow-by-blow of their Twitter beefs for you to check out. And there's one town in this blogger's neck of the woods that can take great pride here at the end of this weekend, and yours truly will explain after the diary.
   All of that is ahead on the Pulse of Ex on the Beach, and dive in....

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge Champs vs. Stars III - "Over The Edge & Under A Bus"

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

On a Saturday night full of Playoff excitement, laughs at the White House Corespondent's Dinner, an inspirational one-handed player being drafted at the NFL Draft and Kanye Madness taking over, we bring you in to this week's ride Inside the MTV Trifecta with DCBLOG. And after having put a bow last night on Vendettas and Cara Maria becoming Wonder Woman, our attention now turns to two shows this spring, beginning here and now with The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars III.
   Last week, the competition began for our latest group of ten celebrities and athletes including a returning Pro, a guy from Love & Hip Hop and J-Lo's ex going up against champs CT, Wes, Ashley and champs in their minds for this third installment of the spinoff. We got to see the continuation of the dominance of both the veterans and Tony in the first challenge, but then they were caught red-handed by the twist of Champs and Stars competing together on the same teams. We also saw that pro Louise pick up right where she left off, and that ex Casper Smart win the first elimination taking out who was arguably the strongest athlete going into this season, footballer Arian Foster.
   This week, those mixed teams of pros and Joes compete for the first time in what in essence is the Bloodlines format, and a hotter version of a game Canadians love that became America's guiltiest pleasure two months ago comes into focus just as it was on Duel II a decade ago. Meanwhile, a girl who found herself in a love triangle over a year ago with one who happens to be an Ex on Ex on the Beach finds herself in another relationship: this time with a star. And the week that was and is for the hottest girl in the music world right now continues to roll along as her sister decides to bring the club to The Challenge.

All the action, reaction and interaction of Week 2 of Champs vs. Stars is ahead in this reduced diary below, as this show will take on the role of appetizer on this site compared to the main event of Ex on the Beach, whose episode post comes tomorrow. Afterwards, ExtraTime will venture into serious matters when a Challenge champ who went through a lot on TV discusses something that happened recently to her... something very painful.
   All of that is ahead on the Pulse of Champs vs. Stars. And thanks for sticking with us here... it's nice to have you with us.

DC WRAP: The Challenge Vendettas - Finale Endgame

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

We have arrived at the weekend, and as we are now settled into the spring portion of the MTV year, another regular season of The Challenge is in the books. Season 31 of Vendettas saw a lot of drama, competition and much more take place in the course of four months, five if you can count this season being first revealed on the heels of Dirty 30. It wasn't nearly as long as last season was, but just as it was last November the big moment of who came away victorious on this season wasn't revealed until the second part of the two-part finale reunion, which felt like you were watching through all those minor awards being presented at the Oscars before the juicy ones are handed out. In the end, it confirmed the dominance of who might be the most dominant Challenger of this era.
   Usually, the original portion of our episode coverage would see us recap the episodes with the week's key moments and other related material. But as mentioned here last week, DCBLOG has a different custom whenever we get to the finale of any of the major series we cover, where that week's entire WRAP post is dedicated to that show. This means that, if you're here for coverage of either Champs vs. Stars or Ex on the Beach from this week, you'll have to wait for that to come -- we'll have more on when you'll see those at the end of this post. But, we do have a lot of ground to cover in reviewing what was an uneventful final, a deserving champion, and take one more trip into the Strategy Room to discuss what went down on this season. All of that, and thoughts from the champion is ahead as we recap The Challenge Vendettas as we begin this week's ride Inside the MTV Trifecta. And, welcome to the weekend... thanks for joining us tonight.

DC ExtraTime Flashback: Mini-Me Invades The Challenge

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Last weekend, the entertainment world lost two notable figures from two different generations in two different forms of showbiz. On Friday, music enthusiasts gathered again in the Inland Empire for the second weekend of Coachella, where they saw Beyonce dominate the buzz as did Eminem, The Weeknd and hundreds of other acts. But the talk among fans was of the news of the sudden death of EDM DJ and producer Avicii - aka Tim Bergling, who was found dead while on vacation in a hotel room in the Arab country of Oman. Millions of music fans had the opportunity to pay tribute to one of dance music's icons and, along with fellow Scandinavians Swedish House Mafia, elevated this underground genre into part of the mainstream music scene.

The next day, it was movie fans who had to endure the pain of losing one of their favorites much too soon. Verne Troyer, the actor, stunt performer and comedian best known for playing Mini-Me in the Austin Powers movie franchise, passed away last Saturday at the age of 49. He was notable for not only his role in one of the defining movie series of the '90s and 2000's, but also due of the result of cartridge-hair hypoplasia, standing just 2'8" -- 32 inches in becoming one of the shortest men on earth.  He first gained experience on camera as a stunt double in several films including Jingle All The Way with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Men in Black with Will Smith & Tommy Lee Jones before landing his big break.
   Director Jay Roach inquired about having someone play the role of Mini-Me before Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me began filming, and to serve as Dr. Evil's smaller duplicate. The SNL alum was impressed by Verne's performance so much, the sequel's script was reworked to give Mini-Me more time in the film and the character's death was removed from the 1999 film. Mini-Me would return in Goldmember three years later, and also gained roles as Griphook in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, and in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus in 2009.
   Because of him becoming the unsung hero of the Austin Powers series, Troyer seemed to have been everywhere at the turn of the century: The Surreal Life, British Celebrity Big Brother, and Celebrity Wife Swap. He had a one-day marriage that garnered much press attention, a private home video of him and an ex-girlfriend having sex that also had as much buzz as the Paris Hilton affair, and just this month had been admitted to hospital after encountering an incident at his home after being admitted to rehab for alcoholism treatment. The ladder would turn out to be the cause of death due to a reported possible suicide by way of high alcohol levels and possible poisoning.

Though I have been watching the show on a regular basis since 2012, the first Challenge season that I remember watching and have memories of was Challenge 2000, hosted not by TJ Lavin or Jonny Moseley, but by Gladys from Road Rules -- infamous for getting into a fight that got her kicked off her Latin American season two years earlier. This was after the first Real World season I watched religiously of the Hawaii season in 1999 which began with Teck Holmes and Ruthie Alcaide going skinny-dipping when they arrived at their house and her being sent to the hospital for alcohol poisoning the very next day, and as it was with the St. Thomas cast years later it was of a few of them going onto The Challenge that gave me reason to tune in.
   Teck and the blonde who was involved in the show's first-ever serious inter-cast romance, Amaya Brecher, went onto the second battle between teams Real World and Road Rules back when The Challenge more resembled the ladder show than the ones we take for granted today. They were joined by fellow Challenge rookie and future Hall of Famer Veronica Portillo, David Burns from RW Seattle (best remembered for his meltdown with a casting director turned girlfriend), and Real World original Heather B. from the first season in New York, among others who represented ten seasons of MTV's original reality franchises.
   The season began with them bungee-jumping off the Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas before that became a regular attraction in the largest observation tower in America, spent 24 hours being stir crazy in a hotel room, did a homemade swimsuit contest, raced in both a demolition derby and swamp buggy, and partook in redneck games and mud football. The last challenge saw what those on Rivals III got to do to begin their season: going bungee-jumping and like what happened to Jordan on Challenge XXX, Amaya had a hard landing and spent a night in hospital... all as Team Road Rules bathed in victory, and the handsome reward of Nissan cars.

It was in the third week of Challenge 2000 that the teams found themselves in the ring to go wrestling, either against each other or against pros. Some of the competitors got to do the former -- Heather B. taking on Piggy from Road Rules Australia; Teck taking on Road Rules original Carlos, and Kat taking on Road Rules Northern Trail's Holly. Others did the ladder -- Mike and Holly's RV-mate Dan took on female wrestlers, while Amaya and Veronica took on little people. And the one who served as referee in the square was Verne Troyer... and when the Hawaiian went into the ring, below is what happened next.

RIP @VerneTroyer 👼🏻#Thechallengemtv @v_cakes @amayasays pic.twitter.com/BRFx3M3UdB

— The Challenge MTV (@Challengemtv___) April 22, 2018

Him having to see Amaya run around the ring like a school girl remains a memorable moment of The Challenge's twenty years on the air and part of MTV's quarter-century long legacy of perfecting reality TV. He isn't alone in having made a cameo on what is now regarded as the fifth major pro sport: Kobe Bryant, Roy Jones Jr. and a few others made guest spots in the early years long before Stars and Pros like them would have their shot to go against Bananas, CT, Cara Maria and company.
   Verne Troyer may have left us a little too soon, but he is no doubt remembered by everyone who watched him both in the movies and on the many TV shows he did just after he became a household name. He leaves behind that legacy of being part of the Austin Powers franchise and proving that in a world like ours, little people can be just as popular and loved as those bigger and stronger than them.

- I AM DC

Bibliography: Wikipedia/Verne Troyer, Geocities

DC ExtraTime: T.O., Fabio and The Replacement Roadie

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Next month, DCBLOG will turn five years old, and our site's most visited post is our portrait from 2016 on one of the baddest men in the history of MTV reality TV, Abram Boise. Those who have seen him on the eleven seasons he has appeared on, spanning several Challenges -- most recently popping up on Bloodlines two years ago -- know that he is a true wild card, with two Challenge titles to his credit among nine starts he's made on that show and many memorable memories.
   As those who have followed his entire journey know, he got his start on Road Rules South Pacific in 2003, the season that also gave the world David Giuntoli who went on to play the role of detective Nick Burnhardt on NBC's Grimm... not to mention Cara Zavaleta posing in Playboy. For Abe, he was sent home after getting into a fight with big man Donell in the same New Zealand observation tower where Halsey was at this past week... one of a few instances where his violent side got the best of him and cost him his spot, including on Viewers' Revenge in 2007.
   In later Road Rules seasons, the show took a cue from Survivor and Big Brother when, at any time the RV crew failed to complete their mission, they were put on the spot of whether or not to vote out a member of their own cast... and it's because of that twist that we were introduced to Challenge legend Katie Doyle, among others. On that season in the South Pacific, there were not one, but three residents of the RV that were sent home by this twist: future Challenge bad girl and part of the first Mercenaries twist on Cutthroat Tina Barta, future church pastor Chris Greabe, and our subject...
   Jeremy Blossom came in as the last of the three replacements to that season from Parma Heights, OH -- the same Cleveland suburb as that town's most famous Mike "The Miz."  He came in late in the season when the cast lost their second mission and helped to steer the ship a bit for the RV-mates once he arrived. In the end, Jeremy was in that final six who got to bask in the glory of the handsome reward, and he went on to do two Challenges. If you remember that moment of Julie and Veronica going at it in that skyscraper on Inferno, you'll notice him yelling at the ladies to stop it from becoming quite literally Celebrity Deathmatch.

IG @JeremyBlossom

Why are we featuring him in our first Pulse of this spring? In the past month or so in his post-MTV job as the owner and CEO of his very own business in the O.C., he ran into two notable figures -- one from football, the other from fashion, and one of them was featured the last time the celebs and the vets crashed helmets. And going into that second installment of the spinoff last year, the one who was expected to make a huge splash for the Stars as the team's most prominent figure was Terrell Owens.
   We all know what happened in week 2 of Champs vs. Stars when he and CT famously butted heads in that season's second nomination proceedings, leading to a Twitter tirade with Johnny Bananas and some ill will being vented by T.O. towards production after the fact. But it's his NFL career that is much more remembered than that two-episode stint on CVS last year, and on Super Bowl weekend he was announced as part of a loaded 2018 Pro Football Hall of Fame induction class along with Ray Lewis, Brian Urlacher, Randy Moss, Brian Dawkins and Packers legend Jerry Kramer, among others.
   That class will be be inducted in Canton, OH in August, but earlier this month Jeremy met up with T.O. while on a business trip in Atlanta, GA, which will host the next Super Bowl just after the NFL schedule was released this week ahead of next week's NFL Draft in Dallas. He posted a picture on his Instagram @JeremyBlossom, "Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you to the 6x Pro Bowl Champ and NFL Hall of Famer @terrellowens #touchdowncelebration"

IG @JeremyBlossom

And with the sight of seeing someone who resembles him in Joe on Are You The One? Season 6 and who is slated to invade Ex On The Beach at some point this season -- and who actually let his hair down at one of last season's matchups, it brings to mind someone who, for a moment, actually looked like the other person who we're featuring here...
   It's likely that your mom or sister have, at one time or another, adored the Italian-American actor, model and spokesman they simply call by simply his first name. Fabio Lanzoni, best known as simply Fabio, first made a name for himself by posing on the covers of numerous romantic novels in the '80s and '90s, as well as even posing as a hero on the cover of a Nintendo video game (yes, that's almost 30 years ago if you are old enough to remember those days). He appeared in a few movies in minor roles before landing his first big-name role as Claudio on USA Network's Acapulco H.E.A.T., and even popped up on the original series of Roseanne and daytime soap The Bold and the Beautiful.
   Those who watched Ashton Kutcher's Dude Where's My Car? remember Fabio appearing as himself as well as in Ben Stiller's Zoolander, in a TV movie with Nickelodeon boy band Big Time Rush. He even made two trips into Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory, as well as one trip to that great showcase of fashion, America's Next Top Model... not to mention hosting Mr. Romance. And just last year, he appeared in the fifth installment of SyFy Channel's Sharknado playing the role of, who else?, a Pope.
   When one walks through Beverly Hills, chances are they will encounter someone famous and become instantly starstruck, especially when you're at a restaurant bearing the name of chef to the stars Wolfgang Puck, and at Wolfgang's Steakhouse along Santa Monica Blvd. over the weekend, Jeremy and Fabio crossed paths. He captioned on Instagram, "He smells even better than he looks. #fabio", while the aforementioned Abe commented, "Hahahahahah!!!! Yeahhhhh!"

- I AM DC

DC ExtraTime: An Exes Story - Thomas & Jamie

From Week 2 of The Challenge XXX in July 2017

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

What we've seen with Cory making what might be a costly power move on the veterans, Ashley's latest meltdown and seeing Jenna again reminds us that it was four years ago at this time that the Rivals III pair and Barbie's ex were going through their final casting interviews. Shortly after, their MTV journey began in that summer of 2013, where something took place in the Bay Area backyard of yours truly: No, not the America's Cup and Oracle Team USA's miracle comeback but something else.
   In the Polk District of San Francisco, this was where the reinvention of a reality TV icon took place when MTV decided to mess around with history and redid The Real World as we know all it and as we knew it before, as it returned to where it had its most significant season. For Season 29 which would ultimately be titled Real World Ex-Plosion, the show was revamped in most every way: gone was the iconic "This is the true story" intro and other old-school elements, in came more of the behind-the-scenes magic that takes place on the show and an edgier filming style.
   And of course, there was the introduction of what those who've watched The Challenge for years have been used to: twists being thrown into this house of seven strangers. As we look back on it now a few years later, it might be somewhat mixed, but it was the drama of what happened there in the Bay Area made that season so enthralling to watch... and not just because I got to see my neck of the woods on a show I love. No wonder why I have a DVD set of that season in my video library (you can get that on Amazon, by the way).

There were five sets of exes in a Real World Ex-Plosion house that you would consider it to be a more than full house than usual: Arielle & Ashley C., Jenny & Brian, Cory & Lauren, Jay & Jenna, and the person who is our co-subject: Thomas and his ex, Hailey. They came into that house having been an on-again, off-again couple of high school sweethearts for several years including going to the same college and the both losing their virginity to each other. And we saw glimpses of them in the bar in Fort Worth, TX when he left to go out west, and after hitting tennis balls with twin brother Stephen.

   Of course, for a man voted "most likely to be on a reality TV show" in his senior year in his yearbook, little did he know of what awaited him when he touched down in the City, expecting that this would just be a typical Real World season with nothing to worry about. And when Tom did move into the house, he became attracted to one of the two ladies who were given the shaft and didn't have to worry about their exes potentially moving in. Houstonian Jamie came to San Francisco having gone through a rockstar relationship with a member of a rock band who was touring around the country, but given his busy life on the road didn't even bother to take time off tour to move in or spend time with her.

   After learning about their histories of being sexual and how they got to the house, it took until the second episode for the two of them to finally make moves on each other and they hooked up in the club and then back home. But when Jamie began to feel some jealousy of Hailey back in North Texas when she called to check in on Tom, as if on cue her and the three exes flew to the Bay during a roommates' weekend retreat to join SF-based Ashley C. and surprise the roomies upon their arrival.

   With him having made it official with Jamie, Thomas pretty much knew ther he was in for a weird rest of his stay in the city with being close to his new girlfriend he had just gotten to know, and his ex Hailey who had just moved in. And during the season, Tom found himself in the middle juggling Jamie and Hailey, and it included the ex going off on him. But in the end, the ladder left early to go back to the Lone Star State, and Tom & Jamie left the Bay Area boyfriend and girlfriend, and stayed together for some time afterwards.

   But after more than a year of enjoying each other's company in commuting between Dallas and Houston, Jamie & Thomas broke up just before he did the first of his three Challenges, Exes II with Hailey. It was on his sophomore go, Bloodlines, that he had a hand in bringing the relationship of Cara Maria and Abram to an end in him kissing Cara in that van in Turkey being caught on camera by Johnny Bananas and her being awarded "Dirtiest Breakup" on The Dirty Awards. And recently - and after what we saw from her which cast a shadow on a Bloodlines season she would eventually win, Cara cut all ties with Abe in a social media rant.
   As for Thomas and Jamie, as we all know time does heal wounds, and just a couple weeks ago, they got to meet for the first time since that breakup. Below is their Instagram post.

Well look who I found in dallas🙃@tombuelljr was good seeing you!

A post shared by Jamie Larson (Travel Blog) (@jamiechinamtv) on Jul 12, 2017 at 3:03pm PDT

In the comments, while Jenna left a simple "Awww," Cory was left saying "WOOWWWWWWW👀👀👀👀."  And Jamie cleared the air in saying, "We're just friends y'all 😂."  At least, this story has a happy and civil ending, unlike many of the other relationships we've seen in MTV reality land.

- I AM DC

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach USA - The Premiere

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

The weekend is coming to a close, and as those of you are stressing of going back to work and school in less than 12 hours, we have some one more bit of good news to share with you as we at DCBLOG now proceed into offering you the dessert of your Sunday Funday and the main event of our weekend trip into MTV reality: the premiere of Ex on the Beach.
   The arrival this winter of Joss, Kayleigh, Melissa and Rogan from the original British version of EOTB to The Challenge Vendettas and the drama that three of the four brought to American viewers for the first time helped to set the stage for the entry into our shores of the show they first became big shots in the MTV International community. The concept is as twisted as you can get in the reality TV world: singles fly into a tropical paradise looking for love and with the premise that they are in for the time of their lives as they look for new love. But out of nowhere, those girlfriends and boyfriends they got away from them will invade the island and the beach with intent on getting revenge, renewing old flames and causing a whole lot of drama.
   This week is the first act of the new American adaptation of EOTB, and to help ease the transition from big time drama in Spain to a whole new level of crazy, familiar names to both MTV viewers and those who watch reality TV outside the Viacom community, as well as a few ordinary joes like you and I, will come to the islands of Hawaii intent on getting a fresh start in their love lives. And while there may be as many as a couple couples getting the chance to explore much more than their initial first impressions, they have no idea for the kind of hell that will go down when their exes emerge from out of left field and onto their turf. And there's no idea what's in store.
   Coming up, we'll have all the action, reaction and interaction from this week's premiere of Ex on the Beach, along with both the lead-up to the big night of this past Thursday and the Friday hangover from after this first chance for Americans to see what those outside the U.S. have been bragging about for some time... a good first time, that is. And after the diary, ExtraTime will catch up with a modern day definition of #RelationshipGoals as a couple who met on MTV's other romantic reality series reveal their latest good news.

First, as we got to say to those fans of The Challenge here late last night… for the many of you who happen to be newcomers to both this site and to what we call the MTV Trifecta, then welcome, get yourself comfortable and indulge yourself in what many people call the most exciting programming in the genre of reality TV. Whether you're watching these shows for the first time or for a long time, DCBLOG is the place to go to for our unique look at your favorite reality TV guilty pleasures, and we're where you can get more out of the shows you love.
   That includes the Pulse, which we have been doing for each and every episode of the entire run of Are You The One, along with The Challenge and Real World since 2013 and a few other MTV shows along the way. This is our signature feature offering fans the other show that takes place concurrent to the madness of you and us see every week on TV: the social interaction between the cast members, fellow MTV (and in this case, reality) alumni and fans from Twitter, all as part of the communal viewing experience that comes with watching these episodes live as they air.
   Presented each weekend as part of our weekly posts, these are exclusive running diaries specially designed, curated and pieced together tweet-by-tweet by me, DC, in real-time and unfiltered to bring the hookups, drama, the intense moments and all else to you here as a service to fans. If you just want to relive the action, reaction and interaction, dig in and enjoy it all over again. But if you're one of the many who didn't experience the episode as it aired on TV, then we are your first chance to check out everything you missed from its original airing -- all carefully compiled while you're catching up on the episodes before we get to post this a few days after it airs.
   The Pulse is only part of the DCBLOG MTV Trifecta experience with our all-encompassing and top-class coverage: like other sites, we also recap the episodes with thoughtful & in-depth analysis, but we also offer our other important element of original stories called ExtraTime going beyond the screen to focus on the people and stories of TV's most fascinating reality ecosystem. And this longtime MTV fan who loves these shows as much as you do and who's good friends with a lot of the castmates, proudly brings you unique, insightful and distinctive coverage right here.

Now, the moment: 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 first episode.
• 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.

Hook-ups, invasions and twists aplenty, and a new baby... It's all ahead on the Premiere installment of the Pulse of Ex on the Beach, and thanks for staying up with us tonight. Dive In....

DC SocialPulse: Challenge Vendettas Reunion Pt2 & Champs/Stars 3 Premiere

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

On a Saturday night that's seen four NBA and three Stanley Cup Playoff Games, the first no-hitter of the baseball season and boxing and UFC too, time for some dessert for those who love athletic prowess as we at DCBLOG bring you a Double Shot of The Challenge as one season wraps up and another begins in earnest.

   First up, a season that began in the second day of the new year reaches its climax as The Challenge Vendettas concludes with the back-end of the Reunion Finale... the real finale in the minds of many. The kind of intensity and insanity that defines any reunion for an MTV season rolls along as the cast continue to dish and discuss the season that was... feuds, fights, friendships, hook-ups and a lot more. And at hour's end, the four finalists who made it to the last puzzle station will find out who will be crowned, for the very first time in the show's history, the first solo champion and all the spoils.
   Then after all of that, the focus shifts to the third installment of The Challenge's spinoff series that has established itself in the past year, as Champs vs. Stars Season 2 kicks off. Three previous champs and an all-star group of names familiar and fresh in this universe will square off against a group of pro athletes, entertainment high-rollers and a familiar Brit as they once again compete in high stakes competition for supremacy and for charity. From a sister of a rapper who's made plenty of headlines the past week to a guy who has his own hashtag, the competition begins yet again, twists included.
   All the action, reaction and interaction of this Challenge Double Shot is coming up, as you'll find out if there will be a two-time or a first-time titleholder, if an Ex of a famous megastar can prove there's more to him than just dancing, and how a sport we all get to enjoy on weekend nights like this somehow makes its way to the fifth major pro sport. This is just the start of what is a busy wave of posts, as we'll explain after the diary.

First, if you are a newcomer to this site joining us here for the first time - then welcome in and get yourself comfortable. If you're a fan of the fifth major pro sport or any or all of the shows we cover, then DCBLOG is the place for those who want more from The Challenge and from the MTV Trifecta. The 'Pulse is our signature post bringing you the other show that takes place concurrent to the madness of what we see on TV each week: social interaction between cast, alumni and fans from Twitter as part of the unique, communal viewing experience.
   Presented each weekend as part of our weekly posts, these exclusive running diaries are specially designed, curated and pieced together tweet-by-tweet by me, DC, in real-time and unfiltered to bring the hookups, drama, action and all else to you here as a service to all of you MTV fans. If you just want to relive the action, reaction and interaction, dig in and enjoy it all over again. But if you're one of those who didn't experience the episode as it aired on TV, then this is your first chance to check out everything you missed from its original airing -- all carefully compiled while you're catching up on the episodes before we get to post this a few days after it airs.
   The Pulse is only part of the DCBLOG MTV Trifecta experience with our all-encompassing and top-class coverage: like other sites, we also recap the episodes with thoughtful & in-depth analysis, plus our other important element of original stories called ExtraTime going beyond the screen to focus on the people and stories of TV's most fascinating reality ecosystem. And this longtime MTV fan who loves these shows as much as you do and who's good friends with a lot of the castmates, proudly brings you unique, insightful and distinctive coverage right here.

Now, enough of the prologue... let's get down to the business at hand: 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 first episode.
• 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.

The final act of an intense season in Europe, and the first act of an All-Star season by the beach... It's all ahead on this Double Shot of The Challenge Pulse, as DCBLOG takes you Inside the MTV Trifecta. And thanks for staying up with us tonight... Enjoy.

DC SocialPulse Extra: Six Days to the Madness

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language and objectionable content. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Hello, and Happy 4/20 Weekend... and welcome to this week's ride Inside the MTV Trifecta. Ahead, all the action, reaction and interaction to not one, but THREE episodes of three shows: the finale of The Challenge Vendettas, the premiere of Champs vs. Stars III, and the American debut of Ex on the Beach. To get you prepared for the main course and the dessert that is to come while you're ready to party up and get down on this Saturday, indulge yourself in the In-Between interactions of the cast after what went down in between Part 1 of the Reunion and Challenge Tuesday, as well as the anticipation of the cast of EOTB to their big night on Thursday. Enjoy that before we bring you our Challenge diary later tonight.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge Vendettas - The Reunion PT1 (BACKTRACKED)

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

It's Thursday, and as we count down to the beginning of something brand new in Ex on the Beach debuting tonight, today we're at the beginning of the end... of Season 31 of The Challenge, that is. We're kicking off this week's posts a day early with our look at the final act of Vendettas -- a two-part reunion finale. And since many of you decided to skip watching last week because you pretty much knew they were gonna wait until the very last minute to reveal the winner, we're bringing you the Pulse of Part 1 of the Reunion on this special Backtracked installment ahead of bringing you the Pulse of this week's episodes which come up later.

   This season has seen it all: the return of a Cutthroat champ and newly single dad, the invasion of totally new newbies from outside the MTV & American reality community, and a whole lot of drama both on the competition field and off of it in the country of Spain. And for the homestretch run of this season, the scene shifted to the Czech Republic, and to the usually dramatic final act. The eight finalists -- Cara Maria, Kam, Kyle, Kailah, Leroy, Nicole, Tony and Zach -- all arrive in medieval times to a castle for the demanding task of the final challenge... but along the way, they also had to deal one more time with two mercenaries who also became Vegas card dealers for a day.
   After that went down, most of the cast will be joining the newest dad of the MTV family, Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, as they will gather -- both in New York's MTV Times Square Studio and through the magic of television and satellite technology in London -- to discuss everything that took place in Europe. From the gameplay of one who has certainly turned a page in the past year in his Challenge career, to girls facing off over all of the drama we've seen all winter and spring long on what MTV describes as "the greatest, grimiest grudge-fest in MTV history."

We'll have all the action, reaction and interaction from part 1 of the Vendettas Reunion coming up, as we start what will be a busy week ahead for this site, which we will explain at the end of this diary. Enjoy the 'Pulse coming up after the jump... it's great to have you with us.

DC SocialPulse Extra: Welcome to Ex on the Beach

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content 

& spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, 
take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

With the record-setting debut for the return of Jersey Shore, and last night's premiere of the third installment of The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars, we are now into springtime on the MTV calendar. And having been offered the main course and the entree the past two weeks, tomorrow night it's the dessert: Ex On The Beach, as the show begins for real following last week's special preview.
   If what we saw from Melissa, Kayleigh & the Brits who invaded The Challenge Vendettas is an indication, than they've also brought with them the wild drama that has been occurring on the show they made their MTV debuts on. And tomorrow night, folks here in America will witness it for the very first time, as a couple familiar MTV faces will be joined by reality TV's finest and a few others as the format that's entertained folks outside these shores will invade Hawaii for EOTB USA... and it gains the coveted spot of following that Family Vacation.

   Last week, Ex on the Beach took a cue from the shows it will join in the Trifecta -- Are You The One?, The Challenge and Real World -- in airing a preseason preview special one week before the premiere. There, we renewed acquaintances with those familiar people in RW/Challenge ladies man Cory and AYTO sweetheart Taylor, and got to know those joining Team MTV from other shows in the reality spectrum including two from the granddaddy of all romantic reality series in The Bachelor franchise, among others. And we also got our first extended look at this season with the help of Johnny Bananas and Natalie from Big Brother.

A vital component to our weekly coverage of the major series this site covers is DC SocialPulse: all the action, reaction and interaction of the cast, those who are part of Team MTV, and fans from the episodes and the buzz surrounding them. This is the only place anywhere for posts devoted entirely to the social reaction of the episodes -- offered in the interest of both hardcore and casual fans and those who watch live or later on, and each week's posts will begin with these each weekend.
   Before the real show begins tomorrow night, on this Pulse Extra, we'll be looking in on how the show was introduced to America last month with the season trailer, and last week's preview show.    After the jump, we say Welcome to Ex on the Beach.

MTV Trifecta: Countdown to The Challenge - Champs vs. Stars III

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Welcome to Coachella Weekend, and this week's ride Inside the MTV Trifecta with DCBLOG. Thursday saw our first look at Ex On The Beach with some familiar faces from both MTV and the entire reality TV spectrum, and you can check out our preview of that here. And this coming week will no doubt be a busy one with the true finale of The Challenge Vendettas to come in a few days, and we'll have more on that coming up later.
   And as another season of The Challenge comes to an end, there was a time where fans could gather around during the offseason and speculate who would be on the next season and yearn for when their favorite show would return, while reflecting on seasons gone by. Nowadays, the thing they call the fifth major pro sport is a year-round happening thanks to when, last year, MTV gave the legion of fans something to look forward to in between regular seasons of this show by creating a new spinoff series and fulfilling the fantasies of many fans of inviting athletes and celebrities to compete against heavy-hitters and past champions to see who is tops in head-to-head competition.
   After seeing five past champions add to their stellar resumes in Darrell and Cara Maria on Champs vs. Pros, and then Bananas, CT and Emily last winter, The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars returns for its third installment come this Tuesday, all after we find out who reigns supreme on Vendettas with one of those champions in line to potentially add another crown to their trophy case. This grudge match again will find out who is best in a fantasy battle turned into reality, but this time the game changes considerably as the saying, "If you can't beat them, join them" will apply to the twist of what this season will be about.
   There are familiar names on both sides of the ball -- old guard, new generation and celebrities from around the pop culture spectrum covering music, sports and television... and the man who just became the newest dad in both the MTV and WWE communities, Mike "The Miz," returns to again serve as host. But the game is the same: the same kind of competitions we're used to on The Challenge to find out which is the best, and who will split the top prize of $150,000, all while understanding that at the end of the day, the worthy charities, foundations and social causes the twenty competitors are competing for and are passionate about are the true champions.

We'll have a look at all of the ten stars who have been chosen to make up the opposition for this season of Champs vs Stars ahead, along with who will be representing Team Champions, all as this will debut in the midst of springtime and after a Challenge that kicked off the new year. Get set and join in with us after the jump...

MTV Trifecta: Countdown to Ex On The Beach USA

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Five years ago this summer while this site began earning its stripes in its first full season (Challenge Rivals II) covering the MTV beat, a group of seven strangers traveled to the West Coast thinking that they would be filming a typical season of the show that started the history of reality TV as we know it in The Real World. They thought that they were safe... but instead, they got a rude awakening when people who they had dated for some time and then broke up afterwards decided to pop up and ruin their stay in San Francisco, and it became a Summer of Hell in the city that hosted the Summer of Love.
   At the same time it was airing in that early winter of 2014, another new MTV series that gained the channel's most-sought after timeslot of after some teenage baby mama drama brought love and money together all the way out in a group of islands known as our 50th State. There were no surprises in their mansion by the Pacific, but with this house there were twenty awesome people and a group dynamic that gelled... and when it was all over one of of its couples eventually become man & wife and parents. And the terms "Truth Booth", "Perfect Match" and "Boom Boom Room" joined the MTV vocabulary.
   On both series, we saw makeups, breakups, heartbreak, and a whole lot of drama which made for the kind of compelling TV only MTV can offer. And what happened on both Real World Ex-Plosion and Season 1 of Are You The One? provides the historical backdrop and context for the latest chapter in MTV's reality story, and a new show that promises to bring the spirit of what happened in the Bay Area and Hawaii to one that will once again refine romantic reality television – perhaps even change the game too. And coincidentally enough, members from both those seasons will be present when the book on this always eye-grabbing subgenre will again be rewritten in a unique and totally twisted way, starting in one week from tonight.

This new series is Ex on the Beach, a show first conceived by MTV International and debuted on the youth entertainment brand's overseas channels shortly after the season finales of both aforementioned shows in the U.S. in spring 2014.  Four competitors on The Challenge Vendettas know exactly what it's like to sit on the beach and then sit through the punishing sight of seeing the one person they had gotten away from them reemerge in paradise. Now, American viewers are about to see what they and those outside our shores have witnessed the last few years, and will now get to see for themselves the kind of wild drama when exes come ashore to wreck havoc on their Hawaiian vacation. And those familiar to MTV viewers and the entire reality TV spectrum will be in for a treat as they get to endure all of this exes drama just after the drama taking place down in South Beach.

   EOTB will be the milestone twenty-fifth MTV Trifecta season that we have dedicated full blog coverage to on here, and as the major series of this spring we'll be dedicating the bulk of time and resources to this new U.S. incarnation, with multiple posts covering the show each week. And in the first of this two-part preseason preview, we'll offer you a look at what this new show is all about, who has been chosen to go through this new ringer, and much more as we look ahead to this overseas sensation taking its talents to the States. And this is just the tip of the iceberg: we'll also take a page from our Challenge coverage to offer an introduction to those who are new to the MTV family but are those who no stranger to the reality TV spectrum – including several who have had experienced the love before on the granddaddy of all romantic reality shows.

   So, strap in, get that tablet ready and Join In with us after the jump as DCBLOG kicks off the Countdown to Ex on the Beach U.S.  Dive in…

DC ExtraTime: Superhero Julian

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

IG @AnthonyMartin9

In the past couple years, the headlines and the buzz dominating the news and our social media feeds have been inundated with lots of stories, both good and bad, and those that have united and divided this country. Amidst all of this, a lot of people have been seeking a refuge from all of that, and for those kinds of stories that don't have to do with what's been going in our imperfect world, but those that can inspire, warm your heart and bring a smile to everyone. This is one of them, with a tie to what this site covers on an almost-exclusive basis.
   On MTV's Are You The One? Season 6 last year, viewers met Anthony Martin, that suave guy from Inglewood, CA who loves the game he and others of Mexican descent refer to as fútbol -- in fact, this Chivas supporter is in the midst of a 6-game goal streak in his local league. MTV's bio wrote of him that he was living "in two worlds-in-one," and that he's "the party boy who's out all night." Those who watched him in New Orleans saw him be one of the ladies' men that year, and who had to endure getting splashed in his face by Geles at the Mardi Gras house party. But it was what happened after that stunning late comeback to win $1 million that opened everyone's eyes: at the reunion, it was revealed that had begun dating Shannon Duffy from Season 5, which caused friction with some in his cast.

But that's not why we are featuring him in this post... it's for a much different reason: before he came down to the Bayou to join twenty-one others lost in love in NOLA, Anthony was a successful elementary school teacher. But the people he worked with every day were anything but ordinary: working with kids with special needs, and special care and consideration is always given to them more than any other student in their school. The definition of special needs children includes those who have delays in speech, language or cognition; social or emotional disorders, learning differences & disabilities, and those with Autism, Muscular Dystrophy, down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy or any type of behavioral or sensory disorder.
   Over the Easter holiday weekend, Anthony got to spend some quality time with of those who fits the category of someone who is extraordinary: Fellow Inglewood resident Julian Roque, nicknamed "Superhero Julian," was born in 2011. But at age 2, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and his family doctors were told that the tumor detected in his brain stem was so big that it was deemed "surgically impossible to remove"  and was given a prognosis of only a few months to live. Almost immediately, the biggest battle Julian had in his short life began against cancer, and he has continued to press on in persevering and enduring the biggest battle of his life. And as his family wrote on their crowd-funding site, "And he did it in a way that it can only be described as something that could only be been done by a superhero with supernatural powers."
   Superhero Julian has went through all of the necessary chemotherapy for radiation treatment, as well as two brain surgeries. But, an October visit revealed that his cancer had progressed from a low grade tumor to one that is at grade 4, which meant that the fight has gotten even stronger in the months since, as his family has continued hope that his tumor would stop growing and for his health to not worsen. For someone who has been that free spirit all of his life, the feeling that he would not be going through his easy way of living his life to the fullest has been deep. And his family added, "There is a pain deep in our hearts that never goes away. We can't bear the thought of living life without our Superhero."
   The GoFundMe effort launched by his father Rudy in October has been asking for the public's help to aid with paying the medical expenses that can put a huge burden on any family with a young child facing the prospect of their life ending much too soon. But so far it currently stands at over $27,000, well short of the $250,000 goal the family has in mind but more will be needed as the battle rages on... a battle that several times has been tough and tense for Julian's family. A recent GFM update revealed that he was sent to the ER two time for seizures and shortness of breath, and his family has turned their attention to bringing their son to Monterrey, Mexico where children with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG, go to for help. And at the same time, Julian and his family were featured on Univision 34 in L.A. to bring their story to the Southland's large Hispanic community.

On the Monday following Easter, Anthony met Julian and understood that the Superhero was also a fellow soccer fan and player and gave him a gift he will never forget, all as he continues to fight the good fight. He wrote in his Instagram caption:

"Today I had the honor to meet @superherojulian and his amazing family. Julian was diagnosed with brain cancer at the tender age of 2. The tumor was found on his brain stem which is surgically impossible to remove. When Julian was only given months to live, his strength, power, and faith did not allow that to happen and is continuing to fight for his life 4 years later. I then realized that Julian began playing soccer at the age of 4 in a league named AYSO and that's exactly where I began my soccer journey at the exact same age. So today, I gave Julian my first ever trophy that I won when I was 4 and a championship medal because Julian IS a champion! So let's help this superhero get better and donate (link is in my bio). WE LOVE YOU JULIAN ❤️ keep fighting!!!!!"
- INSTAGRAM @AnthonyMartin9

Today I had the honor to meet @superherojulian and his amazing family. Julian was diagnosed with brain cancer at the tender age of 2. The tumor was found on his brain stem which is surgically impossible to remove. When Julian was only given months to live, his strength, power, and faith did not allow that to happen and is continuing to fight for his life 4 years later. I then realized that Julian began playing soccer at the age of 4 in a league named AYSO and that's exactly where I began my soccer journey at the exact same age. So today, I gave Julian my first ever trophy that I won when I was 4 and a championship medal because Julian IS a champion! So let's help this superhero get better and donate (link is in my bio). WE LOVE YOU JULIAN ❤️ keep fighting!!!!!

A post shared by Anthony Martín 🇲🇽 (@anthonymartin9) on Apr 2, 2018 at 6:33pm PDT

Donations are still being accepted on the family's Fight with Superhero Julian page on Go Fund Me at GoFundMe.com, and visit their dedicated Facebook page, Prayers for Superhero Julian.

- I AM DC