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It's now officially the summer of 2020, and usually we would all be celebrating and jumping for joy. That's not happening this time, as we're still in the COVID wilderness along with the social upheaval going on in the streets. But there is something to look forward to for those who love sultry drama coming to us from where there's over 300 days of sunshine every year: Florida, and the beachside enclave of Siesta Key. It's our fifth time heading down to this town on the outskirts of Sarasota outside of Tampa Bay, and officially it is the second half of Season 3 of the East Coast cousins of Laguna Beach & The Hills. And we were here earlier this winter as they shared top billing with their crazy cousins at Floribama Shore.
To get you up-to-speed on what went down in the first half of this steamy & scandalous season: the item that had day one'rs and the casuals alike glued to their TV's was of Juliette getting over her ex-boyfriend Alex. She did exactly that with a man someone much more well-known and where we relived his first journey to stardom last night: The Bachelorette's Robby Hayes,who snapped her up at Stagecoach... but as time went on that romance dissipated into the ocean as did a phone during that infamous housewarming. We also had Madisson landing a romance of her own: this time with someone behind the fourth wall in a former executive producer much older than her, while her ex Brandon found himself in a love triangle involving bad girl Amanda. And there's that bombshell at the end of that, which came after that trip up to Nashville.
Now, we're back in town for more drama and where more secrets will be uncovered, as they only can in this small town. We'll recap the episodes 1 & 2 of the summer half of Season 3 ahead to get you set for Episode 3 tonight, and we'll also meet the first all-Siesta Key baby. Welcome back to paradise....
On a few occasions at this site, our ExtraTime lens have zoomed in on a staple of American life that has existed for as long as there's been television: the excitement and fun of game shows. They've been around since the medium's golden age of the '50s, and survived the ordeal of the quiz show scandal that brought about change and transparency in the entire TV industry. Us being quarantined and spending time at home in lockdown have seen us spend much more time at home with your family, and shows like this still delight people of all ages with hours of endless entertainment.
Here, we have featured those two times where Are You The One? alumni and a girl from an often-forgotten Real World season have donned a Disney outfit, Christmas dresses and got down on the dance floor on the modern-day revival of Let's Make A Deal. There was that time where we saw a guy who was there when I began following MTV Reality on a social basis go onto The Price is Right but used his original name instead of the name on the back of his two Challenge jerseys. And there was that time when a future Hurricane and a Brooklynite fell in love on a Voice-style dating show.
For the next two nights, MTV will take center stage on ABC when we get to see how it all started for Chad Johnson, Chase McNary, Daniel McGuire and Robby Hayes when they were on JoJo Fletcher's season of The Bachelorette before they invaded Ex On The Beach and Siesta Key. But before that trip down memory lane tomorrow night with plenty of roses & rosé on offer, tonight the casts of Jersey Shore and The Hills face off on one of TV's most enduring programs whose lineage dates back over five decades and before all but one of the contestants were even born.
And that brings us to this latest edition of Before They Were MTV Stars, where one notable member of this year's Challenge cast took her talents to after she was part of a Big Brother season that debuted two years ago this weekend. This story also involves someone who she was at war with on Total Madness the other night, who also had her own moment on a couple of the occasions of when Big Brother Takes Over a Television Game Show.
*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***
This last weekend of June is Pride Weekend as the LGBT community unites to celebrate who they are fifty years after Stonewall. Yesterday, MTV itself spent a whole Flashback Friday looking back at some of its most memorable shows. And amid this backdrop, we bring you Inside MTV Reality and into a long-running favorite in The Challenge, as Season 35 in Total Madness rages on.
A week ago, we saw a preview of what the competitors will have to deal with once the cash is on the table when they tackled a grueling challenge with tanks and trash involved as the women got to take the lead. There was also a tension convention in nominations when Melissa and Josh got into it verbally, all while Fessy has been making a run to garner rookie of the year honors. And in time for Father's Day, the dad of this year's Challenge cast and the man who flies the flag of Challenge Nation in the Teen Mom universe, Cory, won in elimination and sent home Swaggy C.
Usually at this time, you reality buffs would be enjoying that slice of summer known as Big Brother - which has made quite an impression on MTV since Vendettas, and it's been twenty years since it came onto our shores from Europe. But until Season 22 rolls around, you'll have to get your BB dose through The Challenge, and this week the lady who hangs out with Swaggy 24/7 is finding herself in the middle of the drama as is the lady who won it all two years ago, and the veteran she is tied up with. There are also cars involved for the week's challenge, as time is running short for those skulls.
After the break, it's the DCBLOG SocialPulse of Week 13 of Total Madness, plus we have more baby news in the Challenge community as a veteran from many years ago is joining in on the fun. And welcome to the weekend everyone... we're glad you've joined us.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the controversial nature of the featured content, comments are turned off. Certain social posts contain content that may be offensive to some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Wanna Blow Back? Tweet Me @DC408Dxtr.
Right now as we go through the first month of this lost summer of 2020, we are living in such peril times in our world, and we have absolutely no idea of what the future holds. From the uprising that has seen everyone across this land unite against police brutality, to the ongoing battle against the coronavirus pandemic as the world opens up again, and the country in increasing numbers turning its back on an embattled President, it's such a critical time to be alive... and nowhere is this being felt than right here in America.
The effect that the Black Lives Matter protests and the renewed tensions we've been going through in the course of the past month have seen plenty of casualties. For example, the popular form of police television has gone through a sizable shift in the wake of the small events in Minneapolis that saw riots all across this country. As a result, one of TV's longest-running non-scripted programs and a staple of weekends on basic cable have, with the snap of a finger, been given their pink slips in COPS and Live P.D., and even sparking talk of sending to the pound the adorable police dogs of Nickelodeon's Pup Patrol.
Close to home in where we are situated in covering everything related to the primary beat of this site, something that you are accustomed to as a source of escapism has also been touched quite a bit by the ongoing animosity and new revelations coming up during this timeframe may also see the world of MTV Reality be not quite the same anymore once we are finally over the tough times we are in. And in the snap of a finger, three of the channel's most prominent figures have been blacked out from its roster, while a fourth had a hand in taking down key figures of another series that she got her start on before she joined the MTV family two years ago.
Yes, we are living in unprecedented times... and we here at DCBLOG - and me being this lifelong MTV fan who has been shook by the events of the last few weeks, thought it would be an appropriate time to take stock in what has been a hard time. Though it is not our thing here to take the chance to go after people for what they have been go, it's worth an opportunity to take a look at what has gone down in as brief & to the point as possible, as well as what it all means and what is next. We caution that some of the content being presented may be upsetting and we advise viewer discretion.
Welcome back... in time for the 100+ degree heat that epitomizes what makes the city the capital of all things wild, Las Vegas is slowly reopening. It is also the host city for Season 2 of A Double Shot at Love with DJ Pauly D. and Vinny, as Jersey Shore's take on love now takes center stage in the aftermath of Angelina's wedding night gone bad.
Previously in Sin City, the bromance opened up shop in their new digs in a posh penthouse on the Strip, as six of those who most impressed them during last year's quest for love earned a second chance to live it up. But B-Lashes, Derynn, Marissa, Maria and Suzi decided to also bring along three newbies into the mix in friends of the Beast Coast Squad -- Antonio, Brandon and Nicky for the fun. But their entrance paled in comparison with that of the girl Pauly rejected in last season's last cab ceremony, as Nikki arrived in grand style and picked up where she left off.
With the returning stars and their new friends in place, now comes Pauly & Vinny having to make amends with all of them... but it wouldn't be a Jersey Shore show without a prank and a one-night stand. We'll recap Episode 2 after the break to get you prepared for Episode 3 in a few hours' time...
*** WARNING: One Video Embedded in This Post Contains Adult Language Not Usually Heard on Conventional Television... Parental Guidance is Suggested. This Post Also Contains Spoilers for Some Readers... Please Read with Caution. ***
Something that has galvanized all of us who watch and obsess over the world of reality television in the course of two decades has been its romantic aspects. There are those who find themselves in love on reality dramas like Laguna Beach and Siesta Key, those who hook up to try and gain clout on The Challenge, and of course reality dating shows. The past year has seen this subgenre become a hot item with just about every network having at least one of those love shows airing on their platform.
You are not alone: I've been obsessed with Are You The One and Ex On The Beach since they began on MTV and is now into A Double Shot at Love this summer, while my mom & dad are longtime loyal members of Bachelor Nation. But you're not gonna believe this: since we're busy watching YouTube Vegas slot videos (like both my mom & dad are right now at this moment as this post goes to press), sports, news, my MTV obsession and other things, neither me nor my parents subscribe to any pay TV streaming service... same goes for premium channels.
But there is something of interest to those who follow those who fall in love on television thanks to browsing through the Instagram feeds several times each day. It's what happened last weekend as public places begin to open back up after that long & quiet spring caused by the corona crisis that brings us to the latest subject of Someone You Should Know: a star from one of the year's breakout hits across the whole TV dial - not just factual entertainment. And it comes from an aspect of the media that, at first, wouldn't be the first choice in the world of reality TV, but in the space of the first six months of this year has given us some delightful guilty pleasures.
*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***
Welcome on into a meeting of three occasions wrapped into this one June weekend: yesterday was Juneteenth and the 155th anniversary of the end of slavery in America, as the Black Lives Matter movement continues its momentum around the world. Amidst what has been taking place in the Midwest, today is the Summer Solstice as we officially transition into the hottest of the four seasons with the longest day of the entire year. And tomorrow we'll be celebrating the most important man in our lives on Father's Day, and it's in this backdrop that we bring you an eventful week Inside MTV Reality, starting with The Challenge.
Total Madness began all the way back in April, and you'd be a lucky cat if you remember all that's gone on in the Czech Republic capital of Prague while things have spiraled out of control outside your door. That includes the man who came up short in winning another reality competition series around the dial last week but who's already has claimed the biggest bounty and is poised to go from six to seven in the amount of titles won by Johnny Bananas. And last week, he decided to plot with Rogan and Jenny to blindside a disloyal player, among other matters in a season that will be remembered, unfortunately, for what happened outside the episodes in this time of reality upheaval.
But let's not let what happened there overshadow what we'll be covering here this week to start things off, as one of those who, tomorrow, will be celebrating his first Father's Day as a dad to two kids find himself motivated to try and turn several seasons of near-misses since his rookie appearance in a final into securing his kids' future with his first title. The season's first challenge had tanks involved, so it comes as no surprise that they are back for a grueling mini-final that will give us a good indication of who is worthy to go for the $1 million. And it's what happens with the ensuing process of choosing who goes in that sees a furious player wanting to get revenge after betrayal.
After the break, it's the SocialPulse of Week 12 of The Challenge: Total Madness, plus love is in the air for the couple who had a hand in helping us introduce all of you to two of this season's rookies. And welcome to the summer everyone...
In a time where we are in need to love each other, there is always something to love whenever MTV Reality and the world of romantic reality television get together. In the past year, we've had an Ex On The Beach engagement, proposals aplenty for many of our favorite Challengers, the queen of Siesta Key turning her attention to a Bachelor bad boy, and Are You The One? reminding us that "Love Wins" no matter who you are. And in the Jersey Shore universe, we've had two weddings in a ten-month span with Mike the Situation and Angelina having their big days on the aisle.
And that brings us to the two guys in that group of Jersey OG's who are still single and ready to mingle: Pauly D. and Vinny. Last year, they were the objects of the relaunch of a late 2000's MTV show that predated the current wave of reality dating shows, A Double Shot at Love. The show that made Tila Tequila a star returned with a Jersey Shore vibe and saw twenty ladies compete for the affection of the bromance. The season ended, though, with mixed results: Vinny giving his rose to Alysse but that didn't last long for them, and Pauly deciding to stay single after courting Nikki.
Now comes the sequel, and a second chance at love for five of the contestants, a hope that this third time will be the charm for AYTO alum Maria, and a new experience for three guys that the ladies have brought along for the journey. And after the break to get you in the mood for tonight, DCBLOG's MTV Reality WRAP recaps the Season 2 premiere of A Double Shot at Love, Las Vegas style... and the debut of us covering on a weekly basis the world of Jersey Shore.
One key component of the ExtraTime series you are viewing right now is to provide this site with the chance to cover the times when the people you watch on the MTV Reality shows you love get to meet with those in and outside the bubble. It's been part of the DCBLOG MTV experience since this ride began seven years ago, and in an earlier edition of this franchise provides context to this story...
The reason there has been greater buzz around MTV these days is because of the channel recognizing that millennials like most of you reading this are tied to your past more than any other generation that is still roaming around. It's for that reason that you have two notable franchises being welcomed back to your screens in The Hills and Jersey Shore... and of course, The Challenge has had tremendous buzz this year with media coverage before the season began and now because of events in and outside the episodes.
All the way back in fall 2014, we got to feature one moment where reality TV royalty got together, and we can thank the brother of one Real World'er for letting us feature that in Briah, the skeleton counterpart of Bruno on the Skeletons season of The Real World in Chicago. He met up with key reality manager Johnny Donovan, Big Brother alum Gina Marie, and two people of our focus.
We all remember that winter's night in 2009 when Jersey Shore premiered and when the OG's got to meet up for the first time in that now-iconic timeshare house in Seaside Heights, NJ. For the least memorable entrance of the original eight, who can forget the moment of Angelina Pivarnick walking into the house with garbage bags acting as her luggage? It was the start to what would become a dramatic two seasons of her dealing with Snooki, J-Woww, Mike, Pauly, Ronnie, Sam and, of course, her fellow Staten Islander, Vinny Guadagnino.
Angeliner lasted all of two to three episodes the first time around when tensions she had with the house and Shore Store boss man Danny caused her to give in, and she came back to Miami the next year and once again she made quite an impression in only one half of Season 2. And when she moved out of South Beach, we all thought we had seen the last of her on the show, being replaced by Snooki's friend Deena for the rest of the show's six season run - she is that other girl in the pic above. But when the originals came back to Florida for their Family Vacation two years ago, it would take for the prank king himself to change the course of history with one call to her back home and one visit with one memorable entrance...
The look the Sitch had on his face once he opened that door and her asking him "You Think I'm A Dirty Little Hamster?" summed up the shock we had on ours when Angelina walked into the Miami humble abode. But her coming there for that visit must've been the best move she had ever made being much older than the one who we saw a decade younger: she's now a permanent part of this cast in being the spiritual replacement for the lone OG to not join the vacation in Sammi Sweetheart. Obviously, this was the prank to end all pranks in Jersey land.
Thursday night saw Angelina have her crowning moment: her being the second of the cast to have a wedding featured on the Vacation in the course of ten months. Last year, we got to see the Sitch have his wedding to wife Lauren and having a special appearance by Rob Base... and this week saw Angelina get hitched to her fiance Chris, who we featured on here getting tattoos for one another on the series premiere of How Far is Tattoo Far? also back in 2018. And while the two got to say their "I do's," the drama of this past week was the roast given by the girls to the new bride at the reception... and there will be more to this as the ninth overall season of Jersey Shore winds up as does Snooki's run on the series.
The girl who Danny called "Jolie" that first time there got to invite some good friends of hers for a viewing party two nights ago that saw her not only get to relive wedding night all over again, but also the Season 2 premiere of A Double Shot at Love, which we will be recapping on here in a couple days' time. A couple of the new guys who the Beast Coast Squad brought to Vegas for the summer of love and pleasure under the sweltering sun joined her for this Jerzday doubleheader, as did one other notable MTV fan favorite.
Seeing what's been going on with one certain Challenger on Total Madness this season (and out of respect for our other subject, we'll spare her the expense and refrain from mentioning his name even once) brings to mind a girl who delighted us two years ago... also on Thursday and airing after Jersey Shore that spring of 2018: Bad Girls Club alum Angela Babicz, who was part of the original class of singles who came to the U.S. version of Ex On The Beach. She had to deal with another MTV love alum, being part of a love triangle with him & another single, and then became the only girl to appear on two seasons of EOTB USA when she dealt with that player in the Shack of Secrets for that bad blood and then started a relationship with that Challenger which included that infamous daytime talk appearance.
Angela joined Angelina to watch wedding night #2 in the Jersey Shore community two nights ago as social media tagged them as queens as they were also given the new nickname: "Ang²." This is certainly a duo we can certainly stan - and one of the best things to happen during this turbulent springtime of ours.
*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***
And so we welcome you Inside MTV Reality, where usually this would be a place of escapism from what's going on in our world as we bring you the week that was in another place where you don't have to worry about what's going on outside your window: reality TV. But on this second weekend of June in this year of change, this has been a week unlike any other, for that the tense times we are in has given a big wake-up call to everyone in TV land. That is certainly the case in the course of the past week, and we'll get the chance to address that in more detail later in this week's coverage.
But first, we begin with the business at hand of covering the big thing of The Challenge: Total Madness, where we have had plenty of things to talk about and to be amazed about, including the surprise alliance that had everyone shook and turned back years of bad blood into an unlikely bromance: Johnny Bananas and Wes working together. Last week saw the two frenemies face off in an elimination on a regular season for the first time ever and two years after their first "win or go home" meeting during the Champs vs. Pros/Stars trilogy. And if there's proof of why the 6-time champ is the GOAT, then beating out Wes certainly adds more to Johnny's Hall of Fame resume.
It's what happened in between that and this week that will be much more talked about long after the afterglow of this season fades away, but we do have to cover the on-air activities for all of you on here anyway. But for what to look for, Bananas decides to plot with a defending champion and a fellow Brit to try and blindside someone who has been disloyal to them, but someone who's always an emotional player will try to foil those plans. The week's challenge will see the players fly like Mary Poppins but some will even try to win at all costs when it comes to getting some flags, while those who get thrown into the purgatory will have to dig deep to stay in.
After the break, the Pulse of Week 11 of The Challenge Total Madness... plus, we'll introduce you to the new Challenge baby. Thanks for joining us, and welcome to the weekend.
*** EDITOR'S NOTE: Because of the controversial & subjective nature of the subject featured, comments have been turned off in this post. If you have thoughts, just tweet me to Twitter @DC408Dxtr, but do please be kind to us. :-) ***
As sporting activity is slowly but surely reawakening from its spring slumber due to the COVID emergency, we will soon have an unprecedented and action-packed summer of sports: both the NBA and NHL are gearing up for their postseason runs, while soccer in Spain, Germany and England are now back up and running to complete their seasons that were interrupted by the pandemic. And there's UFC, golf, auto racing and a load of other events that are now starting up again to keep sports fans company in the warmest time of the year, along with The Challenge: Total Madness as well.
Usually, sports in the summertime means Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and an array of championship events... and since this is a leap year it would also mean the Summer Olympics. But COVID has caused Tokyo's Games to be bumped back by a year among other postponements and/or casualties. It has also caused a move to the fall of the one event of the year that brings the sport of cycling into the global spotlight: the Tour de France, called the toughest test in all of sports in mixing endurance with rides in the Alps, the French countryside and capping with a final day's sprint onto the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Cycling continues to grapple in the fight to public respect among both those follow the sport year-round and among mainstream sports fans in the aftermath of an era marked by scandals which have compromised the sport's integrity during the midst of the steroid era that marred baseball and Olympic sports in the '90s and 2000's. And one of the key figures in this unfortunate era is a recent subject of an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary, and given the tall task of following up the success of The Last Dance miniseries.
Lance Armstrong was a fledgling triathlete when he began competing in the combination of swimming, cycling and running at age 16, but then turned his attention permanently to the bike in 1992. He quickly found some footing in a sport traditionally dominated by the Europeans in having success at the World Championships, one-day classics and stage victories in the sport's big events of multi-stage races including two stage wins at Le Tour. In 1996, Armstrong was diagnosed with a potentially deadly form of testicular cancer and while in the recovery phase, he formed a foundation to assist others who have recovered from cancer, now called Livestrong.
Armstrong returned to cycling in 1998 in joining the U.S. Postal Service/Discovery cycling team, and a year later he would join Greg LeMond as the only Americans to don the prestigious yellow jersey in Paris as the winner of the Tour de France for achieving the lowest-cumulative time of all cyclists in the general classification over the entire 3-week event. He settled into a rhythm of being in the back of the pack in the first half of the race, but when the peloton arrived in the mountains that was where he would overtake the field until they arrived on the Champs-Élysées. He would do that six more times before the first of two retirements, returning in 2009 to finish 3rd and competing in two more tours before calling it quits for good in 2011... also winning a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics.
But soon, this was gonna be all for naught... shortly after that first triumph, there were doubters as to whether Armstrong competed cleanly or if he cheated his way to what the French call the "maillot jaune." During his dominance, he was the subject of doping allegations and whenever he was asked about it he would always deny that he had any involvement in that. During a period where Mark McGwire and Marion Jones were under the needle for such behavior, a 2012 probe by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency found that Armstrong had used performance-enhancing drugs during his career and led a systematic doping program behind the scenes among his teammates.
After an emotional interview with Oprah Winfrey, Lance came clean to not contest those charges... and all of his achievements from summer 1998 onwards -- the seven Tour de France titles, that Olympic medal and everything else -- were swiped away from his trophy case and the record books, as well as having a lifetime ban stamped onto his head from competing in any sport that adheres to the World Anti-Doping Code. He's become the poster boy for the sorry state of professional cycling which has also seen fellow American Floyd Landis have his Tour de France title taken away for a similar doping offense, and where he blew the whistle on the feds and on Armstrong.
As mentioned above, after the epic 10-part series on the Chicago Bulls' NBA dynasty aired last month, Armstrong was the subject of a two-part ESPN documentary called Lance, which provided a look at his life before, during and after his rise to the top and his dramatic fall from grace. Cameras followed him in his post-competitive life as he tries to live a life outside of the public eye, including to a summer 2018 charitable event for breast cancer awareness where, despite what has happened since, Armstrong accepted an award while in the company of reality television's finest... and that's where we find a link to those who are familiar to those who watch three reality television franchises.
Right now amidst the chaos in this country and the pandemic that shut down just about everything in our world, the City of Las Vegas has just reopened its doors for the first time in nearly three months. Many of its biggest hotels, casinos and attractions are opening back up as the state of Nevada returns to normalcy in something it does better than any other place on earth: provide everyone who comes to Sin City with the time of their lives. It's also the venue for this summer's attraction for those who love the romantic side of MTV Reality... and those who love the biggest bromance on the channel.
Right now, the ninth overall season of the most-popular franchise in MTV history, Jersey Shore, is hosting the second wedding to take place in twelve months when, after Mike the Situation got hitched last summer, it's the turn of Angelina Pivarnick to don the wedding outfits as the hamster & fiance Chris say their "I dos." There still is the reception as the newlyweds get to mark the first hours of them being a couple along with some drama taking place afterwards. But after what goes down there, the Jerzday focus will shift to where the second season of the Family Vacation began: Las Vegas, and the only two members of this iconic cast who are still single, DJ Pauly D. Delvecchio and Vinny Guaganino, who are ready for A Double Shot at Love, once more.
Last year, the franchise that marked the TV breakthrough for Shore matriarch Sally-Ann Salsano, A Shot at Love, returned to MTV a decade after the wild hot mess featuring Tila Tequila. Double Shot saw Pauly D. & Vinny become the bachelors and saw a familiar face to MTV fans lead a group of ladies compete for the guys' love and affection. They navigated through many challenges and cab ceremonies with the help of their Jersey Shore friends, but in the end though, Pauly & Vinny decided to not give their roses to the ladies as it was friendship that they found.
Now almost exactly a year later, as the weather heats up into triple digits in the Southern Nevada desert, the guys are reuniting with some of the exes from last year's battle for love, but this time they're not competing for roses. And much like what we had with a certain redhead last year, they'll be mixing love with work as they'll be joining the guys in living in a luxury suite on the Strip and working at a Day & Nightclub there. But there will sure be plenty of drama, hookups and the occasional blowup - all in the style you've become accustomed to from MTV.
After the jump, we take a look back at last season when the guys went for love, before we take a look ahead at Season 2 and faces old & new who are about to spice things up in the Desert.
*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***
Hello again, and we welcome you Inside MTV Reality at DCBLOG... we know the past two weeks have been chaotic to say the least. But we know many of you come to reality TV for a temporary escape, and we're so glad you're here with us on this first weekend in June. So, let's get on with it...
The Challenge: Total Madness has definitely delighted all of us who've been in need for something to entertain us during this uncertain time in the world, and the first half of this season has been nothing short of exciting. The past two weeks have seen multiple-player elimination weeks, and last week saw a blow-up among alumni of the same show that's now part of the Viacom/CBS family, another water challenge, a botched game move, a threesome being taken down to one, and the first Challenger in history to win eliminations in three different decades.
But perhaps the biggest moment of the first half - and one that certainly shook all of us - came when two blood rivals whose lineage and bad blood dates back to consecutive Real World seasons fifteen years ago that was then followed by fifteen Challenges. That, of course, is the unlikely alliance being formed by Johnny Bananas and Wes, and this week may represent a turning point in the year's most unlikely bromance. And as the focus for a bunker where we're actually allowed to see what's going on turns to the game itself, a seasonal favorite for host TJ Lavin comes along, as brains are about to tested in some good old trivia.
After the break, all the action, reaction and interaction of Week 10 of Total Madness along with some additional perspective that links the two big faces of this season to that in another sport, plus more on a guy who is Bananas' equal in being a perfect reality TV villain taking his talents to TJ's Vegas digs - but for something different. Welcome to the weekend everyone... you deserve this.
*** EDITOR'S NOTE: Due to the controversial nature of the content being featured, comments are turned off. Certain featured social posts contain scenes of an intense nature which may be distressing to some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. ***
If you are a loyal viewer of everything MTV offers you in the world of reality television, no mention of it would be complete without the show that started it all... and it was just recently that MTV's Pluto TV channel added to its rotation earlier seasons of The Real World. In fall 2016 in the last season of it to air on MTV itself, Seattle not only saw "Bad Blood" take place inside the Season 32 house, but also brought us a moment that linked that season to the first one 24 years earlier in New York City, and a heated argument on race that Kevin Powell had with Julie Gentry in the streets.
In the Pacific Northwest, the roommates partook in a protest in downtown to vent their anger at how police were badly mistreating people of color, most especially Blacks. Three years prior, young African-American Treyvon Martin was killed by white man George Zimmerman, but it was him getting away with a not guilty charge that saw everyone voice their anger and began the Black Lives Matter movement. But it would take for more high-profile murders of other Blacks and for NFL'er Colin Kaepernick to take a knee when the National Anthem was played for this to finally become a coast-to-coast movement.
In the same city and streets that become a war zone when the 1999 World Trade Organization circus came to town, the Black Lives Matter protest that was attended by Black castmates Theo Bradley, Anika Rashaun and their roommates was peaceful. And it was when Theo's brother Kassius Bass took the mic and shared his story of being judged by his appearance and assured everyone that he would be on their side, taking place the same summer that incidents in Louisiana, Minnesota and Dallas sparked over 100 protests that summer... and this was months before that year's election.
But few of us could hardly imagine that, four years later, we'd be bringing up Black Lives Matter once again on this DCBLOG site... this time under much more serious matters, and in a more dire time than at any point in the lifetimes of most of us. It was what happened when Black man George Floyd was pinned down to death by a Minneapolis policeman that has caused millions of Americans to emerge out of several months' lockdown due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and erupt into a state of Total Madness... quite literally.
Since the events of what happened on May 26, what started out as a local protest in Minnesota's Twin Cities has grown like a summertime wildfire into a becoming a super tornado, a tsunami, a category 5 hurricane and an catastrophic earthquake all rolled into one that would not even register on the intensity scale. The immense amount of anger we have felt over this latest act of police brutality the past two weeks have seen protests in over 200 cities in America and overseas. Peaceful ones in the daylight have turned into riots after dark, and have seen police & protesters face off every day since this ordeal began.
Those who have demonstrated and braved the heat & concerns of a second virus wave are supporting Black Lives Matter in record numbers as they seek to give Floyd's family the justice they deserve and to speak out against how the cops have treated Blacks and other people of color. And it's not just in the Twin Cities where all four policemen responsible for that death being charged: other incidents have taken place in Louisville after the death of Breonna Taylor in March and David McAtee this past week, and many others across this country too many to mention.
More than a dozen of America's biggest cities have declared nightly curfews, while over twenty state governors have asked for over 17,000 National Guard troops to watch the streets, as well as U.S. Marshals to patrol Washington, D.C. Over 11,000 people have been apprehended & placed behind bars, and it has caused widespread looting that may plunge an American economy already suffering from COVID-19 deeper into a second Great Depression. And of course, the man at the center of this is the President and whose antics have seen everyone go in on him amidst all the teargas.
We here at DCBLOG exist to be what we like to call, "The Escape You Deserve," as we have always strive to provide a place of shelter & calmness in the madness of covering the true escapism of reality TV. Same goes for when you happen to glance over at my Twitter or Instagram @DC408Dxtr, where the only mention of the events going on are posts I posted last weekend lending my support to the African-American community during this time of upheaval.
But because of the unprecedented events taking place right now and how some of your favorite cast members from the shows we cover and you watch as a source of comfort have become actively engaged in this, we've decided to show you how they have been experiencing & partaking in the The Protests That Shut Down America, from their point of view, as seen in the following social media posts below with occasional context, description and background. We do caution that some of the content shown may be disturbing to some readers and we advise viewer discretion.
And we welcome you back... it's been quite the past nine days, but if you're in that part of the audience who wants to have some relief from the world that's going up in smoke right now as we begin this summer 2020, we're here for you as we're about to recap last week's episode of MTV's The Challenge: Total Madness.
Last week marked the halfway point of the season as another set of multiple players were sent packing just after a double elimination for the men. The players tackled a big challenge in the waters beneath the ground, which caused one-half of our Big Brother romance to get scared and also saw him get into it with his fellow summer share alum. With the women being up for the cut, one player saw her chance to make a power play backfire on her as the week's two elimination matchups saw one alliance crumble and saw the oldest player and one of this year's rookies take advantage in a week that also saw an additional woman join them on the plane ride home.
We'll see you after the break for the DCBLOG Challenge WRAP of Week 9 of Total Madness, before everyone's favorite challenge game takes over tonight.
Going into 2020, this was going to be the year of the baby in MTV Family: those who you have seen on The Challenge, Real World, Are You The One?, Ex On The Beach,Teen Mom and Siesta Key becoming parents. And while there's been plenty of those so far and more good news like this to come, none of us had any idea that this would be taking place during a challenging time of us in a pandemic and other goings on. But nonetheless, there's always something to smile about and to celebrate whenever those who we've enjoyed on our TV's gets to welcome a new kid into their world.
The British invasion of The Challenge that started on Vendettas two years ago has been nothing short of a success in injecting some much needed blood into this show, as seventeen players in total have crossed the pond into our American living rooms. They've also packed into their suitcases the reality formats Love Island, Just Tattoo of Us and Ex On The Beach, which have a home in the ViacomCBS family and where the ladder has given us not only a tabloid-friendly U.S. version of MTV's most distributed international franchise, but also a number of stellar U.K. challengers who have their made mark on our biggest major pro sport going on right now.
As we are halfway through the current season of Total Madness -- that is, as those of us here are watching it, the game has turned in its head with all of the twists that have been laid down by T.J. Lavin, as well as a Brit finding himself in a romance with a returning Challenger, and the never-ending fascination between two of our defending champions with an English accent. That, among other things, have seen those who would normally have more camera time have to play the role of second fiddle to them having the surprise Bananas/Wes alliance and the Big Brother kids getting face time... and we'd only see a handful of those during the daily challenges and eliminations.
That statement is pretty much true for Melissa Reeves, who those in Britain saw on two series of Ex On The Beach U.K., developed a deep vendetta with Kayleigh Morris over their common fascination with former British footballer Ashley Cain, and who gave viewers on the tellies there some explosive television. Her rookie season on Vendettas saw her take on an epic elimination battle with Sylvia as they wrestled in the oil, but her sophomore go saw her get into a fight with Kailah and got them sent home after the opening purge on Final Reckoning.
This season has definitely been a totally different story for Melissa: the drama she would usually bring to the table has surprisingly been absent thanks to everyone else getting the attention in the extended episodes. With the exception of her standing by Kyle in the midst of his fight in the bar with Nelson this past week, we've really only seen her during the competition itself. Her being able to focus on just that has seen her impress a lot of us in being able to expand upon what she got to do as a rookie but didn't the last time out... and the 2019 she had off has certainly helped.
Being able to take advantage of her small size to excel in the Fast & Furious truck challenge with Johnny Bananas is proof that Mel may be one to watch as we head into the business end this week. With just one past champion and two veterans left in the field for the women, along with others like her with less than three seasons under their belt, there's a better chance now than at the start of this that Mel may slip into the marathon for £807,430 ($1 million US) - and that will depend upon how things shape up the rest of the way and who might get any of the remaining skulls needed to join the finals party come summertime. If she does, it would be her second time being in a final - the first serving as a mercenary turned Vegas card dealer during the last act of Vendettas.
There's one particular reason why Melissa the Challenger has been seen a bit more often than the Melissa the Drama Queen that viewers on both sides of the pond have been used to. While filming of Total Madness was taking place (that is, back in fall & winter of last year), she had just found out that she had become pregnant, but it wasn't until January and filming had ended that she made it Instagram official with a baby bump under the sun on the beaches of Barbados.
While those in America marked the start of this presumptively lost summer with Memorial Day at home, those in Britain also had a long 3-day weekend with the late May Bank Holiday Monday off. And while most everyone had nowhere to go to, Melissa was spending time at the hospital to prepare to go into labor for the last hours of her nine-month pregnancy which, like everyone else who has had to go through this since March, takes place in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.
And a week ago last Sunday after being in labor for three days starting just after Episode 8 aired in America the previous Wednesday, she got to welcome her new bundle of joy. Mel waited until the following day for her to make the announcement on social media, and she captioned on Instagram @DJMelReeves, "24/05/2020 My world changed forever 💞 my baby girl arrived right on her due date 💗 words can’t describe how in love with this little angel I am. I feel so happy and blessed. 👶🏼 🍼 I was in labour for 3 days, then we had to opt for a C section because it turns out she is one big baby, she’s 8lb 11!!"
She added afterwards, "I had a sweep & my midwife told me I was already 2cm dilated. I've had every sign of labour except for my waters haven't broken & my contractions are irregular. They were regular enough to keep me awake most of the night but I am still only in the early stages of labour."
