DC ExtraTime: More Springtime Baby Announcements...

BY DC CUEVA                         

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

The past week we've just had to endure once again reminded us of how bad both this world and the last two years & a quarter have been. But those of you who get to visit my various social media platforms are reminded that whenever you come to this DCBLOG site, to my YouTube channel, Twitter, Instagram and everywhere else, that you have found "The Escape You Deserve." And one of the things that provides us a refresher from the madness has been of celebrating the arrival of new babies.

Instagram @bayydayy

Five years ago this spring, Bayleigh Dayton from the Kansas City area was competing in the Miss USA Pageant along with what turned out to be a slew of future reality stars: fellow contestants in her 2017 class would ultimately pop up later on The Voice, in Bachelor Nation and on Are You the One. Bay would also follow in the footsteps of DeAnna Johnson, Kelsey Weier and Lauren Roush into finding further fame elsewhere: a year later, she would find herself in the Big Brother 20 house, and she came out of the famed summer house sporting an engagement ring on her fingers when Chris "Swaggy C." Williams proposed to her on the final night when Kaycee Clark came away victorious.

The #SWAYLEIGH train has seen them head to courtside at many Lakers games, red carpets, and onto The Challenge: Total Madness two years ago where Bayleigh made it to the final. And almost right after when the pandemic hit, an All-Star Big Brother season would come calling as straight off of she was chosen to return to the big house. But had things gone their way a few years ago, then the total direction of this story would have changed: when she was living along in the BB20 house during the sixth week of that summer, Bay found out that she had gotten pregnant prior to Swaggy being evicted four weeks earlier. This was the first time that someone had gotten knocked up on the show... but it was after she went into the Jury house that she found that she miscarried that kid.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - The Queen Has Returned...

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

In a perfect world, we would've started this post with the words we've been waiting three years for: welcome to the first normal American summertime of this decade. But Tuesday's events in Uvalde have cast a dark cloud over this Memorial Day Weekend... and we at DCBLOG join with the rest of the nation to express our condolences to the families of the victims and everyone affected in some way by that tragedy, and also offer our support to those advocating for immediate action to prevent more of these atrocities - including the many protesters gathering down not far away in Houston. But as the grieving continues there in Texas this long weekend, we proceed here with the business in front of us covering the week that was in the world of MTV Reality.

The Challenge: All-Stars on Paramount+ began in earnest a few weeks ago with something it hasn't had in its short but glorious tenure: some fresh meat from recent seasons joining in on the fun, along with two of its most notorious champions making their debuts on this spin-off. And last week, the Stars quite literally got down and dirty -- in the mud, as they fought their way towards trying to avoid going into the arena. Along the way, we got to know our first alliance of this 2022 in Challenge Nation: the Treehouse was formed with the intent to make this game their very own, just as they did when the members competed on the big show for the first time. But at nights end, it wasn't just the Arena that sent home players... an injury and family reasons saw Laterrian, Tina and Jemmye all take that departing flight from Panama.

So, what's to do with all of this? It means one thing in this game, and for background as we enter this week: it's good to know that with this All-Stars format and the abundance of old-timers returning to this game, it will also bring back into focus those rivalries from back then, while also opening the door for new ones too. For this instance, the arrival of a replacement Challenger will not doubt shake the game once again, all in time for our first sky-high challenge of this year as the players try to identify some math above the water during this time of final exams taking over this time of year -- we know the teachers watching will be most interested. But once again, the house politics rule the day after the players come back into the house, setting the table for two big showdowns in the elimination chamber.

The last time we had someone come into the game late, Ed brought a youthful energy into Spies, Lies & Allies. Now, who could possibly be that queen who is making her return? Join us here after the break as we bring you the answer to that question and all else on the SocialPulse of Week 3 of The Challenge All-Stars straight ahead... and thanks for escaping with us here on this holiday Sunday.

Who Are These Newbies? - Ex On The Beach Season 5: The Exes

Due to the heavy presence of graphics and video, "Who Are These Newbies?" is best experienced on desktops and fast-performing mobile devices. Some videos embedded contain adult language & situations, parental guidance is suggested.

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

We are more than halfway through our early summer on Season 5 of MTV's Ex On The Beach U.S., as the American version of the channel's global franchise of love in a totally twisted way continues after it and so many of the reality genre's biggest shows were shuttered during this unusual time in this crazy world of ours. So far, things have been as advertised: those reality stars who we love from both MTV and the wide world of the genre have been given a rude awakening by their exes, and there's plenty more to come from the Canary Islands.  

Whether it's the version of the series we see here, the original U.K. show that started it all in 2014, or the twenty or so adaptations filmed in Europe, Brazil or elsewhere in the world, there's one thing that binds every version of EOTB. It's that big moment every week where a few occupants of the villa venture down to the Beach of Doom to receive the answer of "Whose Ex is Next?" And it's when those ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends or even new singles invade the beach that causes a huge shock or even just pretending to be shocked when the looks on their faces come into the "ultimate relations*** show."

Ex On The Beach was already of huge interest to this blog and those English-speaking expats who reside here in the U.S. for that several alumni of the original British show were part of the first generation of the global invasion of The Challenge as a prelude to the premiere of our version of this lovefest in 2018. Like it is across the pond, EOTB U.S. has already sparked plenty of buzz just by the sights of familiar faces from all around the MTV Reality spectrum and the whole world of reality TV showing up as either OG's to begin with or as exes who invaded after the beach opened for business. From several of the big names of The Challenge, to those who went for love on Are You The One, and plenty from Big Brother too, this show is the definition of All-Stars in an MTV sense before a Paramount+ show took that name.

The pandemic caused us to wait a couple years for the beach to reopen here, and when this season began in March DCBLOG continued our longstanding tradition of getting to know the Newbies to MTV land of this show when we profiled several of the singles and a few of their notable exes... but we actually jumped the gun a bit on a few of them as they have not as of yet invaded the beach. But now, we turn the focus to some of the well-known exes who have popped up on the beach this spring and who will soon set sail for the Canary Islands where this return engagement is taking place. And after the break, we begin with the latest Big Brother houseguest to make her move to the cable-sphere.

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach 5 - "Ready for More Baggage?"

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

We are a week out -- five days, in fact -- from the spiritual beginning of American summertime... but you can say that to a certain handful of reality stars who were chosen to go on a summer vacation two months early... only to handle the kind of hell that only comes with being part of MTV's Ex On The Beach. And we are past the halfway point of Season 5 in the Canary Islands. 

Last week, my niece got to enjoy what's become a tradition this time of year for students everywhere from elementary to high school: the springtime dance as she awaits graduation from 8th grade. It was also the case for our villa-mates, as they all dressed up for EOTB's very own prom night... but instead of them dancing all night long, the Table of Truth gave them reason to cringe over their ex-partners, and it was enough for Ranin to take a hike the morning after. We also saw a big test come to David and Kyra when his ex came onshore, while Bryce had to endure watching his second ex named Nicole come into the house... but the one those who have Netflix know from watching Too Hot to Handle.

As we return to the Canaries, the complexity has shifted a bit after last week's departure... and that means plenty of open beds in the house. The one who has had to go through this ringer of seeing his exes a bit now enters unchartered waters of seeing the number of them go up to three, while his fellow Love Islander may stare down at the 'It's Complicated' Facebook status as she tries to reconnect with an ex. It's the same thing for another stable couple here, and one wrong choice of words could send our Las Vegas couple down the drain. And the one place in the house that's been the graveyard for many a couple here may prove that good things can happen: take what goes down in the Shack of Secrets.

After the break, DCBLOG brings you the 'Pulse of Week 8 of Ex On The Beach 5, along with a word from one of the parties involved in a key moment in this episode.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars 3 - "Treehouse of Horror"

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Today is Saturday, May 21st, and it's an important day in the history of something that the one behind this DCBLOG site has been following in some sort ever since it all began. It was on this date in 1992 that MTV aired the premiere episode of the very first season of The Real World when Eric Nies unlocked the door to that New York apartment, and it marked the beginning of the genre of reality TV as the majority of us take for granted. And it has been one whale of a ride ever since, as we progress into the next three decades of the most influential reality programming there is anywhere.

A show that was an offshoot of Real World was what would evolve into The Challenge, and last week saw the 2022 slate in the fifth major pro sport kick off with the third season of the All-Stars spinoff on Paramount+ with some fresh youthful energy getting initiated into this game, along with the master of politics in this world making his All-Stars debut as is the show's first two- and three-time female champs. And right from the get-go, the game was put on its head early when a twist from the past few years was unleashed on this show where those who win either a daily challenge or an elimination would get power in the game itself... it's something that would be a beneficiary to that KC ginger man named Wes.

The results of what happened in those first two dailies and eliminations (really, one & a half battles in the arena after Mel conceded her battle to Tina) are already radiating in the Panamanian jungle, and this week things are quite literally getting down and dirty: a challenge in the mud will see the Stars take off those clothes and gloves to try and avoid a night in the arena. A newly-formed alliance who knows real well what it's like to turn the game on its head try to bring what they got to pull off a few years ago in this game as they look to make some big power moves on those who they see as threats in this game... and on the topic of threats, not one but two surprises may turn things upside down.

Aren't we all feeling thirty on this Saturday? Join us here after the break as we mark the thirtieth anniversary of MTV Reality with the DCBLOG Pulse of Week 2 of The Challenge: All-Stars... and there's even a flashback of sorts for those who watched the show that gave us one of our two old-time rookies. And welcome to the weekend, folks...

DC ExtraTime: It's KamRoy's World and We're All Living In It...

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

In our ten years Inside MTV Reality, we have seen plenty of couples around this wide world of this part of the reality TV world -- and chances are they have gone the way of many others outside this cable bubble: just another afterthought after an almost inevitable breakup. But if things are going good in any one's relationship, then they can last forever... and there are plenty of them here.

If you have watched the entire run of the Teen Mom franchise dating back to the original 16 & Pregnant series thirteen years ago next month, then you can appreciate the longevity of Catelynn & Tyler. If you're a Real World fan dating back from when it began thirty years ago this coming week, you'll be happy to know that there are those like Judd & Pam and Sean & Rachel who are still together as we all watch the New Orleans Homecoming. And for a show we've seen from day 1, there's Amber & Ethan from the first season of Are You The One?, MTV's first entry into modern reality dating television.

It was on AYTO that we first met Kam Williams when she came onto Season 5, and a year later she went onto The Challenge leading the current generation of female competitors and notching several finals appearances. And after she was part of the only group of singles to go home broke in that love house, it was on a Challenge that she would ultimately meet her perfect match: one of the show's most-respected players who started on MTV when Las Vegas welcomed Real World a second time a decade ago. Leroy Garrett always stayed calm, cool and collected with the occasional laugh in the heat of the battle... and despite walking away without a ring, he still remains one of its most beloved players.

Collectively, Kam and Leroy have been on seventeen Challenges, and the last four they were on together -- making the final together on both War of the Worlds II and Double Agents. But it has been after she placed second and in the money in Europe last year that the best time of their lives awaited them... and the course of the past half-year they have now not one, but those two signs that we're all getting up there in both age and wanting to move into the real world outside reality TV.

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach 5 - It's Prom Night!

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Hello there folks, we are into that time of year when many of your favorite television shows are into their season finales... but for a season that began back last month, MTV's Ex On The Beach is halfway through its fifth season on American screens, and we roll along in the Canary Islands with just as much juicy drama to heat up this early summer.

Whenever anyone goes onto this show as either a single to start things out or as an ex, there is something a bit triggering whenever you see a piece of paper inside of an empty tequila bottle. Well last time out, the Message in a Bottle appeared not one, but three times in the space of week 6 in the villa: its purpose: settling the love triangle with Kyra, David and his ex Dani... and it was when the two love show alums went on a date that saw the 2000's quiz show alum take a flight out of Europe. Plus, we welcomed our first Big Brother 21 alum to MTV in Kat, who has her eyes on her ex Ricky as his thing with his ex Derynn is about to be tested in paradise.

May not only means a transition from fall fare to reality shows taking over network TV in time for summer, it also means a special time of year for those in high school and junior high when it comes to dressing up. And as that sight of prom night returns for the first time in three years, as we come back to the villa that is on the mind for the housemates as they dress up for their own prom night -- but it's not exactly that kind they experienced when they were young back then, and it's what happens here that may cause the single & her husband to be dunzo. It comes just as the relationship with the Islander and Hotel guest gets its biggest test yet when the ex they feared shows up... it's also the case for a guy who loves boats but now has two exes with the same name.

After the break, you are cordially invited to Prom Night in the Canaries, as DCBLOG brings you the 'Pulse of Week 7 of Ex On The Beach 5. Thanks for joining us...

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge All-Stars - A Season 4 Premiere Double Shot

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Pic: ViacomCBS

We have had a stellar sporting weekend with SEVEN Game 7's in the NBA and NHL: the Suns blown out by the Mavs at home, the Bucks getting knocked out by the Celtics, the Rangers and Flames winning in overtime and Carolina joining them in advancing in the Stanley Cup. We've also had Albert Pujols on the mound after the Reds lost no-hitter, Chelsea winning the FA Cup, and Oliveira defending his UFC belt. So, what could cap off this amazing weekend of action? Well, the fifth major pro sport that is.

After giving us plenty to enjoy and plenty to talk about last year, the thought among those of you going into Season 3 of MTV's The Challenge All-Stars on Paramount+ was, how can they make this junior year campaign better? Well, how about giving the competitors who are chosen to be on here an extra prerequisite -- having competed in a final challenge for all the money. That's the theory behind what should be quite the season ahead, and thus the field is stacked with those that the old generation of fans knows a bit, and those who we have followed closely during the past decade in these Challenges.

Now, they've all come together in Panama for what promises to be a most explosive season, led by the debuts of Wes, Veronica and Kailah to this spinoff... and they are keen on making their mark on this game as it gets turned on its head once they compete in a tense first daily and first trip to the elimination arena. As always, there will be plenty of twists along the way in this game, as those who win in that first week will be in a power position -- something the man who loves politicking would like to be in, and it will turn just this simple little reunion into something much more as we get to do this all over again.

After the break, DCBLOG brings you all the action, reaction and interaction of the two-episode premiere of Season 3 of The Challenge All-Stars, all as it unfolded on Twitter in and around last Wednesday's premiere... and all specially curated for you to enjoy in its uncensored and raw nature, which includes adult language. Thanks for joining us Challenge Nation, and thanks for wrapping your Sunday with us...

DC SocialPulse Extra - Road to The Challenge All-Stars: Season 3

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Nine years ago this past Wednesday, this blogger published his very first post here... and over this time, this site has evolved into becoming the blog site of record of TV's most-talked about reality shows. Now on this second full weekend of May 2022, we begin in earnest the tenth anniversary season of DCBLOG and our tenth year going Inside MTV Reality, as we put into full motion this big stretch ahead.

   We have been on top of covering the weekly drama on the return engagement on American screens of the global MTV love carnival Ex On The Beach, and we've also delved into the juicy drama of Siesta Key too. There's also Season 3 of The Real World Homecoming that, so far, has brought everyone back to Y2K fever thanks to the reunion of the 2000 New Orleans cast... and there's plenty of other things on the docket in the course of the rest of this spring, this summer and the rest of the year too. And ahead, we'll commence weekly coverage of the main series of our focus... which brings us to this.

Maybe you were likely directed to this page by my many promoted posts on social media, and perhaps you have a Twitter app on your phone. If you're one who watches episodes live as they air or catch up later on, you might stare greatly at all the social media reaction taking place on your feed... and that's what those of you who are part of Challenge Nation and the MTV Reality show fandom probably do.

   DCBLOG has proudly covered the MTV Reality world for the past decade and over most of the 1500 posts this site has offered to you the past nine years. And a good number of them has been of what we might like to call the internet's original reaction post -- years before YouTube and social media stories: its called SocialPulse... and it has been the unofficial but in a way, the classified record -- of all the social media reaction to The Challenge and other shows since in 2013 -- and a signature component of how we cover the MTV beat on this page.

A Pulse diary like this offers cable subscribers, cord-cutters, avid fans and casual viewers alike the other show taking place concurrent to when the episodes get beamed out: the social interaction among cast members, fellow MTV & reality alumni and fans as viewed by them in the Twitter sphere, part of the communal experience watching the show as it airs on TV, and often the leadup and aftermath too. We've done this for every regular and spinoff season in this franchise since CT's first Challenge title on Rivals 2, up until what we saw on All-Stars earlier this winter.

   These exclusive running diaries are specially designed, curated & pieced together in its uncensored entirety (yes, foul language is included to retain the heat of the moment, provided that it's not of an offense to some of you) to bring the competition, drama, hookups, jaw-dropping moments and more to you here as it took place in its original airings. Whether you're reliving it all over again on your DVR or on-demand, or if you don't have cable, satellite or streaming & have just caught up, you're covered... and staying true to that ladder audience, we abstain offering our episode coverage until this spot at the weekend. And we'll be every week to bring you how the cast, alumni and fans see each episode from their POV, and the buzz before and after the episodes.

   And along with those, we also offer our take on the traditional weekly episode recaps with opinions & analysis... and starting with this cycle, after the diary we will feature the Moment of the Night -- the top moment of each episode with an embedded video clip. And stay with this site as we also put a spotlight to the people and stories of this world as only seen through the scope of ExtraTime -- our storytelling franchise... all with the outstanding content you come to expect from this site. And if this is your first time visiting us, welcome and get comfortable... you'll probably will fall in love with us too.

But before we bring you the 'Pulse of the premiere of Season 3 of All-Stars which will be featured here in the day or so ahead, there's this: there's nothing like that day when the buzz officially starts to a new season of The Challenge (or to us, any new season or show that we feel is of interest). In this case, the ramp-up to this week's premiere took place back on that big day in the marijuana world -- April 20th when the cast of this season was revealed as was our first look at this season.

   After the break, we begin taking the Pulse of The Challenge All-Stars Season 3 with this special pre-diary covering the kickoff of the countdown to its opening act, including a few from this cast celebrating the latest power couple in this world. And welcome to the weekend, Challenge Nation...

DC FORUM: DCBLOG at Ten Years, 1500 Posts & Counting

A Note from the Editor

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

On this the premiere day of Season 3 of The Challenge All-Stars, today --Wednesday, May 11th -- marks the start of the tenth year of DCBLOG... and this is also our site's 1500th overall posts. In truth, this is actually the ninth anniversary of my very first blog post on the site back on this very same date back in 2013, which was just a simple little post that was titled "I'm here." But for the sake of both the record keeping and for the factor of celebration whenever the last number ends in a "0" or "5," for all intents and purposes this is the beginning of what will be an 18-month long celebration on here.

Whatever the case may be, I am proud of the work that I have been able on here to offer over the course of the past decade... all of which began with just a simple suggestion by a longtime Twitter fan to bring my obsessed episode content from Twitter to this Google Blogger platform. That recommendation by one who's been a friend of mine ever since my first summer on Twitter ten year ago in Andrew Kirk -- who pioneered the world of getting to podcast on this thing most of us who watch the show call "the fifth major pro sport" -- has more than served me well, and the rest has been history.

Since the beginning of this site, I have evolved both as a person and as a blogger in turning this simple hobby on the side into something that feels like a profession to me, in addition to the great thing that I get to do every day. Even now in these past few years where we have been stuck at home in this pandemic -- and even as this blogger is going through an unprecedented time in his life as yours truly has been dealing with serious family matters (which if you saw my Instagram post or the finale of the DC Vegas XI vlog series on YouTube, you have an idea about it), I have seen this blog as a much-needed place of escape... like so much of what we've had to endure these past twenty-seven months -- and for which our "Escape You Deserve" slogan has really rung true.

Over the past decade, DCBLOG has evolved in the way we get to tell the stories of this fascinating world of MTV Reality, offer the unique weekly episode coverage via the weekly Pulse and traditional recaps, and also have time to delve into my three other biggest passions of sports, music and Las Vegas. The manner of storytelling, reliving the big moments and so much more give this site its unique personality in this increasingly complex world of ours, and yet give us this distinctive place in this coverage beat. And thanks to the increasing exposure, acclaim and readership we have been getting, then we know that you enjoy this exceptional work, and this blogger is most appreciative of it... the result of countless numbers of hours the past nine years of perfecting the very best content there is. 

But a lot has changed over this time, some things just don't change or evolve much: I have done most of this work on the same home desktop computer -- and now I get to do an increasingly amount of these on a laptop that my mom gave me for Christmas back two years ago. And another thing that hasn't changed a bit has been this site's unwavering commitment to quality and excellence we do... and if you thought that this past decade has been quite the ride, then we look forward to what the next ten years and beyond await us on this site. And from this blogger, thank you... and welcome to DCBLOG Year 10.

- I AM DC

#DCBLOG

The Look: A Summer with the Seven Mutual Friends

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

Instagram @Seven.MF

Over what will soon be the nine full years that DCBLOG has been at this beat of covering MTV Reality shows, one thing has been covered more often on here than any other regular topic that this ExtraTime storytelling franchise has featured, and it doesn't have anything to do with an actual MTV show -- but from one who is a fan of this world like yours truly is.

Just a few weeks back, we featured for the first time this year the unique talent that is Andres Rodriguez from Secaucus, New Jersey. If you don't know the story by now, we first featured him back in 2017 when he and his high school friends got to work out with those from The Challenge on the occasion of the show's 30th season, and where we were drawn to him for the fact that he was a YouTuber who had done several homemade versions of the fifth major pro sport.

Ever since, we have covered step of this Dre.Media journey -- one that has seen him produce, edit, host and sometimes compete on The Caucus Challenge, which has spanned twelve seasons. And Dre has also been the protagonist character on its Real World-like spinoff, The Life We Live, which has gone to seven different cities even during this pandemic. And in both cases, we have seen action, drama and plenty of juicy stuff among his now-larger group of friends than he had to begin with.

If you grew up during those glory days of going to school from being young kids in elementary time to being teenagers in high school, it's likely that you had a group of best friends that you hung out with more than any other. And it's no different with Andres: he has a group of people that he considers his "ride or die" -- and last year as things got back to normal for a change, the group that calls themselves the "Seven Mutual Friends" documented their summer 2021.

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach 5 - "Seeing is Believing"

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

It's a late Tuesday night around here... and if you're an MTV fan you're probably waiting for the big show to arrive in just a few hours -- that is, if you will be like me and waiting for it to be posted on Paramount+ at midnight Pacific time. But we at DCBLOG have something nice for you to get you prepped for that as we now bring you the Pulse of Ex On The Beach from the Canary Islands.

Things have been quite wild in the villa during the first month or so in this return engagement with the "Ultimate Relations*** Show," and last we were in this paradise two exes came by: Ranin's ex-husband Elias and Ray's ex Nicole -- the ladder now getting his rather twisted world. They came down just in time for the latest night of awkwardness at the Table of Truth, which instead of food around the dinner table was turned into a talk show set, as the singles and their exes were forced to air things out through a listening exercise... and it was more than enough for the two representatives from our neighbors to the north to finally head home in Da'Vonne's ex Jamar and his Big Brother Canada mate Ming-Ly.

Every iteration of EOTB around the world has some interesting gadgets that let the housemates know that bad news is on the way: the Shack of Secrets, the Tablet of Terror, the Beach of Doom, and an item you'd probably see in the liquor store. And as we come back to the island, one item that has made people cringe in the villa is the star of the show: not one, but a few Messages in a Bottle may help to settle the big love triangle remaining in this paradise among a Hotel guest, an Islander and a 5th Grader, plus even sending one who loves riding boats on a ride himself. Plus, another well-known ex to those who love summertime feed-watching will have her eyes on breaking up that romance made in Vegas, as the ways of the man at the heart of it get tested.

Why not join us after the break as we bring the 'Pulse of Week 6 of Ex On The Beach 5, as we have reached the halfway point of this springtime summer of love... dive in.

Inside MTV Reality: Welcome Back Again to The Challenge All-Stars - Season 3

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

It's May, and when it comes to competition this is just as good as you can possibly want it to be: yesterday saw 99-1 longshot Rich Strike score a shocking upset in the Kentucky Derby, and we are now into both the Conference Semifinals in the NBA Playoffs and Round 1 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. Last weekend saw football fans shut down part of the Las Vegas Strip for the NFL Draft, and the world's other football is into the last weeks of European league play after Real Madrid's crazy comeback over Manchester City to claim their Champions League finals berth. And with baseball, fights, auto racing, golf, tennis and more in store, our 2022 Summer of Sports is now underway.

Meanwhile as the two arena sports here and the action on the pitch overseas are into the business halves of their seasons that began back last year, the one thing dubbed by many of you as America's fifth major pro sport is about to begin its year this close to summertime. MTV's The Challenge is kicking off the first of a couple seasons in 2022 at least that will sure have us buzzing over the course of most of the rest of this year. Last year, we saw one of the greats in this game notch his fourth and fifth Challenge titles when CT went back-to-back on Double Agents and Spies, Lies and Allies, and Big Brother alumni joined him in the winner's circle in Amber B. and Kaycee.

However, there was that other show with The Challenge name that had so many of you buzzing last year -- maybe more than the show airing on MTV: an idea brought by a fan two years ago to the ultimate OG in Challenge Nation became a reality with the launch of Paramount+. Since then, All-Stars has been nothing short of a massive success in helping bring fans to ViacomCBS/Paramount's streaming service and to their array of entertainment and more on there with Star Trek, Halo, Nickelodeon and beyond... and it has also seen plenty of throwbacks for those of us who have watched the show over the past quarter-century just by seeing those familiar faces. It has also crowned some worthy champions as well -- but the true winner in all of this is us the fans, as well as one Mark Long too.

So, what could possibly be better than both Seasons 1 and 2 of The Challenge: All Stars? Well, how about a Season 3 of this show you love. But maybe more than that, it's of who is being invited to the big party this time: the twenty-four competitors chosen to suit up this time are those who have one thing in common: making it all the way to the very last act of any season of this show in competing for the money. If recent seasons of the regular show gave the competitors a dare to win an elimination, then this season makes the prerequisite of competing in a final just to make it to the starting line of this season... thus, the statement that this is the most anticipated Challenge season in years is no understatement.

This year, 2022 in The Challenge kicks off with Season 3 of All-Stars... and after the break, we at DCBLOG take our first look at all that awaits us come a few days from now in South America. Glad you have joined us, Challenge Nation...

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach 5 - Time to Go Face to Face...

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

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

If you are one of those in our readership who loves this MTV world so much, then this is the calm before the storm of what goes down next week. But for now, there is a storm of a different kind that has been hitting just as much as those twisters some of you in the country have been feeling: it's the storm of exes coming onto MTV's Ex On The Beach, and season 5 rages on over in the Canary Islands.

Last we were there, not one but two people came ashore... but luckily it was not a pair of exes but rather two new singles to replace the first person to leave the house (ex Caro): Love Islander and America's Got Talent alum Kyra and the third alum from a Netflix show coming onto this ad-supported cable channel in Bryce from Too Hot to Handle. But the big show of Week 4 in the EOTB villa came in the latest visit to the Shack of Secrets: after going on the latest getaway date out of he house Mike and Arisce were invited to that dungeon that was turned into a home movie theater as they saw what he was doing behind his back including that first night smooch with David.

When it comes to any version of EOTB around this planet of ours, there is sure to be fireworks... and as we arrive back in the villa someone who hasn't been in the spotlight much in our first month in paradise finds herself back under the glare: this time with an ex not as well known as her most well-known one. Another ex also joins him there, which may cause the latest issues in the ongoing saga of the Player of this pad just as his fellow Islander may find herself in love with a Hotel guest. And a place like this forces people to try and perhaps work things out, and the latest visit to the Table of Truth will give them a chance to hone their listening skills... and what happens there may send some people packing.

We'll join you here after the break for the DCBLOG 'Pulse of Week 5 of Ex On The Beach 5... and after the buzz we'll catch up on the one girl who found herself trending on TikTok for having her nose broken on an MTV show. Find out who that is just ahead, and Happy Cinco De Mayo...

DC ExtraTime: The Challenge Takes Over a Super Bowl Commercial

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB/TK

   ESTIMATED READING TIME: 18 MINS.

In over a week from now, the focus for many fans of the MTV Reality world will be fixated on the first offering in 2022 of the fifth major pro sport of The Challenge. But once matters settled on Season 2 of All-Stars back in January, this blogger who loves his MTV shows took a break from covering them on here to follow another of his biggest passions: sports - and the two biggest events of them all... and it's one of the reasons why I've not been posting as much on this DCBLOG site in these first five months.

February gave me reason to join everyone else in the sports world and be both a fan and a viewer in enjoying the nineteen days of the Winter Olympics... and if you saw my Twitter feed during that eventful fortnight in Beijing, then you know how much of an Olympic super fanatic I am as I do any MTV show. But along with seeing Champs vs. Pros competitors Lindsay Jacobellis, Gus Kenworthy and Louie Vito, as well as Chloe Kim, Shaun White and Team USA, one other thing took place in the sports universe in the middle of the Games in a past and future host city an ocean away.

A year ago, the National Football League chose to take advantage of the massive popularity of America's favorite sport by adding a seventeenth regular season game to its schedule. As a result, the 2021 NFL campaign was expanded by one week to eighteen weeks of regular season play, a three-week preseason beforehand, and a thirteen-act play in January & February that was perhaps the most dramatic series of playoff games in league history. It also pushed back the season's last game, Super Bowl LVI, by a week to Sunday. February 13th -- the middle Sunday of the XXIV Winter Olympiad... and it made for what the network of both those events, NBC, to call it a "Once in a Lifetime" Super Gold Sunday.

And while we were caught up in the Los Angeles Rams' dramatic championship win as they nipped the Cincinnati Bengals by a late touchdown in their spectacular home of SoFi Stadium — plus hip-hop's finest hour in its biggest stars headlining a legendary halftime show and before the postgame bombshell of the ladies figure skating fiasco, there was an appearance by one who once appeared on a few seasons of The Challenge and got her start as part of a renowned Real World class. That person also just so happens to most notably be the ex-girlfriend of one of the All-Star competitors competing next month, as she took part in of the most unique aspects to every Super Sunday.