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| Pic: Laura Barisonzi/Paramount |
Four years ago, an unprecedented move both changed things once again for the show, and helped set the stage for two companies which divorced from each other years earlier to get together again in the battle for eyeballs in our new entertainment reality. The choice to bring houseguests not only to The Challenge with Big Brother 18's Natalie and Victor going onto Vendettas and Jozea to Champs vs. Stars, but also their fellow houseguest Paulie going onto the ensuing first season of Ex On The Beach, provided a glimpse into the future for both MTV and what was then Viacom... for which over a year later they merged once again with the show's network, CBS. It's because of that and a few other things that we have Paramount+, and in turn the All-Stars spinoff which this week heads towards its conclusion.
But as soon as the final verdict is rendered in Panama, the focus will shift instantly down to the nation of Argentina, which hosted perhaps the most notable season of The Challenge during the 2010's of the original Rivals season. It's here that the next phase of this show's evolution further into the mainstream will play out as a totally different crop of players will get initiated into this world for the very first time... those who come from the network that made reality television cool when it brought the genre into the world of the big four broadcast networks. And it will be seen on the one platform where everybody who can plug in a television set and an antenna can watch for free, in addition to streaming it on Paramount+ or on their pay provider.
The Challenge: USA will begin just a few days from now just after the 4th of July fireworks smoke has cleared away, as those from Big Brother, Survivor, The Amazing Race and the three CBS seasons of Love Island USA will all gather in South America for a new game unlike any other. And just ahead, DCBLOG offers our very first look at this truly and uniquely All-American Challenge.
WHAT TO EXPECT...
As for how the procedure of what this totally new Challenge will be about, you can think of this as sort of a Fresh Meat III -- but with a totally all-new crop of players which will be explained both below and in the following Who Are These Newbies? posts that will follow this preview. It will also be structured a bit differently than what we have seen lately: each of the players will start out with $1,000 in their own bank accounts, and where they will have to earn their way to keeping and increasing their bankroll. Each week, a random algorithm will pair the contestants up who will then face off to add to their accounts by winning dailies or elimination... and that same procedure will also determine which players will be paired up each week like what we've seen a lot in those random pair challenges. It will make the task of forming alliances and strategies a bit more difficult, and they will have to do what they can to protect their Challenge accounts and trust only themselves as they eye what awaits at the end: $500,000 and a spot in the Paramount+ spinoff of Global Championship with those from other Challenge versions.
MEET THE CAST
For the outlet that made the reality television genre a priority for their broadcast network brethren, there is undoubtedly no shortage in the group of talent that was carefully selected for the task that awaits them here this summer. And while there's always the naysayers who feel there's better talent out there to compete on here who might not have due to various factors, this group is still an all-star lineup. Twenty-eight familiar faces to those who watch what's affectionally known in those in the industry as "the Tiffany network" -- including six who ascended to the top on their shows, have all earned their spot to take part in television history.
BIG BROTHER
🏘️ ALYSSA LOPEZ - Season 23: Alyssa was the last victim of The Cookout before they commenced their early victory party, and where she had to survive all of last summer before she was sent to the jury. Showing a fighting spirit and good social game that could help here here, she was a good competitor garnering two vetoes while also having a showmance with Christian once she moved in. But with having both half the Cookout and one who backdoored her, this Challenge could be a hard experience.
🏘️ ANGELA RUMMANS - Season 20: Angela got to live with Fessy, Kaycee and Swayleigh on BB20, but there was no doubt that she laid claim to being the villainess four summers ago. She was part of the Level Six alliance with the defending MTV champ, backdoored Bayleigh at midsummer, and only had her final three dream die when JC became HOH. Angela's now engaged with fellow L6'er Tyler, and she'd love nothing more than coming home to him with a winner's check in hand.
🏘️ AZÄH AWASUM - Season 23: Member #1 of The Cookout here, Azäh was known as the sweet one in the six-piece... and where she got to fly under the radar in letting her social game take the lead. That came about from her intention on simply play the game with the kind of loyalty and trust that defined the troupe along with her integrity -- a far cry from starting out with the Jokers. But now for Azah comes the hard part: a new game like The Challenge.
🏘️ DAVID ALEXANDER - Seasons 21/22: Two years ago, he shared an All-Stars house with Da'Vonne and Bayleigh, and getting a second shot after being part of BB's most controversial season was one David relished. Though he didn't win any competitions and got nominated four times before finally getting evicted to the jury, David did prove one aspect of that game that also exists in Challenge Nation: you can be lucky in a game like this and even go deep -- it's happened before and many times.
🏘️ DEREK XIAO - Season 23: Just glancing at those glasses you'd think he's a nerd, but Derek did emerge as a fan favorite thanks to his intelligence and personality. But he has a good shot to make a strong impression competitively thanks to a solid physical game that netted him two veto and one HOH challenge win... and the only reason he was eliminated was because of a backdoor. Derek will no doubt be a big force going into this Challenge.
🏘️ ENZO PALUMBO - Seasons 12/22: As the BB player with the longest spell between original season and now, Enzo first appeared on Season 12 in 2010 as part of The Brigade alliance and finished 3rd. He returned a decade later for All-Stars, made it all the way to the end with Paulie's brother Cody and finished 2nd... and achieved his runner-up finish without getting nominated. This time for Enzo, The Challenge will be totally different... but at age 44 will his experience take down youth?
🏘️ KYLAND YOUNG - Season 23: Member #2 of The Cookout, Kyland proved that he was one of the strongest competitors on last year's Big Brother: three HOH wins and just as many power of vetoes is valid proof that he will be one to watch here. Something to also keep an eye for is the way he play this game: there were some decisions that took place before and after the alliance clinched the win... so perhaps, nothing is exactly safe when Kyland is in charge.
🏘️ TIFFANY MITCHELL - Season 23: As the lady who conceived the plan that turned away years of history, our third Cookout member Tiffany simultaneously netted her legend status in the annals of BB history. Her strong physical game gave her two HOH competition wins, while her social game gave her matchmaking duties to all the alliance members before she became the first from the alliance to get evicted. But now, Tiffany faces a whole new game that could be hard to master.
🏘️ XAVIER PRATHER - Season 23 WINNER: And the one who emerged out of all of this with the top prize of $750K is Xavier. Yes, he made history as the first Black winner... but it was so much more than that: three HOH and three Veto wins, playing with a combination of a model's look, being loyal, respect and classy. He also took a page from Kaycee's playbook of starting off going under the radar before emerging into a beast later on... and Xavier would sure like to have two straight winning summers.
SURVIVOR
🏝️ BEN DRIEBERGEN - Seasons 35/40 WINNER: With his distinctive cowboy hat, war veteran Ben was the hardest working man in Fiji that fall of 2017 when he won many an immunity challenge en route to winning Season 35, Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers. When he returned for Winners at War two years ago, he did what Cory got to do for Nelson: sacrificing his game to let another of our players here go for the money. So, what will this former Marine have when he comes to The Challenge?
🏝️ DANNY McCRAY - Season 41: Only one Challenger here got to play a professional sport before going onto the fifth major pro sport: Danny was a 5-year NFL free safety before he came onto last year's first post-pandemic Survivor season. In Fiji, he laid low for much of the season in playing a good social game before getting to showcase his beast mode in the various challenges. We've seen what's happened with TO and Lolo... but what does Danny have for us in this new game?
🏝️ DESI WILLIAMS - Season 35: Desi also competed on Ben's championship season five years ago, but as a former beauty queen turned physical therapist she proved that you can be both beautiful and physical too. She proved both strategic and resilient in her tribe before garnering the season's first individual immunity challenge before being voted off the following week. It's safe to say Desi will come in with a mission to bring her very best out for the big bucks.
🏝️ DOMENICK ABBATE - Season 36: Ghost Island four years ago saw Domenick for an alliance with a good pal of one of those going for the top prize on that other spinoff: Wendall Holland. They were at the heart of one of the most iconic moments in Survivor history when they were part of the only Final Tribal Council to end in a tie and where a tiebreaking vote prevented Dom from being #1. With a strong social game and being a physical force, Dom may make a huge mark here.
🏝️ SARAH LACINA - Seasons 28/34/40 WINNER: Three times has Sarah been aboard that boat with fellow castaways and host Jeff Probst, and she has earned her status as a Survivor legend. After a post-merge exit on Season 28, she came to Game Changers to be more assertive in the game... and it was rewarded with being Sole Survivor and a spot on Winners at War. She's known for "Cops R Us" and calling out the men... now is Sarah prepared for what a Challenge game is like?
🏝️ SHAN SMITH - Season 41: She was the one player on Survivor's return season who garnered the most buzz in getting to run that whole thing. Toronto pastor Shan found herself in an ill-fated tribe, manipulated them to shift the game to her, and got a hidden idol before being blindsided by the one she thought was gonna make it to the end with. She's seen a fellow Canadian win a Survivor season... now Shan will have a tall task to join another fellow Challenger from the 416 in that winners club.
🏝️ TASHA FOX - Seasons 28/31: Sarah's original season also included Tasha, who began as part of the brain tribe in Caguyan but then proved that she has just as much brawn as her smart counterpart in winning three straight individual immunity challenges. And in Cambodia, she improved her social game that was good enough to eventually make it all the way to the last tribal council. Tasha has both attributes that make her excel in a Challenge, but will have to use both if she wants to contend.
🏝️ TYSON APOSTOL - Seasons 18/20/27/40 WINNER: Five players here have done multiple shows, but only one has been on four different seasons... and it's with Utah's #1 pickleball player. Tyson made his debut on Season 18 where he first displayed the competitive juices that guided him as as a cyclist, and who was also on Heroes vs. Villains and Winners at War. But Tyson's finest hour was when he put it all together to rule Blood vs. Water... and we can't wait to see what he has in store this time.
AMAZING RACE
✈️ CAYLA PLATT - Season 33: Last winter saw an Amazing Race unlike any other: filmed in two different times before and in the pandemic. Cayla was in the same field as Love Islanders turned Exes on the Beach Ray & Caro, and she fared far better than them as she & fellow flight attendant friend Raquel would ultimately prove their skills of traveling the world and working together to eventually finish 2nd -- a puzzle away from the top prize. Now, how will Cayla fare all alone?
✈️ JAMES WALLINGTON - Season 32 WINNER: Another pandemic-impacted TAR season was one taped in 2018 but aired two years after the fact. When it finally did to replace a fall 2020 Survivor, James & his America's Next Top Model model alum boyfriend Will got to do what a certain player did on All-Stars last week en route to winning the $1 million. And things got better for them: James & Will got engaged and have rings on their fingers... and they'd love nothing more than another $500,000.
✈️ LEO TEMORY - Seasons 23/24/31: If there is a Bloodlines 2 season down the road, then Leo would be a good candidate to take part: he has done three Amazing Races with his cousin Jamal. After a rough first go of it in 2013, their approval ratings went up to the point that they actually became a solid team in making the final leg on both Seasons 24 and 31... only screwing up their directions prevented them from being champs. Now comes the tough part for Leo: also playing alone.
LOVE ISLAND
❤️ KYRA GREEN - Season 1 + Ex On The Beach 5: Only one Challenger on this CBS spinoff boasts an MTV appearance under their belts, and we just saw Kyra on Season 5 of Ex On The Beach. We've seen her fall in love on both the Island and at the Beach along with a MTV/Pepsi show on YouTube, and we've also seen her perform on America's Got Talent. But we haven't seen her compete in a show like this... maybe there might be a surprise waiting from Kyra.
❤️ CASHAY PROUDFOOT - Season 3: In the same house that hosted Ex On The Beach Season 1, Brooklyn waitress Cashay moved into Love Island USA Season 3 last year as an original single and had to endure quite a lot in the villa. That included finding her match -- who also just happens to be in this house just after they broke up... and that along with a new game will test her quite a bit. But good thing Cashay has a nice body and dancing experience to at least help her here.
❤️ CASHEL BARNETT - Season 1: We saw her with David all season on EOTB... but before that, Kyra was together with Cashel down in Fiji. The Sacramento model & drummer loves going boarding on both the snow and in the surf, but who is also smart with a BA minor degree... and he also dances too. That athleticism could give him a fighter's chance here... but being largely unfamiliar with this show may lead to the same fate he had on the island: an early trip out of town.
❤️ CELY VAZQUEZ - Season 2: Cely also comes to us from California's capital city, and as noted in last week's All-Star Shore preview she was Johnny's perfect match in the Season 2 Vegas chateau. Her bio noted that she is "very athletic," and being a member of her high school JV soccer team and their cheerleading squad she does have those necessities in that category along with the smarts of having a bachelor's degree. But will it be enough for Cely to hang in there?
❤️ JAVONNY VEGA - Season 3: Javonny from Boca Raton, FL has a big tiger tattoo across his body, and though he came to us from a love show he's one who's waited for this shot to be on a big competition show like this. His IG shows him competing in various adventure sports (including getting to sky dive), while also being part of his high school football team. A Challenge favors more of the physical and mental aspect, and that diverse palette may turn in Javonny's favor.
❤️ JUSTINE NDIBA - Season 2 WINNER: African native and New Jersey resident Justine walked out of Love Island Vegas as the queen of the Strip, but she might have a better shot here than most of her fellow villa mates. Experience on the college soccer pitch and being a go-go dancer requires endurance in the former, plenty of movement on the ladder, and everything else that goes with playing the beautiful game. Perhaps Justine will be adaptive to this game thanks to that CV.
❤️ MELVIN "CINCO" HOLLAND, Jr. - Season 3: If you sport a football background, you'll likely be top 5 in Allan Aguirre's his power rankings... it's the case for Danny and it's the same for "Cinco." A former wideout at Minnesota, the 6'5" 205 lb. went undrafted and has spent his post-football career as a personal trainer who loves being fit. No doubt, the one they also call Melvin will have a better shot to land a win than most other love alumni going onto a Challenge.
❤️ SHANNON ST. CLAIR - Season 3: Lastly, there's Shannon from outside Philadelphia... and as she's preparing to go into battle here there's this news that she and her boyfriend, Josh, have just split up after they met last season in paradise. She's been a cheerleader, a hostess, interior designer and a flirt... and is even romantically linked to Barstool's boss man. Shannon also loves to stir up some drama... it's just what we need for a house like this.
Below, the first-look trailer and the first three minutes of this season. Enjoy the fireworks...
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Just ahead, DCBLOG will devote our next four posts to introducing the cast of The Challenge: USA... make that, most of them. We will explain the reasoning behind that when the first part of "Who Are These Challenge USA Newbies?" focuses in on the show with the smallest representation of the four coming to Argentina in the trio of alumni from The Amazing Race, coming up after you all watch the fireworks on this 4th of July Monday night. Rejoin us here...
- I AM DC
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