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BY DC CUEVA
It's been a while since our last blog post back last October... and there's a reason for that: four years ago this past week, my family lost our house patriarch, and things haven't been the same since my late dad left us -- and as this post goes to print, we've just had another member of our extended family leave us as well. It also spurred a gradual transition from a decade of doing content of the written variety to now focusing on the audio/visual side of things with my cameras. But there's always an exception to this enforced DCBLOG sojourn: a budding part-time vlogger taking a break from editing videos of his own to feature the work of a fellow YouTuber who, thanks to our common fandom for MTV's The Challenge, always outdoes himself to nurture a franchise that is his own -- certainly different from my Vegas vlogs.
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| Photos Courtesy IG @DMP.Series |
As those who love competition just enjoyed the World Cup (like this avid all-around sports fan did) and those who love reality television have been engaged in both the U.S. and U.K. versions of Love Island as well as the new season of Big Brother... and in a week from now, we'll have a new place to turn to for Season 42 of The Challenge. But for those anxious for that countdown to begin towards a familiar format returning: while you were busy watching the grandma of America's newest royal couple join a whole bunch of stars in The Traitors estate (and this one was busy watching the Olympics, World Cup and many other sports), a whole different set of competitors took to the outskirts of Pennsylvania for the nineteenth and latest chapter of The Caucus Challenge -- this time with a score to settle.
MEET THE CAST
Over the past decade of Caucus, dozens from both inside the DMP bubble and outside of it from around the world of live reality games have competed here. And while there have been some great champions crowned during this time, so many have felt the stinging feeling of having made a deep run to the very end only to come away empty... and others have made earlier exits. But as Season 19 brings us to the South Central Pennsylvania borough of Jonestown in Lebanon County, the group of familiar faces to both DMP fans and the LRG audience have arrived with a chip on their shoulder to take care of.
VETERANS
• BRADI JADE (TCC: Resurrection): Coming off plastic surgery, this is Bradi's fourth Challenge... and after flying under the radar in her three previous seasons, she has aspirations to emerge into the spotlight, and wreck havoc on the cabin and stir things up as a leading figure this time.
• JERRICA FROST (TCC: Love and War): After losing in the Throne final, Jerrica comes to her fourth Challenge in an unfamiliar spot of playing just for herself. Not having a preseason alliance going in may put her at a disadvantage, and Jerrica feels nervous for the long road back to the final.
• KAMERON SMITH (TCC: Double Trouble): Kam made the Throne final, but didn't come away with the W at season's end. However, Kam comes into his fourth start as not only the lone male vet with finals experience, but playing without his top allies... that means a whole new approach this time around.
• IMERE WILLIAMS (TCC: Leader of the Pack): Imere made his debut in the wintertime, and after a sophomore go on Throne has ascended to vet status in his third Challenge. He's become more social as he comes to the cabin, and he hopes that third time is the charm while also trying to fly under the radar.
• MADISON BROWN (TCC: Double Trouble): Madison comes into this Challenge more fit to handle the game's rigors, but not ready to handle getting to see one of the vets after what happened last time out. But things can get complicated a bit by who she's aligned with... more on that shortly.
• STEVEN LUPO (TCC: Double Trouble): Steven arrives at his third Challenge intent on his first title after having things rough on Leader and Throne. This time, he aims to be social, playing it safe and staying under the radar... but at the same time, he has his ex & her new man in the same cabin.
• ZAE RODRIGUEZ (TCC: Love and War): Bay Area native Zae returns for his fourth Challenge, but while he hopes to make a deep run and also have fun, he arrives with a heavy heart after losing his mom to cancer... and Zae comes here with renewed purpose to compete for family and in her honor.
SOPHOMORES
• EMILY PATTOK (TCC: Heir to the Throne): Emily comes to Season 19 not only to avenge a narrow finals loss, but with more power than it was as a rookie thanks to relationships with many of the players. Emily's not afraid of anyone, of losing or intimidating the rookies, as she looks to take the win this time.
• JHORDEN TENNEYSON (TCC: Heir to the Throne): Jhorden made a huge mark as a rookie as she came oh so close to making the Throne final. As she looks to prove that it was no fluke, Jhorden has confidence that her connections and alliances can help her make it to the start line of the last stage.
• JORDON CAMPBELL (TCC: Heir to the Throne): Jordon made that Throne final, but fell short of cashing in on the $1,400 prize. She comes in as part of an alliance called "The Cooking Cousins," and Jordon and her girls hope to come away with taking that next step to the top.
• KOA KEALOHA (TCC: Leader of the Pack): Koa returns to Caucus after debuting as a rookie in the wintertime Leader of the Pack, and after a season away to try his hand in other LRG shows and got to improve his puzzle and social skills... and he's excited to apply that experience into his second go.
• MATT KULPER (TCC: Heir to the Throne): Matt is back for his second start on Unfinished, where he's had constant thoughts about his exit from Throne. But after that rookie experience, Kulp has learned a bit about how to play this game... and he hopes that the strategy and competition will pay off this time.
• NATE SUBER (TCC: Leader of the Pack): As a Jersey basketball player, Nate is used to the summer heat after making his Caucus debut in the snow. And after exiting early on Leader, for his return Nate plans to start anew with new alliances and strategy going in while awaiting for whatever comes.
• RHEA SZCUROWSKI (TCC: Heir to the Throne): Rhea is back for her second season - this time without boyfriend Jason by her side. But after his win last season, she now has a chance to improve upon her early elimination all by herself... and has worked hard to make sure she doesn't go home again.
• XAVIER "BIG X" ROSADO (TCC: Heir to the Throne): X returns for his second tour of duty after a semifinal defeat in the last pre-final elimination. He comes in with a target after his stellar rookie campaign and breaking hearts along the way, but X hopes to change things around as a second timer.
ROOKIES
• ANDRE MALDONADO (Competitive Events: X): 25-year-old Bronx'er Andre is still an LRG newcomer, but who has the kind of vibrant personality that can light up the house. One thing Andre doesn't want to be: become the one rookie that gets sent to every elimination until he gets the boot.
• ASHLEY HOLMES (Run of the Gauntlet): Ashley is taking a break from mommy duties to compete on Caucus, being asked by her brother to take on this big challenge. And while she doesn't want to pick a fight, she nonetheless gets annoyed by a few here... but being older Ashley could be at a disadvantage.
• BRYCE WILLIAMS (Competitive Events): After meeting Madison while playing an LRG, Chester County native Bryce has made a short hop to his first Challenge.. He plans to play loyal to begin with, but -- with the exception of his ride or die -- Bryce can do a 180 at any time -- especially with her ex.
• JARED ROTH (Competitive Events): Hoboken's Jared competed on Competitive Events prior to his Caucus crossover, and who has his eyes on being the first male rookie winner in eight seasons while also aiming to go big in his first try... all the while maneuvering the tough road that lays ahead.
• LASHAY PORTEE (Outlast S3): 25-year-old Lashay also comes here as a mom and as an alum of LRG show Outlast. She's as strong and loyal as the bond with her young kid... and being aligned to the Cooking Cousins, Lashay eyes the same route as Big Brother's Cookout: winning at the end together.
• MAE MESSERSMITH (Survivor and FOX's 99 to Beat): From nearby York, PA, 32-year-old op technician Mae comes to her first TCC as an alum of a LRG Survivor season... and who's excited for the experience that awaits -- including having to deal with one of the Caucus veterans.
• PARKER BARNETT (VH3: The Mole): From the Dallas Metroplex, 25-year-old Parker comes to Caucus from an LRG version of The Mole. But given his experience of trying to figure out who's who on that reality OG, Parker hopes that he can spread himself wide but not go thin in his DMP debut.
• RACHAEL McKENNA (Survivor): 23-year-old Bostonian Rachael comes to her maiden Caucus Challenge as a loyal player in these LRG's, but afraid that any suspicious actions she does could make her a target. But with nothing to lose as a rookie, Rachael hopes staying loyal will get her far here.
• TIANA QUATTRUCCI (Competitive Events: X): When not playing LRG's and Competitive Events, Tiana is a 6th grade teacher. But when it comes to endurance, she's hardly a rookie thanks to her Spartan Race experience... and she's excited to prove that someone light & tiny can hang with the big & strong.
• TORRE DONNELL PINKINS (Competitive Events: X): Torre is a single veterinarian dad from Rochester, NY, and while he can be hilarious and boisterous especially around baby Pinkins, Torre is one who can sacrifice himself for game's sake but certainly not one who the players can cross.
• XAVIER RODRIGUEZ (TLWL: Orlando): Four years after a wild Central Florida trip, Xavier finally makes his Caucus debut as the lone Dre.Media alum in the Season 19 rookie crop. He plans to turn it up in his first go, but considering his youthfulness he may find that The Challenge is a whole different vibe.
These twenty-six players from coast to coast have arrived in this small town an hour & a half's drive northwest of Philadelphia for the most grueling Caucus Challenge to date. As always, there will old rivalries that will simmer up again, pre-set alliances will be tested, and the players can't really escape the past... and those mistakes that they committed there and in this cabin may haunt the players yet again.
There's high-stakes challenges and eliminations to contest, and a non-stop social strategy that may shift power with one snap of the finger and prove that no one ever feels secure in this environment. But in a game where trust and deception lay at its core, this time the question of who reigns supreme is not only of who can emerge victorious -- but in this theme, it's also of finishing off what they started.
And it's a twelve-part journey where the game's unnerving and taxiing nature could may as well as see a few of those not even make it past first base... and no trip in this game would be complete without a twist being thrown from left field. Below, the entire season unfolds for yourself with Caucus veteran & two-time champ Kevin Del Villar serving as our master of ceremonies.
EPISODE 1
EPISODE 2
EPISODE 3
EPISODE 4
EPISODE 5
EPISODE 6
EPISODE 7
EPISODE 8
EPISODE 9
EPISODE 10
EPISODE 11
EPISODE 12
🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
The DC Social Network -- that is, the name for this blogger's expansive presence across these various platforms -- has broadened its horizons in the past several years as I've made a pivot to video... although not following in the footsteps of Dre and the DMP family into LRG television. But rather, it's not the insane but the sublime instead: the DC Vegas experience has expanded beyond my annual fall trips to Sin City with short-form vlogs that this one gets to record, produce, edit and then post on DC YouTube for all to see. Be sure to watch at YouTube.com/dc408dxtr, with the last videos of the Vegas XIV series to come and new vlog series to debut afterwards... and for you loyal blog visitors, we get to preview the upcoming return of The MTV Challenge coming up next week, along with a look back on the summer that we all fell in love with soccer.
- I AM DC
@dc408dxtr
#DCBLOG
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