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Back in May, we focused in on the only time that Challenge Nation made an appearance on one of MTV's biggest hits of the 2000's. It was in 2003 in the midst of the single most scandalicious season ever of The Real World that Trishelle Cannatella of the original Las Vegas season was invited to come to a meeting at MTV's west coast offices only to be stopped at the gate by security guards and was stuck behind a metal detector. It's only when Ashton Kutcher came by as did her castmate (and fellow occupant of the 28th floor Palms hot tub) Steven Hill that she got Punk'd.
Her being part of that memorable first season of the prank series that escalated the stock of the former That 70's Show star to all-time highs came during in the midst of the season that changed it all for the show that taught everyone in the entire industry how to do reality television. Sex, drama and everything wild from the capital of adult freedom saw this MTV original truly come of age as reality television as the channel saw it before it came to Sin City was never the same again. Thanks to what went down in Vegas, Trishelle started to show up on many other TV shows afterwards from Celebrity Fear Factor with a well-known Real World alum to hanging out with Steve-O and George Takei.
And now, you can add another show to that list, and thus the many shows that various MTV Reality alumni of young and old have appeared on. And it just so happens to be in the now ubiquitous world of romantic reality television, and one of the biggest hits in this sub-genre.
With The Challenge: Total Madness now in the books, now begins the speculation of what next season for the show might be. It's still a long way off of who might be given the call to go into what will sure be the strangest season ever for the show as it now tackles a boat load of things that we really don't even want to elaborate on right now. Whatever the case, it has to follow what might not be the best season ever after tonight's back-half of the reunion, but one that has kept those hungry for some competitive action entertained during this COVID-cased quarantine lockdown.
It was a year ago at this time that we were in the midst of the summer offseason in between the two War of the Worlds seasons, and during the summer of 2019 Facebook's revival of The Real World brought three seasons in Atlanta, Thailand and Mexico City to social media. But from the MTV front - and aside from Big Brother 21, love was in the air in the revolutionary all-LGBT themed Season 8 of Are You The One? and Season 3 of the U.S version of Ex On The Beach. Once again, familiar MTV faces from fairly recently in alumni from AYTO, The Challenge and Real World to one of the biggest in Making the Band's Aubrey O'Day were part of the drama as were #Marlena of BB19.
However, when it came to those figures who made connections among everyone in last year's EOTB house, the one romantic ecosystem that stole much of the buzz surrounded that of Cameron Armstrong, who three years ago competed on the musical competition series Boy Band and then returned to the ABC network in a small role of a nurse on the cop drama The Rookie. He found himself in a love triangle with two exes - one of which was still living with him in Ariana Nova, and another who she crashed his getaway date with singer Alexis McNeal. And he had to face the music with both of his exes when the threesome were summoned into the Shack of Secrets, and where awaiting them was a day in The Exes Court with Judge Devin Walker, and where another ex, Jocelyn, came walking in as a witness.
We might not know at this early stage what the theme for Season 36 of The Challenge might be, but if there is a season that might involve lovers that might come down the road, then shockingly two of the three figures might figure into the mix of who might be casted. That belongs to those former exes who still have feelings for each other if it just on a amicable level than most other pairs of EOTB exes, and it's all because of their own homemade challenge series fittingly called, ExGames.
When MTV's The Challenge: Total Madness began on April Fool's Day night, it was in the midst of something not seen by our generation: a pandemic shutting down just about everything we had in our plans for the start of this decade of the 2020's. Concerts, weddings, graduations, trips, major events and just about everything else that was scheduled to take place this year have either been called off or pushed back by the COVID crisis, something that, unfortunately, is starting to pop up once again, as America is also facing the racial tensions spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement.
Something that's been affected deeply by COVID has been of the sports world being put on hold everywhere from America to Europe to down under in Australia. A boatload of major events were nixed for the first time since World War II, and one event that was supposed to be going on right now, the Tokyo Olympics, have been postponed to next summer. And it's only now that sports is getting back to normal: UFC, NASCAR, soccer and golf started things out, and by this weekend three of the four major sports will be in action, with the fourth in the NFL to follow shortly after.
Of all that's happened at the intersection of sport and COVID, it can point to that March night in Salt Lake City where a player from the Utah Jazz was hospitalized before a game that ultimately was abandoned, sparking an unprecedented domino effect. It has been a key moment in what has been a rough season in the National Basketball Association, including the passing of a former lawyer who helped turn the league into a global powerhouse in former commissioner David Stern. And his successor, Adam Silver, has faced the tough task of restarting things, like all other sports, although he may an upper hand thanks to placing everyone inside the bubble of Walt Disney World.
But the passing of Commissioner Stern pales in comparison to what has to be one of those days that's burned in the memory bank of every sports fan the world over of that gloomy last Sunday in January, where the tragic death of one of the most iconic athletes of our time united this divided world. The untimely passing of Kobe Bryant has overshadowed everything else, other than the virus, of the NBA season... but thanks to two weeks of training camp and scrimmages at Mickey Mouse's house, things are finally set to get back in motion this week with all eyes set on crowning a champion.
And while NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has been able to spend this lockdown watching The Challenge & other MTV Reality matters without missing a minute on the court for the Bucks, there's one other important link between the Association and the fifth major pro sport. And as hoops fans everywhere prepare for the NBA restart this Thursday night, you can thank a guy who's a basketball enthusiast through & through and his Big Brother wife to help us introduce you to one of sports' most powerful women: the Boss Lady of the Los Angeles Lakers.
*** 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 welcome along... if you can imagine a time where you can unwind and not have to worry a single thing in the whole world right now, then it's likely that you are thinking about a trip to Las Vegas. Not all of you might share this same sentiment at this time, but thanks to a Thursday night date with Jersey Shore's two resident bachelors you have reason to head out to Sin City thanks to them having A Double Shot at Love, as Season 2 of their quest for love rages on in the desert.
Last week saw Antonio finally have reason to call his girlfriend back home that he has been cheating on, and he kept things mum on what has been going on in Vegas, staying true to the mantra that what happens in Sin City should stay there -- obviously, it's not the case when MTV is there. And we had yet another hookup to join that list of those who have coupled up, as Nicky and Suzi became the third pair of newbies to get it on. But the season as a lot of you are concerned kicked off in full swing with the arrival of Mike the Situation & his wife Lauren to join Pauly D. and Vinny for a special weekend.
Back earlier this year and once upon a time, the Southerners of Floribama Shore had their own party of the decade when the king of Puke & Rally, Codi, invited the crew and their parents for the ultimate house party. Now comes the sequel, and this time we're headed to the pool as Pauly hosts a pool day in his honor at Drai's, and when it's a party Jersey Style, you can be sure that this is THE happening in town. And after the jump, DCBLOG cordially invites you to the summer's biggest bash, as A Double Shot at Love hosts The Most Epic Pool Party Ever!
*** Advisory: #DCSocialPulse contains adult language & objectionable content. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its length, take frequent eye breaks if you're viewing this top to bottom. ***
Welcome back everyone... this has been quite a week in the world of sports: Thursday night marked Opening Day in Major League Baseball as it begins its 60-game sprint to the pennant, while Walt Disney World is playing host to the knockout rounds of Major League Soccer's summer tournament AND restart scrimmages for the NBA. Plus, the NFL made it official in granting approval for its 2020 season on time, while the NHL also prepares to restart as well - and there's also UFC, golf, NASCAR and a lot more - and we're one year out from the opening of the Tokyo Olympics.
All of these items are now taking shape here on this last weekend of July and they are awakening from a spring and summer's slumber, which has allowed the fifth major pro sport of MTV's The Challenge to take center stage with Season 35 of Total Madness. And last week saw a wintertime marathon to the finish line for the final nine competitors, who had to maneuver their way through the snow, the mountains, cold temperatures and each other to get to the end of a season that's seen this show become the center of the sports world.
At the end of all that, Britain's Jenny West outlasted everyone to get to the finish line first and keep a slice of The Challenge crown in UK control and score £390,000. But on this side of the Atlantic, it's Johnny Bananas that has all the attention as he returns to the winners circle with his unprecedented seventh Challenge title - his first since that memorable steal of Sarah's money on Rivals III. There's not controversy this time around, as everyone got to congratulate him and Jenny on conquering the summit to take Total Madness, and for a moment all feels right in our world.
And all that's left is for them and most of the cast to join former NFL player Vernon Davis to discuss all that's gone down during the season -- but like everything else that's happened this year, this Challenge reunion is taking place not in a studio, but in the comfort of their own homes and with Zoom software in tow. We'll bring you that coming up, plus we'll look ahead to what should your ideal postseason fix of The Challenge, thanks to one of its biggest fans. Thanks for joining us...
Well, welcome on in to this last weekend of July and as the dog days of summer roll along, we bring you into a week Inside MTV Reality where, for the first time since March, it's something other than The Challenge that headlines the week's episode coverage, for that the party of the summer takes top billing. We'll have those two items covered soon enough, but we begin with summer in Siesta Key.
Last week saw Chloe again do what she does best: spread gossip... but it's when she flubs a rumor concerning Alyssa & her man that saw her get into hot water with Madisson that forces the ladder to move out. We also had more ex drama when an ex of Kelsey's from earlier this year return to town when Robby's fellow Rebella co-worker Jake flew back to Florida - which comes at the wrong time with her & Garrett being an item again. And Juliette got to coordinate a local fashion show that, just as it was on The Hills, saw a model fall down - luckily that wasn't aired on live network television.
If you are one of those who would want to fast forward through this lost summer and into THE time of year when it comes to celebrating, you've come to the right spot. But don't let the Key crew smiling above fool you -- this is not your ordinary fall gathering of family and friends with food around the table... you'll find out why after the jump as we wrap an awkward Thanksgiving night and Friendsgiving dinner by the beach. Welcome to paradise...
As this lost summer of sorts rages on, yesterday saw our lives feel full once again thanks to the 10th anniversary of the forming of One Direction, followed by Taylor Swift releasing a new surprise album. And it's with those two items in mind that we have two musical stories for the price of one to start off your summer's weekend...
Last Friday, global pop star Chris Brown dropped a new music video that saw him do something that's inconceivable in our new reality, but something we're sure we're gonna do once we finally socially distance ourselves from COVID: throw a house party. Those who also follow our primary beat of MTV Reality shows may have spotted a familiar face asking Chris and Young Thug to join her on her next journey: Nurys Mateo of Are You The One? and Ex On The Beach. But as it turns out, she isn't the only alum of the Season 6 cast to make waves this summer (new dad Malcolm and dad-to-be Anthony included).
In the final two weeks that determined the group's fate, one of the key turning points that kick-started their historic comeback from being down to one light in two weeks to lighting all eleven at season's end to fly out of New Orleans $1 million richer was what happened in their ninth week. After sitting together for most of those excruciating eight weeks as everyone was focused on various romances in that house, Bostonian Nicole Spiller and Los Angeles basketballer Tyler Colon were sent into the Truth Booth, and they emerged as what turned out to be the season's only Perfect Match.
But perhaps, Ty saved his biggest moments of his AYTO experience for when he got to take out of his suitcase a ukulele to join the Oakland rapper who always wears that baseball cap (and who once got to meet up with a guy named Stephen Curry), Ethan Cohen aka "Emoney," to perform some music. They first collaborated on a song that they fittingly called "The Perfect Match Song" which they then performed at the end of the end-of-season reunion, followed by recording some songs together including "Happy Place."
Hey there, welcome back... if your heart feels like it and can brave doing whatever you can to stay safe in this new world, browse over all those travel deals floating around the web right now. It's likely you'll find plenty of bargains for flights and hotel rooms for a place where, this hot summer's day, the mercury is exceeding 100 degrees if you dare to walk a portion of its main street. Of course, we're talking about Las Vegas, and that's where Season 2 of A Double Shot at Love rages on from that famed stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard known as the Strip.
The hot button topic on everyone's mind within the confines of the penthouse at The LINQ has been of Antonio's girlfriend, and last week the girls of the house paid a call to Nicole back home in Staten Island, which eventually caught his attention and led to the summer's first blow-up. But as part of an effort to cheer everyone up, Pauly & Vinny got to do what everybody who's in a down mood does whenever they're in Sin City: go to a Strip Club... and not only did Derynn meet up again with that stripper, Pauly & Nikki got much-needed face time in the midst of all that fun in the brothel.
Now, things are about to get a bit more interesting: enter the only man of the entire group who has a wedding ring on his fingers. The Situation & his bride arrive in town, and much more... coming up.
