DC ExtraTime: ADONIS

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

A mystery that has haunted MTV Reality fans the past six months has been, "Whatever Happened to Edward Williams?" For those who might remember, he was the one who found himself in the middle of a love triangle in the Are You The One? Season 5 house with Kam Williams and Alicia Wright - when the ladder hooked up with him in the overnight dark after he and the former were one of that season's two Truth Booth perfect matches.
   Those who watched the premiere of Season 31 of The Challenge Vendettas on January 2nd last saw him, in a TV sense, running up the hill of the Rock of Gibraltar off the coast of Spain. But after he did make the cutoff for the competitors who survived that overnight test to make it to the house, Eddie was nowhere to be seen after that first episode for reasons that were never revealed on-air.
   And in typical fashion, it took for social media tea to emerge afterwards: the girl who now finds herself in a fight with the girl who's been around his ex on the Ex On The Beach house had a restraining order against the model. And instead of getting perhaps into it with Alicia, Eddie decided it was best to leave the house and not get dragged around.
   Like many cold case stories and high-profile murders such as of who killed Teamsters leader Jimmy Hoffa in the mid-70's, no one seems to exactly know of the whereabouts. But with Alicia has to deal with tomorrow night and after having seen Kam have a solid rookie run on Vendettas, we happened to stumble upon something that will not tell us what has happened since then to Eddie... and it takes place in a much different atmosphere than his two MTV shows.

DC ExtraTime: Real World Meets The King of Crunk

From during The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars - 2017

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

We have featured a lot of well-known people from the entire pop culture spectrum hanging out with Team MTV in our ExtraTime bits, including recently by Tori getting to interview Nelly, Fat Joe, T-Pain and Ja Rule... and another member of hip-hop royalty is this weekend's first subject, and one we featured before when he was part of our look at how some of Team MTV spent Spring Break 2017 earlier this year in South Padre and in Mexico.

Twenty years ago, a man from Atlanta named Jonathan Smith decided that just being a nightclub DJ and working behind the scenes for a local record label wasn't enough, and adopted a stage name in Lil' Jon and formed a troupe called the East Side Boyz. Their first album released in 1997 with two singles that charted on the Billboard Rap/R&B Singles Chart, but it was in 2000 when Jon started his own label, BME Recordings, that saw a breakthrough album (We Still Crunk!) and single in "I Like Those Girls" that those in the South began to take notice.
   A label deal with mid-major TVT followed a year later, and shortly thereafter a collaboration with fellow Atlantans Ying Yang Twins produced the track that made him a mainstream star: "Get Low." That single brought Jon to the Hot 100's top 10, followed by another star collaboration: teaming with Ludacris and Usher on "Lovers & Friends," and the guys collaborated again on Usher's "Yeah!" that brought all three to the masses. Another collabo, "Turn Down For What?!" with DJ Snake, also went top 10 as it became a massive hit as the genre he helped pioneer has become part of the current musical landscape. And E-40, Sean Paul, Ice Cube, LMFAO, Soulja Boy and R. Kelly have also partnered up with him too.

Twitter @Ave_Tress

Lil' Jon's popularity has seen him appear two times on The Celebrity Apprentice which has seen him make the Final Four in both of them, and being given the nickname "Uncle Tom" by the one who is now the President. And it was after the Crunk King got his walking papers just short of the final on The All-Star Celebrity Apprentice in 2013 that Averey Tressler and Johnny Reilly from Real World Portland, both of whom were dating at the time, ran into him at the finale after party along with the likes of Stephen Baldwin, Dennis Rodman, Penn of Penn & Teller, winner Trace Adkins, and the lady who just got fired from the White House, season 1 star Omarosa. Averey tweeted in the Twitter photo caption to the right, "Not gonna lie. I feel f___ing cool!! #liljohn."

Kailah's SnapChat

   And not many hip-hop artists can let it be known that they're hockey fans in a genre where hoops and football are more popular, but Lil' Jon is one of them. He was an avid Atlanta Thrashers fan until their move up north in 2011 as the new Winnipeg Jets, and this season he has pledged his fandom to the NHL's newest franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights. The club instantly became a source of pride and comfort for a community that was still grieving in the wake of the 1 October tragedy by the time the team took to the ice for the first time that month, and the Knights' success at home at T-Mobile Arena has brought the city into the pro sports spotlight for the first time in a grand fashion.
   Jon sported a Golden Knights shirt in the photo to your right, as he's become the latest high-profile celebrity to join that rapidly-growing list of those who are on Team Kailah. More than a week ago, she got the chance to hang out with him, with of course the help of her in-the-know boyfriend Mikey P., at one of the clubs there on the Vegas strip. And when you get to say that you've hung out with the Crunk King, half of the Jersey Shore guys, Kevin Hart and Floyd Mayweather, no doubt that is a very esteemed list.

And below is an Instagram video of Jon on stage at Spring Break 2017, shot by Real World and Challenge original Syrus Yarborough.

#SpringBreak2017 #Cancun #Mexico #LilJon on #Stage killing it at the #Oasis #Crunk #DJ #Rapper #Rap #EDM #SpringBreakAllAccess has #Access to #Events all over the #World #SyLifeStyle #SySavage #SyRoc #SyThePartyGuy #WorkaTion

A post shared by SyrusMTV (@syrusmtv) on Mar 20, 2017 at 1:46pm PDT

- I AM DC
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DC ExtraTime In-Depth: An Epic MTV Super Weekend

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

If you're a sports fan like me whose memories are fresh of events and memories of this recent decade, you no doubt remember that one day where all the planets and stars from all over the sports world aligned and an entire country shut down for the ultimate sports binge-fest: May 2nd, 2015 -- "Super Sports Saturday." That single day featured a Kentucky Derby that eventually produced the first Triple Crown winner since before my sister was born (and the first of two in four years), day 3 of the NFL Draft, a thrilling NBA Playoff Game 7 between the Spurs and Clippers, the Stanley Cup, Yankees vs. Red Sox, and Usain Bolt being beaten by Team USA on his Jamaican home turf at the IAAF World Relays.
   And yes, there was a much ballyhooed boxing match between the top pound-for-pound boxer on earth who later invited a Challenger and her boyfriend to his 40th birthday party and a fighter that, as proud Filipinos, can lay claim to being our own. The fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, of course, for the most part flat out fell on its back... though not only did it give boxing the attention it deserved in a UFC-dominated fight sports landscape, it also gave my family reason to remodel the interior of our house in four days in time to host a house-warming that also doubled as our fight viewing party. But when multiple things happen on the same day, it's one of those days that you never forget.

The weekend of June 1st-3rd, 2018 came the MTV Reality equivalent of "Super Sports Saturday" - something that saw several things happen to those who involved in this special family known as Team MTV. This time, the attention wasn't on just two events as it was on May 2nd, but on several events over those three days that somehow weaved together to create a memorable weekend for those who are part of this exclusive club of being a member of this family, but one which reaffirms how unique and special being on this team is.

   There was also the lingering buzz of Angelina Pivarnick's jaw-dropping surprise visit to the Family Vacation of a Jersey Shore cast who once bullied her. Plus, there was the controversy surrounding a member of the Ex On The Beach cast and one who shared a house with her a year ago, where racial tweets from years earlier were uncovered by one of their vendettas on an online after show - and led one of them to deactivate their Twitter. But the focus of this portrait is on those who have a lot on their resume: over 20 Challenge titles, several babies, and lots of memories and laughs.
   For a franchise that's revered to 25 years' worth of fans, a group of newcomers to of this community who know how to party hard, and a perfect match who added to their status as the ultimate example of Relationship Goals, these 72 hours served as the perfect storm. And this is the story of An Epic MTV Super Weekend.

DC SocialPulse: Ex On The Beach USA - "You Can't Handle the Truth"

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

As those of you out East get set to call it a night and those out West prep to watch Tiffany Haddish host the MTV Movie & TV Awards, welcome back to DCBLOG's look Inside MTV Reality. And after making you wait one extra day, we have a treat for you this Monday night: the Pulse of Week 9 of Ex On The Beach USA - and even more crazy drama in Hawaii.
   Previously, this wild season rolled along when Jasmine was sent down to the Shack of Secrets not to face the music, but was given a temptation of bringing in newbie Charles upstairs, and in turn sent Louis home, all as we also saw new ex Marco enter the villa. But the drama centered around Alicia and Cory (and perhaps with even more on his plate to come thanks to what broke over the weekend), which also saw Angela and Shanley get into words too.
   But all of that is minuscule compared to what goes down next: a new ex arrives to the house -- someone who again is familiar to us Trifecta fans -- and who also gets a dose of surprise news. Meanwhile, the unfortunate issue of body shaming that's been in the news a lot in the past year makes its way to Hawaii, which in turn triggers an explosive fight. And the relationship of that baby daddy and the one he's been seeing in this house gets sent to the breaking point when lingering feelings for his ex begin to emerge.

All the action, reaction and interaction to this crazy episode is ahead here, and afterwards we'll share with you the latest instance of a member of Team MTV deciding to get back at the rest of their cast by impersonating them on YouTube. All of that is ahead... and thanks for taking time out of your Monday to check us out.

DC SocialPulse: The Challenge Champs vs. Stars - The Semfinal

*** Advisory: DC SocialPulse contains adult language, objectionable content & spoilers for some readers. Viewer Discretion is Advised. Due to its long length, take frequent eye breaks if you're reading this top to bottom. ***

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Happy Father's Day to you and yours from DCBLOG and from this blogger and my dad. And tonight, we have a special treat for you this Sunday: two SocialPulse diaries to cover two eventful episodes in MTV Reality - starting with The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars.
   Last week saw arguably this season's strongest players, Louise & Casper, get sent into elimination to face off against the weakest players left, Jozea & Selita, and despite them giving their very best effort the Olympian and the dancer as expected took out the win and vaulted to the top of the money table. They were also part of some good old controversy when her foot moved when it wasn't supposed to be in a Twister-like endurance challenge which caught the ire of one Shane, as three teams were sent packing by night's end in this season's Purge.
   This week, it's the last challenge before the final - and in a preview of what the players should expect in a few days, it's multiple parts: on the beach, speed, solving puzzles, and pop culture all mixed in to dare the pairs who are left to have it all together. Those who finish first not only get dibs on who to put into the last elimination, but also claim their spot in the final, claim $3,000 for charity and receive a all-expense-paid trip. And if one of the dads left in this race has his way, he might have something up his sleeve.

We'll have all the action, reaction and interaction of semifinal week of Champs vs. Stars ahead, along with paying ode to the late great Diem Brown. And afterwards, we'll step into the Strategy Room to analyze this game before it reaches its climax, and on ExtraTime we'll tell you which star from many years ago is on the side of one of the competitors making his way to Final Reckoning.
   It's all ahead on the Pulse of The Challenge... it's good to have you with us.

DC ExtraTime: Team MTV Meets A Teen Mom

From The Challenge: Champs vs. Pros Week 4

Because of the sensitive nature of the subject, 

comments have been turned off in this post.

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Tomorrow, Thursday June 8th, sees yours truly head down to Southern California for the first time in over a decade, and the first time in exactly 20 years that I stepped foot inside Disneyland. The reason for this is that my niece is celebrating her 9th birthday this weekend, and she and us will mark it in a grand way inside the Magic Kingdom. That leads us to this piece of ExtraTime in having a birthday party… but for this one, it isn't exactly Disney-level family appropriate, shall we say.
   After posting our WRAP on Monday, if you got to see this site and our DC@TUMBLR page, you might've seen a repost from two years ago where we looked at the brief relationship between Kiki from Are You The One? Season 3 and Ryan Edwards, ex-husband of Teen Mom original girl, and a friend of the Trifecta, Maci Bookout. We reposted it in light of news the past week of Ryan admitting himself into rehab amid speculation of him encountering drug use, continuing a wave of bad luck for those in a franchise that began eight years ago this summer when the girls were 16 & Pregnant.

Another one who has had her moments since that summer of 2009 is this week's ExtraTime subject. The world first got to meet Farrah Abraham on season 1 of 16 & Pregnant as that girl from Omaha who, like fellow MTV alum and Nebraskan Laura of Real World St. Thomas, was a high school cheerleader. But she became pregnant by the time the summer of 2008 had arrived and had awaited all nine months for her baby to come, but tragedy struck just before the big day: her boyfriend of two years, Derek Underwood, was the victim of a fatal car accident over the holidays. And while she marked the birth of daughter Sophia two months later, there was no doubt an emptiness that Derek was not there in person to witness this ultimate life-changer… something that still haunts her to this day.
   On Teen Mom and its current OG iteration, viewers have seen Farrah's evolution: her having breast augmentation surgery, going down to South Florida for college, and parents Debra & Michael getting a divorce after Farrah had an argument with her mom which turned violent. When the show went on hiatus in summer 2012, Farrah released a music album and a memoir entered My Teenage Dream Ended, found herself behind bars for a DUI violation, and did both a season of VH1's Couples Therapy and made headlines in a memorable stint in the UK Celebrity Big Brother house. Then, just as it was with Dustin on Real World Back to Vegas, rumors spread of her being part of an adult sex tape which made her a millionaire but after getting drugged and raped came back to bite her in being affiliated with this pleasure industry. No wonder why there remains a solid hatred for her among fans and even among her co-stars in the Teen Mom family.

As rumors of drama with her mom and her on & off boyfriend Simon swirl (and her dating an AYTO alum which we will look at this summer), plus her on WE TV's Family Boot Camp also, this past weekend Farrah was in New York for her 26th birthday as well as shooting an Teen Mom reunion. And fitting enough for someone deemed the queen of this show whether people like it or not, Farrah celebrated her birthday in grand style in clubs in the Big Apple.

   Along with daughter Sophia, the guest list for the festivities included some from all three shows of the MTV Trifecta. Representing The Challenge was the 3rd place finisher on Invasion Nicole, while holding up her end for Real World was newly-single Jennifer from the Bad Blood season. But the largest representation came from Are You The One?: there's the original - Brittany from Season 1, the newbie and someone who knows what it's like to be the least liked person on her cast - Alicia from Season 5, and the perfect match - Giovanni & Francesca from Season 4 and AYTO Second Chances, and one of those involved in steals down in Australia. The picture of them is located above.

- I AM DC
#DCBLOG

DC SocialPulse Extra: Twitter Drama and More In Between

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

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

Hello, and welcome to the weekend and to this week's trip Inside MTV Reality. Ahead, the craziest episode of the entire spring Trifecta cycle, as well as the always-crucial last challenge before the final on The Challenge. But first: this Pulse Extra, where a member of the Ex On The Beach cast who's headed straight for The Challenge as soon as this season ends finds himself in the crossfire of all of THAT social media drama. Indulge yourself in all of the interaction in between last week's and this week's episodes below, all ahead of our regular Pulse posts beginning later tonight.

Strategy Room: The Challenge Champs vs. Stars - The Final Four

BY DC CUEVA                     

■ @DC408Dxtr  @ TW / IG / YT

This week, it's the semifinal round of The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars III, and in many ways this is the field we wanted to contest the last challenge before the final dash for the cash. We have a perfect and worthy field of those who have made it this far just this close to the final, and the $150,000 that awaits one of the four teams who have made it to this penultimate week.
   We have a defending champion looking to win a third final in 13 months, an alum of the Champs vs. Pros cast looking to notch that elusive victory to add to two titles and his elimination king status, a man who's emerged from almost nowhere the past year to have his shining moment, and a Pro turned Star who's been the standout of this season and who teamed with a cocky Star who's shown that there's more to him than being a famous Ex. We can't forget the resident heartthrob of the bunch is still in the running, his partner who's eager to try to crash the bash, and NBA player who's kept calm but is aiming for his chance at glory.
   As we head into this ninth week, we have sure seen a lot take place on this Challenge that would've qualified to be an actual regular season than a spinoff. But the field who has made it to this point is a good one that might not have the packed finals field of Dirty 30 or Champs vs. Pros, but with three of them having made good runs to here and a fourth that is still lucky to still be here, whoever emerges out of this field and into the final three will make the final much more competitive than back in January. And perhaps, we could say that this season's final could be anyone's game.

● LOUISE & CASPER: Whenever a player or a team gets hot on The Challenge this late in the game, historically this can be the formula for them entering the winner's circle... that's exactly what Louise & Casper have achieved in winning the most recent elimination that they were expected to win - which didn't come easy against Jozea & Selita, and the ensuing challenge/Purge that came after. Louise has played a brilliant game up to now that the only opponent she has to overcome is of one who we thought would be paired up with in Wes but now has compete against him for the cash. You may like or hate Mr. Smart, but you sure have to give him credit for playing a great game, winning 2 arenas, the first challenge after the re-pairing and was MVP. Now, they should be in the driver's seat.

● CT & TONY: Going into last week, this is the team who we thought would have the edge in this last phase of the season. CT & Tony dodged safety to head into this penultimate week, including him having to get through that smell in vertical Twister. CT came here as defending champion and as part of last season's winning Champs team and has all this finals experience, and we all know Tony has turned the corner in the past year becoming a force with a nickname you may or may not like but plenty to back up #TonyTime. The challenge that's up in this week's show features something Team Dad Bod has excelled at: "speed, solving puzzles, and a bit of pop culture"... this is right up both of these dads' alley and if they win, they should be the finals favorites.

● WES & DANIEL: As we wrote on Memorial Day, if there is someone who is hungry for a title then it is Wes -- the only guy of the original Champs vs. Pros men's field who hasn't won either the spinoff as Bananas, CT and Darrell have or a regular Challenge like Jordan on Dirty 30. Booby, as we also wrote in our last Strategy Room, has more athleticism to him to complement the Manipulator's politics, and they've touted their status as "Team Good Guys." They were the ones who played it safe last week in sending in Selita & Jozea, and if they win this week to claim the automatic berth, watch for what they might do in sending in a strong pair as what happened last week, or save that for next week where it all matters.

● KAILAH & DRAKE: If you are one of those who had Kailah & Drake be that team who were saved in the Purge over Tori & Lil Mama and Brooke & Shane, you must be lucky. Of course, what happened on Vendettas is still fresh to Kailah, and she was likely the one who came here with lots to prove despite a finals trip back in April - she proved that winning an elimination here. Aside from MVP honors in the last week of Red vs. Blue, we haven't heard much from Drake outside of the Champ girls obsessing over him... but Allan Aguirre on Medium touted the same qualities other Challengers have that would make him an ideal fit -- that will test him here. In our rankings below, they are in last place and likely to get cut... but as we say, anything's possible.


With all that in mind, here's the Power Rankings... come here next week for our predictions of who will win it all.

 POWER RANKINGS 

THE SEMIFINAL

1. LOUISE & CASPER

2. CT & TONY

3. WES & BOOBY

4. DRAKE & KAILAH

- I AM DC
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