DC ExtraTime Funny File: Love in The Midst of Madness

BY DC CUEVA                      

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Ordinarily, we at DCBLOG tend to be a place of escapism, much like the reality shows that you enjoy and we cover here. But this feeling of wanting to take a break for this has been more needed for those of you to take your minds of what has been a chaotic month of March which fortunately ends tomorrow. Of course, this has been dominated by one word and classification: the coronavirus and COVID-19. This story is just a small exception in add a lighthearted way to the madness going on.

There is no doubt that all of us have now taken our health very seriously in the past few weeks since the startling announcement of the coronavirus becoming a pandemic, placing everything from what the President does to organizers of events planned for this middle part of 2020 in a microscope. It has turned your local grocer into scenes straight out of Black Friday mall madness as those across the country have binge-shopped before being told to stay in, as we all are right now with seemingly no end in sight. Yesterday, the lockdown order was just extended for the next month, while the stock market is on the verge of a deeper recession that that of 2008, as unemployment claims are jumping and businesses are trying to survive.

All of us being in quarantine has seen the term "social distancing" become a buzzword this month -- even this blogger did his best to do that when I walked to the bank near my house earlier today for my first outdoor activities in almost three weeks. But, it has also seen at-home activities become an everyday part of this new life we're in as we're all trapped with family, friends, loved ones and the kids. That also includes more of us using the internet to do whatever we want, and where TikTok has seen everyone from those who we follow around the MTV world here to even my niece doing dances... as well as another staple of late night in this universe: live Instagram sessions where tea is usually spilled after an episode airs.

Being in love while also being at home is something couples are used to in living together, eating together and sleeping together... but this also means that as lockdown orders are in place in cities across America it also means that dates can't take place at a fancy restaurant, among other things that are commonplace on a weekend or after work. And that has seen those who are married or who are together romantically look to other things to keep themselves cuddled up during "cuffing season."

Pic: DWECK on YouTube

Back before Ex On The Beach's winter season in early December, we spotlighted an alum of MTV's fellow romantic reality series, Kathryn Palmer of Are You The One Season 5, as she had to deal with having her Facebook account get suspended and had to travel back in time to the '50s to get help. That sketch is part of DWECK, a YouTube comedy channel that aims to take a different approach to mixing humor with the current events of the moment, compared to its late night counterparts.

As production of late night talk shows such as Stephen Colbert's Late Show has been scaled back to mixing reruns with fresh at-home content with its hosts, the outlets for original comedy in this tough time have been limited. But the DWECK channel, led by its lead actor Victor Dweck, has been able to find a way to strike the right mix to wanting to make us laugh when there's not much out there as everything has been on hold... its latest sketch does exactly that.

Here, Kathryn and Victor are enjoying a date in the comforts of their own apartment instead of being out and about. And they find that it is a bit different than what they are used to with them wearing masks and using hand sanitizers. Below, find out how they handle all this in a video that a YouTube user wrote in the comments below, "This sketch jumps all over the place. You never know what is going to be the next punch line. Just as ridiculous as hoarding toilet paper or buying 17,700 bottles of hand sanitizer. Thank you for keeping up with the content in these troublesome times, it is nice to see something funny when you are in lockdown!"

- I AM DC
#DCBLOG

DC ExtraTime: Real World/The Challenge Meets The Rookie

BY DC CUEVA                      

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

On last summer's third installment of Ex On The Beach, for us MTV fans most of our attention was on a slew of alumni from The Challenge, Real World and Are You The One (the "Trifecta" as we call it here), as well as the #Melena showmance from Big Brother and the queen of Making The Band, Aubrey O'Day. But much of the focus in that Malibu mansion was on someone else.

The cast of The Rookie. (Credit: ABC)

Multi-talented entertainer Cameron Armstrong, who first made waves on the 2017 music competition series Boy Band, found himself juggling exes Alexis and Ariana, and his complicated relationships with the both of them was a talking point in last year's summer of love. When he was the first one eliminated on the show that eventually produced the group In Real Life (who have since disbanded as its members are now pursuing solo careers), Cameron turned his attention to acting. And on the same network that aired his debut on national television, he played a small role of a nurse at a local hospital on the ABC police drama The Rookie, which centers around 45-year-old John Nolan (played by Nathan Fillion) in his first year serving in a cop in the Los Angeles Police Department, a far cry from being a former contractor in Pennsylvania.

In its second season and accompanying the very first timeslot occupied by Grey's Anatomy (10PM on Sunday nights on ABC), The Rookie has had some notable guest stars, including Shark Tank master Mark Cuban, Ali Larter, members of the L.A. Rams, Seth Green and Jeremy Davies. And earlier this month, Wild N' Out & Guy Code alum and Ariana Grande's ex Pete Davidson played the role of Nathan's half-brother who he met after the death of their dad, just after the release of his first comedy special for Netflix and the movie Big Time Adolescence on Hulu.

Someone else who's familiar to at least some in the MTV community has also made an appearance on Season 2 of The Rookie, and for this one you have to go all the way back a decade to find someone who almost pulled out one of the most impossible feats you can ever possibly do on The Challenge, as we await the new season of Total Madness to take shape in five days from now.

Inside MTV Reality: Welcome to The Challenge - Total Madness

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Hey folks, we welcome you and thanks so much for joining us... without making any mention of all that's gone on, we know these first three months of 2020 have been a tough and extraordinary time in so many ways. However, something that makes the hobby and pleasure of watching television so enjoyable for you, me & all of us is that, for any length or period of time, you have reason to escape the worries of the world outside your window for something that pleases you. This has never been more prevalent than in these uncertain times we are in at this moment as we're all are spending time being stuck at home with our families, friends and loved ones right now, and an aspect of our society that best fits this feeling of escapism is reality television.
   The past several months in MTV's portion of a genre it's pioneered has seen the Sunshine State of Florida take center stage with Seasons 3 of both Floribama Shore and Siesta Key sharing top billing. The former brought us a broken bromance, a familiar friend joining the crew, and lots of fun in the sun; the ladder saw the showmance of Juliette Porter & Bachelor Robby Hayes and plenty of red-hot drama. And Ex On The Beach on this side of the Atlantic gave us a franchise first: British lovebirds Georgia Steel & Callum Izzard becoming the first ever couple to get engaged; while Celeb Ex has been delighting U.K. fans with Challenger & Rebel Wilson's new BFF, Georgia Harrison, and VH1 diva Tiffany "New York" Pollard among the seasiders.
   And while some of you are enjoying the Thursday night company of a newly-released Mike The Situation and his Jersey Shore friends as well as some newbies over in the Lou and soon & again over in Staten Island, for many of us 2020 in MTV Reality will begin for real on Wednesday, April 1st. It's not just the start of a month that we hope will bring health & happiness to all of us -- along with it being 4/20 month on top of that, but for that a new season of what's called the fifth major pro sport will commence exactly one week from tonight.

There, The Challenge will kick off its 35th season as the first of its kind reality competition series will again take over the attention of its fans with what should be a compelling and captivating season of action and drama that will glue you in the minute it begins. And with most everything in the athletic world at home here in America and overseas in an unprecedented standstill because of the panic that's going on - including yesterday's postponement of this summer's Tokyo Olympics among other things, for the first time ever this show will take on the daunting and tall task of being the only game in town in this country when his trademark air horn to start off the first competition of the new campaign is given by its now 25-season host, former BMX rider T.J. Lavin.
   Last year, The Challenge finally put to rest a much maligned trilogy and got a fresh new start as it welcomed entrants from around the wide world of reality television from both the U.S. and across the globe. War of the Worlds I and II helped to reinvigorate this franchise as two veterans added to their trophy case with their third titles, and a Turkish rookie & two second-year competitors with English accents joined them atop the victory podium as they relished in $2 million in prize money. We also had a franchise power couple getting engaged on the elimination floor among other things in the past year, enough for the NBA's reigning MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, to take notice of his favorite guilty pleasure as he awaits the resumption of action on the hardwood.
   This time, it's Total Madness: a season described as "The Most Dangerous Challenge Ever," and with good measure as this season will unleash mental warfare like never before. For the fifth time in the last four years, this Challenge will be every one for themselves as each man & woman will compete solo, rather than with a partner or a team. Among this class are seven past champions, seven fresh rookies, and many other candidates worthy of that first crown... including a daddy who, this spring, will be a star on not just this show, but also on MTV's most tabloid-worthy series as he awaits baby #2. This is also the first Challenge season to take place under the new ViacomCBS, and CBS reality alumni will be well-represented here, two decades after the debuts of two of its biggest shows.
   They've all gathered in a fitting host city of Prague in the Czech Republic, where the last time this Eastern European capital played host ten years ago, Cutthroat was the venue for the most memorable Challenge moment ever: this series' winningest player getting manhandled by the show's resident beast on his back. On the radar for those two men and the rest of the competitors: some of the most-insane challenges ever devised, plus the pitfalls and twists that will serve as the roadblocks en route to $1 million at season's conclusion.

Total Madness will be more than just the main attraction for many of us MTV fans -- it's also one of a handful of things fresh & competitive that will be on TV this spring. And we at DCBLOG will be your tour guide to the madness from when it premieres to start April off, right on through to the final come summertime. And ahead in this season preview, we'll have a look at what awaits us behind the former Iron Curtain, give our look & guesses at the format, and of course we'll meet the challengers. This is the first half of our first look: our traditional introduction to the rookies of this Challenge will follow later on, as they look to emulate what Turbo did and win first time out.

​   So, come on inside, welcome and get comfortable... And if you're new to this, hop aboard too. Our first look at The Challenge: Total Madness awaits after the jump. We're so glad you're here.

Inside MTV Reality: The Masters Speak

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

As we at DCBLOG prepare to embark on what's now our eighth year of covering what is without a doubt the most talked about programming in one whole genre, there is a certain reason why the exceptional coverage of MTV Reality has evolved quite a bit on here. This site began in the summer of 2013, where our first MTV-related posts were on just The Real World and The Challenge. Sure, the ladder is the one constant throughout all of this, and we're looking forward to covering it extensively when we shortly begin covering the new season, Total Madness.
   But the relationship I have had with MTV that stretches back to my childhood and then wall-to-wall in my adulthood goes beyond just watching Challenges and Real World, which brought me into this world into the first place starting with Hawaii over two decades ago. I am one who has an affection for just about any show that airs on the channel during this time, and it's with that in mind that I've been able to expand this site's coverage from covering just those two shows in that first summer of 2013, to now watching and covering the entire spectrum: dating shows, global franchises, tabloid-friendly series, and other things on the side. There's six major series I'm covering now with traditional recaps, the episodes as seen from the social verse, and the hundreds of stories we've told through ExtraTime.
   Since the story of this journey began twenty-seven years ago in a posh apartment in New York City, MTV's focus has shifted from wall-to-wall music videos to helping to showcase a genre it pioneered to provide it with some much-needed original programming, but has wrote the playbook on reality television that others go by to this day. It has given us so many memorable moments, unforgettable people, series that have become cultural landmarks and so much more across the entire spectrum of youth, that everyone in the industry can say thanks to giving MTV more definitions than music TV.

If you happen to work on a reality series, then you have one of the best jobs out there of helping to make the magic happen. Whether it's working behind the cameras shooting and editing this content, or just having a hand in contributing music or time to build the sets, they're just as important to any show as those who are the real stars: the cast members and talent on camera. But nothing is as vital behind the scenes than those in the higher hierarchy who coordinates these shows for the production companies that produce these shows and then presents them on our screens.
   In the summer of 2017, four of the reality TV industry's top power players and masters of this genre gathered in one of America's most vibrant cities to discuss the evolution and history of MTV Reality. The combined experience of the panel gathered on that stage comprise some of the most-successful programming in the genre, just before the start of the channel's resurgence that summer. And with the next chapter about to begin in a couple weeks of a new Challenge, it's worth a trip to take a look at where we've been before we take the next step...

Inside MTV Reality: The Siesta Key WRAP - The Season 3 Winter Finale Pt. 2

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

Welcome back... four long months ago, MTV Reality's Florida Season began in November with the third seasons of two shows that call Tom Brady's newest playground home of the Tampa Bay Area sharing this winter stage, just as they did attending last year's Video Music Awards together. First, the crazy kids of Floribama Shore moved their fun and antics to St. Pete Beach outside St. Petersburg, and then over a month later Siesta Key kicked off a summer full of love and drama down the road near Sarasota.

When we last left the group Tuesday in our time here, the group once again took their talents out of the Key and into Music City USA. Brandon invited them as his support system to Nashville as he performed new music in the clubs there, and everyone got to enjoy going ax-throwing, horse riding and twerking on the line-dancing floor. But as it was for their trip to Georgia the drama bug also followed them from Florida: Garrett & Kelsey kissed in the club leading Jared to give them the bird, while Pauly got in trouble to spreading rumors of a rekindled #JALEX romance.

At night's end there, Amanda got rung up by the girls for siding with the king, and that isn't the only thing on the mind of Alex and Juliette, as well as Madisson. After the break, our WRAP of Part 2 of the Siesta Key winter finale -- including not one but TWO bombshells... plus, the girl at the heart of the drama in Hour #1 speaks out on what went down there in Nash-Vegas.

Inside MTV Reality: The Siesta Key WRAP - The Season 3 Winter Finale Pt. 1

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

And so, welcome and thanks for joining us on this St. Patrick's Day... we know it's been an overwhelming week, and it's thrown our timing off the loop because of everything that's going on, and we apologize to those of you who've been waiting for us to begin this week's posts.
   But let's not get anything down around here: something you can count on us to do is to get away from what's been going on in the world, especially when you all need some time to relax & escape. There's no better place than here at DCBLOG going Inside MTV Reality, and in a part of the country where you have many options to chill, unwind & enjoy the sun there in Florida, we're about to dive into our double WRAP of the Season 3 Winter Finale of Siesta Key.

It has been a game-changing summer in the sultry summertime heat of the Sunshine State as the dynamic of the clique of a close-knit group of friends that rolled into our hearts three years ago has suddenly turned upside down. It began with an alum of Bachelor Nation coming to town to win over the town's resident queen, and it took for a thrown phone for the romance of Robby & Juliette to head into that watery grave. That's just the tip of the iceberg of a season that's that seen the protagonist of this East Coast reality soap opera get into two fights, among everything this else on this third trip to this suburb outside Sarasota, FL.

The week before last saw not one, but two episodes to provide those not interested in Super Tuesday something else to watch: Alex & the crew drove up to girlfriend Alyssa's parents house in Georgia for the 4th of July, but somehow the drama bug also came along with them when he got into it with Chloe over her allegiance to Juliette... and he would then crash the ex's grand opening of her new fashion boutique, even giving a love slap to Robby. This gave Chloe reason to call for an emergency campfire meeting to bring the group together, but once again #JALEX was the top story.

Now, the dog days of summer is winding towards its conclusion, and once again it's two hours at the Key. And first up, another trip out of town: this time to Nashville as Brandon makes his next step as an artist and where past relationships (including THAT one) also take center stage right in the heart of Music City. Join us after the break for the WRAP of Part 1 of this Mid-Season Finale, as we hope to add some sunny vibes to this cloudy time right now. You deserve this, after all...

DC ExtraTime: From Boy Next Door to AYTO Heartthrob

BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

By the time we graduate high school or college, we all get asked of where we would be in five years. For a lot of you, you might've answered being in a good high-paying job, or being married with kids, or having that dream job. And for others, there's the fame of being on reality television, and all that goes along with it.

Credits from left: Seventeen, MTV, @CouturesWorld

In what will soon be seven full years that this site has followed MTV Reality, DCBLOG has featured people just like yourselves who were cast to entertain us each week on the likes of The Challenge, Ex On The Beach, the Shore franchise and the like. And during this time, we have had the chance to follow the entire run of Are You The One?, which we have rolled with since it premiered six years ago as MTV's first entry into the modern-day iteration of the romantic reality dating genre, and has made "Truth Booth" and "Boom Boom Room" part of our MTV vocabulary.

The series has produced many memorable cast members: ultimate perfect match Amber & Ethan Diamond of Season 1, many times Challenger Tori Deal & Season 4 castmate (and rookie Challenger on next month's Total Madness) Asaf Goren, Derrick Henry and Taylor Selfridge of Season 5, and the iconic Season 3 cast that has produced several Challengers stars and the representative of this show and The Challenge in the Teen Mom universe, Cheyenne Floyd. And we can't forget about the one who made a huge splash at last year's World Series for baring it all in Julia Rose of Season 4.

But perhaps, there is one person who can lay claim to the title of being the heartthrob of this franchise -- one who hasn't as of yet followed Tori, Devin Walker and others to suit up to compete on The Challenge, yet has made a solid impact on social media for fulfilling a remarkable transition from a young boy next door to being part of an Are You The One? cast, to now being more than just a man, but a social media darling by making an incredible transformation completely different than when we saw him on MTV. It is certainly the case for a man from Boston named Andrew Couture.

DCBLOG Look Ahead: No Ordinary Week in March...

A Word From The Editor
BY DC CUEVA                        

■ @DC408DXTR  @ IG/YT/SC/TB

We at DCBLOG hope that you are having a good Thursday - or if that's not the case, we hope that you are safe, sound and alright. Without making any one single mention of anything that has gone on in the past few days, it's safe to say that this has been such an eventful week. However, there are times that the overwhelming amount of news going on in this world stresses you out so much that it will give you reason to want to escape a bit from all the worries and negativity that's gone on lately.

It's with great hope, awareness and sensitivity that we here proceed as usual, and as we always do, with the business that is on our table with all of the great content planned for this weekend, for this month and the springtime coming up. And we hope you will find some something good to take the stress out with us going Inside MTV Reality on here, and everything else on both this site and on the DC YouTube channel as well. And we have such a busy time ahead of us ourselves here, too.