Hi everyone.
I'm Devin Simone and I'm Davon Rogers and this is MTV's official Challenge podcast.
Yes it is, and today we have a special episode of the podcast just for you. We're gonna be diving into an exciting new series that's out now called The Challenge Home Turf.
Davon, why don't you tell people a little bit about the series?
I Got your girl? Okay, so boom.
It's an eight part YouTube documentary series where your favorite Challengers revere their takes on their careers most iconic moments. As they dissect their timelines on and off the show, we learn more about who these cast members were before their camera started rolling. Straight from the heart of their hometowns. They share untold stories of their past, bringing us behind the scenes into their upbringings and family life.
Man, and today we're focusing on a CT and Amanda, and I'm so excited to dive into these episodes because CT is I mean, he's the king of the Challenge arguably, and Amanda you're good friends with her, Yeah, so I know we both have a lot to say. But before we get into it, let's take a listen to a clip from CT's Home turf episode.
My parents were my parents. They were always there, won't worry another. Dad was if he wasn't working in the daytime, he'd be watching us at night. And my mom wasn't working at night or at Bengal, No, dad be watching us. My dad, he's a big old teddy bean. Now Mom's got zero filled. The Mom's the worry bug. Sometimes she thinks she's psychic because she's always dooming glub.
I mean, even in the state would if every wanted to travel on challenges and I'm let her know where I was going. She's the first person to let me know about any natural disaster that's happening in any area.
She's a worry bob.
Mom and dad they grew up here. It's funny this building over here. My father's mother lived at that corner and my mother's mother lived in a top right corner, so both grandparents lived in the same building. Yeah, every day I'd have to come over there and bring them leftovers or dinner or whatever.
It was.
In the Chilestown Navy Yard and you go through that gate and day you wait for the tour buses. That's where typically we would throw water boos and eggs at the tourists and we hear that crane. Usually when that's over toward the edge, we'd all we all climb up and jump offrom then and get changed by to name me insecurity. For the most part, I was usually really shot.
I was always say that I was a middle child, right, so it's two older brothers and me, and then my younger brother and then you know my sister and the engliss and the girl. So yeah, I honestly do feel like sometimes we forgot about me, and so I was always I was always. I was always watching.
You know.
I did good in school. I was good at math science, I was good at that. Surprisingly it was good geography. You know.
Every time I would come back from school, as I was getting older, I would try to come back and do my homework as fast as I could. In the summer time, if I wasn't going to girls club, and I would sit there and wait from my dad to get home with the basketball.
Because we'd go to the Cage.
The cage is like the legendary basketball court in town that was in Charlestown.
Till about fourteen, I think fourteen fifteen years old. But after that we moved north of Boston. We moved to Tewkesbury. Yeah.
I honestly do think the best thing they one of the best things they ever different me, was to get me out of here. And I think the only reason it was I wasn't caught up is because I had parents that cared that cave. You know, they caught me breaking into a car, caught me stealing. I don't know that I had held it pay. I honestly do feel like I was kind of the one that everyone kind of try to keep.
Out of trouble.
I think they knew I wasn't like them.
I didn't have the I don't think I quite had that animosity like they did.
I know, you guys see me on TV acting a fool, but he's down here. Man. They were different animals. It must feel like my home town.
Even though it's there on the map, it's really not there anymore, if that makes sense.
And I think I.
Don't want to say it's sad because I'm assuming it's for the better, But you know, it was nice to be able to just go and see it one last time before raw, you know, before it's completely gone. When I got to college, I couldn't wait to get out and grow up and get out there.
I was playing basketball as an engineer major, and I found out that if I had just took another class.
With Chew, I can get my accounting minor. And then I was also bartending on the weekends.
And I'm not sure if it was that the Palels was the other place I was bartending up, but I think of all people, DJ Scribbles was coming. So I went to my accounting suitor and I wanted to leave the stackrifires on her desk. And she was a fan of the show, and she was the one that was like, well, there's a cancing call for the reird World in Boston in Fanua Hall, and so you know, I skip my accounting class.
Sorry, Dad, started from the back work my way to the front. The bodyguards caught me, and then the casting director she said, no, no, he's fine.
Hey you want to sign up?
I was like, oh, yeah, sure, I get a call back and they were like, hey, listen, we wanted to fly you out to la for the final interview.
I've never been that far. I never traveled that far before. And I remember they put me in a.
Little room in front of a camera like this, and they said we're gonna give you two minutes to say whatever you want, and I was just kind of like, well, I just we'll say thanks. I've never never been in LA before. I really appreciate. I didn't think of anything of it. And then two people come in the moon. It was Miriel's being him and Joe Murray. They come in and they look at me, they looked at each other, look.
At me, and walk out. Well, so I'm trying to chase after them down the hallway. I don't know whatever stupid reason. I was like, I thought it would do you want me to take my shirt off? And they said no, no, we're good, We're good, and.
They just kept walking and I was like, oh, man, I guess that's that. I never remember being in Layover.
I think I was where That's why I found out I was gonna get on the show. And I was like yeah, I screamed.
Everyone's looking at me and like relaxed. And they asked me if I want to do Real World or road Rules, and I don't.
Want to stuck gonn want to bang o competing.
And it's funny that I say that now when I'm on the challenge and for whatever reason, I thought it was in Australia, and I remember saying I'm ready for gonna land down on the and they're like, well, it's in Paris and I was like, we wie.
All right, that was a little taste of CT's episode of Home Turf. You can watch the full thing on the Challenges YouTube channel.
Day What do you think, we wie?
I thought that was so cool because you know, we watched these people on TV, right. And I say that as someone who grew up watching CT on TV right, and so all we get to see is them on TV.
And it's almost as if.
When you're a viewer, you forget like, oh wait, that is a human, Like that is a person who has a life outside of what we get to see. And so getting to just hear the process of how he got and what he was doing before he got cast, it's like yo, like it just makes you. It makes it a lot more intimate with that person, if that makes sense, you know, how about you?
Totally? I love seeing that.
I love seeing about like the history where he grew up his family and I didn't know CT came from the projects.
I think it's huge.
And then seeing the home that his dad was able to build and so how close he is with his family.
Says so much.
Also, I mean we've known it from watching the show, but just how smart CT is. He is going to school for engineering and getting a minor in accounting like beauty and brains. Okay, see Tizzle, we love that. It was just really because CT is an icon. I mean we're talking His Real World season was twenty years ago, right, and so it's like this, he is an icon when it comes to television. And you know, also hearing him speak about being the middle child.
And that girl, I was just gonna say that, it makes so much sense.
He's a middle child.
You know, everyone always says the middle child is the one man that's the one, right, And so when he was like, yeah, I'm a middle child, I was like, m that checks out.
Yeah, yeah, I love it.
The other thing that killed me, like I still vividly.
Remember my whole casting process on for like Real World and Laurel and I actually talked about it a little bit the other day because she was supposed to be on Real World Brooklyn and it's such a special it like holds such a special place for me, that whole process, and so hearing CT's casting story and the fact that he was just basically like Tim, almost like a club promoter, right like, handing out flyers Djam's coming.
He's doing it at school, and the fact that.
His teacher was basically like, oh, well, you know, they're doing Real World auditions, and so CET's thinking, oh, I can hand out flyers there, only to be stopped by security, which I feel like seems on brand. And then for the casting person to be like, hey, do you want to come audition? Like I love that he sort of accidentally fell in to this beheaveth into the.
Most iconic reality show.
I'm just gonna say, like, Real World is the most iconic reality show of all time.
Ninety shows out there.
Now are pulling things from the way that Real World was shot, whether it's the talking head interviews, living in a house, like all all of that is old Real World, and so it is it is iconic in that way. And so seeing you know, CT sort of fall into the audition process, and then that he got to meet the iconic duo Jean Murray and Mary who are the founders of Real World Reality TV. Mary Ellis Bingham passed away not that long after that, and so it's just really.
Cool that he got to have truly.
This iconic experience and then not making the right not being.
Disappointed they don't want to take a shirt off, and that he thought it was Australia and then he said we we.
It sounds like it was more excited about Australia because when they were like parents, he was like, A, I know, he's like, which is.
Just so funny because that's the other thing, right, is like, you go through this. I'm not sure how long CT's audition process was, but oftentimes for real World I know mine was almost a six month audition process, and so you're going through all these rounds and interviews, like CT describes it in a way that's pretty simplified, but there's
multiple rounds, multiple people you're talking to. Usually by the time you're getting flown out somewhere, you're far along, like very far along in that process.
And even then.
They don't tell you right away where you're going.
I know for me, it was one of the last auditions, so again almost four or five months in before I found out where they were actually going to be doing the real world. So yeah, it's so cool, And then seeing.
The baby photos of CT like I'm not.
It's amazing how people grow up and then they grow into this person, this human that we all get to know, and then you look back and it's like.
That's how you started, right, that kid? Who is that little kid? You know?
You want to know because we all have our our stories, our childhood stories that made us who we are today, And so that I was I thought that was so cool. I also thought it was really cool how this entire documentary starts. His particular segment starts with him saying as he goes into his hometown that the challenge potentially saved his life. Yeah, he said, because if not, he feels as if he probably would have been buried somewhere in
the streets. So at the end of the day, he feels like the show saved his life, and that is such a good thing to hear.
He's a the risk. Yeah, he did and up so many gems, which is what I love.
Like, I love that people get to see this side of him, because I think if you've watched him throughout his whole twenty year career, you get glimmers of it.
But I also think.
It's easy to see just sort of these snapshots of CT, whether it be the villain, the meat head, the champion, but I feel like there's so much more to him, and so seeing how he was raised, to me, makes so much sense of what a gentleman he is.
Cts actually a gentleman.
I remember on free agents, like I would be cold and he'd give me his jacket and it's smell good too,
and just like what a gentleman Cet was. And and it makes sense because it sounds like his parents really instilled that in him, like when he talked about like all the other moms in the neighborhood would sort of like Bill, all the kids, you know, like if you've I messed up at so and So's house, I got in trouble there, and then I was in trouble back at home, and so it's like, oh no, it totally makes sense in seeing, you know, how he was raised
and how his family is. And then something else that really stood out to me that I feel like we have talked about, well actually, okay, something else did take actually, but the main thing I just gotta say.
CT was Foying is Foying has always been feing.
We just got to put it out there.
Like CT just just.
Beauty all along. But something that I thought also.
Was interesting, Like there were so many good things that he said, but he was talking about passing the torch, which we hate to hear, Yeah, because we loved and like I want to see CT and I want to see Hime on season forty.
Like me love CT.
But I also respect the fact that he's creating room for that.
Like I respect the fact when.
He spoke about the win with Casey, like feeling like he was going out on top when they you know, gave them donated sort of the money to the other finalists, which I thought was amazing. But you know, he mentioned you should really have fun, which I thought was beautiful. And he also said, you know, if you only focus on the money, you're going to be miserable, which I think is a testament to anyone wanting to come into this game of the Challenge right or just in life in general.
And then he also said, just when you think you have all the.
Answers, life is going to change all the questions, So enjoy yourself.
And it's like good, so beautiful.
So yeah, just I think that's something that we should all carry with us. Also, did you catch the twinkle in his eye when he was talking about DM.
Oh, of course, it's never going to go away. It's never gonna go away like that. That is always gonna be his person, you know what I'm saying. And you can tell any time he brings her of anytime he talks about her, Like even going to the last time that we saw her, he didn't even want to talk about that. He was like everyone knows how the rest of the story plays out.
He kind of like.
Skipped over it, you know, because who wants to discuss that. But the good memories and the time that they shared, and you know, the smile on his face was like no others you can always you know for sure that that was his person for sure.
Yeah, there was just like a sparkled electricity between them. And I'm fortunate that I had an opportunity to meet Dim and spend a little bit of time with her before she passed. And she really was everything she seemed to be. Like you know how sometimes people get elevated after they're gone into this amazing person. No, DM is her legacy is like she was always this amazing person.
And seeing the twinkle in CT's.
I when he remembers her. It was just like I was te like not a YouTube show got me tearing up, but but really like it's just it was really so beautiful. What do you think make CT so compelling to watch on television.
I think because we saw growth, Like he came on the show and CT was CT. You can depend on him to be an all around challenger. He was going to give us the fight. He was going to give us the actual fights. He was gonna help us the confessionals like CT wasn't all or and he was hungry for it, like he wanted it by any means necessary, and that I believe as a viewer is something you
want to see. And as time goes on, you have to remember he's done these shows for years, so as time goes on, you become attached to these It's this weird attachment you get as a viewer to the people that you watch on the shows, and so you get attached to them and so you find yourself constantly, constantly
rooting for them. But I think the thing that sets him apart from a lot of others is definitely the hunger and the execution that he goes, the length of the execution he'll go through in order to make sure he gets.
Fed to feed that hunger.
You know what I'm saying, Like it's intense and he's just it's captivating.
It's captivating for sure.
What about you, Well, I think he's really been adaptable. It speaks to your point about growth and really nimble
and how he's played this game for so long. He talked about the different ways that he's been viewed, Like initially, you know, he was sort of angry when he felt like he wasn't taken seriously right as a challenger, Like he came in angry, and then he talked about the passing of his brother in that particular season, he had a chip on his shoulder, and then he took a break and when he came back, people were sort of sleeping on him and he realized like, oh, but I
can use this to my advantage. Like he really was able to be nimble in that way. And just watching how he's worked with the different partners as he's made it through and talking about things that he regrets, things that maybe he would have handled differently. It is really interesting in conversations that you don't get to have with your reality TV faves. And I love that this show is really kind of exposing that and allowing us a
real peak. Like for the amount of people that message us and say, hey, I want to be on the show or their main goal is to get on a show, I think it's really great to have something like this where you can get a true peak behind the curtain.
It honestly kind of reminds me of.
What was great about Real World, because I think Real World you had people, for the most part, at least in the kind of main seasons, who were just like bumbling through, who were just like CTS audition, Right, you just happen to be there and you're kind of like, oh, okay, like I'm gonna live, I'm gonna do, I'm gonna whatever, and then just blindly I don't I mean really because that is Look, I don't regret a lot, and I don't regret doing it on the show, but there are
certainly things I watch and I cringe from back then in the Real World, and I'm like, oh, but.
You got an authenticity.
And it also meant that in the Challenge House, like once you made it to the Challenge place, you got this sense of fun.
Right like there was just because it was so silly.
Like no one took themselves too seriously, because how could you when you were on a reality show before it was necessarily cool to be a reality shows in certain regards, and before it really like ment to mething or anyone knew what it would mean. And so you know, like they showed the clip of him running in the chicken suit or whatever in the early days.
Now I wish.
TJ please bring that back for forty Like, please let there be a challenge where people have to dress up domin dick Elis and then just do it, please, please please, That would be amazing.
They're gonna be like, this is so big brother, we didn't sign up for this. They're complain so bad. But as we see, it goes all the way back.
To those first seasons.
That's so cool, man, just getting that peek into who he is as a human and his life and you know, him, him him growing into now a father like Cec is a whole dad now, you know what I'm saying. And so when you become a parent, certain things about you and who.
You used to be they kind of have to take the back seat.
And speaking of parents, I think this is a perfect time for us to give Amanda's episode a listen, because my girl is a whole mother.
Now, absolutely, let's take a listen.
I auditioned for Are You the One?
Because I'm a big reality TV junkie. I am a reality TV troll. I was like, I could find my perfect match and I could win a million dollars right, love and money, so it's perfect. And I just sent in my application and I didn't audition tate about Twin Peaks. I showed them me partying at the bars all that, and then they're like, Okay, we like you. We're gonna fly you out.
So I was like, this is.
Crazy, right, So I flew to La.
Back then, when I was twenty one, I was wearing a lot of makeup. Growing up. I was teased about my freckles all the time. Kids were really mean back then, and so I hid them. So when I got there, I was all dressed up, my hair is curled, they had my makeup, and I walk into the room of like ten people and I walk in there and they're like, she has freckles. Take off all your makeup.
And come back in here.
And I was like, oh, Like that was my worst nightmare. So took up all my makeup and I go back in there and all of them were just like.
Oh my god, she's beautiful, and.
Like I just started crying.
It was like a moment for me.
The head guy for the show was like, if we put you on the show, you're not allowed to hide your freckles, and I was like, okay, fine is Amanda. They were like, you're crazy, You're pretty, you gotta be on our show.
You and Kiki got into it a little bit, what's up with you guys?
Her reaction when we voted them in, I just think was I think it was.
She thinks I'm fake and that's fine. The other girls know what's up.
I think that your fake is you have no right to say whether or not I'm a fake person.
You don't know me, so shut the f.
Are you gonna come over here and let me show? It was crazy.
I think when I first got on TV, all my friends were like, what You're going on a TV show?
I like a guy with like a really good athletic build, and then the personality after.
I think that's been my problem. I think I'm kind of the same.
I feel like I've always been very upfront, very vocal about how I'm feeling even if that makes me an outcast, which that kind of happened to me on RU the One, and it also happened to be on the Challenge.
So when I was on.
RU the One, fans hated me.
They hated me.
I was getting so many comments on my Instagram saying crazy, like thousands of comments. I think I had the personality to be on reality TV because everything that they were commenting, it didn't bother me, you know what I mean, Because it was like, these people don't even know me. I went on to TV being like I'm gonna be me, you know, whether they like me or not.
And it's gotten me into a lot of trouble.
It's made me a lot of enemies, but it's also like made me a lot of really good friends. It was crazy because as soon as I went on RU the One, everything just snow ball. From that Rivals three, I was fresh off of.
Are You the One?
We were partying, drinking every single day and I did not train for it. I was a total slobbab on that one. I came out with guns blazing on accident. It wasn't even on purpose.
Literally I got there.
And it was a humping challenge. I was like, oh my god, what where am I? And then after that we didn't even win, and TJ's like, oh, You're going on a tequila tasting dinner and I'm like, dude. So then I drank ten shots at tequila and I just raged on everybody all night.
And guess what, These people like to find your weak spots. And I'm gonna make it seem like I'm a crazy bitch because I don't want them to know the soft spots that they could potentially hit in the future.
I don't know I.
Second week, I'm here right now now, that's true.
Obviously made a lot of enemies.
One things for sure, two things for certain. When it comes to Amanda, Oh baby, good luck. She's not going to back down. She's gonna go back and forth with you for hours. She may be more wrong than two left shoes, but she is going to argu saun and I think that that is why a lot of challengers may have an issue with her, but a lot of fans love her because what if She's gonna give you TV? And when you come to reality TV, you come for the challenges, of course, but you also come for the
entertainment and that girl is entertainment. No one can take that away from her. How'd you feel about Amanda's Club?
Amanda is one hundred percent entertaining. That is so true.
I remember when we were doing Aftermath and she came on, and she was the one who was so excited to spill everybody's tea, like she was the first, even when it wasn't tea that was like necessary, Like Amanda was just happy to put it out there. I also though, get a vibe and I loved in her episode of Home Turf getting to see she shows hints of this
soft side. Also, Amanda is that girl the fact that she suits up every day to go to work in such a high risk environment, but also she's going in that environment yet she's helping people like as a nurse is wild? Is wild like Amanda is indeed that girl. No wonder why she's freaking fearless in that way. So much respect her and then comes home to being you know, Mama Bear, Papa Bear, all the things where she took
care of her dad is just beautiful. I have two questions for you, though, because I know you and Amanda are friends and homies, and I also know you're stubborn as hell. So if you two were, you've just said that Amanda will not back down. And there was a clip in here which I was dying laughing because it was Josh and Amanda going at it, and Davon it's like sitting in the corner laughing. Okay, So in a debate between you and Amanda, who wins.
So here's the thing when it comes to the relationship Amanda and I have when I because we did two seasons together, right, first season, she was my enemy. Second season she became my friend. And so in that I've learned you have the experience, I have the win. So let's put that together.
You know.
So in a debate, I would say that we find common ground to trust each other's opinions.
You know.
It's one of those situations, but it's a strong I like that.
That was a diplomatic answer.
I'm gonna let that one be diplomatic because now we have another question for you, and I cannot give a diplomatic answer.
Okay.
Amanda shouts you out in this episode. Yeah, well, she shouts you out in a challenge episode, but it's shown and it's shown in her home taste right over this where she said that you both saw with your own eyeballs that Jack would or Jack that Zach was swiping on a dating app.
Yeah, wild in a relationship.
And she was like asked Avon, now, I know you were a lot of things, but a liar is not one. So Davevon, did you see with your own eyes that he was indeed active on dating apps?
Yes? And I said that at the reunion.
He was definitely on the app, but I also said it was completely innocent. He was looking at the responses he was getting from the girls, but I didn't see him actually respond responding back.
So he was just like laughing at Okay.
Yeah he was, and he was actually like showing us the messages and I couldn't.
It was hilarious. Yeah, I said all of that at the reunion.
So yeah, yeah, he was definitely on app.
Yeah, but he was like laughing about it, all right, all right, we just just just wanted to double check in their lines, I know, right, and then it comes to you looking like why am I in it?
Like, don't ask me? So good? It was so good.
Another question because you know, Amanda, like, watching this episode was interesting and I saw a lot of the comments for it too, because you know, I love to read some comments. Sometimes the comments we're interesting too about people saying like they appreciated getting to see different sides of Amanda.
So she says in.
Her Home Turf that she's not evil, right, and that some people have like made and they show cut to clips of Johnny sort of calling her evil and doing that fake thing with like the crucifix, that whole thing. But then they also show her holding up the horns, right, And it seems like she comes from a place of always wanting to be on the offensive because she's so afraid of people, of being vulnerable with the wrong people. Can you speak to like what you know about her personally?
And is there anything in this Home Turf that either surprised you despite knowing her, or reaffirmed certain things you know about her but that you think other people might not.
I definitely think watching this Home Turf episode, it just reaffirmed of everything I know about her, Like, okay, when we're on a show, we're on a show, right, And she made a statement where she said, they think I'm this evil person and they're this, and they're that, and I'm gonna I'm gonna ride that I'm gonna ride that because that eliminates any pockets or any windows that they can find to try to peek in. Because one thing about reality TV it is a game, but it's also mental.
And so as she was saying, people will find little pockets of vulnerability or weaknesses within you where that they can pray on, and so she didn't want to give anybody an opportunity to be able to do that now out And I got to experience that in my first season with her, which was Final Reckoning. I was like ill,
like ugh, like I didn't like her at all. But then when we came back and we did War of the World's Season of Part one or whatever, and I got an opportunity to peel back those those layers, and I was like, oh, like, you are such a cool person, you know what I mean? Like this girl used to sit back and we used to talk for hours and just getting to know who she like, Amanda the person opposed to Amanda the Challenger. They're two totally different people,
you know. And so even when if you think back to the season where her and Camilla are getting into it, right, She's going back and forth with Camilla certain things that Kamilla said to her, you see it. It's a peak. We only get a peek at it, but you see she's affected by it. And but she hurry up and comes in with this hard exterior, like, oh, I got I can't show that weakness. I gotta hurry up and
put up this wall. You see it happening, but you also see that moment of vulnerability, and so it's definitely there. It's just she's protective of it. It's not for everybody, and I think us as humans we're like that as well, Like you can't just expose yourself to everybody.
You know what I mean. True.
I wonder though, if she puts herself because something else that struck me about this Home Turf episode that was both amusing and only in Amanda way, but also interesting, is as she's like recounting her seasons and then she's like, and I made enemies and like people.
And there's almost this sound of surprise in.
Her voice, you know, where, like it was really hard for me, And it's like, girl, yes it was hard for you, because you came out the gate like just swinging at everything and you a punch in the air, Like, yes, it was hard for you.
And so it's like I.
Wonder if she sometimes though makes it hard. I get that it's a defense mechanism, but makes it harder for herself because in the limited time I got to spend with Amanda at aftermath at the studios, I could sense.
That there actually was this like sweet.
Fun, smart, intelligent woman in there. And you know, then we watch her on like even some of her most recent seasons, and it's like, I get, you're playing this character,
but you're hiding this amazing person that's there too. Like even in this documentary, we get to see this amazing like I have so much respect for her, like and we and abudding entrepreneur, but I like that she didn't call herself an entrepreneur in this episode when she was talk about invention, though, she was just like a child's invention, like inventor, Like, girl, you mean an entrepreneur, you want to be like evil genius.
She's like I came up with something. She was so cute.
Like there's just they're definitely and the way she took care of her dad, you know, there's just there's a lot. Did you know about her dynamic or her relationship with her mom.
To that degree?
Because we get to see a little bit of that in this episode too.
Yeah, we spoke a little bit about it inside of the Challenge house during one of the worlds. But it was one of those situations where it was like that relationship kind of made me who I am today, you know what I mean, Like I had to go through that, I had to experience, like everything had to happen in order for me to be who I am today. So it was one of those situations where we take moments in our life and we try to figure out, Okay,
how can I flip this for my good? You know, even though it's traumatic, even though this could be the thing that could potentially take me out of here, How can I flip this for my good?
And that's kind of what she did with it. Yeah.
Yeah, Amanda talks about the culture shock from going you know, from being on Are You the One to the Challenge? What was that transition like, because you know, Amanda talks about sort of coming from Are You the One? And you came from Big Brother, which aren't weren't originally Feeder shows to the Challenge, right, So there wasn't this automatic understanding that you do Big Brother and then you go on, what was that transition like for you?
For me, I came from a competition show into another competition show, right, But Big brother is very much so carnival games and like mental mind f right, whereas the challenge is like mental mind f and you possibly could die today. Literally, it's a whole different type of environment going over there.
I was definitely like.
Shook when I came over to the challenge because first of all, I didn't even think I knew what the challenge was, Like I said, I grew up watching it, but I never thought I would have the opportunity to play. And then Natalie from my season of Big Brothers Big Brother eighteen, so she went over last weekend or two days ago that she went over there, and I was like, oh, baby, she done kick the door open.
I said, I gotta get over there.
So when they called me, it was an immediate yes, like no if ends or buts about it.
I didn't think twice anything.
I was like, yes, I'm going to.
Green as Hell.
Went over there and was like, oh, Davin, what is this? So it's definitely it's definitely a shot, and I can only imagine, like you said, coming from the real world, you know were you guys y'all wasn't jumping off no cliffs.
Like literally not. And my season didn't even have a job to do. Most seasons of Real World had a job. Ye was one of the only seasons that we didn't even have an actual job. We could do whatever we wanted, So.
It was it was. It was a very.
Very different experience going in it, like for me because again I hadn't I wasn't as familiar with the show.
I wasn't familiar at all with the show.
Then I think, actually it was great because I really came in from like a pure play, like I didn't have preconceived notions about anyone or anything because I.
Just was like, Okay, hi, like this is what is this?
Whereas now I do feel like people are prepared, like kind of prep before you in the first time, and I definitely didn't. And then the WA's why I didn't know who Big Easy was my first season.
Because I had never seen this show.
Yeah, but it was definitely is a transition just from like the physical aspect and like you know, but at the same time, actually the living in the house element.
I feel like it's similar to Real World.
At least in our house because we didn't get there's a lot of people that didn't get along in our Real World house, so it was always sort of you're on eggshells the whole time. So I feel like being in the Challenge house was sort of similar in her way for.
A big brother. You have to take into consideration.
We're locked on a lot, do.
You under Yeah? I know that is wild and yes's really.
Girl. You know how with MTV you guys get camera people. You guys interact with the camera people. They're there, they're in your face.
We don't even get that.
We don't see anybody but each other for the entire time that we're there. So that was even a shock having cameramen follow me around. I was like, bro, like, I'll can need you to back up. This is very invasive.
We have to take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this.
Okay, come on, let's get back to the show.
Amanda mentioned shoes really into reality TV. Yeah before coming on the show, and you mentioned you grew up watching the Challenge, So I'm taking it you were also really into reality TV before you shit.
Or for sure?
She said she caught herself a reality TV troll at that time, I was not a troll. I think, you know, after a couple of seasons, I kind of became a troll on social media, but you know, growth, deliberate growth. But I definitely was a reality TV person, like something about it just always sparked my attention. Now me wanting to be on it. Absolutely not.
That wasn't a thing.
I literally only did a Big Brother from my grandmother because before she passed away, that was something she wanted me to do and it just kind of like turned into a thing. But that was never the goal, Like reality TV was never the goal.
Like I can watch it, I don't want to do it though, right.
Yeah, how about your intereston Grandma wanted you to do that. I so I actually looked down my nose at reality TV and so I literally, I think at one point, had said I'd never do reality TV.
And at the time.
Of my audition for a Real World I've told the story before, but so I won't forget fully into it.
But it's like I met because he.
Was down where I was going to school, like doing an event that my then boyfriend was like hosting, and I had auditioned to be actually on a CBS like scripted show that they were supposed.
To be doing.
And when I met Bananas, I also was just like, huh, I wonder like this could be interesting, like whatever, Like I'll just apply, and so I just applied. And then sure enough, six months later, I was moving to Brooklyn to be on the newest season of Real World and the CBS show Like never made it to air, So it worked out, end up getting that look at God.
I feel like when we go into these casting processes, we all have an interesting story about how we deal with the producers or how the producers deal with us. That casting it's always different, right, as we saw with CT his whole thing was chasing them down the hallway and I'm taking off your shirt.
Right.
My big brother's story was I would always tell them I'm a germophobe. And then one of the producers sneeze, and I said, get her some lights off, because what is that about?
Right, That's how I hearn hilarious.
I told them to spray some life because I don't know what she just sneezed out of her mouth.
And so that that's how I got cast.
And so hearing that, Amanda went into her casting interview and they said, you have freckles, and that was like her thing. They said, go out, wash off your makeup and come back in.
And they had to not like cover and she's so beautiful with her face. I love her freckles, and I love what that did for her self esteem, Like it seemed like it was something she really needed to hear, which is really special and what the challenge can do to you for you, Like it's kind of goes back to CET's point of it's not always all about the money. This show has the ability to like have a lasting impact. Yeah,
it's just one of the things I don't. I feel like I always get sentimental when I talk about the Challenge.
It can do it it it is.
Its own special place, it's its own special thing.
And I love.
Getting to see these home Turf episodes and getting a peek behind some of these iconic players and characters who have taken the ultimate sort of leap of faith and living their lives out loud and being in a very because the challenge puts you in a very vulnerable position.
I know Natalie says her knees still aren't right after her.
Time and the challenge, and so it puts you in a very vulnerable position. But just like living out Loud and the impact that both it has for viewers but also for the people competing on the show, it really means a lot. What did what are you your overall thoughts of the Home Turf episodes day?
Like I said, I think, and to piggyback on what you said, it's a great opportunity for us to get to see the humans.
You know what I'm saying.
I feel like a lot of people who play this game play as robots, you know, and it's like I have to win, I have to get money, no free you like that. And so to get to see where everyone grew up and what raised you and what made you who you are today, I think that.
Is so so cool.
So yeah, I'm grateful. I'm definitely grateful. Y'all should have called me. I could have walked out through Inglewood and let y'all know what was really going there.
You go, what's up? What's up?
I also I'm hopeful that because I know that the fans are passionate about the show, any of the viewers, all of us are passionate about the show, and I know that sometimes we see our faves getting into it, I feel like, particularly this season on social media. But I'm also hopeful that the home Terms will remind people that yeah, they're humans. There are people behind like these
characters that you see or these tweets. So next time you want to tweet something at them, just like stop and remember the human side.
You know, like, yes, maybe Amanda's.
Being evil and loud, but also Amanda's actually a really sweet mom and has spot through adversity and goes to a prison every day and like helps stitch fingers back together and like just the things that she see.
That's what she.
Said, like it's wild and I know, right girl, I clutch my pearls when you say that. So like just remembering that of the people that you see and just kind of appreciating all that they give on the show. But also if they do piss you off on an episode, instead of just going so hard at them, taking a step back and remembering like, oh, this is a huge into you know, like they're not perfect. There's there's a lot, but if you want more, no, this was just a
taste of this incredible new series. Also, shout out to the producers. I know some of them worked on Aftermath. I love what they've done with this series, and also it's not easy to get someone like Amanda to be vulnerable, So shout out to them and just taking the time and investing and pouring into these amazing TV icons and getting them to open.
Up to us.
If you want to watch more, then make sure you check out the other episodes of The Challenge Home Turf featuring Tory, Devin car Maria Durrell and Moore on the Challenge YouTube channel. And in the meantime, where can people learn more about you?
Day?
Oh?
Well, you can find me on all of the social Snapchat, Instagram.
Oh she's had snap in now.
Snapchat, Let me make sure I put an s on it.
The instagrams.
You can find on Twitter, TikTok and YouTube absolutely more so, YouTube more than any Ain't that crazy?
Look?
Have a life and turned around? You can find me on YouTube more than anything. But you can find me on all social media at Devon Diane Underscore. Where can the people find you?
Ma'am?
You can find me on Instagram without the fs uh. You can find me at Devin Simone, d ev y in SI M O n E. You can go to my website Devinsmone dot com scroll to the bottom. You will see my socials there. If you're single, you can hit me up and hit that matchmaking tab. Also, you can go to if you just google devensmone and Amazon together, it'll come up my channel there Devinsmone's gift closet. Hit the follow button so then that way we can chat
live when we do our live shopping streams. They're actually a lot of fun and sort of kooky and just ridiculous in the best way possible, So.
You can check that out too.
And thank you for joining us for another episode of MTV's Official Challenge Podcast. If you liked this episode, rate and review us on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and make sure you tell a friend and a friend of a friend and then a friend of a.
Of a friends and a friend.
Yes, and we'll see you next time on MTV's Official Challenge Podcast.
We we that didn't hand like CT