Hello friends, It's me Devin Simone.
And I'm here too. I am Daven Rogers and this is.
MTV's official challenge podcast.
We as bess, ma'am.
I was trying something new, you know, you want to spice it up sometimes in the podcast room. Yes, we are back. This was a spicy episode and emotional. It was all the it was. It had all the feelings of a young love. You know, like you're emotional. It's at a little spicy at times. Little heartbreak, little heartbreak, warm, It was all good. First we had the challenge called another Trucker Wow, and I still don't understand how some people rocked the heck out of that. And then it
looked impossible for others. And mind you, because we have everyone we have left is an exceptional competitor, you know what I mean? Like so, like I know, if Toy couldn't do it, I couldn't do it.
I was watching it.
I was so proud to see at least everyone was trying right and trying to figure out some type of strategy. The only person. And then I want your opinion on this. What do you think Aviv could have done differently? Like do you do because sometimes you look at a challenge and you're like, where is this gonna work out?
So what do you think she could have done differently?
I mean because at first I was looking, I was like, wait, what about the ropes? Like forgetting that there was no harness that they're on, because I was like, is her rope longer? It needs to be like, it's got to be fair. I guess, probably hold on to less of her rope so she has a greater extinctionion outward and more height in her jump, you know what I mean.
But that means from a letting go standpoint, you got to live on the edge a little more, right, because like she had to like that, that would have been my thought.
She had to really trust the lower But I mean it.
Was hard for Kara, it was hard for Toy, Like even I forgot.
Who it was.
But one of them said, it was easier to get the ones inside of the ones. Yeah, both of the ones outside, right, So you have to maybe make a couple of sacrifices, but then also knowing when to run and when to release that thing and time it perfectly, so that might that might result in you sacrificing the outside part in order to get that momentum to run to the inside part.
I don't it chill?
You sound like you practices in your sleep.
Chah, I don't I sleep good not thinking about the challenge.
Well, I'm probably gonna sleep thinking about this challenge because can we talk about the sudden? I mean, right, you guys, it was good.
I'm gonna tell you, Derek, I'm sorry. I am so sorry because my money was on Jordan.
I just knew.
I just knew what Jordan was gonna pull.
This because he did it effortlessly.
And not to say that Derek didn't, because Derek also did it effortlessly. But it was just like when you go back in it, sometimes it's like is luck.
Sometimes it's luck.
You'll look at it and be like, oh, you did really good that first time. By look, Derek said absolutely not. I did this because I'm good.
He theready did it again and I was just I was so proud.
Oh damn so proud Derek. I mean killed to see Derek. I hope that this well it's twofold because on one hand, I want Derek to say under people's radars, because then I want him to knock it, you know what I mean, like shock the world. I want him to knock it out of the park. I want I personally like being underestimated because then it's like, you know, showing what you can do. But on the other hand, I hope this
woke people up that, like, Derek is the truth. Derek almost made it to the final on the first challenge that I had ever done, a Battle of the Seasons two, he and Johnny got eliminated just before the final, and they were a two person team, so they had been fighting an uphill battle for a minute, like, and they were killing it. Even in that elimination, they were killing it. And so yeah, like, Derek is the truth, and seeing him nail this was just I'm so happy for him.
I'm so incredibly happy. And I'm happy for Rachel too.
But I was she is a powerhouse.
That woman is a power house and fearless like she. I can only imagine what a Viv thought walking up there next to her.
And talk about a dynamic of differences too, because even when you know Viv is like, look, I'm a mom of two, I don't do this, but Rachel's also a mom of littles two, and so it just shows that the makeup is like kind of like the choose your fighter or choose your character player because there's different types of all you know people up there, and they both did a great job. No one chickened out. Viv unfortunately lost and so she's penalized in the next challenge. But man,
was this an epic challenge to see. Not only that, but we came away with our first I believe all LGBTQ plus chamber right. We had full representation making the decisions and calling the shots because they were the winners. And we have had exceptional players from the community over the years who brought so much in terms of competitiveness, athleticism, personality, energy,
beautiful stories. And to see it being honored like so you know, it just so happened that they both want, but to see it sort of honored as Rachel is telling the story, I thought was pretty cool.
I agree, I agree.
And then to get the look back and see the challengers that we've grown to love and embrace and just you know, I think I think it was really good to put that on display, and it gave them an opportunity to say we hear, and yes, stop underestimating us, we hear absolutely.
And representation does matter now the representation shown by the editor who has a sense of humor when they were talking about this is earlier when they were talking about Derek like being a beast in the games because he is, and then they cut to Derek in a Boostdia and in his alter ego. So funny. It is, so I
will never not love a good costume in the Challenge House. Also, can we talk about Carl aka Carra's alter ego, who apparently is dating Toy on the show and Michelle and then I don't know if you caught it, when they went to the club, there was a moment that someone was talking to Carl. I forgot who, but the editors literally put the caption at like you know who's speaking. They put it as Carl was the one speaking and not Cara. So funny, so funny.
Yeah, how did you feel about Tory coming out and basically saying, although her and Cara have their differences, they're pretty much almost the same person, Like she was just saying how they favor each other and you know, things like that.
I thought that was really good.
Because this season, I can't say this season we see people fight, we see people arguing different things like that, but we're all so seeing people peel back layers and we're getting real stories this season.
So I really appreciate that.
You I agree, I love that, and I love to see that for them. I mean, people have pitted them against each other in a way comparing how competitive they are, how talented they are, you know, strong willed, And I agree, I think they're kind of like a Yin and a yang, And I love seeing who knows, maybe Carl and Tory's version of Devin will be friends, you know, when Tory dressed up as Devin, Like, maybe Carl and Devin will
make a friendship. Something else that was meaningful I thought from this episode was when we saw Corey speaking to Nelly and just first of all shout out to Scubanelly t glad to see his outlook, and Corey talked about it being perspective, like you can have the things like the house stressing you out, but then when you look
at your overall well being. Right, So, like, we still have Nelson with us, right, he still has like love, he still has his like Wherewithal you know, he's missing his leg, which is heartbreaking, but he's still That wasn't the thing that made Nelson Nelson, you know, like there was so much and so just that perspective. I thought that was really beautiful to see.
Absolutely, like, like I said, Nelson smiling and being so happy and Chipper in spite of whatever is going on, and you know, his circumstances or whatever the case may be, is very much Nelson. Like, it's very very very much Nelson, and I can I can tell that his light is definitely missed.
Yeah, and the challenge, I'm hoping we'll see him back. I am. We we love him. He's brings so much to the show and his personality is commentary all the things. Scubanelli t if you're listening to this, we're sending you so much love. Someone else we're sending some love to would be Josh.
Oh my bad.
And this was heart wrenching to see. I didn't want any of them to go home. I just wanted to give Josh the biggest hug and so much love this episode.
He was so emotional this episode. My goodness, he was so emotional this episode.
And you know, when everything played out and we get into the elimination, which by the way, coming from behind, producers, we.
Need to talk because why is that the title of the elimination?
We need to take those Yeah, have a chat that y'all couldn't change it last minute, Like y'all just stick to that name.
But watching Josh, let's rewind right, watching those of you who follow him on social media, watching how hard he trains and how hard he prepares and just things that he does in off season in preparation to come back and play, and then to watch him go out the way that he.
Did it is just kind of like it was sad.
It was.
It was really sad to watch.
But you know, I hope that when he watches it back, he uses it as a learning to just go a little harder and keep it. Yeah, what're you about to say, David?
What you know?
Okay? Look here she's looking at my Kiden Guys. Okay, I look, I was sad and with him all episode or like feeling for him, and I didn't want him to go home. Still don't look. I adore Josh. I know I like tease and play with him sometimes, but like I what Banana said about him being a good dude, Josh is a good dude like I do him, and that is why he's friends with so many people because he's a good dude. Like you can tell, he's just
like a solid guy. I adore Josh. I was with Josh the whole time and feeling for him and wanting for him, but I also wanted Corey say. But then when Josh said in interview during the elimination and he goes, my strategy isn't going to be speed, It's going to be endurance. I took a deep breath and I looked to the side, and then I looked to the side and I said, but this game, Josh, is not about endurance. It's about speed, sir. So I don't know how that strategy.
And then I thought, well, maybe I misshard. You know, it's time I could clean my ears again or something like, maybe I miss her. Let's watch it play out. And when I saw he did not pick up the speed, I was like, well, yeah, and I'm.
Gonna take my time and all I have to do is endure Corey and I'll be.
I mean literally, it would be like being in a final and me being like, you know what, it's not about how bad I run, It's about how much you can eat in the eating challenge. I'm cool, that's a part of it. But uh, you don't just get to opt out, so especially when speed is beating you so significantly.
In this like, yeah, it was a football player, right.
Yeah, and Corey did not come to PA. I mean Corey was like it.
Was like a shark seeing blood, like oh my god, Oh like he gonna hurt my baby, Oh my god.
Then can I just say too? Maybe I'm the only one thought is let us know, please come find me on So, guys, if you thought this, because really, I swear for a moment when TJ fired the gum, there was a moment it took Josh so long to like start running. I thought maybe he was playing like he had a strategy to like wait back and then do something. Okay, good.
I wasn't only one because I really was like, oh, maybe he's gonna like let Corey come over first and then he I don't know, I thought it was a plan.
I thought Josh was like, you know, got a little burst of faith in himself.
It was like maybe I could just maybe I can take Corey down.
Maybe I could just take him down and then I can ring this bell. I don't know, but I definitely seen the slow take off and I thought there was strategy to it too, But in any events, I am very proud Josh if you're listening of the way that you have played this game very selfishly, okay, because I have waited a long time for you to take these people up off your back.
But Josh, if you're listening, also please know that after about two rounds of that, she was losing faith and I had to text in our group chat to keep the faith that you could possibly bring it out.
Listen, I knew my baby was going down. I knew he was going down, and it's okay because we all fall get up.
That's it.
That's it.
Kicks you a friend who's gonna keep it read with you every single time, every single time. Now let's get into our gold Star and timeouts of the week Mischief.
You know what, if I'm being honest, I didn't have a timeout for this episode. I feel like everybody came in to play and they did what they were supposed to do in this episode. And if you put my baby in time out about this elimination, we are going to have a conversation off air.
I know now that you mentioned it, I.
Know what's coming.
But if I had to give somebody a time out and it's not even like a huge timeout. Maybe I'll just sit her in the corner for like two seconds and be like, did you learn your lesson?
It would be.
Kara really for her for her attempt to try to get Rachel to put it in money.
Because baby, she put in an effort.
Against no shade.
I love my baby, But if you're gonna send Johnny in against Josh, there is a possibility, although everybody messes up, but there is a possibility that Johnny.
Could come back and then now there's an issue.
But that could have worked in cars favor because she could have created, you know, a hole in their little situation, a crack in their little situation.
But I just it was a long.
It was a rich it was a real reach. Well that and just to convince Rachel out of nowhere to go like that. I was like, girl, that ain't happening. That felt very Outllah Nehemiah trying to do brokeer deals at the last minute shout out to Niava felt very very that my time out. I agree there weren't a lot of contenders this week for timeouts. I think everyone did an exceptional job and we may see that more and more as we move into the rest of this game,
because also everybody's just exceptional. They are everybody's exceptional. So
like you're gonna see great every greatness every time. I wasn't gonna put Josh in time out, but you reminded me, so I'm not gonnaut him in time out because I think he had such a moving story this episode, and I also think we saw growth, including in how he played to a degree that I want to give him a hug, but I am just gonna give him a stern look when it came to doing a strategy of endurance on a game that required speed and your opponent
is bringing speed, Josh, I'm just giving you a scirn look. Hold on one second, here we go. Okay, I think you get it. Now, just next time, you just channel that all right. Now we're talking about gold Stars of the week. Who gets your gold star day?
Okay, So we're gonna break it in half, right, I know, I know, y'all, we've been here, we are in here.
Okay, we know this.
And I forever think she's catting his Hunger Everdeen or this is Hunger Games or any of those things.
Uh huh, so originally my entire gold star was going to go to Derek, like I was extremely proud of how he pulled out this win and just him in this episode across the board.
I was very very proud of Derek.
But then we saw this phone called with Neilson, and I have I have.
I have to give half of this goal start to Nelson. I don't care that he's not on the cast, I don't care about none of that. I have to give half of this goal start to Nelson simply because his spirit is just so high, like and his laughter all of that is so contagious, and I just seeing him on the screen again was just refreshing. It's like, dang, this is where you're supposed to be, Like, we really miss him being on the show. So I'm gonna I'm gonna break it in half. Sorry, Derek, it's phone call
never would happen. It would have been all you for the first time. I would have gave it all to one person. But this time, I'm gonna break it in half.
And I'm gonna give it to Derek and Nelson. How about you.
We do love you, Nelly t very very very much so, And it was so delightful getting to see him and just see that that brotherhood with Corey is beautiful too. It's so beautiful. I am going to give an honorable mention to Toy for doing corn Rows in the challenge. Who has she been out with? Yeah, it was a little high up, but in the end it looked fine. So I don't know because usually you go straight back, and she had him pulled up a little bit but then it got there. But hey, she's been hanging out
with somebody, so good job, Tori. I'm gonna give you an honorable mention. But my gold star has to go to my main boo from the way Boo, way back. I love Derek. I love me some Derek. I always have loved Derek since the moment I met him, and he very much deserves this gold star and this win. And I hope he just keep I hope now that we're at this point in the season, I hope he keeps just turning them out like I hope he just knocks them down very well deserved. But it's a good season.
It overall good. It's a good season. Good everybody here I think is valid of a win in some way at this point and they're all hungry. They're all hungry. There's no even the underdogs are really like not that under eat and there's no I mean yeah, there's no like scragglers. I'm excited to see what happens and how this game goes. I'm also excited to talk to our friends. Mister curl poppin' Cory Wharton is here. He is gonna drop some tea, We get some behind the scenes the challenge,
even teen mom little peek into dad life. So you guys are definitely not gonna want to miss this. Make sure you grab your snacks, do some stretches, and don't go anywhere because we have a fabulous interview with Corey Wharton after this. Well well, well look who we have here. It is mister curl poppin' mister fighting on elimination and putting the SmackDown in mister actually funny commentary this season. Please give it up for the one and only Corey Wharton. What's up?
Thank you guys, thank you for having me. I'm glad you said I'm actually funny this season. It's only taking you eleven to get those confessionals down, so I'm making which is good. But no I appreciate you guys for having me on the podcast today eleven times.
The charm we're here, we are here, we are here, and happy to have you here. You have been. It's it's been maybe I don't know if I want to say one of my favorite seasons of you, because there's been a lot of really great seasons. But while we hadn't seen you a ton in the beginning of this season, what we're seeing now, i'd argue, is a lot of fun. Like I like this Corey that we're seeing come out.
My head's on straight this season. I'm not distracted like I'm there.
I'm focused. I'm having fun. And I think everybody, the older you get and the more seasons you do of the Challenge, you just appreciate it on a different level.
And so my whole mindset towards the challenge has just changed so much that like, shoot, I was broke when I first started to do the challenge, So like me going I was counting how much money was I making?
How much am I gonna come home with? And now it's more so I just want to win.
The whole thing, and I'm so thankful for every day that I get to stay in that house.
Even though we all know.
How you get that, man, I still try to find a way to like keep my head on straight and know that, you know, there's a bigger picture in play.
So yeah, I was.
Gonna speak on the fact of you saying you being focused, like really focused this season because we've noticed that TYB has become TyC. You are you have become the lone ranger? Like, how does that feel like holding it down? There's no Hunter, Nelson's not there. Do you feel like you're carrying it for your boys? Like, like, how does that feel?
Man?
It feels lonely. I'm not gonna lie like it.
Even during watching this episode, like I got emotional watching the Nelson scene because you know.
He just he deserves to be there so bad.
He wanted to be there so bad, and uh yeah, so but he's doing good now. Man, he's moving on that prosthetic better.
It was the last time you saw him in person.
I'm with his birthday, okay, down to Austin for his birthday and yeah, just you know, I tried to make sure his head is on straight. It's always easy to call somebody and then say yeah, I'm okay, but actually there in person, you can kind of dive deep and kind of help him out, and you know, it's not easy losing your legs, So yeah, he went through.
It for sure.
Yeah, it's beautiful seeing you all's friendship and just the way you honored Scubinelli. It's just beautiful to watch. Like as much drama that comes out of these shows, the like, did you ever think when you started the challenge that you'd come away with a best friend like that, like a real brother.
Not at all, you know, And me and his relationship and this is usually how it is with my like real world friends and whatnot.
It's like we butt heads at first because we were.
Both like I was kind of with Chyenne on the show and he comes on to Rivals three and he's like, well, I was with her on are you the one? And so we kind of butt heads a little bit at first, But then you know, with the Invasion season, him and Hunter we started t YB and we're all just young, I mean at the time, but at yeah, you know, but at.
The time we were young, we were broke, and we were having fun, you know, And so that time period of my life was very exciting, very fun, and I'm just happy to where we are today.
You know, now speaking of today and getting into this season and how you came in with your head on straight, I feel like we're seeing certain things to be expected of some people and certain things to be a little different. What are your thoughts around Josh's gameplay this season?
I mean Josh always, I mean he's friends with everybody. So the problem with that is that it's hard to know where you lie within that friendship, and it all is determined on how the gameplay is used, as in like who controls the votes, who won that day, Like it's Josh gonna be on my side because I'm not in control, or you know, it's a lot of guessing game with him. And I'll be honest with you too, Like I knew I had my work cut out for.
Me this season. I don't really get to see a lot of challengers outside of the challenge.
You know, if you follow these people on Instagram, you see they're with each other at least once a month, partying in Florida, doing this, doing that. Like I don't know, I don't know if it's like I distanced myself or I'm not likable, but like I don't know, I found my best friend and Nellie to me and that friendship is genuine, So I don't really go out searching or trying too hard. I'm just myself and.
I would never say you're not likable. It could be too just like priorities, it could be the style I like, I don't think like Davon and I agree a lot of back pete more now, but still we both joke about how like we like to be in bed at a reasonable hour, genuinely, Joe, Yeah, and like like good night, We're not a monolith, Like even though we're all aallengers, there still are different personalities than that.
You know, Yeah, I agree.
Speaking of different personalities, we see you and Carra starting unlikely alliance this season. How exactly did that come to be? Uh?
That alliance was forced?
Both tell you that we looked around the room and we're like, hmm, well you want to be number ones?
Like that kind of how it happened.
And me and Kara we've never played the game together and so for us to finally look at each other and be like, hey, let's be number ones, you know, we were kind of both like the outcasts at the point, so we just said, hey, let's make each other our number ones and have each other's back. And to see her kind of go for bat for me for Rachel, I knew it was. I mean, let's be real, right when Rachel won, I knew I was going in like I knew she's been working with Johnny this whole game.
But just to see Carr go for bat for me was cool.
Yeah, I will say.
In the previous episode, when Michelle says your name, you and Cara make this eye contact and it's so iconic, like the way you guys look at each other, it was like, well, there it is like locked and loaded.
It was perfect.
It was so good, so good, it's crazy.
I've got Carr's fans are crazy, by the way. Crazy isn't like they love her to death. She's done a great job at creating that. And I've gotten so many messages like I've been waiting for you.
From car and the team up.
Yeah.
I'm like, man, I wish I had a little fan base to do that for me.
There are people out there, though, Corey, don't don't ever get it twisted. There are people out there that want to see you get your first win. There are people out there that are like, like really believe in you and want to see it. I'm one of the people also, one of the people that we want to see you get that win.
So there are people out there rooting for you just as hard.
But what should the name be, Like is it Corey's Curlers? You know how there's like this case than I am Cory Curlers, or like the curl crew, curl Crew maybe curl Crew.
That's not something Carr would get down.
With, right, I feel like the curl Crew. No, these are your followers. I mean, car can be a member of the curl Crew, but like you have the curls pot like, these are your the people who want to see you win, who are like loyalists.
Want tyb want to say tyb yeh.
That's cute. You lost me on that one. It's all right.
She's like, I'm trying to.
Root for you by yourself.
Yeah, no, I appreciate it. You guys have always been supportive and and yeah, no, I just wish. Yeah, it went well. I beat Josh and I did what I had to do.
And I think it's hard because it wasn't hard for me to beat Josh. Me and him were button heads all season. I was like, bet, this is exactly what I wanted. He wanted, like, there's nothing more you can say, go handle business in the sand and made the better man win that day, right.
How when he was trying to kiss your butt like it did seem though that you were saying an interview or talking heads. You know, you're like, yeah, we'll settle it in the sand. But he was saying, especially when we saw you guys in the club, where he's like, hey man, you know we're family. Yeah?
Like what bro don't like.
That's the one thing that's hard with me and Josh is like, just keep it real with me, Just keep it a buck, Like you can't say we're family and then like you're not working with me at all and you're going and making like it's just I don't know. It's hard to distinguish because in real life Josh is like a great person, he's a great dude, very easy to get along with, party with.
Have a good time.
But in the game you're just always like is he truly gonna have my back or not?
You know, so it's it gets messy.
I loved when you said if we're family, then you have to start treating me like family.
So that was that was really good. What do you and Josh stand today today?
You know, I think we're Instagram friends. I think that's you know, there's no bad blood. I'm not holding any grudge towards him. I told Josh I was proud of him this season because he finally was starting to play his game. And I think now with me doing eleven seasons, I really try to keep it as season forty, season forty and put a bow on it.
And hopefully I win. Right. I don't want to carry that into my daily life. I try not.
There's that maturity speaking, there's that growth.
No, that's called three kids. And now.
It's a perspective, like you were saying with Nelly, you know that it is. It's it's really about perspective, and you start to put things like what actually matter, Like the game of course matters when you're in it, but what really matters in the grand scheme of things? Another perspective? Was this a different perspective of you for you? Because you may it may have been something that you already knew, but just how fierce our man Derek can be as
a competitor. Was that something? But did this did on your radar for the first time or did you always know that. Okay, Derek is you know, people are sleeping on Derek and his ability.
Listen, Saturdays are days off, right, So we had a barbecue one Saturday and we played this game with like a football and you had to like hit this target or do something like that. Right, long story short, Derek won the game and he was doing some crazy moves. But I was like, Okay, dude is legit, like he played high school basketball. Like I think a lot of people sleep on Derek because he is gay or because he is like a happy person. But he's doing Sudoku puzzles.
He's doing his little puzzle books. Like, I never slept on Derek. I think he's a strong competitor and I kind of think, like me, he's always gonna have that underdog card on him, just because he's not considered a top tier, which would be like the Mount Rushmoores of the Challenge, right. So yeah, I definitely I never slept on Derek, but I think a lot of people do. And I'm happy that he got to show his skills off.
You know, Derek is phenomenal and just and not just in twerking upside down on a handstand.
Child just are.
Rocking a wig uh, And I love when the editors cut to as they're talking about how fierce Derek is. They then cut to him in a.
Wig in or whatever her name, yes her name.
Was, Yeah, Derek is. I love him so much. He's everything right off the show though, literally say yeahs a door, adore Derek. Okay, so you're going in like talk about one hell of a swing this particular episode because you go in with a penalty, How did that affect your strategy?
I just knew that, you know, my margin for air was less. You know, I'm already down one target. I know one of these guys is probably gonna get all the targets or maybe miss one. So I knew I had no room to miss any of the targets. And then I missed the first one. So I'm already in my head like all right, I'm down to let's just do the best we can.
Let's compete, and let's not get last place.
You know, last place you go right in, So I at least want to give myself a fighting chance. You never know, in the Challenge House, one day, maybe Banana says something reckless to Rachel and now their enemies.
I've seen it happen before, you know, so you just give yourself a little bit of life and do the best that you can.
What was the strategy because we saw I don't know that this season and day you can let me know too, I don't know that this particular season, we've seen such a pendulum swing of people who did awful. Maybe when you guys did that rock climbing challenge, maybe that, but where people did just awful or people did amazing.
I mean, for me, it's just how comfortable are you in a harness? Are you fighting the harness? Are you kind of going with the harness. Luckily, for me, I've been in a harness before, and I've swung from.
A rope, so I've had a little bit of experience.
But I think you could just tell like the people that are comfortable in a harness and swinging side to side, and some of that just has to take a little bit of crazy because you're jumping off of a semi truck that's going however fast it's going, and you're flying your body into a target, so you.
Gotta be a little messed up in the head. To do it.
So what was it like? Because it was difficult, right, we saw people struggling, but.
Then you see Jordan.
Then you see Jordan and he just like in his natural habits. I don't know, Jordan's just Jordan, right, you.
See he does that stuff for fun, right, Yeah, he runs twenty miles just to have a laugh. I'm like, bro, what were we doing here? We're gonna run, We're gonna bike, and then we're gonna swim. No we're not. We're not doing any of those. But no, I just think you know, Jordan's comfortable in a harness. He has good timing.
He did it well and he got all of them right. Same with Derek Kylin. I mean, the guy's race was a lot tighter than the girls. I feel like some of the girls, it's either that you did really well or you had a hard time with it. It was it was a fun challenge. I mean, anytime you don't have to sweat, it's.
A good day.
X So scenarios. Right, let's say Jordan was the one who pulled out the wind. Did you feel that more confident and that you wouldn't go in or could you like talk to him more or how did you feel about that or either way.
You knew you were going in.
It all kind of depended on which woman won, right which girl one?
But if Jordan would have won, I think I would have had more of a say. Maybe he could have convinced Rachel differently. I mean, Rachel was working so close with Bananas, it was very It wasn't even like a secret, you know. So like once I found out how well she did, I kind of knew.
What time it was.
But like you said, you always give yourself a fighting chance. So I just wanted to, you know, try all the avenues that I could. And you know, I've gone home on the challenge before by not opening my mouth and letting my pride get the best of me and not talking to people and just being like whatever, I already know.
They're going to stay my name.
So this time around, I was like, let me at least have convos with people, not kiss ass, but just have conbos.
Yeah, just see where their head is, you know. So that's just something I've learned throughout all my seasons.
And we like seeing that side of you, Like it's niceeing you have these convos and seeing just getting a glimpse inside the mind of Corey in the game, rather than you being like shut off, you know, or just doing commentary. So props to you both funny commentary and getting to see a little bit inside the mind of Corey. You also were brocking like some early two thousands glasses. I feel like you're bringing that back.
It was very like five dollars middle of the mall glasses right there, Come on now.
It was very Christina Aguilera dirty and Britney spears denim vibes.
I wouldn't say Christina Aguilera, but sure that no, not.
That they were feminine on you, but it just reminds me of that time when they were like, you know, the good time, the style of it all so good job. I have to ask you, mainly because I have this one friend who is so perturbed by this alliance that they would want me to ask you, what do you think of the Rachel and Banana's alliance or Banana's Angels?
I mean, I mean, he surrounded himself with like four of the strongest women in the house.
Smart move on his part.
Was surprised that people agreed to the Banana's Angels thing.
You know, his head was just blowing up with that, you know. I mean, I didn't really have anything to say. I'll say this, it did get old when it was like Bananas against Olivia and like them going back and forth even in the house like a what was it the forty yard dash challenge?
Like they were arguing, and I was like, can you guys just shut up? Like this is getting old at this point. We know you guys don't like each other, Like, I don't know, it's it was all good though. I'm glad that we had the Chinese angels or whatever made for a good season.
Yeah, it did make it entertaining. I mean the foot stuff. Let's soap, but.
Reaching not the feet.
Let's stay away from the feet.
All right. We have to take a quick break, but you already know we'll be right back after this. Okay, let's get back into this show.
What I do want to get into I want to take at a little sharp turn to the left. Okay, we've been laughing and giggling and all of the things, but I want to get into the emotions and the feelings of it all. Because you talk about fighting for your family, and I want you to tell us a little bit about that. I know how it goes because I'm a mom and I know how I speak when it come to my baby. So already you got three babies, Okay, so I can imagine.
So yeah, tell us a little bit more about that.
Yeah, you know, I mean, it just takes sacrifice to leave. You know, I had to miss birthdays. I had to miss Writer's birthday. We left on Writers' birthday. Then I missed Neila's birthday, and so you just you just always want to do what's best for your kids, and you question yourself sometimes when you're there, like is this really what's best for them? And then you get phone calls that aren't always good, like hey, you know, Mela's acting up or Writers acting up, and you just feel helpless
and it's just it's not great. But in the grand scheme of things, like you know, what you're doing is best and so it's just a struggle. It's a constant battle on like I said, by you being on the challenge, is that's what's best for your family?
Is that what's best for everybody? And at the same time, you got to make yourself happy too. You know, I'm a competitor. I've always played sports, so this feels the challenge feels such a crazy void in my life that like anytime they call, I'm always gonna say yes unless I have some date that I can't miss. But for the most part, like keep calling me, I'm gonna keep answering.
You know, I'm so thankful for the challenge and what it's brought to my life and my family.
And now like my kids are to the age where they want to watch the challenge, like writer, you can't wait, and like she goes, she'll do like.
Rock climbing, and she's yelling to me, like Daddy, I'm on the challenge.
They're like, she.
Loves it, and like, so for me to pass that down to my kids, it's like a really cool experience.
I just yeah, a random question. Uh, this actually goes for both of you, since you guys are the parents in the house.
Yeah, do you think your.
Kids would describe you, like when they're telling their friends what mommy your day? Would they say you're an athlete like daddy's a pro athlete or wait, you said that's so bad.
No, CAUs would never competing.
Wait, but if asked or do you think they say just reality start? Like what do you what is the thing the title, what does mommy do? What does daddy do?
I mean for me, I've had a humble writer a little bit, you know. She all she's known is like television. We also should just mean mom it's no secret, and so I would just say. She just says my dad's on TV. Like she doesn't even say reality stars, she doesn't say an athlete. She just say, yep, we're on TV. And like a quick little some more tea like writers in class with dream Kardashian right and dreaming later we're getting an argument on who's more famous?
These girls are in second grade? Wow, don't you ever argue with the Kardashian famous.
I said, we're gonna step to the side on this argument next time, Dad, you know, yeah, you know, so yeah, just you know, you always want to make sure that you know, especially my little ones, that they're humble about it and that they know that, hey.
We're on TV.
And I mean they don't think anything of it. I don't think they view me as like being cooler, you know.
I just think it's just it's what we do.
You know, what about you day? You didn't answer?
Yeah, yeah, No for me, Katea just thinks I'm like the best mom in the world. She thinks I'm like the coolest mom, and so her friends, she's at the age now she's ten, her friends watch the shows and so when I pop up at the school, her friends are like.
That's your mom.
Do you know who your mom is?
And so this year it's really starting to click for her. Like one of her friends, we went to the pumpkin patch and one of her friends was like, your mom is an icon, and she was like, my mama right she was, So it started to click for her. But I love the fact that she just looks at me like, my mom is just cool, Like that's as my mom, not TV related, Like I just have a really cool mom.
So yeah, that's so cool. And can I just say that both of you really are just the way I know you guys speak about your kids, prioritize your kids. You guys are both exceptional parents, and it's so cool to see and just all around good people. Sometimes people like to say what you see on TV isn't the same as what you get in person, or you know whatever, or people act to fool like. You guys are solid parents, solid people and bring a lot to You're.
Pretty solid too. You don't got those little ones. I appreciate you.
Oh thanks, I'm happy being the rich Auntie. Well not so rich, but you know what I mean. I'm happy. I'm happy just doing the birthday.
Is this week and all your richness. Remember that.
Well, send me what she wants, send me the list of what she wants to see what we go work out? Okay, so this is your third elimination this season. Yeah, I mean you're you're setting them up and knocking them down. Do you feel more empowered now after doing this third one? Or are you feeling a little woe is me? Like I keep getting down here.
No, I'm ready. I'm ready for it now. At this point, confidence is very high. I got lucky and I got three physical eliminations to start, and so that's all I've ever wanted, is like anytime you get thrown into elimination, you just want something that you feel like showcases your skills and your best skills.
And so I feel like these eliminations I got to do that, and confidence at an all time hih. Nothing better than winning on a Friday night, coming back into that house knowing Saturday is a little day party.
You get to relax Saturday Sunday you're doing interviews, talking to your family, and then Monday you're back at work. So those Friday night w's are very important.
And I felt like I was on top of the world, but I also knew, I mean, we still got Jordan up there Bananas Island, Derek me. I mean, it's it's a long road to get to the end, and that's why I come.
So if I.
Remember correctly, y'all correct me if I'm wrong, you took out bread and Derek right, Yeah, that's insane like that, that's like and you so humble about it.
Like, no, Like.
I'm think humble about it because I've been on the other end where like I go into an elimination against somebody that I guess on paper I should beat and I lose.
I've eliminations have humbled me multiple occasions. I just try to say in the moment, stay humble, because at any point, you know, you could get something where you're not so good at it and you're going home.
And I think that's what we all love about.
The challenge is that, like anybody can win on any given day depending on what it is. You know, unless your name is Jordan, right, wins at everything, but even him, like we've seen him in Tuga Wars against Vesi and he lost, and you know, there's certain things.
That aren't his strengths. So I mean, you just gotta love the show. And this season is forty.
We brought out the forty best competitors, we got all the eras and and I think we're delivering this season.
So it's a good one.
It definitely is a good one. Now, Tory made mention that Jordan, she called him the Michael Jordan of the Challenge. Do you agree with that statement?
No, I don't. I would call him the Patrick Mahomes.
Okay, Michael of the.
Challenge for me would have to be CT.
I could see why because when I think of the Challenge, I think a CT right away, and I think that's when I used to watch.
It as a kid.
I go back into like what made me want to get on the show in the first place, and who kind of was the a's to me as the kid, And I always viewed CT as like this dude you don't want to mess with, and he is still like that to this day.
But I would just say CT because.
He came before Jordan and he laid the groundwork for Jordan. You no, and I mean Jordan that's on the Challenge, And so I would say Jordan is the Patrick Mahomes, which means he's the best doing it right now. But I would still say that Michael Jordan would be.
Ct and see as a Kansas City fan, I appreciate the Mahomes love. As a Kenston native also, I appreciate the Mames love. I actually think that I'd say Jordan is the Tom And here's why, because I think Michael Jordan, from what I know, which is not a ton but was always expected to be great from the jump, whereas Brady was actually not drafted, like in the first round. He was kind of overlooked and only came in when his QB got injured and then set the records that
we know now. And if we think about Jordan in his early I was there in his early Challenge seasons. I was there when he got eliminated by Bananas after he flipped all the cards on his own, so he I feel like he was slept on a little bit in the earlies, and then now he is the icon that he is, which is kind of t Brady.
I need y'all to speak in actor because I don't want to stand sports, so I don't know what y'all talking about right now.
So the Tom Brady of the challenge has to be bananas because he has was Brady have seven championships?
And yeah, but you don't think Jordan's gonna get I mean out of how many tries run?
That's where? Yeah?
Yeah?
Yeah?
And did Anna's was he ever ever fully underdogged?
Though?
You know what I mean?
Like, can we get day in here? Can we get hurt? Let's do this an actor terms?
So yeah, but who do we the Denzel Washington?
Is he the Leonardo DiCaprio?
Like, who is he?
Okay? So ct is Denzel? Okay?
Og been around, never misses, always hits okay, And then I would say I would say Jordan is, Like.
Right now, who's a good actor? Gets all the roles?
How about this? I'd say Tom Brady okay, because we're gonna compare it to the athlete so she can pick which one she feels like Jordan fits best. So if we were to say Tom Brady and actor terms, I'd argue, what's the guy's name? This is so bad that I it's Chris not Evans. No, No, I love Chris No, the one that's married to the Schwarzenegger. What Pratt? Chris Pratt? Okay, christ this is why because Chris Pratt started on kind of like TV shows Underdog, right, he was on Parks
and Reck. He was the funny one. He wasn't the like big muscly superhero. And then he like broke out and became this mega movie star where like that's what he's known for now, and like he just does all these big name franchise movies. That's kind of like a Tom Brady sort of where it's like you started kind of small and then out of nowhere, people are like, wait, he went big. Who would you compare? How would you describe Michael Jordan an actor's term, Corey?
I mean the great ever? Do it right?
So for me that would be Denzel and Denzel and I get to meet Denzel tonight because I have one Gladiator to premiere tickets against Darren and tonight. So like my plan tonight is to somehow shake Denzel's hand and just tell him you know that he is the Goat.
So we'll see. I don't know, but.
It's gonna happen. And then Corey, we need you to sneak a blurry photo from the red carpet. You're gonna text it to me and day in the group chat. We're gonna message you after this. You gotta sit like going in the group. Okay, tell my uncle.
I said, Hi, he don't know me, but you're telling him. I said, Hi, all right, I.
Love that.
Okay, so Dave, then you have to settle this. So who do you think Jordan is more like Denzel or Chris Pratt in the Child?
I would I would say Chris Pratt. I would definitely say Chris Pratt because like you, like you said Corey. For me, when I think of the challenge, my mind immediately goes to Cet like it immediately.
Goes demon back in the day too. Like that love story. We're never gonna see that.
That was just epic.
There's just so many parts that I feel like just makes him the overall go.
Wait, but you guys have I just got to throw it out here though, Like no mention of bananas in this, because Banana still holds the rent.
Like he's in a conversation.
If those three would be the conversation, I think everyone can agree on that. It's like Jordan's an up and coming, Johnny got all the rings the show for it, and Cet has that aura that you know, would you won't ever see again.
So yeah, yeah, and the hair. Okay, let's get back to the this, you know, elimination. When you rocked up, did you automatically feel like, oh, bet done or were you still little? You did? Okay?
No, I was confident. I didn't. I don't ever under under estate, under esther.
Oh my god, I'm that word, underestimate my opponent, And so I knew Josh came in the best shape he's ever been in, so it was going to be hard, but this was playing towards my strength, so I felt confident.
Yeah, it looked pretty easy.
I felt so bad for my friend because we know, I love me some Josh, like that's my dog, and just watching him in that elimination like he was hungry for it, but my baby didn't stand a chance.
Oh my baby, I mean he Yeah it was.
Yeah, yeah, it was.
It was part of justice for me, and I think it all came full circle when we were going at it in the beginning of the season and then for me and him to go against each other and yea happy the way it turned out.
So let's get into your target selections. Get Jenny, Michelle, and Aviv. Let's let's let's walk through that.
The first two were easy. Jenny's thrown me in twice, so I gotta go her. Also, who else? Oh, Michelle.
Michelle's thrown me in twice as well, so you gotta go there. And then it really came down to Kara and Aviv. And at that point, you know, Car's my number one, she's been rocking with me.
I want to show her my loyalty, and so it had to be a Viv And then Tory. Tory was around two, but I felt like this is the thing. Once Josh went home for Tory, I knew she had an opening open up.
So I knew by me sending Josh Holme, I moved up on Rachel's list.
I moved up on Tory's list.
Like all those girls who basically had Josh higher than me, I can now slide up a spot.
So it just helped me and position myself with Tory even higher. So I had to go of Eve.
They say, dressed for the job you want, and that's exactly what you did. You got rid of Josh so you could get right up in there. Yeah, Spot and Rachel Spot. Now you're headed back into the house. Give us a little teas you've been so great with this tea and you being as famous as a Kardashian. But for the game, can give a little tea of what to come in the house, or at least what we should keep our eye.
Out, what took hold on. I don't want to disappoint you guys, so give me a click set.
Okay, god, I think.
I mean, I think we saw in the trailer for next week. You know, somebody doesn't listen to the rules and they get qualified from the competition, so we get to see who that is.
I mean, there's more in house drama between Bananas and his team and then the other girls. And yeah, the problem is I just kind of stay out of some of that.
I don't really get to a ball.
But yeah, it's good. I mean, the season is just slowing down. It's only gonna pick up. We're getting right by that final. So now like all the fans, you guys get to pick kind of who's your head horse heading into that final and see how everyone stacks up.
And let's get to a TJ.
You know, yes, TJ. I love that.
Who would you.
Say is your biggest competition with the remaining man left?
Who is your biggest competition going back into the house.
Biggest competition I would say in a final, it would be Jordan. His endurance endless, you know, isn't It's just crazy how his endurance is. I would say, yeah, And then I would say my dark horse would be Kyland or dare you know?
Yeah?
Kyland comes prepared.
This man came to the challenge with a notebook full of highlights of each season where each season was filmed. I was like, listen, this show was not meant to be taking this series, but his big brother mindset.
Girl what like? Oh, but I mean it works for him, you know.
So dang dang, Corey. I'm so excited you came to hang out with us.
Yes, really, you have enjoyed this interview.
You've made it fun, you gave us some tea, and we've got to show you a little bit more.
So I definitely appreciate you coming to hang out with us.
And you can always hang out with us before eight pm. No that like, don't feel like you don't have friends in the challenge or that you're unloved. You know, come, we'll get a nice afternoon tea, a nice happy hour two for one, and then you can go watch our shows or something, you know, chill that worth yes, But for those who, like Day said, for those who want to follow along with you, uh for a happy hour or after where can they find you on so sure?
Yeah, so you guys can look up my snapchat because Instagram is hiding my profile from folks. So I'm going to direct everybody to my Snapchat Corey Underscore W twenty four to seven. I post on the air a lot, also Instagram, Twitter, And you guys can watch teen Mom next chapter. We're filming the season right now. It will be out probably in January.
And and yeah, you can dive even deeper into my life and how crazy it.
Is, he said.
He booked it, booked busy, but curls still popping like just they look so soft yet so defined.
So well, the key is to grab your cheapest hairjail at your local Target or Walmart. Don't spend more than five bucks on your hairjel folks there. But yeah, thank you guys for having me. It's always a pleasure. You guys are great and and thanks for this, you know.
Yeah, anytime like happy to support you and root for you. Always awesome.
Well, anytime you guys want to do this again, you got my number, Give me a call and I'll.
Be tuning in to hear what you guys have to say.
So excited we got an opportunity at the interview with Corey. I feel like the Challenge podcast is where we get all the exclusives, Like people love coming to talk to us, right, they do.
I don't know why, but they do, and we love that they do.
It's because we all cousins over here. This is family, okay.
And if anybody wants to be a part of your family and attend the family reunion, where can they find you.
On the socials of the media.
Well, first you got to know how to cook. But because you know, you got to bring something good, right, you gotta know, I believe in seasoning and no raisins. You can find me on my website, Devin Simone, that's done with y Simone with an eye. You can find me on threads now mm hmm at Devin Simone, TikTok, Instagram. Yeah I'm there. It's always a good time. Snapchat as well. Day where can they find you? Come on Snapchat.
You can find me on all the socials of the media's I need to get into Snapchat, Yes, socials of the medias. You can find me at Davion, Diane Underscore and I will be more active because I've been child has been tumbleweez and crickets lately.
But it really has, it really has. But every time I see a gift of you, it brings a little ray. It's like an angel gets its wings. Every time I see someone use a Gift of Day in any social media, it always brings me such joy. Thank you all for joining us for another episode of MTV's Official Challenge podcast. Tell all your fellow Challenge fans to give it a listen, and make sure to leave us a five star review on Apple and Spotify because we'll appreciate you forever.
Yes, and of course, join us every Thursday to hear brand new episodes of MTV's Official Challenge Podcast, available wherever you get your podcasts.
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