Hello, Hello, Hello, hello everyone. I'm Devin Simone and.
I'm Davion Rogers and this is MTV's official challenge podcast.
Yes, My, My.
My, tell us about it day, tell us how you feeling?
Bananas is all one this season. Yeah, I don't know what's going on.
As I've stated in our previous podcast episodes, as a viewer, it's so good to watch because we want to see that, like it's so great to watch. As a cast member, I would have been trying to get him sent home immediately.
Because I don't think, oh it on, and I'm a calm person. If he was clipping his toenails, I would loseize me like that. And by the way, shout out to Jordan for growth, because can you imagine years ago if Bananas had done that and Jordan was sitting right there. I certainly can't, but I don't know that I could have just and then he.
Blew the toenails in their direction.
Oh, I would have been going for every gray hair in his beard. I would have lost my mind. So I'm yeah, yeah, but he was just doing the most and the way he didn't even give Yeah, okay, we'll get this episode. It has a lot and a lot of feels. Okay. Also, if you had asked me to bet all the money I do or don't have, I never would have bet that Laurel oh ever in the challenge like ever ever? My what like I don't I think I still am not processing it. How do you feel about it?
My jaw is on the floor. My jaw is.
On the she quit, like, I wow, you not Michelle.
No shape to Michelle, because I think Michelle's great at this game, but you let Michelle beat you.
That was kind of some shame to Michelle. Do it?
Ain't because I think she's great, But it's Laurel.
Like we literally.
Saw this challenge Mount Rushmore that they put up right.
Right, yeah, and then you quit, like go put my shelf face up there. I mean, I appreciate that Tory even gave Laura propasaid. Arguably I think it was Tory who said it. But like the best female challenger like ever like it and the fact that she quit. But okay, here's a theory that I know she may not. I it's kind of true for bananas too. But like what's interesting is I agree with Kara, and I love the way Kara handled her interview, like I love this. I
love the chill, confident Car vibe. I just love it all. Meaning she could have thrown horrible shots at Laurel in this moment, right like as she was giving her talking, he had interviews and she didn't, and I appreciated that. She also in talking about like what's to come in her competition. I feel like in previous seasons we see her go back to that woe is me, you know, like the I'm the underdoone, and I love that this time it wasn't.
She was like, let me remind myself of who I am.
Yes'. She was just like, Okay, we have a tough you know coming up. All these women are powerhouses and we're gonna do what we do, and like, yes, that's the vibe. Kara. Love that. But with Laurel, here's my argument. I do kind of agree with Car. I think she looked around and saw her competition, and I think that at this stage in the game, this is the most stacked female competition at least, no shade to the minute. But I'm just not commenting on what those dynamics are.
But for the female side, this is the most consistent. There are no weak links. There aren't any weak links in the women left. They're just there aren't. And if you think there are, you're playing yourself y. So I do think she kind of looked around and when things were getting harder, I think she thought, let me take me out before anyone else can claim they took me out. Do you get what I'm saying? Like she started quitting before it was even done, so that it wasn't like
Laurel lost its eye. Was the one in control of taking me out of the game. I hope that take me out so that no one can say that they took me out.
Baby, whether I took you out, you took you out, or the Lord took you out. You out. And at the at the.
End of the day, why am I in it?
Right now?
Why I'm in it?
But at the end of the day, you came here to compete, So I don't care if you were in there with a stat group of Olympians. I don't know, Like you're here to compete.
Why are you bringing THEO in it?
I didn't say anything about.
Him while watching this episode. We had debates when I was talking about THEO being in the Olympics, and so then we had to fact check that because that rumor has gone around, and then we realized, well, you guys can google it. So let's talk about this VIDI final and a purge.
That Zaglo Kylin has a problem.
I mean he lost Naya and said I'm gonna win this man, let me tell you.
And and the conversation has been Jordan bananas, Jordan bananas, Jordan bananas.
Are we not.
Talking about Kylon? This man is eating up both Jordan and banana yep.
And like, I think Kylon is a sleeper, and I think he dresses in those sensible basic angels, as our producer Nicole God did. I think he dresses in those scents of basics and neutrals to stay under the radar. And I think he trained from the last challenges to now like he's always had the mental fortitude. I think he's been low key training.
Oh he did that.
And to our girl Tori too, yes, beaten a lot of Oh my god, yes, girl toy.
Is wild'ing out this season. My goodness, my.
Goodness is doing the dang thing. You know who didn't do the dang thing?
Oh lord ya Maya, Oh I was so sad to see.
Also re least he didn't quit.
He didn't, but I was still sad to see him go.
Oh, I was said, and that's the thing about the equalizers, Like you could spend thousands upon thousands upon thousands of hours in the gym.
Baby, you gotta work on that mine.
Right, you have to work on you gotta do puzzles and all of the things, because those equalizers will get everyone. Ever, and we've seen it season after season after season after season, like and Neia Maya is usually really good, so I'm assuming it had to be this.
This heat situation was taken over everybody.
Yeah, and then Michelle she didn't quit either, and I respect that she didn't. She it seemed like she was ready to quit. And then she looked and she so lower. She goes, oh, you're still competing. Okay, okay, never run. I guess so you going shut out to a show. We're not quitting. And then we already knew that Tory was gonna throw bananas in Yeah, and we had that deliberation. He was really obnoxious, Like.
So let me ask you this.
She made a statement, right, she makes a statement and she goes, she had a prior relationship. They had a friendship her Bananas had a friendship, and she said maybe in this moment, there can be a way to mend that as if like almost giving the audience hope that you know, don't think that Jordan is like for sure, for sure safe do you think she meant that or do you think that was just not play for the audience.
That was for TV girl was not And by the way, I love to see where their relationship has come. Talking about Jordan and Tory, Oh for sure, that makes me so happy. Like even when Jordan said I didn't win this daily, but I have an ex fiance who did, Like, I love that. That just made me so happy. So I'm happy for them. I think it's deadly for everyone in the house because they're two powerhouses themselves. Right. You imagine them on X's together now in the state that they're.
It would be a problem. It would be a problem.
And yeah, she was never gonna vote for Jordan, like she's only gona vote for Banas, and Bananas was just super, super obnoxious about it. And then he commented that she's playing a scared game and she he critiqued Kylon's attire, which arguably what has Banana's been wearing except for merch all season, and at least Kylon is wearing a sensible capsule wardrobe. But also, Tory hasn't been playing a scared game.
If she was playing a scared game, she never would have taken shots at Banana anyway, because she arguably took shots at Banana's first, which is why he's hurt, and she took those shots as retribution for Devin. So yeah, she's not playing a scared game at all. I think he's just scared and doesn't know how to express his vulnerability.
I think, Okay, I think, And this is my first time seeing this. I don't know if he's done it before, but this is my first time seeing this. This is my first time seeing his feelings hurt. Like, his feelings are truly hurt by Tory. Whatever relationship or friendship that they had prior to they were.
Hurt by Mariah that time. Wait, don't you remember when they broke up? I mean not to bring that back up, but you know, okay, oh boy, sorry why I don't remember election, but I remember that.
But continue, his feelings are genuinely hurt, like even when they were in deliberation and he was like you know, you've been there with me.
You've been there with me in the trenches.
You know what I'm saying, Like, you've seen how this plays out by people that I care about, and now here you are somebody that I care about, and it's what do we do it?
And I think his feelings are truly hurt by her.
True. I mean, she's playing her games, thank you, you know, like you know, I've been playing the game and the knee. Now you're doing this. She's playing the game. Broh. That's how this works. And I think that's why Tory tried to stress like as a human, I care about you or whatever she said. I'm paraphrasing, but she tried to separate it, right, And I think outside of the game, when things cool off, he'll be able to recognize that.
But I think in the moment he's very reactionary regarding his feelings, and he went into, oh my god, they're like picking on me, dude, you won seven times. Of course you're picking on you. You have a big mouth. Of course they're picking on you. Like what do you yet?
Yeah, It's almost like it sucks as the person who's receiving it.
But at the end of the day. It's low key a compliment. Mm hmmm, it's a compliment, like we have to get you out of here because you're a problem. You have to go.
Yeah, can we can we acknowledge this fat between Josh and Michelle?
Who sy were you on?
Who were you? I actually am Team Josh because okay, but it's funny to watch though, because Michelle was clearly so pissed. Michelle is so pissed. I want to know who Well, okay, I feel like I know, but I don't know who you were for or like what team you're on.
I'm always team Josh. But here's the thing though, even even if it.
Wasn't Josh who said it, it was someone who someone else who said it, I feel like her saying it was it was. It was almost a tone in what she said it. She was like, I was understand, like you rooting for him is indirectly rooting against me, and I'm like, hold on, like it's not about you, right.
She has like a mom godfather types, like it makes to the Godfather and the mom coming out like she's so kinny.
Like you all your vegetables and then go take a shot literally.
Literally, And the way she didn't even look at him half the time. She's just saying it like Barry Stern, but she's not looking at the night. It's so funny. And then he like storms off like a little kid. He was pissed, But Josh was right because I'm team looked strategically. I think that's the only smart thing we've seen Josh do for his game, because people do something this season later. Sure you can be like, look, I
was rooting for you. I told you to move left on the elimination whatever, Like I think he's wealth and his right, and you're right, it's not about Michelle. So that was hilarious.
And then we lose THEO. We do, we lose THEO.
I hate to see him go out like that because he's such a competitor. And actually, no, let me take that back, because every time we see him, we see him in like.
A hard, heavy hitting like boom, like you know what I'm saying.
So it was it was I don't know, I hate to see him go out like that, but it was it was good to.
See him in a different a different type of elimination.
I was gonna get him if there's a time to go out in that way. And not that he wants to go home, but like, I have so much respect for THEO. I think if it was heavy hitting, it'd be easy to just be like, oh did it get you know, like of course he's gonna win. But even the way TJ gave props and bananas, I thought that was very sweet, Like the way he get like the facer THEO kept up for that. Oh my god, is that size is so incredibly impressive. Okay, now let's talk about our gold Stars and our time.
I like this. I like this.
Okay, so gold star Okay, Okay, no nominees, nominee.
I'm gonna nominate.
I'm gonna nominate Josh for being a supportive friend. Okay, I really want to nominate him for being a supportive friend. I'm also going to nominate Kayland for being a power house, an absolute powerhouse. I'm gonna nominate THEO for this entire elimination. This elimination was crazy. And then I'm also gonna nominate Johnny.
I'm gonna nominate Johnny not for the toenails, because I'll yuck, but for the fact that they done came after him, threw him down there twice and he done came back and like, what's up.
We're we doing? Like he I understand that.
People were saying or making accusations that he wanted to go home, and he was checked out on all of these things. But when he gets down there and that's saying I'm not seeing that. I don't see that, right, I'm seeing unless it's like okay, yeah, I want to go home.
I want to go home.
And then when he get down there, something click and he realized like, hey, you are like the face of this show.
Wake it up, you know? So I don't I don't know, but I don't see that. I see fight. I see fight. I see fight. I see fight.
Ultimately, I'm going to give my goal star to Kyland. I'm wanting to give my goal star to Kyland because I just I believe that Kylind not just because he's from Big Brother, but as somebody who is not from MTV to come over here and make his mark the way he is making his mark. Oh yeah, oh yeah, the way he is.
Making his mark.
I am super, super proud of Kylin. So that's gonna get my goal to start to How about you?
I like Kyland, but not for that reason. I mean, no, I like the way he's crushing it, but I don't love this for someone who's not from in TV to come over and tell y'all, betters, look, we just we just got you a seat at So it's not it's not a wooden seat. You get a fold out chair and that's it. Okay, you get a fold out chair. All right, it's a little it's a little rickety, and you get a paper plate. But you just got a seat at the table. All the Big Brother subvib or CBS. People.
Don't get too comfortable.
Don't get comfortable. Get comfortable in our house.
Still in our house. But I did do you think Kylin did an exceptional job? And I think those are all fair nominations. I well, except for bananas. You shocked me with that one. I did not see that one coming on your gold Star nominations. Yeah, my gold Star nominations go to Kyland's also for winning. I thought he did an excellent job. He's been playing under the radar. He does, in fact, wear a sensible wardrobe on the show. And yeah, he's just I really do think he's a
sleeper hit. Like I don't think people recognize how powerful he potentially can be tory my girl just kick me geez, Like I just there's nothing to say for people who want to hate on her or whatever else, Like you can't look at that performance and not say that she's not the greatest or one of the greatest, Like you, you just can't. For to THEO and his elimination skills. The way he handled this with such grace and such fight, I mean, truly impressive. And for Derek slash mss Cleo,
I appreciate a good wig in the Challenge House. I also like that it had you know that HD lace right it laid really flat because it also looks good on Josh so I so I love to see it. It looked like it was a great texture. I appreciate it. Hopefully he got that on sale. But ultimately my gold star is going to have to go to THEO. I
just love the way he handle it. I do feel like my guess is based on commentary that we saw in this episode in previous ones, is THEO got so comfortable with live he wasn't training and when he said, you know, at the beginning of the daily, He's like, oh, I got to kick it into gear before it's too late. I think he waited till it's too late, like I think in the Challenge House, if you have that realization, it's already.
Told too late.
Yeah, And I think if he had been a little better prepared, maybe he wouldn't have gotten in that situation. Like if his head was in the game a little more, maybe he would have wouldn't have been in this situation. But he put up one heck of a fight, and props to you THEO so good?
What about you know what, I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason, and so you know, as much as we want to see him compete and do all of the great.
Things, perhaps he was literally cast.
On this season for divine purposes of finding Olivia. Like it could be just as simple as that, Like it could have been the door opener for him to find his person, then to find each other, and then he comes back and then he does what we want him to do on the show.
You know what I mean? Who are you.
Look at me?
Because our girl is growing that love to see it and look, we love love over here.
We support it.
Even if it started in the Challenge House, who gets your time out?
Oh Laurel put her in the corner immediately, put her in the corner immediately. I think I was more so disappointed more than anything. And I'm pretty sure she has her reasons and that's fine.
But Laurel like and and and and then and then.
I don't know, because I don't want to say that because I don't want to put that on anybody.
But we don't expect that from her.
But I don't want to put my expectations on her because that's that's a lot to carry.
That's that's a lot, you know what I mean.
She can carry it. She's carried more. I think, Look, I.
Feel like that's what happened with Kara, though we all put our expects And I say we because I I did, like I expect a lot out of car She's Kara, and so I think putting all that pressure on a person might not, you know, put them in a good space.
You know.
TJ hates quitters. And look, my noums were bananas and the Tonyo clipping. It's so gross. I hate it, so gross. I really do think I would have thrown them at him or something. I don't know. I just wouldn't have handled that well. It was just a level of disrespect, like maybe he's trying to create a moment. I just I didn't like it. It was all but so that was a nomination for me. It's really kind of a tie because that really is just gross. So he gets part of it. I'm doing a day this week, he gets
part of it. Laurel quitting I agree, And I think to me, her behavior was sort of quit being like I don't want to play because she knew she was behind, rather than just being like, you know what, today wasn't my day. You know, this wasn't my week. Shout out to all the girls who did it, and that part I just don't respect, like not dang Laurel.
Yeah, yeah, not cool.
I mean I get it. I understand why she'd want to like why she'd feel that way, totally valid. But no, I do hold her to a high regard. If you make it's about rush War, sorry that I hold you to a high regard. It is what it is. So yeah, speaking of a high regard day, do you know what it is?
What is it?
Today? Is our two hundredth episode made hundred hundred what episodes?
You guys have been listening to us talk for two hundred episodes, two hundred episodes.
That's longer than Bananas has been on the challenge almost Okay, that is phenomenal. Thank you all for rocking with us. I also have to give a shout out to our fabulous producer Nicole couldn't do it yeah listening to our nonsense. We love you, Nicole, We appreciate you. Thank you, and also shout out to our sister podcasters because we couldn't do it without them. So we're talking about the toy
the Anisa. So thank you guys for listening. We really do love you and appreciate you for rocking with us so much, and we hope that this fun and joy can continue. But happy two hundredth episode, hundredcial Challenge. We made it all right. So we have an incredible guest on the podcast today, me and Mayah Clark is going to join us. So don't go anywhere, we'll be right back after this.
Ooh.
People get excited for this one we have And if you could see by the way how fly he looks in his glasses, he's really channeling like a wise vibe. But we have in the house today mister Niamyah Clark himself the oh Gee probably one of the smoothest challengers you'll ever meet. And if you've met him in person, you know what I'm talking about. This man can't help but speak game. It's like just not it just he just can't help it. But it's been so fun watching
him play this game. Welcome to the podcast, Neamyah, Yes, thank you.
I like that intro. I haven't been called smooved before, so I like that one.
You know he gives us. He literally is just always, So you got to be on guard when you're around your mind because he just you know, he's always Hello, how are you? It was horrible to watch you leave, but we enjoyed watching you play this game. What are your immediate thoughts You just saw the episode for the first time, What are your feelings or your thoughts in watching that all unfold again?
Oh? Man, you know, you go right back into being in the house. I go right back into the way that day.
Went down when you started out in this episode you started as a target. Were you shocked that you were select? Because I also feel like as a whole, Neami, you're so likable, like truly and in the house we see that, and so were you shocked to be called as a target or what were your feelings about that?
Actually, I wasn't because I knew that me and Michelle, we didn't have any issues at all in the house. But we also never talked game. So that's something that I would never take personal against somebody for saying my name, if one I never came up to you and had the conversation or it just never happened. So I wasn't. I wasn't shocked, y'all. See, I had a smile. I was laughing about it, just because I kind of knew it was going to happen.
Yeah, Yeah, that makes sense. You are a good sport on I'd say, like most of it, and when I more sort of your game play. We're talking about that moment back with Devin, remember where you tried to strike a deal and then it got a little messy and then it was a little but it's okay, things happened.
Let's let's let's talk. Yeah, okay, So before going there, you know, me and Devin had I would say, like somewhat of a of a friendship outside of that because we did the pandemic together. He came down to Kansas City and we did a whole show where we lived together for a couple of weeks, so he was at Wes's wedding, so you know, going into the challenge, Wes was like, you know, Devins good, he's someone you can work with. I've already kind of talked to him. You know,
he's not going to come after you. So this was an ongoing thing that had happened to where me and him at briefly talked one night when he was just like, look, we you and I haven't had to talk yet, but it's probably a good thing. But you know, let me know that we were good. So that was a continued thing because to me, it wasn't a one off deal. It wasn't you keep me safe this time and you'll be safe. It was like, if we're riding, I want to I want to row with you until the end.
So this isn't even like this is a partnership that I thought that we were working out. So to me, I don't really do the deals. Me and Corey locked in, and when we locked in, it was for the whole season. It wasn't just for a couple of times to go around. So that's what that was to me. That wasn't even a deal, And I can definitely see how it came off messy like that, But I said it in there that all of the times that I connect with people
is because I respect them outside of the game. So I try to rock with people who, you know, something more long term.
Absolutely, and that context is so helpful. This is why I'm glad you're here. Where do you stand on the whole Bananas Angels thing that we're seeing happen right now? What are your thoughts on that?
You know, there's one thing that that that man is going to do, and that's going to make a TV show. That man he is the Lebron James Like, it don't matter who is around him, He's going to take somebody to a championship. And and I think that's what we're
seeing right now. And I think that it's actually coming at a good time in the season because that divide was real in the house and we went bowling like that divide that happened between Side one inside two and three and four because organically the way that the you know, the house was set up, we would spend more time with Era one anyway because they were just on our side.
So a lot of times, you know, on your side of the house you mean physically Okay, So the house itself is divided into two okay, were you guys four room like that? That's what just so happens that everyone kind of wanted to be near their era or were you told these airs have to be here, these airs have to be there.
Yeah, we were. We were given the rooms, so basically given the rooms when we got there, but we got to choose our beds.
Okay, but you didn't get to choose this side of the house. You were on the rooms. Oh, because that plays such a component in the game who you're near. I wonder what their thought process was in that, because it would have been interesting if say Era one and Era four were rooming closer to each other, would have been maybe a different game. What do you think, NeiMa?
I think would have been a completely different game because I don't think that it would have even been people rooming with the eras. It would have just been the rooming with who they felt comfortable with. And I think that we would have saw a completely different dynamic in this type of house. We were forced to be an era.
So in their mind, I think that's probably why they did that, because they know at night when you lay your head, those are the conversations that build up, don't matter, those are the whispering, and that's when you feel the most vulnerable, you feel comfortable. So I think that they knew that, which is why they kept us in the airs because if not, man, I feel like Bananas and Michelle would have probably been in the room and Devin would have been in the room like the beef that's
brewed between them when that happened. So I think that it would have really changed the game.
Oh wow.
It also speaks to maybe a little bit of the tension with Kara and Laurel because they were forced to kind of interact more than maybe they would have the thing. And what are your thoughts, Nia Maya, Well, first of all, when you found out Laurel quit, When did you find out that Laurel was quitting?
I mean she was quitting right in front of me.
Yeah, So were you shocked?
You know, it was at a point where because of how hot it was outside bringing out the worst in us. I know, because because of how hot it was outside, and also you know, just based off of everything in the house, I could see that being a breaking point for her. I could definitely see how that was a breaking point. We're in sand dunes, you know what I mean, Like her and both are going at it. She doesn't know which ones on the puzzle was wrong, you know what I mean? Like that means you got to go
and do this whole thing over. She was trying to hear it. She wasn't trying to hear all that, so that I felt, like, you know, coming off of a win. For one, she's still coming off a win, and talking to her, she she didn't even really know what to do with that money, you know. So she's not even in a situation to where she needs the money, you know what I mean. So I think that sometimes you know, that could be a big motivating force. So for her,
in her mind, her life is good. You know what I'm saying, she's good.
So you're saying she wasn't hungry enough.
Exactly, she wasn't. She wasn't hungry enough. Hungry got to because that's that's the thing that pushes you in these situations, because the body's going to give out. You know, you've been there.
M h.
It's that it's that w that you got on your chest, and if you don't have one going in, then halfway through it's going to fall out. And those are the people that we see that that fall through and they can't take the mental pressure, the challenge pressure that changes in the game. They can't take it, and you start to see him break. And that's why we look at Bananas and we look at these people because they built different,
they've been different. Like when the game gets hard for other people they start that's when they start to come alive.
Banana come on, yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like he he like kicks it. It's weird. It's like he already comes at a high gear, but then when it gets harder, I feel like he kicks it into this gear that doesn't like.
Where did this come from the pocket? Did you pull this out of?
Yeah? It's actually crazy, absolutely built it.
I want to put this rumor to rest, and I feel like me and Mayah, I trust you to be the one to do it. So there is this rumor that's been going around saying that Bananas wanted to go home. You read my mind, Bananas wanted to go home. And then we watch him in these eliminations and he does great. I was telling Devin, if that is the case, I think he gets like a recharge when he goes into
the eliminations. But I want to know from you, is that an accurate statement that he made it known that he wanted to go home after a certain amount of time.
You know.
What I'm learning is that this is actually a strategy. Okay, so this right here is a strategy. You know, you come into the game, you pretend like you don't really want to be there, You only want to go halfway, so it makes people not look at you too much. That meanwhile, like, if that's the case, then get off the treadmill.
Every day, right.
You know what I'm saying, I don't want to see you by no treadmill. I don't want to see you by no gym. If you're really trying to go home halfway, I want to see you up at night, and I want to see you sleep during the daytime. Don't let me catch you work out one time. So yeah, he said that, But that man was working out every single day. He wasn't playing. And I think that few between him and Devin is so big that you know, I don't think Banana's is going quin until he gets the last
win over them, too. Really, I think he gonna be in it. You know, he can't have devas saying he's the last one I won between them two, So he might he might be going for the long haul. He might be trying to get that eighth win or whatever he going after.
That's crazy interesting, that's crazy.
I mean, yeah, I can't imagine banana. If you're wired to be competitive like that, you just like, it's real hard to turn that off. So, speaking of turning it off or on, can you tell us in great detail more about this mini final?
What was like?
You talked about the heat. What are we talking? Are you like like eighty degrees like seventy with a nice breeze, one hundred degrees? How hot was it out there? How long? You know? Did you get breaks at all? That was there anything we didn't see in this mini final? Because it seemed like it almost broke a lot of y'all.
Yeah, I mean, first of all, I saw a cable get dehydrated out there, stuck.
He did not was a.
Camera out there. It was fine early in the day and then between the middle of the day you almost started passing looking wings.
Not a camel got dehydrated?
How it was? It was a camel out there hanging out. I usually don't see camels in eighty degree weather. It was a for real whole came out there in the in the in the dude. So basically you get there and you just see just these hills and hills of sand, and then it's so hot that you know, normally they don't ever give us hats. That's how you know it's hot. If they let you wear a hat, it's hot. So that just let lets you know. The sun was beaming. And then also the humidity was hot.
Right, Oh, it was so humid, right yeah, community is no joke. Good for your skin though, but no joke.
No, it was. It was. I mean I came on looking like tyres, like when you still had to adding all types of aordness.
Love, a chocolate glow, come on, come on.
So you get there and then you know you're running in it. But then you gotta dig in sand. And what happened was is that there's these metal pieces that are hanging outside of the sand and they have a rope attached to them, and they tell you that you know, if you dig, but you pull off that rope, that rope is attached to a key is going to make it harder to find the key because this rope is attached to your key down in the sand, So we're
basically trying to dig without pulling this rope off. One school got left after we all messed around and pulled our rope off, so now we're sitting at That's why you digging without any direction at all. So, yeah, the sand is falling. It's because that rope was supposed to guide us to whatever direction the key was in. And it's early on, like, look, don't pull on it, don't snap it, or else you're gonna have a much harder time. And that's what happened to the rest of us. So
that was tough. And then we're paddle boarding, and you know that was pretty you know, you got like a nice little view and you got some water. And then and then of course my dumbass is on the paddle board.
I'm thinking I'm going fast, and then here comes Derek just streaming by me, just cat and I look by it and he's just and he's not even breaking the sweat and he just looks sober me and he's just so calm, and he's just so loving, and he says, your paddle board is backwards and then he keeps going.
That checks out there.
Oh my gosh, all that sounds accurate. That is so funny. Wait, Anima, have you ever paddle boy? Have you had you ever paddle boarded before?
Yes, only on the final though, because I've done I've done more wakeboarding.
Yeah yeah, no, so I.
Like that better. See, Like even though I you know, I do yoga and stuff keep a lot of my childhood trauma my hips, so I can't cross leg, so paddle board and doesn't feel that comfortable to me. My knees are coming up to my ears and stuff, you know, so it's not the most comfortable. But I have before, and uh I did good on the on the final four All Stars three when we had to paddle boy with the wrath and then paddle bar. But this time I wasn't I wasn't beaten Derek.
And I feel like Derek is a sleeper. I feel like, I mean, I don't know what's to come. Like I said, I try and stay unspoiled here. But man, because you are not the first person where I feel like Derek gets referenced to where he's doing something with ease sort of you know what. I mean where it's like, I don't know, I just feel like Derek is going to surprise us. I'm hoping so man of secret this for him. Yeah,
I feel like it's going to surprise us. Did anyone else surprise you from the mini final in terms of either how well they were doing or how terribly they did?
Oh? Good question? You know. Avive surprise me watching her overcome because she was in the she was in the loser group with me, you know, so she went from being part of the loser groups a part of the winner group. I finished her in a puzzle. She surprised
me in that toy. Can you know? You know, Tory actually continues to surprise me because I watch her just continue to develop and get better at the challenge, and at this point, you know, she's going to get some of the best women to ever compete, and she's still up on top, and not only that but by big numbers. So it's really impressive to watch her because you know, she's in that Jordan boat where they didn't start off
like this. You know, they definitely didn't Jordan la goofy as hell when he first started.
I don't know if y'all you.
Know, I put Tory and and a lot of people who you see go through these hard times personally, because it's different when you're watch it on TV versus when you go through it with them. A lot of people, everyone in front of me on this challenge got my respect. Everyone who didn't get.
Purged, everyone who didn't get purged. You know, you mentioned that you and Corey are like super locked in and we saw that, so like moving forward, because I'm listen, I've been clapping it up for Corey for him to go from like public enemy number one to like is he even on the show?
Okay, like he's been undercover. So what is your hope for him moving forward in this game?
Like what do you hope to see Corey do?
Or you know, of course we want to see him get his win, But as far as in the house in the game, I just.
Hope that Corey continues to do you know what he's doing. I think that he is learning that balance between understanding the power of the women vote but also not trying to be afraid of elimination. And I think that those are the two things that make a strong competitor, and
he's taking out some top people so far. So I think that if he can continue to rely on that, he's good because at the end of the day, you know, like that was another thing that when I was talking to Devin, I wasn't trying to make a deal because I'm ever scared to go in. You know, There's there's never been a point in my game where I've ever tried to talk my way out of going into elimination.
And I wasn't about to start here. And I think that Corey holds that too, And that's a powerful card because there's a lot of strong people who like the confidence in that area and sometimes that's all it takes for them to lose an eliminations they probably would have won.
Look at him dropping. I told y'all, he came with his glasses that like the room, the mood lighting. We found out he's a yoga instruck. He's got it's like this vibe.
It's calming. I think this might be the most calm we've been on the podcast. It's usually like really high. This is very like chier. I think that you can even like lay back, relax and enjoy this guys like a tun in tuns.
Yeah, so good with that. You were consistently at calming presence in the house, doing the yoga, meditating. How do you stay calm in such a chaotic environment?
Oh, man, powerful question. I think you know it's individual, right. We all know what our certain boundaries are. I know what my social battery is. And for me, the way that I stayed calm was being able to create safe boundaries for myself. That's my morning routine. Having my morning routine prepares me for I wake up before everybody. I go do yoga, do some journaling, do some meditating, workout, eat, and then by the time they get up, it's the
time that I'm ready for my neck. So now I get to mingle with them a little bit, show face, and then I go lay down. And then now I get to start to balance the energies of the house because in the morning, that's when it's the highest. Everyone's just now getting up, you know, start every single you know, common facility is about to start getting busy, the gym
is about to start getting busy. So for me, I told myself that it was okay that if anyone wanted to talk game, if anyone wanted to come to me, I did not have to talk to them until after my morning routine was done, It's okay for me to let them know. I'll have this conversation with you in an hour or two boundaries. Yeah, so that was that was the thing that really kept me safe because I promise you there was sounds where I was going crazy because you can't turn the noise off, Like you cannot
turn the noise off. And I live by myself, like you said, like it's calm. That's what my house feel like. My house feels like.
Man, just spa.
It's so safe. And there you have no safe space, Like I tell you that there is no safe space. There is none. I had to create safe space where I could. So that's really what it was like, is just finding what you need to recharge and being okay with giving yourself that that self care time.
What wasn't peaceful? And this is gonna be a hard shark even left. Okay, I want to get into this deliberation and get to the fact that like we said, like we said, okay, Johnny is going to do what he has to do to make great TV and we love to watch it as a viewer.
But baby, the.
Toenail clipping, what did you what did you think about that? Watching that back. I mean it was toenails.
I mean, that's some nasty ship, isn't it. Though. That's that's some of that, you know. I mean, I think there's a collective word for it that we're not going to use on this podcast. That is that's what that is. You know, you don't do that. But look, at the end of the day, he knows what we're gonna be talking about. If he would have just went there and he would have just tried to act tough and tried to, you know, do a little speech, we wouldn't be talking about it. But he had to go in there. He
had to bring up them nasty toes. He had to you know, he's going to he's going to give a shot.
And but what was that? I feel like that's the show that eight year old gives. Like I actually am gonna say, I don't feel like that was a masterful showing. And I'm actually gonna say I hold Banana to a higher standard, not of him being mature because it's been in but given that he does put on good TV. He has been doing this so long. I feel like now looking at the tonail, thing feels real amateur hoursh like just real gross. But also I don't know, I
feel like expect yeah, because you're just clipping her. It's just gross. Like it wasn't iconic, it was just gross. Like it wasn't super funny either. Now him talking about Kylin's sensible clothing, I think Kylan was well within his right and what he's wearing.
But that part, my friend can dress okay, yeah, dress, my friend can dress Okay.
He dressed like he going on Big Brother all the time.
But he can dress okay.
So like I was telling Devin on Big Brother, we have to wear solid colors, like every single day. They want to solid bright colors. But I think for the challenge he did the reverse because it's like solid like darker colors. Yeah, he's days like the page and different things like that, but it's still that solid. And I think it's because we're trained to wear those type of colors. So when we come on the challenge and we're like, wait, we can wear this, We're allowed to wear that.
It's it's different.
He dresses like like a gift card.
You know what, We're that hilarious, you know, like there's nothing that there's no clearance, you're gonna need.
Card. He knows it's gonna get approved.
Every time everything about the South that is approved.
It's so funny.
Hit you with the open souls sometimes go straight to the airport. Don't say nothing off good like Cayline.
I'm now never gonna look at you the same again. Thanks to you, gift Cardey. That is that is so good. If you were sitting across from Bananas when this nonsense.
You know, I think let's let's let's break this down. I think at the at the core of that, the reason why he probably was not able to give that that antiic so much thought is because the underlying feeling that he felt was hurt and right, that he felt like he could depend on, and this was him being hurt more so than him trying to be a showman.
So I think that this was almost more of a defense mechanism that he was putting up exactly exactly exactly that was, that was the inner child of him that felt hurt, that felt you know, betrayed, you know, felt like the one person and he even said it, you know, you've been in the trenches with me. Out of everyone I expected you to understand. So I think that that one, I think that one really uh, really hit him and cut him deep. So I think that that's what we
were seeing. And I think had it been someone who he didn't care about as much, he probably would have been able to do something a little bit more funnier. This was more of a This was more of a.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah not you yeah.
See, I don't want to break these people down like that, but I'll break these people down. We're gonna go down. That's why. That's why I got loved for them all, because like when they react and stuff, sometimes I just see exactly what it is that they're reacting for. You know what I mean, I is really just a place of being hurt and a place of being misunderstood and
being in the house. You know. That's kind of like my job is just always to I could play the game, but just to make sure that everyone at least feels hurt around me and feels like, you know, that they have a home, you know what I'm saying, coming, yeah, talk me about anything. So that's kind of like the role that I've assumed coming into the house at this point.
I love that because there are some of us, and I also feel in that same vein as you that some of us come on the show with a double assignment. So we come on the show of course to win, because we want to win, but then also we're on assignment for the humans inside of there, remind them that they are in fact humans.
So I can appreciate that about you, absolutely.
I appreciate that, and you're right, and then let's take it a tiny bit deeper. Every single one of us has been given this opportunity. This is like when we go in the challenge is really a microcosm of life. Things that trigger us on the outside trigger us in here. So I think that it's a sped up version and it allows us to grow so quick because we'll put the situations that we avoid on the outside world. For sure, each of us, each of us has a bigger purpose
in that house. And sometimes, like when you're able to do like you do, you're able to step away from the money and then see, Okay, there is a bigger purpose. What is that for me? And what does it look like and share it? And I think that's when people start to really fall into their role with these platforms. Rather be the challenge, rather it be big Brother, because there's something bigger behind it than just these opportunities that we're given that makes us influencers or gives us a
lot of followers. So that's that bigger side. And I think that when we start to step into that, we start to see vall version of television, you know what I mean, like that version of television, because now it's showing people that we can go on this journey of this is how I reacted before and now that I have this information, this is now how I reacting. You got to see me in both areas and you got to see the growth. Just like where you are in life,
you can grow to the next stage. And I think that that's part of television and reality TV is the journeys has really being able to watch people along, you know, real time.
I love that.
All Right, we got to take a quick break, but we will be right back after this.
Okay, let's get back to the shell.
So let's go into this elimination. It was just so funny. We see Josh and Michelle, right, and we see Josh cheering for both bananas and THEO like just try and then we see Michelle get real sniffy about it. What were your thoughts? And the interaction is very funny.
It is very funny. I mean, obviously, if we're gonna go the evolved approach, then we would have to take a look at Michelle, and then we have to take a look at what she was upset about. And what made her upset is that he was cheering for a person that was targeting her. So what that means is that her reaction was based in ego. Her reaction was purely an act of what is this doing to me?
You know, without looking at the fact that this person could potentially be friends with both of them, and both of these people could potentially need the support at this time, because these are two good people and he has a connection with them. So I we're gonna go the evolved approach. Obviously that response was based in ego, because obviously it is don't cheer for someone who's coming after me, you know what I mean? This like, don't cheer for someone
who's coming after us. It's like me, you know what I mean. So, but at that point in the game, honestly, you see these people, like everything they do, it's a bad relationship. At this point. Everything they do gets on your nerves. It's like that couple that have been around too long, like you're just looking at him, and you like the way you eat your breakfast, bothers me, everything about it.
You exist the way you ex.
Like at that point, you know, I know she was definitely at a breaking point, which is everything at the show. And sometimes you hear Josh cheering for everybody and.
And but I love that about Josh though. Actually you're not killing it.
Though, like you're watching people put some some poles inside of holes. No, they're not killing it right now, like what is killing it?
They need to feel like they're killing it? Me and Minah, Josh is cheering them on. That is hilarious.
You better put that pole in there. Do that you trained for this.
Josh is like, good job. Me and Mia is like, no, you know, how do you think you would have done in this elimination? Am I?
Oh? They killed it? I would have killed it. I'm used to jumping fences and stuff. I would have been all up in there like a little Ninja turtle.
Come on, Josh would have cheered you on like you were killing it to the end.
Only at when he saw good job, like nah, I like Josh and Josh his voice again.
No, both of you, not a sweat has been broken yet nobody like, let's just they're doing they're doing mediocre.
Oh so funny, so funny. Okay, if you had gone against THEO, you said you would have crushed it. So like if you've gone against THEO, my guess is you would feel like you would have won, like you good odds to win. If you've gone against Bananas, do you think you still would have won?
Yeah, yeah, I think so. I think so, just because I'm still more nimble than him. Okay, but the thing about Bananas though, like at the end of the day, that man is like Tom Brady, he gonna find a way to win. Like that man is going fine old way to win. Yeah, so it would have been I think it would have for real been neck and neck. I think that we both would have been going. But I think I could have had an edge. I don't know. He's so good, like he'll come out with a win
that you never expect. So I'll say fifty to fifty.
Well, you made sure with these karma votes that the win one't gonna be too good because you gave.
Them a one.
So as we get into these karma votes at the end of the episode, you give Corey five for sure Banana gets a one.
Anybody else you want to tell us about or what was your strategy as far as giving understanding, We're confused.
First of all, we were confused giving the points around. We don't know what's happening. We don't know that. All you know is that this can impact the game, rate them one to five. We don't know what we're doing. So at the end of the day, what I thought was the more vote you have is like the more points it gives you. So I wanted to make sure that all of the people who I know physically and who I knew didn't need any help, didn't get any extra help. So it wasn't more of a popularity thing.
So I knew like Jordan likes to be the underdog. If they were to do negative points, he would ask everybody to.
Give him negative probably here, you know what I mean.
That's how he liked to play, so like I was only doing what he likes. See, Bananas would get mad and think that it was a personality thing from me getting them on one thing, and I don't love him, but that's not the fact. I do love you, Bananas, And why did you give him one? Because I wanted to give other people higher chances to win.
Derek Corey, was that because Derek told you was records?
I think it was how he told me. It still felt like it was based in love.
I bet it was. Really that's.
You know, so we want to see as viewers, we want to see somebody new when at the end of the day, it's great to see our return. Undeserving, absolutely, and anybody who makes it to that final, you know, I feel like it is deserving because either way you had to fight your way physically or you had to mentally, because dealing with people sometimes is sometimes easier just to go in Twitter arena, like, yeah, I got to talk to sixteen of y'all and I just got to go in.
Sometimes that's easier, and a lot of people don't know.
Yeah, I do have this question being as Laurel quit. She quit, do you think that she deserved to give votes out at the end?
Oh, yeah, yeah, because I think that I think that she wouldn't have quit if it wasn't a purge. What do you mean, I think that she quit knowing she was about to lose.
I think it was one of those dive into that, Yeah, because it because knowing she's about to lose. So even if it wasn't a purge, if she was coming in last place, okay, she had the opportunity to go into okay. So yeah yeah, check out knew she could fight her way back.
Yes, it was out of her hand.
Oh yeah, oh yeah, it was hot. And then once you know how it goes with those puzzles, those memory puzzles. If you get one wrong, you don't know which one is wrong you got, Well, now you gotta start changing every single thing about your puzzle. So when it's that hot, y'all, I don't care how tough you are, Like, it brings out a different type of person. I feel like most fights and wars break out in the heat.
Yeah.
Yeah, it's really disappointing seeing her see that do that. But yeah, I guess she deserved You know who didn't deserve any car points. Tony don't get me.
Yeah, that's why they call him Tony the time. Every single time me talk, he said me in back generations, Jesus, every single time. I feel like somebody just got dripped dropped off from the Renaissance era?
How did you deliver calm shade?
Like?
How was the shade calm, this peaceful shade.
Not the Renaissance era. So funny. Okay, So with the karma boats Day and I were trying to figure it out because it's seems people have mixed match strategies, right, and some people like Laurel. It's funny she didn't want Bana's here, but that Laurel doesn't even think he's going to make it to the final, right, Yeah, and so that's why she's like, I don't I want to give him something low because he's not even gonna make it.
I feel like whether they make it or not is irrelevant when assigning your votes.
That was weird. She shouldn't have gave him a one. That was on some that was weird because they they they are like close, y, they're friends. I wouldn't give my friends a one.
So you're saying, if Davon and I are ever competing with you, and then okay, we'll get fives. In the convent y'all heard it here. I hope everyone listening is just taking notes.
It's going off. I'm writing a new number in it.
I like it.
Y'all both get that.
I like it. Leo DiCaprio likes that number two okay, so ma'am, we if you get it, you get it. But we are so sad to see you go. But if just a couple more pieces of insight, who would you say is the under the radar person to watch without gett anything right? But in future episodes both guy and girl, who is someone who might be under the radar but you think might surprise us as the show goes on?
Ooh, good question. I think now we are. It's all of the krem dela krim now and they didn't get rid of my ass, so you know now it's.
Really you're still up there.
We're real to occupetitives. The lay up is gone. Ladies and gentlemen, I think you always gotta watch Bananas, Like, just watch him. I think he like, he won't be sneaky. He gonna pretend like he don't want to be there, but he gonna do everything he wants. He's gonna try to get that eighth whatever this eighth win. So yeah, watch out.
He tricky and the girls is under the radar?
Are Aviv for me is under the radar the radar. I think Aviva is doing so good.
Yeah, niamayah, we have truly enjoyed having you on so much. Thank you for coming to hang out with us and kicking it on the podcast. And if the people want to keep up with you on social media, where can they follow you?
Socials on the media is going to be my Instagram, the same the hub to every thing. My TikTok is about to come out the YouTube channel. Basically it's a whole revamp. I've been traveling the world recently filming a
bunch of really cool content I love that. All based around music production, based around like using healing elements inside of like house music, and basically I've been traveling the world collecting sounds, collecting experiences, eating at some of the best vegan spots all over, from like Berlin to the Netherlands, Candadate,
that's all over. So my journey is it's about to really start being pushed out more now that the challenge is over, and my content to go back to you know, more of like the sound and mindful healing and stuff. So that's really where it's gonna be, and it's going to be windiful to help people get through whatever they getting through.
I love that, love that, Niamayah, thank you for always being a good representation of Casey. By the way, I had to get on your friend Naya last episode because she was clowning on our city because she couldn't remember the name Casey all day every day. But thank you for making time on the podcast. It is always so fun to watch you in your element and we are certainly excited to see what's coming next in the chapter. And your authenticity, sir, will get you cast time and
time again. I mean, I'm not a casting director, but it will.
Thank you will thank you yours too. That's why y'all both on the show.
Thank you such a great interview.
I love when the cast members come and talk with us and give us the inside scoop and the tea that we did not get to see. Makes me so excited and makes me want to know where the people can follow you on socials and media. Devin, Where are you on the socials of the media's.
Woo on the socials of the media's You can find me on Instagram at Devinsmone Devin with the y smoth and I. You can also find me on TikTok Devin with the y smoth and I. You can find me on Amazon Live just google Devinsmone and Amazon next to each other and it'll come up. We do trivia over there now, ooh, maybe I'll do some trivia. Ooh so yeah, come follow there. You can also go to my website devinsimone dot com day where can the people rock with you?
I'm not doing Challenge trivia. I don't think I'm that good, but we want to see you guys there. You can find me on the socials and media US.
At Davon Diane Underscore on all social media platforms, and then you can also find me here on the Official Challenge Podcast. We want to thank you guys for joining us for another episode of MTV's Official Challenge Podcast, and tell all your fellow Challenge fans to listen and make sure to leave us a five star review on Apple and Spotify, give us the five five.
Five five five five, and of course, join us every Thursday to hear brand new episodes of MTV's Official Challenge podcasts, available wherever you get your podcasts.
We appreciate Kylan
Wardrobes Paramount podcasts.