The Way You Make Me Steal w/ Brandon Nelson

What's up everyone.

I'm Tory Deal and I'm a Nissa Ferrara and this is MTV's official Challenge podcast. All I have to say is Bubblehead Bob's Ladnisa Girl.

It just brings back memoize.

Dude, I saw that flashback of you.

Let me tell you that that ours were bigger one and they just turned Theirs were more like stationary. Ours were like turning in circles, and it was terrifying. And we had to run up this whole hill first and I'm like Trail and Rachel trying to keep up with her, and it was just the altitude in New Zealand with something else like tough.

Everybody had a cough after.

It looked really really tough.

And I think that, like obviously we see the progression of s teams go the later teams do better when you originally did it, Like did you feel like you had a similar strategy to the winning team that went, which was the Orange team, or so what happened when you.

We were all individual repairs.

So I was with MJ for for everything that I did, But so you were going down in any which way. I mean, guys were careening over girl like it was crazy. And then we had to solve a puzzle but we were really dizzy, so we had to solve this puzzle after and I was about like two seconds. I mean I lost by like a few seconds. But it was not fun.

So watching it back, did it like when you when you saw each team go, did you decide or would you were you able to figure out like who you thought was going to do well?

Or what I mean, isn't it? Isn't it always the first team as the guinea pig, and then you you would get better if you kind of take a little I mean, going last would probably be awesome because you can take a little bits from each one.

I don't know. I wouldn't have done the full stop. Yeah.

I also wouldn't have flailed my arms like a baby like Brad did. So I think less is more and being concise and direct and having like we're going to do exactly this when we go in and adjust if need be, and then get get it. Just get a fucking bag, you know, so go slower shore. But the full Stop lost them on time, you know, still timed event.

Yeah, it was really interesting to watch and I think that it was also really hilarious because I dude, the brad stuff, I cried.

I couldn't see.

What's he doing?

I mean, I feel like and then Keifla broke one, like he's like, I'm so strong, and then broke one.

Yeah.

Just juice every just just colored water everywhere. Yeah, and yeah, it was just one of those silly ones we used to like divide the challenges up from like endurance, strength and then humility the ones that just made you look like an idiot, and that's the one that's the silly one. Yeah, so they got the silly one out.

I got to give it.

Up for like cars team's strategy, even though they didn't go fast enough, it seemed like a really good strategy to let the person who was in the first sled go all the way to the last one so that they weren't wasting any time. But it just took them too long. I feel like if they would have executed it a little bit better, it could have been a really.

Great strike executed it executed.

I'm sorry say I love it and I was looking at my egg that you got me, so yes, I totally agree. I think the full stop was just if it was just a slow down they probably would have won.

Yeah, but I think that you know, the Orange team obviously they won and they crushed it.

Cam Derek killed it.

Team Derek killed it absolutely.

Like I think that they had a really great chance of winning once we saw them in action, and then it just obviously with the beginning with Brad like it just set them up for failure.

But that really put Leroy in this tough spot because.

They're coming off of the week where they just put Car into elimination and now they're just praying she doesn't get power. And then of course Leroy and Brannon are on the same team. Now they're in the losing group, and it's kind of setting up for this you know, shit show, shit show.

Well, yeah, it's crazy.

I just noticed that these teams aren't I mean, it's like four boys lost, like four guys, and then the team that was two girls and three guys. Like it's just it's just interesting to show that, like, no matter the dynamic and even if you had more people or less people like it, just it's interesting how that worked out. I didn't even notice that, like how the teams were picked or anything like that. But yes, we have Brandon and Leroy going up and it's sad because you know,

I mean it makes for it makes for a good plot, like it makes for good TV.

Of course, it's.

It's definitely interesting, you know. I think that every.

Week we've been able to see a bounce back of some sort of somebody getting you know, obviously Avery the first week she gets hurt, her star stolen, and then you know, we see that with Tina and her, and then we got to see Kara or Cam and Ayana with this back and forth, and now we're getting to see it with Kara, Cam and Leroy, and now Brandon's.

Involved because of the Car things.

So there's so much back and forth happening that it is very satisfying to watch from a viewer perspective. But like I'm sure, being in it, it just felt so because you just never know who's going to be on top what week. The teams are just shuffling so much, you never know who's going to be in power, and that middle group really has all the control I know, And obviously this week's elimination was another crab shoot. Like I've done a similar elimination to that.

It's funny. You've done a lot of crab shoot.

What is it a crap shoot?

Yeah?

It's like, oh, like you're shooting crap, shooting craps like the game like the.

Not a crab shoot?

Oh, what would be a crab shoot where crabs go out of a shoot like shoots and ladders?

Yeah, like you might be too young for that game.

No, I'm not too young for that game. Yeah, like a shoot like I love you so much, it's a crab shoot. Okay, Well, let's just keep it moving.

I just want to also need to put out a book called Tory saying so much more if I just gave you a brilliant idea, so like, I'm getting twenty percent.

Of that book.

I'm gonna have Nelson Thomas co author it.

Him and I would crush it together.

Perfect.

It would be perfect.

Yeah.

So they're playing Mission Improbable, which doesn't give you a lot of hope.

Does it. No?

No, it doesn't to be suspended like a puppet with a Petri dish like from science class like that you would collect stuff like specimens in and then make five balls go in to holes.

Nice. It just didn't.

I don't know if I would have been great at that one. How do you think you would have fared?

Well?

You know, Devin and I had done something similar on Rider Dies in the first you weren't there.

I got to watch it back, yeah, and so that was cool.

And I just really enjoy how the Challenge gods take tiny little games that you used to play in line when you're waiting for your seat to get called at a restaurant, like you know those little Yeah.

I like how they take those.

Games and that's just sketch like something stio and they blow them up.

And I love that because you get to like be inside the game. So it is. It was really cool to watch.

But obviously it was nice to see Leroy win. We have been following his story season. We had him on the podcast already, and like you can't you just have to root for Leroy because he just is such a compelling person and then also you just want him to get a win, so right, But it was.

Nice to see Brandon kind of hold his hold his like kind of kill it on coming into this knowing that like he has gone home very early in a lot of them, and he's in great shape.

So I'm glad he got the.

Chance to to compete and compete well and we get to talk to him later today.

Yeah, so tour.

Before we get to the interview, I need to know, Yeah, who's your all star of the episode?

Okay, this is okay, obviously the obvious all start Leroy, Right, I.

Have a different one, but go ahead, Okay.

But then I want to give my I want to give a tiny little baby star as like an appreciation star to Adam for the sweetness of his response to when Leroy took his star. He's like, it's fine, man, I'll just come back for it later, Like right now, he gets all the cuteness points in the world, like Adam is where I was like, I was gonna take it anyway, but.

Adam is like so so sweet. So I'm gonna give my big star to Lee.

Right, I'm gonna give a tiny little baby star to Adam because he's just the cutest little sugar plump fairy pop pie.

What about you, Anissa, I gotta listen, Derek Chavez shout out to you. That's the funniest person when I don't know if you've ever met him, but he is. He has a shining star in his own right, and I think we are just seeing the beginning of him.

Uh.

But I love that he had a moment and he was the MVP and he was recognized. So I always love that my star goes to you. I'm sure everybody watching is gonna give you the star too.

Yeah, and do you think that we should just agree on our no star and say, on the count of three, let's see if we get the same one?

Wait?

Wait, okay, right, oh, I got it, Okay, ready, one, two, three?

Bread. I forgot he was here. I thought he was still mashing bags.

I think it's fair to give it to Brad.

Listen, Brad, Oh, Brad, sweetie of a person, sweetie.

Of it's between Brad and Tony, you know, for the missing stars of the season. We could do that later, we'll recap the whole season and see if we can just have like a missing star and someone who's out of sight, you.

Know, yeah, like we could. We'll figure it out.

It'll be a crabshoot, but it'll be fun to figure out.

All right, let us go and interview Brandon Nelson.

All right, guys, we have to take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this.

Okay, let's get back to the show.

All right, folks, we are back with another interview from a wonderful TV personality on this season of All Stars. For you haven't seen him in a minute, neither have I.

His original show.

Was Friend Too, he was on Fresh Meet Too, Cutthroat Rivals Battle, the season's Free Agents, and now we get to see him back on our screens. Please welcome the one and only Brandon Nelson. I will say you have gotten.

Better with age.

Well, thank you. I appreciate that.

And you came in with a couple muscles this season.

Yeah, divorce will do that to you.

Oh do you think we need to get divorce toy?

I think I need a divorce now that I know that.

That's now that I've seen your shoulders and your byes, I might have to get married and then divorce before my next show.

Dude, Well, it's been incredible to see you this season. I mean, obviously we're going to get into the entire episode, but let's just like go back to the very beginning. Like, you haven't been on this show in so long. I think Free Agents was your last eleven years, so like so long ago. So what was it like, coming back in, did you feel like you knew anybody? Did you know anybody that was going to be there? Were you excited to see anybody? What were the initial thoughts?

Well, I mean, you know what happened, and you know when people start getting the call, and then you get a call, you'll get a text and you're like are you going did anybody contact you?

And all the good stuff.

And actually I was an alternate for All Stars two, and so when that started rolling, I was like, Okay, maybe I'm still on the radar, you know, maybe I have a chance.

And I didn't get picked up for it.

And then I didn't even get a call for All Stars three, so I'm like, okay, well let me go get a real job again. Because I hadn't done anything since Free Agents, so I wasn't expecting anything.

And then I get.

The call for All Stars four and I was an alternate for that as well, but I was like, nah, this one, They're not going to do that twice to me.

They're gonna pick me up.

So I ended up getting picked up a week before we left, and they were like you're on the main cast. But in that big gap, I was just I was in Vegas, trying to figure things out, and you know, two kids later and an attempted marriage, you know, it just wasn't meant to be. I don't want to speak negatively of that situation because I wouldn't have gotten into it if I didn't think it was gonna work.

It just wasn't meant to be.

But no, then you hit reset after that, because you know, you know, me and Nissa, like, if I'm gonna do something that big, I only want to do it once.

And then when you know, when that didn't work, it was like, oh no, we're back out in these streets.

Not you back out in the street, not like that.

Now I was in the casinos where I was.

At, Well that's bad too, so and that's why.

I ended up leaving.

I ended up I already made the plan to move back to Arkansas anyway, because Vegas this was a bad place for me to be, especially going through that, and you know, I wanted to be around for the kids, so I already had that plan. And then I got picked up for All Stars four, which was just a blessing, like it really got me up off the couch. I was doing absolutely nothing, like I'd go to work come back and sit on the couch, and it just wasn't that's not me.

You know.

It took the spark out of me, and luckily All Stars four put the spark back in me. It was it was really it came at the right time, man, Like you don't even know. I hit some some lows, but it came at the right time.

Well, we are definitely happy to hear that.

So when you got the call, you're packing up, you go to the airport.

Who were you most excited to see?

Oh? Of course my boy Leroy. I mean, you know, in Vegas we actually lived together. We were roommates.

Forgot about that, Yeah, yeah, close, wow, Yeah.

We would be out all the time. Man, that was my dude for real.

And so I was excited to see him and get to actually compete with him again, because I know the last time I think his first season was Rivals and that was the only time I think we were ever on a show together. And so being able to get back with him and then you know, I see Jay.

We hadn't seen him forever.

We never did a show together, but we did spring Break together, and that's a whole nother time.

We don't want to get a big.

Spring breaking for a couple spring breaks.

Yeah, yeah, that's a different podcast.

Yeah, So it was really good to see him.

And then there was some people that I didn't know, you know, had never met Avery before.

Who else did Tina?

Good, God, Tina, she's the lot, man, Like I knew her from seeing her on TV, but it's a whole different monster in person.

Man, it just does not stop. Like I just I can't, I can't.

But you know, meeting some of the new folks and then seeing some of the old folks was super.

Cool, totally.

I feel like, you know, you mentioned you had like these previous relationships going in.

You knew some people, especially Leroy.

We got to really get in the scoop when we saw your relationship with Carr this season this best friendship because you know, I mean, I mean we've seen it go up and down. We've seen her interviews where she talks very clearly about like, you know, she would never thrown you in. We see her get really upset and cry over the fact that you you know, last episode threw her into an elimination and voted it that way.

Well, I mean, this is the backstory on me and car and I love her to death. We just squatched start, you know, our little thing or whatever, and she actually called me a couple of weeks ago.

But you know, we did first meet two together.

It was our first first time being on TV and we were together and she ended up getting eliminated like the first episode, but we still kept in touch outside of the show. And then the second season when we did Cutthroat, she was like the first person I see in the airport and then you know she just runs and jumps on me and like that's my girl. So then moving forward after Free Agents, it was just went.

Like I'm like, yeah, but I was. I was glad to be there, but at the same time, it's it's tough still.

And then even on top of that, I got two major car accidents and almost died in both of those, and it's just like the entitlement is what I felt this season when I voted her in and she was like, but I had your back, You're my boy, And it's like, Okay, you don't even know what I've been through the past eight nine years, because you know, she's not one of those that just sit on the phone with you for an hour.

But at the same time, you.

Know a text or you know what's up or it's something you know what I mean. So there are times that I reached out to her and I didn't get a response, you know what I'm saying.

So that's why, Yeah, that's why I.

Was like, all right, cool, I know, but I see you living your life online, but you can't hoigh at your boy. It wasn't personal for me voting her in this on this season.

But you know, ultimately her and Rachel, with the two strongest players in the house, got her girl.

So when I had the opportunity to put them in, I was going to put them in because on all the other challenges that I've done, the.

Big dogs always control the vote.

You know, you got your bananas, and you got your cts, and you got the they control the house from the beginning. No, no, no, put this, Put the rookies in, put the weak people in. You got to earn your stripes. I get tired of hearing it bull and then the people would go along with it, and then they end up getting you know, sucker punched in their mouth halfway through. But it's like, as soon I told myself, if I ever get back on the show, I'm going for the head every fucking time.

So do you think like and I think that's so fair.

Do you think that because the format of this show was one single individual winner, it really helped to dictate that response or do you feel like if there was a female and male winner that maybe it would have been a little different.

Was it just because there was direct competition between you and Kara?

The main deciding factor in that is because there was one winner, like if it was a female winner and a guy winner over there were teams or it would have changed my vote because I know I would have lasted longer if I don't vote in a stronger player and my friend at that point, but right, you know, and I knew she was gonna come for me at some point. I just didn't know it was going to

Yeah yeah, and you could see that when he was going for his bags. I mean like it was just absolutely insanity.

I mean it was comical. Yeah, yeah, insane. Yeah, So I think you know, you never know when Kara is going to come around.

To kind of bite you in the ass.

And obviously this was just a very quick turnaround for you because then nominations happened, and Carr is obviously all on board with putting you up against Leroy, and you guys obviously have a very close relationship. You guys were roommates. What was it like to see her put those names on the board.

I mean, we had already prepared ourselves for it. Anyway, Like as soon as we were leaving that challenge, it was like, all right, you know we're going in, right, so you know those not even like there were like some people were saying, go talk to her, go see if you know I'm not doing that.

I mean I've been in enough eliminations. I'm not scared of it.

And then I don't want to be seen as like some coward, you know, you know, on my knees begging, you know, don't put me in, because I literally just put her in on the previous one. So you know, you can send it back to me. I'll take it and hopefully I'll get back in the house.

But but yeah, I mean we knew we were going in and that was it.

No shout out to Jado because he said he would never say my name, and he didn't even though everybody else did, so he held on to his so shout out to him.

It's Tori.

Do you see how interesting it is to hear people from like the og time like talk about shit, Like I'm not begging for shit, I'm not.

Yeah.

Yeah, there's this type of pride that comes with.

Like, I guess, being an older player and like being in a different place where you're like, yeah, I'm not begging you to not say my name. But I also don't know if this is necessarily karma. I mean, Brad just took into those bats. It was just like he was bowling.

Man had Brad.

That wasn't Brad. That wasn't the thing for the thing. It was like, I'm gonna get all of them.

I'm like, yeah, he took too much pre work out that day. I think, man, like you can get all amph Brad workout.

That's just him.

That might have just been the first breath of air he took that morning. He breathed deep and then he went for it. But he's passionate, you know.

Yeah.

Oh and actually I don't know, I don't know if they showed it like on a previous episode or not, maybe an earlier one. But me and Brad had a little sit down because this is my first time seeing him since Cutthroat and I was on the Red Team with Cutthroat, and they kept throwing me into elimination because it was my second, my second challenge and I'm still considered a rookie in their eyes. And plus he was still with Tori, so they had like their old their whole thing with people that they.

Knew on the Red Team.

The Red Team ends up winning the whole thing because you know, I say, it's on my back. They still owe me some money off of that, but they rode me for like more than half the season and then I ended up getting beat by Derrick K. But but yeah, he said, I forget what he said. I remember what he said because I'm holding on to grudges.

This is like twenty ten and I still remember it.

He said, He's like, you know, he said it behind my back. I saw it on the final edit. But he was like, I don't know what Brandon thinks. This is if we lose, He's going in every time. I'm here to win some money. This ain't no rental friend. I was like, oh, rental friend. Okay, my god, rental friend cool. So I never let that go. So then when we got into the house in South Africa, he pulled me to the satellite man. Look, I was getting pulled in fifteen different ways. You know, Toy was telling

Part of it totally.

I mean, and I think it's fair to have these moments.

I know people always saying, oh, it happened last season or happened seasons ago, how could you still hold on to that.

As a challenger.

We all have these moments with people that you forget about them, and then when you see these people again, you can't unsee that moment until it's squashed. So I think it's fair that you could still have that living within the back of your mind somewhere.

Likely if it hurt.

Yeah, all right, we have to take a quick break, but we'll be right back after this.

Okay, let's get back to the show.

Well, let's talk about your your Challenge family in this particular episode, your Dark Blue team working with Ryan, Flora, Avery, and Laurel.

How was that for you?

I thought I thought we had a pretty strong team. And you know, God bless Mama Flora. I love her to death. This was my first time meeting her too. I love her to death. She had a little a little tough time getting up that hill to get to the little carts or whatever, but she made it. And but the thing that pissed me off, I don't like to, you know, if somebody's trying, I'm not gonna, you know,

Yeah, Tori, we just watched it.

I know, I know, but but I think I missed it.

And he was like, I thought it was my foopa. I'm like Ryan, you're.

Thin, yeah, but whatever, but no, that's the homie though.

I like Ryan too, man, but yeah, but no, I was pissed man because I'm like, damn, we did all that because I got like half the bags myself and he had a whole nother bag after we already cut to cut the water off so we couldn't add it.

And I think that might have been like.

The difference between us being second, because I know we weren't dead last, so if it came in second, we would have had the boat. But you know, it is what it is. It wasn't in the it wasn't in the stars. So uh but yeah, Ryan was cool. Laurel, you know, she always wants to take over. But Laurel was so distracted this season anyway. She was all worried about Nicole, which was so fucking annoying.

But it's a shame because I think Laurel is an amazing player and looking at social media now, I don't I don't think there's any repairing that but relationship. But she's a great She's really good at these challenges and we've seen it. I mean free Agent, she was just playing with shit, throwing it around like she had done this in her backyard for years.

So kind of done.

I mean, probably lucky for the other girls that you may and you know, people that she might have to go against but for head not to be in the game, but.

She manages to really like flip shit on.

So I mean, I definitely think she's somebody to look out for, regardless if she's distracted or not.

Laurel's got something else, you know she.

I think we all have that ability, for the most part, to kind of like push our some of us have the ability to push our relationships to the side and.

Really like or use it as fuel.

So yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see how all of that plays out.

Yeah, I mean I never I met well, I've never understood, like I mean, I get it.

If there's you know, communication.

And feelings outside of the show, I mean, that's a whole different ball game. But when people just it's always like the I call it a show man's because I mean, yeah, you can flirt and have your cuddle in and you can you know, Pollo dick and do whatever you want.

While you're on the show.

But when it bleeds out into the real world, Okay, now it's a real relationship, I get that. But when it's just stealing at lovey dovey stuff that's on camp, remember, and how serious somebody can take it after knowing somebody for a week. I'm not talking about Laurel and the cacause I know that ship goes way back.

Yeah exactly.

But uh but like some of these other people, because you know, I've been doing my homework looking at some previous seasons and whatnot.

I saw your ass tory and I was.

Like, don't point to me doing doing I'm an angel.

No, I don't know, because it's been bouncing around, like I've been bouncing around, like older seasons and whatnot.

You and who Jordan and uh, yeah, there's somebody else, I believe.

Yeah, but that's a season.

There's a who's that black dude? I forget his name, Derek.

Listen, guys, we're not here to run down my list of relationships.

She's a lover. She's a lover and she can't help that. She's fine and people are attracted to her.

Thank you.

It's okay, Butterfly, I love you. But listen.

I know it's entertaining to talk about that because it is psychotic. But what's more entertaining is your experience on this show.

So let's take transition.

Yeah, yeah, and I want to talk about one of the most incredible things you've provided to the show thus far, aside from your incredible competition, which is the beautiful face of your daughter.

Oh my god, so cute.

How gorgeous she is, Like my mouth.

I the Wakanda.

That was cute.

I couldn't That was the sweetest moment. So you really told her I'm going to Wakanda to fight?

Yeah, I said I have to go to work, I have to do some stuff.

And she was like, where are you going?

I'm going to Wakanda And she was like okay, you know, and she's she's so smart, Like when I do call it because you know, she's still in Vegas with her mom.

So it's really it's been really tough, man, because you go.

From having her every day and she's like, you know, a little mini you, and then now you know, it's you know, video calls and I get out there as much as I can, and you know, it's tough because we still haven't figured out the whole She's five.

Do you have two daughters?

I have a daughter and the son he's six.

All so cute?

Yeah?

Did it did it make you want to fight more? Did you get like super emotionally after those calls? Because I know, it's different when you call home to friends and fans. It's different when you I feel like when they're your babies.

I'll get that definitely.

Man, Like I'm glad they didn't show my my ugly face because I figure off the phone whatever.

I was like.

But but yeah, man, because yeah, because that's my little homie. Because like anytime I call her, before we get off the phone, she'll look because we have our song. So because I'm a huge DMX fan, so when I be in the shower, I usually rough rude as anthem. That's like the first song. Then I'll go into something else. So before we get off the phone. In when I'll call her, she'll.

Go daddy, I'm like what, She'll just go stop and I'll go trup and shut him down, up shout.

So we'll do that.

That's our little thing or whatever.

But but yeah, that's she's she's too smart for her own good. Like you can have a real conversation with her. You don't have to have baby talk with her. You can just she just I don't know what. She probably gets it from me because I never baby did the baby talk with her, Like she just talked to you like a normal person.

Oh yeah, that's my little nugget.

Is it different to play with kids this time around? And like, did you feel yourself bonding more with other people.

Who had kids?

Hell? No, no, because you know, shout out to my son too.

I feel like, you know, because my daughter got some screen time or whatever, but you know, they just didn't edit my son into but he's super smart as well. But yeah, no, I mean because different parenting styles. You know, a lot of the new parents, you know, they're really they do that soft parenting and that just nah, I'm not you know, let them figure it out and yeah blah blah blah.

Maybe they're no.

If we're doing this, I mean, I'll give you some rope, but once it gets to a point, it's like, okay, we need to get this done and then we'll let you go explore follow on your face and you'll figure it out and you'll know not to do that again.

I'm okay with that.

But with the whole you know, well, he doesn't like green foods, so we're gonna give him no, you finna eat this, and you're gonna start so you know, just I feel.

Like that's like old school though, because I feel like our parents were like that, like, well, I mean I walked myself to the bus stop, you know, like it was just a different time.

I got grounded. Yeah, for like a month at a time.

Oh yeah, yeah, Well I mean but you I'm sure. I'm sure you were a very interesting kid to raise.

Kid.

I will leave that there.

I made on roll, I got bullied a lot, and I played an instrument and I was the designated driver all throughout high school.

And said you're amazing. Thanks. I don't want to let you know I was a good kid.

I did get an in school suspension and maybe some detentions, but that's nothing.

You're right, You're right. I'm just messing with you.

No, you don't know my life, Brandon.

I'm sure it's it's still weighs heavily knowing that you know you're competing and you have a kid at home, and I know Leroy had that exact same situation on his mind, also knowing that Cam.

Is there with him, which is difficul because two.

Parents are now working on the challenge and trying to win this money. So when you find out that it's you against Leroy, both of you have a lot to fight for and you're going into this elimination. What was your initial strategy when you saw what the game was and how did you think.

You were going to play.

I'm pretty good with puzzles. I like to use my brain every now and then. I mean, my first inclination is just to run through stuff.

But since it.

Wasn't that that type of time, I was like, all right, well, let me just slow. My biggest thing was just to go slow, and because that thing weighed about forty or fifty pounds and it was weighing on you, but like if you did too much to the right and to the left, it was just a ball was just fly. So I just my biggest thing was just to slow down because I saw what he was doing at first. He was just all over the place, and I was like, if I just slow down and get to where I

So but it was all good. That's my boy, So it wasn't It was a bittersweet.

If you could go back and.

Go against anyone else, is there somebody you would have preferred to go against in that specific elimination.

I was taking bread all day long because because he's like a bull in the china shop man.

The battle of the Beard's baby, battling.

A lot of beard. He could have used the beard to put the balls in.

Yeah, I know right, he does have a mind of his own, Like I kind of wonder about the upkeep of that thing, because we would eat like this. He'd be walking around with ship all in it and nobody'd say anything.

He just has it's a very long one. I told him he should cut it. It's such a cute little face. Just cut it a little bit.

Yeah.

But but yeah, I'm probably would have gone with Brad because one I think I could have beaten him because he doesn't as you saw in the challenge, like he's just knocking all the water bags like left and right. You know, he doesn't really have a strategy when it comes to things that he needs to kind of know finess. And then on top of that, it would have been great to beat him because you know what he did to me on Cutthroat.

Yeah, I hold grudges, I get it, I saw get it.

I think was your strategy because I've done a very similar elimination to this, except I wasn't holding onto the puzzle.

I was standing on top of a surfboard. Yeah.

Yeah, So was your strategy to get all of the balls into the center or was it to work on one ball at a time? And do you think that Leroy had any strategy at all? Like, just talk us through the minutia of the strategy a little.

Bit like word choice okay, okay, humorading.

I read one book word.

But no, my strategy So like when you get through the because Amazed is mainly on the outside, so when you there's like one part, I got all the balls lined up because it's like an exit, so I would just try to get one out and then I've used the maze itself to hold the other balls next to the inside of that maze, and once I get one, I just try to go around like clockwise.

And just you know, try to get them in it.

But yeah, my strategy was just like I said, just finesse it and just be slow and methodical with it. And once I found a little nook right there to hold them, and then you know, it's like you at the club. One end, Okay, you're good and check you ID other can come in too, So that's nice.

You're playing bouncer and that's really cool. A cute little a cute little puzzle club.

Yeah. I was sore for like a week after that, Like it was.

You're never suspended in a workout like that with your legs and your arms trying to finagle a puzzle like you're not.

And they had a sting so tight and those damn harness.

Yeah that's what people were like, you're not training. I'm like, for for puzzling like that?

What was I supposed to do?

More core, more armuzzle, aerial puzzling.

Yeah, real puzzling.

So I'm gonna get to the gym now for that?

Were you so obviously you were harnessed in up top and then were you harnessed into the bottom of the puzzle, Like were they connected to you or were you using your body weight to hold it up?

So pull on it?

So we were like so like midway through our legs, right around our knees. We had cables going from there down to the puzzle, and we were holding up with our arms at the top part of the of the puzzle.

So it wasn't connected. So at any point in time you could have dropped.

We could have dropped it.

Yeah, oh okay.

Yeah, I was waiting for that to happen. Brandon were like, my arm's shurt, but I'm gonna keep going. I'm like, if you drop this damn puzzle.

If no one ever told you, Brandon, you make a lovely chandelier.

Wow you and Leroy.

You really what what fixtures?

You looked out there and uh, you guys get you know, you really get put on a great show. It was really interesting to watch. It was neck and neck. It was you know, bittersweet because we love Leroy. It was awesome to see him win, and then it was also just devastating to see you go home like you've already had such an awesome season even though you haven't been there.

I mean, it started out super hot. I'm so proud of you. Forgot that.

I was like, away, okay, yeah, man, I was feeling good. I was like, you know what, this is gonna be the one and then fucking car Yeah.

But I mean watching it back, were you shocked that she wanted you to win?

I mean it is an afterthought.

But.

No, not really, because I don't know if they showed it like on the previous episode. I thought they were going to show it on this one. But we talked. We talked for a while in the backyard, and I was like, you know, kind of broke it down to her as far as in a while I was feeling a way that I was feeling a better in our situation. I was like, but you know, I'm not asking you to call me every day or even every week, you know,

Chat like girls.

Don't get me started on this doubly female podcast girls.

But I explained to you know where it's coming from, and she explained to me, you know where she was coming from, you know, as far as like how she is and all that good stuff. But I was like, man, we have a good friendship. You know, I'm not going to lose it over a game. I was like, there's

Man.

I don't need all the extra stuff while I'm going through my stuff.

So, uh, you know, I get it.

I reverted and became a hermit myself, so I get where she's coming from.

At the same time, you know, when.

We're playing a game, Uh, what if it got down to the point where we're right before a final and I'm the only person that she can vote for, or if she doesn't vote for me, she can't go to the final or something like that.

You know, you can make those decisions.

Yeah, I'm I'm fine with it at any point in the game. But I'm saying, like, you know, she was a big dog in the game and she actually had to go, So it wasn't personal the reason I made my decision.

I let him know that as well.

But in the meantime, I was like, if we're going to have a relationship, you know, we got to work on that.

Outside of the show, I was like, I'm moving forward. You know, I got you.

You know, I see how much it affected you. I said, I didn't. I said, I thought you was just crying, you know, because you didn't want to get voted in. But it was more because it came from me. So yeah, so that the quality of our the value that she put on me kind of you know, opened my eyes as to how she views me and how she feels about me.

So yeah, we got to figure it out.

Yeah, well that's good.

It's nice to know and to have those moments of clarity. It also was a reminder for me that I need to catch up with some of my old friends because uh, not trying to let months or years go by and face the same situation you guys face.

So it was interesting.

Not not every toy calling everyone today, calling everyone in how is how are you?

Just wanted to check up see how you were doing.

No, I'm I'm calling outside people. I'm not calling.

You want to be my alliance?

Yeah?

You want to be you want to be my life alliance?

Yeah, I can get some calls. Calls go out.

I'll get a call from somebody I hadn't done a show with in a decade.

Hey, just checking up on you. I'm like, okay, you got a call.

You made some calls too.

Yeah, you better know it. Oh oh, oh oh.

When I was on my way inside the gym, and he goes, oh, I guess that's a yes. I'm like, I'm not doing the fucking show. He was like, just because I pulled up to the gym, that's just for life. I got to keep forty two looking good.

Yeah, a child, and you do well, Brandon.

Now that you're gone and it's an unfortunate situation, who are you rooting for that's still left in the game.

Of course I'm rooting for my boy Lee Roy.

I mean, that's my dog, so of course I want him uh to get one, especially it's going to be a solo one. But I mean, at the same time, if he wins, Cam wins too, but uh so him and then you know, surprisingly enough Jay, I mean, that's the homie too. And plus you know, Jay's been through a lot that he didn't really talk about, you know,

He's done some.

Things that I couldn't imagine, and he's seen some things that I couldn't imagine. So you know, he's probably as far as people being in shape in the house, between him and car it's probably a toss up because you know, he has to stay in shape to be a firefighter anyway, him and Nicole. But we got Jay Leroy. That's really about it. And it'd be great for Jasmine to at

Final Jasmone has been giving us a great show this season, as she always does.

Is actually the bit like you're on it for the spice.

Dude, because there's never she never does. She just always provides.

But that's every single show she does. That's what I'm saying. She is never a different person. You always get Jasmine.

Yeah, and she's like actually so sweet.

You know, it's just if you get on the wrong side that she gives you the rest.

Yea, I don't know what that's like on the right side, the right.

Side of her, like, but no, she is I feel you on, I feel you on, you know, rooting for her. And obviously she's in a good position right now because she still has a star and I think that, like, there's a lot of beautiful game to be played still, And I'm just curious, like, knowing that you were playing it with Cam and Leroy watching it back now and seeing how.

They maneuver, do you like the style of game that they're playing.

Do you think that it's something that if you were to stay in the house after this, you would have still continued to play with Cam.

Yeah, you know, it's my first time dealing with her as well.

But you know, with Lee comes Cam, and but she knows, you know, with me as well. She can't really do much you know, to go against me because of Lee. So you know, if I were still there, i'd have, you know, a pretty strong couple that you know can go far, and they probably take me with him. But as far as Cam herself, like I said, I've been looking at some older.

Seasons and whatnot.

You know, I didn't know that she, you know, was rocking like that, like just on her own, you know what I'm saying. I was like, okay, okay, So but as far as her gameplay in this on this season, I mean her and Lee are basically the same person, you know, getting one with the other. So I mean it's not anything that you know that I agree with or don't agree with. It just is what it is. I mean, their presence alone is going to have people, you know, either gun and form or try to work with them.

So I would want to know, after doing All Stars for would you do another season of the Challenge?

Absolutely? It.

Like I said, my light was damn near extinguished before I got All Stars four, And you know, it's just the show. It's just you know, some a bunch of old people doing silly kid stuff. But for for what I was going through, it really really helped me out and got me out of a very dark space. And you know, I feel like I'm not at one hundred percent, but I feel like I'm re energizzed and it's something to look forward to that I can like really pour something into and yeah, I'm back. I'm you know, I'm

What I am?

I am, I'm excited, man. So yeah, if they give me the call, I'm on the first plane.

So and I think, you know what, like you said, you know, it's just a show, but also it brought you, it brought you your life back.

Like that's why it's it's just a relative way to look at it.

The show is more than a show until it becomes too overwhelming that you're like, oh my god, I can't believe that happened to me.

And then you get to put it in that it's just a show category.

But when it provides so much life for you and brings you back, it really is this fulfilling and beautiful experience. I think that's why all of us keep coming back after years like fresh meat too, that was what the nineteenth season, Like that was seasons ago. We're about to hit up potentially, not me studying, were.

Not you watching every single season and knowing when it actually happened, toy.

No, But I'm just I'm just saying, like, it's just it's that's why the family, the Challenge family, is so powerful and beautiful because it transformed all of our lives in so many beautiful ways. And it's just awesome to see you back. So I really hope you get to see you in the future. And I love that you have this sense of power and energy coming into whatever is coming up next. And yeah, we're rooting for you. It's been awesome to have you on the show, and thank you for coming on the podcast.

Yeah, I appreciate what you having me. Man.

Like, It's funny that when I got the email, I was like, oh, I'm finally getting to because I'm never I did one after show, but I've never.

Outside of that.

I haven't done anything outside of the actual season, so I've never done a reunion. I'm like, everybody gives me go, do these after shows, they're gonna go do this other stuff.

They get to do the fun stuff outside of the show. And then I got the email.

I'm like, oh, I can do it, Bike, I'm on the radar still, I'm doing a podcast.

Yeah, and I'm happy that that made you feel that way. I was happy to see you.

It's been too long, yeah, yeah, and said you better give him a call if it's been too long.

Well, he gave me the call first, I don't know whenever before all starts.

So okay, good, well, you guys better saying touch eight years old.

He didn't stay in touch after that. He was just like, you're going and he says, this is Brandon. I don't know if you've heard you remember me, but.

I remember you.

I remember about her.

I remember that she was a very Actually, what I remember about her is that after I did my first season, she reached out to me. I think it was like on Twitter and you were like, you know, good job or something like that. She was like one of the first ones to like bring me in and I was.

Like, oh, yeah, she was very. She brought me with open arms, so yeah, she was super cool. So yeah, it's.

Very I don't know what makes me giggle.

Every word you say that, I'm like shit, Well, Brandon, we are bringing you in with open arms on this podcast and it's been such a pleasure to talk to you.

Where can people follow you on social media? On Twitter, if you still have one or any projects that you want us to support or you want to talk about, please feel free to take the stage and talk about it.

Well.

On Instagram, you can follow me at Brandon D. Nelson Facebook, which I rarely check. It's Brandon Drake Nelson. Yes, my middle name is Drake. I'm not I'm not trying to stalk Cam or be like him. Actually I'm older than him, so if anything, he's trying to be like me.

The rumor going around for sure.

Yeah, that's what it is. TikTok. I don't even know what my TikTok name is.

No, it's it's Brandon Drake Nelson as well, and then Twitter also known as X is Brandon D.

Nelson.

Brandon, thank you for coming on seriously, Yes.

Thank you so much.

Thank you ladies.

Look forward to potentially see you.

In the future, hopefully soon. I've been later.

Wow, I mean like we got to give it up for Brandon.

He hasn't been on the show in so long, and he gave us a great season and that was such an amazing interview.

I mean, I wish he was on the show a little bit longer.

Yeah, me too, Me too. But I don't think it is the last time we'll see him. I'm sure if there are more shows, they might call out to the to the I can't. It's gonna say something extremely silly and ridiculous and it wasn't gonna make sense. So yes, hopefully we see Brandon on our screens again.

Yeah, I think so too.

And I hope we see you and our screens again too, an Lisa, And if we don't, where can we find you on social media? To make sure that we see you on our phone screens?

You can find me on Instagram where I play the most Anissa, MTV that's a N E E s A MTV? And Tory, where can they find you? Show you love and show you how to say most sayings the right way?

You guys can find me at Tori Underscore Deal.

Please be nice to me.

I'm doing my best, guys, and thanks for joining us for another episode of MTB's official challenge podcast.

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