The Challenge: All-Stars has been the most nostalgia fun I have had in a long time and easily the best season since Johnny Bananas started popping up every season. The cast is a great mix of people you knew would show up (Mark, Katie), people who dominated early seasons but forgot about (Jissela, Teck) and people you completely forgot about but were glad to reminded of them (Kendal, Yes). Word is, over 100 former cast mates have contacted Mark Long (which by my best guesstimate has to be around a third of all Real World or Road Rules members), who has been trying to get a Senior Tour off the ground for those that cannot commit to seasons that take multiple months to film. In honor of the season finale today (though supposedly there is a reunion episode next week), here are some people I hope pop up for season two or beyond (and please let there be a season two and an inevitable Old School / New School season, teams can even fight over who gets CT and stuck with Anessa).
1. Anyone From the First Real World Season
Original
Season: New York
Challenge
Seasons: Eric (3), Norm (2) Becky
(1), Heather B. (1)
Seasons
Won: Eric (2)
Last
Seen: The Real World Homecoming: New
York
While not as entertaining as old school Challenge,
it was nice to see the original seven strangers get back together in the loft,
unfortunately it got a little too unreal for Becky. But one thing missing from the first season
of The Senior Tour was anyone from the original feeder show. It Is surprising that Julie never did one of
these, hopefully she is game because from the Real World Reunion, she still got
it. Plus Eric got the short stiff due to
COVID so it would nice to see him actually interact with his peers.
2. Rachel Campos / Sean Duffy
Original
Season: San Francisco and Boston respectively
Challenge
Seasons: 1/2
Seasons
Won: 1/2
Last
Seen: The View (2014) / Congress
(2019)
This duo met on the very first season of
The Challenge, before it was even call The Challenge and later got married. Sean, famous at that point for being a
log-rolling champion went on to be the first elected reality star in Washington. He has since retired so it is not like he has
anything better to do than relieve the glory day; well, unless he got a job as a
lobbyist like most former Congressmen.
Original
Season: London
Challenge
Seasons: 1
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: Real World/Road Rules Challenge (1999)
One of the few foreigners ever cast (though
would fit right in the modern era). Provably
most known for having the tip of his tongue bitten off while trying to kiss a
heckler on stage.
4. Anyone From the Original Road Rules Season (Aside from Mark)
Original
Season: The First Adventure
Challenge
Seasons: 1 (Los)
Seasons
Won: 1 (Los)
Last
Seen: Challenge 2000 (2000)
Mark has been such a mainstay on the show
it is somewhat surprising that he has appeared on the show more times that his
four cast mates combined; it is just Los who appeared on one season. Kit went on to ESPN and is now with Access
Hollywood. Can Mark persuade any of the
OG OG’s to join him for the Senior Tour abbreviated schedule? Hopefully.
5. 5. Dan Renzi
Original
Season: Miami
Challenge
Seasons: 3
Seasons
Won: 1
Last
Seen: Inferno II (2005)
One of the great reaction generators in reality
TV history (maybe second only behind Eliza of Survivor)
6. Tim Beggy
Original
Season: USA – The Second Adventure
Challenge
Seasons: 4
Seasons
Won: 1
Last
Seen: Inferno 3 (2007)
I believe Timmy was the first to ever
retire on the show but there are plenty of people on this season of The Senior
Tour who “retired.” Timmy was always
good for a cheesy dad joke back then; imagine how cheesy those joke will be now
that he is old enough to be a dad.
7. Genesis Moss
Original
Season: Boston
Challenge
Seasons: 2
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: Battle of the Sexes (2005)
My first favorite lesbian. Boston is also one of the rare seasons where
each housemate went on to do at least one season of The Challenge.
8. Tara McDaniel
Original
Season: Northern Trail
Challenge
Seasons: 1
Seasons
Won; 0
Last
Seen: Battle of the Seasons (2002)
One of the surprises of first season was
long forgotten one timer Kendal ended up being one of the stars of this season,
maybe another of the Miz’s fling can have that sort of resurgence.
9. Stephen Williams
Original
Season: Seattle
Challenge
Seasons: 1
Seasons
Won; 0
Last
Seen: Battle of the Seasons (2002)
Boning and then confessing your love to a
producer would have been the most controversial moment of most seasons, but that
moment just happened on the same season as Stephen running down Irene’s cab and
slapping her as she left the show.
Stephen did this because Irene called him a homosexual. A decade later, Stephen announced he was engaged
to a dude.
10. Susie Meister
Original
Season: Down Under
Challenge
Seasons: 5
Seasons
Won: 3
Last
Seen: Spring Break Challenge (2010)
This one is a big question mark since Susie
has since written some dispersing remarks about the show and MTV and Viacom at
large really have not cleaned up their act (the latest seasons of Are You the
One for misconduct) but hopefully the more mature vibe of The Senior Tour can
convince one of the most visible member of the first decade to return.
11. Veronica Portillo
Original
Season: Semester at Sea
Challenge
Seasons: 12
Seasons
Won: 3
Last
Seen: Final Reckoning (2018)
One of the most surprising omissions of the
first season with the third most seasons under her belt of the female. She even showed up for three seasons in the past
five years. It has to be only a matter
of time before we see her.
12. Julie Stoffer
Original
Season: New Orleans
Challenge
Seasons; 5
Seasons
Won: 1
Last
Seen: The Gauntlet 2 (2006)
Long before The Book of Mormon or one became
a presidential nominee, Julie was America’s favorite Mormon. And this was even after she almost murdered
Veronica by messing with her harness while going between two buildings.
13. David Broom
Original
Season: New Orleans
Challenge
Seasons: 2
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: The Gauntlet (2004)
New Orleans another rare season where
everyone did at least one season of The Challenge and really most would be
worthy of returning. They should just
bring David back to record the Theme Song.
14. Theo Von
Original
Season: Maximum Velocity Tour
Challenge
Seasons: 4
Seasons
Won: 2
Last
Seen: Last Comic Standing (2006)
Theo went on to a comedy career and has not
looked back. Maybe the shorter season
could entice him back.
15. Coral Smith
Original
Season: Back to New York
Challenge
Seasons: 6
Seasons
Won: 1
Last
Seen: The Gauntlet (2004)
Along with Veronica, the most shocking
omission of The Senior Tour. So many great
Coral moments.
16. Rachel Robinson
Original
Season: Campus Crawl
Challenge
Seasons: 7
Challenge Wins: 2
Last
Seen: Battle of the Exes (2012)
Another early mainstay who was conspicuously
absent from the Senior Tour. Though
there were two of her cast mates (Darrell and Kendal) and three from the Real
World Season that year (Arissa, Alton, Trishelle). Pretty strong year for MTV that year.
17. Tina Barta
Original
Season: South Pacific
Challenge Season: 5
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: Cutthroat (2010)
Reportedly Tina came down with the COVID
which is why she was not on the Senior Tour.
She was last seen as a ringer for an elimination that is best known for
CT wearing Johnny as a backpack. The last
time she was an official cast member was 2006’s The Duel.
18. Cara Zavaleta
Original
Season: South Pacific
Challenge
Seasons: 3
Seasons
Won: 1
Last
Seen: Inferno III (2007)
After Road Rules, Cara went on to be a Miss
November 2004 and still came back for three seasons of The Challenge.
19. Adam King
Original
Season: Paris
Challenge
Seasons: 6
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: Rivals (2011)
Most memorable by getting punched by CT
while wearing a onesie. But that relationship
came full circle in his last season where he teamed up with CT.
20. Casey Cooper
Original
Season: Fresh Meat
Challenge
Seasons: 4
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: The Ruins (2009)
Only three seasons, but Casey was pretty memorable
for being one of the least athletic contestants ever but still managed to get
third place in her first season and was eliminated right before the final on
her last. Sadly she was reportedly an alternative
for this season but was sent home. Hopefully
that puts her first in line for the second one.
21. Jenn Grijalva
Original
Season: Denver
Challenge
Seasons: 6
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: Rivals (2011)
Honestly, I most want to see her return
just because Bill Simmons and David Jacoby (who coined calling The Challenge
the fifth major American sport) are obsessed she spelled her name with two “N’s.”
22. Brooke LaBarbera
Original
Season: 2
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: The Duel II (2008)
One of my favorite Real Worlder of all time
who unfortunately did not have the greatest runs of The Challenge (out on
episode three both times). I would just
like an update.
23. Tori Hall
Original
Season: Viewers Revenge
Challenge
Seasons: 3
Seasons
Won: 2
Last
Seen: Cutthroat (2010)
Most famous for marrying Brad, baring two
of his before divorcing him. Brad
returned to the Challenge and hooking up with one of the trashier contestants
for all the world to see. Weirdly Tori
kept on showing up on spoiler cast list for a couple seasons straight and now I
kind of want to see her again.
24. Nany González
Original
Season: Las Vegas (2011)
Challenge
Seasons: 10
Seasons
Won: 0
Last
Seen: Double Agents (2021)
My favorite Challengers of all time. Maybe my favorite reality star ever. But she just made it to the finals for the
second time in ten tries and the person she started her Real World career with,
LeRoy just “retired.” It has been a decade
Nany, it is time to go to the Senior Tour.
There she would have been the same
age as Jemmye who I believe was the youngest this season.
25. Frank Sweeney
Original
Season: San Diego (2011)
Challenge
Seasons: 3
Seasons
Won: 1
Last
Seen: Free Agents (2014)
Frank had a memorable confrontation with Nany
in their first season which made it seem that the series would have two very
strong contestants for the second decade.
Unfortunately Frank disappeared after three seasons. But I will always remember the time he started
streaming how he would not made to look crazy on television while looking crazy
on television. Maybe that is why he went
M.I.A.
Honorable mentions to David (Los Angeles) and Puck (San Francisco),
Camilla (Spring Break Challenge), I am not sure they would bring back people
who got banned, but maybe they will now that they are older and wiser. Also The Miz (Back to New York), Jacinda
(London), David Giuntoli (South Pacific), Jamie Chung (San Diego) who are probably
all to busy even to take a couple weeks off for the show. One more honorable mention to Tonya who will
likely never go on the show again for… various reasons.