Aloha.
Not sure if y’all know, but this week is Departure Week for Challenge 35!! I’m once again running the casting megathread on reddit, so if you want to know who’s on it — go check it out. I am constantly updating it.
But enough about that. Back to my series on the casting archetypes seen on The Challenge and other reality shows like Survivor and Big Brother. This is the huitième entrée, with the the previous 7 being:
- Spicy Latinas
- All-American Studs
- Feisty Black Women
- Weak Gay Men
- Alpha Women
- Southern “Gentlemen”
- Bubbly Blondes
To be honest, there won’t be many more, because when I brainstormed all of these on a long summer bike ride, I only came up with 10. Which is a nice round number (just like Ashley Mitchell’s appearances), so maybe that’s good. If I missed any, feel free to comment below 👇 (or on reddit)
The next 3 are less archetypal and more just funny casting slots people fall into. This is the Dumb Jocks, who are all brawn and no brain. They excel in physical challenges (including endurance and/or swimming) but fail at puzzles, strategy, and/or politics. They work harder, not smarter. And they are often eye candy.
No offense intended here — especially because I’m kinda angling to get an interview on Challenge Mania, like Shmalvey did… But perhaps including one of the podcast hosts in this list won’t do me any favours. Whatever, guess we’ll see! Without further ado:
Dumb Jocks
Eric Nies — originated on RW New York; debuted on Road Rules All-Stars
James Orlando — originated on RR Maximum Velocity Tour; debuted on Extreme Challenge
David Burns — originated on RW Seattle; debuted on Challenge 2000
Ace Amerson — originated on RW Paris; debuted on Inferno 1
Derrick Kosinski — originated on RR X-Treme; debuted on Sexes 2
MJ Garrett — originated on RW Philadelphia; debuted on Gauntlet 2
Tyrie Ballard — originated on RW Denver; debuted on Inferno 3
Dunbar Merrill — originated on RW Sydney; debuted on The Island
Emily Schromm — originated on RW DC; debuted on Cutthroat
Ty Ruff — originated on RW DC; debuted on Cutthroat
Leroy Garrett — originated on RW Las Vegas 2; debuted on Rivals 1
Ashley Kelsey — originated on RW San Diego 2; debuted on Battle of the Seasons 2
Ryan Knight — originated on RW New Orleans 2; debuted on Battle of the Seasons 2
Johnny Reilly — originated on RW Portland; debuted on Free Agents
Adam Kuhn — originated on AYTO1; debuted on Exes 1
Cory Wharton — originated on RW Ex-Plosion; debuted on Bloodlines
Tony Raines — originated on RW Skeletons; debuted on Bloodlines
Dario Medrano — originated on AYTO2; debuted on Bloodlines
Raphy Medrano — originated & debuted on Bloodlines
Vinny “Pig” Gliatta — originated & debuted on Bloodlines
Nelson Thomas — originated on AYTO3; debuted on Rivals 3
Hunter Barfield — originated on AYTO3; debuted on Invasion
Nicole Zanatta — originated on RW Skeletons; debuted on Invasion
Derrick Henry — originated on AYTO5; debuted on Dirty Thirty
Faith Stowers — originated on Vanderpump Rules / EotBUS1; debuted on Final Reckoning
Mattie Lynn Breaux — originated on Party Down South; debuted on War of the Worlds 1
Ashley Cain — originated on EotBUK1; debuted on War of the Worlds 1
Georgia Harrison — originated on Love Island UK 3; debuted on War of the Worlds 1
Idris Virgo — originated on Love Island UK 4; debuted on War of the Worlds 2
Also
And finally, as I was looking for Rulebreakers, I discovered that in his bio on the RW Philadelphia Wikipedia page, it specifically mentions that Landon doesn’t like being labeled a “dumb jock.” Hilarious. (But he was actually good at strategy and puzzles — remember practicing tangrams with Carley? — so he doesn’t belong here.
