S28.E04: I'm Going Home

[WhosThatGirl]

2 hours ago, shelley1005 said:

Wes has a business where he helps people from the ground up with startup businesses.  It's seems to be pretty successful.  It's the kind of job where he can go for a few months for the challenges and then come right back to the job.  I have always felt more people who are challenge regulars should try to follow Wes' lead....take the money you won and invest it in yourself...and then go back to the money pot aka the challenge and get more funds for your own businesses.  

That's pretty cool actually. I doubt any of the others will follow this lead. I feel like with Wes, he was a bit older when he started the reality show game so he had more going on and didn't come into reality tv and then make it his one and only meal ticket. Now with all of the kids who come to these challenges seem so young and inexperienced with life (or maybe I'm just getting older?), they really do seem so very young and throw all the eggs in this one basket and have nothing else going on back home. 

And when we keep seeing the same old faces and especially with Johnny who now just did a back to back challenge this current one and the last one, it's like when do you go home and how do these regulars have any substance of a real life?  And this doesn't mean when they do their nightclub bookings and anything to do with the reality show persona, when are you just a person, how do you have relationships outside of these franchises? I guess you don't. That's why I do think it's hilarious that Johnny tries to act like outside of these shows, he is a different nicer person and I don't believe it, because he is never not on this shows, or not doing anything related to the show. 

[lilabennet]

It isn't that they are that much younger than they used to be.  The difference is that when the Real World started they used to cast more Peace Corps types.  Now they cast party school types almost exclusively.  Most cast members used to look at the show as a cool once in a lifetime experience before they finished up school or got a real job, and there were only a few true fame whores.  Now they are all fame whores.

[RHJunkie]

11 hours ago, shelley1005 said:

Wes has a business where he helps people from the ground up with startup businesses.  It's seems to be pretty successful.  It's the kind of job where he can go for a few months for the challenges and then come right back to the job.  I have always felt more people who are challenge regulars should try to follow Wes' lead....take the money you won and invest it in yourself...and then go back to the money pot aka the challenge and get more funds for your own businesses.  

I didn't know that about Wes...perhaps that's partly why Wes feels so comfortable looking at everyone else as if he's better than him. He's probably always seen his association with the Real World and The Challenge as a means to further his goals outside the reality tv bubble while he sees his counterparts simply around for quick cash and 15 minutes of fame. I don't think Wes will ever stop being an arrogant guy, but I don't find him nearly as bad as he was in the past. He still makes his quips but if I'm being honest with myself, often times they're reasonable and well timed comments about his Challenge mates.

[shelley1234]

2 hours ago, RHJunkie said:

I didn't know that about Wes...perhaps that's partly why Wes feels so comfortable looking at everyone else as if he's better than him. He's probably always seen his association with the Real World and The Challenge as a means to further his goals outside the reality tv bubble while he sees his counterparts simply around for quick cash and 15 minutes of fame. I don't think Wes will ever stop being an arrogant guy, but I don't find him nearly as bad as he was in the past. He still makes his quips but if I'm being honest with myself, often times they're reasonable and well timed comments about his Challenge mates.

I used to really dislike Wes, but as time has gone on....I have gotten to understand and even like Wes.  Wes seems to really enjoy playing the "game" on the Challenges.  He plays the part.  I know Johnny says he does that too, but I see Wes just being better at it.  He likes to stir the pot and try to mess up people's social game and alliances as much as possible.  He seems to really enjoy it.  I always find it interesting watching Wes' behavior during the show and then during the Reunions.  He can get all riled up during the season, but he rarely is once it is over.  Mainly he is done playing the game.  He will often be like...yeah, I was a jerk.  My bad.  Johnny is still playing the part.  I think now...verses when he was younger and probably considered the Challenge more a part of his life, it's mainly just a job.  

And as for Johnny.  I do think the Challenge is basically his full time job.  He makes a good deal of money selling his shirts and gear, but it is all Bananas and Challenge related.  I do think he is different when the cameras aren't rolling...I didn't used to think so, but watching the reaction when Diem died and seeing how close those two were and how much respect people had for their bond and friendship made me change my mind a little.  He also made sure to start selling Diem shirts that went to her charity.  I made me loathe him about 7% less.  

[Pixel]

Every time I try to like Wes, I remember him dumping a 2-liter of soda over Cara Maria for no reason but because that was the season everyone decided to treat her like shit. And then I remember he's barely any better than any of them. 

[RHJunkie]

1 hour ago, shelley1005 said:

I used to really dislike Wes, but as time has gone on....I have gotten to understand and even like Wes.  Wes seems to really enjoy playing the "game" on the Challenges.  He plays the part.  I know Johnny says he does that too, but I see Wes just being better at it.  He likes to stir the pot and try to mess up people's social game and alliances as much as possible.  He seems to really enjoy it.  I always find it interesting watching Wes' behavior during the show and then during the Reunions.  He can get all riled up during the season, but he rarely is once it is over.  Mainly he is done playing the game.  He will often be like...yeah, I was a jerk.  My bad.  Johnny is still playing the part.  I think now...verses when he was younger and probably considered the Challenge more a part of his life, it's mainly just a job.  

And as for Johnny.  I do think the Challenge is basically his full time job.  He makes a good deal of money selling his shirts and gear, but it is all Bananas and Challenge related.  I do think he is different when the cameras aren't rolling...I didn't used to think so, but watching the reaction when Diem died and seeing how close those two were and how much respect people had for their bond and friendship made me change my mind a little.  He also made sure to start selling Diem shirts that went to her charity.  I made me loathe him about 7% less.  

Yeah, not sure if it's a popular opinion to share but Wes has grown on me considering where he started from. Wes knows the vibe he gives off so instead of kissing ass and threatening people, he tries to ruin the game of anyone who isn't part of his group and he doesn't really seem too concerned with ever having to fight his battles to survive in the game. I think that's a huge difference between him and Johnny. Johnny will connive and scheme but when you do it to him, he gets offended because to him, he feels like he should only have to compete in challenges and the finale. He's too much of a star to do battle to earn his keep in the the game each week. Another thing I like about Wes is that you can tell that he's completely separate from the game by the way he interacts with his 'enemies'. When he was partners with Johnny and now with Nany, you would never think he ever had any issue with any of them. He comes across as supportive, laid back and he has no issue with putting aside differences. He doesn't take shit with him which I like. Makes all the more sense to me now knowing that he's established a normal life outside of the MTV world.

[KerleyQ]

Speaking of Wes, I noticed that, when the AYTO kids were sitting around talking about how it's them against the RW, and complaining about one of the AYTO teams having an agreement with Vince/Jenna, Wes was right there in the middle of that conversation.  And the even more interesting thing about that was the girl in the mask sitting all cozied up to him.  It took me a minute, but I finally realized, from the dress, that it was Camilla.  I don't know if I can even imagine a Camilla/Wes hook up, but John would likely be pissed if one of his Challenge bed warmers hooked up with Wes.  

I think it definitely shows that Wes is smart enough to make sure he tries to get a toe hold in to every alliance he can.  He does a good job playing the sympathetic listener to whoever is pissed off at any given moment (maybe that's why he was with Camilla, since she also had a boatload of drama that night?) 

[kat165]

Not that I agree with that asshole Amanda, but if I was Camilla I'd be embarrassed that I'm wasting my education being involved in this crap.

[fredj]

Wes is ok to me, and the big difference between johnny and him is the fact that wes knows and treats the challenge for what truly is: a simple reality show, u don't see wes going on real life talking about the show, its the same with ct, they go, they film the show, and then go back to their lives. and then u see johnny still talking about how he got screwed on a show that happened a year ago, and going on real life talking shit about sarah, I mean its clear how much a simple tv show affects johnny's life.

Edited May 31, 2016 by fredj

[WhosThatGirl]

26 minutes ago, fredj said:

Wes is ok to me, and the big difference between johnny and him is the fact that wes knows and treats the challenge for what truly is: a simple reality show, u don't see wes going on real life talking about the show, its the same with ct, they go, they film the show, and then go back to their lives. and then u see johnny still talking about how he got screwed on a show that happened a year ago, and going on real life talking shit about sarah, I mean its clear how much a simple tv show affects johnny's life.

Same here . The only real life thing that Wes brought into this show was his relationship with Johanna and the fact that Kenny and Johanna made a big production of when they were hooking up on The Island for the show.  

[MVFrostsMyPie]

Yeah, initially I wasn't a fan of Wes on his RW season (then again, pretty much everyone on his RW season annoyed me... say where are Danny/Melinda/Johanna/Lacey (was she ever on the Challenge?)/whoever else I can't remember from that season anyway?), but he's grown on me (as much as any of these people could possibly grow on me... like a fungus) because he seems to view this as a hobby to expense his other endeavors, and not a lifestyle. He doesn't seem to hold grudges, at least compared to John(ny). Thank you to whoever reminded me about the pouring coke on Cara Maria, that made me want to punch everyone, especially him and Paula Walnuts in the nether regions, but CM didn't exactly rep herself well on the previous Challenge (and now we have to put up with Cousin being on all future Challenges, thaaaanks CM!), so now I'm just neutral.

Speaking of CM, where's Laurel? I miss her. I used to despise her, but then I ended up liking her more than her BFF.

[WhosThatGirl]

I think I've always liked Wes. The only challenge where I thought he was a jerk was the one where he came in and demanded that he be protected throughout the eliminations until the end or something- The Ruins, maybe?- he was rude to all of his other teammates but then again this was after The Island when Johanna and Kenny were hooking up and then he tried to explain why he was upset, like it was a respect thing which I actually understood but then triangle of Kenny and Evan were basically like telling him he was stupid and crying like  a baby. I really hated The Ruins challenge. That's the one challenge that makes me feel sick to my stomach, most of the guys on that one were deplorable. 

I liked Laurel for a little bit there but then I thought she was really mean to CM in her last one. Although on Blood Lines, CM was bad. I ended up really disliking her. 

[KerleyQ]

Wes is one of the few who treats these challenges like you should - it's a fun free vacation to somewhere you'd likely never go on your own along with the chance to hang out with some people you don't get to see on a daily basis and a chance to pick up some cash doing some (sometimes) cool things you wouldn't ordinarily do.  The only thing he seems to take personally is the whole feud with John thing, and, even that, I don't know if he genuinely takes it personally at this point or if he just knows it's what the show is looking for from him, so he obliges and plays his role.  Plus, he's not on every single one, so, when he does show up, it's a nice surprise instead of "oh, look, this asshole again" (John).  And, he always seems to make an effort to get to know the new people each season he's on instead of automatically discounting them as fodder for eliminations.  

[Decider]

13 hours ago, MattDuffysCat said:

...say where are Danny/Melinda/Johanna/Lacey (was she ever on the Challenge?)/whoever else I can't remember from that season anyway?)

Lacey was on one Challenge -- Battle of the Seasons in 2012, she was partnered with Wes -- and they were eliminated the first week.

[WhosThatGirl]

2 hours ago, KerleyQ said:

Wes is one of the few who treats these challenges like you should - it's a fun free vacation to somewhere you'd likely never go on your own along with the chance to hang out with some people you don't get to see on a daily basis and a chance to pick up some cash doing some (sometimes) cool things you wouldn't ordinarily do.  The only thing he seems to take personally is the whole feud with John thing, and, even that, I don't know if he genuinely takes it personally at this point or if he just knows it's what the show is looking for from him, so he obliges and plays his role.  Plus, he's not on every single one, so, when he does show up, it's a nice surprise instead of "oh, look, this asshole again" (John).  And, he always seems to make an effort to get to know the new people each season he's on instead of automatically discounting them as fodder for eliminations.  

This is how I feel about Wes. It's also why I was glad to see Sarah this challenge. I think it helps me like these people when like I said earlier this challenge show isn't their whole life. When they have real things going on back in their real lives,  a job, a husband/wife, it makes me think, okay they are doing this for fun and it isn't so serious.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

Don't Ask Nany Why The Challenge Has Hardly Any Challenges In It Anymore

It's 70 percent chapped asses this week, literal and figurative.

[Rebecca]

It's amazing to me that I now like Sarah and Wes... The only thing less imaginable in regard to these people is the thought I could one day be a fan of John. That just ain't happening. 

Wes re was only 19/20 during his original season so it's not that he was older than the new people. Whoever said the RW of yore ain't the RW of now was spot on - the look for entirely different things in casting now. In fact, to me, the time frame around Austin (Wes' season) is the time period when the show really died and was reborn something else. Look at everyone else from the Austin season...Melinda, Danny and Johanna were totally representative of the shift into the "new casting" IMO. 

The show declined long before Austin for me but that was really the end.

Edited June 25, 2016 by Rebecca