Johnny Bananas: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Banana

[Stinger97]

Johnny Bananas may be one of the most legendary players in Challenge history, but this vet isn’t sure he has enough gas left in his tank. After coming in second to his nemesis CT on Rivals II, four-time champion Bananas found it to be a humbling experience. He concedes, “You learn more in defeat than you do in victory. And, I learned a lot about myself.” Arriving in Uruguay as a Free Agent with no alliance, Bananas knows he has an uphill battle ahead of him. Bananas confesses, “I'm just hoping that luck's on my side.” His fellow Challengers may call him “Grandfather Bananas,” but this wily veteran could still have a few tricks up his sleeve.

[NichD]

Because it must be told:

 

[RedheadZombie]

Where in the world did this clip come from? Kellyanne has always creeped me out a little. Hearing her say she has no problem having sex with a banana - as long as she wants it and isn't doing it to please a guy - reinforces it.

Also, who's the lucky recipient of Johnny's literal banana? Camilla?

[Lantern7]

I can't give Johnny any credit. I know, he's won five times (a record), but it (figuratively) hurts me to give him his due. It's mostly because he's a throwback from the Axis of Ass, in an age where he, Kenny and Evan usually won the Challenges. I couldn't stand Kenny and Evan, and I still can't take Johnny. That's why I cheered when CT beat him last season, and why I grimaced when Jordan couldn't beat him. Johnny is this yapping dog that just doesn't go away, even when you really want him to do that.

 

Seriously, aside from "Bananas Backpack," which technically was a win for Tyler rather than CT, has Johnny ever gotten his comeuppance? I don't feel being shackled to Frank and losing to CT & Wes qualifies.

[Lantern7]

I don't think it's one episode in particular as it is a convergence of tired, tired behavior. Like the banana costume. And the bobblehead doll. And how he usually skates into the final mission while facing minimal endgames. And his shitty behavior during The Island, culminating in screwing Paula over in favor of Evelyn. And his association with disgraced "stars" Evan and Kenny. And the lawsuit against Entourage over the moniker "Johnny Bananas" that didn't work out for him. Also, you have CT, who is proof positive that you can be redeemed after being a total thug, and Johnny suffers by comparison.

 

PS: The endgames thing is what prompted Jordan to talk about "[earning] your stripes." The message was garbled, but I agreed with Jordan wanting Johnny to sweat a little, so I can't totally hate him for being a meathead with a complex.

[mmm]

As a new challenge fan i love johnny and i never understand why people hate him as much as they do , maybe bec the reality shows i watched my entire life like Survivor , big brother .. etc. His strategy is totally normal .Strategy is respected and is a must on these shows. He's funny , entertaining , really charismatic and naturally good at this show what's not to love? !!

Edited February 20, 2015 by mmm

[LoLo]

I used to loathe Johnny, even though he made for good tv. Most people love to hate him or hate to love him. Either way, he's matured a bit & plays this game like a fiddle. He's talked the talk & walked the walk. Do I agree with all of his comments or behavior? Or course not. But, after watching since season 1 & reading & watching interviews for years, he is very well liked outside of the Challenge by his fellow competitors. Most of them have nice things to say about him, even though they know he's arrogant on the show. Paula, Brad, Aneesa, Mark L, etc have all said that Johnny is a true friend & the one they would call if they need something. He's loud, arrogant & a prankster but he's shown us even without Kenny & Evan he can win. He's had good partners, exes & won alone. That shows me that he can work with others. People love to bash him where I can respect a smart, good player. I don't care for Wes but I can admit he's a great talker & smart. CT is loved when he attacked more than one person on more than one occasion & treated women like dirt. But he gets a free pass.

[Lantern7]

I still hate "Bananas." I thought maybe getting left to hang by Nany would have been enough of a humiliation, but then BMP came up with "EX-ile," and he has new life. Just because his return makes the insufferable Wes fume and throw his (figurative) hat down on the ground doesn't mean it's a good thing.

 

CT and Johnny are like apples and oranges. I acknowledge CT's bad behavior, but he seemed to want to reconcile with Adam and Diem in Rivals and BOTExes, respectively. Also, I figure CT wouldn't have to be on that BMP teat the way Johnny guzzles on it, but your mileage may vary.

[choclatechip45]

CT is loved when he attacked more than one person on more than one occasion & treated women like dirt. But he gets a free pass.

Thank you! CT has always played the victim. CT was a dick to Bananas during The Duel and Gauntlet 3. During Rivals, they made Bananas look like the bad guy for how he treated CT. I'm not even a big Bananas fan like I used to be before The Islands, but that really annoyed me that the fans/editors kept acting like Bananas should be nice to CT during Rivals. Edited March 6, 2015 by choclatechip45

[Bob Sambob]

CT and Johnny are like apples and oranges.

 

That's a convenient rewriting of history. Johnny has always been a dick (a better way of saying it might be that he plays a dick on TV). Meanwhile, for a very large chunk of his BMP career, CT was a legitimate monster. Like a real, scary monster. It's well documented that on the night of his King Kong-like stomping through the house (when he put Adam in the hospital), the production team and his fellow castmates had no idea what to do to stop him and were legitimately terrified. Plus, he drunkenly punched Davis (by some accounts, BECAUSE he was gay) and got kicked off another Challenge. Convenient that you forget that the guy who jumped in and had Davis' back that night? Johnny Bananas.

 

He humiliated and terrorized Adam for a good six years on these shows before finally growing up, and even when those two finally had their concilliatory talk in that bar during "Rivals," I still thought the scene made it pretty clear that while Adam forgives, he doesn't forget.

 

I acknowledge CT's bad behavior, but he seemed to want to reconcile with Adam and Diem in Rivals and BOTExes, respectively.

 

Which brings up a valid point: Name one person with whom Johnny needs to atone for legitimate terrifying behavior. Some might say Ev on "The Island." Yep, he was a huge asshole there. Yep, lots of misogynist speech spewed from his mouth. But anyone REALLY think she was scared of him? I think she made it pretty clear -- especially when she looked him in the eye and said "fuck you and fuck your alliance" to him in front of everyone still left in the game -- that she wasn't. Still not convinced? Go read his Twitter feed sometime; on multiple occasions, he's admitted -- with humility, I might add --- that he's ashamed of his behavior on that season.

 

Many times, we've heard people call Johnny a dick, often to his face. But has anyone ever been afraid of him? Not that I recall. Meanwhile, after "Duel II," people made it very clear that CT should be banned for life, and Rachel herself said she would never do a Challenge that CT was on ever again. Should we consider him a saint because Diem, at one point in time, loved him? Yeah, he's ended up becoming a little more likeable. But being a dude with model good looks that chicks love doesn't change what a scary asshole that guy used to be.

 

I figure CT wouldn't have to be on that BMP teat the way Johnny guzzles on it, but your mileage may vary.

 

I just can't grasp why anyone would think what Johnny Bananas does (or any of these people, for that matter) isn't legitimate work and gainful employment. How is he different than the Jersey Shore kids or any of the Real Housewives? He makes hundreds of thousands of dollars a year doing it. He's one of the stars of a popular, long-running television show that has morphed into a bona fide extreme athletic competition. They don't ride around on tour buses and bob for pigs' feet or put on variety shows in Vegas anymore (wish they would ... show was WAYYYY better back then). It takes year-round training, I would imagine ...  there's a reason guys like Big Easy and Tyrie don't win these things.

 

Plus, why would you think CT would be "above it" more? He was the one with the "Good Will Hunting" upbringing, not Johnny. The way I see it, he's this working class kid from Boston named Chris Tamburello, who plays the part of CT on "The Real World" and "The Challenge," but too often wears his heart on his sleeve and lets his real persona bleed through on numerous occasions (proof of this: when Diem called him from the hospital on the production cell phone -- which they put on speaker phone for the show -- she called him Chris, then he abruptly and figuratively told the show to fuck off by turning off the speaker so he could speak to her in private and for REAL ... while she ALWAYS called him CT in her confessionals). Just like how this John Devananzio kid (who was one of Diem's rocks in her final days and one of the guys that many, many cast members have said is always a phone call away) plays the part of hateful, ruthless, cutthroat Johnny Bananas on TV.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Bob Sambob

[Tatum]

 

Yep, he was a huge asshole there. Yep, lots of misogynist speech spewed from his mouth. But anyone REALLY think she was scared of him? I think she made it pretty clear -- especially when she looked him in the eye and said "fuck you and fuck your alliance" to him in front of everyone still left in the game -- that she wasn't. Still not convinced? Go read his Twitter feed sometime; on multiple occasions, he's admitted -- with humility, I might add --- that he's ashamed of his behavior on that season.

 

His behavior on the Island forever ruined him for me, and this is coming from someone who had a TV crush on him during both Key West and Inferno 3 (I think it was Inferno 3- the one with Susie and  the I HateTonya game, also where CT punched Davis). No, Ev may not have been physically scared of him, but by all accounts, he really went out of his way to torment Ev and just generally make her uncomfortable. In fact, if I recall, all the women, except Paula and Johanna, frequently complained about how uncomfortable he made them the entire time. I remember Kelly Anne lamenting that she dreamt Bananas was gone only to sadly wake up and find out it was only a dream. I also think it was hinted that he was especially obnoxious to Kelly Anne and Ashli after hooking up with both of them and his overall behavior was demeaning to them. Bananas came off to me as the kind of guy who pursues a girl relentlessly and then once he gets her, treats her like damaged goods not worthy of respect.

 

If he has said he is ashamed of his behavior I am glad to hear it, and I will concede the last few appearances have been much improved.

 

I do agree none of the above compares to almost killing someone while being filmed. After that incident, I think CT should never have been allowed back. Although I am sure he has his good points, I have never liked CT much.

[fredj]

I may not like Johnny but I sure give him credit because from being the typical average guy he makes the most of the situations, the guy went from going first on the duel to becoming one of the top players of this things, and that's something that not everyone on the shows can do, I give him credit that from being really forgettable on the first challenges and not someone that stand out, he somehow managed to create his persona, become relevant and extend his 15 minutes.

If you were a producer and 8 years ago you were casting for the show, you look at CT and Its clearly that only with his looks he will be in immediately, but you look at Johnny and think that he is the typical frat guy, and that there are 10 guys that are and look like him, he wouldn't be a first choice.

After CT came back to rivals pretty much the fans love him, he became the hero and they despise Johnny, many would have thought that after rivals johnny will be forever the villain. Prime example that Johnny knowing fans really hated him has somehow managed to turn around all this hate to fans rooting for him, because since free agents and exes 2 he has receive a bunch of support.

 

Johnny may not be the strongest, fast or smartest guy there, but the guy sure knows how to make the most of his situation, that's what I give him credit for, that from being someone that was forgettable on his first challenges,  he has somehow managed to be the face of the challenges. 

 

I always thought kenny or evan would become the face of the show, never thought it would be johnny.

Edited March 8, 2015 by fredj

[whirlingdervish]

I think Kenny and Evan thought that, too. 

[choclatechip45]

 

I may not like Johnny but I sure give him credit because from being the typical average guy he makes the most of the situations, the guy went from going first on the duel to becoming one of the top players of this things, and that's something that not everyone on the shows can do, I give him credit that from being really forgettable on the first challenges and not someone that stand out, he somehow managed to create his persona, become relevant and extend his 15 minutes.

If you were a producer and 8 years ago you were casting for the show, you look at CT and Its clearly that only with his looks he will be in immediately, but you look at Johnny and think that he is the typical frat guy, and that there are 10 guys that are and look like him, he wouldn't be a first choice.

 Bananas won Hottest Guy Ever on that Real World Award Show which aired in 2008 and at that point his season was a couple years ago and had only done three challenges The Duel, Inferno 3 and Gauntlet 3. Two of those he was sent home early. I think it was obvious he would have been invited back numerous times because he was a fan favorite back when he first started I would say he was more popular than Evan, Kenny, and CT. 

[Tatum]

 

I think it was obvious he would have been invited back numerous times because he was a fan favorite back when he first started

 

I could see that. I think Johnny came off as very likeable in the beginning. In fact, I used to read his myspace blog (obviously, many years ago) and he was really funny. And I defended him during Key West when other posters said he was mean to Paula (the incident involved Paula insulting him, sabatoging him when he was flirting with other girls, and just generally being a pest until finally he snapped and told her off and then he was the bad guy because Paula started crying).

 

Although you could see a few shades of misogyny in Inferno III (like telling the girls on his team that they shouldn't come on the shows if they don't want to "have fun" in response to the girls complaining that the guys busted into their room and jumped in bed with them, and claiming that since Cara had posed topless for a magazine she had no right to complain when the guys busted in on her and saw her topless), admittedly it was against people I wasn't too fond of (ahem, Susie) so I didn't really get too upset at him, and they were the only two incidents I remembered that was on the show that made him look unfavorable (I don't watch aftershows or get on Twitter or anything so I only know what airs in an actual episode).

 

So, seeing him on The Island was pretty shocking. After that, there was just no liking him anymore for me. Whatever anyone else does or doesn't do that's worse or not worse- I just can't like him. I have no idea what made him act the way he did on that show, or if that was the real him all along.

 

What bothered me most about The Island, in addition to his treatment of Ev and his treatment of the girls in general, was the way he shrugged off Paula at the end. I understand he did not negotiate that deal with Ev (believe that was Kenny), and that with the numbers working out the way they did (five people, Johnny, Kenny, Paula, Dunbar, and Derrick, and only four spots on the winning boat) someone was getting hosed no matter what, even before Ev won the final key. And of all the people in that alliance, Paula by far contributed the least and actually discouraged other girls from working on the boat, because "all girls know how to do is braid hair" and was just vile in general. That said, these two are friends, she believed she was in his inner circle and played the game based on that assumption, was completely hurt and devastated, and Johnny shrugged it off and basically said, hate the game, not the player, and made no effort (on camera anyways) to make things right with her. Even Kenny seemed pretty bummed at the end when he saw how hurt and upset Paula was. Yet she was Johnny's longtime friend and he seemed like he really didn't give a shit. It just bothered me, and this is coming from someone who thought getting tossed off the winning boat was completely deserved for Paula, who acted like a total bitch that season, and the one that followed.

[throwawayac]

While we can all agree his behavior on the Island was pretty terrible, I think he's grown a lot since then.  If the Bananas of 2015 were to be swept back in time to the Island I believe he wouldn't have treated Kelly Anne or Ev nearly as bad.  And if you don't think he's changed, just imagine Bananas from the Island in the final of Free Agents during his turn with Devon.

[choclatechip45]

Speaking of Devin, apparently Bananas is why she audition for The Real World he came to do a speaking engagement at her school and she thought if he could make The Real World she could because she thought he was a looser. That story always made me laugh I can't find the YouTube interview were I saw that.

[luckyroll3]

Speaking of Devin, apparently Bananas is why she audition for The Real World he came to do a speaking engagement at her school and she thought if he could make The Real World she could because she thought he was a looser. That story always made me laugh I can't find the YouTube interview were I saw that.

This is hilarious! Must find video.

[choclatechip45]

 

This is hilarious! Must find video.

I couldn't find the video, but I did find this interview where she confirms meeting people from The Real World is why she auditionedhttp://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives/2009/01/07/meet-devyn-simone-of-mtvs-real-world-brooklyn. I swear I remember hearing it somewhere now I hope I didn't make it up.

[Lantern7]

I hate Johnny. Tonight's episode was a great showcase as to what a loser he is. I honestly hope his girlfriend dumps his sorry ass.

[fredj]

Last week and Tonight episode show why I never root for Johnny

[Way Wes Jr]

Not surprised that Johnny's true colors are back after he gets thrown into an elimination. Disappointed, but not surprised. I was glad that Jay stood up for himself when Johnny called him an idiot like he and Jenna weren't even there. Johnny was all pouty and mumbly and Jay was articulate and direct. Such a pretentious, entitled, disrespectful P.O.S. He really just makes himself look bad.

 

I had almost "come around," on Backpack; the constant refrain from the people who, you know, actually know him, that he is the bestest person ever outside the game; the, believable, assertion that he is essentially playing a character on the show; but the last two episodes have helped bring me back to pure dislike of the hypocritical, entitled, asinine little turd.

 

I may just have to watch the after show to see if he's still carping about being "stabbed in the back," by his "long time friend and ally."  (I'm sure he is.)  He egged on Nia into going over the top - which almost caused his "long time friend and ally," Leroy to be sent home because of the lack of a partner.  And his "fun sponge," routine was designed to isolate and emotionally weaken Sarah.

 

A total and complete jackass who will do anything to win and piss and moan to the high heavens if anyone else tries their best. 

[RedheadZombie]

Has Johnny's voice and accent always sounded like Kenny's?

[Racj82]

Bananas sits down and talks with the Afterbuzz after show crew.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3K0eCdCWeo

[jsm1125]

That Afterbuzz was one long video of sour grapes masked as an issue of integrity.

[choclatechip45]

I think it's funny that Johnny is trying to make us forget he was on The Duel by saying The Island was his third challenge yet he can remember that Sarah has done 8 challenges. The only part I agreed with in the after buzz interview that it's kind of shitty of Sarah to say they were never friends because they don't call each other on there birthdays. I have friends I hang out with and we don't say happy birthday because we are away or live in different states. With that being Said I think he is just mad cus Sarah out thinked him.

Edited March 21, 2015 by choclatechip45

[Ladystardust]

So, I'm watching The Real World Key West, because I missed that season and was curious as to how Johnny was on his original season. I'm only halfway through and I'm learning that Johnny has always been a whiny bitch who thinks he is never wrong. Paula "stole" a girl he was talking to at a club and he went on about how he was "betrayed" by a friend and he could never look at Paula the same way again, blah blah - sound familiar? And all she did was talk to some girl he was into at a bar! Apparently betraying Johnny doesn't really take a whole lot.

 

Also the whole thing where Tyler threw a drink on him after he made some gay slurs at a club and the next day instead of apologizing for being an ass, he's trying to convince everyone that it was Tyler's fault for throwing the drink on him. He literally never thinks he's wrong about anything even when he CLEARLY is. 

 

It's just sad because you could almost excuse his earlier behavior as just being young and stupid (we've all been there) if he had learned from it and grown up in the past ten years. 

[pakalolo]

Ya almost got me...I was so close to believing that Johnny really was a great guy and good friend "outside the challenge" and Bananas was just a Challenge persona, but since I would consider sight seeing in Norway to be something "outside the challenge" and Johnny was still acting like a gigantic prick and essentially ruining everyone's good time, not just Sarah's, I am going to have to conclude that is complete garbage. His treatment of Sarah during thier downtime went way beyond normal game play trash talk or "getting into someone's head" or whatever he wanted to pretend it was, he was just flat out abusing her and creating a toxic atmosphere and it wasn't fun to watch.

The face of the challenge? Ugh, I guess it might be appropriate as the game play does get quite ugly.

[Ladystardust]

His treatment of Sarah during thier downtime went way beyond normal game play trash talk or "getting into someone's head" or whatever he wanted to pretend it was, he was just flat out abusing her and creating a toxic atmosphere and it wasn't fun to watch.

 

I completely agree. I love a good reality tv argument as much as the next person, but this was just so uncomfortable to watch. 

[Bob Sambob]

This video is beyond awesome. Caught in a web of lies and hypocrisy.

[Tatum]

So, I'm watching The Real World Key West, because I missed that season and was curious as to how Johnny was on his original season. I'm only halfway through and I'm learning that Johnny has always been a whiny bitch who thinks he is never wrong. Paula "stole" a girl he was talking to at a club and he went on about how he was "betrayed" by a friend and he could never look at Paula the same way again, blah blah - sound familiar? And all she did was talk to some girl he was into at a bar! Apparently betraying Johnny doesn't really take a whole lot.

 

Far be it for me to defend Bananas, like, ever, and it's been years since I've seen KW, but wasn't Johnny's beef in that episode more the fact that Paula was actively sabatoging his attempts to pick up that girl by telling the girl in the bar really unflattering things about him? If so, I can see why he was mad. Paula admitted herself during the season that she had a crush on Johnny and I can see her purposely discouraging other girls from talking to him or hanging out with him.

 

 

His treatment of Sarah during thier downtime went way beyond normal game play trash talk or "getting into someone's head" or whatever he wanted to pretend it was, he was just flat out abusing her and creating a toxic atmosphere and it wasn't fun to watch.

 

I'll agree with that. I had to fast forward through most of the first half of the episode. There was no advantage to "getting into Sarah's head"- she was already in the final, as were Jay and Jenna. This was just straight up punishment for the two teams that didn't have to stress about the elimination rounds. Guess Johnny figured the only arsenal he had left in his bag was to make sure Sarah's free time in another country was as unenjoyable as possible.

 

Prior to this episode, although I would not say it was full on redemption, I would have agreed with those that pointed out that possibly Bananas has grown up a little bit and may not actually be the same misogynistic bully he was on The Island. That's out the window now.

[Ladystardust]

Far be it for me to defend Bananas, like, ever, and it's been years since I've seen KW, but wasn't Johnny's beef in that episode more the fact that Paula was actively sabatoging his attempts to pick up that girl by telling the girl in the bar really unflattering things about him? If so, I can see why he was mad. Paula admitted herself during the season that she had a crush on Johnny and I can see her purposely discouraging other girls from talking to him or hanging out with him.

 

I could have missed something that was said, but from what I gathered Johnny was talking to a girl and he decided NOT to invite her home and said goodnight to her and her friends when Paula decided to invite them back to the house to hang out with her instead. I didn't see that she was trashing him to the girls, but again, I may have missed something. 

[choclatechip45]

 

I could have missed something that was said, but from what I gathered Johnny was talking to a girl and he decided NOT to invite her home and said goodnight to her and her friends when Paula decided to invite them back to the house to hang out with her instead. I didn't see that she was trashing him to the girls, but again, I may have missed something.

To be fair to Johnny, Paula would always go after him when she was drunk. I always thought he handled Paula well considering he was her verbal punching bag for 6 months when she was drunk. I remember one time he cried because he felt bad for making her feel bad about herself. His asshole tendencies are definitely apparent though in Key West like when he rips Janelle top off in the pool.

[Ladystardust]

To be fair to Johnny, Paula would always go after him when she was drunk. I always thought he handled Paula well considering he was her verbal punching bag for 6 months when she was drunk. I remember one time he cried because he felt bad for making her feel bad about herself. His asshole tendencies are definitely apparent though in Key West like when he rips Janelle top off in the pool.

Oh, I totally agree that Paula would have been tough for anybody to handle. She even admitted that she went after Johnny basically because he reminded her of her ex or someone from her past. I just thought his reaction to that one scenario was way over the top, similar to his reaction to Sarah (talking about betrayal and never being able to trust her again). And that was stuff he said in his talking heads while he was sober, not drunk talk that was said in the moment while he was angry. (Sorry if this comes off as argumentative. That's not the tone I'm intending - tone is so difficult over the internet!)

Speaking of him ripping off Janelle's top, I'm surprised they didn't make that a bigger deal than they did. In one of the super early seasons of RW, a huge deal was made over that guy ripping a blanket off of a girl who was either nude or in her underwear (Tami maybe?). I can't remember if he got kicked out or not, though. Then Sarah's partner Vinnie (?) pulled down Mandi's top a few seasons ago on the Challenge and was kicked off immediately. 

[choclatechip45]

 

Oh, I totally agree that Paula would have been tough for anybody to handle. She even admitted that she went after Johnny basically because he reminded her of her ex or someone from her past. I just thought his reaction to that one scenario was way over the top, similar to his reaction to Sarah (talking about betrayal and never being able to trust her again). And that was stuff he said in his talking heads while he was sober, not drunk talk that was said in the moment while he was angry. (Sorry if this comes off as argumentative. That's not the tone I'm intending - tone is so difficult over the internet!)

Speaking of him ripping off Janelle's top, I'm surprised they didn't make that a bigger deal than they did. In one of the super early seasons of RW, a huge deal was made over that guy ripping a blanket off of a girl who was either nude or in her underwear (Tami maybe?). I can't remember if he got kicked out or not, though. Then Sarah's partner Vinnie (?) pulled down Mandi's top a few seasons ago on the Challenge and was kicked off immediately.

Yeah, I guess I would compare his reaction to Sarah betraying him more to his reaction on Gauntlet 3 when his team sent him in against Evan. The only difference is that only Casey was on his side. I think with Paula I understood why he was upset and thought he was within his right. Re Janelle's top I think it's because Janelle didn't want him out of the house and it was years before the Tonya lawsuit.

[ghertigirl]

I wrote a post defending Bananas and then through the last few episodes, he made me regret that deeply and then he did this:

 

Johnny Bananas reads mean tweets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaZd2FyfoUA&feature=youtu.be

 

And all is good again. It's complicated.

[choclatechip45]

"I prefer Johnny Jansport" That was pretty funny.

[Lantern7]

Okay. That was funny. Probably because the tweeters can barely articulate their hatred for Johnny. And who runs up to Johnny (or a lookalike . . . poor bastard) for an autograph?

 

He's still a noxious gasbag. Sadly, I don't think we'll be seeing the last of him.

[luckyroll3]

I think he was trying way too hard to be funny. I will give him the Johnny jansport, though, because that will never not be funny.

[NikSac]

I read some of these older season threads and reminds me just how crazy it is that sometimes it's fine to rip off a woman's shirt, and sometimes it's not okay to poke a guy in the crotch with clothes on. I don't think either one is acceptable but it's gotta be confusing for the cast. Seems like they can always find ways to act like jerks, but it's gotta be hard to know how far they can go depending on which show, season, and production staff they're dealing with.

[Tatum]

I watched old episodes of the first battle of the exes (with Johnny and Camila) for the first time this weekend (I only watched the first episode during the original airing and then got bored with the format) and something, in light of all Johnny's whining about Sarah and her betrayal, jumped out at me.

 

So, Bananas and Camila are power couple, and Johnny makes it clear he wants Rachel gone (of course Camila is going to do whatever Johnny wants). Mark, who is friends with Rachel outside the show, asks what his beef is. Johnny explains, in a very whiny voice, that during the Island, Abe asked to be sent home during the elimination round (this was the season where the cast members got to decide which of the two up for elimination were going home, by majority vote). Anyways, Johnny bitches that Abe begged to be the one to go home, but Rachel still got half the house to ignore Abe's wishes and vote for Johnny instead. The fact that the girls all voted for Johnny because he was so obnoxious to them and made it clear he would vote off any girl over any guy was conveniently left out. So, Mark goes back and lets Rachel know that Johnny is probably sending her in and explains why, and Rachel turns to the camera and in a genuinely perplexed voice asks, why is Johnny talking about things that happened 4 years ago?

 

So, all this is to say that Bananas holds a grudge like no other.

 

I wished I would have watched the first Battle of the Exes when it aired. It was actually pretty good, once you get past the really stupid challenges, like Give Me Some Honey.

[KerleyQ]

And Johnny didn't even get sent home - he went on to win the damn Island.  So he's holding a grudge for 4 years over the possibility that he might have been sent home but ultimately stayed and went on to win the season.  God, he's insufferable. 

[shantown]

Also, maybe he should think about why so many people wanted him voted off anyway. If he wasn't such a giant douchecanoe to other people it wouldn't even have been an issue. "Playing the game" is one thing (physically and mentally), being a sexist jerk out of spite is another.

[KerleyQ]

Also, maybe he should think about why so many people wanted him voted off anyway. If he wasn't such a giant douchecanoe to other people it wouldn't even have been an issue. "Playing the game" is one thing (physically and mentally), being a sexist jerk out of spite is another.

 

To him, it's all because they're just jealous that he's awesome or some such shit. 

[Rebecca]

I literally think he has an ugly face...cannot fathom that he was voted the hottest. I can't stand him and never could, since Key West. I want him to leave and not return to the show. Most obnoxious Challenger, ever, to me. I just can't watch him win again. I am unspoiled for the first time in years and I just won't be able to take another win by this jackhole!!!!

[Lantern7]

I hate the format the season has taken. Sure, Johnny would have to go out if his cousin (whom he labeled "Plan C" in the preview special) loses in the Pit, but where would the nice feeling go? It's like being cheated of satisfaction . . . like last season, when he lost. Twice. That was fun.

[SnideAsides]

I get a little satisfaction out of him every time I remember the "Bananas" nickname started as a joke about him having a small dick.

[KerleyQ]

I hate the format the season has taken. Sure, Johnny would have to go out if his cousin (whom he labeled "Plan C" in the preview special) loses in the Pit, but where would the nice feeling go? It's like being cheated of satisfaction . . . like last season, when he lost. Twice. That was fun.

 

When they showed CT in the "this season on the Challenge" package, I was really hoping that he was coming back to take part in a Pit and give us another Johnny Bananas Backpack moment.  I still hold out this hope.  

[UniqBlue69]

With ratings being the lowest they've ever been for the franchise, I wonder if Johnny is starting to break a sweat. I know he pays attention to ratings because he loved to gloat on twitter back when Battle of the Seasons 2 was airing how ratings were low without him. As much as I can't stand him, I think he's amassed enough of a fan base that he could maybe parlay this into a hosting gig on some small tier network like Fuse. But I wonder what will happen to people like Aneesa when MTV finally pulls the plug on our favorite shit-show? Is she still stripping? She can't do that forever and I'm not sure she has acquired enough qualifications/skills for a regular office job.

[snarts]

^this.  You know it's bad when MTV burns off an episode, airing at 11pm on a holiday week.