Former Star of ‘The Challenge’ Mark Long Hopes to Launch an All-OG Season
The Challenge has been one of the top shows on MTV for years. Because of this, many legends have graced the show. Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, Wes Bergmann, and Chris “CT” Tamburello are a few who are still starring today. However, many have gone on to have lives outside of the show, and they haven’t been on in years. Now, one OG is ready to come back. Mark Long, a former star who also cohosted a season, has recently begun trying to reunite some other former competitors with hopes of having an all-OG season.
Mark Long was a legend on ‘The Challenge’
Long first starred on Road Rules in 1995. He then appeared on six seasons of The Challenge, according to Fandom.
He ultimately won the first two seasons he appeared in, the second coming on Battle of the Sexes, which aired in 2002 and 2003. Long — who also cohosted a season — then appeared on Battle of the Sexes 2 before making it to the final on The Gauntlet 2 and The Duel II.
The last season Long appeared on was Battle of the Exes, which aired in 2012. He and his partner Robin Hibbard finished fourth, also according to Fandom.
Mark Long is campaigning for an all-OG season
Long’s life has continued without The Challenge and The Challenge — which is currently in its 35th season — has continued without Long. However, he is ready to get back in the game. Long recently pitched the idea of a season with all old-school competitors that fans haven’t watched on the show in years.
After sharing the idea on Twitter in June 2020, and it ultimately going viral, he then began recruiting other former costars.
“As you know, the reason why we can’t do that full season is a lot of us now have full-time jobs, careers and/or children. So leaving for eight weeks is impossible,” Long said on the “Watch With Us” podcast, according to Us Weekly. “People that I’ve reached out to are people that have always wanted to come back, I think, but have had either family or job issues that wouldn’t allow it. And I think a two-week shooting schedule is perfect. They used to shoot Champs vs. Stars in two weeks and get a lot of episodes out of that.”
Long wants the show to be competitive, but he doesn’t want it to be the same format as The Challenge.
“I wouldn’t want anyone even getting eliminated because what’s the point of that? Why not have personalities and everyone together under the same roof,” Long said to Us Weekly.
Even though he doesn’t want people to go home — as they do on The Challenge — he does want the winner to get “handsomely rewarded.”
“I think it’s a hybrid,” Long said to Us Weekly. “I think it’s a hybrid of a Real World setting with a Challenge type of feel.”
Who has he recruited so far?
Since the idea has gone viral, Long has been busy recruiting former competitors, while also campaigning on social media to MTV and Bunim-Murray Productions.
So, who has Long recruited to join the show so far? Long has reached out to Eric Nies (two-time winner), Landon Lueck (three-time winner), Syrus Yarbrough (winner of Extreme Challenge), Evelyn Smith (three-time winner), Susie Meister (two-time winner), and others, according to Us Weekly. Additionally, on Twitter, he has continuously announced former competitors who have said yes to him.
It is unclear if Long’s show has a chance of getting picked up, but he plans to pitch it to MTV and Bunim-Murray Productions. If they do not like it, he will pitch it to someone else. Long has also mentioned Netflix’s Twitter accounts in some of his tweets about the idea.
Fans of The Challenge can watch the younger stars — or the OGs that are still on the show — when The Challenge: Total Madness airs on MTV on Wednesday nights.
