‘The Challenge: All Stars 3’: Veronica Portillo Thinks Mark Long Should Get a ‘Free Ride’
The Challenge: All Stars 3 released its first two episodes on May 11. During episode 2, the Authority agreed to vote Mark Long into elimination, which shocked three-time champ, Veronica Portillo. She later tweeted about it, admitting she thought the Challenge Godfather deserved a “free ride.”
Mark Long was voted into elimination during ‘The Challenge: All Stars 3’
For The Challenge: All Stars 3, the fastest six players to complete the weekly mission form the Authority, with the top two also receiving an advantage, the sabotage.
The group is then tasked with nominating a male and female to face off against the losers of the challenge. During episode 1, the six agreed to throw in the second-to-last place finishers, considering it a simple strategy to explain. However, Yes Duffy, Kendal (Sheppard) Darnell, Jordan Wiseley, Jonna Mannion, Brad Fiorenza, and Kailah Casillas, who made up the following Authority, handled their duties differently.
Instead, the group named one guy and one female they wanted to save and decided to vote on the outliers. Those unsaved included Mark Long, Melinda (Stolp) Collins, Nehemiah Clark, Roni Chance, Syrus Yarbough, and Veronica Portillo.
It didn’t show the discussion, but Kailah brought up the unsaid alliance between original cast members Wes Bergmann, Melinda, and Nehemiah. Additionally, a couple noted they wouldn’t mind throwing “the Godfather” into elimination early. The group decided on Melinda and Mark, but the episode didn’t show who voted for whom.
Veronica Portillo thinks Mark Long should get a ‘free ride’ for at least half the season
Following the episode, Veronica tweeted her disappointment about the nominations. She wondered how he ended up getting voted in, adding, “don’t the six members of The Authority understand that the show & their involvement would not exist without him?”
Due to his hand in creating the spinoff, the three-time champ asked, “shouldn’t that get him a free ride to at least the halfway point?” Kendal replied to her tweet, claiming she “would love to explain how it all really went down” with an angry face emoji.
A fan replied, asking her to discuss it, but Kendal promised she would go further into detail during an interview. In 2020, Mark began asking viewers if they were interested in watching former cast members who haven’t competed in a while returning for a version of the franchise.
As fans started expressing their excitement for it, his idea took off, and Bunim/Murray Productions, the company behind The Challenge, agreed to partner with him on it. His pitched We Want OGs evolved into The Challenge: All Stars, which premiered in April 2021 to favorable ratings.
Veronica previously discussed her decision to return to ‘The Challenge’
Tied for the most season wins by a female player, Veronica debuted on The Challenge 2000. She won her first season and took home back-to-back victories in 2003 and ‘04.
However, the Road Rules star hadn’t competed since 2018’s Final Reckoning, when she was partnered with five-time champ CT Tamburello.
During her cast interview shortly before All Stars 3 premiered, Veronica admitted she didn’t enjoy her experience during Final Reckoning.
Additionally, she noted she has gotten out of the reality TV community and lives a “simple life” with a girlfriend and an average job. Even though she didn’t think she would return, Veronica “had to say yes” when invited to All Stars 3 because “it’s not an All Star season without me.” The Challenge: All Stars 3 airs Wednesdays on Paramount+.
