‘The Challenge’: Is the Show Rigged? Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio Explains Why It Can’t Be
Due to the inconsistencies and confusion surrounding The Challenge: All Stars 2 final, many fans have begun accusing the show of being rigged. Seven-time champ Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio explained how the program gets away with the endless twists during a January 2022 episode of his podcast.
Johnny ‘Bananas’ Devenanzio explains why ‘The Challenge’ can’t be rigged
Before breaking down the controversial final on the January 21, 2022 episode of Death, Taxes, and Bananas, host and seven-time champ Johnny Devenanzio wanted to discuss other oddities in the season.
Runner-up Janelle Casanave thought producers did the best to manage uncontrollable factors by including twists but noted the game wasn’t how she remembered. Johnny explained that The Challenge could throw whatever curveball they want whenever it no longers registers as a game show.
He pointed out that older seasons, including the Inferno, Gauntlet, and Duel installments, featured rules set from the first day. However, the winningest contestant noted the program now registers as a reality show, allowing it to “deviate” from rules at any moment.
As a result, The Challenge cannot be rigged as it’s a reality show without set regulations. Janelle confirmed her former Real World roommate’s explanation, remembering that champ Brad Fiorenza told her that it’s not a game show and she can’t get “re-dos.” Calling the realization a “wake-up call,” Janelle admitted she was “livid” at the time as she sustained a back injury and “sacrificed a lot” to compete in All Stars 2.
Many fans thought ‘All Stars 2’ was rigged after winners MJ Garrett and Jonna Mannion revealed details
Following their victory, MJ Garrett and Jonna Mannion talked to Entertainment Weekly about the convoluted final in which they released behind-the-scenes information that had fans questioning their win.
For example, when detailing the safe fiasco, they claimed they reached their lockbox 10 minutes ahead of everyone else and correctly input the combination. However, the two realized the box didn’t open, even though a producer reportedly told them they had the correct code.
MJ and Jonna then claim they were told to run to the plane without the money before a truck picked them up halfway. According to the winners, producers informed them they weren’t performing the functions correctly and brought them back to the safe, eventually opening it.
The All Stars 2 champ also insisted they needed to follow a fourth step. Due to confusing events earlier in the season, the mixup with the safe, and the two making it past the first checkpoint due to Teck Holmes and Ayanna Mackins quitting, many fans began claiming the final was rigged.
Janelle has previously called MJ out for lying about events in the final
The runner-up and Inferno 3 champ have openly talked about her disappointment and didn’t waste time calling out MJ for his comments in the article.
Speaking to The Challenge Mania podcast in January 2022, Janelle claimed she and Darrell Taylor were only 50 yards behind the champs, not 10 minutes as he previously noted.
Additionally, she insisted he ignored her after asking him about the fourth step to the safe he brought up in the interview. During Death, Taxes, and Bananas, she also brought up their claims that they nearly finished the first checkpoint before production stopped them.
According to Janelle and Darrell, the winners were far from completing it. She also mentioned Jonna’s detail about producers telling them they needed daylight as she wondered what would have happened if Teck and Ayanna didn’t quit. The Challenge: All Stars is streaming on Paramount+.
