Best known for being a seven-time winner of MTV’s high-octane competition series “The Challenge,” Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio has taken reality TV by storm in recent years, appearing on programs like “Love Island,” “Worst Cooks in America,” “House of Villains” and “The Traitors.”
Now, Devenanzio is set to return to “The Challenge” for his 22nd series appearance on the cast of Season 41.
Ahead of the premiere of the latest season, dubbed “Vets and New Threats,” Devenanzio sat down with Entertainment Weekly to reveal his behind-the-scenes “showmance” with fellow Season 41 cast-member, former “Survivor” winner Dee Valladeras.
Johnny Bananas Sets Up Showmance with Dee Valladares in Season 41 ‘Day Zero’ Launch Special
“Dee and I met at the Season 40 finale party,” said Devenanzio, claiming that they’d crossed paths through their mutual friend, “The Challenge” alum Josh Martinez.
“We chatted back and forth a little bit before leaving, just kind of being like, ‘Let’s get together, let’s work together this season.’ Since we have a mutual friend in Josh, that was the understanding that we had,” Devenanzio continued
Jonne Roriz/MTVWhile originally a plan to cement a pre-game alliance, Bananas added that he did consider pursuing a “showmance” after hitting it off with Dee.
“And then on top of that, we’re both single, and it always helps move the game forward if you have somebody like that to spend time with. So that was kind of the thought process going in,” Devenanzio explained.
The first glimpse at Johnny and Dee’s potential showmance appeared in a “Day Zero” launch special for “The Challenge 41.”
The launch special saw all 32 contestants, including 16 series veterans and 16 “new threats” as they raced “up a mountain to claim not only their partner, but also their living arrangement” for the season. Spliced in-between scenes of competitors braving the rough terrain, the 16 new-comer contestants, including alums from series like “Love Island,” “Big Brother,” “The Amazing Race” and, of course, “Survivor,” were interrogated by longtime “Challenge” host, T.J. Lavin. During the new-comer interrogations, veteran players appeared over Lavin’s shoulder to pose their own questions to the first-time challengers.
Dee’s interrogation with Lavin, which saw the reality star admit that she won “Survivor” by “manipulating people and getting them to do what I wanted them to do,” as well as promising to bring her cutthroat gameplay to “The Challenge.”
After telling Lavin that she’s more of a “team player” than a lone wolf, “Challenge” veteran Johnny Bananas appeared in the interrogation room to ask Valladares one more question.
“Do you have a boyfriend?” asks Devenanzio. “Would you like one?”
Johnny Bananas Reveals the Challenges of Finding Reality in On-Screen Showmances
“I think it was obvious from the interrogation where my mind was at,” Bananas told EW regarding a potential showmance with Valladares. “But you never know. It’s very difficult to really get to know a person for who they truly are – especially with my reputation, whether it’s accurate or not, I come with a lot of baggage. Everyone paints me out to be this untrustworthy, conniving, manipulative, evil person. For a rookie and someone who doesn’t know me, it’s difficult to know who to believe.”
Despite coming hot out of the gate with his interrogation questions to Dee, Bananas reported that both players were hesitant when it came to making their showmance a reality.
“I understand [Dee’s] hesitancy coming in, but at the same time, she didn’t play the most straight-up and honest game on ‘Survivor’ either. She does what she has to do to get her way, so I was kind of hesitant too,” added Devenanzio.
He continued: “I’m just so paranoid at this point because I’ve been burned in this game so many times by relationships, so it was difficult to be on the same page and really trust that we both were honest about our intentions. I just wasn’t sure what the actual vibe was.”
After the “Day Zero” launch special, it remains unclear as to whether or not Johnny and Dee’s showmance will come to fruition this season, though more surely remains to be seen between the two reality competition winners as “The Challenge 41: Vets and New Threats” premieres tonight, Wednesday, July 30 at 8:00pm ET on MTV.
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Johnny Bananas Says He Wanted to Pursue a Showmance with ‘Survivor’ Winner on ‘The Challenge’