For the Johnny Bananas haters out there, he has a message for you; and it’s that he isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
The Challenge vet first appeared on MTV’s The Real World Key West in 2006. Shortly after, he made his Challenge debut on The Duel and has been a mainstay on the series ever since. Not only is he known for his winning abilities, but the reality star is a pro at putting on a show. Some people love it, and some hate it, but one thing is for sure — the hate only motivates him further.
“For every one of those critics that say, ‘Oh my god, Johnny Bananas is doing another Challenge,’ there are 10 or 100 that are like, ‘Thank god you’re back. Don’t ever leave,'” he told The Messenger. “There’s always going to be detractors out there. There’s always going to be haters out there. I’ve noticed in the past that the majority of my haters are actually my biggest fans in disguise.”
Expect a lot more of Johnny Bananas
There’s no question whether JB is a villain on The Challenge. The fans and his co-stars know it. But if you’re hoping his villainous ways will end soon, you might want to think again.
“To all of my haters and detractors out there,” he continued, “I just wanted to say be patient because I have plenty more for you guys to be pissed off about because I’m not going anywhere for a long time.”
“People say, ‘Another season of Bananas? This is getting old,'” he continued. “Guess what? I take two seasons off, and all I’m getting is, ‘Oh my god. We’re sorry we said that. Please come back. These new kids are unwatchable and unpalatable. We can’t deal with it.’ You can’t have it both ways.”
Now that The Challenge empire is expanding, many hope the series’ OGs like Johnny, Wes Bergmann, and Tori Deal will fizzle out, but according to Johnny, viewers should be careful what they wish for.
“Trust me, people,” he began. “For those out there that want me or the rest of the vets to retire and this new generation to come in, you’re going to be regretting those decisions if and when that day actually comes to fruition. Trust me.”
The Challenge: USA premieres on CBS Thursday, August 10, at 10/9c, and streams on Paramount+.
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