"Johnny Bananas": From: "The Real World: Key West"
(Debut Challenge Appearance: The Duel) (# of prior challenges:14) (Wins:6)
Yes, this guy has 6 wins under his belt. Before I say anymore, I will say that there will be some spoilers on this blog, if you haven't seen "The Challenge" or any seasons with "Bananas" in it, then don't go any further and instead, go watch the show...........don't say I didn't warn you.
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You still here? Ok, lets start from the beginning.
John Devenanzio AKA "Johnny Bananas", started on "The Real World: Key West" back in 2006. He was the typical party guy that pulls pranks who was for the most part, tolerable. It was enough for John to be casted into his rookie season of "The Challenge" being "The Duel" where surprisingly enough, he was eliminated first in that season and it started his first rivalry with former roommate, Tyler Duckworth. He seemed to be mixed on being a good guy (He was on the good guys team in Inferno 3 after all) and being a typical vet after 2 more appearances. And then, came his forth season "The Island" where he started to turn into the grade A a**hole that everyone knows him now. But in the end, he did get his first win that season and followed it up with another win in "The Ruins" with his champion teammates. He seemed to be on a roll, until "Cutthroat" happened where he faced elimination against Tyler again, but this time, they weren't against each other, they had to see how can last longer against CT who I talked about in the last post. In that elimination, CT crushed "Bananas" and ended up getting the nickname "Backpack" as he as literally carried by CT to defeat. But that seemed like the motivation to do better as he ended on a winning streak in "Rivals", "Battle of the Exes", and "Free Agents" with a 2nd place finish in the middle on "Rivals 2", and then "Exes 2" came where he started to struggle again where he got eliminated because former friend Sarah Patterson betrays him to get her first win. And after that, he got his 6th win on "Rivals 3" with Sarah with some controversially which i'll discuss later.
Now he is back, yet again as he seems to be the poster boy of the challenge for some reason. Is there any positive things I can say about him?
Well I can say that, he sure has the competiveness needed for the show, and he does has come kind of brains which is rare on these shows nowadays. But now, the one thing I give credit the most to about "Bananas" is that now he shows that can handle the game on his own. What do I mean by that? Before "Free Agents" which is a indivual format, he got his wins in teams, and pairs. It was a question if it was pure luck that he kept getting wins, or did he have strong partners enough to win with or without him. It became more questionable in "Rivals 2" where he seemed gassed out and couldn't handle the new ways of "The Challenge" as it was almost a decade since he came into MTV. Then came "Free Agents" where you were on your own and no alliance could save you at all. "Bananas" was on his own the entire season and went into 3 eliminations, the most that he went ever went to in one season, and won each of them and ended up winning. So, I give him credit on that.
But that isn't to say that there isn't some negativity with him. And that goes all the way to the way he looks at the game. Like I said, "The Island" was the first of his villainous ways as kept on fighting with multiple castemates and keeps on picking on people so much that eventually, it stops being funny. Especially nowadays where it is even worse as, he is almost in his mid-30's and he still acts like a spoiled teenager. If there was a show that proves that evil always wins then this is it. And when the few people do tell him that it's wrong, he doesn't care.
I never got why he became the poster boy for "The Challenge". Maybe it was because he nicknames himself as a fruit and has his own bobblehead. That's how arrogant he has become after all his wins. He's not really that funny in my opinion and his personality on the show is just hard to watch.
You know that as he has gotten a whole lot of rivals throughout his challenge carrer. I already said two of them with Tyler and Sarah, but then there is times with CT, Jordan, Dario *even if they are BFF's now, Cara-Maria, Kelly-Ann, Wes, Evelyn, and recently, Nany. and a lot of them he always wins at mostly with help of his friends which I'm amazed that he still has at this point.
Which comes to the biggest problem I have with "Bananas" and that is his hypocrisy. I mean it, he has become one major hypocrite on the show with his words and actions. On "Exes 2" when Sarah betrays him near the end to get her win, he berates her to no end on the show, The After-Show, and the Reunion about how she is now judas and that he would never betray someone to get a win. Which is a CLEAR FALSE. On "The Island" he had his alliance with a former roommate named Paula Meronek and they seemed tight, until he ends up betraying her to save himself and leaves her to claim another loss. I can't remember if he ever apologised for it as he clearly hurt her as she shows it. But he does it worse in "Battle of the Bloodlines" when he contributes to vote his ally Nany into elimination when he could have easily used a throwaway vote at anyone else and lost her as a friend. But what makes it worse is his excuse that his "girlfriend" didn't like nany and he had to think of her instead of not voting Nany to make sure, you still have her as a vote to keep you around and help you get more money which you keep coming back too in the first place. At least you could have done that as a friend which you kept saying you were which nowadays I don't buy for a second.
But the worst betrayal came at the end of "Rivals 3" where he and Sarah made it the end and won giving him his 6th win. But there was a twist, there were check points where people had to complete them solo and the person on each pair had the best time got to choose if they wanted to split the check which usually happens, or keep the whole thing for themselves and leaving their partner with NOTHING. While the other two pairs kept their souls and split the money, "Bananas" won the option and decided to keep the money for himself and leaving Sarah with no money. Meaning all the hard work she made to get to the end, was completely worthless. His excuse.....was this.....He said that he didn't know he was gonna keep coming back so he might as well take it and run. He also mentioned that Sarah betrayed him in "Exes 2" making this the same thing. Guess what "Bananas", IT'S NOT THE SAME THING. When Sarah did it to you, you both were on separate pairs, only one of you could win it, and she took the chance to make sure she finally got the win she deserved. On "Rivals 3", you two were partners, without Sarah, you would have not made it to the end and got you that win. Not to mention, that throughout the season, you both seemed to have mended fences and become friends again, only to stab her right in front of her with no care whatsoever.
If I was there and had the option, and my partner was either Tony, Dario, Nany, and even Kailah, I would have split the money because without them, I would not have won and I would have made sure we both were winners.
And to make matters worse, the very next season, he returns which makes me think that he stole Sarah's half of the check out of spite even though he claims that it wasn't. I was left disgusted with "Bananas" after that moment. And this could only hope that he shows up less after "Invasion" as why would anyone want to be partners with him again after what he did to Sarah?
So if you can't tell, I want "Bananas" to lose big time. Afterall, he's not unbeatable so there is a chance. And after that, soon he can retire and get a real job as I'm sure I'm not the only one sick of him. I go through the internet a lot. and more and more people keep saying they want "Bananas" to go away. And recent ratings showed that the show does not need him anymore as before that when it was "The Bananas Show", ratings were terrible and now it keeps rising.
So for who I want to succeed the most out of the guys?: Theo, Cory
Who I want to fail: "Bananas", "Zach" seriously there could have been better choices for male champions to invade
Who I think has a chance: Nelson, Darrell,
Who I think could fail: Anthony
So, The Challenge: Invasion of the Champions begins. May the best player win. Goodnight.
