‘The Challenge’ Legend Johnny Bananas Slams ‘Gimmicks’ in Reality TV

Johnny Bananas

Getty Johnny Bananas attends the 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards

The Challenge‘s Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio is a well-known figure in the reality TV world thanks to his many appearances and wins on The Challenge and his other projects on the side, namely as host of 1st Look. However, the reality TV star recently spoke out about the genre and criticized some of the newer shows for their “gimmicks.”

In an interview with Screen Rant, Bananas said the genre had changed a lot in the past 20 to 30 years with a lot more focus on twists and drama over true authenticity in recent years. “I feel like with reality TV now, we’ve gotten away from what makes reality TV good,” Bananas told the outlet.

He explained that reality TV shows “don’t need a lot of gimmicks and bells and whistles. Reality has always been stranger than fiction,” he said, pointing to the success of the early seasons of The Real World and the praise the revival of the series received.

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Bananas Recently Hosted a New Show Called ‘Celebrity Sleepover’ Where He Interviewed Several Reality TV Stars

Johnny Bananas recently hosted a four-episode new show titled Celebrity Sleepover, which aired throughout April 2021 and was recently renewed for a second season. The late-night talk show followed Saturday Night Live and featured interviews, challenges and activities with several guests all from the comfort of their own homes via video link with Bananas.

The seven-time champ told Heavy the show was would “give them an opportunity to do a talk show in a different format that’s a little more playful, you’re able to kind of let your hair down, relax,” Bananas said. “With the scene that we’ve provided, the elements that we provide, it really goes a long way to helping them disarm a little bit and bring forth a more authentic, real playful version of themselves.”

On the show, Bananas interviewed several reality TV stars, including cast members from the very first season of The Real World: New York, who recently appeared on The Real World: Homecoming on Paramount Plus. He also spoke with cast members from The Challenge, including Mark Long, Trishelle Cannatella and Syrus Yarbrough of The Challenge: All Stars.

Regarding The Real World: Homecoming, Bananas told Screen Rant, “Just by putting them back in a loft, they’re sitting on the couch and Eric Nies is Zooming in and somehow that is the most entertaining TV. Just listening to them talk and discuss things and hash out their problems and their issues that everyone can relate to so is great.”


Bananas Told Heavy He Is Taking Some Time Off ‘The Challenge’ to Focus on Other Projects

In addition to Celebrity Sleepover, Bananas is also the host of NBC’s 1st Look and he recently told Heavy that he feels it’s time to step back from The Challenge for a while following his break from the show after his seventh win on Total Madness.

He said he’d like to focus on his other hosting projects and expand his experience to showcase other sides of himself rather than just what fans see on The Challenge. The Real World: Key West star told Heavy he feels like he accomplished as much as possible on the show with his appearances, wins and what he’s brought to the franchise.

He said it might be time for him to “step back” from it: “For now, I think it’s time for me to maybe take a step back, explore my other avenues and spread the love a little bit, let somebody else win, you know?”

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