MTV TJ Lavin on 'Spies, Lies and Allies'
TJ Lavin has been the host of “The Challenge” for almost as long as the show’s been around and hasn’t hesitated to make his feelings about competitors known, whether by giving them props after a hard-fought elimination or by calling out a cast member who didn’t give it their all.
However, while he’s often had to show up at the house to give a warning to contestants who might have crossed a line or send someone home, he doesn’t really speak on the drama in the house between various cast members.
Recently, he appeared on “MTV’s Official Challenge Podcast” during the final of “Spies, Lies and Allies,” a season filled with drama, and spoke to Tori Deal and Aneesa Ferreira about conflict in the house and whether he knows what’s going on between the competitors at the challenges and eliminations.
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TJ Said He Isn’t Interested in the Drama Between Contestants & the Situation Changes Very Frequently
On the podcast, Aneesa asked TJ about the Night of Eliminations and Amanda Garcia’s decision to call out Tori. TJ immediately said that he didn’t get it and thought it was “the stupidest pick in the whole world… Why would you pick her?” he asked.
Tori said Amanda had some issues with her in the “Challenge” house and asked TJ if he knew about their drama. “She didn’t like me,” Tori said. “Did you know that she had beef with me? Do you get filled in on that behind-the-scenes drama?”
TJ replied, “Not really. Not too much because I’m not really interested in it, you know? Because the next season, you guys might be friends and teammates. Why fall into that stuff?” He then added, “Next season. What am I talking about? Next challenge, you might be teammates or friends, so who knows? It’s no reason for me to be involved in any of that stuff. So I just try not to pay attention too much to that.”
He Said He’s Filled in on What’s the Latest in the House Before a Challenge or Elimination
Despite saying he’s not interested in the conflicts between cast members, TJ said he gets “night before” updates about what’s happening in “The Challenge” house so he can gauge the mood of the competitors. “I read or listen to the night befores and pay attention to what they’re saying and what they’re doing and how everybody’s mood is gonna be,” he said.
Doing that helps him decide whether to “lay off or lean into someone that needs it,” he told Tori and Aneesa. “I try not to be a d***,” he added. “I try to be helpful and cool if someone’s going through something or whatever.”
That to me is more important than if somebody’s fighting with somebody or doesn’t like somebody or whatever. Like I don’t give a s*** about Josh and Fessy fighting [each other]. One moment they’re like this, and one moment they’re like that.
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