The Challenge: Generic Thread

For anyone who was still wondering about the height/weight stats for CT... [url=http://vevmo.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=13708][img]http://vevmo.com/imagehosting/15504fc62f8c84ec9.jpg[/img][/url]

^Wow, kind of hard to believe Bananas is only 29, I thought for sure he would be older, considering he's been on this show forever. I thought he'd be at least 32ish or so. I never saw the Inferno challenges, (although I did see one episode of Inferno 3, back in the day when I had no idea what the challenges were, and never really watched MTV), but I noticed how the teams were divided as 'good guys' vs. 'bad *****'. How did get them on the teams this way? And what distinguishes a person from being a good guy or a bad ***, I'd like to know.

[QUOTE=arilicious;306458]^Wow, kind of hard to believe Bananas is only 29, I thought for sure he would be older, considering he's been on this show forever. I thought he'd be at least 32ish or so. I never saw the Inferno challenges, (although I did see one episode of Inferno 3, back in the day when I had no idea what the challenges were, and never really watched MTV), but I noticed how the teams were divided as 'good guys' vs. 'bad *****'. [B]How did get them on the teams this way?[/B] And what distinguishes a person from being a good guy or a bad ***, I'd like to know.[/QUOTE] It depended on how they were during their original season or subsequent Challenge appearances.

[QUOTE=molds13;306462]It depended on how they were during their original season or subsequent Challenge appearances.[/QUOTE] Well yeah, but isn't that sort of an opinion in certain ways then? For example, I know Johnny Banana was on the good guys team, but most people I know hate him. Unless he may have different back then... When I watch current seasons of TRW, I try to figure out whether they'd be a good guy or bad ***....

[QUOTE=arilicious;306473]Well yeah, but isn't that sort of an opinion in certain ways then? For example, I know Johnny Banana was on the good guys team, but most people I know hate him. [B]Unless he may have different back then...[/B] When I watch current seasons of TRW, I try to figure out whether they'd be a good guy or bad ***....[/QUOTE] He was. Big change in Johnny that started during The Island.

[QUOTE=molds13;306479]He was. Big change in Johnny that started during The Island.[/QUOTE] Woww. I wonder what he was like. I wish someone had every real world episode uploaded on youtube so I could just watch every single one from the beginning so I could see how everyone really was when they first started on these shows. I know this probably isn't really the place to ask that, but I'm just saying.

[QUOTE=arilicious;306481]Woww. I wonder what he was like. I wish someone had every real world episode uploaded on youtube so I could just watch every single one from the beginning so I could see how everyone really was when they first started on these shows. I know this probably isn't really the place to ask that, but I'm just saying.[/QUOTE] You can find some of the more recent seasons on MTV's website. I know Key West was on there, so it probably still is. :)

[QUOTE=arilicious;306481]Woww. I wonder what he was like. I wish someone had every real world episode uploaded on youtube so I could just watch every single one from the beginning so I could see how everyone really was when they first started on these shows. I know this probably isn't really the place to ask that, but I'm just saying.[/QUOTE] You can watch some episodes of RW: Key West on mtv.com.

Actually a totally new topic..... How much do they really get after winning one of these things, lets take BOTE for example, Camila and Johnny each made $85,000...but I guess at the end they got somewhat less, right? With taxes, fees and so on...or does it make a difference that they won the money on foreign land?

I don't know what's about Johnny and Camila but I remember Cara Maria saying that she got 12.000 k from Rivals 2nd place winning. She wrote that on formspring.

[QUOTE=mizwood;306761]I don't know what's about Johnny and Camila but I remember Cara Maria saying that she got 12.000 k from Rivals 2nd place winning. She wrote that on formspring.[/QUOTE] What???? This can't be true... she made $26,000 and she only got $12,000???? If this is true then I can't imagine why the **** they are still doing all this **** for so "little" money... Thinking about it, Emily made $20,000 on Exes and got only like $9000...

[QUOTE=LexBlair;306764]What???? This can't be true... she made $26,000 and she only got $12,000???? If this is true then I can't imagine why the **** they are still doing all this **** for so "little" money... Thinking about it, Emily made $20,000 on Exes and got only like $9000...[/QUOTE] $12000 is still a nice chunk of change for 6 weeks' work for most of these people. You have to remember some of them don't have jobs or work in bars, restaurants, etc.

Are the winnings taxed by the US and California because that is where BMP is located or by where the contestant lives?

[QUOTE=TheFeedMachi;306767]Are the winnings taxed by the US and California because that is where BMP is located or by where the contestant lives?[/QUOTE] Probably both CA and where they live, plus possibly other states than where they live if they make money from those states. So if you were to win (assuming $$$ comes from CA), live in NYC, and work in NJ you could be filing a lot of state income taxes (though I think they non-resident taxes are handled at different rates in a lot of states). Plus, if you don't pay estimated taxes federally and state when you get that lump sum you could be subject to penalties for underpaying your taxes via your withholdings, plus if any or most of it could be subject to social security withholdings which you would have to pay yourself, plus as an independent contractor you have to pay the withholding tax part at twice the rate because you have to pay what would have been the employer's part. Add into all this the possibility that you might do appearances in multiple states and be subject to multiple state laws, it could be a headache. At least, that is my take on what I have read. I'm no tax professional. $12K after taxes for a month's work isn't horrible. that would be almost $150K/year after taxes. Plus it gets you those "appearances" that pay money throughout the year.

[QUOTE=LexBlair;306764]What???? This can't be true... she made $26,000 and she only got $12,000???? If this is true then I can't imagine why the **** they are still doing all this **** for so "little" money... Thinking about it, Emily made $20,000 on Exes and got only like $9000...[/QUOTE] That's what she said. Agree with molds, it's still pretty good pay for 6 weeks doing nothing. In fact, you go for vacation and get some cash if you win, why not? Honestly, I would pay by myselft if I could get at least few weeks on Challenge.

And the contestants get paid to do these challenges, whether they win or lose, make it to the finals or not, right? They get paid just to appear on TV? During Cutthroat, I remember Sarah and Abe had to DQ during the final challenge cause they were throwing up and stuff. Did they still get the money that their remaining teammates won? Or was that money instead split between the three of them?

They get some kind of week pay. [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_SpXRNWgMk]Abram burning money.... - YouTube[/url] If I'm correct, he is burning money which he got from Cutthroat

[QUOTE=mizwood;306783]They get some kind of week pay. [/QUOTE] Rookies get weekly pay. Veterans are given a flat rate.

[QUOTE=molds13;306766]$12000 is still a nice chunk of change for 6 weeks' work for most of these people. You have to remember some of them don't have jobs or work in bars, restaurants, etc.[/QUOTE] i know, i know it´s a lot of money etc. etc...hence the ""... but still, it does even [I]sound[/I] different... take "Duel" for example .. There IS a HUGE difference between winning $150,000 and actually receiving $65,000-$70,000... I was aware of the federal and state taxes that come with winning a prize/money, but I would have never imagine it being SO insanely high in the US...

[QUOTE=LexBlair;306817]i know, i know it´s a lot of money etc. etc...hence the ""... but still, it does even [I]sound[/I] different... take "Duel" for example .. There IS a HUGE difference between winning $150,000 and actually receiving $65,000-$70,000... I was aware of the federal and state taxes that come with winning a prize/money, but I would have never imagine it being SO insanely high in the US...[/QUOTE] It gets taxed at whatever rate applies to the level of income they have. The taxes apply whether you win the money, get it as a tip when you are a stripper, or performing brain surgery. You can google the tax rates and it will show you how that works. The progressive tax system is the more you make the higher your rate.

[QUOTE=FishHooks;306821]It gets taxed at whatever rate applies to the level of income they have. The taxes apply whether you win the money, get it as a tip when you are a stripper, or performing brain surgery. You can google the tax rates and it will show you how that works. The progressive tax system is the more you make the higher your rate.[/QUOTE] Like I said before I am aware of the income taxes.. used to even pay them in MD for a while a few years back... but I never encountered them to this extant. I also never won a prize or money on a tv show...therefore I was under the impression that they couldn't be taxed as earnings from a trade profession vocation or occupation...and therefore once federal tax bracket was not influenced by it..kinda like in the UK, where you have to pay a certain percentage of taxes (depending in which income or regular tax category you fall in) when winning money but prizes for example are not taxable.

[QUOTE=LexBlair;306836]Like I said before I am aware of the income taxes.. used to even pay them in MD for a while a few years back... but I never encountered them to this extant..i also never won a prize or money on a tv show..... therefore i was under the impression that they couldn´t be taxed as earnings from a trade profession vocation or occupation...and therefore once federal tax bracket was not influenced by it.. kinda like in the UK.. where you have to pay a certain percentage of taxes(depending in which income or regular tax category you fall in) when winning money but prizes for example are not taxable...[/QUOTE] As far as I know, capital gains off the sell of investments/property are the only common sources of income that get taxed at a good rate. All other income gets taxed based on your total income for the year. There is a cap on how much of the income you earn that gets allocated toward the added Social Security tax calculations. State taxes you pay can be deducted from your next year's federal income (though I hear most people forget to do that). The top tax rate in the US is currently 35% going to 39% next year. In the US, you trading me your lunchbox for my Pokemon cards is taxable (though good luck catching us :) ) I think it is the penalty/interest part that gets a lot of people federally if they wait until April to pay the taxes on the money they got a year before. Don't forget Richard Hatch from Survivor went to prison for not paying his taxes on the money he won on that show.

Wow, Abram has some serious mental issues.

These kind of discussions are fun and interesting for me in most sports.So I thought I would ask this here as well.Who are some people that may be a bit underrated or overrated as competitors for one reason or another?

[QUOTE=BluffingJ;306948]These kind of discussions are fun and interesting for me in most sports.So I thought I would ask this here as well.Who are some people that may be a bit underrated or overrated as competitors for one reason or another?[/QUOTE] I really think Laurel is pretty overrated. Sure, she's made it to the finals in every challenge, but in all her challenges she barely went to an elimination round. In FM2 she went in once. In Cutthroat she never went in. In Rivals she and Cara just usually went in against people who weren't that great (when they played Jasmine and Jonna, Jasmine was the weaker link. Camila and Theresa aren't particularly great either.) Other overrated people for me would of course be Johnny, Evan and Kenny. Not only do I hate them because of their extremely large egos, but because they're also people who manage to make it far every time without going to eliminations. Especially on the Ruins, it was just getting ridiculous. The only reason why the Champions team one every week (except once) was because Casey was on the Challengers team. The Challengers team could have been really good if Casey hadn't been cast, or if she had been eliminated (which she should have) in the first two weeks.

[QUOTE=mizwood;306783]They get some kind of week pay. If I'm correct, he is burning money which he got from Cutthroat[/QUOTE] Did Abe rub the *** he smeared on the jail walls on his face, what the **** is that

[QUOTE=erodwhtboy;307011]Did Abe rub the *** he smeared on the jail walls on his face, what the **** is that[/QUOTE] Did you watch the video? He clearly said it was a burn.

[QUOTE=arilicious;307008]I really think Laurel is pretty overrated. Sure, she's made it to the finals in every challenge, but in all her challenges she barely went to an elimination round. In FM2 she went in once. In Cutthroat she never went in. In Rivals she and Cara just usually went in against people who weren't that great (when they played Jasmine and Jonna, Jasmine was the weaker link. Camila and Theresa aren't particularly great either.) Other overrated people for me would of course be Johnny, Evan and Kenny. Not only do I hate them because of their extremely large egos, but because they're also people who manage to make it far every time without going to eliminations. Especially on the Ruins, it was just getting ridiculous. The only reason why the Champions team one every week (except once) was because Casey was on the Challengers team. The Challengers team could have been really good if Casey hadn't been cast, or if she had been eliminated (which she should have) in the first two weeks.[/QUOTE] Evelyn disagrees with you regarding Laurel. She says that the three strongest women are herself, Emily Schromm and Laurel. I'm in no position to disagree with her.

[QUOTE=V1man;307018]Evelyn disagrees with you regarding Laurel. She says that the three strongest women are herself, Emily Schromm and Laurel. I'm in no position to disagree with her.[/QUOTE] Well I never said Laurel was a weak competitor or anything. She's good, I just don't think she's really proven herself yet. Just because you make it to the finals or even win a challenge, doesn't necessarily mean you're a strong competitor. Dunbar hasn't quite proven himself yet to be particularly good and he won Cutthroat, and I don't remember him ever even going to eliminations. Laurel definitely looks like a strong, athletic girl, I just don't think she's as great as everybody says she is. I'll have to wait a little more to see how she really is as a competitor. I don't like Cara Maria too much either. Not only do I hate her personality, and find her annoying as anything, but I actually agree with how Laurel thought of Cara on Cutthroat. Cara to me, coasted the whole time. Then on Rivals, she was just lucky she had a good partner (Laurel) but like I said earlier, they didn't compete against teams that were [i]that[/i] difficult to beat. But on Exes, even though she had a good partner (Abram, who wasn't even fully her ex, IDT), she didn't do particularly well with him, from what I remember.

[QUOTE=V1man;307018]Evelyn disagrees with you regarding Laurel. She says that the three strongest women are herself, Emily Schromm and Laurel. I'm in no position to disagree with her.[/QUOTE] Always so humble, that Evelyn.