‘The Challenge All Stars’: Beth regrets exposing Jonna’s alleged affair, but claps back — ‘I’m not going to be her scapegoat!’
Welcome to Reality Derby, our weekly deep dive into all things reality TV, hosted by Gold Derby senior editors Marcus James Dixon and Denton Davidson.
Joining us this week is Beth Stolarczyk, one of the first eliminated Challengers from The Challenge All Stars: Rivals on MTV. (Our interview begins at the 24:12 mark in the video above.) Beth tells us about teaming up with her enemy, Jonna Mannion, where their relationship stands today, and why they were shocked to be the first team sent home.
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“I was not happy that it was Rivals,” Beth tells Gold Derby. “But every Challenge is a new beginning and a new start for me. I’m gonna give it my all and do whatever I can to win — except maybe jump off of a 70-story building.”
This week’s Daily Challenge was one of the worst in Challenge history. Only three teams completed snatching flags off the ledge of the high-rise building, and host TJ Lavin referred to the lackluster group as “Fall Stars.” Beth was immediately in tears and admits, “This is my kryptonite! And I knew walking up, ‘I know my name is going to get called first.’ I just knew it! If I could have time to process it, maybe I could have given it a chance…To be in first position is the hardest position to be in when you’re doing any challenge.”
In Season 3 of All Stars, Beth accused Jonna of cheating on her husband, and the wound was still open nearly three years later. Jonna had accused Beth of trying to destroy her life. Beth says, “We haven’t talked. I took responsibility for my part in it. I regret exposing her affair, but she’s not taking responsibility for her part in it. Instead, she’s playing the victim, saying I tried to ruin her life. No, I didn’t try to ruin your life. I think you tried to ruin your life. But I’m not going to be her scapegoat, that’s for sure. I wish her the best. I don’t wish her any ill will, and, unlike a lot of people on this show, I apologized. I lost my cool, I shouldn’t have said it, but at the same time, I don’t just make things up.”
Heading into Season 5’s first elimination, no significant conversations were held that would imply Beth and Jonna would be thrown into the arena to face off against Adam Larson and Steve Meinke. Daily Challenge winners Amber Borzotra and Faysal Shafaat shocked everyone when they pitted the two women against two men.
“It’s a dumb move and I think it’s going to bite them in the ass later,” Beth says. “When you have somebody down there that’s the strongest team — everybody’s talking about how strong Adam and Steve are — so if you get to take a shot to try and get rid of the strongest team so you don’t have to go against them in the finals, why would you throw down two girls? That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen in my life!”
Beth also reflects on being cast in The Real World: Los Angeles in 1993 and appearing on reality TV for over 30 years. “I would never have dreamed that I would still be on MTV,” she says. “I’m going to be 56 in two weeks. It’s crazy to think that I’m doing The Challenge. I do have a good time when I’m on there, despite some of the negativity that comes my way.”
We also interview Joe Manganiello, dive deep into the fifth episode of Deal or No Deal Island (“Trust Fall”), and the premiere of The Voice Season 27. Watch this week’s Reality Derby show above, and then join the discussion in our forums.
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