Challenge Mania

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by TJ Lavin. The face of #TheChallenge brings his voice to #ChallengeMania as we are joined by the one and only TJ LAVIN (@TJLavin). You guys have been begging for TJ but not only is this what you've been asking for, this is an interview you won't hear anywhere else. Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) talk to the BMX Legend and #MTV mainstay about why #Dirty30 was almost his last Challenge, what made him come back for #TheChallengeVendettas, whether he watches the show, what his social relationship with contestants is like, the worst quitters he's ever seen and much more! If you need more TJ, check out HIS Podcast w/ Forrest Griffin also on Itunes called ANYHING GOES! Let Derrick and Scott know who you want to hear next, even though TJ will be hard to top! #ChallengeAccepted 

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Tori Deal. If you're not a fan of this #Dirty30 Finalist and former #AreYouTheOne star joining us on the show this week...three words: #DEALWithIt Tori Deal (@Tori_Deal) is one of the most talked about #Challenge stars today. She made it to the finals on #Dirty30, she filled in for a disqualified competitor on #ChampsVsStars and it was just revealed in the season trailer last week that she'll be making a buzz-worthy surprise appearance on #TheChallengeVendettas!  Tori drops by #ChallengeMania to talk to Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) about how she got cast on #AreYouTheOne, along with a surprise appearance by a life-long fan of #TheChallenge who convinced her to initially try out. We get the scoop on Tori and Jordan and learn about more of the fallout between Tori and her ex, Derrick H. Tori and OUR Derrick reminisce about the final they competed against each other in, Tori weighs in on the Cara Maria Vs Kailah debate, the guys learn about her music career and much much more! Plus, Scott and Tori close the show with a very special voice battle that you will need to hear to believe. Make sure to follow everyone on Twitter and let Derrick and Scott know who YOU want to hear on #ChallengeMania next! #ChallengeAccepted

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Brad Fiorenza. For our 10th episode, we had to bring in a HEAVY HITTER! Just like our host Derrick Kosinski (@DerrickMTV), Brad Fiorenza (@BradFiorenza) is one of the most popular competitors in the history of The Challenge, and someone who took a lengthy break away from the show. Brad is BACK on #TheChallengeVendettas and was one of the stars of Tuesday's premiere episode, immediately cozying up with Britni Thornton (@BritniNicol) from Are You The One, someone Derrick knows pretty well also ;-)  Brad joins Derrick & Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) to talk about his time away from the show, what it means to be back, his experience on Vendettas, how the game was changed, some of his famous eliminations on past seasons, Leroy, Bananas, his relationship with Britni and her past endeavors with Derrick and to take YOUR QUESTIONS! To be a part of the show and ask questions to future guests or to let the guys know who YOU want to hear on #ChallengeMania next, follow them on Twitter @DerrickMTV & @SHOTOFYAGER and who knows, maybe you'll see your #ChallengeAccepted 

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Aneesa Ferreira & UFC Star Michelle Waterson. Aneesa Ferreira (@AneesaMTV) is simply put, a Challenge legend! She has made countless fans over the years with her never-say-die efforts, unapologetic approach to social politics and endless array of memorable moments. Her legend grew even larger this past week on #ChampsVsStars when she exited the show after being eliminated by UFC star Michelle Waterson (@KarateHottieMMA) in a competition that put the two women head-to-head in what could only be considered Michelle's element, inside of a cage. Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) are joined by BOTH ladies to discuss the memorable elimination and what it meant for both of them to collide on the Challenge stage. Michelle, who is a lifelong Challenge fan, tells the guys what it was like competing on the show, how she got involved, just how close Aneesa came to stopping her, what Challenge vets she feels would stand a chance in the Octagon, who she wants to face next in the UFC, thoughts on Cyborg and Holly Holm and much more!  Then it's time to put Aneesa in the hot sheet, and she sheds light on other Challenge issues and takes YOUR questions, including some about Veronica, Cara Maria, Vendettas predictions and more! This is a jam-packed episode that you do NOT want to miss! It's the first show of 2018 and if this is any sign of what is to come this year, it is a good one! Let the guys know who YOU want to hear next on #ChallengeMania and hopefully you will see your #ChallengeAccepted! Remember to tag your favorite competitors and let them know that you enjoyed them on the show, or that you hope to see them in the hot seat next! 

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Kailah Casillas. Without a doubt our most controversial guest yet, Kailah Casillas (@Kailah_Casillas) joins us to discuss being a polarizing figure in the Challenge world and what makes her tick. Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) ask her about her #Vendetta with Cara Maria, confronting Veronica on #Dirty30, her alliance with Jenna, how she got cast for The Real World, her football background, YOUR Twitter questions and much more!  The guys know they might take a little bit of heat for giving one of the most blunt and outspoken young #Challenge competitors an outlet to stir the pot, but with #TheChallengeVendettas on the horizon they couldn't pass up an opportunity to end #FIGHTWEEK with a bang! Kailah's boyfriend Mikey (@IamMikeyP) also joins the show to talk about what it's like being home while your loved one is competing in a Challenge, how he knows Floyd Mayweather, what his ties to the reality world are and more. Last but not least, ANOTHER surprise guest joins the show to share some wisdom from years and years of dedicated Challenge viewing. This is sure to be the most talked about episode of #ChallengeMania ever! Let the guys know who YOU want to hear next! #ChallengeAccepted 

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Darrell Taylor. As 2017 comes to a close and the holiday season is behind us, what better way for #ChallengeMania to give a gift to all the awesome #ChallengeManiacs out there than to bring in one of the best to ever do it, former 4-time champ (plus 1x Champs Vs Pros Winner) Darrell Taylor (@MTVRRDarrell)!  The ultimate fan-favorite Darrell joins Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) to talk about his long and storied career on #TheChallenge, including his wins, losses, regrets, dream opponents and much more! We took YOUR questions on Twitter and ask Darrell about the craziest people and moments he's come in contact with in his many appearances on the show, his Challenge legacy, his notorious altercation with Brad that may have cost him a 5th victory, whether he plans on catching Bananas' record, who HIS Vendetta would be and much more! This is part 1 of what we are calling #FIGHTWEEK to lead up to #ChallengeVendettas premiering January 2nd on MTV!! We promise, it will not dissapoint and will live up to the name! Kaiilah (@Kailah_Cassilas) is up next but follow Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) on Twitter and let them know who YOU want to hear on #ChallengeMania in future weeks! #ChallengeAccepted

Time for some serious Q&A! Our first few episodes have been jam-packed with amazing guests and our next few episodes are going to deliver some guests that are even bigger, but in this episode, we decidided to put our host Derrick Kosinski (@DerrickMTV) in the hot seat to answer YOUR questions! Scott Yager (@SHOTOFYAGER) grills Derrick on issues and inquiries straight from the minds and hearts of our faithful listeners and trust us...IT...GETS...GOOD! Follow the guys on twitter @DerrickMTV and @SHOTOFYAGER and tell us who you want to hear on the show next!! #ChallengeAccepted 

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Hunter Barfield. Hunter Barfield (@HBarfield13) only has two Challenges under his belt, #Invasion and #Dirty30, but he had top finishes in both of them, and if it wasn't for a wrist injury, he might have even been in the #ChallengeXXX Finals.  One of the most talked about and dangerous young competitors in the game stops by #ChallengeMania to tell us about his journey from start to finish, beginning with the story of how he came to be cast on Are You The One, what his thoughts on being a Challenge competitor were from the start, what it was like being on Invasion of the Champions and whether or not he was fooled by the twist, getting thrown into elimination BY Derrick and whether or not the wrist injury his suffered cost him the #Dirty30 title. Derrick (@DerrickMTV) asks Hunter about getting in the middle of his altercation with Nelson, what it was like being his roommate, and how he felt about him at the start of #Dirty30. Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) relays some questions from Twitter including whether Hunter felt like Ashley was using him during their fling on Invasion, if he thinks his wrist injury cost him the #Dirty30 Finals, and what in the name of God he is doing to sport that physique.  As always, Subscribe, rate and review the show and if you know a friend who loves The Challenge, CHALLENGE them to give #ChallengeMania a listen and try not to get hooked. Follow the guys on Twitter and let Derrick and Scott know who YOU want to hear on the show next and tell your favorites they need to hop into the hot seat! #ChallengeAccepted 

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Jemmye Carroll. We have had some hard-hitting guests in our first 2 weeks but no one has stirred up more buzz on social media than the lady on the line for Episode 4, Challenge Veteran Ms. Jemmye Carroll! Jemmye (@JustJem24) joins Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) to discuss #ChallengeXXX #Dirty30 and the upcoming season of #ChallengeVendettas. Jemmye walks us through a previously un-aired, never-before-seen prank from #Dirty30 where the guys took advantage of her well-documented fear of ketchup and got pranks band for the rest of the shoot. She answers some Twitter questions and tells us who the most overrated players on #ChallengeXXX were and who she felt got an edit that strays from their real-life character. We even read a question sent in from a #Challenge alum and player on the upcoming #Vendettas season!  She explains what we see of her in the red hot #ChallengeVendettas trailer that dropped last week and breaks down the new castmembers one-by-one, sharing her thoughts on each of the unknown additions from Big Brother and the MTV UK shows!  As always, Jemmye pulls no punches and is without a doubt our most candid guest yet! She shares her thoughts on quite a few of the Challenge competitors and to find out who, you're just going to have to listen! If you like the podcast, be sure to Subscribe, rate, review, and Challenge your friends to do the same! Follow Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) on Twitter and let them know who YOU want to hear on #ChallengeMania next! #ChallengeAccepted

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by NFL Star Shawne Merriman. With the worlds of the NFL and The Challenge intersecting yet again this week, as Terrell Owens made waves by quitting on his stars team on The Challenge Champs Vs Stars, who better to join Derrick & Scott than former NFL Linebacker and a former MTV Challenge Vs Pros competitor, "Lights Out" Shawne Merriman (@ShawneMerriman)! Shawne drops by to talk about his experience on the debut season of Challenge Champs Vs Pros, his feud with CM Punk, which Challenge champs he was impressed by, what he thinks he TO quitting on The Challenge this week and some good old fashion football talk! Find out what The Challenge is like from a real-deal former NFL Pro Bowler's perspective!  Follow Shawne on twitter @SHAWNEMERRIMAN and his awesome clothing line @LightsOutBrand! They make some really good looking gear! Get your hands on some for the holidays!    After that, Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) puts Derrick (@DerrickMTV) on the spot and asks him straight up if he is on the upcoming season of #ChallengeVendettas, something a lot of fans are wondering after the shocking trailer that premiered on Tuesday. Is that Derrick you hear? Is that Derrick you see!? Scott tries to find out!  As always, the guys know who you want to to hear next on #ChallengeMania and let @TerrellOwens know that you want to hear HIS side of what happened on #ChampsVsStars and hopefully we get the #ChallengeAccepted by the future Hall of Famer. Nothing but respect for TO as an all time great of the gridiron. 

Derrick Kosinski & Scott Yager are joined by Tony Raines. Tony Raines (@T_Raines33) joins Derrick (@DerrickMTV) and Scott (@SHOTOFYAGER) to talk about the brewing feud between the so-called #YoungBucks in their 20's and the grizzled old vets in their 30's. We learn about Tony and Derrick's interactions on #ChallengeXXX, Derrick's shameless support of Darrell during his elimination round with Tony, some scenes that you didn't see on TV like a secret dinner and much more! Tony discusses the unfortunate incidents involving both he and his brother and by the end of the show the guys break into a full on #20sVs30s Draft! Tony and Derrick each pick three guys and three girls they would want to go to war with. The guys asked you who you wanted to hear on #ChallengeMania and Tony was at the very top of your list. Who better to be the first ever guest on Challenge Mania than the guy who made it all the way to the final challenge on his fourth Challenge season, #Dirty30, only to lose to our very own Derrick Kosinski. #ChallengeAccepted The sound quality of this episode might be a little below our standard but we wanted to make sure to get you guys the episode on time on #TonyTuesday so thanks for bearing with us on the audio. The podcast itself pulls absolutely no punches and #Challenge fans should enjoy this head-to-head-to head with one of the most exciting and polarizing young players in the MTV Challenge Universe that is LOADED with inside info and stuff you don't see on TV!  Remember to follow everyone on twitter @DerrickMTV, @SHOTOFYAGER and @T_Raines33 and let the guys know who you want to hear on #ChallengeMania next! We love to hear from you!  #ChallengeAccepted 

You guys asked for it and your Challenge was accepted! #ChallengeAccepted Derrick Kosinski (@DerrickMTV) is back after coming in second on MTV's The Challenge: Dirty 30 and he is joined once again by his old podcast partner in crime, Scott Yager (@SHOTOFYAGER), to talk everything in the Challenge universe. Each week the guys will break down any news and new episodes in the world of MTV's The Challenge but they will also be laying down the gauntlet, and making their own Challenges to each and every past, present and future castmember of The Challenge to come on Challenge Mania and let their fans behind the curtain and into their heads to talk about anything, everything and everyONE. In this debut episode of Challenge Mania, Scott treats Derrick the way the guys are going to treat future guests, picking his brain and asking the hard-hitting questions you want to hear about Derrick's first Challenge experience in seven years on Dirty 30!  Find out about Derrick's highlights, lowlights, hookups, fights, friends, foes, what it felt like to finally be asked back to the show he helped build...and how it felt to have to wait months and months to find out if he came in first, second or third. The guys then talk about the current season of Challenge: Champs vs Stars and preview what is to come on the Challenge Mania podcast, explain why it's being called #CHALLENGEMANIA and much more! Follow Derrick on twitter @DerrickMTV and Scott @SHOTOFYAGER and let the guys know who you want to hear on the show. Let your favorite castmembers know you want to hear them on #ChallengeMania and hopefully it will be #ChallengeAccepted in weeks to come! Send in your questions, comments and feedback and remember to subscribe and rate us on iTunes! 

The one and only Joe Morton drops by to talk about everybody's favorite guilty pleasure show, SCANDAL! We talk about Joe becoming a season regular, the social media conversation that goes along with the show, his work in 90's action films, what a Hamilton movie might be like, his upcoming NYC play and much more! 

It’s a special TWO PART podcast today where both of my guests are stars on hit TBS/TNT programs! First up is George Wendt who is known worldwide as Norm from Cheers, currently starring in the new TBS comedy, Clipped. We talk about Da Bears, Da Bulls, what Clipped has in common with Cheers and more! Then I am joined by Raymond Cruz who played Tuco on Breaking Bad and has starred in countless films like The Rock and Training Day. He currently stars on Major Crimes, a spinoff of The Closer on TNT. Both are very fun interviews with very accomplished and recognizable TV actors so check out the podcast and check them both out on TBS and TNT! 

Paul Wight, AKA The Big Show is one of the most recognizable wrestlers of the last thirty years. His size alone makes him incapable of walking through an airport without turning heads. That same size made him a superstar, first in WCW as The Giant and then in WWF and WWE as The Big Show, where he still main events to this day. The Big Show has always had acting chops, as made clear by his brief appearance on SNL in the 90’s, his small roles in movies like McGruber, talk show appearances, and now as the lead bad guy in Vendetta. Show joins me to talk about making the transition to the big screen and his career in the WWE. There is some juicy stuff in here for the wrestling fans too as Show and I dive into his Battle Royal win at this year’s Wrestlemania and whether it was the right decision, as well as his memorable finish with Cesaro at Wrestlemania 30 in the same match. This is a very fun interview you do not want to miss. My BIGGEST guest of all time! Check out Vendetta ON DEMAND NOW!