by Gina Scarpa

The plan was set this week on The Real World/Road Rules Challenge.  Veronica would head into The Ruins against either Kelly Anne or Kimberly but when time ran out in the deliberation room, the tides began to turn.  The entire Champions team was called in by host TJ Lavin and was asked to cast a vote without any discussion.  Suddenly, Veronica was safe and Ibis was heading into The Ruins against Kimberly, which ended up being her undoing in the game.  Today, Ibis opened up to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about what made her come back for another challenge and what she got out of her experience on The Ruins.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What made you come back to do another challenge?
A. Ibis: I actually had an accident two years ago where I was paralyzed from the waist down.  For two years, I didn’t do any extreme stunts or anything.  I went back because I wanted to get that side of me back again and do what I used to do.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: I’m surprised MTV didn’t talk about that.  Was it something you wanted to keep private or were you open about it?
A. Ibis: I was open about it because I would be the first to say that my abilities aren’t as badass as they used to be, four years ago, mainly because my body isn’t what it used to be.  I went through full rehabilitation.  You can’t hide that.  It doesn’t surprise me that they didn’t make it a big deal because there are so many other things that they worry about such as the Wes storyline and things like that.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Who are your friends on The Ruins, that you talk to outside of the game?
A. Ibis: I’m friends with Johanna, Kenny, Katie, Kim, Johnny, and Susie.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You had a lot of people on your team that make a lot of noise.  Was it more your strategy to lay low and stay quiet, or your personality?
A. Ibis: It was my strategy 100%.  I think the only time you saw a little bit of who I am is when I was pissed off at Johnny Bananas.  I didn’t want my one moment to be screaming but it made me have emotion.  I was this quiet wallflower on the show but that’s not me.  I wouldn’t have been cast originally if that’s really who I was.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: In her interview last week, Katie said she felt like this is the Kenny and Evan show.  Do you agree?
A. Ibis: Absolutely!  It’s more or less like The Evan Show and Kenny is the co-host.  I was joking around that I could’ve video chatted my way through this challenge because I had so little air time.  I kind of knew that would be the case after we wrapped filming.  It’s different now.  The whole experience is very different.  People aren’t the way they used to be.  It’s not as genuine.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you want Veronica in The Ruins for strategic or personal reasons?
A. Ibis: Simply strategic.  I have nothing personal against Veronica.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Is it hard to separate the game from your real life, especially when something happens like your friends voting you into The Ruins?
A. Ibis: I have a difficult time separating it because I’m not jaded.  If my friend, or someone I call my friend, calls me in, I feel disposable.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Because you are friends in real life with people, is there a lot of reconciling that needs go on after a challenge wraps, because it requires people to stab each other in the back?
A. Ibis: I would say so.  I actually just went through this.  I was not happy with hearing Kenny say, “Ibis is our anchor”.  It hurt my feelings.  I text messaged him and said that I was disappointed in him.  We worked it out and we love each other to death but people forget that you’re going to be watching it in six months.  There’s a very “I’ll deal with it later” kind of attitude.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What was the most difficult aspect of that rope challenge?
A. Ibis: It wasn’t really hard.  For me, having been through so much, I had an element of fear of getting hurt. The task wasn’t difficult but I was just scared of getting hurt but that’s why I went there, to overcome that.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you feel like you walked away from The Ruins less afraid of taking risks and doing extreme things?
A. Ibis: Absolutely, 100% I would do it all over again because I accomplished exactly what I went there to do.  I wanted to break that fear that the accident imposed on me.  I did it in the best way possible.  I think I brought something different to my team, which was positive energy and niceness.  People forget that we’re all human beings. 
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you think you have another challenge in you?
A. Ibis: I’m pursuing entertainment hosting so I’m focusing on that.  I don’t look at it as a career path as people do.  It’s fun.  It’s time I get to spend with my really good friends.  For now, I’m focusing on that.  People can go to my website, IbisDelMar.com.  We’re going to have webisodes and lots of other cool things up there soon!

The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins airs Wednesdays at 10pm ET on MTV.

(Image courtesy of MTV)

Follow Gina at twitter.com/ginascarpa