by Gina Scarpa

On the reunion of The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins, one player was noticeably missing from the Champions team: Derrick Kosinski.  Presumably, he was missing due to his lack of involvement in the drama that took place this season but there is no denying his popularity with the fans.  Since first appearing on Road Rules: XTreme in 2004, Derrick has gone on to compete in 8 challenges and has grown up considerably along the way.  Now a family man, he has new reasons to compete on the challenges and a new outlook on how he wants to be seen on television.  Today, Derrick spoke to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview, giving fans an inside look at what went on during The Ruins and opens up about being a husband and a dad.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What brings you back challenge after challenge?
A. Derrick: I think I keep coming back to do challenges for many reasons… they're fun, they're competitive, they're extreme in so many physical, mental, and emotional ways, I get to interact with and learn about so many different and colorful personalities, I always get to go to some cool country I never thought I would visit and, most importantly, I get an amazing opportunity to win a solid paycheck.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How did the challenges change for you, once you started your own family?
A. Derrick: Once I started my own family, the challenges had to change for me.  Although I feel like I matured over the many seasons and years of watching myself on television, I think, I had to attempt to reach, even, a higher level of maturity and level-headedness. I basically had to become much more conscious of my actions. I had to consciously stay under control, all the time. I had to realize that I am representing a much larger family. I had to be a role model father to my little boy who will eventually see all these episodes (well, the ones I let him see) and a reliable husband. I not only have to keep it together for my side of the family, but, now, also my wife's side of the family. I have to do the best job I possibly can to not embarrass my wife, my son, myself and both sides of the family. Most of all, I had to win... for my family.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You tend to stay out of the drama but you did lose your cool with Johnny Bananas on The Ruins for the prank he played on you. What was it that set you off?
A. Derrick: Basically, the guy poured maple syrup on me, my bed, and possibly on the pictures of my family that I slept next to every night. My bed was almost a sacred area of sanity, at the time, in a place that felt like the Twilight Zone. I was way up high and left alone. Well, one night as I was going to sleep... I heard good old, loud-mouthed Johnny Bananas devising this brilliant plan. I felt him coming near and waited to see if he was REALLY going to poor maple syrup on the guy who stuck his neck out for him on The Island and played a big role in handing him $75,000. I felt disrespected. It almost felt like someone just spit on me. So, I snapped. I don't agree with everything Johnny says or does, but I keep my mouth shut because it's not directed towards me. This time the joke was directed towards me, and it wasn't the right place or the right time, and it definitely didn't turn out funny. I was pretty mad. I threw a water bottle, that whizzed by his head, faked throwing a shoe at his face, and got in a few wrestling battles. In Johnny's defense, I don't think he always means to act like a jerk. We've talked about his actions before. We've talked about how people on the Real World, Road Rules, and the challenges have a very unique opportunity to watch ourselves on television and keep what we like about ourselves and throw away what we don't like.  He apologized the next day.  I ended up moving into the Challengers room for a few days.  A few days later, after the smoke cleared, I came back.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did you try to get involved in the fight with Brad and Darrell and stop it before it got out of control?
A. Derrick: I DID try to intervene in the fight between Brad and Darrell. Brad and Darrell are both really cool guys.  And, even more than that, they're GOOD guys.  They're good people.  I have done multiple challenges with each of them.  I feel like I know them pretty well... so I tried to get involved and stop the fight.  I actually put my hands on Brad twice to try to pull him away. Once, I got thrown off as if Brad had the strength of Superman.  The second time, I kicked by a grown man twice.  That was the first time I had ever been Thai Boxing kicked.  I found it pretty comical and decided to stay out of it. In the midst of Brad instigating the fight, I loudly said to Darrell, "You know you can't hit him, right?" and he said "Yes, Derrick."  Then I reminded Darrell again and he sort of responded with a more irritated, “YES DERRICK," kind of like, "I heard you the first time." Brad just kept getting closer and closer to Darrell's neck and finally Darrell said, loudly, "Can I protect myself?" Someone in the background that was in the room said yes and that pretty much pulled the trigger.  Darrell flipped.  And, in Darrell's defense... he was protecting himself.  But, according to the show's rules, punching is not allowed and means that you have just eliminated yourself from the competition.  I believe that Brad's kicks were the reason why he got sent home. And, I don't think Brad got sent home on the kicks he had on me, but the one he managed to get off on Darrell as Brad was getting pushed back.  I don't think Darrell would have gotten kicked off the show if he would have just pushed Brad away from him and to the ground.  The punches took it too far, according to the rules.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: There are lot of people who get tons of camera time. Did it bother you that we didn't get to see as much of you this season or are you there more to compete than get face time?
A. Derrick: Some people try really hard for camera time.  Some people are just so entertaining that the cameras can't get enough of them.  Some people are just naturally really dramatic. Some people won’t say two words if the camera isn't in front of them.  Some people will go out of their way to find the cameras and make sure their thoughts are being heard. Some people call the cameras and directors over and tell them, “Something is about to happen and you might not wanna miss this." I have chosen to be myself and let fate run its course.  I've had plenty of camera time over the years so not being the main focus of this challenge really doesn't bother me one bit.  I walked away with the money and made my family proud.   More than anything, I’m just happy to not have gotten any NEGATIVE attention or camera time.  I don't wanna be the loud and obnoxious guy.  I don't wanna try to get camera time.  I'm not there to fight the world.  I'm there to compete and win.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How nervous were you in the final challenge, that Sarah and Kelly Anne were going to beat the Champions?
A. Derrick: Well... to be honest, I really wasn't that nervous.  Our team was solid.  The guys on our team are some of the best competitors that have ever played the game.  And, Susie has never even lost an elimination round.   We ARE the Championship Team.  All that talk about Susie, not being able to have enough gas in the tank to run with the other team?  I thought that was nonsense.  I felt like we had enough man power to physically run with her on our backs if he had too and at times, we did.  Even when we were down, I wasn't thinking about losing.  Luckily, Evan and Susie came through for us in the end with solving the puzzle.  Although... once the girls finished eating those bugs, and took off, I did think to myself, "What the F***?!"
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Have you given any thought into what you want to do with the prize money?
A. Derrick: The majority of my prize money goes to living a comfortable, healthy, and happy lifestyle for me, my wife, my son and my family.
 
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You were not invited to the reunion, presumably because you stayed out of the drama. Is there anything that happened on the show that you wish you could've addressed?
A. Derrick: There really isn't anything very specific that I would like to address in a public interview. I'm just glad that it's over and it ended in a positive way. 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Will you do another challenge?
A. Derrick: Yes, I would do another challenge.

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Anything else you'd like to say about your experiences on The Ruins, your life at home now, and to your fans?
A. Derrick: The Ruins was the most emotionally draining challenge that I have ever experienced and that was my 8th one.  We had some good times on The Ruins but the drama overlooked it all.  I'm glad to have won I'm glad to be back with my gorgeous wife.  I'm glad to be at home watching, teaching, and seeing my son grow.  I'm excited for the future and feel blessed for today. Be a good person, work hard, stay positive, and don't forget to say hello to The Man Upstairs every now and then.  Please stop by and check out www.AwesomeKlothing.com and www.HyenasMovie.com   Take care, God bless, and I truly wish everyone that reads this a beautiful life.   All the best.

Don’t forget that an all new season of The Real World: DC premieres Wednesday, December 30, at 10pm ET on MTV.

(Image courtesy of MTV)

SEE ALSO
The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins - Finale Recap
The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins - Exclusive Interview with Evan Starkman
The Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins - Exclusive Interview with Sarah Rice

For more Real World/Road Rules links, visit SirLinksALot.net