by Gina Scarpa

 

This week, MTV rolls out another challenge, where thirty fan favorites from The Real World, Road Rules, and Fresh Meat come together in Prague to compete for over $500,000 in cash and prizes. The Challenge: Cutthroat promises to turn the game upside down, with new twists, devious alliances, secret votes, and the wildest, most dangerous challenges you've ever seen. We caught up with host TJ Lavin today in an exclusive interview to dish on the new season.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What originally prompted your interested in hosting the MTV challenges?
A. TJ: My friend Vinny at MTV asked me if I would be interested and I said, "Yeah sure!" because my friend Dave (Mirra) did it before me. He told me it was a lot of fun and the crew was cool. I said, "I'd love to do it." I sent in a tape and that was it.  

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What keeps you coming back season after season?
A. TJ: Well now, the crew are my friends. It's almost like a paid vacation. If you're working with your friend, it's not worth.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: This season looks insane! What separates Cutthroat from past challenges?
A. TJ: This is by far the coolest season, I think, that I've ever seen. The challenges are a lot bigger than in the past, that's for sure. A lot of times, the kids show up and they'd be like, "Oh this is gonna suck" and now they're a little bit scared. It's a lot more fun for me when they're like that. That goes to the production guys. They put it together and they pitch the ideas to the head bosses and when the bosses start seeing the results of the new challenge, they're gonna give them more leash and that's what's been going on.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Are there any challenges you see that you really want to try or that you look at say, "There's no way in hell I'd do that"?
A. TJ: I don't wanna eat anything wild but anything that's jump off a cliff or whatever, I'm down with that stuff! One thing that kinda freaks me out are cranes. I don't know about cranes over a cliff.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: I notice that Kenny and Evan are not on the challenge this season. Is that good, in that people won't be playing their games but rather, their own?
A. TJ: You know as well as I do that there are always games to be played. It just depends on who the leaders are and who establishes themselves early on. It's anybody's game if Kenny and Evan aren't there. It's a change. It's good but we'll see how it works out.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You tend to get heated with the contestants sometimes, especially when someone tries to quit a challenge? Do you find yourself getting involved in their storylines and decisions?
A. TJ: I have opinions of course. I try not to get involved as much as possible but sometimes I have to voice it. If I was watching it at home, I just say what everybody is thinking. That kind of stuff that pisses you off or me off, I'm able to say it because I'm there.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Are you aware of the drama that goes in the house when you're filming?
A. TJ: Yeah, I get an email every morning that tells me exactly what happened. I kind of know what people's moods are. It really helps a lot. I really feel out what's been going on the night before. If there was a fight or anything crazy, I'll check out the tapes. It's almost as if I'm seeing the whole show

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: After so many seasons, are there things that still surprise you?
A. TJ: Every season, there's a surprise! It's weird to me. The girls' mouths are just as foul as the guys'. That was a surprise in the first few seasons. It moved on to how drunk they can get the night before and still be able to compete the next day. Some guys' personalities change so fast when they drink. They're the nicest guy and then at night, I just can't believe what I'm seeing.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What are you most excited about when it comes to Cutthroat airing?
A. TJ: I just think that the new format is going to bring a lot to the table. When everyone sees that and what's going on, it's a totally different game. It's gonna be pretty good! The challenges are so sick! We would go places, I was looking around saying, "I can't even believe what I'm seeing." The scenery is so beautiful. You stack that with the most dangerous challenges and it stacks up pretty good.

 

The Challenge: Cutthroat premieres Wednesday, October 6, at 10/9c on MTV.

 

(Image courtesy of MTV)

 

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