by Gina Scarpa

 

Preston and Mckenzie had no say last week on The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons. The minute New Orleans lost the challenge, they were automatically up for elimination, and Knight and Jemmye were not about to volunteer to go in to fight to stay. Up against Brooklyn in an endurance challenge, the pair of rookies were sent home. We talked to Preston today to talk life since New Orleans, find out who he really wanted to go up against in an elimination, and whether or not he was sad to be leaving The Challenge. Spoiler - he wasn't!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What finally brought you to a Challenge and how did you feel being on a team with your former roommates?
A. Preston: Well for me, the thing that made me wanna do the Challenge was that it worked perfectly for my schedule. This came along, I had just finished up a project, and I didn't have anything else lined up. In terms of being lined up with my former castmates, it was a nice introduction into the Challenge. I'm a rookie and it was good to be around people I knew.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: So what has your relationship with Knight, Jemmye, and Mckenzie been like since New Orleans?
A. Preston: We haven't really spoken to each other. There were some things that happened between me and Knight after the show. Jemmye reached out to me about Knight then she burned me. Mckenzie and I never really got along so we never spoke afterwards so we kinda left it at that. There were some unresolved issues and I think those kind of manifested themselves throughout the entire show on The Challenge. You could see Knight and I had a contentious relationship.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you think the sheer number of rookies changed the entire dynamic of The Challenge this season?
A. Preston: I believe so and I think that's really what Bunim/Murray and MTV wanted to do. Let's be honest, The Challenge was getting kinda old. The veterans are ready to collect their social security!

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You were part of a superalliance this season. Which team or person did you get along with best?
A. Preston: Actually, it's funny but it was Devyn from Team Brooklyn. I just love how real Devyn is. Her exterior is very fake but she really it an honest, caring, true person. She's a lot of fun and we have a very similar outlook on life.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Her showmance, or romance, with Eric has been quite the surprise this season. What was your reaction to it?
A. Preston: What the!!! No! I like, was kinda there for the onset of it and it was really bizarre. It was like Ronald McFrankenstein got this lovely, beautiful... I don't understand it. Can you imagine them having little Challenge babies?

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: The elimination round between Fresh Meat and Brooklyn was pretty crazy. What did you think of Eric quitting?
A. Preston: Well first, I have one bone to pick with Camila and that she is not a nice person. She is not a person I would ever associate myself with. The entire time we were there, she would scream and demean people. I've changed a lot since my season of The Real World. I got to see myself on tv and what I hated and change and correct them. That's not something a lot of people on the show have not done. I really don't get the whole mindset of causing drama. We're adults now! The way she spoke to Eric... I think Trishelle said it best. No one deserves to be spoken to that way, especially calling them a loser in life and all these crazy things. At the end of the day, it's just a game!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How was it that you and Mckenzie ended up going in against Brooklyn without a discussion of Knight and Jemmye possibly going in?
A. Preston: The real thing that happened there was that I never wanted to go against Chet and Sarah. That was the thing! If I did go against them, I wanted to go against them in a physical competition. I'm pretty sure I could go against Chet. My preference on who to go against would be St. Thomas but I kinda had no say in it. Knight and Jemmye had already determined this whole setup. As soon as we lost, I knew Mckenzie and I were going to go in. The power team would've decided it was us anyway if we couldn't come to a decision?

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Were you sad to be eliminated?
A. Preston: No! I was so happy to get back to the USA! At that point, I was there for about a month and a half and if you surround yourself with that many insane people, you start to feel like you're one of them!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: What's been going on with you since Real World: New Orleans and what's coming up for you?

A. Preston: I created a special for MTV that aired on National Coming Out Day. I did that and I've been working in production. I help develop shows currently, and work with Bunim/Murray and MTV. We're looking for talent as we speak. If you know any crazy people in South Carolina, let me know. That's really what I've been up to! People can follow me @PrestoMagic24 too!

 

The Challenge: Battle of the Seasons airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on MTV.

 

(Image courtesy of MTV)

 

Follow Gina @ginascarpa