Entertainment

The Challenge’s Jonna Reacts to Tori Slamming Her Face ‘Into a Wall’ on August 15, 2023 at 12:30 am Us Weekly

Published

1 year ago

August 15, 2023

Jonna Stephens (née Mannion) may have been the first Challenge veteran eliminated from season 2 of The Challenge: USA, but she didn’t go down without a fight.

After losing an intense round of “Drop the Ball” to fellow Challenge alum Tori Deal, Jonna, 34, became the second person booted off the Sunday, August 13, episode, following Ameerah Jones out of the house. Although Jonna and Tori, 30, are real-life friends, Jonna exclusively told Us Weekly that she “wasn’t surprised” by how hard Tori went in the challenge.

“Right before, you know, we’re getting ready, we’re putting our helmets on, … [Tori] looks at me and I could just see pure, like, sorrow in her face. She’s like, ‘What do we do?’” Jonna recalled of the moments before the elimination round, which forced the two women to tackle and shove each other as they attempted to catch balls falling from a Plinko-like machine and carry them to their respective goals.

Jonna emphasized that she told Tori not to go easy on her “just because I’m terrible at physical things.” On the contrary, she wanted to give the other players “a show.”

Jonna Mannion Stephens, Tori Deal. Courtesy of Paramount (2)

She continued: “[I told Tori,] ‘This is what they want. They want vet versus vet. I’m gonna try as hard as I can, so you better try as hard as you can, too.’ So, I was not surprised when my face got slammed into a wall and on the ground and stuff.”

Other contestants marveled at Tori’s performance as they watched from the sidelines. “Tori’s absolutely manhandling Jonna in every sense of the word,” Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio said during a confessional. Tiffany Mitchell added, “This girl got kids at home, you about to damn kill her,” referring to Jonna’s daughter, Naleigh, 7, and son Cal, 3. “Girl, that’s not your damn friend.”

Tori and Jonna going head-to-head was the result of several contestants working together to target Challenge alums in the hopes of sending a veteran player home. (Jonna won seasons 2 and 3 of The Challenge: All Stars in 2022 while Tori was crowned the winner of The Challenge: Ride or Dies earlier this year.) Although rookies going after vets got Jonna out of the competition, she told Us that she is “very impressed” by this season’s newcomers.

“There’s never been a group of rookies that come in and that are this organized,” she said. “When you go into a game, there’s usually maybe a handful of people [who are] able to handle all the complicated layers of this game, and they’re the strategic players that are playing chess and everybody else just kind of falls in line. In this game, 24 of the people were strategic players.”

Prior to Jonna’s elimination, the Blue team — which is comprised of Challenge vets Tori and Cory Wharton, Survivor alums Cassidy Clark and Sebastian Noel, Big Brother alums Alyssa Lopez and Alyssa Snider and Faysal Shafaat, who has played both Big Brother and The Challenge — opted to leave the vets alone and target Ameerah and The Amazing Race’s Luis Colón.

After her elimination, Ameerah exclusively told Us she was “very surprised” that she was targeted during round one and felt that the newbies were “really scared” to go after the bigger threats.

Ameerah Jones. Courtesy of Paramount

“I felt like we had the numbers, in the beginning, to get out the vets. I didn’t really see a point in keeping them around when they’ve done this a million times [and] they’re really good at this game,” she said.

After seeing how well Tori performed against Jonna, Ameerah told Us that she thinks the way to take Tori out is to “keep throwing [her] in until it’s not a physical elimination.”

She continued: “She’s a great competitor. I don’t wanna see her in the end of this game. I don’t know who would want to. So, we gotta just keep trying and trying until we get her out.”

While Ameerah might be out of the competition, Tori still has plenty of enemies gunning for her. Lopez, her fellow blue team member, conspired against her during Sunday’s episode. “I love when people think they know everything and it doesn’t go their way,” Lopez said during a confessional after Jonna and Tori were revealed as the bottom two following the secret vote. “Looks like you didn’t get your way this time.”

Lopez isn’t the only one breaking ranks and going against a member of her team. Jonna became the first person of the season to cast a secret vote against a teammate when she voted for Survivor alum Michele Fitzgerald to compete against Ameerah in the first elimination round.

Although the risky move put a target on Jonna’s back, she told Us that she’s “happy I took my shot.”

She continued: “I already knew there was a target on my back because I’d just come off back-to-back wins [in All Stars]. … I already knew that these 18 people, … the only goal that all of them have in common is to get me out. So, I felt like my back was up against the wall.”

Jonna added that she and Michele, 33, got a chance to hang out “this past weekend” and chat about what went wrong for them. She explained that she felt Michele was going to be a threat to her as a player with “a great social game that is so much smarter” than she lets on. “Her and I are very similar with how we navigate the social part [of the game].”

The Challenge: USA airs on CBS Thursdays and Sundays at 10 p.m. ET and 9 p.m. ET, respectively.

Jonna Stephens (née Mannion) may have been the first Challenge veteran eliminated from season 2 of The Challenge: USA, but she didn’t go down without a fight. After losing an intense round of “Drop the Ball” to fellow Challenge alum Tori Deal, Jonna, 34, became the second person booted off the Sunday, August 13, episode,

Us Weekly Read More

Entertainment

Kim Breaks Her Silence After Kanye’s Controversial Grammys

Published

2 days ago

February 6, 2025

Bolanle Media Staff

Two days after Kanye West and Bianca Censori’s headline-grabbing appearance at the 2025 Grammy Awards, Kim Kardashian has subtly responded by focusing on her family and meaningful causes. The reality TV star and entrepreneur took to Instagram to share her experience at the @15PercentPledge Annual Gala, effectively ignoring her ex-husband’s controversial antics.

Kardashian, 44, made a fashion statement of her own in a black, backless, full-length dress, presenting a stark contrast to Censori’s revealing Grammy outfit. In her post, she highlighted the organization’s support for Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs, demonstrating her commitment to important social causes.

While Kardashian didn’t directly address the Grammy incident, her actions spoke volumes. On the day of the awards show, she chose to spend quality time with her children. She took her 11-year-old daughter North to see the stage production of “Wicked” at the Hollywood Pantages Theater and later went to the movies with her 9-year-old son Saint. This deliberate focus on her family suggests Kardashian’s priority is shielding her children from the ongoing controversy surrounding their father.

Sources close to Kardashian reveal that she is “disgusted and alarmed” by West’s recent behavior, particularly concerning its potential impact on their children. The mother of four is reportedly worried about the example being set for North, who “idolizes her dad,” and is concerned about potential comments from their son Saint’s friends[3].

Kardashian’s approach to co-parenting amid the controversy has been cautious and protective. She has reportedly set strict rules for Censori’s interactions with her children, including bans on nudity and limitations on social media access. These guidelines aim to maintain consistency in the children’s routines and upbringing, regardless of which parent they are with.

As the situation continues to unfold, Kardashian remains focused on her children’s best interests, navigating the challenges of co-parenting in the public eye with grace and determination. Her recent actions serve as a testament to her commitment to her family, even in the face of ongoing controversy and media scrutiny.

Bolanle Media covers a wide range of topics, including film, technology, and culture. Our team creates easy-to-understand articles and news pieces that keep readers informed about the latest trends and events. If you’re looking for press coverage or want to share your story with a wider audience, we’d love to hear from you! Contact us today to discuss how we can help bring your news to life

Entertainment

Biden Signs with Top Talent Agency CAA

Published

3 days ago

February 5, 2025

Bolanle Media Staff

Former President Joe Biden has signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a major Hollywood talent agency, just two weeks after leaving the White House. This move marks a reunion for Biden with CAA, which previously represented him from 2017 to 2020.

Key Details

CAA co-chairman Richard Lovett praised Biden, calling him “one of America’s most respected and influential voices in national and global affairs”. Lovett also highlighted Biden’s “lifelong commitment to public service” as one of “unity, optimism, dignity, and possibility”.

During his previous stint with CAA, Biden achieved several notable accomplishments:

Published his memoir “Promise Me, Dad,” which became a New York Times bestseller
Launched the “American Promise” book tour, selling over 85,000 tickets nationwide
The book tour is believed to have inspired his eventual run for the presidency

Potential Opportunities

At 82 years old, Biden has kept a relatively low profile regarding his post-presidency plans. However, his signing with CAA suggests he may be exploring various opportunities, such as:

Public speaking engagements
Writing projects
Media appearances

CAA’s Star-Studded Roster

CAA represents a wide range of high-profile clients, including:

Hollywood actors like Meryl Streep
Lifestyle mogul Martha Stewart
Sports stars such as Shohei Ohtani

Notably, CAA also represents former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground.

Looking Ahead

While Biden’s specific plans remain unclear, he has previously stated, “I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind”. His partnership with CAA may provide a platform for him to continue influencing national and global affairs, as well as sharing his experiences and insights from his long career in public service.

As Biden joins the ranks of former presidents exploring post-White House opportunities, his association with CAA positions him to potentially engage in various projects that could shape his legacy and contribute to public discourse on important issues.

Entertainment

What Film Producers Really Do

Published

3 days ago

February 5, 2025

Bolanle Media Staff

When the credits roll and audiences marvel at a spectacular film, few realize the incredible journey that brought that story to life. At the heart of this journey is the film producer – a professional who is part creative visionary, part business strategist, and entirely passionate about storytelling.

Film producers are essentially the architects of cinema, transforming a simple idea into a fully realized motion picture. Their work begins long before actors step in front of cameras, starting with discovering compelling stories and securing the rights to bring them to screen. Imagine a producer as a talent scout with an incredible eye for potential, constantly searching for narratives that could captivate global audiences.

The producer’s role is remarkably complex and multifaceted. They’re responsible for assembling the creative team, which means finding the perfect director, negotiating with screenwriters, and making critical casting decisions. But their job isn’t just about creative choices – they’re also financial strategists who must secure funding, manage budgets, and ensure the project remains economically viable.

During actual film production, producers become problem-solvers extraordinaire. They navigate countless challenges, from unexpected location issues to creative disagreements, always keeping the project moving forward. They’re the bridge between artistic vision and practical execution, making sure the director’s creative goals align with financial realities.

Post-production is another critical phase where producers shine. They oversee editing, potentially request additional scenes, and prepare the film for distribution. Their networking skills become crucial as they negotiate with studios, potential distributors, and international markets to ensure the film reaches its intended audience.

What makes a great producer isn’t just technical skill, but a unique blend of creativity, business acumen, and relentless passion. They must understand storytelling deeply while simultaneously managing complex logistical and financial challenges. It’s a role that requires intuition, strategic thinking, and an unwavering commitment to bringing remarkable stories to life.

While actors and directors often receive the spotlight, film producers are the true unsung heroes of cinema. They are the magical professionals who transform abstract ideas into the movies we love, cherish, and remember. Their work is a delicate dance of creativity, strategy, and pure cinematic magic.