The Problem 40: Battle of the Eras has topped its winners, and it seems that the karma factors had been certainly a deciding issue within the finale. Whereas Jordan Wiseley gained each single checkpoint for the blokes and left no room for a vote-based adjustment on the blokes’ facet, the outcomes had been a bit narrower for the ladies. In the end, Jenny West‘s efficiency within the two-day remaining was sufficient to drag her to a victory, however due to Rachel Robinson‘s large karma factors benefit, she ended up leapfrogging would-be second-player Michele Fitzgerald and tying Jenny for the win, which meant they bought to separate the pots for each first ($400,000) and second ($75,000) locations and introduced Eras I and IV to victory.
For Jenny and Rachel, that shared victory is doubly candy; not solely did they every take house a pleasant chunk of change to their respective households, however additionally they did so collectively after teaming up (as a part of the “Bananas’ Angels” alliance, no much less) and dealing collectively all season lengthy.
TV Insider caught up with the 2 to speak about their victory and discover out what misconceptions some audiences may’ve had all through the season.
What was your fast response if you heard concerning the karma factors twist?
Jenny West: I imply, I really feel like all of us knew it was coming as a result of everybody stored getting type of ushered to the facet after elimination and being left with T.J. [Lavin]. So we type of had an thought, and for me, I type of simply knew it was most likely not the perfect for me…
Rachel: Yeah, we had reverse reactions. Jenny heard it and was like, “Holy s**t!” I heard it and was like, “F**ok yeah.” We each heard it and completely — you’ll be able to even see folks’s reactions. You possibly can see Jenny and Michele type of like freak out a bit internally, look down, you could possibly inform. You possibly can type of see me type of like, [dances] “Okay, that sounds good.” However the fantastic thing about it’s that it was designed into the sport from the start, and, I imply, clearly, manufacturing actually needed it to impact the result of the sport.
Now, Jenny, such as you mentioned, your fast response was clear. You felt prefer it was an obstacle for you. Do you suppose it was simply the alliance that gave you an obstacle or what was it?
Jenny: I’ll be fully sincere. I like and get on with everyone, not as a result of I’m a people-pleaser, however as a result of I’m simply an easygoing individual. I can’t be bothered with drama. And I’m simply there for competitors. And I perceive {that a} large factor of being on The Problem is that social facet. However truthfully, in group conditions and people conditions, I simply actually wrestle. I discover it actually overwhelming. It’s not that I’m insecure and never assured, however in a bunch of individuals, I discover that — I don’t know if it’s my ADHD, however I actually wrestle to remain engaged in lots of people’s dialog, notably individuals who’ve bought a variety of historical past. The drinks they had been providing in the home, I didn’t actually drink, so I wasn’t up for type of staying up later. I type of, in a manner, shot myself within the foot, however knowingly as properly. It’s not that I wouldn’t make an effort with folks, however I didn’t have the social battery that others appear to have to have the ability to actually forge the friendships. For me, the best way I get to know folks is sitting with them on the bus on the best way to a problem and having a one-to-one dialog or mendacity by the pool having a one-to-one dialog reasonably than in a bunch with alcohol concerned. So, yeah, I knew it was going to shoot me within the foot.
Rachel: So, Jenny’s a no-B.S. participant, which is why I gravitated in the direction of her… She’s not gonna be faux pleasant, which lots of people in these conditions… It’s unexpectedly you’re trying round and also you’re like, “You don’t even wanna be collectively proper now. What are you doing?” So, Jenny’s simply not a faux participant, and neither am I, surprisingly.
Jenny: You’re not, no.
Rachel: I believe what saved me is that as a result of I’ve been within the recreation so lengthy, there’s simply an allotted respect that goes in the direction of me. So, persons are going to naturally rating me greater as a result of they know higher. They’re like, “Pay attention, we’re not gonna give an Period I girl who’s been round for the reason that starting of time a foul rating simply because we don’t know her as a lot personally” — though I did occur to know nearly all of this forged. Whereas Jenny is available in, she’s no-B.S., she’s sticking to the folks that she actually enjoys, not being shy about it, and it’s by no means widespread to be Johnny [Banana]‘s greatest pal. In order that’s additionally one thing that I’m studying this season, you tackle [others’ baggage]. In the event you’re gonna go to bat for being Johnny’s greatest pal within the recreation, there are some asides.
Jenny: Byproducts, yeah…
Rachel: I believe that additionally needed to play into why most likely folks had been standoffish to score Jenny greater. They most likely additionally didn’t wish to give her a bonus. You possibly can see that with folks of their karma vote. They had been very strategic within the sense that in the event that they felt somebody was going to be tremendous sturdy in a remaining, they could have scored them decrease.
Jenny: Yeah, I’m simply gonna interject, although, Rachel, as a result of I additionally wish to say that while your karma votes had been very, superb, I wouldn’t even say it got here simply all the way down to since you’ve been round for ages or no matter. You get on with everyone, however what’s actually nice about you is you don’t attempt to get on with everyone to win factors or to be widespread. You’ve gotten an air of simply large authenticity to you. And that’s the reason I gravitated in the direction of you as a result of I do know that what you’re giving me is who you’re, and that’s it. So it makes me subsequently really feel secure inside your organization. I believe that there’s a large degree of respect for everyone with you as properly. And it’s like, they had been, I believe as properly, scoring you excessive since you deserved it. And also you had been undoubtedly a menace in a remaining to a variety of different folks’s video games. So though you mentioned they’d rating folks down or rating me down as a result of I is perhaps a menace, I don’t suppose that occurred to you as a result of there was a large degree of respect from different gamers for you. And I like that for you, and also you deserved it.
Rachel: Clearly, Jenny and I are one another’s greatest cheerleaders. We clearly love one another. For this reason this win is additional particular for us as a result of — I simply actually wish to level out to everybody that interviews in the present day that we performed the whole particular person portion as a crew. There’s no error in the truth that we had been meant to win collectively. And our factors including as much as the very same quantity, this was not one thing that was pulled out of skinny air. In the event you depend all of it, all of it provides up. So one placement totally different in a single checkpoint may have fully modified it.
Jenny: It could have fully modified it, yeah. And that’s with anyone as properly — not even simply between you and me — [also] Michelle.
MTV
Have you ever guys been capable of take that tune out of your head but?
Rachel: Now it’s like rebirthed in it from the finale.
Jenny: The tune that might not be named — simply don’t even say one phrase from it as a result of it triggers like a week-long factor that takes some time to do away with.
Rachel, you mentioned that you simply thought it was unfair that the ladies needed to go in opposition to one another due to how sturdy the competitors was. Do you depend Jordan in that evaluation?
Rachel: Pay attention, I believe that there was a little bit of an underestimation of the swim and the way a lot of a bonus it was going to offer sure folks. I do suppose that which will have been barely missed. I believe the boat may have been a hair nearer… particularly on the best way again, what I imply? Just like the checkpoints if you’ve bought to get again to the boat, among the swims had been simply so lengthy that, even in the event you bought within the water 5 minutes forward of a Jordan, he’s gonna catch you within the water — or perhaps a Jenny or a Michelle. She did it to me. So it’s like, these type of issues had been powerful tablets to swallow, however I believe that it was all meant to type of add up.
And hear, Jordan, had he not had such a stellar efficiency, he would have gotten caught on the karma factors as a result of he was second-to-last for karma. He’s fortunate that Johnny was within the remaining with him as a result of there’s most likely one individual in the home who had worse karma than him, and that was Johnny. It’s simply loopy the way it all mattered. Even to the purpose of who you took in — we didn’t see it on the time, however there was a technique into who you took into the ultimate with you primarily based on simply karma alone. Granted, Jenny and I’d have nonetheless stood by one another, and Jenny was retaining me to the ultimate, no matter me being a superb karma individual. And I’d have nonetheless taken Jenny to the ultimate with me as a result of we had been so shut at that time. I didn’t care how sturdy she was gonna be. I needed to see it, and there have been moments the place, in that remaining, I knew that it was gonna come all the way down to most likely Jenny or Michele for first place, and I pulled Jenny apart a number of instances and was like, “Maintain your s**t collectively and f**king win.” It was greater than me at that time. It was greater than simply what was gonna occur. We actually really performed — particularly the second half of the sport — as a crew. And that’s what makes the win additional particular as a result of we didn’t realize it may even work out like that. I believe once they learn the outcomes, Jenny really believed that she was about to go from first to not first.
Jenny: Yeah, I imply, once they mentioned “karma…”
Rachel: You’re like “God!”
Jenny: Yeah, “Right here we go!”
Rachel: And I’m simply sitting there like, “What’s gonna occur?!” And the reality is, I’ve mentioned this a number of instances, as quickly because the outcomes had been learn, I’d have been beside myself had I taken that win from Jenny. Had I ended up a degree forward of her due to my eight karma factors and her two karma factors, I most likely could be writing Jenny a verify for 200 grand proper now… That’s how shut we had been, and that’s why it simply makes excellent sense. We didn’t realize it on the time, however we strategically took out Michele. She beat her, after which I beat her in karma, proper? That was the best way it labored out. And I believe Michele undoubtedly has her glory, and there’s little question that she’s gonna come out of this remaining and everybody’s gonna love her and have such a delicate spot for her, which, rightfully so, they need to. However on the finish of the day, I nonetheless say it’s not like she went from first to 3rd. She went from second to 3rd. It was meant to be that Jenny be first, and I’d be second … and that’s the best way it labored out.
Going again to earlier within the season, Rachel, there was a rumor, some folks mentioned that you could possibly see by means of your little blindfold with Averey Tressler. Is that true?
Rachel: Oh, that is… There’s a variety of rumors this season. There’s a variety of conspiracy theories. There’s a variety of controversy, however no. And I’ll inform you this: If anybody can see, the opposite individual can see. As a result of our blindfolds are placed on the very same manner, the very same materials. There’s no distinction from what I wore to what Averey wore. You undoubtedly couldn’t see by means of all of it.
Jenny: To not point out as properly, you don’t put your blindfold on your self. Manufacturing places it on for you. You weren’t in charge of affixing your individual blindfolds.
Rachel: Yeah. After they had been placing Averey’s on, she stored saying, “Don’t cowl my nostril, don’t cowl my nostril.” And I’m like, “My nostril was lined.” In order that was additionally one thing that I used to be type of like freaking out, really, once they had been placing her blindfold on as a result of I’m like, “Effectively, my nostril was lined, so her nostril must be lined.” So no, it is a full … What I’ll say is that there is no such thing as a distinction between what I wore on my eyes and what Averey wore on her eyes. So that could be a full truthful elimination, and the way you strategize transferring ahead is as much as you.
MTV
Equally, Jenny, I assume it was Jordan or somebody on social media mentioned one thing concerning the alignment of your sticks in that race in opposition to Cara Maria Sorbello — are you able to react to that?
Jenny: No matter mine being proper or improper, even when they had been forged as improper by the adjudicator, I had loads of time to have the ability to swap the highest for the underside as a result of I wouldn’t have needed to take all of the planks out. I may simply knock the underside one by means of, take the highest one off, push that one by means of, and put it on like a high. I can’t keep in mind how a lot additional forward I completed, nevertheless it was at the very least 5 minutes forward of the following lady.
Now, I’m a good participant, and I play a good recreation. I keep in mind pondering, with each problem actually, when you’re calling, “Examine,” you wish to know that when that verify has been given, nothing can return on it since you wish to just remember to’re secure. And there are lots of events all through the season the place typically the props aren’t painted or lower correctly. I’m simply gonna take you first again to the invitationals with the 40. A few of these items weren’t lower in a manner that you could possibly ever actually spot them correctly collectively. And I keep in mind placing my locations in, and so they weren’t all lined up on the finish. And I keep in mind saying, “Examine,” and so they mentioned, “Yeah, it’s proper.” And I mentioned, “Are you certain?” And I keep in mind saying, “The underside one doesn’t appear to be it’s proper.” They usually’re like, “No, no, no, you’ve bought it.” And I keep in mind pondering, “They have to suppose, ‘It’s most likely not been painted precisely proper’ or, ‘We all know that we’ve f**ked that one, so we’re simply gonna have to offer it to as a result of it isn’t the correct place.’” I don’t know. However I’m not someone who would ever be ok with profitable one thing if it wasn’t truthful or I didn’t deserve it. However I completely wish to say I f**king killed myself for that elimination. Received the scars on my arms for it. And I completed so clearly forward of the following girl that even when I used to be made to modify these items, I may have switched them and nonetheless would have come first. It wouldn’t have modified the result of that problem.
And I simply wish to say as properly, I’m like Jordan within the sense that I like equity, and he’s undoubtedly the investigator in relation to challenges and issues not being executed proper, and also you at all times discover this stuff. On that day, he by no means observed. And keep in mind, I completed first out of the ladies. Everybody had loads of time to go round and have a look at the puzzles, at not any level did anyone name me for that puzzle. So, yeah, I gained that truthful and sq. off my very own benefit, and I’ll undoubtedly not have anybody take that away from me. And that was my bit, very long-winded…
Rachel: I’ll preserve my feedback to myself as a result of I may very well be a b***, however I ain’t gonna say it.
Jenny: Rachel will defend my rights…
Rachel: Pay attention, I get very heated as a result of I really feel like if you take an L, you’ve bought to take an L correctly, what I imply? And let’s simply say folks realizing what the ultimate is ought to have made them simply shut their mouth in that second as a result of there are individuals who would have really needed to be rescued within the water had they been in that remaining.
After I talked to Cara, she mentioned Jenny killed it, so at the very least she was conscious.
Jenny: You understand what? Thanks for that. And I imply, I believe she was nice, and I believe that when she discovered what the ultimate was, she was very relieved to have been capable of exit at that time. She would have hated it. That’s for certain. I imply, I hated it.
My final query is, what’s gonna occur on the reunion?
Rachel: I imply, all the pieces will get dropped at the desk. I really feel like everybody left the reunion, and all of us felt very heard, and it did really feel like group remedy. The attention-grabbing half, although, is that you simply type of do that reunion mid-season, after which the remainder of the season comes out, and you then really feel like …you’d most likely have some totally different matters to speak about, had you executed the reunion in the present day. However so far as the principle drama, which is just about the Devin [Walker], the Michelle, the Johnny, that’s all gonna come to a head. I believe persons are gonna hear actually totally either side of that. Me and Aneesa [Ferreira], Nia [Moore] and Tina [Barton]… Cory [Wharton] and Josh [Martinez]. I believe everybody actually has their second to get no matter they should off their chest, and I do imagine that everybody walked away from the reunion feeling heard and feeling higher.
Jenny: I’d simply say that as I typically keep out of the drama, for me, I simply sat there, and it’s virtually like watching a tennis recreation, the entire of the reunion. I didn’t actually have a lot to type of contribute to it. However I take pleasure in listening to everyone air their s**t and have their say. So, comfortable for them.
The Problem 40 reunion, January 15 & 22, 8/7c, MTV