The Challenge: All Stars final has officially concluded for the OG spinoff season’s episodes, with a reunion special on the way. However, cast members are talking about things that went down during their season in other interviews or social media.
That included the All Stars winner, who was recently part of a podcast interview and brought up the one individual he didn’t partner with during the final. That individual was Jisela Delgado, who viewers saw qualify for the final alongside Eric “Big Easy” Banks.
Jisela recently reacted to her All Stars castmate’s comments regarding her, as brought up by a fan online and added it’s “her right to not give a f**k about” that person or their opinion.
Spoilers will follow in this report up through The Challenge: All Stars Episode 9 including the names of finalists and the winner.
All Stars cast member talked about strategy, luck involved in final
A recent Challenge Mania Podcast featured Yes Duffy, who was amongst the finalists for All Stars. He spoke with podcast hosts Scott Yager and Derrick Kosinski, also a finalist in All Stars.
During their chat, Yes brought up his partners in the final, which included just about every other woman in the final. However, he never partnered with Jisela, who was partnered with Derrick at the start of the final. They ended up coming in last for the canoe race, which saw them eliminated in a one-team purge.
Yes would go on to win the All Stars final and mentioned on Challenge Mania he didn’t want to be “stuck” with Jisela during the final. His comment arrived after Scott asked if he actively used a strategy in the first part of the final, timing when he completed his puzzle so as not to partner with Jisela.
Yes brought up the various decisions and choices he was constantly making with the All Stars season. He said that he did indeed use strategy to make sure he had Jemmye as his partner at that moment.
“One of them was, “Oh my God this is crazy. I don’t want to get stuck with Jisela. I’ve got to roll with Jemmye on this one,’” Yes told the podcast hosts.
About 80 minutes into the podcast, Scott and Derrick touched upon how Derrick and Jisela’s canoe was backward in the first part of the final. Scott even suggested if Yes was teamed with Jisela, he might have been eliminated early with her, and Derrick might have gone on to win the final.
“I don’t know what I’d do with Jisela if we were paddling a canoe backwards. I really don’t know,” Yes said during the podcast, also calling it a “luck factor” for him.
Derrick asked if Yes would have realized there was a front and back and known to flip the canoe around. Yes said he didn’t realize that and there’s so many random mishaps that can cost a competitor a win in a daily or the final.
Jisela reacts to fan comment about All Stars winner’s interview
A fan brought up Yes’ comment online about getting “stuck” with Jisela, prompting replies from Jisela, Yes, and one of the podcast hosts.
“@JiselaDelgado just listened to Yes on Derrick’s podcast. Mr female empowerment didn’t want to get ‘stuck’ with you on the final? And why does Derrick get no blame for figuring out the canoe?” a fan commented.
“Lol @actvstArchitect game play does not surprise me. I don’t think anyone wanted to be my partner on the finale due to my circumstances and I’m ok with that, it’s their right to feel that way. It’s my right to not give a f**k about them too,” Jisela replied.
Her comment arrived after Challenge Mania podcast host Scott Yager had jumped in to try to clarify what Yes was talking about.
“I heard Derrick’s podcast too. And I am pretty sure Yes was referring to her leg injury, not her canoe prowess. But maybe I’m just giving him the benefit of the doubt,” Scott commented about the podcast interview.
As seen in the screenshot above, Yes jumped in with a simple “100” emoji reply, seemingly agreeing or supporting Scott’s interpretation. Many fans might believe that Jisela would’ve been ideal for the canoe race since it didn’t involve a foot race or covering land on a bicycle tethered to a partner.
All Stars winner spoke about perceived allies, ‘healthy dose of luck’
Yes last appeared on MTV’s Battle of the Sexes season in 2003. Since it’s been 18 years since his last appearance, it meant things changed a bit as far as the game, and his perceived allies. That included Darrell Taylor and Jisela Delgado.
During the podcast, Derrick brought up how “the game keeps shifting” as the season moves along and that you form new friendships or alliances while others are on the backburner. Yes agreed that Derrick hit the nail on the head with his comments.
“I’m just on Level 1 on that sort of Challenge wisdom. I’m in beginner mode right now. For me, Jisela was my biggest ally back in 2003,” Yes shared, saying she was giving him support after others tried to go after him.
He mentioned Darrell as one of his biggest allies because they were roommates and became “homies” because they’re both from the Bay Area of California. However, both of them shifted quickly when it came to their voting strategy later in the season. Jisela told others to vote for Yes during that crucial deliberation late in the season, which caused drama after Aneesa chose to vote for Nehemiah Clark.
While his comments during the podcast didn’t seem intended with malice towards Jisela, Yes seemed to make sure he timed when he finished the puzzle for the start of the final. That allowed him to partner with Jemmye Carroll for the canoe race.
“To actually have made it to the top. I mean, that’s this funny kind of roll of the dice mixed with strategy, mixed with circumstance, and a healthy dose of luck,” Yes said of his All Stars win.
The Challenge: All Stars reunion arrives Thursday, June 3 on Paramount Plus.