Johnny Bananas revealed that he and castmate Turabi “Turbo” Camkiran experienced a “breakthrough” several years after their last season of The Challenge.
While former Survivor Turkey winner Turbo gained additional fame by winning MTV’s War of the Worlds in his rookie season, his next season included some heated moments.
That included an explosive altercation with Jordan Wiseley and threats toward production staff or security.
With that, Turbo was separated from the cast and kicked off his second season. It wasn’t until Ride or Dies that he returned to The Challenge along with a partner not many fans knew of.
He quickly put himself and his partner on everyone’s radars due to his combative and abrasive attitude.
That included his former friend, Nany Gonzalez, who just happened to be partnered with Bananas. Despite Bananas’ attempts to joke around, Turbo wasn’t having it and took offense to his remarks.
After an early elimination, Turbo aimed many of his castmates, including Bananas, who seemed to have issues with him. However, the seven-time Challenge winner says things changed.
Bananas and Adam discussed Turbo’s unique personality
Another cast member who got into it with Turbo was Adam Larson, one of the winners of The Challenge: All Stars Rivals. Viewers saw Turbo on the spinoff partnered with Nany.
In one dramatic scene, he blew up at castmates for leaving a mess in one of the “common area” rooms of the house he was using as his bedroom.
Adam was among those who fired back at Turbo, creating a verbal altercation between them. However, things didn’t escalate further than the scene shown on All Stars 5.
While appearing on the Death, Taxes, & Bananas podcast, Adam mentioned learning Turbo’s story involving his rough early life experiences.
Adam also mentioned Turbo was someone he didn’t want to “back in a corner,” because he knew he carried a gun in his fanny pack.
However, Bananas said trying to joke with Turbo always caused a problem.
“Every joke I would make, he would take offense to, and I’m like, ‘Turbo, it’s a joke, dude. I wasn’t coming for your manhood,'” Bananas said about his previous issues with Turbo.
However, things seemingly got better between the MTV castmates.
“After All Stars, we finally had this breakthrough, where him and I were able to make fun of each other, tell jokes, crack jokes, and I’m like, ‘Turbo, where has this person been the entire time, because you are funny,'” Bananas shared.
Adam reasoned that maybe Turbo felt like an outsider before and now felt more like a part of The Challenge family, so he understands the jokes better.
“He wants to be Americanized. He wants to move to Texas. He literally wants to invest in America because he loves it. He loves us,” Adam said.
Bananas didn’t reveal where he and Turbo had the breakthrough moments, but they seem to be on better terms.
Bananas spoke about Turbo’s controversy with Turkey
Banans mentioned that Turbo can’t return to his country, Turkey, due to a controversial song he created.
Turbo released Wine Me, Dine Me, a song featuring obscene lyrics, at the end of January. It created plenty of viral buzz and caught the attention of officials in his home country, as the lyrics were deemed offensive toward women.
In February, Turkish Minute reported additional details on the matter, with an obscenity investigation launched into the winner of Survivor and The Challenge. This investigation led to the song being banned and removed from various digital platforms, including YouTube.
Following the ban, Turbo reportedly changed some lyrics to re-release a less obscene version than the original one. Lyrics for the original version appear on Genius.
Based on Bananas’ remarks, his issues with Turkey may incentivize Turbo to remain in America and make amends with his castmates with whom he feuded on The Challenge.
The Challenge Season 41 is TBA for MTV.
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