Johnny Bananas may have won The Challenge seven times, but he didn’t have such luck on season 2 of Peacock’s The Traitors. During the three-episode premiere on January 12, the 41-year-old reality star was the first person eliminated from the show after Traitors Dan Gheesling and Phaedra Parks decided to “kill” him for being a big threat.
In an exclusive interview with Hollywood Life, Johnny broke down his elimination from the show and revealed why his experience on MTV didn’t help him get far on The Traitors.
“Generally on The Challenge, and there were challenges here, but there’s a redemption aspect. If you get voted in, if somebody tries to eliminate you, you have the last opportunity to save yourself,” he said. “That’s not the case here. You can be thrown out, voted out. And not only not have any chance at retribution, but it’s done in secret, so you have absolutely no idea who did it — who stuck the knife in your back. “
Johnny explained that while he could bring his physical game from The Challenge onto The Traitors, he wasn’t prepared for how important the social game is on the Peacock show.
“I feel like I was damned if I do, damned if I don’t,” Johnny explained. “If I come in and I just try to hide in the shadows and keep it quiet and I don’t get involved in anything and I don’t let my opinion out there, I’m still gonna be targeted just based on my reputation and the track record I bring to the show.”
“So I went with option B,” Johnny said, “which instead of being quiet and cowering in the corner, I came in like a kamikaze with a bomb strapped to my chest, and I was like, ‘If I go down in flames, which is probably gonna happen, I’m gonna take as many people as I can with me.’ ”
Season 2 of The Traitors features 21 reality stars/celebrities from shows like Survivor, Big Brother, The Real Housewives, and The Bachelor pitted against each other in the ultimate game of deception. New episodes drop Thursdays on Peacock.