The Unseen Ordeal: Chris Underwood Opens Up About the Grueling Moment That Never Made it to Air
Chris Underwood, a contestant on The Challenge USA, reveals the untold story of a grueling moment during the final that was left unaired Find out why this intense experience was omitted and hear Underwood's personal insights
Chris Underwood, the winner of season 2 of The Challenge: USA alongside Desi Williams, is sharing insights about an undisclosed segment of the finale that was not aired. Discussing the unaired moment on Friday, October 20, one day after their victory on the CBS reality series, the 31-year-old Chris revealed that it was his least favorite part of the entire final.
Chris proceeded to elaborate on the concept of the arduous task, wherein the remaining eight participants were required to maintain their stance on columns measuring approximately 12 by 12 inches. Their objective was to count the seconds silently until they reached the duration of one hour, without the aid of any timekeeping devices.
To successfully accomplish the challenge, the contestants were allowed a maximum discrepancy of five minutes, thus implying that if they failed to dismount their columns within the span of one hour and one hour plus five minutes, they were obliged to recommence the task from the beginning.
"We made two mistakes," Chris confessed. "Therefore, we spent three consecutive hours standing on these columns in the middle of the night, counting the seconds until an hour passed. And just a few hours after that, we had to wake up to participate in the final. It was a rather unpleasant experience."
Paramount featured Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, Tori Deal, Desi Williams, Chris Underwood, Faysal Shafaat, Michaela Bradshaw, and Chanelle Howell. The Survivor alumni speculated that the demanding challenge was excluded from the finale episode due to the team's "collaborative" strategy.
"We formed a group and individuals took turns counting seconds and minutes," he shared. "Interestingly, it was Johnny 'Bananas' Devenanzio who got it right first. So, he got the most sleep since he was alone and stepped off at the correct time."
Testing Chris' internal clock was just one of the numerous challenges he encountered on his path to triumph. He was constantly singled out in the game and emerged victorious in a total of four elimination rounds, including a notable win against three-time Challenge champion Wes Bergmann.
Chris' remarkable performance on The Challenge: USA serves as his redemption after being labeled as the most undeserving winner in Survivor history following his triumph on Survivor: Edge of Extinction in 2018. (Chris gained this reputation due to the game twist known as "Edge of Extinction," which allowed him to win despite being voted out early and then enduring 26 days in a desolate place called the Edge.)
Chris defied his critics who doubted his potential after watching him on Survivor, stating that he aimed to prove himself worthy of his first win and demonstrate that he deserved the victory if he made it to the end. On the other hand, Desi's game journey took a different path. She successfully built strong alliances with Survivor veterans Michaela Bradshaw and Chanelle Howell, as well as establishing a working relationship with Challenge veteran Tori Deal. All four women ultimately reached the final, but Desi faced a difficult decision when she chose to betray Tori by voting her into elimination.
“When I voted for Tori, it was the first time in the game where I felt like I had genuinely betrayed someone who had placed their trust in me. That was a difficult moment for me because loyalty is a fundamental aspect of my character, and up until that point in the game, I had remained faithful. I would consider that experience to be one of my most challenging moments."
Desi Williams, like Chris, entered this season with a determination to redeem herself from her previous encounters in the realm of reality TV. She reached the finals in the previous season of The Challenge: USA but faced disqualification when her partner, Enzo Palumbo, decided to quit during the closing stages.
“I had complete confidence in my ability to win that final. However, when it was unexpectedly taken away from me, it felt like all of my efforts were in vain,” she expressed, reflecting on her experience in season 1. “Therefore, in season 2, I carried that same determination. It was no longer a coincidence that I reached the final round. Now, my goal was to demonstrate to myself and others that I have what it takes to emerge victorious."
