Jasmine Reynaud may not walk away with the bag from The Challenge: All Stars Season 4, following her elimination from Wednesday’s episode, but for some fans, she’s the clear winner of the confessional game. Plus, she may go down in history as having the wildest elimination experience in history — after being voted in at Cara Maria Sorbello’s insistence, she was slated to show down with Veronica Portillo. Then, Nicole Zanatta, the day’s challenge winner, decided to enter the arena to earn her star for the finale and chose Veronica as her opponent … until she changed her mind and threw Jasmine back in instead.
So how did that switcheroo happen? Well, TV Insider caught up with Jasmine to find out all of the behind-the-scenes drama from her time on the season — including a secret deal she had with Nicole (and what we’ve all been wondering about Tyri Ballard’s new name spelling).
Fans have been commenting nonstop about how you’re pretty much like the humor of the season. Your confessionals have been exquisite. So are you that funny in real life?
I don’t think so. I mean, I think a lot of people laugh at me, but I think they’re laughing at me, not with me, at times. I don’t mean to be funny. It’s just sometimes in those elements — I think because I’m just so nervous, things just kind of come out of my mouth, and it just ends up being comical.
You said that things came out of your mouth kind of off the fly, and one of those things was an argument with Ayanna. Why did she rub you the wrong way to get into so many skirmishes this season?
First off, we all know what Ayanna is going through right now [in treatment for breast cancer], and know my heart and prayers go with her and her family, and I know she can beat this. I know she’s a strong person, and you know what she’s going through right now, I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. It’s just, we’re having to relive something that happened a year and a half later. And what happened a year and a half later has nothing to reflect on what she’s going through right now. So that’s my disclaimer for that.
Back in South Africa, we started off being — everything was fine. Everything was going really well. She was someone that I had talked to outside of the show about my personal life and things that I was going through at the time. And then when her and Kam got into it, and her Janelle, I was just trying to be this voice of reason — moreso with Janelle because we all did All Stars 2 together, so there was some backlash in there. And then Kam is someone new, but her and Kam stayed in a room together. So I was just trying to be this mediator, and it wasn’t working out, and just when Ayanna was lashing out at everyone, and I’m just sitting there watching it, and she comes after me, it’s like, “All right now. The gloves have to come off. I’m done mediating this.” That was my time to get into the ring.
On the other hand, you came in with some alliances kind of baked into this season with Derek, Averey, and Ryan ….
Let me clarify that. People automatically assumed that I had alliances. I did not have any alliances. Yes, I had friends, but I also had let my friends know — Derek, Ryan, Brandon … Averey I had just met for the first time, but obviously her knowing Ryan and Derek — “If my game, how I’m playing the game doesn’t work for you, or you have to say my name to further yourself, then you do that.” So I had friends. I had no alliances. There’s not one interview, one confessional you hear me say but I am aligned with anyone and that anyone is my number one. I had no alliances. People naturally assumed that.
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Well, on the other hand, Jay tried to kind of turn the tide of the elimination vote. But Cara gave him an ultimatum. What was your reaction to seeing that all play out?
Not surprised. We’ve already seen Cara be the baby, now she’s got to be the bully baby. So I’m not surprised that she’s doing that. She has to get her way instead of just letting Jay thing for himself. But it’s almost like you got mad because you assumed — Jay, I thought, was someone that I would have my back. So I could have gotten upset at Jay and been like, “How dare you say my name?” but I didn’t. I handled it like an adult, and I moved on. It’s a game. So I mean, if Cara the baby wants to do that, then let her.
Were you surprised at all when she gave you the star?
A little bit because I didn’t see where her angle was out with that. I wasn’t understanding that. And it’s kind of weird because then when we go into elimination, for my elimination, you say it’s not personal. But you giving me that star and seeing everything you said it is personal. So which one is it? Is it personal or is it gameplay? She needs to make a choice.
You obviously had to go until elimination, and initially, you were scheduled to go against Veronica. And then Nicole kind of jumped in. First of all, do you think that you would have had a better shot at beating Veronica? And then also what were you thinking during all this?
Absolutely. I definitely think that I would have had a better chance against Veronica. Veronica was someone that I had viewed — even though I think Veronica is a great person, She’s a champion as well — but someone that was a little bit on my level, I thought as far as a competitor, especially in height, size, someone that I would want in the elimination.
Nicole and I had made a kind of a deal beforehand that she was going to save me. And it didn’t happen that way. I wasn’t happy to go against a firefighter who handles ropes like this every single day like it’s eating bonbons. So it wasn’t the greatest thing to do, but hey, at least I can say I have gone to get some of the strongest girls in physical eliminations. I’ve gone against Laurel, I’ve gone against Cara, I’ve gone against Sam, I’ve gone against Rachel, and now I’ve gone against Nicole. So I just got to keep adding on to my list the people that I’ve gone against that I’m never afraid to go against them.
You said you had to deal with Nicole. What broke it? How did that fall apart?
I don’t know what happened. It’s like as soon as she said she was gonna save me. I was going back up, I’m excited. And normally, they start rolling everything, T.J. [Lavin] starts getting it going. But I noticed that Veronica and Nicole are talking, and this is taking too long. And I’m like, no, no. And then T.J. says, “Oh, I think there’s been a change,” and I’m like, “You gotta be kidding me.” I’m angry on the inside. But all I can do is laugh — like, this is really happening. I’m gonna have to go back down there, and I’m gonna have to do this. We’re gonna have to do what every girl is up here afraid to do, go against Nicole.
Well, are you surprised that TJ let that happen? I mean, that just seems like out of form a little bit.
It’s definitely not normal. But you know, I can’t be mad at the game. I did some not normal things this season, too. So, you just gotta roll with that. It is what it is.
One thing that was not normal is, as some fans pointed out, this was the first time we’ve seen you and Tyri on a season together for a long time. What was it like reuniting with him? And was there any drama or was it just chill?
Oh, no, it was just a very chill atmosphere of me and Tyri. You know, the last time we saw each other was Battle of the Exes? It’d been a while. We have randomly stayed in touch throughout the years, like once I started having kids, and he had a daughter, just casual conversation: “So how are we doing? How’s your kid?” But seeing each other, it was just like seeing an old friend. There was there’s no animosity on my part. I did apologize to him on how I did treat him on Battle of the Exes. I wasn’t the nicest person.
Has he always spelled it that way, without the “E”?
So we found out in the house. So apparently he had to, I don’t know, get a new birth certificate. And when he went to get his birth certificate — his parents had been debating on how they wanted to spell his name with the “E” or without the “E,” so his mom decided without the “E” but they never told him. So he always thought he had the “E.” That is the most hilarious story I’ve ever heard in my life.
You teased that you are going to have a different approach for the next time you come on The Challenge. Can you talk about how you might change things for that?
So I can’t tell you guys everything that gives me my secrets. Let’s just say you guys saw me go against someone that’s a strong person who people thought I was friendly with. Now this time, I’m not afraid to go against anyone. Anyone can get it doesn’t matter who I know how long I’ve known you. Everyone is fair game this time.
The Challenge: All Stars, Wednesdays, Paramount+
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