If you, like so many gays, have only started tuning into MTV again now that it’s the home of RuPaul‘s Drag Race, you may be surprised to learn the network has another reality competition show—one that’s been running for 38 seasons and counting.
The Challenge began nearly 25 years ago (!) as an extreme game show pitting alumni from MTV’s seminal unscripted series The Real World against cast from its erstwhile sister show, Road Rules.
In the years since,The Challenge has expanded to include contestants both from other reality series and across the globe. And for that we’re especially grateful because it has introduced us to our latest crush: Horacio Gutierrez Jr.
We’ll give you a minute to get acquainted:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Gutierrez came to The Challenge from the fifth season of Telemundo’s Spanish-language Exatlón Estados Unidos, which follows a similar gameplay model and features over-the-top challenges that typically push contestants to their physical limits.
Born in Texas, the 26-year old is a natural athlete and a college soccer star, making him a strong competitor. He joined the most recent season of The Challenge—subtitled Ride Or Die—and became a real threat fro the win.
Related:
However, in a shocking turn of events, [spoiler alert!] Guiterrez and his teammate Olivia Kaiser (from the third season of Love Island USA) were eliminated during the most recent episode after she sustained an injury and couldn’t continue competing.
But Gutierrez stuck around long enough to build up quite a fan base, with plenty of viewers taking to Twitter to show their support and suggesting MTV bring him back for future seasons.
Other fans were a little less concerned about the integrity of the competition and mostly just lamented the fact that they wouldn’t get to have Guiterrez steam up their TV screens week after week:
Every time I see Horacio on my TV screen pic.twitter.com/Fhg6RpOrCJ
— Jay Loves 5H (@LegacyofOnika) February 2, 2023
And you know what? We agree! We’d like to be seeing a lot more of this man in our day-to-day lives.
Thankfully, Instagram exists, and it offers plenty of Horacio Gutierrez Jr. content for all of you fans out there.
For starters, Gutierrez has shared plenty of clips and photos from his time on Exatlón Estados Unidos, and the very thoughtful producers of that show had the good sense to make sure he was shirtless for most of the competition. Everyone say, “Thank you, Telemundo!”
But even when he’s not competing, Guiterez keeps his fans fed:
Anyway: MTV, if you know what’s good for you, please continue to find ways to get Guiterrez on television! Appreciate it!
Related:
‘The Real Friends Of WeHo’ star calls out show for being fake, says he was “betrayed” by production
“I will not promote something that I cannot stand behind,” says ‘Real Friends Of WeHo’ cast member Dorión Renaud in a revealing new interview.
bachy
love Love LOVE that wide-brimmed farmer hat he’s wearing in the 3rd to last shot! Anyone know where to purchase?
Sanjo
I like what’s under the hat. But that’s me.
Kangol2
Gorgeous!
scotty
such awesome. much love.