Tough Enough

MitchKoobski

Starting your career by sending in a three minute video to one of the first big reality tv shows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V6dQ3zImMc

Been watching a lot of shows from 2001 onwards and the ads keep popping up for this on Sky1. Weird looking back on it now to think Josh Matthews arguably had the most continued success from Season 1, and not even as a wrestler.
Anyone watch this when it was one tv? And who actually got a decent job from it?

Nowinski and Nidia ended up showing up a year after Maven. Morrison and Miz would find success in later seasons. Love him or hate him Miz ended up being the most successful. The less said about "Silent Rage" the better.

Justin Roberts sent in an audition tape for Season 1 and it was shown as part of a teaser on Smackdown for Season 1.

Am I right in thinking Ryback was on this at one point too?

MitchKoobski

If anyone watched Season Three and remembers Lisa.

(I only got to see Season 1 and 2)

In the cover story from the October 5, 2002 issue of the Pro Wrestling Torch Newsletter, it was revealed that contestant "Lisa" was removed from the show after what was referred to as a "psychotic breakdown." After being left at the house while the other contestants went out to dinner, she began throwing herself against the walls of the house, eventually breaking into the hidden MTV control room and working her way onto the roof. After being talked down by producers, she was committed to a hospital facility to receive psychiatric treatment. Her parents flew in from New Mexico to pick her up, but she physically attacked them, claiming she did not know them. She then escaped custody inside LAX, shutting down a wing of the airport until she was located. Again, she was hospitalized, but she was able to check herself out shortly after. She then contacted Tough Enough producers, claiming she was ready to return to the show. Producers informed her she had been removed from the competition due to her actions. The other contestants (and, subsequently, the audience) were initially told that Lisa simply decided wrestling "wasn't the right career for her." Lisa then reemerged in Louisville, Kentucky at the Ohio Valley Wrestling training center, claiming that trainer Al Snow and producer John "Big" Gaburick had sent her for additional training, both in the ring and to learn further about the structure of the developmental territory system. At a series of shows in California in September 2002, she managed to talk her way backstage and was even allowed to assist with the pyrotechnics for the wrestlers' entrances at a TV taping. One source claimed that she had a face-to-face conversation with Vince McMahon, who was apparently unaware of her status with the Tough Enough program. Soon after, her photograph was circulated to security personnel, and she was barred from any backstage areas.

Hematocyte

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HY3g4CGdM0

Possible origin of the 'feed me more' bit?

Bounty Hunter

here is a post I made around 3 years ago

Bounty Hunter wrote: »

I posted this somewhere else before and may be missing some people but afaik these are the notably Tough Enough folk from seasons past:

Maven, Nidia, ODB, Chris Nowinski & Josh Matthews (Season1)

Matt Morgan, Jackie Gayda (Season 2)
Shad Gaspard had to be replaced due to medical complications

John Hennigan aka John Morrison (Season 3)
Melina, Daivari and Daniel Puder (didnt make it to the final 25)

Mike "The Miz" Mizanin, Daniel Puder, Nick Mitchell [Spirit Squad], Ryan Reeves aka NXTs Skip Sheffield, Marty Wright aka The Boogeyman (Season 4)

obviously Skip Sheffield is now Ryback

Mr.Nice Guy

I liked that show. Wasn't Maven's debut shown on Sky One as a sort of one-off special or something?

I liked Maven and I thought Nidia did well in her gimmick with Noble.

SimonQuinlank

Linda Miles (aka Shaniqua) the former Basham Brothers valet won season 2 along with Jackie Gayda.

I believe Bryan Kendrick is married to Taylor Matheny from Season 1 as well.

Lord TSC

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

I liked that show. Wasn't Maven's debut shown on Sky One as a sort of one-off special or something?

If I remember right, the episode of Smackdown he debuted on aired before the episode of Tough Enough aired in which he won. As such, Sky cut his debut from the Smackdown (since it would have spoiled the result of TE) and then aired the match as a special straight after Tough Enough on Sky One.

I credit TE1 as being what showed my mother and brother why I like wrestling. Before it, they thought it was "fake" and all that, and the show displayed the phsycal side of wrestling that a lot of people dont get. My mom still asks what Maven is up to from time to time.

MitchKoobski

SimonQuinlank wrote: »

Linda Miles (aka Shaniqua) the former Basham Brothers valet won season 2 along with Jackie Gayda.

Speaking of which....

Jump to 9:50

bobby_says_hi

Insane that Ariane/Cameron from the revival is the last one standing when she got eliminated first. Even more insane is that she's actually doing a good job

Michelle McCool claims that she filled out papers to audition for the first season but chickened out and didn't send them in

Kenny King from TNA was on S2

Ivelisse from the recent season is doing pretty well despite getting released last year. She's got a regular spot in SHINE and gets much more bookings than she did before the show