The Zach Nichols Podcast - Battle of the Eras VMA Week w/ Derek Chavez | ZNP EP. 64

Episode Date: September 13, 2024

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What's up, guys, it's Derek. I'm here on the Zach Nichols podcast. We're going to be talking about everything All-Stars 4, season 40, and all the tea that you haven't seen. Welcome back to the Zach Nichols podcast. I'm here in my getaway golf shirt with Pierre. What's up? What's up? Derek's in the building.

Yeah, this is a lot of time coming. The show. Thanks for making the trip to Detroit. Of course. Let's make an eight-mile joke. That's it. Let's do it. Let's do it.

Let's do a bee rabbit in the place. You got bars? You got rhymes? No. I know you can rhyme along with it though. Yeah. I know mom spaghetti, all that stuff. We got it.

That's an official restaurant now. I know, man. Yeah. It's not, you know. Have you been there? I have been there. It's called mom's spaghetti. Yeah, it's called Mom and M&M's fast food place.

I got the meat balls. I don't even have they had meatballs. But yeah, you don't order meatballs. You order the fetachini. Yeah, I do. It's my go-to meal. Yeah. Pettuccini.

He loves anything cheesy in noodles. You are what you eat. That you are what you eat. Exactly. So welcome to the show. We've been trying to get Sean for a while, and we couldn't have had you at a better time, right in the thick of season 40 battle for the years. Big season to be on.

Right after your big, big return. Big return. How long had it been? Because it was Rivals 2. So rivals 2. And then I literally got called for multiple ones after that. So I think, what was that final reckoning was the one? I didn't get called.

but then it was like X's or whatever it was, and it was either Frank or Marlin. And one of them said no. So I'm like, one or both. Yeah. So I'm like nobody. And it was like a rival's three,

one or whatever. And I'm assuming it would have been Murray, just based on what had happened on seasons. Yeah. Somebody said no. And then, well, bloodlines, it was supposed to be me and my cousin.

We made it to the very end. And then they called us right at the very, like right before we had out. And they're like, no. So then I just didn't fit it anymore, you know? So we after that many seasons off, like, you have no story right anymore. So then I just,

then during, the dirty 30 i was hoping i got on invasion because that that would have segued me into the 30 didn't get called for it and then 30 happened and then there was the trio and just didn't fit it anymore but that's such bullshit thankfully mark like started doing all-stars and i didn't get called for one but right away i got called for two and was like hell yeah let's let's do that one so all-sars two was like my big comeback but i had oh yeah yeah i believe yeah i i didn't believe yeah so i can't believe you even showed up for that one and that happened literally that happened the day two days before oh yeah and back

Back then it was still COVID, so I was having to like quarantine. So can you imagine like knowing that information, I literally walked into the bus because they took us half the cast on one side and the other, like, oh, that's like you had to. Yeah. So you were in. Well, no, no, no. There was people that had to, but like they just flew us separately. It wasn't like a big thing anymore. But I remember climbing up under the bus and Jonnaie just looked at me and she goes, what's wrong?

And I was like, I don't want to talk about it now. Let's talk about it later. And I'll tell you, something is wrong. I'll let you know because I didn't you know how people can be I'm I'm not blaming anybody but like I didn't want anybody to use that against me saying like hey you're using this to your advantage because that's fucking disgusting you know and I anything I would be more like damn I can't believe you're yeah wouldn't you know so I just didn't want to say anything about it I just let's go but I had to be quarantined for like eight days in the hotel by myself when no phone having to

deal with that you know that's like we open a heavy topic and I know a lot of people you know that are watching might not know exactly so let's talk about it yeah let's talk about it yeah of course and also september is suicide awareness month so i'll be doing something with that coming up soon but like it's just one of those things that doesn't get talked about enough and i'm glad that i did finally talk about it because it's something that needs to be discussed it shouldn't be something that you're embarrassed about it shouldn't be something that you're scared about talking i hope i know the whole like slogan that's going on or now is like ask it's like making sure that you're checking up on your friends and stuff. And my little sister, she was in a situation that she didn't let anybody know.

I didn't have any idea that she was filling a type of way at all. And it was one of those things. I saw her right before the show. We were leaving on a Thursday. I saw her on Monday. And she's like, am I going to still, am I going to see you on Wednesday at her my brother's house? Because we were going to do like a champagne toast before I left. I'm like, yeah, I did get to say goodbye and I got to say, I love you that day. And then after that, I just never saw her again. And it was like, where did that come from? So I guess she was just depressed. I think there was things going on that we didn't know and we'll never know.

And yeah, so she, I lost my little sister to suicide. And it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. And the only reason why I went back on this show, because, A, I love the show, but she was looking so forward to seeing me on there. And I had talked to my mom and she's literally like, I think you need to go. Like, you need to go for her. Absolutely. But then being there.

Tough. So it's tough. I'm doing, I did well. Me and Melinda got third in that first challenge and I still got voted in. Which seemed to be your Achilles heel. It is. Yeah, but it's just like, okay, cool. So then after they nominate me and after they vote me in, and of course, you know, they're like, let's piss people off, but let's throw a party right after. So that way, this is going to be fun. So we had like a prom-themed party and I was literally just like, no, I have to talk about it now. So like, let everybody know. Producers were really, really cool. And I'm not. I was used to producers like on real world that are like, no, like, this needs to be filmed.

They were like, that's not all-stars. That's not the back there. They're like, get off camera, go. So me, Johnny and Jasmine went to the beach and just cried for like hours. Yeah. Wow. And so it was just one of those things. And I've talked to Niaa about this.

And it's not like I would ever say like he didn't win. He beat me. He would have had a lot harder time had I actually tried though. And you know when you're like doing your math problems and you're like asking Diego like, is it good? And I was literally saying the wrong answer. constantly. And you could tell he was getting pissed off. He's like, no. And so, but knowing you're not going at your full capacity capabilities. Yeah, but then I was also like, okay, well, Nehemi is pulling his second coffin already shit. Like I can't like just get blown out of the water. So

that's when I started like trying again. But I was just like and it turned, it was, it was crazy because our elimination was supposed to be on a certain day, but there was like a false positive for COVID. So they pushed it two more days. And in that time, I was able to talk to my brother, which I wasn't supposed to. And he's like, hey, mom's coming. for something here in Arizona. So I got to go. Yeah. So that's one of the reasons why I was just like balancing.

So really quick time table. So she's gone and then, you know, like, what's a time like table between that you going on the show and then this happened? So Monday. So she passed away on Tuesday night. Yes. And then I had Wednesday to pack and decide if I wanted to go. Thursday we took off and maybe maybe two weeks into it. Yeah.

We were literally in the house. for like a week. And at this point, like, you're, you're looking for something you're never going to find, which is her. And then once you're there and you realize I'm never going to find it, whatever I am going to find is with my family, you know, you just, you know you're going to get there eventually, but that's a tough, that's a tough place to be. It's impossible to be there.

Yeah. It's tough for anything, but especially to be in that house. Like, I know, like, not to pile on right now, but rest in peace, my uncle Jim passed away yesterday. Oh, I'm sorry. It's my grandma's younger brother. And even just finding that out and knowing that he lived to like 80, but like it was an unexpected death like this morning, I'm trying to get my work done. And I'm just like checked out.

It's insane. Like mentally just, you know, more upset for his daughters, you know, and my grandma. And so I can't imagine having to be in a high pressure situation where like you're supposed to be checked in having the time of your life. And everyone else is. And that's the hard part. everyone else there is there to have just the best time ever. Yeah.

And you just, A, you don't want to be there. You don't want to enjoy that. And then you have to go and compete on top of that, wondering, like, how's everyone coping at home?

So give you a lot of credit for even going. Yeah, it was crazy too. And, like, just knowing that I still had to, like, go into an elimination and stuff.

And I was just thinking back and like, like, what if I won that first challenge? You know, like I feel like I could have been in a John A situation with her at the end of that season. Like, I was so ready for that season, clocked in,

ready to go. Yeah, well, people don't give you a lot of credit because of your early exits, but the one thing I've said on here before was the one season, well, we've done two seasons together, but Battle of the Seasons, you were surrounded by people who cared about you and who you cared about, and you seem to flourish and dominate when you have the support of people you care about. Yeah. Because on Battle of the Seasons, you were one elimination run from going to the final. And had you and John A won that, I got to tell this all the time, like the worst mistake, I'm going to be. I made in that game was not sending you guys into that water elimination round because had you got to the final and it was me and Sam against you two and Dustin Dressel and Brooklyn, Sam wasn't ready to run against you and John A. And you and John A were different from Trichelle and Dustin in the fact that you guys weren't space cadets and you would have understood the assignment. Like they had the best shot to win that final.

And they just didn't understand like take advantage of this situation being a two person team. But had you guys got into that final, like your challenge crew would have been. much different. Well, I appreciate you saying that because I try to tell people that and they're like, no, like you got there because of CJ. I'm like, no, actually, CJ went home and me and Johnny were the only two-person team to last more than one, like, challenge after that, you know? Granted. You guys... We built ourselves, like, relationships with you guys and sometimes it was like that, but like the one where we did like the King of the Hill one, like, I didn't get knocked off and I got second on that one, you know, so that's what helped us stay. Right. So it wasn't just like writing

CJ's co-tells kind of thing. No, no, I think you perform, I mean, it takes, like it takes two strong men and two at least one really strong female to dominate that type of season and we had the me and frank were very strong yeah and you and cj were right there with us in most of the channels you guys actually won the first and the fourth one yeah and then we only won our first one because everyone handed it to us on the beach it was the oil wrestling one which was that was a shitty challenge yeah um so it was like and then we got second remember like the mini final where we had to do the logs you guys were going to just dominate and then you had to go all the way back down well yeah because because what we should have done was what Sarah did and organized at the bottom, but everyone was just like, put them on your shoulder. And then after like two trips, you're like, wait a second, we only need nine of them. And there's like 16 logs. So I still don't know if we ever even solved that correctly. I think it was just to the point where Rob and Marie were never going to finish.

And they were probably just like, you guys are done. Turkey was hot too. Oh, we were there during the like the heat of the summer. But no, I tell people all the time, like going into battle the seasons, I can, like, from what I on cutthroat. Yeah. I was like, he's a layup.

Yeah. But then competing alongside you and then against you and a lot of the challenges, I was like, no, like, you know.

See, I just never got that potential, but coming from like the era too, part of like the whole way that the challenge works, that's still old school challenge. Like you're a veteran, I mean, you're a rookie,

you're going in. Yeah. I get it, you know? Yeah, I went in twice that season. So I'm just like, okay, that's cool. But like, we really have like big easy and like people like that on our team

and you guys really want to like, you know, I love Big Easy. I'm just like saying from one. You want to run a final with him. Yeah, exactly. Like if we're really looking at past like stuff, you know. Right. Yeah. So I always say I'm like and then what ended up happening on your second trip to All Stars was you showed everyone exactly the competitor that you were when you were in a position of with people who supported you. Oh yeah. And that was mentally a good state. Yeah. That was the first time too that like, that was the first time. I'm like, that was the first time. I'm like, man. That was the first time. I'm like, man. actually like use this to my advantage this time instead of just playing for myself I'm going to use this to my advantage and like like I got you you got me and just I was always in a position where whoever was in power was for me not against me I was on the I didn't lose but I was on the bottom because that's how it was like the bottom middle and runners I was on the bottom a lot but I'm like okay I know who's in the in the middle group voting I know I'm good yeah regardless you know so but

yeah being able to actually compete and show people and then it's like people like oh shit like you are like you're fast and you're actually good and then it was like I got to team up with like Laurel and a lot of things. So I was literally like, oh, we got this. That's some pressure. Yeah. I know what it's like. Oh yeah.

Yeah. But I think the difference between me and you though, I think you would like butt heads because it's like, you know, I want to do my way. She wants to do it her way. That concludes the free preview of the Zach Nichols podcast. So go to Patreon and subscribe to see the rest of the shit that we talk. Go do it now.