The Zach Nichols Podcast - The Tori Deal Interview! | ZNP EP. 181

Episode Date: August 17, 2026

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What's up, guys, it's Tori. I'm on the Zach Nichols podcast, and we're going to talk about why I'm not a rapper anymore and why I'm a challenger. All right. That was the first time. First for everything, but welcome back to the Zach Nichols podcast. Very special guests here today. I've been waiting for this for someone. This is a long time coming.

Victoria Deal. Wow. Victoria. Everyone else knows her as Tori, but she'll always be Vicky to me. Yeah, that's what I am. And what do I know you as? What's my nickname for you? T.

Time. Like, I knew it was something. Tea time. That's tea time right there, guys. Thanks for having me. It's a pleasure to be here, you know. Yeah, I'm proud of it. You guys have created it.

I feel like you have great episodes. Man, no one cares about that show. We're here to fucking hype you up. We're talking about you. Go for the stats. Let's hear the stats. Let's hear the stats. Let's time to hear some accolades.

Okay. So on top of being a collegian athlete, 13 challenge seasons, nine flagship seven finals. We have a champion in the house rider, dies round of applause. Not everybody that's on his couch can say that.

And you got, you got, I can. I don't know who you think of your dog. Talk about yourself. There's just one. People 99 to be. It hasn't aired yet. Could be me too. Make sure you're tuned in.

It's on Fox starting to September. 42 daily wins. Elimination record greatly in the positive. 9 and 3, 7 and 3 on the flagship. 1 and 0 on USA 2. I'm sorry, John A. So we just sorry to John A.

That was definitely. RIP. That was definitely. mercenary record one-on-one money one now this one is an impressive one 469,000 dollars one more please yeah where did all go is like you're thinking damn that's a lot I made that like I was just there for like the beginning and then I got I left and you just ascended to the moon oh it's been a slog you know you've I mean you're in the talks as the greatest to ever do it devon kind of says it pretty unequivocally that you're the greatest

Fessi literally was like there's no argument there. Wow. So, wow. You just grew up right before my eyes. Wow. Wow. I mean,

listen, let's be real. I think for the women in the game, it's a different path because a lot of them don't stay as long or can put as many years in because they decide to go off and have a family. And I do think that you're more likely to see a father return than a mother. 100%. So I would say that it's a little bit,

if you're a single woman, it's a little bit easier to climb the ranks if you're really dedicated. So I think there's a little bit easier. other girls, if they would have stayed longer, they could probably be goats or humble, man, just the humble. It's a good point. It's a good point. But you've also put in the work, dedicated the time.

So that is greatly appreciated too because you really have put in the time now. I've put in the time. When I didn't realize you had done 13 seasons. Yeah, I know. Yeah. Congratulations. Thank you. And a true MTV kid.

We, you know, in this level, in this era of people coming from these different networks, a true MTV kid. What is it that makes an MTV kid different than a CBS or a peacock or whatever? I mean, well, when I first started, Botox wasn't a thing. Lip filler wasn't a thing. This is why I don't really look like myself anymore. That's bullshit. So, you know, we don't have those things going for us.

I think that it was just rugged and rough. And I came from like the tail end, right? I'm from R.U. the one. So this is like, we claim you guys now because there's so little of us really hold on to. So we're like, oh, yeah, no, they count now. They didn't count 10 years ago, but they're, they're, they're, now. Dude, but you can't have a personality like a Devin and not want to claim it. That motherfucker is so funny through and through. I think he's one of the funniest people to ever touch

a show. I'm going to triple that. I'd have, I mean, if, here's the thing. Even if you disagree with that, Leroy, who is, in my opinion, one of the funniest will give those flowers to Devin. Devin is hysterical. He's so, I mean, they make each other laugh. Yes. I loved, I loved being, I mean, the Challenge Mania lineup last night was crazy. It was one of the funniest. ones I think they could have put together. It was amazing. I forgot how funny you were. Don't tell me that. I'm one of the funniest. Because it's super dry

and you don't realize it until you're in it and you kind of watch the way you process you. I'm like, okay, actually, that's pretty funny. Well, Dirty 30, people forget because it's been nine years, but you know, people don't forget. I'm hilarious, Julie, I'm so funny. Dirty 30, the inaugural season, you were sending this one out and then you

come on the scene. So, what was your first impression watching Tori on camera and then meeting her in person? Like, what was your first impression of this young lady, right? So actually, I never watched 30 30. I met Tori first. I just heard because, you know, like, I was, I was actually on cast it for that season. I dropped out because I had a bad shoulder and wrist injury. And I had not let it heal before 29. So I was like, I had to take time. So I took 30 off. One of the biggest regrets I have. But like, you keep up with everyone. Everyone's like, yo, new rookie powerhouse, Tori from Are you the one?

So I'm like, okay. So now I'm on champ stars. And Ashley, rest in peace to her father. She gets sent home. And we're just like, we lost Jenna for a broken ankle. And they're like, we're bringing in Tori deal. And I was like, holy shit, we just got way better. Like, this is a, a rookie finalist.

Thank you. Like, we're very, it's hard to come by a rookie finalist. And so the first impression I have of Tori is they're like, all right, your new teammates here. And she comes in rapping. Ah, yeah. These are not good days. These are dark times.

Like full-flage rapping, dancing. We get all hyped up. Then we go and embrace it. We don't talk about the dark days. We do. Then we go and we like dominate a challenge. Tori kills it. And then she's like, yeah, I'm the new person.

I'm going in. And we're like, okay, like you're an awesome rookie because most rookies wouldn't do that. And then she goes in and beats Sean Johnson in elimination run. And the Miz is like, how do you feel? And she was like, I'm an Olympic gold medalist. And right then and there, I was like, oh, yeah, she belongs to it. The transitive property makes me an Olympic gold medalist. I mean, I beat an Olympian.

Yeah. Yeah. She was like, I won the gold medal. And I was like, yep. Yep, she's one of us. So let's flip it around. What was your first impression of this guy over here? Yeah, I mean, I think Zach's reputation preceded himself.

I had seen 29 invasion because I was supposed to be on invasion. And so I actually didn't end up doing that because I did second chances with Devin, which was the already the one spinoff of the challenge. And I, yeah, I met Zach. I mean, I knew about Zach and Jenna's history. I had a lot of respect for Jack. Jack. But also, I love that name.

I have a lot of respect for Jack. But when we also met, you know, we had a mutual friend Jordan. That is the other piece of it. It was kind of like, oh, like, if you're good with Jordan, you're good. That's the cozy. Because when I was on Champs for Stars, even though Jordan wasn't there, I was seeing Jordan every day. Yeah. I was always going to see him.

It was like a 45 minute drive. I would Uber there. I would come back the next morning. hungover. I mean, I was putting in work because I was like, oh my God, I get to be in L.A. Like, I want to make this thing between him and I work. So that was like the co-sign. Either of us, both of us had it. So we're good. Yeah, we were just like locked in. Mm-hmm. So, uh, you had seen, you had this competitive background. I mean, we don't, we, I don't know the casting story. So like, did you always see yourself on TV?

Did you see yourself as an actor? Yeah, I always wanted to be in front of the camera. I went to school for broadcast journalism. And so I did all these interviews with like artists after they would, I worked for like a really small company and we would just go interview like Jason DeRulo and like shaggy and like these like artists. And I was like, okay, I'm going to take these clips. I always wanted to be in front of the camera. You knew that. You knew you were a star. But at the time. Just say it out loud. I wanted to be a rapper, which is where this whole like I was like, I'm a rapper. I know that's my calling. I mean, it's embarrassing. It's not embarrassing. Let's get some bars. It's so absolutely not. Why not?

The mic has been hung up. It will never come back down. That's how I feel about dancing at weddings. I hung that up when I saw. We need that back and we need these bars back. No, they're never coming back. Never? Can I find it online?

Please don't. Michael says, yeah, watch champ stars. She comes in and just spitting bars. Okay. Oh, man. You know, you don't know yourself when you're 23.

It was 23. You know, I just don't know. I know that for sure. Yeah, you don't know yourself. You're just kind of doing things that you feel like are cool. And yeah, anyway, not a vibe. So you thought that this was your gateway, your path. This is my gateway to be a rapper.

I mean, yeah. Interesting. I'm going to be the toughest rapper ever. Tough. What were you rapping about? Bitches. Eating raccoons. No, I wasn't that version of me.

No, I know. So the evolution of Torrey Deal has been vast. Oh, yeah. Well, I started somewhere way over there. She wanted to be a rapper and now she writes books for children. Which to me is still kind of a wrap. It is actually. Because you can't wrap the book.

I hate when I'm reading my kids a book and it doesn't rhyme. Oh yeah. Because I'm speaking it as if it's going to rhyme and then it doesn't. And then I, Jenna's like, what are you reading? I'm like, I thought it was going to rhyme. Yeah. I'm glad you brought it up. Let's just dive into this right now.

New book out right now or not yet. Not until September 15th. Not until September 15th. Yeah. Let's plug it. Let's plug it right now. September 15th, the search first Europe, the sequel of it, the land of lunch is going to be available online.

Yeah. I mean, it's, it's my rap career, but into a children's book. So we did, I was chaperoning a children's reading event. The book is absolutely incredible. If you have kids, you need to get this book. And if you're just a big kid who goes to see Toy Story 5 by yourself, go get the book, which I did and I have. Shocker.

You and the Buzzlight your necklace. Wait, did you tell you had it personally made? Oh, no, I didn't know that. Yeah. There's sentimental value here. We don't have to get into my trauma. But wait, show off. the plushies.

Okay, this is koala pear and bumblepee. And you know what's so crazy is you must have remembered me and Jenna talking about this. Me and Jenna talked about it on Dirty 30. We were like,

the whole concept started when we were bored filming. It was like a 12 week film. Oh, that was a long one. It was a long one. And then so I started to work on it there. We were just coming up with like, I mean,

these characters didn't exist yet. Originally they were kitty pillar and Yolky Pear. So it really elevated. Yolky pear is like an egg pair? Yeah. Yeah. So originally this was Yolky Pear

and this was kitty pair. pillar and we're like, okay, we have to do better. So it evolved a lot. It changed and obviously got better, but it was conceptualized on the show. That's amazing. Yeah. And so, yes. And you made a kid's book and Jenna made kids. Dude, I mean, hey. You know, hey. You helped with one. Helped with one. I was conscious for one. No. Oh my God. I don't remember. Oh my God. Get in the bedroom. It's time. We need more. Um, so you've been creating these characters and on the Land of Lunch is an absolutely marvelous book. It's well illustrated.

Shout out to Vera. She's a wonderful person. So make sure you go get that. And we'll talk about that in a little bit. So, I mean, let's just dive right in at Dirty 30. Have you seen the show? Did you want to do the show? Were you competitive at that time?

Talk about that. Yeah, I was always playing college soccer. I hadn't seen the show until I got the call to do Are You the One? And once I got the call to do, are you the one, my friend was like, my friend growing up, or that I lived with in college, she was like, you need to perform well on that because you will get pulled on the challenge.

She was like, she knew I was a competitor. Like, I was always running and working out. I played college soccer, not at a good school, but doesn't matter. He still played college soccer.

Yeah, no. Right? But are you the one? Were you looking for love? For real? Dude, I was looking for.

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