MTV Ejects 3 Challenge Contestants After N-Word Incident and Kitchen Damage

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 18

Three contestants — Leo Dionicio, Josh Goldstein and Nelson Thomas — were removed from MTV’s “The Challenge: Cutthroat” after an off-camera code-of-conduct breach revealed at the start of Wednesday’s episode.
Page Six reported Dionicio used the N-word during a game, Goldstein repeated it, and Thomas later damaged the kitchen after confronting Goldstein over the slur.
Thomas confirmed on X that he “broke dishes” and “destroyed” the kitchen, while Dionicio said on Johnny Bananas’ podcast that he felt he should not have been punished despite signing the same contract.
Paramount declined to detail each contestant’s conduct, but a source said all three were removed under Bunim/Murray’s code of conduct.
The case echoes Paramount’s 2023 “Big Brother” controversy, when one contestant was expelled for using the N-word while another was not, raising questions then about unequal enforcement.