Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes 2, Episode 8: Squirm

Before we begin, I just want to wish everybody a happy holiday weekend. Also, one Challenge veteran got hitched recently: Julie Stoffer was wed to Spencer Rogers a few weeks back. Julie, I hope you're happy. As for Spencer? Run. Trust me on this. Just run, dude.

Previously on Battle of the Sexes 2: the veterans on the ladies' team influenced decisions, forcing the newbies to rethink their strategy. Cynthia told a few rookies to stand up for themselves. Tina and Tonya got into a fight. Cynthia got voted out, which caused more friction for the team. The boys beat the girls in High Noon, running their record to 5-1. Shawn and Angela were sent home, but not before Angela whined about how she didn't bitch or backstab. In case you haven't figured it out, it sucks to be on the women's squad right now.

Women's Lodge. Coral sings the praises of the Slurpee machine to Tonya. Yes, that's another reason to hate these people: they get to have frozen drinks, while you have to shlep to a convenience market. Coral then brings up Cynthia with Robin in earshot, since Robin was part of the Inner Circle that voted her off. Coral, if you wanted to impress me, try ranking on your pal Veronica or Ruthie the warrior princess. Robin tells Coral that if she should lead the team and win. "I don't have to step up, bitch," Coral snipes. "I was born to stepping up." Sure you are. I like Coral, but she tends to stretch the truth. Robin interviews that Coral is an intimidator who doesn't want others to do well, and that she wants new blood instead of the same people. Coral interviews that the new girls are biting off more than they can chew.

In the kitchen, Katie tells Aneesa that she wants to break up the alliance. Aneesa claims she can't trust anybody. Katie interviews that the veterans (Rachel, Veronica, and Coral) are confident, but the newbies (Robin, Ibis, and Aneesa) want to play fair. Actually, Aneesa went through this already. Ibis gripes how anybody who threatens the alliance gets whacked. Katie: "They care about one thing, and that's themselves. Not even each other." She labels Rachel as the bad seed and Veronica's "little protege." Burn! Aneesa makes sure that the conversation they just had never happened. Ibis interviews that she's aware of what's going on, and she's ready to start voting people off.

Daytime. Sophia talks with Nick and Shane about how people see them as gay characters. Shane tries to be strong from it. Eric pipes up about how they would come out to the world. I'd tell Eric to shut his heterosexual mouth, but the guy was probably close to Norman way back in 1992 during RW: New York. Shane interviews that he's happy Nick is here, since he's not the only gay person on the Challenge. What about BOTS1 and Dan Renzi? And I know Antoine seemed to be on the sexuality fence back then. How could you forget about those guys, Shane? "I think I could learn a lot from Shane," Nick interviews. "He's been through things that I'm going to be going through. I'm getting to see his perspective on all of this." Right away, the alarms go off in my mind. We've never focused on Nick or Shane this season. Are the Foreshadowing Fairies back in force?

Twilight. Mark and Brad play table tennis, when the sponsor phone rings. Jonny's message is weird, starting off with "There are 24 souls left." Huh? Yadda yadda yadda, be ready at 9 a.m., wearing bathing suits underneath clothes.

New day! Jonny welcomes the gang to today's mission: Fill 'Er Up. The guys hoot and holler for whatever reason. Jonny claims that this mission doesn't involve "any prior skills or talent," but it is extremely gross, and it involves strategy. Jonny takes the tarp off a container, which holds 100,000 "superworms" and 1,000 giant cockroaches. Yes, it's gonna be that kind of day. If you're eating something now, you'd best wait a few hours before continuing. The players' reactions range from being amped to two seconds from throwing up. Ibis interviews that she's never seen bugs that big. Jonny says that they don't have to eat them. Instead, they "only" have to chew them up and spit them out. Good thing Ace isn't here. That guy would've run halfway to Albuquerque by now, and I wouldn't have blamed him.

After commercials, Jonny lays out the rules: the team leaders choose one person to be drenched in honey. That person is placed in a glass coffin and gets covered in worms and roaches. One at a time, the players pick off the critters… with their mouths only. They proceed to run to a container, where they spit the mess out through a connecting straw. Who thinks up this crap? I want a name, people. Steven expositions that the first team to fill the container up to a set line wins. Nick adds that if the players touch the container, that results in a one-minute penalty. The winning team gets a "Swedish sleep system," valued at $2,100 apiece. First of all, just say, "mattress," Jonny. Secondly, is it worth a good night's sleep to be inhaling stuff you're not supposed to inhale? Jonny gives both sides the usual 30 minutes to appoint team leaders.