Sometimes, within the course of human events, it becomes clear that we are living in nothing but a game of Mad Libs. Names, some of which ring a bell and some of which we thought maybe we’d never hear from again, resurface in strange combinations. Long-ago figures are plucked out of obscurity, as if by the Moirai, and spoken into our collective thread of doomed fate.
Such is the feeling you might have when you learn about the cast of the upcoming fifth season of the reality TV spectacle Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test — a call sheet that will doubtlessly elicit a range of reactions, such as, “Who?,” “Oh, yeah, her!,” and, of course … “HIM!?”
The cast for the upcoming fifth season, announced Wednesday, includes a few notable queer names, including actress Ruby Rose, who recently garnered headlines for publicly accusing singer Katy Perry of sexual assault (which Perry declined), as well as disgraced master fabulist, convicted felon, and former congressman George Thee Santos.
There are also plenty of celebs from beloved queer-adjacent fare, including Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Brandi Glanville, Selling Sunset star Breana Tiesi, as well as former RHOBH husband Mauricio Umansky and his daughter Alexia.
The cast also includes NBA champion Matt Barnes, world champion boxer Alycia Baumgardner, Baywatch’s David Charvet, Jon & Kate Plus 8 child Collin Gosselin, actor Oliver Hudson, Super Bowl champion LeSean McCoy, Olympic figure skater Maxim Naumov, and comedian Hannah Stocking. Rounding out the slate is Full House star Candace Cameron Bure, who has in the past faced allegations of homophobia, especially as it pertains to her departure from the Hallmark Channel for the faith-based Great American Family television network.
Santos, of course, has always seemed destined for reality TV after treating the job of public servant as an audition. During his brief time in the public eye, he was outed as Brazilian drag queen Kitara Ravache, became the sixth House rep ever expelled from Congress, was sentenced to 87 months in prison, and then was released after having his sentence commuted by Donald Trump. As an overachieving millennial myself, I just have to respect the hustle.
For those unfamiliar with Special Forces, the show will deploy its cast to Malaysia where the group will “endure the world’s toughest test in the most hostile environment a soldier could operate in… the jungle,” according to Fox. “Recruits must adapt to uncomfortable conditions, unpredictable terrain and harsh jungle warfare tasks, including a claustrophobic, high-pressure search of an underground bunker to find crucial military weapons; a supply load retrieval while suspended 300 feet above the jungle floor; endure a barrage of chemical gassing while retrieving coordinates of an enemy vessel,” and other equally harrowing tasks, according to the official description.
The show is known for assembling a reality TV hodgepodges of hasbeens and headline grabbers. Season 4 included former Empire star Jussie Smollett (before the Karamo Brown dating rumors) alongside Real Housewives stars Teresa Giudice and Eva Marcille. Previous castmates include JoJo Siwa (season 2), Tom Sandoval (season 2), Gus Kenworthy (season 1) and Spice Girl Mel B (season 1).
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