The Untold Truth Of Wes Bergmann
Wes Bergmann first emerged on MTV's "Real World: Austin" as a cocky frat-boy with a love-to-hate personality. Seventeen years later, the 38-year-old is still unapologetically himself, just with a few more "Challenge" wins and luxury cars to his name. The Kansas native is famous for his strategic reality TV politics, which have saved him from countless eliminations and allowed him to form alliances to steer his way to victory. He's taken home two wins on the MTV show, as well as winning the spinoff series "All Stars 3" (which airs on Paramount+) in July 2022.
But when it comes to Bergmann, there's a lot more depth to the television personality than fans might think. The perceivably arrogant, quick-witted mastermind is quite involved in different facets of life beyond defending his legacy as a veteran on the show. We're giving you a firsthand look into what he's up to between filming and all the details that make up the unfiltered, untold truth of Wes Bergmann.
The TV star is also an entrepreneur
Wes Bergmann is every bit of brains as he is brawn. The "Challenge" champ graduated with a business degree and honors from Arizona State University and owns his own company BetaBlox. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found the business, which helps accelerate startup companies in development, in 2012. "I've been obsessed with entrepreneurship my entire life. There's nothing about it I don't love, especially the hard parts," Bergmann wrote via LinkedIn. The entrepreneur's hard work certainly paid off. In an interview with 41 Action News, BetaBlox was referred to as the "Shark Tank of Kansas City."
"Challenge" fans may remember the famous Bergmann line in "Rivals 2" when the veteran won an elimination that he was thrown into by his castmate and rival Johnny Devenanzio, better known as Johnny Bananas. When Devenanzio taunted Bergmann by asking, "What do you have?," Bergmann quipped back: "I have a BMW, a Porsche, a house, a monster truck, and 30 companies," followed by a string of expletives. Well, he doesn't really own 30 companies, but his BetaBlox company was founded on the idea of taking on 10 new startups each cycle. In exchange for 5% of equity, Bergmann and his BetaBlox team take entrepreneurs and provide them with educational assets and mentors to help grow their company.
The champ wasn't quite prepared for All Stars 3
Wes Bergmann went into "All Stars 3" thinking it would be a cakewalk. With two wins under his belt, he originally intended to go on the spinoff series for a bit of a change from the flagship show. With rookies constantly after him season after season, Bergmann told People that he thought "All Stars" would give him a break from being the guy to beat. "I'm so tired of being public enemy No. 1 or 2 on the flagship show. I thought this was going to be different, and I was wrong. It's obvious that I'm going to have a hard time winning either show," said Bergmann. He went on to say that he didn't feel like the biggest threat, considering he's an average-sized man who's getting older. "And I'm just sitting there like a redheaded angel, never doing anything wrong, just constantly bullied by everybody. But it makes me the star of the show, so it's a self-fulfilling prophecy on their end," he added.
While Bergmann went on to win the show alongside castmate and now two-time "All Stars" champion Jonna Mannion, the stacked cast of OGs made the journey to victory that much sweeter. "It was not easy stepping into an entire house full of icons," Bergmann wrote on Instagram.
Wes Bergmann's home life
While you can certainly find Wes Bergmann putting rookies in their place, you won't catch him stealing hearts on the show. Bergmann is happily married to his wife Amanda Hornick after tying the knot in 2018. Bergmann shared some dreamy snapshots from the nuptials on his Instagram, writing "In all seriousness, I'm the luckiest guy in the world, and I believe these pictures personify this fact. The star of the pictures is the girl of my dreams, Amanda BERGMANN." In true "Wes" fashion, he told Us Weekly at the time that his newlywed wishes were to "go on the next Challenge and f*** some people up."
While he certainly did just that, he definitely enjoys his downtime with Hornick in between seasons. Bergmann frequently posts sweet snapshots with his wife and their beloved dog on Instagram. Hornick specializes in higher education administration, via her LinkedIn page, and currently works in campus recruitment in the Kansas City area. She is an avid yogi, and according to her Instagram, a Lululemon ambassador.
He's friends with his cast mates IRL
What's better than a former cast that reunites in real life? Wes Bergmann told Rolling Stone that he keeps in touch with a few of his "Challenge" cast members, and he's close with many of his cast mates from his "Real World: Austin" season, some of whom even showed up to celebrate his nuptials. "The Challenge" official Instagram page shared a post with several of his original "Real World" cast mates as well as "Challenge" competitor Devin Walker celebrating at Bergmann's wedding. His former "Real World" roommate Lacey Buehler shared some snaps of her and the groom from the big day, writing on Instagram, "My best brother friend. One of the few people I don't look as pale next to," she captioned a photo. "Love you and am so happy for you."
But it's not just the "Real World: Austin" cast that Bergmann stays close with. The TV personality took quarantining to a new level when he invited many of his former "Challenge" competitors to Kansas City to film "Friends And Benefits." According to the show's description, FWB is a "community service-driven content factory" that films Bergmann and the likes of Nany Gonzalez, Kailah Casillas, Dee Nguyen, and Devin Walker. The episodes are a mixture of the crew hanging out and creating content as well as giving back to the community. To keep up with the crew and their quarantine adventures, the Patreon platform charges $30 monthly for access.
The last-minute decision to audition
Wes Bergmann wasn't thinking much about the future when he showed up to his "Real World: Austin" audition drunk in 2005. He got cast for the show, went on to compete frequently (and win) "Challenge" seasons, and made a name for himself on the MTV franchise along the way.
But you probably couldn't predict that future based on the popped-collar jock who took a break from Arizona State University to try his hand at reality TV. He has a random girl he met at a party the night before the casting call to thank for his MTV resume. Bergmann told Rolling Stone that when the girl suggested leaving because of her next-day audition, he made a life-altering decision. "I thought quick on my feet and said, 'You know what? So am I! And I've got this idea. Why don't we stay up all night long, get really drunk, and then show up to the interview together and tell them the story of the hijinx that we did?'" said Bergmann.
Bergmann was not even legally able to drink at the time of his casting at the young age of just 19. The "Challenge" star spoke in an interview with Farzin Vousoughian about his launch into stardom. "It kind of clicked over pretty darn fast," he said. When asked how he handled fans in public, the 38-year-old says he always takes a moment for his fans, but he is not chasing fame. "I just really love the game that I get to continually play," Bergmann said.
He makes videos for his fans
If you need a personalized gift from the "Challenge" legend, look no further! Wes Bergmann offers Cameo videos for his fans. Bergmann has several packages, including live video chats, pre-recorded video messages, and an option for fans to send him a message. He's been on the platform for over three years, frequently advertising it on his Instagram, writing in one post: "If you need a custom video shoutout from the sexiest Ginger in the world — it's not too late to book one."
His Cameo site description reads, "Book me. Become happier." The competitor goes above and beyond for his fans, even tweeting, "I don't start platforms I can't crush. 1,000 cameos delivered on-time, 100% [five-star] reviews." If you need it quickly, Bergmann offers a fast 24-hour turnaround time. He's not the only "Challenge" star offering videos for fans. Fans can also find host T.J. Lavin, and cast members Cara Maria, Zach Nichols, and Jenna Compono on the platform.
Wes Bergmann has been injured while filming
Wes Bergmann took home $250,000 in prize money following the end of his win on "All Stars 3" but not without suffering a few injuries in the process. Bergmann tweeted during Episode 2 that he even went so far as to fake away his pain to keep him in the game after he tore his bicep during a daily mission. "For two days I couldn't bend my elbow, thought I'd have to go home but hid it until I had enough mobility to fake using my arm," he wrote.
In a 35-foot drop into the ocean, he also cracked his tooth so bad it required him to get it taken care of while filming. The "Out of Reach" challenge required players to be suspended 35 feet above the water in what was certainly a grueling situation. He detailed his experience in a tweet: "It started cutting my tongue so badly it was swelling and I couldn't swallow. I had to be escorted to a dentist downtown to do a temporary fix."
The TV personality is big into cars
There's a lot you can do with a quarter of a million dollars. But if you're Wes Bergmann, the decision is simple — buy a Lamborghini. On Bergmann's debut season of the "All Stars" spinoff, he took home the victory and decided to splurge on another luxury car to add to his collection. "I know everyone's playing for all sorts of different reasons," the veteran told E! News. "But, like, hasn't everyone always wanted a Lamborghini?" True that, Wes.
That's not the only thing Bergmann is boasting about. He posted a photo on Instagram of him smirking in front of his Corvette with the caption "Zoom Zoom." So his famous "I have a BMW, a Porsche, a house, a monster truck, and 30 companies" is due for a reboot, as the television personality can add a Lambo to his overflowing garage.
But in case you think cars are all he cares about, the 38-year-old also knows how to give back to his "Challenge" fans. In addition to his new set of wheels purchased after his "All Stars 3" win, he used a chunk of his prize money to fly his castmates out to his home in Kansas City to film an unofficial reunion following the series wrap.
His love for his hometown
Wes Bergmann is a Kansas City native, so naturally, he's a big Chiefs fan. The "Challenge" champion frequently posts videos and photos on his Instagram supporting the team at games. His love for his city is obvious, and Bergmann even offered to personally meet his fans during the pandemic in 2020. "Myself, and 4 current members of THIS season of The Challenge will be driving around KC all day on WEDNESDAY to say hello FROM our CARS, to you, on your PORTCH," he tweeted at the time.
The reality TV personality is also a fan of the Kansas City Royals. Bergmann posted an Instagram photo with his wife Amanda at a Royals baseball game celebrating their anniversary. "My wife and I celebrated our anniversary last week by recreating the day in which I asked her to marry me," the MTV star wrote. Bergmann posted side-by-side photos of him and his wife at the stadium on the day of their anniversary and the day he popped the big question.
The All Star loves his dogs
There's no doubt that Wes Bergmann loves to have furry friends around to keep him company. The "Challenge" veteran has no shortage of dog photos decorating his Instagram page. In 2021, he lost his long-time companion and built-in best friend Bootstrap to bone cancer. "He was my best friend, my co-founder, my son, and the wingman that brought me together with my wife," Bergmann wrote in March 2021. It was Bergmann's fans that helped him through the difficult time, and the competitor took to Instagram to thank them for all of their condolences. "I would like to thank you all because you were a giant reason I was able to get through it," he wrote on Instagram one year later in 2022. "I wanted to make sure you all knew your messages were comforting."
The reality TV star has another dog named Penny, who he leaned on in the difficult aftermath of Bootstrap's death. Bergmann posted a photo with her on Instagram, writing, "Dogs have an intuition about when we need them. Especially if we're sad." Bergmann is always out and about with Penny, frequently posting selfies with his black-and-white fur baby.
He'll be back on The Challenge
Rest assured, this veteran still plans on defending his "Challenge" champion reputation. Wes Bergmann spoke to E! News about his future on the show and his desire to compete in the future. "I want to go back to the flagship show," he said. "I want to do 'All Stars 4,' I want to do all this other stuff, but it all just comes down to scheduling. I am going to do whatever is possible."
No matter what show the veteran competes on, he is always grateful to be a part of the "Challenge" family. The Kansas native took the time to shout out the crew and production team that put together his "All Stars" season on Instagram. When asked what changes he's noticed on "Challenge" shows as the series has transformed over its many seasons, he told Rolling Stone, "It's definitely gotten a lot more like a sport. The art of it all is just so much better ... The overall cinematography of it all, every last morsel that is on that show, is just so much more beautiful than it used to be. It's almost like every area of making every asset that they've got, they just continue to level up their game." Sounds like he's still a big fan.
The champ is worth a pretty penny
If his Lamborghini purchases can tell us anything, it's that Wes Bergmann has money to spend. He's made a career off more than just "Challenge" victories with his investments in the startup business, and the reality TV star has a net worth to support his comfortable lifestyle. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bergmann is worth about $500,000. He's a two-time "Challenge" champion, taking home over $300,000 in prize money during his appearances on the hit show.
It seems the champ has invested wisely, though, as he's doing more with his money than just buying luxury cars. He's also put some money into a wellness company. As for how else he earns cash outside of "Challenge" victories and Cameo videos, he offers Patreon subscribers some insider details if they cough up a monthly fee, per Men's Health. On the Mike Lewis podcast, Bergmann revealed that moneymaking goes way back for him, saying, "I've always been an entrepreneur, like always just had that drive and just socked away money and socked away money." Which helps explain the impressive net worth he's built up.