Tonya Cooley
Tonya Cooley was the controvrsial castmate on MTV's 11th season of The Real World set in Chicago. She has since been a Real World/Road Rules Challenge darling, participating on 4 challenges to date. (2005)
Tonya Cooley was born on January 7th, 1980, in Walla Walla, Washington. She was adopted at birth and has since been on foster care until she came of age.
The Real World: Chicago
In 2001, The Real World debuted, and profiled Tonya as a home-girl. She had never interacted with African-Americans (so she was portrayed as a racist), homosexuals, (homophobic), and had rarely been apart from her boyfriend, Justin (She thus became more of a hermit rather than a party animal like her roomates). Often, the roommates alienated her. Notably, she went to the hospital, during the season, 3 times because of kidney stones, and even left home for about a week. Many times the editing made her look sympathetic, as well as introverted. She got into arguements with Theo (glass throwing involved), Aneesa, and best-friend-turned-enemy Cara. But she managed to upset everyone throughout the duration of the show because of her constant phone conversation with boyfriend Justin. Her breast implants were also a course for conversation.
Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes
Tonya was invited to her first challenge, along with Aneesa and Theo, in the Battle of the Sexes. Despite having broken up with her boyfriend, Tonya remained conservative and mature as she did during Chicago. She befriended the older and more mature Emily, Christina, and Anne, as well as the controversial Ellen. She proved to be a less-than-good player, more because of the players she teamed up with. In an effort to save the crumbling girls team, she volunteered herself out of the game since she had the lowest score, rather than leaving it up to a bickering inner-circle (The girls team made it more political). She exited on a good point, and many respected her for it.
Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Gauntlet
For the next "Challenge," which she was invited to along with her castmate Theo, Tonya made a complete 180 degree turn. Tonya started to be more flirtation with the men, as well as drinking and unclothing. She became friends with the Challenge Queen-Bee Coral Smith, and became playful with Challenge veteran Veronica Portillo. In the early stage of the game, she injured her leg during a challenge, and had to wear a leg-cast while waiting for a comprehensive assessment of her leg. This scared her Real World team, and opted to vote her into the Gauntlet. Angry and upset, she proceeded to the Gauntlet and lost. This would be third time she would be sick or hurt in front of the MTV cameras. (In BOTS, she also had to wear a leg cast, but it did not affect her position.)
Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes 2
In this challenge, Tonya begins to completely let loose. She begins to flash her breasts more often, as well as hook-up with the boys more. (Theo, Ace, and Mark, which was post-show) However, she becomes more of a nuisance to the girls, more specifically once-gal-pals Coral, Veronica, and Rachael Robinson. However, her determination and marked improvement on the challenge did not go un-noticed. She even went as far as to put rocks in her mouth (suggestively) to try to melt ice. However, her inability to step up as a leader as well as her waining prowress also did not go un-noticed. Also,Her notable arguement with Road Ruler Tina Barta became a staple on the show. Eventually, she was voted off toward the end of the Challenge.
Real World/Road Rules Challenge: The Inferno II: Good Guys vs. Bad Asses Her most recent challenge, Inferno II, became her most famous, and also dawned her as a Real World bad ass. From the start, tensions between her and Tina were drawn. Fellow Bad Ass team member Beth instigated a situation which would forever live in Real World/Road Rules Challenge history. After Beth immaturely exposed Tonya and Road Ruler Mark's relationship to Mark's then girlfriend Robin, Robin angrily confronted Tonya. When Tonya confronted a sleeping Beth, Beth was coy and refused to answer. So in a show of "machismo" and exposure, Tonya proceeded to take Beth's luggage and valuables, and throw out all articles of clothing into the house pool. From shirts, thongs, and purses, Beth's valuables were wet and exposed. Beth shortly left the show, and took legal action. As far as drama went, Tonya became the main angle of the show. Known as the "Road Rules's Axis of Evil," Veronica, Rachael, and Tina, began to harass Tonya. Tonya often responded with verbal assualts and short-lived drama, but toward the end of the show, she turned towars ignorance. In the the challenge, Tonya fluctuated from remarkable to disastrous. She won two Infernos, sending two Good Girls home, and made it to the final challenge, but eventually lost it for her team, along with Tina. However, many say that Tonya purposely performed badly to sabotage her team, who except for maybe one person, did not like her at all.
Post-Real World
Tonya declined to do the next Challenge. Shortly after returning from the Challenge, Tonya posed for Playboy and is currently starring in E!'s Killing Reality with other reality show stars.