David “Puck” Rainey is turning heads again — more than three decades after his polarizing run on MTV’s The Real World.
Rainey, now 57, appeared on The Real World: San Francisco, filmed from February through June 1994, when he was 25. Often labeled one of reality TV’s earliest “villains,” he became known for messy habits, questionable hygiene and frequent clashes with his housemates.
After his time on the series, Rainey continued to surface in reality TV, including a stint connected to what later became The Challenge. Away from the cameras, he became a father, worked in jobs outside entertainment and also faced a string of legal issues.
More recently, Rainey has shifted into online content creation. He’s launched what he calls a “farm-to-table” cooking channel on TikTok under the username @PuckCooks, where he films himself cooking at home and sharing tips. He also reposts the same clips to YouTube.
Following his eviction from The Real World: San Francisco, Rainey still appeared in the show’s remaining nine episodes. He later returned for The Real World Reunion in 1995, which brought together casts from the first four seasons.
In 1998, he hosted Road Rules: All Stars — now widely considered the earliest season of The Challenge — and later competed on Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes. During that era, he married Betty Garcia on the show, and the couple later had three children.
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In a 2013 interview with MTV News, Rainey said he had welcomed four more children with other partners. Years later, while appearing on the Good Company with Bowling podcast, he said he hadn’t seen his children in years.
Outside reality TV, Rainey took on work including driving trucks. He also encountered serious legal trouble over time, including cases involving allegations of domestic violence, felony possession of ammunition, stalking and driving under the influence.
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Back in 1994, as his on-screen persona drew attention, Rainey spoke about his approach to life and why he didn’t try to soften his image.
“I’m not into the fluffy, sterile part of life,” he said at the time. “I think everyone should act a little crazy.”
Reflecting on how his castmates reacted to him, he added, “They wanted me to change, and that’s not in my book.”
“They made it clear they didn’t want to participate in my life,” he said.
