Context: The Challenge (originally known as Road Rules: All Stars, followed by Real World / Road Rules Challenge) is a reality game show on MTV that is spun off from the network's two reality shows, Real World and Road Rules. It features alumni from these two shows, in addition to rookies and alumni from The Challenge, and alumni from Are You the One?, Big Brother (US), Ex on the Beach (UK and US), and Geordie Shore competing against one another for a cash prize. The Challenge is currently hosted by T.J. Lavin. The series premiered on June 1, 1998. The title of the show was originally Road Rules: All Stars before it was renamed Real World / Road Rules Challenge by the show's 2nd season, then later abridged to simply The Challenge by the show's 19th season. The series initially used no hosts but instead a former cast member who had been kicked off his or her season, providing assignments as "Mr." or "Ms. Big" (David "Puck" Rainey, David Edwards, and Gladys Sanabria served this role). Later on, however, the series began using hosts: Eric Nies and Mark Long co-hosted a season, and Jonny Moseley and Dave Mirra hosted various seasons before T.J. Lavin became the show's regular host by the 11th season.\n\nQuestion: when was the first episode of the challenge? OK. Let's think. My stream of consciousness:
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To answer this question, we should know that: The series premiered on June 1, 1998. The answer is June 1 , 1998.
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