Did you know? The Amazing Race and it's longtime success is the result of a five minute bet. A sign that one should take bets often.
Season 19 premieres on SABC3 tonight (30 June) at 20h30 and brings with it news that I've never known before. I've just discovered how The Amazing Race was started and thought I'd share in case you've never heard.
The story goes (real life): Amazing Race producers Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster were at a TV trade fair together and Bertram challenged Elise to create a TV concept within five minutes, betting her that she couldn't do it. And The Amazing Race is the result.
She came up with the idea of a race around the world, the pair of them then refined the concept and sold it to CBS. And here we are
19 24 seasons later. Season 24 has just ended in America so SABC3's ages behind as per usual.
As a result some of the circumtances surrounding contestants have changed between the season and now, most notably former Survivor winners Jenna Morasca and Ethan Zohn.
As you probs know, the pair dated for years - for 10 years. Then, last year they broke up, sadly. I've always found them sweet together so it was sad to hear but things sounded amicable between them.
This is what they told
People when they released the news:
It is with much consideration and a heavy heart that we are announcing that after 10 years of a loving relationship, the decision was made to move on without each other.
Sounded sad but very amicable I thought. They were still dating when they were on TAR so the dynamics of their relationship will be interesting.
Here's a rundown of the teams on the show ... the Who's Who in the zoo:
Marcus Pollard and Amani Pollard
Married Couple
Marcus is a 39-year-old retired NFL player and football coach. Amani is a 36-year-old business owner. They are from Pine Mountain, Georgia.
Andy Finch and Tommy Czeschin
Friends and former Olympic Snowboarders
Andy is a 30-year-old professional snowboarder from Truckee, California. Tommy is a 32-year-old professional snowboarder from Crowley Lake, California.
Bill Alden and Cathi Alden
Grandparents
Bill is a 63-year-old farmer and rancher and Cathi is a 62-year-old college instructor and retired high school principal. They have been married for 40 years and are from Albany, Oregon.
Ernie Halvorsen and Cindy Chiang
Engaged Couple
Ernie is a 29-year-old project manager and Cindy is a 30-year-old brand manager. They are both from Chicago, Illinois.
Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morasca
Dating Couple
Ethan is a 37-year-old "change maker" and Jenna is a 30-year-old TV host and student. They currently reside in New York, New York.
Jeremy Cline and Sandy Draghi
Dating Couple
Jeremy is a 35-year-old commercial real estate broker from Alamo, California. Sandy is a 33-year-old nurse practitioner from Dublin, California.
Justin Young and Jennifer Young
Siblings
Justin is a 31-year-old doctor and Jennifer is a 26-year-old special education teacher. They are from Stone Mountain, Georgia.
Kaylani Paliotta and Lisa Tilley
Friends and former Vegas Showgirls
Kaylani is a 33-year-old cocktail waitress. Lisa is a 32-year-old cocktail waitress. They currently reside in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Laurence Sunderland and Zac Sunderland
Father/Son Adventurers
Laurence is a 48-year-old yacht manager from Thousand Oaks, California. Zac is a 19-year-old record-setting boat captain who was the youngest person to ever sail around the world alone.
Liz Canavan and Marie Canavan
Twins
Liz is a 24-year-old marketing assistant while Marie, her twin sister, is "soul searching." They are from Deerfield, Illinois.
Ron Zeitz and Bill Smith
Domestic Partners
Ron is a 44-year-old flight attendant and Bill is a 49-year-old flight attendant. They are from Laguna Niguel, California.