Ryan Ferguson (L) and his friend Dusty (R) have been the most successful team in the race finishing 1st twice and 2nd also twice - (The Amazing Race - photo)

Caro and Sam had the most interesting personalities on the race. They are one of the four eligible teams not to return when the race resumed - (The Amazing Race - photo)

Video Beat - COVID SLOWED DOWN THE PACE of THE AMAZING RACE

James Loving - National Radio Text Service

Following an almost 19 month interlude following leg 3 due to the COVID pandemic The Amazing Race resumed leg 4 with four eligible teams dropping out and the resurrection of two previously eliminated teams returning to the race to help fill the void. In one of the most racially diverse casts of the series this is one of the most interesting races ever on several levels. What are they? Read on…

SHUT DOWN BUT... NOT OUT

Tuesday January 25, 2022

I mean really man… this COVID thing is a pain in our arses… aka asses. It interrupted our TV viewing for sports and entertainment. The Amazing Race, being one of the most popular shows on the air had to halt season 33 due to the COVID pandemic. Original filming began February 22, 2020. On February 28th it was suspended. It was the first time in the shows history this occurred. After an almost 19 month hiatus the show resumed. The race started filming the 4th leg on September 17, 2021 following a 1 year, 6 month and 20 day suspension.

The race continued with several changes. For starters their planned trips were adjusted to be more compatible with COVID restrictions and to keep the contestants safe. Travel arrangements were adjusted by having the contestants use charted flights and having to drive cars more. Those changes helped keep everyone safer from coming into contact with the general public. It was a mighty task but the producers pulled it off with some other hitches.

When the race resumed several eligible teams that remained after the 3rd leg failed to return for various undisclosed reasons. Four of the remaining teams that qualified for leg 4 did not return including the winners of the 1st leg childhood friends Anthony and Spencer who had the best record of the teams that dropped out. A married couple Connie and Sam that had the 2nd best record of no returnees and You Tube sensations Taylor and Isaiah also dropped out.

The most interesting no returnees were bi-coastal dating couple Caro and Sam that met via the Internet. Throughout their three legs together they argued and fought, basically they had a hard time getting along. Ironically they were two of the most interesting personalities on the show.

To fill the gap to eliminated teams were reinserted into the race including Buffalo New York policeman Michael and Moe. They have the distinction of being eliminated first in each of their first legs.

Indian father and daughter team Arun and Natalia continue to narrowly escape being eliminated. The have finished next to last in their two most recent legs. During the 18 month break Natalia got married.

From the outset the most interesting thing is how racially diverse this group of contestants ever was. Of the 22 competitors we counted a majority of people of color with one exception. Radio host twins Lu Lu and La La are of Spanish extraction. The question is are they Castilian? If so that would adjust the equation somewhat.

When the race began there were two human interest stories among the entrants. The most publicized was when American soldiers captured a passenger on the 2015 train attack Anthony Sadler and Spencer Stone of a knife wielding passenger that was threatening to kill people. They took away a knife and subdued him. They are the two non returnee childhood friends mention above.

The other is the tragic story of Ryan Ferguson who spent 10 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted. With the help of friends he was finally released and became a physical fitness trainer. During the last (4th) leg of the race he made a joke about his situation which caught host Phil Keoghan by surprise and he remarked to Ferguson that is was surprised that he could joke about it. He and his friend Dusty have been the most successful team in the race. They have finished 1st twice and 2nd twice in the four legs.

Six of the original 11 teams remain. Who will win the COVID edition of the Amazing Race…. Stay tuned…

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