Reality AF: Amazing Race Host Phil Keoghan on the Death of Non-Elimination Legs, a Racer’s Smartest Move, & His Pick for Competition Partner
Photo Courtesy of CBS
Editor’s Note: Welcome to Reality AF, where each week Terry Terrones checks in on the state of reality TV, or, in this case, catches up with one of the biggest names in the game.
After 21 years and 33 trips around the globe, The Amazing Race shows no signs of slowing down. And throughout its run, host and producer Phil Keoghan has been alongside contestants every step of the way.
To get prepared for the series’ 34th season, which premiered last Wednesday, I chatted with Keoghan as the show got ready to air its 400th episode. I got his thoughts on why (for the first time ever) the series began outside of the United States, his most memorable moments, and how he thinks he’d do as a contestant. Here’s a transcript of our conversation.
There’s quite a few things that are unique about this season. What’s the reasoning behind the decision to have the starting line outside the U.S. for the first time ever?
Why not? I guess is the answer. For the first time we have access to a charter. We used it in Season 33 and again this season, so rather than having everyone rush to the start line in the U.S. we thought, “If we could fly anywhere for the start, where would we go?” The answer, Munich, Germany, home to the world’s largest beer festival, and where teams start off scrambling around the city to complete Oktoberfest-inspired challenges.
Non-elimination legs have also been eliminated. Why is that?
Non-Eliminations have been a point of conversation with fans since we began. Some fans loved the idea that they don’t know whether it is or isn’t an elimination, but many more have said they like the all or nothing aspect of competition and would love to see that on Race. Why the change? Again, why not? My announcement about no more non-eliminations certainly got the attention of the cast and yours so, here we go, watch out for a different kind of intensity on this Amazing Race.
It looks like you have a great and diverse cast that even includes a former NFL head coach. Which teams should we be keeping an eye on this season?
All of them, really all of them. There is never one team that makes a season work. Like cooking a tasty dish, you have to have all the right ingredients, the right amount of everything you need to fire the taste buds—too much of one thing, or too little of another can destroy a culinary experience. It is like that when assembling the right cast. You’re right, we pride ourselves with the diversity of our casting, we want our diverse audience to see themselves represented in some way, to see a team they can identify with and then vicariously travel with them to far away places to complete once in a lifetime challenges.
Look out for the most amazing backstory we have ever had on the Race, Emily and Molly: twin sisters who were separated at birth and didn’t know either existed until recently. You will literally see them getting to know each other for the first time. Juxtapose that with team T-Rex, NFL Coach Rex Ryan and his buddy Tim, himself a hyper competitive person who has competed in powerlifting. We have couples in love, a Big Brother team with Derek and Claire, and a fascinating generational father/daughter team. Don’t take your eye off any of the teams.
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