Rob Cesternino and Jessica Liese preview the 11 teams competing on the Amazing Race All-Stars. Join us live to give us your questions and comments as we get ready for the Amazing Race 24 premiere on Sunday, February 23rd.
Rob Cesternino starts the preview by congratulating Jessica Liese on her recent wedding! Jessica discusses her feelings on returners versus new blood in the Amazing Race. Rob promotes Miss Survivor and Mr. Survivor competitions – Final voting is NOW open! Tuesday Mr. Survivor debate and Wednesday is the Miss Survivor debate. Jessica explains how teams were chosen for this year’s Amazing Race All Stars – mainly on who were fan favorites not great racers but is unsure of whose favorites they actually are.
The Globetrotters – Flight Time and Big Easy
Flight Time & Big Easy are three time players – are racing under the “might be played out” – Jessica likes them the best of the three time players. Rob thinks they are good racers and fun. Both believe they will do very well. Jessica thinks they are very charming and nice guys but they do seem to get frustrated easily with logic puzzles.
Their greatest moment – Dubai – their mind game over Mika and Canaan at the waterslide to convince Mika to not go down the waterslide and lose the race.
Overall – Both Jessica and Rob feel they have a good chance.
Bopper and Mark
Jessica says it is no surprise they brought back the token “rural” team. Bopper is very motivated to win according to the pre-race videos. One weakness they have is Mark’s motion sickness and his ability to throw up multiple times on the race. They do seem to be a very lucky team. Choreography tasks could trip them up.
Memorable moment – India – Mark’s close death experience while dancing to a Bollywood task.
Overall – Rob feels Bopper will carry the team to success. Jessica thinks they are fun and entertaining but doesn’t see them going very far this race.
Jen and Caroline
Jessica is excited to hear their “Amazing Race” country song (sarcastic). Jessica feels that bad casting with female/female teams over the past seasons guaranteed their placement in the race. Jessica does feel they are the type of team that will learn from their mistakes on their previous race. Jen and Caroline are very charming and strong at most tasks besides swimming. Possible pairing with the returning Afghanimals (which may not help them)
Memorable moment – getting a male local to pay their speeding ticket for them by just smiling at them.
QUESTION – ImDrunkerThanMoses: Tiff & Whitney from 15, Brooke and Claire from 17, the blonde twins from 19 were all better options for female teams then these two non-identities
Jessica feels Brooke and Claire were definitely asked back but are just not committing to it.
Overall – Rob feels they are overmatched and will be out early. Jessica also feels they are out early as well but hopefully not first.
Dave and Connor
Jessica is excited about this Male/Male team. They are returning after Dave’s injury on the previous race (Achilles). Rob feels Dave and Connor should be the spokespeople for Livestrong. Jessica feels Dave is the nicest racer in the history of the race. Jessica feels as long as they don’t get injured they will go very far in the race. Rob would like to see Dave’s medical records before making a prediction on how they will do this time around.
QUESTION – nick2s: Put on your storyteller hat and figure out which team winning this season makes for the best story. Penner impression included, if possible.
Jessica feels Dave and Connor are the most “rootable” team for fans. They have a great story with being cancer survivors and the injury and not being able to finish the first time.
Margie and Luke
Margie and Luke are also third time racers – Jessica is not overly excited about them being on and feels that the “deaf card” is played too much. Margie is very tough and Luke as a fan is very smart to how the race works. The first time they raced and it went well. However they were not as impressive on their second run.
Memorable Moment – Luke was not able to complete the “tea task” in India and got very upset.
Overall – Jessica feels Luke loses his cool pretty fast. Rob is giving Luke the benefit of the doubt since he hasn’t seen them race and will give them a fair chance for this race. Rob’s experience will Christy will make him Pro-Luke.
Twinnies – Natalie & Nadiya
Rob loves the Twinnies! Jessica loves the Twinnies! Rob likes that they don’t take themselves too seriously and that they know that they are irritating to others. Jessica likes self-aware teams. Very strong bond, very supportive of each other, and went very far first time around.
QUESTION – ImDrunkerThanMoses: Which teams do you want to see coupled up if they have an Intersection this season? Picture the Twins and Afghanimals together… oh dear.
Jessica feels those two teams will not work together or work well together.
Overall – They could have problems balancing their team’s abilities as they have similar strengths and weaknesses. Jessica feels good about them and is rooting for them. Rob also feels they are good racers.
Brenchel – Brendon and Rachel
Jessica relates to Rachel’s travelling routines. Rob feels that the number of breakdowns is going to be less. Rob feels they will be fun but they won’t be a “mess” this time around.
Memorable Moment – Rachel saying “I thought the Amazing Race was supposed to be fun and good” and when she had to choose about shaving her head “I paid $500 for these hair extensions”
Both Rob and Jessica are confused by the wolves on their race shirts. Jessica feels they are really comfortable with each other. Also, they are smart and have great people skills. Rob mentions they are really strong and competitive. One weakness is Rachel is very emotional.
QUESTION – realbglow: I feel like they (Brendon and Rachel) will be very strong and go very far, but Brendon is what I would call a hot-hear, and sometimes his anger gets the best of him
Jessica feels sometimes returning reality tv’ers come in with a disadvantage and Brendon and Rachel were targeted last time because of it.
Overall – both Rob and Jessica feel Brendon “Bukie” and Rachel are in for the long haul.
John and Jessica
Rob says they will use the express pass as soon as they get it. Jessica L feels John is on the wrong reality show. Rob feels the big story for the first leg is if John and Jessica come in first place and what they will do with the express pass and if they will be eliminated again with one in their possession.
QUESTION – Justin Ford: Do you think that the Express Pass is a desirable thing? It seems like the hidden Immunity Idol in Survivor where you want to have it, in order to neutralize its power, but not necessarily to use for your own benefit.
Both Rob and Jessica don’t feel it has the same power and doesn’t affect the game as much as the Idol does in Survivor.
John and Jessica are really athletic and very intelligent. They seem to be casted as the villain team (but more John than Jessica). Jessica may not be running the race because she wants to but cause John wants to.
Overall – Jessica is putting John and Jessica in the middle of the pack and not going to be as strong. Rob thinks they will have trouble working with others and won’t do so well. Jessica also thinks because they went early that could be a factor in an early departure.
The Cowboys – Cord & Jet
Cord & Jet are the thrid set of third time racers – (long pause) – Jessica is not a cowboys fan (nor has ever been one). Rob is excited about the team for the main reason of talking about football. Cord and Jet seemed to have some problem that wasn’t brought up on the last race that caused all the other teams that didn’t like them. Jessica feels they are a polarizing team and they do have quite a number of fans. They are quite strong and do well with the locals helping them along the race. Jessica feels they may have difficulty bonding with other teams.
QUESTION – nick2s: Is being a 3 time racer that much of an advantage over a 2-time racer?
Rob says in terms of Survivor that playing 3 times is the season where someone has mastered the game. Case in point Tyson or Coach. Jessica doesn’t think being a third time racer is the same as Survivor. As there is a lot less strategy. However they may do well in uncomfortable settings.
Overall – Jessica thinks Cord and Jet will do very well and have brought back to win the million dollars. Rob stays positive and thinks most of the teams will do well.
Team YouTube – Joey and Meghan
Jessica is not afraid of the death threats as she doesn’t like them. Rob is interested to see the growth from last race to this race. Jessica says they have no growth or care to win the race and they just want to be on television. Rob says they seem to have grown up and they are hotter now. Jessica thinks Joey and Meghan may get along with Brendon and Rachel. Meghan is very fast at figuring out what needs to be done. Joey is highly emotional. Joey and Meghan may have made it farther then they wanted to last time around. Rob admits he gets lots of emails asking what the relationship status is of Team YouTube.
Overall – Jessica feels they could be first team off while Rob feels they may make it to the half way mark neither feel Joey and Meghan can make it to the end.
Afghanimals – Leo and Jamal
Jessica doesn’t hate them anymore and is coming around to enjoying they will be returning. Jessica felt they lied too much at times they didn’t need to. Rob feels last season the cousins were more interested in the cameras and branding the Afghanimals than in winning the Amazing Race. Jessica feels that their stubbornness took them out of the race last time.
Overall – Rob feels they will make it up to fifth, Jessica thinks maybe fourth. Jessica also thinks most teams will ignore them.
PREDICTIONS for ALLSTARS
Jessica has made a prediction on how the race will go;
Who she wants to win – Dave and Connor
Who she thinks will win – Cord and Jet
Rob’s predictions on how the race will go;
Who he thinks will win – Dave and Connor
Who he might want to see win – Flight Time and Big Easy
They both think a team with good vibes around them will win and everyone will be happy with the outcome.
The schedule for this year’s Amazing Race All Stars
- Sunday Night – A short “Know-it-alls-like” audio podcast (live after the Walking Dead podcast).
- Monday Day – possible interview with eliminated racers from that show
- Monday Night – A longer podcast with past racers from previous seasons to talk about the previous night’s show.
*** Next week the Premiere recap will take place on Tuesday Night due to the announcement of the winners of Mr. and Miss Survivor Competitions with a special guest – Racers from season one – TEAM GUIDO – Joe and Bill!! ***
Special Thanks to Phil Gourlay for this fantastic recap of the Show!
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