Jess: Hi everyone and welcome to Reality RHAP-Ups, the non-Rob Rob Has a Podcast Podcast. I am your host, Jessica Liese, as always covering all things Amazing Race and I am very very excited to welcome to the show…
three time racer, all-star, superfan, and all around awesome guy, Luke Adams! How are you this evening, Luke?
Luke: Hello Jessica, thank you so much for having me here! I’m doing great! It’s really really chilly here in Colorado right now!
Jess: Are you guys getting some of that snowstorm that was hitting the northern part of the country? That looked rough.
Luke: Yeah, we got tons of snow yesterday!
some of my friends were like you should go out and run in your underwear, haha i’ll never live this one down forever!
Jess: Yeah, I’m afraid you’re stuck with it!
Luke: that’s allright 🙂
Jess: Crazy to think that this time last year you were just about to head out to race for a third time.
One year ago this week![/caption]
Luke: Actually, it was a year ago yesterday when we left for LA!
Jess: I thought so! It must have been quite a surprise to hear from them yet again – shows like Survivor bring people back for the third time all the time, but it’s never happened for TAR until now.
But no hesitation, right?
Luke: Yeah, I didn’t think that we would get asked to come back on Amazing Race for the third time. That was really really cool how we got come back for the third time
Jess: We had a few different people who wanted to know how the show has changed over the years.
What’s the biggest difference between your first race and your most recent?
Luke: to be honest, I missed the old school style – the first leg where the teams get to mingle for one night during the first leg you remember that?
Jess: Am I right that your first season was the last time they did that?
Luke: Yeah, my first season was the last one – we had to sleep overnight at the barn in Switzerland. It was nice to getting to know few teams and hanging out by the campfire
it was the same night where Jaime & Cara and Tammy & Victor and Mom & I formed the alliance
We wanted to get food somewhere before we went over to the barn so we shared the pizza together and talked about how it would be cool if we all make it to the end together
Jess: An alliance that clearly worked out pretty well for all three of you!
This is something we talk about a lot in our analysis – it’s never totally clear how much alliances help you out. What sorts of things did you guys help each other with? And do you think it made that much of a difference?
Luke: we share the information with each other much as we can – discuss the pros & cons with choosing the detours which Jaime & Cara and Mom & I often discussed which one we should do it
like one time in India the red phone out in the middle of nowhere
Jess: I can definitely see where that would be helpful.
Luke: Mom didn’t get what person on phone said so we ran back to our cab and asked Cara & Jaime to see what was the answer – they gave us the answer
so if it was not for them – we probably would’ve gotten eliminated in India
Jess: that’s something that kind of came up in the most recent episode – those kinds of tasks where you all need to come up with the same answer. It doesn’t make sense to collaborate on every task, but one like that, it definitely does. Were there times when you were less inclined to work together with your alliance-mates?
Luke: Def. not. We love Jaime & Cara and Tammy & Victor. We always worked with the girls no matter what. But there were times where we were little wary of Victor cause of how they ditched us in Siberia
Jess: I remember that. In fact, I hadn’t remembered at all that Tammy and Victor had been a part of your alliance.
Luke: That’s one thing, the show should be 2 hours!
Jess: no kidding!
Luke: there’s so much stuff that got cut out
the show made it look like Tammy & Victor weren’t part of our alliance but they were always part of our alliance
that’s a huge reason why Tammy & Victor didn’t U-Turn us in China cause of our alliance
I actually heard that Victor wanted to U-Turn us but Tammy had to convince him to not do it
Jess: That seems surprising! He didn’t seem so cutthroat. But again, editing!
Luke: Oh, Victor can be little sneaky. Hahah
Luke: I asked him to see which law school he went to he was like oh just some law school that nobody know
Jess: Oh, some little law school in Boston! LOL.
Luke: after the race’s over, I found out that he went to harvard i was so surprised! if i knew that, i probably wouldn’t want to work w/ victor & tammy they’re so smart savvy
they did a right thing – i would’ve convinced mom to U-Turn them if i knew they went to harvard!
Jess: they were part of that whole run of seasons where a young, fit pair sort of steamrolled over the rest of the teams.
Luke: yeah for sure
Jess: great casting those years, but less exciting outcomes
Jess: Have you ever felt frustrated by the way you were portrayed on the show, like times when more context would have helped the viewers?
Luke: there is one part where i was little frustrated! You remember Chekhov ?
Jess: Do I ever.
Luke: hahahah
Jess: One of the more frustrating yelling-at-the-TV moments of my TAR-watching career.
Luke: People were like oh that must be so easy
People doesn’t get it what it is like being on the Race – running non-stop for 23 days
there are so many way to guess the Russian name
I was so tired and hungry we traveled from a long way on that leg from Romania to Germany to Moscow to Krayosjarsk!
Jess: “Killer Fatigue” I think the fans call it.
Luke: Also, I was so nervous about seeing Amanda & Kris so my brain was like fried!
it took me forty-five minutes to figure the name out it looked like it took me only 5 minutes to figure it out on tv!
Jess: that is rough!
now, you’ve been a fan of the show since pretty much day one. Could you have imagined how hard it was going to be to actually run the race?
and does it ever get easier?
Luke: I’m a huge fan of the show – I have read a lot of teams’ elimination interviews – they were talking about how hard it was mentally on the Race so I knew it would be this difficult on the Race and no it does not get any easier it’s all about fatigue. best way to handle it is to sleep much as you can!
but i never thought in a million years that we would win the first leg!
Jess:Â Yeah, that was a great start to your TAR legacy!
Luke: all thanks to our bus driver at LAX! We were actually going for Air France but our bus driver told us that the Lufthansa was much better – more flight options in case the flight gets cancelled or delayed
Jess: I hope you tipped that guy!
You were hinting on Facebook that you were actually almost cast for a season years before you and your mom ended up on the show. Tell us more about that!
Luke: When I found out that people under 21 years old could apply for Amazing Race Family Edition – I was 19 years old at that time so I had to convince my parents and sister to apply for the show – they weren’t too excited, hahaha
so we made our video – mailed it in – we were surprised that we got the callback! so we had few interviews
then we got cut
I’m just really happy that we got cut! I want to see the world. Not North America!
Jess: yeah, that worked out for the best. Plus, nobody ever pretends your season didn’t happen!
Luke: Right!
Jess: Did you have to apply a second time or did they come back to you later on?
Luke: We had to apply again. I asked my mom to be my teammate – she was only willing to be my teammate cause she didn’t think we would ever get picked to go on the show! We applied for Season 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14!
Season 14 was the first season we finally got the callback then rest is the history
Jess: Finally wore them down!
Luke: hahaha we think they were probably like ok let give them a chance!
the production were really nervous about having a deaf person to race on the show
Jess: Even after a deaf person ended up WINNING the second season of TAR:Asia?
Luke: well, that’s little different
I’ve seen his show – Adrian could talk really well and he could hear really well
I’m pretty deaf with big D. I could not hear a sound. I could not talk at all. I am terrible at reading lips. I’m fluent in American Sign Language
Adrian and I are way way opposite
Jess: So you’d pretty much be relying on your mom to communicate for you most of the time.
Luke: Sometimes, there are ways to communicate such as texting or writing. I normally use my phone to text with people but on the Race, we weren’t allowed to bring our phones with us so that was little challenge for me!
Jess: Still, once you got out there, it certainly appeared that you managed quite well!
Luke: Best part was that Phil learned how to sign! and I did not teach him that!
Jess: I remember him telling you what number team you were every leg! That was really cool of him.
Luke: Yeah, from what I heard was that when Phil heard that we were #1 team on the way to the pit stop. He grabbed the interpreter (we had interpreters at the pit stop sites)
he asked interpreter to teach him the signs for “Team #1”
Jess: Phil is the COOLEST. I love that he did that.
Luke: Phil knew I love Amazing Race so much so he wanted to make our first win much more special
there was one heartbreaking thing though
When Phil heard that we were #1 team to the surfboard challenge so he was so sure that we were going to win Amazing Race so he asked the interpreter to show him how to sign, “Congrats Margie & Luke. You guys traveled 40K miles and visited # of countries. You won the Amazing Race.” I was sad that I did not get to see him sign that part
Jess: Oh no!
Luke: I know! I was so bummed when Phil told me that. That was really really sweet of him though
Jess: those darn surfboards!
Luke: Right!
Jess: so let’s switch gears a little bit – I’m very anxious to get your thoughts on season 25 so far.
Luke: I’m jealous of them!
hahaha
Jess: It’s already one of the best courses in recent years
maybe ever!
Luke: I disagree
Jess: really?
Luke: The teams did not get to travel that really far
I would love to see the teams being so worn out
fatigue set in!
I did like the countries that they visit so far but it’s so close to each other
Jess: that’s true, there haven’t been as many really long flights
Luke: Right, maybe then the outcome would’ve been so much different
Jess: although, nobody’s really gotten screwed by a bad flight (like you guys did last season)
Luke: hahaha lucky for them!
Jess: there seems to be a lot more self-driving and less cabs, too.
Luke: I like self-driving – make teams to work hard and earn for it!
Jess: so who are you rooting for?
Luke: Amy & Maya. I love them! Remember when we were at the starting line in NYC at like 3am in the morning?
Jess: yes! I liked them on sight too!
Luke: when Maya saw me at the starting line – she made a heart-shaped gesture to me she was like we love you, Luke!
Jess: that’s adorable. I love it!
seems like a lot more racers are big fans of the show this season than the last few. Granted, they don’t usually point out who loves the show and who has never seen it, but there’s that whole running joke about the curse of the superfan
basically, you and Jordan of season 15 are the only racers who’ve been up front about being really huge fans and didn’t end up going out early.
but everyone this season seems to know their stuff!
Luke: I love the superfan teams
I really hope that Amazing Race would do Fans versus Favorites format!
Jess: Do you think a fan team has a fighting chance against a team who’s run the race before?
Luke: when my mom and I got the call last summer – we were thought it was going to be Favorites and Fans Race!
Amazing Race is like 90% luck!
Jess: Well, that is true!
Luke: so everybody will have a chance of winning the Race
I mean look at my mom and I – we were knocked out of the Race cause of bad flight
Jess: that’s always the hardest to watch. because it’s almost always totally out of your control.
Luke: it was just so weird – we never had a problem of getting our tickets at the airports until we ran into a problem at Kuala Lumpur airport
Jess: were some of the flights pre-booked, as a lot of people were speculating? (are you allowed to say?)
Luke: some were pre-booked – some weren’t pre-booked
but for our Sri Lanka flight – it wasn’t pre-booked
so we had a choice of going to the travel agency or go to the airport – we actually tried to find the travel agency but for some reason the people we ran into did not know where it is our cab driver did not know where it is
so we figured we wouldn’t have a problem of getting a ticket at the airport but oh boy, we were wrong
Jess: there was a guy on Reality Fan Forum who said you guys wandered around for hours trying option after option.
Luke: yeah, this guy was really really nice and sweet – he tried to help us out
it was Friday night. many offices were closed
oh well
had we made it on the flight to Sri Lanka. Brendon & Rachel would’ve been gone!
Jess: and from what i hear, half the fans would have been ecstatic.
(and the other half devastated.)
Luke: I would’ve been ecstatic!
Jess: of all the teams out there, you were one of the only ones who seemed to have a genuine bonding moment with them
Luke: it’s editing! hahah
Jess: it all comes down to editing!!
Luke: I do like Brendon & Rachel but they were on Big Brother and I did not like how Rachel cried so much and fought with so many different people thats just so crazy! I would like to see another former Amazing Race in Brendon & Rachel’s spot, you know?
Jess: Was there another recent team you’d have liked to race with?
Luke: I would’ve love to go up against the Snowboarders!
Jess: they were tough competition!
Luke: Exactly, I would love to beat them if we could!
I would love to see Brook & Claire and Beth & Mona to come back
Jess: you and me both. There weren’t enough female/female teams last season.
Luke: I agree
Jess: So before we wrap up, I have a couple of questions that were submitted by RHAP fans
A lot of the questions we’ve already covered, actually!
But there are some good ones left.
Luke: Ready for it!
Jess: Josh Smith asks, “Which task so far this season would you have liked to do the most?”
Luke: Chase the sheep! That looked so much fun it’s just disappointing that we never had a single animal challenge on our three seasons! Love love love the donkey challenge from Season 12. Its just so much fun and it’s just amazing how it could change the teams’ placements so dramatically
Jess: With all the animals this season, it’s shocking to think you never had to work with one in 3 seasons!
Kelsey Ann wants to know, “If you had to chose one racer to race with from this season, who would it be?”
Luke: Wait there was a donkey challenge on my third season where Rachel kept falling off that was our fault that we got eliminated! haha
Jess: hahahaha.
Luke: I would love to team up with Amy or Maya!
Jess: And Owen Craig had a good question on Twitter, sort of quasi-related to the editing.
He says, “Q for Luke: were there instances of your sexuality playing into the story in your first two seasons that we didn’t see?”
I know you were a little frustrated that you didn’t really get to come out to the viewers until the third season
Luke: Actually I was out to everybody on all three seasons. We have talked about my sexuality in the interviews. For some reason, the producers wanted to focus on our hearing mother & deaf son storyline
also there is one thing…
Mom and I bonded with Mel White and Mike White – they’re gay too. We were building a nice bond with them. When it came down to the U-Turn in Leg 4 on our first season. We had a discussion about U-Turn with our alliance, Jaime & Cara and Tammy & Victor – we all had an agreement that one of us would U-Turn Mel & Mike just cause they’re slow. But when Mom and I got to U-Turn first, we were not ready to let Mel & Mike go we love them and we want to see them more so we switched to Kris & Amanda last minute. Kris and Amanda were never our #1 target. We made a last minute decision to save Mel & Mike cause of our bond
Jess: that definitely changed things!
Luke: big time
so many people were not happy with us U-Turning Kris & Amanda!
Jess: enough that CBS thought it’d be a big deal to bring them back along with you in Season 18!
Luke: it’s just funny how they went out the same way again. We def. knew that they would U-Turn if they had a chance!
Jess: it’s all about strategy.
So finally, John Johnston wants to know if you and your mom would ever consider going on Survivor: Blood vs. Water.
Luke: We talked about this before. It would be really hard thing to do!
Jess: Given that they put you on different tribes, I can definitely imagine.
Luke: But def. no We wouldn’t do it
not because of the theme
Jess: But another TAR season you’d do for sure, right?
Luke: it would be so hard for Mom to take time off from her job the filming is like 7 weeks or something like that? TAR was only 21 days so it wasn’t that long
If we do go on Survivor, I would sacrifice myself to keep my mom in the game cause she will have a better chance of winning the game!
everybody loves her!
Jess: that is true!
she’s pretty awesome!
Luke: That would be a smart strategy!
Jess: Are you following the current Survivor season? Any predictions?
Luke: I am! Only cause of the Twinnies – it’s fun to watch Natalie. It’s really bummer to see Nadiya to leave so early!
Jess: Natalie’s playing a great game so far I think.
Luke: I spent 2 weeks with the Twinnies in the sequesterville so I really adore them. They’re so much fun and awesome. They tried to learn few signs so that’s really nice
Natalie do have a great shot if she could break the couples up!
Jess: She’s in a good position I think.
Luke: She’s pretty strong so I think she’ll go on immunity run soon… I hope!
Jess: me too!
Luke: They would love to open a cross fit gym in Sri Lanka so that would be cool to see Natalie to win
Jess: It’s getting to be time to wrap things up. This has been really fun! Where can the fans find you on social media?
Luke: They could follow me on Twitter if they like to: @LukeAdams14
Jess: Awesome! So thank you so much for chatting with me tonight. You’re welcome back to RHAP anytime!
Luke: That would be awesome! Thanks for having me!!
