'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - The Teams, Part 1

Ah, it just goes to show you that not all Internet spoilers are indeed reality when it comes to reality TV. The early spoilers out there had Colin ("my ox is broken") and Christy running the race, but no Frat Boys (Kevin and Drew). Other spoilers were indeed correct. There were teams who either weren't available or didn't make the cut -- I, for one, would have loved to see Jon and Al (the Clowns from TAR4) take another go at the million.

Overall, I'm pleased with the teams we'll be seeing. Well, for the most part anyway. There will always be a few teams we'd rather see than a few who made it. But it looks like it's going to be a great season. And, that's coming from someone (me) who is usually a bit turned off by the "all stars" versions of reality television shows. I'm marking my calendar -- Sunday, February 18 at 8 PM ET/PT, don't call me. I'll be watching The Amazing Race 11: All Stars.

The Teams In No Particular Order

Winners of The Amazing Race 7, Uchenna and Joyce were very popular with many show fans. They came across as nice folks, not necessarily ruthless at all. There was a brouhaha about flights and Romber which caused some controversy on the Internet. So, it's going to be interesting to watch how the teams interact this season. They have the right stuff for the win - I think back to Joyce shaving her beautiful hair in order to get a jump on the others.
View Uchenna & Joyce on innertube now


From TAR3, it's second place finishers, Teri and Ian. While their success in the season is definitely "a job well done," they're not a team I would have chosen had they asked me. Now, I'm all for older folks (read that as my generation) doing well, but I didn't really enjoy watching this team. I can still hear Teri yelling, "Ian! Iiiiiiiaaaaannnnn!" To me, he came across as gruff and demanding -- not to the point of a Jonathan Baker, but not a nice guy, either.
View Teri & Ian on innertube now

Not surprising me at all, Romber (Rob and Amber), second place on TAR7, made the cut. I'm of two minds about this team. They've certainly milked reality TV for all it's worth and their fifteen minutes of fame has gone into years now. I don't want to see either of them on Survivor again. That said, I think they're a worthy team and one to watch this season on TAR. Rob, more so than Amber, is shrewd and competitive. He's not afraid to push the envelope and it's going to be very interesting to see what he does next. After all, he staged a coup at a challenge in his own season which benefitted his own goals. He's good at the game. View Rob & Amber on innertube now

Yes! It's the return of Team ChaCha! Oswald and Danny may have only made it to fourth place in Season 2, but they were one of the most entertaining teams ever to appear on the show. These gay friends (not a couple, but best friends) put a priority on shopping instead of the race to be run, but they were a delightful reprieve from overly-competitive teams. I personally don't think they'll have a chance to win this season in view of some of the hardcore teams aboard, but I'm going to enjoy watching them again.
View Oswald & Danny on innertube now


It's the return of yet another fan-favorite team - the Frat Boys, Kevin and Drew, fourth place finishers from Season 1. Even though they didn't make it that close to the big win, they won the hearts of many viewers with their sense of humor, attitude, and the spirit of friendship. More recently, they played the role of hot dog vendors in a clue stop on TAR8. Despite the foilers (as opposed to true spoilers) on the Internet, they'll grace our Race once again. I'd like to see them take it all. But, even if they don't, I'm loving that they're back for more.
View Kevin & Drew on innertube now

Although they're now listed as a "formerly dating" couple, John and Jill came to us with a bittersweet story in Season 3 -- John was the best friend of Jill's brother who was killed on 9/11 at the World Trade Center. She had originally applied to be on the show with her brother, but John stepped in take his place in the race. They only made a fifth place finish, but with both the backstory and their demeanor as a team, they won the hearts of viewers. They didn't bicker and were a strong team. I'm glad they're on again even if they no longer date.
View John & Jill on innertube now


The last five teams will be in Part 2 due to the length of this entry. The links you see posted will lead you directly to the CBS video interviews with the teams.