Topic: TAR 16: Carol Rosenfeld and Brandy Snow--Dating

[georgiapeach]

Carol and Brandy--Dating





Carol Rosenfeld
Age:  47
Hometown:   Los Angeles, Calif.
Connection to your teammate:  Dating
Current Occupation: Consultant
Pet peeve about your teammate: She’s a biter
Favorite hobbies: Reading, the theater, art, architecture and travel
Achievements: Coming out, starting my own company
Lifelong to do list: Learn to play the piano, re-read all the classics, become a really good chef and a wine connoisseur
If I could switch places with someone: Diana Krall -- I’d like to know what it would be like to have that kind of talent
Role Model/Hero: Any strong, accomplished women, female writers, politicians, artists and musicians
What are you passionate about: My dog, equal rights, mountains and the ocean
What would you do if you won the million dollars: Travel
People would be surprised to learn: That I am shy
Favorite place you have ever visited: Paris
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: Communication
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other than winning one million bucks)? Choosing to participate in the Race is very out of character for me so the fact that I am doing it is an accomplishment


Brandy Snow
Age: 40
Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif.
Connection to your teammate: Dating
Current Occupation: Actress
Pet peeve about your teammate:  She is much more structured and schedule-oriented than I am, which at times limits a go-with-the-flow, spontaneous attitude
Favorite hobbies:  Speaking Spanish, my dogs, traveling, cooking, music, art, hiking.
Achievements: I am an accomplished, independent, talented, creative and kind woman who is committed to constantly learning and growing
Lifelong to do list: Speak Spanish fluently, learn to dance the tango, create a charity that helps educate and offer better quality of life to children, leave a positive impact/imprint on the world, lead a life with purpose
If I could switch places with someone: No one  
Role Model/Hero: I draw inspiration from too many people to list here    
What are you passionate about? Integrity, honesty, intelligence, compassion, constantly striving to better myself
What would you do if you won the million dollars? Pay off debts, purchase a new car, start a direct sales children's educational game company with a portion of the profits going to fund a foundation dedicated to building schools.  I would also like to create and host a travel show based on going to villages throughout the world and participating in projects that better the community
People would be surprised to learn:  That I'm bisexual
Favorite place you have ever visited:  Mexico, Greece and sailing through the waters of the Caribbean
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on the Race together: We will likely be competing against teams that are younger, stronger and faster than us which may be difficult and daunting
What do you hope to accomplish by running the Race (other than winning one million bucks)? To challenge myself physically, mentally, emotionally and to discover the extent of my competitive spirit

[Paron]

While we've had lesbians before, it's about time the show cast some lesbian girlfriends.  And they look like they're in great shape, so I can see them lasting for a while.

[Hooky]

I hope they don't win.

[Paron]

Um . . . something wrong with them?

[Hooky]

Um . . . something wrong with them?

I don't think my answer would be viewed as anything but "offensive," so I won't elaborate.

[ImANewUser]

My hopes better not be dashed this season.

[Dånooky]

brandy reminds me of liza minelli

[Paron]

Um . . . something wrong with them?

I don't think my answer would be viewed as anything but "offensive," so I won't elaborate.

Either way, they're my favorite, and I'll be rooting for them like mad.

[David]

I'm also rooting for this team! They may be one of the strongest female team ever, and I really think they have lots of chances to be in the final 5 or even F3!

[michael]

loveee them

[Caelestor]

Hope they're like Dustin and Candice 

[misterblah]

this team's gott a lot of potential to be in the final 3. they look strong.

[Paron]

this team's gott a lot of potential to be in the final 3. they look strong.

If they make it there, they'd be the oldest women's team to make it.  The last four to make it there were all in their twenties (Dustin & Kandice, Jaime & Cara) and thirties (Lyn & Karlyn, Charla & Mirna).

[RealityFanWA]

Um . . . something wrong with them?

I don't think my answer would be viewed as anything but "offensive," so I won't elaborate.

I would like to know why...can u message me about it? I'm curious what you have to say...but i hope these ladies do well!

[power4]

Why is the video private?

[georgiapeach]

Wow...looks like CBS has made ALL of their youtube videos private...link doesn't work either.

Fingers crossed that it is just temporary...

[theschnauzers]

Since Carol has a schnauzer, y'all know how I feel....

[georgiapeach]

[Dånooky]

They're cheerful like Ozzy & Danny, and semi-evil like the Guidos...and female

[Sailing]

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Amazing-Races-Carol-1017214.aspx

Amazing Race's Carol and Brandy: Caite "Very Clearly Had a Problem with Us As Lesbians"
 

Caite Upton and Brent Horne seemed to have it out for Carol Rosenfeld, 47, and Brandy Snow, 40, from the beginning of The Amazing Race this season — which was news to the couple. "We both had separate conversations with her and Caite talked about [her infamous answer at Miss Teen USA 2007]
and how she overcame it. I remember specifically saying, 'Good for
you,' so to find out how much she hated us was a complete shock," Carol
tells TVGuide.com. The models' self-described hatred culminated in them
U-Turning Carol and Brandy in Sunday's episode, leading to their
anger-filled elimination. Get the duo's take on the so-called "feud,"
why they think Caite in particular was after them, and if they would've
used the U-Turn on the models.

TVGuide.com: What was your first thought when you saw that you were U-Turned by Brent and Caite?
Brandy:
Just shock. In a common-sense world, strategy dictates, you know, "take
the stronger team out." They didn't do that. I had no idea how personal
it was. We never really had any negative interactions with Caite or
Brent. We didn't seek out a friendship with them, but we also didn't
have an opportunity to race alongside them except in Malaysia when they
passed us on the stairs. When they did that, you didn't see us pissed.
I actually told Caite that she did a kick-ass job. Just like how I said
to Mike, "You're a rock star." We both were very complimentary and
supportive of the other racers. To watch the name-calling and hatred
unfold has been an emotional rollercoaster. It's also surprising
because you don't know it's happening until you watch it. You know,
them calling us "the mean lesbians."

Amazing Race's Steve and Allie: Elimination was "hard to swallow"

TVGuide.com: They hardly ever referred to you by your names.
Brandy: Yeah, it's like, "I have a name!"
Carol:
I don't want to go to the point where I say she's homophobic because
that's a pretty severe indictment of somebody. I don't know. People
will have to be the judge of that, but you watch it and you don't know
this is going on, and you like to think that in this day and age,
people of a much younger generation would be a little more open-minded.
It is what it is. She was clearly obsessed with beating and eliminating
us. I think she very clearly had a problem with us as lesbians, not
with us as individuals because she never individually indicts one of us
as having done anything specifically wrong to them.

TVGuide.com:
She seemed to be hung up on your tiara comment in the first episode and
said you guys were always mean to her. Did you make other comments or
jokes about her that we didn't see?
Carol: No. The whole
joke is, "Is she racing with her sash and tiara?" That's not even mean!
I don't think it is at all a personal attack or a value statement about
it. We made the same joke about the cowboys: "It's amazing the cowboys
raced in their magic hats." I think it would've been hysterical had she
shown up in a sash and tiara. That would be props to her. ... She liked
to use the word "haters" about people who latched on to the YouTube
sensation. You kind of wonder if "hater" maybe applies back the way she
spoke about us. And having gone through that, you think maybe she
would've been more sensitive to that.

Amazing Race's Jeff and Jordan: We like to make mistakes

TVGuide.com: So you had no inkling at all that they would U-Turn you?
Carol:
We had no idea. Our goal was to fly under the radar. ... As I look
back, I think she maybe thought Brandy was stealing her spotlight. She
said on the show she would like to be the only girl left. Brandy's a
beautiful woman and she's a former model. This is what Caite aspires to
be. I don't think she expected a woman to be on there who was every bit
as attractive as she was. I'm not blaming Brandy, but you know, if
anyone is to blame, it's me for making a joke Day 1. I'm a joker! You
saw it on the zipline. Brandy was like, "Why are you going faster?"
"Because I'm fatter than you are!" ... I make jokes about myself before
I do about anyone else. If you don't have a sense of humor about
yourself, I don't know how you get through life. If you choose to put
yourself out there, you better have a sense of humor.

TVGuide.com:
The cops "trained" Brent and Caite to U-Turn you in an effort to avoid
being U-Turned themselves. What do you think about that?
Brandy:
While I don't like the way the cops played the game, they get props for
being smart. Two weeks ago, watching them stand on the mat and calling
us out, I was heartbroken because we were friends with them. Talk about
feeling blindsided. This was on the tail of having a very private and
personal conversation with Michael about his wife, his daughter, his
anger-management issues, so that shocked us. Maybe I was just naïve in
not realizing the level of gamesmanship.

Amazing Race's Joe and Heidi: Morse code challenge was "an impossible task"
TVGuide.com: A lot of fans think you would've U-Turned Brent and Caite if you had gotten there first. Would you have?
Carol:
No! We would've U-turned the cowboys. There's a clip online from the
Malaysia leg where Phil asked us, "Who would you like to see leave?" We
said, "We wouldn't really want to see anybody go." We were like, "Let
everybody do their best and the chips will fall where they may." We
knew the U-Turn was part of the game. Our strategy then was that the
cowboys appeared to be the strongest team and then the second strongest
team was Mike and Louie. They've each won the most legs.
Brandy:
The cowboys set a record in Malaysia. No one had ever before gone from
last to first with a Speed Bump. They're strong competitors, they're
smart competitors, and we were focused on the race, not the racers. We
would not have made it personal — not that we had a reason to make it
personal with any team.

TVGuide.com: From your point of view, there was no feud between you and Brent and Caite at all?
Brandy:
Right. What we find fascinating in the way this has been skewed, that
there is a feud. There was no feud. You have to have two parties
participating for there to be a feud. We were the object of her hatred
and derision. There wasn't a feud until [Sunday's] episode where it
exploded! I don't like being attacked. I don't like being blindsided
and that's exactly what happened when they U-Turned us. Seriously,
we're in the Seychelles and I'm bonding with Caite over a kitty! It was
very stunning for it to happen. We had no clue they would U-Turn us or
that they hated us like that. Now America's starting to believe there
is a feud.

Amazing Race's Monique and Shawne: We hated "that stupid wooden horse"

TVGuide.com: You were angry after getting U-Turned. Do you think your anger affected your performance afterward?
Carol:
No. The fact of the matter is, while we were toast, we caught up to
Louie and Mike, and Jet and Cord at the Roadblock. I'm also amazed
because ... Louie and Mike were the ones running around like chickens
with their heads cut off. They couldn't do the drums, they tried to do
the Fast Forward, they went to the ice cream. We were still in the
running. We always knew from a physical standpoint that we weren't
going to outrun anyone. It would take three of my strides to match one
of Brent's. So for us, it was to stay in it. We didn't hope mistakes on
our other people. We'll do our best and that's all we can do.

TVGuide.com: What are you up to now?
Brandy: Work!
Carol:
Yeah, work. I recently had a death in the family ... so dealing with
that and trying to ignore all this hoopla. Being called a "mean
lesbian" versus losing a parent, you know, [the former is] not going to
affect me the rest of my life. Now we're going to be the fierce
lesbians!

[Hooky]

Gosh. If Carol & Brandy are accurate in their assessment (I'm not 100% sure they are), this was probably the worst incident of editors creating a feud that wasn't really there. That sort of thing is really disappointing to see coming from TAR. We've had more than enough of this; TPTB should throw it out the window now before it gets worse.

[georgiapeach]

Exclusive: Carol Rosenfeld and Brandy Snow talk about 'The Amazing Race'

   
By Reality TV World staff, 04/13/2010

After finishing the two of The Amazing Race's last three legs in second place, the "Dating Couple" team of Carol Rosenfeld and Brandy Snow appeared to be beginning to peak just as the Race was entering its final legs.

 
 However unbeknownst to them, they had earned the ire of "Dating Models" Caite Upton and Brent Horne -- who opted to use the ninth leg's special U-Turn option to force Carol and Brandy to complete an additional Detour task that resulted in the women becoming the seventh team eliminated from The Amazing Race's sixteenth edition.

On Monday, Carol and Brandy talked to Reality TV World about their The Amazing Race experience -- including how they were surprised to learn Caite had an issue with them, what "mean things" they believe they had actually said to Caite, whether they feel the fact that Caite only ever seemed to identify them as "the lesbians" may have suggested she had additional issues with the women, and what they thought of some of "Detectives" Louis Stravato and Michael Naylor's gameplay tactics.
 

Reality TV World: Other than the "tiara" comment the producers kept showing another team telling Caite you'd made about her again and again and again, what other "mean things" did you ever say directly to Caite?  That's all they ever seemed to show.

Brandy Snow: That's all they HAD to show!

Carol Rosenfeld: Yeah.

Brandy Snow: I mean let's be honest.  (laughs)   

Carol Rosenfeld: I think watching the last several weeks, when it started with "the lesbians" and "the mean lesbians" and "the lesbians" and "the mean lesbians," I think we were both kind of blindsided because to have this painted as some kind of feud with Brent and Caite, we were completely unaware of any kind of feud.

We were never really in the same place with them until we were a good five or six legs into the Race.  We were on different buses in South America, on different planes leaving South America, and I have yet to see a tape of us being mean or rude or less than polite.

All I've seen is a lot of "good job you guys" and "good luck today."  So someone's going to have to show me and prove it to me.  Whether they were manipulated by Mike and Louie into believing that or she thinks or lesbians are mean, I really don't know.

Brandy Snow: (laughs)

Reality TV World: "The lesbians" seemed to be the only way Caite ever referred to you during the Race, and it seemed to reach the point on last night's episode where Jordan finally broached the obvious question of whether her dislike of you was simply because you're lesbians.  What's your take on that?

Brandy Snow: I think it is.  Carol is actually hesitant to use the word homophobic, as am I because I don't think she's specifically homophobic.  I think she has a problem with lesbians.  I think that they call into question -- you know look, she was raised in a pageant world, she competed in pageants. 

There's value placed on being beautiful and a lot of different things that kind of go along with that.  And I think the way that Carol and I are, the way that we operate in the world -- who we are and what we stand for -- is very different and called into question and perhaps threatened who she is or what her core values were.

And I have to say for me, this was my national coming out party.  Like, I'm on national television.  Work acquaintances and people like that are like, "Oh, I had no idea!"

Because I'm just a very private person.  My family had met many of my past lovers in past relationships and things [but] I didn't run around broadcasting anything because I'm just a very private person.  So being on national television, having it being my national coming out party, and then being labeled and hated -- that label has been a really interesting, sort of devastating, very emotional kind of experience to have to go through.

And Caite posted something on her Facebook last night about how she doesn't hate gays and lesbians, she actually loves them and supports them, but well then it's like if you had a specific issue with either one of us, or either one of us had said something that offended you -- specifically -- [then] call us out and use our [actual] names, don't lump us together and label us.

Carol Rosenfeld: I'm not buying she doesn't.  I mean it wasn't like they took the "tiara" comment and played it over and over in terms of her saying -- I mean it was every week on more than one occasion. 

So Brandy said the exact thing -- I would be very hesitant to call anybody homophobic because I think it's a pretty harsh statement and criticism of somebody, I'll let other people be the judge of that.  But it is kind of with the hate and derisiveness with which she says it in kind of that snide way, and it's like "wow."

I think also, to some degree, she also felt -- and I'm not blaming Brandy at all -- that Brandy was stealing her thunder.  There's another very beautiful woman on the show, she's been a successful model in Europe, and I think Caite was a little probably surprised and intimidated by that. 

It was funny because we were like "good job," "you guys rock" -- I mean we knew that they were younger and faster and stronger than we were.  So it's kind of odd to see that people may have also been intimidated by independent, half-intelligent woman.

Reality TV World: [But] you guys did go off on her after you found out you'd been U-Terned...

Brandy Snow: Oh yeah... are you kidding me?

Carol Rosenfeld: You haven't even seen -- if she thinks I'm a mean lesbian, that was even nice of me. 

Brandy Snow: (laughs)

Carol Rosenfeld: You haven't even see me...

Brandy Snow: Carol was censoring herself, I did not.

Carol Rosenfeld: I was totally censored myself.

Reality TV World: Well what I was going to say was, do you have any regrets about that or do think at that point all bets were kind of off?

Carol Rosenfeld: No, I'm sending dictionaries for Hanukah.

Brandy Snow: In my mind I have zero regret, I couldn't have done it any differently.  I was very invested in the Race and was completely blindsided and attacked.  And I don't like being blindsided and attacked and I'm not going to take it lying down,

Carol Rosenfeld: You're in the heat of the moment...

Brandy Snow: I'm going down kicking and screaming. Because I wanted to stay in the Race and compete and see how far our best could get us...

Carol Rosenfeld: Based on our own merit...

Brandy Snow: ...and we were robbed of our opportunity.

Carol Rosenfeld: Based on our own best.  And we were robbed [of] that opportunity.

Brandy Snow: And I had, like I said, zero idea that she hated us so much!  I had bonding moments with her, great conversations with her -- I mean I know things about her based on conversations.  P.S.  She doesn't know that much about me, based on those same conversations, because she was very self-focused.

I didn't know who she was until Jordan did his imitation -- which by the way, he's not being called to task or being [called] "mean" on.  It was a genuine imitation.  I had never seen the video, didn't see it until after the Race ended.

And I work with celebrities.  I was not particularly thrilled -- thrilled is the wrong word -- I was not particularly in awe of her.  She was just another racer.  Don't have much in common  with her either, so while I was not overtly friendly because I'm not disingenuous, I was certainly kind and respectful and encouraging when it was appropriate. 

Apparently that wasn't good enough.  She wanted more attention from us.

Carol Rosenfeld: There's not a bunch of tape of me being mean or of us being mean.  It's like I said, we were not even near them for the first third of the Race in terms of being on the same planes, the same buses, etc.

And we were not at all focused [on them].  I mean I knew they young and they were fast and I thought they were good competition from that respect, but you know we weren't even around them so it would be impossible for us to be mean.   Someone's going to have to show me the tape of all that. 

We're on the mat at one point in the Seychelles and Phil said, "One word, how do you feel about them?"  And I said "lucky," they're lucky because they had made a couple of pretty significant mistakes but it didn't come back to bite them in the sense that they were eliminated.  So they were fast enough to overcome those mistakes, it was like props to them.

But to watch it all and, like I said, see the derision is kind of just shocking.  It really is.  And you know, we've watched this every week for several weeks now and it's like we know what's coming and it's like "Wow, this is really very surprising."

Reality TV World: Did you ever consider going for the Fast Forward?

Brandy Snow: No.

Carol Rosenfeld: We knew that we had gotten to the opera house significantly after some other people and we just thought that somebody would have already gone for it.  And especially because we didn't see Dan and Jordan -- everyone else we saw running around the opera house looking for Mr. Wu. 

And we never saw Danielle and Jordan so I think I assumed at that point that they just had gone for it.  They had just found it and gone for it. 

Once we left that train station, we never saw Danielle and Jordan again.  We saw Brent and Caite.  We saw Jet and Cord.  We saw Mike and Louie.  So it was like they must have gone for it, by process of elimination that's where they were. 

So no, we were too far behind and everything we had seen and studied [was] that for a second team to pursue a Fast Forward usually came back and really bit them in the ass.

Reality TV World: What made you both initially decide you wanted to do the "Pounding Drums" Detour task instead of the "Pounding Pavement" option?

Brandy Snow: I just instinctively thought the ice cream truck thing sounded heavier or harder, it sounded like it was going to take longer.

Carol Rosenfeld: Yeah, also it was really early in the morning when we first got that [clue].  I want to say it was before 10AM, and my thinking was, "Who is buying ice cream before 10AM?"  And I was game [for the drums].

And we got over there and Brandy was much more adept at it.  I struggled, I was probably a little more like Jet at it -- I thought he was hysterical last night. 

I struggled with it.  We went to the first [instructor] and it was the tiniest little boy, he couldn't have been three feet tall.  And we were like, "Okay, we'll switch drummers."  And our second instructor, the kid was great and hysterical.

But I struggled with that and I think it would have been hard to sell ice cream [that] early.  Had everything been an hour later I would have been, "Oh no, it's hot, we can do this."

In hindsight, we blew through the ice cream so fast [when we had to do it as part of the U-Turn afterwards] but when we were doing it, again, it was an hour later and was lunchtime.

I think the drums were still the right choice, I just wish I had picked it up a little faster.  Hey, if I had picked it up faster then Brent and Caite wouldn't [have U-Turned us] and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Reality TV World: About how long do you think you were at the drums before you completed it?

Carol Rosenfeld: We were there an hour before we got it, but Brent and Caite [only] went up on the stage right before us.  I mean we were literally right behind them.

Brandy Snow: We were 15, maybe 10-15 minutes behind them at the most.  At the very most.  We watched them go, that sort of kicked us in the ass.  We ran through one more time, got the okay from our teacher -- who by the way, that little kid was the cutest, sweetest boy. 

We're all out there dying of heat -- it's hot -- and he's getting red in the face and he was just so patient and so sweet and so kind.  I just loved him, I just wanted to take him home with me, he was very cute.

Reality TV World: So I guess in hindsight, it wasn't -- given the early morning time that you would have selling the ice cream -- a situation where you feel you might have beat Brent and Caite to the U-Turn if you had chosen the ice cream Detour task right away then?

Carol Rosenfeld: You know, we might have.

Brandy Snow: I've wondered that, we might have.

Carol Rosenfeld: Yeah, now you sit back and now that it's all done you second guess every decision you made.  Hopefully that will end soon!   But maybe we could have gotten through the ice cream, even at that hour of the morning, faster.  Who knows?  It is what it is.

Reality TV World: When Louis and Michael did the ice cream task they ended up selling 10 of the sandwiches to their own cab driver, which seemed a little sketchy to some viewers given they could have basically just repaid him with a big tip later.

Brandy Snow: Yeah...

Reality TV World: What were your own thoughts on that, were you aware of that?

Carol Rosenfeld: Did they actually end up selling him some?  I mean I know he said to his cab driver "You look hungry," but did they actually end up selling some to him?

Reality TV World: I believe they sold 10.

Brandy Snow: Yeah, they sold 10 of them to him.

Reality TV World: Their last 10.

Carol Rosenfeld: Are you kidding me?

Reality TV World: Their last 10, I believe.

Carol Rosenfeld: Oh, I didn't know that. 

Brandy Snow: Yeah, you know that's amazing because we oversold by like five or 10...

Carol Rosenfeld: Yeah...

Brandy Snow: We didn't stop, people kept wanting ice cream from us.  But it's interesting to know that because that actually is kind of shady.  They could have had a deal with him and repaid him later and you, it is what it is, you can't -- I don't know. 

A game is a game and it kind of comes down I think [to] Mike and Louie are playing a smart game [but] it's a little disappointing because it seems like it's dirty and kind of personal.  But for them it's keeping them in it.

Reality TV World: How were you cast on the show -- whose idea was it?

Carol Rosenfeld: You know, it was neither of our ideas.  We were actually approached.   We were asked to interview, we went on the interview [and] we didn't think the interview went well at all. 

[But] low and behold, the next think we knew we were finalists and I think we just kind of embraced that and said let's have fun with this and whatever happens, happens. 

It was this unique opportunity that came to both of us at the same time.  It was like, "Hey, want a one in 11 chance to win a million dollars and travel around the world?"

And it was very out of character for both of us so obviously you're given this amazing gift on a silver platter, it's something you want to embrace.

http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-carol-rosenfeld-and-brandy-snow-talk-about-the-amazing-race-10755.php

[Coutzy]

Reality TV World: How were you cast on the show -- whose idea was it?

Carol Rosenfeld: You know, it was neither of our ideas.  We were actually approached.

DO NOT LIKE!!!

[Slowhatch]

DO NOT LIKE!!!

With each new season we're seeing more of it. The "over the transom" team might turn into an extinct species.

[Coutzy]

DO NOT LIKE!!!

With each new season we're seeing more of it. The "over the transom" team might turn into an extinct species.

Of course, if they approach ME, I'll turn a complete 180 on the subject.

[everbloom]

Reality TV World: How were you cast on the show -- whose idea was it?

Carol Rosenfeld: You know, it was neither of our ideas.  We were actually approached.

DO NOT LIKE!!!

I guess that would explain why they act like they've never watched the show before. I wonder if CBS intentionally wanted a diverse cast.

[georgiapeach]

remember that Brandy was one of the few racers to know who Allan Wu was...I think they did their homework!

[Sailing]

http://tvwatch.people.com/2010/04/13/amazing-races-carol-and-brandy-we-arent-mean-lesbians/

The Amazing Race
Amazing Race’s Carol and Brandy: We Aren’t ‘Mean Lesbians’

April 13, 2010

Carol Rosenfeld, 47, a consultant living in Los Angeles, and her Salt Lake City-based teammate, Brandy Snow, a 40-year-old actress, were the second team to have their run ended by the dreaded U-Turn on this season of The Amazing Race. The former girlfriends spoke with PEOPLE about being labeled “mean lesbians,” how they really feel about Caite Upton and how the competition cost them their relationship. –Carrie Bell
You said on the show that “dumb did us in.” Did anything else was contribute to your elimination other than the U-Turn?
Brandy: The U-Turn was the end of us. We were totally blindsided and did not consider ourselves the biggest threat.
Carol: It was funny and surprising to see how big of a threat [the cops] thought we were.
Brandy: It was a very physically competitive race and we did the best we could in every situation. We brought our best game. I don’t have regrets about how we played it and I don’t have any about how we treated any of the other teams. We were very focused on our performance and not on the other racers.
Caite had particularly nasty things to say about you in her explanation for why they u-turned you.
Brandy: We weren’t mean. There are way more clips of her hating on us. To be labeled mean for an off-handed comment while Jordan is on national television doing a spot-on and hysterical imitation of her seems like a gross double-standard. We were vilified for a comment that was not meant in any way to be a judgment call.
Carol: If the meanness was so constant, why didn’t they air any of it? I made a joke on day one [about her] racing in her sash and tiara. I thought it was funny then and I still think it’s funny.
Brandy: When we were around them, I felt we were nothing but respectful and kind.
Your reaction and exit speeches were memorable to say the least.
Brandy: I was nervous for last night because I knew I had reacted poorly. When I’m attacked and sabotaged, I go to the fight instinct. The gloves came off. Perhaps the name-calling and impersonations were not the best sportsmanship, but as tired as we were and as emotionally invested as we were in the competition and to have it all taken away, I reacted honestly in the moment.
Are you able to forgive and forget?
Carol: Well, me being a mean lesbian and all, they don’t want to run into me in a dark alley.
Brandy: It‘s been an emotional roller coaster watching it and being labeled. This is my national coming out party. My friends and family knew I’d been in same-sex relationships, but in general people didn’t know. I partially did it because we were only the second lesbian couple on the race. I wanted to raise awareness and be positive.
Carol: I’m very hesitant to say Caite is homophobic because that’s a very harsh statement. But, man, to watch her saying the “mean lesbians this and that” in that derisive tone week after week, it’s hard not to let your mind go there.
Your exit means yet another season without an all-female team in the finale.
Carol: We won’t see an all-female team win as long as we have to race in men’s boots … When the guys have to start running in high heels, it‘ll be a fair fight.
You had been dating less than a year when you started. How’d that affect your relationship?
Carol: Getting ready for the race hijacked the honeymoon part of our relationship … Our relationship was more disposable because of its newness. I cannot recommend this for new couples.
Brandy: It took a toll. We’re living in different cities and focusing on being friends right now.
Did you take away any good memories?
Brandy: I liked Malaysia the most because we worked together best on that leg and we did all the tasks. I loved the culture and the it was beautiful and our cab driver rocked.
Carol: Even though I stepped in llama s— and got kicked by a cow, South America far exceeded my expectations. Those volcanoes were stunning.

[Sailing]

http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/3147-the-amazing-race-16-exclusive-interview-with-carol-rosenfeld-and-brandy-snow

The Amazing Race 16: Exclusive Interview with Carol Rosenfeld and Brandy Snow

by David McAlpine and Gina Scarpa

This week, on The Amazing Race, the dreaded U-Turn made its way to Singapore, along with the remaining five teams. Brent and Caite rushed to finish their Detour so that they would have the opportunity to get some revenge on Carol and Brandy, who they feel have been rude to them from the very beginning. Forced to complete both tasks, Carol and Brandy fell to the bottom of the pack and were the last to arrive at the pit stop. Today, the eliminated team talked to RealityWanted in an exclusive interview about the way they went out, their feelings towards Brent and Caite today, and what lies ahead for them.

Q. David, RealityWanted: Whose idea was it to try out for The Amazing Race this season?
A. Carol: A friend suggested that we go on it because we had good energy and there hadn't been too many lesbians on the show, plus no two women had won before. It was intriguing and we weren't too particularly familiar with the show; we hadn't even been together that long when someone suggested we try out for it, maybe 4 or 5 months. Definitely the least out of anyone.

Q. David, RealityWanted: Did you do any preparation before you headed into the race, physically or mentally?
A. Brandy: We didn't just watch them, we studied them and we talked about tasks and what we would pick and why and who would be better at what. We even studied what they were wearing! And we worked out a ton.
A. Carol: I went hiking with my pack a lot. I would jam stuff in it and then make sure I could handle it all. We also practiced bungee jumping, which was a mistake because I didn't have fear of heights before we did that, but after was a different story.

Q. David, RealityWanted: Did the two of you talk about how you were going to handle stressful situations before you went on the race? How do you feel you communicated with one another once you were on it?
A. Carol: There wasn't going to be one person who was in charge. We knew if one person felt strongly about something, we were going to go for the stronger opinion. One example was the sauerkraut, when Brandy was so confident about it, I had no choice but to say she was absolutely right. We knew we wouldn't be fulfilling the traditional roles.

Q. David, RealityWanted: Brent and Caite felt, from the beginning, that you were mean and condescending towards them. Looking back on it, and having seen the episodes, do you regret anything that you said about them?
A. Carol: You know, I made a joke day 1 in passing about how she would be racing in her sash and her tiara. I also made a joke about being amazed that the cowboys were racing in their magic hats, so if that makes me a mean person, so be it. I was surprised at the animosity because we didn't hate them, we don't hate them, either.
A. Brandy: I think they were manipulated a lot by Mike and Louie, too. We were labeled "the lesbians" as a group and I think she might have an issue with us as lesbians. Yes, we didn't go out of our way to be friends, but were always on different planes or different buses--there wasn't much opportunity to interact with them. There's no excuse for unsportsmanlike talk, but I'm owning everything I said last night.

Q. David, RealityWanted: How much did being U-Turned set you back? How long after Michael and Louie did you arrive at the pit stop?
A. Carol: We did two tasks in maybe 15 minutes more than it had taken Mike and Louie and the Cowboys to do just one tasks. I think we were making up time, but it still would have been impossible to catch them. We blew though the ice cream, though, and we didn't even have our cab driver by 10 dollars of it, either!

Q. David, RealityWanted: If you were the ones to arrive at the U-Turn first, would you have used it?
A. Carol: Yes, but we would have used it on the Cowboys. They'd won the most legs, the leg prior they'd set an Amazing Race record; they were clearly the most consistent competitors. If they weren't available, we would have done Mike and Louie and, if not them, Brent and Caite.

Q. David, RealityWanted: How confident were you that you would make it to the final leg of the race?
A. Carol: With each leg, we gained more confidence. I remember at the beginning of the race, I looked around and I saw all these strong teams. They could lift more, run faster; we just needed to be consistent and not make mistakes. At the point of the U-Turn, we were running in third, so yeah, pretty good odds.
A. Brandy: We tried to focus on the race, not the racers, and I think that helped a lot.

Q. David, RealityWanted: How has running The Amazing Race changed your relationship with one another?
A. Carol: It's a unique experience. You're put in stressful, sleep-deprived situations that don't reflect the worst things that can happen to you in real life. You know a lot of the other teams were siblings and friends--they've had every fight they could ever have. Our emotional investment was not as great as some other people, but I think we did great all things considered.

[Sailing]

http://www.digitalspy.com/ustv/s66/the-amazing-race/interviews/a213445/carol--brandy-the-amazing-race.html

Carol & Brandy ('The Amazing Race')

Tuesday, April 13 2010, 4:58am EDT

By Lara Martin, News Editor

CBS
Carol Rosenfeld and Brandy Snow wanted to become the first female team to win The Amazing Race, but unfortunately their time on the show was cut short on Sunday night after they encountered the dreaded U-Turn. The couple were forced to complete a second detour at the hands of Caite and Brent - who claimed they had been mean to them - and finished bottom of the pack in Singapore, telling Phil: "Dumb did us in." We gave them a call to find out if they've patched things up with Caite and Brent, and how the experience affected their relationship.

Are you still angry about the U-Turn?
Brandy: "I'm disappointed about it because the way the season has unfolded, it's really come to show less of a strategic and intelligent move, and more of a very personal, pretty hatred and prejudiced move. We were entirely unaware of that. We were blindslided by the U-Turn in the first place and it was shocking to us and didn't make any sense at the time. Now watching it, and watching her label us and hate us for that label, it's been a pretty stunning experience. I'm not mad about the U-Turn, I'm more disappointed, shocked and dismayed by the hatred she has generated towards us - not as individuals, or even separate people or people with names - we are the 'mean lesbians'."
Carol: "I'm very hesitant to call anybody homophobic because I think it's a really harsh label, but I think she's a bit of a hypocrite. She talks about all the haters who made fun of her YouTube and beauty pageant debacle a few years ago, but quite honestly, she's in that group. It's, 'The lesbians, the mean lesbians'... I'm like, 'We have names!'"
Brandy: "None of makes any sense, so the only way I can try to logically make sense of it is that, while I wouldn't necessarily call her homophobic, I would say she has a problem with lesbians and she particularly had a problem with us as lesbians. We are strong, independent, intelligent women, willing to work hard at every turn, and the further we progressed in the race, the more attention we were stealing from her, and she's used to getting attention."

Caite said you were mean to her. Do you still maintain that you weren't?
Carol: "I made a joke on day one saying, 'Is she racing with her sash and tiara?'. There seems to be a double standard. Jordan does the most hysterical, spot-on imitation of her. We didn't know who she was until Jordan did his imitation, Brandy had never even seen the YouTube video. So, it's okay for Jordan to do his imitation but not okay for me to make a joke. You think someone who has been through what she has would be a little more self deprecating and able to joke about herself, but I guess that's not the case."

Have you spoken to Caite and Brent since the show?
Brandy: "No, no, the thing is, I'm 40, Carol is 47, they are in their twenties. We don't have anything specifically in common with them. We get along with Daniel and Jordan really well. I think they are both well-educated, intelligent boys and we enjoyed spending time with them. We thought we got on with Mike and Louie, so them speaking ill of us in the Seychelles I considered to be backstabbing. As this unfolded, I recognized that their play is very smart, kind of dirty, definitely more gamesmanship than I expected to see. I was really complimentary of Caite, and had thought at one point - because I used to scout and place models on contract in Asia - about talking to her about her career. She said we weren't friendly, but why does the onus lie with us specifically? I know more about Caite based on the brief few conversations I had with her and Brent than she knows about me. She never asked any questions about me."
Carol: "And all he ever did was talk about himself."

Is it fair to say that the U-Turn was directly responsible for your elimination?
Brandy: "We were running in third and we still managed to run into both Michael and Louie and Jet and Cord at the shipyard. We weren't running that far behind and if we hadn't been hobbled by that 30 or 40 minute delay of traveling to the park, finding out we were U-Turned, going and selling the ice-cream, returning to the park, we would have come ahead of those two teams."
Carol: "It was Mike and Louie's savior really that there was a U-Turn."

How has the race affected your relationship?
Carol: "I don't think it necessarily affected our relationship. I think the unfortunate reality for Brandy and I right now is that we are living in different cities so maintaining something long-distance is a difficult proposition. We both came back and had to go to separate cities and immediately both started working, so we haven't had the chance to take some time off or a vacation."

Did you discover anything about yourselves that you didn't know before during the race?
Carol: "That Brandy's afraid of heights!"
Brandy: "I didn't know that about myself! Although it's not really about heights, it's more triggered by an intense dislike of bungee jumping! It's not about what we learned as individuals, it's about us together. We can step outside of any frustration or bickering and are both strong-willed, opinionated women. We would butt heads occasionally, but we learned we can kind of push all that aside when it comes down to it, and really step up to the task. I'm incredibly proud of how we played the game with integrity. It was a very empowering experience."

Finally, as world travelers, what was the best experience of the entire race?
Carol: "For me it was South America. I was just overwhelmed by the beauty of Patagonia and the good news is I think I'm going back on business later this year! I thought Kuala Lumpur was fabulous, and even though we just connected through there, it was an amazing looking city and such a cool mix of cultures. Without fail I will be going back."
Brandy: "I loved the helicopter ride in the Seychelles, that was just exquisite. I definitely loved Argentina and want to go back and explore more, and Champagne region!"

[Rob]

RFFRadio Interview with Carol & Brandy, at the end of the show:
http://www.rffradio.com/podpress_trac/web/371/0/rffradio_ep249.mp3

[georgiapeach]

Sailing!!



And  Rob!! Cannot wait to hear that one!!

[Cocoa]

Carol and Brandy are calling Dan, as Danielle?

[Jobby]

Q. David, RealityWanted: How much did being U-Turned set you back? How long after Michael and Louie did you arrive at the pit stop?
A. Carol: We did two tasks in maybe 15 minutes more than it had taken Mike and Louie and the Cowboys to do just one tasks. I think we were making up time, but it still would have been impossible to catch them. We blew though the ice cream, though, and we didn't even have our cab driver by 10 dollars of it, either!

Every 45 seconds of waiting for cabbies in S'pore = 20 cents
Less than 10 dollars...
That's around 37.5 minutes spent at the ice cream Detour.

And the Yield was only 15 minutes.

Anyway, i thought that the U-TURN should always be in close proximity.. and this season it was unfair because C/B had to travel from Speakers Corner to Istana Park and then back to Bugis Street, where they will complete the Detour... then move on to Istana Park again!??!

That's around about 30 to 45 minutes wasted as compared to the past when the U-TURN was first introduced and the U-TURN locations were always within close proximity and one task will be relatively easier to complete than the other.

[georgiapeach]

No, this was an audio interview, clearly the transcriptionist heard Daniel and typed Danielle.

Carol and Brandy are calling Dan, as Danielle?

[Cocoa]

No, this was an audio interview, clearly the transcriptionist heard Daniel and typed Danielle.

Carol and Brandy are calling Dan, as Danielle?

aw. I thought they are teasing Dan. 

[redskevin88]

Anyway, i thought that the U-TURN should always be in close proximity.. and this season it was unfair because C/B had to travel from Speakers Corner to Istana Park and then back to Bugis Street, where they will complete the Detour... then move on to Istana Park again!??!

That's around about 30 to 45 minutes wasted as compared to the past when the U-TURN was first introduced and the U-TURN locations were always within close proximity and one task will be relatively easier to complete than the other.

AR12 the second detours were also apart, and they had to go to some circle for the u-turn...

[slayton]

The Amazing Race 16: Carol and Brandy, "We Weren't Mean"
by Reg Seeton

Although the Amazing Race team of Carol Rosenfeld and Brandy Snow were dating only a few weeks prior to The Amazing Race 16, Carol and Brandy were soon put to the test as a couple when The Amazing Race got underway in Chile. Early in The Amazing Race, Carol and Brandy were dubbed this season's Amazing Race villains when Brandy joked about the tiara of former Miss Teen U.S.A. contestant, Caite Upton who was their Amazing Race competitor with her boyfriend Brent Horne. From the tiara moment on, Carol and Brandy were labeled the mean lesbians by some of The Amazing Race teams, including Louie and Michael who used the Carol and Brandy villain strategy to their Amazing Race advantage.

The morning after the most recent Amazing Race elimination, we went one-on-one with Carol and Brandy to get the straight story on how they felt about being dubbed "the mean lesbians", their Amazing Race strategy, and how the tiara joke got out of hand.

THE DEADBOLT: After running the race, can you guys locate the U.S. on a world map?

CAROL ROSENFELD: Don't take the bait, Brandy.

BRANDY SNOW: [laughs] I'm not opening my mouth. Nice one, though.

CAROL: There was a coup over the weekend in Kyrgyzstan and I had to look it up in an atlas, and I couldn't pronounce it. Then I looked to see how close we were to there.

THE DEADBOLT: [laughs] Looking back, do you think you should've dumbed down your strategy?

CAROL: We would've had to dumb down ourselves. You know, we've been talking about that. Should we have been disingenuous? Should we have been overly friendly to everybody? I think people would've seen right through that. I'm not that good an actress. But the fact of the matter is that we weren't mean.

I made a joke on day one that I thought was funny, and I still do, but other than that, I have yet to see a piece of tape where we were mean to them. She just keeps saying we're the mean lesbians. We're the lesbians. We're the mean lesbians. I'm like, I made a joke and the joke's not mean. We were amazed that the cowboys were racing in their hats. I think it would've been hysterical if she showed up in the fashion tiara. I would've given her more props for doing it.

THE DEADBOLT: As the race went on, aside from the tiara thing, what was it about Brent and Caite that got under your skin?

CAROL: You tell me.

BRANDY: There's no tape. We were totally shocked and amazed. I mean, people are calling it the feud and judging us, and there's no tape. There's no tape because there was no interaction.

CAROL: For the first third of the race, we weren't anywhere near them because they were on a different bus in South America. They were on different buses both times in South America when we were on long bus rides. They were on a different plane all the way from South America to Germany. They were on a different train once we got to Germany and then we were in cars in Germany and France. The first time we ever had any extended amount of time with them would've been at the Charles De Gaulle airport, and we weren't around them. We had gone off to do some research on the internet at a hotel and we weren't near them. So I'm not sure when we were mean. I'd love to see it. I haven't seen it yet and anyone who supports us has said the same thing, "When were you mean? I'm waiting to see it."

THE DEADBOLT: Were they enough of a threat for you guys to U-Turn if you got the chance, or would you have U-Turned Louie and Michael?

CAROL: They were third on the list to us.

BRANDY: They were third on the list. I have to say, had Jet and Cord and Mike and Louie not been available to U-Turn, and they had chosen to U-Turn us, I would've totally accepted it and not had any problem with it. But because it was so out of the blue and so blindsiding with the two strongest teams available to U-Turn, it was stunning to me.

CAROL: Yeah. I think we were in shock more than anything. You have this great strategic opportunity to get rid of the cowboys who are a phenomenally strong team. Really, even when they were at their lowest low, they came back to finish in first place. So here you have this wonderful opportunity and I think we viewed it as not the smartest move in terms of strategy for the game. You know, we didn't know until we saw the tapes the last few weeks about the lesbians, the mean lesbians, over and over and over, and she hated us. I'm like, "Wow!"

BRANDY: I think there was some personal issues for her going on with us. I don't think she liked us for who we were. Obviously she labeled us and hated us for that label. Then I think there was some jealousy. Carol keeps saying that she thinks that my existence sort of stole the limelight away from her, but I think it was really our existence. I think she's smart enough and a savvy enough girl to know that the further along a female/female team got in the race, the more attention it would take away from her because no female/female team had ever won the race.

So we would start getting closer and closer to the final three and we would start getting more and more attention. She's an attention whore. I mean, you can even see it. I watched these episodes and felt actually kind of bad for Brent, - my comments aside - because she throws him under the bus at every turn. I mean, she's commenting on how she's made more goals than he did, or she beat him at this or she did that, and she's constantly speaking for him.

It's been an interesting thing to watch her kind of try to steal the attention at every single turn, and she's managed, I guess, so far to do it fairly successfully. She certainly targeted us as a threat to her. I don't think it had anything to do with a threat to the million dollars, it had to do with a threat to the attention that she felt she deserved and or craved.

THE DEADBOLT: As for Louie and Michael, did they really have a problem with you guys, or was that more of a strategy on their part?

CAROL: You know, I think that also came as a huge surprise to us. To watch Louie refer to me as a snake and a serpent a couple of weeks ago was incredibly disappointing, because that was not how they interacted with us to our face by any stretch of the imagination. So whether it's gamesmanship on their part or how they really feel, I think they were actually a little threatened because they felt like they weren't going to get to the U-Turn first.

In last night's episode, they knew there might be a target on their back, because obviously they had won a couple of legs, but they had to be thinking that the cowboys were the strongest team and that they were the second. The best thing they could do was befriend them and keep them from getting U-Turned. Whether or not they manipulated them and whether or not it was a good choice, I don't really know. I think it was really surprising and very disappointing because it was not at all how they presented themselves to us.

BRANDY: And it's certainly not indicative of the interactions we had with them personally, the respect we extended to them. Like on the steps in Malaysia, I turned to him and go, "Mike, you're a rock star."

CAROL: And it was always, "Good job, you guys," and congratulations when they won. When people would start off each leg, we'd say to everyone, "Good luck today." You never wanted anybody to slip up and be gone, you wished everyone their best. It was like, "We're going to do our best and wherever we ended up doing our best is where we end up." Maybe we were a little naive. We had watched many seasons and didn't see the amount of gamesmanship we saw in our season going on behind the scenes.

BRANDY: We were focused on the race and not the racers, and that was perhaps a naiveté on our part. It is, after all, a race for a million dollars. It is, after all, reality television. Oftentimes there's underhanded or backstabbing dealings and I think that showed through more this season than seasons with Meghan and Cheyne and Tammy and Victor. I mean, there seemed to be a lot less of that kind of gamesmanship and nastiness exchanging between players.

THE DEADBOLT: Since you were only dating a few weeks before the race began, how did that play a part in your chemistry as a team?

CAROL: We bickered quite a bit, but I think we were also both so goal oriented that the bickering never seemed to slow us down. We would put our heads down and finish the task and it was like, "All right, the bickering is just going to be part of the reality." I think part of the reason for the bickering is because most of these tasks, for two women, are f**king grueling.

I mean, carrying a wooden horse? That frigging horse weighed a ton and she's a couple of inches taller than me. I'm bruised up and down my shoulder from that thing. Those tasks, the crawling on your belly in Massiges, that's all upper body strength. That's not something women necessarily have. And carrying those incense sticks, which I thought were going to be twelve inches long not twelve feet long, I mean this stuff is [grueling] for two women running around in men's work boots.

We both have scars on our legs to prove we did it because our feet were rubbed raw by boots in Massiges and boots in Singapore. It's like, lets make this a fair game. Let's have the guys race in heels. Then it's a fair fight and a level playing field. The guys playing G.I. Joe is fun, it's just not our cup of tea. It's not my cup of tea, that's for sure, as you can tell [laughs].

THE DEADBOLT: Was there anything you wish got aired that we didn't see?

CAROL: I think our interaction with Dan and Jordan, our card playing. I would love that.

BRANDY: And Carol and I played cards on the train in Malaysia and we looked and felt like one of the locals, kind of hunched over sitting cross-legged on the lower bunk of a very stinky rickety train. We were playing cards and laughing about the whole situation at that point in time. So I wish that they had shown other teams speaking at least respectfully of us, because it's hard to repeatedly every week watch Caite speak very disrespectfully and hatefully about us.

Steve and Allie had respectful things to say about us and others said we were a strong team. Even something as simple as that gives us props for who we are as individuals and how we played the game versus labeling and hating us for that. So I do wish they had shown some more positive comments about our team, because a fair group of people seem to be buying into this idea that we were mean when there's no tape to back that up. And to be called to task for a comment, a joke, about a tiara that wasn't even made directly to Caite by Carol, is pretty ridiculous.

I mean, Jordan did an amazing, spot on hilarious imitation of Caite, but he's never accused of being mean. So the double standards are difficult. There are a lot of secret scenes that show us being really straightforward about the teams and respectful about their strengths and what they bring to the table. It might've been nice to show that on national television to kind of offset the negative remarks and the hateful remarks that were made.

CAROL: The many times they asked us about them, we were like, "They're young, fast, and they're hungry. They seem to get over their mistakes and not have them hurt to such a degree that they get eliminated." We said that as an add-in item, but it never gets aired.

THE DEADBOLT: Do you think was easy for the teams to scapegoat you because of your sexuality?

CAROL: I think it has something to do with the sexuality and something to do with the fact that it's two women who aren't necessarily intimidated. We're not going to play dumb, because dumbing it down I don't think would've worked too well. You saw the poker players try to lie about who they were last season and that didn't work. That didn't last too long. It was like, "Okay, you're obviously not the do-gooders that you say you are." You know, hindsight is 20/20 and I don't think there's anything that we really would've done differently.

-- Reg Seeton

http://www.thedeadbolt.com/news/107420/carol_brandy_amazing_race_16_interview.php

[slayton]

Exclusive Interview: Carol and Brandy from 'The Amazing Race'
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
 Henrik Batallones
Staff Writer, BuddyTV

Carol and Brandy is the sort of team that'd split opinion. Take it from me on this one: in the early legs of the race they came across as this annoying, snobbish team. In the later legs, however, they got their act together and became this focused team, and suddenly I don't mind seeing them far on the race. So, I'll admit, I felt a little bad when they got U-turned in Singapore on The Amazing Race last Sunday, and were consequently eliminated.

The couple were known for their many lines--witty, rude, choose your pick--and I got to experience just that when I talked to them early today. We talked about their early bickering, their opinion towards Brent and Caite, and that "valet parking" line in Los Angeles.

Why did you decide to join the race?

Carol: It was just such a unique opportunity to travel extensively and have some grand adventure with someone that I had just begun a relationship with, and as such simply seemed too good to pass up.

Who first floated the idea of joining the race?

Carol: Actually, the idea to apply was recommended to us by a mutual acquaintance of ours.

Brandy: We were newly dating and had such great chemistry, so she thought we'd be great on the race.

In the early legs of the race, it seemed like you weren't willing to go through certain tasks--those comments on valet parking and hotel rooms--thus viewers thought you were arrogant. Do you think you were misunderstood?

Brandy: I think we were terribly misunderstood. We were willing to do each and every challenge from the very beginning of the race. The lack of hotels and valet parking didn't affect me in any way.

Carol: We have both traveled extensively but never with such a great degree of sleep deprivation and never having spent so many nights either sleeping on a plane or bus, or wandering around the streets.

Brandy: I've lived in many other countries as a local, no valet parking or hotels involved! (laughs) Also, I am from Utah. I grew up camping and doing strenuous outdoorsy things, so any type of lodging the race had for us, I was ready for. I know how to make myself comfortable in any given situation, and often all it takes is a travel pillow and blanket, which I definitely took with me!

Carol: My joke about "my idea of roughing it is when there is no valet parking" was exactly that, just a joke.

Brandy: That's all it was, a joke! Where did an appreciation for humor, self-effacing at that, go?

Carol: There is a really cute secret scene of us in the streets of Puerta Varas amused over our homeless and moneyless state. Other racers cried and yelled. I have a tendency to use levity in times of great stress but would challenge anyone to go through the same experience and not feel stressed.

You also argued a lot in the early legs, but you decided to get past the bickering and focus on the race. What was that moment like? I'll be honest: I didn't expect you to make it far after all those disagreements.

Brandy: I appreciate your honesty. The truth is, we barely knew one another before embarking on this trip of a lifetime. It was actually between four to five months that we have been dating before we left on the race. Our entire relationship was consumed by the race: auditioning, preparing, then competing. I am quite proud of how well we did given that handicap. All the other teams had had relationships for much, much longer.

Carol: Look, we are two strong-willed, confident women. We agree to disagree but really never let it get in our way--the only time it really affected us was when we spent too much time trying to find the bags in the field in Bariloche. If we had simply tried it for 10-15 minutes we would have ended up in second as opposed to third on that leg. But it taught us a great lesson about how long we should stick with a task before moving on to something else, so in the end, it was absolutely worth it.

Brandy: After our meltdown in Bariloche, we realized that we would not survive either in the race, or together, if we didn't shift our thinking. We decided that it had to be us against everybody else, not us against each other! We recognized early on that if we didn't focus on our game and realize we were not competing against each other but rather against the other players, we would surely be not only eliminated, but miserable, too!

How were you with the other teams? Your short-lived tie-up with Joe and Heidi raised some eyebrows, but soon it seemed only a couple of teams didn't like you a lot.

Carol: I don't think we viewed our alliance with Joe and Heidi as short-lived. Rather, we ended up in separate vehicles shortly thereafter and we always wished them success in every subsequent leg.

Brandy: We ran a great leg with Heidi and Jo and I have nothing but respect for them. I chose to focus on the race, not the other racers. It was far more important for me to show up each leg and do my absolute best, give it my 110%.

Did you really dislike Brent and Caite, or were you just frustrated by them? Have you since talked to them?

Carol: Can't say that I have spoken to them and really don't expect to. I also wouldn't say that I disliked them because the truth is, we were never around them for any significant period of time so I really didn't have a chance to form an opinion in one way or another.

Brandy: Until the U-turn, I had nothing but kindness and support for Brent and Caite.

Would it have made a difference if another team slapped you with a U-turn?

Carol: We considered it to be a strategic opportunity to eliminate a stronger team.

Brandy: I would have been equally stunned had Mike and Louie managed to U-turn us. It just does not make good strategic sense to target us. We were not the strongest team, physically, and we had never won a leg of the race.

Carol: I don't think we considered ourselves to be that big a threat in terms of outrunning or out-lifting the other teams so it just doesn't seem like the smartest decision at the time.

What was the most memorable part of the race for you?

Carol: There were so many incredible sites. I personally loved South America and cannot wait to go back. The Champagne region of France was gorgeous, and with a couple of glasses of champagne probably even more enjoyable. Even Massiges, though the task was grueling, was very moving when you consider its history dating back to World War I and the soldiers that died there. And I loved Malaysia with its mix of three different cultures.

Brandy: I left bits and pieces of myself across the race course. There is not one moment that sticks out for me over any other. Everything from traversing the high wire, to bungee jumping, to the gorgeous helicopter ride in the Seychelles and those damn incense sticks has left an imprint on me. I am forever changed for having done the race, and for that I consider myself very lucky!

You've been dating for five months or so before joining the race. How has the whole experience benefited your relationship?

Brandy: I learned a lot about Carol in a very short period of time, and about us together. I am very proud of how we were able to show up and complete each task despite exhaustion, hunger and stress.

Carol: Look, we got to share something incredible that very few people get the opportunity to do, so from that perspective I feel humbled, honored and privileged to have participated. I'm proud of the fact that we never gave up, we never cried or threatened to quit when we didn't like the tasks we were faced with.

Brandy: Although we bickered a bit, we never gave up, we supported each other and we did our best and for that I am very proud.

Carol: Our goal was simply to do our best and not worry about the things we couldn't control and I think by and far we have achieved that goal.

http://www.buddytv.com/articles/the-amazing-race/exclusive-interview-carol-and-35861.aspx

I have to give special thanks to Henrik Batallones for being the first interviewer, that I've read or heard, to ask Carol & Brandy about Joe & Heidi.

I'm somewhat surprised that they only had positive things to say about them.

[Dånooky]

Hmmm...didn't Luke said that the producers tried to stir drama during Pit Stops while spreading false rumors? Maybe that's what created this invisible feud. Either the producers begun it or it was Mike & Louie's strategy from the beginning.

[redskevin88]

Hmmm...didn't Luke said that the producers tried to stir drama during Pit Stops while spreading false rumors? Maybe that's what created this invisible feud. Either the producers begun it or it was Mike & Louie's strategy from the beginning.

Either that, or Carol & Brandy are lousy liars...