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The Amazing Race => The Racers => Topic started by: georgiapeach on August 29, 2012, 08:59:10 AM
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Josh and Brent
(http://wwwimage.cbs.com/base/files/styles/136x170/public/cast/josh_brent_480x610.jpg)
Name: Josh Kilmer-Purcell
Age: 43
Hometown: I go back and forth weekly between New York City & Sharon Springs, NY.
Connection to your teammate: Life Partner for the past 15 years
Previously appeared on their own television series: “The Fabulous Beekman Boys” aired on Planet Green (Discovery) for two seasons (cancelled in 2011).
Current occupation: Goat Farmer/Advertising Executive/Author
Describe what you do: During the week, I work as an Advertising Creative Director in New York City. On the weekends, I commute to my goat farm in Sharon Springs, NY.
3 words to describe you: Funny, self-deprecating and generous.
Favorite hobbies: Cooking, gardening and traveling.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? Reviving the small town where our farm is located by bringing attention to Beekman Farm and rural America through our television show.
What famous person reminds you of yourself? Julia Child
What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Martha Stewart
What scares you most about traveling? Falling ill during The Race.
What excites you most about traveling? Partaking in new cuisines.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: We are quick to argue and both of us think we are the smartest people in the room.
Pet peeve about your teammate: Brent never admits when he is wrong.
What country and place would you most like to visit and why? There are two: Italy, because I can’t believe I have never been, and Russia because of the history and culture.
What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? If we win, we could finally be together under the same roof every night for the first time in three years. Being apart during the workweek has been a struggle and gone on far too long.
Name: Brent Ridge
Age: 38
Hometown: Sharon Springs, N.Y.
Connection to your teammate: Life partners for 15 years
Previously appeared on their own television series: “The Fabulous Beekman Boys” aired on Planet Green (Discovery) for two seasons (cancelled in 2011).
Current occupation: Chief Executive Officer of Beekman 1802.
Describe what you do: I manage our 60 acre goat farm and run our company, Beekman 1802.
3 words to describe you: Focused, ambitious and open-minded.
Favorite hobbies: Working in my garden, organizing community events and meeting new people.
What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? Working with our small farm community to bring in new business and gather attention for rural America.
What famous person reminds you of yourself? Martha Stewart
What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Oprah
What scares you most about traveling? Being unable to resolve a situation because of a language barrier.
What excites you most about traveling? Seeing things I have never seen before and probably will never see again.
Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: Communication and the fact we both think we are always in the right.
Pet peeve about your teammate: He is too nice. He can’t always be nice and expect to get ahead when everyone else is playing dirty.
What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Asia and the Middle East since I want to know more about these cultures.
What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? As I get older, I realize life is about making memories and this will be an experience we both will never forget.
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb140/ga--peach/TAR%2021/Cast%20Reveal%20Pics/JoshandBrent.jpg)
photo credit Chris Lipson CBS
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Thanks to WP!
http://www.youtube.com/v/ofWjiPpjJ58?version=3&hl
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Goat farmers... sounds as interesting as farming in general. :/
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Vid up in post 2!!
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At first I thought this was a father and son team...... :ascared
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
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This was another one of the teams ID'd the first day, and they are actually engaged to be married (and New York state legalized same sex marriage last year.
To bad the show isn't going with "engaged."
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At first I thought this was a father and son team...... :ascared
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.
They really look alike somehow! :D
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To bad the show isn't going with "engaged."
With the increase in prize money for TAR, CBS cannot risk the Rush Limbaugh investment. :lol:
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If you missed their show before...you have another chance!
"The Fabulous Beekman Boys" is returning to TV on a new channel. The Cooking Channel begins re-airing Season 2 on Thursday nights at 10pm, starting 9/20.
*Looking for Cooking Channel on your cable or satellite provider? Click here to find the channel on your dial:
http://cookingchannel.viewerlink.tv/
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Love this!
http://www.youtube.com/v/9szfMWCyPLE?version=3&hl
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These two were definitely the most entertaining to watch! Easily my favorites.
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These two were definitely the most entertaining to watch! Easily my favorites.
:bigwelcome to RFF, Michy.
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They were very entertaining in ep 1. :lol3:
ETA Are we allowed to discuss something from episode 1 here or is that considered a spoiler too?
(as I understand the show airs on a later date in ao Australia?) :)
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Did not really like them :iok
They were very entertaining in ep 1. :lol3:
ETA Are we allowed to discuss something from episode 1 here or is that considered a spoiler too?
(as I understand the show airs on a later date in ao Australia?) :)
The post-elim interviews of Rob & Sheila have been posted in their thread, so I suppose what's been shown on TV = doesn't count as a spoiler?..
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Most episode discussion should stay in that thread, especially until after the West Coast has seen it also. But after that, comments related to ONE team may go in their own thread.
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While looking at Twitter yesterday, I stumbled across a tweet with a link to a video of Josh in his drag queen role of Aquadesia. Because inquiring minds want to know, I had to go look at it. It appears to be something Josh put out when he wrote an autobiography 5 or 6 years ago. It's pretty tame stuff, so it should be safe even for those that are squeamish at the thought of men in drag. I do feel a bit bothered about the fish used in the video. I hope it wasn't too hard on them. Here's the video:
http://www.youtube.com/v/gzBUPRxjX6U?version=3&hl
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The Beekman's are coming! The Beekman's are coming!! TO ATLANTA!
Hope everyone can give them a warm Atlanta welcome!
You can catch up with Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge in person on Saturday, October 27, 2012 at one of the following Atlanta locations:
9:00am:
Morningside Farmers Market
1393 N. Highland AveAtlanta GA 30306
as they sign copies of their bestselling cookbook,“The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook.”
Then at The Country Living Fair (http://www.countryliving.com/cl-fair/country-living-fair-atlanta)
Stone Mountain ParkU.S. Highway 78 East, Exit 8Stone Mountain, GA 30087
1:00pm Cooking Demo:
The Country Living Fair
“Cooking Butternut Squash‑Filled Lasagna Rolls” at the Kitchen Stage in Blackberry Field
2:00pm Book Signing:
Meet Josh and Brent
at The General Store on the Main Green
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Peach, remember to tell us all about it!
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Here's an interesting insight as to Josh and Brent's thoughts and behavior during the legs of the race that have aired so far. Essentially, they decided not to show outward signs of affection because they were traveling in Muslim countries where homosexuality is illegal. hat suggests we might see some differences in that team once they get Turkey or Russia. The article can be found at http://greginhollywood.com/beekman-boys-not-showing-affection-on-the-amazing-race-76099 (http://greginhollywood.com/beekman-boys-not-showing-affection-on-the-amazing-race-76099).
The Fabulous Beekman Boys explain why they are not showing affection on “The Amazing Race”
By Greg Hernandez on Oct 29, 2012 4:38 pm | Comments (1) |
On Sunday night’s episode of The Amazing Race on CBS, life partners Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge barely managed to stave off elimination from the reality show competition.
The couple, better known as The Fabulous Beekman Boys because they have their own reality show about life on their farm in upstate New York, took to Facebook Monday to address why they have not been as visibly affectionate as some of the other couples in the race.
‘Of the five legs shown thus far, four have been in Muslim countries and homosexuality is illegal in every country we’d visited or passed through,’ they explained. ‘Since we are guests in these countries, we chose to not embrace or kiss for practical and respectful reasons.’
‘We were literally relying on the kindness of strangers and cab drivers and challenging their beliefs would not have been strategically smart nor neighborly,’ they added. ‘To be completely fair, perhaps many of the great people we met along the way wouldn’t have had any issues with our relationship. But unfortunately, we didn’t have the time to get to know them better personally.’
The Amazing Race, now in its 21st season, teams of two people, who have some form of a preexisting personal relationship, racing around the world with other teams. Teams are progressively eliminated until three are left. The team that arrives first in the final leg is awarded the grand prize of $1 million.
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That was very interesting. I think they're playing smart with this one.
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You can read the complete blog post here on the Beekman 1802 page:
http://beekman1802.com/muslim-country-kiss/ (http://beekman1802.com/muslim-country-kiss/)
I especially like the insight into how well TAR/WRP works to educate and prepare the racers, and am proud of the Beekman's for being so culturally sensitive themselves!
To be completely fair, perhaps many of the great people we met along the way wouldn’t have had any issues with our relationship, but unfortunately we didn’t have the time to get to know them better personally. We are grateful that the producers of the show made all of the racers aware of the cultural backgrounds and differences of the countries we were heading into. Not only did it help us keep safe, but it made all of us better representatives of the U.S. In addition to all of their Emmys, The Amazing Race producers should receive a medal from the State Department for collectively being the best diplomats and ambassadors this country has.
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They came in last in a non-elimination leg on leg 5. How do you feel about it?
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Glad!! :)
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Glad!! :)
Glad that its an NEL or glad that they came in last?
I prefer the former.
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SO glad it was a NEL! I have a lot of respect for these guys, I admire tremendously the "empire" they have created at their farm. Awesome guys!
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Hee, the newest TAR 21 Chips!! Halloween!
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb140/ga--peach/TAR%2021/Cast/Josh%20and%20Brent/TAR21BrentandJoshHalloweenChips.jpg)
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They managed to mess up that very easy speedbump.
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They managed to mess up that very easy speedbump.
I know! :) Plus, I'm slowly starting to like them already! :D
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Beekman 1802 Boys @Beekman1802Boys
@RyanDanz @AbbieGinsberg & we were so far behind other @AmazingRace_CBS teams last night, our plane nearly landed during "The Good WIfe."
:funny: :funny: :funny:
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They are one of the luckiest teams in the history of the Race.
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They are one of the luckiest teams in the history of the Race.
Tell me about it - I don't know how they are still in it with all the errors and the unlucky breaks with flights. :lol: The luckiest team along with Eric & Danielle who also randomly caught up after being half a day behind. Only difference is that I am actually glad they are still in this and hopefully they can also catch up.
I couldn't stand them at first, but I kinda want to see them win for Abbie & Ryan's sake, and to mess up that convenient little threesome. :lol: ;)
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They are one of the luckiest teams in the history of the Race.
Tell me about it - I don't know how they are still in it with all the errors and the unlucky breaks with flights. :lol: The luckiest team along with Eric & Danielle who also randomly caught up after being half a day behind. Only difference is that I am actually glad they are still in this and hopefully they can also catch up.
I couldn't stand them at first, but I kinda want to see them win for Abbie & Ryan's sake, and to mess up that convenient little threesome. :lol: ;)
Yeah, they're unpredictably being in Final 4 is so random and awesome. :hrt: Honestly, I love this team, as well all the other teams in Final 6. Go, Josh & Brent! :hoot:
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They are one of the luckiest teams in the history of the Race.
Tell me about it - I don't know how they are still in it with all the errors and the unlucky breaks with flights. :lol: The luckiest team along with Eric & Danielle who also randomly caught up after being half a day behind. Only difference is that I am actually glad they are still in this and hopefully they can also catch up.
I couldn't stand them at first, but I kinda want to see them win for Abbie & Ryan's sake, and to mess up that convenient little threesome. :lol: ;)
I like them but i think they are like the weakest teams since Top 7. They make the Final 4 simply because the other teams had bad luck :lol:
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They have gotten second-to-last FOUR legs in a row! And this was after getting last on a NON ELIMINATION LEG! Everyone, Josh and Brent are the new Dandrew :lol3:.
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They have gotten second-to-last FOUR legs in a row! And this was after getting last on a NON ELIMINATION LEG! Everyone, Josh and Brent are the new Dandrew :lol3:.
I also notice it! I think this is a new record for consecutive second to last place finishes? :lol3:
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They have gotten second-to-last FOUR legs in a row! And this was after getting last on a NON ELIMINATION LEG! Everyone, Josh and Brent are the new Dandrew :lol3:.
I also notice it! I think this is a new record for consecutive second to last place finishes? :lol3:
Actually, the record is tied with Dan and Andrew at four legs in a row. Again, Josh and Brent are the new Dandrew :tup:.
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And they still have yet to place in the top 3. They placed 5th and 4th in the last 2 legs, so maybe they will be like Eric and Danielle and finish off 3rd, 2nd and 1st. :lol:
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I think the farmers were less Dandrew... they had a few decent legs. :lol:
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Actually, Vanessa and Ralph got second-to-last 4 legs in a row also, so Josh and Brent have a chance to break both Dandrew's and Vanessa and Ralph's record :lol:.
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The whole breathing part in tonight's episode was funny. Especially Josh's replies to Brent. "I'm not pregnant" "Still hurts" :lol:
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WOW, I said that they are pretty impressive and make it so far!!! Ultimate Underdog Thunders!! Congrats, you really broken record of Andrew & Dan also Ralph & Vanessa!!
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Josh & Brent are elimination Houdinis. :hrt:
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Josh & Brent are elimination Houdinis. :hrt:
I don't see it that way. Houdini had incredible skill. Josh and Brent have had blind luck throughout. They really have no business in an Amazing Race finale, but as we know sometimes weaker teams are the winners because taxi karma strikes the stronger teams.
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Normally I really LOVE underdogs. Most of the time, they are the team/face of the season for me, for being so much fun to watch, for creating lots of drama, and, for most of those teams, not being visually in good shape, which makes them also fun to watch.
Josh & Brent may be nice, but they are just so boring to watch and are unrootable. Never they made me laugh or made something out of the ordinary. They just seem there, completing the tasks, not being really competitive. They're really getting overshadowed by the three other teams left.
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I agree. With Andrew & Dan being a bad team and making it this far, they were hilariously bad which is part of why they were entertaining. These two are just....not good racers.
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Josh & Brent are elimination Houdinis. :hrt:
I don't see it that way. Houdini had incredible skill. Josh and Brent have had blind luck throughout. They really have no business in an Amazing Race finale, but as we know sometimes weaker teams are the winners because taxi karma strikes the stronger teams.
Not a literal Houdini, I mean. Here is further info about "Elimination Houdini" (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EliminationHoudini). :)
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The Beekman Boys Dish 'Amazing Race' Finale
By LISA HIRSCH December 06, 2012
This Sunday a new Amazing Race million-dollar winner will be crowned -- and the Beekman boys, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, are telling all to ET about their thoughts going into the finale, how they helped to change the mind of one of their teammates, and details about their upcoming wedding.
ETonline: Congrats on making it to the finale in third place – did it give you an extra confidence boost to be in the top three going into the final?
Brent: It's always comforting to know that there's someone behind you as a buffer between you and the elimination, but we went into the Race knowing that most of the time Racers defeat themselves rather than other teams beating them, so we have always been more focused on the decisions we were making than what other teams are doing ahead of or behind us.
ETonline: How did it feel to be running in the back of the pack for so long, yet continuing to make it week after week?
Josh: If people re-watch the very first episode, they'll see that we were the very first team to hit the ground after jumping over the bridge. We like to joke that was the only time the whole game we were in the lead. We stayed in the middle of the pack most of the season until the missed connection en route to Moscow (which put us and Abbie and Ryan nearly a full day behind the other teams). Honestly, we preferred being in the back of the pack. It gave us an entirely different perspective on the game. The new strategy then became just not getting eliminated. It's an entirely different race back there!
ETonline: Which other team do you think was the biggest threat? Which other team was your favorite?
Josh: This is a race for a million dollars, and everyone on the course WANTED it. Everyone was a threat, and, honestly, we think any of the teams that started the race had a shot at winning it.
ETonline: Which challenge did you find the most difficult?
Brent: We knew going into the Race that we would be one of the older teams and likely unable to compete head to head physically with some of the younger teams, so obviously we would always prefer more cerebral tasks. To land in Moscow 12 hours behind, miss out on the chance to do the library task, and then facing the synchronized swimming was probably our most demoralizing moment. However, we are glad that it happened the way it did. At some point in the future we are much more likely to find ourselves in a foreign library than in a swimming pool with a Russian national team, and those experiences are why we went on the Race.
ETonline: Which country did you enjoy visiting the most?
Josh: We enjoyed them all. Dhaka, Bangladesh made the most impact on us because of the chaos, crowding and heat. But for people who had so little for themselves, they gave us the most encouragement to continue on a very difficult leg for us. At the end of an exhausting day, a wave of cheering children practically carried us to Phil, and we're forever grateful.
ETonline: Rob of the Monster Truckers team, told me that you changed his mind about gay people and that improved his relationship with his wife. Can you speak about that a little bit?
Brent: Our show, the Fabulous Beekman Boys, was the first reality show to be centered around a same sex couple in a long-term relationship. We've learned from doing that show that the biggest cause of homophobia is that many people have never been around or had the opportunity to witness a same sex couple in a long term committed relationship and that serves as a breeding ground for fear, hate, and misunderstanding. We've heard from many fans that watching the Beekman Boys with their families have completely changed their views on homosexuality in general and specifically on the topic of gay marriage. That's the power of TV. Rob and Kelly are very nice people and very accomplished in their profession. We never had a doubt that they would see us any other way than in a similar, devoted relationship like any of the other couples. I think their comments after their time on the show speak volumes about the type of people they are.
ETonline: Did you ever fear for your safety when traveling to countries where being gay is not accepted, or even legal, in some cases?
Josh: We never feared for our safety thanks to the preparation and precautions taken by the incredible Amazing Race production team. But we did make a conscious effort to limit displays of affection out of respect for the cultures with which we were interacting. Following the customs of a country you are visiting is common courtesy.
ETonline: What did you learn about each other on the Race? Did it improve your relationship?
Brent: We've been together for 14 years, so we've been through almost any emotional situation you can imagine. The most challenging part of the Race for me was walking the edge of controlling Josh's anxiety level while at the same time pushing him to go a little beyond his comfort zone. Having spent 4 weeks perfecting that skill set will no doubt have future benefits.
ETonline: Congrats on the wedding you are planning -- can you share any details with us?
Brent: We are planning a wedding on the farm for May/June of next year. All the Racers will be invited.
The season of finale of The Amazing Race airs this Sunday on CBS at 8/7c.
Source: http://www.etonline.com/tv/127817_The_Beekman_Boys_Dish_Amazing_Race_Finale/index.html
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MSU alum in sprint to the finish on 'Amazing Race' (http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20121207/THINGSTODO08/312070052/MSU-alum-sprint-finish-Amazing-Race-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CThings%20to%20do&nclick_check=1)
11:07 PM, Dec 7, 2012
(http://cmsimg.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=A3&Date=20121207&Category=THINGSTODO08&ArtNo=312070052&Ref=AR&MaxW=640&Border=0&MSU-alum-sprint-finish-Amazing-Race-)
Josh Kilmer-Purcell (left) and Brent Ridge on the 'Amazing Race.' / Courtesy photo
Josh Kilmer-Purcell has been many things in his first two decades after Michigan State University.
He’s been a poet and a pig farmer. He’s been an author, an advertising man and Aquadesiac, the drag queen who has goldfish swimming in see-through breasts.
“I’ve had a lot of drastic career changes,” he said in an interview last year. And now there’s another detour: He may be the first sorta-local person to reach the season finale of a major reality show.
Some have been close. Erich Reichenbach of Pinckney and Heidi Androl of MSU were strong in “Survivor” and “Apprentice” respectively; each was dumped a week before the four-person finale.
But now comes Sunday’s “Amazing Race” finale, with four duos. One has Kilmer-Purcell, 43, with Brent Ridge, 38, his partner in life, agriculture and reality TV.
They’ve been on the fringes of fame before, with an amiable cable series; now they have a shot at $1 million.
Viewers notice one thing right away: “Opposites always attract,” Ridge said.
He’s a precise sort, with a medical degree, an MBA and math skills. By comparison, Kilmer-Purcell switched MSU majors after his first math test.
Kilmer-Purcell was in third-grade when his family moved from New York to Oconomowoc, a Wisconsin town of 10,000. His dad worked in sales; the family lived in a suburbia, surrounded by cornfields.
“I always had a feeling that the farm people were more fun,” he said. “They had the animals and the hay piles to jump into.”
He chose MSU because of its hotel-restaurant school — which he left after that math test. That’s when he found the creative-writing program and noted poet Diane Wakoski. “She had a huge impact on me.”
Maybe MSU implanted some desire to be with nature. “I think of all those walks along the river to class. (And) that garden (near) the library, with little markers saying what everything is. I never imagined some day I would have a farm with little markers.”
There were some steps in between.
He graduated in 1991, moved to New York and became Aquadisiac, a fact that was readily accepted by his co-workers in advertising and less accepted by his eventual boyfriend.
“I have a big fear of clowns and drag queens,” Ridge said.
Ridge was then vice president of Healthy Living for Martha Stewart’s company. One day, they saw a listing for a manor near Sharon Springs, NY. “I took that to Martha and she said, ‘Buy it,’ ” Ridge said.
They did, four years ago, thinking of it as a weekend retreat. A week later, Kilmer-Purcell said, they got a handwritten note from a man “who had lost his farm and he had a month to find a home for his 80 goats and asked if he could be our caretaker.”
That’s the guy now known as Farmer John. Their farm has goats, pigs and more, plus a cable following.
The guys sell everything from goat-milk soap to crafts created by neighbors. They’ve made it work, partly through Internet sales.
Now they have a shot at a million-dollar prize.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20121207/THINGSTODO08/312070052/MSU-alum-sprint-finish-Amazing-Race-?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CThings%20to%20do&nclick_check=1
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nvm
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JOSH AND BRENT... totally showing their bitchy and sneaky side on the finale leg, one moment at a time. :cmas23
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Congrats Josh and Brent!!
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Their kiss at the end was really sweet. :hrt:
Congratulations, Josh & Brent! :hearts:
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waiting the finale with anxiety... :cmaslol
Photo courtesy and copyright of:
@ultrah_violet
(http://distilleryimage11.s3.amazonaws.com/d2f5d6be427111e2a94622000a1fbd9f_7.jpg)
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The next Vampire Hunter...?!?! :cmas22
Photo courtesy and copyright of:
@xexmag
XEX Magazine
(http://distilleryimage5.s3.amazonaws.com/ae2ab81c427c11e2bad822000a9f3047_7.jpg)
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Josh & Brent are elimination Houdinis. :hrt:
I don't see it that way. Houdini had incredible skill. Josh and Brent have had blind luck throughout. They really have no business in an Amazing Race finale, but as we know sometimes weaker teams are the winners because taxi karma strikes the stronger teams.
Not a literal Houdini, I mean. Here is further info about "Elimination Houdini" (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EliminationHoudini). :)
This string of comments is now ironically relevant because of the first Roadblock in New York. :lol:
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Congrats, Well done! You are truly rock Underdog! <33333
:hrt: :cmas23 :cmas51 :xmas146 :xmas110
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I think I am more happy about the outcome of this race for Abbie & Ryan's sake than I am for Josh & Brent's sake, but nonetheless...
CONGRATS BEEKMANS! :cmas23 :xmas146 :cmas9 :hoot: :conf: :partie:
Josh & Brent are elimination Houdinis. :hrt:
I don't see it that way. Houdini had incredible skill. Josh and Brent have had blind luck throughout. They really have no business in an Amazing Race finale, but as we know sometimes weaker teams are the winners because taxi karma strikes the stronger teams.
Not a literal Houdini, I mean. Here is further info about "Elimination Houdini" (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/EliminationHoudini). :)
This string of comments is now ironically relevant because of the first Roadblock in New York. :lol:
:lol3: :lol3: :lol3: :lol3: :lol3:
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I loved Josh and Brent's win, incredibly unexpected but deserving nonetheless. They singlehandedly took down the "dream team" alliance.
I guess I'm just a sucker for an underdog story.
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http://www.queerty.com/exclusive-the-fabulous-beekman-boys-got-engaged-last-night-20111217/
Exclusive: The Fabulous Beekman Boys Got Engaged Last Night!
(http://queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com/wp/docs/2011/12/beekman-boys-BW-small.png)
(http://queerty-prodweb.s3.amazonaws.com/wp/docs/2011/12/beekman-boys-pic-600x448.jpg)
Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell of The Fabulous Beekman Boys will be heading down the aisle sometime in the New Year, Queerty can exclusively report. If last night’s camera-crew-heavy engagement was any indication, every second of their big gay wedding will be taped for television—though not for Beekman Boys, which was cancelled after this past spring’s second season.
The two were the guests of honor last night at a party hosted by fellow reality TV star Sonja Morgan, who was joined by her Real Housewives of NYC co-stars Ramona Singer, Aviva Drescher, Carole Radziwill and Heather Thomson. Though Bravo hasn’t confirmed the last three ladies as replacements for Jill Zarin, Kelly Bensimon, and Cindy Barshop, rumors started back in September and, with the three Bravo camera crews in tow for the night, this reporter can assure you that these are your next ‘Wives (in case any one you queens still watch those queens), and that Brent and Josh’s engagement might be a little subplot on Real‘s next season.
Sonja informed the crowd there was a big surprise coming up in the evening, which is usually a ploy to get partygoers to stay for the whole night. But they delivered! After giving shout-outs to the hosting venue (midtown NYC‘s Sanctuary Hotel), and to her “three girlfriends”–Aviva, Carole, and Heather–she joked about Ramona and her personally branded Pinot Grigio (“Ramona’s in the house and I don’t just mean the wine”). Next, she invited Brent to take center stage.
Brent pulled out a ring, and delivered some touching monologue to Josh (and the cameras and all of us in the crowd).
“I designed this ring for you,” he said. “It’s imperfect on all sides, like both of us are. It’s hand forged from steel, like our 13-year relationship. And it’s also lined with silver. Because we always find the silver lining.”
With that, he got down on one knee and did the damned thing. “Will you marry me?”
Speechless and surprised, Josh didn’t have the words to say yes. After Brent put the ring on his finger, he said,
“What’s your answer?”
“Yes!” said Josh.
“The one thing that anyone could ever ask for when asking someone to spend the rest of their life with you is that it be a memorable event,” Brent then told the crowd.
It was a not-so-subtle plug for Sonja’s new event production company, Sonja in the City, which threw the event. The ostensible goal of the party was to promote a new product called “Lump of Kohl” from Brent and Josh’s Beekman 1802 line, which made the engagement announcement all the more unexpected.
What with the scripted nature of reality TV, however, we wondered if Josh might’ve been given a heads-up about the popped question. “None at all,” he told us. “I can’t even believe it.”
When we approached Brent for his thoughts, we told him we might be obligated to write about the bit of news. “I don’t think you can until it airs,” he said.
Beans, spilled.
Read more at http://www.queerty.com/exclusive-the-fabulous-beekman-boys-got-engaged-last-night-20111217/#sPEijjxD9Ya8U6Oj.99
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Congratulations Josh & Brent for everything you've accomplished! Winning the race, getting engage, everything! :ghug:
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They did a great job! :cmas16
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Knew it was you, guys.
After the TWINNIES, I have to say I was rooting for them and suffering all those second-to-last finishes. Congrats!!! <33333333333333
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Worst. Winners. Ever. Gbye.
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Worst. Winners. Ever. Gbye.
They were certainly lucky. :lol: The Twins could have beaten any of the F3 teams I think. :(
Did Josh and Brent break the Hometown Curse? :duno:
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The most boring and undeserving team in the F6 won, ew.
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Call me crazy, but I think these guys got a NEGATIVE edit. They had personality and were cool, as we could see in the finale yesterday. But what about the first 10 legs? I think editing might be a reason some people dont like their victory.
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Great article over at Zap2It
http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/12/the-amazing-race-beekman-boys-josh-and-brent-on-shocking-win-teammates-snub-and-coasting-to-victory.html (http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2012/12/the-amazing-race-beekman-boys-josh-and-brent-on-shocking-win-teammates-snub-and-coasting-to-victory.html)
After losing 11 legs of "The Amazing Race's" (http://tvlistings.zap2it.com/tv/the-amazing-race/EP00446853) 21st season, underdogs Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge won when it counted, taking home the million-dollar prize in Sunday's (Dec. 9) finale.
Zap2it (http://www.zap2it.com/)caught up with the "Fabulous Beekman Boys" stars to find out what it was like being ostracized by the teams, "coasting" through the race and more:
Watching the past few episodes brought back some nightmares from high school. What was it like for you?
That is exactly right. Luckily we learned a few things in high school so we got over it quickly. The moment we heard about the alliance against us, it was immediately demoralizing, but just for a moment -- then it became really motivating.
How do you respond to all the comments about you "coasting" to your victory?
Maybe we did coast. We went to the game with strategy that in order for us to win the race we had to not defeat ourselves -- most of the time it's one team doing themselves in. As this season proves, it's not about how many legs of the race you win -- or even winning a leg -- it's about not losing a leg until the last leg, which is the one that counts. For us, because we had that attitude going into the race, and when it got to the end, when you really have to pull it out, we weren't so mentally and psychologically exhausted. And that strategy worked.
Josh, tell us about this "bionic ankle" of yours.
I sprained it in Amsterdam [but] obviously there's a lot of travel time between legs. Like any sprained ankle, I'd keep it elevated on the plane, and when I got off the plane I was like, it's in really good shape and I could run on it. But then I turned it and sprained it all over again.
What was it like seeing Abby and Ryan's joyful reaction to your win?
It was actually very thrilling for us, because at that moment in the race we thought they were probably mad at us. They and the twins were standing right beside each other as we went down that final line of racers, and both of them were cheering as loudly as possible when we came across the finish line. That to us was just an amazing moment, because it just shows that beyond the game, beyond the competitiveness, people can appreciate what all of us went through. It shows what great competitors they are.
Who annoyed you the most on the race?
We were never really annoyed by anybody, primarily because we weren't really running with that many people. [Laughs.] We were annoyed at how good-looking the Chippendales were, but that was it.
How are you spending the million bucks?
We're paying off the mortgage on the farm so Josh can move up full-time and we can be together again. For the first time in five years we'll be together 24/7. We're also going to buy a building on the main street in our village so we can invest back in the town and have our company right in the town. Thirdly we're starting a food line and the profits are going to go to help other farmers pay off their mortgages.
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Congratulations to Josh & Brent for pulling out a dark horse victory! :cmas16
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I was surprised to find out that Brent is a physician.
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Best comeback boys. <3
I only found myself rooting for them since the Amsterdam leg and didn't stop once since then. Maybe I just love underdogs, and it helps that they are always so witty/smart and actually entertaining/real in their r/s that Brent gets annoyed with Josh at times etc.
:D Haters are gonna hate. :D But I'm still not a fan. I just like that they win.. but do I want to see them back again? No.
:cmaslol
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http://www.queerty.com/exclusive-the-fabulous-beekman-boys-got-engaged-last-night-20111217/
Exclusive: The Fabulous Beekman Boys Got Engaged Last Night!
That article dates from Dec 2011
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Congratulations to Josh & Brent! :cmas51
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Having had the privilege of meeting them, I can say without a doubt that these men are wonderful, caring people and will be outstanding representatives for TAR!!
Have you all read THIS (http://beekman1802.com/7-billion-thank-you-notes/?fb_action_ids=10151309413757962&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=timeline_og&action_object_map=%7B%2210151309413757962%22%3A303233106445253%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210151309413757962%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=)?? Do NOT miss it!!
The care and thoughtfulness they show is evident in all they do. Love the Beekman's!
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb140/ga--peach/TARcon%2021/th_IMG_6600.jpg)
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Worst. Winners. Ever. Gbye.
They were certainly lucky. :lol: The Twins could have beaten any of the F3 teams I think. :(
agreed with both of you!
I think they will be the most unmemorable winners of TAR EVER!
But I wasn't sad my faves didn't win, they were kind of happy ( Trey&Lexi,James&Jaymes and the Twinsies of course! :D)
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http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-josh-kilmer-purcell-and-brent-ridge-discuss-their-the-amazing-race-victory-%28part-1%29-14173.php (http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/exclusive-josh-kilmer-purcell-and-brent-ridge-discuss-their-the-amazing-race-victory-%28part-1%29-14173.php)
Exclusive: Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge discuss their 'The Amazing Race' victory (Part 1)
By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 12/10/2012
Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge were crowned the champions of The Amazing Race's 21st season during Sunday night's two-hour finale broadcast of the CBS reality competition.
The "Goat Farmers and Life Partners" team was the first team to cross the 21st season of The Amazing Race's finish line in New York, NY, claiming the $1 million grand prize. "Chippendales Dancers and Best Friends" Jaymes Vaughan and James Davis finished second, while "Dating Couple" Trey Wier and Alexis "Lexi" Beerman finished the Race in third place.
"Twin Sisters" Natalie Anderson and Nadiya Anderson finished the Race in fourth place, as they had been eliminated just shy of making it to the Final 3. They had arrived at the eleventh leg's Pit Stop in Loire Valley, France, in last place.
In an exclusive interview on Monday, Josh and Brent talked to Reality TV World about their The Amazing Race victory and overall experience.
Below is the first half of Josh and Brent's interview. Check back with Reality TV World soon for the concluding portion. Also, our interviews with Trey and Lexi, Natalie and Nadiya, and Jaymes and James will be published this week.
Reality TV World: Congratulations on your big win you two!
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: Oh thank you and thanks so much for talking to us.
Reality TV World: What do you guys plan to do with the money? Is Josh going to be able to quit his job and live full-time on the farm as well, or have you already done that?
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: Well, I guess I already did it on last night's show. (Laughs)
Brent Ridge: Yeah, I mean, Josh as of January, Josh will move to the farm full-time -- which will be amazing. Because for the past five years, we've been living apart during the week and trying to grow our business to the point that it could support both of us and support the running of the farm.
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: This is really going to allow us to invest full-time into our community and building our community.
Reality TV World: Getting into the final Pit Stop, how far ahead of Jaymes and James do you think you arrived when you won The Amazing Race, and then how far behind Jaymes and James do you think Trey and Lexi finally arrived?
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: When we were at the mat, I don't know if we had a true sense of time, but I mean, if I were going to guess, I would say it was probably around 20 minutes -- if that. It was very, very close, and Trey and Lexi came shortly after the "Chippendales." It was very close. Until we walked through that door, it was anyone's game.
Brent Ridge: We never counted our chickens before they hatched.
Reality TV World: You guys obviously struggled with that Lombardi's Pizzeria task. Brent memorized the addresses and Josh, it seemed like you had to figure out which pizzas were going where. Josh, would you mind talking about that a little bit? Where did the confusion come in and how long did it take you guys to correct the two mistakes?
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: I totally own that mistake. Some of the pizza pies looked similar to some of the other varieties, and I made a mistake with a couple of the pizzas. Lucky for us, that was one time when we had the hometown advantage come into play, and we knew the streets. So it didn't take us very long to find the addresses at all. So once we corrected our mistake, we were able to get back and get it over with.
Reality TV World: How confident were you leaving the final flag Roadblock task that you were going to win? Did you really think another team could've caught up to you or were you just trying to not get too excited at that point?
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: Oh no, we were totally excited, but you know, here's the hometown disadvantage -- we know how cabs are in New York. So we knew that we could've had a non-aggressive driver or the "Chippendales" -- we didn't know who was behind us.
We knew that the teams behind us could've just found a better less-busy street to get there, so we were not confident until we burst through those [Gotham Hall] doors.
Brent Ridge: Even though we knew where Gotham Hall was, we checked on two different maps so that we could show the cab driver exactly where we wanted to go. We were not taking any chances at that point.
Reality TV World: Josh, how long did it actually take you to complete the final flag Roadblock task? At one point, the show flashed an edit which said you guys had been going at it for two-and-a-half hours.
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: Yeah, I'm sure it was at least an hour after that. We had no concept of time at that point. The one thing I do remember is them pulling out these big lights because it was getting dark. And by the time we left, it was almost pitch black.
Reality TV World: How much studying had you two done before that final leg or throughout the Race in general, because had you really anticipated there being a final memory challenge since there wasn't one last season of The Amazing Race?
Brent Ridge: Yeah, I mean, we absolutely -- just like every other team on the Race -- we had a notebook. And after every leg of the Race, we sat down and wrote every little detail that we could remember about that leg of the Race in the notebook, because we did anticipate a memory challenge. Unfortunately, we didn't anticipate that one -- nobody did, actually.
Reality TV World: You guys obviously didn't win a leg all season until the one that really counted. Looking back on your whole journey, you were clearly capable of winning, so why do you think you kept falling short? And then did you go into the final leg with a different strategy or motivation -- or did you make some adjustments -- than prior legs?
Brent Ridge: Well, I think our strategy going into the Race was, having watched 20 other seasons of the Race, was not to beat ourselves. Because most of it comes down to luck. One team could be beating another team, but then one team could be beating itself. And so, for the first part of the Race, that's really what we were focusing on -- just controlling our own emotion and staying focused and just doing the best that we could.
And for the first part of the Race, we were really kind of "middle of the pack," and it wasn't until we had that delay -- that missed connection in Frankfurt -- where we just really got so far behind. That was probably, going into Moscow, that was probably our most demoralizing moment in the Race.
And I think that, coming off of the second leg of the Race when the challenges were more cerebral and we made up so much time, I think we started kind of picking up speed at that point and realized that maybe we're not going to -- well we knew going into the Race we weren't going to be the strongest team, the most physically-strong team, but we did have strengths and we were going to be able to use them to outplay the other teams.
Reality TV World: When you guys were at Coney Island, the editing made it look like Trey and Lexi discovered their clue on "The Amazing Houdini" sign before you and were trying to conceal the fact they had found it as to not give it away. But then it looked like you guys found it a matter of minutes afterwards. Could you talk about how that unfolded? Did you see Trey and Lexi focusing on the sign and that's what gave away the clue or did you subsequently find it on your own?
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: We totally found it on our own. When we walked by the sign, we didn't even realize until we saw last night's episode that they were concealing it from us. I don't remember that.
Brent Ridge: Yeah, because I don't think that they -- I don't even remember seeing them [there].
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: I think I remember them running away. (Laughs)
Brent Ridge: Yeah.
Reality TV World: When Natalie and Nadiya were eliminated at the Race's eleventh Pit Stop, they told The Amazing Race host Phil Keoghan you guys had tricks up your sleeves. What do you think they meant by that? Do you think they were referring to the time you had been talking strategy with them in attempt to confuse them at the "Chow" Detour task or was it something else?
Brent Ridge: I think that they thought Josh had been faking his ankle injury, and I think they thought we were being deceptive in some way. But Josh's ankle really was hurt. It was incredibly swollen, but when we were there in the heat of the moment running through that big chateau, I think the adrenaline just kicked in and Josh just ran through the pain. I think that's what they were referring to.
Reality TV World: When you guys found out the other three teams in the Final 4 were in an alliance together, you called it "demoralizing" and seemed pretty aggravated. Could you talk about what was going through your minds when you discovered that? Were you upset because they had kind of made you guys the outcasts or did you actually take it as a compliment that the teams wanted you gone?
Brent Ridge: Well, we didn't think that they saw us as a threat. But I think for us, you know, we ran the Race trying to be as cordial and as nice to all the other teams. And at least to our faces throughout the whole Race, they seemed to reciprocate that.
So I think when we first heard of the alliance -- even though at this point, we understand with all the heat of the battle and we don't take anything personally -- I think at that point, when we realized, "Oh, you've been nice to these people and you've helped these people out and then all this time they're conspiring against you?" I think that was probably the most hurtful to us. But again...
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: And at first it was demoralizing of course, but then it was immediately motivating. Like you said, to suddenly realize that they want us out, meant that we would try harder not to get out. So, it was actually a pretty good gift they gave us.
Reality TV World: So looking back on how Trey and Lexi, Natalie and Nadiya, and Jaymes and James had indirectly conspired against you guys by forming an alliance but directly conspired against Abbie Ginsberg and Ryan Danz by actively trying to take them out of the game with any chance they were given, do you think The Amazing Race should be more of an individual team game?
Josh Kilmer-Purcell: No, it's a great -- alliances are always helpful. But in The Amazing Race, it's different than a lot of the other reality TV programs. An alliance could help you temporarily in the heat of the moment, but there's no such thing as a long-term alliance strategy. In the Race, nothing like that has ever played out.
Above is the first half of Josh and Brent's interview. Check back with Reality TV World soon for the concluding portion. Also, our interviews with Trey and Lexi, Natalie and Nadiya, and Jaymes and James will be published this week.
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http://www.tvguide.com/News/Amazing-Race-Winners-Josh-Brent-Beekmans-1057487.aspx (http://www.tvguide.com/News/Amazing-Race-Winners-Josh-Brent-Beekmans-1057487.aspx)
Amazing Race's Josh and Brent: We'd Rather Be the Worst Winners Than the Best Losers
Dec 10, 2012 02:28 PM ET
by Joyce Eng
Need proof that the only leg that matters is the final leg on The Amazing Race? The Fabulous Beekman Boys' Josh and Brent — who had finished second to last six times during season and never in the top two before the finale — defied the odds and a three-team alliance to win the $1 million. They are the third team to win the Race without winning a previous leg. "We were the underdogs, but we didn't give up no matter how bad things got," Josh tells TVGuide.com. "I think we earned the win." Nevertheless, given their low placements throughout the Race and the fact that they seemed ready to throw in the towel to save Abbie and Ryan in Amsterdam, some fans believe they're unworthy winners. Find out why they don't mind that label, what they're doing with the money and more.
Congratulations! What was going through your mind when you got to the finish?
Brent: We couldn't believe it. It's still kind of surreal.
Do you know how far behind the Chippendales were?
Josh: Maybe 25 to 30 minutes? I don't know actually. [Laughs] It's hard to tell because we were just in a daze in that moment.
Did you think you had this in the bag knowing you left the flags first?
Brent: We knew where Gotham Hall was from our time in the city, but regardless, we still talked to someone with an iPhone and checked and double-checked to make sure we were going to the right place. So we felt pretty confident and we had a great cab driver there at the end.
How long did the flags take you, Josh? They showed the time elapsed at two and a half hours when the sun was setting and by the time you finished, it was completely dark.
Josh: It felt like three and a half or more hours. It took a long time. But I knew once I reduced it to a mathematical problem after I did the ones I knew, I just calculated how many options there were and went through them one by one. Really, that was the only way to finish. We calculated it out and there were well over 1,100 different options and I would've stood there and done every single one. [Laughs]
I think a lot of people thought you had a mental advantage over the Chippendales, and Trey and Lexi. Were you surprised at how long it took you or that you didn't remember most of the greetings?
Josh: No, I really wasn't surprised. Once I figured out the formula, I knew that it was literally trying one flag next to another one over and over again until I got it. As soon as I realized that neither Lexi nor James could remember any more than I did, I knew that they were in the same boat I was.
You had a pretty defeatist attitude for a bit, especially in Amsterdam when you beat Abbie and Ryan. Were you really serious about bowing out for them?
Brent: We didn't want to necessarily lose or drop out, but from the very start of the Race, we could see on everyone's faces that this is a huge life-changing opportunity. ... I don't know if we were more sensitive than the other people who were racing, but it's really hard to see someone's dream come to an end. It was hard after every elimination, but we had grown close with Abbie and Ryan.
Did you think Abbie and Ryan deserved to advance further than you? That's what you were implying at the mat and when you wanted to wait for them to do the other Detour.
Josh: We checked ourselves at that moment. We always wanted to make sure that we didn't just win the Race. We wanted to run the Race in a way that we'd be proud of ourselves. We wanted to make sure that we weren't going against our own values and our own way of working together. We did check ourselves, but then we made the right decision to go ahead. Ryan and Abbie would totally back it up that there was no choice for us but to continue.
How much did seeing the other three teams' alliance motivate you?
Brent: That was actually the biggest motivator. We took a different strategy to the Race. From watching 20 other seasons of The Amazing Race, we saw that it wasn't usually one team defeating another; it was a team defeating itself. That was really our strategy going in: not break down among ourselves. I think when we got to that point and saw that these other teams not only formed an alliance, but they formed one because they perceived us to be a weaker team, that made us go, "You know what? We've accomplished a lot in our lives. By no means were we the weakest team there and we have to prove it."
Natalie and Nadiya seemed to take the most umbrage to you guys.
Brent: We'll go on the record and say the twins are great girls. They're smart and funny — they kept us laughing the entire Race.
Josh: And they're super-competitive. They're terrific girls. They played to win and that's what a competitor does.
Do you think they were so upset with you because their plan backfired? They got rid of Abbie and Ryan and they didn't expect you guys to be beating them.
Josh: Yeah, definitely. I think they would've been upset no matter who was beating them. They're just great competitors. I don't think there was necessarily anything against us. We just happened to be at that moment their biggest threat. ... They were trying to psych us out just as much as we were trying to psych them out.
You guys did a better job of that at the dog food Detour.
Brent: That was funny because as soon as we saw that they couldn't talk and chop at the same time, we knew we had to keep them talking, so that's what we did.
That leg, you left the caves last. Did you think that was it?
Josh: I have to admit that on that car ride, we thought it was over, especially when we hit a detour — an actual detour, not a Race Detour. [Laughs] The twins had been self-navigating so well that day — they caught up to all of us after their Speed Bump — so knowing they left first and were doing so well navigating, I was really shocked to find out we were third.
Luck is a big part of the Race. How much of your whole season do you think can be attributed to luck? You guys stayed in by the skin of your teeth on a lot of legs.
Brent: Yeah, you're absolutely right. There's a lot of luck that goes into the game. I would say maybe 60 percent of the game is luck. But here's our thought on it: Every team at the starting line started out with the same amount of good luck and bad luck. Part of the Race is trying to deal with the chips as they fall, and when you're having bad luck, figuring out how to turn that around, and when you're having good luck, figuring out how to run with it. I think some of the other teams maybe did not have as much life experience as we've had and maybe weren't as good at being attuned to different situations. It's different when you're always in the front and then you then fall to the back — how are you going to respond to that? That's how life is. That's why we always go with the flow.
What was your lowest moment?
Brent: I think our lowest moment was probably when we missed the connecting flight, which put us so far behind. To that point, we had been pretty middle-of-the-road. I think we were 14 and a half hours behind and on the Race, that's almost insurmountable.
Josh: People will say we're the luckiest team ever, but one of the things that proved how hard we worked to stay in the Race was we were 14 and a half hours behind and by the time we set off for Spain, we were only three hours behind. [Flight and train] schedules are part of it, but we did make up time at some tasks.
Some fans think you're the worst winners ever because of your low placements and never having finished higher than third before the finale. What do you have to say?
Brent: As I said, we started middle of the pack. I think just because of the way the last half of the Race went, people thought that we were always at the end. ... And there was quite a bit switching around before Tex and Lex started dominating the last few legs. I think that because of approach that we took in that we weren't always gunning to be the first team to reach the mat, when it came down to the end when it really mattered, we weren't mentally exhausted, so we could make the right decisions.
Josh: Let me go on record as saying, I would always rather be the worst winner than the best loser!
Isn't the goal ultimately to win the final leg anyway?
Brent: That's right. That's what a lot of people, particularly the people watching the show at home, lose sight of. Ultimately, it's not about winning every leg; it's just not losing a leg.
What are you going to do with the money?
Josh: We're going to pay off the mortgage on our farm so that I can move up to Sharon Springs [in upstate New York] full time and we can be together again. We're also going to buy a building on the main street in our village that will become the headquarters of our business. ... We're also starting a line of food products, where 25 percent of the profits will go to help other farmers pay off their mortgages.
Brent: Right now, we're working on our next cookbook. That comes out next fall. And just keep on farming!
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http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/6003-the-amazing-race-21-exclusive-interview-with-winners-josh-kilmer-purcell-and-brent-ridge#.UMgJu4UU7Vo (http://www.realitywanted.com/newsitem/6003-the-amazing-race-21-exclusive-interview-with-winners-josh-kilmer-purcell-and-brent-ridge#.UMgJu4UU7Vo)
The Amazing Race 21: Exclusive Interview with Winners Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge
Posted on 12/10/2012
by Gina Scarpa
Going into last night's finale of The Amazing Race, it was safe to say that Beekman Boys Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge were the underdogs. For much of the race, they arrived at the pit stops in the middle of the pack, but a missed flight in Germany pushed them to the bottom of the group. They narrowly escaped elimination more than once but pulled it together when it mattered most, in the last two legs in France and New York. Brent's courageous and calm demeanor during a bungee challenge and Josh's analytical approach to the final task led them to victory and they got their one and only first place victory this season when they claimed the million dollar prize. We talked to the couple today about their journey, their successes and failures along the way, and what's next for them!
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Whose idea was it to do The Amazing Race?
A. Brent: I kind of pulled Josh kicking and screaming, I think.
A. Josh: It's hard! We're both longtime fans and I can tell by watching, it was hard. Then I found out it was five times harder than I thought it was!
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When I interviewed Ryan and Abbie and asked them about you, he said, "What they lack in brawn, they make up for in brain." Your intelligence certainly came into play many times during the race, but especially in this last leg. Did you look at your abilities as an advantage or a disadvantage, coming in?
A. Brent: I think every team that was in the race came in with some skill that they had that was better than any other team. Some were stronger, some were more charismatic... maybe we had an advantage because of our life experience and nerdiness.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: How much did you overhear from the other teams on that train ride to France and did you realize everything that was being said about you?
A. Brent: When we watched it back, obviously, we look through that veil of competitive spirit. I don't think we take anything personally. I do hope that, when the other teams look back, they realize some things about themselves and about how it might come across to people. I was having a conversation with Abbie, we watched the show together this weekend in New York with some other racers. Abbie told her dance students, "We're so quick to judge something when we see it on tv and now, I'm on the receiving end of that." I think that's a great learning lesson for anyone. We can see that some of Natalie and Nadiya's comments out of context, or maybe in context, was just their competitive spirit. They didn't mean anything in a derogatory way.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: You had some tough moments throughout the race. Would you say one of the most difficult was that swimming challenge in Russia?
A. Brent: Yeah, the first half of Russia was probably our lowest moment. Up until that point, we had kinda been running middle of the road. That missed connection in Frankfurt put us way into another realm. By the time we landed in Moscow, the other teams had already finished that leg of the race. We were so exhausted and of course, Josh wanted to choose the library challenge but they had already closed. We got to the pool and that was a really hard task. I'm not saying I was the best swimmer but it was just not our best moment. After that, we got up the next day and rallied through the tasks and made up a lot of ground.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Brent, you said you came close to panicking during the Houdini challenge in New York, but you seemed pretty cool up there! How did you stay focused?
A. Brent: One of the things I always do in any situation when I'm feeling like I could be panicky, is say, "I'm not the first person to have ever done this." That's the attitude I had going into this. "Houdini found a way to do it, I can find a way to do it." I was laying there and I almost fell asleep while I was waiting to do that challenge. I was just being calm, focused, and centered.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Josh, you talked about how that final challenge became more of a math problem to solve, than a language problem. Tell us more about your strategy.
A. Josh: Well, I knew going in that I could figure out three right away, maybe even four. After that, I knew that it would be a process of elimination and I figured out the fastest way of doing combinations of different flags. There were over 1500 possible combinations and every time you got one right, that number would lessen dramatically and I kept that in my mind. Worst case scenario, I'd have to hoist those flags up 1500 times. If the other teams didn't figure it out, I knew I'd be good.
Q. Gina, RealityWanted: One of the reasons it was so important for you to win was so that you could be together more on the farm. How is that going?
A. Josh: Well, we are living together for the first time in five years.
A. Brent: We're at the farm full time. We have this opportunity to really work on our Beekman business. We're working on the next book now, which will come out in September. It's just onward and upward. What we really want to say is to thank everybody who cheered us on. There's no doubt that there was an incredible amount of support and camaraderie among the other racers. To all the people at The Amazing Race, having come from a reality show, the level of production and detail, was unbelievable.
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http://www.thedeadbolt.com/1003028852-the-amazing-race-winners-josh-and-brent-we-would-never-give-up.html (http://www.thedeadbolt.com/1003028852-the-amazing-race-winners-josh-and-brent-we-would-never-give-up.html)
The Amazing Race Winners Josh and Brent, “We would never give up!”
1 day ago by Reg Seeton
Goat farmers Josh and Brent crossed the finish line in first place to win Season 21 of The Amazing Race – Photo: CBS
This week on The Amazing Race, goat farmers Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge, also known as the Fabulous Beekman Boys, crossed the finish line in first place to win Season 21 of the popular CBS reality series.
Although Josh and Brent were the underdogs all season long, the former Discovery channel hosts came from behind to win The Amazing Race after a key U-Turn earlier in the competition. Josh and Brent were all but counted out when allies Abbie and Ryan were U-Turned by the Chippendale dancers, Jaymes and James. But the U-Turn proved to be a new lease on Amazing Race life for the goat farmers who found new momentum and kept pace with the other remaining teams.
Josh and Brent didn’t give up when the odds were against them and managed to beat Trey and Lexi and The Chippendales during their final challenge at the United Nations building in New York City.
The day after winning The Amazing Race 21, The Deadbolt caught up with Josh and Brent to learn more about their victory, why they didn’t give up, and what it was like to be the underdogs all season.
THE DEADBOLT: When Abbie and Ryan were U-Turned, were you guys ready to quit, or did you look at it differently?
JOSH KILMER-PURCELL: We would never give up! That was our thing going into the race, that we would never quit. It was just really demoralizing to see a team that we had gotten close to, a really strong team, have to leave the race. It was just a very, very sad moment.
THE DEADBOLT: It looked like the first half of the race was much harder for you. What was the difference?
JOSH: Well, we were doing pretty well. For the first few legs we were in the middle of the pack and then we had a major setback with the flight connection. It’s tough to make up a 14-hour lag. But by the time we caught up, we were only 3-hours behind the next team. It was a pretty major accomplishment over two legs. We were as far back as any team could possibly be and still be in the same game. We just kept going.
THE DEADBOLT: Was it better to be the underdogs rather than the ones to beat? How do you see it now?
JOSH RIDGE: I think it was better for us to be the underdogs. We knew going into the race that every team has their specific set of strengths and weaknesses. We knew from the moment we were on the starting line that we wouldn’t beat half of these teams in a physical challenge. So we had to rely on our life experiences, having lost our jobs and having to pick ourselves up by our bootstraps and start over. With that flexibility, we needed to have a “go with the flow” mentality. We knew that was going to be our strength.
I think when you’re at the back of the pack, that strength is really, really valuable. By the time we got to the finish line, the last couple of legs of the race, all of the other teams that approached the race like “I have to win. I have to come in first,” were more mentally and psychologically exhausted than we were. You could see that on the final two legs. The top three teams were starting to get frazzled.
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Does anyone else find it ironic that out of the final 3 teams, they had the highest placement on leg 1 :cmaslol.
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True! I didn't realize that! :cmas30: :cmaslol
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Having had the privilege of meeting them, I can say without a doubt that these men are wonderful, caring people and will be outstanding representatives for TAR!!
Have you all read THIS (http://beekman1802.com/7-billion-thank-you-notes/?fb_action_ids=10151309413757962&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=timeline_og&action_object_map=%7B%2210151309413757962%22%3A303233106445253%7D&action_type_map=%7B%2210151309413757962%22%3A%22og.likes%22%7D&action_ref_map=)?? Do NOT miss it!!
The care and thoughtfulness they show is evident in all they do. Love the Beekman's!
(http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb140/ga--peach/TARcon%2021/th_IMG_6600.jpg)
Thanks for sharing peachies, that was awesome and sweet to read. Awwww!
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Josh and Brent on THE TALK: (way too short imo)
http://www.youtube.com/v/e9PcJ27lutU
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Does anyone else find it ironic that out of the final 3 teams, they had the highest placement on leg 1 :cmaslol.
Weren't they the first of all the teams to reach the ground rappelling from the bridge in the very first task?
I think them falling behind due to the missed flight, plus their overall lesser physical skills and calmer demeanor, skewed perceptions many people had of how competent they were. It also gave TPTB an opportunity to hammer the "underdog theme" - if they hadn't had that problem, maybe they would've had another theme. For one thing, they were the oldest team left in the F5.
What they've said in interviews is true - for the first few legs (2-4) they were right in the middle of the pack; in Bangaldesh, they finished 4th, just behind the twins, and several places ahead of both the Chips and Trexie (who they helped out with a tip about the boat).
Have to admit I was one who also wasn't paying much attention to them, partly because teams that far behind usually don't last, but also because the twins (annoying) and Chips (engaging) had very dominant personalities, and early on there seemed to be more focus on other teams who were either in the front (winning) or the back (leaving) of the pack.
What made me take notice was the lock task in Russia. I suspected Brent would do well on the time zone task, but Josh took me by surprise by his analytical skill and efficiency in solving the lock puzzle, and we saw more of those abilities in the final legs. (I was also impressed by Trey, who also finished the lock task quickly, and by James, in the hello/goodbye task - overall this was a smart final group of racers).
From what they say, the B's had made up a lot of time when they finally joined the other teams bunching at the ferry. Then they beat the twins at the windmill; they beat the twins at the dog food task; everyone got to the dog statue faster because Josh knew French; Brent got out of the straight jacket on par with everyone else; and of course Josh finished first at the final task.
They did shoot themselves in the foot a couple of times (the ice cream speed bump, pizza delivery); what's funny is they had reviewed past shows to see what things contributed to a final win, knew that teams often defeated themselves by those kind of mistakes, and were trying to avoid them.
They also said (like Kisha and Jen) they weren't too focused on winning individual legs; they knew they couldn't match the other teams on physical ability, and didn't want to be physically or emotionally exhausted by the time they faced the final tasks.
Maybe this approach wasn't as interesting to people as teams constantly fighting for first throughout the race, but I liked them, and thought the last two legs, with any one of three good teams able to win it all, were some of the best in a long time.
I also thought the post by Josh on their Beekman blog was very classy.
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Can we award a best post award to the post above? :cmaslol
That was a very logical and level-headed reasoning to giving credit to the Beekmen's win.
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Why thank you, very nice of you to say. :xmas49
Speaking of the Beekmans being the oldest among the F5 (Josh 43, Brent 38), did anyone else notice there were four teams even older than they were (Rob and Sheila, Gary and Will, Rob and Kelley, and James and Abba)?
I wonder what the casting philosophy was for this season.
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Does anyone else find it ironic that out of the final 3 teams, they had the highest placement on leg 1 :cmaslol.
Weren't they the first of all the teams to reach the ground rappelling from the bridge in the very first task?
I think them falling behind due to the missed flight, plus their overall lesser physical skills and calmer demeanor, skewed perceptions many people had of how competent they were. It also gave TPTB an opportunity to hammer the "underdog theme" - if they hadn't had that problem, maybe they would've had another theme. For one thing, they were the oldest team left in the F5.
What they've said in interviews is true - for the first few legs (2-4) they were right in the middle of the pack; in Bangaldesh, they finished 4th, just behind the twins, and several places ahead of both the Chips and Trexie (who they helped out with a tip about the boat).
Have to admit I was one who also wasn't paying much attention to them, partly because teams that far behind usually don't last, but also because the twins (annoying) and Chips (engaging) had very dominant personalities, and early on there seemed to be more focus on other teams who were either in the front (winning) or the back (leaving) of the pack.
What made me take notice was the lock task in Russia. I suspected Brent would do well on the time zone task, but Josh took me by surprise by his analytical skill and efficiency in solving the lock puzzle, and we saw more of those abilities in the final legs. (I was also impressed by Trey, who also finished the lock task quickly, and by James, in the hello/goodbye task - overall this was a smart final group of racers).
From what they say, the B's had made up a lot of time when they finally joined the other teams bunching at the ferry. Then they beat the twins at the windmill; they beat the twins at the dog food task; everyone got to the dog statue faster because Josh knew French; Brent got out of the straight jacket on par with everyone else; and of course Josh finished first at the final task.
They did shoot themselves in the foot a couple of times (the ice cream speed bump, pizza delivery); what's funny is they had reviewed past shows to see what things contributed to a final win, knew that teams often defeated themselves by those kind of mistakes, and were trying to avoid them.
They also said (like Kisha and Jen) they weren't too focused on winning individual legs; they knew they couldn't match the other teams on physical ability, and didn't want to be physically or emotionally exhausted by the time they faced the final tasks.
Maybe this approach wasn't as interesting to people as teams constantly fighting for first throughout the race, but I liked them, and thought the last two legs, with any one of three good teams able to win it all, were some of the best in a long time.
I also thought the post by Josh on their Beekman blog was very classy.
Agree! Very good observation, I think people just counted them out as they perceived them as weak teams after Russia, but they have been doing better and better from leg 1-4, things just not go well since the balance task in the 2nd Bangladesh leg.
Also want to add, they were actually the last team arriving the first task (table tennis) in shanghai, but still managed to get 7th place in the end (the quickest team in the last group as well), which was also quite surprising to me at that time.
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I wonder what the casting philosophy was for this season.
I think they usually have a good mix of teams... just that we lack an old couple this season.
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From the Beekman's:
We’ve received over 8000 congratulation wishes so far, and we’ve read every single one. Going through them is like winning the race all over again. They each made us feel very special, and we thank you.
But today, we want to help someone else feel special.
Below is one of the first letters we received this week after winning the Amazing Race. It comes from a mother with a son named Colin:
“I’m sure you guys are way too busy to read this, but I want you to know how inspirational you two are to my 12 year old son. He is gay and is dealing with bullying and harassment in middle school. It’s so hard to see him going through this, and sometimes the “It Gets Better” message is lost on a 12 year old who feels that middle school will never end…We cheered you on every Sunday night and agonized every time you had difficulties. My son was so incredibly thrilled when you two won last night (as was I!). Thank you for helping him see that not only DOES it get better, it gets AMAZING.” (Permission was granted by both Colin and his mother to reprint letter and use names.)
We were called the “Ultimate Underdogs” on the Amazing Race. And when we hit the finish mat, we urged everyone who feels like they’re down-and-out to “keep going, try as hard as you can, eventually someone will help you – and you will win.”
Colin, we know that you’re doing your best, and working as hard as you can in school. We shared Colin’s mom’s note with our fellow Amazing Racers – who have also all been underdogs for various reasons at some point in their lives.
And here is the entire Amazing Race 21 team’s message to you, Colin!…
See it all here:
http://beekman1802.com/colin-youre-amazing/
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Two comments:
1. Whoa, Rob French with no mohawk?!?! :ascared
2. This is so sweet! :hrt: :hearts:
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I'm so glad their victory touched the hearts of many! :kisses
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Amazing Race's Josh and Brent: We'd Rather Be the Worst Winners Than the Best Losers
Why'd I not see this until now? (:;)
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Posted: Fri., Jan. 18, 2013, 5:08pm PT
'Amazing' TV duo boost off-screen biz
First-time farmers flip unscripted fame into thriving lifestyle brand
By Sean Fitz-Gerald
Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell
After launching a brand of soap, cheese and cookbooks, Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell have savvily turned reality shows into a marketing tool to spotlight their growing business.
Last month, the couple won CBS' "The Amazing Race," taking home $1 million after traveling the globe under the team name, "the Beekman Boys," a term borrowed from the name of their reality show "The Fabulous Beekman Boys," produced by World of Wonder, that's aired for two seasons on cabler Planet Green.
Name refers to the Beekman Mansion, a 200-year-old, 60-acre estate in Sharon Springs, N.Y., just outside New York City, the home base for the entrepreneurs' lifestyle brand, Beekman 1802, they launched in 2007.
For most city slickers Saanen, Alpine and Nubian mean next to nothing. But for Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell, these kinds of goat milk are key to their success.
"It was just supposed to be a weekend farm," Kilmer-Purcell says of the decision to move from Gotham into the mansion. "We were those obnoxious Manhattanites that just go and buy a weekend property."
Along with the property came a sassy diva of a llama named Polka Spot and 80 goats, as well as their owner, a farmer named John who had written to the "Beekman Boys," because he was in danger of losing his property.
More changes came in 2008 when Ridge, VP of wellness for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, was laid off, and Kilmer-Purcell, a partner at an ad agency, lost his job one month later. Stuck with the farm and four-legged mouths to feed, the twosome opted to make their pastoral purchase profitable.
Farmer John and his goats were good for dairy products, so marketing aficionados Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell accepted the challenge of flipping vats of goat milk into artisanal cheeses and soaps.
Ridge used his connections to introduce their soaps on "The Martha Stewart Show," yielding $8,000 in sales and prompting a DailyCandy feature. The successful debut culminated in a call from Planet Green's Laura Michalchyshyn, who expressed faith in a TV series about their lives as sustainable farmers and businessmen.
"When someone comes to you and says to you, 'Do you want to do a reality show?' You get the worst picture of reality television in your mind -- even though they call it a docu-series, to make it sound better," Kilmer-Purcell says.
But after speaking with Michalchyshyn and World of Wonder heads Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the unlikely first-time farmers realized they had similar goals for their docu-series: a skein that would be both earnest and entertaining.
Ridge describes "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" as a 30-minute commercial for the brand, because many Beekman 1802 product announcements coincide with on-air appearances and debuts. But there's more to the show, Kilmer-Purcell says, than convenient product placement.
"People look at the Kardashians and the Housewives -- now that might look fun, but you can't experience that. (Those shows are) actually designed so it's not you," adds Kilmer-Purcell. "For us, we show our town, we show our farm, and then you can come to our town, you can come to our farm."
After receiving a rash of tour and soap requests, the two inaugurated a harvest festival, which coincided with the skein's first season. The fest celebrated the harvest from local farmers and sought to bring the Sharon Springs community together.
Around 500 people -- roughly the size of the town itself -- attended the first fest, followed by consecutive turnouts of 5,000, 8,000 and 10,000. Last year's batch of 10,000 included visitors from 23 states and three countries overseas: Ireland, Australia and Norway.
Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell say the skein's spotlight doesn't just illuminate their business, but also the surrounding businesses of Sharon Springs. When the Beekman Boys took up their farm there were only three viable businesses on the rural town's main street, but over the last 1 1/2 years, four new businesses have opened and are now thriving.
This is due in large part to Beekman 1802's collaborative efforts to manufacture goods within the town. Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell design every product in their store and then go to locals for production. Right now the Beekman Boys are working with 22 different craftspeople, and almost every product in the store is made within 20 miles of the farm.
"We make our money off of the things we produce ourselves -- like the soap and the cheese -- and then we help create a marketplace for the skills, because we want to preserve them," Ridge says. "How many blacksmiths are left in America? How many people are weaving on looms in their living rooms?"
Some of Beekman 1802's popular products include the "Year in the Country" soap set, Blaak artisanal cheese, hand-woven towels and washcloths and cookbooks. Looking ahead, the Beekman Boys are hiring a retail director, their first "big boy hire," to go nationwide and are putting the cap on their Heirloom Dessert Cookbook due out October. They are also announcing the first line of hotel amenities made with goat milk -- many of which are made in nearby Courtland, N.Y.
One of their quirkiest endeavors, however, involves their llama, Polka Spot, who has become active and viral on social media, developing a notorious Web presence for all things fashion- and farm-related. A comic book series about the llama is in the works and a photo app is available for smartphone users. This latest ploy is representative of the type of kismet and open-mindedness that has helped the couple become so successful on the bucolic business front.
The Beekman Boys are pitching a new show about the Sharon Springs community at large and are working to secure a third season of "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" on the Cooking Channel.
Ridge and Kilmer-Purcell say the priority has always been to create a symbiotic relationship with the Sharon Springs community: "As we become successful, everyone in the community should become successful," Ridge says. "And because we're really making a living with a dream, we feel like everybody should be able to make a dream doing what they love to do."
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118064857/
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Amazing Race's Josh and Brent: We'd Rather Be the Worst Winners Than the Best Losers
Why'd I not see this until now? (:;)
They just called you out! :lol3:
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I just found out that Josh and Brent are getting married in June. That's all I know right now and will follow up if I come across more details. Best wishes to the couple!
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They announced that right after the Finale IIRC. Happy for them!
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Congratulations Brent and Josh on your wedding. I love you both!
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Josh and Brent tied the knot today on the farm! Best wishes for a long happy life together!
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Congratulations fabulous beekmen boys! :cheer:
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They are going to be in Lansing Michigan on October 6th 2pm zt Schuler Books & Music
2820 Towne Centre Blvd, Lansing, Michigan 48912 I heard Will and gary from their Season are stoping by too!
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They are going to be in Lansing Michigan on October 6th 2pm zt Schuler Books & Music
2820 Towne Centre Blvd, Lansing, Michigan 48912 I heard Will and gary from their Season are stoping by too!
Should be great!!!
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When I was in the checkout line at the supermarket yesterday, I saw something that made me do a double take. In what must be a first for TAR teams, the Beekmans now have their own magazine. It appears to be appealing to the people that have moved to rural areas to become small scale farmers, similar to what the Beekmans have done.
http://shop.beekman1802.com/pages/beekman-1802-almanac (http://shop.beekman1802.com/pages/beekman-1802-almanac)
(http://i1288.photobucket.com/albums/b500/plaidmoon/beekcover_2_grande_zpslgfrbct9.jpg) (http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/plaidmoon/media/beekcover_2_grande_zpslgfrbct9.jpg.html)
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They have done well for themselves. :cheer:
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Here's an article from the Huffington Post about their new magazine.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beekman-1802-almanac_5612d115e4b0af3706e1aeca (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beekman-1802-almanac_5612d115e4b0af3706e1aeca)
The Fabulous Beekman Boys Are Launching A New Magazine
The couple sees their new project as "a guide to making the most of the season."
The Fabulous Beekman Boys are back with an all-new media venture.
Reality stars Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Brent Ridge are taking their green mission to the newsstands with an all-new special interest publication, Beekman 1802 Almanac. The fall and winter issue, which hits newsstands Oct. 6 and is published by Meredith Corporation, is inspired by 19th century almanac publications and will offer "fresh from the farm" tips from the couple.
Ridge told The Huffington Post in an email that he and Kilmer-Purcell see the almanac as "a guide to making the most of the season." Highlights of the fall and winter issue include the holiday recipe guide, "A Seasoned Feast," and "Dream Catchers," which profiles seven entrepreneurs that decamped from big cities to smaller, up-and-coming regions to open businesses, much like the couple.
"We still use The Old Farmer's Almanac, and we wanted to reinterpret that for the audience that wants a little bit of that 'rural life' even if they live in the middle of a city or suburb," Ridge said.
Even the almanac's design will tie into the couple's enthusiasm for all things environmentally sustainable, which a strict limit on the weight of paper used and an emphasis on "density of information" as few pages as possible.
Still, Ridge was quick to tout the venture as a learning process for the couple, who nabbed the grand prize on "The Amazing Race" in 2012.
"We see ourselves as learners, and we invite everyone to learn along with us," he said. "A better life is not something you can be given or something you are owed. It's something you have to work for."
We can't wait to celebrate our holidays in true Beekman style now!
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Celebrate Pride Month by Getting Married on the Beekman Boys’ Farm
If you’ve always wanted to get married on a bucolic farm in the rolling hills of upstate New York, now is your chance.
http://www.newnownext.com/beekman-boys-wedding-let-love-bloom/05/2021/ (http://www.newnownext.com/beekman-boys-wedding-let-love-bloom/05/2021/)