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Amazing Race' Advance Man Dies From Poisoning In Africa

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theamazingracer21:

--- Quote from: AmazingRace on February 22, 2012, 04:01:40 AM ---Condolences to his family.  :'(

--- End quote ---

I dont like it when people die  :'( :'( :'( :'( :'( :'(

SuperTux:
News from huffingtonpost

--- Quote ---Two freelance facilitators for the CBS show "The Amazing Race" were poisoned in Uganda, Fox News reports. Jeff Rice, one of those attacked, died as a result of the attack, which appears to have been a shakedown attempt.

UPDATE: Sources close to the show have provided The Huffington Post with a few more details about Jeff Rice's role on the show. Jeff Rice was a "local freelance facilitator" on the show that they had worked with in the past, most recently on Season 20, which was shot several months ago. Show sources reiterated that Rice was not working for "The Amazing Race" at the time of his death, and while he does have producer credits on the show according to IMDb, they state that he was not an employee of the show or a full-time producer on it.

According to new information reported in The Daily Monitor, police have said Rice died of a cocaine overdose. This news contradicts previous reports which indicated he was poisoned. The Daily Monitor also identifies Rice's companion at the time as Catherine Fuller, who is said to have also been found unconscious and is currently in a coma.

The Daily Mail quotes Rice's widow, Sally Blackman, who said "[evidence points towards [Rice and Fuller] being poisoned."

MSNBC interviewed Blackman's brother, who said he believes the cause of death is completely unknown at this time: "There's so much stuff in the air about possible poisoning, all that kind of stuff. At the moment, we're trying to get Jeff's body out of there to get some answers."

Rice and Blackman were married in 2001 and had two children. The Mail says Ugandan police are investigating the incident further and describes Rice's role as a facilitator as someone who "would have been hired by the production company to make arrangements with local officials before teams arrived for filming."

We'll continue to update the story as more information is available.

--- End quote ---

SuperTux:
The recent update indicates his death did not result from poison, but from cocaine overdose.

From nydailynews


--- Quote ---The mystery surrounding the death last week of an American-born television producer in a Uganda hotel room deepened as reports surfaced that cocaine may have killed him - not poison, as his widow earlier claimed.

Jeff Rice, 39, whose television credits included freelance work on "The Amazing Race" and other reality adventure programs, was found dead on a balcony outside a luxury room in the Ugandan capital of Kampala last week, local police told ABC News.

His assistant, Katheryne Fuller, was unconscious in the room and rushed to a local hospital, where she was said to be recovering.

Family members, including Rice's wife, Sally Blackman, initially said it appeared as though two were poisoned after refusing a shakedown by local gang members.

But local cops told ABC News that Rice likely OD'd on cocaine.

"Those were misreported rumors about this being some kind of attack by thugs," Uganda police spokesman Asuman Mugenyi said.

"We do not believe that, and we do not believe this was any type of food poisoning. Again, we are still investigating and will know much more when we can talk to Ms. Fuller," Mugenyi told the network.

Rice’s brother-in-law told ABC News he couldn’t comment on the overdose reports, noting the investigation into Rice’s death was ongoing.

According to a website for his company, SB Productions, Rice and his wife had been producing films, documentaries, TV shows and commercials from their home base in South Africa since 1999.

The Oklahoma native had worked as a freelance facilitator for the globe-trotting CBS reality show "The Amazing Race," but wasn't a full time employee and wasn't working on the show at the time of his death.

His other credits included work on Animal Planet's "Whale Wars," and "The Biggest Loser South Africa," along with other shows.

Fuller's father, Stuart, told ABC News that the two were working on documentary in Uganda with other crew members.

He was with his daughter at the hospital, but didn't know what made her sick.

"She is okay. We are trying to get her back to South Africa. She needs medical attention that they can't do here," he said.

As word of the young producer's death spread, several of his colleagues offered condolences on Twitter.

"Floored by the loss of my dear friend & fellow adventurer, Jeff Rice," wrote Josh Gates, host of the SyFy Channel's "Destination Truth."

"You were, quite simply, the real deal. I'll never forget you."

--- End quote ---

SuperTux:
Not sure what a freelance facilitator is...

Is a freelance facilitator someone who contacts local corporations, communities or something else, to design and perform the challenges on the show?

Prophet:
I think he is someone who knew local businesses and people and was a middleman between them and other companies. Shows like TAR have to get in contact with people like this to set up the specific locations they need.

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