Rich Herrera and Rich Hardin: Not Doing a 'Marc & Rovilson' on ‘TARA 4’
By ANNIE S. ALEJOSeptember 21, 2010, 8:14am
Rich Hardin (left) and Rich Herrera with 'The Amazing Race Asia' 4 host Alan Wu at the Racers Revealed media junket in SingaporeSINGAPORE – “The Amazing Race Asia” (TARA) Season 4 premieres on Sept. 23, but even before that, big things are already expected of our two pairs of racers.
“TARA” executive producer and director, Michael McKay, said, “I think you’ve got two good teams representing the Philippines this season,” addressing the handful of Philippine media at the junket held in Singapore’s ultra-sleek Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
Be that as it may, the Philippines has always been represented by rather strong teams, but so far, none has brought home the top prize—including the $100,000 pot. Season 2 racers Marc Nelson and Rovilson Fernandez remained strong throughout the race, only to falter in the end and finish third. Our highest finish, meanwhile, was second place with Season 2 racers, the bickering dating tandem of Geoff Rodriguez and Tisha Silang.
Could this year be any different? More so, Bulletin Entertainment asked Rich Herrera and Rich Hardin (who call themselves “The Riches”) if they’re sure they wouldn’t be doing a “Marc & Rovilson” this season.
“No, we were prepared… Our brains were well-trained,” Herrera replied with deadpan humor.
The “Marc and Rovilson” maneuver was when the best buddies famously lost their lead in the very last leg of the race as Fernandez bungled a Road Block (a task only one team member may perform)—wherein he had to identify the flags of all the countries they’ve been to and arrange them chronologically. Nelson knew his flags but he was forced to watch his teammate struggle as other racers already got ahead.
When asked if he was being too harsh on Fernandez, Herrera drawled, “You call Rovilson right now and you tell him to describe the Singaporean flag, let’s see if he can do it.”
Herrera and Fernandez are actually friends, and the teasing is just part of their own version of bromance. “There’s not much we don’t know,” Herrera boasted, “but we love Rovilson,” he laughed.
“I am actually looking forward to meeting Rovilson. I’ve met Marc a couple of times but I’m excited to sit down and converse with Rovilson,” Hardin said, adding in jest, “…and talk about flags.”
Herrera also interjected, “He don’t know the flags but he’s one of the best hosts that the Philippines has.” But not wanting to give his friend a break, he added without missing a beat, “I think we should have a show identifying flags…”
“If I had to choose one word that summed up the series, it would be humor,” said McKay. “It’s a funny series. And I found myself crying the other night over something that happened that’s so funny. There are some edgier teams, I think, and they do get a little upset with each other; and there are moments in the series that gets a little confronting. But most of all, it’s a funny series, this one.”
Aside from ‘The Riches,’ McKay also picked the two-man team Indian team to be “hysterically funny. I don’t know if they’re trying to be funny… but they really are.”
And even our other two-girl Philippine team, Jess James (ex-strip club manager and tattoo artist) and Lani Pillinger (model), also got on his funny radar. “When they came to the final casing, those girls lit up the room. We were exhausted after half an hour… they’re a bit outrageous on the TV show but I think our viewers will find them quite funny.”
Indeed, running a race that takes them all over Asia requires a good dose of strength and humor; but more so when you are part of the production. “The days are very long,” McKay shared. “There’s no other show that test you like this one. So yes, a sense of humor comes in handy. It tests the contestants but it also tests the production. It’s a little bit like the Olympics for us… you’re being constantly tested, constantly measured and see how you’re performing as a professional in a really tough environment—in the heat, in the cold, with not much sleep. It’s just as challenging for us.”
But if there’s anything the racers hate, it’s not that they are put through the ringer to prove their worth. “The bit they hate is not being able to tell people they’re in it! It drove them crazy,” laughed McKay.
“They’ve told some terrible lies up to now… They’re telling their family they went on a trip for a month,” McKay said, short of the racers telling their parents they’ve been kidnapped by a bunch of white guys!
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/278146/rich-herrera-and-rich-hardin-not-doing-a-marc-rovilson-tara-4