Jody & Shannon ('The Amazing Race')
Monday, February 22 2010, 2:55pm EST
By Lara Martin, News Editor
CBS
Personal trainer Jody Kelly, 71, and granddaughter Shannon Foster entered The Amazing Race hoping that the experience would bring them closer and prove that age isn't important. Unfortunately, the duo were eliminated from the show last night after finishing last at the pit stop in Chile following a rather painful-looking incident with a cow. We gave them a call to chat about breaking boundaries, whether there was ever any concern about Jody's age and where they are planning to go on their next big adventure!
Whose idea was it to apply?
Shannon: "I think definitely grandma went all out for that as soon as she thought about it. She was like, 'We should definitely be on that show!' It took me a little longer to get my head wrapped around it just because I had just graduated from college and thought I should start a full-time job and be responsible, but after a little bit of convincing I was like, 'Yeah, life's all about adventure! Might as well go and do it!'"
Jody: "And here I am entering my second childhood, so the lark appealed to me!"
Were you surprised to be accepted?
Jody: "Oh, astonished. The average age of contestants in this season is only 36 so I was totally astonished to be cast."
What was the general reaction when you told people you were going on The Amazing Race?
Jody: "My children, including Shannon's mother, were very supportive and the training group I do triathlons with were extremely supportive. People were surprised of course, but those who know me know that I have an active lifestyle. One son-in-law even said, 'Well, you know it's a surprise, but not really a surprise!'"
How did the other contestants react? Do you think maybe they didn't view you as competition?
Jody: "Oh yes, that's certainly true. I think that Louie and Michael in the first episode said, 'Nana is kicking your butt!' They were very, very surprised that I could actually run faster than Louie!"
You said you went on the show partly to prove that age isn't a barrier – do you think you've achieved that?
Jody: "Judging by my Facebook friend requests that's certainly the case! I've been inundated with people who have said, 'You are such an inspiration, be my friend!' I think I've probably inspired a few people, and it would be lovely if that's the case."
Turning to this week, did you know you were falling behind?
Shannon: "Well, we knew we were slightly at a disadvantage because we were starting later than everybody else, but we were definitely still counting on a team making a mistake and we didn't know we would be eliminated. We suspected we were coming in last, but we were hoping for a non-elimination leg or that someone else was behind, especially with Dan and Jordan so close to us, and Mike and Louie."
Jody: "And we continued to do the race as if we weren't going to be eliminated. We never once gave up and thought, 'Oh well, we can't do this'. We just kept right on and did the best we could."
Even after being kicked by the cow?!
Jody: "I did have a bump on my head afterwards, no concussion though apparently, and I really truly did just turn right around and continue milking."
Shannon: "I'm sure that would make me a little frazzled if I got kicked in the head by a cow! I kind of feel like maybe that had something to do with it, it shook you up a little bit..."
Jody: "I'm not going to blame the cow or the kick... I have milked cows before and I knew they kicked and I had been as careful as possible and I knew it wasn't likely to kick again. It wasn't that bad, I was able to continue on, maybe a little more frazzled than usual, but the stress level was already high so what's one more little thing?!"
At the bus station, why did you not try what Jet and Cord and the others did by going indirectly to your destination?
Shannon: "We did ask a lot of people what bus to take and nobody was actually able to give us a route that would have been faster. I know our Spanish wasn't that good, and Brandy and Carol had an easier time because they spoke Spanish. I don't know what the cowboys did because as far as I know they didn't speak Spanish."
Jody: "They did get an English speaker to help them."
Shannon: "I know the Big Brother team actually had someone who recognized them and said, 'Take this bus, it's the best one'. They ended up missing it anyways, but that worked to their advantage."
Did you know who they were before the race?
Jody: "No, I had no clue. I thought they were very nice young people, it was nice to be associated with them, and good heavens they certainly have some experience on reality shows before."
Shannon: "We found out on the show. I didn't get to spend a lot of time with them."
How had the race affected your relationship?
Jody: "We were already pretty close, but I have more admiration now than before for Shannon. She is a really super person."
Shannon: "It showed us the best sides of each other and the worst sides of each other! We know each other way more now than we ever did before."
Jody: "I tell you what, I'll never go on a trip with you again unless we bring along coffee!"
Shannon: "Sounds good!"
Finally, at the end of the episode you mentioned another "big adventure" - any ideas on where that will be or what you'll be doing?!
Jody: "We'll probably go up to Alaska in July or August and do a bike ride from Anchorage to Seward."
Will you bring your other grandchildren this time?!
Jody: "If they want to come, absolutely!"
Shannon: "They probably won't - they're not really into that sort of thing!"
Jody: "How about I drive up to Denver and pick up some of those kids and go on up and make it a nice vacation?"
Shannon: "That sounds like a good plan but it might take you a really long time to drive up to Alaska!"
http://www.digitalspy.com/ustv/s66/the-amazing-race/interviews/a204538/jody--shannon-the-amazing-race.html
