Contestants with Pittsburgh ties continue to ‘Race’
Some of the best moments in the 29-season history of CBS’s “The Amazing Race” are the ones where racers just have fun seeing the world.
In that vein, Squirrel Hill native Becca Droz and Lawrenceville chef Michael Rado are off to flying starts.
Ms. Droz, a 2009 Allderdice High grad, and her teammate, Floyd Pierce of Boulder, Colo., have been laughing it up through the first two episodes (Thursdays). Mr. Rado, who owns Butcher on Butler, ran the race with Liz Espey, an auctioneer from Marysville, Mo.
In an “Amazing Race” first, 22 strangers showed up at the start and chose partners.
“I feel I was born for this show,” said Ms. Droz, now a rock climbing instructor in Boulder. “I thought it looked super fun to be doing all these challenges. Even when I was 11 years old, I would watch [on TV] and say, ‘I would do WAY better than them.’”
Also on the show were Jessica Shields, a police K-9 officer in Youngstown, Ohio. She was with drill sergeant Francesca Piccoli, and the team was eliminated Thursday.
On the season debut, the racers were sent to a luggage shop to find pieces marked with the flag of Panama — the first stop on the trip around the world. Once they’d been paired and were on their way to the airport, they were instructed to open the luggage. In one was the coveted Express Pass, which allows a team to skip a challenge of their choosing.
Like Charlie Bucket finding a Golden Ticket in a Wonka bar, Mr. Pierce yelled with glee when he pulled the Express Pass from his bag.
“His reaction was priceless,” Ms. Droz said, laughing.
“TAR” strategy leans toward hiding the pass from the others, which created a certain amount of stress, she added.
“We were super-duper paranoid that someone would hear us, so we came up with a code name for it. But we are both terrible liars.”
Ms. Droz swam, ran and played tennis at Allderdice. In high school, she was in the Science
Olympiad and volunteered for social action groups such as the student hunger action coalition, which painted houses in West Virginia.
After two years at Colorado University, she took off two years, then got her degree in outdoor leadership at Warren Wilson College in Asheville, N.C. She has been climbing for about eight years.
Amazing Racers often face height-related challenges. While not a great fan of those kinds of stunts, Ms. Droz said she’s found doing things that scare her make her feel alive.
Fear was a factor for Mr. Rado as well, at least in the first jaunt to Panama City.
“You’re running around the world, terrified,” he said, only half-joking. “You’re terrified you’re last, terrified you’re never going to find [the location], terrified you’ll be the first to go home, and NOBODY wants to be out first.”
Like some reality show contestants, Mr. Rado was actually recruited by a casting director after appearing on an Esquire Network cooking program. At 6-feet-3, 250 pounds and sporting a bright red beard, he stands out among the models, bankers and surfer dudes.
In preparation, he dropped 25 pounds through jogging and lifting weights. He also hit the online fan sites to pick up tips from viewers and former contestants. That’s how he ended up fitting three outfits suitable for rain, shine or snow in one 20-pound backpack.
“I am now an expert at doing laundry in hotel sinks,” he said.
After near elimination in the first week, Mr. Rado and Ms. Espey won a trip to Barbados by finishing first two days later in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Also on reality TV
• “I have believed in you since day one,” said Adam Levine.
After that, how could Lilli Passero say no?
Actually, it must have been a tough choice for Ms. Passero, a Carnegie Mellon University grad competing on NBC’s “The Voice” Monday. After her coach, Alicia Keys, chose someone else (Ashley Levin) to advance to the live rounds, Ms. Passero was eligible to be stolen.
Not only did Mr. Levine swoop in immediately, but also he was quickly joined by fellow coach Blake Shelton.
So far in the competition, Mr. Levine had been talking up Ms. Passero’s chances. Even after her performance of Amy Winehouse’s “Tears Dry on Their Own” fell a bit short — she seemed to be reaching a bit at the lower range — Mr. Levine jumped at the chance to have her on his team.
Mr. Shelton, who has coached more winners in previous seasons than anyone, said earlier that he thought Ms. Passero had done a better job than Ms. Levin. Nonetheless, the singer went with Mr. Levine.
• After the elimination of Tom Savini Monessen program grad Evan Hedges on “Face Off: All Stars” (Syfy, Tuesday), the field is down to six artists. With team challenges over and individuals vying, George Troester III (Art Institute of Pittsburgh) also was in the bottom two of an intergalactic delegate project.
• In a jump from Esquire Network, “Friday Night Tykes: Steel Country” will air its second season on USA Network. The first of eight episodes begins at 11:05 p.m. Monday.
• Now, here are some real “Apprentices.”
The April 15 deadline is fast approaching for those interested in being an apprentice this summer for PBS’s venerable “This Old House.”
Three apprentices of varying skill levels will be chosen to work alongside Norm Abram, Kevin O’Connor and the “TOH” crew in Newton, Mass., from June 12Aug. 18. A stipend will be paid.
For more information and to apply, go to thisoldhouse.com/TOHApprentice. The “Generation Next Project House” is part of a philanthropic initiative that helps introduce younger candidates to the skilled trades.