If you watched Season 36 of The Amazing Race when it hit the 2024 TV schedule, you probably already know that one team got royally screwed before their elimination. You probably also know preschool teacher Ricky Rotandi and chef Cesar Aldrete were one of the most well-rounded teams to ever compete on the series, possibly the most well-rounded. The two spoke out about the whirlwind of a race they participated in, explaining how “being queer” really gave them “an advantage.” Having watched the season, I totally see their point.
Nearly all teams have limitations on The Amazing Race . Some teams might have two athletic people who aren’t as good at detail-oriented challenges. Some teams are super smart but struggle with the physical challenges. Some teams are good at music or dancing or memorization or with dealing with multiple languages and "different cultures." It's what Phil Keoghan has said keeps the show "fresh" year after year.
But Cesar and Ricky honestly really were just hyper well-rounded at almost everything we watched them do, and Rotandi attributed this to being queer in an interview with Glaad.
I think being queer kind of gave us an advantage. We were able to put all of our strengths and experiences into action. Growing up we were exposed to more of the masculine things but as adults, we were able to enjoy more artsy things — the stereotypically feminine things.
I think the word here that he’s reaching for is “well-rounded.” The two of them were so ridiculously good at most things they attempted. Some of the episodes were set in Spanish-language countries and Cesar was able to help navigate them to where they needed to go. Then, in a dance challenge, the two were much better than another female-led team at over-the-top dramatics and impressing the judge. The sportier challengers weren’t huge problems, either, and the two said they really worked hard to train before they got onto the show so they could physically feel “fit.” They put in the work until the gaps in their game were hard to spot.
There was one time when everyone had to weld that I thought perhaps the team would be tripped up, but guess what? Cesar had actually taken a welding class in Junior High because he’d been told he couldn’t participate in Home Economics. I’m sure that sucked at the time feeling boxed in, but now it’s also the most turning lemons into lemonade story I think I’ve ever heard. Here’s what Cesar said about how they ultimately dominated the race.
Not being afraid of doing absolutely anything — whether it is wearing those colorful costumes or paragliding. I think growing up in a more conservative society we were sometimes categorized into boxes. I learned welding in junior high because that was for “men” and I could not go to home economics or crafts because that was for “women“. So now I have this skill from 20 years ago that I wouldn’t have necessarily picked to learn, but it came in handy in the race. I think floating between skills and not being afraid to adapt without judgment helped a lot.
The other key point that I don’t think the couple mentioned here is that they really worked hard to be supportive, read clues and stay on task in the race. They said they knew they “needed to be flexible” and that “fast decision-making” was key, too.
These are both key focal points for most teams who have won on the 36 seasons The Amazing Race has been on air. The more you bicker or get frustrated in challenges, the higher the likelihood of failure. That piece can’t be attributed to their LGBTQ+ background, but it is a good sign for them overall as a couple. And it led them straight to the $1,000,000 Race prize.
It could be some time before we see a team this dominant again. No matter, The Amazing Race has been renewed and will return to the schedule for Season 37, and it's keeping the 90-minute episodes fans have come to love.
