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The Amazing Race 22: Exclusive Interview with Idries and Jamil Abdur-Rahman

Posted on 02/26/2013 by Gina in The Amazing Race and Cast Interviews

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by Gina Scarpa

 

Note to self: If I'm ever cast on The Amazing Race, don't tell the crew anything I am afraid of or wouldn't want to do because you know it's going to pop up in a Detour or Road Block somewhere along the way. Idries and Jamil made it clear that they weren't comfortable in open water and in the second leg, they faced a Detour in the waters of Bora Bora that cost them the race. Despite struggling with an underwater Detour, they finished all the tasks along the leg and checked in at the pit stop, where Phil let them know that they were eliminated. We talked to the twin doctors in an exclusive interview about not only facing their fear of water but of leaving the race way before they ever hoped.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Which one of you wanted to be on The Amazing Race more?
A. Idries: You know it's funny. I've been a fan literally since season 1. I loved every episode, every season. Jamil would watch sometimes, he'd start and stop. I've always wanted to apply but I wasn't sure, "Do I do it with my wife? Do I do it with my brother?" Finishing medical school, starting a job, having a baby - there was just never a right time to apply until now.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Idries, how did you decide on running the race with Jamil as opposed to your wife or someone else?
A. Idries: My wife and I always talked about it and she thought I'd have a better chance with my brother. She said, "You guys work together well and can do this!"

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Obviously, you guys were not comfortable with the water. Knowing that, did you do any preparation before going onto The Amazing Race?
A. Idries: Yeah, I can swim. I do swim. But knowing we'd probably have to do something in the water, and not being super comfortable with it, I took some swimming classes at the Y.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: We saw in the first episode that an alliance was forming between several teams and I was wondering, is that a good idea so early on?
A. Idries: In some ways, I think that forming an alliance on the first leg is too early because you haven't had time to feel people out. On the other hand, that's the time to do it. We really weren't sure if we were ever going to form an alliance. The reason we did and the reason we did so early was because the opportunity presented itself.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Of the teams in your alliance, who did you feel you could trust the most?
A. Idries: I would've said Pam and Winnie, or Dave and Connor. Dave is like a father figure, so I didn't think he'd stab us in the back. Pam and Winnie, we told them our real professions on day one and they didn't tell anyone.
A. Jamil: Those are the two main teams, but I found them all trustworthy.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: It was interesting to see teams abandon the Road Block in that first leg and it didn't seem like a good idea, given the penalty associated with it. What was your take on it?
A. Idries: I thought that was still a mistake. Even in the second leg, when Jamil wanted to take the penalty, I was just opposed to doing it.
A. Jamil: I almost look at it the opposite way. If you think about it, there were 400 sandcastles. Do the math, you could be out there forever! You realize there's only 3 clues left, you can see it. I don't know that I would've done it because you don't know what's coming next or what you're getting yourself into. But I could see it.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Do you know how long the two of you were at the Detour in the second leg?
A. Idries: We don't know for sure but we're guesstimating 2-3 hours.

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: It was great to see you both finish each task on the leg, even though you knew you were far behind. Was there any discussion about whether or not to continue on or throw in the towel?
A. Jamil: We didn't have a conversation about it at all. We both knew that there wouldn't be a circumstance where you could voluntarily give up. You don't want your family, your patients, the world seeing you like that.
A. Idries: I would drag him across that finish line if I had to!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: When you arrived at the mat, you had to know it probably wasn't a non-elimination leg being how early it was in the race but you can't help but be hopeful...
A. Idries: I was 99.9% sure that it was going to be an elimination leg but of course, like you said, you're holding out hope. Of course, it's disappointing. You see your preparation go up in smoke so it's devastating in the moment, but I wasn't surprised. I will survive!

 

Q. Gina, RealityWanted: Did being on the show inspire you to travel to new places?
A. Idries: I mean, I love to travel anyway! I thought about Bora Bora but the sting is a little too raw right now. Our anniversary is coming in May and we decided on the Maldives, and we saw that one the show.
A. Jamil: I don't know that it inspired me to go to Bora Bora, but I did take away things from the entire process. When we ran to the mat, I was getting a little emotional. People were asking if I was crying because I had lost. What had happened was while I was struggling on the stilts, I had said, "There's no way I am giving up!" I was hot, tired, and my feet were cut up. I thought of my grandparents who helped raise me and I said, "Please help me!" It was hot! And all of a sudden, there was a breeze and I just knew. I did it! I felt like something extraordinary had happened out there.

 

 

The Amazing Race airs Mondays at 8/7c on CBS.

 

(Image courtesy of CBS)

 


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