Pop Culture Flashback: The First 'Amazing Race' (Sept. 5)

CBS’s The Amazing Race is truly a race around the world where those who cross the finish line first, wins. No one is kicked off the island.

TV SERIES DEBUTS

2001 – The First Amazing Race

Phil Keoghan has hosted the reality TV series, The Amazing Race, since the show’s first competition in 2001. Created by Elise Doganieri and Bertram van Munster, the show features numerous teams of two who have something in common: they are brothers, husband and wife, co-workers, best friends, etc. But that hasn’t always been the case.

During Season 8 (2005), the show aired a “Family Edition” where families of four competed. For Season 29 (2017), complete strangers were paired up and during Season 30 (2018), teams had to swap partners for the 7th leg of the race.

During an Amazing Race, contestants are faced with numerous challenges during each leg of the race. The last team to reach the pit stop is often eliminated. Throughout the season, teams literally travel all around the world in a number of days.

Outside of the America, at least a dozen other countries have their own version of the show including Canada, Brazil, France, Norway, Ukraine, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Australia and Israel.

Famous Amazing Racers

Most contestants who compete on The Amazing Race are just everyday folk, but the show has seen its share of celebrity racers as well. These include actor Brian Thomas Smith (The Big Bang Theory), Bethany “Soul Surfer” Hamilton, TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie, “Boston Rob” Mariano, Amber Mariano, Ethan Zohn, Jenna Morasca (Survivor winners), Mike White (The White Lotus creator) and New Kids on the Block singer Jonathan Knight.

Brian Thomas Smith, Bethany Hamilton, Blake Mycoskie and Rob Mariano *(Wikimedia Commons)*

1994: ‘Sweet Valley High’ Goes to TV

Debuting as a syndicated show on this day in 1994, Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High series came alive on the small screen with real-life twin sisters Brittany and Cynthia Daniel playing the roles of flirty Jessica and responsible Elizabeth Wakefield living in the fictional town of Sweet Valley. Distributed by Teen Dream Productions, the show was shown in syndication for its first three years before premiering on UPN for its fourth and last season.

OTHER EVENTS THAT HAPPENED ON THIS DAY:

1927 – Oswald the Lucky Rabbit is Born

In 1927 Universal Studios decided that they wanted to get into the cartoon business, but they needed a cartoon character of their own. Disney’s distributor, Charles Mintz suggested to Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. Iwerks came up with a rabbit and a deal was made. Universal chose the name for the bunny, but not a lot of thought went into it. They picked “Oswald” from a hat.

Oswald the Lucky Rabbit appeared for the first time in the short, Trolley Trouble which debuted on this day. The next year, it is reported that Disney met with Mintz in hopes of receiving a more profitable contract. Instead, Mintz asked Disney to take a 20% cut in pay. Disney quit the studio leaving Oswald behind.

Oswald wasn’t returned to the Disney Company until February 2006. His first appearance back under the Disney brand was his role in both of the Epic Mickey video games. In 2027, Disney+ will stream a new, live-action/animated hybrid series about Oswald’s life.

1922 – The Mystery of San Jose’s “Mystery House”

Winchester Mystery House *(The Wub/Wikimedia Commons)*

On September 30, 1862, Sarah Lockwood Pardee married William Wirt Winchester. He was the son of Oliver Winchester, the founder of the Repeating Arms Company. In 1873, the Winchester rifle Model 73 (aka “The Gun that Won the West”) was released. Seven years later, Oliver away leaving the company to William. However, just three months later, William died of tuberculosis.

Now a widow, Sarah inherited the family’s fortune – about $20 million dollars’ worth plus nearly 50% of the Winchester Repeating Arms stock. After developing rheumatoid arthritis, Sarah hired a medium who supposedly channeled her late husband. He “encouraged” her to move out West. In 1886 she purchased a two-story farmhouse in San Jose, California. It became the start of a 36-year home improvement project later known as the Winchester Mystery House.

One could blame all of the construction on that medium who said her husband’s spirit said for her to continuouly build up a home big enough to hold her and all of the victims’ spirits who had been shot by a Winchester rifle.

At one time, the Mystery House contained 161 rooms, 47 fireplaces, 13 bathrooms (however only one was functional), two basements, three elevators, lots of windows (made from 10,000 panes of glass) and 2,000 doors. It is said that Sarah slept in a different room each night to prevent the spirits from finding her. She passed away on this day in 1922.

In April 1923, John and Mayme Brown purchased the house and began to offer tours of property. It still a popular tourist attraction today. The house was partially used for the filming of the 2018 Helen Mirren film Winchester.