The Winner’s Circle: Reichen & Chip – Smashing Stereotypes While Winning ‘The Amazing Race 4’

The Amazing Race 4 brought us some of the most memorable teams to date. Circus clowns Jon & Al laughed and joked their way into the hearts of not only the people in America, but the world! Will anyone every forget Millie & Chuck, Virgins who had been dating over a decade? I'm sure you remember the engaged couple, Jon & Kelly (yes, the one I was, and am still, obsessed with), and the way they constantly bickered, but always ended it with a kiss on the cheek. Side note: They're married now! Even the teams that were eliminated early made a big impact, like Chris, and his girlfriend Amy... the one who cursed a mile a minute; and Josh & Steve, the father/son team that we still can't figure out how they got eliminated!

But one of the most controversial teams during the fourth season was Reichen & Chip, the first married gay couple to appear on the show. If you'll remember Joe & Bill (Team Guido), from the first season, were classified as "Life Partners," unlike Reichen & Chip who were actually listed as married. This team showed that they had the determination to win the whole thing, so let's take a look at how they did it.

Early in the race, Reichen & Chip were looked at as a threat because they were two guys who were athletically fit looked to have no fears. They made their share of blunders, just like everyone else, but managed to stick together and pull out the win. However, even though they were perceived as such a threat, they really weren't, at least in the early legs of the race. They found themselves alienated several times not so much for their sexual preference, but because they weren't exactly the nicest people. Monica & Sheree, dubbed "The Supremes," were one of the only teams to really bond with Reichen & Chip during the race, stating that they were both minorities and needed to stick together. When The Supremes were eliminated, Reichen & Chip were basically on their own. They cut off teams several different times and were always looking for ways to be ahead of everyone else. The thing is deep down these two were very nice guys, but didn't want to get caught up in friendships during the race – they were there to win.

When it came time to do Roadblocks and Detours, this team usually made the right choice. They were not scared to jump off of buildings, scale down rocks or anything else that stood in their way from finishing first. They always chose the fastest Detour and made a point to think things out before making decisions.

When they went for the Fast Forward, it was the perfect time for them to do so because they needed it to secure their spot. They proved that they were a team that had their stuff together and they were a serious contender.

What was great about this team was that they shattered the stereotypes that gay men on reality TV usually represent. They didn't cry and complain about everything, they weren't catty and tried their best to stay out of the drama. Although, I must admit that Reichen had his moments where I wanted to reach through the TV and give him a good shake. That's to be expected though because of the toll this race takes on a person mentally. For the most part though, this team really had it together.

You can't really say their competition helped them win the race. They won by only a few minutes because Jon & Kelly were on their heels the whole time and it wasn't clear who was going to win. Well, we knew David & Jeff weren't going to win because they were stuck in an airport. Can't remember who David & Jeff were? I rest my case. My point is that Reichen & Chip really had to work to win the race because their competition was fierce. Actually, this season of Amazing Race probably had the most fit people of all the seasons at the time. With that being said, Reichen and Chip were still able to overcome the odds and cross the finish line first. Not only did they have teamwork on their side, but love as well. It was clear that these two guys cared about each other and showed the world that they were not going to compromise anything.

There are actually several factors that come into play when summing up why Reichen and Chip won The Amazing Race. First, they had a great sense of teamwork. They understood each other’s strengths and weaknesses and worked together in order to compensate for each of them. Second, they had a very strong will and determination to win the race, which is more important than you may think. Finally, they were physically fit but realized that the race can't be won on physical strength alone. They understood that a strong mind was what was needed as well and always thought out each decision they made carefully, which helped them cross last until the final leg of the race, when they crossed the finish line before anyone else.

Phil Kural is a recent graduate from Temple University, with a degree in journalism. You can reach him at pkural@gmail.com with any feedback that you may have.

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