'Amazing Race' Sends in the Clowns

[Brett Ferino]

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - "The Amazing Race 3" got battered by "The Bachelor" last fall, so CBS decided to save the fourth installment of the globe-trotting series for summer.

The fourth edition of the show will make its debut with a 90-minute episode at 8 p.m. ET Thursday, May 29, settling into the timeslot occupied by "Survivor" during the regular season. As before, 12 teams of two people will race around the world, competing for a $1 million prize. The last team to reach each interim destination is eliminated.

The 12 teams this time include a pair of air traffic controllers, who should know a thing or two about which flights to take where, two wives of National Football League players, a married gay couple, a couple that's been dating chastely for 12 years and two clowns. That's not an insult; it's the job description for Jon Weiss and Al Rios, both of whom live on New York's Long Island.

Phil Keoghan returns as host of the show.

Here's a rundown of the 12 teams:

Names: David Dean and Jeff Strnad
Ages: 32, 37
Occupations: Owner of marketing agency, commercial/residential broker
Hometowns: Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Relationship: Best friends

Names: "Tian" Kitchen and Jaree Poteet
Ages: 30, 33
Occupations: Models
Hometowns: Miami
Relationship: Friends

Names: Millie Smith and Chuck Shankles
Ages: 29, 28
Occupations: Environmental teacher at aquarium, self-employed
Hometowns: Chattanooga, Tenn.
Relationship: Dating 12 years/virgins

Names: Reichen Lehmkuhl and Chip Arndt
Ages: 28, 36
Occupations: Pilot, entrepreneur
Hometowns: Beverly Hills, Calif.
Relationship: Married gay couple

Names: Debra and Steve Carmody
Ages: 49, 40
Occupations: Director of artists' colony, radio news director
Hometowns: Louisville, Ky.
Relationship: Married parents

Names: Monica Ambrose and Sheree Buchanan
Ages: 29, 31
Occupations: Mothers/homemakers
Hometowns: Duluth, Ga.
Relationship: Friends and NFL wives

Names: Kelly Parks and Jon Corso
Ages: 28, 32
Occupations: Model, real estate agent
Hometowns: Miami (Parks is originally from Mansfield, Texas, and Corso from Franklin Lakes, N.J.)
Relationship: Engaged

Names: Steve Meitz and Dave Cottingham
Ages: 46, 43
Occupations: Air traffic controllers
Hometowns: Chicago
Relationship: Friends and co-workers

Names: Amanda Adams and Chris Garry
Ages: 25, 28
Occupations: Physical rehabilitation technician, graphic designer
Hometowns: Sioux Falls, S.D.
Relationship: Dating

Names: Steve and Josh Cottingham
Ages: 47, 21
Occupations: Juvenile detention facility supervisor, computer technician
Hometowns: Santa Barbara, Calif., Los Angeles
Relationship: Father and son

Names: Russell Brown and Cindy Duck
Ages: 32, 39
Occupations: Model/actor, inventor
Hometowns: Hermosa Beach, Calif., Los Angeles
Relationship: Friends/dating

Names: Jon Weiss and Al Rios
Ages: 40, 34
Occupations: Professional clowns
Hometowns: Long Island, N.Y.
Relationship: Best friends