'Amazing Race' hopefuls show pair power
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
A pair of hula brothers, two royal beauty queens and several couples who considered themselves polar opposites — 126 pairs in all — auditioned yesterday for a shot at the television show, "The Amazing Race," and its $1 million prize.
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It was the first time the producers of the CBS reality show came looking specifically for a two-person team from Hawai'i to add a uniquely Island touch. And Randy Brandt believes they won't be disappointed.
Reid Del Rosario, left, and his brother Matt Del Rosario performed hula to "A 'Oia" to audition for "The Amazing Race." The Iolani School graduates are also best friends.
Brandt was contracted to serve as the local contestant facilitator and will forward each of yesterday's two-minute-or-so videotaped auditions to the show, which is produced by World Race Productions Inc., Jerry Bruckheimer Films Inc. and Amazing Race Productions Inc.
"The Amazing Race" features a dozen two-person teams who travel 40,000 miles in about 40 days, beginning in January. The teams compete against one another to finish specific tasks, with the last-place team eliminated each week.
"To get on the show it's best to have a hook," Brandt said. "If you don't have an unusual situation, it's hard to get on the show."
The producers of "The Amazing Race" also asked Brandt to make personal recommendations. Those selected as finalists will be flown to Los Angeles in December for more interviewing.
Brandt — who also produces KGMB's "Hawaiian Moving Company" for the local CBS affiliate — will recommend 10 to 12 pairs he saw yesterday at Restaurant Row, including Army Pvt. Maureen Sayre, 38, and her fiancé, Navy Chief Petty Officer Jose Capellan, 39.
They have five children between them from previous marriages and were best friends before they became lovers.
"We're extreme opposites — Army, Navy," Capellan said.
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"He's anal, I'm sweet," Sayre said. "I'm a white girl. He's Hispanic."
Jennifer Hera Pimentel, left, and Theresa Tilley got together at the last minute to audition for CBS' "The Amazing Race."
But perhaps the most compelling reason to turn out in their battle dress uniforms yesterday was the chance at $1 million.
"We have five kids we want to put into college," Sayre said.
Brandt also liked best friends and brothers Reid Del Rosario, 21, and Matt Del Rosario, 20. The Iolani School graduates and hula dancers performed a cheery 'auana hula yesterday to "A 'Oia."
"People always say, 'You can't be brothers because you get along so well,' " Reid said.
"We're one of the lucky ones who do everything together," Matt added.
Brandt also will recommend friends Jennifer Hera Pimentel, 26, the 1998 Miss Hawai'i, and Theresa Tilley, 33, the 1993 Miss Hawai'i International.
Brandt kept referring to them as the beauty queens.
The two planned on auditioning separately yesterday with different partners: Pimentel with her husband and Tilley with a male friend.
But Pimentel's husband couldn't guarantee getting 40 days off from work, so Pimentel and Tilley paired up just before the auditions.
With 11 ethnicities represented among them, Tilley said, "we're the ultimate hapa girls." They also believe they have some royal blood.
"I'm related to the king of Spain and Portugal," Pimentel said.
"And my mom says we're related to the first emperor of China," Tilley said.
They also jokingly said that they're no strangers to adversity.
"I overcame being the bingo girl of KFVE," Pimentel said.
"And I've been on the Dating Game twice and still don't have a man," Tilley said. "I'm the one with the dysfunctional male problems."
Tilley also saw her beauty queen weight shoot up to 190 pounds before she burned it off three years ago.
"Too many Twinkies," Tilley said.
They were the kind of details that Tilley and Pimentel weren't shy about revealing to the camera yesterday if it means a shot at $1 million and national television.
"We figured we had to show our personalities," Pimentel said.
Reach Dan Nakaso at 525-8085 or dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.
