The Amazing Race 37 Jackye Clayton and Lauren McKinney Interview

Well, let's get into this girl's trip, shall we

I mean, to start, let's talk about what got you on that plane in the first place

I mean, you talked a little bit about this at the end, about, you know, your mother and

wanting to kind of have her travel vicariously through you. But I'm intrigued from both of your perspectives

Were you fans of The Amazing Race prior? And what was it that made you want to go from watching to participating

So I've always been a fan of The Amazing Race. I wanted to go on The Amazing Race when my kids were in middle school

And now I'm a grandma with 11 grandkids. So that's how long it is. And I always tell people

your dreams do not expire. So it just happened to be that, you know, now was the time and the place

And our mother and father never missed an episode of The Amazing Race. So this was like our show

And they loved it. They dreamed about it as well. It's just that we got to live that dream

That's incredible. So, I mean, let's go from where things started, I guess, to where things ended

Because, look, I mean, from our perspective, it seemed like we did not see you in proximity of any other teams since like you got off at Hong Kong

Was that the case? And it seemed like, again, you were kind of trying to embrace the experience

But how much was that realistic possibility weighing your head of like, yeah, there's a very good chance, especially with this fork in the road, that we're not going to survive

I think we, I felt that almost closer to the beginning when we got the ferry

Like we saw the other teams where we were in proximity. But when we knew the ferry and the structure that we knew, everyone just got on that ferry where they were before

And the way that it spaced it. And it was like, okay

But being fans of the race, we knew that there is always a possibility, right

but right from there it was like we're just going to embrace everything and do every challenge to

the best of our ability we can't even think and go there like let's just run our race whatever

that means we missed that ferry by the way by two minutes it was oh man and we begged them to let us

on and they wouldn't oh my god i mean just think of like what what a different leg could have

existed you know had that's right but that's how close the race is and how fast it moves and um

you know i think you saw jonathan and anna talking about oh we got to get on this fair we got it

because the schedule was so tight so everybody was dealing with that but um that's one thing that

may not come across as like we missed it by two minutes oh it hurt but we just kept running we

just yeah we did yeah i mean one foot in front of the other and and i guess on that note let's talk

about the stairs let's talk about this this moment that you had jackie because yeah i mean it was a

big moment i would imagine given what you've experienced in the past to happen you know in

the moment on the race when again the impetus is usually go go go go so talk to me about what you

were going through in that process but i'm sure your body and mind were telling you nope gotta

slow down at this point fully so one of the things that is important to recognize it had been raining

all day And so and these stairs are like marble stairs and they wet And so in my mind in order to be careful to go with stairs because we have to take stairs all the time right Just in life So you hold on to a banister and you make sure that you have sure footing but you trying to race And so part of the overwhelm is that fight in your head of

going really fast and being really careful and being afraid I'm going to take that step. So it's

like, like, I think I'm going to have a panic. Like, what am I supposed to do? I can't hurry

and I can't, I felt unsafe. And so I was just like almost frozen

almost completely frozen in my head and still doing it. And so I was just, I was so at that point

I just knew I had the support of Lauren always. My big sister was like, you know, at that moment it changed

because it was just about us. But it's also hard when you're looking at home

we realize we had, you know, it's a 12 hour flight. We just found out about it

We had no, you know, we didn't know where we were going. So it was like everything going

And we took the race as soon as we hit the airport when we got in Hong Kong

So there was no time to really think about it. And then it all became real in that moment when we turned around to go down the stairs

going up the stairs. I didn't even know there were stairs. Coming down the stairs was like, we're in Hong Kong, going down the stairs, and they're

really wet. And where are we? And who are you? And what are those people doing there

Why are they hitting us? This is a heck of a girl's trip. Exactly

well Lorna I want to talk about your own moment here of emotionality because

perhaps that rain contributed to obviously the really tough time the tough climb I should say that came in that

roadblock but like when you had that reaction I mean that's something I feel like we would see someone react to like

in the finale not even in the premiere so talk to me about like

what was behind just that expression that I'm sure just kind of bubbled up from

inside once you grabbed that clue at the top it I often I'm reflecting on this a lot and it wasn't just that isolated task

It was years of just dreaming about having that moment. That was the first time we actually got had a challenge to reach a clue

And I knew I had to do it. And the more I would try, the harder the rain would come down and the slippier the bamboo got

We had no one around us. You know, I only had my sister, you know, to cheer me on like that

the other teams had that energy you know of others around them it was just me and this bamboo

let's go and um you know it was difficult like I couldn't get my footing up I don't know if you

could see several teams you couldn't even put your foot flat to just yeah just climb up we had to turn

and angle unless you had you know strength like pops and jeph or something but um I just knew I

was not leaving that challenge until I had that clue in my hand period I didn't know how it was

going to happen. So when I finally got to the top, it was such a release of just everything

everything. You know, we were doing this for our parents. We were doing this, you know

for our kids. We were doing this for ourselves. We were living life. It was the first moment that

the race really became so, so real for me just to touch that clue and to know I got it. And we were

still in it. The last thing I wanted was Phil coming out to the bamboo saying, you know, okay

that was not going to happen period so it was it was the most I can even explain the feeling Everything within me just came out So let say you know you had bridged that two window

You got on the fair and you were amongst other teams. You had a choice in the fork in the road

Would you have still chosen sing? Or were you intending to do dance before all the slots filled up

I could pick sing. Yeah, when we got up to that box, we saw us dance and sing

We were like, oh, that's great. Yeah, that's all we do all day long. So it's like we can't lose. But the strategy would have come in looking at who what teams were already in place there

So that would have, I think, driven our decision, you know, one way or the other. So we got saying and it seemed to be the more difficult challenge after watching the show

You know, they were still all the dancers were done. Check, check, check. And there was still so many empty spots, which made me feel like now I know the outcome

We know the outcome. And I still was like, we have a chance. We have a chance

You know, felt like we were right back there just running the race. Oh, my God. Well, I want to talk about some of these other teams, because I'm sure, you know, like you said, it was like a 12 to 14 hour flight over

You had a bunch of opportunities to interact with these other teams. Were there any particular that you were getting on with in the limited time that you all had together

I was it was I think for me it was um we had talked we sat when we were like taking pictures

next to Carson and Jack oh in the group and so we we just looked and we had the same watch and we

were like you know we're like oh we had the same so we like really wanted to talk to them about the

watch and everything else and we there were them and then also uh Scott and Lori Scott and Lori

um earnest and bridget so already in the airport it's amazing how quickly you can bond with someone

or pick up on something um you know when someone in the airport han and holden you know were helping

us out when we were exchanging money we like we're collaborating and then earnest and bridget

we were working together and then and then someone else had okay here's how we're gonna do this you

know so it was like the social skills involved in that and just picking up on how to move i i think

I could be wrong, but I mean, we had connected with probably well over seven teams, you know

in that short period of time, just getting on the, just between getting our ticket and getting on

the flight. Yeah. So we felt like we could have worked with everybody. Yeah. Period. It didn't

matter who it was. So, and they all know we love them. We love y'all. I was going to say, actually

I just talked with Mark and Lara and they, they like specifically said, send my best to Jackie

and Lauren. So like it's perfect. And it was so nice being able to bond with them. And even though

of course, we would love to have had a different outcome, but having them, they always will have

that special place in our life of us being able to do that together and really embrace some other

people through that moment that have been there and done that. Well, last thing. Oh, go ahead

Go ahead. Oh, I was gonna say, let's turn things outward, inward. Because obviously, the two of you, again, you know, are in such a presence in each other's lives

But I sure you learned something about one another getting to have this rainy day in Hong Kong together So I love for each of you to say what was the biggest thing you learned about the other person in the amazing race together Jackie I start with you So I hope you have tissues

I know. For me, one of the things that when my mom passed away and someone asked me what my

biggest fear was, and I, my biggest fear was that no one was going to love me like that again in my

life and then when going through the stuff I was like oh you do you love me like that and and so

that's it wasn't a question but it just solidified because I knew no matter what even if it's stairs

and it's for a million dollars she loved me more than what was going on and that was just

that this is what I learned. Lauren that's Lauren that's come back to follow

I just I mean, again, she's my she's my baby sister. We're 10 years apart. And I told her from the minute they told me it's a girl

They told my mom and dad she I have been a fan and she's just so genius and so incredible

And I'm just always so amazed at how she just navigates through life despite any challenges or internal struggles

I have just I'm so enamored with that and the way that she just still manages to push through and navigate

And I thought if I was a fan at the beginning of this, I am just off the charts

Like, oh, you are just so incredible. And she uses that to help empower other women and other people, period, daily, every day in her life

And I just have so much respect for you. I have so much respect for my sister

And she is so much stronger and so much wiser than I ever knew

Yeah. So, incredible. And here's the thing is like, you know, while I'm sure this this is really beautiful information you're expressing to each other

It's something that I even felt, you know, not knowing you until before the Stunny Minute episode last time

I think like the Amazing Race, as we have seen over the years, is an environment where it can push the limits of a relationship to its furthest and allow people to to sometimes act their worst in front of each other

And I just find it so admirable that in a moment when, again, you have this like flickering candle of hope that it might be, you know, you might survive in the race that is getting washed out by the rain

Like you still took these moments to coach each other through facing Jackie's fears or getting Lauren through this incredibly physically arduous situation

And I think that while reality TV does not necessarily always represent reality, it felt like a way for us to kind of look at your relationship like a bird's eye view

And so to hear that so beautifully expressed through today, through right now, is just a great reminder as to why we were so happy to get to see you on our screens for those 90 minutes

Thank you. We had the journey of a lifetime. It was a blast

It was an absolute blast. We're still pinching. We woke up today

It's like, oh, did you have the same dream I did? Remember that time I went to Hawkeye

What? Did that happen? Was that a dream? Well, it was such a delight to get to talk with the two of you

I wish you both nothing but the best in your future endeavors. And thank you so much again for everything

You have a great day. Thank you, Mike. Take care. Bye-bye